Educational Decentralization, Public Spending, and Social Justice in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geo-Jaja, Macleans A.

2006-01-01

This study situates the process of educational decentralization in the narrower context of social justice. Its main object, however, is to analyze the implications of decentralization for strategies of equity and social justice in Nigeria. It starts from the premise that the early optimism that supported decentralization as an efficient and…

Decentralization: Why, How, and toward What Ends? Special Policy Report, No. 1. Policy Briefs Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stinnette, Lynn J.

Administrators are looking at decentralization as a solution to issues troubling schools, teachers, and students. The notion of decentralization is accompanied by two assumptions. First, decentralization will produce an improvement in education because classroom decision making will be more responsive to the specific needs of a school. Second, in…

Decentralized Planning for Autonomous Agents Cooperating in Complex Missions

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

Consensus - based decentralized auctions for robust task allocation ," IEEE Transactions on Robotics...Robotics, vol. 24, pp. 209-222, 2006. [44] H.-L. Choi, L. Brunet, and J. P. How, " Consensus - based decentralized auctions for robust task allocation ...2003. 123 [31] L. Brunet, " Consensus - Based Auctions for Decentralized Task Assignment," Master’s thesis, Dept.

The political economy of decentralization of health and social services in Canada.

PubMed

Tsalikis, G

1989-01-01

A trend to decentralization in Canada's 'welfare state' has received support from the Left and from the Right. Some social critics of the Left expect decentralization to result in holistic services adjusted to local needs. Others, moreover, feel we are in the dawn of a new epoch in which major economic transformations are to bring about, through new class alliances and conflict, decentralization of power and a better quality of life in communities. These assumptions and their theoretical pitfalls are discussed here following an historical overview of the centralization/decentralization issue in Canadian social policy. It is argued that recent proposals of decentralization are a continuation of reactionary tendencies to constrain social expenditures, but not a path to better quality of life.

Administrative Decentralization in School Systems and Its Effect on the Organization of Media Services. Atlanta Public Schools: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, R. David

This study reviews the literature on public school administration and on decentralization to establish the groundwork for an analysis of the administration of a decentralized school system and its media services, discusses some of the confusion in the centralization vs. decentralization debate, and presents a heuristic study of the administration…

Decentralization of Education: Why, When, What, and How? Fundamentals of Educational Planning Series, Number 64.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welsh, Thomas; McGinn, Noel F.

Decentralization is arguably one of the most important phenomena to come on to the educational planning agenda in the last 15 years. Why a country should decentralize its educational decision-making process and which decisions should be decentralized are two questions that many decision-makers raise. This booklet is intended to provide educational…

The tradeoff between centralized and decentralized health services: evidence from rural areas in Mexico.

PubMed

Vargas Bustamante, Arturo

2010-09-01

This study investigates the effectiveness of centralized and decentralized health care providers in rural Mexico. It compares provider performance since both centralized and decentralized providers co-exist in rural areas of the country. The data are drawn from the 2003 household survey of Oportunidades, a comprehensive study of rural families from seven states in Mexico. The analyses compare out-of-pocket health care expenditures and utilization of preventive care among rural households with access to either centralized or decentralized health care providers. This study benefits from differences in timing of health care decentralization and from a quasi-random distribution of providers. Results show that overall centralized providers perform better. Households served by this organization report less regressive out-of-pocket health care expenditures (32% lower), and observe higher utilization of preventive services (3.6% more). Decentralized providers that were devolved to state governments in the early 1980s observe a slightly better performance than providers that were decentralized in the mid-1990s. These findings are robust to decentralization timing, heterogeneity in per capita government health expenditures, state and health infrastructure effects, and other confounders. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decentralization of health care systems and health outcomes: Evidence from a natural experiment.

PubMed

Jiménez-Rubio, Dolores; García-Gómez, Pilar

2017-09-01

While many countries worldwide are shifting responsibilities for their health systems to local levels of government, there is to date insufficient evidence about the potential impact of these policy reforms. We estimate the impact of decentralization of the health services on infant and neonatal mortality using a natural experiment: the devolution of health care decision making powers to Spanish regions. The devolution was implemented gradually and asymmetrically over a twenty-year period (1981-2002). The order in which the regions were decentralized was driven by political factors and hence can be considered exogenous to health outcomes. In addition, we exploit the dynamic effect of decentralization of health services and allow for heterogeneous effects by the two main types of decentralization implemented across regions: full decentralization (political and fiscal powers) versus political decentralization only. Our difference in differences results based on a panel dataset for the 50 Spanish provinces over the period 1980 to 2010 show that the lasting benefit of decentralization accrues only to regions which enjoy almost full fiscal and political powers and which are also among the richest regions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The snow system: A decentralized medical data processing system.

PubMed

Bellika, Johan Gustav; Henriksen, Torje Starbo; Yigzaw, Kassaye Yitbarek

2015-01-01

Systems for large-scale reuse of electronic health record data is claimed to have the potential to transform the current health care delivery system. In principle three alternative solutions for reuse exist: centralized, data warehouse, and decentralized solutions. This chapter focuses on the decentralized system alternative. Decentralized systems may be categorized into approaches that move data to enable computations or move computations to the where data is located to enable computations. We describe a system that moves computations to where the data is located. Only this kind of decentralized solution has the capabilities to become ideal systems for reuse as the decentralized alternative enables computation and reuse of electronic health record data without moving or exposing the information to outsiders. This chapter describes the Snow system, which is a decentralized medical data processing system, its components and how it has been used. It also describes the requirements this kind of systems need to support to become sustainable and successful in recruiting voluntary participation from health institutions.

A Modified Actor-Power-Accountability Framework (MAPAF) for analyzing decentralized forest governance: case study from Ethiopia.

PubMed

Mohammed, Abrar Juhar; Inoue, Makoto

2014-06-15

This paper posits a Modified Actor-Power-Accountability Framework (MAPAF) that makes three major improvements on the Actor-Power-Accountability Framework (APAF) developed by Agrawal and Ribot (1999). These improvements emphasize the nature of decentralized property rights, linking the outputs of decentralization with its outcomes and the inclusion of contextual factors. Applying MAPAF to analyze outputs and outcomes from two major decentralized forest policies in Ethiopia, i.e., delegation and devolution, has demonstrated the following strengths of the framework. First, by incorporating vital bundles of property rights into APAF, MAPAF creates a common ground for exploring and comparing the extent of democratization achieved by different decentralizing reforms. Second, the inclusion of social and environmental outcomes in MAPAF makes it possible to link the output of decentralization with local level outcomes. Finally, the addition of contextual factors enhances MAPAF's explanatory power by providing room for investigating exogenous factors other than democratization that contribute to the outcomes of decentralization reforms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intraocular lens design for treating high myopia based on individual eye model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yang; Wang, Zhaoqi; Wang, Yan; Zuo, Tong

2007-02-01

In this research, we firstly design the phakic intraocular lens (PIOL) based on individual eye model with optical design software ZEMAX. The individual PIOL is designed to correct the defocus and astigmatism, and then we compare the PIOL power calculated from the individual eye model with that from the experiential formula. Close values of PIOL power are obtained between the individual eye model and the formula, but the suggested method has more accuracy with more functions. The impact of PIOL decentration on human eye is evaluated, including rotation decentration, flat axis decentration, steep axis decentration and axial movement of PIOL, which is impossible with traditional method. To control the PIOL decentration errors, we give the limit values of PIOL decentration for the specific eye in this study.

Decentralization, democratization, and health: the Philippine experiment.

PubMed

Langran, Irene V

2011-01-01

In 1991, the Philippines joined a growing list of countries that reformed health planning through decentralization. Reformers viewed decentralization as a tool that would solve multiple problems, leading to more meaningful democracy and more effective health planning. Today, nearly two decades after the passage of decentralization legislation, questions about the effectiveness of the reforms persist. Inadequate financing, inequity, and a lack of meaningful participation remain challenges, in many ways mirroring broader weaknesses of Philippine democracy. These concerns pose questions regarding the nature of contemporary decentralization, democratization, and health planning and whether these three strategies are indeed mutually enforcing.

The Impact of Human-Automation Collaboration in Decentralized Multiple Unmanned Vehicle Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

based decentralized auctions for robust task allocation ,[ IEEE Trans. Robot., vol. 25, no. 4, pp...operators can aid such systems by bringing their knowledge- based reasoning and experience to bear. Given a decentralized task planner and a goal- based ...experience to bear. Given a decentralized task planner and a goal- based operator interface for a network of unmanned vehicles in a search, track,

Operator Objective Function Guidance for a Real-Time Unmanned Vehicle Scheduling Algorithm

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

Consensus - Based Decentralized Auctions for Robust Task Allocation ,” IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation, Vol. 25, No. 4, No. 4, 2009, pp. 912...planning for the fleet. The decentralized task planner used in OPS-USERS is the consensus - based bundle algorithm (CBBA), a decentralized , polynomial...and surveillance (OPS-USERS), which leverages decentralized algorithms for vehicle routing and task allocation . This

Governing decentralization in health care under tough budget constraint: what can we learn from the Italian experience?

PubMed

Tediosi, Fabrizio; Gabriele, Stefania; Longo, Francesco

2009-05-01

In many European countries, since the World War II, there has been a trend towards decentralization of health policy to lower levels of governments, while more recently there have been re-centralization processes. Whether re-centralization will be the new paradigm of European health policy or not is difficult to say. In the Italian National Health Service (SSN) decentralization raised two related questions that might be interesting for the international debate on decentralization in health care: (a) what sort of regulatory framework and institutional balances are required to govern decentralization in health care in a heterogeneous country under tough budget constraints? (b) how can it be ensured that the most advanced parts of the country remain committed to solidarity, supporting the weakest ones? To address these questions this article describes the recent trends in SSN funding and expenditure, it reviews the strategy adopted by the Italian government for governing the decentralization process and discusses the findings to draw policy conclusions. The main lessons emerging from this experience are that: (1) when the differences in administrative and policy skills, in socio-economic standards and social capital are wide, decentralization may lead to undesirable divergent evolution paths; (2) even in decentralized systems, the role of the Central government can be very important to contain health expenditure; (3) a strong governance of the Central government may help and not hinder the enforcement of decentralization; and (4) supporting the weakest Regions and maintaining inter-regional solidarity is hard but possible. In Italy, despite an increasing role of the Central government in steering the SSN, the pattern of regional decentralization of health sector decision making does not seem at risk. Nevertheless, the Italian case confirms the complexity of decentralization and re-centralization processes that sometimes can be paradoxically reinforcing each other.

Health sector decentralization and local decision-making: Decision space, institutional capacities and accountability in Pakistan.

PubMed

Bossert, Thomas John; Mitchell, Andrew David

2011-01-01

Health sector decentralization has been widely adopted to improve delivery of health services. While many argue that institutional capacities and mechanisms of accountability required to transform decentralized decision-making into improvements in local health systems are lacking, few empirical studies exist which measure or relate together these concepts. Based on research instruments administered to a sample of 91 health sector decision-makers in 17 districts of Pakistan, this study analyzes relationships between three dimensions of decentralization: decentralized authority (referred to as "decision space"), institutional capacities, and accountability to local officials. Composite quantitative indicators of these three dimensions were constructed within four broad health functions (strategic and operational planning, budgeting, human resources management, and service organization/delivery) and on an overall/cross-function basis. Three main findings emerged. First, district-level respondents report varying degrees of each dimension despite being under a single decentralization regime and facing similar rules across provinces. Second, within dimensions of decentralization-particularly decision space and capacities-synergies exist between levels reported by respondents in one function and those reported in other functions (statistically significant coefficients of correlation ranging from ρ=0.22 to ρ=0.43). Third, synergies exist across dimensions of decentralization, particularly in terms of an overall indicator of institutional capacities (significantly correlated with both overall decision space (ρ=0.39) and accountability (ρ=0.23)). This study demonstrates that decentralization is a varied experience-with some district-level officials making greater use of decision space than others and that those who do so also tend to have more capacity to make decisions and are held more accountable to elected local officials for such choices. These findings suggest that Pakistan's decentralization policy should focus on synergies among dimensions of decentralization to encouraging more use of de jure decision space, work toward more uniform institutional capacity, and encourage greater accountability to local elected officials. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Highways and Urban Decentralization

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

This report documents a retrospective study of the relationship between highways and urban decentralization. We see decentralization as caused largely by the increased consumption of land by residents and businesses which occurs mainly because of hig...

Peeling the Onion: Why Centralized Control / Decentralized Execution Works

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

March–April 2014 Air & Space Power Journal | 24 Feature Peeling the Onion Why Centralized Control / Decentralized Execution Works Lt Col Alan Docauer...DATES COVERED 00-00-2014 to 00-00-2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Peeling the Onion : Why Centralized Control / Decentralized Execution Works 5a...Air & Space Power Journal | 25 Docauer Peeling the Onion Feature What Is Centralized Control / Decentralized Execution? Emerging in the aftermath of

Taking stock of decentralized disaster risk reduction in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grady, Anthony; Gersonius, Berry; Makarigakis, Alexandros

2016-09-01

The Sendai Framework, which outlines the global course on disaster risk reduction until 2030, places strong importance on the role of local government in disaster risk reduction. An aim of decentralization is to increase the influence and authority of local government in decision making. Yet, there is limited empirical evidence of the extent, character and effects of decentralization in current disaster risk reduction implementation, and of the barriers that are most critical to this. This paper evaluates decentralization in relation to disaster risk reduction in Indonesia, chosen for its recent actions to decentralize governance of DRR coupled with a high level of disaster risk. An analytical framework was developed to evaluate the various dimensions of decentralized disaster risk reduction, which necessitated the use of a desk study, semi-structured interviews and a gap analysis. Key barriers to implementation in Indonesia included: capacity gaps at lower institutional levels, low compliance with legislation, disconnected policies, issues in communication and coordination and inadequate resourcing. However, any of these barriers are not unique to disaster risk reduction, and similar barriers have been observed for decentralization in other developing countries in other public sectors.

Dynamic Centralized and Decentralized Control Systems

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-09-01

This report develops a systematic method for designing suboptimal decentralized control systems. The method is then applied to the design of a decentralized controller for a freeway-corridor system. A freeway corridor is considered to be a system of ...

[Analysis of the healthcare service decentralization process in Côte d'Ivoire].

PubMed

Soura, B D; Coulibaly, S S

2014-01-01

The decentralization of healthcare services is becoming increasingly important in strategies of public sector management. This concept is analyzed from various points of view, including legal, economic, political, and sociological. Several typologies have been proposed in the literature to analyze this decentralization process, which can take different forms ranging from simple deconcentration to more elaborate devolution. In some instances, decentralization can be analyzed by the degree of autonomy given to local authorities. This article applies these typologies to analyze the healthcare system decentralization process in Cote d'Ivoire. Special attention is paid to the new forms of community healthcare organizations. These decentralized structures enjoy a kind of autonomy, with characteristics closer to those of devolution. The model might serve as an example for population involvement in defining and managing healthcare problems in Cote d'Ivoire. We end with proposals for the improvement of the process.

A comparison of decentralized, distributed, and centralized vibro-acoustic control.

PubMed

Frampton, Kenneth D; Baumann, Oliver N; Gardonio, Paolo

2010-11-01

Direct velocity feedback control of structures is well known to increase structural damping and thus reduce vibration. In multi-channel systems the way in which the velocity signals are used to inform the actuators ranges from decentralized control, through distributed or clustered control to fully centralized control. The objective of distributed controllers is to exploit the anticipated performance advantage of the centralized control while maintaining the scalability, ease of implementation, and robustness of decentralized control. However, and in seeming contradiction, some investigations have concluded that decentralized control performs as well as distributed and centralized control, while other results have indicated that distributed control has significant performance advantages over decentralized control. The purpose of this work is to explain this seeming contradiction in results, to explore the effectiveness of decentralized, distributed, and centralized vibro-acoustic control, and to expand the concept of distributed control to include the distribution of the optimization process and the cost function employed.

The Effect of Fiscal Decentralization on Under-five Mortality in Iran: A Panel Data Analysis.

PubMed

Samadi, Ali Hussein; Keshtkaran, Ali; Kavosi, Zahra; Vahedi, Sajad

2013-11-01

Fiscal Decentralization (FD) in many cases is encouraged as a strong means of improving the efficiency and equity in the provision of public goods, such as healthcare services. This issue has urged the researchers to experimentally examine the relationship between fiscal decentralization indicators and health outcomes. In this study we examine the effect of Fiscal Decentralization in Medical Universities (FDMU) and Fiscal Decentralization in Provincial Revenues (FDPR) on Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5M) in provinces of Iran over the period between 2007 and 2010. We employed panel data methods in this article. The results of the Pesaran CD test demonstrated that most of the variables used in the analysis were cross-sectionally dependent. The Hausman test results suggested that fixed-effects were more appropriate to estimate our model. We estimated the fixed-effect model by using Driscoll-Kraay standard errors as a remedy for cross-sectional dependency. According to the findings of this research, fiscal decentralization in the health sector had a negative impact on U5M. On the other hand, fiscal decentralization in provincial revenues had a positive impact on U5M. In addition, U5M had a negative association with the density of physicians, hospital beds, and provincial GDP per capita, but a positive relationship with Gini coefficient and unemployment. The findings of our study indicated that fiscal decentralization should be emphasized in the health sector. The results suggest the need for caution in the implementation of fiscal decentralization in provincial revenues.

Disturbance decoupling, decentralized control and the Riccati equation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garzia, M. R.; Loparo, K. A.; Martin, C. F.

1981-01-01

The disturbance decoupling and optimal decentralized control problems are looked at using identical mathematical techniques. A statement of the problems and the development of their solution approach is presented. Preliminary results are given for the optimal decentralized control problem.

Decentralized Quasi-Newton Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisen, Mark; Mokhtari, Aryan; Ribeiro, Alejandro

2017-05-01

We introduce the decentralized Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (D-BFGS) method as a variation of the BFGS quasi-Newton method for solving decentralized optimization problems. The D-BFGS method is of interest in problems that are not well conditioned, making first order decentralized methods ineffective, and in which second order information is not readily available, making second order decentralized methods impossible. D-BFGS is a fully distributed algorithm in which nodes approximate curvature information of themselves and their neighbors through the satisfaction of a secant condition. We additionally provide a formulation of the algorithm in asynchronous settings. Convergence of D-BFGS is established formally in both the synchronous and asynchronous settings and strong performance advantages relative to first order methods are shown numerically.

Decentralization can help reduce deforestation when user groups engage with local government.

PubMed

Wright, Glenn D; Andersson, Krister P; Gibson, Clark C; Evans, Tom P

2016-12-27

Policy makers around the world tout decentralization as an effective tool in the governance of natural resources. Despite the popularity of these reforms, there is limited scientific evidence on the environmental effects of decentralization, especially in tropical biomes. This study presents evidence on the institutional conditions under which decentralization is likely to be successful in sustaining forests. We draw on common-pool resource theory to argue that the environmental impact of decentralization hinges on the ability of reforms to engage local forest users in the governance of forests. Using matching techniques, we analyze longitudinal field observations on both social and biophysical characteristics in a large number of local government territories in Bolivia (a country with a decentralized forestry policy) and Peru (a country with a much more centralized forestry policy). We find that territories with a decentralized forest governance structure have more stable forest cover, but only when local forest user groups actively engage with the local government officials. We provide evidence in support of a possible causal process behind these results: When user groups engage with the decentralized units, it creates a more enabling environment for effective local governance of forests, including more local government-led forest governance activities, fora for the resolution of forest-related conflicts, intermunicipal cooperation in the forestry sector, and stronger technical capabilities of the local government staff.

Quantitative Reevaluation of the Effects of Short- and Long-Term Removal of Descending Modulatory Inputs on the Pyloric Rhythm of the Crab, Cancer borealis1,2,3

PubMed Central

Hamood, Albert W.; Haddad, Sara A.; Otopalik, Adriane G.; Rosenbaum, Philipp

2015-01-01

Abstract The crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) receives descending neuromodulatory inputs from three anterior ganglia: the paired commissural ganglia (CoGs), and the single esophageal ganglion (OG). In this paper, we provide the first detailed and quantitative analyses of the short- and long-term effects of removal of these descending inputs (decentralization) on the pyloric rhythm of the STG. Thirty minutes after decentralization, the mean frequency of the pyloric rhythm dropped from 1.20 Hz in control to 0.52 Hz. Whereas the relative phase of pyloric neuron activity was approximately constant across frequency in the controls, after decentralization this changed markedly. Nine control preparations kept for 5–6 d in vitro maintained pyloric rhythm frequencies close to their initial values. Nineteen decentralized preparations kept for 5–6 d dropped slightly in frequency from those seen at 30 min following decentralization, but then displayed stable activity over 6 d. Bouts of higher frequency activity were intermittently seen in both control and decentralized preparations, but the bouts began earlier and were more frequent in the decentralized preparations. Although the bouts may indicate that the removal of the modulatory inputs triggered changes in neuronal excitability, these changes did not produce obvious long-lasting changes in the frequency of the decentralized preparations. PMID:25914899

Decentralization can help reduce deforestation when user groups engage with local government

PubMed Central

Wright, Glenn D.; Gibson, Clark C.; Evans, Tom P.

2016-01-01

Policy makers around the world tout decentralization as an effective tool in the governance of natural resources. Despite the popularity of these reforms, there is limited scientific evidence on the environmental effects of decentralization, especially in tropical biomes. This study presents evidence on the institutional conditions under which decentralization is likely to be successful in sustaining forests. We draw on common-pool resource theory to argue that the environmental impact of decentralization hinges on the ability of reforms to engage local forest users in the governance of forests. Using matching techniques, we analyze longitudinal field observations on both social and biophysical characteristics in a large number of local government territories in Bolivia (a country with a decentralized forestry policy) and Peru (a country with a much more centralized forestry policy). We find that territories with a decentralized forest governance structure have more stable forest cover, but only when local forest user groups actively engage with the local government officials. We provide evidence in support of a possible causal process behind these results: When user groups engage with the decentralized units, it creates a more enabling environment for effective local governance of forests, including more local government-led forest governance activities, fora for the resolution of forest-related conflicts, intermunicipal cooperation in the forestry sector, and stronger technical capabilities of the local government staff. PMID:27956644

Strategies of Educational Decentralization: Key Questions and Core Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, E. Mark

1998-01-01

Explains key issues and forces that shape organization and management strategies of educational decentralization, using examples from Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Nicaragua, and Spain. Core decentralization issues include national and regional goals, planning, political stress, resource distribution, infrastructure development, and job…

Is decentralization good for logistics systems? Evidence on essential medicine logistics in Ghana and Guatemala.

PubMed

Bossert, Thomas J; Bowser, Diana M; Amenyah, Johnnie K

2007-03-01

Efficient logistics systems move essential medicines down the supply chain to the service delivery point, and then to the end user. Experts on logistics systems tend to see the supply chain as requiring centralized control to be most effective. However, many health reforms have involved decentralization, which experts fear has disrupted the supply chain and made systems less effective. There is no consensus on an appropriate methodology for assessing the effectiveness of decentralization in general, and only a few studies have attempted to address decentralization of logistics systems. This paper sets out a framework and methodology of a pioneering exploratory study that examines the experiences of decentralization in two countries, Guatemala and Ghana, and presents suggestive results of how decentralization affected the performance of their logistics systems. The analytical approach assessed decentralization using the principal author's 'decision space' approach, which defines decentralization as the degree of choice that local officials have over different health system functions. In this case the approach focused on 15 different logistics functions and measured the relationship between the degree of choice and indicators of performance for each of the functions. The results of both studies indicate that less choice (i.e. more centralized) was associated with better performance for two key functions (inventory control and information systems), while more choice (i.e. more decentralized) over planning and budgeting was associated with better performance. With different systems of procurement in Ghana and Guatemala, we found that a system with some elements of procurement that are centralized (selection of firms and prices fixed by national tender) was positively related in Guatemala but negatively related in Ghana, where a system of 'cash and carry' cost recovery allowed more local choice. The authors conclude that logistics systems can be effectively decentralized for some functions while others should remain centralized. These preliminary findings, however, should be subject to alternative methodologies to confirm the findings.

Linear time-invariant controller design for two-channel decentralized control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Desoer, Charles A.; Gundes, A. Nazli

1987-01-01

This paper analyzes a linear time-invariant two-channel decentralized control system with a 2 x 2 strictly proper plant. It presents an algorithm for the algebraic design of a class of decentralized compensators which stabilize the given plant.

Household Schooling Behaviors and Decentralization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behrman, Jere R.; King, Elizabeth M.

2001-01-01

Presents a simple framework for (1) demonstrating how households determine schooling investments through choice and voice; and (2) considering effects of decentralization on household behaviors, given information problems. Some aspects of decentralization may increase efficiency; others may be neutral or decrease efficiency. Further research is…

Leadership in Decentralized Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madsen, Jean

1997-01-01

Summarizes a study that examined principals' leadership in three private schools and its implications for decentralized public schools. With the increase of charter and privatized managed schools, principals will need to redefine their leadership styles. Private schools, as decentralized entities, offer useful perspectives on developing school…

Control and stabilization of decentralized systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byrnes, Christopher I.; Gilliam, David; Martin, Clyde F.

1989-01-01

Proceeding from the problem posed by the need to stabilize the motion of two helicopters maneuvering a single load, a methodology is developed for the stabilization of classes of decentralized systems based on a more algebraic approach, which involves the external symmetries of decentralized systems. Stabilizing local-feedback laws are derived for any class of decentralized systems having a semisimple algebra of symmetries; the helicopter twin-lift problem, as well as certain problems involving the stabilization of discretizations of distributed parameter problems, have just such algebras of symmetries.

Centralized Command, Distributed Control, and Decentralized Execution - a Command and Control Solution to US Air Force A2/AD Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-28

Regional Air Component Commander (the Leader) 5 CC-DC- DE Solution to A2/AD – Distributed Theater Air Control System (the System) 9 CC-DC- DE ... Control , Decentralized Execution” to a new framework of “Centralized Command, Distributed Control , and Decentralized Execution” (CC-DC- DE ).4 5 This...USAF C2 challenges in A2/AD environments describes a three-part Centralized Command, Distributed Control , and Decentralized Execution (CC-DC- DE

Attitudes and perceptions of stakeholders on decentralization of health services in Uganda: the case of Lira and Apac districts.

PubMed

Anokbonggo, W W; Ogwal-Okeng, J W; Ross-Degnan, D; Aupont, O

2004-02-01

In Uganda, the decentralization of administrative functions, management, and responsibility for health care to districts, which began in 1994, resulted in fundamental changes in health care delivery. Since the introduction of the policy in Uganda, little information has been available on stakeholders' perceptions about the benefits of the policy and how decentralization affected health care delivery. To identify the perceptions and beliefs of key stakeholders on the impact and process of decentralization and on the operations of health services in two districts in Uganda, and to report their suggestions to improve future implementation of similar policies. We used qualitative research methods that included focus group discussions with 90 stakeholders from both study districts. The sample population comprised of 12 health workers from the two hospitals, 11 district health administrators, and 67 Local Council Leaders. Perceptions and concerns of stakeholders on the impact of decentralization on district health services. There was a general consensus that decentralization empowered local administrative and political decision-making. Among stakeholders, the policy was perceived to have created a sense of ownership and responsibility. Major problems that were said to be associated with decentralization included political harassment of civil servants, increased nepotism, inadequate financial resources, and mismanagement of resources. This study elicited perceptions about critical factors upon which successful implementation of the decentralization policy depended. These included: appreciation of the role of all stakeholders by district politicians; adequate availability and efficient utilization of resources; reasonably developed infrastructure prior to the policy change; appropriate sensitisation and training of those implementing policies; and the good will and active involvement of the local community. In the absence of these factors, implementation of decentralization of services to districts may not immediately make economic and administrative sense.

On decentralized design: Rationale, dynamics, and effects on decision-making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chanron, Vincent

The focus of this dissertation is the design of complex systems, including engineering systems such as cars, airplanes, and satellites. Companies who design these systems are under constant pressure to design better products that meet customer expectations, and competition forces them to develop them faster. One of the responses of the industry to these conflicting challenges has been the decentralization of the design responsibilities. The current lack of understanding of the dynamics of decentralized design processes is the main motivation for this research, and places value on the descriptive base. It identifies the main reasons and the true benefits for companies to decentralize the design of their products. It also demonstrates the limitations of this approach by listing the relevant issues and problems created by the decentralization of decisions. Based on these observations, a game-theoretic approach to decentralized design is proposed to model the decisions made during the design process. The dynamics are modeled using mathematical formulations inspired from control theory. Building upon this formalism, the issue of convergence in decentralized design is analyzed: the equilibrium points of the design space are identified and convergent and divergent patterns are recognized. This rigorous investigation of the design process provides motivation and support for proposing new approaches to decentralized design problems. Two methods are developed, which aim at improving the design process in two ways: decreasing the product development time, and increasing the optimality of the final design. The frame of these methods are inspired by eigenstructure decomposition and set-based design, respectively. The value of the research detailed within this dissertation is in the proposed methods which are built upon the sound mathematical formalism developed. The contribution of this work is two fold: rigorous investigation of the design process, and practical support to decision-making in decentralized environments.

Educational decentralization, public spending, and social justice in Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geo-Jaja, Macleans A.

2007-01-01

This study situates the process of educational decentralization in the narrower context of social justice. Its main object, however, is to analyze the implications of decentralization for strategies of equity and social justice in Nigeria. It starts from the premise that the early optimism that supported decentralization as an efficient and effective educational reform tool has been disappointed. The author maintains that decentralization — on its own — cannot improve education service delivery, the capacities of subordinate governments, or the integration of social policy in broader development goals. If the desired goals are to be met, public spending must be increased, greater tax revenues must be secured, and macro-economic stabilization must be achieved without re-instituting the welfare state.

Decentralized Decision Making Toward Educational Goals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monahan, William W.; Johnson, Homer M.

This monograph provides guidelines to help those school districts considering a more decentralized form of management. The authors discuss the levels at which different types of decisions should be made, describe the changing nature of the educational environment, identify different centralization-decentralization models, and suggest a flexible…

Decentralized Budgeting in Education: Model Variations and Practitioner Perspectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, George; Metsinger, Jackie; McGinnis, Patricia

In educational settings, decentralized budgeting refers to various fiscal practices that disperse budgeting responsibility away from central administration to the line education units. This distributed decision-making is common to several financial management models. Among the many financial management models that employ decentralized budgeting…

Decentralization and equity of resource allocation: evidence from Colombia and Chile.

PubMed Central

Bossert, Thomas J.; Larrañaga, Osvaldo; Giedion, Ursula; Arbelaez, José Jesus; Bowser, Diana M.

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between decentralization and equity of resource allocation in Colombia and Chile. METHODS: The "decision space" approach and analysis of expenditures and utilization rates were used to provide a comparative analysis of decentralization of the health systems of Colombia and Chile. FINDINGS: Evidence from Colombia and Chile suggests that decentralization, under certain conditions and with some specific policy mechanisms, can improve equity of resource allocation. In these countries, equitable levels of per capita financial allocations at the municipal level were achieved through different forms of decentralization--the use of allocation formulae, adequate local funding choices and horizontal equity funds. Findings on equity of utilization of services were less consistent, but they did show that increased levels of funding were associated with increased utilization. This suggests that improved equity of funding over time might reduce inequities of service utilization. CONCLUSION: Decentralization can contribute to, or at least maintain, equitable allocation of health resources among municipalities of different incomes. PMID:12751417

Reliable Decentralized Control of Fuzzy Discrete-Event Systems and a Test Algorithm.

PubMed

Liu, Fuchun; Dziong, Zbigniew

2013-02-01

A framework for decentralized control of fuzzy discrete-event systems (FDESs) has been recently presented to guarantee the achievement of a given specification under the joint control of all local fuzzy supervisors. As a continuation, this paper addresses the reliable decentralized control of FDESs in face of possible failures of some local fuzzy supervisors. Roughly speaking, for an FDES equipped with n local fuzzy supervisors, a decentralized supervisor is called k-reliable (1 ≤ k ≤ n) provided that the control performance will not be degraded even when n - k local fuzzy supervisors fail. A necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of k-reliable decentralized supervisors of FDESs is proposed by introducing the notions of M̃uc-controllability and k-reliable coobservability of fuzzy language. In particular, a polynomial-time algorithm to test the k-reliable coobservability is developed by a constructive methodology, which indicates that the existence of k-reliable decentralized supervisors of FDESs can be checked with a polynomial complexity.

The Kerala Decentration Meter. A new method and devise for fitting the optical of spectacle lenses in the visual axis.

PubMed

Joseph, T K; Kartha, C P

1982-01-01

Centring of spectacle lenses is much neglected field of ophthalmology. The prismatic effect caused by wrong centring results in a phoria on the eye muscles which in turn causes persistent eyestrain. The theory of visual axis, optical axis and angle alpha is discussed. Using new methods the visual axis and optical axis of 35 subjects were measured. The results were computed for facial asymmetry, parallax error, angle alpha and also decentration for near vision. The results show that decentration is required on account of each of these factors. Considerable correction is needed in the vertical direction, a fact much neglected nowadays; and vertical decentration results in vertical phoria which is more symptomatic than horizontal phorias. Angle Alpha was computed for each of these patients. A new devise called 'The Kerala Decentration Meter' using the pinhole method for measuring the degree of decentration from the datum centre of the frame, and capable of correcting all the factors described above, is shown with diagrams.

Factors influencing flap and INTACS decentration after femtosecond laser application in normal and keratoconic eyes.

PubMed

Ertan, Aylin; Karacal, Humeyra

2008-10-01

To compare accuracy of LASIK flap and INTACS centration following femtosecond laser application in normal and keratoconic eyes. This is a retrospective case series comprising 133 eyes of 128 patients referred for refractive surgery. All eyes were divided into two groups according to preoperative diagnosis: group 1 (LASIK group) comprised 74 normal eyes of 72 patients undergoing LASIK with a femtosecond laser (IntraLase), and group 2 (INTACS group) consisted of 59 eyes of 39 patients with keratoconus for whom INTACS were implanted using a femtosecond laser (IntraLase). Decentration of the LASIK flap and INTACS was analyzed using Pentacam. Temporal decentration was 612.56 +/- 384.24 microm (range: 30 to 2120 microm) in the LASIK group and 788.33 +/- 500.34 microm (range: 30 to 2450 microm) in the INTACS group. A statistically significant difference was noted between the groups in terms of decentration (P < .05). Regression analysis showed that the amount of decentration of the LASIK flap and INTACS correlated with the central corneal thickness in the LASIK group and preoperative sphere and cylinder in the INTACS group, respectively. Decentration with the IntraLase occurred in most cases, especially in keratoconic eyes. The applanation performed for centralization during IntraLase application may flatten and shift the pupil center, and thus cause decentralization of the LASIK flap and INTACS. Central corneal thickness in the LASIK group and preoperative sphere and cylinder in the INTACS group proved to be statistically significant parameters associated with decentration.

Decentralization or centralization: striking a balance.

PubMed

Dirschel, K M

1994-09-01

An Executive Vice President for Nursing can provide the necessary link to meet diverse clinical demands when encountering centralization--decentralization decisions. Centralized communication links hospital departments giving nurses a unified voice. Decentralization acknowledges the need for diversity and achieves the right balance of uniformity through a responsive communications network.

Centralization vs. Decentralization: A Location Analysis Approach for Librarians

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raffel, Jeffrey; Shishko, Robert

1972-01-01

An application of location theory to the question of centralized versus decentralized library facilities for a university, with relevance for special libraries is presented. The analysis provides models for a single library, for two or more libraries, or for decentralized facilities. (6 references) (Author/NH)

The Paradox of Decentralizing Schools: Lessons from Business, Government, and the Catholic Church.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Jerome T.

1989-01-01

By the year 2000, school decentralization could become another unfortunate, ineffectual pendulum swing. According to this article, a dynamic, ever-changing system of decentralization and centralization balances the benefits of local administrative autonomy with the pursuit of unified goals and helps each leadership level understand its…

On Deciding How to Decide: To Centralize or Decentralize.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaffee, Ellen Earle

Issues concerning whether to centralize or decentralize decision-making are addressed, with applications for colleges. Centralization/decentralization (C/D) must be analyzed with reference to a particular decision. Three components of C/D are locus of authority, breadth of participation, and relative contribution by the decision-maker's staff. C/D…

Centralization Versus Decentralization: A Location Analysis Approach for Librarians.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shishko, Robert; Raffel, Jeffrey

One of the questions that seems to perplex many university and special librarians is whether to move in the direction of centralizing or decentralizing the library's collections and facilities. Presented is a theoretical approach, employing location theory, to the library centralization-decentralization question. Location theory allows the analyst…

Effects of Decentralization on School Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahlin, Asa; Mork, Eva

2008-01-01

Sweden has undertaken major national reforms of its school sector, which, consequently, has been classified as one of the most decentralized ones in the OECD. This paper investigates whether local tax base, grants, and preferences affected local school resources differently as decentralization took place. We find that municipal tax base affects…

Responsibility Center Management: Lessons from 25 Years of Decentralized Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strauss, Jon C.; Curry, John R.

Decentralization of authority is a natural act in universities, but decentralization of responsibility is not. A problem faced by universities is the decoupling of academic authority from financial responsibility. The solution proposed in this book for the coupling is Responsibility Center Management (RCM), also called Revenue Responsibility…

A Review of Characteristics and Experiences of Decentralization of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mwinjuma, Juma Saidi; Kadir, Suhaida bte Abd.; Hamzah, Azimi; Basri, Ramli

2015-01-01

This paper scrutinizes decentralization of education with reference to some countries around the world. We consider discussion on decentralization to be complex, critical and broad question in the contemporary education planning, administration and politics of education reforms. Even though the debate on and implementation of decentralization…

40 CFR 51.353 - Network type and program evaluation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., decentralized, or a hybrid of the two at the State's discretion, but shall be demonstrated to achieve the same... § 51.351 or 51.352 of this subpart. For decentralized programs other than those meeting the design.... (a) Presumptive equivalency. A decentralized network consisting of stations that only perform...

Visualizing the Collective Learner through Decentralized Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castro, Juan Carlos

2015-01-01

Understandings of decentralized networks are increasingly used to describe a way to structure curriculum and pedagogy. It is often understood as a structural model to organize pedagogical and curricular relationships in which there is no center. While this is important it also bears introducing into the discourse that decentralized networks are…

On l(1): Optimal decentralized performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sourlas, Dennis; Manousiouthakis, Vasilios

1993-01-01

In this paper, the Manousiouthakis parametrization of all decentralized stabilizing controllers is employed in mathematically formulating the l(sup 1) optimal decentralized controller synthesis problem. The resulting optimization problem is infinite dimensional and therefore not directly amenable to computations. It is shown that finite dimensional optimization problems that have value arbitrarily close to the infinite dimensional one can be constructed. Based on this result, an algorithm that solves the l(sup 1) decentralized performance problems is presented. A global optimization approach to the solution of the infinite dimensional approximating problems is also discussed.

Survey of decentralized control methods. [for large scale dynamic systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Athans, M.

1975-01-01

An overview is presented of the types of problems that are being considered by control theorists in the area of dynamic large scale systems with emphasis on decentralized control strategies. Approaches that deal directly with decentralized decision making for large scale systems are discussed. It is shown that future advances in decentralized system theory are intimately connected with advances in the stochastic control problem with nonclassical information pattern. The basic assumptions and mathematical tools associated with the latter are summarized, and recommendations concerning future research are presented.

Formation Flying With Decentralized Control in Libration Point Orbits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Folta, David; Carpenter, J. Russell; Wagner, Christoph

2000-01-01

A decentralized control framework is investigated for applicability of formation flying control in libration orbits. The decentralized approach, being non-hierarchical, processes only direct measurement data, in parallel with the other spacecraft. Control is accomplished via linearization about a reference libration orbit with standard control using a Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) or the GSFC control algorithm. Both are linearized about the current state estimate as with the extended Kalman filter. Based on this preliminary work, the decentralized approach appears to be feasible for upcoming libration missions using distributed spacecraft.

Organizational decentralization in radiology.

PubMed

Aas, I H Monrad

2006-01-01

At present, most hospitals have a department of radiology where images are captured and interpreted. Decentralization is the opposite of centralization and means 'away from the centre'. With a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and broadband communications, transmitting radiology images between sites will be far easier than before. Qualitative interviews of 26 resource persons were performed in Norway. There was a response rate of 90%. Decentralization of radiology interpretations seems less relevant than centralization, but several forms of decentralization have a role to play. The respondents mentioned several advantages, including exploitation of capacity and competence. They also mentioned several disadvantages, including splitting professional communities and reduced contact between radiologists and clinicians. With the new technology decentralization and centralization of image interpretation are important possibilities in organizational change. This will be important for the future of teleradiology.

Effects of health care decentralization in Spain from a citizens' perspective.

PubMed

Antón, José-Ignacio; Muñoz de Bustillo, Rafael; Fernández Macías, Enrique; Rivera, Jesús

2014-05-01

The aim of this article is to analyze the impact of the decentralization of the public national health system in Spain on citizens' satisfaction with different dimensions of primary and hospital care. Using micro-data from the Health Barometer 1996-2009 and taking advantage of the exogeneity of the different pace of decentralization across Spain using a difference-in-differences strategy, we find that, in general, decentralization has not improved citizens' satisfaction with different features of the health services. In our base model, we find that there are even some small negative effects on a subset of variables. Sensitivity analysis confirms that there is no empirical evidence for supporting that decentralization has had a positive impact on citizens' satisfaction with health care. We outline several possible reasons for this.

Partially Decentralized Control Architectures for Satellite Formations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, J. Russell; Bauer, Frank H.

2002-01-01

In a partially decentralized control architecture, more than one but less than all nodes have supervisory capability. This paper describes an approach to choosing the number of supervisors in such au architecture, based on a reliability vs. cost trade. It also considers the implications of these results for the design of navigation systems for satellite formations that could be controlled with a partially decentralized architecture. Using an assumed cost model, analytic and simulation-based results indicate that it may be cheaper to achieve a given overall system reliability with a partially decentralized architecture containing only a few supervisors, than with either fully decentralized or purely centralized architectures. Nominally, the subset of supervisors may act as centralized estimation and control nodes for corresponding subsets of the remaining subordinate nodes, and act as decentralized estimation and control peers with respect to each other. However, in the context of partially decentralized satellite formation control, the absolute positions and velocities of each spacecraft are unique, so that correlations which make estimates using only local information suboptimal only occur through common biases and process noise. Covariance and monte-carlo analysis of a simplified system show that this lack of correlation may allow simplification of the local estimators while preserving the global optimality of the maneuvers commanded by the supervisors.

Tilt and decentration of intraocular lenses in vivo from Purkinje and Scheimpflug imaging. Validation study.

PubMed

de Castro, Alberto; Rosales, Patricia; Marcos, Susana

2007-03-01

To measure tilt and decentration of intraocular lenses (IOLs) with Scheimpflug and Purkinje imaging systems in physical model eyes with known amounts of tilt and decentration and patients. Instituto de Optica Daza de Valdés, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain. Measurements of IOL tilt and decentration were obtained using a commercial Scheimpflug system (Pentacam, Oculus), custom algorithms, and a custom-built Purkinje imaging apparatus. Twenty-five Scheimpflug images of the anterior segment of the eye were obtained at different meridians. Custom algorithms were used to process the images (correction of geometrical distortion, edge detection, and curve fittings). Intraocular lens tilt and decentration were estimated by fitting sinusoidal functions to the projections of the pupillary axis and IOL axis in each image. The Purkinje imaging system captures pupil images showing reflections of light from the anterior corneal surface and anterior and posterior lens surfaces. Custom algorithms were used to detect the Purkinje image locations and estimate IOL tilt and decentration based on a linear system equation and computer eye models with individual biometry. Both methods were validated with a physical model eye in which IOL tilt and decentration can be set nominally. Twenty-one eyes of 12 patients with IOLs were measured with both systems. Measurements of the physical model eye showed an absolute discrepancy between nominal and measured values of 0.279 degree (Purkinje) and 0.243 degree (Scheimpflug) for tilt and 0.094 mm (Purkinje) and 0.228 mm (Scheimpflug) for decentration. In patients, the mean tilt was less than 2.6 degrees and the mean decentration less than 0.4 mm. Both techniques showed mirror symmetry between right eyes and left eyes for tilt around the vertical axis and for decentration in the horizontal axis. Both systems showed high reproducibility. Validation experiments on physical model eyes showed slightly higher accuracy with the Purkinje method than the Scheimpflug imaging method. Horizontal measurements of patients with both techniques were highly correlated. The IOLs tended to be tilted and decentered nasally in most patients.

Predicting crystalline lens fall caused by accommodation from changes in wavefront error

PubMed Central

He, Lin; Applegate, Raymond A.

2011-01-01

PURPOSE To illustrate and develop a method for estimating crystalline lens decentration as a function of accommodative response using changes in wavefront error and show the method and limitations using previously published data (2004) from 2 iridectomized monkey eyes so that clinicians understand how spherical aberration can induce coma, in particular in intraocular lens surgery. SETTINGS College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, USA. DESIGN Evaluation of diagnostic test or technology. METHODS Lens decentration was estimated by displacing downward the wavefront error of the lens with respect to the limiting aperture (7.0 mm) and ocular first surface wavefront error for each accommodative response (0.00 to 11.00 diopters) until measured values of vertical coma matched previously published experimental data (2007). Lens decentration was also calculated using an approximation formula that only included spherical aberration and vertical coma. RESULTS The change in calculated vertical coma was consistent with downward lens decentration. Calculated downward lens decentration peaked at approximately 0.48 mm of vertical decentration in the right eye and approximately 0.31 mm of decentration in the left eye using all Zernike modes through the 7th radial order. Calculated lens decentration using only coma and spherical aberration formulas was peaked at approximately 0.45 mm in the right eye and approximately 0.23 mm in the left eye. CONCLUSIONS Lens fall as a function of accommodation was quantified noninvasively using changes in vertical coma driven principally by the accommodation-induced changes in spherical aberration. The newly developed method was valid for a large pupil only. PMID:21700108

Optical performance of toric intraocular lenses in the presence of decentration.

PubMed

Zhang, Bin; Ma, Jin-Xue; Liu, Dan-Yan; Du, Ying-Hua; Guo, Cong-Rong; Cui, Yue-Xian

2015-01-01

To evaluate the optical performance of toric intraocular lenses (IOLs) after decentration and with different pupil diameters, but with the IOL astigmatic axis aligned. Optical performances of toric T5 and SN60AT spherical IOLs after decentration were tested on a theoretical pseudophakic model eye based on the Hwey-Lan Liou schematic eye using the Zemax ray-tracing program. Changes in optical performance were analyzed in model eyes with 3-mm, 4-mm, and 5-mm pupil diameters and decentered from 0.25 mm to 0.75 mm with an interval of 5° at the meridian direction from 0° to 90°. The ratio of the modulation transfer function (MTF) between a decentered and a centered IOL (MTFDecentration/MTFCentration) was calculated to analyze the decrease in optical performance. Optical performance of the toric IOL remained unchanged when IOLs were decentered in any meridian direction. The MTFs of the two IOLs decreased, whereas optical performance remained equivalent after decentration. The MTFDecentration/MTFCentration ratios of the IOLs at a decentration from 0.25 mm to 0.75 mm were comparable in the toric and SN60AT IOLs. After decentration, MTF decreased further, with the MTF of the toric IOL being slightly lower than that of the SN60AT IOL. Imaging qualities of the two IOLs decreased when the pupil diameter and the degree of decentration increased, but the decrease was similar in the toric and spherical IOLs. Toric IOLs were comparable to spherical IOLs in terms of tolerance to decentration at the correct axial position.

Optical performance of toric intraocular lenses in the presence of decentration

PubMed Central

Zhang, Bin; Ma, Jin-Xue; Liu, Dan-Yan; Du, Ying-Hua; Guo, Cong-Rong; Cui, Yue-Xian

2015-01-01

AIM To evaluate the optical performance of toric intraocular lenses (IOLs) after decentration and with different pupil diameters, but with the IOL astigmatic axis aligned. METHODS Optical performances of toric T5 and SN60AT spherical IOLs after decentration were tested on a theoretical pseudophakic model eye based on the Hwey-Lan Liou schematic eye using the Zemax ray-tracing program. Changes in optical performance were analyzed in model eyes with 3-mm, 4-mm, and 5-mm pupil diameters and decentered from 0.25 mm to 0.75 mm with an interval of 5° at the meridian direction from 0° to 90°. The ratio of the modulation transfer function (MTF) between a decentered and a centered IOL (MTFDecentration/MTFCentration) was calculated to analyze the decrease in optical performance. RESULTS Optical performance of the toric IOL remained unchanged when IOLs were decentered in any meridian direction. The MTFs of the two IOLs decreased, whereas optical performance remained equivalent after decentration. The MTFDecentration/MTFCentration ratios of the IOLs at a decentration from 0.25 mm to 0.75 mm were comparable in the toric and SN60AT IOLs. After decentration, MTF decreased further, with the MTF of the toric IOL being slightly lower than that of the SN60AT IOL. Imaging qualities of the two IOLs decreased when the pupil diameter and the degree of decentration increased, but the decrease was similar in the toric and spherical IOLs. CONCLUSIONS Toric IOLs were comparable to spherical IOLs in terms of tolerance to decentration at the correct axial position. PMID:26309871

Centralization and Decentralization: An International Viewpoint on an American Dilemma. A Special CASEA Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, William G.

This report outlines the history of the centralization-decentralization dilemma in the goverance of organizations, discusses two types of centralization-decentralization continua, and suggests further research. The first type of continuum discussed -- the traditional American -- refers to decisionmaking in the areas of public debate and partisan…

Providing leadership to a decentralized total quality process.

PubMed

Diederich, J J; Eisenberg, M

1993-01-01

Integrating total quality management into the culture of an organization and the daily work of employees requires a decentralized leadership structure that encourages all employees to become involved. This article, based upon the experience of the University of Michigan Hospitals Professional Services Divisional Lead Team, outlines a process for decentralizing the total quality management process.

The Effect of Political Decentralization on School Leadership in German Vocational Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gessler, Michael; Ashmawy, Iman K.

2016-01-01

In this explorative qualitative study the effect of political decentralization on vocational school leadership is investigated. Through conducting structural interviews with 15 school principals in the states of Bremen and Lower Saxony in Germany, the study was able to conclude that political decentralization entails the creation of elected bodies…

Institutional v. Technical Environments: Reconciling the Goals of Decentralization in an Evolving Charter School Organization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huerta, Luis A.

2009-01-01

This article analyzes how macrolevel institutional forces persist and limit the expansion of decentralized schools that attempt to challenge normative definitions and practices of traditional school organizations. Using qualitative case study methodology, the analysis focuses on how one decentralized charter school navigated and reconciled its…

After Decentralization: Delimitations and Possibilities within New Fields

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wahlstrom, Ninni

2008-01-01

The shift from a centralized to a decentralized school system can be seen as a solution to an uncertain problem. Through analysing the displacements in the concept of equivalence within Sweden's decentralized school system, this study illustrates how the meaning of the concept of equivalence shifts over time, from a more collective target…

Decentralization of Education in Indonesia--A Study on Education Development Gaps in the Provincial Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winardi

2017-01-01

Decentralization is acknowledged as the handover of government from central government to local government, including giving broader authority to local governments to manage education. This study aims to discovering education development gap between regions in Indonesia as a result of decentralization. This research method uses descriptive…

The Role of Political, Educational, and Community Leaders in the Decentralization of Education in Pakistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nasrullah

2016-01-01

The roles of educational, political, and community leaders in the decentralization of education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province of Pakistan were explored in this phenomenological research. Examined were leaders' perceptions and understandings of decentralization and its effects on teacher instructional practices, process of student learning,…

Decentralization in Education: Technical Demands as a Critical Ingredient.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannaway, Jane

The implications of decentralization reform on the amount of serious attention and effort that teachers give to teaching and learning activities are explored in this paper. The discussion is informed by the results of two case studies of school districts recognized as exemplary cases of decentralization. The first section describes limitations of…

The rise of governmentality in the Italian National Health System: physiology or pathology of a decentralized and (ongoing) federalist system?

PubMed

Lega, Federico; Sargiacomo, Massimo; Ianni, Luca

2010-11-01

In this paper, we aim to discuss the implications and lessons that can be learnt from the ongoing process of federalism affecting the Italian National Health System (INHS). Many countries are currently taking decisions concerning the decentralization or re-centralization of their health-care systems, with several key issues that are illustrated in the recent history of the INHS. The decentralization process of INHS has produced mixed results, as some regions took advantage of it to strengthen their systems, whereas others were not capable of developing an effective steering role. We argue that the mutual reinforcement of the decentralization and recentralization processes is not paradoxical, but is actually an effective way for the State to maintain control over the equity and efficiency of its health-care system while decentralizing at a regional level. In this perspective, we provide evidence backing up some of the assumptions made in previous works as well as new food-for thought - specifically on how governmentality and federalism should meet - to reshape the debate on decentralization in health care.

Indirect decentralized repetitive control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Soo Cheol; Longman, Richard W.

1993-01-01

Learning control refers to controllers that learn to improve their performance at executing a given task, based on experience performing this specific task. In a previous work, the authors presented a theory of indirect decentralized learning control based on use of indirect adaptive control concepts employing simultaneous identification and control. This paper extends these results to apply to the indirect repetitive control problem in which a periodic (i.e., repetitive) command is given to a control system. Decentralized indirect repetitive control algorithms are presented that have guaranteed convergence to zero tracking error under very general conditions. The original motivation of the repetitive control and learning control fields was learning in robots doing repetitive tasks such as on an assembly line. This paper starts with decentralized discrete time systems, and progresses to the robot application, modeling the robot as a time varying linear system in the neighborhood of the desired trajectory. Decentralized repetitive control is natural for this application because the feedback control for link rotations is normally implemented in a decentralized manner, treating each link as if it is independent of the other links.

Adaptive neural network decentralized backstepping output-feedback control for nonlinear large-scale systems with time delays.

PubMed

Tong, Shao Cheng; Li, Yong Ming; Zhang, Hua-Guang

2011-07-01

In this paper, two adaptive neural network (NN) decentralized output feedback control approaches are proposed for a class of uncertain nonlinear large-scale systems with immeasurable states and unknown time delays. Using NNs to approximate the unknown nonlinear functions, an NN state observer is designed to estimate the immeasurable states. By combining the adaptive backstepping technique with decentralized control design principle, an adaptive NN decentralized output feedback control approach is developed. In order to overcome the problem of "explosion of complexity" inherent in the proposed control approach, the dynamic surface control (DSC) technique is introduced into the first adaptive NN decentralized control scheme, and a simplified adaptive NN decentralized output feedback DSC approach is developed. It is proved that the two proposed control approaches can guarantee that all the signals of the closed-loop system are semi-globally uniformly ultimately bounded, and the observer errors and the tracking errors converge to a small neighborhood of the origin. Simulation results are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.

The effect of social influence on cognitive development and school performance.

PubMed

Hartmann, E; Eri, T J; Skinstad, A H

1989-01-01

Three months before school entrance a sample of 29 children and their mothers was tested for degree of decentred child educability and degree of decentred maternal teaching. Mother and child were tested in two different situations, thus preventing interdependency between the measures of mother and child. Four months after school entrance, teacher judgements of school performance were obtained. A strong correspondence between degree of decentred child educability and degree of decentred maternal teaching was demonstrated. Degree of decentred maternal teaching and degree of decentred child educability were found to be good predictors of school performance, accounting for respectively 45 and 33% of the variance in school performance. In contrast a test of school readiness only accounted for 2% of the variance. A test of intelligence given after the teacher judgement accounted for 31% of the variance. The fact that the mother seems to be a better predictor of her child's school performance than the child himself, supports the assumption that parents, particularly mothers, are important mediators between the child and the outer world.

Centralized versus decentralized decision-making for recycled material flows.

PubMed

Hong, I-Hsuan; Ammons, Jane C; Realff, Matthew J

2008-02-15

A reverse logistics system is a network of transportation logistics and processing functions that collect, consolidate, refurbish, and demanufacture end-of-life products. This paper examines centralized and decentralized models of decision-making for material flows and associated transaction prices in reverse logistics networks. We compare the application of a centralized model for planning reverse production systems, where a single planner is acquainted with all of the system information and has the authority to determine decision variables for the entire system, to a decentralized approach. In the decentralized approach, the entities coordinate between tiers of the system using a parametrized flow function and compete within tiers based on reaching a price equilibrium. We numerically demonstrate the increase in the total net profit of the centralized system relative to the decentralized one. This implies that one may overestimate the system material flows and profit if the system planner utilizes a centralized viewto predict behaviors of independent entities in the system and that decentralized contract mechanisms will require careful design to avoid losses in the efficiency and scope of these systems.

Decentralized Online Social Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Datta, Anwitaman; Buchegger, Sonja; Vu, Le-Hung; Strufe, Thorsten; Rzadca, Krzysztof

Current Online social networks (OSN) are web services run on logically centralized infrastructure. Large OSN sites use content distribution networks and thus distribute some of the load by caching for performance reasons, nevertheless there is a central repository for user and application data. This centralized nature of OSNs has several drawbacks including scalability, privacy, dependence on a provider, need for being online for every transaction, and a lack of locality. There have thus been several efforts toward decentralizing OSNs while retaining the functionalities offered by centralized OSNs. A decentralized online social network (DOSN) is a distributed system for social networking with no or limited dependency on any dedicated central infrastructure. In this chapter we explore the various motivations of a decentralized approach to online social networking, discuss several concrete proposals and types of DOSN as well as challenges and opportunities associated with decentralization.

Decentralization's impact on the health workforce: Perspectives of managers, workers and national leaders

PubMed Central

Kolehmainen-Aitken, Riitta-Liisa

2004-01-01

Designers and implementers of decentralization and other reform measures have focused much attention on financial and structural reform measures, but ignored their human resource implications. Concern is mounting about the impact that the reallocation of roles and responsibilities has had on the health workforce and its management, but the experiences and lessons of different countries have not been widely shared. This paper examines evidence from published literature on decentralization's impact on the demand side of the human resource equation, as well as the factors that have contributed to the impact. The elements that make such an impact analysis exceptionally complex are identified. They include the mode of decentralization that a country is implementing, the level of responsibility for the salary budget and pay determination, and the civil service status of transferred health workers. The main body of the paper is devoted to examining decentralization's impact on human resource issues from three different perspectives: that of local health managers, health workers themselves, and national health leaders. These three groups have different concerns in the human resource realm, and consequently, have been differently affected by decentralization processes. The paper concludes with recommendations regarding three key concerns that national authorities and international agencies should give prompt attention to. They are (1) defining the essential human resource policy, planning and management skills for national human resource managers who work in decentralized countries, and developing training programs to equip them with such skills; (2) supporting research that focuses on improving the knowledge base of how different modes of decentralization impact on staffing equity; and (3) identifying factors that most critically influence health worker motivation and performance under decentralization, and documenting the most cost-effective best practices to improve them. Notable experiences from South Africa, Ghana, Indonesia and Mexico are shared in an annex. PMID:15144558

Value Driven Information Processing and Fusion

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

consensus approach allows a decentralized approach to achieve the optimal error exponent of the centralized counterpart, a conclusion that is signifi...SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: The objective of the project is to develop a general framework for value driven decentralized information processing...including: optimal data reduction in a network setting for decentralized inference with quantization constraint; interactive fusion that allows queries and

Decentralized control of large flexible structures by joint decoupling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Tzu-Jeng; Juang, Jer-Nan

1994-01-01

This paper presents a novel method to design decentralized controllers for large complex flexible structures by using the idea of joint decoupling. Decoupling of joint degrees of freedom from the interior degrees of freedom is achieved by setting the joint actuator commands to cancel the internal forces exerting on the joint degrees of freedom. By doing so, the interactions between substructures are eliminated. The global structure control design problem is then decomposed into several substructure control design problems. Control commands for interior actuators are set to be localized state feedback using decentralized observers for state estimation. The proposed decentralized controllers can operate successfully at the individual substructure level as well as at the global structure level. Not only control design but also control implementation is decentralized. A two-component mass-spring-damper system is used as an example to demonstrate the proposed method.

Decentralized Feedback Controllers for Exponential Stabilization of Hybrid Periodic Orbits: Application to Robotic Walking.

PubMed

Hamed, Kaveh Akbari; Gregg, Robert D

2016-07-01

This paper presents a systematic algorithm to design time-invariant decentralized feedback controllers to exponentially stabilize periodic orbits for a class of hybrid dynamical systems arising from bipedal walking. The algorithm assumes a class of parameterized and nonlinear decentralized feedback controllers which coordinate lower-dimensional hybrid subsystems based on a common phasing variable. The exponential stabilization problem is translated into an iterative sequence of optimization problems involving bilinear and linear matrix inequalities, which can be easily solved with available software packages. A set of sufficient conditions for the convergence of the iterative algorithm to a stabilizing decentralized feedback control solution is presented. The power of the algorithm is demonstrated by designing a set of local nonlinear controllers that cooperatively produce stable walking for a 3D autonomous biped with 9 degrees of freedom, 3 degrees of underactuation, and a decentralization scheme motivated by amputee locomotion with a transpelvic prosthetic leg.

COINSTAC: Decentralizing the future of brain imaging analysis

PubMed Central

Ming, Jing; Verner, Eric; Sarwate, Anand; Kelly, Ross; Reed, Cory; Kahleck, Torran; Silva, Rogers; Panta, Sandeep; Turner, Jessica; Plis, Sergey; Calhoun, Vince

2017-01-01

In the era of Big Data, sharing neuroimaging data across multiple sites has become increasingly important. However, researchers who want to engage in centralized, large-scale data sharing and analysis must often contend with problems such as high database cost, long data transfer time, extensive manual effort, and privacy issues for sensitive data. To remove these barriers to enable easier data sharing and analysis, we introduced a new, decentralized, privacy-enabled infrastructure model for brain imaging data called COINSTAC in 2016. We have continued development of COINSTAC since this model was first introduced. One of the challenges with such a model is adapting the required algorithms to function within a decentralized framework. In this paper, we report on how we are solving this problem, along with our progress on several fronts, including additional decentralized algorithms implementation, user interface enhancement, decentralized regression statistic calculation, and complete pipeline specifications. PMID:29123643

Decentralized Feedback Controllers for Exponential Stabilization of Hybrid Periodic Orbits: Application to Robotic Walking*

PubMed Central

Hamed, Kaveh Akbari; Gregg, Robert D.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a systematic algorithm to design time-invariant decentralized feedback controllers to exponentially stabilize periodic orbits for a class of hybrid dynamical systems arising from bipedal walking. The algorithm assumes a class of parameterized and nonlinear decentralized feedback controllers which coordinate lower-dimensional hybrid subsystems based on a common phasing variable. The exponential stabilization problem is translated into an iterative sequence of optimization problems involving bilinear and linear matrix inequalities, which can be easily solved with available software packages. A set of sufficient conditions for the convergence of the iterative algorithm to a stabilizing decentralized feedback control solution is presented. The power of the algorithm is demonstrated by designing a set of local nonlinear controllers that cooperatively produce stable walking for a 3D autonomous biped with 9 degrees of freedom, 3 degrees of underactuation, and a decentralization scheme motivated by amputee locomotion with a transpelvic prosthetic leg. PMID:27990059

The social control of energy: A case for the promise of decentralized solar technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmer, R. W.

1980-05-01

Decentralized solar technology and centralized electric utilities were contrasted in the ways they assign property rights in capital and energy output; in the assignment of operational control; and in the means of monitoring, policing, and enforcing property rights. An analogy was drawn between the decision of an energy consumer to use decentralized solar and the decision of a firm to vertically integrate, that is, to extend the boundary of a the firm to vertically integrate, that is, to extend the boundary of the firm by making inputs or further processing output. Decentralized solar energy production offers the small energy consumer the chance to cut ties to outside suppliers--to vertically integrate energy production into the home or business. The development of this analogy provides insight into important noneconomic aspects of solar energy, and it points clearly to the lighter burdens of social management offered by decentralized solar technology.

The Effect of School Autonomy and School Internal Decentralization on Students' Reading Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maslowski, Ralf; Scheerens, Jaap; Luyten, Hans

2007-01-01

Over the past 2 decades, a large number of countries have been engaged in the decentralization of decision-making to schools. Although the motives and incentives for school autonomy are often diverse, it is commonly believed that decentralization will enhance the quality of schooling. Based on a secondary analysis of data from OECD's Programme for…

Decentralizing the "Future Planning" of Public Education. Project SIMU School: Santa Clara County Component.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Candoli, I. C.; Leu, Donald J.

This analysis draws on a variety of experiences with and models of centralized and decentralized school systems now in existence. The decentralized model or profile posed for consideration is intended as a basis for the development of a process by which indigenous models can be established for any locale as unique local variables are identified…

Multi-Agent Task Negotiation Among UAVs to Defend Against Swarm Attacks

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

are based on economic models [39]. Auction methods of task coordination also attempt to deal with agents dealing with noisy, dynamic environments...August 2006. [34] M. Alighanbari, “ Robust and decentralized task assignment algorithms for uavs,” Ph.D. dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology...Implicit Coordination . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 2.4 Decentralized Algorithm B - Market- Based . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 2.5 Decentralized

Efficient decentralized consensus protocols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lakshman, T. V.; Agrawala, A. K.

1986-01-01

Decentralized consensus protocols are characterized by successive rounds of message interchanges. Protocols which achieve a consensus in one round of message interchange require O(N-squared) messages, where N is the number of participants. In this paper, a communication scheme, based on finite projective planes, which requires only O(N sq rt N) messages for each round is presented. Using this communication scheme, decentralized consensus protocols which achieve a consensus within two rounds of message interchange are developed. The protocols are symmetric, and the communication scheme does not impose any hierarchical structure. The scheme is illustrated using blocking and nonblocking commit protocols, decentralized extrema finding, and computation of the sum function.

Real-Time Decentralized Neural Control via Backstepping for a Robotic Arm Powered by Industrial Servomotors.

PubMed

Vazquez, Luis A; Jurado, Francisco; Castaneda, Carlos E; Santibanez, Victor

2018-02-01

This paper presents a continuous-time decentralized neural control scheme for trajectory tracking of a two degrees of freedom direct drive vertical robotic arm. A decentralized recurrent high-order neural network (RHONN) structure is proposed to identify online, in a series-parallel configuration and using the filtered error learning law, the dynamics of the plant. Based on the RHONN subsystems, a local neural controller is derived via backstepping approach. The effectiveness of the decentralized neural controller is validated on a robotic arm platform, of our own design and unknown parameters, which uses industrial servomotors to drive the joints.

A review on full-scale decentralized wastewater treatment systems: techno-economical approach.

PubMed

Singh, Nitin Kumar; Kazmi, A A; Starkl, M

2015-01-01

As a solution to the shortcomings of centralized systems, over the last two decades large numbers of decentralized wastewater treatment plants of different technology types have been installed all over the world. This paper aims at deriving lessons learned from existing decentralized wastewater treatment plants that are relevant for smaller towns (and peri-urban areas) as well as rural communities in developing countries, such as India. Only full-scale implemented decentralized wastewater treatment systems are reviewed in terms of performance, land area requirement, capital cost, and operation and maintenance costs. The results are presented in tables comparing different technology types with respect to those parameters.

A modified approach to controller partitioning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garg, Sanjay; Veillette, Robert J.

1993-01-01

The idea of computing a decentralized control law for the integrated flight/propulsion control of an aircraft by partitioning a given centralized controller is investigated. An existing controller partitioning methodology is described, and a modified approach is proposed with the objective of simplifying the associated controller approximation problem. Under the existing approach, the decentralized control structure is a variable in the partitioning process; by contrast, the modified approach assumes that the structure is fixed a priori. Hence, the centralized controller design may take the decentralized control structure into account. Specifically, the centralized controller may be designed to include all the same inputs and outputs as the decentralized controller; then, the two controllers may be compared directly, simplifying the partitioning process considerably. Following the modified approach, a centralized controller is designed for an example aircraft mode. The design includes all the inputs and outputs to be used in a specified decentralized control structure. However, it is shown that the resulting centralized controller is not well suited for approximation by a decentralized controller of the given structure. The results indicate that it is not practical in general to cast the controller partitioning problem as a direct controller approximation problem.

Fully decentralized estimation and control for a modular wheeled mobile robot

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

Mutambara, A.G.O.; Durrant-Whyte, H.F.

2000-06-01

In this paper, the problem of fully decentralized data fusion and control for a modular wheeled mobile robot (WMR) is addressed. This is a vehicle system with nonlinear kinematics, distributed multiple sensors, and nonlinear sensor models. The problem is solved by applying fully decentralized estimation and control algorithms based on the extended information filter. This is achieved by deriving a modular, decentralized kinematic model by using plane motion kinematics to obtain the forward and inverse kinematics for a generalized simple wheeled vehicle. This model is then used in the decentralized estimation and control algorithms. WMR estimation and control is thusmore » obtained locally using reduced order models with reduced communication of information between nodes is carried out after every measurement (full rate communication), the estimates and control signals obtained at each node are equivalent to those obtained by a corresponding centralized system. Transputer architecture is used as the basis for hardware and software design as it supports the extensive communication and concurrency requirements that characterize modular and decentralized systems. The advantages of a modular WMR vehicle include scalability, application flexibility, low prototyping costs, and high reliability.« less

On decentralized adaptive full-order sliding mode control of multiple UAVs.

PubMed

Xiang, Xianbo; Liu, Chao; Su, Housheng; Zhang, Qin

2017-11-01

In this study, a novel decentralized adaptive full-order sliding mode control framework is proposed for the robust synchronized formation motion of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) subject to system uncertainty. First, a full-order sliding mode surface in a decentralized manner is designed to incorporate both the individual position tracking error and the synchronized formation error while the UAV group is engaged in building a certain desired geometric pattern in three dimensional space. Second, a decentralized virtual plant controller is constructed which allows the embedded low-pass filter to attain the chattering free property of the sliding mode controller. In addition, robust adaptive technique is integrated in the decentralized chattering free sliding control design in order to handle unknown bounded uncertainties, without requirements for assuming a priori knowledge of bounds on the system uncertainties as stated in conventional chattering free control methods. Subsequently, system robustness as well as stability of the decentralized full-order sliding mode control of multiple UAVs is synthesized. Numerical simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control framework to achieve robust 3D formation flight of the multi-UAV system. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lessons learned from a pharmacy practice model change at an academic medical center.

PubMed

Knoer, Scott J; Pastor, John D; Phelps, Pamela K

2010-11-01

The development and implementation of a new pharmacy practice model at an academic medical center are described. Before the model change, decentralized pharmacists responsible for order entry and verification and clinical specialists were both present on the care units. Staff pharmacists were responsible for medication distribution and sterile product preparation. The decentralized pharmacists handling orders were not able to use their clinical training, the practice model was inefficient, and few clinical services were available during evenings and weekends. A task force representing all pharmacy department roles developed a process and guiding principles for the model change, collected data, and decided on a model. Teams consisting of decentralized pharmacists, decentralized pharmacy technicians, and team leaders now work together to meet patients' pharmacy needs and further departmental safety, quality, and cost-saving goals. Decentralized service hours have been expanded through operational efficiencies, including use of automation (e.g., computerized provider order entry, wireless computers on wheels used during rounds with physician teams). Nine clinical specialist positions were replaced by five team leader positions and four pharmacists functioning in decentralized roles. Additional staff pharmacist positions were shifted into decentralized roles, and the hospital was divided into areas served by teams including five to eight pharmacists. Technicians are directly responsible for medication distribution. No individual's job was eliminated. The new practice model allowed better alignment of staff with departmental goals, expanded pharmacy hours and services, more efficient medication distribution, improved employee engagement, and a staff succession plan.

Decentralized care for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ho, Jennifer; Byrne, Anthony L; Linh, Nguyen N; Jaramillo, Ernesto; Fox, Greg J

2017-08-01

To assess the effectiveness of decentralized treatment and care for patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis, in comparison with centralized approaches. We searched ClinicalTrials.gov, the Cochrane library, Embase®, Google Scholar, LILACS, PubMed®, Web of Science and the World Health Organization's portal of clinical trials for studies reporting treatment outcomes for decentralized and centralized care of MDR tuberculosis. The primary outcome was treatment success. When possible, we also evaluated, death, loss to follow-up, treatment adherence and health-system costs. To obtain pooled relative risk (RR) estimates, we performed random-effects meta-analyses. Eight studies met the eligibility criteria for review inclusion. Six cohort studies, with 4026 participants in total, reported on treatment outcomes. The pooled RR estimate for decentralized versus centralized care for treatment success was 1.13 (95% CI: 1.01-1.27). The corresponding estimate for loss to follow-up was RR: 0.66 (95% CI: 0.38-1.13), for death RR: 1.01 (95% CI: 0.67-1.52) and for treatment failure was RR: 1.07 (95% CI: 0.48-2.40). Two of three studies evaluating health-care costs reported lower costs for the decentralized models of care than for the centralized models. Treatment success was more likely among patients with MDR tuberculosis treated using a decentralized approach. Further studies are required to explore the effectiveness of decentralized MDR tuberculosis care in a range of different settings.

Decentralized care for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Byrne, Anthony L; Linh, Nguyen N; Jaramillo, Ernesto; Fox, Greg J

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective To assess the effectiveness of decentralized treatment and care for patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis, in comparison with centralized approaches. Methods We searched ClinicalTrials.gov, the Cochrane library, Embase®, Google Scholar, LILACS, PubMed®, Web of Science and the World Health Organization’s portal of clinical trials for studies reporting treatment outcomes for decentralized and centralized care of MDR tuberculosis. The primary outcome was treatment success. When possible, we also evaluated, death, loss to follow-up, treatment adherence and health-system costs. To obtain pooled relative risk (RR) estimates, we performed random-effects meta-analyses. Findings Eight studies met the eligibility criteria for review inclusion. Six cohort studies, with 4026 participants in total, reported on treatment outcomes. The pooled RR estimate for decentralized versus centralized care for treatment success was 1.13 (95% CI: 1.01–1.27). The corresponding estimate for loss to follow-up was RR: 0.66 (95% CI: 0.38–1.13), for death RR: 1.01 (95% CI: 0.67–1.52) and for treatment failure was RR: 1.07 (95% CI: 0.48–2.40). Two of three studies evaluating health-care costs reported lower costs for the decentralized models of care than for the centralized models. Conclusion Treatment success was more likely among patients with MDR tuberculosis treated using a decentralized approach. Further studies are required to explore the effectiveness of decentralized MDR tuberculosis care in a range of different settings. PMID:28804170

Decentralizing Maternity Services to Increase Skilled Attendance at Birth and Antenatal Care Utilization in Rural Rwanda: A Prospective Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Nathan, Lisa M.; Shi, Quihu; Plewniak, Kari; Zhang, Charles; Nsabimana, Damien; Sklar, Marc; Mutimura, Eugene; Merkatz, Irwin R.; Einstein, Mark H.; Anastos, Kathryn

2015-01-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of decentralizing ambulatory reproductive and intrapartum services to increase rates of antenatal care (ANC) utilization and skilled attendance at birth (SAB) in Rwanda. A prospective cohort study was implemented with one control and two intervention sites: decentralized ambulatory reproductive healthcare and decentralized intrapartum care. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed with primary outcome of lack of SAB and secondary outcome of ≥3 ANC visits. 536 women were entered in the study. Distance lived from delivery site significantly predicted SAB (p = 0.007), however distance lived to ANC site did not predict ≥3 ANC visits (p = 0.81). Neither decentralization of ambulatory reproductive healthcare (p = 0.10) nor intrapartum care (p = 0.40) was significantly associated with SAB. The control site had the greatest percentage of women receive ≥3 ANC visits (p < 0.001). Receiving <3 ANC visits was associated with a 3.98 times greater odds of not having SAB (p = 0.001). No increase in adverse outcomes was found with decentralization of ambulatory reproductive health care or intrapartum care. The factors that predict utilization of physically accessible services in rural Africa are complex. Decentralization of services may be one strategy to increase rates of SAB and ANC utilization, but selection biases may have precluded accurate analysis. Efforts to increase ANC utilization may be a worthwhile investment to increase SAB. PMID:25652061

Extended Decentralized Linear-Quadratic-Gaussian Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, J. Russell

2000-01-01

A straightforward extension of a solution to the decentralized linear-Quadratic-Gaussian problem is proposed that allows its use for commonly encountered classes of problems that are currently solved with the extended Kalman filter. This extension allows the system to be partitioned in such a way as to exclude the nonlinearities from the essential algebraic relationships that allow the estimation and control to be optimally decentralized.

Preference of methadone maintenance patients for the integrative and decentralized service delivery models in Vietnam.

PubMed

Tran, Bach Xuan; Nguyen, Long Hoang; Phan, Huong Thu Thi; Nguyen, Linh Khanh; Latkin, Carl A

2015-09-17

Integrating and decentralizing services are essential to increase the accessibility and provide comprehensive care for methadone patients. Moreover, they assure the sustainability of a HIV/AIDS prevention program by reducing the implementation cost. This study aimed to measure the preference of patients enrolling in a MMT program for integrated and decentralized MMT clinics and then further examine related factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 510 patients receiving methadone at 3 clinics in Hanoi. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data about the preference for integrated and decentralized MMT services. Covariates including socio-economic status; health-related quality of life (using EQ-5D-5 L instrument) and HIV status; history of drug use along with MMT treatment; and exposure to the discrimination within family and community were also investigated. Multivariate logistic regression with polynomial fractions was used to identify the determinants of preference for integrative and decentralized models. Of 510 patients enrolled, 66.7 and 60.8 % preferred integrated and decentralized models, respectively. The main reason for preferring the integrative model was the convenience of use of various services (53.2 %), while more privacy (43.5 %) was the primary reason to select stand-alone model. People preferred the decentralized model primarily because of travel cost reduction (95.0 %), while the main reason for not selecting the model was increased privacy (7.7 %). After adjusting for covariates, factors influencing the preference for integrative model were poor socioeconomic status, anxiety/depression, history of drug rehabilitation, and ever disclosed health status; while exposure to community discrimination inversely associated with this preference. In addition, people who were self-employed, had a longer duration of MMT, and use current MMT with comprehensive HIV services were less likely to select decentralized model. In conclusion, the study confirmed the high preference of MMT patients for the integrative and decentralized MMT service delivery models. The convenience of healthcare services utilization and reduction of geographical barriers were the main reasons to use those models within drug use populations in Vietnam. Countering community stigma and encouraging communication between patients and their societies needed to be considered when implementing those models.

Decentralized Interleaving of Paralleled Dc-Dc Buck Converters: Preprint

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

Johnson, Brian B; Rodriguez, Miguel; Sinha, Mohit

We present a decentralized control strategy that yields switch interleaving among parallel connected dc-dc buck converters without communication. The proposed method is based on the digital implementation of the dynamics of a nonlinear oscillator circuit as the controller. Each controller is fully decentralized, i.e., it only requires the locally measured output current to synthesize the pulse width modulation (PWM) carrier waveform. By virtue of the intrinsic electrical coupling between converters, the nonlinear oscillator-based controllers converge to an interleaved state with uniform phase-spacing across PWM carriers. To the knowledge of the authors, this work represents the first fully decentralized strategy formore » switch interleaving of paralleled dc-dc buck converters.« less

[Decentralization, AIDS, and harm reduction: the implementation of public policies in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].

PubMed

Fonseca, Elize Massard da; Nunn, Amy; Souza-Junior, Paulo Borges; Bastos, Francisco Inácio; Ribeiro, José Mendes

2007-09-01

This paper assesses how decentralization of resources and initiatives by the Brazilian National SDT/AIDS Program has impacted the transfer of funds for programs to prevent HIV/AIDS among injecting drug users in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1999-2006). The effects of the decentralization policy on Rio de Janeiro's Syringe Exchange Programs (SEPs) are assessed in detail. Decentralization effectively took place in Rio de Janeiro in 2006, with the virtual elimination of any direct transfer from the Federal government. The elimination of direct transfers forced SEPs to seek alternative funding sources. The structure of local SEPs appears to be weak and has been further undermined by current funding constraints. Of 22 SEPs operating in 2002, only two are still operational in 2006, basically funded by the State Health Secretariat and one municipal government. The current discontinuity of SEP operations may favor the resurgence of AIDS in the IDU population. A more uniform, regulated decentralization process is thus needed.

Decentralized Patrolling Under Constraints in Dynamic Environments.

PubMed

Shaofei Chen; Feng Wu; Lincheng Shen; Jing Chen; Ramchurn, Sarvapali D

2016-12-01

We investigate a decentralized patrolling problem for dynamic environments where information is distributed alongside threats. In this problem, agents obtain information at a location, but may suffer attacks from the threat at that location. In a decentralized fashion, each agent patrols in a designated area of the environment and interacts with a limited number of agents. Therefore, the goal of these agents is to coordinate to gather as much information as possible while limiting the damage incurred. Hence, we model this class of problem as a transition-decoupled partially observable Markov decision process with health constraints. Furthermore, we propose scalable decentralized online algorithms based on Monte Carlo tree search and a factored belief vector. We empirically evaluate our algorithms on decentralized patrolling problems and benchmark them against the state-of-the-art online planning solver. The results show that our approach outperforms the state-of-the-art by more than 56% for six agents patrolling problems and can scale up to 24 agents in reasonable time.

Decentralized indirect methods for learning automata games.

PubMed

Tilak, Omkar; Martin, Ryan; Mukhopadhyay, Snehasis

2011-10-01

We discuss the application of indirect learning methods in zero-sum and identical payoff learning automata games. We propose a novel decentralized version of the well-known pursuit learning algorithm. Such a decentralized algorithm has significant computational advantages over its centralized counterpart. The theoretical study of such a decentralized algorithm requires the analysis to be carried out in a nonstationary environment. We use a novel bootstrapping argument to prove the convergence of the algorithm. To our knowledge, this is the first time that such analysis has been carried out for zero-sum and identical payoff games. Extensive simulation studies are reported, which demonstrate the proposed algorithm's fast and accurate convergence in a variety of game scenarios. We also introduce the framework of partial communication in the context of identical payoff games of learning automata. In such games, the automata may not communicate with each other or may communicate selectively. This comprehensive framework has the capability to model both centralized and decentralized games discussed in this paper.

The recent process of decentralization and democratic management of education in Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos Filho, José Camilo Dos

1993-09-01

Brazilian society is beginning a new historical period in which the principle of decentralization is beginning to predominate over centralization, which held sway during the last 25 years. In contrast to recent Brazilian history, there is now a search for political, democratic and participatory decentralization more consonant with grass-roots aspirations. The first section of this article presents a brief analysis of some decentralization policies implemented by the military regime of 1964, and discusses relevant facts related to the resistance of civil society to state authoritarianism, and to the struggle for the democratization and organization of civil society up to the end of the 1970s. The second section analyzes some new experiences of democratic public school administration initiated in the 1970s and 1980s. The final section discusses the move toward decentralization and democratization of public school administration in the new Federal and State Constitutions, and in the draft of the new Law of National Education.

Taming instabilities in power grid networks by decentralized control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schäfer, B.; Grabow, C.; Auer, S.; Kurths, J.; Witthaut, D.; Timme, M.

2016-05-01

Renewables will soon dominate energy production in our electric power system. And yet, how to integrate renewable energy into the grid and the market is still a subject of major debate. Decentral Smart Grid Control (DSGC) was recently proposed as a robust and decentralized approach to balance supply and demand and to guarantee a grid operation that is both economically and dynamically feasible. Here, we analyze the impact of network topology by assessing the stability of essential network motifs using both linear stability analysis and basin volume for delay systems. Our results indicate that if frequency measurements are averaged over sufficiently large time intervals, DSGC enhances the stability of extended power grid systems. We further investigate whether DSGC supports centralized and/or decentralized power production and find it to be applicable to both. However, our results on cycle-like systems suggest that DSGC favors systems with decentralized production. Here, lower line capacities and lower averaging times are required compared to those with centralized production.

Jealousy Graphs: Structure and Complexity of Decentralized Stable Matching

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

REPORT Jealousy Graphs: Structure and Complexity of Decentralized Stable Matching 14. ABSTRACT 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: The stable matching...Franceschetti 858-822-2284 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) Standard Form 298 (Rev 8/98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 - Jealousy Graphs: Structure and...market. Using this structure, we are able to provide a ner analysis of the complexity of a subclass of decentralized matching markets. Jealousy

Algorithms for output feedback, multiple-model, and decentralized control problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halyo, N.; Broussard, J. R.

1984-01-01

The optimal stochastic output feedback, multiple-model, and decentralized control problems with dynamic compensation are formulated and discussed. Algorithms for each problem are presented, and their relationship to a basic output feedback algorithm is discussed. An aircraft control design problem is posed as a combined decentralized, multiple-model, output feedback problem. A control design is obtained using the combined algorithm. An analysis of the design is presented.

Centralization or decentralization of facial structures in Korean young adults.

PubMed

Yoo, Ja-Young; Kim, Jeong-Nam; Shin, Kang-Jae; Kim, Soon-Heum; Choi, Hyun-Gon; Jeon, Hyun-Soo; Koh, Ki-Seok; Song, Wu-Chul

2013-05-01

It is well known that facial beauty is dictated by facial type, and harmony between the eyes, nose, and mouth. Furthermore, facial impression is judged according to the overall facial contour and the relationship between the facial structures. The aims of the present study were to determine the optimal criteria for the assessment of gathering or separation of the facial structures and to define standardized ratios for centralization or decentralization of the facial structures.Four different lengths were measured, and 2 indexes were calculated from standardized photographs of 551 volunteers. Centralization and decentralization were assessed using the width index (interpupillary distance / facial width) and height index (eyes-mouth distance / facial height). The mean ranges of the width index and height index were 42.0 to 45.0 and 36.0 to 39.0, respectively. The width index did not differ with sex, but males had more decentralized faces, and females had more centralized faces, vertically. The incidence rate of decentralized faces among the men was 30.3%, and that of centralized faces among the women was 25.2%.The mean ranges in width and height indexes have been determined in a Korean population. Faces with width and height index scores under and over the median ranges are determined to be "centralized" and "decentralized," respectively.

Assessing Location and Scale of Urban Nonpotable Water Reuse Systems for Life-Cycle Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

PubMed

Kavvada, Olga; Horvath, Arpad; Stokes-Draut, Jennifer R; Hendrickson, Thomas P; Eisenstein, William A; Nelson, Kara L

2016-12-20

Nonpotable water reuse (NPR) is one option for conserving valuable freshwater resources. Decentralization can improve distribution system efficiency by locating treatment closer to the consumer; however, small treatment systems may have higher unit energy and greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. This research explored the trade-off between residential NPR systems using a life-cycle approach to analyze the energy use and GHG emissions. Decentralized and centralized NPR options are compared to identify where decentralized systems achieve environmental advantages over centralized reuse alternatives, and vice versa, over a range of scales and spatial and demographic conditions. For high-elevation areas far from the centralized treatment plant, decentralized NPR could lower energy use by 29% and GHG emissions by 28%, but in low-elevation areas close to the centralized treatment plant, decentralized reuse could be higher by up to 85% (energy) and 49% (GHG emissions) for the scales assessed (20-2000 m 3 /day). Direct GHG emissions from the treatment processes were found to be highly uncertain and variable and were not included in the analysis. The framework presented can be used as a planning support tool to reveal the environmental impacts of integrating decentralized NPR with existing centralized wastewater infrastructure and can be adapted to evaluate different treatment technology scales for reuse.

Financial management systems under decentralization and their effect on malaria control in Uganda.

PubMed

Kivumbi, George W; Nangendo, Florence; Ndyabahika, Boniface Rutagira

2004-01-01

A descriptive case study with multiple sites and a single level of analysis was carried out in four purposefully selected administrative districts of Uganda to investigate the effect of financial management systems under decentralization on malaria control. Data were primarily collected from 36 interviews with district managers, staff at health units and local leaders. A review of records and documents related to decentralization at the central and district level was also used to generate data for the study. We found that a long, tedious, and bureaucratic process combined with lack of knowledge in working with new financial systems by several actors characterized financial flow under decentralization. This affected the timely use of financial resources for malaria control in that there were funds in the system that could not be accessed for use. We were also told that sometimes these funds were returned to the central government because of non-use due to difficulties in accessing them and/or stringent conditions not to divert them to other uses. Our data showed that a cocktail of bureaucratic control systems, corruption and incompetence make the financial management system under decentralization counter-productive for malaria control. The main conclusion is that good governance through appropriate and efficient financial management systems is very important for effective malaria control under decentralization.

[Decentralized outpatient teams in community-based psychiatric care: comparison of two Bavarian rural catchment areas].

PubMed

Valdes-Stauber, J; Putzhammer, A; Kilian, R

2014-05-01

Psychiatric outpatient clinics (PIAs) are an indispensable care service for crisis intervention and multidisciplinary treatment of people suffering from severe and persistent mental disorders. The decentralization of outpatient clinics can be understood as a further step in the deinstitutionalization process. This cross-sectional study (n=1,663) compared the central outpatient clinic with the decentralized teams for the year 2010 by means of analyses of variance, χ(2)-tests and robust multivariate regression models. The longitudinal assessment (descriptively and by means of Prais-Winsten regression models for time series) was based on all hospitalizations for the two decentralized teams (n = 6,693) according to partial catchment areas for the time period 2002-2010 in order to examine trends after their installation in the year 2007. Decentralized teams were found to be similar with respect to the care profile but cared for relatively more patients suffering from dementia, addictive and mood disorders but not for those suffering from schizophrenia and personality disorders. Decentralized teams showed less outpatient care costs as well as psychopharmacological expenses but a lower contact frequency than the central outpatient clinic. Total expenses for psychiatric care were not significantly different and assessed hospitalization variables (e.g. total number of annual admissions, cumulative length of inpatient-stay and annual hospitalizations per patient) changed slightly 3 years after installation of the decentralized teams. The number of admissions of people suffering from schizophrenia decreased whereas those for mood and stress disorders increased. Decentralized outpatient teams seemed to reach patients in rural regions who previously were not reached by the central outpatient clinic. Economic figures indicate advantages for the installation of such teams because care expenses are not higher than for patients treated in centralized outpatient clinics and because hospitalization figures for the whole catchment area did not increase.

Integrating centralized and decentralized organization structures: an education and development model.

PubMed

Sheriff, R; Banks, A

2001-01-01

Organization change efforts have led to critically examining the structure of education and development departments within hospitals. This qualitative study evaluated an education and development model in an academic health sciences center. The model combines centralization and decentralization. The study results can be used by staff development educators and administrators when organization structure is questioned. This particular model maximizes the benefits and minimizes the limitations of centralized and decentralized structures.

Decentralized Control of Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

Autonomous Vehicles by John S. Baras, Xiaobo Tan, Pedram Hovareshti CSHCN TR 2003-8 (ISR TR 2003-14) Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704...AND SUBTITLE Decentralized Control of Autonomous Vehicles 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT...Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 Decentralized Control of Autonomous Vehicles ∗ John S. Baras, Xiaobo Tan, and Pedram

Decentralized regulation of dynamic systems. [for controlling large scale linear systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chu, K. C.

1975-01-01

A special class of decentralized control problem is discussed in which the objectives of the control agents are to steer the state of the system to desired levels. Each agent is concerned about certain aspects of the state of the entire system. The state and control equations are given for linear time-invariant systems. Stability and coordination, and the optimization of decentralized control are analyzed, and the information structure design is presented.

Decentralized Interleaving of Paralleled Dc-Dc Buck Converters

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

Johnson, Brian B; Rodriguez, Miguel; Sinha, Mohit

We present a decentralized control strategy that yields switch interleaving among parallel-connected dc-dc buck converters. The proposed method is based on the digital implementation of the dynamics of a nonlinear oscillator circuit as the controller. Each controller is fully decentralized, i.e., it only requires the locally measured output current to synthesize the pulse width modulation (PWM) carrier waveform and no communication between different controllers is needed. By virtue of the intrinsic electrical coupling between converters, the nonlinear oscillator-based controllers converge to an interleaved state with uniform phase-spacing across PWM carriers. To the knowledge of the authors, this work presents themore » first fully decentralized strategy for switch interleaving in paralleled dc-dc buck converters.« less

Decentralized state estimation for a large-scale spatially interconnected system.

PubMed

Liu, Huabo; Yu, Haisheng

2018-03-01

A decentralized state estimator is derived for the spatially interconnected systems composed of many subsystems with arbitrary connection relations. An optimization problem on the basis of linear matrix inequality (LMI) is constructed for the computations of improved subsystem parameter matrices. Several computationally effective approaches are derived which efficiently utilize the block-diagonal characteristic of system parameter matrices and the sparseness of subsystem connection matrix. Moreover, this decentralized state estimator is proved to converge to a stable system and obtain a bounded covariance matrix of estimation errors under certain conditions. Numerical simulations show that the obtained decentralized state estimator is attractive in the synthesis of a large-scale networked system. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decentralized Estimation and Control for Preserving the Strong Connectivity of Directed Graphs.

PubMed

Sabattini, Lorenzo; Secchi, Cristian; Chopra, Nikhil

2015-10-01

In order to accomplish cooperative tasks, decentralized systems are required to communicate among each other. Thus, maintaining the connectivity of the communication graph is a fundamental issue. Connectivity maintenance has been extensively studied in the last few years, but generally considering undirected communication graphs. In this paper, we introduce a decentralized control and estimation strategy to maintain the strong connectivity property of directed communication graphs. In particular, we introduce a hierarchical estimation procedure that implements power iteration in a decentralized manner, exploiting an algorithm for balancing strongly connected directed graphs. The output of the estimation system is then utilized for guaranteeing preservation of the strong connectivity property. The control strategy is validated by means of analytical proofs and simulation results.

Decentralized Bayesian search using approximate dynamic programming methods.

PubMed

Zhao, Yijia; Patek, Stephen D; Beling, Peter A

2008-08-01

We consider decentralized Bayesian search problems that involve a team of multiple autonomous agents searching for targets on a network of search points operating under the following constraints: 1) interagent communication is limited; 2) the agents do not have the opportunity to agree in advance on how to resolve equivalent but incompatible strategies; and 3) each agent lacks the ability to control or predict with certainty the actions of the other agents. We formulate the multiagent search-path-planning problem as a decentralized optimal control problem and introduce approximate dynamic heuristics that can be implemented in a decentralized fashion. After establishing some analytical properties of the heuristics, we present computational results for a search problem involving two agents on a 5 x 5 grid.

Intraoperative centration during small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE)

PubMed Central

Wong, John X.; Wong, Elizabeth P.; Htoon, Hla M.; Mehta, Jodhbir S.

2017-01-01

Abstract To evaluate intraoperative decentration from pupil center and kappa intercept during small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and its impact on visual outcomes. This was a retrospective noncomparative case series. A total of 164 eyes that underwent SMILE at the Singapore National Eye Center were included. Screen captures of intraoperative videos were analyzed. Preoperative and 3 month postoperative vision and refractive data were analyzed against decentration. The mean preoperative spherical equivalent (SE) was −5.84 ± 1.77. The mean decentration from the pupil center and from kappa intercept were 0.13 ± 0.06 mm and 0.47mm ± 0.25 mm, respectively. For efficacy and predictability, 69.6% and 95.0% of eyes achieved a visual acuity (VA) of 20/20 and 20/30, respectively, while 83.8% and 97.2% of eyes were within ±0.5D and ±1.0D of the targeted SE. When analyzed across 3 groups of decentration from the pupil center (<0.1 mm, 0.1–0.2 mm, and >0.2 mm), there was no statistically significant association between decentration, safety, efficacy, and predictability. When analyzed across 4 groups of decentration from kappa intercept (<0.2 mm, 0.2–<0.4 mm, 0.4–<0.6 mm, and ≥0.6 mm), there was a trend toward higher efficacy for eyes with decentration of kappa intercept between 0.4 and <0.6 mm (P = .097). A total of 85.4% of eyes in the 0.4 to <0.6 mm group had unaided distance VA of 20/20 or better, as compared to only 57.8% of eyes in ≥0.6 mm group. Decentration of 0.13 mm from the pupil center does not result in compromised visual outcomes. Decentration of greater than 0.6 mm from the kappa intercept may result in compromised visual outcomes. There was a trend toward better efficacy in eyes which had decentered treatment from 0.4 to <0.6 mm from the kappa intercept. Patients with a large kappa intercept (>0.6 mm) should have their lenticule created 0.4 to 0.6 mm from the kappa intercept and not close to the pupil. PMID:28422822

Mild decentration measured by a Scheimpflug camera and its impact on visual quality following SMILE in the early learning curve.

PubMed

Li, Meiyan; Zhao, Jing; Miao, Huamao; Shen, Yang; Sun, Ling; Tian, Mi; Wadium, Elizabeth; Zhou, Xingtao

2014-05-20

To measure decentration following femtosecond laser small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for the correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism in the early learning curve, and to investigate its impact on visual quality. A total of 55 consecutive patients (100 eyes) who underwent the SMILE procedure were included. Decentration was measured using a Scheimpflug camera 6 months after surgery. Uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity (UDVA, CDVA), manifest refraction, and wavefront errors were also measured. Associations between decentration and the preoperative spherical equivalent were analyzed, as well as the associations between decentration and wavefront aberrations. Regarding efficacy and safety, 40 eyes (40%) had an unchanged CDVA; 32 eyes (32%) gained one line; and 11 eyes (11%) gained two lines. Fifteen eyes (15%) lost one line of CDVA, and two eyes (2%) lost two lines. Ninety-nine of the treated eyes (99%) had a postoperative UDVA better than 1.0, and 100 eyes (100%) had a UDVA better than 0.8. The mean decentered displacement was 0.17 ± 0.09 mm. The decentered displacement of all treated eyes (100%) was within 0.50 mm; 70 eyes (70%) were within 0.20 mm; and 90 eyes (90%) were within 0.30 mm. The vertical coma showed the greatest increase in magnitude. The magnitude of horizontal decentration was found to be associated with an induced horizontal coma. This study suggests that, although mild decentration occurred in the early learning curve, good visual outcomes were achieved after the SMILE surgery. Special efforts to minimize induced vertical coma are necessary. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

Decentralization and central and regional coordination of health services: the case of Switzerland.

PubMed

Wyss, K; Lorenz, N

2000-01-01

As part of reforms in the health care delivery sector, decentralization is currently promoted in many countries as a means to improve performance and outcomes of national health care systems. Switzerland is an example of a country with a long-standing tradition of decentralized organization for many purposes, including health care delivery. Apart from the few aspects where the responsibility is at the federal level, it is the task of the 26 cantons to organize the provision of health services for the population of around 7 million people. This permits the system to be responsive to local priorities and interest as well as to new developments in medical and public health know-how. However, the increasing and complex difficulties of most health care delivery systems raise questions about the need for mechanisms for coordination at federal level, as well as about the equity and the effectiveness of the decentralized approach. The Swiss case shows that in a strongly decentralized system, health policy and strategy elaboration, as well as coordination mechanisms among the regional components of the system, are very hard to establish. This situation may lead to strong regional inequities in the financing of health care as well as to differences in the distribution of financial, human and material inputs into the health system. The study of the Swiss health system reveals also that, within a decentralized framework, the promotion of cost-effective interventions through a well-balanced approach towards promotional, preventive and curative services, or towards ambulatory and hospital care, is difficult to achieve, as agreements between relatively autonomous regions are difficult to obtain. Therefore, a decentralized system is not necessarily the most equitable and cost-effective way to deliver health care.

Treatment initiation, program attrition and patient treatment outcomes associated with scale-up and decentralization of HIV care in rural Malawi.

PubMed

McGuire, Megan; Pinoges, Loretxu; Kanapathipillai, Rupa; Munyenyembe, Tamika; Huckabee, Martha; Makombe, Simon; Szumilin, Elisabeth; Heinzelmann, Annette; Pujades-Rodríguez, Mar

2012-01-01

To describe patient antiretroviral therapy (cART) outcomes associated with intensive decentralization of services in a rural HIV program in Malawi. Longitudinal analysis of data from HIV-infected patients starting cART between August 2001 and December 2008 and of a cross-sectional immunovirological assessment conducted 12 (±2) months after therapy start. One-year mortality, lost to follow-up, and attrition (deaths and lost to follow-up) rates were estimated with exact Poisson 95% confidence intervals (CI) by type of care delivery and year of initiation. Association of virological suppression (<50 copies/mL) and immunological success (CD4 gain ≥100 cells/µL), with type of care was investigated using multiple logistic regression. During the study period, 4322 cART patients received centralized care and 11,090 decentralized care. At therapy start, patients treated in decentralized health facilities had higher median CD4 count levels (167 vs. 130 cell/µL, P<0.0001) than other patients. Two years after cART start, program attrition was lower in decentralized than centralized facilities (9.9 per 100 person-years, 95% CI: 9.5-10.4 vs. 20.8 per 100 person-years, 95% CI: 19.7-22.0). One year after treatment start, differences in immunological success (adjusted OR=1.23, 95% CI: 0.83-1.83), and viral suppression (adjusted OR=0.80, 95% CI: 0.56-1.14) between patients followed at centralized and decentralized facilities were not statistically significant. In rural Malawi, 1- and 2-year program attrition was lower in decentralized than in centralized health facilities and no statistically significant differences in one-year immunovirological outcomes were observed between the two health care levels. Longer follow-up is needed to confirm these results.

Centralized vs. Decentralized Nursing Stations: An Evaluation of the Implications of Communication Technologies in Healthcare.

PubMed

Bayramzadeh, Sara; Alkazemi, Mariam F

2014-01-01

This study aims to explore the relationship between the nursing station design and use of communication technologies by comparing centralized and decentralized nursing stations. The rapid changes in communication technologies in healthcare are inevitable. Communication methods can change the way occupants use a space. In the meantime, decentralized nursing stations are emerging as a replacement for the traditional centralized nursing stations; however, not much research has been done on how the design of nursing stations can impact the use of communication technologies. A cross sectional study was conducted using an Internet-based survey among registered nurses in a Southeastern hospital in the United States. Two units with centralized nursing stations and two units with decentralized nursing stations were compared in terms of the application of communication technologies. A total of 70 registered nurses completed the survey in a 2-week period. The results revealed no significant differences between centralized and decentralized nursing stations in terms of frequency of communication technologies used. However, a difference was found between perception of nurses toward communication technologies and perceptions of the use of communication technologies in decentralized nursing stations. Although the study was limited to one hospital, the results indicate that nurses hold positive attitudes toward communication technologies. The results also reveal the strengths and weaknesses of each nursing station design with regard to communication technologies. Hospital, interdisciplinary, nursing, technology, work environment.

Decentralized nursing education in northern Norway: a basis for continuing education to meet competence needs in rural Arctic healthcare services.

PubMed

Skaalvik, Mari Wolff; Gaski, Margrete; Norbye, Bente

2014-01-01

Ensuring a sufficient nursing workforce, with respect to both number and relevant professional competencies, is crucial in rural Arctic regions in Norway. This study examines the continuing education (CE) of nurses who graduated from a decentralized nursing programme between 1994 and 2011. This study aims to measure the extent to which the decentralized nursing education (DNE) in question has served as a basis for CE that is adapted to current and future community health care service needs in rural Arctic regions in northern Norway. More specifically, the study aims to investigate the frequency and scope of CE courses among the graduates of a DNE, the choice of study model and the degree of employment with respect to the relevant CE. This study is a quantitative survey providing descriptive statistics. The primary finding in this study is that 56% of the participants had engaged in CE and that they were employed in positions related to their education. The majority of students with decentralized bachelor's degrees engaged in CE that was part time and/or decentralized. More than half of the population in this study had completed CE despite no mandatory obligation in order to maintain licensure. Furthermore, 31% of the participants had completed more than one CE programme. The findings show that the participants preferred CE organized as part time and or decentralized studies.

Impacts of Combined Cooling, Heating and Power Systems, and Rainwater Harvesting on Water Demand, Carbon Dioxide, and NOx Emissions for Atlanta.

PubMed

James, Jean-Ann; Sung, Sangwoo; Jeong, Hyunju; Broesicke, Osvaldo A; French, Steven P; Li, Duo; Crittenden, John C

2018-01-02

The purpose of this study is to explore the potential water, CO 2 and NO x emission, and cost savings that the deployment of decentralized water and energy technologies within two urban growth scenarios can achieve. We assess the effectiveness of urban growth, technological, and political strategies to reduce these burdens in the 13-county Atlanta metropolitan region. The urban growth between 2005 and 2030 was modeled for a business as usual (BAU) scenario and a more compact growth (MCG) scenario. We considered combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) systems using microturbines for our decentralized energy technology and rooftop rainwater harvesting and low flow fixtures for the decentralized water technologies. Decentralized water and energy technologies had more of an impact in reducing the CO 2 and NO x emissions and water withdrawal and consumption than an MCG growth scenario (which does not consider energy for transit). Decentralized energy can reduce the CO 2 and NO x emissions by 8% and 63%, respectively. Decentralized energy and water technologies can reduce the water withdrawal and consumption in the MCG scenario by 49% and 50% respectively. Installing CCHP systems on both the existing and new building stocks with a net metering policy could reduce the CO 2 , NO x , and water consumption by 50%, 90%, and 75% respectively.

Anterior capsule contraction and intraocular lens decentration and tilt after hydrogel lens implantation

PubMed Central

Hayashi, K.; Hayashi, H.; Nakao, F.; Hayashi, F.

2001-01-01

AIM—To prospectively investigate changes in the area of the anterior capsule opening, and intraocular lens (IOL) decentration and tilt after implantation of a hydrogel IOL.
METHODS—100 patients underwent implantation of a hydrogel IOL in one eye and an acrylic IOL implantation in the opposite eye. The area of the anterior capsule opening, and the degree of IOL decentration and tilt were measured using the Scheimpflug videophotography system at 3 days, and at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively.
RESULTS—The mean anterior capsule opening area decreased significantly in both groups. At 6 months postoperatively, the area in the hydrogel group was significantly smaller than that in the acrylic group. The mean percentage of the area reduction in the hydrogel group was also significantly greater than that in the acrylic group, being 16.9% in the hydrogel group and 8.8% in the acrylic group. In contrast, IOL decentration and tilt did not progress in either group. No significant differences were found in the degree of IOL decentration and tilt throughout the follow up period.
CONCLUSIONS—Contraction of the anterior capsule opening was more extensive with the hydrogel IOL than with the acrylic IOL, but the degree of IOL decentration and tilt were similar for the two types of lenses studied.

 PMID:11673291

Fully decentralized control of a soft-bodied robot inspired by true slime mold.

PubMed

Umedachi, Takuya; Takeda, Koichi; Nakagaki, Toshiyuki; Kobayashi, Ryo; Ishiguro, Akio

2010-03-01

Animals exhibit astoundingly adaptive and supple locomotion under real world constraints. In order to endow robots with similar capabilities, we must implement many degrees of freedom, equivalent to animals, into the robots' bodies. For taming many degrees of freedom, the concept of autonomous decentralized control plays a pivotal role. However a systematic way of designing such autonomous decentralized control system is still missing. Aiming at understanding the principles that underlie animals' locomotion, we have focused on a true slime mold, a primitive living organism, and extracted a design scheme for autonomous decentralized control system. In order to validate this design scheme, this article presents a soft-bodied amoeboid robot inspired by the true slime mold. Significant features of this robot are twofold: (1) the robot has a truly soft and deformable body stemming from real-time tunable springs and protoplasm, the former is used for an outer skin of the body and the latter is to satisfy the law of conservation of mass; and (2) fully decentralized control using coupled oscillators with completely local sensory feedback mechanism is realized by exploiting the long-distance physical interaction between the body parts stemming from the law of conservation of protoplasmic mass. Simulation results show that this robot exhibits highly supple and adaptive locomotion without relying on any hierarchical structure. The results obtained are expected to shed new light on design methodology for autonomous decentralized control system.

Decentralization, stabilization, and estimation of large-scale linear systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siljak, D. D.; Vukcevic, M. B.

1976-01-01

In this short paper we consider three closely related aspects of large-scale systems: decentralization, stabilization, and estimation. A method is proposed to decompose a large linear system into a number of interconnected subsystems with decentralized (scalar) inputs or outputs. The procedure is preliminary to the hierarchic stabilization and estimation of linear systems and is performed on the subsystem level. A multilevel control scheme based upon the decomposition-aggregation method is developed for stabilization of input-decentralized linear systems Local linear feedback controllers are used to stabilize each decoupled subsystem, while global linear feedback controllers are utilized to minimize the coupling effect among the subsystems. Systems stabilized by the method have a tolerance to a wide class of nonlinearities in subsystem coupling and high reliability with respect to structural perturbations. The proposed output-decentralization and stabilization schemes can be used directly to construct asymptotic state estimators for large linear systems on the subsystem level. The problem of dimensionality is resolved by constructing a number of low-order estimators, thus avoiding a design of a single estimator for the overall system.

Centralized, decentralized, and independent control of a flexible manipulator on a flexible base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Feiyue; Bainum, Peter M.; Xu, Jianke

1991-01-01

The dynamics and control of a flexible manipulator arm with payload mass on a flexible base in space are considered. The controllers are provided by one torquer at the center of the base and one torquer at the connection joint of the robot and the base. The nonlinear dynamics of the system is modeled by applying the finite element method and Lagrangian formula. Three control strategies are considered and compared, i.e., centralized control, decentralized control, and independent control. All these control designs are based on the linear quadratic regulator theory. A mathematical decomposition is used in the decentralization process so that the coupling between the subsystems is weak, while a physical decomposition is used in the independent control design process. For both the decentralized and the independent controls, the stability of the overall linear system is checked before a numerical simulations is initiated. Two numerical examples show that the response of the independent control system are close to those of the centralized control system, while the responses of the decentralized control system are not.

Transition-Independent Decentralized Markov Decision Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Becker, Raphen; Silberstein, Shlomo; Lesser, Victor; Goldman, Claudia V.; Morris, Robert (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

There has been substantial progress with formal models for sequential decision making by individual agents using the Markov decision process (MDP). However, similar treatment of multi-agent systems is lacking. A recent complexity result, showing that solving decentralized MDPs is NEXP-hard, provides a partial explanation. To overcome this complexity barrier, we identify a general class of transition-independent decentralized MDPs that is widely applicable. The class consists of independent collaborating agents that are tied up by a global reward function that depends on both of their histories. We present a novel algorithm for solving this class of problems and examine its properties. The result is the first effective technique to solve optimally a class of decentralized MDPs. This lays the foundation for further work in this area on both exact and approximate solutions.

The contribution of fiscal/financial decentralization to the debt expansion of the local financing platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huayang, Yin; Di, Zhou; Bing, Cui

2018-02-01

Using soft budget theory to explore the formation mechanism and the deep institutional incentive of the local financing platform debt expansion from the perspective of fiscal / financial decentralization, construct theoretical framework which explain the expansion of local debt financing platform and conduct an empirical test, the results showed that the higher the degree of fiscal decentralization, fiscal autonomy as a soft constraint body of local government the stronger, local financing platform debt scale is greater; the higher the degree of financial decentralization, local government and financial institutions have the higher autonomy with respect to the central, local financing platform debt scale is bigger; financial synergy degree is stronger, local government financial mutual supervision prompted the local government debt more transparency, local debt financing platform size is smaller.

Decentralization: Another Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Robin

1973-01-01

This paper attempts to pursue the centralization-decentralization dilemma. A setting for this discussion is provided by noting some of the uses of terminology, followed by a consideration of inherent difficulties in conceptualizing. (Author)

32 CFR Appendix B to Part 324 - System of Records Notice

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... organizationally decentralized system, describe each level of organization or element that maintains a portion of... manager should be indicated. For geographically separated or organizationally decentralized activities...

32 CFR Appendix B to Part 324 - System of Records Notice

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... organizationally decentralized system, describe each level of organization or element that maintains a portion of... manager should be indicated. For geographically separated or organizationally decentralized activities...

32 CFR Appendix B to Part 324 - System of Records Notice

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... organizationally decentralized system, describe each level of organization or element that maintains a portion of... manager should be indicated. For geographically separated or organizationally decentralized activities...

32 CFR Appendix B to Part 324 - System of Records Notice

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... organizationally decentralized system, describe each level of organization or element that maintains a portion of... manager should be indicated. For geographically separated or organizationally decentralized activities...

[Decentralization of psychiatric health service].

PubMed

Dabrowski, S

1996-01-01

The article discusses two stages of de-centralization of psychiatric hospitals: the first consists in further division into sub-districts, the second one includes successive establishment of psychiatric wards in general hospitals. With the growth of their number these wards are to take over more and more general psychiatric tasks from the specialized psychiatric hospitals. These wards will not substitute psychiatric hospitals completely. The hospitals, though decreasing in size and number, will be a necessary element of the de-centralized and versatile psychiatric care for a long time to come.

Reduced modeling of flexible structures for decentralized control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yousuff, A.; Tan, T. M.; Bahar, L. Y.; Konstantinidis, M. F.

1986-01-01

Based upon the modified finite element-transfer matrix method, this paper presents a technique for reduced modeling of flexible structures for decentralized control. The modeling decisions are carried out at (finite-) element level, and are dictated by control objectives. A simply supported beam with two sets of actuators and sensors (linear force actuator and linear position and velocity sensors) is considered for illustration. In this case, it is conjectured that the decentrally controlled closed loop system is guaranteed to be at least marginally stable.

Decentralized digital adaptive control of robot motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarokh, M.

1990-01-01

A decentralized model reference adaptive scheme is developed for digital control of robot manipulators. The adaptation laws are derived using hyperstability theory, which guarantees asymptotic trajectory tracking despite gross robot parameter variations. The control scheme has a decentralized structure in the sense that each local controller receives only its joint angle measurement to produce its joint torque. The independent joint controllers have simple structures and can be programmed using a very simple and computationally fast algorithm. As a result, the scheme is suitable for real-time motion control.

Monopolizing Sanctioning Power under Noise Eliminates Perverse Punishment But Does Not Increase Cooperation

PubMed Central

Fischer, Sven; Grechenig, Kristoffel; Meier, Nicolas

2016-01-01

We run several experiments which allow us to compare cooperation under perfect and imperfect information in a centralized and decentralized punishment regime. Under perfect and extremely noisy information, aggregate behavior does not differ between institutions. Under intermediate noise, punishment escalates in the decentralized peer-to-peer punishment regime which badly affects efficiency while sustaining cooperation for longer. Only decentralized punishment is often directed at cooperators (perverse punishment). We report several, sometimes subtle, differences in punishment behavior, and how contributions react. PMID:27746725

Decentralized control of Markovian decision processes: Existence Sigma-admissable policies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenland, A.

1980-01-01

The problem of formulating and analyzing Markov decision models having decentralized information and decision patterns is examined. Included are basic examples as well as the mathematical preliminaries needed to understand Markov decision models and, further, to superimpose decentralized decision structures on them. The notion of a variance admissible policy for the model is introduced and it is proved that there exist (possibly nondeterministic) optional policies from the class of variance admissible policies. Directions for further research are explored.

Northeastern Illinois RTA Decentralized Paratransit Brokerage Program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-09-01

This document presents a review and assessment of the Northeastern Illinois Regional Transportation Authority's (RTA) Paratransit Brokerage Demonstration Program which involved six projects implemented by local governments under RTA's decentralized b...

Programs Related to Septic Systems

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

There are many programs, both at the EPA and elsewhere, that relate to the decentralized wastewater program and provide information about how decentralized wastewater is integrated in environmental quality, planning, protection, and conservation.

20 CFR 375.7 - Operating regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... offices. (2) To provide the necessary authority for a decentralized program as outlined in this paragraph...) To provide the necessary authority for a decentralized program as outlined in paragraph (b) of this...

20 CFR 375.7 - Operating regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... offices. (2) To provide the necessary authority for a decentralized program as outlined in this paragraph...) To provide the necessary authority for a decentralized program as outlined in paragraph (b) of this...

20 CFR 375.7 - Operating regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... offices. (2) To provide the necessary authority for a decentralized program as outlined in this paragraph...) To provide the necessary authority for a decentralized program as outlined in paragraph (b) of this...

Centralized vs. decentralized nursing stations: effects on nurses' functional use of space and work environment.

PubMed

Zborowsky, Terri; Bunker-Hellmich, Lou; Morelli, Agneta; O'Neill, Mike

2010-01-01

Evidence-based findings of the effects of nursing station design on nurses' work environment and work behavior are essential to improve conditions and increase retention among these fundamental members of the healthcare delivery team. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate how nursing station design (i.e., centralized and decentralized nursing station layouts) affected nurses' use of space, patient visibility, noise levels, and perceptions of the work environment. Advances in information technology have enabled nurses to move away from traditional centralized paper-charting stations to smaller decentralized work stations and charting substations located closer to, or inside of, patient rooms. Improved understanding of the trade-offs presented by centralized and decentralized nursing station design has the potential to provide useful information for future nursing station layouts. This information will be critical for understanding the nurse environment "fit." The study used an exploratory design with both qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative data regarding the effects of nursing station design on nurses' health and work environment were gathered by means of focus group interviews. Quantitative data-gathering techniques included place- and person-centered space use observations, patient visibility assessments, sound level measurements, and an online questionnaire regarding perceptions of the work environment. Nurses on all units were observed most frequently performing telephone, computer, and administrative duties. Time spent using telephones, computers, and performing other administrative duties was significantly higher in the centralized nursing stations. Consultations with medical staff and social interactions were significantly less frequent in decentralized nursing stations. There were no indications that either centralized or decentralized nursing station designs resulted in superior visibility. Sound levels measured in all nursing stations exceeded recommended levels during all shifts. No significant differences were identified in nurses' perceptions of work control-demand-support in centralized and decentralized nursing station designs. The "hybrid" nursing design model in which decentralized nursing stations are coupled with centralized meeting rooms for consultation between staff members may strike a balance between the increase in computer duties and the ongoing need for communication and consultation that addresses the conflicting demands of technology and direct patient care.

A Closed-Loop Hardware Simulation of Decentralized Satellite Formation Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ebimuma, Takuji; Lightsey, E. Glenn; Baur, Frank (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

In recent years, there has been significant interest in the use of formation flying spacecraft for a variety of earth and space science missions. Formation flying may provide smaller and cheaper satellites that, working together, have more capability than larger and more expensive satellites. Several decentralized architectures have been proposed for autonomous establishment and maintenance of satellite formations. In such architectures, each satellite cooperatively maintains the shape of the formation without a central supervisor, and processing only local measurement information. The Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors are ideally suited to provide such local position and velocity measurements to the individual satellites. An investigation of the feasibility of a decentralized approach to satellite formation flying was originally presented by Carpenter. He extended a decentralized linear-quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) framework proposed by Speyer in a fashion similar to an extended Kalman filter (EKE) which processed GPS position fix solutions. The new decentralized LQG architecture was demonstrated in a numerical simulation for a realistic scenario that is similar to missions that have been proposed by NASA and the U.S. Air Force. Another decentralized architecture was proposed by Park et al. using carrier differential-phase GPS (CDGPS). Recently, Busse et al demonstrated the decentralized CDGPS architecture in a hardware-in-the-loop simulation on the Formation Flying TestBed (FFTB) at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), which features two Spirent Cox 16 channel GPS signal generator. Although representing a step forward by utilizing GPS signal simulators for a spacecraft formation flying simulation, only an open-loop performance, in which no maneuvers were executed based on the real-time state estimates, was considered. In this research, hardware experimentation has been extended to include closed-loop integrated guidance and navigation of multiple spacecraft formations using GPS receivers and real-time vehicle telemetry. A hardware closed-loop simulation has been performed using the decentralized LQG architecture proposed by Carpenter in the GPS test facility at the Center for Space Research (CSR). This is the first presentation using this type of hardware for demonstration of closed-loop spacecraft formation flying.

Papers by the Decentralized Wastewater Management MOU Partnership

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Four position papers for state, local, and tribal government officials and interested stakeholders. These papers include information on the uses and benefits of decentralized wastewater treatment and examples of its effective use.

Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF): Decentralized Wastewater Treatment

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Decentralized wastewater treatment is an onsite or clustered system used to collect, treat, and disperse or reclaim wastewater from a small community or service area (e.g., septic systems, cluster systems, lagoons).

Modeling and stability of segmented reflector telescopes - A decentralized approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryaciotaki-Boussalis, Helen A.; Ih, Che-Hang Charles

1990-01-01

The decentralization of a segmented reflector telescope based on a finite-element model of its structure is considered. The decentralization of the system at the panel level is considered. Each panel is originally treated as an isolated subsystem so that the controller design is performed independently at the local level, and then applied to the composite system for stability analysis. The panel-level control laws were designed by means of pole placement using local output feedback. Simulation results show a better 1000:1 vibration attenuation in panel position when compared to the open-loop system. It is shown that the overall closed-loop system is exponentially stable provided that certain conditions are met. The advantage to the decentralized approach is that the design is performed in terms of the low-dimensionality subsystems, thus drastically reducing the design computational complexities.

Experimental Verification of Fully Decentralized Control Inspired by Plasmodium of True Slime Mold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umedachi, Takuya; Takeda, Koichi; Nakagaki, Toshiyuki; Kobayashi, Ryo; Ishiguro, Akio

This paper presents a fully decentralized control inspired by plasmodium of true slime mold and its validity using a soft-bodied amoeboid robot. The notable features of this paper are twofold: (1) the robot has truly soft and deformable body stemming from real-time tunable springs and a balloon, the former is utilized as an outer skin of the body and the latter serves as protoplasm; and (2) a fully decentralized control using coupled oscillators with completely local sensory feedback mechanism is realized by exploiting the long-distance physical interaction between the body parts induced by the law of conservation of protoplasmic mass. Experimental results show that this robot exhibits truly supple locomotion without relying on any hierarchical structure. The results obtained are expected to shed new light on design scheme for autonomous decentralized control system.

Decentralized nursing education in Northern Norway: a basis for continuing education to meet competence needs in rural Arctic healthcare services

PubMed Central

Skaalvik, Mari Wolff; Gaski, Margrete; Norbye, Bente

2014-01-01

Background Ensuring a sufficient nursing workforce, with respect to both number and relevant professional competencies, is crucial in rural Arctic regions in Norway. This study examines the continuing education (CE) of nurses who graduated from a decentralized nursing programme between 1994 and 2011. Objective This study aims to measure the extent to which the decentralized nursing education (DNE) in question has served as a basis for CE that is adapted to current and future community health care service needs in rural Arctic regions in northern Norway. More specifically, the study aims to investigate the frequency and scope of CE courses among the graduates of a DNE, the choice of study model and the degree of employment with respect to the relevant CE. Design This study is a quantitative survey providing descriptive statistics. Results The primary finding in this study is that 56% of the participants had engaged in CE and that they were employed in positions related to their education. The majority of students with decentralized bachelor's degrees engaged in CE that was part time and/or decentralized. Conclusions More than half of the population in this study had completed CE despite no mandatory obligation in order to maintain licensure. Furthermore, 31% of the participants had completed more than one CE programme. The findings show that the participants preferred CE organized as part time and or decentralized studies. PMID:25279355

Comparison of satisfaction with care between two different models of HIV care delivery in St. Petersburg, Russia.

PubMed

Suvorova, Alena; Belyakov, Andrey; Makhamatova, Aliia; Ustinov, Andrey; Levina, Olga; Tulupyev, Alexander; Niccolai, Linda; Rassokhin, Vadim; Heimer, Robert

2015-01-01

Prior to 2010, medical care for people living with HIV/AIDS was provided at an outpatient facility near the center of St. Petersburg. Since then, HIV specialty clinics have been established in more outlying regions of the city. The study examined the effect of this decentralization of HIV care on patients' satisfaction with care in clinics of St. Petersburg, Russia. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 418 HIV-positive patients receiving care at the St. Petersburg AIDS Center or at District Infectious Disease Departments (centralized and decentralized models, respectively). Face-to-face interviews included questions about psychosocial characteristics, patient's satisfaction with care, and clinic-related patient experience. Abstraction of medical records provided information on patients' viral load. To compare centralized and decentralized models of care delivery, we performed bivariate and multivariate analysis. Clients of District Infectious Disease Departments spent less time in lines and traveling to reach the clinic, and they had stronger relationships with their doctor. The overall satisfaction with care was high, with 86% of the sample reporting high level of satisfaction. Nevertheless, satisfaction with care was strongly and positively associated with the decentralized model of care and Patient-Doctor Relationship Score. Patient experience elements such as waiting time, travel time, and number of services used were not significant factors related to satisfaction. Given the positive association of satisfaction with decentralized service delivery, it is worth exploring decentralization as one way of improving healthcare services for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Indirect decentralized learning control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Longman, Richard W.; Lee, Soo C.; Phan, M.

1992-01-01

The new field of learning control develops controllers that learn to improve their performance at executing a given task, based on experience performing this specific task. In a previous work, the authors presented a theory of indirect learning control based on use of indirect adaptive control concepts employing simultaneous identification and control. This paper develops improved indirect learning control algorithms, and studies the use of such controllers in decentralized systems. The original motivation of the learning control field was learning in robots doing repetitive tasks such as on an assembly line. This paper starts with decentralized discrete time systems, and progresses to the robot application, modeling the robot as a time varying linear system in the neighborhood of the nominal trajectory, and using the usual robot controllers that are decentralized, treating each link as if it is independent of any coupling with other links. The basic result of the paper is to show that stability of the indirect learning controllers for all subsystems when the coupling between subsystems is turned off, assures convergence to zero tracking error of the decentralized indirect learning control of the coupled system, provided that the sample time in the digital learning controller is sufficiently short.

Financing indicators for health care decentralization in Latin America: information and suggestions for health planning.

PubMed

Arredondo, A; Parada, I

2001-01-01

This article presents the results from an evaluative longitudinal study with before-after design. The main objective was to determine the effects of health care decentralization on changes in health financing. Taking into account feasibility, political and technical criteria, three Latin American countries were selected as study populations: Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. The methodology had two main phases. In the first phase, the study referred to secondary sources of data and documents to obtain information about the following variables: type of decentralization implemented, source of finance, funds of financing, providers, final use of resources and mechanisms for resource allocation. In the second phase, the study referred to primary data collected in a survey of key personnel from the health sectors of each country. Taking into account the changes implemented in the three countries, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each country in financing and decentralization, a rule for decision-making is proposed that attempts to identify the main financial changes implemented in each country and the basic indicators that can be used in future years to direct the planning, assessment, adjustment and correction of health financing and decentralization.

Towards a Decentralized Magnetic Indoor Positioning System

PubMed Central

Kasmi, Zakaria; Norrdine, Abdelmoumen; Blankenbach, Jörg

2015-01-01

Decentralized magnetic indoor localization is a sophisticated method for processing sampled magnetic data directly on a mobile station (MS), thereby decreasing or even avoiding the need for communication with the base station. In contrast to central-oriented positioning systems, which transmit raw data to a base station, decentralized indoor localization pushes application-level knowledge into the MS. A decentralized position solution has thus a strong feasibility to increase energy efficiency and to prolong the lifetime of the MS. In this article, we present a complete architecture and an implementation for a decentralized positioning system. Furthermore, we introduce a technique for the synchronization of the observed magnetic field on the MS with the artificially-generated magnetic field from the coils. Based on real-time clocks (RTCs) and a preemptive operating system, this method allows a stand-alone control of the coils and a proper assignment of the measured magnetic fields on the MS. A stand-alone control and synchronization of the coils and the MS have an exceptional potential to implement a positioning system without the need for wired or wireless communication and enable a deployment of applications for rescue scenarios, like localization of miners or firefighters. PMID:26690145

Towards a Decentralized Magnetic Indoor Positioning System.

PubMed

Kasmi, Zakaria; Norrdine, Abdelmoumen; Blankenbach, Jörg

2015-12-04

Decentralized magnetic indoor localization is a sophisticated method for processing sampled magnetic data directly on a mobile station (MS), thereby decreasing or even avoiding the need for communication with the base station. In contrast to central-oriented positioning systems, which transmit raw data to a base station, decentralized indoor localization pushes application-level knowledge into the MS. A decentralized position solution has thus a strong feasibility to increase energy efficiency and to prolong the lifetime of the MS. In this article, we present a complete architecture and an implementation for a decentralized positioning system. Furthermore, we introduce a technique for the synchronization of the observed magnetic field on the MS with the artificially-generated magnetic field from the coils. Based on real-time clocks (RTCs) and a preemptive operating system, this method allows a stand-alone control of the coils and a proper assignment of the measured magnetic fields on the MS. A stand-alone control and synchronization of the coils and the MS have an exceptional potential to implement a positioning system without the need for wired or wireless communication and enable a deployment of applications for rescue scenarios, like localization of miners or firefighters.

32 CFR Appendix F to Part 505 - Example of a System of Records Notice

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) System Location: Specify the address of the primary system and any decentralized elements, including... title and duty address of the system manager. For decentralized systems, show the locations, the...

32 CFR Appendix F to Part 505 - Example of a System of Records Notice

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) System Location: Specify the address of the primary system and any decentralized elements, including... title and duty address of the system manager. For decentralized systems, show the locations, the...

On decentralized control of large-scale systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siljak, D. D.

1978-01-01

A scheme is presented for decentralized control of large-scale linear systems which are composed of a number of interconnected subsystems. By ignoring the interconnections, local feedback controls are chosen to optimize each decoupled subsystem. Conditions are provided to establish compatibility of the individual local controllers and achieve stability of the overall system. Besides computational simplifications, the scheme is attractive because of its structural features and the fact that it produces a robust decentralized regulator for large dynamic systems, which can tolerate a wide range of nonlinearities and perturbations among the subsystems.

Two controller design approaches for decentralized systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ozguner, U.; Khorrami, F.; Iftar, A.

1988-01-01

Two different philosophies for designing the controllers of decentralized systems are considered within a quadratic regulator framework which is generalized to admit decentralized frequency weighting. In the first approach, the total system model is examined, and the feedback strategy for each channel or subsystem is determined. In the second approach, separate, possibly overlapping, and uncoupled models are analyzed for each channel, and the results can be combined to study the original system. The two methods are applied to the example of a model of the NASA COFS Mast Flight System.

Decentralized control of the COFS-I Mast using linear dc motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindner, Douglas K.; Celano, Tom; Ide, Eric

1989-01-01

Consideration is given to a decentralized control design for vibration suppression in the COFS-I Mast using linear dc motors for actuators. The decentralized control design is based results from power systems using root locus techniques that are not well known. The approach is effective because the loop gain is low due to low actuator authority. The frequency-dependent nonlinearities of the actuator are taken into account. Because of the tendency of the transients to saturate the the stroke length of the actuator, its effectiveness is limited.

Assessment of tilt and decentration of crystalline lens and intraocular lens relative to the corneal topographic axis using anterior segment optical coherence tomography

PubMed Central

Morizane, Yuki; Shiode, Yusuke; Hirano, Masayuki; Doi, Shinichiro; Toshima, Shinji; Fujiwara, Atsushi; Shiraga, Fumio

2017-01-01

Purpose To investigate the tilt and decentration of the crystalline lens and the intraocular lens (IOL) relative to the corneal topographic axis using anterior segment ocular coherence tomography (AS-OCT). Methods A sample set of 100 eyes from 49 subjects (41 eyes with crystalline lenses and 59 eyes with IOLs) were imaged using second generation AS-OCT (CASIA2, TOMEY) in June and July 2016 at Okayama University. Both mydriatic and non-mydriatic images were obtained, and the tilt and decentration of the crystalline lens and the IOL were quantified. The effects of pupil dilation on measurements were also assessed. Results The crystalline lens showed an average tilt of 5.15° towards the inferotemporal direction relative to the corneal topographic axis under non-mydriatic conditions and 5.25° under mydriatic conditions. Additionally, an average decentration of 0.11 mm towards the temporal direction was observed under non-mydriatic conditions and 0.08 mm under mydriatic conditions. The average tilt for the IOL was 4.31° towards the inferotemporal direction relative to the corneal topographic axis under non-mydriatic conditions and 4.65° in the same direction under mydriatic conditions. The average decentration was 0.05 mm towards the temporal direction under non-mydriatic conditions and 0.08 mm in the same direction under mydriatic conditions. A strong correlation was found between the average tilt and decentration values of the crystalline lens and the IOL under both non-mydriatic and mydriatic conditions (all Spearman correlation coefficients, r ≥ 0.800; all P < 0.001). Conclusion When measured using second generation AS-OCT, both the crystalline lens and the IOL showed an average tilt of 4–6° toward the inferotemporal direction relative to the corneal topographic axis and an average decentration of less than 0.12 mm towards the temporal direction. These results were not influenced by pupil dilation and they showed good repeatability. PMID:28863141

Assessment of tilt and decentration of crystalline lens and intraocular lens relative to the corneal topographic axis using anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Kimura, Shuhei; Morizane, Yuki; Shiode, Yusuke; Hirano, Masayuki; Doi, Shinichiro; Toshima, Shinji; Fujiwara, Atsushi; Shiraga, Fumio

2017-01-01

To investigate the tilt and decentration of the crystalline lens and the intraocular lens (IOL) relative to the corneal topographic axis using anterior segment ocular coherence tomography (AS-OCT). A sample set of 100 eyes from 49 subjects (41 eyes with crystalline lenses and 59 eyes with IOLs) were imaged using second generation AS-OCT (CASIA2, TOMEY) in June and July 2016 at Okayama University. Both mydriatic and non-mydriatic images were obtained, and the tilt and decentration of the crystalline lens and the IOL were quantified. The effects of pupil dilation on measurements were also assessed. The crystalline lens showed an average tilt of 5.15° towards the inferotemporal direction relative to the corneal topographic axis under non-mydriatic conditions and 5.25° under mydriatic conditions. Additionally, an average decentration of 0.11 mm towards the temporal direction was observed under non-mydriatic conditions and 0.08 mm under mydriatic conditions. The average tilt for the IOL was 4.31° towards the inferotemporal direction relative to the corneal topographic axis under non-mydriatic conditions and 4.65° in the same direction under mydriatic conditions. The average decentration was 0.05 mm towards the temporal direction under non-mydriatic conditions and 0.08 mm in the same direction under mydriatic conditions. A strong correlation was found between the average tilt and decentration values of the crystalline lens and the IOL under both non-mydriatic and mydriatic conditions (all Spearman correlation coefficients, r ≥ 0.800; all P < 0.001). When measured using second generation AS-OCT, both the crystalline lens and the IOL showed an average tilt of 4-6° toward the inferotemporal direction relative to the corneal topographic axis and an average decentration of less than 0.12 mm towards the temporal direction. These results were not influenced by pupil dilation and they showed good repeatability.

Decentralized Multisensory Information Integration in Neural Systems.

PubMed

Zhang, Wen-Hao; Chen, Aihua; Rasch, Malte J; Wu, Si

2016-01-13

How multiple sensory cues are integrated in neural circuitry remains a challenge. The common hypothesis is that information integration might be accomplished in a dedicated multisensory integration area receiving feedforward inputs from the modalities. However, recent experimental evidence suggests that it is not a single multisensory brain area, but rather many multisensory brain areas that are simultaneously involved in the integration of information. Why many mutually connected areas should be needed for information integration is puzzling. Here, we investigated theoretically how information integration could be achieved in a distributed fashion within a network of interconnected multisensory areas. Using biologically realistic neural network models, we developed a decentralized information integration system that comprises multiple interconnected integration areas. Studying an example of combining visual and vestibular cues to infer heading direction, we show that such a decentralized system is in good agreement with anatomical evidence and experimental observations. In particular, we show that this decentralized system can integrate information optimally. The decentralized system predicts that optimally integrated information should emerge locally from the dynamics of the communication between brain areas and sheds new light on the interpretation of the connectivity between multisensory brain areas. To extract information reliably from ambiguous environments, the brain integrates multiple sensory cues, which provide different aspects of information about the same entity of interest. Here, we propose a decentralized architecture for multisensory integration. In such a system, no processor is in the center of the network topology and information integration is achieved in a distributed manner through reciprocally connected local processors. Through studying the inference of heading direction with visual and vestibular cues, we show that the decentralized system can integrate information optimally, with the reciprocal connections between processers determining the extent of cue integration. Our model reproduces known multisensory integration behaviors observed in experiments and sheds new light on our understanding of how information is integrated in the brain. Copyright © 2016 Zhang et al.

Decentralized Multisensory Information Integration in Neural Systems

PubMed Central

Zhang, Wen-hao; Chen, Aihua

2016-01-01

How multiple sensory cues are integrated in neural circuitry remains a challenge. The common hypothesis is that information integration might be accomplished in a dedicated multisensory integration area receiving feedforward inputs from the modalities. However, recent experimental evidence suggests that it is not a single multisensory brain area, but rather many multisensory brain areas that are simultaneously involved in the integration of information. Why many mutually connected areas should be needed for information integration is puzzling. Here, we investigated theoretically how information integration could be achieved in a distributed fashion within a network of interconnected multisensory areas. Using biologically realistic neural network models, we developed a decentralized information integration system that comprises multiple interconnected integration areas. Studying an example of combining visual and vestibular cues to infer heading direction, we show that such a decentralized system is in good agreement with anatomical evidence and experimental observations. In particular, we show that this decentralized system can integrate information optimally. The decentralized system predicts that optimally integrated information should emerge locally from the dynamics of the communication between brain areas and sheds new light on the interpretation of the connectivity between multisensory brain areas. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT To extract information reliably from ambiguous environments, the brain integrates multiple sensory cues, which provide different aspects of information about the same entity of interest. Here, we propose a decentralized architecture for multisensory integration. In such a system, no processor is in the center of the network topology and information integration is achieved in a distributed manner through reciprocally connected local processors. Through studying the inference of heading direction with visual and vestibular cues, we show that the decentralized system can integrate information optimally, with the reciprocal connections between processers determining the extent of cue integration. Our model reproduces known multisensory integration behaviors observed in experiments and sheds new light on our understanding of how information is integrated in the brain. PMID:26758843

Treatment Initiation, Program Attrition and Patient Treatment Outcomes Associated with Scale-Up and Decentralization of HIV Care in Rural Malawi

PubMed Central

McGuire, Megan; Pinoges, Loretxu; Kanapathipillai, Rupa; Munyenyembe, Tamika; Huckabee, Martha; Makombe, Simon; Szumilin, Elisabeth; Heinzelmann, Annette; Pujades-Rodríguez, Mar

2012-01-01

Objective To describe patient antiretroviral therapy (cART) outcomes associated with intensive decentralization of services in a rural HIV program in Malawi. Methods Longitudinal analysis of data from HIV-infected patients starting cART between August 2001 and December 2008 and of a cross-sectional immunovirological assessment conducted 12 (±2) months after therapy start. One-year mortality, lost to follow-up, and attrition (deaths and lost to follow-up) rates were estimated with exact Poisson 95% confidence intervals (CI) by type of care delivery and year of initiation. Association of virological suppression (<50 copies/mL) and immunological success (CD4 gain ≥100 cells/µL), with type of care was investigated using multiple logistic regression. Results During the study period, 4322 cART patients received centralized care and 11,090 decentralized care. At therapy start, patients treated in decentralized health facilities had higher median CD4 count levels (167 vs. 130 cell/µL, P<0.0001) than other patients. Two years after cART start, program attrition was lower in decentralized than centralized facilities (9.9 per 100 person-years, 95% CI: 9.5–10.4 vs. 20.8 per 100 person-years, 95% CI: 19.7–22.0). One year after treatment start, differences in immunological success (adjusted OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 0.83–1.83), and viral suppression (adjusted OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.56–1.14) between patients followed at centralized and decentralized facilities were not statistically significant. Conclusions In rural Malawi, 1- and 2-year program attrition was lower in decentralized than in centralized health facilities and no statistically significant differences in one-year immunovirological outcomes were observed between the two health care levels. Longer follow-up is needed to confirm these results. PMID:23077473

Retention in Differentiated Care: Multiple Measures Analysis for a Decentralized HIV Care and Treatment Program in North Central Nigeria

PubMed Central

Agaba, Patricia A; Genberg, Becky L; Sagay, Atiene S; Agbaji, Oche O; Meloni, Seema T; Dadem, Nancin Y; Kolawole, Grace O; Okonkwo, Prosper; Kanki, Phyllis J; Ware, Norma C

2018-01-01

Objective Differentiated care refers collectively to flexible service models designed to meet the differing needs of HIV-infected persons in resource-scarce settings. Decentralization is one such service model. Retention is a key indicator for monitoring the success of HIV treatment and care programs. We used multiple measures to compare retention in a cohort of patients receiving HIV care at “hub” (central) and “spoke” (decentralized) sites in a large public HIV treatment program in north central Nigeria. Methods This retrospective cohort study utilized longitudinal program data representing central and decentralized levels of care in the Plateau State Decentralization Initiative, north central Nigeria. We examined retention with patient- level (retention at fixed times, loss-to-follow-up [LTFU]) and visit-level (gaps-in-care, visit constancy) measures. Regression models with generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to estimate the effect of decentralization on visit-level measures. Patient-level measures were examined using survival methods with Cox regression models, controlling for baseline variables. Results Of 15,650 patients, 43% were enrolled at the hub. Median time in care was 3.1 years. Hub patients were less likely to be LTFU (adjusted hazard ratio (AHR)=0.91, 95% CI: 0.85-0.97), compared to spoke patients. Visit constancy was lower at the hub (−4.5%, 95% CI: −3.5, −5.5), where gaps in care were also more likely to occur (adjusted odds ratio=1.95, 95% CI: 1.83-2.08). Conclusion Decentralized sites demonstrated better retention outcomes using visit-level measures, while the hub achieved better retention outcomes using patient-level measures. Retention estimates produced by incorporating multiple measures showed substantial variation, confirming the influence of measurement strategies on the results of retention research. Future studies of retention in HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa will be well-served by including multiple measures. PMID:29682399

Retention in Differentiated Care: Multiple Measures Analysis for a Decentralized HIV Care and Treatment Program in North Central Nigeria.

PubMed

Agaba, Patricia A; Genberg, Becky L; Sagay, Atiene S; Agbaji, Oche O; Meloni, Seema T; Dadem, Nancin Y; Kolawole, Grace O; Okonkwo, Prosper; Kanki, Phyllis J; Ware, Norma C

2018-01-01

Differentiated care refers collectively to flexible service models designed to meet the differing needs of HIV-infected persons in resource-scarce settings. Decentralization is one such service model. Retention is a key indicator for monitoring the success of HIV treatment and care programs. We used multiple measures to compare retention in a cohort of patients receiving HIV care at "hub" (central) and "spoke" (decentralized) sites in a large public HIV treatment program in north central Nigeria. This retrospective cohort study utilized longitudinal program data representing central and decentralized levels of care in the Plateau State Decentralization Initiative, north central Nigeria. We examined retention with patient- level (retention at fixed times, loss-to-follow-up [LTFU]) and visit-level (gaps-in-care, visit constancy) measures. Regression models with generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to estimate the effect of decentralization on visit-level measures. Patient-level measures were examined using survival methods with Cox regression models, controlling for baseline variables. Of 15,650 patients, 43% were enrolled at the hub. Median time in care was 3.1 years. Hub patients were less likely to be LTFU (adjusted hazard ratio (AHR)=0.91, 95% CI: 0.85-0.97), compared to spoke patients. Visit constancy was lower at the hub (-4.5%, 95% CI: -3.5, -5.5), where gaps in care were also more likely to occur (adjusted odds ratio=1.95, 95% CI: 1.83-2.08). Decentralized sites demonstrated better retention outcomes using visit-level measures, while the hub achieved better retention outcomes using patient-level measures. Retention estimates produced by incorporating multiple measures showed substantial variation, confirming the influence of measurement strategies on the results of retention research. Future studies of retention in HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa will be well-served by including multiple measures.

EVALUATION OF ECONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR DECENTRALIZED STORMWATER RUNOFF MANAGEMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Impervious surfaces in urban and suburban areas can lead to excess stormwater runoff throughout a watershed, typically resulting in widespread hydrologic and ecological alteration of receiving streams. Decentralized stormwater management may improve stream ecosystems by reducing ...

Engaging Social Capital for Decentralized Urban Stormwater Management

EPA Science Inventory

Decentralized approaches to urban stormwater management, whereby installations of green infrastructure (e.g., rain gardens, bioswales, and constructed wetlands) are dispersed throughout a management area, are cost-effective solutions with co-benefits beyond water abatement. Inste...

A three-level atomicity model for decentralized workflow management systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben-Shaul, Israel Z.; Heineman, George T.

1996-12-01

A workflow management system (WFMS) employs a workflow manager (WM) to execute and automate the various activities within a workflow. To protect the consistency of data, the WM encapsulates each activity with a transaction; a transaction manager (TM) then guarantees the atomicity of activities. Since workflows often group several activities together, the TM is responsible for guaranteeing the atomicity of these units. There are scalability issues, however, with centralized WFMSs. Decentralized WFMSs provide an architecture for multiple autonomous WFMSs to interoperate, thus accommodating multiple workflows and geographically-dispersed teams. When atomic units are composed of activities spread across multiple WFMSs, however, there is a conflict between global atomicity and local autonomy of each WFMS. This paper describes a decentralized atomicity model that enables workflow administrators to specify the scope of multi-site atomicity based upon the desired semantics of multi-site tasks in the decentralized WFMS. We describe an architecture that realizes our model and execution paradigm.

A Decentralized Eigenvalue Computation Method for Spectrum Sensing Based on Average Consensus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadi, Jafar; Limmer, Steffen; Stańczak, Sławomir

2016-07-01

This paper considers eigenvalue estimation for the decentralized inference problem for spectrum sensing. We propose a decentralized eigenvalue computation algorithm based on the power method, which is referred to as generalized power method GPM; it is capable of estimating the eigenvalues of a given covariance matrix under certain conditions. Furthermore, we have developed a decentralized implementation of GPM by splitting the iterative operations into local and global computation tasks. The global tasks require data exchange to be performed among the nodes. For this task, we apply an average consensus algorithm to efficiently perform the global computations. As a special case, we consider a structured graph that is a tree with clusters of nodes at its leaves. For an accelerated distributed implementation, we propose to use computation over multiple access channel (CoMAC) as a building block of the algorithm. Numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the performance of the two algorithms.

Polya's bees: A model of decentralized decision-making.

PubMed

Golman, Russell; Hagmann, David; Miller, John H

2015-09-01

How do social systems make decisions with no single individual in control? We observe that a variety of natural systems, including colonies of ants and bees and perhaps even neurons in the human brain, make decentralized decisions using common processes involving information search with positive feedback and consensus choice through quorum sensing. We model this process with an urn scheme that runs until hitting a threshold, and we characterize an inherent tradeoff between the speed and the accuracy of a decision. The proposed common mechanism provides a robust and effective means by which a decentralized system can navigate the speed-accuracy tradeoff and make reasonably good, quick decisions in a variety of environments. Additionally, consensus choice exhibits systemic risk aversion even while individuals are idiosyncratically risk-neutral. This too is adaptive. The model illustrates how natural systems make decentralized decisions, illuminating a mechanism that engineers of social and artificial systems could imitate.

Decentralized Feedback Controllers for Robust Stabilization of Periodic Orbits of Hybrid Systems: Application to Bipedal Walking.

PubMed

Hamed, Kaveh Akbari; Gregg, Robert D

2017-07-01

This paper presents a systematic algorithm to design time-invariant decentralized feedback controllers to exponentially and robustly stabilize periodic orbits for hybrid dynamical systems against possible uncertainties in discrete-time phases. The algorithm assumes a family of parameterized and decentralized nonlinear controllers to coordinate interconnected hybrid subsystems based on a common phasing variable. The exponential and [Formula: see text] robust stabilization problems of periodic orbits are translated into an iterative sequence of optimization problems involving bilinear and linear matrix inequalities. By investigating the properties of the Poincaré map, some sufficient conditions for the convergence of the iterative algorithm are presented. The power of the algorithm is finally demonstrated through designing a set of robust stabilizing local nonlinear controllers for walking of an underactuated 3D autonomous bipedal robot with 9 degrees of freedom, impact model uncertainties, and a decentralization scheme motivated by amputee locomotion with a transpelvic prosthetic leg.

Decentralized and Tactical Air Traffic Flow Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Odoni, Amedeo R.; Bertsimas, Dimitris

1997-01-01

This project dealt with the following topics: 1. Review and description of the existing air traffic flow management system (ATFM) and identification of aspects with potential for improvement. 2. Identification and review of existing models and simulations dealing with all system segments (enroute, terminal area, ground) 3. Formulation of concepts for overall decentralization of the ATFM system, ranging from moderate decentralization to full decentralization 4. Specification of the modifications to the ATFM system required to accommodate each of the alternative concepts. 5. Identification of issues that need to be addressed with regard to: determination of the way the ATFM system would be operating; types of flow management strategies that would be used; and estimation of the effectiveness of ATFM with regard to reducing delay and re-routing costs. 6. Concept evaluation through identification of criteria and methodologies for accommodating the interests of stakeholders and of approaches to optimization of operational procedures for all segments of the ATFM system.

Decentralized control of sound radiation using iterative loop recovery.

PubMed

Schiller, Noah H; Cabell, Randolph H; Fuller, Chris R

2010-10-01

A decentralized model-based control strategy is designed to reduce low-frequency sound radiation from periodically stiffened panels. While decentralized control systems tend to be scalable, performance can be limited due to modeling error introduced by the unmodeled interaction between neighboring control units. Since bounds on modeling error are not known in advance, it is difficult to ensure the decentralized control system will be robust without making the controller overly conservative. Therefore an iterative approach is suggested, which utilizes frequency-shaped loop recovery. The approach accounts for modeling error introduced by neighboring control loops, requires no communication between subsystems, and is relatively simple. The control strategy is evaluated numerically using a model of a stiffened aluminum panel that is representative of the sidewall of an aircraft. Simulations demonstrate that the iterative approach can achieve significant reductions in radiated sound power from the stiffened panel without destabilizing neighboring control units.

Decentralized Control of Sound Radiation Using Iterative Loop Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schiller, Noah H.; Cabell, Randolph H.; Fuller, Chris R.

2009-01-01

A decentralized model-based control strategy is designed to reduce low-frequency sound radiation from periodically stiffened panels. While decentralized control systems tend to be scalable, performance can be limited due to modeling error introduced by the unmodeled interaction between neighboring control units. Since bounds on modeling error are not known in advance, it is difficult to ensure the decentralized control system will be robust without making the controller overly conservative. Therefore an iterative approach is suggested, which utilizes frequency-shaped loop recovery. The approach accounts for modeling error introduced by neighboring control loops, requires no communication between subsystems, and is relatively simple. The control strategy is evaluated numerically using a model of a stiffened aluminum panel that is representative of the sidewall of an aircraft. Simulations demonstrate that the iterative approach can achieve significant reductions in radiated sound power from the stiffened panel without destabilizing neighboring control units.

Decentralized Feedback Controllers for Robust Stabilization of Periodic Orbits of Hybrid Systems: Application to Bipedal Walking

PubMed Central

Hamed, Kaveh Akbari; Gregg, Robert D.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a systematic algorithm to design time-invariant decentralized feedback controllers to exponentially and robustly stabilize periodic orbits for hybrid dynamical systems against possible uncertainties in discrete-time phases. The algorithm assumes a family of parameterized and decentralized nonlinear controllers to coordinate interconnected hybrid subsystems based on a common phasing variable. The exponential and H2 robust stabilization problems of periodic orbits are translated into an iterative sequence of optimization problems involving bilinear and linear matrix inequalities. By investigating the properties of the Poincaré map, some sufficient conditions for the convergence of the iterative algorithm are presented. The power of the algorithm is finally demonstrated through designing a set of robust stabilizing local nonlinear controllers for walking of an underactuated 3D autonomous bipedal robot with 9 degrees of freedom, impact model uncertainties, and a decentralization scheme motivated by amputee locomotion with a transpelvic prosthetic leg. PMID:28959117

Resource allocation and budgetary mechanisms for decentralized health systems: experiences from Balochistan, Pakistan.

PubMed

Green, A; Ali, B; Naeem, A; Ross, D

2000-01-01

This paper identifies key political and technical issues involved in the development of an appropriate resource allocation and budgetary system for the public health sector, using experience gained in the Province of Balochistan, Pakistan. The resource allocation and budgetary system is a critical, yet often neglected, component of any decentralization policy. Current systems are often based on historical incrementalism that is neither efficient nor equitable. This article describes technical work carried out in Balochistan to develop a system of resource allocation and budgeting that is needs-based, in line with policies of decentralization, and implementable within existing technical constraints. However, the development of technical systems, while necessary, is not a sufficient condition for the implementation of a resource allocation and decentralized budgeting system. This is illustrated by analysing the constraints that have been encountered in the development of such a system in Balochistan.

Polya’s bees: A model of decentralized decision-making

PubMed Central

Golman, Russell; Hagmann, David; Miller, John H.

2015-01-01

How do social systems make decisions with no single individual in control? We observe that a variety of natural systems, including colonies of ants and bees and perhaps even neurons in the human brain, make decentralized decisions using common processes involving information search with positive feedback and consensus choice through quorum sensing. We model this process with an urn scheme that runs until hitting a threshold, and we characterize an inherent tradeoff between the speed and the accuracy of a decision. The proposed common mechanism provides a robust and effective means by which a decentralized system can navigate the speed-accuracy tradeoff and make reasonably good, quick decisions in a variety of environments. Additionally, consensus choice exhibits systemic risk aversion even while individuals are idiosyncratically risk-neutral. This too is adaptive. The model illustrates how natural systems make decentralized decisions, illuminating a mechanism that engineers of social and artificial systems could imitate. PMID:26601255

Resource allocation and budgetary mechanisms for decentralized health systems: experiences from Balochistan, Pakistan.

PubMed Central

Green, A.; Ali, B.; Naeem, A.; Ross, D.

2000-01-01

This paper identifies key political and technical issues involved in the development of an appropriate resource allocation and budgetary system for the public health sector, using experience gained in the Province of Balochistan, Pakistan. The resource allocation and budgetary system is a critical, yet often neglected, component of any decentralization policy. Current systems are often based on historical incrementalism that is neither efficient nor equitable. This article describes technical work carried out in Balochistan to develop a system of resource allocation and budgeting that is needs-based, in line with policies of decentralization, and implementable within existing technical constraints. However, the development of technical systems, while necessary, is not a sufficient condition for the implementation of a resource allocation and decentralized budgeting system. This is illustrated by analysing the constraints that have been encountered in the development of such a system in Balochistan. PMID:10994286

Decentralizing conservation and diversifying livelihoods within Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, Nepal.

PubMed

Parker, Pete; Thapa, Brijesh; Jacob, Aerin

2015-12-01

To alleviate poverty and enhance conservation in resource dependent communities, managers must identify existing livelihood strategies and the associated factors that impede household access to livelihood assets. Researchers increasingly advocate reallocating management power from exclusionary central institutions to a decentralized system of management based on local and inclusive participation. However, it is yet to be shown if decentralizing conservation leads to diversified livelihoods within a protected area. The purpose of this study was to identify and assess factors affecting household livelihood diversification within Nepal's Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project, the first protected area in Asia to decentralize conservation. We randomly surveyed 25% of Kanchenjunga households to assess household socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and access to livelihood assets. We used a cluster analysis with the ten most common income generating activities (both on- and off-farm) to group the strategies households use to diversify livelihoods, and a multinomial logistic regression to identify predictors of livelihood diversification. We found four distinct groups of household livelihood strategies with a range of diversification that directly corresponded to household income. The predictors of livelihood diversification were more related to pre-existing socioeconomic and demographic factors (e.g., more landholdings and livestock, fewer dependents, receiving remittances) than activities sponsored by decentralizing conservation (e.g., microcredit, training, education, interaction with project staff). Taken together, our findings indicate that without direct policies to target marginalized groups, decentralized conservation in Kanchenjunga will continue to exclude marginalized groups, limiting a household's ability to diversify their livelihood and perpetuating their dependence on natural resources. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decentralization and health resource allocation: a case study at the district level in Indonesia.

PubMed

Abdullah, Asnawi; Stoelwinder, Johannes

2008-01-01

Health resource allocation has been an issue of political debate in many health systems. However, the debate has tended to concentrate on vertical allocation from the national to regional level. Allocation within regions or institutions has been largely ignored. This study was conducted to contribute analysis to this gap. The objective was to investigate health resource allocation within District Health Offices (DHOs) and to compare the trends and patterns of several budget categories before and after decentralization. The study was conducted in three districts in the Province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam. Six fiscal year budgets, two before decentralization and four after, were studied. Data was collected from the Local Government Planning Office and DHOs. Results indicated that in the first year of implementing a decentralization policy, the local government budget rose sharply, particularly in the wealthiest district. In contrast, in relatively poor districts the budget was only boosted slightly. Increasing total local government budgets had a positive impact on increasing the health budget. The absolute amount of health budgets increased significantly, but by percentage did not change very much. Budgets for several projects and budget items increased significantly, but others, such as health promotion, monitoring and evaluation, and public-goods-related activities, decreased. This study concluded that decentralization in Indonesia had made a positive impact on district government fiscal capacity and had affected DHO budgets positively. However, an imbalanced budget allocation between projects and budget items was obvious, and this needs serious attention from policy makers. Otherwise, decentralization will not significantly improve the health system in Indonesia.

An empirical examination of the impacts of decentralized nursing unit design.

PubMed

Pati, Debajyoti; Harvey, Thomas E; Redden, Pamela; Summers, Barbara; Pati, Sipra

2015-01-01

The objective of the study was to examine the impact of decentralization on operational efficiency, staff well-being, and teamwork on three inpatient units. Decentralized unit operations and the corresponding physical design solution were hypothesized to positively affect several concerns-productive use of nursing time, staff stress, walking distances, and teamwork, among others. With a wide adoption of the concept, empirical evidence on the impact of decentralization was warranted. A multimethod, before-and-after, quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study, focusing on five issues, namely, (1) how nurses spend their time, (2) walking distance, (3) acute stress, (4) productivity, and (5) teamwork. Data on all five issues were collected on three older units with centralized operational model (before move). The same set of data, with identical tools and measures, were collected on the same units after move in to new physical units with decentralized operational model. Data were collected during spring and fall of 2011. Documentation, nurse station use, medication room use, and supplies room use showed consistent change across the three units. Walking distance increased (statistically significant) on two of the three units. Self-reported level of collaboration decreased, although assessment of the physical facility for collaboration increased. Decentralized nursing and physical design models potentially result in quality of work improvements associated with documentation, medication, and supplies. However, there are unexpected consequences associated with walking, and staff collaboration and teamwork. The solution to the unexpected consequences may lie in operational interventions and greater emphasis on culture change. © The Author(s) 2015.

Outcome assessment of decentralization of antiretroviral therapy provision in a rural district of Malawi using an integrated primary care model.

PubMed

Chan, Adrienne K; Mateyu, Gabriel; Jahn, Andreas; Schouten, Erik; Arora, Paul; Mlotha, William; Kambanji, Marion; van Lettow, Monique

2010-06-01

To assess the effect of decentralization (DC) of antiretroviral therapy (ART) provision in a rural district of Malawi using an integrated primary care model. Between October 2004 and December 2008, 8093 patients (63% women) were registered for ART. Of these, 3440 (43%) were decentralized to health centres for follow-up ART care. We applied multivariate regression analysis that adjusted for sex, age, clinical stage at initiation, type of regimen, presence of side effects because of ART, and duration of treatment and follow-up at site of analysis. Patients managed at health centres had lower mortality [adjusted OR 0.19 (95% C.I. 0.15-0.25)] and lower loss to follow-up (defaulted from treatment) [adjusted OR 0.48 (95% C.I. 0.40-0.58)]. During the first 10 months of follow-up, those decentralized to health centres were approximately 60% less likely to default than those not decentralized; and after 10 months of follow-up, 40% less likely to default. DC was significantly associated with a reduced risk of death from 0 to 25 months of follow-up. The lower mortality may be explained by the selection of stable patients for DC, and the mentorship and supportive supervision of lower cadre health workers to identify and refer complicated cases. Decentralization of follow-up ART care to rural health facilities, using an integrated primary care model, appears a safe and effective way to rapidly scale-up ART and improves both geographical equity in access to HIV-related services and adherence to ART.

Expansion of a residency program through provision of second-shift decentralized services.

PubMed

Host, Brian D; Anderson, Michael J; Lucas, Paul D

2014-12-15

The rationale for and logistics of the expansion of a postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) residency program in a community hospital are described. Baptist Health Lexington, a nonprofit community hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, sought to expand the PGY1 program by having residents perform second-shift decentralized pharmacist functions. Program expansion was predicated on aligning resident staffing functions with current hospitalwide initiatives involving medication reconciliation and patient education. The focus was to integrate residents into the workflow while allowing them more time to practice as pharmacists and contribute to departmental objectives. The staffing function would increase residents' overall knowledge of departmental operations and foster their sense of independence and ownership. The decentralized functions would include initiation of clinical pharmacokinetic consultations, admission medication reconciliation, discharge teaching for patients with heart failure, and order-entry support from decentralized locations. The program grew from three to five residents and established a staffing rotation for second-shift decentralized coverage. The increased time spent staffing did not detract from the time allotted to previously established learning experiences and enhanced overall continuity of the staffing experience. The change also emphasized to the residents the importance of integration of distributive and clinical functions within the department. Pharmacist participation in admission and discharge medication reconciliation activities has also increased patient satisfaction, evidenced by follow-up surveys conducted by the hospital. A PGY1 residency program was expanded through the provision of second-shift decentralized clinical services, which helped provide residents with increased patient exposure and enhanced staffing experience. Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Systems Theory to Examine Patient and Nurse Structures, Processes, and Outcomes in Centralized and Decentralized Units.

PubMed

Real, Kevin; Fay, Lindsey; Isaacs, Kathy; Carll-White, Allison; Schadler, Aric

2018-01-01

This study utilizes systems theory to understand how changes to physical design structures impact communication processes and patient and staff design-related outcomes. Many scholars and researchers have noted the importance of communication and teamwork for patient care quality. Few studies have examined changes to nursing station design within a systems theory framework. This study employed a multimethod, before-and-after, quasi-experimental research design. Nurses completed surveys in centralized units and later in decentralized units ( N = 26 pre , N = 51 post ). Patients completed surveys ( N = 62 pre ) in centralized units and later in decentralized units ( N = 49 post ). Surveys included quantitative measures and qualitative open-ended responses. Patients preferred the decentralized units because of larger single-occupancy rooms, greater privacy/confidentiality, and overall satisfaction with design. Nurses had a more complex response. Nurses approved the patient rooms, unit environment, and noise levels in decentralized units. However, they reported reduced access to support spaces, lower levels of team/mentoring communication, and less satisfaction with design than in centralized units. Qualitative findings supported these results. Nurses were more positive about centralized units and patients were more positive toward decentralized units. The results of this study suggest a need to understand how system components operate in concert. A major contribution of this study is the inclusion of patient satisfaction with design, an important yet overlooked fact in patient satisfaction. Healthcare design researchers and practitioners may consider how changing system interdependencies can lead to unexpected changes to communication processes and system outcomes in complex systems.

The Rhetoric of Decentralization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ravitch, Diane

1974-01-01

Questions the rationale for and possible consequences of political decentralization of New York City. Suggests that the disadvantages--reduced level of professionalism, increased expense in multiple government operation, "stabilization" of residential segregation, necessity for budget negotiations because of public disclosure of tax…

PARTICIPATORY STORM WATER MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY – WHAT ARE THE CONNECTIONS?

EPA Science Inventory

Urban stormwater is typically conveyed to centralized infrastructure, and there is great potential for reducing stormwater runoff quantity through decentralization. For areas which are already developed, decentralization of stormwater management involves private property and poss...

Improving antiretroviral therapy scale-up and effectiveness through service integration and decentralization.

PubMed

Suthar, Amitabh B; Rutherford, George W; Horvath, Tara; Doherty, Meg C; Negussie, Eyerusalem K

2014-03-01

Current service delivery systems do not reach all people in need of antiretroviral therapy (ART). In order to inform the operational and service delivery section of the WHO 2013 consolidated antiretroviral guidelines, our objective was to summarize systematic reviews on integrating ART delivery into maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) care settings in countries with generalized epidemics, tuberculosis (TB) treatment settings in which the burden of HIV and TB is high, and settings providing opiate substitution therapy (OST); and decentralizing ART into primary health facilities and communities. A summary of systematic reviews. The reviewers searched PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and the WHO Index Medicus databases. Randomized controlled trials and observational cohort studies were included if they compared ART coverage, retention in HIV care, and/or mortality in MNCH, TB, or OST facilities providing ART with MNCH, TB, or OST facilities providing ART services separately; or primary health facilities or communities providing ART with hospitals providing ART. The reviewers identified 28 studies on integration and decentralization. Antiretroviral therapy integration into MNCH facilities improved ART coverage (relative risk [RR] 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.79) and led to comparable retention in care. ART integration into TB treatment settings improved ART coverage (RR 1.83, 95% CI 1.48-2.23) and led to a nonsignificant reduction in mortality (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.29-1.05). The limited data on ART integration into OST services indicated comparable rates of ART coverage, retention, and mortality. Partial decentralization into primary health facilities improved retention (RR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.09) and reduced mortality (RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.13-0.87). Full decentralization improved retention (RR 1.12, 95% CI 1.08-1.17) and led to comparable mortality. Community-based ART led to comparable rates of retention and mortality. Integrating ART into MNCH, TB, and OST services was often associated with improvements in ART coverage, and decentralization of ART into primary health facilities and communities was often associated with improved retention. Neither integration nor decentralization was associated with adverse outcomes. These data contributed to recommendations in the WHO 2013 consolidated antiretroviral guidelines to integrate ART delivery into MNCH, TB, and OST services and to decentralize ART.

Engaging Social Capital for Decentralized Urban Stormwater Management (Paper in Non-EPA Proceedings)

EPA Science Inventory

Decentralized approaches to urban stormwater management, whereby installations of green infrastructure (e.g., rain gardens, bioswales, constructed wetlands) are dispersed throughout a management area, are cost-effective solutions with co-benefits beyond just water abatement. Inst...

Decentralized Modular Systems Versus Centralized Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crossey, R. E.

Building design, planning, and construction programing for modular decentralized mechanical building systems are outlined in terms of costs, performance, expansion and flexibility. Design strategy, approach, and guidelines for implementing such systems for buildings are suggested, with emphasis on mechanical equipment and building element…

Educational Decentralization Policies in Argentina and Brazil: Exploring the New Trends.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Derqui, Jorge M. Gorostiaga

2001-01-01

Analyzes educational decentralization trends and policies in Argentina and Brazil during 1990s, includes case studies. Discusses historical background and rationales behind "provinicialization" in Argentina and "municipalization" in Brazil; identifies commonalities, including centralization of curriculum and evaluation…

Satellite Power System (SPS) centralization/decentralization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naisbitt, J.

1978-01-01

The decentralization of government in the United States of America is described and its effect on the solution of energy problems is given. The human response to the introduction of new technologies is considered as well as the behavioral aspects of multiple options.

Decentralized control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffen, Chris

1990-01-01

An overview of the time-delay problem and the reliability problem which arise in trying to perform robotic construction operations at a remote space location are presented. The effects of the time-delay upon the control system design will be itemized. A high level overview of a decentralized method of control which is expected to perform better than the centralized approach in solving the time-delay problem is given. The lower level, decentralized, autonomous, Troter Move-Bar algorithm is also presented (Troters are coordinated independent robots). The solution of the reliability problem is connected to adding redundancy to the system. One method of adding redundancy is given.

Low Decision Space Means No Decentralization in Fiji Comment on "Decentralisation of Health Services in Fiji: A Decision Space Analysis".

PubMed

Faguet, Jean-Paul

2016-06-22

Mohammed, North, and Ashton find that decentralization in Fiji shifted health-sector workloads from tertiary hospitals to peripheral health centres, but with little transfer of administrative authority from the centre. Decision-making in five functional areas analysed remains highly centralized. They surmise that the benefits of decentralization in terms of services and outcomes will be limited. This paper invokes Faguet's (2012) model of local government responsiveness and accountability to explain why this is so - not only for Fiji, but in any country that decentralizes workloads but not the decision space of local governments. A competitive dynamic between economic and civic actors that interact to generate an open, competitive politics, which in turn produces accountable, responsive government can only occur where real power and resources have been devolved to local governments. Where local decision space is lacking, by contrast, decentralization is bound to fail because it has not really happened in the first place. © 2016 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Decentralized water resources management in Mozambique: Challenges of implementation at the river basin level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inguane, Ronaldo; Gallego-Ayala, Jordi; Juízo, Dinis

In the context of integrated water resources management implementation, the decentralization of water resources management (DWRM) at the river basin level is a crucial aspect for its success. However, decentralization requires the creation of new institutions on the ground, to stimulate an environment enabling stakeholder participation and integration into the water management decision-making process. In 1991, Mozambique began restructuring its water sector toward operational decentralized water resources management. Within this context of decentralization, new legal and institutional frameworks have been created, e.g., Regional Water Administrations (RWAs) and River Basin Committees. This paper identifies and analyzes the key institutional challenges and opportunities of DWRM implementation in Mozambique. The paper uses a critical social science research methodology for in-depth analysis of the roots of the constraining factors for the implementation of DWRM. The results obtained suggest that RWAs should be designed considering the specific geographic and infrastructural conditions of their jurisdictional areas and that priorities should be selected in their institutional capacity building strategies that match local realities. Furthermore, the results also indicate that RWAs have enjoyed limited support from basin stakeholders, mainly in basins with less hydraulic infrastructure, in securing water availability for their users and minimizing the effect of climate variability.

Iterative learning-based decentralized adaptive tracker for large-scale systems: a digital redesign approach.

PubMed

Tsai, Jason Sheng-Hong; Du, Yan-Yi; Huang, Pei-Hsiang; Guo, Shu-Mei; Shieh, Leang-San; Chen, Yuhua

2011-07-01

In this paper, a digital redesign methodology of the iterative learning-based decentralized adaptive tracker is proposed to improve the dynamic performance of sampled-data linear large-scale control systems consisting of N interconnected multi-input multi-output subsystems, so that the system output will follow any trajectory which may not be presented by the analytic reference model initially. To overcome the interference of each sub-system and simplify the controller design, the proposed model reference decentralized adaptive control scheme constructs a decoupled well-designed reference model first. Then, according to the well-designed model, this paper develops a digital decentralized adaptive tracker based on the optimal analog control and prediction-based digital redesign technique for the sampled-data large-scale coupling system. In order to enhance the tracking performance of the digital tracker at specified sampling instants, we apply the iterative learning control (ILC) to train the control input via continual learning. As a result, the proposed iterative learning-based decentralized adaptive tracker not only has robust closed-loop decoupled property but also possesses good tracking performance at both transient and steady state. Besides, evolutionary programming is applied to search for a good learning gain to speed up the learning process of ILC. Copyright © 2011 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decision Making Configurations: An Alternative to the Centralization/Decentralization Conceptualization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullen, John B.; Perrewe, Pamela L.

1981-01-01

Used factors identified in the literature as predictors of centralization/decentralization as potential discriminating variables among several decision making configurations in university affiliated professional schools. The model developed from multiple discriminant analysis had reasonable success in classifying correctly only the decentralized…

Adult Education in Modern Greece.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boucouvalas, Marcie

1982-01-01

Greece's adult education enterprise is well-organized, well-thought-out, and well-grounded. A sound philosophical, theoretical, and conceptual foundation supports its operational components. A unique feature is its blend of centralization and decentralization: centralized policy and guidance and decentralized decision making and autonomy over…

The Organization of Correctional Education Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gehring, Thom

2007-01-01

There have been five major types of correctional education organizations over the centuries: Sabbath school, traditional or decentralized, bureau, correctional school district (CSD), and integral education. The middle three are modern organizational patterns that can be implemented throughout a system: Decentralized, bureau, and CSD. The…

Regionalism, Devolution and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bogdanor, Vernon

1977-01-01

Described are effects of political decentralization in the United Kingdom on political and social institutions, particularly education. The author concludes that regionalism could yield advantages of power decentralization, diversity of decision making, and educational systems which are more closely connected to regional and local traditions.…

Does HIV services decentralization protect against the risk of catastrophic health expenditures?: some lessons from Cameroon.

PubMed

Boyer, Sylvie; Abu-Zaineh, Mohammad; Blanche, Jérôme; Loubière, Sandrine; Bonono, Renée-Cécile; Moatti, Jean-Paul; Ventelou, Bruno

2011-12-01

Scaling up antiretroviral treatment (ART) through decentralization of HIV care is increasingly recommended as a strategy toward ensuring equitable access to treatment. However, there have been hitherto few attempts to empirically examine the performance of this policy, and particularly its role in protecting against the risk of catastrophic health expenditures (CHE). This article therefore seeks to assess whether HIV care decentralization has a protective effect against the risk of CHE associated with HIV infection. DATA SOURCE AND STUDY DESIGN: We use primary data from the cross-sectional EVAL-ANRS 12-116 survey, conducted in 2006-2007 among a random sample of 3,151 HIV-infected outpatients followed up in 27 hospitals in Cameroon. DATA COLLECTION AND METHODS: Data collected contain sociodemographic, economic, and clinical information on patients as well as health care supply-related characteristics. We assess the determinants of CHE among the ART-treated patients using a hierarchical logistic model (n = 2,412), designed to adequately investigate the separate effects of patients and supply-related characteristics. Expenditures for HIV care exceed 17 percent of household income for 50 percent of the study population. After adjusting for individual characteristics and technological level, decentralization of HIV services emerges as the main health system factor explaining interclass variance, with a protective effect on the risk of CHE. The findings suggest that HIV care decentralization is likely to enhance equity in access to ART. Decentralization appears, however, to be a necessary but insufficient condition to fully remove the risk of CHE, unless other innovative reforms in health financing are introduced. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Decentralization in Zambia: resource allocation and district performance.

PubMed

Bossert, Thomas; Chitah, Mukosha Bona; Bowser, Diana

2003-12-01

Zambia implemented an ambitious process of health sector decentralization in the mid 1990s. This article presents an assessment of the degree of decentralization, called 'decision space', that was allowed to districts in Zambia, and an analysis of data on districts available at the national level to assess allocation choices made by local authorities and some indicators of the performance of the health systems under decentralization. The Zambian officials in health districts had a moderate range of choice over expenditures, user fees, contracting, targeting and governance. Their choices were quite limited over salaries and allowances and they did not have control over additional major sources of revenue, like local taxes. The study found that the formula for allocation of government funding which was based on population size and hospital beds resulted in relatively equal per capita expenditures among districts. Decentralization allowed the districts to make decisions on internal allocation of resources and on user fee levels and expenditures. General guidelines for the allocation of resources established a maximum and minimum percentage to be allocated to district offices, hospitals, health centres and communities. Districts tended to exceed the maximum for district offices, but the large urban districts and those without public district hospitals were not even reaching the minimum for hospital allocations. Wealthier and urban districts were more successful in raising revenue through user fees, although the proportion of total expenditures that came from user fees was low. An analysis of available indicators of performance, such as the utilization of health services, immunization coverage and family planning activities, found little variation during the period 1995-98 except for a decline in immunization coverage, which may have also been affected by changes in donor funding. These findings suggest that decentralization may not have had either a positive or negative impact on services.

Development of a pharmacy resident rotation to expand decentralized clinical pharmacy services.

PubMed

Hill, John D; Williams, Jonathan P; Barnes, Julie F; Greenlee, Katie M; Cardiology, Bcps-Aq; Leonard, Mandy C

2017-07-15

The development of a pharmacy resident rotation to expand decentralized clinical pharmacy services is described. In an effort to align with the initiatives proposed within the ASHP Practice Advancement Initiative, the department of pharmacy at Cleveland Clinic, a 1,400-bed academic, tertiary acute care medical center in Cleveland, Ohio, established a goal to provide decentralized clinical pharmacy services for 100% of patient care units within the hospital. Patient care units that previously had no decentralized pharmacy services were evaluated to identify opportunities for expansion. Metrics analyzed included number of medication orders verified per hour, number of pharmacy dosing consultations, and number of patient discharge counseling sessions. A pilot study was conducted to assess the feasibility of this service and potential resident learning opportunities. A learning experience description was drafted, and feedback was solicited regarding the development of educational components utilized throughout the rotation. Pharmacists who were providing services to similar patient populations were identified to serve as preceptors. Staff pharmacists were deployed to previously uncovered patient care units, with pharmacy residents providing decentralized services on previously covered areas. A rotating preceptor schedule was developed based on geographic proximity and clinical expertise. An initial postimplementation assessment of this resident-driven service revealed that pharmacy residents provided a comparable level of pharmacy services to that of staff pharmacists. Feedback collected from nurses, physicians, and pharmacy staff also supported residents' ability to operate sufficiently in this role to optimize patient care. A learning experience developed for pharmacy residents in a large medical center enabled the expansion of decentralized clinical services without requiring additional pharmacist full-time equivalents. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

[Clinical results of the aspheric intraocular lens FY-60AD (Hoya) with particular respect to decentration and tilt].

PubMed

Mester, U; Heinen, S; Kaymak, H

2010-09-01

Aspheric intraocular lenses (IOLs) aim to improve visual function and particularly contrast vision by neutralizing spherical aberration. One drawback of such IOLs is the enhanced sensitivity to decentration and tilt, which can deteriorate image quality. A total of 30 patients who received bilateral phacoemulsification before implantation of the aspheric lens FY-60AD (Hoya) were included in a prospective study. In 25 of the patients (50 eyes) the following parameters could be assessed 3 months after surgery: visual acuity, refraction, contrast sensitivity, pupil size, wavefront errors and decentration and tilt using a newly developed device. The functional results were very satisfying and comparable to results gained with other aspheric IOLs. The mean refraction was sph + 0.1 D (±0.7 D) and cyl 0.6 D (±0.8 D). The spherical equivalent was −0.2 D (±0.6 D). Wavefront measurements revealed a good compensation of the corneal spherical aberration but vertical and horizontal coma also showed opposing values in the cornea and IOL. The assessment of the lens position using the Purkinje meter demonstrated uncritical amounts of decentration and tilt. The mean amount of decentration was 0.2 mm±0.2 mm in the horizontal and vertical directions. The mean amount of tilt was 4.0±2.1° in horizontal and 3.0±2.5° in vertical directions. In a normal dioptric power range the aspheric IOL FY-60AD compensates the corneal spherical aberration very well with only minimal decentration. The slight tilt is symmetrical in both eyes and corresponds to the position of the crystalline lens in young eyes. This may contribute to our findings of compensated corneal coma.

77 FR 56625 - Privacy Act of 1974; Systems of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-13

... Internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal.... George G. Meade, MD 20755-6000. Decentralized segments: Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Headquarters... decentralized system locations, write to the National Security Agency/Central Security Service, Freedom of...

OPTIMIZATION OF DECENTRALIZED BMP CONTROLS IN URBAN AREAS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper will present an overview of a recently completed project for the US EPA entitled, Optimization of Urban Wet-weather Flow Control Systems. The focus of this effort is on techniques that are suitable for evaluating decentralized BMP controls. The four major components ...

OPTIMIZATION OF DECENTRALIZED BMP CONTROLS IN URBAN AREAS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper will present an overview of a recently completed project for the US EPA entitled Optimization of Urban Wet-weather Flow Control Systems. The focus of this effort is on techniques that are suitable for evaluating decentralized BMP controls. The four major components o...

Endogenous System Microbes as Treatment Process Indicators for Decentralized Non-potable Water Reuse

EPA Science Inventory

Monitoring the efficacy of treatment strategies to remove pathogens in decentralized systems remains a challenge. Evaluating log reduction targets by measuring pathogen levels is hampered by their sporadic and low occurrence rates. Fecal indicator bacteria are used in centraliz...

Strategic Alignment: Recruiting Students in a Highly Decentralized Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levin, Richard

2016-01-01

All enrollment managers face some level of challenge related to decentralized decision making and operations. Policies and practices can vary considerably by academic area, creating administrative complexity, restricting the scope and speed of institutional initiatives, and limiting potential efficiencies. Central attempts to standardize or…

Academic Freedom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ouchi, William G.

2004-01-01

Argues that school systems are so centralized that they waste money on bureaucratic operations and lack the capacity to respond rapidly to changing circumstances. A study of nine school systems that vary dramatically in their degree of decentralization demonstrates that true decentralization yields benefits in both efficiency and performance. (MLF)

DQM: Decentralized Quadratically Approximated Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mokhtari, Aryan; Shi, Wei; Ling, Qing; Ribeiro, Alejandro

2016-10-01

This paper considers decentralized consensus optimization problems where nodes of a network have access to different summands of a global objective function. Nodes cooperate to minimize the global objective by exchanging information with neighbors only. A decentralized version of the alternating directions method of multipliers (DADMM) is a common method for solving this category of problems. DADMM exhibits linear convergence rate to the optimal objective but its implementation requires solving a convex optimization problem at each iteration. This can be computationally costly and may result in large overall convergence times. The decentralized quadratically approximated ADMM algorithm (DQM), which minimizes a quadratic approximation of the objective function that DADMM minimizes at each iteration, is proposed here. The consequent reduction in computational time is shown to have minimal effect on convergence properties. Convergence still proceeds at a linear rate with a guaranteed constant that is asymptotically equivalent to the DADMM linear convergence rate constant. Numerical results demonstrate advantages of DQM relative to DADMM and other alternatives in a logistic regression problem.

Concept of an innovative water management system with decentralized water reclamation and cascading material-cycle for agricultural areas.

PubMed

Fujiwara, T

2012-01-01

Unlike in urban areas where intensive water reclamation systems are available, development of decentralized technologies and systems is required for water use to be sustainable in agricultural areas. To overcome various water quality issues in those areas, a research project entitled 'Development of an innovative water management system with decentralized water reclamation and cascading material-cycle for agricultural areas under the consideration of climate change' was launched in 2009. This paper introduces the concept of this research and provides detailed information on each of its research areas: (1) development of a diffuse agricultural pollution control technology using catch crops; (2) development of a decentralized differentiable treatment system for livestock and human excreta; and (3) development of a cascading material-cycle system for water pollution control and value-added production. The author also emphasizes that the innovative water management system for agricultural areas should incorporate a strategy for the voluntary collection of bio-resources.

On the decentralized control of large-scale systems. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chong, C.

1973-01-01

The decentralized control of stochastic large scale systems was considered. Particular emphasis was given to control strategies which utilize decentralized information and can be computed in a decentralized manner. The deterministic constrained optimization problem is generalized to the stochastic case when each decision variable depends on different information and the constraint is only required to be satisfied on the average. For problems with a particular structure, a hierarchical decomposition is obtained. For the stochastic control of dynamic systems with different information sets, a new kind of optimality is proposed which exploits the coupled nature of the dynamic system. The subsystems are assumed to be uncoupled and then certain constraints are required to be satisfied, either in a off-line or on-line fashion. For off-line coordination, a hierarchical approach of solving the problem is obtained. The lower level problems are all uncoupled. For on-line coordination, distinction is made between open loop feedback optimal coordination and closed loop optimal coordination.

Decentralized DC Microgrid Monitoring and Optimization via Primary Control Perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angjelichinoski, Marko; Scaglione, Anna; Popovski, Petar; Stefanovic, Cedomir

2018-06-01

We treat the emerging power systems with direct current (DC) MicroGrids, characterized with high penetration of power electronic converters. We rely on the power electronics to propose a decentralized solution for autonomous learning of and adaptation to the operating conditions of the DC Mirogrids; the goal is to eliminate the need to rely on an external communication system for such purpose. The solution works within the primary droop control loops and uses only local bus voltage measurements. Each controller is able to estimate (i) the generation capacities of power sources, (ii) the load demands, and (iii) the conductances of the distribution lines. To define a well-conditioned estimation problem, we employ decentralized strategy where the primary droop controllers temporarily switch between operating points in a coordinated manner, following amplitude-modulated training sequences. We study the use of the estimator in a decentralized solution of the Optimal Economic Dispatch problem. The evaluations confirm the usefulness of the proposed solution for autonomous MicroGrid operation.

Decentralized stabilization for a class of continuous-time nonlinear interconnected systems using online learning optimal control approach.

PubMed

Liu, Derong; Wang, Ding; Li, Hongliang

2014-02-01

In this paper, using a neural-network-based online learning optimal control approach, a novel decentralized control strategy is developed to stabilize a class of continuous-time nonlinear interconnected large-scale systems. First, optimal controllers of the isolated subsystems are designed with cost functions reflecting the bounds of interconnections. Then, it is proven that the decentralized control strategy of the overall system can be established by adding appropriate feedback gains to the optimal control policies of the isolated subsystems. Next, an online policy iteration algorithm is presented to solve the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations related to the optimal control problem. Through constructing a set of critic neural networks, the cost functions can be obtained approximately, followed by the control policies. Furthermore, the dynamics of the estimation errors of the critic networks are verified to be uniformly and ultimately bounded. Finally, a simulation example is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the present decentralized control scheme.

An examination of blood center structure and hospital customer satisfaction: what can centralized and decentralized blood centers learn from each other?

PubMed

Carden, Robert; DelliFraine, Jami L

2005-01-01

The cost of blood and blood products has increased rapidly over the last several years while the supply of available blood donors has simultaneously decreased. Higher blood costs and donor shortages have put a strain on the relationship between blood suppliers and their hospital customers. This study examines the association between blood center centralization or decentralization and several aspects of hospital satisfaction. Centralized and decentralized blood centers have significant differences in various aspects of hospital customer satisfaction. Advantages and disadvantages of the two structures are discussed, as well as areas for future research.

Application of decentralized cooperative problem solving in dynamic flexible scheduling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Zai-Lin; Lei, Ming; Wu, Bo; Wu, Ya; Yang, Shuzi

1995-08-01

The object of this study is to discuss an intelligent solution to the problem of task-allocation in shop floor scheduling. For this purpose, the technique of distributed artificial intelligence (DAI) is applied. Intelligent agents (IAs) are used to realize decentralized cooperation, and negotiation is realized by using message passing based on the contract net model. Multiple agents, such as manager agents, workcell agents, and workstation agents, make game-like decisions based on multiple criteria evaluations. This procedure of decentralized cooperative problem solving makes local scheduling possible. And by integrating such multiple local schedules, dynamic flexible scheduling for the whole shop floor production can be realized.

Decentralized stochastic control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Speyer, J. L.

1980-01-01

Decentralized stochastic control is characterized by being decentralized in that the information to one controller is not the same as information to another controller. The system including the information has a stochastic or uncertain component. This complicates the development of decision rules which one determines under the assumption that the system is deterministic. The system is dynamic which means the present decisions affect future system responses and the information in the system. This circumstance presents a complex problem where tools like dynamic programming are no longer applicable. These difficulties are discussed from an intuitive viewpoint. Particular assumptions are introduced which allow a limited theory which produces mechanizable affine decision rules.

Effect of political decentralization and female leadership on institutional births and child mortality in rural Bihar, India.

PubMed

Kumar, Santosh; Prakash, Nishith

2017-07-01

In this paper, we investigate the impacts of political decentralization and women reservation in local governance on institutional births and child mortality in the state of Bihar, India. Using the difference-in-differences methodology, we find a significant positive association between political decentralization and institutional births. We also find that the increased participation of women at local governance led to an increased survival rate of children belonging to richer households. We argue that our results are consistent with female leaders having policy preference for women and child well-being. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Centralized vs. decentralized child mental health services.

PubMed

Adams, M S

1977-09-01

One of the basic tenets of the Community Mental Health Center movement is that services should be provided in the consumers' community. Various centers across the country have attempted to do this in either a centralized or decentralized fashion. Historically, most health services have been provided centrally, a good example being the traditional general hospital with its centralized medical services. Over the years, some of these services have become decentralized to take the form of local health centers, health maintenance organizations, community clinics, etc, and now various large mental health centers are also being broken down into smaller community units. An example of each type of mental health facility is delineated here.

A decentralized process for finding equilibria given by linear equations.

PubMed Central

Reiter, S

1994-01-01

I present a decentralized process for finding the equilibria of an economy characterized by a finite number of linear equilibrium conditions. The process finds all equilibria or, if there are none, reports that, in a finite number of steps at most equal to the number of equations. The communication and computational complexity compare favorably with other decentralized processes. The process may also be interpreted as an algorithm for solving a distributed system of linear equations. Comparisons with the Linpack program for LU (lower and upper triangular decomposition of the matrix of the equation system, a version of Gaussian elimination) are presented. PMID:11607486

Interaction Metrics for Feedback Control of Sound Radiation from Stiffened Panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabell, Randolph H.; Cox, David E.; Gibbs, Gary P.

2003-01-01

Interaction metrics developed for the process control industry are used to evaluate decentralized control of sound radiation from bays on an aircraft fuselage. The metrics are applied to experimentally measured frequency response data from a model of an aircraft fuselage. The purpose is to understand how coupling between multiple bays of the fuselage can destabilize or limit the performance of a decentralized active noise control system. The metrics quantitatively verify observations from a previous experiment, in which decentralized controllers performed worse than centralized controllers. The metrics do not appear to be useful for explaining control spillover which was observed in a previous experiment.

Decentralized Adaptive Control of Systems with Uncertain Interconnections, Plant-Model Mismatch and Actuator Failures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patre, Parag; Joshi, Suresh M.

2011-01-01

Decentralized adaptive control is considered for systems consisting of multiple interconnected subsystems. It is assumed that each subsystem s parameters are uncertain and the interconnection parameters are not known. In addition, mismatch can exist between each subsystem and its reference model. A strictly decentralized adaptive control scheme is developed, wherein each subsystem has access only to its own state but has the knowledge of all reference model states. The mismatch is estimated online for each subsystem and the mismatch estimates are used to adaptively modify the corresponding reference models. The adaptive control scheme is extended to the case with actuator failures in addition to mismatch.

DAISY-DAMP: A distributed AI system for the dynamic allocation and management of power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Steven B.; Ohler, Peter C.

1988-01-01

One of the critical parameters that must be addressed when designing a loosely coupled Distributed AI SYstem (DAISY) has to do with the degree to which authority is centralized or decentralized. The decision to implement the Dynamic Allocation and Management of Power (DAMP) system as a network of cooperating agents mandated this study. The DAISY-DAMP problem is described; the component agents of the system are characterized; and the communication protocols system elucidated. The motivations and advantages in designing the system with authority decentralized is discussed. Progress in the area of Speech Act theory is proposed as playing a role in constructing decentralized systems.

Decentralization in Education in an International Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amelsvoort, H. W. C. H. van; And Others

Education in European countries has been characterized by a tendency toward decentralization and deregulation. The Dutch Ministry of Education commissioned the University of Twente to perform a comparative study of actual and future shifts in tasks, responsibilities, and authority in education in several European countries. This book presents…

The Large Introductory Class as an Exercise in Organization Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, John A., III; Van Dyne, Linn

1999-01-01

Four methods for large group instruction differ in control and coordination dimensions: (1) centralization with mutual adjustment; (2) centralization with standardization; (3) decentralization with standardization; and (4) decentralization with mutual adjustment. Other factors to consider include class size and interests of various constituencies:…

Music Libraries: Centralization versus Decentralization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuyper-Rushing, Lois

2002-01-01

Considers the decision that branch libraries, music libraries in particular, have struggled with concerning a centralized location in the main library versus a decentralized collection. Reports on a study of the Association of Research Libraries that investigated the location of music libraries, motivation for the location, degrees offered,…

Problems in Decentralized Decision making and Computation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-12-01

systesis being referred to. Findeisen [1982] clarifies this distinction by talking about the "programing" and "execution" phases.) 5. The lower and higher...n ... *iii... -258- Findeisen , W., (1982), "Decentralized and Hierarchical Control Under Consistency or Disagreement of Interest," Automatica, Vol. 18

Barriers to Decentralized Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuhr, Christian

In an effort to meet the demand for off-campus postsecondary education at the degree, diploma, or certificate levels, this report examines the barriers against and reasons for offering decentralized teacher education programs from universities to colleges in rural Canadian provinces. Several reasons exist for the demand for off-campus…

Theoretical Perspectives on School District Decentralization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Shea, David

Drawing largely on data from Los Angeles, but with reference to other cities where appropriate, this paper attempts to clarify the distinctive positions taken by advocates of community control as opposed to proponents of administrative decentralization. While community control is essentially a political demand, oriented toward citizens influencing…

Nitrogen Control Through Decentralized Wastewater Treatment: Process Performance and Alternative Management Strategies

EPA Science Inventory

Decentralized or onsite wastewater treatment (OWT) systems have long been implicated in being a major source of N inputs to surface and ground waters and numerous regulatory bodies have promulgated strict total N (TN) effluent standards in N-sensitive areas. These standards, howe...

REVERSE AUCTION RESULTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF DECENTRALIZED RETROFIT BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN A SMALL URBAN WATERSHED (CINCINNATI OH)

EPA Science Inventory

Although urban stormwater is typically conveyed to centralized infrastructure, there is great potential for reducing stormwater runoff quantity through decentralization. In this case we hypothesize that smaller-scale retrofit best management practices (BMPs) such as rain gardens ...

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and the Construction of Pedagogic Identity: A Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cambridge, James

2010-01-01

Bernstein (1999, 2000) proposes that contrasting educational discourses construct contrasting retrospective, prospective, decentred (market) and decentred (therapeutic) pedagogic identities. In different times and geographical locations the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) has been projected onto a variety of pedagogic…

Challenges to the implementation of health sector decentralization in Tanzania: experiences from Kongwa district council

PubMed Central

Frumence, Gasto; Nyamhanga, Tumaini; Mwangu, Mughwira; Hurtig, Anna-Karin

2013-01-01

Background During the 1990s, the government of Tanzania introduced the decentralization by devolution (D by D) approach involving the transfer of functions, power and authority from the centre to the local government authorities (LGAs) to improve the delivery of public goods and services, including health services. Objective This article examines and documents the experiences facing the implementation of decentralization of health services from the perspective of national and district officials. Design The study adopted a qualitative approach, and data were collected using semi-structured interviews and were analysed for themes and patterns. Results The results showed several benefits of decentralization, including increased autonomy in local resource mobilization and utilization, an enhanced bottom-up planning approach, increased health workers’ accountability and reduction of bureaucratic procedures in decision making. The findings also revealed several challenges which hinder the effective functioning of decentralization. These include inadequate funding, untimely disbursement of funds from the central government, insufficient and unqualified personnel, lack of community participation in planning and political interference. Conclusion The article concludes that the central government needs to adhere to the principles that established the local authorities and grant more autonomy to them, offer special incentives to staff working in the rural areas and create the capacity for local key actors to participate effectively in the planning process. PMID:23993021

Decentralization in Indonesia: lessons from cost recovery rate of district hospitals.

PubMed

Maharani, Asri; Femina, Devi; Tampubolon, Gindo

2015-07-01

In 1991, Indonesia began a process of decentralization in the health sector which had implications for the country's public hospitals. The public hospitals were given greater authority to manage their own personnel, finance and procurement, with which they were allowed to operate commercial sections in addition to offering public services. These public services are subsidized by the government, although patients still pay certain proportion of fees. The main objectives of health sector decentralization are to increase the ability of public hospitals to cover their costs and to reduce government subsidies. This study investigates the consequences of decentralization on cost recovery rate of public hospitals at district level. We examine five service units (inpatient, outpatient, operating room, laboratory and radiology) in three public hospitals. We find that after 20 years of decentralization, district hospitals still depend on government subsidies, demonstrated by the fact that the cost recovery rate of most service units is less than one. The commercial sections fail to play their role as revenue generator as they are still subsidized by the government. We also find that the bulk of costs are made up of staff salaries and incentives in all units except radiology. As this study constitutes exploratory research, further investigation is needed to find out the reasons behind these results. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2014; all rights reserved.

The role of human-automation consensus in multiple unmanned vehicle scheduling.

PubMed

Cummings, M L; Clare, Andrew; Hart, Christin

2010-02-01

This study examined the impact of increasing automation replanning rates on operator performance and workload when supervising a decentralized network of heterogeneous unmanned vehicles. Futuristic unmanned vehicles systems will invert the operator-to-vehicle ratio so that one operator can control multiple dissimilar vehicles connected through a decentralized network. Significant human-automation collaboration will be needed because of automation brittleness, but such collaboration could cause high workload. Three increasing levels of replanning were tested on an existing multiple unmanned vehicle simulation environment that leverages decentralized algorithms for vehicle routing and task allocation in conjunction with human supervision. Rapid replanning can cause high operator workload, ultimately resulting in poorer overall system performance. Poor performance was associated with a lack of operator consensus for when to accept the automation's suggested prompts for new plan consideration as well as negative attitudes toward unmanned aerial vehicles in general. Participants with video game experience tended to collaborate more with the automation, which resulted in better performance. In decentralized unmanned vehicle networks, operators who ignore the automation's requests for new plan consideration and impose rapid replans both increase their own workload and reduce the ability of the vehicle network to operate at its maximum capacity. These findings have implications for personnel selection and training for futuristic systems involving human collaboration with decentralized algorithms embedded in networks of autonomous systems.

Participation, Decentralization, and Advocacy Planning, Resource Paper No. 25.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kasperson, Roger E.; Breitbart, Myrna

This resource paper on the subject of citizen participation, decentralization, and advocacy planning is part of a series designed to supplement undergraduate geography courses. The approach of the paper de-emphasizes inventory or case study reviews of specific participation or advocacy planning projects for a more general conceptual discussion of…

Court-Driven Reform and Equal Educational Opportunity: Centralization, Decentralization, and the Shifting Judicial Role

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Superfine, Benjamin Michael

2010-01-01

Judicial decisions focusing on equal educational opportunity involve significant issues of educational governance and often involve explicit questions about the extent to which authority to make educational decisions should be centralized or decentralized across various institutions and entities. This review aims at clarifying scholars'…

Circulation Clusters--An Empirical Approach to Decentralization of Academic Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrath, William E.

1986-01-01

Discusses the issue of centralization or decentralization of academic library collections, and describes a statistical analysis of book circulation at the University of Southwestern Louisiana that yielded subject area clusters as a compromise solution to the problem. Applications of the cluster model for all types of library catalogs are…

Centralization and Decentralization of Schools' Physical Facilities Management in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ikoya, Peter O.

2008-01-01

Purpose: This research aims to examine the difference in the availability, adequacy and functionality of physical facilities in centralized and decentralized schools districts, with a view to making appropriate recommendations to stakeholders on the reform programmes in the Nigerian education sector. Design/methodology/approach: Principals,…

Decentralized School vs. Centralized School. Investigation No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paseur, C. Herbert

A report is presented of a comparative investigation of a decentralized and a centralized school facility. Comparative data are provided regarding costs of the facilities, amount of educational area provided by the facilities, and types of educational areas provided. Evaluative comments are included regarding cost savings versus educational…

Responsibility Center Management: A Financial Paradigm and Alternative to Decentralized Budgeting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hensley, Phyllis A.; Bava, D. J.; Brennan, Denise C.

This study examined the implementation of Responsibility Center Management (RCM) systems in two institutions of higher education: the Graduate School of Business at Institution and the Center of Collaborative Education and Professional Studies at Institution B. RCM is a management and budgeting process for universities that decentralizes authority…

Shifting the Curriculum: Decentralization in the Art Education Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

May, Heidi

2011-01-01

When a collaborative approach is embraced, decentralization in the art classroom can consist of a non-linear exchange of ideas between teacher and students, allowing for necessary dialogue and conversation, ultimately leading to innovative exploration of materials and concepts. In this situation, students can become active learners as opposed to…

Integrating Collaborative and Decentralized Models to Support Ubiquitous Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbosa, Jorge Luis Victória; Barbosa, Débora Nice Ferrari; Rigo, Sandro José; de Oliveira, Jezer Machado; Rabello, Solon Andrade, Jr.

2014-01-01

The application of ubiquitous technologies in the improvement of education strategies is called Ubiquitous Learning. This article proposes the integration between two models dedicated to support ubiquitous learning environments, called Global and CoolEdu. CoolEdu is a generic collaboration model for decentralized environments. Global is an…

Leadership and the Decentralized Control of Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinberg, Matthew P.

2013-01-01

This review examines the literature related to leadership and the decentralized control of schools. It first considers the distinctive goals of public and private agencies, the specific constraints that shape the autonomy of leaders in different sectors, and the ways in which new models of public management are infusing public agencies with…

School Decentralization as a Process of Differentiation, Hierarchization and Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altrichter, Herbert; Heinrich, Martin; Soukup-Altrichter, Katharina

2014-01-01

The Austrian "school autonomy policy", which allowed schools to develop specific "curricular profiles", is taken as an example for discussing processes and effects of school decentralization policies. Data from school case studies (based on qualitative interviews and document analysis) are used to analyse and interpret the…

Online Self-Organizing Social Systems: The Decentralized Future of Online Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiley, David A.; Edwards, Erin K.

2002-01-01

Describes an online self-organizing social system (OSOSS) which allows large numbers of individuals to self-organize in a highly decentralized manner to solve problems and accomplish other goals. Topics include scalability and bandwidth in online learning; self-organization; learning objects; instructional design underlying OSOSS, including…

Decentralization and Privatization of Education in El Salvador: Assessing the Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuellar-Marchelli, Helga

2003-01-01

Describes decentralization and privatization policies in El Salvador's education reform plan and assesses their potential success and limitations. The EDUCO program, in which nonprofit parents' associations in poor rural communities administer community schools, has expanded rural access to education. However, EDUCO also has potential to…

The Decentralization of New York City's Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellicano, Roy R.

1985-01-01

In an assessment of "110 Livingston Street Revisited" and "Across the River," the historical context of New York City's 15 years of public school decentralization is outlined. The last 30 years of urban education are viewed against the backdrop of competing claims regarding equity, equality, justice, and equality of…

Effectiveness of a decentralized stormwater management program in the reduction of runoff volume

EPA Science Inventory

A decentralized, retrofit approach to storm water management was implemented in a small suburban drainage on the basis of a voluntary reverse auction. This effort led to the installation of 83 rain gardens and 176 rain barrels on approximately 20 percent of 350 residential proper...

Analyzing and Critiquing the Concepts of Professional Autonomy and Accountability through the Prisms of Decentralization and Constructivist Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, Arthur; Koren, Andrej

2012-01-01

This analysis and synthesis explores constructs of professional autonomy and accountability using constructivist theory and practice to examine the organizational dynamics of centralization/decentralization, particularly as applied to educational organizations. Major schools of constructivist thought are explored to shed light on…

Decentralizing the Team Station: Simulation before Reality as a Best-Practice Approach.

PubMed

Charko, Jackie; Geertsen, Alice; O'Brien, Patrick; Rouse, Wendy; Shahid, Ammarah; Hardenne, Denise

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share the logistical planning requirements and simulation experience of one Canadian hospital as it prepared its staff for the change from a centralized inpatient unit model to the decentralized design planned for its new community hospital. With the commitment and support of senior leadership, project management resources and clinical leads worked collaboratively to design a decentralized prototype in the form of a pod-style environment in the hospital's current setting. Critical success factors included engaging the right stakeholders, providing an opportunity to test new workflows and technology, creating a strong communication plan and building on lessons learned as subsequent pod prototypes are launched.

Robust control of multi-jointed arm with a decentralized autonomous control mechanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kimura, Shinichi; Miyazaki, Ken; Suzuki, Yoshiaki

1994-01-01

A decentralized autonomous control mechanism applied to the control of three dimensional manipulators and its robustness to partial damage was assessed by computer simulation. Decentralized control structures are believed to be quite robust to time delay between the operator and the target system. A 10-jointed manipulator based on our control mechanism was able to continue its positioning task in three-dimensional space without revision of the control program, even after some of its joints were damaged. These results suggest that this control mechanism can be effectively applied to space telerobots, which are associated with serious time delay between the operator and the target system, and which cannot be easily repaired after being partially damaged.

Centralized and decentralized global outer-synchronization of asymmetric recurrent time-varying neural network by data-sampling.

PubMed

Lu, Wenlian; Zheng, Ren; Chen, Tianping

2016-03-01

In this paper, we discuss outer-synchronization of the asymmetrically connected recurrent time-varying neural networks. By using both centralized and decentralized discretization data sampling principles, we derive several sufficient conditions based on three vector norms to guarantee that the difference of any two trajectories starting from different initial values of the neural network converges to zero. The lower bounds of the common time intervals between data samples in centralized and decentralized principles are proved to be positive, which guarantees exclusion of Zeno behavior. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the efficiency of the theoretical results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Centralized vs. Decentralized Child Mental Health Services

PubMed Central

Adams, Milton S.

1977-01-01

One of the basic tenets of the Community Mental Health Center movement is that services should be provided in the consumers' community. Various centers across the country have attempted to do this in either a centralized or decentralized fashion. Historically, most health services have been provided centrally, a good example being the traditional general hospital with its centralized medical services. Over the years, some of these services have become decentralized to take the form of local health centers, health maintenance organizations, community clinics, etc, and now various large mental health centers are also being broken down into smaller community units. An example of each type of mental health facility is delineated here. PMID:904014

77 FR 15263 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; New Jersey; Motor Vehicle Enhanced Inspection...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-15

... copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy form... to 5 years and an acknowledgement with supporting justification that New Jersey's decentralized I/M... improvements in effectiveness of the decentralized program and to determine a reasonable effectiveness fraction...

Historical and Cultural Perspectives on Centralization/Decentralization in Continuing Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edelson, Paul J.

1995-01-01

Views centralization/decentralization from four perspectives: historical, as an outgrowth of professionalism, in the culture of higher education, and management theory. Suggests that some form of centralized control will always be necessary if continuing education is to function in a larger organization, but smaller units may be the wave of the…

[The development of idea of psychiatric care decentralization in late XIX - early XX centuries].

PubMed

2012-01-01

The article demonstrates that over a period of many years the development of national psychiatric care in Russia followed the course of centralization. During the Zemstvo self government period the principle of decentralization was proposed on purpose to make the psychiatric care more accessible for population.

Centring the Subject in Order to Educate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster, R. Scott

2007-01-01

It is important for educators to recognise that the various calls to decentre the subject--or self--should not be interpreted as necessarily requiring the removal of the subject altogether. Through the individualism of the Enlightenment the self was centred. This highly individualistic notion of the sovereign self has now been decentred especially…

The Russian Federation Islamic Republic of Dagestan: Curricular Decentralization, Social Cohesion, and Stability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Jana Sackman

2005-01-01

This article focuses on the curricular decentralization-sociopolitical stability nexus in the predominantly Muslim Russian Federation Republic of Dagestan, adjacent to war-torn Chechnya. Concomitant with the metamorphoses taking place in the economic and political sectors of society is the overhaul of institutionalized education. A major reform…

Beyond the Diversity Crisis Model: Decentralized Diversity Planning and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Damon A.

2008-01-01

This article critiques the diversity crises model of diversity planning in higher education and presents a decentralized diversity planning model. The model is based on interviews with the nation's leading diversity officers, a review of the literature and the authors own experiences leading diversity change initiatives in higher education. The…

Evaluating a Targeted Social Program When Placement Is Decentralized. Policy Research Working Papers No. 1945.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ravallion, Martin; Wodon, Quentin

Assessment of welfare gains from a targeted social program can be seriously biased unless the endogeneity of program participation is addressed. Bias comes from two sources of placement endogeneity: the purposive targeting of geographic areas, and the targeting of individual recipients within selected areas. Partial decentralization of program…

Formula Funding of Schools, Decentralization and Corruption: A Comparative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levacic, Rosalind; Downes, Peter

2004-01-01

This study sets out to examine the relationship, if any, between the decentralization of funding for schools and the prevalence of corruption and fraud. It is based upon work carried out in four countries: Australia (the State of Victoria), the United Kingdom (specifically England), Poland (with particular reference to two cities) and Brazil…

Education, Decentralization, and the Knowledge Problem: A Hayekian Case for Decentralized Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Currie-Knight, Kevin

2012-01-01

American public education has become increasingly centralized over the last hundred and fifty years. Everything from curricular objectives and assessment tools to teacher certification criteria (and, often, textbook decisions) are being made at the state level rather than the county, district, or school level. Increasingly, teachers are told what…

On decentralized estimation. [for large linear systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siljak, D. D.; Vukcevic, M. B.

1978-01-01

A multilevel scheme is proposed to construct decentralized estimators for large linear systems. The scheme is numerically attractive since only observability tests of low-order subsystems are required. Equally important is the fact that the constructed estimators are reliable under structural perturbations and can tolerate a wide range of nonlinearities in coupling among the subsystems.

Educational Reform in South Africa: Decentralization and Parent Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joubert, Rika; van Rooyen, Jean W.

2011-01-01

The promulgation of the South African Schools Act in 1996 was a critical moment in the process of making a compromise between a centralized and a decentralized system. The act describes the establishment, membership, and responsibilities of school governing bodies as the vehicle for parental engagement and decision making. The article touches on…

Parental Contributions, School-Level Finances and Decentralization: An Analysis of Nicaraguan Autonomous School Budgets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gershberg, Alec Ian; Meade, Ben

2005-01-01

The Nicaraguan Autonomous School Programme is notable among the growing number of school governance decentralization reforms in the Americas in the degree of control given to parents, especially in decisions regarding the allocation of school resources. Much of schools' discretionary spending was accumulated through various school charges. This…

Decentralized Decisionmaking for Schools: New Promise for an Old Idea?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Janet S.; Roza, Marguerite

2005-01-01

Interest in decentralized decisionmaking for schools (DDS) is on the rise. With state and federal accountability systems placing pressure on school-level leaders to improve student performance, increasing attention is being paid to the question of how to help principals do their job more effectively. "Business as usual" in American…

ALEPH: Israel's Research Library Network: Background, Evolution, and Implications for Networking in a Small Country.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazinger, Susan S.

1991-01-01

Describes ALEPH, the research library network in Israel, and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of its decentralized structure. Highlights include comparisons between RLIN and ALEPH; centralized versus decentralized networks; the format of ALEPH; authority control in ALEPH; and non-Roman scripts in both networks. (16 references) (LRW)

Reorganizing a Countywide School District: A Critical Analysis of Politics and Policy Development toward Decentralization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diem, Sarah; Sampson, Carrie; Browning, Laura Gavornik

2018-01-01

Policymakers and educational leaders continue to use school district decentralization as a reform effort that attempts to shift power and authority from central office administration to school-level leadership. In 2015, the Nevada Legislature passed legislation to restructure the Clark County School District (CCSD), the state's largest school…

Chronicling Decentralization Initiatives in the Philippine Basic Education Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Guzman, Allan B.

2007-01-01

The Philippine school system is considered as one of the largest in the world with 41,989 public elementary and secondary schools and 7790 private schools under the supervision and regulation of the Department of Education (DepEd Fact Sheet, 2005). This paper chronicles various decentralization initiatives carried out by the basic education sector…

Empowerment or Impediment? School Governance in the School-Based Management Era in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwan, Paula; Li, Benjamin Yuet-man

2015-01-01

Following the international trend in education towards democracy and decentralization, the Hong Kong government introduced a school-based management (SBM) system about two decades ago. It is widely recognized in the literature that decentralization, empowering school level management and marginalizing the influence of the intermediate level of…

Decentralization of Educational Development Reforms in Nigeria: A Comparative Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ikoya, Peter O.

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to seek to appraise regional compliance to decentralization laws establishing Education Boards and Committees since the Nigerian Government has for some time now been making efforts aimed at reforming her educational system. Design/methodology/approach: Employing ex post facto design, the study uses survey…

Handbook for Decentralized Education Planning. Implementing National EFA Plans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Online Submission, 2005

2005-01-01

The Dakar 2000 goal of Education For All (EFA) is at the center of UNESCO's education activities worldwide. The wide-ranging efforts to achieve EFA in many countries involve education reform, development strategies and plans. Decentralization, a major component in modernizing the public sector, is also applicable to the education sector. The…

Human Resource Support for School Principals in Two, Urban School Districts: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lochmiller, Chad R.

2010-01-01

School districts are increasingly focused on instructional practice in classrooms. Many urban school districts have shifted decision-making responsibility to school principals in order to improve instruction. This reform strategy has been referred to as decentralization or school-based management. Decentralization has a significant influence on…

A Statewide Decentralized Approach to Public School Reform: The Case of Career Ladders in Utah.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malen, Betty; Murphy, Michael J.

1985-01-01

In 1984, the Utah legislature enacted a career ladder bill encouraging all local districts to develop plans for restructuring teachers' compensation and promotion options. An independent, bipartisan taskforce then created a statewide, decentralized model that increases educators' power, minimizes merit and staff differentiation, and fosters…

Robust Decentralized Nonlinear Control for a Twin Rotor MIMO System

PubMed Central

Belmonte, Lidia María; Morales, Rafael; Fernández-Caballero, Antonio; Somolinos, José Andrés

2016-01-01

This article presents the design of a novel decentralized nonlinear multivariate control scheme for an underactuated, nonlinear and multivariate laboratory helicopter denominated the twin rotor MIMO system (TRMS). The TRMS is characterized by a coupling effect between rotor dynamics and the body of the model, which is due to the action-reaction principle originated in the acceleration and deceleration of the motor-propeller groups. The proposed controller is composed of two nested loops that are utilized to achieve stabilization and precise trajectory tracking tasks for the controlled position of the generalized coordinates of the TRMS. The nonlinear internal loop is used to control the electrical dynamics of the platform, and the nonlinear external loop allows the platform to be perfectly stabilized and positioned in space. Finally, we illustrate the theoretical control developments with a set of experiments in order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed nonlinear decentralized feedback controller, in which a comparative study with other controllers is performed, illustrating the excellent performance of the proposed robust decentralized control scheme in both stabilization and trajectory tracking tasks. PMID:27472338

On the applicability of the decentralized control mechanism extracted from the true slime mold: a robotic case study with a serpentine robot.

PubMed

Sato, Takahide; Kano, Takeshi; Ishiguro, Akio

2011-06-01

A systematic method for an autonomous decentralized control system is still lacking, despite its appealing concept. In order to alleviate this, we focused on the amoeboid locomotion of the true slime mold, and extracted a design scheme for the decentralized control mechanism that leads to adaptive behavior for the entire system, based on the so-called discrepancy function. In this paper, we intensively investigate the universality of this design scheme by applying it to a different type of locomotion based on a 'synthetic approach'. As a first step, we implement this design scheme to the control of a real physical two-dimensional serpentine robot that exhibits slithering locomotion. The experimental results show that the robot exhibits adaptive behavior and responds to the environmental changes; it is also robust against malfunctions of the body segments due to the local sensory feedback control that is based on the discrepancy function. We expect the results to shed new light on the methodology of autonomous decentralized control systems.

Robust Decentralized Nonlinear Control for a Twin Rotor MIMO System.

PubMed

Belmonte, Lidia María; Morales, Rafael; Fernández-Caballero, Antonio; Somolinos, José Andrés

2016-07-27

This article presents the design of a novel decentralized nonlinear multivariate control scheme for an underactuated, nonlinear and multivariate laboratory helicopter denominated the twin rotor MIMO system (TRMS). The TRMS is characterized by a coupling effect between rotor dynamics and the body of the model, which is due to the action-reaction principle originated in the acceleration and deceleration of the motor-propeller groups. The proposed controller is composed of two nested loops that are utilized to achieve stabilization and precise trajectory tracking tasks for the controlled position of the generalized coordinates of the TRMS. The nonlinear internal loop is used to control the electrical dynamics of the platform, and the nonlinear external loop allows the platform to be perfectly stabilized and positioned in space. Finally, we illustrate the theoretical control developments with a set of experiments in order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed nonlinear decentralized feedback controller, in which a comparative study with other controllers is performed, illustrating the excellent performance of the proposed robust decentralized control scheme in both stabilization and trajectory tracking tasks.

Is a decentralized continuing medical education program feasible for Chinese rural health professionals?

PubMed

Hu, Guijie; Yi, Yanhua

2016-01-01

Rural health professionals in township health centers (THCs) tend to have less advanced educational degrees. This study aimed to ascertain the perceived feasibility of a decentralized continuing medical education (CME) program to upgrade their educational levels. A cross-sectional survey of THC health professionals was conducted using a self-administered, structured questionnaire in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. The health professionals in the THCs were overwhelmingly young with low education levels. They had a strong desire to upgrade their educational degrees. The decentralized CME program was perceived as feasible by health workers with positive attitudes about the benefit for license examination, and by those who intended to improve their clinical diagnosis and treatment skills. The target groups of such a program were those who expected to undertake a bachelor's degree and who rated themselves as "partially capable" in clinical competency. They reported that 160-400 USD annually would be an affordable fee for the program. A decentralized CME program was perceived feasible to upgrade rural health workers' education level to a bachelor's degree and improve their clinical competency.

[Mechanisms for allocating financial resources after decentralization in the state of Jalisco].

PubMed

Pérez-Núñez, Ricardo; Arredondo-López, Armando; Pelcastre, Blanca

2006-01-01

To analyze, from the decision maker's perspective, the financial resource allocation process of the health services of the state of Jalisco (SSJ, per its abbreviation in spanish), within the context of decentralization. Through a qualitative approximation using semi-structured individual interviews of key personnel in managerial positions as the method for compiling information, the experience of the SSJ in financial resource allocation was documented. From September to November 2003, the perception of managers and administrators regarding their level of autonomy in decision-making was explored as well as the process they follow for the allocation of financial resources, in order to identify the criteria they use and their justifications. From the point of view of decision-makers, autonomy of the SSJ has increased considerably since decentralization was implemented, although the degree of decision-making freedom remains limited due mainly to high adminstrative costs associated with salaries. In this sense, the implications attributable to labor situations that are still centralized are evident. Some innovative systems for financial resource allocation have been established in the SSJ for the sanitary regions and hospitals based upon administrative-managerial and productivity incentives. Adjustments were also made for degree of marginalization and population lag, under the equity criterion. General work conditions and decision-making autonomy of the sanitary regions constitute outstanding aspects pending decentralization. Although decentralization has granted more autonomy to the SSJ, the level of decision-making freedom for allocating financial resources has been held within the highest hierarchical levels.

Evaluating the Life Cycle Environmental Benefits and Trade-Offs of Water Reuse Systems for Net-Zero Buildings.

PubMed

Hasik, Vaclav; Anderson, Naomi E; Collinge, William O; Thiel, Cassandra L; Khanna, Vikas; Wirick, Jason; Piacentini, Richard; Landis, Amy E; Bilec, Melissa M

2017-02-07

Aging water infrastructure and increased water scarcity have resulted in higher interest in water reuse and decentralization. Rating systems for high-performance buildings implicitly promote the use of building-scale, decentralized water supply and treatment technologies. It is important to recognize the potential benefits and trade-offs of decentralized and centralized water systems in the context of high-performance buildings. For this reason and to fill a gap in the current literature, we completed a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the decentralized water system of a high-performance, net-zero energy, net-zero water building (NZB) that received multiple green building certifications and compared the results with two modeled buildings (conventional and water efficient) using centralized water systems. We investigated the NZB's impacts over varying lifetimes, conducted a break-even analysis, and included Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis. The results show that, although the NZB performs better in most categories than the conventional building, the water efficient building generally outperforms the NZB. The lifetime of the NZB, septic tank aeration, and use of solar energy have been found to be important factors in the NZB's impacts. While these findings are specific to the case study building, location, and treatment technologies, the framework for comparison of water and wastewater impacts of various buildings can be applied during building design to aid decision making. As we design and operate high-performance buildings, the potential trade-offs of advanced decentralized water treatment systems should be considered.

Shifting Landscapes: The Impact of Centralized and Decentralized Nursing Station Models on the Efficiency of Care.

PubMed

Fay, Lindsey; Carll-White, Allison; Schadler, Aric; Isaacs, Kathy B; Real, Kevin

2017-10-01

The focus of this research was to analyze the impact of decentralized and centralized hospital design layouts on the delivery of efficient care and the resultant level of caregiver satisfaction. An interdisciplinary team conducted a multiphased pre- and postoccupancy evaluation of a cardiovascular service line in an academic hospital that moved from a centralized to decentralized model. This study examined the impact of walkability, room usage, allocation of time, and visibility to better understand efficiency in the care environment. A mixed-methods data collection approach was utilized, which included pedometer measurements of staff walking distances, room usage data, time studies in patient rooms and nurses' stations, visibility counts, and staff questionnaires yielding qualitative and quantitative results. Overall, the data comparing the centralized and decentralized models yielded mixed results. This study's centralized design was rated significantly higher in its ability to support teamwork and efficient patient care with decreased staff walking distances. The decentralized unit design was found to positively influence proximity to patients in a larger design footprint and contribute to increased visits to and time spent in patient rooms. Among the factors contributing to caregiver efficiency and satisfaction are nursing station design, an integrated team approach, and the overall physical layout of the space on walkability, allocation of caregiver time, and visibility. However, unit design alone does not solely impact efficiency, suggesting that designers must consider the broader implications of a culture of care and processes.

Comparison of decentration and tilt between one piece and three piece polymethyl methacrylate intraocular lenses

PubMed Central

Hayashi, K.; Hayashi, H.; Nakao, F.; Hayashi, F.

1998-01-01

BACKGROUND—The extent of the decentration and tilt was prospectively compared between one piece polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and three piece PMMA intraocular lenses (IOLs) which were implanted in the capsular bag after performing continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis.
METHODS—91 patients underwent a one piece PMMA IOL implantation in one eye as well as the implantation of the three piece PMMA IOL with polyvinylidene fluoride loops in the opposite eye. The length of the lens decentration and the angle of the tilt were quantitated using the anterior eye segment analysis system (EAS-1000) at 1 week as well as 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively.
RESULTS—The mean length of the decentration in the one piece IOL was smaller than that in the three piece IOL at 1 week (p=0.0092), 1 month (p=0.0044), 3 months (p=0.0069), and 6 months (p=0.0010) postoperatively. However, no significant difference was found in the degree of the tilt between the two types of IOLs throughout the observation periods.
CONCLUSION—These results clarified that the one piece PMMA IOL with rigid PMMA haptics implanted in the capsular bag provides a better centration than the three piece PMMA IOL with flexible haptics, whereas the tilt was the same between the two types of IOLs.

 Keywords: intraocular lens; decentration; tilt; continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis PMID:9640193

Decentralized approaches to wastewater treatment and management: applicability in developing countries.

PubMed

Massoud, May A; Tarhini, Akram; Nasr, Joumana A

2009-01-01

Providing reliable and affordable wastewater treatment in rural areas is a challenge in many parts of the world, particularly in developing countries. The problems and limitations of the centralized approaches for wastewater treatment are progressively surfacing. Centralized wastewater collection and treatment systems are costly to build and operate, especially in areas with low population densities and dispersed households. Developing countries lack both the funding to construct centralized facilities and the technical expertise to manage and operate them. Alternatively, the decentralized approach for wastewater treatment which employs a combination of onsite and/or cluster systems is gaining more attention. Such an approach allows for flexibility in management, and simple as well as complex technologies are available. The decentralized system is not only a long-term solution for small communities but is more reliable and cost effective. This paper presents a review of the various decentralized approaches to wastewater treatment and management. A discussion as to their applicability in developing countries, primarily in rural areas, and challenges faced is emphasized all through the paper. While there are many impediments and challenges towards wastewater management in developing countries, these can be overcome by suitable planning and policy implementation. Understanding the receiving environment is crucial for technology selection and should be accomplished by conducting a comprehensive site evaluation process. Centralized management of the decentralized wastewater treatment systems is essential to ensure they are inspected and maintained regularly. Management strategies should be site specific accounting for social, cultural, environmental and economic conditions in the target area.

Decentralized control of human visceral leishmaniasis in endemic urban areas of Brazil: a literature review.

PubMed

Menon, Sonia S; Rossi, Rodolfo; Nshimyumukiza, Leon; Zinszer, Kate

2016-01-01

Human migration and concomitant HIV infections are likely to bring about major changes in the epidemiology of some parasitic infections in Brazil. Human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) control is particularly fraught with intricacies. It is against a backdrop of decentralized health care that the complex HVL control initiatives are brought to bear. This comprehensive review aims to explore the obstacles facing decentralized HVL control in urban endemic areas in Brazil. A literature search was carried out in December 2015 by means of three databases: MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. Although there have been many strides that have been made in elucidating the eco-epidemiology of Leishmania infantum, which forms the underpinnings of the national control program, transmission risk factors for HVL are still insufficiently elucidated in urban settings. Decentralized HVL epidemiological surveillance and control for animal reservoirs and vectors may compromise sustainability. In addition, it may hamper timely human HVL case management. With the burgeoning of the HIV-HVL co-infection, the potential human transmission may be underestimated. HVL is a disease with focal transmission at a critical juncture, which warrants that the bottlenecks facing the control program within contexts of decentralized healthcare systems be taken into account. In addition, HIV-driven HVL epidemics may substantially increase the transmission potential of the human reservoir. Calculating the basic reproductive number to fine-tune interventions will have to take into consideration the specific socio-economic development context.

Treatment Outcomes in a Decentralized Antiretroviral Therapy Program: A Comparison of Two Levels of Care in North Central Nigeria

PubMed Central

Okonkwo, Prosper; Sagay, Atiene S.; Agaba, Patricia A.; Yohanna, Stephen; Agbaji, Oche O.; Imade, Godwin E.; Banigbe, Bolanle; Adeola, Juliet; Oyebode, Tinuade A.; Idoko, John A.; Kanki, Phyllis J.

2014-01-01

Background. Decentralization of antiretroviral therapy (ART) services is a key strategy to achieving universal access to treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS. Our objective was to assess clinical and laboratory outcomes within a decentralized program in Nigeria. Methods. Using a tiered hub-and-spoke model to decentralize services, a tertiary hospital scaled down services to 13 secondary-level hospitals using national and program guidelines. We obtained sociodemographic, clinical, and immunovirologic data on previously antiretroviral drug naïve patients aged ≥15 years that received HAART for at least 6 months and compared treatment outcomes between the prime and satellite sites. Results. Out of 7,747 patients, 3729 (48.1%) were enrolled at the satellites while on HAART, prime site patients achieved better immune reconstitution based on CD4+ cell counts at 12 (P < 0.001) and 24 weeks (P < 0.001) with similar responses at 48 weeks (P = 0.11) and higher rates of viral suppression (<400 c/mL) at 12 (P < 0.001) and 48 weeks (P = 0.03), but similar responses at 24 weeks (P = 0.21). Mortality was 2.3% versus 5.0% (P < 0.001) at prime and satellite sites, while transfer rate was 8.7% versus 5.5% (P = 0.001) at prime and satellites. Conclusion. ART decentralization is feasible in resource-limited settings, but efforts have to be intensified to maintain good quality of care. PMID:25028610

Implementation of a decentralized community-based treatment program to improve the management of Buruli ulcer in the Ouinhi district of Benin, West Africa

PubMed Central

Amoussouhoui, Arnaud Setondji; Wadagni, Anita Carolle; Johnson, Roch Christian; Aoulou, Paulin; Agbo, Inès Elvire; Houezo, Jean-Gabin; Boyer, Micah; Nichter, Mark

2018-01-01

Background Mycobacterium ulcerans infection, commonly known as Buruli ulcer (BU), is a debilitating neglected tropical disease. Its management remains complex and has three main components: antibiotic treatment combining rifampicin and streptomycin for 56 days, wound dressings and skin grafts for large ulcerations, and physical therapy to prevent functional limitations after care. In Benin, BU patient care is being integrated into the government health system. In this paper, we report on an innovative pilot program designed to introduce BU decentralization in Ouinhi district, one of Benin’s most endemic districts previously served by centralized hospital-based care. Methodology/Principal findings We conducted intervention-oriented research implemented in four steps: baseline study, training of health district clinical staff, outreach education, outcome and impact assessments. Study results demonstrated that early BU lesions (71% of all detected cases) could be treated in the community following outreach education, and that most of the afflicted were willing to accept decentralized treatment. Ninety-three percent were successfully treated with antibiotics alone. The impact evaluation found that community confidence in decentralized BU care was greatly enhanced by clinic staff who came to be seen as having expertise in the care of most chronic wounds. Conclusions/Significance This study documents a successful BU outreach and decentralized care program reaching early BU cases not previously treated by a proactive centralized BU program. The pilot program further demonstrates the added value of integrated wound management for NTD control. PMID:29529087

A distributed database view of network tracking systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yosinski, Jason; Paffenroth, Randy

2008-04-01

In distributed tracking systems, multiple non-collocated trackers cooperate to fuse local sensor data into a global track picture. Generating this global track picture at a central location is fairly straightforward, but the single point of failure and excessive bandwidth requirements introduced by centralized processing motivate the development of decentralized methods. In many decentralized tracking systems, trackers communicate with their peers via a lossy, bandwidth-limited network in which dropped, delayed, and out of order packets are typical. Oftentimes the decentralized tracking problem is viewed as a local tracking problem with a networking twist; we believe this view can underestimate the network complexities to be overcome. Indeed, a subsequent 'oversight' layer is often introduced to detect and handle track inconsistencies arising from a lack of robustness to network conditions. We instead pose the decentralized tracking problem as a distributed database problem, enabling us to draw inspiration from the vast extant literature on distributed databases. Using the two-phase commit algorithm, a well known technique for resolving transactions across a lossy network, we describe several ways in which one may build a distributed multiple hypothesis tracking system from the ground up to be robust to typical network intricacies. We pay particular attention to the dissimilar challenges presented by network track initiation vs. maintenance and suggest a hybrid system that balances speed and robustness by utilizing two-phase commit for only track initiation transactions. Finally, we present simulation results contrasting the performance of such a system with that of more traditional decentralized tracking implementations.

Optimizing Natural Gas Networks through Dynamic Manifold Theory and a Decentralized Algorithm: Belgium Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koch, Caleb; Winfrey, Leigh

2014-10-01

Natural Gas is a major energy source in Europe, yet political instabilities have the potential to disrupt access and supply. Energy resilience is an increasingly essential construct and begins with transmission network design. This study proposes a new way of thinking about modelling natural gas flow. Rather than relying on classical economic models, this problem is cast into a time-dependent Hamiltonian dynamics discussion. Traditional Natural Gas constraints, including inelastic demand and maximum/minimum pipe flows, are portrayed as energy functions and built into the dynamics of each pipe flow. Doing so allows the constraints to be built into the dynamics of each pipeline. As time progresses in the model, natural gas flow rates find the minimum energy, thus the optimal gas flow rates. The most important result of this study is using dynamical principles to ensure the output of natural gas at demand nodes remains constant, which is important for country to country natural gas transmission. Another important step in this study is building the dynamics of each flow in a decentralized algorithm format. Decentralized regulation has solved congestion problems for internet data flow, traffic flow, epidemiology, and as demonstrated in this study can solve the problem of Natural Gas congestion. A mathematical description is provided for how decentralized regulation leads to globally optimized network flow. Furthermore, the dynamical principles and decentralized algorithm are applied to a case study of the Fluxys Belgium Natural Gas Network.

Implementation of a decentralized community-based treatment program to improve the management of Buruli ulcer in the Ouinhi district of Benin, West Africa.

PubMed

Amoussouhoui, Arnaud Setondji; Sopoh, Ghislain Emmanuel; Wadagni, Anita Carolle; Johnson, Roch Christian; Aoulou, Paulin; Agbo, Inès Elvire; Houezo, Jean-Gabin; Boyer, Micah; Nichter, Mark

2018-03-01

Mycobacterium ulcerans infection, commonly known as Buruli ulcer (BU), is a debilitating neglected tropical disease. Its management remains complex and has three main components: antibiotic treatment combining rifampicin and streptomycin for 56 days, wound dressings and skin grafts for large ulcerations, and physical therapy to prevent functional limitations after care. In Benin, BU patient care is being integrated into the government health system. In this paper, we report on an innovative pilot program designed to introduce BU decentralization in Ouinhi district, one of Benin's most endemic districts previously served by centralized hospital-based care. We conducted intervention-oriented research implemented in four steps: baseline study, training of health district clinical staff, outreach education, outcome and impact assessments. Study results demonstrated that early BU lesions (71% of all detected cases) could be treated in the community following outreach education, and that most of the afflicted were willing to accept decentralized treatment. Ninety-three percent were successfully treated with antibiotics alone. The impact evaluation found that community confidence in decentralized BU care was greatly enhanced by clinic staff who came to be seen as having expertise in the care of most chronic wounds. This study documents a successful BU outreach and decentralized care program reaching early BU cases not previously treated by a proactive centralized BU program. The pilot program further demonstrates the added value of integrated wound management for NTD control.

Does fiscal decentralization improve health outcomes? Evidence from infant mortality in Italy.

PubMed

Cavalieri, Marina; Ferrante, Livio

2016-09-01

Despite financial and decision-making responsibilities having been increasingly devolved to lower levels of government worldwide, the potential impact of these reforms remains largely controversial. This paper investigates the hypothesis that a shift towards a higher degree of fiscal autonomy of sub-national governments could improve health outcomes, as measured by infant mortality rates. Italy is used as a case study since responsibilities for healthcare have been decentralized to regions, though the central government still retains a key role in ensuring all citizens uniform access to health services throughout the country. A linear fixed-effects regression model with robust standard errors is employed for a panel of 20 regions over the period 1996-2012 (340 observations in the full sample). Decentralization is proxied by two different indicators, capturing the degree of decision-making autonomy in the allocation of tax revenues and the extent to which regions rely on fiscal transfers from the central government. The results show that a higher proportion of tax revenues raised and/or controlled locally as well as a lower transfer dependency from the central government are consistently associated with lower infant mortality rates, ceteris paribus. The marginal benefit from fiscal decentralization, however, is not constant but depends on the level of regional wealth, favouring poorest regions. In terms of policy implications, this study outlines how the effectiveness of decentralization in improving health outcomes is contingent on the characteristics of the context in which the process takes place. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decentralization Does Not Assure Optimal Delivery of PMTCT and HIV-Exposed Infant Services in a Low Prevalence Setting

PubMed Central

Edmonds, Andrew; Feinstein, Lydia; Okitolonda, Vitus; Thompson, Deidre; Kawende, Bienvenu; Behets, Frieda

2016-01-01

Background The consequences of decentralizing prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission and HIV-exposed infant services to antenatal care (ANC)/labor and delivery (L&D) sites from dedicated HIV care and treatment (C&T) centers remain unknown, particularly in low prevalence settings. Methods In a cohort of mother–infant pairs, we compared delivery of routine services at ANC/L&D and C&T facilities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo from 2010–2013, using methods accounting for competing risks (eg, death). Women could opt to receive interventions at 90 decentralized ANC/L&D sites, or 2 affiliated C&T centers. Additionally, we assessed decentralization’s population-level impacts by comparing proportions of women and infants receiving interventions before (2009–2010) and after (2011–2013) decentralization. Results Among newly HIV-diagnosed women (N = 1482), the 14-week cumulative incidence of receiving the package of CD4 testing and zidovudine or antiretroviral therapy was less at ANC/L&D [66%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 63% to 69%] than at C&T (88%; 95% CI: 83% to 92%) sites (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.62; 95% CI: 0.55 to 0.69). Delivery of cotrimoxazole and DNA polymerase chain reaction testing to HIV-exposed infants (N = 1182) was inferior at ANC/L&D sites (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.84; 95% CI: 0.76 to 0.92); the 10-month cumulative incidence of the package at ANC/L&D sites was 89% (95% CI: 82% to 93%) versus 97% (95% CI: 93% to 99%) at C&T centers. Receipt of the pregnancy (20% of 1518, to 64% of 1405) and infant (16%–31%) packages improved post decentralization. Conclusions Services were delivered less efficiently at ANC/L&D sites than C&T centers. Although access improved with decentralization, its potential cannot be realized without sufficient and sustained support. PMID:26262776

Performance of centralized versus decentralized tuberculosis treatment services in Southern Brazil, 2006-2015.

PubMed

Scheffer, Mara Cristina; Prim, Rodrigo Ivan; Wildner, Leticia Muraro; Medeiros, Taiane Freitas; Maurici, Rosemeri; Kupek, Emil; Bazzo, Maria Luiza

2018-04-25

Tuberculosis (TB) control programs face the challenges of decreasing incidence, mortality rates, and drug resistance while increasing treatment adherence. The Brazilian TB control program recommended the decentralization of patient care as a strategy for combating the disease. This study evaluated the performance of this policy in an area with high default rates, comparing epidemiological and operational indicators between two similar municipalities. This study analyzed epidemiological and operational indicators on new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis reported in the Brazilian Notifiable Diseases Information System between 2006 and 2015. In addition, to characterize differences between the populations of the two studied municipalities, a prospective cohort study was conducted between 2014 and 2015, in which patients with new cases of culture-confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis were interviewed and monitored until the disease outcome. A descriptive analysis, the chi-square test, and a Poisson regression model were employed to compare TB treatment outcomes and health care indicators between the municipalities. Two thousand three hundred nine cases were evaluated, of which 207 patients were interviewed. Over the 2006-2015 period, TB incidence per 100,000 population in the municipality with decentralized care was significantly higher (39%, 95% CI 27-49%) in comparison to that of the municipality with centralized care. TB treatment default rate (45%, 95% CI 12-90%) was also higher in the municipality with decentralized care. During the two-year follow-up, significant differences were found between patients in centralized care and those in decentralized care regarding treatment success (84.5 vs. 66.1%), treatment default (10.7 vs. 25.8%), illicit drug use (27.7 vs. 45.9%), and homelessness (3.6 vs. 12.9%). The operational indicators revealed that the proportion of control smear tests, medical imaging, and HIV tests were all significantly higher in the centralized care. However, a significantly higher proportion of patients started treatment in the early stages of the disease in the municipality with decentralized care. These data showed a low success rate in TB treatment in both municipalities. Decentralization of TB care, alone, did not improve the main epidemiological and operational indicators related to disease control when compared to centralized care. Full implementation of strategies already recommended is needed to improve TB treatment success rates.

75 FR 8763 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-25

... at http://www.sec.gov and also on the Exchange's Internet Web site at http://nasdaqomxbx... Options Order Protection and Locked/Crossed Market Plan (``Decentralized Plan'').\\6\\ \\5\\ See Securities... mechanisms to remain fully compliant with the Decentralized Plan and BOX Rules and to no longer rely upon a...

Decentralization of Sports Services Opinions of Youth Services and Provincial Directors of Sports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydogan, Hayri

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to make a study on opinions of Youth Services and Provincial Directors of Sports related to decentralization of sports services according to demographical variables like educational background, age, total professional working period, and working period as a director. While the population of the study consists of 81…

Analyzing the effects of transit network change on agency performance and riders in a decentralized, small-to-mid-sized US metropolitan area : a case study of Tallahassee, Florida.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-05-01

On July 11, 2011, StarMetro, the local public transit agency in Tallahassee, Florida, restructured its entire bus network from a : downtown-focused radial system to a decentralized, grid-like system that local officials and agency leaders believed wo...

Increased Government Intervention versus Increased Institutional Autonomy: The Recent Case of Australian Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harman, Grant

A new theme in the old tension between centralization and decentralization in the governance and administration of Australian higher education is explored. The argument is that the various major attempts to restructure Australian education systems both in centralizing and decentralizing forces have gained new strength, and that the recent stated…

Graduate Student Services: A Study of the Delivery of Services at the Location Where Students Matriculate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burlison, John G.

2010-01-01

This dissertation investigates and explores the best method for the delivery of graduate student services. Essentially, there are two methods for delivery of these services. They can be delivered by virtue of centralization or decentralization. Decentralized delivery, for the purpose of this dissertation is the delivery of graduate student…

Decentralization of storm runoff via engagement of social and cultural capitals - implications for the management of flood risk at the municipal scale

EPA Science Inventory

This research tests a novel method that focuses limited community resources on a decentralized approach to storm water management. A reverse auction was used to relieve legal constraints on management implementation on private land. Residents voluntarily bid on rain gardens and r...

Decentralized Governance and Environmental Change: Local Institutional Moderation of Deforestation in Bolivia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersson, Krister; Gibson, Clark C.

2007-01-01

Dozens of countries have decentralized at least part of their natural resource policies over the last two decades. Despite the length of time that these policy experiments have been in force, there is little agreement about their effectiveness. We argue that part of this ambivalence stems from three limitations of extant studies, suggesting that…

Holistic Evaluation of Decentralized Water Reuse: Life Cycle Assessment and Cost Analysis of Membrane Bioreactor Systems in Water Reuse Implementation

EPA Science Inventory

Understand environmental and cost impacts of transitional decentralized MBR systems with sewer mining Assess aerobic MBRs (AeMBR) and anaerobic MBRs (AnMBR) Use LCA and life cycle cost (LCC) analysis to quantify impacts Investigate LCA and LCC performance of MBRs under various re...

Rise and Fall of Decentralized School Governance--Decision-Making Practices in Georgia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorgodze, Sophia

2016-01-01

The current study investigates educational decision-making in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. The focus is on decisions concerning issues of school governance decentralization/recentralization in the period of 2003-2012. The research draws on in-depth interviews with over 20 top decision-makers, and an extensive review of legal documents,…

Vocational Training in Chile: A Decentralized and Market Oriented System. Training Policy Study No. 8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espinoza, Eduardo Martinez

From 1976 to 1983 major reforms were enacted in Chile in the vocational training systems, based on four principles: decentralization, integration, diversification, and participation. The vocational training system in Chile is a legally established, market-oriented system in which many private training agencies compete to sell their services to…

A note on decentralized integral controllability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nwokah, O. D. I.; Frazho, A. E.; Le, D. K.

1993-01-01

A concept of decentralized integral controllability (DIC) defined on a given gain space Phi is clarified and related to the original definition given by Morari and Zafirou (1989). This leads to a simple proof of the existence of DIC on Phi from which existence conditions for DIC can be routinely deduced in the sense of Morari and Zafirou.

Effect of School Decentralization and School Climate on Student Mathematics Performance: The Case of Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Esther Sui Chu

2005-01-01

For more than a decade, the Government of Hong Kong has instituted a policy of school decentralization aimed at devolving authority to all stakeholders, including the representatives of School Sponsoring Bodies, principals, teachers, parents, and community members. This study examines the relative contribution of two dimensions of school…

Seasonal and situational impacts on the effectiveness of a decentralized stormwater management program in the reduction of runoff volume (Cincinnati OH; USA)

EPA Science Inventory

A decentralized, retrofit approach to storm water management was implemented in a small suburban drainage on the basis of a voluntary reverse auction. This campaign led to the installation of 83 rain gardens and 176 rain barrels on approximately 20 percent of 350 residential prop...

Decentralized School Governance Policy: A Comparative Study of General Public Schools and Community-Managed Schools in Nepal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khanal, Mukunda Mani

2016-01-01

The literature reviewed for this study revealed that the movement toward decentralizing responsibility of school governance to communities has become a global policy in the contemporary world. With the aim of enhancing greater community participation and retaining students in public schools, the Government of Nepal introduced two different…

Study of the Effectiveness of OCR for Decentralized Data Capture and Conversion. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liston, David M.; And Others

The ERIC network conversion to an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) mode of data entry was studied to analyze the potential effectiveness of OCR data entry for future EPC/s (Editorial Processing Centers). Study results are also applicable to any other system involving decentralized bibliographic data capture and conversion functions. The report…

Decentralization in Educational Governance and Its Challenges in Korea: Focused on Policy Conflicts between Central and Local Government in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cha, Sung-Hyun

2016-01-01

Decentralization of educational governance is characterized by the recent education reform in Korea. With the election of progressive superintendents and local council members, educational policy conflicts have often occurred and deepened in the process of decision-making and implementation of policies such as School Violence Prevention, National…

DServO: A Peer-to-Peer-based Approach to Biomedical Ontology Repositories.

PubMed

Mambone, Zakaria; Savadogo, Mahamadi; Some, Borlli Michel Jonas; Diallo, Gayo

2015-01-01

We present in this poster an extension of the ServO ontology server system, which adopts a decentralized Peer-To-Peer approach for managing multiple heterogeneous knowledge organization systems. It relies on the use of the JXTA protocol coupled with information retrieval techniques to provide a decentralized infrastructure for managing multiples instances of Ontology Repositories.

The LEA's Role in a Decentralized School System: The School Principals' View

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Addi-Raccah, Audrey; Gavish, Yakov

2010-01-01

Since the wave of school reform decentralization, schools now maintain a more dynamic and diverse relationship with their environment than they did in the past. School principals' relationships with the local educational authority (LEA) are a prominent example of this change in Israel. LEAs try to gain more pedagogic influence over schools while…

Utilizing Spectrum Efficiently (USE)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-28

18 4.8 Space-Time Coded Asynchronous DS - CDMA with Decentralized MAI Suppression: Performance and...numerical results. 4.8 Space-Time Coded Asynchronous DS - CDMA with Decentralized MAI Suppression: Performance and Spectral Efficiency In [60] multiple...supported at a given signal-to-interference ratio in asynchronous direct-sequence code-division multiple-access ( DS - CDMA ) sys- tems was examined. It was

Contractual or Responsive Accountability? Neo-Centralist 'Self-Management' or Systemic Subsidiarity? Tasmanian Parents' and Other Stakeholders' Policy Preferences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macpherson, R. J. S.

When state governments in Australia decentralized many administrative responsibilities to schools in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was assumed that they would develop fresh management, development, and governance capacities. In general, such decentralization attempted to replace bureaucracies with corporate management, limit school evaluation…

Lost in Translation: Ever Changing and Competing Purposes for National Examinations in the Czech Republic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greger, D.; Kifer, E.

2012-01-01

In reaction to central control of schooling by the Soviet Union, the Czech Republic countered with what some say was the most decentralized system in Europe. While the political move to democracy was extraordinarily successful, there were numerous governments between 1989 and the present. The combination of the decentralized control of schooling…

Saying What We Mean, and Meaning What We Say--Unpacking the Contingencies of Decentralization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Heinz-Dieter

2009-01-01

During the 1980s and 1990s, administrative decentralization was a prominent reform theme in public education. Revisiting those efforts today reveals a conceptual landscape often governed by ad hoc theorizing, untested assumptions, and an overall lack of consistency and coherence. It provides an example of how terminological ambiguity on the part…

IRCD Bulletin, Volume 4, Number 5 and Volume 5, Number 1, November 1968-January 1969.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Edmund W., Ed.

The articles in this double issue of the "IRCD Bulletin" deal with the proposed decentralization of the New York City school system. Edmund Gordon argues that decentralization can provide the best organizational structure--(1) to make the schools accountable to the parents and communities they serve, (2) to place the responsibility for…

Decentralizing Education in Transition Societies: Case Studies from Central and Eastern Europe. WBI Learning Resources Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fiszbein, Ariel, Ed.

This book is about education system reform in Central and Eastern Europe, with emphasis on decentralization and management. In the past, local authorities served as implementation arms of the central ministry, while finance and decision-making were controlled by the central government, leaving local communities with little influence. New education…

Educational Reform in Colombia and Venezuela: An Organizational Analysis: Occasional Papers in Education and Development Number 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Mark

This paper examines (1) attempts at educational reform in Venezuela and Colombia by means of decentralization, and (2) the impact of decentralization on two contrasting educational systems. In Venezuela, the national school system was highly centralized with even routine decisions being made in Caracas, which resulted in a rigid, unresponsive…

Decentralized control experiments on the JPL flexible spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ozguner, U.; Ossman, K.; Donne, J.; Boesch, M.; Ahmed, A.

1990-01-01

Decentralized control experiments were successfully demonstrated for the JPL/AFAL Flexible Structure. A simulation package using MATRIXx showed strong correlation between the simulations and experimental result, while providing a means for test and debug of the various control strategies. Implementation was simplified by a modular software design that was easily transported from the simulation environment to the experimental environment. Control designs worked well for suppression of the dominant modes of the structure. Static decentralized output feedback dampened the excited modes of the structure, but sometimes excited higher order modes upon startup of the controller. A second-order frequency shaping controller helped to eliminate excitation of the higher order modes by attenuating high frequencies in the control effort. However, it also resulted in slightly longer settling times.

A Decentralized IT Architecture for Locating and Negotiating Access to Biobank Samples.

PubMed

Proynova, Rumyana; Alexandre, Diogo; Lablans, Martin; Van Enckevort, David; Mate, Sebastian; Eklund, Niina; Silander, Kaisa; Hummel, Michael; Holub, Petr; Ückert, Frank

2017-01-01

There is a need among researchers for the easy discoverability of biobank samples. Currently, there is no uniform way for finding samples and negotiate access. Instead, researchers have to communicate with each biobank separately. We present the architecture for the BBMRI-CS IT platform, whose goal is to facilitate sample location and access. We chose a decentral approach, which allows for strong data protection and provides the high flexibility needed in the highly heterogeneous landscape of European biobanks. This is the first implementation of a decentral search in the biobank field. With the addition of a Negotiator component, it also allows for easy communication and a follow-through of the lengthy approval process for accessing samples.

Linear decentralized learning control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Soo C.; Longman, Richard W.; Phan, Minh

1992-01-01

The new field of learning control develops controllers that learn to improve their performance at executing a given task, based on experience performing this task. The simplest forms of learning control are based on the same concept as integral control, but operating in the domain of the repetitions of the task. This paper studies the use of such controllers in a decentralized system, such as a robot with the controller for each link acting independently. The basic result of the paper is to show that stability of the learning controllers for all subsystems when the coupling between subsystems is turned off, assures stability of the decentralized learning in the coupled system, provided that the sample time in the digital learning controller is sufficiently short.

Future evolution of distributed systems for smart grid - The challenges and opportunities to using decentralized energy system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konopko, Joanna

2015-12-01

A decentralized energy system is a relatively new approach in the power industry. Decentralized energy systems provide promising opportunities for deploying renewable energy sources locally available as well as for expanding access to clean energy services to remote communities. The electricity system of the future must produce and distribute electricity that is reliable and affordable. To accomplish these goals, both the electricity grid and the existing regulatory system must be smarter. In this paper, the major issues and challenges in distributed systems for smart grid are discussed and future trends are presented. The smart grid technologies and distributed generation systems are explored. A general overview of the comparison of the traditional grid and smart grid is also included.

A Decentralized VPN Service over Generalized Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujita, Sho; Shima, Keiichi; Uo, Yojiro; Esaki, Hiroshi

We present a decentralized VPN service that can be built over generalized mobile ad-hoc networks (Generalized MANETs), in which topologies can be represented as a time-varying directed multigraph. We address wireless ad-hoc networks and overlay ad-hoc networks as instances of Generalized MANETs. We first propose an architecture to operate on various kinds of networks through a single set of operations. Then, we design and implement a decentralized VPN service on the proposed architecture. Through the development and operation of a prototype system we implemented, we found that the proposed architecture makes the VPN service applicable to each instance of Generalized MANETs, and that the VPN service makes it possible for unmodified applications to operate on the networks.

Toward Decentralized Agrigenomic Surveillance? A Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Approach for Adaptable and Rapid Detection of User-Defined Fungal Pathogens in Potato Crops.

PubMed

Kambouris, Manousos E; Manoussopoulos, Yiannis; Kritikou, Stavroula; Milioni, Aphroditi; Mantzoukas, Spyridon; Velegraki, Aristea

2018-04-01

Agrigenomics is one of the emerging focus areas for omics sciences. Yet, agrigenomics differs from medical omics applications such as pharmacogenomics and precision medicine, by virtue of vastly distributed geography of applications at the intersection of agriculture, nutrition, and genomics research streams. Crucially, agrigenomics can address diagnostics and safety surveillance needs in remote and rural farming communities or decentralized food, crop, and environmental monitoring programs for prompt, selective, and differential identification of pathogens. A case in point is the potato crop that serves as a fundamental nutritional source worldwide. Decentralized potato crop and plant protection facilities are pivotal to minimize unnecessary, preemptive use of broad-spectrum fungicides, thus helping to curtail the costs, environmental burden, and the development of resistance in opportunistic human pathogenic fungi. We report here a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism approach that is sensitive and adaptable in detection and broad identification of fungal pathogens in potato crops, with a view to future decentralized agrigenomic surveillance programs. Notably, the fingerprinting patterns obtained by the method fully differentiated 12 fungal species examined in silico, with 10 of them also tested in vitro. The method can be scaled up through improvements in electrophoresis and enzyme panel for adaption to other crops and/or pathogens. We suggest that decentralized and integrated agrosurveillance programs and translational agrigenomic programs can inform future innovations in multidomain biosecurity, particularly across omics applications from agriculture and nutrition to clinical medicine and environmental biosafety.

On the Same Flight: Decentralized Alumni Staff Members Work Apart from Their Central Office but Have the Same Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scully, Maura King

2011-01-01

Colleges, schools, and faculties at large universities form strong academic bonds with students. So is it any wonder they want a say in keeping these students engaged as alumni? To provide that input, many larger institutions are decentralizing their alumni operations, meaning that colleges, schools, and faculties have their own alumni staff…

Formula Funding and Decentralized Management of Schools--Has It Improved Resource Allocation in Schools in Sri Lanka?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arunatilake, Nisha; Jayawardena, Priyanka

2010-01-01

Using the experience of the Educational Quality Inputs (EQI) Scheme in Sri Lanka the paper examines the distributional aspects of formula-based funding and efficiency of decentralized management of education funds in a developing country setting. The study finds that the EQI fund distribution is largely pro-poor. However, results show that to…

A survey of decentralized control techniques for large space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindner, D. K.; Reichard, K.

1987-01-01

Preliminary results on the design of decentralized controllers for the COFS I Mast are reported. A nine mode finite element model is used along with second order model of the actuators. It is shown that without actuator dynamics, the system is stable with collocated rate feedback and has acceptable performace. However, when actuator dynamics are included, the system is unstable.

Reverse auction results for implementation of decentralized retrofit best management practices in a small urban watershed (Cincinnati OH)Participatory storm water management and sustainability – what are the connections?

EPA Science Inventory

Urban stormwater is typically conveyed to centralized infrastructure, and there is great potential for reducing stormwater runoff quantity through decentralization. In this case we hypothesize that smaller-scale retrofit best management practices (BMPs) such as rain gardens and r...

Adaptive Decentralized Control

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-01

and implementation of the decentralized controllers. It raises, however, many difficult questions regarding the conditions under which such a scheme ...adaptive controller, and a general form of the model reference adaptive controller (4]. We believe that this work represents a significant advance in the...Comparing the adaptive system with the tuned system results in the development of a generic adaptive error system. Passivity theory was used to derive

Lessons Worth Remembering: Combat In Urban Areas

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-10

areas, realize that indigenous groups are best at resolving local problems, accept operating decentralized, and value the importance of supreme firepower...that foments within urban areas, realize that indigenous groups are best at resolving local problems, accept operating decentralized, and value the...permeated stability throughout Ramadi. Second, 1BCT transitioned areas of responsibility to a competent and capable indigenous force to maintain the

The School Elections: A Critique of the 1969 New York City School Decentralization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demas, Boulton H.

When local school board members in New York City assumed office on 31 local school boards in 1969, this should have resulted in more responsive local boards with sufficient power to control local policy; but this was not the actual result. Specific examination of the decentralization bill, the politics of the election, and the election procedures…

Popularity of the Decentralization Reform and Its Effects on the Quality of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Channa, Anila

2016-01-01

Policymakers have increasingly advocated decentralization as a way of enhancing educational quality, although its potential in this area is still subject to debate. This article traces the impetus and popularity of the reform as a policy solution over the past few decades. It argues that three trends in particular have characterized the post-2000…

Education Reform and Decentralization in Mexico and the Creation of "Educacion Civica" in the State of Jalisco

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Contreras, Gloria; Rice, Marion J.

2009-01-01

In this article, the authors investigate Mexican education reform and decentralization and how the state of Jalisco focused in the early twenty-first century on developing a sequential curriculum for teaching civics in grades 1-6. The authors use the term "educacion civica" because in Mexico the curriculum emphasizes the acquisition of…

The Demands of Decentralization: Skills and Knowledge for Leaders in Restructured Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gok, Kubilay; Peterson, Kent D.; Warren, Valli D.

2005-01-01

One of the most visible and widespread of the current educational reforms is the attempt to decentralize authority to schools and to involve teachers and others in shared decision making. Often occurring together as site-based shared decision making (SBDM), this reform is turning out to be more difficult to implement than once thought. Few noted…

Commentary on "Finance, Management, and Costs of Public and Private Schools in Indonesia" and "Do Local Contributions Affect the Efficiency of Public Primary Schools?"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berger, Mark C.

1996-01-01

Studies on Indonesia and the Philippines in this special issue examine how local financial control affects costs of providing primary schooling. In both countries, schools with greater financial decentralization operated more efficiently. These results have important implications for U.S. schools, where decentralization reforms in Kentucky and…

Is a decentralized continuing medical education program feasible for Chinese rural health professionals?

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Purpose: Rural health professionals in township health centers (THCs) tend to have less advanced educational degrees. This study aimed to ascertain the perceived feasibility of a decentralized continuing medical education (CME) program to upgrade their educational levels. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of THC health professionals was conducted using a self-administered, structured questionnaire in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Results: The health professionals in the THCs were overwhelmingly young with low education levels. They had a strong desire to upgrade their educational degrees. The decentralized CME program was perceived as feasible by health workers with positive attitudes about the benefit for license examination, and by those who intended to improve their clinical diagnosis and treatment skills. The target groups of such a program were those who expected to undertake a bachelor’s degree and who rated themselves as “partially capable” in clinical competency. They reported that 160-400 USD annually would be an affordable fee for the program. Conclusion: A decentralized CME program was perceived feasible to upgrade rural health workers’ education level to a bachelor’s degree and improve their clinical competency. PMID:27134005

Evolutionary Concepts for Decentralized Air Traffic Flow Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Milton; Kolitz, Stephan; Milner, Joseph; Odoni, Amedeo

1997-01-01

Alternative concepts for modifying the policies and procedures under which the air traffic flow management system operates are described, and an approach to the evaluation of those concepts is discussed. Here, air traffic flow management includes all activities related to the management of the flow of aircraft and related system resources from 'block to block.' The alternative concepts represent stages in the evolution from the current system, in which air traffic management decision making is largely centralized within the FAA, to a more decentralized approach wherein the airlines and other airspace users collaborate in air traffic management decision making with the FAA. The emphasis in the discussion is on a viable medium-term partially decentralized scenario representing a phase of this evolution that is consistent with the decision-making approaches embodied in proposed Free Flight concepts for air traffic management. System-level metrics for analyzing and evaluating the various alternatives are defined, and a simulation testbed developed to generate values for those metrics is described. The fundamental issue of modeling airline behavior in decentralized environments is also raised, and an example of such a model, which deals with the preservation of flight bank integrity in hub airports, is presented.

Three alternative structural configurations for phlebotomy: a comparison of effectiveness.

PubMed

Mannion, Heidi; Nadder, Teresa

2007-01-01

This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of three alternative structural configurations for inpatient phlebotomy. It was hypothesized that decentralized was less effective when compared to centralized inpatient phlebotomy. A non-experimental prospective survey design was conducted at the institution level. Laboratory managers completed an organizational survey and collected data on inpatient blood specimens during a 30-day data collection period. A random sample (n=31) of hospitals with onsite laboratories in the United States was selected from a database purchased from the Joint Commission on Accreditations of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). Effectiveness of the blood collection process was measured by the percentage of specimens rejected during the data collection period. Analysis of variance showed a statistically significant difference in the percentage of specimens rejected for centralized, hybrid, and decentralized phlebotomy configurations [F (2, 28) = 4.27, p = .02] with an effect size of .23. Post-hoc comparison using Tukey's HSD indicated that mean percentage of specimens rejected for centralized phlebotomy (M = .045, SD = 0.36) was significantly different from the decentralized configuration (M = 1.42, SD = 0.92, p = .03). found to be more effective when compared to the decentralized configuration.

Matching services with local preferences: managing primary education services in a rural district of India.

PubMed

Subrahmanian, R

1999-02-01

India's poorest households have particularly little access to education. Urgent reforms are therefore needed to improve the universal availability of quality basic services and universal access to those services. At least 32 million children in India are estimated to not be enrolled and attending school. These children must be brought into schools in order to meet the goal of Universal Elementary Education (UEE). Widespread support exists for the decentralization of public services due to the equity and efficiency benefits associated with it. In particular, decentralization is seen to facilitate the matching of services with local preferences, increasing the chances of meeting policy goals. This approach is explored in the context of research conducted in a village of Raichur district, where poor households' preferences with regard to school timing are analyzed. Sections consider the equity and efficiency merits of decentralization, the agenda for improving education service delivery in India, users' relationship to the education system in Raichur district, how preferences are revealed, whose preferences are important in the conflict between local and policy perspectives, preference heterogeneity in the village context, and whether aspects of education services can be selectively decentralized.

Are reproductive health NGOs in Uganda able to engage in the health SWAp?

PubMed

Mugisha, Frank; Birungi, Harriet; Askew, Ian

2005-01-01

This paper explores the ability for reproductive health (RH) non-governmental organizations (NGO) in Uganda to survive in the context of SWAp and decentralization. The authors argue that, contrary to the perceptions that this context may increase NGO's financial vulnerability, a SWAp and a decentralized system may provide an opportunity that should be embraced by NGOs to enhance their sustainability and effectiveness by reducing their current dependency on donor funding. The paper discusses the systemic weaknesses of many NGOs that currently make them vulnerable, and observes that unless these weaknesses are addressed, such NGOs will lose their space in the SWAp and decentralization arena. The authors suggest that NGOs need to recognize the opportunities that participating in public-private partnerships through a SWAp can offer them for long-term and significant funding. They need also to develop their capacity to pro-actively participate in a SWAp and decentralized context by becoming more entrepreneurial in nature, through re-orienting their organizational philosophies and strategic planning and budgeting so as to be able to partner effectively with the public sector in accessing funds made available through health sector reform.

Decentralization and human resource management in the health sector: a case study (1996-1998) from Nampula province, Mozambique.

PubMed

Saide, M A; Stewart, D E

2001-01-01

Despite political, cultural and geographical diversity, health care reforms implemented in many developing countries share a number of common features regarding management and structural issues. Decentralization of decision-making from the central authority to local and provincial levels is generally regarded in the literature to be an important way of achieving a more equitable distribution of health care and better management practices, aligned with local priorities and needs. However, in the absence of clear guidelines, continuous monitoring and an adequate supply of financial and human resources, decentralization processes are more likely to have a low impact on the process of health care reform and can, to a certain extent, provoke inequalities between regions in the same country. This qualitative study in Nampula province, Mozambique, was conducted to assess the impact of decentralization, through an analysis of the viewpoints of provincial health managers regarding their perceptions of the process, particularly with regard to the management of basic and elementary nurses. Secondary data from Nampula provincial reports and documents from the Mozambican Health Ministry were also reviewed and comparisons made with the experiences of other developing countries.

Minimal-Approximation-Based Decentralized Backstepping Control of Interconnected Time-Delay Systems.

PubMed

Choi, Yun Ho; Yoo, Sung Jin

2016-12-01

A decentralized adaptive backstepping control design using minimal function approximators is proposed for nonlinear large-scale systems with unknown unmatched time-varying delayed interactions and unknown backlash-like hysteresis nonlinearities. Compared with existing decentralized backstepping methods, the contribution of this paper is to design a simple local control law for each subsystem, consisting of an actual control with one adaptive function approximator, without requiring the use of multiple function approximators and regardless of the order of each subsystem. The virtual controllers for each subsystem are used as intermediate signals for designing a local actual control at the last step. For each subsystem, a lumped unknown function including the unknown nonlinear terms and the hysteresis nonlinearities is derived at the last step and is estimated by one function approximator. Thus, the proposed approach only uses one function approximator to implement each local controller, while existing decentralized backstepping control methods require the number of function approximators equal to the order of each subsystem and a calculation of virtual controllers to implement each local actual controller. The stability of the total controlled closed-loop system is analyzed using the Lyapunov stability theorem.

INTRAOCULAR LENS POSITION IN COMBINED PHACOEMULSIFICATION AND VITREORETINAL SURGERY.

PubMed

Ozates, Serdar; Kiziltoprak, Hasan; Koc, Mustafa; Uzel, Mehmet Murat; Teke, Mehmet Yasin

2017-10-09

To assess the decentration and angle of tilt of the intraocular lens (IOL) according to the intravitreal tamponade types used in combined phacoemulsification and vitreoretinal surgery. This prospective and randomized clinical study involved 73 eyes of 69 patients who underwent combined vitreoretinal surgery. Eyes with intravitreal tamponades formed the study group and eyes without intravitreal tamponades formed the control group. The study group was further divided into silicone oil and gas tamponade subgroups. Cross-sectional IOL images were captured using a Pentacam HR (Oculus, Germany) and tilt and decentration were calculated with Adobe Photoshop software (Adobe, San Jose, CA). The mean angle of tilt and decentration at the vertical meridian were significantly higher in both tamponade groups than in the control group (P < 0.05 for all). No significant difference was observed among the groups regarding IOL position parameters at the horizontal meridian (P > 0.05). When comparing the silicone oil and gas tamponade subgroups, no significant differences were noted on the position of IOL at both meridians (P > 0.05 for all). Intravitreal tamponades have an important effect on the position of IOL in combined vitreoretinal surgery. Silicone oil and gas tamponades may induce postoperative tilt and decentration of one-piece acrylic IOLs.

Research on Coordination of Fresh Produce Supply Chain in Big Market Sales Environment

PubMed Central

Su, Juning; Liu, Chenguang

2014-01-01

In this paper, we propose two decision models for decentralized and centralized fresh produce supply chains with stochastic supply and demand and controllable transportation time. The optimal order quantity and the optimal transportation time in these two supply chain systems are derived. To improve profits in a decentralized supply chain, based on analyzing the risk taken by each participant in the supply chain, we design a set of contracts which can coordinate this type of fresh produce supply chain with stochastic supply and stochastic demand, and controllable transportation time as well. We also obtain a value range of contract parameters that can increase profits of all participants in the decentralized supply chain. The expected profits of the decentralized setting and the centralized setting are compared with respect to given numerical examples. Furthermore, the sensitivity analyses of the deterioration rate factor and the freshness factor are performed. The results of numerical examples show that the transportation time is shorter, the order quantity is smaller, the total profit of whole supply chain is less, and the possibility of cooperation between supplier and retailer is higher for the fresh produce which is more perishable and its quality decays more quickly. PMID:24764770

Research on coordination of fresh produce supply chain in big market sales environment.

PubMed

Su, Juning; Wu, Jiebing; Liu, Chenguang

2014-01-01

In this paper, we propose two decision models for decentralized and centralized fresh produce supply chains with stochastic supply and demand and controllable transportation time. The optimal order quantity and the optimal transportation time in these two supply chain systems are derived. To improve profits in a decentralized supply chain, based on analyzing the risk taken by each participant in the supply chain, we design a set of contracts which can coordinate this type of fresh produce supply chain with stochastic supply and stochastic demand, and controllable transportation time as well. We also obtain a value range of contract parameters that can increase profits of all participants in the decentralized supply chain. The expected profits of the decentralized setting and the centralized setting are compared with respect to given numerical examples. Furthermore, the sensitivity analyses of the deterioration rate factor and the freshness factor are performed. The results of numerical examples show that the transportation time is shorter, the order quantity is smaller, the total profit of whole supply chain is less, and the possibility of cooperation between supplier and retailer is higher for the fresh produce which is more perishable and its quality decays more quickly.

Decentral Smart Grid Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schäfer, Benjamin; Matthiae, Moritz; Timme, Marc; Witthaut, Dirk

2015-01-01

Stable operation of complex flow and transportation networks requires balanced supply and demand. For the operation of electric power grids—due to their increasing fraction of renewable energy sources—a pressing challenge is to fit the fluctuations in decentralized supply to the distributed and temporally varying demands. To achieve this goal, common smart grid concepts suggest to collect consumer demand data, centrally evaluate them given current supply and send price information back to customers for them to decide about usage. Besides restrictions regarding cyber security, privacy protection and large required investments, it remains unclear how such central smart grid options guarantee overall stability. Here we propose a Decentral Smart Grid Control, where the price is directly linked to the local grid frequency at each customer. The grid frequency provides all necessary information about the current power balance such that it is sufficient to match supply and demand without the need for a centralized IT infrastructure. We analyze the performance and the dynamical stability of the power grid with such a control system. Our results suggest that the proposed Decentral Smart Grid Control is feasible independent of effective measurement delays, if frequencies are averaged over sufficiently large time intervals.

Investigating the interactions of decentralized and centralized wastewater heat recovery systems.

PubMed

Sitzenfrei, Robert; Hillebrand, Sebastian; Rauch, Wolfgang

2017-03-01

In the urban water cycle there are different sources for extracting energy. In addition to potential and chemical energy in the wastewater, thermal energy can also be recovered. Heat can be recovered from the wastewater with heat exchangers that are located decentralized and/or centralized at several locations throughout the system. It can be recovered directly at the source (e.g. in the showers and bathrooms), at building block level (e.g. warm water tanks collecting all grey water), in sewers or at the wastewater treatment plant. However, an uncoordinated installation of systems on such different levels can lead to competing technologies. To investigate these interactions, a modelling environment is set up, tested and calibrated based on continuous sewer temperature and flow measurements. With that approach different heat recovery scenarios on a household level (decentralized) and of in-sewer heat recovery (centralized) are investigated. A maximum performance drop of 40% for a centralized energy recovery system was estimated when all bathrooms are equipped with decentralized recovery systems. Therefore, the proposed modelling approach is suitable for testing different future conditions and to identify robust strategies for heat recovery systems from wastewater.

Feasibility of Decentralized Linear-Quadratic-Gaussian Control of Autonomous Distributed Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, J. Russell

1999-01-01

A distributed satellite formation, modeled as an arbitrary number of fully connected nodes in a network, could be controlled using a decentralized controller framework that distributes operations in parallel over the network. For such problems, a solution that minimizes data transmission requirements, in the context of linear-quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) control theory, was given by Speyer. This approach is advantageous because it is non-hierarchical, detected failures gracefully degrade system performance, fewer local computations are required than for a centralized controller, and it is optimal with respect to the standard LQG cost function. Disadvantages of the approach are the need for a fully connected communications network, the total operations performed over all the nodes are greater than for a centralized controller, and the approach is formulated for linear time-invariant systems. To investigate the feasibility of the decentralized approach to satellite formation flying, a simple centralized LQG design for a spacecraft orbit control problem is adapted to the decentralized framework. The simple design uses a fixed reference trajectory (an equatorial, Keplerian, circular orbit), and by appropriate choice of coordinates and measurements is formulated as a linear time-invariant system.

Endogenous System Microbes as Treatment Process ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Monitoring the efficacy of treatment strategies to remove pathogens in decentralized systems remains a challenge. Evaluating log reduction targets by measuring pathogen levels is hampered by their sporadic and low occurrence rates. Fecal indicator bacteria are used in centralized systems to indicate the presence of fecal pathogens, but are ineffective decentralized treatment process indicators as they generally occur at levels too low to assess log reduction targets. System challenge testing by spiking with high loads of fecal indicator organisms, like MS2 coliphage, has limitations, especially for large systems. Microbes that are endogenous to the decentralized system, occur in high abundances and mimic removal rates of bacterial, viral and/or parasitic protozoan pathogens during treatment could serve as alternative treatment process indicators to verify log reduction targets. To identify abundant microbes in wastewater, the bacterial and viral communities were examined using deep sequencing. Building infrastructure-associated bacteria, like Zoogloea, were observed as dominant members of the bacterial community in graywater. In blackwater, bacteriophage of the order Caudovirales constituted the majority of contiguous sequences from the viral community. This study identifies candidate treatment process indicators in decentralized systems that could be used to verify log removal during treatment. The association of the presence of treatment process indic

Market-oriented Programming Using Small-world Networks for Controlling Building Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shigei, Noritaka; Miyajima, Hiromi; Osako, Tsukasa

The market model, which is one of the economic activity models, is modeled as an agent system, and applying the model to the resource allocation problem has been studied. For air conditioning control of building, which is one of the resource allocation problems, an effective method based on the agent system using auction has been proposed for traditional PID controller. On the other hand, it has been considered that this method is performed by decentralized control. However, its decentralization is not perfect, and its performace is not enough. In this paper, firstly, we propose a perfectly decentralized agent model and show its performance. Secondly, in order to improve the model, we propose the agent model based on small-world model. The effectiveness of the proposed model is shown by simulation.

From decentralization to commonization of HIV healthcare resources: keys to reduction in health disparity and equitable distribution of health services in Nigeria.

PubMed

Oleribe, Obinna Ositadimma; Oladipo, Olabisi Abiodun; Ezieme, Iheaka Paul; Crossey, Mary Margaret Elizabeth; Taylor-Robinson, Simon David

2016-01-01

Access to quality care is essential for improved health outcomes. Decentralization improves access to healthcare services at lower levels of care, but it does not dismantle structural, funding and programming restrictions to access, resulting in inequity and inequality in population health. Unlike decentralization, Commonization Model of care reduces health inequalities and inequity, dismantles structural, funding and other program related obstacles to population health. Excellence and Friends Management Care Center (EFMC) using Commonization Model (CM), fully integrated HIV services into core health services in 121 supported facilities. This initiative improved access to care, treatment, support services, reduced stigmatization/discrimination, and improved uptake of HTC. We call on governments to adequately finance CM for health systems restructuring towards better health outcomes.

A Two-Time Scale Decentralized Model Predictive Controller Based on Input and Output Model

PubMed Central

Niu, Jian; Zhao, Jun; Xu, Zuhua; Qian, Jixin

2009-01-01

A decentralized model predictive controller applicable for some systems which exhibit different dynamic characteristics in different channels was presented in this paper. These systems can be regarded as combinations of a fast model and a slow model, the response speeds of which are in two-time scale. Because most practical models used for control are obtained in the form of transfer function matrix by plant tests, a singular perturbation method was firstly used to separate the original transfer function matrix into two models in two-time scale. Then a decentralized model predictive controller was designed based on the two models derived from the original system. And the stability of the control method was proved. Simulations showed that the method was effective. PMID:19834542

Optimizing decentralized production-distribution planning problem in a multi-period supply chain network under uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nourifar, Raheleh; Mahdavi, Iraj; Mahdavi-Amiri, Nezam; Paydar, Mohammad Mahdi

2017-09-01

Decentralized supply chain management is found to be significantly relevant in today's competitive markets. Production and distribution planning is posed as an important optimization problem in supply chain networks. Here, we propose a multi-period decentralized supply chain network model with uncertainty. The imprecision related to uncertain parameters like demand and price of the final product is appropriated with stochastic and fuzzy numbers. We provide mathematical formulation of the problem as a bi-level mixed integer linear programming model. Due to problem's convolution, a structure to solve is developed that incorporates a novel heuristic algorithm based on Kth-best algorithm, fuzzy approach and chance constraint approach. Ultimately, a numerical example is constructed and worked through to demonstrate applicability of the optimization model. A sensitivity analysis is also made.

Decentralized safety concept for closed-loop controlled intensive care.

PubMed

Kühn, Jan; Brendle, Christian; Stollenwerk, André; Schweigler, Martin; Kowalewski, Stefan; Janisch, Thorsten; Rossaint, Rolf; Leonhardt, Steffen; Walter, Marian; Kopp, Rüdger

2017-04-01

This paper presents a decentralized safety concept for networked intensive care setups, for which a decentralized network of sensors and actuators is realized by embedded microcontroller nodes. It is evaluated for up to eleven medical devices in a setup for automated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) therapy. In this contribution we highlight a blood pump supervision as exemplary safety measure, which allows a reliable bubble detection in an extracorporeal blood circulation. The approach is validated with data of animal experiments including 35 bubbles with a size between 0.05 and 0.3 ml. All 18 bubbles with a size down to 0.15 ml are successfully detected. By using hidden Markov models (HMMs) as statistical method the number of necessary sensors can be reduced by two pressure sensors.

Decentralized control mechanism underlying interlimb coordination of millipedes.

PubMed

Kano, Takeshi; Sakai, Kazuhiko; Yasui, Kotaro; Owaki, Dai; Ishiguro, Akio

2017-04-04

Legged animals exhibit adaptive and resilient locomotion through interlimb coordination. The long-term goal of this study is to clarify the relationship between the number of legs and the inherent decentralized control mechanism for interlimb coordination. As a preliminary step, the study focuses on millipedes as they represent the species with the greatest number of legs among various animal species. A decentralized control mechanism involving local force feedback was proposed based on the qualitative findings of behavioural experiments in which responses to the removal of part of the terrain and leg amputation were observed. The proposed mechanism was implemented in a developed millipede-like robot to demonstrate that the robot can adapt to the removal of the part of the terrain and leg amputation in a manner similar to that in behavioural experiments.

Neural-Network-Based Adaptive Decentralized Fault-Tolerant Control for a Class of Interconnected Nonlinear Systems.

PubMed

Li, Xiao-Jian; Yang, Guang-Hong

2018-01-01

This paper is concerned with the adaptive decentralized fault-tolerant tracking control problem for a class of uncertain interconnected nonlinear systems with unknown strong interconnections. An algebraic graph theory result is introduced to address the considered interconnections. In addition, to achieve the desirable tracking performance, a neural-network-based robust adaptive decentralized fault-tolerant control (FTC) scheme is given to compensate the actuator faults and system uncertainties. Furthermore, via the Lyapunov analysis method, it is proven that all the signals of the resulting closed-loop system are semiglobally bounded, and the tracking errors of each subsystem exponentially converge to a compact set, whose radius is adjustable by choosing different controller design parameters. Finally, the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed FTC approach are illustrated with two simulated examples.

A discrete decentralized variable structure robotic controller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tumeh, Zuheir S.

1989-01-01

A decentralized trajectory controller for robotic manipulators is designed and tested using a multiprocessor architecture and a PUMA 560 robot arm. The controller is made up of a nominal model-based component and a correction component based on a variable structure suction control approach. The second control component is designed using bounds on the difference between the used and actual values of the model parameters. Since the continuous manipulator system is digitally controlled along a trajectory, a discretized equivalent model of the manipulator is used to derive the controller. The motivation for decentralized control is that the derived algorithms can be executed in parallel using a distributed, relatively inexpensive, architecture where each joint is assigned a microprocessor. Nonlinear interaction and coupling between joints is treated as a disturbance torque that is estimated and compensated for.

Integration of a Decentralized Linear-Quadratic-Gaussian Control into GSFC's Universal 3-D Autonomous Formation Flying Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Folta, David C.; Carpenter, J. Russell

1999-01-01

A decentralized control is investigated for applicability to the autonomous formation flying control algorithm developed by GSFC for the New Millenium Program Earth Observer-1 (EO-1) mission. This decentralized framework has the following characteristics: The approach is non-hierarchical, and coordination by a central supervisor is not required; Detected failures degrade the system performance gracefully; Each node in the decentralized network processes only its own measurement data, in parallel with the other nodes; Although the total computational burden over the entire network is greater than it would be for a single, centralized controller, fewer computations are required locally at each node; Requirements for data transmission between nodes are limited to only the dimension of the control vector, at the cost of maintaining a local additional data vector. The data vector compresses all past measurement history from all the nodes into a single vector of the dimension of the state; and The approach is optimal with respect to standard cost functions. The current approach is valid for linear time-invariant systems only. Similar to the GSFC formation flying algorithm, the extension to linear LQG time-varying systems requires that each node propagate its filter covariance forward (navigation) and controller Riccati matrix backward (guidance) at each time step. Extension of the GSFC algorithm to non-linear systems can also be accomplished via linearization about a reference trajectory in the standard fashion, or linearization about the current state estimate as with the extended Kalman filter. To investigate the feasibility of the decentralized integration with the GSFC algorithm, an existing centralized LQG design for a single spacecraft orbit control problem is adapted to the decentralized framework while using the GSFC algorithm's state transition matrices and framework. The existing GSFC design uses both reference trajectories of each spacecraft in formation and by appropriate choice of coordinates and simplified measurement modeling is formulated as a linear time-invariant system. Results for improvements to the GSFC algorithm and a multiple satellite formation will be addressed. The goal of this investigation is to progressively relax the assumptions that result in linear time-invariance, ultimately to the point of linearization of the non-linear dynamics about the current state estimate as in the extended Kalman filter. An assessment will then be made about the feasibility of the decentralized approach to the realistic formation flying application of the EO-1/Landsat 7 formation flying experiment.

Centralizing physician office functions. A paradigm shift.

PubMed

Croopnick, J G

1999-01-01

Recent trends show that organizations that once thought business office centralization was beneficial are re-thinking their strategies and decentralizing business office functions. This article focuses on the paradigm shift from business office centralization to decentralization and the political factors effecting this shift. It provides actual case summaries to demonstrate what has transpired, and presents an alternative strategy to establishing successful business office functions, a hybrid business office.

Responses to a Decentralization Crisis, "Pulse of the Parent" #1; First in a Series of Reports of Parent Opinion Prepared by the Mass Media Committee.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lang, Gladys Engel; And Others

Discussed are some decision-making influences on the attitudes of New York City parents toward school decentralization. The Mass Media Committee of the Center for Urban Education maintains a representative panel of parents from whom information about communication experiences and responses to educational issues can be gathered. Telephone…

Education in Crisis: A Report on Decentralization, Teacher Training and Curriculum in the New York City Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Commission on Human Rights, NY.

This document contains testimony presented at the public hearings of the New York City Commission on Human Rights. The hearings of this commission focused on two problem areas--decentralization and teacher training, and curriculum. The burning issues of anti-Semitism and black or white racism in the schools were concerns of a special investigatory…

The Dynamics of Decentralization of Higher Education Delivery and Local Politics in the Philippines: the Case of Two Mandaue City Colleges in Cebu Province

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pernia, Ronald A.

2017-01-01

This study explores how the decentralization law of 1991 in the Philippines has provided the conditions for the interface of higher education and politics by virtue of Local Government Units (LGUs) establishment of Local Colleges and Universities (LCUs). Anchored on educational politics framework, it specifically looks at the experience of Mandaue…

Decentralized Real-Time Scheduling

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-01

must provide several alternative resource management policies, including FIFO and deadline queueing for shared resources that are not available. 5...When demand exceeds the supply of shared resources (even within a single switch), some calls cannot be completed. In that case, a call’s priority...associated chiefly with the need to manage resources in a timely and decentralized fashion. The Alpha programming model permits the convenient expression of

AprenDes-PERU: Innovations in Decentralization and Active Schools. Report on Year 1. Aprendes Performance Monitoring Plan. Revision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montane, Angelica; Chesterfield, Ray

2005-01-01

This document summarizes the results obtained by the AprenDes project in 2004, the project's first year of implementation. It provides the principal findings on program performance from a baseline in May 2004 to the end of the school year (late October 2004). Progress on a number of project objectives related to decentralized school- and…

Refueling Strategies for a Team of Cooperating AUVs

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

manager, and thus the constraint a centrally managed underwater network imposes on the mission. Task management utilizing Robust Decentralized Task ...the computational complexity. A bid based approach to task management has also been studied as a possible means of decentralization of group task ...currently performing another task . In [18], ground robots perform distributed task allocation using the ASyMTRy-D algorithm, which is based on CNP

Flexible Multi agent Algorithm for Distributed Decision Making

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

How, J. P. Consensus - Based Auction Approaches for Decentralized task Assignment. Proceedings of the AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control...G. ; Kim, Y. Market- based Decentralized Task Assignment for Cooperative UA V Mission Including Rendezvous. Proceedings of the AIAA Guidance...scalable and adaptable to a variety of specific mission tasks . Additionally, the algorithm could easily be adapted for use on land or sea- based systems

Stability of Fiber Optic Networked Decentralized Distributed Engine Control Under Time Delays

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

Nomenclature FADEC = Full Authority Digital Engine Control D2FADEC = Decentralized Distributed Full Authority Digital Engine Control DEC...Corporation (IFOS), bm@ifos.com. I American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 2 II. Distributed Engine Control Systems FADEC Based on...of Full Authority Digital Engine Control ( FADEC ) are distributed at the component level. Each sensor/actuator is to be replaced by a smart sensor

Government Venture Capital: Centralized or Decentralized Execution

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK i REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704...LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT UU NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18 ii THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT...and Public Policy iv THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK v GOVERNMENT VENTURE CAPITAL: CENTRALIZED OR DECENTRALIZED EXECUTION? ABSTRACT

In-the-bag decentration of an intraocular lens in a patient with a tendency to hypertrophic scarring

PubMed Central

Joshi, Rajesh Subhash

2016-01-01

Summary We report a case of rapid anterior lens capsular contraction leading to decentration of a hydrophilic acrylic lens with stiff haptics (Rayner design). To our knowledge, this is the first report to investigate early capsular contraction with folding of the haptic over the optic in a patient with a tendency toward hypertrophic scar formation. PMID:27330480

Guidance for School Improvement in a Decentralizing System: How Much, What Kind and from Where? Children Achieving: Philadelphia's Education Reform. Progress Report Series 1996-1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christman, Jolley Bruce

Philadelphia's school reform initiative, Children Achieving" was evaluated. The focus in this report is on decentralization, exploring how Children Achieving is strengthening schools' capacity to make and carry out informed decisions that lead to schoolwide standards, how the new structures are working at various levels of the system, and how…

Challenges in the Decentralization of Recruitment and Selection of Teachers in Kenyan Secondary Schools: A Case of Gucha District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moraa, Samba Serah; Chepkoech, Koske Luciana; Simiyu, Mulongo Leonard

2017-01-01

Decentralization of teacher recruitment and selection in Kenya was as a result of World Bank/IMF policies, which support projects that guarantee direct net economic returns by productivity and indirect returns on externalities. The approach has been used as a way of improving service delivery. This strategy that has been successful elsewhere may…

Human resources for health and decentralization policy in the Brazilian health system

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Brazilian health reform process, following the establishment of the Unified Health System (SUS), has had a strong emphasis on decentralization, with a special focus on financing, management and inter-managerial agreements. Brazil is a federal country and the Ministry of Health (MoH), through the Secretary of Labour Management and Health Education, is responsible for establishing national policy guidelines for health labour management, and also for implementing strategies for the decentralization of management of labour and education in the federal states. This paper assesses whether the process of decentralizing human resources for health (HRH) management and organization to the level of the state and municipal health departments has involved investments in technical, political and financial resources at the national level. Methods The research methods used comprise a survey of HRH managers of states and major municipalities (including capitals) and focus groups with these HRH managers - all by geographic region. The results were obtained by combining survey and focus group data, and also through triangulation with the results of previous research. Results The results of this evaluation showed the evolution policy, previously restricted to the field of 'personnel administration', now expanded to a conceptual model for health labour management and education-- identifying progress, setbacks, critical issues and challenges for the consolidation of the decentralized model for HRH management. The results showed that 76.3% of the health departments have an HRH unit. It was observed that 63.2% have an HRH information system. However, in most health departments, the HRH unit uses only the payroll and administrative records as data sources. Concerning education in health, 67.6% of the HRH managers mentioned existing cooperation with educational and teaching institutions for training and/or specialization of health workers. Among them, specialization courses account for 61.4% and short courses for 56.1%. Conclusions Due to decentralization, the HRH area has been restructured and policies beyond traditional administrative activities have been developed. However, twenty years on from the establishment of the SUS, there remains a low level of institutionalization in the HRH area, despite recent efforts of the MoH. PMID:21586156

Is the rotation of the femoral head a potential initiation for cutting out? A theoretical and experimental approach.

PubMed

Lenich, Andreas; Bachmeier, Samuel; Prantl, Lukas; Nerlich, Michael; Hammer, Jochen; Mayr, Edgar; Al-Munajjed, Amir Andreas; Füchtmeier, Bernd

2011-04-22

Since cut-out still remains one of the major clinical challenges in the field of osteoporotic proximal femur fractures, remarkable developments have been made in improving treatment concepts. However, the mechanics of these complications have not been fully understood.We hypothesize using the experimental data and a theoretical model that a previous rotation of the femoral head due to de-central implant positioning can initiate a cut-out. In this investigation we analysed our experimental data using two common screws (DHS/Gamma 3) and helical blades (PFN A/TFN) for the fixation of femur fractures in a simple theoretical model applying typical gait pattern on de-central positioned implants. In previous tests during a forced implant rotation by a biomechanical testing machine in a human femoral head the two screws showed failure symptoms (2-6Nm) at the same magnitude as torques acting in the hip during daily activities with de-central implant positioning, while the helical blades showed a better stability (10-20Nm).To calculate the torque of the head around the implant only the force and the leverarm is needed (N [Nm] = F [N] * × [m]). The force F is a product of the mass M [kg] multiplied by the acceleration g [m/s2]. The leverarm is the distance between the center of the head of femur and the implant center on a horizontal line. Using 50% of 75 kg body weight a torque of 0.37Nm for the 1 mm decentralized position and 1.1Nm for the 3 mm decentralized position of the implant was calculated. At 250% BW, appropriate to a normal step, torques of 1.8Nm (1 mm) and 5.5Nm (3 mm) have been calculated.Comparing of the experimental and theoretical results shows that both screws fail in the same magnitude as torques occur in a more than 3 mm de-central positioned implant. We conclude the center-center position in the head of femur of any kind of lag screw or blade is to be achieved to minimize rotation of the femoral head and to prevent further mechanical complications.

Human resources for health and decentralization policy in the Brazilian health system.

PubMed

Pierantoni, Celia Regina; Garcia, Ana Claudia P

2011-05-17

The Brazilian health reform process, following the establishment of the Unified Health System (SUS), has had a strong emphasis on decentralization, with a special focus on financing, management and inter-managerial agreements. Brazil is a federal country and the Ministry of Health (MoH), through the Secretary of Labour Management and Health Education, is responsible for establishing national policy guidelines for health labour management, and also for implementing strategies for the decentralization of management of labour and education in the federal states. This paper assesses whether the process of decentralizing human resources for health (HRH) management and organization to the level of the state and municipal health departments has involved investments in technical, political and financial resources at the national level. The research methods used comprise a survey of HRH managers of states and major municipalities (including capitals) and focus groups with these HRH managers - all by geographic region. The results were obtained by combining survey and focus group data, and also through triangulation with the results of previous research. The results of this evaluation showed the evolution policy, previously restricted to the field of 'personnel administration', now expanded to a conceptual model for health labour management and education-- identifying progress, setbacks, critical issues and challenges for the consolidation of the decentralized model for HRH management. The results showed that 76.3% of the health departments have an HRH unit. It was observed that 63.2% have an HRH information system. However, in most health departments, the HRH unit uses only the payroll and administrative records as data sources. Concerning education in health, 67.6% of the HRH managers mentioned existing cooperation with educational and teaching institutions for training and/or specialization of health workers. Among them, specialization courses account for 61.4% and short courses for 56.1%. Due to decentralization, the HRH area has been restructured and policies beyond traditional administrative activities have been developed. However, twenty years on from the establishment of the SUS, there remains a low level of institutionalization in the HRH area, despite recent efforts of the MoH.

A novel test method to determine the filter material service life of decentralized systems treating runoff from traffic areas.

PubMed

Huber, Maximilian; Welker, Antje; Dierschke, Martina; Drewes, Jörg E; Helmreich, Brigitte

2016-09-01

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the development and application of technical decentralized filter systems for the treatment of runoff from traffic areas. However, there are still many uncertainties regarding the service life and the performance of filter materials that are employed in decentralized treatment systems. These filter media are designed to prevent the transport of pollutants into the environment. A novel pilot-scale test method was developed to determine - within a few days - the service lives and long-term removal efficiencies for dissolved heavy metals in stormwater treatment systems. The proposed method consists of several steps including preloading the filter media in a pilot-scale model with copper and zinc by a load of n-1 years of the estimated service life (n). Subsequently, three representative rain events are simulated to evaluate the long-term performance by dissolved copper and zinc during the last year of application. The presented results, which verified the applicability of this method, were obtained for three filter channel systems and six filter shaft systems. The performance of the evaluated systems varied largely for both tested heavy metals and during all three simulated rain events. A validation of the pilot-scale assessment method with field measurements was also performed for two systems. Findings of this study suggest that this novel method does provide a standardized and accurate estimation of service intervals of decentralized treatment systems employing various filter materials. The method also provides regulatory authorities, designers, and operators with an objective basis for performance assessment and supports stormwater managers to make decisions for the installation of such decentralized treatment systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prehospital factors determining regional variation in thrombolytic therapy in acute ischemic stroke.

PubMed

Lahr, Maarten M H; Vroomen, Patrick C A J; Luijckx, Gert-Jan; van der Zee, Durk-Jouke; de Vos, Ronald; Buskens, Erik

2014-10-01

Treatment rates with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator vary by region, which can be partially explained by organizational models of stroke care. A recent study demonstrated that prehospital factors determine a higher thrombolysis rate in a centralized vs. decentralized model in the north of the Netherlands. To investigate prehospital factors that may explain variation in thrombolytic therapy between a centralized and a decentralized model. A consecutive case observational study was conducted in the north of the Netherlands comparing patients arriving within 4·5 h in a centralized vs. decentralized stroke care model. Factors investigated were transportation mode, prehospital diagnostic accuracy, and preferential referral of thrombolysis candidates. Potential confounders were adjusted using logistic regression analysis. A total of 172 and 299 arriving within 4·5 h were enrolled in centralized and decentralized settings, respectively. The rate of transportation by emergency medical services was greater in the centralized model (adjusted odds ratio 3·11; 95% confidence interval, 1·59-6·06). Also, more misdiagnoses of stroke occurred in the central model (P = 0·05). In postal code areas with and without potential preferential referral of thrombolysis candidates due to overlapping catchment areas, the odds of hospital arrival within 4·5 h in the central vs. decentral model were 2·15 (95% confidence interval, 1·39-3·32) and 1·44 (95% confidence interval, 1·04-2·00), respectively. These results suggest that the larger proportion of patients arriving within 4·5 h in the centralized model might be related to a lower threshold to use emergency services to transport stroke patients and partly to preferential referral of thrombolysis candidates. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Stroke © 2013 World Stroke Organization.

Decentralized manufacturing of cell and gene therapies: Overcoming challenges and identifying opportunities.

PubMed

Harrison, Richard P; Ruck, Steven; Medcalf, Nicholas; Rafiq, Qasim A

2017-10-01

Decentralized or "redistributed" manufacturing has the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing approach for cell and gene therapies (CGTs), moving away from the "Fordist" paradigm, delivering health care locally, customized to the end user and, by its very nature, overcoming many of the challenges associated with manufacturing and distribution of high volume goods. In departing from the traditional centralized model of manufacturing, decentralized manufacturing divides production across sites or geographic regions. This paradigm shift imposes significant structural and organisational changes on a business presenting both hidden challenges that must be addressed and opportunities to be embraced. By profoundly adapting business practices, significant advantages can be realized through a democratized value chain, creation of professional-level jobs without geographic restriction to the central hub and a flexibility in response to external pressures and demands. To realize these potential opportunities, however, advances in manufacturing technology and support systems are required, as well as significant changes in the way CGTs are regulated to facilitate multi-site manufacturing. Decentralized manufacturing is likely to be the manufacturing platform of choice for advanced health care therapies-in particular, those with a high degree of personalization. The future success of these promising products will be enhanced by adopting sound business strategies early in development. To realize the benefits that decentralized manufacturing of CGTs has to offer, it is important to examine both the risks and the substantial opportunities present. In this research, we examine both the challenges and the opportunities this shift in business strategy represents in an effort to maximize the success of adoption. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of heterogeneity and socioeconomic factors on individual behavior in decentralized sharing ecosystems.

PubMed

Gavaldà-Miralles, Arnau; Choffnes, David R; Otto, John S; Sánchez, Mario A; Bustamante, Fabián E; Amaral, Luís A N; Duch, Jordi; Guimerà, Roger

2014-10-28

Tens of millions of individuals around the world use decentralized content distribution systems, a fact of growing social, economic, and technological importance. These sharing systems are poorly understood because, unlike in other technosocial systems, it is difficult to gather large-scale data about user behavior. Here, we investigate user activity patterns and the socioeconomic factors that could explain the behavior. Our analysis reveals that (i) the ecosystem is heterogeneous at several levels: content types are heterogeneous, users specialize in a few content types, and countries are heterogeneous in user profiles; and (ii) there is a strong correlation between socioeconomic indicators of a country and users behavior. Our findings open a research area on the dynamics of decentralized sharing ecosystems and the socioeconomic factors affecting them, and may have implications for the design of algorithms and for policymaking.

Decentralized Orchestration of Composite Ogc Web Processing Services in the Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, F.; Shea, G. Y. K.; Cao, J.

2016-09-01

Current web-based GIS or RS applications generally rely on centralized structure, which has inherent drawbacks such as single points of failure, network congestion, and data inconsistency, etc. The inherent disadvantages of traditional GISs need to be solved for new applications on Internet or Web. Decentralized orchestration offers performance improvements in terms of increased throughput and scalability and lower response time. This paper investigates build time and runtime issues related to decentralized orchestration of composite geospatial processing services based on OGC WPS standard specification. A case study of dust storm detection was demonstrated to evaluate the proposed method and the experimental results indicate that the method proposed in this study is effective for its ability to produce the high quality solution at a low cost of communications for geospatial processing service composition problem.

Model-Based Design of Tree WSNs for Decentralized Detection.

PubMed

Tantawy, Ashraf; Koutsoukos, Xenofon; Biswas, Gautam

2015-08-20

The classical decentralized detection problem of finding the optimal decision rules at the sensor and fusion center, as well as variants that introduce physical channel impairments have been studied extensively in the literature. The deployment of WSNs in decentralized detection applications brings new challenges to the field. Protocols for different communication layers have to be co-designed to optimize the detection performance. In this paper, we consider the communication network design problem for a tree WSN. We pursue a system-level approach where a complete model for the system is developed that captures the interactions between different layers, as well as different sensor quality measures. For network optimization, we propose a hierarchical optimization algorithm that lends itself to the tree structure, requiring only local network information. The proposed design approach shows superior performance over several contentionless and contention-based network design approaches.

Decentralized Sliding Mode Observer Based Dual Closed-Loop Fault Tolerant Control for Reconfigurable Manipulator against Actuator Failure.

PubMed

Zhao, Bo; Li, Chenghao; Liu, Derong; Li, Yuanchun

2015-01-01

This paper considers a decentralized fault tolerant control (DFTC) scheme for reconfigurable manipulators. With the appearance of norm-bounded failure, a dual closed-loop trajectory tracking control algorithm is proposed on the basis of the Lyapunov stability theory. Characterized by the modularization property, the actuator failure is estimated by the proposed decentralized sliding mode observer (DSMO). Moreover, the actuator failure can be treated in view of the local joint information, so its control performance degradation is independent of other normal joints. In addition, the presented DFTC scheme is significantly simplified in terms of the structure of the controller due to its dual closed-loop architecture, and its feasibility is highly reflected in the control of reconfigurable manipulators. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed DFTC scheme is demonstrated using simulations.

Decentralized Sliding Mode Observer Based Dual Closed-Loop Fault Tolerant Control for Reconfigurable Manipulator against Actuator Failure

PubMed Central

Zhao, Bo; Li, Yuanchun

2015-01-01

This paper considers a decentralized fault tolerant control (DFTC) scheme for reconfigurable manipulators. With the appearance of norm-bounded failure, a dual closed-loop trajectory tracking control algorithm is proposed on the basis of the Lyapunov stability theory. Characterized by the modularization property, the actuator failure is estimated by the proposed decentralized sliding mode observer (DSMO). Moreover, the actuator failure can be treated in view of the local joint information, so its control performance degradation is independent of other normal joints. In addition, the presented DFTC scheme is significantly simplified in terms of the structure of the controller due to its dual closed-loop architecture, and its feasibility is highly reflected in the control of reconfigurable manipulators. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed DFTC scheme is demonstrated using simulations. PMID:26181826

Decentralized stabilization of semi-active vibrating structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pisarski, Dominik

2018-02-01

A novel method of decentralized structural vibration control is presented. The control is assumed to be realized by a semi-active device. The objective is to stabilize a vibrating system with the optimal rates of decrease of the energy. The controller relies on an easily implemented decentralized switched state-feedback control law. It uses a set of communication channels to exchange the state information between the neighboring subcontrollers. The performance of the designed method is validated by means of numerical experiments performed for a double cantilever system equipped with a set of elastomers with controlled viscoelastic properties. In terms of the assumed objectives, the proposed control strategy significantly outperforms the passive damping cases and is competitive with a standard centralized control. The presented methodology can be applied to a class of bilinear control systems concerned with smart structural elements.

Ecology Based Decentralized Agent Management System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peysakhov, Maxim D.; Cicirello, Vincent A.; Regli, William C.

2004-01-01

The problem of maintaining a desired number of mobile agents on a network is not trivial, especially if we want a completely decentralized solution. Decentralized control makes a system more r e bust and less susceptible to partial failures. The problem is exacerbated on wireless ad hoc networks where host mobility can result in significant changes in the network size and topology. In this paper we propose an ecology-inspired approach to the management of the number of agents. The approach associates agents with living organisms and tasks with food. Agents procreate or die based on the abundance of uncompleted tasks (food). We performed a series of experiments investigating properties of such systems and analyzed their stability under various conditions. We concluded that the ecology based metaphor can be successfully applied to the management of agent populations on wireless ad hoc networks.

Decision Space and Capacities in the Decentralization of Health Services in FijiComment on "Decentralisation of Health Services in Fiji: A Decision Space Analysis".

PubMed

Bossert, Thomas J

2016-05-08

The study of decentralization in Fiji shows that increasing capacities is not necessarily related to increasing decision space of local officials, which is in contrast with earlier studies in Pakistan. Future studies should address the relationship among decision space, capacities, and health system performance. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Decentralized authority, increased enforcement guide Mexico's environmental evolution

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

Ranger, E.M.; Alonzo, A.L.

1994-01-01

Environmental regulation in Mexico is evolving into a decentralized system where local authorities assume responsibility for compliance. Articles 25, 27 and 73 of Mexico's constitution establish federal, state and municipal jurisdictions for environmental protection, and empower the federal congress to promulgate environmental legislation. An established federal and local environmental legislative and normative framework, along with increased enforcement, provide the country with a comprehensive regulatory system to prevent and control industrial pollution.

Decentralized-feedback pole placement of linear systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, X.; Martin, C. F.; Gilliam, D.; Byrnes, C. I.

1992-01-01

A projectile product spaces model is used to analyze decentralized systems. The degree of the pole placement map is computed. The conditions under which the degree is odd are also given. Twin lift systems are studied. It is proved that the poles of a twin lift system can be assigned to any values by local static and local dynamic feedback laws if and only if the system is jointly controllable.

Analyzing Von Neumann machines using decentralized symmetries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Jie

2013-10-01

The artificial intelligence method to e-business is defined not only by the study of fiber-optic cables, but also by the unproven need for vacuum tubes. Given the current status of virtual archetypes, theorists clearly desire the exploration of semaphores, which embodies the compelling principles of cryptoanalysis. We present an algorithm for probabilistic theory (Buck), which we use to disprove that write-back caches can be made decentralized, lossless, and reliable.

Coalition Formation under Uncertainty

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

world robotics and demonstrate the algorithm’s scalability. This provides a framework well suited to decentralized task allocation in general collectives...impatience and acquiescence to define a robot allocation to a task in a decentralized manner. The tasks are assigned to the entire collective, and one...20] allocates tasks to robots with a first-price auction method [31]. It announces a task with defined metrics, then the robots issue bids. The task

Trust: The Key to the Success of Mission Command in the Joint Force

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-18

Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur: International Conference on ISO9000. Schmidt, Todd A. “ Design , Mission Command and the Network: Enabling Organization...acknowledge that trust is one of the most important component of a decentralized command philosophy. Adding to this challenge is an increasingly...moving to mission command, we must acknowledge that trust is one of the most important components of a decentralized command philosophy. Adding to this

Making Meaning with Friends: Exploring the Function, Direction and Tone of Small Group Discussions of Literature in Elementary School Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Katie

2016-01-01

The merits of decentralized small groups has been questioned in literature and by practicing teachers; thus this study shows the academic and identity work children do as they attempt to make meaning in these spaces. This study explores the affordances and drawbacks of decentralized small group discussion contexts in a multiage (3rd/4th) grade…

The Politics of Privatization and Decentralization in Global School Reform: The Value of Equity Claims for Neoliberalism at the World Bank and in El Salvador.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desmond, Cheryl

This paper focuses on the role of the World Bank and its subsidiaries in promoting the neoliberal educational reforms of privatization and decentralization globally and in El Salvador. Neoliberalism is first defined as a sociopolitical philosophy that supports concepts such as the free market, market-driven education, and the use of a voucher…

Combination of decentralized waste drying and SSF techniques for household biowaste minimization and ethanol production.

PubMed

Sotiropoulos, A; Vourka, I; Erotokritou, A; Novakovic, J; Panaretou, V; Vakalis, S; Thanos, T; Moustakas, K; Malamis, D

2016-06-01

The results of the demonstration of an innovative household biowaste management and treatment scheme established in two Greek Municipalities for the production of lignocellulosic ethanol using dehydrated household biowaste as a substrate, are presented within this research. This is the first time that biowaste drying was tested at a decentralized level for the production of ethanol using the Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) process, at a pilot scale in Greece. The decentralized biowaste drying method proved that the household biowaste mass and volume reduction may reach 80% through the dehydration process used. The chemical characteristics related to lignocellulosic ethanol production have proved to differ substantially between seasons thus; special attention should be given to the process applied for ethanol production mainly regarding the enzyme quality and quantity used during the pretreatment stage. The maximum ethanol production achieved was 29.12g/L, approximately 60% of the maximum theoretical yield based on the substrate's sugar content. The use of the decentralized waste drying as an alternative approach for household biowaste minimization and the production of second generation ethanol is considered to be a promising approach for efficient biowaste management and treatment in the future. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decentralized Control of Sound Radiation from an Aircraft-Style Panel Using Iterative Loop Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schiller, Noah H.; Cabell, Randolph H.; Fuller, Chris R.

2008-01-01

A decentralized LQG-based control strategy is designed to reduce low-frequency sound transmission through periodically stiffened panels. While modern control strategies have been used to reduce sound radiation from relatively simple structural acoustic systems, significant implementation issues have to be addressed before these control strategies can be extended to large systems such as the fuselage of an aircraft. For instance, centralized approaches typically require a high level of connectivity and are computationally intensive, while decentralized strategies face stability problems caused by the unmodeled interaction between neighboring control units. Since accurate uncertainty bounds are not known a priori, it is difficult to ensure the decentralized control system will be robust without making the controller overly conservative. Therefore an iterative approach is suggested, which utilizes frequency-shaped loop recovery. The approach accounts for modeling error introduced by neighboring control loops, requires no communication between subsystems, and is relatively simple. The control strategy is validated using real-time control experiments performed on a built-up aluminum test structure representative of the fuselage of an aircraft. Experiments demonstrate that the iterative approach is capable of achieving 12 dB peak reductions and a 3.6 dB integrated reduction in radiated sound power from the stiffened panel.

Fiscal decentralization in the Italian NHS: what happens to interregional redistribution?

PubMed

Ferrario, Caterina; Zanardi, Alberto

2011-04-01

This paper explores how pressures for an increased decentralization of taxing powers to sub-national governments may affect the degree of income redistribution across regional territories accomplished by the Italian NHS. In Italy, political responsibilities for health care are decentralized to regional governments, but the central government retains a critical role in ensuring all citizens uniform access to health services. To this end the central government runs an expenditure needs equalizing system to top up regional governments own resources. However, this system is currently put under question by strong political pressures calling for a weakening of central government involvement. Applying a well developed econometric approach we find that the NHS currently reduces interregional differences in per-capita income by about 7% of GDP. A reform of the NHS in terms of a reduction of expenditure standards produces a weakening of redistribution across jurisdictions, the size of which crucially depends on the financing arrangements of health care that will be actually adopted. We conclude that the decentralization of the NHS would give rise to relevant policy issues concerning in particular the different health care spending possibilities across regions and the impact on the interregional mobility of patients. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tuberculosis in developing countries: conditions for successful use of a decentralized approach in a rural health district.

PubMed

Méda, Ziemlé Clément; Huang, Chung-Chien; Sombié, Issiaka; Konaté, Lassina; Somda, Paulin Küssome; Djibougou, Arthur Diakourga; Sanou, Moussa

2014-01-01

This article reports the results and the lessons learned from implementing the decentralized approach to tuberculosis (TB) detection and treatment, embedded with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) co-infection in health district. The objective was to increase the TB screening indicators in the district using the common ways for offering care to patients in health district. Conducted from August 2006 to July 2007, this large-scale intervention using Non-experimental study Designs has implemented a decentralized approach for fighting against TB in Orodara Health District (OHD), Burkina Faso. Pretest-posttest design has been used for quantitative part using indicators in one hand, and postests-only design for the qualitative part in other hand. In the pretest-posttest design, the TB indicators from years before 2006 (from 2002 to 2005) were used as earlier measurement observations allowing examining changes over time. The decentralized approach was incorporated into the annual planning of the OHD. For the quantitative study design, indicators used were those from National TB Program in Burkina Faso: TB detection rate, incidence density of TB per 100,000 inhabitants per year, and HIV prevalence in incident TB cases with positive smears. Data entry and analysis employed Microsoft Access and Excel software. For the qualitative, in-depth interview was used in which a total of 16 persons have been interviewed. Discussions were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis using the computer-based qualitative software program named QSR NVIVO. There were a total of 99,259 outpatient visits during the study period: the7,345 patients (7.43%) presented with cough. Of the 7,345 patient having cough, 503 cases (6.8%) were declared chronic coughing. These 503 patients were screened for TB, including 35.59% whose coughing had lasted 10 to 15 days. We observed an increase in a measured variable was observed. The TB detection rate and incidence-density rate based on positive smears were 16.11% (11.00% in 2005) and 10.42 per 100,000 inhabitants per year (6.88 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2005), respectively. There were 29 patients positive for TB: 41.37% of these had cough lasting 10 to 15 days, 10.34% were also positive for HIV, and 68.97% were from rural areas. Health workers and patients reported satisfaction with the intervention. It was found that implementing a decentralized approach to TB prevention in rural areas is plausible and effective under some conditions: considering that health district system is functional; carefully designing the intervention for TB case management; setting up and implementing of decentralized approach including strong monitoring; and taking into account the all financing, community and volunteer involvement, evaluation of the cost savings from integrating specific donor funding, and being supported by regional and central levels including National TB program. The study has shown that TB detection rate can be increased by implementing a decentralized approach to primary care. When carefully implemented, a decentralized approach is a suitable approach to TB and HIV prevention in rural and inaccessible settings.

Tuberculosis in developing countries: conditions for successful use of a decentralized approach in a rural health district

PubMed Central

Méda, Ziemlé Clément; Huang, Chung-Chien; Sombié, Issiaka; Konaté, Lassina; Somda, Paulin Küssome; Djibougou, Arthur Diakourga; Sanou, Moussa

2014-01-01

Introduction This article reports the results and the lessons learned from implementing the decentralized approach to tuberculosis (TB) detection and treatment, embedded with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) co-infection in health district. The objective was to increase the TB screening indicators in the district using the common ways for offering care to patients in health district. Methods Conducted from August 2006 to July 2007, this large-scale intervention using Non-experimental study Designs has implemented a decentralized approach for fighting against TB in Orodara Health District (OHD), Burkina Faso. Pretest-posttest design has been used for quantitative part using indicators in one hand, and postests-only design for the qualitative part in other hand. In the pretest-posttest design, the TB indicators from years before 2006 (from 2002 to 2005) were used as earlier measurement observations allowing examining changes over time. The decentralized approach was incorporated into the annual planning of the OHD. For the quantitative study design, indicators used were those from National TB Program in Burkina Faso: TB detection rate, incidence density of TB per 100,000 inhabitants per year, and HIV prevalence in incident TB cases with positive smears. Data entry and analysis employed Microsoft Access and Excel software. For the qualitative, in-depth interview was used in which a total of 16 persons have been interviewed. Discussions were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis using the computer-based qualitative software program named QSR NVIVO Results There were a total of 99,259 outpatient visits during the study period: the7,345 patients (7.43%) presented with cough. Of the 7,345 patient having cough, 503 cases (6.8%) were declared chronic coughing. These 503 patients were screened for TB, including 35.59% whose coughing had lasted 10 to 15 days. We observed an increase in a measured variable was observed. The TB detection rate and incidence-density rate based on positive smears were 16.11% (11.00% in 2005) and 10.42 per 100,000 inhabitants per year (6.88 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2005), respectively. There were 29 patients positive for TB: 41.37% of these had cough lasting 10 to 15 days, 10.34% were also positive for HIV, and 68.97% were from rural areas. Health workers and patients reported satisfaction with the intervention. It was found that implementing a decentralized approach to TB prevention in rural areas is plausible and effective under some conditions: considering that health district system is functional; carefully designing the intervention for TB case management; setting up and implementing of decentralized approach including strong monitoring; and taking into account the all financing, community and volunteer involvement, evaluation of the cost savings from integrating specific donor funding, and being supported by regional and central levels including National TB program. Conclusion The study has shown that TB detection rate can be increased by implementing a decentralized approach to primary care. When carefully implemented, a decentralized approach is a suitable approach to TB and HIV prevention in rural and inaccessible settings. PMID:25396024

City School District Reorganization: An Annotated Bibliography. Centralization and Decentralization in the Government of Metropolitan Areas with Special Emphasis on the Organization, Administration, and Financing of Large-City School Systems. Educational Research Series No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rideout, E. Brock; Najat, Sandra

As a guide to educational administrators working in large cities, abstracts of 161 books, pamphlets, papers, and journal articles published between 1924 and 1966 are classified into five categories: (1) Centralization versus decentralization, (2) local government, (3) metropolitan organization, (4) the financing of education, and (5) the…

The economics of central billing offices.

PubMed

Woodcock, E; Nguyen, L

2000-01-01

The anticipation of economies of scale in physician billing has led many medical practices to consolidate their billing operations. This article analyzes these economies of scale, comparing performance indicators from centralized and decentralized operations. While consolidation provides compliance, control and information, diseconomies of scale can exist in the centralized receivables management process. The authors conclude that physician practices should consider a hybrid approach to billing, thus reaping the benefits of both centralization and decentralization.

Symmetric Link Key Management for Secure Neighbor Discovery in a Decentralized Wireless Sensor Network

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington, DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT...KEY MANAGEMENT FOR SECURE NEIGHBOR DISCOVERY IN A DECENTRALIZED WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK by Kelvin T. Chew September 2017 Thesis Advisor...DATE September 2017 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE SYMMETRIC LINK KEY MANAGEMENT FOR SECURE NEIGHBOR

Intelligent Decentralized Control In Large Distributed Computer Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

decentralized. The goal is to find a way for the agents to coordinate their actions to maximize some index of system performance. (Our main...shown in Figure 4.13. The controller observes the environ- ment through sensors, and then may issue a command (i.e., take action ) to affect the...the Hypothesis Generator and the Belief Manager, and finally actions are issued by the Action Generator, the Experiment Generator, or the Reflex

Decentralized hierarchical partitioning of centralized integrated controllers. [for flight propulsion in STOVLs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, Phillip; Garg, Sanjay

1991-01-01

A framework for a decentralized hierarchical controller partitioning structure is developed. This structure allows for the design of separate airframe and propulsion controllers which, when assembled, will meet the overall design criterion for the integrated airframe/propulsion system. An algorithm based on parameter optimization of the state-space representation for the subsystem controllers is described. The algorithm is currently being applied to an integrated flight propulsion control design example.

Decentralization and the Composition of Public Expenditures

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

decentralized governance and expenditure composition by means of a distance-sensitive representative agent model. Then we estimate the impact of fiscal...countries with regards to population age structure. We are not certain of what effects that may have in our estimates , but previous studies have found find...variables to estimate a scalar value for g(xβ), which then is multiplied to each variables coefficient. For this, we choose the mean values of the

Impact of heterogeneity and socioeconomic factors on individual behavior in decentralized sharing ecosystems

PubMed Central

Gavaldà-Miralles, Arnau; Choffnes, David R.; Otto, John S.; Sánchez, Mario A.; Bustamante, Fabián E.; Amaral, Luís A. N.; Duch, Jordi; Guimerà, Roger

2014-01-01

Tens of millions of individuals around the world use decentralized content distribution systems, a fact of growing social, economic, and technological importance. These sharing systems are poorly understood because, unlike in other technosocial systems, it is difficult to gather large-scale data about user behavior. Here, we investigate user activity patterns and the socioeconomic factors that could explain the behavior. Our analysis reveals that (i) the ecosystem is heterogeneous at several levels: content types are heterogeneous, users specialize in a few content types, and countries are heterogeneous in user profiles; and (ii) there is a strong correlation between socioeconomic indicators of a country and users behavior. Our findings open a research area on the dynamics of decentralized sharing ecosystems and the socioeconomic factors affecting them, and may have implications for the design of algorithms and for policymaking. PMID:25288755

Public health expenditure and spatial interactions in a decentralized national health system.

PubMed

Costa-Font, Joan; Pons-Novell, Jordi

2007-03-01

One of the limitations of cross-country health expenditure analysis refers to the fact that the financing, the internal organization and political restraints of health care decision-making are country-specific and heterogeneous. Yet, a way through is to examine the influence of such effects in those countries that have undertaken decentralization processes. In such a setting, it is possible to examine potential expenditure spillovers across the geography of a country as well as the influence of the political ideology of regional incumbents and institutional factors on public health expenditure. This paper examines the determinants of public health expenditure within Spanish region-states (Autonomous Communities, ACs), most of them subject to similar financing structures although exhibiting significant heterogeneity as a result of the increasing decentralization, region-specific political factors along with different use of health care inputs, economic dimension and spatial interactions. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Centralization vs. decentralization in medical school libraries.

PubMed

Crawford, H

1966-07-01

Does the medical school library in the United States operate more commonly under the university library or the medical school administration? University-connected medical school libraries were asked to indicate (a) the source of their budgets, whether from the central library or the medical school, and (b) the responsibility for their acquisitions and cataloging. Returns received from sixtyeight of the seventy eligible institutions showed decentralization to be much the most common: 71 percent of the libraries are funded by their medical schools; 79 percent are responsible for their own acquisitions and processing. The factor most often associated with centralization of both budget and operation is public ownership. Decentralization is associated with service to one or two rather than three or more professional schools. Location of the medical school in a different city from the university is highly favorable to autonomy. Other factors associated with these trends are discussed.

Centralization vs. Decentralization in Medical School Libraries

PubMed Central

Crawford, Helen

1966-01-01

Does the medical school library in the United States operate more commonly under the university library or the medical school administration? University-connected medical school libraries were asked to indicate (a) the source of their budgets, whether from the central library or the medical school, and (b) the responsibility for their acquisitions and cataloging. Returns received from sixtyeight of the seventy eligible institutions showed decentralization to be much the most common: 71 percent of the libraries are funded by their medical schools; 79 percent are responsible for their own acquisitions and processing. The factor most often associated with centralization of both budget and operation is public ownership. Decentralization is associated with service to one or two rather than three or more professional schools. Location of the medical school in a different city from the university is highly favorable to autonomy. Other factors associated with these trends are discussed. PMID:5945568

Model-Based Design of Tree WSNs for Decentralized Detection †

PubMed Central

Tantawy, Ashraf; Koutsoukos, Xenofon; Biswas, Gautam

2015-01-01

The classical decentralized detection problem of finding the optimal decision rules at the sensor and fusion center, as well as variants that introduce physical channel impairments have been studied extensively in the literature. The deployment of WSNs in decentralized detection applications brings new challenges to the field. Protocols for different communication layers have to be co-designed to optimize the detection performance. In this paper, we consider the communication network design problem for a tree WSN. We pursue a system-level approach where a complete model for the system is developed that captures the interactions between different layers, as well as different sensor quality measures. For network optimization, we propose a hierarchical optimization algorithm that lends itself to the tree structure, requiring only local network information. The proposed design approach shows superior performance over several contentionless and contention-based network design approaches. PMID:26307989

TROTER's (Tiny Robotic Operation Team Experiment): A new concept of space robots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Renjeng

1990-01-01

In view of the future need of automation and robotics in space and the existing approaches to the problem, we proposed a new concept of robots for space construction. The new concept is based on the basic idea of decentralization. Decentralization occurs, on the one hand, in using teams of many cooperative robots for construction tasks. Redundancy and modular design are explored to achieve high reliability for team robotic operations. Reliability requirement on individual robots is greatly reduced. Another area of decentralization is manifested by the proposed control hierarchy which eventually includes humans in the loop. The control strategy is constrained by various time delays and calls for different levels of abstraction of the task dynamics. Such technology is needed for remote control of robots in an uncertain environment. Thus, concerns of human safety around robots are relaxed. This presentation also introduces the required technologies behind the new robotic concept.

[Mes differ by positioning: empirical testing of decentralized dynamics of the self].

PubMed

Mizokami, Shinichi

2013-10-01

The present study empirically tested the conceptualization of the decentralized dynamics of the self proposed by Hermans & Kempen (1993), which they developed theoretically and from clinical cases, not from large samples of empirical data. They posited that worldviews and images of the self could vary by positioning even in the same individual, and denied that the ego was an omniscient entity that knew and controlled all aspects of the self (centralized ego). Study 1 tested their conceptualization empirically with 47 university students in an experimental group and 17 as a control group. The results showed that the scores on the Rosenberg's self-esteem scale and images of the Mes in the experimental group significantly varied by positioning, but those in the control group did not. Similar results were found in Study 2 with a sample of 120 university students. These results empirically supported the conceptualization of the decentralized dynamics of the self.

Rebranding city: A strategic urban planning approach in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Firzal, Yohannes

2018-03-01

Concomitant with entering the decentralization period has had a significant effect on cities in Indonesia, and is seen as a new era for local life. The decentralization period has also generated sentiments which are locally bounded that can be identified in the discretion given to the local government in charge to rebranding the city. In this paper, the rebranding phenomena have learned from Pekanbaru city where has changed its city brand for few times. By using a qualitative research approach and combining multi methods to collect and process the data, this paper investigates that the rebranding city has found as a strategic approach in urban planning today that is used to inject more senses to the city and its local life by the local government. This research has confirmed, for almost two decades of the decentralization period, the rebranding phenomena are not only found to generate sense locally, but also as a power marker of the local regime.

Incentivizing Decentralized Sanitation: The Role of Discount Rates.

PubMed

Wood, Alison; Blackhurst, Michael; Garland, Jay L; Lawler, Desmond F

2016-06-21

In adoption decisions for decentralized sanitation technologies, two decision makers are involved: the public utility and the individual homeowner. Standard life cycle cost is calculated from the perspective of the utility, which uses a market-based discount rate in these calculations. However, both decision-makers must be considered, including their differing perceptions of the time trade-offs inherent in a stream of costs and benefits. This study uses the discount rate as a proxy for these perceptions and decision-maker preferences. The results in two case studies emphasize the dependence on location of such analyses. Falmouth, Massachusetts, appears to be a good candidate for incentivizing decentralized sanitation while the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority service area in Pennsylvania appears to have no need for similar incentives. This method can be applied to any two-party decision in which the parties are expected to have different discount rates.

Wave scheduling - Decentralized scheduling of task forces in multicomputers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Tilborg, A. M.; Wittie, L. D.

1984-01-01

Decentralized operating systems that control large multicomputers need techniques to schedule competing parallel programs called task forces. Wave scheduling is a probabilistic technique that uses a hierarchical distributed virtual machine to schedule task forces by recursively subdividing and issuing wavefront-like commands to processing elements capable of executing individual tasks. Wave scheduling is highly resistant to processing element failures because it uses many distributed schedulers that dynamically assign scheduling responsibilities among themselves. The scheduling technique is trivially extensible as more processing elements join the host multicomputer. A simple model of scheduling cost is used by every scheduler node to distribute scheduling activity and minimize wasted processing capacity by using perceived workload to vary decentralized scheduling rules. At low to moderate levels of network activity, wave scheduling is only slightly less efficient than a central scheduler in its ability to direct processing elements to accomplish useful work.

Controllability analysis and decentralized control of a wet limestone flue gas desulfurization plant

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

Perales, A.L.V.; Ortiz, F.J.G.; Ollero, P.

2008-12-15

Presently, decentralized feedback control is the only control strategy used in wet limestone flue gas desulfurization (WLFGD) plants. Proper tuning of this control strategy is becoming an important issue in WLFGD plants because more stringent SO{sub 2} regulations have come into force recently. Controllability analysis is a highly valuable tool for proper design of control systems, but it has not been applied to WLFGD plants so far. In this paper a decentralized control strategy is designed and applied to a WLFGD pilot plant taking into account the conclusions of a controllability analysis. The results reveal that good SO{sub 2} controlmore » in WLFGD plants can be achieved mainly because the main disturbance of the process is well-aligned with the plant and interactions between control loops are beneficial to SO{sub 2} control.« less

On the interaction structure of linear multi-input feedback control systems. M.S. Thesis; [problem solving, lattices (mathematics)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, P. K.

1975-01-01

The closely-related problems of designing reliable feedback stabilization strategy and coordinating decentralized feedbacks are considered. Two approaches are taken. A geometric characterization of the structure of control interaction (and its dual) was first attempted and a concept of structural homomorphism developed based on the idea of 'similarity' of interaction pattern. The idea of finding classes of individual feedback maps that do not 'interfere' with the stabilizing action of each other was developed by identifying the structural properties of nondestabilizing and LQ-optimal feedback maps. Some known stability properties of LQ-feedback were generalized and some partial solutions were provided to the reliable stabilization and decentralized feedback coordination problems. A concept of coordination parametrization was introduced, and a scheme for classifying different modes of decentralization (information, control law computation, on-line control implementation) in control systems was developed.

Centralized and Decentralized Control for Demand Response

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

Lu, Shuai; Samaan, Nader A.; Diao, Ruisheng

2011-04-29

Demand response has been recognized as an essential element of the smart grid. Frequency response, regulation and contingency reserve functions performed traditionally by generation resources are now starting to involve demand side resources. Additional benefits from demand response include peak reduction and load shifting, which will defer new infrastructure investment and improve generator operation efficiency. Technical approaches designed to realize these functionalities can be categorized into centralized control and decentralized control, depending on where the response decision is made. This paper discusses these two control philosophies and compares their relative advantages and disadvantages in terms of delay time, predictability, complexity,more » and reliability. A distribution system model with detailed household loads and controls is built to demonstrate the characteristics of the two approaches. The conclusion is that the promptness and reliability of decentralized control should be combined with the predictability and simplicity of centralized control to achieve the best performance of the smart grid.« less

Decentralized Control of Sound Radiation using a High-Authority/Low-Authority Control Strategy with Anisotropic Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schiller, Noah H.; Cabell, Randolph H.; Fuller, Chris R.

2008-01-01

This paper describes a combined control strategy designed to reduce sound radiation from stiffened aircraft-style panels. The control architecture uses robust active damping in addition to high-authority linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control. Active damping is achieved using direct velocity feedback with triangularly shaped anisotropic actuators and point velocity sensors. While active damping is simple and robust, stability is guaranteed at the expense of performance. Therefore the approach is often referred to as low-authority control. In contrast, LQG control strategies can achieve substantial reductions in sound radiation. Unfortunately, the unmodeled interaction between neighboring control units can destabilize decentralized control systems. Numerical simulations show that combining active damping and decentralized LQG control can be beneficial. In particular, augmenting the in-bandwidth damping supplements the performance of the LQG control strategy and reduces the destabilizing interaction between neighboring control units.

Field-scale electrolysis/ceramic membrane system for the treatment of sewage from decentralized small communities.

PubMed

Son, Dong-Jin; Kim, Woo-Yeol; Yun, Chan-Young; Kim, Dae-Gun; Chang, Duk; Sunwoo, Young; Hong, Ki-Ho

2017-07-05

The electrolysis process adopting copper electrodes and ceramic membrane with pore sizes of 0.1-0.2 μm were consisted to a system for the treatment of sewage from decentralized small communities. The system was operated under an HRT of 0.1 hour, voltage of 24 V, and TMP of 0.05 MPa. The system showed average removals of organics, nitrogen, phosphorus, and solids of up to 80%, 52%, 92%, and 100%, respectively. Removal of organics and nitrogen dramatically increased in proportion to increment of influent loading. Phosphorus and solids were remarkably eliminated by both electro-coagulation and membrane filtration. The residual particulate constituents could also be removed successfully through membrane process. A system composed of electrolysis process with ceramic membrane would be a compact, reliable, and flexible option for the treatment of sewage from decentralized small communities.

[Significant changes in the health system decentralization process in Brazil].

PubMed

Viana, Ana Luiza d'Avila; Heimann, Luiza S; de Lima, Luciana Dias; de Oliveira, Roberta Gondim; Rodrigues, Sergio da Hora

2002-01-01

This article discusses the trends and limits of the Brazilian health system decentralization process, identifying the three elements that constitute the strategic induction performed by the national system administrator in accordance with the guidelines contained in the Operational Norms of the Unified National Health System: systemic rationality, intergovernmental and service provider financing, and health care model. The effects of the Federal regulations are analyzed based on the results of the evaluation study focused on the implementation of the full management scheme at the Municipal level. The decentralization strategy induced by Basic Operational Norm 96 has succeeded in improving institutional conditions, management autonomy, and supply, as measured by the Federal resources transferred, installed capacity, production, and coverage of outpatient and hospital services, with the Municipalities authorized to conduct fully autonomous management, without altering the existing patterns of inequity in the distribution of funds to poorer Municipalities.

Collective and decentralized management model in public hospitals: perspective of the nursing team.

PubMed

Bernardes, Andrea; Cecilio, Luiz Carlos de Oliveira; Evora, Yolanda Dora Martinez; Gabriel, Carmen Silvia; Carvalho, Mariana Bernardes de

2011-01-01

This research aims to present the implementation of the collective and decentralized management model in functional units of a public hospital in the city of Ribeirão Preto, state of São Paulo, according to the view of the nursing staff and the health technical assistant. This historical and organizational case study used qualitative thematic content analysis proposed by Bardin for data analysis. The institution started the decentralization of its administrative structure in 1999, through collective management, which permitted several internal improvements, with positive repercussion for the care delivered to users. The top-down implementation of the process seems to have jeopardized workers adherence, although collective management has intensified communication and the sharing of power and decision. The study shows that there is still much work to be done to concretize this innovative management proposal, despite the advances regarding the quality of care.

Application of Transfer Matrix Approach to Modeling and Decentralized Control of Lattice-Based Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cramer, Nick; Swei, Sean Shan-Min; Cheung, Kenny; Teodorescu, Mircea

2015-01-01

This paper presents a modeling and control of aerostructure developed by lattice-based cellular materials/components. The proposed aerostructure concept leverages a building block strategy for lattice-based components which provide great adaptability to varying ight scenarios, the needs of which are essential for in- ight wing shaping control. A decentralized structural control design is proposed that utilizes discrete-time lumped mass transfer matrix method (DT-LM-TMM). The objective is to develop an e ective reduced order model through DT-LM-TMM that can be used to design a decentralized controller for the structural control of a wing. The proposed approach developed in this paper shows that, as far as the performance of overall structural system is concerned, the reduced order model can be as e ective as the full order model in designing an optimal stabilizing controller.

Interrelationships Between 3 Keratoconic Cone Parameters.

PubMed

Tu, Kyaw L; Tourkmani, Abdo K; Srinivas, Singaram

2017-09-01

To find out the interrelationships between 3 parameters of the keratoconic cone. A total of 101 keratoconic eyes of 58 patients were included in this retrospective case series study. A complete eye examination was performed. Kmax (K) and pachymetry at the thinnest point (T) were obtained from the Pentacam tomographer. The vertex to thinnest pachymetry distance (D for decentration) was calculated using trigonometry. Pearson correlation coefficients between T and D, between T and K, and between D and K were calculated. There is a statistically significant positive correlation between thinnest point pachymetry and decentration (R = 0.366, P = 0.0002) and also statistically significant negative correlation between thinnest point pachymetry and Kmax (R = -0.719, P < 0.00001) and decentration and Kmax (R = -0.281, P = 0.0044). The interrelationships between the 3 keratoconic cone parameters suggest that the thinner cones are largely central, that is, decenter less, but show greater steepening.

Regional comparisons of on-site solar potential in the residential and industrial sectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatzke, A. E.; Skewes-Cox, A. O.

1980-10-01

Regional and subregional differences in the potential development of decentralized solar technologies are studied. Two sectors of the economy were selected for intensive analysis: the residential and industrial sectors. The sequence of analysis follows the same general steps: (1) selection of appropriate prototypes within each land use sector disaggregated by census region; (2) characterization of the end-use energy demand of each prototype in order to match an appropriate decentralized solar technology to the energy demand; (3) assessment of the energy conservation potential within each prototype limited by land use patterns, technology efficiency, and variation in solar insolation; and (4) evaluation of the regional and subregional differences in the land use implications of decentralized energy supply technologies that result from the combination of energy demand, energy supply potential, and the subsequent addition of increasingly more restrictive policies to increase the percent contribution of on-site solar energy.

Binocular lens tilt and decentration measurements in healthy subjects with phakic eyes.

PubMed

Schaeffel, Frank

2008-05-01

Tilt and decentration of the natural crystalline lens affect optical quality of the foveal image. However, little is known about the distributions of these variables in healthy subjects with phakic eyes and about their correlations in both eyes. A simple, portable, easy-to-use, and partially automated device was developed to study lens tilt and decentration in both eyes of 11 healthy subjects with phakic eyes. The first, third, and fourth Purkinje images (P1, P3, P4) were visualized using a single infrared (IR) light-emitting diode (LED), a planar lens (F = 85 mm; f/number of 1.4), and an infrared sensitive analog video camera. Software was developed to mark pupil edges and positions of P1, P4, and P3 with the cursor of the computer mouse, for three different gaze positions, and an automated regression analysis determined the gaze position that superimposed the third and fourth Purkinje images, the gaze direction for which the lens was oriented perpendicularly to the axis of the IR LED. In this position, lens decentration was determined as the linear distance of the superimposed P3/P4 positions from the pupil center. Contrary to previous approaches, a short initial fixation of a green LED with known angular position calibrated the device as a gaze tracker, and no further positional information was necessary on fixation targets. Horizontal and vertical kappa, horizontal and vertical lens tilt, and vertical lens decentration were highly correlated in both eyes of the subjects, whereas horizontal decentration of the lens was not. There was a large variability of kappa (average horizontal kappa -1.63 degrees +/- 1.77 degrees [left eyes] and +2.07 degrees +/- 2.68 degrees [right eyes]; average vertical kappa +2.52 degrees +/- 1.30 degrees [left eyes] and +2.77 degrees +/- 1.65 degrees [right eyes]). Standard deviation from three repeated measurements ranged from 0.28 degrees to 0.51 degrees for kappa, 0.36 degrees to 0.91 degrees for horizontal lens tilt, and 0.36 degrees to 0.48 degrees for vertical lens tilt. Decentration was measured with standard deviations ranging from 0.02 mm to 0.05 mm. All lenses were found tilted to the temporal side with respect to the fixation axis (on average by 4.6 degrees ). They were also decentered downward with respect to the pupil center by approximately 0.3 mm. Lens tilts and positions could be conveniently measured with the described portable device, a video camera with a large lens. That the lenses were tilted to the temporal side in both eyes, even if corrected for kappa, was unexpected. That they were displaced downward with respect to the pupil center could be related to gravity.

Variations of pupil centration and their effects on video eye tracking.

PubMed

Wildenmann, Ulrich; Schaeffel, Frank

2013-11-01

To evaluate measurement errors that are introduced in video eye tracking when pupil centration changes with pupil size. Software was developed under Visual C++ to track both pupil centre and corneal centre at 87 Hz sampling rate at baseline pupil sizes of 4.75 mm (800 lux room illuminance) and while pupil constrictions were elicited by a flashlight. Corneal centres were determined by a circle fit through the pixels detected at the corneal margin by an edge detection algorithm. Standard deviations for repeated measurements were ± 0.04 mm for horizontal pupil centre position and ± 0.04 mm for horizontal corneal centre positions and ±0.03 mm for vertical pupil centre position and ± 0.05 mm for vertical corneal centre position. Ten subjects were tested (five female, five male, age 25-58 years). At 4 mm pupil sizes, the pupils were nasally decentred relative to the corneal centre by 0.18 ± 0.19 mm in the right eyes and -0.14 ± 0.22 mm in the left eyes. Vertical decentrations were 0.30 ± 0.30 mm and 0.27 ± 0.29 mm, respectively, always in a superior direction. At baseline pupil sizes (the natural pupil sizes at 800 lux) of 4.75 ± 0.52 mm, the decentrations became less (right and left eyes: horizontal 0.17 ± 0.20 mm and -0.12 ± 0.22 mm, and vertical 0.26 ± 0.28 mm and 0.20 ± 0.25 mm). While pupil decentration changed minimally in eight of the subjects, it shifted considerably in two others. Averaged over all subjects, the shift of the pupil centre position per millimetre pupil constriction was not significant (right and left eyes: -0.03 ± 0.07 mm and 0.03 ± 0.04 mm nasally per mm pupil size change, respectively, and -0.04 ± 0.06 mm and -0.05 ± 0.12 mm superiorly). Direction and magnitude of the changes in pupil centration could not be predicted from the initial decentration at baseline pupil sizes. In line with data in the literature, the pupil centre was significantly decentred relative to the corneal centre in the nasal and superior direction. Pupil decentration changed significantly with pupil size by 0.05 mm on average for 1 mm of constriction. Assuming a Hirschberg ratio of 12° mm(-1) , a shift of 0.05 mm is equivalent to a measurement error in a Purkinje image-based eye tracker of 0.6°. However, the induced measurement error could also exceed 1.5° in some subjects for only a 1 mm change in pupil size. © 2013 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2013 The College of Optometrists.

Effect of age, decentration, aberrations and pupil size on subjective image quality with concentric bifocal optics.

PubMed

Rio, David; Woog, Kelly; Legras, Richard

2016-07-01

We investigated the impact of lens centration, wearer aberrations, pupil size and age on the optics of two bifocal contact lenses using image simulation. Fourteen conditions (i.e. two optical profiles with two and eight concentric zones; two conditions of centration: centred and 0.77 mm decentred; and three conditions of aberrations: 0, 0.15 and 0.35 μm RMS; three pupil sizes: 3, 4.5 and 6 mm) were tested on two populations (i.e. 20-40 and 40-60 years old) using a numerical simulation method. For each condition, images were calculated for proximities ranging from -4D to + 2D with steps of 0.25D. Subjects graded the quality of each simulated image (i.e. a target 'HEV' of 0.4 logMAR) on a continuous scale from 0 to 5. To limit the effect of the observer's own aberrations, subjects viewed the displayed images through a 3-mm pupil and their optimal correction. Both populations reported similar image quality (i.e. average absolute difference of 0.23) except for sharp and low contrast images, which obtained slightly higher grades with younger subjects, probably due to a better contrast sensitivity in this population. Typical decentration had no effect on bifocal contact lenses wearers' vision, as the ratio between areas dedicated to near and distance vision did not change. Aberrations (i.e. mainly 0.24 μm of spherical aberration on a 4.5-mm pupil) reduced the addition of the two radial zones bifocal optics and introduced a hyperopic shift (i.e. 0.50D) of the through-focus image quality for the eight radial zone bifocal lens. The combination of typical aberrations with typical decentration created the same effect as typical aberrations alone, meaning that aberration impact was stronger than decentration impact. The two radial zone bifocal lens was dependent on the pupil whereas the eight radial zone lens was not. When fitting new bifocal optics, the aberrations of the patients, as well as their pupil diameter, are the main subject dependent parameters influencing quality of vision. Typical contact lens decentration and lower cortical treatment efficiency of retinal images of older subjects had relatively little impact. © 2016 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2016 The College of Optometrists.

U.S. Air Force Environmental Assessment, Steam Decentralization Project, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

Estimated Air Pollutant Emissions for Boilers at CSPs at Tinker AFB ..................... 3-8 6 Table 3-2. Special Status Plant and Animal Species of...environment associated with the decentralization and optimization offour central steam plants (CSPs) located at Tinker Air Force Base (AFB), Oklahoma...square feet and represent approximately 48 percent of the installation’s total building area. Three of the plants (CSP 208, CSP 3001 and CSP 5802

Game-Based Virtual Worlds as Decentralized Virtual Activity Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scacchi, Walt

There is widespread interest in the development and use of decentralized systems and virtual world environments as possible new places for engaging in collaborative work activities. Similarly, there is widespread interest in stimulating new technological innovations that enable people to come together through social networking, file/media sharing, and networked multi-player computer game play. A decentralized virtual activity system (DVAS) is a networked computer supported work/play system whose elements and social activities can be both virtual and decentralized (Scacchi et al. 2008b). Massively multi-player online games (MMOGs) such as World of Warcraft and online virtual worlds such as Second Life are each popular examples of a DVAS. Furthermore, these systems are beginning to be used for research, deve-lopment, and education activities in different science, technology, and engineering domains (Bainbridge 2007, Bohannon et al. 2009; Rieber 2005; Scacchi and Adams 2007; Shaffer 2006), which are also of interest here. This chapter explores two case studies of DVASs developed at the University of California at Irvine that employ game-based virtual worlds to support collaborative work/play activities in different settings. The settings include those that model and simulate practical or imaginative physical worlds in different domains of science, technology, or engineering through alternative virtual worlds where players/workers engage in different kinds of quests or quest-like workflows (Jakobsson 2006).

Decentralized Opportunistic Spectrum Resources Access Model and Algorithm toward Cooperative Ad-Hoc Networks.

PubMed

Liu, Ming; Xu, Yang; Mohammed, Abdul-Wahid

2016-01-01

Limited communication resources have gradually become a critical factor toward efficiency of decentralized large scale multi-agent coordination when both system scales up and tasks become more complex. In current researches, due to the agent's limited communication and observational capability, an agent in a decentralized setting can only choose a part of channels to access, but cannot perceive or share global information. Each agent's cooperative decision is based on the partial observation of the system state, and as such, uncertainty in the communication network is unavoidable. In this situation, it is a major challenge working out cooperative decision-making under uncertainty with only a partial observation of the environment. In this paper, we propose a decentralized approach that allows agents cooperatively search and independently choose channels. The key to our design is to build an up-to-date observation for each agent's view so that a local decision model is achievable in a large scale team coordination. We simplify the Dec-POMDP model problem, and each agent can jointly work out its communication policy in order to improve its local decision utilities for the choice of communication resources. Finally, we discuss an implicate resource competition game, and show that, there exists an approximate resources access tradeoff balance between agents. Based on this discovery, the tradeoff between real-time decision-making and the efficiency of cooperation using these channels can be well improved.

Life-Cycle Cost and Environmental Assessment of Decentralized Nitrogen Recovery Using Ion Exchange from Source-Separated Urine through Spatial Modeling.

PubMed

Kavvada, Olga; Tarpeh, William A; Horvath, Arpad; Nelson, Kara L

2017-11-07

Nitrogen standards for discharge of wastewater effluent into aquatic bodies are becoming more stringent, requiring some treatment plants to reduce effluent nitrogen concentrations. This study aimed to assess, from a life-cycle perspective, an innovative decentralized approach to nitrogen recovery: ion exchange of source-separated urine. We modeled an approach in which nitrogen from urine at individual buildings is sorbed onto resins, then transported by truck to regeneration and fertilizer production facilities. To provide insight into impacts from transportation, we enhanced the traditional economic and environmental assessment approach by combining spatial analysis, system-scale evaluation, and detailed last-mile logistics modeling using the city of San Francisco as an illustrative case study. The major contributor to energy intensity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was the production of sulfuric acid to regenerate resins, rather than transportation. Energy and GHG emissions were not significantly sensitive to the number of regeneration facilities. Cost, however, increased with decentralization as rental costs per unit area are higher for smaller areas. The metrics assessed (unit energy, GHG emissions, and cost) were not significantly influenced by facility location in this high-density urban area. We determined that this decentralized approach has lower cost, unit energy, and GHG emissions than centralized nitrogen management via nitrification-denitrification if fertilizer production offsets are taken into account.

The experience of implementing the board of trustees’ policy in teaching hospitals in Iran: an example of health system decentralization

PubMed Central

Doshmangir, Leila; Rashidian, Arash; Ravaghi, Hamid; Takian, Amirhossein; Jafari, Mehdi

2015-01-01

Background: In 2004, the health system in Iran initiated an organizational reform aiming to increase the autonomy of teaching hospitals and make them more decentralized. The policy led to the formation of a board of trustees in each hospital and significant modifications in hospitals’ financing. Since the reform aimed to improve its predecessor policy (implementation of hospital autonomy began in 1995), it expected to increase user satisfaction, as well as enhance effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare services in targeted hospitals. However, such expectations were never realized. In this research, we explored the perceptions and views of expert stakeholders as to why the board of trustees’ policy did not achieve its perceived objectives. Methods: We conducted 47 semi-structured face-to-face interviews and two focus group discussions (involving 8 and 10 participants, respectively) with experts at high, middle, and low levels of Iran’s health system, using purposive and snowball sampling. We also collected a comprehensive set of relevant documents. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically, following a mixed inductive-deductive approach. Results: Three main themes emerged from the analysis. The implementation approach (including the processes, views about the policy and the links between the policy components), using research evidence about the policy (local and global), and policy context (health system structure, health insurers capacity, hospitals’ organization and capacity and actors’ interrelationships) affected the policy outcomes. Overall, the implementation of hospital decentralization policies in Iran did not seem to achieve their intended targets as a result of assumed failure to take full consideration of the above factors in policy implementation into account. Conclusion: The implementation of the board of trustees’ policy did not achieve its desired goals in teaching hospitals in Iran. Similar decentralization policies in the past and their outcomes were overlooked, while the context was not prepared appropriately and key stakeholders, particularly the government, did not support the decentralization of Iran’s health system. PMID:25844379

Using community-based evidence for decentralized health planning: insights from Maharashtra, India.

PubMed

Shukla, Abhay; Khanna, Renu; Jadhav, Nitin

2018-01-01

Health planning is generally considered a technical subject, primarily the domain of health officials with minimal involvement of community representatives. The National Rural Health Mission launched in India in 2005 recognized this gap and mandated mechanisms for decentralized health planning. However, since planning develops in the context of highly unequal power relations, formal spaces for participation are necessary but not sufficient. Hence a project on capacity building for decentralized health planning was implemented in selected districts of Maharashtra, India during 2010-13. This process developed on the platform of officially supported community-based monitoring and planning, a process for community feedback and participation towards health system change. A specific project on capacity building for decentralized planning included a structured learning course and workshops for major stakeholders. An evaluation of the project, including in-depth interviews of various participants and analysis of change in local health planning processes, revealed positive changes in intervention areas, including increased capacity of key stakeholders leading to preparation of evidence-based, innovative planning proposals, significant community oriented changes in utilization of health facility funds, and inclusion of community-based proposals in village, health facility-based block and district plans. Transparency related to planning increased along with responsiveness of health providers to community suggestions. A key lesson is that active facilitation of decentralized health planning and influencing the health system to expand participation, are essential to ensure changes in planning. Effective strategies included: identifying people's health service related priorities through community-based monitoring, capacity building of diverse stakeholders regarding local health planning, and advocacy to enable participation of community-based actors in the planning process. This combination of strategies draws upon the framework of 'empowered participatory governance' which necessitates combining a degree of 'countervailing power' and acceptance of participation by the system, for new forms of governance to emerge. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2014; all rights reserved.

[Territory and decentralization in the agenda for productive transformation with equity].

PubMed

Sojo, A

1991-08-01

The regional perspective and the decentralization in Latin American and Caribbean countries was examined in light of technological changes and transformation of economic production to boost productivity. National population policies were not the major cause of redistribution of the population, rather such transformation significantly changed the comparative regional and urban advantages in the use of territory affecting the spatial distribution of the population. Hypotheses were advanced using the transformation of production, regional development, and decentralization on the retention, attraction, and migration of population in different areas with varying economic conditions. Spurious competitiveness means global strategies of enterprises that establish foreign operations by means of factor sourcing. Flexible specialization is a company strategy of permanent innovation based on flexible equipment and a qualified work force. The increasing transnationalization of capital is the source of skills and technology that sustain competitive advantages. Decentralization can resolve local demand, facilitate access to information, mobilize resources, and exercise control over local operations. In Japan, Germany, and Italy vs. the US and France there is a social contract among companies, trade unions, universities, and regional administrations in the interest of capital and the work force. There is no direct relationship between technology and region, the industrial cluster exhibits systemic competitiveness in developed countries (the Emilian model in Italy affirms the ability of small enterprises to develop new products), the regional impact is diverse relative to new technologies (some deprived rural economic areas have potential as in central and northern Italy), and population and region are linked (regional and rural-urban differences in the growth of population and migratory flows account for spatial distribution of the population). Decentralization and systemic competitiveness concern productivity and regional policies (spatial diversity for increased productivity) and technology and human resources are interdependent (technical progress is determined by the level of qualification of the population).

The path dependence of district manager decision-space in Ghana

PubMed Central

Kwamie, Aku; van Dijk, Han; Ansah, Evelyn K; Agyepong, Irene Akua

2016-01-01

The district health system in Ghana today is characterized by high resource-uncertainty and narrow decision-space. This article builds a theory-driven historical case study to describe the influence of path-dependent administrative, fiscal and political decentralization processes on development of the district health system and district manager decision-space. Methods included a non-exhaustive literature review of democratic governance in Ghana, and key informant interviews with high-level health system officials integral to the development of the district health system. Through our analysis we identified four periods of district health system progression: (1) development of the district health system (1970–85); (2) Strengthening District Health Systems Initiative (1986–93); (3) health sector reform planning and creation of the Ghana Health Service (1994–96) and (4) health sector reform implementation (1997–2007). It was observed that district manager decision-space steadily widened during periods (1) and (2), due to increases in managerial profile, and concerted efforts at managerial capacity strengthening. Periods (3) and (4) saw initial augmentation of district health system financing, further widening managerial decision-space. However, the latter half of period 4 witnessed district manager decision-space contraction. Formalization of Ghana Health Service structures influenced by self-reinforcing tendencies towards centralized decision-making, national and donor shifts in health sector financing, and changes in key policy actors all worked to the detriment of the district health system, reversing early gains from bottom-up development of the district health system. Policy feedback mechanisms have been influenced by historical and contemporary sequencing of local government and health sector decentralization. An initial act of administrative decentralization, followed by incomplete political and fiscal decentralization has ensured that the balance of power has remained at national level, with strong vertical accountabilities and dependence of the district on national level. This study demonstrates that the rhetoric of decentralization does not always mirror actual implementation, nor always result in empowered local actors. PMID:26318537

Six hospitals describe decentralization, cost containment, and downsizing.

PubMed

Lineweaver, L A; Battle, C E; Schilling, R M; Nall, C M

1999-01-01

Decentralization, cost containment, and downsizing continue in full force as healthcare organizations continue to adapt to constant economic change. Hospitals are forced to take a second and third look at how health care is managed in order to survive. Six Northwest Florida hospitals were surveyed in an effort to explore current changes within the healthcare delivery system. This article provides both managers and staff with an overview of recent healthcare changes in an area of the country with implications for staff development.

Partitioning of centralized integrated flight/propulsion control design for decentralized implementation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garg, Sanjay

1993-01-01

The notion of partitioning a centralized controller into a decentralized, hierarchical structure suitable for integrated flight/propulsion control (IFPC) implementation is discussed. A systematic procedure is developed for determining partitioned airframe and engine subsystem controllers (subcontrollers), with the desired interconnection structure, that approximate the closed-loop performance and robustness characteristics of a given centralized controller. The procedure is demonstrated by application to IFPC design for a short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft in the landing-approach-to-hover-transition flight phase.

The Riccati equation, imprimitive actions and symplectic forms. [with application to decentralized optimal control problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garzia, M. R.; Loparo, K. A.; Martin, C. F.

1982-01-01

This paper looks at the structure of the solution of a matrix Riccati differential equation under a predefined group of transformations. The group of transformations used is an expanded form of the feedback group. It is shown that this group of transformations is a subgroup of the symplectic group. The orbits of the Riccati differential equation under the action of this group are studied and it is seen how these techniques apply to a decentralized optimal control problem.

Decentralized model reference adaptive control of large flexible structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Fu-Ming; Fong, I-Kong; Lin, Yu-Hwan

1988-01-01

A decentralized model reference adaptive control (DMRAC) method is developed for large flexible structures (LFS). The development follows that of a centralized model reference adaptive control for LFS that have been shown to be feasible. The proposed method is illustrated using a simply supported beam with collocated actuators and sensors. Results show that the DMRAC can achieve either output regulation or output tracking with adequate convergence, provided the reference model inputs and their time derivatives are integrable, bounded, and approach zero as t approaches infinity.

Decentralized adaptive control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oh, B. J.; Jamshidi, M.; Seraji, H.

1988-01-01

A decentralized adaptive control is proposed to stabilize and track the nonlinear, interconnected subsystems with unknown parameters. The adaptation of the controller gain is derived by using model reference adaptive control theory based on Lyapunov's direct method. The adaptive gains consist of sigma, proportional, and integral combination of the measured and reference values of the corresponding subsystem. The proposed control is applied to the joint control of a two-link robot manipulator, and the performance in computer simulation corresponds with what is expected in theoretical development.

NASA Mars rover: a testbed for evaluating applications of covariance intersection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uhlmann, Jeffrey K.; Julier, Simon J.; Kamgar-Parsi, Behzad; Lanzagorta, Marco O.; Shyu, Haw-Jye S.

1999-07-01

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has spearheaded the development and application of Covariance Intersection (CI) for a variety of decentralized data fusion problems. Such problems include distributed control, onboard sensor fusion, and dynamic map building and localization. In this paper we describe NRL's development of a CI-based navigation system for the NASA Mars rover that stresses almost all aspects of decentralized data fusion. We also describe how this project relates to NRL's augmented reality, advanced visualization, and REBOT projects.

Substructural controller synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Tzu-Jeng; Craig, Roy R., Jr.

1989-01-01

A decentralized design procedure which combines substructural synthesis, model reduction, decentralized controller design, subcontroller synthesis, and controller reduction is proposed for the control design of flexible structures. The structure to be controlled is decomposed into several substructures, which are modeled by component mode synthesis methods. For each substructure, a subcontroller is designed by using the linear quadratic optimal control theory. Then, a controller synthesis scheme called Substructural Controller Synthesis (SCS) is used to assemble the subcontrollers into a system controller, which is to be used to control the whole structure.

Bioflocculation of grey water for improved energy recovery within decentralized sanitation concepts.

PubMed

Hernández Leal, L; Temmink, H; Zeeman, G; Buisman, C J N

2010-12-01

Bioflocculation of grey water was tested with a lab-scale membrane bioreactor in order to concentrate the COD. Three concentration factors were tested based on the ratio of sludge retention time (SRT) and hydraulic retention time (HRT): 3, 8 and 12. COD concentration factor was up to 7.1, achieving a final concentration of 7.2 g COD L(-1). Large fractions of suspended COD were recovered in the concentrate (57%, 81% and 82% at SRT/HRT ratios of 3, 8 and 12, respectively) indicating a strong bioflocculation of grey water. A maximum of 11% of COD mineralization of grey water was measured at the longest SRT tested (1 d). The integration of bioflocculation of grey water in decentralized sanitation concepts may increase the overall production of methane by 73%, based on the biogas produced by black water only. Therefore, bioflocculation is a promising grey water pre-treatment step for energy recovery within decentralized sanitation concepts. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A QoS Management Technique of Urgent Information Provision in ITS Services Using DSRC for Autonomous Base Stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimura, Akitoshi; Aizono, Takeiki; Hiraiwa, Masashi; Sugano, Shigeki

A QoS management technique based on an autonomous decentralized mobility system, which is an autonomous decentralized system enhanced to provide mobile stations with information about urgent roadway situations, is proposed in this paper. This technique enables urgent messages to be flexibly and quickly transmitted to mobile stations by multiple decentralized base stations using dedicated short range communication. It also supports the easy addition of additional base stations. Each station autonomously creates information-delivery communities based on the urgency of the messages it receives through the roadside network and the distances between the senders and receivers. Each station dynamically determines the urgency of messages according to the message content and the speed of the mobile stations. Evaluation of this technique applied to the Smart Gateway system, which provides driving-assistance services to mobile stations through dedicated short-range communication, demonstrated its effectiveness and that it is suitable for actual systems.

Decentralized Fuzzy MPC on Spatial Power Control of a Large PHWR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiangjie; Jiang, Di; Lee, Kwang Y.

2016-08-01

Reliable power control for stabilizing the spatial oscillations is quite important for ensuring the safe operation of a modern pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR), since these spatial oscillations can cause “flux tilting” in the reactor core. In this paper, a decentralized fuzzy model predictive control (DFMPC) is proposed for spatial control of PHWR. Due to the load dependent dynamics of the nuclear power plant, fuzzy modeling is used to approximate the nonlinear process. A fuzzy Lyapunov function and “quasi-min-max” strategy is utilized in designing the DFMPC, to reduce the conservatism. The plant-wide stability is achieved by the asymptotically positive realness constraint (APRC) for this decentralized MPC. The solving optimization problem is based on a receding horizon scheme involving the linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) technique. Through dynamic simulations, it is demonstrated that the designed DFMPC can effectively suppress spatial oscillations developed in PHWR, and further, shows the advantages over the typical parallel distributed compensation (PDC) control scheme.

Outdoor flocking of quadcopter drones with decentralized model predictive control.

PubMed

Yuan, Quan; Zhan, Jingyuan; Li, Xiang

2017-11-01

In this paper, we present a multi-drone system featured with a decentralized model predictive control (DMPC) flocking algorithm. The drones gather localized information from neighbors and update their velocities using the DMPC flocking algorithm. In the multi-drone system, data packages are transmitted through XBee ® wireless modules in broadcast mode, yielding such an anonymous and decentralized system where all the calculations and controls are completed on an onboard minicomputer of each drone. Each drone is a double-layered agent system with the coordination layer running multi-drone flocking algorithms and the flight control layer navigating the drone, and the final formation of the flock relies on both the communication range and the desired inter-drone distance. We give both numerical simulations and field tests with a flock of five drones, showing that the DMPC flocking algorithm performs well on the presented multi-drone system in both the convergence rate and the ability of tracking a desired path. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A two-level discount model for coordinating a decentralized supply chain considering stochastic price-sensitive demand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heydari, Jafar; Norouzinasab, Yousef

2015-12-01

In this paper, a discount model is proposed to coordinate pricing and ordering decisions in a two-echelon supply chain (SC). Demand is stochastic and price sensitive while lead times are fixed. Decentralized decision making where downstream decides on selling price and order size is investigated. Then, joint pricing and ordering decisions are extracted where both members act as a single entity aim to maximize whole SC profit. Finally, a coordination mechanism based on quantity discount is proposed to coordinate both pricing and ordering decisions simultaneously. The proposed two-level discount policy can be characterized from two aspects: (1) marketing viewpoint: a retail price discount to increase the demand, and (2) operations management viewpoint: a wholesale price discount to induce the retailer to adjust its order quantity and selling price jointly. Results of numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed policy is suitable to coordinate SC and improve the profitability of SC as well as all SC members in comparison with decentralized decision making.

Energy-efficient pulse-coupled synchronization strategy design for wireless sensor networks through reduced idle listening

PubMed Central

Wang, Yongqiang; Núñez, Felipe; Doyle, Francis J.

2013-01-01

Synchronization is crucial to wireless sensor networks due to their decentralized structure. We propose an energy-efficient pulse-coupled synchronization strategy to achieve this goal. The basic idea is to reduce idle listening by intentionally introducing a large refractory period in the sensors’ cooperation. The large refractory period greatly reduces idle listening in each oscillation period, and is analytically proven to have no influence on the time to synchronization. Hence, it significantly reduces the total energy consumption in a synchronization process. A topology control approach tailored for pulse-coupled synchronization is given to guarantee a k-edge strongly connected interaction topology, which is tolerant to communication-link failures. The topology control approach is totally decentralized and needs no information exchange among sensors, and it is applicable to dynamic network topologies as well. This facilitates a completely decentralized implementation of the synchronization strategy. The strategy is applicable to mobile sensor networks, too. QualNet case studies confirm the effectiveness of the synchronization strategy. PMID:24307831

Federalism and decentralization: impact on international and Brazilian health policies.

PubMed

Leite, Valéria Rodrigues; de Vasconcelos, Cipriano Maia; Lima, Kenio Costa

2011-01-01

This article discusses the implications of decentralization in the light of international and Brazilian federalism, and its effects on public health policy. In a comparative analysis among countries, the authors find there is no single model; rather, each country has a unique structure of institutions and norms that have important implications for the operation of its health system. Brazil shares some similarities with other countries that have adopted a decentralized system and is assuming features ever closer to U.S. federalism, with a complex web of relationships. The degree of inequality among Brazilian municipalities and states, along with the budgetary imbalances caused by the minimal levels of resource utilization, undermines Brazil's constitutional principles and, consequently, its federalism. To ensure the constitutional mandate in Brazil, it is essential, as in other countries, to create a stable source of funds and increase the volume and efficiency of spending. Also important are investing in the training of managers, improving information systems, strengthening the principles of autonomy and interdependence, and defining patterns of cooperation within the federation.

Decentralized System Identification Using Stochastic Subspace Identification for Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Cho, Soojin; Park, Jong-Woong; Sim, Sung-Han

2015-01-01

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) facilitate a new paradigm to structural identification and monitoring for civil infrastructure. Conventional structural monitoring systems based on wired sensors and centralized data acquisition systems are costly for installation as well as maintenance. WSNs have emerged as a technology that can overcome such difficulties, making deployment of a dense array of sensors on large civil structures both feasible and economical. However, as opposed to wired sensor networks in which centralized data acquisition and processing is common practice, WSNs require decentralized computing algorithms to reduce data transmission due to the limitation associated with wireless communication. In this paper, the stochastic subspace identification (SSI) technique is selected for system identification, and SSI-based decentralized system identification (SDSI) is proposed to be implemented in a WSN composed of Imote2 wireless sensors that measure acceleration. The SDSI is tightly scheduled in the hierarchical WSN, and its performance is experimentally verified in a laboratory test using a 5-story shear building model. PMID:25856325

Decentralized event-triggered synchronization of uncertain Markovian jumping neutral-type neural networks with mixed delays.

PubMed

Senan, Sibel; Syed Ali, M; Vadivel, R; Arik, Sabri

2017-02-01

In this study, we present an approach for the decentralized event-triggered synchronization of Markovian jumping neutral-type neural networks with mixed delays. We present a method for designing decentralized event-triggered synchronization, which only utilizes locally available information, in order to determine the time instants for transmission from sensors to a central controller. By applying a novel Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional, as well as using the reciprocal convex combination method and some inequality techniques such as Jensen's inequality, we obtain several sufficient conditions in terms of a set of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) under which the delayed neural networks are stochastically stable in terms of the error systems. Finally, we conclude that the drive systems synchronize stochastically with the response systems. We show that the proposed stability criteria can be verified easily using the numerically efficient Matlab LMI toolbox. The effectiveness and feasibility of the results obtained are verified by numerical examples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decentralized adaptive control designs and microstrip antennas for smart structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khorrami, Farshad; Jain, Sandeep; Das, Nirod K.

1996-05-01

Smart structures lend themselves naturally to a decentralized control design framework, especially with adaptation mechanisms. The main reason being that it is highly undesirable to connect all the sensors and actuators in a large structure to a central processor. It is rather desirable to have local decision-making at each smart patch. Furthermore, this local controllers should be easily `expandable' to `contractible.' This corresponds to the fact that addition/deletion of several smart patches should not require a total redesign of the control system. The decentralized control strategies advocated in this paper are of expandable/contractible type. On another front, we are considering utilization of micro-strip antennas for power transfer to and from smart structures. We have made preliminary contributions in this direction and further developments are underway. These approaches are being pursued for active vibration damping and noise cancellation via piezoelectric ceramics although the methodology is general enough to be applicable to other type of active structures.

Event-triggered decentralized adaptive fault-tolerant control of uncertain interconnected nonlinear systems with actuator failures.

PubMed

Choi, Yun Ho; Yoo, Sung Jin

2018-06-01

This paper investigates the event-triggered decentralized adaptive tracking problem of a class of uncertain interconnected nonlinear systems with unexpected actuator failures. It is assumed that local control signals are transmitted to local actuators with time-varying faults whenever predefined conditions for triggering events are satisfied. Compared with the existing control-input-based event-triggering strategy for adaptive control of uncertain nonlinear systems, the aim of this paper is to propose a tracking-error-based event-triggering strategy in the decentralized adaptive fault-tolerant tracking framework. The proposed approach can relax drastic changes in control inputs caused by actuator faults in the existing triggering strategy. The stability of the proposed event-triggering control system is analyzed in the Lyapunov sense. Finally, simulation comparisons of the proposed and existing approaches are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed theoretical result in the presence of actuator faults. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Power Source Status Estimation and Drive Control Method for Autonomous Decentralized Hybrid Train

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furuya, Takemasa; Ogawa, Kenichi; Yamamoto, Takamitsu; Hasegawa, Hitoshi

A hybrid control system has two main functions: power sharing and equipment protection. In this paper, we discuss the design, construction and testing of a drive control method for an autonomous decentralized hybrid train with 100-kW-class fuel cells (FC) and 36-kWh lithium-ion batteries (Li-Batt). The main objectives of this study are to identify the operation status of the power sources on the basis of the input voltage of the traction inverter and to estimate the maximum traction power control basis of the power-source status. The proposed control method is useful in preventing overload operation of the onboard power sources in an autonomous decentralized hybrid system that has a flexible main circuit configuration and a few control signal lines. Further, with this method, the initial cost of a hybrid system can be reduced and the retrofit design of the hybrid system can be simplified. The effectiveness of the proposed method is experimentally confirmed by using a real-scale hybrid train system.

Fuzzy bilevel programming with multiple non-cooperative followers: model, algorithm and application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ke, Hua; Huang, Hu; Ralescu, Dan A.; Wang, Lei

2016-04-01

In centralized decision problems, it is not complicated for decision-makers to make modelling technique selections under uncertainty. When a decentralized decision problem is considered, however, choosing appropriate models is no longer easy due to the difficulty in estimating the other decision-makers' inconclusive decision criteria. These decision criteria may vary with different decision-makers because of their special risk tolerances and management requirements. Considering the general differences among the decision-makers in decentralized systems, we propose a general framework of fuzzy bilevel programming including hybrid models (integrated with different modelling methods in different levels). Specially, we discuss two of these models which may have wide applications in many fields. Furthermore, we apply the proposed two models to formulate a pricing decision problem in a decentralized supply chain with fuzzy coefficients. In order to solve these models, a hybrid intelligent algorithm integrating fuzzy simulation, neural network and particle swarm optimization based on penalty function approach is designed. Some suggestions on the applications of these models are also presented.

Promote or hinder? The role of punishment in the emergence of cooperation.

PubMed

Gao, Shiping; Wu, Te; Nie, Suli; Wang, Long

2015-12-07

Investigation of anti-social punishment has shaken the positive role of punishment in the evolution of cooperation. However, punishment is ubiquitous in nature, and the centralized, apposed to decentralized, punishment is more favored by certain modern societies in particular. To explore the underlying principle of such phenomenon, we study the evolution of cooperation in the context of pro- and anti-social punishments subject to two distinct patterns: costly centralized and decentralized punishments. The results suggest that the pattern of punishment has a great effect on the role of punishment in the evolution of cooperation. In the absence of anti-social punishment, the costly centralized punishment is more effective in promoting the emergence of cooperation. Anti-social punishment can subvert the positive role of punishment when anti- and pro-social punishments are in the same pattern. However, driven by centralized pro-social punishment, cooperation can be more advantageous than defection even in the presence of decentralized anti-social punishment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Natural Resource Dependency and Decentralized Conservation Within Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project, Nepal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, Pete; Thapa, Brijesh

2012-02-01

Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project (KCAP) in Nepal is among the first protected areas in the world to institute a completely decentralized system of conservation and development. Proponents of decentralized conservation claim that it increases management efficiency, enhances the responsiveness to local needs, and promotes greater equity among local residents. This study assessed local equity by evaluating the levels of dependencies on natural resources among households and the factors affecting that dependency. Data were collected via detailed surveys among 205 randomly selected households within the KCAP. Natural resource dependency was evaluated by comparing the ratio of total household income to income derived from access to natural resources. Economic, social, and access-related variables were employed to determine potential significant predictors of dependency. Overall, households were heavily dependent on natural resources for their income, especially households at higher elevations and those with more adult members. The households that received remittances were most able to supplement their income and, therefore, drastically reduced their reliance on the access to natural resources. Socio-economic variables, such as land holdings, education, caste, and ethnicity, failed to predict dependency. Household participation in KCAP-sponsored training programs also failed to affect household dependency; however, fewer than 20% of the households had any form of direct contact with KCAP personnel within the past year. The success of the KCAP as a decentralized conservation program is contingent on project capacity-building via social mobilization, training programs, and participatory inclusion in decision making to help alleviate the dependency on natural resources.

A decentralized mechanism for improving the functional robustness of distribution networks.

PubMed

Shi, Benyun; Liu, Jiming

2012-10-01

Most real-world distribution systems can be modeled as distribution networks, where a commodity can flow from source nodes to sink nodes through junction nodes. One of the fundamental characteristics of distribution networks is the functional robustness, which reflects the ability of maintaining its function in the face of internal or external disruptions. In view of the fact that most distribution networks do not have any centralized control mechanisms, we consider the problem of how to improve the functional robustness in a decentralized way. To achieve this goal, we study two important problems: 1) how to formally measure the functional robustness, and 2) how to improve the functional robustness of a network based on the local interaction of its nodes. First, we derive a utility function in terms of network entropy to characterize the functional robustness of a distribution network. Second, we propose a decentralized network pricing mechanism, where each node need only communicate with its distribution neighbors by sending a "price" signal to its upstream neighbors and receiving "price" signals from its downstream neighbors. By doing so, each node can determine its outflows by maximizing its own payoff function. Our mathematical analysis shows that the decentralized pricing mechanism can produce results equivalent to those of an ideal centralized maximization with complete information. Finally, to demonstrate the properties of our mechanism, we carry out a case study on the U.S. natural gas distribution network. The results validate the convergence and effectiveness of our mechanism when comparing it with an existing algorithm.

A Decentralized Event-Triggered Dissipative Control Scheme for Systems With Multiple Sensors to Sample the System Outputs.

PubMed

Zhang, Xian-Ming; Han, Qing-Long

2016-12-01

This paper is concerned with decentralized event-triggered dissipative control for systems with the entries of the system outputs having different physical properties. Depending on these different physical properties, the entries of the system outputs are grouped into multiple nodes. A number of sensors are used to sample the signals from different nodes. A decentralized event-triggering scheme is introduced to select those necessary sampled-data packets to be transmitted so that communication resources can be saved significantly while preserving the prescribed closed-loop performance. First, in order to organize the decentralized data packets transmitted from the sensor nodes, a data packet processor (DPP) is used to generate a new signal to be held by the zero-order-hold once the signal stored by the DPP is updated at some time instant. Second, under the mechanism of the DPP, the resulting closed-loop system is modeled as a linear system with an interval time-varying delay. A sufficient condition is derived such that the closed-loop system is asymptotically stable and strictly (Q 0 ,S 0 ,R 0 ) -dissipative, where Q 0 ,S 0 , and R 0 are real matrices of appropriate dimensions with Q 0 and R 0 symmetric. Third, suitable output-based controllers can be designed based on solutions to a set of a linear matrix inequality. Finally, two examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Impacts of a Large Decentralized Telepathology Network in Canada.

PubMed

Pare, Guy; Meyer, Julien; Trudel, Marie-Claude; Tetu, Bernard

2016-03-01

Telepathology is a fast growing segment of the telemedicine field. As of yet, no prior research has investigated the impacts of large decentralized telepathology projects on patients, clinicians, and healthcare systems. This study aims to fill this gap. We report a benefits evaluation study of a large decentralized telepathology project deployed in Eastern Quebec, Canada whose main objective is to provide continuous coverage of intraoperative consultations in remote hospitals without pathologists on-site. The project involves 18 hospitals, making it one of the largest telepathology networks in the world. We conducted 43 semistructured interviews with several telepathology users and hospital managers. Archival data on the impacts of the telepathology project (e.g., number of service disruptions, average time between initial diagnosis and surgery) were also extracted and analyzed. Our findings show that no service disruptions were recorded in hospitals without pathologists following the deployment of telepathology. Surgeons noted that the use of intraoperative consultations enabled by telepathology helped avoid second surgeries and improved accessibility to care services. Telepathology was also perceived by our respondents as having positive impacts on the remote hospitals' ability to retain and recruit surgeons. The observed benefits should not leave the impression that implementing telepathology is a trivial matter. Indeed, many technical, human, and organizational challenges may be encountered. Telepathology can be highly useful in regional hospitals that do not have a pathologist on-site. More research is needed to investigate the challenges and benefits associated with large decentralized telepathology networks.

Effects of health decentralization, financing and governance in Mexico.

PubMed

Arredondo, Armando; Orozco, Emanuel

2006-02-01

To identify the effects of decentralization on health financing and governance policies in Mexico from the perspective of users and providers. A cross-sectional study was carried out in four states that were selected according to geopolitical and administrative criteria. Four indicators were assessed: changes and effects on governance, financing sources and funds, the final destination of resources, and fund allocation mechanisms. Data collection was performed using in-depth interviews with health system key personnel and community leaders, consensus techniques and document analyses. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed by thematic segmentation. The results show different effectiveness levels for the four states regarding changes in financing policies and community participation. Effects on health financing after decentralization were identified in each state, including: greater participation of municipal and state governments in health expenditure, increased financial participation of households, greater community participation in low-income states, duality and confusion in the new mechanisms for coordination among the three government levels, absence of an accountability system, lack of human resources and technical skills to implement, monitor and evaluate changes in financing. In general, positive and negative effects of decentralization on health financing and governance were identified. The effects mentioned by health service providers and users were related to a diversification of financing sources, a greater margin for decisions around the use and final destination of financial resources and normative development for the use of resources. At the community level, direct financial contributions were mentioned, as well as in-kind contributions, particularly in the form of community work.

Enhanced drinking water supply through harvested rainwater treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naddeo, Vincenzo; Scannapieco, Davide; Belgiorno, Vincenzo

2013-08-01

Decentralized drinking water systems represent an important element in the process of achieving the Millennium Development Goals, as centralized systems are often inefficient or nonexistent in developing countries. In those countries, most water quality related problems are due to hygiene factors and pathogens. A potential solution might include decentralized systems, which might rely on thermal and/or UV disinfection methods as well as physical and chemical treatments to provide drinking water from rainwater. For application in developing countries, decentralized systems major constraints include low cost, ease of use, environmental sustainability, reduced maintenance and independence from energy sources. This work focuses on an innovative decentralized system that can be used to collect and treat rainwater for potable use (drinking and cooking purposes) of a single household, or a small community. The experimented treatment system combines in one compact unit a Filtration process with an adsorption step on GAC and a UV disinfection phase in an innovative design (FAD - Filtration Adsorption Disinfection). All tests have been carried out using a full scale FAD treatment unit. The efficiency of FAD technology has been discussed in terms of pH, turbidity, COD, TOC, DOC, Escherichia coli and Total coliforms. FAD technology is attractive since it provides a total barrier for pathogens and organic contaminants, and reduces turbidity, thus increasing the overall quality of the water. The FAD unit costs are low, especially if compared to other water treatment technologies and could become a viable option for developing countries.

Stability and safety of MA50 intraocular lens placed in the sulcus.

PubMed

Kemp, P S; Oetting, T A

2015-11-01

To describe the safety and stability of sulcus placement of the MA50 intraocular lens (IOL). Consecutive patients with MA50 IOLs placed in the sulcus at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA, from 1997 to 2012 were identified. Inclusion criteria included patients with over 4 weeks of follow-up data. AEL was compared with incidence of IOL decentration using at two-tailed Student's t-test. Fifty eyes of 49 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were identified. Four weeks post-operatively, the average best-corrected visual acuity was 20/30. IOL decentration occurred in 14% of patients; patients with decentered IOLs had a significantly longer average AEL (25.37 mm) than patients whose IOL remained centered (23.94 mm, P=0.017). Other complications included uveitis-glaucoma-hyphema syndrome (12%), iritis (8%), and glaucoma (6%). There were no cases of pigment dispersion syndrome or need for lens exchange. Twelve eyes (24%) had intra-operative optic capture by the anterior capsule, none of which had post-operative decentration. The MA50 IOL is a reasonable, stable option for placement in the sulcus, with a low-risk profile; however, in eyes with longer AEL and presumably larger anterior segment, surgeons should consider placing an IOL with longer haptic distance than the MA50 to maintain centration. Optic capture of the MA50 IOL by the anterior capsule should be considered for longer eyes, as it is protective against decentration.

Natural resource dependency and decentralized conservation within Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project, Nepal.

PubMed

Parker, Pete; Thapa, Brijesh

2012-02-01

Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project (KCAP) in Nepal is among the first protected areas in the world to institute a completely decentralized system of conservation and development. Proponents of decentralized conservation claim that it increases management efficiency, enhances the responsiveness to local needs, and promotes greater equity among local residents. This study assessed local equity by evaluating the levels of dependencies on natural resources among households and the factors affecting that dependency. Data were collected via detailed surveys among 205 randomly selected households within the KCAP. Natural resource dependency was evaluated by comparing the ratio of total household income to income derived from access to natural resources. Economic, social, and access-related variables were employed to determine potential significant predictors of dependency. Overall, households were heavily dependent on natural resources for their income, especially households at higher elevations and those with more adult members. The households that received remittances were most able to supplement their income and, therefore, drastically reduced their reliance on the access to natural resources. Socio-economic variables, such as land holdings, education, caste, and ethnicity, failed to predict dependency. Household participation in KCAP-sponsored training programs also failed to affect household dependency; however, fewer than 20% of the households had any form of direct contact with KCAP personnel within the past year. The success of the KCAP as a decentralized conservation program is contingent on project capacity-building via social mobilization, training programs, and participatory inclusion in decision making to help alleviate the dependency on natural resources.

Finding idle machines in a workstation-based distributed system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Theimer, Marvin M.; Lantz, Keith A.

1989-01-01

The authors describe the design and performance of scheduling facilities for finding idle hosts in a workstation-based distributed system. They focus on the tradeoffs between centralized and decentralized architectures with respect to scalability, fault tolerance, and simplicity of design, as well as several implementation issues of interest when multicast communication is used. They conclude that the principal tradeoff between the two approaches is that a centralized architecture can be scaled to a significantly greater degree and can more easily monitor global system statistics, whereas a decentralized architecture is simpler to implement.

Optimal decentralized feedback control for a truss structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cagle, A.; Ozguner, U.

1989-01-01

One approach to the decentralized control of large flexible space structures involves the design of controllers for the substructures of large systems and their subsequent application to the entire coupled system. This approach is presently developed for the case of active vibration damping on an experimental large struss structure. The isolated boundary loading method is used to define component models by FEM; component controllers are designed using an interlocking control concept which minimizes the motion of the boundary nodes, thereby reducing the exchange of mechanical disturbances among components.

MEDLARS and the Library Community

PubMed Central

Adams, Scott

1964-01-01

The intention of the National Library of Medicine is to share with other libraries the products and the capabilities developed by the MEDLARS system. MEDLARS will provide bibliographic services of use to other libraries from the central system. The decentralization of the central system to permit libraries with access to computers to establish local machine retrieval systems is also indicated. The implications of such decentralization for the American medical library network and its effect on library evolution are suggested, as are the implications for international development of mechanized storage and retrieval systems. PMID:14119289

Decentralized learning in Markov games.

PubMed

Vrancx, Peter; Verbeeck, Katja; Nowé, Ann

2008-08-01

Learning automata (LA) were recently shown to be valuable tools for designing multiagent reinforcement learning algorithms. One of the principal contributions of the LA theory is that a set of decentralized independent LA is able to control a finite Markov chain with unknown transition probabilities and rewards. In this paper, we propose to extend this algorithm to Markov games--a straightforward extension of single-agent Markov decision problems to distributed multiagent decision problems. We show that under the same ergodic assumptions of the original theorem, the extended algorithm will converge to a pure equilibrium point between agent policies.

Simulating the decentralized processes of the human immune system in a virtual anatomy model.

PubMed

Sarpe, Vladimir; Jacob, Christian

2013-01-01

Many physiological processes within the human body can be perceived and modeled as large systems of interacting particles or swarming agents. The complex processes of the human immune system prove to be challenging to capture and illustrate without proper reference to the spatial distribution of immune-related organs and systems. Our work focuses on physical aspects of immune system processes, which we implement through swarms of agents. This is our first prototype for integrating different immune processes into one comprehensive virtual physiology simulation. Using agent-based methodology and a 3-dimensional modeling and visualization environment (LINDSAY Composer), we present an agent-based simulation of the decentralized processes in the human immune system. The agents in our model - such as immune cells, viruses and cytokines - interact through simulated physics in two different, compartmentalized and decentralized 3-dimensional environments namely, (1) within the tissue and (2) inside a lymph node. While the two environments are separated and perform their computations asynchronously, an abstract form of communication is allowed in order to replicate the exchange, transportation and interaction of immune system agents between these sites. The distribution of simulated processes, that can communicate across multiple, local CPUs or through a network of machines, provides a starting point to build decentralized systems that replicate larger-scale processes within the human body, thus creating integrated simulations with other physiological systems, such as the circulatory, endocrine, or nervous system. Ultimately, this system integration across scales is our goal for the LINDSAY Virtual Human project. Our current immune system simulations extend our previous work on agent-based simulations by introducing advanced visualizations within the context of a virtual human anatomy model. We also demonstrate how to distribute a collection of connected simulations over a network of computers. As a future endeavour, we plan to use parameter tuning techniques on our model to further enhance its biological credibility. We consider these in silico experiments and their associated modeling and optimization techniques as essential components in further enhancing our capabilities of simulating a whole-body, decentralized immune system, to be used both for medical education and research as well as for virtual studies in immunoinformatics.

Values of decentralized systems that avoid investments in idle capacity within the wastewater sector: a theoretical justification.

PubMed

Wang, Sheng

2014-04-01

In this work, the values of decentralized (onsite) systems that avoid investments in idle capacity within wastewater plans are quantitatively justified using the specific net present value (SNPV) approach. SNPV is a currently proposed criterion in environmental engineering economics that is defined as the net present value of the cost per unit of service or per population equivalent (PE). The SNPV approach was reintroduced with bugs fixed and then applied to the economic analysis of the capital and operating costs of one-stage completed central plants, stage-expanded central plants, and decentralized treatment facilities. The results show that under a demand growth scenario, the central plant will inevitably reach idle capacity, which can be reduced by a staged expansion. However, the staged expansion plan will lose the economies of scale and, hence, is only viable under projections of a low or moderate price inflation rate or high demand growth rate. Onsite treatment systems can theoretically achieve 100% utilization. Assuming that the capital costs per PE of the onsite and central systems are equal, the former is economically favorable in most cases of price inflation as a result of its cost saving on idle capacity. Onsite treatment systems can be viable even though their capital expenditures per PE are higher than that of a comparable centralized option as to a capital investment. This finding suggests wide opening of onsite technology choices. Use of the SNPV showed that average operating expenses of centralized plants decrease as demand growth rates increase as a benefit of economies of scale, whereas those of onsite treatment systems depend only on price inflation. Semi-decentralized systems feature both the financial advantage of the onsite system (capital investment) and the superiority of centralized systems (operation and maintenance); thus, it is worth consideration. The results of this study illustrate not only the value of decentralized systems but also the value of the SNPV approach in the planning of wastewater services, especially in areas undergoing high demand growth. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The path dependence of district manager decision-space in Ghana.

PubMed

Kwamie, Aku; van Dijk, Han; Ansah, Evelyn K; Agyepong, Irene Akua

2016-04-01

The district health system in Ghana today is characterized by high resource-uncertainty and narrow decision-space. This article builds a theory-driven historical case study to describe the influence of path-dependent administrative, fiscal and political decentralization processes on development of the district health system and district manager decision-space. Methods included a non-exhaustive literature review of democratic governance in Ghana, and key informant interviews with high-level health system officials integral to the development of the district health system. Through our analysis we identified four periods of district health system progression: (1) development of the district health system (1970-85); (2) Strengthening District Health Systems Initiative (1986-93); (3) health sector reform planning and creation of the Ghana Health Service (1994-96) and (4) health sector reform implementation (1997-2007). It was observed that district manager decision-space steadily widened during periods (1) and (2), due to increases in managerial profile, and concerted efforts at managerial capacity strengthening. Periods (3) and (4) saw initial augmentation of district health system financing, further widening managerial decision-space. However, the latter half of period 4 witnessed district manager decision-space contraction. Formalization of Ghana Health Service structures influenced by self-reinforcing tendencies towards centralized decision-making, national and donor shifts in health sector financing, and changes in key policy actors all worked to the detriment of the district health system, reversing early gains from bottom-up development of the district health system. Policy feedback mechanisms have been influenced by historical and contemporary sequencing of local government and health sector decentralization. An initial act of administrative decentralization, followed by incomplete political and fiscal decentralization has ensured that the balance of power has remained at national level, with strong vertical accountabilities and dependence of the district on national level. This study demonstrates that the rhetoric of decentralization does not always mirror actual implementation, nor always result in empowered local actors. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The school as a force for community change in Tanzania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maliyamkono, T. L.

1980-09-01

In newly independent countries where traditional theories of educational policy have continued to be followed, education has persisted as little more than a sophisticated mechanism for the recruitment of elites, and there has been an increased dependence on the advanced industrial nations for aid, experts and educational models. Tanzania, however, has attempted to break away from traditional strategies, and the author here describes and analyses the impact of two of the most far-reaching reforms — Education for Self-Reliance, and Decentralization — on national goals and policies. President Nyerere enunciated the objectives for Education for Self-Reliance in 1967 as relating education to rural life, correcting the elitist bias of education, and changing negative attitudes among students towards agriculture and rural life. Five major programmes of reform covering primary and secondary education, teacher and higher education, and examinations were to be pursued, ensuring a closer integration of schools with local communities, e.g., through school farms and co-operative shops, and making curricula directly relevant to local needs. A policy of Decentralization is being implemented, allowing, theoretically at least, a much greater participation at community level in decision-making. In primary and adult education this has already been effected to some extent, though there is evidence to suggest that decentralization in some regions and districts has resulted in the creation of local bureaucratic machinery for control, defeating the intention of the reform. Decentralization of secondary and teacher education is likely to follow, leaving only higher education centrally controlled for manpower training and allocation purposes. Finally the author discusses the question of the transferability of the Tanzanian reforms.

Medical Education in Decentralized Settings: How Medical Students Contribute to Health Care in 10 Sub-Saharan African Countries.

PubMed

Talib, Zohray; van Schalkwyk, Susan; Couper, Ian; Pattanaik, Swaha; Turay, Khadija; Sagay, Atiene S; Baingana, Rhona; Baird, Sarah; Gaede, Bernhard; Iputo, Jehu; Kibore, Minnie; Manongi, Rachel; Matsika, Antony; Mogodi, Mpho; Ramucesse, Jeremais; Ross, Heather; Simuyeba, Moses; Haile-Mariam, Damen

2017-12-01

African medical schools are expanding, straining resources at tertiary health facilities. Decentralizing clinical training can alleviate this tension. This study assessed the impact of decentralized training and contribution of undergraduate medical students at health facilities. Participants were from 11 Medical Education Partnership Initiative-funded medical schools in 10 African countries. Each school identified two clinical training sites-one rural and the other either peri-urban or urban. Qualitative and quantitative data collection tools were used to gather information about the sites, student activities, and staff perspectives between March 2015 and February 2016. Interviews with site staff were analyzed using a collaborative directed approach to content analysis, and frequencies were generated to describe site characteristics and student experiences. The clinical sites varied in level of care but were similar in scope of clinical services and types of clinical and nonclinical student activities. Staff indicated that students have a positive effect on job satisfaction and workload. Respondents reported that students improved the work environment, institutional reputation, and introduced evidence-based approaches. Students also contributed to perceived improvements in quality of care, patient experience, and community outreach. Staff highlighted the need for resources to support students. Students were seen as valuable resources for health facilities. They strengthened health care quality by supporting overburdened staff and by bringing rigor and accountability into the work environment. As medical schools expand, especially in low-resource settings, mobilizing new and existing resources for decentralized clinical training could transform health facilities into vibrant service and learning environments.

Performance of HIV care decentralization from the patient's perspective: health-related quality of life and perceived quality of services in Cameroon.

PubMed

Boyer, Sylvie; Protopopescu, Camelia; Marcellin, Fabienne; Carrieri, Maria Patrizia; Koulla-Shiro, Sinata; Moatti, Jean-Paul; Spire, Bruno

2012-07-01

(i) To assess HIV care decentralization in Cameroon from the patients' point of view, in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQL) and perceived quality of services; (ii) to identify patient- and hospital-related factors undermining HRQL. Perceived quality of services was compared among 1985 HIV-infected patients treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) for at least 6 months in 27 treatment centres at different levels of health care delivery (central, provincial and district) (EVAL-ANRS 12-116 survey, 2007) using chi-square and non-parametric tests. Correlates of the SF-12 physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) HRQL scores were identified using two-level linear models. Patients followed-up at central and district levels had similar physical HRQL, while those followed-up at the more decentralized district level reported significantly better mental HRQL. Patients at district level also expressed better relationships with caregivers, easier access to consultations and more reliable drug supply. Financial barriers to access to HIV care and self-reported side-effects were independently associated with both lower PCS and lower MCS. Caregivers' heavy workload tended to impair both PCS and MCS, while availability of counselling by social workers in the hospital was independently associated with higher MCS. Despite limited resources, the decentralization of ART delivery can improve quality of care, providing a positive impact on HIV-infected patients' well-being. The development of psychosocial support interventions is necessary but not sufficient for improving quality of care in ART scaling-up programmes, and should be related to global strengthening of health human resources.

Overview of the state of the art of constructed wetlands for decentralized wastewater management in Brazil.

PubMed

Machado, A I; Beretta, M; Fragoso, R; Duarte, E

2017-02-01

Conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) commonly require large capital investments as well as operation and maintenance costs. Constructed wetlands (CWs) appear as a cost-effective treatment, since they can remove a broad range of contaminants by a combination of physical, chemical and biological processes with a low cost. Therefore, CWs can be successfully applied for decentralized wastewater treatment in regions with low population density and/or with large land availability as Brazil. The present work provides a review of thirty nine studies developed on CWs implemented in Brazil to remove wastewater contaminants. Brazil current sanitation data is also considered to evaluate the potential role of CWs as decentralized wastewater treatment. Performance of CWs was evaluated according to (i) type of wetland system, (ii) different support matrix (iii) vegetation species and (iv) removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD 5 ), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P). The reviewed CWs in overall presented good efficiencies, whereas H-CWs achieved the highest removals for P, while the higher results for N were attained on VF-CW and for COD and BOD 5 on HF-CW. Therefore, was concluded that CWs are an interesting solution for decentralized wastewater treatment in Brazil since it has warm temperatures, extensive radiation hours and available land. Additionally, the low percentage of population with access to the sewage network in the North and Northeast regions makes these systems especially suitable. Hence, the further implementation of CW is encouraged by the authors in regions with similar characteristics as Brazil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.