The Research of Tax Text Categorization based on Rough Set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Bin; Xu, Guang; Xu, Qian; Zhang, Nan

To solve the problem of effective of categorization of text data in taxation system, the paper analyses the text data and the size calculation of key issues first, then designs text categorization based on rough set model.

Correlation of bond strength with surface roughness using a new roughness measurement technique.

PubMed

Winkler, M M; Moore, B K

1994-07-01

The correlation between shear bond strength and surface roughness was investigated using new surface measurement methods. Bonding agents and associated resin composites were applied to set amalgam after mechanically roughening its surface. Surface treatments were noe (as set against glass), 80 grit, and 600 grit abrasive paper. Surface roughness (R(a) as measured parallel and perpendicular (+) to the direction of the polishing scratches and true profile length were measured. A knife-edge was applied (rate = 2.54 mm/min) at the bonding agent/amalgam interface of each sample until failure. Coefficients of determination for mean bond strength vs either roughness (R(a), of profile length were significantly higher for measurements in parallel directions than for those measurements in (+) directions. The shear bond strength to set amalgam for a PENTA-containing adhesives system (L.D. Caulk Division) was not significantly different from that of a PENTA-free adhesive (3M Dental Products Division), even though PENTA has been reported to increase bond strength to nonprecious metals. The shear bond strength of resin composite to amalgam is correlated to surface roughness when it is measured parallel to the polishing scratches. This correlation is significantly lower when surface roughness is measured in the typical manner, perpendicular to the polishing scratches.

USE OF ROUGH SETS AND SPECTRAL DATA FOR BUILDING PREDICTIVE MODELS OF REACTION RATE CONSTANTS

EPA Science Inventory

A model for predicting the log of the rate constants for alkaline hydrolysis of organic esters has been developed with the use of gas-phase min-infrared library spectra and a rule-building software system based on the mathematical theory of rough sets. A diverse set of 41 esters ...

A rough set approach for determining weights of decision makers in group decision making.

PubMed

Yang, Qiang; Du, Ping-An; Wang, Yong; Liang, Bin

2017-01-01

This study aims to present a novel approach for determining the weights of decision makers (DMs) based on rough group decision in multiple attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) problems. First, we construct a rough group decision matrix from all DMs' decision matrixes on the basis of rough set theory. After that, we derive a positive ideal solution (PIS) founded on the average matrix of rough group decision, and negative ideal solutions (NISs) founded on the lower and upper limit matrixes of rough group decision. Then, we obtain the weight of each group member and priority order of alternatives by using relative closeness method, which depends on the distances from each individual group member' decision to the PIS and NISs. Through comparisons with existing methods and an on-line business manager selection example, the proposed method show that it can provide more insights into the subjectivity and vagueness of DMs' evaluations and selections.

Measuring uncertainty by extracting fuzzy rules using rough sets and extracting fuzzy rules under uncertainty and measuring definability using rough sets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Worm, Jeffrey A.; Culas, Donald E.

1991-01-01

Computers are not designed to handle terms where uncertainty is present. To deal with uncertainty, techniques other than classical logic must be developed. This paper examines the concepts of statistical analysis, the Dempster-Shafer theory, rough set theory, and fuzzy set theory to solve this problem. The fundamentals of these theories are combined to provide the possible optimal solution. By incorporating principles from these theories, a decision-making process may be simulated by extracting two sets of fuzzy rules: certain rules and possible rules. From these rules a corresponding measure of how much we believe these rules is constructed. From this, the idea of how much a fuzzy diagnosis is definable in terms of its fuzzy attributes is studied.

The influence of surface roughness of deserts on the July circulation - A numerical study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sud, Y. C.; Smith, W. E.

1985-01-01

The effect of the low surface roughness characteristics of deserts on atmospheric circulation in July is examined using numerical simulations with the GCM of the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheric Science (GLAS). Identical sets of simulations were carried out with the model starting from the initial state of the atmosphere on June 15, for the years 1979 and 1980. The first simulation included a surface roughness factor of 45 cm, and the second set had a surface roughness factor of 0.02 cm for desert regions, and 45 cm for all other land. A comparative analysis of the numerical data was carried out in order to study the variations for the desert regions. It is shown that rainfall in the Sahara desert was reduced significantly in the data set with the nonuniform surface roughness factor in comparison with the other data set. The inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) moved southward to about 15 degrees, which was close to its observed location at about 10 degrees N. In other deserts, the North American Great Plains, Rajputana in India, and the Central Asian desert, no similar changes were observed. Detailed contour maps of the weather conditions in the different desert regions are provided.

Priority of road maintenance management based on halda reading range on NAASRA method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surbakti, M.; Doan, A.

2018-02-01

The road pavement, constantly experiencing stress-strain due to traffic load through it, can cause damage to the pavement. Therefore, early detection and repair of the damage will be able to prevent more severe damage that can develop into pavement failure. A road condition survey is one of the earliest attempts to detect the initial damage of a pavement. In this case the driving comfort is the most important part for the driver in assessing road conditions that are affected by the level of road surface roughness. To determine the level of roughness of the road, one of the methods developed is the measurement using the NAASRA method. In this method the roughness of the road is an accumulation of the average unevenness of the road, with the general setting on halda of 100 m. However, with this 100-meter setting, in some places the final value of the roughness value is too large or too small so that it will result in the priority of the road maintenance. This is what underlies roughness research by comparing halda settings at 50 m and 200 m different from the general settings above.This study uses the International Roughness Index (IRI) method in determining the level of road stability concerning driving discomfort. IRI score obtained from direct survey in field by using Roughometer-NAASRA.The final result shows that there is a significant difference between the reading of halda which is set at 100 m reading with halda set with 50 and 200 meter readings. This may lead to differences in handling priorities, which may impact on the sustainability of road network maintenance management (Sustainaible Road Management)

Gene selection for tumor classification using neighborhood rough sets and entropy measures.

PubMed

Chen, Yumin; Zhang, Zunjun; Zheng, Jianzhong; Ma, Ying; Xue, Yu

2017-03-01

With the development of bioinformatics, tumor classification from gene expression data becomes an important useful technology for cancer diagnosis. Since a gene expression data often contains thousands of genes and a small number of samples, gene selection from gene expression data becomes a key step for tumor classification. Attribute reduction of rough sets has been successfully applied to gene selection field, as it has the characters of data driving and requiring no additional information. However, traditional rough set method deals with discrete data only. As for the gene expression data containing real-value or noisy data, they are usually employed by a discrete preprocessing, which may result in poor classification accuracy. In this paper, we propose a novel gene selection method based on the neighborhood rough set model, which has the ability of dealing with real-value data whilst maintaining the original gene classification information. Moreover, this paper addresses an entropy measure under the frame of neighborhood rough sets for tackling the uncertainty and noisy of gene expression data. The utilization of this measure can bring about a discovery of compact gene subsets. Finally, a gene selection algorithm is designed based on neighborhood granules and the entropy measure. Some experiments on two gene expression data show that the proposed gene selection is an effective method for improving the accuracy of tumor classification. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Standard Sizes for Rough-Dimension Exports to Europe and Japan

Treesearch

Philip A. Araman

1987-01-01

In this article, European and Japanese standard-sized rough dimension products are described, and their apparent sizes are listed. One set of proposed standard sizes of rough dimension that could be manufactured in the United States for these markets is presented. Also, the benefits of the production and sale of standard sizes of export rough dimension are highlighted...

Spectral Analysis and Experimental Modeling of Ice Accretion Roughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orr, D. J.; Breuer, K. S.; Torres, B. E.; Hansman, R. J., Jr.

1996-01-01

A self-consistent scheme for relating wind tunnel ice accretion roughness to the resulting enhancement of heat transfer is described. First, a spectral technique of quantitative analysis of early ice roughness images is reviewed. The image processing scheme uses a spectral estimation technique (SET) which extracts physically descriptive parameters by comparing scan lines from the experimentally-obtained accretion images to a prescribed test function. Analysis using this technique for both streamwise and spanwise directions of data from the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) are presented. An experimental technique is then presented for constructing physical roughness models suitable for wind tunnel testing that match the SET parameters extracted from the IRT images. The icing castings and modeled roughness are tested for enhancement of boundary layer heat transfer using infrared techniques in a "dry" wind tunnel.

A rough set approach for determining weights of decision makers in group decision making

PubMed Central

Yang, Qiang; Du, Ping-an; Wang, Yong; Liang, Bin

2017-01-01

This study aims to present a novel approach for determining the weights of decision makers (DMs) based on rough group decision in multiple attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) problems. First, we construct a rough group decision matrix from all DMs’ decision matrixes on the basis of rough set theory. After that, we derive a positive ideal solution (PIS) founded on the average matrix of rough group decision, and negative ideal solutions (NISs) founded on the lower and upper limit matrixes of rough group decision. Then, we obtain the weight of each group member and priority order of alternatives by using relative closeness method, which depends on the distances from each individual group member’ decision to the PIS and NISs. Through comparisons with existing methods and an on-line business manager selection example, the proposed method show that it can provide more insights into the subjectivity and vagueness of DMs’ evaluations and selections. PMID:28234974

Heat Transfer Measurements on Surfaces with Natural Ice Castings and Modeled Roughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breuer, Kenneth S.; Torres, Benjamin E.; Orr, D. J.; Hansman, R. John

1997-01-01

An experimental method is described to measure and compare the convective heat transfer coefficient of natural and simulated ice accretion roughness and to provide a rational means for determining accretion-related enhanced heat transfer coefficients. The natural ice accretion roughness was a sample casting made from accretions at the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel (IRT). One of these castings was modeled using a Spectral Estimation Technique (SET) to produce three roughness elements patterns that simulate the actual accretion. All four samples were tested in a flat-plate boundary layer at angle of attack in a "dry" wind tunnel test. The convective heat transfer coefficient was measured using infrared thermography. It is shown that, dispite some problems in the current data set, the method does show considerable promise in determining roughness-induced heat transfer coefficients, and that, in addition to the roughness height and spacing in the flow direction, the concentration and spacing of elements in the spanwise direction are important parameters.

Performance review of the ROMI-RIP rough mill simulator

Treesearch

Edward Thomas; Urs Buehlmann

2003-01-01

The USDA Forest Service's ROMI-RIP version 2.0 (RR2) rough mill rip-first simulation program was validated in a recent study. The validation study found that when RR2 was set to search for optimum yield without considering actual rough mill strip solutions, it produced yields that were as much as 7 percent higher (71.1% versus 64.0%) than the actual rough mill....

In the Context of Multiple Intelligences Theory, Intelligent Data Analysis of Learning Styles Was Based on Rough Set Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narli, Serkan; Ozgen, Kemal; Alkan, Huseyin

2011-01-01

The present study aims to identify the relationship between individuals' multiple intelligence areas and their learning styles with mathematical clarity using the concept of rough sets which is used in areas such as artificial intelligence, data reduction, discovery of dependencies, prediction of data significance, and generating decision…

A Mathematical Approach in Evaluating Biotechnology Attitude Scale: Rough Set Data Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narli, Serkan; Sinan, Olcay

2011-01-01

Individuals' thoughts and attitudes towards biotechnology have been investigated in many countries. A Likert-type scale is the most commonly used scale to measure attitude. However, the weak side of a likert-type scale is that different responses may produce the same score. The Rough set method has been regarded to address this shortcoming. A…

Rough Play: One of the Most Challenging Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Frances M.

2011-01-01

Most children engage in rough play, and research demonstrates its physical, social, emotional, and cognitive value. Early childhood education settings have the responsibility to provide children with what best serves their developmental needs. One of the best ways teachers can support rough play is by modeling it for children. When adults model…

Defect inspection in hot slab surface: multi-source CCD imaging based fuzzy-rough sets method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Liming; Zhang, Yi; Xu, Xiaodong; Xiao, Hong; Huang, Chao

2016-09-01

To provide an accurate surface defects inspection method and make the automation of robust image region of interests(ROI) delineation strategy a reality in production line, a multi-source CCD imaging based fuzzy-rough sets method is proposed for hot slab surface quality assessment. The applicability of the presented method and the devised system are mainly tied to the surface quality inspection for strip, billet and slab surface etcetera. In this work we take into account the complementary advantages in two common machine vision (MV) systems(line array CCD traditional scanning imaging (LS-imaging) and area array CCD laser three-dimensional (3D) scanning imaging (AL-imaging)), and through establishing the model of fuzzy-rough sets in the detection system the seeds for relative fuzzy connectedness(RFC) delineation for ROI can placed adaptively, which introduces the upper and lower approximation sets for RIO definition, and by which the boundary region can be delineated by RFC region competitive classification mechanism. For the first time, a Multi-source CCD imaging based fuzzy-rough sets strategy is attempted for CC-slab surface defects inspection that allows an automatic way of AI algorithms and powerful ROI delineation strategies to be applied to the MV inspection field.

Surface roughness measurement in the submicrometer range using laser scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, S. H.; Quan, Chenggen; Tay, C. J.; Shang, H. M.

2000-06-01

A technique for measuring surface roughness in the submicrometer range is developed. The principle of the method is based on laser scattering from a rough surface. A telecentric optical setup that uses a laser diode as a light source is used to record the light field scattered from the surface of a rough object. The light intensity distribution of the scattered band, which is correlated to the surface roughness, is recorded by a linear photodiode array and analyzed using a single-chip microcomputer. Several sets of test surfaces prepared by different machining processes are measured and a method for the evaluation of surface roughness is proposed.

Composition of dust deposited to snow cover in the Wasatch Range (Utah, USA): Controls on radiative properties of snow cover and comparison to some dust-source sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reynolds, Richard L.; Goldstein, Harland L.; Moskowitz, Bruce M.; Bryant, Ann C.; Skiles, S. McKenzie; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Flagg, Cody B.; Yauk, Kimberly; Berquó, Thelma S.; Breit, George N.; Ketterer, Michael; Fernandez, Daniel; Miller, Mark E.; Painter, Thomas H.

2014-01-01

Dust layers deposited to snow cover of the Wasatch Range (northern Utah) in 2009 and 2010 provide rare samples to determine the relations between their compositions and radiative properties. These studies are required to comprehend and model how such dust-on-snow (DOS) layers affect rates of snow melt through changes in the albedo of snow surfaces. We evaluated several constituents as potential contributors to the absorption of solar radiation indicated by values of absolute reflectance determined from bi-conical reflectance spectroscopy. Ferric oxide minerals and carbonaceous matter appear to be the primary influences on lowering snow-cover albedo. Techniques of reflectance and Mössbauer spectroscopy as well as rock magnetism provide information about the types, amounts, and grain sizes of ferric oxide minerals. Relatively high amounts of ferric oxide, indicated by hard isothermal remanent magnetization (HIRM), are associated with relatively low average reflectance (<0.25) across the visible wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. Mössbauer spectroscopy indicates roughly equal amounts of hematite and goethite, representing about 35% of the total Fe-bearing phases. Nevertheless, goethite (α-FeOOH) is the dominant ferric oxide found by reflectance spectroscopy and thus appears to be the main iron oxide control on absorption of solar radiation. At least some goethite occurs as nano-phase grain coatings less than about 50 nm thick. Relatively high amounts of organic carbon, indicating as much as about 10% organic matter, are also associated with lower reflectance values. The organic matter, although not fully characterized by type, correlates strongly with metals (e.g., Cu, Pb, As, Cd, Mo, Zn) derived from distal urban and industrial settings, probably including mining and smelting sites. This relation suggests anthropogenic sources for at least some of the carbonaceous matter, such as emissions from transportation and industrial activities. The composition of the DOS samples can be compared with sediments in a likely dust-source setting at the Milford Flat Fire (MFF) area about 225 km southwest of Salt Lake City. The MFF area represents geologically and physiographically similar and widespread dust sources west-southwest of the Wasatch Range and heavily populated Wasatch Front. The DOS layers and MFF sediments are similar in some textural, chemical, and magnetic properties, as well as in the common presence of goethite, hematite, magnetite-bearing basalt fragments, quartz, plagioclase, illite, and kaolinite. Textural and some chemical differences among these deposits can be explained by atmospheric sorting as well as by inputs from other settings, such as salt-crusted playas and contaminant sources.

An intelligent knowledge mining model for kidney cancer using rough set theory.

PubMed

Durai, M A Saleem; Acharjya, D P; Kannan, A; Iyengar, N Ch Sriman Narayana

2012-01-01

Medical diagnosis processes vary in the degree to which they attempt to deal with different complicating aspects of diagnosis such as relative importance of symptoms, varied symptom pattern and the relation between diseases themselves. Rough set approach has two major advantages over the other methods. First, it can handle different types of data such as categorical, numerical etc. Secondly, it does not make any assumption like probability distribution function in stochastic modeling or membership grade function in fuzzy set theory. It involves pattern recognition through logical computational rules rather than approximating them through smooth mathematical functional forms. In this paper we use rough set theory as a data mining tool to derive useful patterns and rules for kidney cancer faulty diagnosis. In particular, the historical data of twenty five research hospitals and medical college is used for validation and the results show the practical viability of the proposed approach.

Measuring Skew in Average Surface Roughness as a Function of Surface Preparation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahl, Mark

2015-01-01

Characterizing surface roughness is important for predicting optical performance. Better measurement of surface roughness reduces polishing time, saves money and allows the science requirements to be better defined. This study characterized statistics of average surface roughness as a function of polishing time. Average surface roughness was measured at 81 locations using a Zygo white light interferometer at regular intervals during the polishing process. Each data set was fit to a normal and Largest Extreme Value (LEV) distribution; then tested for goodness of fit. We show that the skew in the average data changes as a function of polishing time.

Surface roughness of composite resin veneer after application of herbal and non-herbal toothpaste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuraini, S.; Herda, E.; Irawan, B.

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to find out the surface roughness of composite resin veneer after brushing. In this study, 24 specimens of composite resin veneer are divided into three subgroups: brushed without toothpaste, brushed with non-herbal toothpaste, and brushed with herbal toothpaste. Brushing was performed for one set of 5,000 strokes and continued for a second set of 5,000 strokes. Roughness of composite resin veneer was determined using a Surface Roughness Tester. The results were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test and Post Hoc Mann-Whitney. The results indicate that the highest difference among the Ra values occurred within the subgroup that was brushed with the herbal toothpaste. In conclusion, the herbal toothpaste produced a rougher surface on composite resin veneer compared to non-herbal toothpaste.

Characterization of Ice Roughness From Simulated Icing Encounters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, David N.; Shin, Jaiwon

1997-01-01

Detailed measurements of the size of roughness elements on ice accreted on models in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) were made in a previous study. Only limited data from that study have been published, but included were the roughness element height, diameter and spacing. In the present study, the height and spacing data were found to correlate with the element diameter, and the diameter was found to be a function primarily of the non-dimensional parameters freezing fraction and accumulation parameter. The width of the smooth zone which forms at the leading edge of the model was found to decrease with increasing accumulation parameter. Although preliminary, the success of these correlations suggests that it may be possible to develop simple relationships between ice roughness and icing conditions for use in ice-accretion-prediction codes. These codes now require an ice-roughness estimate to determine convective heat transfer. Studies using a 7.6-cm-diameter cylinder and a 53.3-cm-chord NACA 0012 airfoil were also performed in which a 1/2-min icing spray at an initial set of conditions was followed by a 9-1/2-min spray at a second set of conditions. The resulting ice shape was compared with that from a full 10-min spray at the second set of conditions. The initial ice accumulation appeared to have no effect on the final ice shape. From this result, it would appear the accreting ice is affected very little by the initial roughness or shape features.

Can We Make Definite Categorization of Student Attitudes? A Rough Set Approach to Investigate Students' Implicit Attitudinal Typologies toward Living Things

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narli, Serkan; Yorek, Nurettin; Sahin, Mehmet; Usak, Muhammet

2010-01-01

This study investigates the possibility of analyzing educational data using the theory of rough sets which is mostly employed in the fields of data analysis and data mining. Data were collected using an open-ended conceptual understanding test of the living things administered to first-year high school students. The responses of randomly selected…

Setting up a proper power spectral density (PSD) and autocorrelation analysis for material and process characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rutigliani, Vito; Lorusso, Gian Francesco; De Simone, Danilo; Lazzarino, Frederic; Rispens, Gijsbert; Papavieros, George; Gogolides, Evangelos; Constantoudis, Vassilios; Mack, Chris A.

2018-03-01

Power spectral density (PSD) analysis is playing more and more a critical role in the understanding of line-edge roughness (LER) and linewidth roughness (LWR) in a variety of applications across the industry. It is an essential step to get an unbiased LWR estimate, as well as an extremely useful tool for process and material characterization. However, PSD estimate can be affected by both random to systematic artifacts caused by image acquisition and measurement settings, which could irremediably alter its information content. In this paper, we report on the impact of various setting parameters (smoothing image processing filters, pixel size, and SEM noise levels) on the PSD estimate. We discuss also the use of PSD analysis tool in a variety of cases. Looking beyond the basic roughness estimate, we use PSD and autocorrelation analysis to characterize resist blur[1], as well as low and high frequency roughness contents and we apply this technique to guide the EUV material stack selection. Our results clearly indicate that, if properly used, PSD methodology is a very sensitive tool to investigate material and process variations

Rough set approach for accident chains exploration.

PubMed

Wong, Jinn-Tsai; Chung, Yi-Shih

2007-05-01

This paper presents a novel non-parametric methodology--rough set theory--for accident occurrence exploration. The rough set theory allows researchers to analyze accidents in multiple dimensions and to model accident occurrence as factor chains. Factor chains are composed of driver characteristics, trip characteristics, driver behavior and environment factors that imply typical accident occurrence. A real-world database (2003 Taiwan single auto-vehicle accidents) is used as an example to demonstrate the proposed approach. The results show that although most accident patterns are unique, some accident patterns are significant and worth noting. Student drivers who are young and less experienced exhibit a relatively high possibility of being involved in off-road accidents on roads with a speed limit between 51 and 79 km/h under normal driving circumstances. Notably, for bump-into-facility accidents, wet surface is a distinctive environmental factor.

Convection from Hemispherical and Conical Model Ice Roughness Elements in Stagnation Region Flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, Michael T.; Shannon, Timothy A.; McClain, Stephen T.; Vargas, Mario; Broeren, Andy

2016-01-01

To improve ice accretion prediction codes, more data regarding ice roughness and its effects on convective heat transfer are required. The Vertical Icing Studies Tunnel (VIST) at NASA Glenn Research was used to model realistic ice roughness in the stagnation region of a NACA 0012 airfoil. In the VIST, a test plate representing the leading 2% chord of the airfoil was subjected to flows of 7.62 m/s (25 ft/s), 12.19 m/s (40 ft/s), and 16.76 m/s (55 ft/s). The test plate was fitted with multiple surfaces or sets of roughness panels, each with a different representation of ice roughness. The sets of roughness panels were constructed using two element distribution patterns that were created based on a laser scan of an iced airfoil acquired in the Icing Research Tunnel at NASA Glenn. For both roughness patterns, surfaces were constructed using plastic hemispherical elements, plastic conical elements, and aluminum conical elements. Infrared surface thermometry data from tests run in the VIST were used to calculate area averaged heat transfer coefficient values. The values from the roughness surfaces were compared to the smooth control surface, showing convective enhancement as high as 400% in some cases. The data gathered during this study will ultimately be used to improve the physical modeling in LEWICE or other ice accretion codes and produce predictions of in-flight ice accretion on aircraft surfaces with greater confidence.

a Rough Set Decision Tree Based Mlp-Cnn for Very High Resolution Remotely Sensed Image Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, C.; Pan, X.; Zhang, S. Q.; Li, H. P.; Atkinson, P. M.

2017-09-01

Recent advances in remote sensing have witnessed a great amount of very high resolution (VHR) images acquired at sub-metre spatial resolution. These VHR remotely sensed data has post enormous challenges in processing, analysing and classifying them effectively due to the high spatial complexity and heterogeneity. Although many computer-aid classification methods that based on machine learning approaches have been developed over the past decades, most of them are developed toward pixel level spectral differentiation, e.g. Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), which are unable to exploit abundant spatial details within VHR images. This paper introduced a rough set model as a general framework to objectively characterize the uncertainty in CNN classification results, and further partition them into correctness and incorrectness on the map. The correct classification regions of CNN were trusted and maintained, whereas the misclassification areas were reclassified using a decision tree with both CNN and MLP. The effectiveness of the proposed rough set decision tree based MLP-CNN was tested using an urban area at Bournemouth, United Kingdom. The MLP-CNN, well capturing the complementarity between CNN and MLP through the rough set based decision tree, achieved the best classification performance both visually and numerically. Therefore, this research paves the way to achieve fully automatic and effective VHR image classification.

Modeling Mode Choice Behavior Incorporating Household and Individual Sociodemographics and Travel Attributes Based on Rough Sets Theory

PubMed Central

Chen, Xuewu; Wei, Ming; Wu, Jingxian; Hou, Xianyao

2014-01-01

Most traditional mode choice models are based on the principle of random utility maximization derived from econometric theory. Alternatively, mode choice modeling can be regarded as a pattern recognition problem reflected from the explanatory variables of determining the choices between alternatives. The paper applies the knowledge discovery technique of rough sets theory to model travel mode choices incorporating household and individual sociodemographics and travel information, and to identify the significance of each attribute. The study uses the detailed travel diary survey data of Changxing county which contains information on both household and individual travel behaviors for model estimation and evaluation. The knowledge is presented in the form of easily understood IF-THEN statements or rules which reveal how each attribute influences mode choice behavior. These rules are then used to predict travel mode choices from information held about previously unseen individuals and the classification performance is assessed. The rough sets model shows high robustness and good predictive ability. The most significant condition attributes identified to determine travel mode choices are gender, distance, household annual income, and occupation. Comparative evaluation with the MNL model also proves that the rough sets model gives superior prediction accuracy and coverage on travel mode choice modeling. PMID:25431585

Measuring skew in average surface roughness as a function of surface preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stahl, Mark T.

2015-08-01

Characterizing surface roughness is important for predicting optical performance. Better measurement of surface roughness reduces polishing time, saves money and allows the science requirements to be better defined. This study characterized statistics of average surface roughness as a function of polishing time. Average surface roughness was measured at 81 locations using a Zygo® white light interferometer at regular intervals during the polishing process. Each data set was fit to a normal and Largest Extreme Value (LEV) distribution; then tested for goodness of fit. We show that the skew in the average data changes as a function of polishing time.

Fuzzy-Rough Nearest Neighbour Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, Richard; Cornelis, Chris

A new fuzzy-rough nearest neighbour (FRNN) classification algorithm is presented in this paper, as an alternative to Sarkar's fuzzy-rough ownership function (FRNN-O) approach. By contrast to the latter, our method uses the nearest neighbours to construct lower and upper approximations of decision classes, and classifies test instances based on their membership to these approximations. In the experimental analysis, we evaluate our approach with both classical fuzzy-rough approximations (based on an implicator and a t-norm), as well as with the recently introduced vaguely quantified rough sets. Preliminary results are very good, and in general FRNN outperforms FRNN-O, as well as the traditional fuzzy nearest neighbour (FNN) algorithm.

On twelve types of covering-based rough sets.

PubMed

Safari, Samira; Hooshmandasl, Mohammad Reza

2016-01-01

Covering approximation spaces are a generalization of equivalence-based rough set theories. In this paper, we will consider twelve types of covering based approximation operators by combining four types of covering lower approximation operators and three types of covering upper approximation operators. Then, we will study the properties of these new pairs and show they have most of the common properties among existing covering approximation pairs. Finally, the relation between these new pairs is studied.

Hybrid machine learning technique for forecasting Dhaka stock market timing decisions.

PubMed

Banik, Shipra; Khodadad Khan, A F M; Anwer, Mohammad

2014-01-01

Forecasting stock market has been a difficult job for applied researchers owing to nature of facts which is very noisy and time varying. However, this hypothesis has been featured by several empirical experiential studies and a number of researchers have efficiently applied machine learning techniques to forecast stock market. This paper studied stock prediction for the use of investors. It is always true that investors typically obtain loss because of uncertain investment purposes and unsighted assets. This paper proposes a rough set model, a neural network model, and a hybrid neural network and rough set model to find optimal buy and sell of a share on Dhaka stock exchange. Investigational findings demonstrate that our proposed hybrid model has higher precision than the single rough set model and the neural network model. We believe this paper findings will help stock investors to decide about optimal buy and/or sell time on Dhaka stock exchange.

Hybrid Machine Learning Technique for Forecasting Dhaka Stock Market Timing Decisions

PubMed Central

Banik, Shipra; Khodadad Khan, A. F. M.; Anwer, Mohammad

2014-01-01

Forecasting stock market has been a difficult job for applied researchers owing to nature of facts which is very noisy and time varying. However, this hypothesis has been featured by several empirical experiential studies and a number of researchers have efficiently applied machine learning techniques to forecast stock market. This paper studied stock prediction for the use of investors. It is always true that investors typically obtain loss because of uncertain investment purposes and unsighted assets. This paper proposes a rough set model, a neural network model, and a hybrid neural network and rough set model to find optimal buy and sell of a share on Dhaka stock exchange. Investigational findings demonstrate that our proposed hybrid model has higher precision than the single rough set model and the neural network model. We believe this paper findings will help stock investors to decide about optimal buy and/or sell time on Dhaka stock exchange. PMID:24701205

A Transport Equation Approach to Modeling the Influence of Surface Roughness on Boundary Layer Transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langel, Christopher Michael

A computational investigation has been performed to better understand the impact of surface roughness on the flow over a contaminated surface. This thesis highlights the implementation and development of the roughness amplification model in the flow solver OVERFLOW-2. The model, originally proposed by Dassler, Kozulovic, and Fiala, introduces an additional scalar field roughness amplification quantity. This value is explicitly set at rough wall boundaries using surface roughness parameters and local flow quantities. This additional transport equation allows non-local effects of surface roughness to be accounted for downstream of rough sections. This roughness amplification variable is coupled with the Langtry-Menter model and used to modify the criteria for transition. Results from flat plate test cases show good agreement with experimental transition behavior on the flow over varying sand grain roughness heights. Additional validation studies were performed on a NACA 0012 airfoil with leading edge roughness. The computationally predicted boundary layer development demonstrates good agreement with experimental results. New tests using varying roughness configurations are being carried out at the Texas A&M Oran W. Nicks Low Speed Wind Tunnel to provide further calibration of the roughness amplification method. An overview and preliminary results are provided of this concurrent experimental investigation.

Effect of truncated cone roughness element density on hydrodynamic drag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Womack, Kristofer; Schultz, Michael; Meneveau, Charles

2017-11-01

An experimental study was conducted on rough-wall, turbulent boundary layer flow with roughness elements whose idealized shape model barnacles that cause hydrodynamic drag in many applications. Varying planform densities of truncated cone roughness elements were investigated. Element densities studied ranged from 10% to 79%. Detailed turbulent boundary layer velocity statistics were recorded with a two-component LDV system on a three-axis traverse. Hydrodynamic roughness length (z0) and skin-friction coefficient (Cf) were determined and compared with the estimates from existing roughness element drag prediction models including Macdonald et al. (1998) and other recent models. The roughness elements used in this work model idealized barnacles, so implications of this data set for ship powering are considered. This research was supported by the Office of Naval Research and by the Department of Defense (DoD) through the National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program.

A new fiber optic sensor for inner surface roughness measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xiaomei; Liu, Shoubin; Hu, Hong

2009-11-01

In order to measure inner surface roughness of small holes nondestructively, a new fiber optic sensor is researched and developed. Firstly, a new model for surface roughness measurement is proposed, which is based on intensity-modulated fiber optic sensors and scattering modeling of rough surfaces. Secondly, a fiber optical measurement system is designed and set up. Under the help of new techniques, the fiber optic sensor can be miniaturized. Furthermore, the use of micro prism makes the light turn 90 degree, so the inner side surface roughness of small holes can be measured. Thirdly, the fiber optic sensor is gauged by standard surface roughness specimens, and a series of measurement experiments have been done. The measurement results are compared with those obtained by TR220 Surface Roughness Instrument and Form Talysurf Laser 635, and validity of the developed fiber optic sensor is verified. Finally, precision and influence factors of the fiber optic sensor are analyzed.

Ultrafast wavelength multiplexed broad bandwidth digital diffuse optical spectroscopy for in vivo extraction of tissue optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torjesen, Alyssa; Istfan, Raeef; Roblyer, Darren

2017-03-01

Frequency-domain diffuse optical spectroscopy (FD-DOS) utilizes intensity-modulated light to characterize optical scattering and absorption in thick tissue. Previous FD-DOS systems have been limited by large device footprints, complex electronics, high costs, and limited acquisition speeds, all of which complicate access to patients in the clinical setting. We have developed a new digital DOS (dDOS) system, which is relatively compact and inexpensive, allowing for simplified clinical use, while providing unprecedented measurement speeds. The dDOS system utilizes hardware-integrated custom board-level direct digital synthesizers and an analog-to-digital converter to generate frequency sweeps and directly measure signals utilizing undersampling at six wavelengths modulated at discrete frequencies from 50 to 400 MHz. Wavelength multiplexing is utilized to achieve broadband frequency sweep measurements acquired at over 97 Hz. When compared to a gold-standard DOS system, the accuracy of optical properties recovered with the dDOS system was within 5.3% and 5.5% for absorption and reduced scattering coefficient extractions, respectively. When tested in vivo, the dDOS system was able to detect physiological changes throughout the cardiac cycle. The new FD-dDOS system is fast, inexpensive, and compact without compromising measurement quality.

Rough flows and homogenization in stochastic turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bailleul, I.; Catellier, R.

2017-10-01

We provide in this work a tool-kit for the study of homogenisation of random ordinary differential equations, under the form of a friendly-user black box based on the technology of rough flows. We illustrate the use of this setting on the example of stochastic turbulence.

Surface roughness manifestations of deep-seated landslide processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booth, A. M.; Roering, J. J.; Lamb, M. P.

2012-12-01

In many mountainous drainage basins, deep-seated landslides evacuate large volumes of sediment from small surface areas, leaving behind a strong topographic signature that sets landscape roughness over a range of spatial scales. At long spatial wavelengths of hundreds to thousands of meters, landslides tend to inhibit channel incision and limit topographic relief, effectively smoothing the topography at this length scale. However, at short spatial wavelengths on the order of meters, deformation of deep-seated landslides generates surface roughness that allows expert mappers or automated algorithms to distinguish landslides from the surrounding terrain. Here, we directly connect the characteristic spatial wavelengths and amplitudes of this fine scale surface roughness to the underlying landslide deformation processes. We utilize the two-dimensional wavelet transform with high-resolution, airborne LiDAR-derived digital elevation models to systematically document the characteristic length scales and amplitudes of different kinematic units within slow moving earthflows, a common type of deep-seated landslide. In earthflow source areas, discrete slumped blocks generate high surface roughness, reflecting an extensional deformation regime. In earthflow transport zones, where material translates with minimal surface deformation, roughness decreases as other surface processes quickly smooth short wavelength features. In earthflow depositional toes, compression folds and thrust faults again increase short wavelength surface roughness. When an earthflow becomes inactive, roughness in all of these kinematic zones systematically decreases with time, allowing relative dating of earthflow deposits. We also document how each of these roughness expressions depends on earthflow velocity, using sub-pixel change detection software (COSI-Corr) and pairs of orthorectified aerial photographs to determine spatially extensive landslide surface displacements. In source areas, the wavelength of slumped blocks tends to correlate with velocity as predicted by a simple sliding block model, but the amplitude is insensitive to velocity, suggesting that landslide depth rather than velocity sets this characteristic block amplitude. In both transport zones and depositional toes, the amplitude of the surface roughness is higher where the longitudinal gradient in velocity is higher, confirming that differential movement generates and maintains this fine scale roughness.

Selection of representative embankments based on rough set - fuzzy clustering method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bin, Ou; Lin, Zhi-xiang; Fu, Shu-yan; Gao, Sheng-song

2018-02-01

The premise condition of comprehensive evaluation of embankment safety is selection of representative unit embankment, on the basis of dividing the unit levee the influencing factors and classification of the unit embankment are drafted.Based on the rough set-fuzzy clustering, the influence factors of the unit embankment are measured by quantitative and qualitative indexes.Construct to fuzzy similarity matrix of standard embankment then calculate fuzzy equivalent matrix of fuzzy similarity matrix by square method. By setting the threshold of the fuzzy equivalence matrix, the unit embankment is clustered, and the representative unit embankment is selected from the classification of the embankment.

An IDS Alerts Aggregation Algorithm Based on Rough Set Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ru; Guo, Tao; Liu, Jianyi

2018-03-01

Within a system in which has been deployed several IDS, a great number of alerts can be triggered by a single security event, making real alerts harder to be found. To deal with redundant alerts, we propose a scheme based on rough set theory. In combination with basic concepts in rough set theory, the importance of attributes in alerts was calculated firstly. With the result of attributes importance, we could compute the similarity of two alerts, which will be compared with a pre-defined threshold to determine whether these two alerts can be aggregated or not. Also, time interval should be taken into consideration. Allowed time interval for different types of alerts is computed individually, since different types of alerts may have different time gap between two alerts. In the end of this paper, we apply proposed scheme on DAPRA98 dataset and the results of experiment show that our scheme can efficiently reduce the redundancy of alerts so that administrators of security system could avoid wasting time on useless alerts.

The prefabricated building risk decision research of DM technology on the basis of Rough Set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Z. L.; Zhang, W. B.; Ma, L. H.

2017-08-01

With the resources crises and more serious pollution, the green building has been strongly advocated by most countries and become a new building style in the construction field. Compared with traditional building, the prefabricated building has its own irreplaceable advantages but is influenced by many uncertainties. So far, a majority of scholars have been studying based on qualitative researches from all of the word. This paper profoundly expounds its significance about the prefabricated building. On the premise of the existing research methods, combined with rough set theory, this paper redefines the factors which affect the prefabricated building risk. Moreover, it quantifies risk factors and establish an expert knowledge base through assessing. And then reduced risk factors about the redundant attributes and attribute values, finally form the simplest decision rule. This simplest decision rule, which is based on the DM technology of rough set theory, provides prefabricated building with a controllable new decision-making method.

A rough set-based measurement model study on high-speed railway safety operation.

PubMed

Hu, Qizhou; Tan, Minjia; Lu, Huapu; Zhu, Yun

2018-01-01

Aiming to solve the safety problems of high-speed railway operation and management, one new method is urgently needed to construct on the basis of the rough set theory and the uncertainty measurement theory. The method should carefully consider every factor of high-speed railway operation that realizes the measurement indexes of its safety operation. After analyzing the factors that influence high-speed railway safety operation in detail, a rough measurement model is finally constructed to describe the operation process. Based on the above considerations, this paper redistricts the safety influence factors of high-speed railway operation as 16 measurement indexes which include staff index, vehicle index, equipment index and environment. And the paper also provides another reasonable and effective theoretical method to solve the safety problems of multiple attribute measurement in high-speed railway operation. As while as analyzing the operation data of 10 pivotal railway lines in China, this paper respectively uses the rough set-based measurement model and value function model (one model for calculating the safety value) for calculating the operation safety value. The calculation result shows that the curve of safety value with the proposed method has smaller error and greater stability than the value function method's, which verifies the feasibility and effectiveness.

On the Effects of Surface Roughness on Boundary Layer Transition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choudhari, Meelan M.; Li, Fei; Chang, Chau-Lyan; Edwards, Jack

2009-01-01

Surface roughness can influence laminar-turbulent transition in many different ways. This paper outlines selected analyses performed at the NASA Langley Research Center, ranging in speed from subsonic to hypersonic Mach numbers and highlighting the beneficial as well as adverse roles of the surface roughness in technological applications. The first theme pertains to boundary-layer tripping on the forebody of a hypersonic airbreathing configuration via a spanwise periodic array of trip elements, with the goal of understanding the physical mechanisms underlying roughness-induced transition in a high-speed boundary layer. The effect of an isolated, finite amplitude roughness element on a supersonic boundary layer is considered next. The other set of flow configurations examined herein corresponds to roughness based laminar flow control in subsonic and supersonic swept wing boundary layers. A common theme to all of the above configurations is the need to apply higher fidelity, physics based techniques to develop reliable predictions of roughness effects on laminar-turbulent transition.

Measuring Skew in Average Surface Roughness as a Function of Surface Preparation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahl, Mark T.

2015-01-01

Characterizing surface roughness is important for predicting optical performance. Better measurement of surface roughness reduces grinding saving both time and money and allows the science requirements to be better defined. In this study various materials are polished from a fine grind to a fine polish. Each sample's RMS surface roughness is measured at 81 locations in a 9x9 square grid using a Zygo white light interferometer at regular intervals during the polishing process. Each data set is fit with various standard distributions and tested for goodness of fit. We show that the skew in the RMS data changes as a function of polishing time.

A facile approach for reducing the working voltage of Au/TiO2/Au nanostructured memristors by enhancing the local electric field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arab Bafrani, Hamidreza; Ebrahimi, Mahdi; Bagheri Shouraki, Saeed; Moshfegh, Alireza Z.

2018-01-01

Memristor devices have attracted tremendous interest due to different applications ranging from nonvolatile data storage to neuromorphic computing units. Exploring the role of surface roughness of the bottom electrode (BE)/active layer interface provides useful guidelines for the optimization of the memristor switching performance. This study focuses on the effect of surface roughness of the BE electrode on the switching characteristics of Au/TiO2/Au three-layer memristor devices. An optimized wet-etching treatment condition was found to modify the surface roughness of the Au BE where the measurement results indicate that the roughness of the Au BE is affected by both duration time and solution concentrations of the wet-etching process. Then we fabricated arrays of TiO2-based nanostructured memristors sandwiched between two sets of cross-bar Au electrode lines (junction area 900 μm2). The results revealed a reduction in the working voltages in current-voltage characteristic of the device performance when increasing the surface roughness at the Au(BE)/TiO2 active layer interface. The set voltage of the device (Vset) significantly decreased from 2.26-1.93 V when we increased the interface roughness from 4.2-13.1 nm. The present work provides information for better understanding the switching mechanism of titanium-dioxide-based devices, and it can be inferred that enhancing the roughness of the Au BE/TiO2 active layer interface leads to a localized non-uniform electric field distribution that plays a vital role in reducing the energy consumption of the device.

Water Quality Assessment in the Harbin Reach of the Songhuajiang River (China) Based on a Fuzzy Rough Set and an Attribute Recognition Theoretical Model

PubMed Central

An, Yan; Zou, Zhihong; Li, Ranran

2014-01-01

A large number of parameters are acquired during practical water quality monitoring. If all the parameters are used in water quality assessment, the computational complexity will definitely increase. In order to reduce the input space dimensions, a fuzzy rough set was introduced to perform attribute reduction. Then, an attribute recognition theoretical model and entropy method were combined to assess water quality in the Harbin reach of the Songhuajiang River in China. A dataset consisting of ten parameters was collected from January to October in 2012. Fuzzy rough set was applied to reduce the ten parameters to four parameters: BOD5, NH3-N, TP, and F. coli (Reduct A). Considering that DO is a usual parameter in water quality assessment, another reduct, including DO, BOD5, NH3-N, TP, TN, F, and F. coli (Reduct B), was obtained. The assessment results of Reduct B show a good consistency with those of Reduct A, and this means that DO is not always necessary to assess water quality. The results with attribute reduction are not exactly the same as those without attribute reduction, which can be attributed to the α value decided by subjective experience. The assessment results gained by the fuzzy rough set obviously reduce computational complexity, and are acceptable and reliable. The model proposed in this paper enhances the water quality assessment system. PMID:24675643

A three-way approach for protein function classification

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The knowledge of protein functions plays an essential role in understanding biological cells and has a significant impact on human life in areas such as personalized medicine, better crops and improved therapeutic interventions. Due to expense and inherent difficulty of biological experiments, intelligent methods are generally relied upon for automatic assignment of functions to proteins. The technological advancements in the field of biology are improving our understanding of biological processes and are regularly resulting in new features and characteristics that better describe the role of proteins. It is inevitable to neglect and overlook these anticipated features in designing more effective classification techniques. A key issue in this context, that is not being sufficiently addressed, is how to build effective classification models and approaches for protein function prediction by incorporating and taking advantage from the ever evolving biological information. In this article, we propose a three-way decision making approach which provides provisions for seeking and incorporating future information. We considered probabilistic rough sets based models such as Game-Theoretic Rough Sets (GTRS) and Information-Theoretic Rough Sets (ITRS) for inducing three-way decisions. An architecture of protein functions classification with probabilistic rough sets based three-way decisions is proposed and explained. Experiments are carried out on Saccharomyces cerevisiae species dataset obtained from Uniprot database with the corresponding functional classes extracted from the Gene Ontology (GO) database. The results indicate that as the level of biological information increases, the number of deferred cases are reduced while maintaining similar level of accuracy. PMID:28234929

A three-way approach for protein function classification.

PubMed

Ur Rehman, Hafeez; Azam, Nouman; Yao, JingTao; Benso, Alfredo

2017-01-01

The knowledge of protein functions plays an essential role in understanding biological cells and has a significant impact on human life in areas such as personalized medicine, better crops and improved therapeutic interventions. Due to expense and inherent difficulty of biological experiments, intelligent methods are generally relied upon for automatic assignment of functions to proteins. The technological advancements in the field of biology are improving our understanding of biological processes and are regularly resulting in new features and characteristics that better describe the role of proteins. It is inevitable to neglect and overlook these anticipated features in designing more effective classification techniques. A key issue in this context, that is not being sufficiently addressed, is how to build effective classification models and approaches for protein function prediction by incorporating and taking advantage from the ever evolving biological information. In this article, we propose a three-way decision making approach which provides provisions for seeking and incorporating future information. We considered probabilistic rough sets based models such as Game-Theoretic Rough Sets (GTRS) and Information-Theoretic Rough Sets (ITRS) for inducing three-way decisions. An architecture of protein functions classification with probabilistic rough sets based three-way decisions is proposed and explained. Experiments are carried out on Saccharomyces cerevisiae species dataset obtained from Uniprot database with the corresponding functional classes extracted from the Gene Ontology (GO) database. The results indicate that as the level of biological information increases, the number of deferred cases are reduced while maintaining similar level of accuracy.

Comparison between performances of three types of manual wheelchairs often distributed in low-resource settings.

PubMed

Rispin, Karen; Wee, Joy

2015-07-01

This study was conducted to compare the performance of three types of chairs in a low-resource setting. The larger goal was to provide information which will enable more effective use of limited funds by wheelchair manufacturers and suppliers in low-resource settings. The Motivation Rough Terrain and Whirlwind Rough Rider were compared in six skills tests which participants completed in one wheelchair type and then a day later in the other. A hospital-style folding transport wheelchair was also included in one test. For all skills, participants rated the ease or difficulty on a visual analogue scale. For all tracks, distance traveled and the physiological cost index were recorded. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. The Motivation wheelchair outperformed Whirlwind wheelchair on rough and smooth tracks, and in some metrics on the tight spaces track. Motivation and Whirlwind wheelchairs significantly outperformed the hospital transport wheelchair in all metrics on the rough track skills test. This comparative study provides data that are valuable for manufacturers and for those who provide wheelchairs to users. The comparison with the hospital-style transport chair confirms the cost to users of inappropriate wheelchair provision. Implications for Rehabilitation For those with compromised lower limb function, wheelchairs are essential to enable full participation and improved quality of life. Therefore, provision of wheelchairs which effectively enable mobility in the cultures and environments in which people with disabilities live is crucial. This includes low-resource settings where the need for appropriate seating is especially urgent. A repeated measures study to measure wheelchair performances in everyday skills in the setting where wheelchairs are used gives information on the quality of mobility provided by those wheelchairs. This study highlights differences in the performance of three types of wheelchairs often distributed in low-resource settings. This information can improve mobility for wheelchair users in those settings by enabling wheelchair manufacturers to optimize wheelchair design and providers to optimize the use of limited funds.

Measuring uncertainty by extracting fuzzy rules using rough sets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Worm, Jeffrey A.

1991-01-01

Despite the advancements in the computer industry in the past 30 years, there is still one major deficiency. Computers are not designed to handle terms where uncertainty is present. To deal with uncertainty, techniques other than classical logic must be developed. The methods are examined of statistical analysis, the Dempster-Shafer theory, rough set theory, and fuzzy set theory to solve this problem. The fundamentals of these theories are combined to possibly provide the optimal solution. By incorporating principles from these theories, a decision making process may be simulated by extracting two sets of fuzzy rules: certain rules and possible rules. From these rules a corresponding measure of how much these rules is believed is constructed. From this, the idea of how much a fuzzy diagnosis is definable in terms of a set of fuzzy attributes is studied.

48 CFR 653.219-70 - DOS form DS-1910, Small Business Agency Review-Actions Above the Simplified Acquisition Threshold.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false DOS form DS-1910, Small Business Agency Review-Actions Above the Simplified Acquisition Threshold. 653.219-70 Section 653.219-70... Threshold. As prescribed in 619.501(c), DS-1910 is prescribed for use in documenting set-aside decisions...

Effect of saliva and blood contamination after etching upon the shear bond strength between composite resin and enamel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armadi, A. S.; Usman, M.; Suprastiwi, E.

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to find out the surface roughness of composite resin veneer after brushing. In this study, 24 specimens of composite resin veneer are divided into three subgroups: brushed without toothpaste, brushed with non-herbal toothpaste, and brushed with herbal toothpaste. Brushing was performed for one set of 5,000 strokes and continued for a second set of 5,000 strokes. Roughness of composite resin veneer was determined using a Surface Roughness Tester. The results were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test and Post Hoc Mann-Whitney. The results indicate that the highest difference among the Ra values occurred within the subgroup that was brushed with the herbal toothpaste. In conclusion, the herbal toothpaste produced a rougher surface on composite resin veneer compared to non-herbal toothpaste.

Simulation for Rough Mill Options

Treesearch

Janice K. Wiedenbeck

1992-01-01

How is rough mill production affected by lumber length? Lumber grade? Cutting quality? Cutting sizes? How would equipment purchase plans be prioritized? How do personnel shifts affect system productivity? What effect would a reduction in machine set-up time have on material flow? Simulation modeling is being widely used in many industries to provide valuable insight...

Benchmarking performance measurement and lean manufacturing in the rough mill

Treesearch

Dan Cumbo; D. Earl Kline; Matthew S. Bumgardner

2006-01-01

Lean manufacturing represents a set of tools and a stepwise strategy for achieving smooth, predictable product flow, maximum product flexibility, and minimum system waste. While lean manufacturing principles have been successfully applied to some components of the secondary wood products value stream (e.g., moulding, turning, assembly, and finishing), the rough mill is...

Cross-Modal Perception of Noise-in-Music: Audiences Generate Spiky Shapes in Response to Auditory Roughness in a Novel Electroacoustic Concert Setting

PubMed Central

Liew, Kongmeng; Lindborg, PerMagnus; Rodrigues, Ruth; Styles, Suzy J.

2018-01-01

Noise has become integral to electroacoustic music aesthetics. In this paper, we define noise as sound that is high in auditory roughness, and examine its effect on cross-modal mapping between sound and visual shape in participants. In order to preserve the ecological validity of contemporary music aesthetics, we developed Rama, a novel interface, for presenting experimentally controlled blocks of electronically generated sounds that varied systematically in roughness, and actively collected data from audience interaction. These sounds were then embedded as musical drones within the overall sound design of a multimedia performance with live musicians, Audience members listened to these sounds, and collectively voted to create the shape of a visual graphic, presented as part of the audio–visual performance. The results of the concert setting were replicated in a controlled laboratory environment to corroborate the findings. Results show a consistent effect of auditory roughness on shape design, with rougher sounds corresponding to spikier shapes. We discuss the implications, as well as evaluate the audience interface. PMID:29515494

A Granular Self-Organizing Map for Clustering and Gene Selection in Microarray Data.

PubMed

Ray, Shubhra Sankar; Ganivada, Avatharam; Pal, Sankar K

2016-09-01

A new granular self-organizing map (GSOM) is developed by integrating the concept of a fuzzy rough set with the SOM. While training the GSOM, the weights of a winning neuron and the neighborhood neurons are updated through a modified learning procedure. The neighborhood is newly defined using the fuzzy rough sets. The clusters (granules) evolved by the GSOM are presented to a decision table as its decision classes. Based on the decision table, a method of gene selection is developed. The effectiveness of the GSOM is shown in both clustering samples and developing an unsupervised fuzzy rough feature selection (UFRFS) method for gene selection in microarray data. While the superior results of the GSOM, as compared with the related clustering methods, are provided in terms of β -index, DB-index, Dunn-index, and fuzzy rough entropy, the genes selected by the UFRFS are not only better in terms of classification accuracy and a feature evaluation index, but also statistically more significant than the related unsupervised methods. The C-codes of the GSOM and UFRFS are available online at http://avatharamg.webs.com/software-code.

Cross-Modal Perception of Noise-in-Music: Audiences Generate Spiky Shapes in Response to Auditory Roughness in a Novel Electroacoustic Concert Setting.

PubMed

Liew, Kongmeng; Lindborg, PerMagnus; Rodrigues, Ruth; Styles, Suzy J

2018-01-01

Noise has become integral to electroacoustic music aesthetics. In this paper, we define noise as sound that is high in auditory roughness, and examine its effect on cross-modal mapping between sound and visual shape in participants. In order to preserve the ecological validity of contemporary music aesthetics, we developed Rama , a novel interface, for presenting experimentally controlled blocks of electronically generated sounds that varied systematically in roughness, and actively collected data from audience interaction. These sounds were then embedded as musical drones within the overall sound design of a multimedia performance with live musicians, Audience members listened to these sounds, and collectively voted to create the shape of a visual graphic, presented as part of the audio-visual performance. The results of the concert setting were replicated in a controlled laboratory environment to corroborate the findings. Results show a consistent effect of auditory roughness on shape design, with rougher sounds corresponding to spikier shapes. We discuss the implications, as well as evaluate the audience interface.

Route to three-dimensional fragments using diversity-oriented synthesis

PubMed Central

Hung, Alvin W.; Ramek, Alex; Wang, Yikai; Kaya, Taner; Wilson, J. Anthony; Clemons, Paul A.; Young, Damian W.

2011-01-01

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) has proven to be an effective means of producing high-quality chemical ligands as starting points for drug-discovery pursuits. The increasing number of clinical candidate drugs developed using FBDD approaches is a testament of the efficacy of this approach. The success of fragment-based methods is highly dependent on the identity of the fragment library used for screening. The vast majority of FBDD has centered on the use of sp2-rich aromatic compounds. An expanded set of fragments that possess more 3D character would provide access to a larger chemical space of fragments than those currently used. Diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) aims to efficiently generate a set of molecules diverse in skeletal and stereochemical properties. Molecules derived from DOS have also displayed significant success in the modulation of function of various “difficult” targets. Herein, we describe the application of DOS toward the construction of a unique set of fragments containing highly sp3-rich skeletons for fragment-based screening. Using cheminformatic analysis, we quantified the shapes and physical properties of the new 3D fragments and compared them with a database containing known fragment-like molecules. PMID:21482811

Route to three-dimensional fragments using diversity-oriented synthesis.

PubMed

Hung, Alvin W; Ramek, Alex; Wang, Yikai; Kaya, Taner; Wilson, J Anthony; Clemons, Paul A; Young, Damian W

2011-04-26

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) has proven to be an effective means of producing high-quality chemical ligands as starting points for drug-discovery pursuits. The increasing number of clinical candidate drugs developed using FBDD approaches is a testament of the efficacy of this approach. The success of fragment-based methods is highly dependent on the identity of the fragment library used for screening. The vast majority of FBDD has centered on the use of sp(2)-rich aromatic compounds. An expanded set of fragments that possess more 3D character would provide access to a larger chemical space of fragments than those currently used. Diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) aims to efficiently generate a set of molecules diverse in skeletal and stereochemical properties. Molecules derived from DOS have also displayed significant success in the modulation of function of various "difficult" targets. Herein, we describe the application of DOS toward the construction of a unique set of fragments containing highly sp(3)-rich skeletons for fragment-based screening. Using cheminformatic analysis, we quantified the shapes and physical properties of the new 3D fragments and compared them with a database containing known fragment-like molecules.

The Backscattering Phase Function for a Sphere with a Two-Scale Relief of Rough Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klass, E. V.

2017-12-01

The backscattering of light from spherical surfaces characterized by one and two-scale roughness reliefs has been investigated. The analysis is performed using the three-dimensional Monte-Carlo program POKS-RG (geometrical-optics approximation), which makes it possible to take into account the roughness of objects under study by introducing local geometries of different levels. The geometric module of the program is aimed at describing objects by equations of second-order surfaces. One-scale roughness is set as an ensemble of geometric figures (convex or concave halves of ellipsoids or cones). The two-scale roughness is modeled by convex halves of ellipsoids, with surface containing ellipsoidal pores. It is shown that a spherical surface with one-scale convex inhomogeneities has a flatter backscattering phase function than a surface with concave inhomogeneities (pores). For a sphere with two-scale roughness, the dependence of the backscattering intensity is found to be determined mostly by the lower-level inhomogeneities. The influence of roughness on the dependence of the backscattering from different spatial regions of spherical surface is analyzed.

Modeling and evaluating of surface roughness prediction in micro-grinding on soda-lime glass considering tool characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Jun; Gong, Yadong; Wang, Jinsheng

2013-11-01

The current research of micro-grinding mainly focuses on the optimal processing technology for different materials. However, the material removal mechanism in micro-grinding is the base of achieving high quality processing surface. Therefore, a novel method for predicting surface roughness in micro-grinding of hard brittle materials considering micro-grinding tool grains protrusion topography is proposed in this paper. The differences of material removal mechanism between convention grinding process and micro-grinding process are analyzed. Topography characterization has been done on micro-grinding tools which are fabricated by electroplating. Models of grain density generation and grain interval are built, and new predicting model of micro-grinding surface roughness is developed. In order to verify the precision and application effect of the surface roughness prediction model proposed, a micro-grinding orthogonally experiment on soda-lime glass is designed and conducted. A series of micro-machining surfaces which are 78 nm to 0.98 μm roughness of brittle material is achieved. It is found that experimental roughness results and the predicting roughness data have an evident coincidence, and the component variable of describing the size effects in predicting model is calculated to be 1.5×107 by reverse method based on the experimental results. The proposed model builds a set of distribution to consider grains distribution densities in different protrusion heights. Finally, the characterization of micro-grinding tools which are used in the experiment has been done based on the distribution set. It is concluded that there is a significant coincidence between surface prediction data from the proposed model and measurements from experiment results. Therefore, the effectiveness of the model is demonstrated. This paper proposes a novel method for predicting surface roughness in micro-grinding of hard brittle materials considering micro-grinding tool grains protrusion topography, which would provide significant research theory and experimental reference of material removal mechanism in micro-grinding of soda-lime glass.

Comparison of two metrological approaches for the prediction of human haptic perception

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neumann, Annika; Frank, Daniel; Vondenhoff, Thomas; Schmitt, Robert

2016-06-01

Haptic perception is regarded as a key component of customer appreciation and acceptance for various products. The prediction of customers’ haptic perception is of interest both during product development and production phases. This paper presents the results of a multivariate analysis between perceived roughness and texture related surface measurements, to examine whether perceived roughness can be accurately predicted using technical measurements. Studies have shown that standardized measurement parameters, such as the roughness coefficients (e.g. Rz or Ra), do not show a one-dimensional linear correlation with the human perception (of roughness). Thus, an alternative measurement method was compared to standard measurements of roughness, in regard to its capability of predicting perceived roughness through technical measurements. To estimate perceived roughness, an experimental study was conducted in which 102 subjects evaluated four sets of 12 different geometrical surface structures regarding their relative perceived roughness. The two different metrological procedures were examined in relation to their capability to predict the perceived roughness of the subjects stated within the study. The standardized measurements of the surface roughness were made using a structured light 3D-scanner. As an alternative method, surface induced vibrations were measured by a finger-like sensor during robot-controlled traverse over a surface. The presented findings provide a better understanding of the predictability of human haptic perception using technical measurements.

The role of connectedness in haptic object perception.

PubMed

Plaisier, Myrthe A; van Polanen, Vonne; Kappers, Astrid M L

2017-03-02

We can efficiently detect whether there is a rough object among a set of smooth objects using our sense of touch. We can also quickly determine the number of rough objects in our hand. In this study, we investigated whether the perceptual processing of rough and smooth objects is influenced if these objects are connected. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to identify whether there were exactly two rough target spheres among smooth distractor spheres, while we recorded their response times. The spheres were connected to form pairs: rough spheres were paired together and smooth spheres were paired together ('within pairs arrangement'), or a rough and a smooth sphere were connected ('between pairs arrangement'). Participants responded faster when the spheres in a pair were identical. In Experiment 2, we found that the advantage for within pairs arrangements was not driven by feature saliency. Overall our results show that haptic information is processed faster when targets were connected together compared to when targets were connected to distractors.

ROMI-RIP: Rough Mill RIP-first simulator user's guide

Treesearch

R. Edward Thomas

1995-01-01

The ROugh Mill RIP-first simulator (ROMI-RIP) is a computer software package for IBM compatible personal computers that simulates current industrial practices for gang-ripping lumber. This guide shows the user how to set and examine the results of simulations regarding current or proposed mill practices. ROMI-RIP accepts cutting bills with up to 300 different part...

Dynamic mortar finite element method for modeling of shear rupture on frictional rough surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tal, Yuval; Hager, Bradford H.

2017-09-01

This paper presents a mortar-based finite element formulation for modeling the dynamics of shear rupture on rough interfaces governed by slip-weakening and rate and state (RS) friction laws, focusing on the dynamics of earthquakes. The method utilizes the dual Lagrange multipliers and the primal-dual active set strategy concepts, together with a consistent discretization and linearization of the contact forces and constraints, and the friction laws to obtain a semi-smooth Newton method. The discretization of the RS friction law involves a procedure to condense out the state variables, thus eliminating the addition of another set of unknowns into the system. Several numerical examples of shear rupture on frictional rough interfaces demonstrate the efficiency of the method and examine the effects of the different time discretization schemes on the convergence, energy conservation, and the time evolution of shear traction and slip rate.

Rough set soft computing cancer classification and network: one stone, two birds.

PubMed

Zhang, Yue

2010-07-15

Gene expression profiling provides tremendous information to help unravel the complexity of cancer. The selection of the most informative genes from huge noise for cancer classification has taken centre stage, along with predicting the function of such identified genes and the construction of direct gene regulatory networks at different system levels with a tuneable parameter. A new study by Wang and Gotoh described a novel Variable Precision Rough Sets-rooted robust soft computing method to successfully address these problems and has yielded some new insights. The significance of this progress and its perspectives will be discussed in this article.

Rough Set Approach to Incomplete Multiscale Information System

PubMed Central

Yang, Xibei; Qi, Yong; Yu, Dongjun; Yu, Hualong; Song, Xiaoning; Yang, Jingyu

2014-01-01

Multiscale information system is a new knowledge representation system for expressing the knowledge with different levels of granulations. In this paper, by considering the unknown values, which can be seen everywhere in real world applications, the incomplete multiscale information system is firstly investigated. The descriptor technique is employed to construct rough sets at different scales for analyzing the hierarchically structured data. The problem of unravelling decision rules at different scales is also addressed. Finally, the reduct descriptors are formulated to simplify decision rules, which can be derived from different scales. Some numerical examples are employed to substantiate the conceptual arguments. PMID:25276852

ROMI 4.0: Rough mill simulator 4.0 users manual

Treesearch

R. Edward Thomas; Timo Grueneberg; Urs Buehlmann

2015-01-01

The Rough MIll simulator (ROMI Version 4.0) is a computer software package for personal computers (PCs) that simulates current industrial practices for rip-first, chop-first, and rip and chop-first lumber processing. This guide shows how to set up the software; design, implement, and execute simulations; and examine the results. ROMI 4.0 accepts cutting bills with as...

The fission yeast cytokinetic contractile ring regulates septum shape and closure

PubMed Central

Thiyagarajan, Sathish; Munteanu, Emilia Laura; Arasada, Rajesh; Pollard, Thomas D.; O'Shaughnessy, Ben

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT During cytokinesis, fission yeast and other fungi and bacteria grow a septum that divides the cell in two. In fission yeast closure of the circular septum hole by the β-glucan synthases (Bgs) and other glucan synthases in the plasma membrane is tightly coupled to constriction of an actomyosin contractile ring attached to the membrane. It is unknown how septum growth is coordinated over scales of several microns to maintain septum circularity. Here, we documented the shapes of ingrowing septum edges by measuring the roughness of the edges, a measure of the deviation from circularity. The roughness was small, with spatial correlations indicative of spatially coordinated growth. We hypothesized that Bgs-mediated septum growth is mechanosensitive and coupled to contractile ring tension. A mathematical model showed that ring tension then generates almost circular septum edges by adjusting growth rates in a curvature-dependent fashion. The model reproduced experimental roughness statistics and showed that septum synthesis sets the mean closure rate. Our results suggest that the fission yeast cytokinetic ring tension does not set the constriction rate but regulates septum closure by suppressing roughness produced by inherently stochastic molecular growth processes. PMID:26240178

The fission yeast cytokinetic contractile ring regulates septum shape and closure.

PubMed

Thiyagarajan, Sathish; Munteanu, Emilia Laura; Arasada, Rajesh; Pollard, Thomas D; O'Shaughnessy, Ben

2015-10-01

During cytokinesis, fission yeast and other fungi and bacteria grow a septum that divides the cell in two. In fission yeast closure of the circular septum hole by the β-glucan synthases (Bgs) and other glucan synthases in the plasma membrane is tightly coupled to constriction of an actomyosin contractile ring attached to the membrane. It is unknown how septum growth is coordinated over scales of several microns to maintain septum circularity. Here, we documented the shapes of ingrowing septum edges by measuring the roughness of the edges, a measure of the deviation from circularity. The roughness was small, with spatial correlations indicative of spatially coordinated growth. We hypothesized that Bgs-mediated septum growth is mechanosensitive and coupled to contractile ring tension. A mathematical model showed that ring tension then generates almost circular septum edges by adjusting growth rates in a curvature-dependent fashion. The model reproduced experimental roughness statistics and showed that septum synthesis sets the mean closure rate. Our results suggest that the fission yeast cytokinetic ring tension does not set the constriction rate but regulates septum closure by suppressing roughness produced by inherently stochastic molecular growth processes. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Unique Regulation of the DosR Regulon in the Beijing Lineage of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PubMed

Domenech, Pilar; Zou, Jason; Averback, Alexandra; Syed, Nishath; Curtis, Daniele; Donato, Samuel; Reed, Michael B

2017-01-15

The DosR regulon, a set of 48 genes normally expressed in Mycobacterium tuberculosis under conditions that inhibit aerobic respiration, is controlled via the DosR-DosS/DosT two-component system. While the regulon requires induction in most M. tuberculosis isolates, for members of the Beijing lineage, its expression is uncoupled from the need for signaling. In our attempts to understand the mechanistic basis for this uncoupling in the Beijing background, we previously reported the identification of two synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the adjacent Rv3134c gene. In the present study, we have interrogated the impact of these SNPs on dosR expression in wild-type strains, as well as a range of dosR-dosS-dosT mutants, for both Beijing and non-Beijing M. tuberculosis backgrounds. In this manner, we have unequivocally determined that the C601T dosR promoter SNP is the sole requirement for the dramatic shift in the pattern of DosR regulon expression seen in this globally important lineage. Interestingly, we also show that DosT is completely nonfunctional within these strains. Thus, a complex series of evolutionary steps has led to the present-day Beijing DosR phenotype that, in turn, potentially confers a fitness advantage in the face of some form of host-associated selective pressure. Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains of the Beijing lineage have been described as being of enhanced virulence compared to other lineages, and in certain regions, they are associated with the dramatic spread of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). In terms of trying to understand the functional basis for these broad epidemiological phenomena, it is interesting that, in contrast to the other major lineages, the Beijing strains all constitutively overexpress members of the DosR regulon. Here, we identify the mutational events that led to the evolution of this unique phenotype. In addition, our work highlights the fact that important phenotypic differences exist between distinct M. tuberculosis lineages, with the potential to impact the efficacy of diagnosis, vaccination, and treatment programs. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Microbiology.

Active-passive synergy for interpreting ocean L-band emissivity: Results from the CAROLS airborne campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, A. C. H.; Boutin, J.; Hauser, D.; Dinnat, E. P.

2014-08-01

The impact of the ocean surface roughness on the ocean L-band emissivity is investigated using simultaneous airborne measurements from an L-band radiometer (CAROLS) and from a C-band scatterometer (STORM) acquired in the Gulf of Biscay (off-the French Atlantic coasts) in November 2010. Two synergetic approaches are used to investigate the impact of surface roughness on the L-band brightness temperature (Tb). First, wind derived from the scatterometer measurements is used to analyze the roughness contribution to Tb as a function of wind and compare it with the one simulated by SMOS and Aquarius roughness models. Then residuals from this mean relationship are analyzed in terms of mean square slope derived from the STORM instrument. We show improvement of new radiometric roughness models derived from SMOS and Aquarius satellite measurements in comparison with prelaunch models. Influence of wind azimuth on Tb could not be evidenced from our data set. However, we point out the importance of taking into account large roughness scales (>20 cm) in addition to small roughness scale (5 cm) rapidly affected by wind to interpret radiometric measurements far from nadir. This was made possible thanks to simultaneous estimates of large and small roughness scales using STORM at small (7-16°) and large (30°) incidence angles.

Approach to the determination of the contact angle in hydrophobic samples with simultaneous correction of the effect of the roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domínguez, Noemí; Castilla, Pau; Linzoain, María Eugenia; Durand, Géraldine; García, Cristina; Arasa, Josep

2018-04-01

This work presents the validation study of a method developed to measure contact angles with a confocal device in a set of hydrophobic samples. The use of this device allows the evaluation of the roughness of the surface and the determination of the contact angle in the same area of the sample. Furthermore, a theoretical evaluation of the impact of the roughness of a nonsmooth surface in the calculation of the contact angle when it is not taken into account according to Wenzel's model is also presented.

Evolvable rough-block-based neural network and its biomedical application to hypoglycemia detection system.

PubMed

San, Phyo Phyo; Ling, Sai Ho; Nuryani; Nguyen, Hung

2014-08-01

This paper focuses on the hybridization technology using rough sets concepts and neural computing for decision and classification purposes. Based on the rough set properties, the lower region and boundary region are defined to partition the input signal to a consistent (predictable) part and an inconsistent (random) part. In this way, the neural network is designed to deal only with the boundary region, which mainly consists of an inconsistent part of applied input signal causing inaccurate modeling of the data set. Owing to different characteristics of neural network (NN) applications, the same structure of conventional NN might not give the optimal solution. Based on the knowledge of application in this paper, a block-based neural network (BBNN) is selected as a suitable classifier due to its ability to evolve internal structures and adaptability in dynamic environments. This architecture will systematically incorporate the characteristics of application to the structure of hybrid rough-block-based neural network (R-BBNN). A global training algorithm, hybrid particle swarm optimization with wavelet mutation is introduced for parameter optimization of proposed R-BBNN. The performance of the proposed R-BBNN algorithm was evaluated by an application to the field of medical diagnosis using real hypoglycemia episodes in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. The performance of the proposed hybrid system has been compared with some of the existing neural networks. The comparison results indicated that the proposed method has improved classification performance and results in early convergence of the network.

Fingerprinting the type of line edge roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández Herrero, A.; Pflüger, M.; Scholze, F.; Soltwisch, V.

2017-06-01

Lamellar gratings are widely used diffractive optical elements and are prototypes of structural elements in integrated electronic circuits. EUV scatterometry is very sensitive to structure details and imperfections, which makes it suitable for the characterization of nanostructured surfaces. As compared to X-ray methods, EUV scattering allows for steeper angles of incidence, which is highly preferable for the investigation of small measurement fields on semiconductor wafers. For the control of the lithographic manufacturing process, a rapid in-line characterization of nanostructures is indispensable. Numerous studies on the determination of regular geometry parameters of lamellar gratings from optical and Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) scattering also investigated the impact of roughness on the respective results. The challenge is to appropriately model the influence of structure roughness on the diffraction intensities used for the reconstruction of the surface profile. The impact of roughness was already studied analytically but for gratings with a periodic pseudoroughness, because of practical restrictions of the computational domain. Our investigation aims at a better understanding of the scattering caused by line roughness. We designed a set of nine lamellar Si-gratings to be studied by EUV scatterometry. It includes one reference grating with no artificial roughness added, four gratings with a periodic roughness distribution, two with a prevailing line edge roughness (LER) and another two with line width roughness (LWR), and four gratings with a stochastic roughness distribution (two with LER and two with LWR). We show that the type of line roughness has a strong impact on the diffuse scatter angular distribution. Our experimental results are not described well by the present modelling approach based on small, periodically repeated domains.

Optimizing the Determination of Roughness Parameters for Model Urban Canopies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huq, Pablo; Rahman, Auvi

2018-05-01

We present an objective optimization procedure to determine the roughness parameters for very rough boundary-layer flow over model urban canopies. For neutral stratification the mean velocity profile above a model urban canopy is described by the logarithmic law together with the set of roughness parameters of displacement height d, roughness length z_0 , and friction velocity u_* . Traditionally, values of these roughness parameters are obtained by fitting the logarithmic law through (all) the data points comprising the velocity profile. The new procedure generates unique velocity profiles from subsets or combinations of the data points of the original velocity profile, after which all possible profiles are examined. Each of the generated profiles is fitted to the logarithmic law for a sequence of values of d, with the representative value of d obtained from the minima of the summed least-squares errors for all the generated profiles. The representative values of z_0 and u_* are identified by the peak in the bivariate histogram of z_0 and u_* . The methodology has been verified against laboratory datasets of flow above model urban canopies.

Non-Contact Surface Roughness Measurement by Implementation of a Spatial Light Modulator

PubMed Central

Aulbach, Laura; Salazar Bloise, Félix; Lu, Min; Koch, Alexander W.

2017-01-01

The surface structure, especially the roughness, has a significant influence on numerous parameters, such as friction and wear, and therefore estimates the quality of technical systems. In the last decades, a broad variety of surface roughness measurement methods were developed. A destructive measurement procedure or the lack of feasibility of online monitoring are the crucial drawbacks of most of these methods. This article proposes a new non-contact method for measuring the surface roughness that is straightforward to implement and easy to extend to online monitoring processes. The key element is a liquid-crystal-based spatial light modulator, integrated in an interferometric setup. By varying the imprinted phase of the modulator, a correlation between the imprinted phase and the fringe visibility of an interferogram is measured, and the surface roughness can be derived. This paper presents the theoretical approach of the method and first simulation and experimental results for a set of surface roughnesses. The experimental results are compared with values obtained by an atomic force microscope and a stylus profiler. PMID:28294990

A rough set-based association rule approach implemented on a brand trust evaluation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Shu-Hsien; Chen, Yin-Ju

2017-09-01

In commerce, businesses use branding to differentiate their product and service offerings from those of their competitors. The brand incorporates a set of product or service features that are associated with that particular brand name and identifies the product/service segmentation in the market. This study proposes a new data mining approach, a rough set-based association rule induction, implemented on a brand trust evaluation model. In addition, it presents as one way to deal with data uncertainty to analyse ratio scale data, while creating predictive if-then rules that generalise data values to the retail region. As such, this study uses the analysis of algorithms to find alcoholic beverages brand trust recall. Finally, discussions and conclusion are presented for further managerial implications.

Rough Set Soft Computing Cancer Classification and Network: One Stone, Two Birds

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yue

2010-01-01

Gene expression profiling provides tremendous information to help unravel the complexity of cancer. The selection of the most informative genes from huge noise for cancer classification has taken centre stage, along with predicting the function of such identified genes and the construction of direct gene regulatory networks at different system levels with a tuneable parameter. A new study by Wang and Gotoh described a novel Variable Precision Rough Sets-rooted robust soft computing method to successfully address these problems and has yielded some new insights. The significance of this progress and its perspectives will be discussed in this article. PMID:20706619

Rough sets and Laplacian score based cost-sensitive feature selection

PubMed Central

Yu, Shenglong

2018-01-01

Cost-sensitive feature selection learning is an important preprocessing step in machine learning and data mining. Recently, most existing cost-sensitive feature selection algorithms are heuristic algorithms, which evaluate the importance of each feature individually and select features one by one. Obviously, these algorithms do not consider the relationship among features. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm for minimal cost feature selection called the rough sets and Laplacian score based cost-sensitive feature selection. The importance of each feature is evaluated by both rough sets and Laplacian score. Compared with heuristic algorithms, the proposed algorithm takes into consideration the relationship among features with locality preservation of Laplacian score. We select a feature subset with maximal feature importance and minimal cost when cost is undertaken in parallel, where the cost is given by three different distributions to simulate different applications. Different from existing cost-sensitive feature selection algorithms, our algorithm simultaneously selects out a predetermined number of “good” features. Extensive experimental results show that the approach is efficient and able to effectively obtain the minimum cost subset. In addition, the results of our method are more promising than the results of other cost-sensitive feature selection algorithms. PMID:29912884

City traffic flow breakdown prediction based on fuzzy rough set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xu; Da-wei, Hu; Bing, Su; Duo-jia, Zhang

2017-05-01

In city traffic management, traffic breakdown is a very important issue, which is defined as a speed drop of a certain amount within a dense traffic situation. In order to predict city traffic flow breakdown accurately, in this paper, we propose a novel city traffic flow breakdown prediction algorithm based on fuzzy rough set. Firstly, we illustrate the city traffic flow breakdown problem, in which three definitions are given, that is, 1) Pre-breakdown flow rate, 2) Rate, density, and speed of the traffic flow breakdown, and 3) Duration of the traffic flow breakdown. Moreover, we define a hazard function to represent the probability of the breakdown ending at a given time point. Secondly, as there are many redundant and irrelevant attributes in city flow breakdown prediction, we propose an attribute reduction algorithm using the fuzzy rough set. Thirdly, we discuss how to predict the city traffic flow breakdown based on attribute reduction and SVM classifier. Finally, experiments are conducted by collecting data from I-405 Freeway, which is located at Irvine, California. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is able to achieve lower average error rate of city traffic flow breakdown prediction.

Rough sets and Laplacian score based cost-sensitive feature selection.

PubMed

Yu, Shenglong; Zhao, Hong

2018-01-01

Cost-sensitive feature selection learning is an important preprocessing step in machine learning and data mining. Recently, most existing cost-sensitive feature selection algorithms are heuristic algorithms, which evaluate the importance of each feature individually and select features one by one. Obviously, these algorithms do not consider the relationship among features. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm for minimal cost feature selection called the rough sets and Laplacian score based cost-sensitive feature selection. The importance of each feature is evaluated by both rough sets and Laplacian score. Compared with heuristic algorithms, the proposed algorithm takes into consideration the relationship among features with locality preservation of Laplacian score. We select a feature subset with maximal feature importance and minimal cost when cost is undertaken in parallel, where the cost is given by three different distributions to simulate different applications. Different from existing cost-sensitive feature selection algorithms, our algorithm simultaneously selects out a predetermined number of "good" features. Extensive experimental results show that the approach is efficient and able to effectively obtain the minimum cost subset. In addition, the results of our method are more promising than the results of other cost-sensitive feature selection algorithms.

ROMI-3: Rough-Mill Simulator Version 3.0: User's Guide

Treesearch

Joel M. Weiss; R. Edward Thomas; R. Edward Thomas

2005-01-01

ROMI-3 Rough-Mill Simulator is a software package that simulates current industrial practices for rip-first and chop-first lumber processing. This guide shows the user how to set up and examine the results of simulations of current or proposed mill practices. ROMI-3 accepts cutting bills with as many as 600 combined solid and/or panel part sizes. Plots of processed...

Role of roughness parameters on the tribology of randomly nano-textured silicon surface.

PubMed

Gualtieri, E; Pugno, N; Rota, A; Spagni, A; Lepore, E; Valeri, S

2011-10-01

This experimental work is oriented to give a contribution to the knowledge of the relationship among surface roughness parameters and tribological properties of lubricated surfaces; it is well known that these surface properties are strictly related, but a complete comprehension of such correlations is still far to be reached. For this purpose, a mechanical polishing procedure was optimized in order to induce different, but well controlled, morphologies on Si(100) surfaces. The use of different abrasive papers and slurries enabled the formation of a wide spectrum of topographical irregularities (from the submicro- to the nano-scale) and a broad range of surface profiles. An AFM-based morphological and topographical campaign was carried out to characterize each silicon rough surface through a set of parameters. Samples were subsequently water lubricated and tribologically characterized through ball-on-disk tribometer measurements. Indeed, the wettability of each surface was investigated by measuring the water droplet contact angle, that revealed a hydrophilic character for all the surfaces, even if no clear correlation with roughness emerged. Nevertheless, this observation brings input to the purpose, as it allows to exclude that the differences in surface profile affect lubrication. So it is possible to link the dynamic friction coefficient of rough Si samples exclusively to the opportune set of surface roughness parameters that can exhaustively describe both height amplitude variations (Ra, Rdq) and profile periodicity (Rsk, Rku, Ic) that influence asperity-asperity interactions and hydrodynamic lift in different ways. For this main reason they cannot be treated separately, but with dependent approach through which it was possible to explain even counter intuitive results: the unexpected decreasing of friction coefficient with increasing Ra is justifiable by a more consistent increasing of kurtosis Rku.

Comparative evaluation of topographical data of dental implant surfaces applying optical interferometry and scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Kournetas, N; Spintzyk, S; Schweizer, E; Sawada, T; Said, F; Schmid, P; Geis-Gerstorfer, J; Eliades, G; Rupp, F

2017-08-01

Comparability of topographical data of implant surfaces in literature is low and their clinical relevance often equivocal. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of scanning electron microscopy and optical interferometry to assess statistically similar 3-dimensional roughness parameter results and to evaluate these data based on predefined criteria regarded relevant for a favorable biological response. Four different commercial dental screw-type implants (NanoTite Certain Prevail, TiUnite Brånemark Mk III, XiVE S Plus and SLA Standard Plus) were analyzed by stereo scanning electron microscopy and white light interferometry. Surface height, spatial and hybrid roughness parameters (Sa, Sz, Ssk, Sku, Sal, Str, Sdr) were assessed from raw and filtered data (Gaussian 50μm and 5μm cut-off-filters), respectively. Data were statistically compared by one-way ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer post-hoc test. For a clinically relevant interpretation, a categorizing evaluation approach was used based on predefined threshold criteria for each roughness parameter. The two methods exhibited predominantly statistical differences. Dependent on roughness parameters and filter settings, both methods showed variations in rankings of the implant surfaces and differed in their ability to discriminate the different topographies. Overall, the analyses revealed scale-dependent roughness data. Compared to the pure statistical approach, the categorizing evaluation resulted in much more similarities between the two methods. This study suggests to reconsider current approaches for the topographical evaluation of implant surfaces and to further seek after proper experimental settings. Furthermore, the specific role of different roughness parameters for the bioresponse has to be studied in detail in order to better define clinically relevant, scale-dependent and parameter-specific thresholds and ranges. Copyright © 2017 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gene Selection and Cancer Classification: A Rough Sets Based Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Lijun; Miao, Duoqian; Zhang, Hongyun

Indentification of informative gene subsets responsible for discerning between available samples of gene expression data is an important task in bioinformatics. Reducts, from rough sets theory, corresponding to a minimal set of essential genes for discerning samples, is an efficient tool for gene selection. Due to the compuational complexty of the existing reduct algoritms, feature ranking is usually used to narrow down gene space as the first step and top ranked genes are selected . In this paper,we define a novel certierion based on the expression level difference btween classes and contribution to classification of the gene for scoring genes and present a algorithm for generating all possible reduct from informative genes.The algorithm takes the whole attribute sets into account and find short reduct with a significant reduction in computational complexity. An exploration of this approach on benchmark gene expression data sets demonstrates that this approach is successful for selecting high discriminative genes and the classification accuracy is impressive.

Entropy Based Feature Selection for Fuzzy Set-Valued Information Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Waseem; Sufyan Beg, M. M.; Ahmad, Tanvir

2018-06-01

In Set-valued Information Systems (SIS), several objects contain more than one value for some attributes. Tolerance relation used for handling SIS sometimes leads to loss of certain information. To surmount this problem, fuzzy rough model was introduced. However, in some cases, SIS may contain some real or continuous set-values. Therefore, the existing fuzzy rough model for handling Information system with fuzzy set-values needs some changes. In this paper, Fuzzy Set-valued Information System (FSIS) is proposed and fuzzy similarity relation for FSIS is defined. Yager's relative conditional entropy was studied to find the significance measure of a candidate attribute of FSIS. Later, using these significance values, three greedy forward algorithms are discussed for finding the reduct and relative reduct for the proposed FSIS. An experiment was conducted on a sample population of the real dataset and a comparison of classification accuracies of the proposed FSIS with the existing SIS and single-valued Fuzzy Information Systems was made, which demonstrated the effectiveness of proposed FSIS.

Shear Model Development of Limestone Joints with Incorporating Variations of Basic Friction Coefficient and Roughness Components During Shearing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehrishal, Seyedahmad; Sharifzadeh, Mostafa; Shahriar, Korosh; Song, Jae-Jon

2017-04-01

In relation to the shearing of rock joints, the precise and continuous evaluation of asperity interlocking, dilation, and basic friction properties has been the most important task in the modeling of shear strength. In this paper, in order to investigate these controlling factors, two types of limestone joint samples were prepared and CNL direct shear tests were performed on these joints under various shear conditions. One set of samples were travertine and another were onyx marble with slickensided surfaces, surfaces ground to #80, and rough surfaces were tested. Direct shear experiments conducted on slickensided and ground surfaces of limestone indicated that by increasing the applied normal stress, under different shearing rates, the basic friction coefficient decreased. Moreover, in the shear tests under constant normal stress and shearing rate, the basic friction coefficient remained constant for the different contact sizes. The second series of direct shear experiments in this research was conducted on tension joint samples to evaluate the effect of surface roughness on the shear behavior of the rough joints. This paper deals with the dilation and roughness interlocking using a method that characterizes the surface roughness of the joint based on a fundamental combined surface roughness concept. The application of stress-dependent basic friction and quantitative roughness parameters in the continuous modeling of the shear behavior of rock joints is an important aspect of this research.

Temporal Stability of Surface Roughness Effects on Radar Based Soil Moisture Retrieval During the Corn Growth Cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joseph, A.T.; Lang, R.; O'Neill, P.E.; van der Velde, R.; Gish, T.

2008-01-01

A representative soil surface roughness parameterization needed for the retrieval of soil moisture from active microwave satellite observation is difficult to obtain through either in-situ measurements or remote sensing-based inversion techniques. Typically, for the retrieval of soil moisture, temporal variations in surface roughness are assumed to be negligible. Although previous investigations have suggested that this assumption might be reasonable for natural vegetation covers (Moran et al. 2002, Thoma et al. 2006), insitu measurements over plowed agricultural fields (Callens et al. 2006) have shown that the soil surface roughness can change considerably over time. This paper reports on the temporal stability of surface roughness effects on radar observations and soil moisture retrieved from these radar observations collected once a week during a corn growth cycle (May 10th - October 2002). The data set employed was collected during the Optimizing Production Inputs for Economic and Environmental Enhancement (OPE3) field campaign covering this 2002 corn growth cycle and consists of dual-polarized (HH and VV) L-band (1.6 GHz) acquired at view angles of 15, 35, and 55 degrees. Cross-polarized L baud radar data were also collected as part of this experiment, but are not used in the analysis reported on here. After accounting for vegetation effects on radar observations, time-invariant optimum roughness parameters were determined using the Integral Equation Method (IEM) and radar observations acquired over bare soil and cropped conditions (the complete radar data set includes entire corn growth cycle). The optimum roughness parameters, soil moisture retrieval uncertainty, temporal distribution of retrieval errors and its relationship with the weather conditions (e.g. rainfall and wind speed) have been analyzed. It is shown that over the corn growth cycle, temporal roughness variations due to weathering by rain are responsible for almost 50% of soil moisture retrieval uncertainty depending on the sensing configuration. The effects of surface roughness variations are found to be smallest for observations acquired at a view angle of 55 degrees and HH polarization. A possible explanation for this result is that at 55 degrees and HH polarization the effect of vertical surface height changes on the observed radar response are limited because the microwaves travel parallel to the incident plane and as a result will not interact directly with vertically oriented soil structures.

Effect of Blade-surface Finish on Performance of a Single-stage Axial-flow Compressor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moses, Jason J; Serovy, George, K

1951-01-01

A set of modified NACA 5509-34 rotor and stator blades was investigated with rough-machine, hand-filed, and highly polished surface finishes over a range of weight flows at six equivalent tip speeds from 672 to 1092 feet per second to determine the effect of blade-surface finish on the performance of a single-stage axial-flow compressor. Surface-finish effects decreased with increasing compressor speed and with decreasing flow at a given speed. In general, finishing blade surfaces below the roughness that may be considered aerodynamically smooth on the basis of an admissible-roughness formula will have no effect on compressor performance.

Signal Processing Methods for Liquid Rocket Engine Combustion Spontaneous Stability and Rough Combustion Assessments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, R. Jeremy; Casiano, Matthew; Fischbach, Sean; Hulka, James R.

2012-01-01

Liquid rocket engine combustion stability assessments are traditionally broken into three categories: dynamic stability, spontaneous stability, and rough combustion. This work focuses on comparing the spontaneous stability and rough combustion assessments for several liquid engine programs. The techniques used are those developed at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for the J-2X Workhorse Gas Generator program. Stability assessment data from the Integrated Powerhead Demonstrator (IPD), FASTRAC, and Common Extensible Cryogenic Engine (CECE) programs are compared against previously processed J-2X Gas Generator data. Prior metrics for spontaneous stability assessments are updated based on the compilation of all data sets.

Float polishing of optical materials.

PubMed

Bennett, J M; Shaffer, J J; Shibano, Y; Namba, Y

1987-02-15

The float-polishing technique has been studied to determine its suitability for producing supersmooth surfaces on optical materials, yielding a roughness of <2 A rms. An attempt was made to polish six different materials including fused quartz, Zerodur, and sapphire. The low surface roughness was achieved on fused quartz, Zerodur, and Corning experimental glass-ceramic materials, and a surface roughness of <1 A rms was obtained on O-cut single-crystal sapphire. Presumably, similar surface finishes can also be obtained on CerVit and ULE quartz, which could not be polished satisfactorily in this set of experiments because of a mismatch between sample mounting and machine configuration.

Effect of laser parameters on surface roughness of laser modified tool steel after thermal cyclic loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lau Sheng, Annie; Ismail, Izwan; Nur Aqida, Syarifah

2018-03-01

This study presents the effects of laser parameters on the surface roughness of laser modified tool steel after thermal cyclic loading. Pulse mode Nd:YAG laser was used to perform the laser surface modification process on AISI H13 tool steel samples. Samples were then treated with thermal cyclic loading experiments which involved alternate immersion in molten aluminium (800°C) and water (27°C) for 553 cycles. A full factorial design of experiment (DOE) was developed to perform the investigation. Factors for the DOE are the laser parameter namely overlap rate (η), pulse repetition frequency (f PRF) and peak power (Ppeak ) while the response is the surface roughness after thermal cyclic loading. Results indicate the surface roughness of the laser modified surface after thermal cyclic loading is significantly affected by laser parameter settings.

Local Table Condensation in Rough Set Approach for Jumping Emerging Pattern Induction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terlecki, Pawel; Walczak, Krzysztof

This paper extends the rough set approach for JEP induction based on the notion of a condensed decision table. The original transaction database is transformed to a relational form and patterns are induced by means of local reducts. The transformation employs an item aggregation obtained by coloring a graph that re0ects con0icts among items. For e±ciency reasons we propose to perform this preprocessing locally, i.e. at the transaction level, to achieve a higher dimensionality gain. Special maintenance strategy is also used to avoid graph rebuilds. Both global and local approach have been tested and discussed for dense and synthetically generated sparse datasets.

Modification of surface morphology of Ti6Al4V alloy manufactured by Laser Sintering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Draganovská, Dagmar; Ižariková, Gabriela; Guzanová, Anna; Brezinová, Janette; Koncz, Juraj

2016-06-01

The paper deals with the evaluation of relation between roughness parameters of Ti6Al4V alloy produced by DMLS and modified by abrasive blasting. There were two types of blasting abrasives that were used - white corundum and Zirblast at three levels of air pressure. The effect of pressure on the value of individual roughness parameters and an influence of blasting media on the parameters for samples blasted by white corundum and Zirblast were evaluated by ANOVA. Based on the measured values, the correlation matrix was set and the standard of correlation statistic importance between the monitored parameters was determined from it. The correlation coefficient was also set.

Exploring KM Features of High-Performance Companies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Wei-Wen

2007-12-01

For reacting to an increasingly rival business environment, many companies emphasize the importance of knowledge management (KM). It is a favorable way to explore and learn KM features of high-performance companies. However, finding out the critical KM features of high-performance companies is a qualitative analysis problem. To handle this kind of problem, the rough set approach is suitable because it is based on data-mining techniques to discover knowledge without rigorous statistical assumptions. Thus, this paper explored KM features of high-performance companies by using the rough set approach. The results show that high-performance companies stress the importance on both tacit and explicit knowledge, and consider that incentives and evaluations are the essentials to implementing KM.

Comparative histomorphometry and resonance frequency analysis of implants with moderately rough surfaces in a loaded animal model.

PubMed

Al-Nawas, B; Groetz, K A; Goetz, H; Duschner, H; Wagner, W

2008-01-01

Test of favourable conditions for osseointegration with respect to optimum bone-implant contact (BIC) in a loaded animal model. The varied parameters were surface roughness and surface topography of commercially available dental implants. Thirty-two implants of six types of macro and microstructure were included in the study (total 196). The different types were: minimally rough control: Branemark machined Mk III; oxidized surface: TiUnite MkIII and MkIV; ZL Ticer; blasted and etched surface: Straumann SLA; rough control: titanium plasma sprayed (TPS). Sixteen beagle dogs were implanted with the whole set of the above implants. After a healing period of 8 weeks, implants were loaded for 3 months. For the evaluation of the BIC areas, adequately sectioned biopsies were visualized by subsurface scans with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The primary statistical analysis testing BIC of the moderately rough implants (mean 56.1+/-13.0%) vs. the minimally rough and the rough controls (mean 53.9+/-11.2%) does not reveal a significant difference (P=0.57). Mean values of 50-70% BIC were found for all implant types. Moderately rough oxidized implants show a median BIC, which is 8% higher than their minimally rough turned counterpart. The intraindividual difference between the TPS and the blasted and etched counterparts revealed no significant difference. The turned and the oxidized implants show median values of the resonance frequency [implant stability quotients (ISQ)] over 60; the nonself-tapping blasted and etched and TPS implants show median values below 60. In conclusion, the benefit of rough surfaces relative to minimally rough ones in this loaded animal model was confirmed histologically. The comparison of different surface treatment modalities revealed no significant differences between the modern moderately rough surfaces. Resonance frequency analysis seems to be influenced in a major part by the transducer used, thus prohibiting the comparison of different implant systems.

Deep Learning Method for Denial of Service Attack Detection Based on Restricted Boltzmann Machine.

PubMed

Imamverdiyev, Yadigar; Abdullayeva, Fargana

2018-06-01

In this article, the application of the deep learning method based on Gaussian-Bernoulli type restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM) to the detection of denial of service (DoS) attacks is considered. To increase the DoS attack detection accuracy, seven additional layers are added between the visible and the hidden layers of the RBM. Accurate results in DoS attack detection are obtained by optimization of the hyperparameters of the proposed deep RBM model. The form of the RBM that allows application of the continuous data is used. In this type of RBM, the probability distribution of the visible layer is replaced by a Gaussian distribution. Comparative analysis of the accuracy of the proposed method with Bernoulli-Bernoulli RBM, Gaussian-Bernoulli RBM, deep belief network type deep learning methods on DoS attack detection is provided. Detection accuracy of the methods is verified on the NSL-KDD data set. Higher accuracy from the proposed multilayer deep Gaussian-Bernoulli type RBM is obtained.

Effective Patient-Physician Communication Based on Osteopathic Philosophy in Caring for Elderly Patients.

PubMed

Noll, Donald R; Ginsberg, Terrie; Elahi, Abdul; Cavalieri, Thomas A

2016-01-01

The objective of this article is to discuss effective communication strategies between elderly patients and their physicians from the perspective of osteopathic heritage. The patient-physician communication styles of Andrew Taylor Still, MD, DO, and early osteopathic physicians (ie, DOs) may have influenced how DOs today communicate with their patients. Historical literature describes how Still would discuss with his patients the causes of their health problems using analogies and language they would understand, and how, when caring for a patient at the end of life, he empathically provided emotional support for both patients and their families. Early DOs advocated setting clear expectations for patients regarding clinical outcomes and carefully listening to patients to build trust. The Osteopathic Oath, which calls for the DO to view the patient as a friend, may also affect patient-physician communication. Early osteopathic philosophy and culture, as modeled by Dr Still in his approach to elderly patients, should inspire today's DOs in their communication with their elderly patients.

Analysis of accuracy in photogrammetric roughness measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olkowicz, Marcin; Dąbrowski, Marcin; Pluymakers, Anne

2017-04-01

Regarding permeability, one of the most important features of shale gas reservoirs is the effective aperture of cracks opened during hydraulic fracturing, both propped and unpropped. In a propped fracture, the aperture is controlled mostly by proppant size and its embedment, and fracture surface roughness only has a minor influence. In contrast, in an unpropped fracture aperture is controlled by the fracture roughness and the wall displacement. To measure fracture surface roughness, we have used the photogrammetric method since it is time- and cost-efficient. To estimate the accuracy of this method we compare the photogrammetric measurements with reference measurements taken with a White Light Interferometer (WLI). Our photogrammetric setup is based on high resolution 50 Mpx camera combined with a focus stacking technique. The first step for photogrammetric measurements is to determine the optimal camera positions and lighting. We compare multiple scans of one sample, taken with different settings of lighting and camera positions, with the reference WLI measurement. The second step is to perform measurements of all studied fractures with the parameters that produced the best results in the first step. To compare photogrammetric and WLI measurements we regrid both data sets onto a regular 10 μm grid and determined the best fit, followed by a calculation of the difference between the measurements. The first results of the comparison show that for 90 % of measured points the absolute vertical distance between WLI and photogrammetry is less than 10 μm, while the mean absolute vertical distance is 5 μm. This proves that our setup can be used for fracture roughness measurements in shales.

Counterintuitive effects of substrate roughness on PDCs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrews, B. J.; Manga, M.

2012-12-01

We model dilute pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) using scaled, warm, particle-laden density currents in a 6 m long, 0.6 m wide, 1.8 m tall air-filled tank. In this set of experiments, we run currents over substrates with characteristic roughness scales, hr, ranging over ~3 orders of magnitude from smooth, through 250 μm sandpaper, 0.1-, 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10 cm hemispheres. As substrate roughness increases, runout distance increases until a critical roughness height, hrc, is reached; further increases in roughness height decrease runout. The critical roughness height appears to be 0.25-0.5 htb, the thickness of the turbulent lower layer of the density currents. The dependence of runout on hr is most likely the result of increases in substrate roughness decreasing the average current velocity and converting that energy into increased turbulence intensity. Small values of hr thus result in increased runout as sedimentation is inhibited by the increased turbulence intensity. At larger values of hr current behavior is controlled by much larger decreases in average current velocity, even though sedimentation decreases. Scaling our experiments up to the size of real volcanic eruptions suggests that landscapes must have characteristic roughness hr>10 m to reduce the runout of natural PDCs, smaller roughness scales can increase runout. Comparison of relevant bulk (Reynolds number, densimetric and thermal Richardson numbers, excess buoyant thermal energy density) and turbulent (Stokes and settling numbers) between our experiments and natural dilute PDCs indicates that we are accurately modeling at least the large scale behaviors and dynamics of dilute PDCs.

Identifying Degenerative Brain Disease Using Rough Set Classifier Based on Wavelet Packet Method.

PubMed

Cheng, Ching-Hsue; Liu, Wei-Xiang

2018-05-28

Population aging has become a worldwide phenomenon, which causes many serious problems. The medical issues related to degenerative brain disease have gradually become a concern. Magnetic Resonance Imaging is one of the most advanced methods for medical imaging and is especially suitable for brain scans. From the literature, although the automatic segmentation method is less laborious and time-consuming, it is restricted in several specific types of images. In addition, hybrid techniques segmentation improves the shortcomings of the single segmentation method. Therefore, this study proposed a hybrid segmentation combined with rough set classifier and wavelet packet method to identify degenerative brain disease. The proposed method is a three-stage image process method to enhance accuracy of brain disease classification. In the first stage, this study used the proposed hybrid segmentation algorithms to segment the brain ROI (region of interest). In the second stage, wavelet packet was used to conduct the image decomposition and calculate the feature values. In the final stage, the rough set classifier was utilized to identify the degenerative brain disease. In verification and comparison, two experiments were employed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method and compare with the TV-seg (total variation segmentation) algorithm, Discrete Cosine Transform, and the listing classifiers. Overall, the results indicated that the proposed method outperforms the listing methods.

Effects of setting under air pressure on the number of surface pores and irregularities of dental investment materials.

PubMed

Tourah, Anita; Moshaverinia, Alireza; Chee, Winston W

2014-02-01

Surface roughness and irregularities are important properties of dental investment materials that can affect the fit of a restoration. Whether setting under air pressure affects the surface irregularities of gypsum-bonded and phosphate-bonded investment materials is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of air pressure on the pore size and surface irregularities of investment materials immediately after pouring. Three dental investments, 1 gypsum-bonded investment and 2 phosphate-bonded investments, were investigated. They were vacuum mixed according to the manufacturers' recommendations, then poured into a ringless casting system. The prepared specimens were divided into 2 groups: 1 bench setting and the other placed in a pressure pot at 172 kPa. After 45 minutes of setting, the rings were removed and the investments were cut at a right angle to the long axis with a diamond disk. The surfaces of the investments were steam cleaned, dried with an air spray, and observed with a stereomicroscope. A profilometer was used to evaluate the surface roughness (μm) of the castings. The number of surface pores was counted for 8 specimens from each group and the means and standard deviations were reported. Two-way ANOVA was used to compare the data. Specimens that set under atmospheric air pressure had a significantly higher number of pores than specimens that set under increased pressure (P<.05). No statistically significant differences for surface roughness were found (P=.078). Also, no significant difference was observed among the 3 different types of materials tested (P>.05). Specimens set under positive pressure in a pressure chamber presented fewer surface bubbles than specimens set under atmospheric pressure. Positive pressure is effective and, therefore, is recommended for both gypsum-bonded and phosphate-bonded investment materials. Copyright © 2014 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiative transfer simulations of the two-dimensional ocean glint reflectance and determination of the sea surface roughness.

PubMed

Lin, Zhenyi; Li, Wei; Gatebe, Charles; Poudyal, Rajesh; Stamnes, Knut

2016-02-20

An optimized discrete-ordinate radiative transfer model (DISORT3) with a pseudo-two-dimensional bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) is used to simulate and validate ocean glint reflectances at an infrared wavelength (1036 nm) by matching model results with a complete set of BRDF measurements obtained from the NASA cloud absorption radiometer (CAR) deployed on an aircraft. The surface roughness is then obtained through a retrieval algorithm and is used to extend the simulation into the visible spectral range where diffuse reflectance becomes important. In general, the simulated reflectances and surface roughness information are in good agreement with the measurements, and the diffuse reflectance in the visible, ignored in current glint algorithms, is shown to be important. The successful implementation of this new treatment of ocean glint reflectance and surface roughness in DISORT3 will help improve glint correction algorithms in current and future ocean color remote sensing applications.

Radiative Transfer Simulations of the Two-Dimensional Ocean Glint Reflectance and Determination of the Sea Surface Roughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Zhenyi; Li, Wei; Gatebe, Charles; Poudyal, Rajesh; Stamnes, Knut

2016-01-01

An optimized discrete-ordinate radiative transfer model (DISORT3) with a pseudo-two-dimensional bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) is used to simulate and validate ocean glint reflectances at an infrared wavelength (1036 nm) by matching model results with a complete set of BRDF measurements obtained from the NASA cloud absorption radiometer (CAR) deployed on an aircraft. The surface roughness is then obtained through a retrieval algorithm and is used to extend the simulation into the visible spectral range where diffuse reflectance becomes important. In general, the simulated reflectances and surface roughness information are in good agreement with the measurements, and the diffuse reflectance in the visible, ignored in current glint algorithms, is shown to be important. The successful implementation of this new treatment of ocean glint reflectance and surface roughness in DISORT3 will help improve glint correction algorithms in current and future ocean color remote sensing applications.

Quantitative three-dimensional ice roughness from scanning electron microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butterfield, Nicholas; Rowe, Penny M.; Stewart, Emily; Roesel, David; Neshyba, Steven

2017-03-01

We present a method for inferring surface morphology of ice from scanning electron microscope images. We first develop a novel functional form for the backscattered electron intensity as a function of ice facet orientation; this form is parameterized using smooth ice facets of known orientation. Three-dimensional representations of rough surfaces are retrieved at approximately micrometer resolution using Gauss-Newton inversion within a Bayesian framework. Statistical analysis of the resulting data sets permits characterization of ice surface roughness with a much higher statistical confidence than previously possible. A survey of results in the range -39°C to -29°C shows that characteristics of the roughness (e.g., Weibull parameters) are sensitive not only to the degree of roughening but also to the symmetry of the roughening. These results suggest that roughening characteristics obtained by remote sensing and in situ measurements of atmospheric ice clouds can potentially provide more facet-specific information than has previously been appreciated.

Cleaning of optical surfaces by capacitively coupled RF discharge plasma

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

Yadav, P. K., E-mail: praveenyadav@rrcat.gov.in; Rai, S. K.; Nayak, M.

2014-04-24

In this paper, we report cleaning of carbon capped molybdenum (Mo) thin film by in-house developed radio frequency (RF) plasma reactor, at different powers and exposure time. Carbon capped Mo films were exposed to oxygen plasma for different durations at three different power settings, at a constant pressure. After each exposure, the thickness of the carbon layer and the roughness of the film were determined by hard x-ray reflectivity measurements. It was observed that most of the carbon film got removed in first 15 minutes exposure. A high density layer formed on top of the Mo film was also observedmore » and it was noted that this layer cannot be removed by successive exposures at different powers. A significant improvement in interface roughness with a slight improvement in top film roughness was observed. The surface roughness of the exposed and unexposed samples was also confirmed by atomic force microscopy measurements.« less

Determining the Effect of Material Hardness During the Hard Turning of AISI4340 Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kambagowni, Venkatasubbaiah; Chitla, Raju; Challa, Suresh

2018-05-01

In the present manufacturing industries hardened steels are most widely used in the applications like tool design and mould design. It enhances the application range of hard turning of hardened steels in manufacturing industries. This study discusses the impact of workpiece hardness, feed and depth of cut on Arithmetic mean roughness (Ra), root mean square roughness (Rq), mean depth of roughness (Rz) and total roughness (Rt) during the hard turning. Experiments have been planned according to the Box-Behnken design and conducted on hardened AISI4340 steel at 45, 50 and 55 HRC with wiper ceramic cutting inserts. Cutting speed is kept constant during this study. The analysis of variance was used to determine the effects of the machining parameters. 3-D response surface plots drawn based on RSM were utilized to set up the input-output relationships. The results indicated that the feed rate has the most significant parameter for Ra, Rq and Rz and hardness has the most critical parameter for the Rt. Further, hardness shows its influence over all the surface roughness characteristics.

Variation in bed level shear stress on surfaces sheltered by nonerodible roughness elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutton, Stephen L. F.; McKenna-Neuman, Cheryl

2008-09-01

Direct bed level observations of surface shear stress, pressure gradient variability, turbulence intensity, and fluid flow patterns were carried out in the vicinity of cylindrical roughness elements mounted in a boundary layer wind tunnel. Paired corkscrew vortices shed from each of the elements result in elevated shear stress and increased potential for the initiation of particle transport within the far wake. While the size and shape of these trailing vortices change with the element spacing, they persist even for large roughness densities. Wake interference coincides with the impingement of the upwind horseshoe vortices upon one another at a point when their diameter approaches half the distance between the roughness elements. While the erosive capability of the horseshoe vortex has been suggested for a variety of settings, the present study shows that the fluid stress immediately beneath this coherent structure is actually small in comparison to that caused by compression of the incident flow as it is deflected around the element and attached vortex. Observations such as these are required for further refinement of models of stress partitioning on rough surfaces.

Mars radar clutter and surface roughness characteristics from MARSIS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Bruce A.; Schroeder, Dustin M.; Whitten, Jennifer L.

2018-01-01

Radar sounder studies of icy, sedimentary, and volcanic settings can be affected by reflections from surface topography surrounding the sensor nadir location. These off-nadir ;clutter; returns appear at similar time delays to subsurface echoes and complicate geologic interpretation. Additionally, broadening of the radar echo in delay by surface returns sets a limit on the detectability of subsurface interfaces. We use MARSIS 4 MHz data to study variations in the nadir and off-nadir clutter echoes, from about 300 km to 1000 km altitude, R, for a wide range of surface roughness. This analysis uses a new method of characterizing ionospheric attenuation to merge observations over a range of solar zenith angle and date. Mirror-like reflections should scale as R-2, but the observed 4 MHz nadir echoes often decline by a somewhat smaller power-law factor because MARSIS on-board processing increases the number of summed pulses with altitude. Prior predictions of the contributions from clutter suggest a steeper decline with R than the nadir echoes, but in very rough areas the ratio of off-nadir returns to nadir echoes shows instead an increase of about R1/2 with altitude. This is likely due in part to an increase in backscatter from the surface as the radar incidence angle at some round-trip time delay declines with increasing R. It is possible that nadir and clutter echo properties in other planetary sounding observations, including RIME and REASON flyby data for Europa, will vary in the same way with altitude, but there may be differences in the nature and scale of target roughness (e.g., icy versus rocky surfaces). We present global maps of the ionosphere- and altitude-corrected nadir echo strength, and of a ;clutter; parameter based on the ratio of off-nadir to nadir echoes. The clutter map offers a view of surface roughness at ∼75 m length scale, bridging the spatial-scale gap between SHARAD roughness estimates and MOLA-derived parameters.

Examination of Routine Practice Patterns in the Hospital Information Data Warehouse: Use of OLAP and Rough Set Analysis with Clinician Feedback

PubMed Central

Grant, Andrew; Grant, Gwyneth; Gagné, Jean; Blanchette, Carl; Comeau, Émilie; Brodeur, Guillaume; Dionne, Jonathon; Ayite, Alphonse; Synak, Piotr; Wroblewski, Jakub; Apanowitz, Cas

2001-01-01

The patient centred electronic patient record enables retrospective analysis of practice patterns as one means to assist clinicians adjust and improve their practice. An interrogation of the data-warehouse linking test use to Diagnostic Related Group (DRG) of one years data of the Sherbrooke University Hospital showed that one-third of patients used two-thirds of these diagnostic tests. Using RoughSets analysis, zones of repeated tests were demonstrated where results remained within stable limits. It was concluded that 30% of fluid and electrolyte testing was probably unnecessary. These findings led to an endorsement of changing the test request formats in the hospital information system from profiles to individual tests requiring justification.

Fast Spatial Resolution Analysis of Quadratic Penalized Least-Squares Image Reconstruction With Separate Real and Imaginary Roughness Penalty: Application to fMRI.

PubMed

Olafsson, Valur T; Noll, Douglas C; Fessler, Jeffrey A

2018-02-01

Penalized least-squares iterative image reconstruction algorithms used for spatial resolution-limited imaging, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), commonly use a quadratic roughness penalty to regularize the reconstructed images. When used for complex-valued images, the conventional roughness penalty regularizes the real and imaginary parts equally. However, these imaging methods sometimes benefit from separate penalties for each part. The spatial smoothness from the roughness penalty on the reconstructed image is dictated by the regularization parameter(s). One method to set the parameter to a desired smoothness level is to evaluate the full width at half maximum of the reconstruction method's local impulse response. Previous work has shown that when using the conventional quadratic roughness penalty, one can approximate the local impulse response using an FFT-based calculation. However, that acceleration method cannot be applied directly for separate real and imaginary regularization. This paper proposes a fast and stable calculation for this case that also uses FFT-based calculations to approximate the local impulse responses of the real and imaginary parts. This approach is demonstrated with a quadratic image reconstruction of fMRI data that uses separate roughness penalties for the real and imaginary parts.

Investigation of roughing machining simulation by using visual basic programming in NX CAM system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hafiz Mohamad, Mohamad; Nafis Osman Zahid, Muhammed

2018-03-01

This paper outlines a simulation study to investigate the characteristic of roughing machining simulation in 4th axis milling processes by utilizing visual basic programming in NX CAM systems. The selection and optimization of cutting orientation in rough milling operation is critical in 4th axis machining. The main purpose of roughing operation is to approximately shape the machined parts into finished form by removing the bulk of material from workpieces. In this paper, the simulations are executed by manipulating a set of different cutting orientation to generate estimated volume removed from the machine parts. The cutting orientation with high volume removal is denoted as an optimum value and chosen to execute a roughing operation. In order to run the simulation, customized software is developed to assist the routines. Operations build-up instructions in NX CAM interface are translated into programming codes via advanced tool available in the Visual Basic Studio. The codes is customized and equipped with decision making tools to run and control the simulations. It permits the integration with any independent program files to execute specific operations. This paper aims to discuss about the simulation program and identifies optimum cutting orientations for roughing processes. The output of this study will broaden up the simulation routines performed in NX CAM systems.

Bed roughness of palaeo-ice streams: insights and implications for contemporary ice sheet dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falcini, Francesca; Rippin, David; Selby, Katherine; Krabbendam, Maarten

2017-04-01

Bed roughness is the vertical variation of elevation along a horizontal transect. It is an important control on ice stream location and dynamics, with a correspondingly important role in determining the behaviour of ice sheets. Previous studies of bed roughness have been limited to insights derived from Radio Echo Sounding (RES) profiles across parts of Antarctica and Greenland. Such an approach has been necessary due to the inaccessibility of the underlying bed. This approach has led to important insights, such as identifying a general link between smooth beds and fast ice flow, as well as rough beds and slow ice flow. However, these insights are mainly derived from relatively coarse datasets, so that links between roughness and flow are generalised and rather simplistic. Here, we explore the use of DTMs from the well-preserved footprints of palaeo-ice streams, coupled with high resolution models of palaeo-ice flow, as a tool for investigating basal controls on the behaviour of contemporary, active ice streams in much greater detail. Initially, artificial transects were set up across the Minch palaeo-ice stream (NW Scotland) to mimic RES flight lines from past studies in Antarctica. We then explored how increasing data-resolution impacted upon the roughness measurements that were derived. Our work on the Minch palaeo-ice stream indicates that different roughness signatures are associated with different glacial landforms, and we discuss the potential for using these insights to infer, from RES-based roughness measurements, the occurrence of particular landform assemblages that may exist beneath contemporary ice sheets.

Selection of an evaluation index for water ecological civilizations of water-shortage cities based on the grey rough set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X. Y.; Zhu, J. W.; Xie, J. C.; Liu, J. L.; Jiang, R. G.

2017-08-01

According to the characteristics and existing problems of water ecological civilization of water-shortage cities, the evaluation index system of water ecological civilization was established using a grey rough set. From six aspects of water resources, water security, water environment, water ecology, water culture and water management, this study established the prime frame of the evaluation system, including 28 items, and used rough set theory to undertake optimal selection of the index system. Grey correlation theory then was used for weightings in order that the integrated evaluation index system for water ecology civilization of water-shortage cities could be constituted. Xi’an City was taken as an example, for which the results showed that 20 evaluation indexes could be obtained after optimal selection of the preliminary framework of evaluation index. The most influential indices were the water-resource category index and water environment category index. The leakage rate of the public water supply pipe network, as well as the disposal, treatment and usage rate of polluted water, urban water surface area ratio, the water quality of the main rivers, and so on also are important. It was demonstrated that the evaluation index could provide an objectively reflection of regional features and key points for the development of water ecology civilization for cities with scarce water resources. It is considered that the application example has universal applicability.

Prediction of protein interaction hot spots using rough set-based multiple criteria linear programming.

PubMed

Chen, Ruoying; Zhang, Zhiwang; Wu, Di; Zhang, Peng; Zhang, Xinyang; Wang, Yong; Shi, Yong

2011-01-21

Protein-protein interactions are fundamentally important in many biological processes and it is in pressing need to understand the principles of protein-protein interactions. Mutagenesis studies have found that only a small fraction of surface residues, known as hot spots, are responsible for the physical binding in protein complexes. However, revealing hot spots by mutagenesis experiments are usually time consuming and expensive. In order to complement the experimental efforts, we propose a new computational approach in this paper to predict hot spots. Our method, Rough Set-based Multiple Criteria Linear Programming (RS-MCLP), integrates rough sets theory and multiple criteria linear programming to choose dominant features and computationally predict hot spots. Our approach is benchmarked by a dataset of 904 alanine-mutated residues and the results show that our RS-MCLP method performs better than other methods, e.g., MCLP, Decision Tree, Bayes Net, and the existing HotSprint database. In addition, we reveal several biological insights based on our analysis. We find that four features (the change of accessible surface area, percentage of the change of accessible surface area, size of a residue, and atomic contacts) are critical in predicting hot spots. Furthermore, we find that three residues (Tyr, Trp, and Phe) are abundant in hot spots through analyzing the distribution of amino acids. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Definitions and Omissions of Heroism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martens, Jeffrey W.

2005-01-01

This article presents comments on "The Heroism of Women and Men" by Selwyn W. Becker and Alice H. Eagly. Their article specifically addressed the "cultural association of heroism with men and masculinity . . . in natural settings." Becker and Eagly evidenced roughly equivalent rates of heroism by women and men in a variety of settings. However,…

Hydrograph Predictions of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods From an Ice-Dammed Lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCoy, S. W.; Jacquet, J.; McGrath, D.; Koschitzki, R.; Okuinghttons, J.

2017-12-01

Understanding the time evolution of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and ultimately predicting peak discharge, is crucial to mitigating the impacts of GLOFs on downstream communities and understanding concomitant surface change. The dearth of in situ measurements taken during GLOFs has left many GLOF models currently in use untested. Here we present a dataset of 13 GLOFs from Lago Cachet Dos, Aysen Region, Chile in which we detail measurements of key environmental variables (total volume drained, lake temperature, and lake inflow rate) and high temporal resolution discharge measurements at the source lake, in addition to well-constrained ice thickness and bedrock topography. Using this dataset we test two common empirical equations as well as the physically-based model of Spring-Hutter-Clarke. We find that the commonly used empirical relationships based solely on a dataset of lake volume drained fail to predict the large variability in observed peak discharges from Lago Cachet Dos. This disagreement is likely because these equations do not consider additional environmental variables that we show also control peak discharge, primarily, lake water temperature and the rate of meltwater inflow to the source lake. We find that the Spring-Hutter-Clarke model can accurately simulate the exponentially rising hydrographs that are characteristic of ice-dammed GLOFs, as well as the order of magnitude variation in peak discharge between events if the hydraulic roughness parameter is allowed to be a free fitting parameter. However, the Spring-Hutter-Clarke model over predicts peak discharge in all cases by 10 to 35%. The systematic over prediction of peak discharge by the model is related to its abrupt flood termination that misses the observed steep falling limb of the flood hydrograph. Although satisfactory model fits are produced, the range in hydraulic roughness required to obtain these fits across all events was large, which suggests that current models do not completely capture the physics of these systems, thus limiting their ability to truly predict peak discharges using only independently constrained parameters. We suggest what some of these missing physics might be.

Rough Set Theory based prognostication of life expectancy for terminally ill patients.

PubMed

Gil-Herrera, Eleazar; Yalcin, Ali; Tsalatsanis, Athanasios; Barnes, Laura E; Djulbegovic, Benjamin

2011-01-01

We present a novel knowledge discovery methodology that relies on Rough Set Theory to predict the life expectancy of terminally ill patients in an effort to improve the hospice referral process. Life expectancy prognostication is particularly valuable for terminally ill patients since it enables them and their families to initiate end-of-life discussions and choose the most desired management strategy for the remainder of their lives. We utilize retrospective data from 9105 patients to demonstrate the design and implementation details of a series of classifiers developed to identify potential hospice candidates. Preliminary results confirm the efficacy of the proposed methodology. We envision our work as a part of a comprehensive decision support system designed to assist terminally ill patients in making end-of-life care decisions.

Access Selection Algorithm of Heterogeneous Wireless Networks for Smart Distribution Grid Based on Entropy-Weight and Rough Set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Min; Qu, Qinqin; Chen, Cheng; Tian, Li; Zeng, Lingkang

2017-11-01

To improve the reliability of communication service in smart distribution grid (SDG), an access selection algorithm based on dynamic network status and different service types for heterogeneous wireless networks was proposed. The network performance index values were obtained in real time by multimode terminal and the variation trend of index values was analyzed by the growth matrix. The index weights were calculated by entropy-weight and then modified by rough set to get the final weights. Combining the grey relational analysis to sort the candidate networks, and the optimum communication network is selected. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can implement dynamically access selection in heterogeneous wireless networks of SDG effectively and reduce the network blocking probability.

Allowable SEM noise for unbiased LER measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papavieros, George; Constantoudis, Vassilios; Gogolides, Evangelos

2018-03-01

Recently, a novel method for the calculation of unbiased Line Edge Roughness based on Power Spectral Density analysis has been proposed. In this paper first an alternative method is discussed and investigated, utilizing the Height-Height Correlation Function (HHCF) of edges. The HHCF-based method enables the unbiased determination of the whole triplet of LER parameters including besides rms the correlation length and roughness exponent. The key of both methods is the sensitivity of PSD and HHCF on noise at high frequencies and short distance respectively. Secondly, we elaborate a testbed of synthesized SEM images with controlled LER and noise to justify the effectiveness of the proposed unbiased methods. Our main objective is to find out the boundaries of the method in respect to noise levels and roughness characteristics, for which the method remains reliable, i.e the maximum amount of noise allowed, for which the output results cope with the controllable known inputs. At the same time, we will also set the extremes of roughness parameters for which the methods hold their accuracy.

Effects of cutting parameters and machining environments on surface roughness in hard turning using design of experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mia, Mozammel; Bashir, Mahmood Al; Dhar, Nikhil Ranjan

2016-07-01

Hard turning is gradually replacing the time consuming conventional turning process, which is typically followed by grinding, by producing surface quality compatible to grinding. The hard turned surface roughness depends on the cutting parameters, machining environments and tool insert configurations. In this article the variation of the surface roughness of the produced surfaces with the changes in tool insert configuration, use of coolant and different cutting parameters (cutting speed, feed rate) has been investigated. This investigation was performed in machining AISI 1060 steel, hardened to 56 HRC by heat treatment, using coated carbide inserts under two different machining environments. The depth of cut, fluid pressure and material hardness were kept constant. The Design of Experiment (DOE) was performed to determine the number and combination sets of different cutting parameters. A full factorial analysis has been performed to examine the effect of main factors as well as interaction effect of factors on surface roughness. A statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to determine the combined effect of cutting parameters, environment and tool configuration. The result of this analysis reveals that environment has the most significant impact on surface roughness followed by feed rate and tool configuration respectively.

Effects of bio-inspired microscale roughness on macroscale flow structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bocanegra Evans, Humberto; Hamed, Ali M.; Gorumlu, Serdar; Doosttalab, Ali; Aksak, Burak; Chamorro, Leonardo P.; Castillo, Luciano

2016-11-01

The interaction between rough surfaces and flows is a complex physical situation that produces rich flow phenomena. While random roughness typically increases drag, properly engineered roughness patterns may produce positive results, e.g. dimples in a golf ball. Here we present a set of PIV measurements in an index matched facility of the effect of a bio-inspired surface that consists of an array of mushroom-shaped micro-pillars. The experiments are carried out-under fully wetted conditions-in a flow with adverse pressure gradient, triggering flow separation. The introduction of the micro-pillars dramatically decreases the size of the recirculation bubble; the area with backflow is reduced by approximately 60%. This suggests a positive impact on the form drag generated by the fluid. Furthermore, a negligible effect is seen on the turbulence production terms. The micro-pillars affect the flow by generating low and high pressure perturbations at the interface between the bulk and roughness layer, in a fashion comparable to that of synthetic jets. The passive approach, however, facilitates the implementation of this coating. As the mechanism does not rely on surface hydrophobicity, it is well suited for underwater applications and its functionality should not degrade over time.

Assessment of Ice Shape Roughness Using a Self-Orgainizing Map Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcclain, Stephen T.; Kreeger, Richard E.

2013-01-01

Self-organizing maps are neural-network techniques for representing noisy, multidimensional data aligned along a lower-dimensional and nonlinear manifold. For a large set of noisy data, each element of a finite set of codebook vectors is iteratively moved in the direction of the data closest to the winner codebook vector. Through successive iterations, the codebook vectors begin to align with the trends of the higher-dimensional data. Prior investigations of ice shapes have focused on using self-organizing maps to characterize mean ice forms. The Icing Research Branch has recently acquired a high resolution three dimensional scanner system capable of resolving ice shape surface roughness. A method is presented for the evaluation of surface roughness variations using high-resolution surface scans based on a self-organizing map representation of the mean ice shape. The new method is demonstrated for 1) an 18-in. NACA 23012 airfoil 2 AOA just after the initial ice coverage of the leading 5 of the suction surface of the airfoil, 2) a 21-in. NACA 0012 at 0AOA following coverage of the leading 10 of the airfoil surface, and 3) a cold-soaked 21-in.NACA 0012 airfoil without ice. The SOM method resulted in descriptions of the statistical coverage limits and a quantitative representation of early stages of ice roughness formation on the airfoils. Limitations of the SOM method are explored, and the uncertainty limits of the method are investigated using the non-iced NACA 0012 airfoil measurements.

Parameterized Spectral Bathymetric Roughness Using the Nonequispaced Fast Fourier Transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabre, David Hanks

The ocean and acoustic modeling community has specifically asked for roughness from bathymetry. An effort has been undertaken to provide what can be thought of as the high frequency content of bathymetry. By contrast, the low frequency content of bathymetry is the set of contours. The two-dimensional amplitude spectrum calculated with the nonequispaced fast Fourier transform (Kunis, 2006) is exploited as the statistic to provide several parameters of roughness following the method of Fox (1996). When an area is uniformly rough, it is termed isotropically rough. When an area exhibits lineation effects (like in a trough or a ridge line in the bathymetry), the term anisotropically rough is used. A predominant spatial azimuth of lineation summarizes anisotropic roughness. The power law model fit produces a roll-off parameter that also provides insight into the roughness of the area. These four parameters give rise to several derived parameters. Algorithmic accomplishments include reviving Fox's method (1985, 1996) and improving the method with the possibly geophysically more appropriate nonequispaced fast Fourier transform. A new composite parameter, simply the overall integral length of the nonlinear parameterizing function, is used to make within-dataset comparisons. A synthetic dataset and six multibeam datasets covering practically all depth regimes have been analyzed with the tools that have been developed. Data specific contributions include possibly discovering an aspect ratio isotropic cutoff level (less than 1.2), showing a range of spectral fall-off values between about -0.5 for a sandybottomed Gulf of Mexico area, to about -1.8 for a coral reef area just outside of the Saipan harbor. We also rank the targeted type of dataset, the best resolution gridded datasets, from smoothest to roughest using a factor based on the kernel dimensions, a percentage from the windowing operation, all multiplied by the overall integration length.

A histogram-free multicanonical Monte Carlo algorithm for the construction of analytical density of states

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

Eisenbach, Markus; Li, Ying Wai

We report a new multicanonical Monte Carlo (MC) algorithm to obtain the density of states (DOS) for physical systems with continuous state variables in statistical mechanics. Our algorithm is able to obtain an analytical form for the DOS expressed in a chosen basis set, instead of a numerical array of finite resolution as in previous variants of this class of MC methods such as the multicanonical (MUCA) sampling and Wang-Landau (WL) sampling. This is enabled by storing the visited states directly in a data set and avoiding the explicit collection of a histogram. This practice also has the advantage ofmore » avoiding undesirable artificial errors caused by the discretization and binning of continuous state variables. Our results show that this scheme is capable of obtaining converged results with a much reduced number of Monte Carlo steps, leading to a significant speedup over existing algorithms.« less

Probabilistic flood inundation mapping at ungauged streams due to roughness coefficient uncertainty in hydraulic modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papaioannou, George; Vasiliades, Lampros; Loukas, Athanasios; Aronica, Giuseppe T.

2017-04-01

Probabilistic flood inundation mapping is performed and analysed at the ungauged Xerias stream reach, Volos, Greece. The study evaluates the uncertainty introduced by the roughness coefficient values on hydraulic models in flood inundation modelling and mapping. The well-established one-dimensional (1-D) hydraulic model, HEC-RAS is selected and linked to Monte-Carlo simulations of hydraulic roughness. Terrestrial Laser Scanner data have been used to produce a high quality DEM for input data uncertainty minimisation and to improve determination accuracy on stream channel topography required by the hydraulic model. Initial Manning's n roughness coefficient values are based on pebble count field surveys and empirical formulas. Various theoretical probability distributions are fitted and evaluated on their accuracy to represent the estimated roughness values. Finally, Latin Hypercube Sampling has been used for generation of different sets of Manning roughness values and flood inundation probability maps have been created with the use of Monte Carlo simulations. Historical flood extent data, from an extreme historical flash flood event, are used for validation of the method. The calibration process is based on a binary wet-dry reasoning with the use of Median Absolute Percentage Error evaluation metric. The results show that the proposed procedure supports probabilistic flood hazard mapping at ungauged rivers and provides water resources managers with valuable information for planning and implementing flood risk mitigation strategies.

Accelerated aging effects on surface hardness and roughness of lingual retainer adhesives.

PubMed

Ramoglu, Sabri Ilhan; Usumez, Serdar; Buyukyilmaz, Tamer

2008-01-01

To test the null hypothesis that accelerated aging has no effect on the surface microhardness and roughness of two light-cured lingual retainer adhesives. Ten samples of light-cured materials, Transbond Lingual Retainer (3M Unitek) and Light Cure Retainer (Reliance) were cured with a halogen light for 40 seconds. Vickers hardness and surface roughness were measured before and after accelerated aging of 300 hours in a weathering tester. Differences between mean values were analyzed for statistical significance using a t-test. The level of statistical significance was set at P < .05. The mean Vickers hardness of Transbond Lingual Retainer was 62.8 +/- 3.5 and 79.6 +/- 4.9 before and after aging, respectively. The mean Vickers hardness of Light Cure Retainer was 40.3 +/- 2.6 and 58.3 +/- 4.3 before and after aging, respectively. Differences in both groups were statistically significant (P < .001). Following aging, mean surface roughness was changed from 0.039 microm to 0.121 microm and from 0.021 microm to 0.031 microm for Transbond Lingual Retainer and Light Cure Retainer, respectively. The roughening of Transbond Lingual Retainer with aging was statistically significant (P < .05), while the change in the surface roughness of Light Cure Retainer was not (P > .05). Accelerated aging significantly increased the surface microhardness of both light-cured retainer adhesives tested. It also significantly increased the surface roughness of the Transbond Lingual Retainer.

Rough case-based reasoning system for continues casting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Wenbin; Lei, Zhufeng

2018-04-01

The continuous casting occupies a pivotal position in the iron and steel industry. The rough set theory and the CBR (case based reasoning, CBR) were combined in the research and implementation for the quality assurance of continuous casting billet to improve the efficiency and accuracy in determining the processing parameters. According to the continuous casting case, the object-oriented method was applied to express the continuous casting cases. The weights of the attributes were calculated by the algorithm which was based on the rough set theory and the retrieval mechanism for the continuous casting cases was designed. Some cases were adopted to test the retrieval mechanism, by analyzing the results, the law of the influence of the retrieval attributes on determining the processing parameters was revealed. A comprehensive evaluation model was established by using the attribute recognition theory. According to the features of the defects, different methods were adopted to describe the quality condition of the continuous casting billet. By using the system, the knowledge was not only inherited but also applied to adjust the processing parameters through the case based reasoning method as to assure the quality of the continuous casting and improve the intelligent level of the continuous casting.

Retrieval of Soil Moisture and Roughness from the Polarimetric Radar Response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarabandi, Kamal; Ulaby, Fawwaz T.

1997-01-01

The main objective of this investigation was the characterization of soil moisture using imaging radars. In order to accomplish this task, a number of intermediate steps had to be undertaken. In this proposal, the theoretical, numerical, and experimental aspects of electromagnetic scattering from natural surfaces was considered with emphasis on remote sensing of soil moisture. In the general case, the microwave backscatter from natural surfaces is mainly influenced by three major factors: (1) the roughness statistics of the soil surface, (2) soil moisture content, and (3) soil surface cover. First the scattering problem from bare-soil surfaces was considered and a hybrid model that relates the radar backscattering coefficient to soil moisture and surface roughness was developed. This model is based on extensive experimental measurements of the radar polarimetric backscatter response of bare soil surfaces at microwave frequencies over a wide range of moisture conditions and roughness scales in conjunction with existing theoretical surface scattering models in limiting cases (small perturbation, physical optics, and geometrical optics models). Also a simple inversion algorithm capable of providing accurate estimates of soil moisture content and surface rms height from single-frequency multi-polarization radar observations was developed. The accuracy of the model and its inversion algorithm is demonstrated using independent data sets. Next the hybrid model for bare-soil surfaces is made fully polarimetric by incorporating the parameters of the co- and cross-polarized phase difference into the model. Experimental data in conjunction with numerical simulations are used to relate the soil moisture content and surface roughness to the phase difference statistics. For this purpose, a novel numerical scattering simulation for inhomogeneous dielectric random surfaces was developed. Finally the scattering problem of short vegetation cover above a rough soil surface was considered. A general scattering model for grass-blades of arbitrary cross section was developed and incorporated in a first order random media model. The vegetation model and the bare-soil model are combined and the accuracy of the combined model is evaluated against experimental observations from a wheat field over the entire growing season. A complete set of ground-truth data and polarimetric backscatter data were collected. Also an inversion algorithm for estimating soil moisture and surface roughness from multi-polarized multi-frequency observations of vegetation-covered ground is developed.

TimeSet: A computer program that accesses five atomic time services on two continents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petrakis, P. L.

1993-01-01

TimeSet is a shareware program for accessing digital time services by telephone. At its initial release, it was capable of capturing time signals only from the U.S. Naval Observatory to set a computer's clock. Later the ability to synchronize with the National Institute of Standards and Technology was added. Now, in Version 7.10, TimeSet is able to access three additional telephone time services in Europe - in Sweden, Austria, and Italy - making a total of five official services addressable by the program. A companion program, TimeGen, allows yet another source of telephone time data strings for callers equipped with TimeSet version 7.10. TimeGen synthesizes UTC time data strings in the Naval Observatory's format from an accurately set and maintained DOS computer clock, and transmits them to callers. This allows an unlimited number of 'freelance' time generating stations to be created. Timesetting from TimeGen is made feasible by the advent of Becker's RighTime, a shareware program that learns the drift characteristics of a computer's clock and continuously applies a correction to keep it accurate, and also brings .01 second resolution to the DOS clock. With clock regulation by RighTime and periodic update calls by the TimeGen station to an official time source via TimeSet, TimeGen offers the same degree of accuracy within the resolution of the computer clock as any official atomic time source.

Dissecting the protein architecture of DNA-binding transcription factors in bacteria and archaea.

PubMed

Rivera-Gómez, Nancy; Martínez-Núñez, Mario Alberto; Pastor, Nina; Rodriguez-Vazquez, Katya; Perez-Rueda, Ernesto

2017-08-01

Gene regulation at the transcriptional level is a central process in all organisms where DNA-binding transcription factors play a fundamental role. This class of proteins binds specifically at DNA sequences, activating or repressing gene expression as a function of the cell's metabolic status, operator context and ligand-binding status, among other factors, through the DNA-binding domain (DBD). In addition, TFs may contain partner domains (PaDos), which are involved in ligand binding and protein-protein interactions. In this work, we systematically evaluated the distribution, abundance and domain organization of DNA-binding TFs in 799 non-redundant bacterial and archaeal genomes. We found that the distributions of the DBDs and their corresponding PaDos correlated with the size of the genome. We also identified specific combinations between the DBDs and their corresponding PaDos. Within each class of DBDs there are differences in the actual angle formed at the dimerization interface, responding to the presence/absence of ligands and/or crystallization conditions, setting the orientation of the resulting helices and wings facing the DNA. Our results highlight the importance of PaDos as central elements that enhance the diversity of regulatory functions in all bacterial and archaeal organisms, and our results also demonstrate the role of PaDos in sensing diverse signal compounds. The highly specific interactions between DBDs and PaDos observed in this work, together with our structural analysis highlighting the difficulty in predicting both inter-domain geometry and quaternary structure, suggest that these systems appeared once and evolved with diverse duplication events in all the analysed organisms.

Toward noninvasive detection and monitoring of malaria with broadband diffuse optical spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Chris; Tromberg, Bruce J.; O'Sullivan, Thomas D.

2018-02-01

Despite numerous advances, malaria continues to kill nearly half a million people globally every year. New analytical methods and diagnostics are critical to understanding how treatments under development affect the lifecycle of malaria parasites. A biomarker that has been gaining interest is the "malaria pigment" hemozoin. This byproduct of hemoglobin digestion by the parasite has a unique spectral signature but is difficult to differentiate from hemoglobin and other tissue chromophores. Hemozoin can be detected in blood samples, but only utilizing approaches that require specialized training and facilities. Diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) is a noninvasive sensing technique that is sensitive to near-infrared absorption and scattering and capable of probing centimeter-deep volumes of tissue in vivo. DOS is relatively low-cost, does not require specialized training and thus potentially suitable for use in low-resource settings. In this work, we assess the potential of DOS to detect and quantify the presence of hemozoin noninvasively and at physiologically relevant levels. We suspended synthetic hemozoin in Intralipid-based tissue-simulating phantoms in order to mimic malaria infection in multiply-scattering tissue. Using a fiber probe that combines frequency-domain and continuous-wave broadband DOS (650-1000 nm), we detected hemozoin concentrations below 250 ng/ml, which corresponds to parasitemia sensitivities comparable to modern rapid diagnostic tests. We used the experimental variability to simulate and estimate the sensitivity of DOS to hemozoin in tissue that includes hemoglobin, water, and lipid under various tissue oxygen saturation levels. The results indicate that with increased precision, it may be possible to detect Hz noninvasively with DOS.

From smooth to rough, from water to air: the intertidal habitat of Northern clingfish ( Gobiesox maeandricus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ditsche, Petra; Hicks, Madeline; Truong, Lisa; Linkem, Christina; Summers, Adam

2017-04-01

The Northern clingfish is a small, Eastern North Pacific fish that can attach to rough, fouled rocks in the intertidal. Their ability to attach to surfaces has been measured previously in the laboratory, and in this study, we show the roughness and fouling of the natural habitat of these fish. We introduce a new method for measuring surface roughness of natural substrates with time-limited accessibility. We expect this method to be broadly applicable in studies of animal/substrate surface interactions in habitats difficult to characterize. Our roughness measurements demonstrate that the fish's ability to attach to very coarse roughness is required in its natural environment. Some of the rocks showed even coarser roughness than the fish could attach to in the lab setting. We also characterized the clingfish's preference for other habitat descriptors such as the size of the rocks, biofilm, and Aufwuchs (macroalgae, encrusting invertebrates) cover, as well as grain size of underlying substrate. Northern clingfish seek shelter under rocks of 15-45 cm in size. These rocks have variable Aufwuchs cover, and gravel is the main underlying substrate type. In the intertidal, environmental conditions change with the tides, and for clingfish, the daily time under water (DTUW%) was a key parameter explaining distribution. Rather than location being determined by intertidal zonation, an 80% DTUW, a finer scale concept of tidal inundation, was required by the fish. We expect that this is likely because the mobility of the fish allows them to more closely track the ideal inundation in the marine intertidal.

Surface roughness evaluation on mandrels and mirror shells for future X-ray telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sironi, Giorgia; Spiga, D.

2008-07-01

More X-ray missions that will be operating in near future, like particular SIMBOL-X, e-Rosita, Con-X/HXT, SVOM/XIAO and Polar-X, will be based on focusing optics manufactured by means of the Ni electroforming replication technique. This production method has already been successfully exploited for SAX, XMM and Swift-XRT. Optical surfaces for X-ray reflection have to be as smooth as possible also at high spatial frequencies. Hence it will be crucial to take under control microroughness in order to reduce the scattering effects. A high rms microroughness would cause the degradation of the angular resolution and loss of effective area. Stringent requirements have therefore to be fixed for mirror shells surface roughness depending on the specific energy range investigated, and roughness evolution has to be carefully monitored during the subsequent steps of the mirror-shells realization. This means to study the roughness evolution in the chain mandrel, mirror shells, multilayer deposition and also the degradation of mandrel roughness following iterated replicas. Such a study allows inferring which phases of production are the major responsible of the roughness growth and could help to find solutions optimizing the involved processes. The exposed study is carried out in the context of the technological consolidation related to SIMBOL-X, along with a systematic metrological study of mandrels and mirror shells. To monitor the roughness increase following each replica, a multiinstrumental approach was adopted: microprofiles were analysed by means of their Power Spectral Density (PSD) in the spatial frequency range 1000-0.01 μm. This enables the direct comparison of roughness data taken with instruments characterized by different operative ranges of frequencies, and in particular optical interferometers and Atomic Force Microscopes. The performed analysis allowed us to set realistic specifications on the mandrel roughness to be achieved, and to suggest a limit for the maximum number of a replica a mandrel can undergo before being refurbished.

Automated extraction of decision rules for leptin dynamics--a rough sets approach.

PubMed

Brtka, Vladimir; Stokić, Edith; Srdić, Biljana

2008-08-01

A significant area in the field of medical informatics is concerned with the learning of medical models from low-level data. The goals of inducing models from data are twofold: analysis of the structure of the models so as to gain new insight into the unknown phenomena, and development of classifiers or outcome predictors for unseen cases. In this paper, we will employ approach based on the relation of indiscernibility and rough sets theory to study certain questions concerning the design of model based on if-then rules, from low-level data including 36 parameters, one of them leptin. To generate easy to read, interpret, and inspect model, we have used ROSETTA software system. The main goal of this work is to get new insight into phenomena of leptin levels while interplaying with other risk factors in obesity.

Impact of the ongoing Amazonian deforestation on local precipitation: A GCM simulation study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, G. K.; Sud, Y. C.; Atlas, R.

1995-01-01

Numerical simulation experiments were conducted to delineate the influence of in situ deforestation data on episodic rainfall by comparing two ensembles of five 5-day integrations performed with a recent version of the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres General Circulation Model (GCM) that has a simple biosphere model (SiB). The first set, called control cases, used the standard SiB vegetation cover (comprising 12 biomes) and assumed a fully forested Amazonia, while the second set, called deforestation cases, distinguished the partially deforested regions of Amazonia as savanna. Except for this difference, all other initial and prescribed boundary conditions were kept identical in both sets of integrations. The differential analyses of these five cases show the following local effects of deforestation. (1) A discernible decrease in evapotranspiration of about 0.80 mm/d (roughly 18%) that is quite robust in the averages for 1-, 2-, and 5-day forecasts. (2) A decrease in precipitation of about 1.18 mm/d (roughly 8%) that begins to emerge even in 1-2 day averages and exhibits complex evolution that extends downstream with the winds. (3) A significant decrease in the surface drag force (as a consequence of reduced surface roughness of deforested regions) that, in turn, affects the dynamical structure of moisture convergence and circulation. The surface winds increase significantly during the first day, and thereafter the increase is well maintained even in the 2- and 5-day averages.

Effect of tillage system and cumulative rainfall on multifractal parameters of soil surface microrelief

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidal Vázquez, E.; Miranda, J. G. V.; Mirás-Avalos, J. M.; Díaz, M. C.; Paz-Ferreiro, J.

2009-04-01

Mathematical description of the spatial characteristics of soil surface microrelief still remains a challenge. Soil surface roughness parameters are required for modelling overland flow and erosion. The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of multifractal for analyzing the decay of initial surface roughness induced by natural rainfall under different soil tillage systems. Field experiments were performed on an Oxisol at Campinas, São Paulo State (Brazil). Six tillage treatments, namely, disc harrow, disc plow, chisel plow, disc harrow + disc level, disc plow + disc level and chisel plow + disc level were tested. In each plot soil surface microrelief was measured for times, with increasing amounts of natural rainfall using a pinmeter. The sampling scheme was a square grid with 25 x 25 mm point spacing and the plot size was 1350 x 1350 mm, so that each data set consisted of 3025 individual elevation points. Duplicated measurements were taken per treatment and date, yielding a total of 48 experimental data sets. All the investigated microrelief data sets exhibited, in general, scale properties, and the degree of multifractality showed wide differences between them. Multifractal analysis distinguishes two different patterns of soil surface microrelief, the first one has features close to monofractal spectra and the second clearly indicates multifractal behavior. Both, singularity spectra and generalized dimension spectra allow differentiating between soil tillage systems. In general, changes in values of multifractal parameters under simulated rainfall showed no or little correspondence with the evolution of the vertical microrelief component described by indices such as the standard deviation of the point height measurements. Multifractal parameters provided valuable information for chararacterizing the spatial features of soil surface microrelief as they were able to discriminate data sets with similar values for the vertical component of roughness.

Tribological Properties of PVD Ti/C-N Nanocoatnigs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leitans, A.; Lungevics, J.; Rudzitis, J.; Filipovs, A.

2017-04-01

The present paper discusses and analyses tribological properties of various coatings that increase surface wear resistance. Four Ti/C-N nanocoatings with different coating deposition settings are analysed. Tribological and metrological tests on the samples are performed: 2D and 3D parameters of the surface roughness are measured with modern profilometer, and friction coefficient is measured with CSM Instruments equipment. Roughness parameters Ra, Sa, Sz, Str, Sds, Vmp, Vmc and friction coefficient at 6N load are determined during the experiment. The examined samples have many pores, which is the main reason for relatively large values of roughness parameter. A slight wear is identified in all four samples as well; its friction coefficient values range from 0,.21 to 0.29. Wear rate values are not calculated for the investigated coatings, as no expressed tribotracks are detected on the coating surface.

Reduction of Surface Roughness by Means of Laser Processing over Additive Manufacturing Metal Parts.

PubMed

Alfieri, Vittorio; Argenio, Paolo; Caiazzo, Fabrizia; Sergi, Vincenzo

2016-12-31

Optimization of processing parameters and exposure strategies is usually performed in additive manufacturing to set up the process; nevertheless, standards for roughness may not be evenly matched on a single complex part, since surface features depend on the building direction of the part. This paper aims to evaluate post processing treating via laser surface modification by means of scanning optics and beam wobbling to process metal parts resulting from selective laser melting of stainless steel in order to improve surface topography. The results are discussed in terms of roughness, geometry of the fusion zone in the cross-section, microstructural modification, and microhardness so as to assess the effects of laser post processing. The benefits of beam wobbling over linear scanning processing are shown, as heat effects in the base metal are proven to be lower.

Reduction of Surface Roughness by Means of Laser Processing over Additive Manufacturing Metal Parts

PubMed Central

Alfieri, Vittorio; Argenio, Paolo; Caiazzo, Fabrizia; Sergi, Vincenzo

2016-01-01

Optimization of processing parameters and exposure strategies is usually performed in additive manufacturing to set up the process; nevertheless, standards for roughness may not be evenly matched on a single complex part, since surface features depend on the building direction of the part. This paper aims to evaluate post processing treating via laser surface modification by means of scanning optics and beam wobbling to process metal parts resulting from selective laser melting of stainless steel in order to improve surface topography. The results are discussed in terms of roughness, geometry of the fusion zone in the cross-section, microstructural modification, and microhardness so as to assess the effects of laser post processing. The benefits of beam wobbling over linear scanning processing are shown, as heat effects in the base metal are proven to be lower. PMID:28772380

On the stability of von Kármán rotating-disk boundary layers with radial anisotropic surface roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrett, S. J.; Cooper, A. J.; Harris, J. H.; Özkan, M.; Segalini, A.; Thomas, P. J.

2016-01-01

We summarise results of a theoretical study investigating the distinct convective instability properties of steady boundary-layer flow over rough rotating disks. A generic roughness pattern of concentric circles with sinusoidal surface undulations in the radial direction is considered. The goal is to compare predictions obtained by means of two alternative, and fundamentally different, modelling approaches for surface roughness for the first time. The motivating rationale is to identify commonalities and isolate results that might potentially represent artefacts associated with the particular methodologies underlying one of the two modelling approaches. The most significant result of practical relevance obtained is that both approaches predict overall stabilising effects on type I instability mode of rotating disk flow. This mode leads to transition of the rotating-disk boundary layer and, more generally, the transition of boundary-layers with a cross-flow profile. Stabilisation of the type 1 mode means that it may be possible to exploit surface roughness for laminar-flow control in boundary layers with a cross-flow component. However, we also find differences between the two sets of model predictions, some subtle and some substantial. These will represent criteria for establishing which of the two alternative approaches is more suitable to correctly describe experimental data when these become available.

A Fractal Interpretation of Controlled-Source Helicopter Electromagnetic Survey Data: Seco Creek, Edwards Aquifer, TX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Decker, K. T.; Everett, M. E.

2009-12-01

The Edwards aquifer lies in the structurally complex Balcones fault zone and supplies water to the growing city of San Antonio. To ensure that future demands for water are met, the hydrological and geophysical properties of the aquifer must be well-understood. In most settings, fracture lengths and displacements occur in power-law distributions. Fracture distribution plays an important role in determining electrical and hydraulic current flowpaths. 1-D synthetic models of the controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) response for layered models with a fractured layer at depth described by the roughness parameter βV, such that 0≤βV<1, associated with the power-law length-scale dependence of electrical conductivity are developed. A value of βV = 0 represents homogeneous, continuous media, while a value of 0<βV<1 shows that roughness exists. The Seco Creek frequency-domain helicopter electromagnetic survey data set is analyzed by introducing the similarly defined roughness parameter βH to detect lateral roughness along survey lines. Fourier transforming the apparent resistivity as a function of position along flight line into wavenumber domain using a 256-point sliding window gives the power spectral density (PSD) plot for each line. The value of βH is the slope of the least squares regression for the PSD in each 256-point window. Changes in βH with distance along the flight line are plotted. Large values of βH are found near well-known large fractures and maps of βH produced by interpolating values of βH along survey lines suggest previously undetected structure at depth.

Quantification of tillage, plant cover, and cumulative rainfall effects on soil surface microrelief by statistical, geostatistical and fractal indices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paz-Ferreiro, J.; Bertol, I.; Vidal Vázquez, E.

2008-07-01

Changes in soil surface microrelief with cumulative rainfall under different tillage systems and crop cover conditions were investigated in southern Brazil. Surface cover was none (fallow) or the crop succession maize followed by oats. Tillage treatments were: 1) conventional tillage on bare soil (BS), 2) conventional tillage (CT), 3) minimum tillage (MT) and 4) no tillage (NT) under maize and oats. Measurements were taken with a manual relief meter on small rectangular grids of 0.234 and 0.156 m2, throughout growing season of maize and oats, respectively. Each data set consisted of 200 point height readings, the size of the smallest cells being 3×5 cm during maize and 2×5 cm during oats growth periods. Random Roughness (RR), Limiting Difference (LD), Limiting Slope (LS) and two fractal parameters, fractal dimension (D) and crossover length (l) were estimated from the measured microtopographic data sets. Indices describing the vertical component of soil roughness such as RR, LD and l generally decreased with cumulative rain in the BS treatment, left fallow, and in the CT and MT treatments under maize and oats canopy. However, these indices were not substantially affected by cumulative rain in the NT treatment, whose surface was protected with previous crop residues. Roughness decay from initial values was larger in the BS treatment than in CT and MT treatments. Moreover, roughness decay generally tended to be faster under maize than under oats. The RR and LD indices decreased quadratically, while the l index decreased exponentially in the tilled, BS, CT and MT treatments. Crossover length was sensitive to differences in soil roughness conditions allowing a description of microrelief decay due to rainfall in the tilled treatments, although better correlations between cumulative rainfall and the most commonly used indices RR and LD were obtained. At the studied scale, parameters l and D have been found to be useful in interpreting the configuration properties of the soil surface microrelief.

With a little help from a computer: discriminating between bacterial and viral meningitis based on dominance-based rough set approach analysis

PubMed Central

Gowin, Ewelina; Januszkiewicz-Lewandowska, Danuta; Słowiński, Roman; Błaszczyński, Jerzy; Michalak, Michał; Wysocki, Jacek

2017-01-01

Abstract Differential Diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis remains an important clinical problem. A number of methods to assist in the diagnoses of meningitis have been developed, but none of them have been found to have high specificity with 100% sensitivity. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 148 children hospitalized in St. Joseph Children's Hospital in Poznań. In this study, we applied for the first time the original methodology of dominance-based rough set approach (DRSA) to diagnostic patterns of meningitis data and represented them by decision rules useful in discriminating between bacterial and viral meningitis. The induction algorithm is called VC-DomLEM; it has been implemented as software package called jMAF (http://www.cs.put.poznan.pl/jblaszczynski/Site/jRS.html), based on java Rough Set (jRS) library. In the studied group, there were 148 patients (78 boys and 70 girls), and the mean age was 85 months. We analyzed 14 attributes, of which only 4 were used to generate the 6 rules, with C-reactive protein (CRP) being the most valuable. Factors associated with bacterial meningitis were: CRP level ≥86 mg/L, number of leukocytes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ≥4481 μL−1, symptoms duration no longer than 2 days, or age less than 1 month. Factors associated with viral meningitis were CRP level not higher than 19 mg/L, or CRP level not higher than 84 mg/L in a patient older than 11 months with no more than 1100 μL−1 leukocytes in CSF. We established the minimum set of attributes significant for classification of patients with meningitis. This is new set of rules, which, although intuitively anticipated by some clinicians, has not been formally demonstrated until now. PMID:28796045

With a little help from a computer: discriminating between bacterial and viral meningitis based on dominance-based rough set approach analysis.

PubMed

Gowin, Ewelina; Januszkiewicz-Lewandowska, Danuta; Słowiński, Roman; Błaszczyński, Jerzy; Michalak, Michał; Wysocki, Jacek

2017-08-01

Differential Diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis remains an important clinical problem. A number of methods to assist in the diagnoses of meningitis have been developed, but none of them have been found to have high specificity with 100% sensitivity.We conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 148 children hospitalized in St. Joseph Children's Hospital in Poznań. In this study, we applied for the first time the original methodology of dominance-based rough set approach (DRSA) to diagnostic patterns of meningitis data and represented them by decision rules useful in discriminating between bacterial and viral meningitis. The induction algorithm is called VC-DomLEM; it has been implemented as software package called jMAF (http://www.cs.put.poznan.pl/jblaszczynski/Site/jRS.html), based on java Rough Set (jRS) library.In the studied group, there were 148 patients (78 boys and 70 girls), and the mean age was 85 months. We analyzed 14 attributes, of which only 4 were used to generate the 6 rules, with C-reactive protein (CRP) being the most valuable.Factors associated with bacterial meningitis were: CRP level ≥86 mg/L, number of leukocytes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ≥4481 μL, symptoms duration no longer than 2 days, or age less than 1 month. Factors associated with viral meningitis were CRP level not higher than 19 mg/L, or CRP level not higher than 84 mg/L in a patient older than 11 months with no more than 1100 μL leukocytes in CSF.We established the minimum set of attributes significant for classification of patients with meningitis. This is new set of rules, which, although intuitively anticipated by some clinicians, has not been formally demonstrated until now.

Contact stiffness of regularly patterned multi-asperity interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shen; Yao, Quanzhou; Li, Qunyang; Feng, Xi-Qiao; Gao, Huajian

2018-02-01

Contact stiffness is a fundamental mechanical index of solid surfaces and relevant to a wide range of applications. Although the correlation between contact stiffness, contact size and load has long been explored for single-asperity contacts, our understanding of the contact stiffness of rough interfaces is less clear. In this work, the contact stiffness of hexagonally patterned multi-asperity interfaces is studied using a discrete asperity model. We confirm that the elastic interaction among asperities is critical in determining the mechanical behavior of rough contact interfaces. More importantly, in contrast to the common wisdom that the interplay of asperities is solely dictated by the inter-asperity spacing, we show that the number of asperities in contact (or equivalently, the apparent size of contact) also plays an indispensable role. Based on the theoretical analysis, we propose a new parameter for gauging the closeness of asperities. Our theoretical model is validated by a set of experiments. To facilitate the application of the discrete asperity model, we present a general equation for contact stiffness estimation of regularly rough interfaces, which is further proved to be applicable for interfaces with single-scale random roughness.

Comparative Evaluation of Conventional and Accelerated Castings on Marginal Fit and Surface Roughness

PubMed Central

Jadhav, Vivek Dattatray; Motwani, Bhagwan K.; Shinde, Jitendra; Adhapure, Prasad

2017-01-01

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the marginal fit and surface roughness of complete cast crowns made by a conventional and an accelerated casting technique. Settings and Design: This study was divided into three parts. In Part I, the marginal fit of full metal crowns made by both casting techniques in the vertical direction was checked, in Part II, the fit of sectional metal crowns in the horizontal direction made by both casting techniques was checked, and in Part III, the surface roughness of disc-shaped metal plate specimens made by both casting techniques was checked. Materials and Methods: A conventional technique was compared with an accelerated technique. In Part I of the study, the marginal fit of the full metal crowns as well as in Part II, the horizontal fit of sectional metal crowns made by both casting techniques was determined, and in Part III, the surface roughness of castings made with the same techniques was compared. Statistical Analysis Used: The results of the t-test and independent sample test do not indicate statistically significant differences in the marginal discrepancy detected between the two casting techniques. Results: For the marginal discrepancy and surface roughness, crowns fabricated with the accelerated technique were significantly different from those fabricated with the conventional technique. Conclusions: Accelerated casting technique showed quite satisfactory results, but the conventional technique was superior in terms of marginal fit and surface roughness. PMID:29042726

Roughness Based Crossflow Transition Control for a Swept Airfoil Design Relevant to Subsonic Transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Fei; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Carpenter, Mark H.; Malik, Mujeeb R.; Eppink, Jenna; Chang, Chau-Lyan; Streett, Craig L.

2010-01-01

A high fidelity transition prediction methodology has been applied to a swept airfoil design at a Mach number of 0.75 and chord Reynolds number of approximately 17 million, with the dual goal of an assessment of the design for the implementation and testing of roughness based crossflow transition control and continued maturation of such methodology in the context of realistic aerodynamic configurations. Roughness based transition control involves controlled seeding of suitable, subdominant crossflow modes in order to weaken the growth of naturally occurring, linearly more unstable instability modes via a nonlinear modification of the mean boundary layer profiles. Therefore, a synthesis of receptivity, linear and nonlinear growth of crossflow disturbances, and high-frequency secondary instabilities becomes desirable to model this form of control. Because experimental data is currently unavailable for passive crossflow transition control for such high Reynolds number configurations, a holistic computational approach is used to assess the feasibility of roughness based control methodology. Potential challenges inherent to this control application as well as associated difficulties in modeling this form of control in a computational setting are highlighted. At high Reynolds numbers, a broad spectrum of stationary crossflow disturbances amplify and, while it may be possible to control a specific target mode using Discrete Roughness Elements (DREs), nonlinear interaction between the control and target modes may yield strong amplification of the difference mode that could have an adverse impact on the transition delay using spanwise periodic roughness elements.

Development of a prototype commonality analysis tool for use in space programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeager, Dorian P.

1988-01-01

A software tool to aid in performing commonality analyses, called Commonality Analysis Problem Solver (CAPS), was designed, and a prototype version (CAPS 1.0) was implemented and tested. The CAPS 1.0 runs in an MS-DOS or IBM PC-DOS environment. The CAPS is designed around a simple input language which provides a natural syntax for the description of feasibility constraints. It provides its users with the ability to load a database representing a set of design items, describe the feasibility constraints on items in that database, and do a comprehensive cost analysis to find the most economical substitution pattern.

Abrasive wear of resin composites as related to finishing and polishing procedures.

PubMed

Turssi, Cecilia P; Ferracane, Jack L; Serra, Mônica C

2005-07-01

Finishing and polishing procedures may cause topographical changes and introduce subsurface microcracks in dental composite restoratives. Since both of these effects may contribute toward the kinetics of wear, the purpose of this study was to assess and correlate the wear and surface roughness of minifilled and nanofilled composites finished and polished by different methods. Specimens (n=10) made of a minifilled and a nanofilled composite were finished and polished with one of the four sequences: (1) tungsten carbide burs plus Al(2)O(3)-impregnated brush (CbBr) or (2) tungsten carbide burs plus diamond-impregnated cup (CbCp), (3) diamond burs plus brush (DmBr) or (4) diamond burs plus cup (DmCp). As a control, abrasive papers were used. After surface roughness had been quantified, three-body abrasion was simulated using the OHSU wear machine. The wear facets were then scanned to measure wear depth and post-testing roughness. All sets of data were subjected to ANOVA and Tukey's tests (alpha=0.05). Pearson's correlation test was applied to check for the existence of a relationship between pre-testing roughness and wear. Significantly smoother surfaces were attained with the sequences CbBr and CbCp, whereas DmCp yielded the roughest surface. Regardless of the finishing/polishing technique, the nanofilled composite exhibited the lowest pre-testing roughness and wear. There was no correlation between the surface roughness achieved after finishing/polishing procedures and wear (p=0.3899). Nano-sized materials may have improved abrasive wear resistance over minifilled composites. The absence of correlation between wear and surface roughness produced by different finishing/polishing methods suggests that the latter negligibly influences material loss due to three-body abrasion.

Systems Biology and Biomarkers of Early Effects for Occupational Exposure Limit Setting

EPA Science Inventory

AbstractIn a recent National Research Council document, new strategies for risk assessment were described to enable more accurate and quicker assessments (()(1)()). This report suggested that evaluating individual responses through increased use of biomonitoring could improve dos...

Effect of artificial toothbrushing and water storage on the surface roughness and micromechanical properties of tooth-colored CAD-CAM materials.

PubMed

Flury, Simon; Diebold, Elisabeth; Peutzfeldt, Anne; Lussi, Adrian

2017-06-01

Because of the different composition of resin-ceramic computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) materials, their polishability and their micromechanical properties vary. Moreover, depending on the composition of the materials, their surface roughness and micromechanical properties are likely to change with time. The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of artificial toothbrushing and water storage on the surface roughness (Ra and Rz) and the micromechanical properties, surface hardness (Vickers [VHN]) and indentation modulus (E IT ), of 5 different tooth-colored CAD-CAM materials when polished with 2 different polishing systems. Specimens (n=40 per material) were cut from a composite resin (Paradigm MZ100; 3M ESPE), a feldspathic ceramic (Vitablocs Mark II; Vita Zahnfabrik), a resin nanoceramic (Lava Ultimate; 3M ESPE), a hybrid dental ceramic (Vita Enamic; Vita Zahnfabrik), and a nanocomposite resin (Ambarino High-Class; Creamed). All specimens were roughened in a standardized manner and polished either with Sof-Lex XT discs or the Vita Polishing Set Clinical. Surface roughness, VHN, and E IT were measured after polishing and after storage for 6 months (tap water, 37°C) with periodic, artificial toothbrushing. The surface roughness, VHN, and E IT results were analyzed with a nonparametric ANOVA followed by Kruskal-Wallis and exact Wilcoxon rank sum tests (α=.05). Irrespective of polishing system and of artificial toothbrushing and storage, Lava Ultimate generally showed the lowest surface roughness and Vitablocs Mark II the highest. As regards micromechanical properties, the following ranking of the CAD-CAM materials was found (from highest VHN/E IT to lowest VHN/E IT ): Vitablocs Mark II > Vita Enamic > Paradigm MZ100 > Lava Ultimate > Ambarino High-Class. Irrespective of material and of artificial toothbrushing and storage, polishing with Sof-Lex XT discs resulted in lower surface roughness than the Vita Polishing Set Clinical (P≤.016). However, the polishing system generally had no influence on the micromechanical properties (P>.05). The effect of artificial toothbrushing and storage on surface roughness depended on the material and the polishing system: Ambarino High-Class was most sensitive to storage, Lava Ultimate and Vita Enamic were least sensitive. Artificial toothbrushing and storage generally resulted in a decrease in VHN and E IT for Paradigm MZ100, Lava Ultimate, and Ambarino High-Class but not for Vita Enamic and Vitablocs Mark II. Tooth-colored CAD-CAM materials with lower VHN and E IT generally showed better polishability. However, these materials were more prone to degradation by artificial toothbrushing and water storage than materials with higher VHN and E IT . Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of repeated sterilization by different methods on strength of carbon fiber rods used in external fixator systems.

PubMed

Unal, Omer Kays; Poyanli, Oguz Sukru; Unal, Ulku Sur; Mutlu, Hasan Huseyin; Ozkut, Afsar Timucin; Esenkaya, Irfan

2018-05-16

We set out to reveal the effects of repeated sterilization, using different methods, on the carbon fiber rods of external fixator systems. We used a randomized set of forty-four unused, unsterilized, and identical carbon fiber rods (11 × 200 mm), randomly assigned to two groups: unsterilized (US) (4 rods) and sterilized (40 rods). The sterilized rods were divided into two groups, those sterilized in an autoclave (AC) and by hydrogen peroxide (HP). These were further divided into five subgroups based on the number of sterilization repetition to which the fibers were subjected (25-50-75-100-200). A bending test was conducted to measure the maximum bending force (MBF), maximum deflection (MD), flexural strength (FS), maximum bending moment (MBM) and bending rigidity (BR). We also measured the surface roughness of the rods. An increase in the number of sterilization repetition led to a decrease in MBF, MBM, FS, BR, but increased MD and surface roughness (p < 0.01). The effect of the number of sterilization repetition was more prominent in the HP group. This study revealed that the sterilization method and number of sterilization repetition influence the strength of the carbon fiber rods. Increasing the number of sterilization repetition degrades the strength and roughness of the rods.

Perspectives on condom breakage: a qualitative study of female sex workers in Bangalore, India.

PubMed

Gurav, Kaveri; Bradley, Janet; Chandrashekhar Gowda, G; Alary, Michel

2014-01-01

A qualitative study was conducted to obtain a detailed understanding of two key determinants of condom breakage - 'rough sex' and poor condom fit - identified in a recent telephone survey of female sex workers, in Bangalore, India. Transcripts from six focus-group discussions involving 35 female sex workers who reported condom breakage during the telephone survey were analysed. Rough sex in different forms, from over-exuberance to violence, was often described by sex workers as a result of clients' inebriation and use of sexual stimulants, which, they report, cause tumescence, excessive thrusting and sex that lasts longer than usual, thereby increasing the risk of condom breakage. Condom breakage in this setting is the result of a complex set of social situations involving client behaviours and power dynamics that has the potential to put the health and personal lives of sex workers at risk. These findings and their implications for programme development are discussed.

[Study on the optimization of monitoring indicators of drinking water quality during health supervision].

PubMed

Ye, Bixiong; E, Xueli; Zhang, Lan

2015-01-01

To optimize non-regular drinking water quality indices (except Giardia and Cryptosporidium) of urban drinking water. Several methods including drinking water quality exceed the standard, the risk of exceeding standard, the frequency of detecting concentrations below the detection limit, water quality comprehensive index evaluation method, and attribute reduction algorithm of rough set theory were applied, redundancy factor of water quality indicators were eliminated, control factors that play a leading role in drinking water safety were found. Optimization results showed in 62 unconventional water quality monitoring indicators of urban drinking water, 42 water quality indicators could be optimized reduction by comprehensively evaluation combined with attribute reduction of rough set. Optimization of the water quality monitoring indicators and reduction of monitoring indicators and monitoring frequency could ensure the safety of drinking water quality while lowering monitoring costs and reducing monitoring pressure of the sanitation supervision departments.

Preference Mining Using Neighborhood Rough Set Model on Two Universes.

PubMed

Zeng, Kai

2016-01-01

Preference mining plays an important role in e-commerce and video websites for enhancing user satisfaction and loyalty. Some classical methods are not available for the cold-start problem when the user or the item is new. In this paper, we propose a new model, called parametric neighborhood rough set on two universes (NRSTU), to describe the user and item data structures. Furthermore, the neighborhood lower approximation operator is used for defining the preference rules. Then, we provide the means for recommending items to users by using these rules. Finally, we give an experimental example to show the details of NRSTU-based preference mining for cold-start problem. The parameters of the model are also discussed. The experimental results show that the proposed method presents an effective solution for preference mining. In particular, NRSTU improves the recommendation accuracy by about 19% compared to the traditional method.

Research on classified real-time flood forecasting framework based on K-means cluster and rough set.

PubMed

Xu, Wei; Peng, Yong

2015-01-01

This research presents a new classified real-time flood forecasting framework. In this framework, historical floods are classified by a K-means cluster according to the spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation, the time variance of precipitation intensity and other hydrological factors. Based on the classified results, a rough set is used to extract the identification rules for real-time flood forecasting. Then, the parameters of different categories within the conceptual hydrological model are calibrated using a genetic algorithm. In real-time forecasting, the corresponding category of parameters is selected for flood forecasting according to the obtained flood information. This research tests the new classified framework on Guanyinge Reservoir and compares the framework with the traditional flood forecasting method. It finds that the performance of the new classified framework is significantly better in terms of accuracy. Furthermore, the framework can be considered in a catchment with fewer historical floods.

Processing and filtrating of driver fatigue characteristic parameters based on rough set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Wenwu; Zhao, Xuyang

2018-05-01

With the rapid development of economy, people become increasingly rich, and cars have become a common means of transportation in daily life. However, the problem of traffic safety is becoming more and more serious. And fatigue driving is one of the main causes of traffic accidents. Therefore, it is of great importance for us to study the detection of fatigue driving to improve traffic safety. In the cause of determining whether the driver is tired, the characteristic quantity related to the steering angle of the steering wheel and the characteristic quantity of the driver's pulse are all important indicators. The fuzzy c-means clustering is used to discretize the above indexes. Because the characteristic parameters are too miscellaneous, rough set is used to filtrate these characteristics. Finally, this paper finds out the highest correlation with fatigue driving. It is proved that these selected characteristics are of great significance to the evaluation of fatigue driving.

High-frequency Born synthetic seismograms based on coupled normal modes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pollitz, Fred F.

2011-01-01

High-frequency and full waveform synthetic seismograms on a 3-D laterally heterogeneous earth model are simulated using the theory of coupled normal modes. The set of coupled integral equations that describe the 3-D response are simplified into a set of uncoupled integral equations by using the Born approximation to calculate scattered wavefields and the pure-path approximation to modulate the phase of incident and scattered wavefields. This depends upon a decomposition of the aspherical structure into smooth and rough components. The uncoupled integral equations are discretized and solved in the frequency domain, and time domain results are obtained by inverse Fourier transform. Examples show the utility of the normal mode approach to synthesize the seismic wavefields resulting from interaction with a combination of rough and smooth structural heterogeneities. This approach is applied to an ∼4 Hz shallow crustal wave propagation around the site of the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD).

Semi-active suspension for automotive application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venhovens, Paul J. T.; Devlugt, Alex R.

The theoretical considerations for semi-active damping system evaluation, with respect to semi-active suspension and Kalman filtering, are discussed in terms of the software. Some prototype hardware developments are proposed. A significant improvement in ride comfort performance can be obtained, indicated by root mean square body acceleration values and frequency responses, using a switchable damper system with two settings. Nevertheless the improvement is accompanied by an increase in dynamic tire load variations. The main benefit of semi-active suspensions is the potential of changing the low frequency section of the transfer function. In practice this will support the impression of extra driving stability. It is advisable to apply an adaptive control strategy like the (extended) skyhook version switching more to the 'comfort' setting for straight (and smooth/moderate roughness) road running and switching to 'road holding' for handling maneuvers and possibly rough roads and discrete, severe events like potholes.

Experimental test of an online ion-optics optimizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amthor, A. M.; Schillaci, Z. M.; Morrissey, D. J.; Portillo, M.; Schwarz, S.; Steiner, M.; Sumithrarachchi, Ch.

2018-07-01

A technique has been developed and tested to automatically adjust multiple electrostatic or magnetic multipoles on an ion optical beam line - according to a defined optimization algorithm - until an optimal tune is found. This approach simplifies the process of determining high-performance optical tunes, satisfying a given set of optical properties, for an ion optical system. The optimization approach is based on the particle swarm method and is entirely model independent, thus the success of the optimization does not depend on the accuracy of an extant ion optical model of the system to be optimized. Initial test runs of a first order optimization of a low-energy (<60 keV) all-electrostatic beamline at the NSCL show reliable convergence of nine quadrupole degrees of freedom to well-performing tunes within a reasonable number of trial solutions, roughly 500, with full beam optimization run times of roughly two hours. Improved tunes were found both for quasi-local optimizations and for quasi-global optimizations, indicating a good ability of the optimizer to find a solution with or without a well defined set of initial multipole settings.

Rough Sets and Stomped Normal Distribution for Simultaneous Segmentation and Bias Field Correction in Brain MR Images.

PubMed

Banerjee, Abhirup; Maji, Pradipta

2015-12-01

The segmentation of brain MR images into different tissue classes is an important task for automatic image analysis technique, particularly due to the presence of intensity inhomogeneity artifact in MR images. In this regard, this paper presents a novel approach for simultaneous segmentation and bias field correction in brain MR images. It integrates judiciously the concept of rough sets and the merit of a novel probability distribution, called stomped normal (SN) distribution. The intensity distribution of a tissue class is represented by SN distribution, where each tissue class consists of a crisp lower approximation and a probabilistic boundary region. The intensity distribution of brain MR image is modeled as a mixture of finite number of SN distributions and one uniform distribution. The proposed method incorporates both the expectation-maximization and hidden Markov random field frameworks to provide an accurate and robust segmentation. The performance of the proposed approach, along with a comparison with related methods, is demonstrated on a set of synthetic and real brain MR images for different bias fields and noise levels.

Are the virial masses of clusters smaller than we think?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowie, L. L.; Henriksen, M.; Mushotzky, R.

1987-01-01

The constraints that the available X-ray spectral and imaging data place on the mass distribution and mass to light ratio of rich clusters are considered. It was found for the best determined cases that the mass to light ratio is less than 125 h sub 50 at radii exceeding 1 h sub 50 Mpc. The mass to light ratio is approximately constant at radii exceeding 1 h sub 50 Mpc but may rise to values of roughly 200 h sub 50 in the central regions. The fraction of the total mass that is in baryons, primarily the hot X-ray emitting gas, is roughly 30 percent thus setting the mass to light ratio of the dark material to roughly 70. The model that fits the X-ray data for Coma is in good agreement with the observed optical velocity dispersion vs. radius data.

Are the virial masses of clusters smaller than we think?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowie, L. L.; Henriksen, M.; Mushotzky, R.

1986-01-01

The constraints that the available X-ray spectral and imaging data place on the mass distribution and mass to light ratio of rich clusters are considered. It was found for the best determined cases that the mass to light ratio is less than 125 h sub 50 at radii exceeding 1 h sub 50 Mpc. The mass to light ratio is approximately constant at radii exceeding 1 h sub 50 Mpc but may rise to values of roughly 200 h sub 50 in the central regions. The fraction of the total mass that is in baryons, primarily the hot X-ray emitting gas, is roughly 30% thus setting the mass to light ratio of the dark material to roughly 70. The model that fits the X-ray data for Coma is in good agreement with the observed optical velocity dispersion vs. radius data.

Assessing artificial neural networks and statistical methods for infilling missing soil moisture records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumedah, Gift; Walker, Jeffrey P.; Chik, Li

2014-07-01

Soil moisture information is critically important for water management operations including flood forecasting, drought monitoring, and groundwater recharge estimation. While an accurate and continuous record of soil moisture is required for these applications, the available soil moisture data, in practice, is typically fraught with missing values. There are a wide range of methods available to infilling hydrologic variables, but a thorough inter-comparison between statistical methods and artificial neural networks has not been made. This study examines 5 statistical methods including monthly averages, weighted Pearson correlation coefficient, a method based on temporal stability of soil moisture, and a weighted merging of the three methods, together with a method based on the concept of rough sets. Additionally, 9 artificial neural networks are examined, broadly categorized into feedforward, dynamic, and radial basis networks. These 14 infilling methods were used to estimate missing soil moisture records and subsequently validated against known values for 13 soil moisture monitoring stations for three different soil layer depths in the Yanco region in southeast Australia. The evaluation results show that the top three highest performing methods are the nonlinear autoregressive neural network, rough sets method, and monthly replacement. A high estimation accuracy (root mean square error (RMSE) of about 0.03 m/m) was found in the nonlinear autoregressive network, due to its regression based dynamic network which allows feedback connections through discrete-time estimation. An equally high accuracy (0.05 m/m RMSE) in the rough sets procedure illustrates the important role of temporal persistence of soil moisture, with the capability to account for different soil moisture conditions.

RighTime: A real time clock correcting program for MS-DOS-based computer systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Becker, G. Thomas

1993-01-01

A computer program is described which effectively eliminates the misgivings of the DOS system clock in PC/AT-class computers. RighTime is a small, sophisticated memory-resident program that automatically corrects both the DOS system clock and the hardware 'CMOS' real time clock (RTC) in real time. RighTime learns what corrections are required without operator interaction beyond the occasional accurate time set. Both warm (power on) and cool (power off) errors are corrected, usually yielding better than one part per million accuracy in the typical desktop computer with no additional hardware, and RighTime increases the system clock resolution from approximately 0.0549 second to 0.01 second. Program tools are also available which allow visualization of RighTime's actions, verification of its performance, display of its history log, and which provide data for graphing of the system clock behavior. The program has found application in a wide variety of industries, including astronomy, satellite tracking, communications, broadcasting, transportation, public utilities, manufacturing, medicine, and the military.

Machining of bone: Analysis of cutting force and surface roughness by turning process.

PubMed

Noordin, M Y; Jiawkok, N; Ndaruhadi, P Y M W; Kurniawan, D

2015-11-01

There are millions of orthopedic surgeries and dental implantation procedures performed every year globally. Most of them involve machining of bones and cartilage. However, theoretical and analytical study on bone machining is lagging behind its practice and implementation. This study views bone machining as a machining process with bovine bone as the workpiece material. Turning process which makes the basis of the actually used drilling process was experimented. The focus is on evaluating the effects of three machining parameters, that is, cutting speed, feed, and depth of cut, to machining responses, that is, cutting forces and surface roughness resulted by the turning process. Response surface methodology was used to quantify the relation between the machining parameters and the machining responses. The turning process was done at various cutting speeds (29-156 m/min), depths of cut (0.03 -0.37 mm), and feeds (0.023-0.11 mm/rev). Empirical models of the resulted cutting force and surface roughness as the functions of cutting speed, depth of cut, and feed were developed. Observation using the developed empirical models found that within the range of machining parameters evaluated, the most influential machining parameter to the cutting force is depth of cut, followed by feed and cutting speed. The lowest cutting force was obtained at the lowest cutting speed, lowest depth of cut, and highest feed setting. For surface roughness, feed is the most significant machining condition, followed by cutting speed, and with depth of cut showed no effect. The finest surface finish was obtained at the lowest cutting speed and feed setting. © IMechE 2015.

Remote sensing of soil moisture content over bare fields at 1.4 GHz frequency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, J. R.; Choudhury, B. J.

1980-01-01

A simple method of estimating moisture content (W) of a bare soil from the observed brightness temperature (T sub B) at 1.4 GHz is discussed. The method is based on a radiative transfer model calculation, which has been successfully used in the past to account for many observational results, with some modifications to take into account the effect of surface roughness. Besides the measured T sub B's, the three additional inputs required by the method are the effective soil thermodynamic temperature, the precise relation between W and the smooth field brightness temperature T sub B and a parameter specifying the surface roughness characteristics. The soil effective temperature can be readily measured and the procedures of estimating surface roughness parameter and obtaining the relation between W and smooth field brightness temperature are discussed in detail. Dual polarized radiometric measurements at an off-nadir incident angle are sufficient to estimate both surface roughness parameter and W, provided that the relation between W and smooth field brightness temperature at the same angle is known. The method of W estimate is demonstrated with two sets of experimental data, one from a controlled field experiment by a mobile tower and the other, from aircraft overflight. The results from both data sets are encouraging when the estimated W's are compared with the acquired ground truth of W's in the top 2 cm layer. An offset between the estimated and the measured W's exists in the results of the analyses, but that can be accounted for by the presently poor knowledge of the relationship between W and smooth field brightness temperature for various types of soils. An approach to quantify this relationship for different soils and thus improve the method of W estimate is suggested.

Soil roughness, slope and surface storage relationship for impervious areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borselli, Lorenzo; Torri, Dino

2010-11-01

SummaryThe study of the relationships between surface roughness, local slope gradient and maximum volume of water storage in surface depressions is a fundamental element in the development of hydrological models to be used in soil and water conservation strategies. Good estimates of the maximum volume of water storage are important for runoff assessment during rainfall events. Some attempts to link surface storage to parameters such as indices of surface roughness and, more rarely, local gradient have been proposed by several authors with empirical equations often conflicting between them and usually based on a narrow range of slope gradients. This suggests care in selecting any of the proposed equations or models and invites one to verify the existence of more realistic experimental relationships, based on physical models of the surfaces and valid for a larger range of gradients. The aim of this study is to develop such a relation for predicting/estimating the maximum volume of water that a soil surface, with given roughness characteristics and local slope gradient, can store. Experimental work has been carried out in order to reproduce reliable rough surfaces able to maintain the following properties during the experimental activity: (a) impervious surface to avoid biased storage determination; (b) stable, un-erodible surfaces to avoid changes of retention volume during tests; (c) absence of hydrophobic behaviour. To meet the conditions a-c we generate physical surfaces with various roughness magnitude using plasticine (emulsion of non-expansible clay and oil). The plasticine surface, reproducing surfaces of arable soils, was then wetted and dirtied with a very fine timber sawdust. This reduced the natural hydrophobic behaviour of the plasticine to an undetectable value. Storage experiments were conducted with plasticine rough surfaces on top of large rigid polystyrene plates inclined at different slope gradient: 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%. Roughness data collected on the generated plasticine surfaces were successfully compared with roughness data collected on real soil surfaces for similar conditions. A set of roughness indices was computed for each surface using roughness profiles measured with a laser profile meter. Roughness indices included quantiles of the Abbot-Firestone curve, which is used in surface metrology for industrial application to characterize surface roughness in a non-parametric approach ( Whitehouse, 1994). Storage data were fitted with an empirical equation (double negative exponential of roughness and slope). Several roughness indices resulted well related to storage. The better results were obtained using the Abbot-Firestone curve parameter P100. Beside this storage empirical model (SEM) a geometrical model was also developed, trying to give a more physical basis to the result obtained so far. Depression geometry was approximated with spherical cups. A general physical model was derived (storage cup model - SCM). The cup approximation identifies where roughness elevation comes in and how it relates to slope gradient in defining depression volume. Moreover, the exponential decay used for assessing slope effect on storage volume in the empirical model of Eqs. (8) and (9) emerges as consistent with distribution of cup sizes.

Electric cars. Advantages and disadvantages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelmanova, Z. S.; Zhabalova, G. G.; Sivyakova, G. A.; Lelikova, O. N.; Onishchenko, O. N.; Smailova, A. A.; Kamarova, S. N.

2018-05-01

The article considers the positive and negative aspects of the use of electric vehicles. A rough calculation of the energy efficiency and average cost per month was made. Also priorities to avoid the existing problems in the market of electric vehicles were set.

Aerodynamics and thermal physics of helicopter ice accretion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Yiqiang

Ice accretion on aircraft introduces significant loss in airfoil performance. Reduced lift-to- drag ratio reduces the vehicle capability to maintain altitude and also limits its maneuverability. Current ice accretion performance degradation modeling approaches are calibrated only to a limited envelope of liquid water content, impact velocity, temperature, and water droplet size; consequently inaccurate aerodynamic performance degradations are estimated. The reduced ice accretion prediction capabilities in the glaze ice regime are primarily due to a lack of knowledge of surface roughness induced by ice accretion. A comprehensive understanding of the ice roughness effects on airfoil heat transfer, ice accretion shapes, and ultimately aerodynamics performance is critical for the design of ice protection systems. Surface roughness effects on both heat transfer and aerodynamic performance degradation on airfoils have been experimentally evaluated. Novel techniques, such as ice molding and casting methods and transient heat transfer measurement using non-intrusive thermal imaging methods, were developed at the Adverse Environment Rotor Test Stand (AERTS) facility at Penn State. A novel heat transfer scaling method specifically for turbulent flow regime was also conceived. A heat transfer scaling parameter, labeled as Coefficient of Stanton and Reynolds Number (CSR = Stx/Rex --0.2), has been validated against reference data found in the literature for rough flat plates with Reynolds number (Re) up to 1x107, for rough cylinders with Re ranging from 3x104 to 4x106, and for turbine blades with Re from 7.5x105 to 7x106. This is the first time that the effect of Reynolds number is shown to be successfully eliminated on heat transfer magnitudes measured on rough surfaces. Analytical models for ice roughness distribution, heat transfer prediction, and aerodynamics performance degradation due to ice accretion have also been developed. The ice roughness prediction model was developed based on a set of 82 experimental measurements and also compared to existing predictions tools. Two reference predictions found in the literature yielded 76% and 54% discrepancy with respect to experimental testing, whereas the proposed ice roughness prediction model resulted in a 31% minimum accuracy in prediction. It must be noted that the accuracy of the proposed model is within the ice shape reproduction uncertainty of icing facilities. Based on the new ice roughness prediction model and the CSR heat transfer scaling method, an icing heat transfer model was developed. The approach achieved high accuracy in heat transfer prediction compared to experiments conducted at the AERTS facility. The discrepancy between predictions and experimental results was within +/-15%, which was within the measurement uncertainty range of the facility. By combining both the ice roughness and heat transfer predictions, and incorporating the modules into an existing ice prediction tool (LEWICE), improved prediction capability was obtained, especially for the glaze regime. With the available ice shapes accreted at the AERTS facility and additional experiments found in the literature, 490 sets of experimental ice shapes and corresponding aerodynamics testing data were available. A physics-based performance degradation empirical tool was developed and achieved a mean absolute deviation of 33% when compared to the entire experimental dataset, whereas 60% to 243% discrepancies were observed using legacy drag penalty prediction tools. Rotor torque predictions coupling Blade Element Momentum Theory and the proposed drag performance degradation tool was conducted on a total of 17 validation cases. The coupled prediction tool achieved a 10% predicting error for clean rotor conditions, and 16% error for iced rotor conditions. It was shown that additional roughness element could affect the measured drag by up to 25% during experimental testing, emphasizing the need of realistic ice structures during aerodynamics modeling and testing for ice accretion.

An Analysis of Quality in the Modular Housing Industry.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-01

finishing, Station 5, installs rough plumbing and applies the first coat of drywall joint compound . The unit continues to ceiling/roof setting, Station...with I joint compound and drywall or plywood plates. 3 14. Rigid waferboard, oriented strand board, or plywood is used for exterior wall sheathing to...completed and tested, the second coat of joint compound is placed, and windows and doors are set. Insulation, exterior sheathing, roof sheathing

Knowledge mining from clinical datasets using rough sets and backpropagation neural network.

PubMed

Nahato, Kindie Biredagn; Harichandran, Khanna Nehemiah; Arputharaj, Kannan

2015-01-01

The availability of clinical datasets and knowledge mining methodologies encourages the researchers to pursue research in extracting knowledge from clinical datasets. Different data mining techniques have been used for mining rules, and mathematical models have been developed to assist the clinician in decision making. The objective of this research is to build a classifier that will predict the presence or absence of a disease by learning from the minimal set of attributes that has been extracted from the clinical dataset. In this work rough set indiscernibility relation method with backpropagation neural network (RS-BPNN) is used. This work has two stages. The first stage is handling of missing values to obtain a smooth data set and selection of appropriate attributes from the clinical dataset by indiscernibility relation method. The second stage is classification using backpropagation neural network on the selected reducts of the dataset. The classifier has been tested with hepatitis, Wisconsin breast cancer, and Statlog heart disease datasets obtained from the University of California at Irvine (UCI) machine learning repository. The accuracy obtained from the proposed method is 97.3%, 98.6%, and 90.4% for hepatitis, breast cancer, and heart disease, respectively. The proposed system provides an effective classification model for clinical datasets.

Improving controllable adhesion on both rough and smooth surfaces with a hybrid electrostatic/gecko-like adhesive

PubMed Central

Ruffatto, Donald; Parness, Aaron; Spenko, Matthew

2014-01-01

This paper describes a novel, controllable adhesive that combines the benefits of electrostatic adhesives with gecko-like directional dry adhesives. When working in combination, the two technologies create a positive feedback cycle whose adhesion, depending on the surface type, is often greater than the sum of its parts. The directional dry adhesive brings the electrostatic adhesive closer to the surface, increasing its effect. Similarly, the electrostatic adhesion helps engage more of the directional dry adhesive fibrillar structures, particularly on rough surfaces. This paper presents the new hybrid adhesive's manufacturing process and compares its performance to three other adhesive technologies manufactured using a similar process: reinforced PDMS, electrostatic and directional dry adhesion. Tests were performed on a set of ceramic tiles with varying roughness to quantify its effect on shear adhesive force. The relative effectiveness of the hybrid adhesive increases as the surface roughness is increased. Experimental data are also presented for different substrate materials to demonstrate the enhanced performance achieved with the hybrid adhesive. Results show that the hybrid adhesive provides up to 5.1× greater adhesion than the electrostatic adhesive or directional dry adhesive technologies alone. PMID:24451392

The Improvement of the Closed Bounded Volume (CBV) Evaluation Methods to Compute a Feasible Rough Machining Area Based on Faceted Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadi Sutrisno, Himawan; Kiswanto, Gandjar; Istiyanto, Jos

2017-06-01

The rough machining is aimed at shaping a workpiece towards to its final form. This process takes up a big proportion of the machining time due to the removal of the bulk material which may affect the total machining time. In certain models, the rough machining has limitations especially on certain surfaces such as turbine blade and impeller. CBV evaluation is one of the concepts which is used to detect of areas admissible in the process of machining. While in the previous research, CBV area detection used a pair of normal vectors, in this research, the writer simplified the process to detect CBV area with a slicing line for each point cloud formed. The simulation resulted in three steps used for this method and they are: 1. Triangulation from CAD design models, 2. Development of CC point from the point cloud, 3. The slicing line method which is used to evaluate each point cloud position (under CBV and outer CBV). The result of this evaluation method can be used as a tool for orientation set-up on each CC point position of feasible areas in rough machining.

In vitro fertilisation in a small unit in the NHS

PubMed Central

Bromwich, Peter; Walker, Andrew; Kennedy, Stephen; Wiley, Mary; Little, David; Ross, Caroline; Sargent, Ian; Bellinger, Joan; O'Reilly, Helen; Lopez-Bernal, Andres; Brice, Amy L; Barlow, David

1988-01-01

In vitro fertilisation is one of the most effective new treatments for infertility, but financial restrictions have made it impossible for it to be widely carried out in the National Health Service. We report on the establishment of a small, largely self funded, unit that was set up with the help of the local health service management. All cycles are programmed so that most work is carried out during the working week; oocyte recoveries are performed as outpatient procedures without general anaesthesia and guided by ultrasound. Roughly a tenth of treatment cycles and roughly a fifth of embryo transfers resulted in a clinical pregnancy. PMID:3126964

Diplomats in the Foxhole: The Evolution of the State Department During Irregular Conflicts

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-22

transitioning of Iraq,” and the Project and Contracting Office ( PCO ) which was a DOD-led organization charged with contract acquisition and project...JUL - DOS S/CRS established • IRMO established • PCO established • SETs introduced • APR. Battle of Fallujah • Central Revolutionary

Redesigning the District Operating System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodas, Steven

2015-01-01

In this paper, we look at the inner workings of a school district through the lens of the "district operating system (DOS)," a set of interlocking mutually-reinforcing modules that includes functions like procurement, contracting, data and IT policy, the general counsel's office, human resources, and the systems for employee and family…

Comparison of Tropical and Extratropical Gust Factors Using Observed and Simulated Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, R. P.; Schroeder, J. L.

2011-12-01

Questions of whether differences exist between tropical cyclone (TC) and extratropical (ET) wind have been the subject of considerable debate. This study will focus on the behavior of the gust factor (GF), the ratio of a peak wind speed of a certain duration and a mean wind speed of a certain duration, for three types of data: TC, ET, and simulated. For this project, the Universal Spectrum, a normalized, averaged spectrum for wind, was un-normalized and used to create simulated wind speed time series at a variety of wind speeds. Additional time series were created after modifying the spectrum to simulate the additional low-frequency energy observed in the TC wind spectrum as well as the reduction of high-frequency energy caused by a mechanical anemometer. The T and ET data used for this study were collected by Texas Tech University's mobile towers as part of various field efforts since 1998. Before comparisons were made, the database was divided into four roughness regimes based on the roughness length to ensure that differences observed in the turbulence statistics are not caused by differences in upstream terrain. The mean GF for the TC data set (open roughness regime), 1.49, was slightly higher than the ET value of 1.44 (Table 1). The distributions of GFs from each data type show similarities in shape between the base-simulated and ET data sets and between the TC and modified-simulated data set (Figure 1). These similarities are expected given the spectral similarities between the TC and modified-simulated data sets, namely additional low-frequency energy relative to the ET and base-simulated data. These findings suggest that the higher amount of low-frequency energy present in the tropical wind spectrum is partially responsible for the resulting higher GF for the tropical cyclone data. However, the modest increase in GF from the base to the modified simulated data suggest that there are more factors at work.

On-machine precision preparation and dressing of ball-headed diamond wheel for the grinding of fused silica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Mingjun; Li, Ziang; Yu, Bo; Peng, Hui; Fang, Zhen

2013-09-01

In the grinding of high quality fused silica parts with complex surface or structure using ball-headed metal bonded diamond wheel with small diameter, the existing dressing methods are not suitable to dress the ball-headed diamond wheel precisely due to that they are either on-line in process dressing which may causes collision problem or without consideration for the effects of the tool setting error and electrode wear. An on-machine precision preparation and dressing method is proposed for ball-headed diamond wheel based on electrical discharge machining. By using this method the cylindrical diamond wheel with small diameter is manufactured to hemispherical-headed form. The obtained ball-headed diamond wheel is dressed after several grinding passes to recover geometrical accuracy and sharpness which is lost due to the wheel wear. A tool setting method based on high precision optical system is presented to reduce the wheel center setting error and dimension error. The effect of electrode tool wear is investigated by electrical dressing experiments, and the electrode tool wear compensation model is established based on the experimental results which show that the value of wear ratio coefficient K' tends to be constant with the increasing of the feed length of electrode and the mean value of K' is 0.156. Grinding experiments of fused silica are carried out on a test bench to evaluate the performance of the preparation and dressing method. The experimental results show that the surface roughness of the finished workpiece is 0.03 μm. The effect of the grinding parameter and dressing frequency on the surface roughness is investigated based on the measurement results of the surface roughness. This research provides an on-machine preparation and dressing method for ball-headed metal bonded diamond wheel used in the grinding of fused silica, which provides a solution to the tool setting method and the effect of electrode tool wear.

COAL UTILITY EVIRONMENTAL COST (CUECOST) WORKBOOK USER'S MANUAL

EPA Science Inventory

The document is a user's manual for the Coal Utility Environmental Cost (CUECost) workbook (an interrelated set of spreadsheets) and documents its development and the validity of methods used to estimate installed capital ad annualize costs. The CUECost workbook produces rough-or...

A density based algorithm to detect cavities and holes from planar points

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jie; Sun, Yizhong; Pang, Yueyong

2017-12-01

Delaunay-based shape reconstruction algorithms are widely used in approximating the shape from planar points. However, these algorithms cannot ensure the optimality of varied reconstructed cavity boundaries and hole boundaries. This inadequate reconstruction can be primarily attributed to the lack of efficient mathematic formulation for the two structures (hole and cavity). In this paper, we develop an efficient algorithm for generating cavities and holes from planar points. The algorithm yields the final boundary based on an iterative removal of the Delaunay triangulation. Our algorithm is mainly divided into two steps, namely, rough and refined shape reconstructions. The rough shape reconstruction performed by the algorithm is controlled by a relative parameter. Based on the rough result, the refined shape reconstruction mainly aims to detect holes and pure cavities. Cavity and hole are conceptualized as a structure with a low-density region surrounded by the high-density region. With this structure, cavity and hole are characterized by a mathematic formulation called as compactness of point formed by the length variation of the edges incident to point in Delaunay triangulation. The boundaries of cavity and hole are then found by locating a shape gradient change in compactness of point set. The experimental comparison with other shape reconstruction approaches shows that the proposed algorithm is able to accurately yield the boundaries of cavity and hole with varying point set densities and distributions.

A summary of measured hydraulic data for the series of steady and unsteady flow experiments over patterned roughness

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collins, Dannie L.; Flynn, Kathleen M.

1979-01-01

This report summarizes and makes available to other investigators the measured hydraulic data collected during a series of experiments designed to study the effect of patterned bed roughness on steady and unsteady open-channel flow. The patterned effect of the roughness was obtained by clear-cut mowing of designated areas of an otherwise fairly dense coverage of coastal Bermuda grass approximately 250 mm high. All experiments were conducted in the Flood Plain Simulation Facility during the period of October 7 through December 12, 1974. Data from 18 steady flow experiments and 10 unsteady flow experiments are summarized. Measured data included are ground-surface elevations, grass heights and densities, water-surface elevations and point velocities for all experiments. Additional tables of water-surface elevations and measured point velocities are included for the clear-cut areas for most experiments. One complete set of average water-surface elevations and one complete set of measured point velocities are tabulated for each steady flow experiment. Time series data, on a 2-minute time interval, are tabulated for both water-surface elevations and point velocities for each unsteady flow experiment. All data collected, including individual records of water-surface elevations for the steady flow experiments, have been stored on computer disk storage and can be retrieved using the computer programs listed in the attachment to this report. (Kosco-USGS)

H2RM: A Hybrid Rough Set Reasoning Model for Prediction and Management of Diabetes Mellitus.

PubMed

Ali, Rahman; Hussain, Jamil; Siddiqi, Muhammad Hameed; Hussain, Maqbool; Lee, Sungyoung

2015-07-03

Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high blood glucose level that results either from a deficiency of insulin produced by the body, or the body's resistance to the effects of insulin. Accurate and precise reasoning and prediction models greatly help physicians to improve diagnosis, prognosis and treatment procedures of different diseases. Though numerous models have been proposed to solve issues of diagnosis and management of diabetes, they have the following drawbacks: (1) restricted one type of diabetes; (2) lack understandability and explanatory power of the techniques and decision; (3) limited either to prediction purpose or management over the structured contents; and (4) lack competence for dimensionality and vagueness of patient's data. To overcome these issues, this paper proposes a novel hybrid rough set reasoning model (H2RM) that resolves problems of inaccurate prediction and management of type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). For verification of the proposed model, experimental data from fifty patients, acquired from a local hospital in semi-structured format, is used. First, the data is transformed into structured format and then used for mining prediction rules. Rough set theory (RST) based techniques and algorithms are used to mine the prediction rules. During the online execution phase of the model, these rules are used to predict T1DM and T2DM for new patients. Furthermore, the proposed model assists physicians to manage diabetes using knowledge extracted from online diabetes guidelines. Correlation-based trend analysis techniques are used to manage diabetic observations. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms the existing methods with 95.9% average and balanced accuracies.

H2RM: A Hybrid Rough Set Reasoning Model for Prediction and Management of Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Ali, Rahman; Hussain, Jamil; Siddiqi, Muhammad Hameed; Hussain, Maqbool; Lee, Sungyoung

2015-01-01

Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high blood glucose level that results either from a deficiency of insulin produced by the body, or the body’s resistance to the effects of insulin. Accurate and precise reasoning and prediction models greatly help physicians to improve diagnosis, prognosis and treatment procedures of different diseases. Though numerous models have been proposed to solve issues of diagnosis and management of diabetes, they have the following drawbacks: (1) restricted one type of diabetes; (2) lack understandability and explanatory power of the techniques and decision; (3) limited either to prediction purpose or management over the structured contents; and (4) lack competence for dimensionality and vagueness of patient’s data. To overcome these issues, this paper proposes a novel hybrid rough set reasoning model (H2RM) that resolves problems of inaccurate prediction and management of type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). For verification of the proposed model, experimental data from fifty patients, acquired from a local hospital in semi-structured format, is used. First, the data is transformed into structured format and then used for mining prediction rules. Rough set theory (RST) based techniques and algorithms are used to mine the prediction rules. During the online execution phase of the model, these rules are used to predict T1DM and T2DM for new patients. Furthermore, the proposed model assists physicians to manage diabetes using knowledge extracted from online diabetes guidelines. Correlation-based trend analysis techniques are used to manage diabetic observations. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms the existing methods with 95.9% average and balanced accuracies. PMID:26151207

Impact of the ongoing Amazonian deforestation on local precipitation: A GCM simulation study

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

Walker, G.K.; Sud, Y.C.; Atlas, R.

1995-03-01

Numerical simulation experiments were conducted to delineate the influence of in situ deforestation data on episodic rainfall by comparing two ensembles of five 5-day integrations performed with a recent version of the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres GCM that has a simple biosphere model (SiB). The first set, called control cases, used the standard SiB vegetation cover (comprising 12 biomes) and assumed a fully forested Amazonia, while the second set, called deforestation cases, distinguished the partially deforested regions of Amazonia as savanna. Except for this difference, all other initial and prescribed boundary conditions were kept identical in both sets of integrations.more » The differential analyses of these five cases show the following local effects of deforestation. (1) A discernible decrease in evapotranspiration of about 0.80 mm d{sup {minus}1} (roughly 18%) that is quite robust in the averages for 1-, 2-, and 5-day forecasts. (2) A decrease in precipitation of about 1.18 mm d{sup {minus}1} (roughly 8%) that begins to emerge even in 1-2-day averages and exhibits complex evolution that extends downstream with the winds. A larger decrease in precipitation as compared to evapotranspiration produces some drying and warming. The precipitation differences are consistent with the decrease in atmospheric moisture flux convergence and are consistent with earlier simulation studies of local climate change due to large-scale deforestation. (3) A significant decrease in the surface drag force (as a consequence of reduced surface roughness of deforested regions) that, in turn, affects the dynamical structure of moisture convergence and circulation. The surface winds increase significantly during the first day, and thereafter the increase is well maintained even in the 2- and 5-day averages. 34 refs., 9 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Effect of ion-implantation on surface characteristics of nickel titanium and titanium molybdenum alloy arch wires.

PubMed

Krishnan, Manu; Saraswathy, Seema; Sukumaran, Kalathil; Abraham, Kurian Mathew

2013-01-01

To evaluate the changes in surface roughness and frictional features of 'ion-implanted nickel titanium (NiTi) and titanium molybdenum alloy (TMA) arch wires' from its conventional types in an in-vitro laboratory set up. 'Ion-implanted NiTi and low friction TMA arch wires' were assessed for surface roughness with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 3 dimensional (3D) optical profilometry. Frictional forces were studied in a universal testing machine. Surface roughness of arch wires were determined as Root Mean Square (RMS) values in nanometers and Frictional Forces (FF) in grams. Mean values of RMS and FF were compared by Student's 't' test and one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). SEM images showed a smooth topography for ion-implanted versions. 3D optical profilometry demonstrated reduction of RMS values by 58.43% for ion-implanted NiTi (795.95 to 330.87 nm) and 48.90% for TMA groups (463.28 to 236.35 nm) from controls. Nonetheless, the corresponding decrease in FF was only 29.18% for NiTi and 22.04% for TMA, suggesting partial correction of surface roughness and disproportionate reduction in frictional forces with ion-implantation. Though the reductions were highly significant at P < 0.001, relations between surface roughness and frictional forces remained non conclusive even after ion-implantation. The study proved that ion-implantation can significantly reduce the surface roughness of NiTi and TMA wires but could not make a similar reduction in frictional forces. This can be attributed to the inherent differences in stiffness and surface reactivity of NiTi and TMA wires when used in combination with stainless steel brackets, which needs further investigations.

Surface changes of metal alloys and high-strength ceramics after ultrasonic scaling and intraoral polishing.

PubMed

Yoon, Hyung-In; Noh, Hyo-Mi; Park, Eun-Jin

2017-06-01

This study was to evaluate the effect of repeated ultrasonic scaling and surface polishing with intraoral polishing kits on the surface roughness of three different restorative materials. A total of 15 identical discs were fabricated with three different materials. The ultrasonic scaling was conducted for 20 seconds on the test surfaces. Subsequently, a multi-step polishing with recommended intraoral polishing kit was performed for 30 seconds. The 3D profiler and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate surface integrity before scaling (pristine), after scaling, and after surface polishing for each material. Non-parametric Friedman and Wilcoxon signed rank sum tests were employed to statistically evaluate surface roughness changes of the pristine, scaled, and polished specimens. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Surface roughness values before scaling (pristine), after scaling, and polishing of the metal alloys were 3.02±0.34 µm, 2.44±0.72 µm, and 3.49±0.72 µm, respectively. Surface roughness of lithium disilicate increased from 2.35±1.05 µm (pristine) to 28.54±9.64 µm (scaling), and further increased after polishing (56.66±9.12 µm, P <.05). The zirconia showed the most increase in roughness after scaling (from 1.65±0.42 µm to 101.37±18.75 µm), while its surface roughness decreased after polishing (29.57±18.86 µm, P <.05). Ultrasonic scaling significantly changed the surface integrities of lithium disilicate and zirconia. Surface polishing with multi-step intraoral kit after repeated scaling was only effective for the zirconia, while it was not for lithium disilicate.

Influence of oscillating and rotary cutting instruments with electric and turbine handpieces on tooth preparation surfaces.

PubMed

Geminiani, Alessandro; Abdel-Azim, Tamer; Ercoli, Carlo; Feng, Changyong; Meirelles, Luiz; Massironi, Domenico

2014-07-01

Rotary and nonrotary cutting instruments are used to produce specific characteristics on the axial and marginal surfaces of teeth being prepared for fixed restorations. Oscillating instruments have been suggested for tooth preparation, but no comparative surface roughness data are available. To compare the surface roughness of simulated tooth preparations produced by oscillating instruments versus rotary cutting instruments with turbine and electric handpieces. Different grit rotary cutting instruments were used to prepare Macor specimens (n=36) with 2 handpieces. The surface roughness obtained with rotary cutting instruments was compared with that produced by oscillating cutting instruments. The instruments used were as follows: coarse, then fine-grit rotary cutting instruments with a turbine (group CFT) or an electric handpiece (group CFE); coarse, then medium-grit rotary cutting instruments with a turbine (group CMT) or an electric handpiece (group CME); coarse-grit rotary cutting instruments with a turbine handpiece and oscillating instruments at a low-power (group CSL) or high-power setting (group CSH). A custom testing apparatus was used to test all instruments. The average roughness was measured for each specimen with a 3-dimensional optical surface profiler and compared with 1-way ANOVA and the Tukey honestly significant difference post hoc test for multiple comparisons (α=.05). Oscillating cutting instruments produced surface roughness values similar to those produced by similar grit rotary cutting instruments with a turbine handpiece. The electric handpiece produced smoother surfaces than the turbine regardless of rotary cutting instrument grit. Rotary cutting instruments with electric handpieces produced the smoothest surface, whereas the same instruments used with a turbine and oscillating instruments achieved similar surface roughness. Copyright © 2014 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Surface changes of metal alloys and high-strength ceramics after ultrasonic scaling and intraoral polishing

PubMed Central

Noh, Hyo-Mi

2017-01-01

PURPOSE This study was to evaluate the effect of repeated ultrasonic scaling and surface polishing with intraoral polishing kits on the surface roughness of three different restorative materials. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 15 identical discs were fabricated with three different materials. The ultrasonic scaling was conducted for 20 seconds on the test surfaces. Subsequently, a multi-step polishing with recommended intraoral polishing kit was performed for 30 seconds. The 3D profiler and scanning electron microscopy were used to investigate surface integrity before scaling (pristine), after scaling, and after surface polishing for each material. Non-parametric Friedman and Wilcoxon signed rank sum tests were employed to statistically evaluate surface roughness changes of the pristine, scaled, and polished specimens. The level of significance was set at 0.05. RESULTS Surface roughness values before scaling (pristine), after scaling, and polishing of the metal alloys were 3.02±0.34 µm, 2.44±0.72 µm, and 3.49±0.72 µm, respectively. Surface roughness of lithium disilicate increased from 2.35±1.05 µm (pristine) to 28.54±9.64 µm (scaling), and further increased after polishing (56.66±9.12 µm, P<.05). The zirconia showed the most increase in roughness after scaling (from 1.65±0.42 µm to 101.37±18.75 µm), while its surface roughness decreased after polishing (29.57±18.86 µm, P<.05). CONCLUSION Ultrasonic scaling significantly changed the surface integrities of lithium disilicate and zirconia. Surface polishing with multi-step intraoral kit after repeated scaling was only effective for the zirconia, while it was not for lithium disilicate. PMID:28680550

Potential impacts of robust surface roughness indexes on DTM-based segmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trevisani, Sebastiano; Rocca, Michele

2017-04-01

In this study, we explore the impact of robust surface texture indexes based on MAD (median absolute differences), implemented by Trevisani and Rocca (2015), in the unsupervised morphological segmentation of an alpine basin. The area was already object of a geomorphometric analysis, consisting in the roughness-based segmentation of the landscape (Trevisani et al. 2012); the roughness indexes were calculated on a high resolution DTM derived by means of airborne Lidar using the variogram as estimator. The calculated roughness indexes have been then used for the fuzzy clustering (Odeh et al., 1992; Burrough et al., 2000) of the basin, revealing the high informative geomorphometric content of the roughness-based indexes. However, the fuzzy clustering revealed a high fuzziness and a high degree of mixing between textural classes; this was ascribed both to the morphological complexity of the basin and to the high sensitivity of variogram to non-stationarity and signal-noise. Accordingly, we explore how the new implemented roughness indexes based on MAD affect the morphological segmentation of the studied basin. References Burrough, P.A., Van Gaans, P.F.M., MacMillan, R.A., 2000. High-resolution landform classification using fuzzy k-means. Fuzzy Sets and Systems 113, 37-52. Odeh, I.O.A., McBratney, A.B., Chittleborough, D.J., 1992. Soil pattern recognition with fuzzy-c-means: application to classification and soil-landform interrelationships. Soil Sciences Society of America Journal 56, 505-516. Trevisani, S., Cavalli, M. & Marchi, L. 2012, "Surface texture analysis of a high-resolution DTM: Interpreting an alpine basin", Geomorphology, vol. 161-162, pp. 26-39. Trevisani, S. & Rocca, M. 2015, "MAD: Robust image texture analysis for applications in high resolution geomorphometry", Computers and Geosciences, vol. 81, pp. 78-92.

Swept Mechanism of Micro-Milling Tool Geometry Effect on Machined Oxygen Free High Conductivity Copper (OFHC) Surface Roughness

PubMed Central

Shi, Zhenyu; Liu, Zhanqiang; Li, Yuchao; Qiao, Yang

2017-01-01

Cutting tool geometry should be very much considered in micro-cutting because it has a significant effect on the topography and accuracy of the machined surface, particularly considering the uncut chip thickness is comparable to the cutting edge radius. The objective of this paper was to clarify the influence of the mechanism of the cutting tool geometry on the surface topography in the micro-milling process. Four different cutting tools including two two-fluted end milling tools with different helix angles of 15° and 30° cutting tools, as well as two three-fluted end milling tools with different helix angles of 15° and 30° were investigated by combining theoretical modeling analysis with experimental research. The tool geometry was mathematically modeled through coordinate translation and transformation to make all three cutting edges at the cutting tool tip into the same coordinate system. Swept mechanisms, minimum uncut chip thickness, and cutting tool run-out were considered on modeling surface roughness parameters (the height of surface roughness Rz and average surface roughness Ra) based on the established mathematical model. A set of cutting experiments was carried out using four different shaped cutting tools. It was found that the sweeping volume of the cutting tool increases with the decrease of both the cutting tool helix angle and the flute number. Great coarse machined surface roughness and more non-uniform surface topography are generated when the sweeping volume increases. The outcome of this research should bring about new methodologies for micro-end milling tool design and manufacturing. The machined surface roughness can be improved by appropriately selecting the tool geometrical parameters. PMID:28772479

Genetic programming approach to evaluate complexity of texture images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciocca, Gianluigi; Corchs, Silvia; Gasparini, Francesca

2016-11-01

We adopt genetic programming (GP) to define a measure that can predict complexity perception of texture images. We perform psychophysical experiments on three different datasets to collect data on the perceived complexity. The subjective data are used for training, validation, and test of the proposed measure. These data are also used to evaluate several possible candidate measures of texture complexity related to both low level and high level image features. We select four of them (namely roughness, number of regions, chroma variance, and memorability) to be combined in a GP framework. This approach allows a nonlinear combination of the measures and could give hints on how the related image features interact in complexity perception. The proposed complexity measure M exhibits Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.890 on the training set, 0.728 on the validation set, and 0.724 on the test set. M outperforms each of all the single measures considered. From the statistical analysis of different GP candidate solutions, we found that the roughness measure evaluated on the gray level image is the most dominant one, followed by the memorability, the number of regions, and finally the chroma variance.

Effect of Finishing and Polishing on Roughness and Gloss of Lithium Disilicate and Lithium Silicate Zirconia Reinforced Glass Ceramic for CAD/CAM Systems.

PubMed

Vichi, A; Fonzar, R Fabian; Goracci, C; Carrabba, M; Ferrari, M

To assess the efficacy of dedicated finishing/polishing systems on roughness and gloss of VITA Suprinity and IPS e.max CAD. A total of 24 blocks of Suprinity and 24 of e.max were cut into a wedge shape using an InLab MC-XL milling unit. After crystallization, the 24 Suprinity wedges were divided into four subgroups: group A.1: Suprinity Polishing Set Clinical used for 30 seconds and group A.2: for 60 seconds; group A.3: VITA Akzent Plus Paste; and group A.4: spray. The 24 e.max wedges (group B) were divided into four subgroups according to the finishing procedure: group B.1: Optrafine Ceramic Polishing System for 30 seconds and group B.2: for 60 seconds; group B.3: IPS e.max CAD Crystall/Glaze paste; and group B.4: spray. After finishing/polishing, gloss was assessed with a glossmeter and roughness evaluated with a profilometer. Results were analyzed by applying a two-way analysis of variance for gloss and another for roughness (α=0.05). One specimen per each subgroup was observed with a scanning electron microscope. For roughness, materials and surface were significant factors ( p<0.001). Suprinity exhibited significantly lower roughness than e.max. Also the Material-Surface Treatment interaction was statistically significant ( p=0.026). For gloss, both material and surface treatment were significant factors ( p<0.001). VITA Suprinity showed significantly higher gloss than e.max. Also the Material-Surface Treatment interaction was statistically significant ( p<0.001). Manual finishing/polishing for 60 seconds and glazing paste are the most effective procedures in lowering the roughness of CAD/CAM silica-based glass ceramics. Manual finishing/polishing for 60 seconds allows milled silica-based glass ceramics to yield a higher gloss. VITA Suprinity displayed higher polishability than IPS e.max CAD.

Feature Selection and Effective Classifiers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deogun, Jitender S.; Choubey, Suresh K.; Raghavan, Vijay V.; Sever, Hayri

1998-01-01

Develops and analyzes four algorithms for feature selection in the context of rough set methodology. Experimental results confirm the expected relationship between the time complexity of these algorithms and the classification accuracy of the resulting upper classifiers. When compared, results of upper classifiers perform better than lower…

Design of cognitive engine for cognitive radio based on the rough sets and radial basis function neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yanchao; Jiang, Hong; Liu, Congbin; Lan, Zhongli

2013-03-01

Cognitive radio (CR) is an intelligent wireless communication system which can dynamically adjust the parameters to improve system performance depending on the environmental change and quality of service. The core technology for CR is the design of cognitive engine, which introduces reasoning and learning methods in the field of artificial intelligence, to achieve the perception, adaptation and learning capability. Considering the dynamical wireless environment and demands, this paper proposes a design of cognitive engine based on the rough sets (RS) and radial basis function neural network (RBF_NN). The method uses experienced knowledge and environment information processed by RS module to train the RBF_NN, and then the learning model is used to reconfigure communication parameters to allocate resources rationally and improve system performance. After training learning model, the performance is evaluated according to two benchmark functions. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the model and the proposed cognitive engine can effectively achieve the goal of learning and reconfiguration in cognitive radio.

High-frequency Born synthetic seismograms based on coupled normal modes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pollitz, F.

2011-01-01

High-frequency and full waveform synthetic seismograms on a 3-D laterally heterogeneous earth model are simulated using the theory of coupled normal modes. The set of coupled integral equations that describe the 3-D response are simplified into a set of uncoupled integral equations by using the Born approximation to calculate scattered wavefields and the pure-path approximation to modulate the phase of incident and scattered wavefields. This depends upon a decomposition of the aspherical structure into smooth and rough components. The uncoupled integral equations are discretized and solved in the frequency domain, and time domain results are obtained by inverse Fourier transform. Examples show the utility of the normal mode approach to synthesize the seismic wavefields resulting from interaction with a combination of rough and smooth structural heterogeneities. This approach is applied to an ~4 Hz shallow crustal wave propagation around the site of the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD). ?? The Author Geophysical Journal International ?? 2011 RAS.

A Hybrid Classification System for Heart Disease Diagnosis Based on the RFRS Method.

PubMed

Liu, Xiao; Wang, Xiaoli; Su, Qiang; Zhang, Mo; Zhu, Yanhong; Wang, Qiugen; Wang, Qian

2017-01-01

Heart disease is one of the most common diseases in the world. The objective of this study is to aid the diagnosis of heart disease using a hybrid classification system based on the ReliefF and Rough Set (RFRS) method. The proposed system contains two subsystems: the RFRS feature selection system and a classification system with an ensemble classifier. The first system includes three stages: (i) data discretization, (ii) feature extraction using the ReliefF algorithm, and (iii) feature reduction using the heuristic Rough Set reduction algorithm that we developed. In the second system, an ensemble classifier is proposed based on the C4.5 classifier. The Statlog (Heart) dataset, obtained from the UCI database, was used for experiments. A maximum classification accuracy of 92.59% was achieved according to a jackknife cross-validation scheme. The results demonstrate that the performance of the proposed system is superior to the performances of previously reported classification techniques.

Mechanisms of wave‐driven water level variability on reef‐fringed coastlines

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buckley, Mark L.; Lowe, Ryan J.; Hansen, Jeff E; van Dongeren, Ap R.; Storlazzi, Curt

2018-01-01

Wave‐driven water level variability (and runup at the shoreline) is a significant cause of coastal flooding induced by storms. Wave runup is challenging to predict, particularly along tropical coral reef‐fringed coastlines due to the steep bathymetric profiles and large bottom roughness generated by reef organisms, which can violate assumptions in conventional models applied to open sandy coastlines. To investigate the mechanisms of wave‐driven water level variability on a reef‐fringed coastline, we performed a set of laboratory flume experiments on an along‐shore uniform bathymetric profile with and without bottom roughness. Wave setup and waves at frequencies lower than the incident sea‐swell forcing (infragravity waves) were found to be the dominant components of runup. These infragravity waves were positively correlated with offshore wave groups, signifying they were generated in the surf zone by the oscillation of the breakpoint. On the reef flat and at the shoreline, the low‐frequency waves formed a standing wave pattern with energy concentrated at the natural frequencies of the reef flat, indicating resonant amplification. Roughness elements used in the flume to mimic large reef bottom roughness reduced low frequency motions on the reef flat and reduced wave run up by 30% on average, compared to the runs over a smooth bed. These results provide insight into sea‐swell and infragravity wave transformation and wave setup dynamics on steep‐sloped coastlines, and the effect that future losses of reef bottom roughness may have on coastal flooding along reef‐fringed coasts.

L Band Brightness Temperature Observations over a Corn Canopy during the Entire Growth Cycle

PubMed Central

Joseph, Alicia T.; van der Velde, Rogier; O’Neill, Peggy E.; Choudhury, Bhaskar J.; Lang, Roger H.; Kim, Edward J.; Gish, Timothy

2010-01-01

During a field campaign covering the 2002 corn growing season, a dual polarized tower mounted L-band (1.4 GHz) radiometer (LRAD) provided brightness temperature (TB) measurements at preset intervals, incidence and azimuth angles. These radiometer measurements were supported by an extensive characterization of land surface variables including soil moisture, soil temperature, vegetation biomass, and surface roughness. In the period May 22 to August 30, ten days of radiometer and ground measurements are available for a corn canopy with a vegetation water content (W) range of 0.0 to 4.3 kg m−2. Using this data set, the effects of corn vegetation on surface emissions are investigated by means of a semi-empirical radiative transfer model. Additionally, the impact of roughness on the surface emission is quantified using TB measurements over bare soil conditions. Subsequently, the estimated roughness parameters, ground measurements and horizontally (H)-polarized TB are employed to invert the H-polarized transmissivity (γh) for the monitored corn growing season. PMID:22163585

Crack surface roughness in three-dimensional random fuse networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nukala, Phani Kumar V. V.; Zapperi, Stefano; Šimunović, Srđan

2006-08-01

Using large system sizes with extensive statistical sampling, we analyze the scaling properties of crack roughness and damage profiles in the three-dimensional random fuse model. The analysis of damage profiles indicates that damage accumulates in a diffusive manner up to the peak load, and localization sets in abruptly at the peak load, starting from a uniform damage landscape. The global crack width scales as Wtilde L0.5 and is consistent with the scaling of localization length ξ˜L0.5 used in the data collapse of damage profiles in the postpeak regime. This consistency between the global crack roughness exponent and the postpeak damage profile localization length supports the idea that the postpeak damage profile is predominantly due to the localization produced by the catastrophic failure, which at the same time results in the formation of the final crack. Finally, the crack width distributions can be collapsed for different system sizes and follow a log-normal distribution.

L Band Brightness Temperature Observations Over a Corn Canopy During the Entire Growth Cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joseph, Alicia T.; O'Neill, Peggy E.; Choudhury, Bhaskar J.; vanderVelde, Rogier; Lang, Roger H.; Gish, Timothy

2011-01-01

During a field campaign covering the 2002 corn growing season, a dual polarized tower mounted L-band (1.4 GHz) radiometer (LRAD) provided brightness temperature (T(sub B)) measurements at preset intervals, incidence and azimuth angles. These radiometer measurements were supported by an extensive characterization of land surface variables including soil moisture, soil temperature, vegetation biomass, and surface roughness. During the period from May 22, 2002 to August 30, 2002 a range of vegetation water content (W) of 0.0 to 4.3 kg/square m, ten days of radiometer and ground measurements were available. Using this data set, the effects of corn vegetation on surface emissions are investigated by means of a semi-empirical radiative transfer model. Additionally, the impact of roughness on the surface emission is quantified using T(sub B) measurements over bare soil conditions. Subsequently, the estimated roughness parameters, ground measurements and horizontally (H)-polarized T(sub B) are employed to invert the H-polarized transmissivity (gamma-h) for the monitored corn growing season.

A Fast 4-D TEM System for UXO Characterization

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-07-30

responses for a small conductive and permeable sphere. Magnetic permeability is the curve parameter. Figure 2.10: Compass/ Tiltmeter package...each TCM2 record. The DOS clock on the HP200LX was manually set to UTC each day using the UTC time displayed on the Figure 2.10: Compass/ Tiltmeter

Fast interrupt platform for extended DOS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duryea, T. W.

1995-01-01

Extended DOS offers the unique combination of a simple operating system which allows direct access to the interrupt tables, 32 bit protected mode access to 4096 MByte address space, and the use of industry standard C compilers. The drawback is that fast interrupt handling requires both 32 bit and 16 bit versions of each real-time process interrupt handler to avoid mode switches on the interrupts. A set of tools has been developed which automates the process of transforming the output of a standard 32 bit C compiler to 16 bit interrupt code which directly handles the real mode interrupts. The entire process compiles one set of source code via a make file, which boosts productivity by making the management of the compile-link cycle very simple. The software components are in the form of classes written mostly in C. A foreground process written as a conventional application which can use the standard C libraries can communicate with the background real-time classes via a message passing mechanism. The platform thus enables the integration of high performance real-time processing into a conventional application framework.

Evolutionary and Neural Computing Based Decision Support System for Disease Diagnosis from Clinical Data Sets in Medical Practice.

PubMed

Sudha, M

2017-09-27

As a recent trend, various computational intelligence and machine learning approaches have been used for mining inferences hidden in the large clinical databases to assist the clinician in strategic decision making. In any target data the irrelevant information may be detrimental, causing confusion for the mining algorithm and degrades the prediction outcome. To address this issue, this study attempts to identify an intelligent approach to assist disease diagnostic procedure using an optimal set of attributes instead of all attributes present in the clinical data set. In this proposed Application Specific Intelligent Computing (ASIC) decision support system, a rough set based genetic algorithm is employed in pre-processing phase and a back propagation neural network is applied in training and testing phase. ASIC has two phases, the first phase handles outliers, noisy data, and missing values to obtain a qualitative target data to generate appropriate attribute reduct sets from the input data using rough computing based genetic algorithm centred on a relative fitness function measure. The succeeding phase of this system involves both training and testing of back propagation neural network classifier on the selected reducts. The model performance is evaluated with widely adopted existing classifiers. The proposed ASIC system for clinical decision support has been tested with breast cancer, fertility diagnosis and heart disease data set from the University of California at Irvine (UCI) machine learning repository. The proposed system outperformed the existing approaches attaining the accuracy rate of 95.33%, 97.61%, and 93.04% for breast cancer, fertility issue and heart disease diagnosis.

AFM surface imaging of AISI D2 tool steel machined by the EDM process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guu, Y. H.

2005-04-01

The surface morphology, surface roughness and micro-crack of AISI D2 tool steel machined by the electrical discharge machining (EDM) process were analyzed by means of the atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique. Experimental results indicate that the surface texture after EDM is determined by the discharge energy during processing. An excellent machined finish can be obtained by setting the machine parameters at a low pulse energy. The surface roughness and the depth of the micro-cracks were proportional to the power input. Furthermore, the AFM application yielded information about the depth of the micro-cracks is particularly important in the post treatment of AISI D2 tool steel machined by EDM.

A spatial picture of the synthetic large-scale motion from dynamic roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huynh, David; McKeon, Beverley

2017-11-01

Jacobi and McKeon (2011) set up a dynamic roughness apparatus to excite a synthetic, travelling wave-like disturbance in a wind tunnel, boundary layer study. In the present work, this dynamic roughness has been adapted for a flat-plate, turbulent boundary layer experiment in a water tunnel. A key advantage of operating in water as opposed to air is the longer flow timescales. This makes accessible higher non-dimensional actuation frequencies and correspondingly shorter synthetic length scales, and is thus more amenable to particle image velocimetry. As a result, this experiment provides a novel spatial picture of the synthetic mode, the coupled small scales, and their streamwise development. It is demonstrated that varying the roughness actuation frequency allows for significant tuning of the streamwise wavelength of the synthetic mode, with a range of 3 δ-13 δ being achieved. Employing a phase-locked decomposition, spatial snapshots are constructed of the synthetic large scale and used to analyze its streamwise behavior. Direct spatial filtering is used to separate the synthetic large scale and the related small scales, and the results are compared to those obtained by temporal filtering that invokes Taylor's hypothesis. The support of AFOSR (Grant # FA9550-16-1-0361) is gratefully acknowledged.

Fractal analysis as a potential tool for surface morphology of thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soumya, S.; Swapna, M. S.; Raj, Vimal; Mahadevan Pillai, V. P.; Sankararaman, S.

2017-12-01

Fractal geometry developed by Mandelbrot has emerged as a potential tool for analyzing complex systems in the diversified fields of science, social science, and technology. Self-similar objects having the same details in different scales are referred to as fractals and are analyzed using the mathematics of non-Euclidean geometry. The present work is an attempt to correlate fractal dimension for surface characterization by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Taking the AFM images of zinc sulphide (ZnS) thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique, under different annealing temperatures, the effect of annealing temperature and surface roughness on fractal dimension is studied. The annealing temperature and surface roughness show a strong correlation with fractal dimension. From the regression equation set, the surface roughness at a given annealing temperature can be calculated from the fractal dimension. The AFM images are processed using Photoshop and fractal dimension is calculated by box-counting method. The fractal dimension decreases from 1.986 to 1.633 while the surface roughness increases from 1.110 to 3.427, for a change of annealing temperature 30 ° C to 600 ° C. The images are also analyzed by power spectrum method to find the fractal dimension. The study reveals that the box-counting method gives better results compared to the power spectrum method.

Effect of Physicochemical Anomalies of Soda-Lime Silicate Slides on Biomolecule Immobilization

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

roughness. EXPERIMENTAL SECTION Materials. Standard soda - lime glass microscope slides were obtained from several sources (Table 1). Rabbit anti-lipid A...had changed, confir- mation was obtained from the manufacturers that slides in set A1 were the same soda - lime glass slides as those in set A2 and...manufacture of soda - lime glass slides. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). To identify el- emental disparities in the glass surface, relative atomic

Light Scattering from Rough Surfaces. Appendix. Angular Correlation of Speckle Patterns. Draft

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

For his demonstrations of the various experimental techniques, I owe thanks to Andrew Sant. Also, on behalf of all students writing (and written) up ...less controllable, radar set up . 1.1.1 Theoretical Models This section will present some of the theoretical models which exist for determining the...centre of a turntable set up to spin at :300 revolutions per minute. While the turntable is stationary, photoresist is applied to the centre of the

Identifying a Comparison for Matching Rough Voice Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patel, Sona; Shrivastav, Rahul; Eddins, David A.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Perceptual estimates of voice quality obtained using rating scales are subject to contextual biases that influence how individuals assign numbers to estimate the magnitude of vocal quality. Because rating scales are commonly used in clinical settings, assessments of voice quality are also subject to the limitations of these scales.…

Survey on Classifying Human Actions Through Visual Sensors

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-04

47] Herrera, A., Beck , A., Bell, D., Miller, P., Wu, Q., Yan, W., “Behaviour Analysis and Prediction in Image Sequences Using Rough Sets...report TR-97-021, University of Berkeley, 1998 [83] DARPA Mind’s Eye Broad Agency Announcement, DARPA- BAA -10-53, 2010 www.darpa.mil/tcto/docs

Title Sequences, Dress, Settings, and Such.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, John

Comparisons of television shows along genre lines suggest significant elements of aural/visual richness as well as valuable categories of comparison for future use in other comparisons. An examination of two sitcoms and two police shows produced roughly 25 years apart--"Make Room for Daddy" with "The Cosby Show" and "Naked…

The Southwest Configuration for the Next Generation Very Large Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irwin Kellermann, Kenneth; Carilli, Chris; Condon, James; Cotton, William; Murphy, Eric Joseph; Nyland, Kristina

2018-01-01

We discuss the planned array configuration for the Next Generation Very Large Array (ngVLA). The configuration, termed the "Southwest Array," consists of 214 antennas each 18 m in diameter, distributed over the Southwest United States and Northern Mexico. The antenna locations have been set applying rough real-world constraints, such as road, fiber, and power access. The antenna locations will be fixed, with roughly 50% of the antennas in a "core" of 2 km diameter, located at the site of the JVLA. Another 30% of the antennas will be distributed over the Plains of San Augustin to a diameter of 30 km, possibly along, or near, the current JVLA arms. The remaining 20% of the antennas will be distributed in a rough two-arm spiral pattern to the South and East, out to a maximum distance of 500 km, into Texas, Arizona, and Chihuahua. Years of experience with the VLA up to 50 GHz, plus intensive antenna testing up to 250 GHz for the ALMA prototype antennas, verify the VLA site as having very good observing conditions (opacity, phase stability), up to 115 GHz (ngVLA Memo No. 1). Using a suite of tools implemented in CASA, we have made extensive imaging simulations with this configuration. We find that good imaging performance can be obtained through appropriate weighting of the visibilities, for resolutions ranging from that of the core of the array (1" at 30 GHz), out to the longest baselines (10 mas at 30 GHz), with a loss of roughly a factor of two in sensitivity relative to natural weighting (ngVLA Memo No. 16). The off-set core, located on the northern edge of the long baseline configuration, provides excellent sensitivity even on the longest baselines. We are considering, in addition, a compact configuration of 16 close-packed 6 m antennas to obtain uv-coverage down to baselines ~ 10 m for imaging large scale structure, as well as a configuration including 9 stations distributed to continental scales.

National Collegiate Software Clearinghouse Software for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Summer 1989 Catalog.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Collegiate Software Clearinghouse, Durham, NC.

Over 250 microcomputer software packages, intended for use on MS-DOS machines by scholars and teachers in the humanities and social sciences, are included in this catalog. The clearinghouse's first Macintosh listing is included, with many more Macintosh programs and data sets being planned and tested for future inclusion. Most programs were…

Unidad: Las influencias culturales en el arte mexicana (Unit: Cultural Influences in Mexican Art). Dos semanas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finere, Neal

This two-week unit, appropriate for bilingual education settings as well as foreign language programs, deals with the three primary cultural influences found in Mexican contemporary art. The multisensory materials, pragmatic focus, and direct creative student involvement are designed to make it a microcosmic, real-life experience. The first part…

Velocity distribution in a turbulent flow near a rough wall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korsun, A. S.; Pisarevsky, M. I.; Fedoseev, V. N.; Kreps, M. V.

2017-11-01

Velocity distribution in the zone of developed wall turbulence, regardless of the conditions on the wall, is described by the well-known Prandtl logarithmic profile. In this distribution, the constant, that determines the value of the velocity, is determined by the nature of the interaction of the flow with the wall and depends on the viscosity of the fluid, the dynamic velocity, and the parameters of the wall roughness.In extreme cases depending on the ratio between the thickness of the viscous sublayer and the size of the roughness the constant takes on a value that does not depend on viscosity, or leads to a ratio for a smooth wall.It is essential that this logarithmic profile is the result not only of the Prandtl theory, but can be derived from general considerations of the theory of dimensions, and also follows from the condition of local equilibrium of generation and dissipation of turbulent energy in the wall area. This allows us to consider the profile as a universal law of velocity distribution in the wall area of a turbulent flow.The profile approximation up to the maximum speed line with subsequent integration makes possible to obtain the resistance law for channels of simple shape. For channels of complex shape with rough walls, the universal profile can be used to formulate the boundary condition when applied to the calculation of turbulence models.This paper presents an empirical model for determining the constant of the universal logarithmic profile. The zone of roughness is described by a set of parameters and is considered as a porous structure with variable porosity.

DecisionMaker software and extracting fuzzy rules under uncertainty

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, Kevin B.

1992-01-01

Knowledge acquisition under uncertainty is examined. Theories proposed in deKorvin's paper 'Extracting Fuzzy Rules Under Uncertainty and Measuring Definability Using Rough Sets' are discussed as they relate to rule calculation algorithms. A data structure for holding an arbitrary number of data fields is described. Limitations of Pascal for loops in the generation of combinations are also discussed. Finally, recursive algorithms for generating all possible combination of attributes and for calculating the intersection of an arbitrary number of fuzzy sets are presented.

Influence of nitrogen doping in sumanene framework toward hydrogen storage: A computational study.

PubMed

Reisi-Vanani, Adel; Shamsali, Fatemeh

2017-09-01

Two conditions are important to obtain appropriate substances for hydrogen storage; high surface area and fitting binding energy (BE). Doping is a key strategy that improves BE. We investigated hydrogen adsorption onto twenty six nitrogen disubstituted isomers of sumanene (C 19 N 2 H 12 ) by MP2/6-311++G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d) and M06-2X/6-31+G(d) levels of theory. Effect of nitrogen doping in different positions of sumanene was checked. To obtain better BE, basis set superposition error (BSSE) and zero point energy (ZPE) corrections were used. Anticipating of adsorption sites and extra details about adsorption process was done by molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) surfaces. Various types of density of state (DOS) diagrams such as total DOS (TDOS), projected DOS (PDOS) and overlap population DOS (OPDOS) and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis were used to find better insight on the adsorption properties. In addition of temperature depending of the BE, HOMO-LUMO gap (HLG), dipole moment, reactivity and stability, bowl depth and natural population analysis (NPA) of the isomers were studied. A physisorption mechanism for adsorption was proposed and a trivial change was seen. Place of nitrogen atoms in sumanene frame causes to binding energy increases or decreases compared with pristine sumanene. The best and the worst isomers and category of isomers were suggested. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring empowerment in settings: mapping distributions of network power.

PubMed

Neal, Jennifer Watling

2014-06-01

This paper brings together two trends in the empowerment literature-understanding empowerment in settings and understanding empowerment as relational-by examining what makes settings empowering from a social network perspective. Specifically, extending Neal and Neal's (Am J Community Psychol 48(3/4):157-167, 2011) conception of network power, an empowering setting is defined as one in which (1) actors have existing relationships that allow for the exchange of resources and (2) the distribution of network power among actors in the setting is roughly equal. The paper includes a description of how researchers can examine distributions of network power in settings. Next, this process is illustrated in both an abstract example and using empirical data on early adolescents' peer relationships in urban classrooms. Finally, implications for theory, methods, and intervention related to understanding empowering settings are explored.

Structure of turbulent flow over regular arrays of cubical roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coceal, O.; Dobre, A.; Thomas, T. G.; Belcher, S. E.

The structure of turbulent flow over large roughness consisting of regular arrays of cubical obstacles is investigated numerically under constant pressure gradient conditions. Results are analysed in terms of first- and second-order statistics, by visualization of instantaneous flow fields and by conditional averaging. The accuracy of the simulations is established by detailed comparisons of first- and second-order statistics with wind-tunnel measurements. Coherent structures in the log region are investigated. Structure angles are computed from two-point correlations, and quadrant analysis is performed to determine the relative importance of Q2 and Q4 events (ejections and sweeps) as a function of height above the roughness. Flow visualization shows the existence of low-momentum regions (LMRs) as well as vortical structures throughout the log layer. Filtering techniques are used to reveal instantaneous examples of the association of the vortices with the LMRs, and linear stochastic estimation and conditional averaging are employed to deduce their statistical properties. The conditional averaging results reveal the presence of LMRs and regions of Q2 and Q4 events that appear to be associated with hairpin-like vortices, but a quantitative correspondence between the sizes of the vortices and those of the LMRs is difficult to establish; a simple estimate of the ratio of the vortex width to the LMR width gives a value that is several times larger than the corresponding ratio over smooth walls. The shape and inclination of the vortices and their spatial organization are compared to recent findings over smooth walls. Characteristic length scales are shown to scale linearly with height in the log region. Whilst there are striking qualitative similarities with smooth walls, there are also important differences in detail regarding: (i) structure angles and sizes and their dependence on distance from the rough surface; (ii) the flow structure close to the roughness; (iii) the roles of inflows into and outflows from cavities within the roughness; (iv) larger vortices on the rough wall compared to the smooth wall; (v) the effect of the different generation mechanism at the wall in setting the scales of structures.

Grade Repetition in Honduran Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Jeffery H.

2003-01-01

This paper looks at several dimensions of the grade failure issue in Honduras using a unique data set compiled by the UMCE evaluation project in 1998 and 1999. The analytical framework incorporates econometric analysis of standardized tests and teacher pass/fail decisions for roughly 13,000 second and fourth grade students. The results show that…

Deep Borehole Disposal Remediation Costs for Off-Normal Outcomes

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

Finger, John T.; Cochran, John R.; Hardin, Ernest

2015-08-17

This memo describes rough-order-of-magnitude (ROM) cost estimates for a set of off-normal (accident) scenarios, as defined for two waste package emplacement method options for deep borehole disposal: drill-string and wireline. It summarizes the different scenarios and the assumptions made for each, with respect to fishing, decontamination, remediation, etc.

The Role of Teachers' Guided Reflection in Effecting Positive Program Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogt, Lynn Allington; Au, Kathryn H. P.

Kamehameha Elementary Education Program (KEEP), in Hawaii, and Rough Rock (which serves Navajo students in Arizona) are dedicated to strengthening the school success of students who have not thrived in traditional mainstream school settings. Both programs have rooted change efforts in the belief that students would experience improved school…

Classification of journal surfaces using surface topography parameters and software methods to compensate for stylus geometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, C. J.; Devries, W. R.; Ludema, K. C.

1983-01-01

Measurements made with a stylus surface tracer which provides a digitized representation of a surface profile are discussed. Parameters are defined to characterize the height (e.g., RMS roughness, skewness, and kurtosis) and length (e.g., autocorrelation) of the surface topography. These are applied to the characterization of crank shaft journals which were manufactured by different grinding and lopping procedures known to give significant differences in crank shaft bearing life. It was found that three parameters (RMS roughness, skewness, and kurtosis) are necessary to adequately distinguish the character of these surfaces. Every surface specimen has a set of values for these three parameters. They can be regarded as a set coordinate in a space constituted by three characteristics axes. The various journal surfaces can be classified along with the determination of a proper wavelength cutoff (0.25 mm) by using a method of separated subspace. The finite radius of the stylus used for profile tracing gives an inherent measurement error as it passes over the fine structure of the surface. A mathematical model is derived to compensate for this error.

Non-linear scale interactions in a forced turbulent boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duvvuri, Subrahmanyam; McKeon, Beverley

2015-11-01

A strong phase-organizing influence exerted by a single synthetic large-scale spatio-temporal mode on directly-coupled (through triadic interactions) small scales in a turbulent boundary layer forced by a spatially-impulsive dynamic wall-roughness patch was previously demonstrated by the authors (J. Fluid Mech. 2015, vol. 767, R4). The experimental set-up was later enhanced to allow for simultaneous forcing of multiple scales in the flow. Results and analysis are presented from a new set of novel experiments where two distinct large scales are forced in the flow by a dynamic wall-roughness patch. The internal non-linear forcing of two other scales with triadic consistency to the artificially forced large scales, corresponding to sum and difference in wavenumbers, is dominated by the latter. This allows for a forcing-response (input-output) type analysis of the two triadic scales, and naturally lends itself to a resolvent operator based model (e.g. McKeon & Sharma, J. Fluid Mech. 2010, vol. 658, pp. 336-382) of the governing Navier-Stokes equations. The support of AFOSR (grant #FA 9550-12-1-0469, program manager D. Smith) is gratefully acknowledged.

A 1400 MHz sky survey. II - Confusion-limited maps covering ascension between 19 H 30 M and 7 H 30 m, declination between -5 deg and +82 deg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Condon, J. J.; Broderick, J. J.

1986-05-01

The NRAO 91 m transit telescope and rebuilt four-feed receiver were used to make a 1400 MHz continuum survey with 12.7 arcmin x 11.1 arcmin resolution. New maps covering ascension between 19 h 30 m and 7 h 30 m supplement those in the right ascension range between 7 h 30 m and 19 h 30 m (Condon and Broderick, 1985) to complete the roughly 6.8 sr declination band between -5 deg and +82 deg. Both sets of maps are confusion-limited and contain roughly 3000 sources per sr stronger than 0.15 Jy. They are available on FITS tapes and can be displayed and analyzed with standard AIPS programs. A procedure for making radio 'identifications' automatically from the map tapes is given. A 1400 MHz radio sky atlas of contour plots and coordinate-grid overlays covering declination between -5 deg and +82 deg with a roughly 200 arcsec/mm scale was also produced.

Component extraction on CT volumes of assembled products using geometric template matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muramatsu, Katsutoshi; Ohtake, Yutaka; Suzuki, Hiromasa; Nagai, Yukie

2017-03-01

As a method of non-destructive internal inspection, X-ray computed tomography (CT) is used not only in medical applications but also for product inspection. Some assembled products can be divided into separate components based on density, which is known to be approximately proportional to CT values. However, components whose densities are similar cannot be distinguished using the CT value driven approach. In this study, we proposed a new component extraction algorithm from the CT volume, using a set of voxels with an assigned CT value with the surface mesh as the template rather than the density. The method has two main stages: rough matching and fine matching. At the rough matching stage, the position of candidate targets is identified roughly from the CT volume, using the template of the target component. At the fine matching stage, these candidates are precisely matched with the templates, allowing the correct position of the components to be detected from the CT volume. The results of two computational experiments showed that the proposed algorithm is able to extract components with similar density within the assembled products on CT volumes.

Machinability Study on Milling Kenaf Fiber Reinforced Plastic Composite Materials using Design of Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azmi, H.; Haron, C. H. C.; Ghani, J. A.; Suhaily, M.; Yuzairi, A. R.

2018-04-01

The surface roughness (Ra) and delamination factor (Fd) of a milled kenaf reinforced plastic composite materials are depending on the milling parameters (spindle speed, feed rate and depth of cut). Therefore, a study was carried out to investigate the relationship between the milling parameters and their effects on a kenaf reinforced plastic composite materials. The composite panels were fabricated using vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding (VARTM) method. A full factorial design of experiments was use as an initial step to screen the significance of the parameters on the defects using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). If the curvature of the collected data shows significant, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is then applied for obtaining a quadratic modelling equation that has more reliable in expressing the optimization. Thus, the objective of this research is obtaining an optimum setting of milling parameters and modelling equations to minimize the surface roughness (Ra) and delamination factor (Fd) of milled kenaf reinforced plastic composite materials. The spindle speed and feed rate contributed the most in affecting the surface roughness and the delamination factor of the kenaf composite materials.

Development of a self-consistent free-form approach for studying the three-dimensional morphology of a thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozhevnikov, Igor V.; Peverini, Luca; Ziegler, Eric

2012-03-01

A method capable of extracting the depth distribution of the dielectric constant of a thin film deposited on a substrate and the three power spectral density (PSD) functions characterizing its roughness is presented. It is based on the concurrent analysis of x-ray reflectivity and scattering measurements obtained at different glancing angle values of the probe beam so that the effect of roughness is taken into account during reconstruction of the dielectric constant profile. Likewise, the latter is taken into account when determining the PSD functions describing the film roughness. This approach is using a numerical computation iterative procedure that demonstrated a rapid convergence for the overall set of data leading to a precise description of the three-dimensional morphology of a film. In the case of a tungsten thin film deposited by dc-magnetron sputtering onto a silicon substrate and characterized under vacuum, the analysis of the x-ray data showed the tungsten density to vary with depth from 95% of the bulk density at the top of the film to about 80% near the substrate, where the presence of an interlayer, estimated to be 0.7 nm thick, was evidenced. The latter may be due to diffusion and/or implantation of tungsten atoms into the silicon substrate. In the reconstruction of the depth profile, the resolution (minimum feature size correctly reconstructed) was estimated to be of the order of 0.4-0.5 nm. The depth distribution of the dielectric constant was shown to affect the roughness conformity coefficient extracted from the measured x-ray scattering distributions, while the deposition process increased the film roughness at high spatial frequency as compared to the virgin substrate. On the contrary, the roughness showed a weak influence on the dielectric constant depth profile extracted, as the sample used in our particular experiment was extremely smooth.

Extraction of membrane structure in eyeball from MR volumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oda, Masahiro; Kin, Taichi; Mori, Kensaku

2017-03-01

This paper presents an accurate extraction method of spherical shaped membrane structures in the eyeball from MR volumes. In ophthalmic surgery, operation field is limited to a small region. Patient specific surgical simulation is useful to reduce complications. Understanding of tissue structure in the eyeball of a patient is required to achieve patient specific surgical simulations. Previous extraction methods of tissue structure in the eyeball use optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. Although OCT images have high resolution, imaging regions are limited to very small. Global structure extraction of the eyeball is difficult from OCT images. We propose an extraction method of spherical shaped membrane structures including the sclerotic coat, choroid, and retina. This method is applied to a T2 weighted MR volume of the head region. MR volume can capture tissue structure of whole eyeball. Because we use MR volumes, out method extracts whole membrane structures in the eyeball. We roughly extract membrane structures by applying a sheet structure enhancement filter. The rough extraction result includes parts of the membrane structures. Then, we apply the Hough transform to extract a sphere structure from the voxels set of the rough extraction result. The Hough transform finds a sphere structure from the rough extraction result. An experimental result using a T2 weighted MR volume of the head region showed that the proposed method can extract spherical shaped membrane structures accurately.

Role of the treating surgeon in the consent process for elective refractive surgery

PubMed Central

Schallhorn, Steven C; Hannan, Stephen J; Teenan, David; Schallhorn, Julie M

2016-01-01

Purpose To compare patient’s perception of consent quality, clinical and quality-of-life outcomes after laser vision correction (LVC) and refractive lens exchange (RLE) between patients who met their treating surgeon prior to the day of surgery (PDOS) or on the day of surgery (DOS). Design Retrospective, comparative case series. Setting Optical Express, Glasgow, UK. Methods Patients treated between October 2015 and June 2016 (3972 LVC and 979 RLE patients) who attended 1-day and 1-month postoperative aftercare and answered a questionnaire were included in this study. All patients had a thorough preoperative discussion with an optometrist, watched a video consent, and were provided with written information. Patients then had a verbal discussion with their treating surgeon either PDOS or on the DOS, according to patient preference. Preoperative and 1-month postoperative visual acuity, refraction, preoperative, 1-day and 1-month postoperative questionnaire were compared between DOS and PDOS patients. Multivariate regression model was developed to find factors associated with patient’s perception of consent quality. Results Preoperatively, 8.0% of LVC and 17.1% of RLE patients elected to meet their surgeon ahead of the surgery day. In the LVC group, 97.5% of DOS and 97.2% of PDOS patients indicated they were properly consented for surgery (P=0.77). In the RLE group, 97.0% of DOS and 97.0% of PDOS patients stated their consent process for surgery was adequate (P=0.98). There was no statistically significant difference between DOS and PDOS patients in most of the postoperative clinical or questionnaire outcomes. Factors predictive of patient’s satisfaction with consent quality were postoperative satisfaction with vision (46.7% of explained variance), difficulties with night driving, close-up vision or outdoor/sports activities (25.4%), visual phenomena (12.2%), dry eyes (7.5%), and patient’s satisfaction with surgeon’s care (8.2%). Conclusion Perception of quality of consent was comparable between patients that elected to meet the surgeon PDOS, and those who did not. PMID:27932862

Gene expression models for prediction of longitudinal dispersion coefficient in streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sattar, Ahmed M. A.; Gharabaghi, Bahram

2015-05-01

Longitudinal dispersion is the key hydrologic process that governs transport of pollutants in natural streams. It is critical for spill action centers to be able to predict the pollutant travel time and break-through curves accurately following accidental spills in urban streams. This study presents a novel gene expression model for longitudinal dispersion developed using 150 published data sets of geometric and hydraulic parameters in natural streams in the United States, Canada, Europe, and New Zealand. The training and testing of the model were accomplished using randomly-selected 67% (100 data sets) and 33% (50 data sets) of the data sets, respectively. Gene expression programming (GEP) is used to develop empirical relations between the longitudinal dispersion coefficient and various control variables, including the Froude number which reflects the effect of reach slope, aspect ratio, and the bed material roughness on the dispersion coefficient. Two GEP models have been developed, and the prediction uncertainties of the developed GEP models are quantified and compared with those of existing models, showing improved prediction accuracy in favor of GEP models. Finally, a parametric analysis is performed for further verification of the developed GEP models. The main reason for the higher accuracy of the GEP models compared to the existing regression models is that exponents of the key variables (aspect ratio and bed material roughness) are not constants but a function of the Froude number. The proposed relations are both simple and accurate and can be effectively used to predict the longitudinal dispersion coefficients in natural streams.

Toward a Set of Measures of Student Learning Outcomes in Higher Education: Evidence from Brazil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melguizo, Tatiana; Wainer, Jacques

2016-01-01

The main objective of this study was to work toward the development of a number of measures of student learning outcomes (SLOs) in higher education. Specifically, we used data from "Exame Nacional de Desempenho dos Estudantes" (ENADE), a college-exit examination developed and used in Brazil. The fact that Brazil administered the ENADE to…

A technique for the reduction of banding in Landsat Thematic Mapper Images

USGS Publications Warehouse

Helder, Dennis L.; Quirk, Bruce K.; Hood, Joy J.

1992-01-01

The radiometric difference between forward and reverse scans in Landsat thematic mapper (TM) images, referred to as "banding," can create problems when enhancing the image for interpretation or when performing quantitative studies. Recent research has led to the development of a method that reduces the banding in Landsat TM data sets. It involves passing a one-dimensional spatial kernel over the data set. This kernel is developed from the statistics of the banding pattern and is based on the Wiener filter. It has been implemented on both a DOS-based microcomputer and several UNIX-based computer systems. The algorithm has successfully reduced the banding in several test data sets.

A Software Package for Neural Network Applications Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baran, Robert H.

1993-01-01

Original Backprop (Version 1.2) is an MS-DOS package of four stand-alone C-language programs that enable users to develop neural network solutions to a variety of practical problems. Original Backprop generates three-layer, feed-forward (series-coupled) networks which map fixed-length input vectors into fixed length output vectors through an intermediate (hidden) layer of binary threshold units. Version 1.2 can handle up to 200 input vectors at a time, each having up to 128 real-valued components. The first subprogram, TSET, appends a number (up to 16) of classification bits to each input, thus creating a training set of input output pairs. The second subprogram, BACKPROP, creates a trilayer network to do the prescribed mapping and modifies the weights of its connections incrementally until the training set is leaned. The learning algorithm is the 'back-propagating error correction procedures first described by F. Rosenblatt in 1961. The third subprogram, VIEWNET, lets the trained network be examined, tested, and 'pruned' (by the deletion of unnecessary hidden units). The fourth subprogram, DONET, makes a TSR routine by which the finished product of the neural net design-and-training exercise can be consulted under other MS-DOS applications.

Certain and possible rules for decision making using rough set theory extended to fuzzy sets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dekorvin, Andre; Shipley, Margaret F.

1993-01-01

Uncertainty may be caused by the ambiguity in the terms used to describe a specific situation. It may also be caused by skepticism of rules used to describe a course of action or by missing and/or erroneous data. To deal with uncertainty, techniques other than classical logic need to be developed. Although, statistics may be the best tool available for handling likelihood, it is not always adequate for dealing with knowledge acquisition under uncertainty. Inadequacies caused by estimating probabilities in statistical processes can be alleviated through use of the Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence. Fuzzy set theory is another tool used to deal with uncertainty where ambiguous terms are present. Other methods include rough sets, the theory of endorsements and nonmonotonic logic. J. Grzymala-Busse has defined the concept of lower and upper approximation of a (crisp) set and has used that concept to extract rules from a set of examples. We will define the fuzzy analogs of lower and upper approximations and use these to obtain certain and possible rules from a set of examples where the data is fuzzy. Central to these concepts will be the idea of the degree to which a fuzzy set A is contained in another fuzzy set B, and the degree of intersection of a set A with set B. These concepts will also give meaning to the statement; A implies B. The two meanings will be: (1) if x is certainly in A then it is certainly in B, and (2) if x is possibly in A then it is possibly in B. Next, classification will be looked at and it will be shown that if a classification will be looked at and it will be shown that if a classification is well externally definable then it is well internally definable, and if it is poorly externally definable then it is poorly internally definable, thus generalizing a result of Grzymala-Busse. Finally, some ideas of how to define consensus and group options to form clusters of rules will be given.

Form drag in rivers due to small-scale natural topographic features: 2. Irregular sequences

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kean, J.W.; Smith, J.D.

2006-01-01

The size, shape, and spacing of small-scale topographic features found on the boundaries of natural streams, rivers, and floodplains can be quite variable. Consequently, a procedure for determining the form drag on irregular sequences of different-sized topographic features is essential for calculating near-boundary flows and sediment transport. A method for carrying out such calculations is developed in this paper. This method builds on the work of Kean and Smith (2006), which describes the flow field for the simpler case of a regular sequence of identical topographic features. Both approaches model topographic features as two-dimensional elements with Gaussian-shaped cross sections defined in terms of three parameters. Field measurements of bank topography are used to show that (1) the magnitude of these shape parameters can vary greatly between adjacent topographic features and (2) the variability of these shape parameters follows a lognormal distribution. Simulations using an irregular set of topographic roughness elements show that the drag on an individual element is primarily controlled by the size and shape of the feature immediately upstream and that the spatial average of the boundary shear stress over a large set of randomly ordered elements is relatively insensitive to the sequence of the elements. In addition, a method to transform the topography of irregular surfaces into an equivalently rough surface of regularly spaced, identical topographic elements also is given. The methods described in this paper can be used to improve predictions of flow resistance in rivers as well as quantify bank roughness.

Deciphering the Preparatory and Triggering Factors Responsible for Post-Glacial Slope Failures: Insights from Landslide Age and Morphology in Yellowstone National Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicholas, G.; Dixon, J. L.; Pierce, K. L.

2017-12-01

Landslides are ubiquitous to post-glacial landscapes worldwide. Withdrawal of glacier ice exposes oversteepened landscapes that may be unstable, and consequently susceptible to landsliding. Several disparate mechanisms can act as triggers: glacial debuttressing can directly destabilize slopes; however, changes in climate resulting in greater effective moisture and subsequent degradation of permafrost may also play a role. Here, we quantify relative age, spatial relationships, and topographic metrics in a set of post-glacial landslides in northwest Yellowstone National Park. Preliminary analysis of high-resolution topography indicates increasing surface roughness of non-active landslides southward, consistent with younging ages along the retreat path of the Yellowstone Ice Cap. These roughness values in ancient slides are roughly half those of the active Slide Lake Landslide within the same study region. However, the changes in roughness within the non-active landslides disappear when we remove biases such as gullying, fluvial erosional contacts, and areas believed to have been remobilized. These removed areas appear largely linked to a Holocene incision pulse up the Gardiner River, which interacts with the toes of landslides in the southern region. Stream power analysis indicates that incision is focused at a knickpoint locally coincident with the toe of the modern and active Slide Lake Landslide. Our results indicate caution should be used when using surface roughness for landslide ages without accounting for both intrinsic and extrinsic changes in erosion of the landslide system, and suggest tight links between modern stream erosion and landslide reactivation. Insights from this dynamic landscape in Yellowstone National Park are actively being used by park officials to mitigate risk, and broadly show that quantifying the temporal and spatial patterns of landslides can provide diagnostic understanding of the long-term controls on post-glacial slope failure.

Changes to Glazed Dental Ceramic Shade, Roughness, and Microhardness after Bleaching and Simulated Brushing.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Carlos Roberto Teixeira; Turssi, Cecilia Pedroso; Amaral, Flávia Lucisano Botelho; Basting, Roberta Tarkany; França, Fabiana Mantovani Gomes

2017-09-05

To evaluate shade stability, surface roughness, microhardness, and compressive strength of a glazed feldspathic ceramic subjected to bleaching and simulated brushing. Eighty-eight glazed feldspathic ceramic specimens were made from microparticulate leucite and divided into eight groups (n = 10). The whitening products used were: Opalescence Trèswhite Supreme (Ultradent), Opalescence®\\ PF 15% (Ultradent), and Oral-B 3D White Whitestrips. All substances for whitening were used for 4 hours/day for a period of 14 days; the control group was not bleached. Next, half of the specimens were individually brushed. Microhardness and surface roughness data were subjected to three-way ANOVA and Tukey test. The diametrical tensile strength data were subjected to two-way ANOVA. The shade change data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney, and the Student-Newman-Keuls test. The significance level was set at 5%. Glazed feldspathic ceramic surface microhardness was significantly affected by bleaching agents (p = 0.007). Initially, glazed ceramic microhardness was significantly higher than that observed after contact with the bleaching agents, whether or not brushing was performed. The specimens submitted to bleaching in preloaded trays presented lower surface roughness values after brushing (p = 0.037). The surface roughness was significantly lower in the brushed specimens (p = 0.044). The diametrical tensile strength was not significantly affected by the application of bleaching agents (p = 0.563) or by brushing (p = 0.477). When the specimens were brushed, however, shade change was significantly influenced by the bleaching agent used (p = 0.041). Bleaching agents associated with brushing cycles can alter surface properties and shade stability of glazed feldspathic ceramics, though such findings may not reflect the performance of unglazed feldspathic ceramics. © 2017 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Use of ALS data for digital terrain extraction and roughness parametrization in floodplain areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idda, B.; Nardinocchi, C.; Marsella, M.

2009-04-01

In order to undertake structural and land planning actions aimed at improving risk thresholds and vulnerability associated to floodplain inundation, the evaluation of the area concerning the channel overflowing from his natural embankments it is of essential importance. Floodplain models requires the analysis of historical floodplains extensions, ground's morphological structure and hydraulic measurements. Within this set of information, a more detailed characterization about the hydraulic roughness, which controls the velocity to the hydraulic flow, is a interesting challenge to achieve a 2D spatial distribution into the model. Remote sensing optical and radar sensors techniques can be applied to generate 2D and 3D map products useful to perimeter floodplains extension during the main event and extrapolate river cross-sections. Among these techniques, it is unquestionable the enhancement that the Airborne Laser Scanner (ALS) have brought for its capability to extract high resolution and accurate Digital Terrain Models. In hydraulic applications, a number of studies investigated the use of ALS for DTM generation and approached the quantitative estimations of the hydraulic roughness. The aim of this work is the generation of a digital terrain model and the estimation of hydraulic parameters useful for floodplains models from Airborne Laser Scanner data collected in a test area, which encloses a portion of a drainage basin of the Mela river (Sicily, Italy). From the Airborne Laser Scanner dataset, a high resolution Digital Elevation Model was first created, then after applying filtering and classification processes, a dedicated procedure was implemented to assess automatically a value for the hydraulic roughness coefficient (in Manning's formulation) per each point interested in the floodplain. The obtained results allowed to generate maps of equal roughness, hydraulic level depending, based on the application of empirical formulas for specific-type vegetation at each classified ALS point.

The observation of the physicochemical change of rock under freeze-thawing experiment: CLSM, XRD and ICP analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, J.; Chae, B.; Chon, C.; Jeong, J.

2013-12-01

Abstract : In order to understand the progress of the physical weathering of rock sample, we managed freeze-thawing experiment at temperature of up to 40C from -20C taking into account of South Korea. In this study, the time was held by two hours the temperature of the maximum (40C) and minimum (-20C) and the experiments were carried out at intervals of one hour rising and falling. We have run the experiment about 120 cycle with the cycle of -20C from 40C experiment. We measured the physical properties of rock samples after each 20 cycle has elapsed by using confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) and observed changes in roughness of rock samples surface. We also analyzed the mineral of rock sample using the XRD analysis and observing the change in chemical composition of solution used in the experiment by using ICP analysis. Through the above process, we observed physico-chemical changes in the rock sample due to freeze-thaw cycles. To analysis of the line roughness parameter we used set by the 10 vertical and horizontal cross section line on the surface and surface roughness parameter was analyzed by using the area on the surface. Through such a process, while the freeze-thawing experiment is advanced, it was studied how the physical roughness and chemical composition were changed. As a result, it was possible to observe a change in the mineral component of the particular dissolved in the solution and it was able to observe the characteristic changes of the parameters of the roughness of the lines and surfaces.

Effect of vital tooth bleaching on solubility and roughness of dental cements.

PubMed

Londono, Jimmy; Abreu, Amara; Nelson, Steve; Hernandez, Jorge; Torres, Carlos; Mettenburg, Donald; Looney, Stephen; Rueggeberg, Frederick

2009-09-01

Vital tooth bleaching may affect properties of dental cements used for fixed prostheses. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a combined in-office and at-home bleaching regimen on changes in surface roughness and depth loss of a variety of commercially available dental cements. Five cement classifications were tested: glass ionomer, resin-modified glass ionomer, resin,self-adhesive resin cement, and zinc phosphate. Cements were placed in multiple wells in plastic blocks. After setting,the surface profile of each block was determined, and average roughness and vertical height of cement surface from the specimen holder were recorded. Blocks were water stored (control) or subjected to in-office and at-home bleaching(n=12). Surfaces were rescanned and pre- and posttest parameter changes were calculated. Statistical analysis consisted of Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon Rank Sum and Student t tests applied to control and bleaching parameterc hanges within the same cements. A family-wise alpha of .05 was maintained by using a Bonferroni-adjusted level of significance preset to .01 per test. Zinc phosphate showed the only significant depth increase (P=.004) from bleaching: 0.9 +/- 0.7 microm deeper than the water-control group. Only resin-modified glass ionomer showed a significant (P=.004) increase in roughness from bleaching; values increased by 0.05 +/- 0.03 microm over the water-control group. In-office and at-home bleaching significantly increased depth loss of zinc phosphate and increased resinmodified glass ionomer roughness. However, the absolute values of differences observed, as compared to the wateronly control, were considered to be clinically insignificant. (J Prosthet Dent 2009;102:148-154)

Develop a solution for protecting and securing enterprise networks from malicious attacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamuru, Harshitha; Nijim, Mais

2014-05-01

In the world of computer and network security, there are myriad ways to launch an attack, which, from the perspective of a network, can usually be defined as "traffic that has huge malicious intent." Firewall acts as one of the measure in order to secure the device from incoming unauthorized data. There are infinite number of computer attacks that no firewall can prevent, such as those executed locally on the machine by a malicious user. From the network's perspective, there are numerous types of attack. All the attacks that degrade the effectiveness of data can be grouped into two types: brute force and precision. The Firewall that belongs to Juniper has the capability to protect against both types of attack. Denial of Service (DoS) attacks are one of the most well-known network security threats under brute force attacks, which is largely due to the high-profile way in which they can affect networks. Over the years, some of the largest, most respected Internet sites have been effectively taken offline by Denial of Service (DOS) attacks. A DoS attack typically has a singular focus, namely, to cause the services running on a particular host or network to become unavailable. Some DoS attacks exploit vulnerabilities in an operating system and cause it to crash, such as the infamous Win nuke attack. Others submerge a network or device with traffic so that there are no more resources to handle legitimate traffic. Precision attacks typically involve multiple phases and often involves a bit more thought than brute force attacks, all the way from reconnaissance to machine ownership. Before a precision attack is launched, information about the victim needs to be gathered. This information gathering typically takes the form of various types of scans to determine available hosts, networks, and ports. The hosts available on a network can be determined by ping sweeps. The available ports on a machine can be located by port scans. Screens cover a wide variety of attack traffic as they are configured on a per-zone basis. Depending on the type of screen being configured, there may be additional settings beyond simply blocking the traffic. Attack prevention is also a native function of any firewall. Juniper Firewall handles traffic on a per-flow basis. We can use flows or sessions as a way to determine whether traffic attempting to traverse the firewall is legitimate. We control the state-checking components resident in Juniper Firewall by configuring "flow" settings. These settings allow you to configure state checking for various conditions on the device. You can use flow settings to protect against TCP hijacking, and to generally ensure that the fire-wall is performing full state processing when desired. We take a case study of attack on a network and perform study of the detection of the malicious packets on a Net screen Firewall. A new solution for securing enterprise networks will be developed here.

A new species of Eimeria Schneider, 1875 from the Serra dos Órgãos National Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with notes on its endogenous development in the montane grass mouse, Akodon montensis Thomas, 1913 (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae).

PubMed

de Santana Miglionico, Marcos Tobias; Viana, Lúcio André; Barbosa, Helene Santos; Mota, Ester Maria; da Costa Neto, Sócrates Fraga; Frazão-Teixeira, Edwards; D'Andrea, Paulo Sergio

2018-02-01

A total of 53 specimens of the montane grass mouse, Akodon montensis Thomas, 1913 were collected in the Serra dos Órgãos National Park (SONP) in November 2014 and July 2015. The fecal material was analyzed, and a prevalence of 7.5% was recorded for a new coccidian species of the genus Eimeria Schneider, 1875, with part of its endogenous development recorded in the small intestine. The oocysts of a new coccidian species of genus Eimeria are ellipsoidal to subspherical. The wall is bi-layered, c. 1.5 μm (1.3-1.6 μm) thick, outer layer rough. Oocyst (n = 126) mean length is 25.3 μm (21.0-28.0 μm), with a width of 20.2 μm (17.0-22.0 μm) and mean length/width (L:W) ratio of 1.3 (1.2-1.4). Polar granule is present, with the oocyst residuum as a large spherical to subspherical globule. Sporocyst shape (n = 126) is ellipsoidal, with a mean length of 11.8 μm (9.3-14.4 μm), width of 7.9 μm (6.7-9.3 μm), and mean L:W ratio of 1.5 (1.4-1.7). Sporocysts with nipple-like Stieda body and sub-Stieda body are absent. A sporocyst residuum formed by several globules, usually along the sporocyst wall. This is the first record of Eimeria in the montane grass mouse from Brazil.

Paradoxes of Social Networking in a Structured Web 2.0 Language Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loiseau, Mathieu; Zourou, Katerina

2012-01-01

This paper critically inquires into social networking as a set of mechanisms and associated practices developed in a structured Web 2.0 language learning community. This type of community can be roughly described as learning spaces featuring (more or less) structured language learning resources displaying at least some notions of language learning…

Arsenic Mitigation and Social Mobilisation in Bangladesh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rammelt, Crelis F.; Boes, Jan

2004-01-01

For the people of Bangladesh, mostly in rural areas, a new disaster is emerging. Two-thirds of the deep tube wells installed over the last three decades--roughly 3 million in total--contain arsenic concentrations above the permissible levels set by the WHO. These wells were installed to contribute to a secure and reliable drinking water supply,…

A New Model for American Colleges Abroad: Quiet Partner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Andrew

2009-01-01

For the past two years, a steady stream of visitors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has made the roughly 7,000-mile trek from Cambridge to Abu Dhabi to help build what aspires to be the first graduate-level research university devoted entirely to fostering renewable, clean, and sustainable sources of energy. Set to open this…

Creating a standardized and simplified cutting bill using group technology

Treesearch

Urs Buehlmann; Janice K. Wiedenbeck; R., Jr. Noble; D. Earl Kline

2008-01-01

From an analytical viewpoint, the relationship between rough mill cutting bill part requirements and lumber yield is highly complex. Part requirements can have almost any length, width, and quantity distribution within the boundaries set by physical limitations, such as maximum length and width of parts. This complexity makes it difficult to understand the specific...

The Road Less Traveled: Changing Schools from the Inside Out

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwin, Bryan

2015-01-01

Roughly 30 years ago, American educators stood at a crossroads, with a decision to make about the future of education. With their ears ringing of warnings that they were facing a "rising tide of mediocrity" and recognizing unacceptable gaps in achievement between disadvantaged students and others, educators set off down a path of reform…

Public Service Announcement about the 1940 Census

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potter, Lee Ann; Zarr, Christopher

2012-01-01

In late 1939, the United States Bureau of the Census was gearing up for the 16th official enumeration, or count, of the nation's population. Authorities wanted to insure widespread participation. So, they made good use of some information revealed in the 1930 Census--namely that roughly 40 percent of American households had a radio set. In…

The Evaluation Life Cycle: A Retrospective Assessment of Stages and Phases of the Circles of Care Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bess, Gary; Allen, James; Deters, Pamela B.

2004-01-01

A life cycle metaphor characterizes the evolving relationship between the evaluator and program staff. This framework suggests that common developmental dynamics occur in roughly the same order across groups and settings. There are stage-specific dynamics that begin with Pre-History, which characterize the relationship between the grantees and…

Resolving Quasi-Synonym Relationships in Automatic Thesaurus Construction Using Fuzzy Rough Sets and an Inverse Term Frequency Similarity Function

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davault, Julius M., III.

2009-01-01

One of the problems associated with automatic thesaurus construction is with determining the semantic relationship between word pairs. Quasi-synonyms provide a type of equivalence relationship: words are similar only for purposes of information retrieval. Determining such relationships in a thesaurus is hard to achieve automatically. The term…

[Research Progress of Multi-Model Medical Image Fusion at Feature Level].

PubMed

Zhang, Junjie; Zhou, Tao; Lu, Huiling; Wang, Huiqun

2016-04-01

Medical image fusion realizes advantage integration of functional images and anatomical images.This article discusses the research progress of multi-model medical image fusion at feature level.We firstly describe the principle of medical image fusion at feature level.Then we analyze and summarize fuzzy sets,rough sets,D-S evidence theory,artificial neural network,principal component analysis and other fusion methods’ applications in medical image fusion and get summery.Lastly,we in this article indicate present problems and the research direction of multi-model medical images in the future.

The Perception of Materials through Oral Sensation

PubMed Central

Howes, Philip D.; Wongsriruksa, Supinya; Laughlin, Zoe; Witchel, Harry J.; Miodownik, Mark

2014-01-01

This paper presents the results of a multimodal study of oral perception conducted with a set of material samples made from metals, polymers and woods, in which both the somatosensory and taste factors were examined. A multidimensional scaling analysis coupled with subjective attribute ratings was performed to assess these factors both qualitatively and quantitatively. The perceptual somatosensory factors of warmth, hardness and roughness dominated over the basic taste factors, and roughness was observed to be a less significant sensation compared to touch-only experiments. The perceptual somatosensory ratings were compared directly with physical property data in order to assess the correlation between the perceived properties and measured physical properties. In each case, a strong correlation was observed, suggesting that physical properties may be useful in industrial design for predicting oral perception. PMID:25136793

Facile Preparation of a Robust and Durable Superhydrophobic Coating Using Biodegradable Lignin-Coated Cellulose Nanocrystal Particles

PubMed Central

Huang, Jingda; Lyu, Shaoyi

2017-01-01

It is a challenge for a superhydrophobic coating to overcome the poor robustness and the rough surface structure that is usually built using inorganic particles that are difficult to degrade. In this study, a robust superhydrophobic coating is facilely prepared by using commercial biodegradable lignin-coated cellulose nanocrystal (L-CNC) particles after hydrophobic modification to build rough surface structures, and by choosing two different adhesives (double-sided tape and quick-setting epoxy) to support adhesion between the L-CNC particles and the substrates. In addition to excellent self-cleaning and water repellence properties, the resulting coatings show outstanding mechanical strength and durability against sandpaper abrasion, finger-wipe, knife-scratch, water jet, UV radiation, high temperature, and acidic and alkali solutions, possessing a wide application prospect. PMID:28906449

Co-registration of Laser Altimeter Tracks with Digital Terrain Models and Applications in Planetary Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaeser, P.; Haase, I.; Oberst, J.; Neumann, G. A.

2013-01-01

We have derived algorithms and techniques to precisely co-register laser altimeter profiles with gridded Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), typically derived from stereo images. The algorithm consists of an initial grid search followed by a least-squares matching and yields the translation parameters at sub-pixel level needed to align the DTM and the laser profiles in 3D space. This software tool was primarily developed and tested for co-registration of laser profiles from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) with DTMs derived from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) stereo images. Data sets can be co-registered with positional accuracy between 0.13 m and several meters depending on the pixel resolution and amount of laser shots, where rough surfaces typically result in more accurate co-registrations. Residual heights of the data sets are as small as 0.18 m. The software can be used to identify instrument misalignment, orbit errors, pointing jitter, or problems associated with reference frames being used. Also, assessments of DTM effective resolutions can be obtained. From the correct position between the two data sets, comparisons of surface morphology and roughness can be made at laser footprint- or DTM pixel-level. The precise co-registration allows us to carry out joint analysis of the data sets and ultimately to derive merged high-quality data products. Examples of matching other planetary data sets, like LOLA with LRO Wide Angle Camera (WAC) DTMs or Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) with stereo models from the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) as well as Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) with Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) are shown to demonstrate the broad science applications of the software tool.

Quantum cognition based on an ambiguous representation derived from a rough set approximation.

PubMed

Gunji, Yukio-Pegio; Sonoda, Kohei; Basios, Vasileios

2016-03-01

Over the last years, in a series papers by Arecchi and others, a model for the cognitive processes involved in decision making has been proposed and investigated. The key element of this model is the expression of apprehension and judgment, basic cognitive process of decision making, as an inverse Bayes inference classifying the information content of neuron spike trains. It has been shown that for successive plural stimuli this inference, equipped with basic non-algorithmic jumps, is affected by quantum-like characteristics. We show here that such a decision making process is related consistently with an ambiguous representation by an observer within a universe of discourse. In our work the ambiguous representation of an object or a stimuli is defined as a pair of maps from objects of a set to their representations, where these two maps are interrelated in a particular structure. The a priori and a posteriori hypotheses in Bayes inference are replaced by the upper and lower approximations, correspondingly, for the initial data sets that are derived with respect to each map. Upper and lower approximations herein are defined in the context of "rough set" analysis. The inverse Bayes inference is implemented by the lower approximations with respect to the one map and for the upper approximation with respect to the other map for a given data set. We show further that, due to the particular structural relation between the two maps, the logical structure of such combined approximations can only be expressed as an orthomodular lattice and therefore can be represented by a quantum rather than a Boolean logic. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation aiming to reveal the concrete logic structure of inverse Bayes inference in cognitive processes. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Optimizing Crisis Action Planning in the Noncombatant Evacuation Operation Setting

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

Federal Regulations, the DoS has a firm rule to not enter into preemptive contracts for any logistical resources (e.g., transportation, food, water...bottlenecks, flow limiters, and options to quicken queues ; and identifying resources and transportation mediums that display the most sensitivity to...policy changes. These objectives were addressed by exploring topics in NEOs, evacuation planning, queueing systems, and modeling techniques and

Reviews Book: How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog Equipment: LEGO Renewable Energy Add-on Set 9688 Book: The Rough Guide to the Future Book: Seven Tales of the Pendulum Equipment: Genecon DUE Equipment: Manual Electrostatic Generator Book: Quantify! A Crash Course in Smart Thinking Book: Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science Book: The Strangest Man Book: The Ultimate Quotable Einstein Web Watch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2011-05-01

WE RECOMMEND How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog The key theories of quantum physics explained using canine behaviour LEGO Renewable Energy Add-on Set 9688 Set builds a hand generator, solar station, wind turbine, hydro turbine, boat pulley, solar vehicle, and much more The Rough Guide to the Future Book explores the insights that science can contribute to predicting the future Seven Tales of the Pendulum This book deals with the significance of the pendulum in science, history and culture Genecon DUE Equipment demonstrates generation of electricity Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science Book investigates the nature of human gullibility The Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Quantum Genius Biography charts the life of Paul Dirac WORTH A LOOK Manual Electrostatic Generator Kit acts as a miniature Van de Graaff Quantify! A Crash Course in Smart Thinking Various topics illustrate the application of basic physical laws The Ultimate Quotable Einstein A compilation of Einstein's famous quotes WEB WATCH Open Source Physics simulations are worth a look

Ice Shape Characterization Using Self-Organizing Maps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McClain, Stephen T.; Tino, Peter; Kreeger, Richard E.

2011-01-01

A method for characterizing ice shapes using a self-organizing map (SOM) technique is presented. Self-organizing maps are neural-network techniques for representing noisy, multi-dimensional data aligned along a lower-dimensional and possibly nonlinear manifold. For a large set of noisy data, each element of a finite set of codebook vectors is iteratively moved in the direction of the data closest to the winner codebook vector. Through successive iterations, the codebook vectors begin to align with the trends of the higher-dimensional data. In information processing, the intent of SOM methods is to transmit the codebook vectors, which contains far fewer elements and requires much less memory or bandwidth, than the original noisy data set. When applied to airfoil ice accretion shapes, the properties of the codebook vectors and the statistical nature of the SOM methods allows for a quantitative comparison of experimentally measured mean or average ice shapes to ice shapes predicted using computer codes such as LEWICE. The nature of the codebook vectors also enables grid generation and surface roughness descriptions for use with the discrete-element roughness approach. In the present study, SOM characterizations are applied to a rime ice shape, a glaze ice shape at an angle of attack, a bi-modal glaze ice shape, and a multi-horn glaze ice shape. Improvements and future explorations will be discussed.

Simulation of the mineral dust emission over Northern Africa and Middle East using an aerodynamic roughness length map derived from the ASCAT/PARASOL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basart, Sara; Jorba, Oriol; Pérez García-Pando, Carlos; Prigent, Catherine; Baldasano, Jose M.

2014-05-01

Aeolian aerodynamic roughness length in arid regions is a key parameter to predict the vulnerability of the surface to wind erosion, and, as a consequence, the related production of mineral aerosol (e.g. Laurent et al., 2008). Recently, satellite-derived roughness length at the global scale have emerged and provide the opportunity to use them in advanced emission schemes in global and regional models (i.e. Menut et al., 2013). A global map of the aeolian aerodynamic roughness length at high resolution (6 km) is derived, for arid and semi-arid regions merging PARASOL and ASCAT data to estimate aeolian roughness length. It shows very good consistency with the existing information on the properties of these surfaces. The dataset is available to the community, for use in atmospheric dust transport models. The present contribution analyses the behaviour of the NMMB/BSC-Dust model (Pérez et al., 2011) when the ASCAT/PARASOL satellite-derived global roughness length (Prigent et al, 2012) and the State Soil Geographic database Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (STATSGO-FAO) soil texture data set (based on wet techniques) is used. We explore the sensitivity of the drag partition scheme (a critical component of the dust emission scheme) and the dust vertical fluxes (intensity and spatial patterns) to the roughness length. An annual evaluation of NMMB/BSC-Dust (for the year 2011) over Northern Africa and the Middle East using observed aerosol optical depths (AODs) from Aerosol Robotic Network sites and aerosol satellite products (MODIS and MISR) will be discussed. Laurent, B., Marticorena, B., Bergametti, G., Leon, J. F., and Mahowald, N. M.: Modeling mineral dust emissions from the Sahara desert using new surface properties and soil database, J. Geophys. Res., 113, D14218, doi:10.1029/2007JD009484, 2008. Menut, L., C. Pérez, K. Haustein, B. Bessagnet, C. Prigent, and S. Alfaro, Impact of surface roughness and soil texture on mineral dust emission fluxes modeling, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 6505-6520, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50313, 2013. Pérez, C., Haustein, K., Janjic, Z., Jorba, O., Huneeus, N., Baldasano, J. M. and Thomson, M. Atmospheric dust modeling from meso to global scales with the online NMMB/BSC-Dust model-Part 1: Model description, annual simulations and evaluation. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 11(24), 13001-13027, 2011. Prigent, C., Jiménez, C., and Catherinot, J.: Comparison of satellite microwave backscattering (ASCAT) and visible/near-infrared reflectances (PARASOL) for the estimation of aeolian aerodynamic roughness length in arid and semi-arid regions, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 5, 2703-2712, doi:10.5194/amt-5-2703-2012, 2012.

Application of Borehole Geophysical Methods for Assessing Agro-Chemical Flow Paths in Fractured Bedrock Underlying the Black Brook Watershed, Northwestern New Brunswick

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desroches, A.; Butler, K.

2009-05-01

The upper Saint John River valley represents an economically important agricultural region that suffers from high nitrate levels in the groundwater as a result of fertilizer use. This study focuses on the fractured bedrock aquifer beneath the Black Brook Watershed, near Saint-Andre (Grand Falls), New Brunswick, where prediction of nitrate migration is limited by a lack of knowledge of the bedrock fracture characteristics. Bedrock consists of a fine-grained, siliciclastic unit of the Grog Brook Group gradationally overlain by a carbonate unit assigned to the Matapédia Group. Groundwater flow through the fractured bedrock is expected to be primarily influenced by the distribution and orientation of fractures in these rock units. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the select suite of borehole-geophysical tools used to identify and describe the fractured bedrock characteristics, and assists in understanding the migration pathways of agrochemical leachate from farm fields. Fracture datasets were acquired from five new vertical boreholes that ranged from 50 to 140 metres in depth, and from three outcrop locations along the new Trans-Canada Highway, approximately two kilometres away. The borehole-geophysical methods used included natural gamma ray (GR), single point resistance (SPR), spontaneous potential (SP), slim-hole optical borehole televiewer (OBI) and acoustic borehole televiewer (ABI). The ABI and OBI tools delivered high-resolution oriented images of the borehole walls, and enabled visualization of fractures in situ, and provided accurate information on the location, orientation, and aperture. The GR, SPR and SP logs identified changes in lithology, bed thickness and conductive fracture zones. Detailed inspection of the borehole televiewer images identified 390 fractures. Equal-area stereographic and rose diagrams of fracture planes have been used to identify three discrete fracture sets: 1) steeply dipping fractures that strike 068o/248o, with fracture subsets dipping roughly 70o to 80o towards the N-NW and S-SE; 2) steeply dipping fractures that strike towards 156o/336o, with fracture subsets dipping roughly 70o to 80o towards the NE and SW; and 3) primary set of moderately dipping fractures that strike 074o/254o and dip roughly 30o to 40o towards the SE. The strike of the steeply dipping fracture sets are oriented roughly perpendicular to each other, reflecting two distinct fracture generation events. The low-angle fractures are most common and correspond to openings along bedding planes that dip roughly 38o towards 164o. This is a result of penetrating only one limb of a fold; presumably a similar set of bedding-plane openings occur along the adjacent limb of the fold, with resultant fracture dips towards the northwest. Fractures exposed in outcrops along the Trans-Canada Highway exhibit a similar orientation distribution to that observed in the boreholes. However, as expected, these exposures show a greater proportion of fractures with dips between 80o and 90o, compared to the vertical boreholes. A Terzaghi fracture probability correction was applied to the boreholes in order to account for this bias. The combined fracture datasets provide valuable information towards understanding groundwater flow and migration pathways of fertilizer leachate into the bedrock aquifer, and will lead to the development of more complex hydrogeological models.

Effects of Small-scale Vegetation-related Roughness on Overland Flow and Infiltration in Semi-arid Grassland and Shrublands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bedford, D.

2012-12-01

We studied the effects of small-scale roughness on overland flow/runoff and the spatial pattern of infiltration. Our semi-arid sites include a grassland and shrubland in Central New Mexico and a shrubland in the Eastern Mojave Desert. Vegetation exerts strong controls on small-scale surface roughness in the form of plant mounds and other microtopography such as depressions and rills. We quantified the effects of densely measured soil surface heterogeneity using model simulations of runoff and infiltration. Microtopographic roughness associated with vegetation patterns, on the scale of mm-cm's in height, has a larger effect on runoff and infiltration than spatially correlated saturated conductivity. The magnitude and pattern of the effect of roughness largely depends on the vegetation and landform type, and rainfall depth and intensity. In all cases, runoff and infiltration amount and patterns were most strongly affected by depression storage. In the grassland we studied in central New Mexico, soil surface roughness had a large effect on runoff and infiltration where vegetation mounds coalesced, forming large storage volumes that require filling and overtopping in order for overland flow to concentrate into runoff. Total discharge over rough surfaces was reduced 100-200% compared to simulations in which no surface roughness was accounted for. For shrublands, total discharge was reduced 30-40% by microtopography on gently sloping alluvial fans and only 10-20% on steep hillslopes. This difference is largely due to the lack of storage elements on steep slopes. For our sites, we found that overland flow can increase infiltration by up to 2.5 times the total rainfall by filling depressions. The redistribution of water via overland flow can affect up to 20% of an area but varies with vegetation type and landform. This infiltration augmentation by overland flow tends to occur near the edges of vegetation canopies where overland flow depths are deep and infiltration rates are moderate. Infiltration augmentation is greatest in microtopographic depressions and flow threads. These results show that some vegetation-landform settings are efficient at trapping and concentrating the primary limiting resource, and demonstrate the importance of micro-scale soil characteristics for the ecohydrologic function of semi-arid environments. Since other essential attributes for plant ecosystems, such as nutrients, likely co-vary with water availability, further research is needed to elucidate ecosystem dynamics that may lead to self-organized behavior and determine thresholds for ecosystem stability.

EUV patterning using CAR or MOX photoresist at low dose exposure for sub 36nm pitch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thibaut, Sophie; Raley, Angélique; Lazarrino, Frederic; Mao, Ming; De Simone, Danilo; Piumi, Daniele; Barla, Kathy; Ko, Akiteru; Metz, Andrew; Kumar, Kaushik; Biolsi, Peter

2018-04-01

The semiconductor industry has been pushing the limits of scalability by combining 193nm immersion lithography with multi-patterning techniques for several years. Those integrations have been declined in a wide variety of options to lower their cost but retain their inherent variability and process complexity. EUV lithography offers a much desired path that allows for direct print of line and space at 36nm pitch and below and effectively addresses issues like cycle time, intra-level overlay and mask count costs associated with multi-patterning. However it also brings its own sets of challenges. One of the major barrier to high volume manufacturing implementation has been hitting the 250W power exposure required for adequate throughput [1]. Enabling patterning using a lower dose resist could help move us closer to the HVM throughput targets assuming required performance for roughness and pattern transfer can be met. As plasma etching is known to reduce line edge roughness on 193nm lithography printed features [2], we investigate in this paper the level of roughness that can be achieved on EUV photoresist exposed at a lower dose through etch process optimization into a typical back end of line film stack. We will study 16nm lines printed at 32 and 34nm pitch. MOX and CAR photoresist performance will be compared. We will review step by step etch chemistry development to reach adequate selectivity and roughness reduction to successfully pattern the target layer.

The effects of ultrasonic agitation on supercritical CO2 copper electroplating.

PubMed

Chuang, Ho-Chiao; Yang, Hsi-Min; Wu, Guan-Lin; Sánchez, Jorge; Shyu, Jenq-Huey

2018-01-01

Applying ultrasound to the electroplating process can improve mechanical properties and surface roughness of the coating. Supercritical electroplating process can refine grain to improve the surface roughness and hardness. However, so far there is no research combining the above two processes to explore its effect on the coating. This study aims to use ultrasound (42kHz) in supercritical CO 2 (SC-CO 2 ) electroplating process to investigate the effect of ultrasonic powers and supercritical pressures on the properties of copper films. From the results it was clear that higher ultrasonic irradiation resulted in higher current efficiency, grain refinement, higher hardness, better surface roughness and higher internal stress. SEM was also presented to verify the correctness of the measured data. The optimal parameters were set to obtain the deposit at pressure of 2000psi and ultrasonic irradiation of 0.157W/cm 3 . Compared with SC-CO 2 electroplating process, the current efficiency can be increased from 77.57% to 93.4%, the grain size decreases from 24.34nm to 22.45nm, the hardness increases from 92.87Hv to 174.18Hv, and the surface roughness decreases from 0.83μm to 0.28μm. Therefore, this study has successfully integrated advantages of ultrasound and SC-CO 2 electroplating, and proved that applied ultrasound to SC-CO 2 electroplating process can significantly improve the mechanical properties of the coating. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantum chemical studies on structural, vibrational, nonlinear optical properties and chemical reactivity of indigo carmine dye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Mansy, M. A. M.

2017-08-01

Structural and vibrational spectroscopic studies were performed on indigo carmine (IC) isomers using FT-IR spectral analysis along with DFT/B3LYP method utilizing Gaussian 09 software. GaussView 5 program has been employed to perform a detailed interpretation of vibrational spectra. Simulation of infrared spectra has led to an excellent overall agreement with the observed spectral patterns. Mulliken population analyses on atomic charges, MEP, HOMO-LUMO, NLO, first order hyperpolarizability and thermodynamic properties have been examined by (DFT/B3LYP) method with the SDD basis set level. Density of state spectra (DOS) were calculated using GaussSum 3 at the same level of theory. Molecular modeling approved that DOS Spectra are the most significant tools for differentiating between two IC isomers so far. Moreover, The IC isomers (cis-isomer) have shown an extended applicability for manufacturing both NLO and photovoltaic devices such as solar cells.

Fast adaptive flat-histogram ensemble to enhance the sampling in large systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Shun; Zhou, Xin; Jiang, Yi; Wang, YanTing

2015-09-01

An efficient novel algorithm was developed to estimate the Density of States (DOS) for large systems by calculating the ensemble means of an extensive physical variable, such as the potential energy, U, in generalized canonical ensembles to interpolate the interior reverse temperature curve , where S( U) is the logarithm of the DOS. This curve is computed with different accuracies in different energy regions to capture the dependence of the reverse temperature on U without setting prior grid in the U space. By combining with a U-compression transformation, we decrease the computational complexity from O( N 3/2) in the normal Wang Landau type method to O( N 1/2) in the current algorithm, as the degrees of freedom of system N. The efficiency of the algorithm is demonstrated by applying to Lennard Jones fluids with various N, along with its ability to find different macroscopic states, including metastable states.

Majorana Fermion and bound states in the continuum on a cross-shaped quantum dot hybrid structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zambrano, David; Ramos, Juan Pablo; Orellana, Pedro

We show how transmission, differential conductance and density of states (DOS) behave when two superconductor/semiconductors topological nanowires are placed next to the ends of a quantum-dot (QD) chain, where the central QD is attached to normal conductors leads. Results in a single QD coupled to two Kitaev chains within the topological phase and a T-shaped QD hybrid structure suggest these kind of system are strong candidates for qubits. We show how bound states in the continuum (BICs) arise as zero energy modes on conductance and DOS for different sets of system parameters showing evidence of Majorana fermions, and we also study how they behave for different numbers (even/odd) of QD in the cross-shaped structure. The authors acknowledge financial support from CONICYT, under Grant PAI-79140064, scholarship 21141034 and from FONDECYT, under Grant 1140571.

Advancing our understanding of the onshore propagation of tsunami bores over rough surfaces through numerical modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marras, S.; Suckale, J.; Eguzkitza, B.; Houzeaux, G.; Vázquez, M.; Lesage, A. C.

2016-12-01

The propagation of tsunamis in the open ocean has been studied in detail with many excellent numerical approaches available to researchers. Our understanding of the processes that govern the onshore propagation of tsunamis is less advanced. Yet, the reach of tsunamis on land is an important predictor of the damage associated with a given event, highlighting the need to investigate the factors that govern tsunami propagation onshore. In this study, we specifically focus on understanding the effect of bottom roughness at a variety of scales. The term roughness is to be understood broadly, as it represents scales ranging from small features like rocks, to vegetation, up to the size of larger structures and topography. In this poster, we link applied mathematics, computational fluid dynamics, and tsunami physics to analyze the small scales features of coastal hydrodynamics and the effect of roughness on the motion of tsunamis as they run up a sloping beach and propagate inland. We solve the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations of incompressible flows with free surface, which is tracked by a level set function in combination with an accurate re-distancing scheme. We discretize the equations via linear finite elements for space approximation and fully implicit time integration. Stabilization is achieved via the variational multiscale method whereas the subgrid scales for our large eddy simulations are modeled using a dynamically adaptive Smagorinsky eddy viscosity. As the geometrical characteristics of roughness in this study vary greatly across different scales, we implement a scale-dependent representation of the roughness elements. We model the smallest sub-grid scale roughness features by the use of a properly defined law of the wall. Furthermore, we utilize a Manning formula to compute the shear stress at the boundary. As the geometrical scales become larger, we resolve the geometry explicitly and compute the effective volume drag introduced by large scale immersed bodies. This study is a necessary step to verify and validate our model before proceeding further into the simulation of sediment transport in turbulent free surface flows. The simulation of such problems requires a space and time-dependent viscosity to model the effect of solid bodies transported by the incoming flow on onshore tsunami propagation.

Effect of Autoclave Cycles on Surface Characteristics of S-File Evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy.

PubMed

Razavian, Hamid; Iranmanesh, Pedram; Mojtahedi, Hamid; Nazeri, Rahman

2016-01-01

Presence of surface defects in endodontic instruments can lead to unwanted complications such as instrument fracture and incomplete preparation of the canal. The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of autoclave cycles on surface characteristics of S-File by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In this experimental study, 17 brand new S-Files (#30) were used. The surface characteristics of the files were examined in four steps (without autoclave, 1 autoclave cycle, 5 autoclave cycles and 10 autoclave cycles) by SEM under 200× and 1000× magnifications. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software and the paired sample t-test, independent sample t-test and multifactorial repeated measures ANOVA. The level of significance was set at 0.05. New files had debris and pitting on their surfaces. When the autoclave cycles were increased, the mean of surface roughness also increased at both magnifications (P<0.05). Moreover, under 1000× magnification the multifactorial repeated measures ANOVA showed more surface roughness (P<0.001). Sterilization by autoclave increased the surface roughness of the files and this had was directly related to the number of autoclave cycles.

Effect of Autoclave Cycles on Surface Characteristics of S-File Evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy

PubMed Central

Razavian, Hamid; Iranmanesh, Pedram; Mojtahedi, Hamid; Nazeri, Rahman

2016-01-01

Introduction: Presence of surface defects in endodontic instruments can lead to unwanted complications such as instrument fracture and incomplete preparation of the canal. The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of autoclave cycles on surface characteristics of S-File by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Methods and Materials: In this experimental study, 17 brand new S-Files (#30) were used. The surface characteristics of the files were examined in four steps (without autoclave, 1 autoclave cycle, 5 autoclave cycles and 10 autoclave cycles) by SEM under 200× and 1000× magnifications. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software and the paired sample t-test, independent sample t-test and multifactorial repeated measures ANOVA. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: New files had debris and pitting on their surfaces. When the autoclave cycles were increased, the mean of surface roughness also increased at both magnifications (P<0.05). Moreover, under 1000× magnification the multifactorial repeated measures ANOVA showed more surface roughness (P<0.001). Conclusion: Sterilization by autoclave increased the surface roughness of the files and this had was directly related to the number of autoclave cycles. PMID:26843874

Thin film surface treatments for lowering dust adhesion on Mars Rover calibration targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabri, F.; Werhner, T.; Hoskins, J.; Schuerger, A. C.; Hobbs, A. M.; Barreto, J. A.; Britt, D.; Duran, R. A.

The current generation of calibration targets on Mars Rover serve as a color and radiometric reference for the panoramic camera. They consist of a transparent silicon-based polymer tinted with either color or grey-scale pigments and cast with a microscopically rough Lambertian surface for a diffuse reflectance pattern. This material has successfully withstood the harsh conditions existent on Mars. However, the inherent roughness of the Lambertian surface (relative to the particle size of the Martian airborne dust) and the tackiness of the polymer in the calibration targets has led to a serious dust accumulation problem. In this work, non-invasive thin film technology was successfully implemented in the design of future generation calibration targets leading to significant reduction of dust adhesion and capture. The new design consists of a μm-thick interfacial layer capped with a nm-thick optically transparent layer of pure metal. The combination of these two additional layers is effective in burying the relatively rough Lambertian surface while maintaining diffuse properties of the samples which is central to the correct operation as calibration targets. A set of these targets are scheduled for flight on the Mars Phoenix mission.

Substrate texture affects female cricket walking response to male calling song

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarmiento-Ponce, E. J.; Sutcliffe, M. P. F.; Hedwig, B.

2018-03-01

Field crickets are extensively used as a model organism to study female phonotactic walking behaviour, i.e. their attraction to the male calling song. Laboratory-based phonotaxis experiments generally rely on arena or trackball-based settings; however, no attention has been paid to the effect of substrate texture on the response. Here, we tested phonotaxis in female Gryllus bimaculatus, walking on trackballs machined from methyl-methacrylate foam with different cell sizes. Surface height variations of the trackballs, due to the cellular composition of the material, were measured with profilometry and characterized as smooth, medium or rough, with roughness amplitudes of 7.3, 16 and 180 µm. Female phonotaxis was best on a rough and medium trackball surface, a smooth surface resulted in a significant lower phonotactic response. Claws of the cricket foot were crucial for effective walking. Females insert their claws into the surface pores to allow mechanical interlocking with the substrate texture and a high degree of attachment, which cannot be established on smooth surfaces. These findings provide insight to the biomechanical basis of insect walking and may inform behavioural studies that the surface texture on which walking insects are tested is crucial for the resulting behavioural response.

Bidirectional measurements of surface reflectance for view angle corrections of oblique imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, R. D.; Teillet, P. M.; Slater, P. N.; Fedosejevs, G.; Jasinski, Michael F.

1990-01-01

An apparatus for acquiring bidirectional reflectance-factor data was constructed and used over four surface types. Data sets were obtained over a headed wheat canopy, bare soil having several different roughness conditions, playa (dry lake bed), and gypsum sand. Results are presented in terms of relative bidirectional reflectance factors (BRFs) as a function of view angle at a number of solar zenith angles, nadir BRFs as a function of solar zenith angles, and, for wheat, vegetation indices as related to view and solar zenith angles. The wheat canopy exhibited the largest BRF changes with view angle. BRFs for the red and the NIR bands measured over wheat did not have the same relationship with view angle. NIR/Red ratios calculated from nadir BRFs changed by nearly a factor of 2 when the solar zenith angle changed from 20 to 50 degs. BRF versus view angle relationships were similar for soils having smooth and intermediate rough surfaces but were considerably different for the roughest surface. Nadir BRF versus solar-zenith angle relationships were distinctly different for the three soil roughness levels. Of the various surfaces, BRFs for gypsum sand changed the least with view angle (10 percent at 30 degs).

Interpretation of lunar and planetary electromagnetic scattering using the full wave solutions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahar, E.; Haugland, M.

1993-01-01

Bistatic radar experiments carried out during the Apollo 14, 15, and 16 missions provide a very useful data set with which to compare theoretical models and experimental data. Vesecky, et al. report that their model for near grazing angles compares favorably with experimental data. However, for angles of incidence around 80 degrees, all the analytical models considered by Vesecky, et al. predict values for the quasi-specular cross sections that are about half the corresponding values taken from the Apollo 16 data. In this work, questions raised by this discrepancy between the reported analytical and experimental results are addressed. The unified full wave solutions are shown to be in good agreement with the bistatic radar taken during Apollo 14 and 16 missions. Using the full wave approach, the quasi-specular contributions to the scattered field from the large scale surface roughness as well as the diffuse Bragg-like scattering from the small scale surface roughness are accounted for in a unified self-consistent manner. Since the full wave computer codes for the scattering cross sections contain ground truth data only, it is shown how it can be reliably used to predict the rough surface parameters of planets based on the measured data.

Effect of Heat Treatment on the Physical Properties of Provisional Crowns during Polymerization: An in Vitro Study

PubMed Central

Mei, May L.; So, Sam Y. C.; Li, Hao; Chu, Chun-Hung

2015-01-01

This study concerned the effect of heat treatment during setting on the physical properties of four resin-based provisional restorative materials: Duralay (polymethyl methacrylate), Trim II (polyethyl methacrylate), Luxatemp (bis-acrylic composite), and Protemp 4 (bis-acrylic composite). Specimens were prepared at 23, 37, or 60 °C for evaluation of flexural strength, surface roughness, color change and marginal discrepancy. Flexural strength was determined by a three-point bending test. Surface profile was studied using atomic force microscopy. Color change was evaluated by comparing the color of the materials before and after placement in coffee. A travelling microscope helped prepare standardized crowns for assessment of marginal discrepancy. Flexural strength of all tested materials cured at 23 °C or 37 °C did not significantly change. The surface roughness and marginal discrepancy of the materials increased at 60 °C curing temperature. Marginal discrepancies, color stability, and other physical properties of materials cured at 23 °C or 37 °C did not significantly change. Flexural strength of certain provisional materials cured at 60 °C increased, but there was also an increase in surface roughness and marginal discrepancy. PMID:28788031

Image Statistics and the Representation of Material Properties in the Visual Cortex

PubMed Central

Baumgartner, Elisabeth; Gegenfurtner, Karl R.

2016-01-01

We explored perceived material properties (roughness, texturedness, and hardness) with a novel approach that compares perception, image statistics and brain activation, as measured with fMRI. We initially asked participants to rate 84 material images with respect to the above mentioned properties, and then scanned 15 of the participants with fMRI while they viewed the material images. The images were analyzed with a set of image statistics capturing their spatial frequency and texture properties. Linear classifiers were then applied to the image statistics as well as the voxel patterns of visually responsive voxels and early visual areas to discriminate between images with high and low perceptual ratings. Roughness and texturedness could be classified above chance level based on image statistics. Roughness and texturedness could also be classified based on the brain activation patterns in visual cortex, whereas hardness could not. Importantly, the agreement in classification based on image statistics and brain activation was also above chance level. Our results show that information about visual material properties is to a large degree contained in low-level image statistics, and that these image statistics are also partially reflected in brain activity patterns induced by the perception of material images. PMID:27582714

Image Statistics and the Representation of Material Properties in the Visual Cortex.

PubMed

Baumgartner, Elisabeth; Gegenfurtner, Karl R

2016-01-01

We explored perceived material properties (roughness, texturedness, and hardness) with a novel approach that compares perception, image statistics and brain activation, as measured with fMRI. We initially asked participants to rate 84 material images with respect to the above mentioned properties, and then scanned 15 of the participants with fMRI while they viewed the material images. The images were analyzed with a set of image statistics capturing their spatial frequency and texture properties. Linear classifiers were then applied to the image statistics as well as the voxel patterns of visually responsive voxels and early visual areas to discriminate between images with high and low perceptual ratings. Roughness and texturedness could be classified above chance level based on image statistics. Roughness and texturedness could also be classified based on the brain activation patterns in visual cortex, whereas hardness could not. Importantly, the agreement in classification based on image statistics and brain activation was also above chance level. Our results show that information about visual material properties is to a large degree contained in low-level image statistics, and that these image statistics are also partially reflected in brain activity patterns induced by the perception of material images.

Genetic Mechanisms Involved in the Phenotype of Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, David

2007-01-01

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of significant intellectual disability in the human population, occurring in roughly 1 in 700 live births. The ultimate cause of DS is trisomy of all or part of the set of genes located on chromosome 21. How this trisomy leads to the phenotype of DS is unclear. The completion of the DNA…

Fault region localization (FRL): collaborative product and process improvement based on field performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mannar, Kamal; Ceglarek, Darek

2005-11-01

Customer feedback in the form of warranty/field performance is an important and direct indicator of quality and robustness of a product. Linking warranty information to manufacturing measurements can identify key design parameters and process variables (DPs and PVs) that are related to warranty failures. Warranty data has been traditionally used in reliability studies to determine failure distributions and warranty cost. This paper proposes a novel Fault Region Localization (FRL) methodology to map warranty failures to manufacturing measurements (hence to DPs/PVs) to diagnose warranty failures and perform tolerance revaluation. The FRL methodology consists of two parts: 1. Identifying relations between warranty failures and DPs and PVs using the Generalized Rough Set (GRS) method. GRS is a supervised learning technique to identify specific DPs and PVs related to the given warranty failures and then determining the corresponding Warranty Fault Regions (WFR), Normal Region (NR) and Boundary region (BND). GRS expands traditional Rough Set method by allowing inclusion of noise and uncertainty of warranty data classes. 2. Revaluating the original tolerances of DPs/PVs based on the WFR and BND region identified. The FRL methodology is illustrated using case studies based on two warranty failures from the electronics industry.

Extraction of quantitative surface characteristics from AIRSAR data for Death Valley, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kierein-Young, K. S.; Kruse, F. A.

1992-01-01

Polarimetric Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) data were collected for the Geologic Remote Sensing Field Experiment (GRSFE) over Death Valley, California, USA, in Sep. 1989. AIRSAR is a four-look, quad-polarization, three frequency instrument. It collects measurements at C-band (5.66 cm), L-band (23.98 cm), and P-band (68.13 cm), and has a GIFOV of 10 meters and a swath width of 12 kilometers. Because the radar measures at three wavelengths, different scales of surface roughness are measured. Also, dielectric constants can be calculated from the data. The AIRSAR data were calibrated using in-scene trihedral corner reflectors to remove cross-talk; and to calibrate the phase, amplitude, and co-channel gain imbalance. The calibration allows for the extraction of accurate values of rms surface roughness, dielectric constants, sigma(sub 0) backscatter, and polarization information. The radar data sets allow quantitative characterization of small scale surface structure of geologic units, providing information about the physical and chemical processes that control the surface morphology. Combining the quantitative information extracted from the radar data with other remotely sensed data sets allows discrimination, identification and mapping of geologic units that may be difficult to discern using conventional techniques.

Assessing Rural Sustainable Development potentialities using a Dominance-based Rough Set Approach.

PubMed

Boggia, Antonio; Rocchi, Lucia; Paolotti, Luisa; Musotti, Francesco; Greco, Salvatore

2014-11-01

Rural Development is a priority in Europe and it is supported by specific, financial programmes. At the same time, sustainability is the key word for the European Union to construct programmes and policies for all human activities. However, measuring sustainability of rural areas is not easy, due to their particular features. The improvement of knowledge on sustainability in rural areas is important to build long term policies and strategies for those territories. The objective of this study is the development of a decision support system based on the Dominance-based Rough Set Approach (DRSA), to assess the level of Rural Sustainable Development in specific areas. We used DRSA to analyze the level of sustainability of the 92 municipalities of the Region of Umbria, Italy. The results were synthesized in a final ranking, taking into account the equilibrium and the integration between development and sustainability of each municipality. DRSA showed a high potential in the context of management or planning, and for supporting Decision Makers. DRSA is able to give a ranking as well as an explanation of the main factors driving sustainable development in rural areas. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hypergraph Based Feature Selection Technique for Medical Diagnosis.

PubMed

Somu, Nivethitha; Raman, M R Gauthama; Kirthivasan, Kannan; Sriram, V S Shankar

2016-11-01

The impact of internet and information systems across various domains have resulted in substantial generation of multidimensional datasets. The use of data mining and knowledge discovery techniques to extract the original information contained in the multidimensional datasets play a significant role in the exploitation of complete benefit provided by them. The presence of large number of features in the high dimensional datasets incurs high computational cost in terms of computing power and time. Hence, feature selection technique has been commonly used to build robust machine learning models to select a subset of relevant features which projects the maximal information content of the original dataset. In this paper, a novel Rough Set based K - Helly feature selection technique (RSKHT) which hybridize Rough Set Theory (RST) and K - Helly property of hypergraph representation had been designed to identify the optimal feature subset or reduct for medical diagnostic applications. Experiments carried out using the medical datasets from the UCI repository proves the dominance of the RSKHT over other feature selection techniques with respect to the reduct size, classification accuracy and time complexity. The performance of the RSKHT had been validated using WEKA tool, which shows that RSKHT had been computationally attractive and flexible over massive datasets.

Relationships between lung cancer incidences and air pollutants.

PubMed

Yue, Shihong; Wang, Yaru; Wang, Jianpei; Chen, Jun

2017-07-20

Statistics on lung cancer incidences and air pollutants show a strong correlation between air pollutant concentrations and pulmonary diseases. And environmental effects on lung cancer incidences remain highly unknown and uncertain in China. This study aims to measure the relationships between different air pollutants and lung cancer incidences in Tianjin. One thusand five hundred patients across 27 districts in Tianjin were studied for lung cancer incidences. The patients had come into contact with various air pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3. These pollutants were measured daily and were published via a Geographic Information System across the 27 districts of Tianjin. The air pollutant compositions of environments the patients lived in were determined using the nearest air monitoring station to the patient. And we used rough set theory to measure the relationships between different air pollutants and lung cancer incidences. Different air pollutants and combinations of pollutants impacted lung cancer incidences differently across different districts, sexes, and lung cancer types in Tianjin. Based on data analysis and interpretation, rough set theory provided data relationships that were objective and interpretable. The method is simple, general, and efficient, and lays the foundation for further applications in other cities.

Rough Finite State Automata and Rough Languages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arulprakasam, R.; Perumal, R.; Radhakrishnan, M.; Dare, V. R.

2018-04-01

Sumita Basu [1, 2] recently introduced the concept of a rough finite state (semi)automaton, rough grammar and rough languages. Motivated by the work of [1, 2], in this paper, we investigate some closure properties of rough regular languages and establish the equivalence between the classes of rough languages generated by rough grammar and the classes of rough regular languages accepted by rough finite automaton.

The effect of piezoelectric ultrasonic instrumentation on titanium discs: a microscopy and trace elemental analysis in vitro study.

PubMed

Tawse-Smith, A; Atieh, M A; Tompkins, G; Duncan, W J; Reid, M R; Stirling, C H

2016-08-01

To evaluate in vitro topographical and composition changes by piezoelectric ultrasonic instrumentation with metallic and plastic tips on machined and moderately roughened titanium surfaces. Twenty machined and moderately roughened laser-marked titanium discs were ultrasonically instrumented with metallic and plastic tips. Surface instrumentation was carried out with controlled pressure for 20 and 30 seconds at two power settings. For each time and power setting, instrumentation was repeated four times with one instrumentation per disc quadrant. Surface topography analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Surface roughness measurements were compared between instrumented and non-instrumented surfaces. Surface element composition and rinsing solutions were evaluated using energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and trace elemental analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS), respectively. SEM photomicrographs and CLSM 3D surface plot images of instrumented machined and moderately roughened surfaces demonstrated severe surface topographical alterations with metallic tips and mild to moderate changes for plastic tip instrumented sites. ICPMS analysis of the rinsing solutions identified titanium and other metal traces with the use of metallic tips, and mainly titanium and carbon when plastic tips were used. Surface EDS analysis showed elemental traces of the ultrasonic tips. Ultrasonic instrumentation with metallic or plastic tips created surface topographical and compositional changes. Different changes in surface topography were noted between the surfaces, as the roughness of the machined surfaces increased while the extent of roughness of the moderately roughened surfaces decreased. The clinical relevance of these changes is yet to be determined. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Performance of laser sintered Ti-6Al-4V implants with bone-inspired porosity and micro/nanoscale surface roughness in the rabbit femur

PubMed Central

Cohen, David J.; Cheng, Alice; Sahingur, Kaan; Clohessy, Ryan M.; Hopkins, Louis B.; Boyan, Barbara D.; Schwartz, Zvi

2018-01-01

Long term success of bone-interfacing implants remains a challenge in compromised patients and in areas of low bone quality. While surface roughness at the micro/nanoscale can promote osteogenesis, macro-scale porosity is important for promoting mechanical stability of the implant over time. Currently, machining techniques permit pores to be placed throughout the implant, but the pores are generally uniform in dimension. The advent of laser sintering provides a way to design and manufacture implants with specific porosity and variable dimensions at high resolution. This approach enables production of metal implants that mimic complex geometries found in biology. In this study, we used a rabbit femur model to compare osseointegration of laser sintered solid and porous implants. Ti-6Al-4V implants were laser sintered in a clinically relevant size and shape. One set of implants had a novel porosity based on human trabecular bone; both sets had grit-blasted/acid-etched surfaces. After characterization, implants were inserted transaxially into rabbit femora; mechanical testing, microCT and histomorphometry were conducted 10 weeks postoperatively. There were no differences in pull-out strength or bone-to-implant contact. However, both microCT and histomorphometry showed significantly higher new bone volume for porous compared to solid implants. Bone growth was observed into porous implant pores, especially near apical portions of the implant interfacing with cortical bone. These results show that laser sintered Ti-6Al-4V implants with micro/nanoscale surface roughness and trabecular bone-inspired porosity promote bone growth and may be used as a superior alternative to solid implants for bone-interfacing implants. PMID:28452335

Performance of laser sintered Ti-6Al-4V implants with bone-inspired porosity and micro/nanoscale surface roughness in the rabbit femur.

PubMed

Cohen, David J; Cheng, Alice; Sahingur, Kaan; Clohessy, Ryan M; Hopkins, Louis B; Boyan, Barbara D; Schwartz, Zvi

2017-04-28

Long term success of bone-interfacing implants remains a challenge in compromised patients and in areas of low bone quality. While surface roughness at the micro/nanoscale can promote osteogenesis, macro-scale porosity is important for promoting mechanical stability of the implant over time. Currently, machining techniques permit pores to be placed throughout the implant, but the pores are generally uniform in dimension. The advent of laser sintering provides a way to design and manufacture implants with specific porosity and variable dimensions at high resolution. This approach enables production of metal implants that mimic complex geometries found in biology. In this study, we used a rabbit femur model to compare osseointegration of laser sintered solid and porous implants. Ti-6Al-4V implants were laser sintered in a clinically relevant size and shape. One set of implants had a novel porosity based on human trabecular bone; both sets had grit-blasted/acid-etched surfaces. After characterization, implants were inserted transaxially into rabbit femora; mechanical testing, micro-computed tomography (microCT) and histomorphometry were conducted 10 weeks post-operatively. There were no differences in pull-out strength or bone-to-implant contact. However, both microCT and histomorphometry showed significantly higher new bone volume for porous compared to solid implants. Bone growth was observed into porous implant pores, especially near apical portions of the implant interfacing with cortical bone. These results show that laser sintered Ti-6Al-4V implants with micro/nanoscale surface roughness and trabecular bone-inspired porosity promote bone growth and may be used as a superior alternative to solid implants for bone-interfacing implants.

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

Canavan, G.H.

Attack allocation optimizations produce stability indices for unsymmetrical forces that indicate significant regions of both stability and instability and that have their minimum values roughly when the two sides have equal forces. This note derives combined stability indices for unsymmetrical offensive force configurations. The indices are based on optimal allocations of offensive missiles between vulnerable missiles and value based on the minimization of first strike cost, which is done analytically. Exchanges are modeled probabalistically and their results are converted into first and second strike costs through approximations to the damage to the value target sets held at risk. The stabilitymore » index is the product of the ratio of first to second strike costs seen by the two sides. Optimal allocations scale directly on the opponent`s vulnerable missiles, inversely on one`s own total weapons, and only logarithmically on the attacker`s damage preference, kill probability, and relative target set. The defender`s allocation scales in a similar manner on the attacker`s parameters. First and second strike magnitudes increase roughly linearly for the side with greater forces and decrease linearly for the side with fewer. Conversely, the first and second strike magnitudes decrease for the side with greater forces and increase for the side with fewer. These trends are derived and discussed analytically. The resulting stability indices exhibit a minimum where the two sides have roughly equal forces. If one side has much larger forces than the other, his costs drop to levels low enough that he is relatively insensitive to whether he strikes first or second. These calculations are performed with the analytic attack allocation appropriate for moderate forces, so some differences could be expected for the largest of the forces considered.« less

Roughness of human enamel surface submitted to different prophylaxis methods.

PubMed

Castanho, Gisela Muassab; Arana-Chavez, Victor E; Fava, Marcelo

2008-01-01

The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate alterations in the surface roughness and micromorphology of human enamel submitted to three prophylaxis methods. Sixty-nine caries-free molars with exposed labial surfaces were divided into three groups. Group I was treated with a rotary instrument set at a low speed, rubber cup and a mixture of water and pumice; group II with a rotary instrument set at a low speed, rubber cup and prophylaxis paste Herjos-F (Vigodent S/A Indústria e Comércio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil); and group III with sodium bicarbonate spray Profi II Ceramic (Dabi Atlante Indústrias Médico Odontológicas Ltda, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil). All procedures were performed by the same operator for 10 s, and samples were rinsed and stored in distilled water Pre and post-treatment surface evaluation was completed using a surface profilometer (Perthometer S8P, Marh, Perthen, Germany) in 54 samples. In addition, the other samples were coated with gold and examined in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results of this study were statistically analyzed with the paired t-test (Student), the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Dunn (5%) test. The sodium bicarbonate spray led to significantly rougher surfaces than the pumice paste. The use of prophylaxis paste showed no statistically significant difference when compared with the other methods. Based on SEM analysis, the sodium bicarbonate spray presented an irregular surface with granular material and erosions. Based on this study, it can be concluded that there was an increased enamel surface roughness when teeth were treated with sodium bicarbonate spray when compared with teeth treated with pumice paste.

The Intraplate Seismogenic Zone of Porto dos Gauchos in the Amazon Craton, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barros, L. V.; Assumpcao, M. S.; Quintero, R. Q.

2007-05-01

The Porto dos Gauchos Seismogenic Zone (PGSZ), in the center north of Mato Grosso State, in the contact between the southern Amazonian Craton and northern Parecis Basin, represents one of the most important area of seismic activity in Brazil, with the largest magnitude ever observed in the stable continent of the South America plate (6.2 mb on January 31, 1955). Focal mechanism studies indicated a pure reverse faulting regime with compressional SHmax. oriented in SE-NW direction. After the 1955 earthquake, located in Serra do Tombador, a recurrent seismicity has been detected in Porto dos Gauchos, 100 km northeast of Serra do Tombador. No recent events have been detected in the area of the 1955 epicenter, suggesting a long recurrence time or mislocation of Serra do Tombador earthquake. The Porto dos Gauchos recurrent seismicity has been observed since 1959, when a 4.5 macroseismic estimated magnitude was felt by local inhabitants settled in that remote area two years earlier. In subsequent years, with deployment of regional stations in Brazilian Amazon region earthquakes were detected in 1981 (3.8 mb), 1989 (3.3 mb), 1993 (3.8 mb), 1996 (4.4 mb), 1997 (3.3 mb), and finally on March 10, 1998 (5.1 mb). The aftershocks of 1998 main shock were studied with a local network with up to eight 3- component stations. Such network detected more than 2500 events until December of 2002, when the network was deactivated, but only 100 were accurately located. Based on this set of events and a controlled source experiment we determined a 1-D velocity model for the area, a composite focal mechanism with P wave polarities, spectral analysis studies to estimate the source dimension, stress drop and moment magnitudes for the main shock and some others events of the set. On March 23, 2005 another shock occurred in the same seismogenic area of Porto dos Gauchos, with magnitude 4.7 to 5.0. One week later five stations were installed again to monitor the aftershock activity, detecting more than 2000 events in three months. Hypocentral determination, with different hypocentral location programs (Hypocenter, Hypo71, Hypoinverse, Velest and NonLinLoc) and a composite focal mechanism indicated the same source location and similar fault regime (dextral transcurrent fault for both 1998 and 2005 sequences). In this work, besides a brief review of the seismotectonic of the PGSZ we intend to present additional results of better constrained composite focal mechanisms including the P, SH, and SV amplitudes ratios for the two sequences and an attempt to get focal mechanism solution for the main shock of March 1998 based on regional stations.

Smoothing of Fault Slip Surfaces by Scale Invariant Wear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dascher-Cousineau, K.; Kirkpatrick, J. D.

2017-12-01

Fault slip surface roughness plays a determining role in the overall strength, friction, and dynamic behavior of fault systems. Previous wear models and field observations suggest that roughness decreases with increasing displacement. However, measurements have yet to isolate the effect of displacement from other possible controls, such as lithology or tectonic setting. In an effort to understand the effect of displacement, we present comprehensive qualitative and quantitative description of the evolution of fault slip surfaces in and around the San-Rafael Desert, S.E. Utah, United States. In the study area, faults accommodated regional extension at shallow (1 to 3 km) depth and are hosted in the massive, well-sorted, high-porosity Navajo and Entrada sandstones. Existing displacement profiles along with tight displacement controls readily measureable in the field, combined with uniform lithology and tectonic history, allowed us to isolate for the effect of displacement during the embryonic stages of faulting (0 to 60 m in displacement). Our field observations indicate a clear compositional and morphological progression from isolated joints or deformation bands towards smooth, continuous, and mirror-like fault slip surfaces with increasing displacement. We scanned pristine slip surfaces with a white light interferometer, a laser scanner, and a ground-based LiDAR. We produce and analyses more than 120 individual scans of fault slip surfaces. Results for the surfaces with the best displacement constraints indicate that roughness as defined by the power spectral density at any given length scale decreases with displacement according to a power law with an exponent of -1. Roughness measurements associated with only maximum constraints on displacements corroborate this result. Moreover, maximum roughness for any given fault is bounded by a primordial roughness corresponding to that of joint surfaces and deformation band edges. Building upon these results, we propose a multi-scale wear model to explain the evolution of faults with displacement. We suggest that together, asperity failure as a scale invariant process, and the stochastic strength of host rocks are consistent with qualitative and quantitative observational constraints made in this study.

Influence of epoxy, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and rhodium surface coatings on surface roughness, nano-mechanical properties and biofilm adhesion of nickel titanium (Ni-Ti) archwires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asiry, Moshabab A.; AlShahrani, Ibrahim; Almoammar, Salem; Durgesh, Bangalore H.; Kheraif, Abdulaziz A. Al; Hashem, Mohamed I.

2018-02-01

Aim. To investigate the effect of epoxy, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and rhodium surface coatings on surface roughness, nano-mechanical properties and biofilm adhesion of nickel titanium (Ni-Ti) archwires Methods. Three different coated (Epoxy, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and rhodium) and one uncoated Ni-Ti archwires were evaluated in the present study. Surface roughness (Ra) was assessed using a non-contact surface profilometer. The mechanical properties (nano-hardness and elastic modulus) were measured using a nanoindenter. Bacterial adhesion assays were performed using Streptococcus mutans (MS) and streptococcus sobrinus (SS) in an in-vitro set up. The data obtained were analyzed using analyses of variance, Tukey’s post hoc test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient test. Result. The highest Ra values (1.29 ± 0.49) were obtained for epoxy coated wires and lowest Ra values (0.29 ± 0.16) were obtained for the uncoated wires. No significant differences in the Ra values were observed between the rhodium coated and uncoated archwires (P > 0.05). The highest nano-hardness (3.72 ± 0.24) and elastic modulus values (61.15 ± 2.59) were obtained for uncoated archwires and the lowest nano-hardness (0.18 ± 0.10) and elastic modulus values (4.84 ± 0.65) were observed for epoxy coated archwires. No significant differences in nano-hardness and elastic modulus values were observed between the coated archwires (P > 0.05). The adhesion of Streptococcus mutans (MS) to the wires was significantly greater than that of streptococcus sobrinus (SS). The epoxy coated wires demonstrated an increased adhesion of MS and SS and the uncoated wires demonstrated decreased biofilm adhesion. The Spearman correlation test showed that MS and SS adhesion was positively correlated with the surface roughness of the wires. Conclusion. The different surface coatings significantly influence the roughness, nano-mechanical properties and biofilm adhesion parameters of the archwires. The evaluated parameters were most influenced by epoxy coating followed by PTFE and rhodium coating. A positive correlation was detected between surface roughness and biofilm adhesion.

Knot probabilities in random diagrams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cantarella, Jason; Chapman, Harrison; Mastin, Matt

2016-10-01

We consider a natural model of random knotting—choose a knot diagram at random from the finite set of diagrams with n crossings. We tabulate diagrams with 10 and fewer crossings and classify the diagrams by knot type, allowing us to compute exact probabilities for knots in this model. As expected, most diagrams with 10 and fewer crossings are unknots (about 78% of the roughly 1.6 billion 10 crossing diagrams). For these crossing numbers, the unknot fraction is mostly explained by the prevalence of ‘tree-like’ diagrams which are unknots for any assignment of over/under information at crossings. The data shows a roughly linear relationship between the log of knot type probability and the log of the frequency rank of the knot type, analogous to Zipf’s law for word frequency. The complete tabulation and all knot frequencies are included as supplementary data.

Laser induced nanostructures created from Au layer on polyhydroxybutyrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michaljaničová, I.; Slepička, P.; Juřík, P.; Švorčík, V.

2017-11-01

Nanostructures as well as composite materials expand the range of materials properties and allow use of these materials in new and highly specific applications. In this paper, we described laser modification of polyhydroxybutyrate films covered with thin gold layer, which led to the formation of various composite structures. The crucial for the composite structures creation was setting of appropriate laser parameters; 15 mJ cm-2 laser fluence and 6 000 pulses were recognized as the best. The morphology of structures was determined by the thickness of the Au layer. The most interesting formations, very porous with the biggest roughness, were observed after treatment of foils covered with 10 nm of Au. The morphology was observed by atomic force microscopy. The influence on roughness and the difference between projected area and surface area was also determined.

Surface Fatigue Lives of Case-Carburized Gears With an Improved Surface Finish

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krantz, T. L.; Alanou, M. P.; Evans, H. P.; Snidle, R. W.; Krantz, T. L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Previous research provides qualitative evidence that an improved surface finish can increase the surface fatigue lives of gears. To quantify the influence of surface roughness on life, a set of AISI 93 10 steel gears was provided with a nearmirror finish by superfinishing. The effects of the superfinishing on the quality of the gear tooth surfaces were determined using data from metrology, profilometry, and interferometric microscope inspections. The superfinishing reduced the roughness average by about a factor of 5. The superfinished gears were subjected to surface fatigue testing at 1.71 -GPa (248-ksi) Hertz contact stress, and the data were compared with the NASA Glenn gear fatigue data base. The lives of gears with superfinished teeth were about four times greater compared with the lives of gears with ground teeth but with otherwise similar quality.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Chandra observations of IC 10 (Laycock+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laycock, S.; Cappallo, R.; Williams, B. F.; Prestwich, A.; Binder, B.; Christodoulou, D. M.

2017-09-01

A monitoring series of 7x15ks Chandra/ACIS observations, spaced at roughly six-week intervals was obtained during 2009-2010. A pair of very deep ACIS-S3 observations (2x45ks) made in 2006 November provide a reference data set for improved source positions and spectral information. The original Wang+ (2005, J/MNRAS/362/1065) Chandra (ACIS-S3) observation of 30ks made in 2003 was included in our analysis. The complete listing of 10 observation identifiers (ObsIDs) comprising the data set is summarized in Table 1. (5 data files).

2.3 Å X-ray Structure of the Heme-Bound GAF Domain of Sensory Histidine Kinase DosT of Mycobacterium tuberculosis†

PubMed Central

Podust, Larissa M.; Ioanoviciu, Alexandra; Ortiz de Montellano, Paul R.

2009-01-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis responds to the changes in environmental conditions through a two-component signaling system that detects reduced O2 tension and NO and CO exposures via the heme-binding GAF domains of two sensory histidine kinases, DosT and DevS, and the transcriptional regulator DosR. We report the first x-ray structure of the DosT heme-bound GAF domain (GAFDosT) in both oxy and deoxy forms determined to a resolution of 2.3 Å. In GAFDosT, heme binds in an orientation orthogonal to that in the PAS domains via a highly conserved motif including invariant H147 as a proximal heme axial ligand. On the distal side, invariant Y169 is in stacking interactions with the heme with its long axis parallel and the plane of the ring orthogonal to the heme plane. In one of the two protein monomers in an asymmetric unit, O2 binds as a second axial ligand to the heme iron, and is stabilized via an H-bond to the OH-group of Y169. The structure reveals two small tunnel-connected cavities and a pore on the protein surface that suggest a potential route for O2 access to the sensing pocket. The limited conformational differences observed between differently heme iron-ligated GAFDosT monomers in the asymmetric unit may result from crystal lattice limitations since atmospheric oxygen binding likely occurs in the crystal as a result of x-ray induced Fe3+ photoreduction during diffraction data collection. Determination of the GAFDosT structure sets up a framework in which to address ligand-recognition, discrimination, and signal propagation schemes in the heme-based GAF domains of biological sensors. PMID:18980385

Rough Set Based Splitting Criterion for Binary Decision Tree Classifiers

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-26

Alata O. Fernandez-Maloigne C., and Ferrie J.C. (2001). Unsupervised Algorithm for the Segmentation of Three-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Brain ...instinctual and learned responses in the brain , causing it to make decisions based on patterns in the stimuli. Using this deceptively simple process...2001. [2] Bohn C. (1997). An Incremental Unsupervised Learning Scheme for Function Approximation. In: Proceedings of the 1997 IEEE International

The Best of Two Worlds: Combining ITV and Web Quests To Strengthen Distance Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosby, Charmaine

This presentation describes an English graduate seminar in Local Color and Regionalism in American Literature at Western Kentucky University that was set up as an experimental hybrid course, i.e., roughly 60% face-to-face and 40% Web course (Web quest format). The focus is on the four tasks that comprised the Web quest segment of the course: (1) a…

An estimate of the amount of road in the staggered-setting system of clearcutting.

Treesearch

Roy R. Silen; H.J. Gratkowski

1953-01-01

One question frequently asked by foresters in the Douglas-fir region is: "How much land is taken out of forest production by logging roads and landings?" The final answer is not known, but a rough estimate recently prepared for a sizable portion of the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest may be useful as a tentative figure. The experimental area is located...

Benefits and Limitations of iPads in the High School Science Classroom and a Trophic Cascade Lesson Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Nicholas D.; Finley, Rachel J.; Keil, Richard G.; Clay, Tansy G.

2013-01-01

This study explores the utility of a set of tablet-based personal computers in the K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classroom. Specifically, a lesson on food-chain dynamics and predator-prey population controls was designed on the Apple® iPad platform and delivered to three sophomore-level ecology classes (roughly 30 students…

Self-Management as a Class-Wide Intervention: An Evaluation of the "Self & Match" System Embedded within a Dependent Group Contingency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulla, Andrew J.; Frieder, Jessica E.

2018-01-01

Teachers are responsible for providing an education to students of all ability levels. Recent data suggest that roughly 95% of students with a disability are receiving some form of education in their general education setting. Individuals with disabilities tend to engage in higher levels of disruptive behaviors (e.g., talking out in class,…

Robotic Access to Planetary Surfaces Capability Roadmap

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

A set of robotic access to planetary surfaces capability developments and supporting infrastructure have been identified. Reference mission pulls derived from ongoing strategic planning. Capability pushes to enable broader mission considerations. Facility and flight test capability needs. Those developments have been described to the level of detail needed for high-level planning. Content and approach. Readiness and metrics. Rough schedule and cost. Connectivity to mission concepts.

Trivial dynamics in discrete-time systems: carrying simplex and translation arcs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Lei; Ruiz-Herrera, Alfonso

2018-06-01

In this paper we show that the dynamical behavior in (first octant) of the classical Kolmogorov systems of competitive type admitting a carrying simplex can be sometimes determined completely by the number of fixed points on the boundary and the local behavior around them. Roughly speaking, T has trivial dynamics (i.e. the omega limit set of any orbit is a connected set contained in the set of fixed points) provided T has exactly four hyperbolic nontrivial fixed points in with local attractors on the carrying simplex and local repellers on the carrying simplex; and there exists a unique hyperbolic fixed point in Int. Our results are applied to some classical models including the Leslie–Gower models, Atkinson-Allen systems and Ricker maps.

[Evaluation of four dark object atmospheric correction methods based on ZY-3 CCD data].

PubMed

Guo, Hong; Gu, Xing-fa; Xie, Yong; Yu, Tao; Gao, Hai-liang; Wei, Xiang-qin; Liu, Qi-yue

2014-08-01

The present paper performed the evaluation of four dark-object subtraction(DOS) atmospheric correction methods based on 2012 Inner Mongolia experimental data The authors analyzed the impacts of key parameters of four DOS methods when they were applied to ZY-3 CCD data The results showed that (1) All four DOS methods have significant atmospheric correction effect at band 1, 2 and 3. But as for band 4, the atmospheric correction effect of DOS4 is the best while DOS2 is the worst; both DOS1 and DOS3 has no obvious atmospheric correction effect. (2) The relative error (RE) of DOS1 atmospheric correction method is larger than 10% at four bands; The atmospheric correction effect of DOS2 works the best at band 1(AE (absolute error)=0.0019 and RE=4.32%) and the worst error appears at band 4(AE=0.0464 and RE=19.12%); The RE of DOS3 is about 10% for all bands. (3) The AE of atmospheric correction results for DOS4 method is less than 0. 02 and the RE is less than 10% for all bands. Therefore, the DOS4 method provides the best accuracy of atmospheric correction results for ZY-3 image.

Temporal changes in surface roughness around 88°S from repeat high-resolution Airborne Topographic Mapper laser altimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Studinger, M.; Brunt, K. M.; Medley, B.; Casey, K.; Neumann, T.

2017-12-01

The southern convergence of all ICESat-2 and CryoSat-2 tracks at 88°S is in a region of relatively low accumulation and surface slope making it ideal for satellite altimetry calibration and validation. In order to evaluate the stability and surface characteristics of the area we have analyzed repeat airborne laser altimetry measurements acquired around 88°S during 2014 and 2016 by NASA's Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) as part of Operation IceBridge. ATM is a conical scanner that operates at a wavelength of 532 nm, with a footprint of 1 meter and a 250-m-wide swath on the ground. The ATM Level 2 ICESSN data product includes slope and roughness estimates in 80 m × 80 m platelets across the swath. The mean surface roughness around 88°S for the 2014 data is 9.4 ± 2.0 cm, with the repeat flights in 2016 showing 8.6 ± 2.8 cm. The 2014 data reveals several areas where surface roughness doubles over very short spatial scales of only a few hundred meters. These features are several tens of km wide and appear to be oriented parallel to the main sastrugi direction visible in ATM spot elevation data and Digital Mapping System (DMS) visual imagery collected simultaneously. The rougher surface features are also present in the CReSIS snow radar data collected at the same time. These areas of increased surface roughness disappear in 2016 or seem to be significantly reduced in amplitude with the sharpness of the edges significantly reduced. The combination of simultaneous altimetry, snow radar and visual imagery on a regional scale provides a unique data set to study small scale deposition and erosional processes and their temporal variability. Our long-term goal is to quantify the spatial variability in snow accumulation rates south of 86°S in support of past, current and future altimetry measurements and surface mass balance model evaluation.

Potential-Field Geophysical Software for the PC

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1995-01-01

The computer programs of the Potential-Field Software Package run under the DOS operating system on IBM-compatible personal computers. They are used for the processing, display, and interpretation of potential-field geophysical data (gravity- and magnetic-field measurements) and other data sets that can be represented as grids or profiles. These programs have been developed on a variety of computer systems over a period of 25 years by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Effect of Build Angle on Surface Properties of Nickel Superalloys Processed by Selective Laser Melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Covarrubias, Ernesto E.; Eshraghi, Mohsen

2018-03-01

Aerospace, automotive, and medical industries use selective laser melting (SLM) to produce complex parts through solidifying successive layers of powder. This additive manufacturing technique has many advantages, but one of the biggest challenges facing this process is the resulting surface quality of the as-built parts. The purpose of this research was to study the surface properties of Inconel 718 alloys fabricated by SLM. The effect of build angle on the surface properties of as-built parts was investigated. Two sets of sample geometries including cube and rectangular artifacts were considered in the study. It was found that, for angles between 15° and 75°, theoretical calculations based on the "stair-step" effect were consistent with the experimental results. Downskin surfaces showed higher average roughness values compared to the upskin surfaces. No significant difference was found between the average roughness values measured from cube and rectangular test artifacts.

Quantifying Traversability of Terrain for a Mobile Robot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, Ayanna; Seraji, Homayoun; Werger, Barry

2005-01-01

A document presents an updated discussion on a method of autonomous navigation for a robotic vehicle navigating across rough terrain. The method involves, among other things, the use of a measure of traversability, denoted the fuzzy traversability index, which embodies the information about the slope and roughness of terrain obtained from analysis of images acquired by cameras mounted on the robot. The improvements presented in the report focus on the use of the fuzzy traversability index to generate a traversability map and a grid map for planning the safest path for the robot. Once grid traversability values have been computed, they are utilized for rejecting unsafe path segments and for computing a traversalcost function for ranking candidate paths, selected by a search algorithm, from a specified initial position to a specified final position. The output of the algorithm is a set of waypoints designating a path having a minimal-traversal cost.

Study on Huizhou architecture of point cloud registration based on optimized ICP algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Runmei; Wu, Yulu; Zhang, Guangbin; Zhou, Wei; Tao, Yuqian

2018-03-01

In view of the current point cloud registration software has high hardware requirements, heavy workload and moltiple interactive definition, the source of software with better processing effect is not open, a two--step registration method based on normal vector distribution feature and coarse feature based iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm is proposed in this paper. This method combines fast point feature histogram (FPFH) algorithm, define the adjacency region of point cloud and the calculation model of the distribution of normal vectors, setting up the local coordinate system for each key point, and obtaining the transformation matrix to finish rough registration, the rough registration results of two stations are accurately registered by using the ICP algorithm. Experimental results show that, compared with the traditional ICP algorithm, the method used in this paper has obvious time and precision advantages for large amount of point clouds.

Low-power, high-uniform, and forming-free resistive memory based on Mg-deficient amorphous MgO film with rough surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Jiajun; Ren, Shuxia; Wu, Liqian; Kang, Xin; Chen, Wei; Zhao, Xu

2018-03-01

Saving energy and reducing operation parameter fluctuations remain crucial for enabling resistive random access memory (RRAM) to emerge as a universal memory. In this work, we report a resistive memory device based on an amorphous MgO (a-MgO) film that not only exhibits ultralow programming voltage (just 0.22 V) and low power consumption (less than 176.7 μW) but also shows excellent operative uniformity (the coefficient of variation is only 1.7% and 2.2% for SET and RESET voltage, respectively). Moreover, it also shows a forming-free characteristic. Further analysis indicates that these distinctive properties can be attributed to the unstable local structures and the rough surface of the Mg-deficient a-MgO film. These findings show the potential of using a-MgO in high-performance nonvolatile memory applications.

A comparative study of electrochemical machining process parameters by using GA and Taguchi method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soni, S. K.; Thomas, B.

2017-11-01

In electrochemical machining quality of machined surface strongly depend on the selection of optimal parameter settings. This work deals with the application of Taguchi method and genetic algorithm using MATLAB to maximize the metal removal rate and minimize the surface roughness and overcut. In this paper a comparative study is presented for drilling of LM6 AL/B4C composites by comparing the significant impact of numerous machining process parameters such as, electrolyte concentration (g/l),machining voltage (v),frequency (hz) on the response parameters (surface roughness, material removal rate and over cut). Taguchi L27 orthogonal array was chosen in Minitab 17 software, for the investigation of experimental results and also multiobjective optimization done by genetic algorithm is employed by using MATLAB. After obtaining optimized results from Taguchi method and genetic algorithm, a comparative results are presented.

Mapping of bare soil surface parameters from TerraSAR-X radar images over a semi-arid region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorrab, A.; Zribi, M.; Baghdadi, N.; Lili Chabaane, Z.

2015-10-01

The goal of this paper is to analyze the sensitivity of X-band SAR (TerraSAR-X) signals as a function of different physical bare soil parameters (soil moisture, soil roughness), and to demonstrate that it is possible to estimate of both soil moisture and texture from the same experimental campaign, using a single radar signal configuration (one incidence angle, one polarization). Firstly, we analyzed statistically the relationships between X-band SAR (TerraSAR-X) backscattering signals function of soil moisture and different roughness parameters (the root mean square height Hrms, the Zs parameter and the Zg parameter) at HH polarization and for an incidence angle about 36°, over a semi-arid site in Tunisia (North Africa). Results have shown a high sensitivity of real radar data to the two soil parameters: roughness and moisture. A linear relationship is obtained between volumetric soil moisture and radar signal. A logarithmic correlation is observed between backscattering coefficient and all roughness parameters. The highest dynamic sensitivity is obtained with Zg parameter. Then, we proposed to retrieve of both soil moisture and texture using these multi-temporal X-band SAR images. Our approach is based on the change detection method and combines the seven radar images with different continuous thetaprobe measurements. To estimate soil moisture from X-band SAR data, we analyzed statistically the sensitivity between radar measurements and ground soil moisture derived from permanent thetaprobe stations. Our approaches are applied over bare soil class identified from an optical image SPOT / HRV acquired in the same period of measurements. Results have shown linear relationship for the radar signals as a function of volumetric soil moisture with high sensitivity about 0.21 dB/vol%. For estimation of change in soil moisture, we considered two options: (1) roughness variations during the three-month radar acquisition campaigns were not accounted for; (2) a simple correction for temporal variations in roughness was included. The results reveal a small improvement in the estimation of soil moisture when a correction for temporal variations in roughness is introduced. Finally, by considering the estimated temporal dynamics of soil moisture, a methodology is proposed for the retrieval of clay and sand content (expressed as percentages) in soil. Two empirical relationships were established between the mean moisture values retrieved from the seven acquired radar images and the two soil texture components over 36 test fields. Validation of the proposed approach was carried out over a second set of 34 fields, showing that highly accurate clay estimations can be achieved.

Visual and digital comparative tooth colour assessment methods and atomic force microscopy surface roughness.

PubMed

Grundlingh, A A; Grossman, E S; Shrivastava, S; Witcomb, M J

2013-10-01

This study compared digital and visual colour tooth colour assessment methods in a sample of 99 teeth consisting of incisors, canines and pre-molars. The teeth were equally divided between Control, Ozicure Oxygen Activator bleach and Opalescence Quick bleach and subjected to three treatments. Colour readings were recorded at nine intervals by two assessment methods, VITA Easyshade and VITAPAN 3D MASTER TOOTH GUIDE, giving a total of 1782 colour readings. Descriptive and statistical analysis was undertaken using a GLM test for Analysis of Variance for a Fractional Design set at a significance of P < 0.05. Atomic force micros copy was used to examine treated ename surfaces and establish surface roughness. Visual tooth colour assessment showed significance for the independent variables of treatment, number of treatments, tooth type and the combination tooth type and treatment. Digital colour assessment indicated treatment and tooth type to be of significance in tooth colour change. Poor agreement was found between visual and digital colour assessment methods for Control and Ozicure Oxygen Activator treatments. Surface roughness values increased two-fold for Opalescence Quick specimens over the two other treatments, implying that increased light scattering improved digital colour reading. Both digital and visual colour matching methods should be used in tooth bleaching studies to complement each other and to compensate for deficiencies.

Regarding to the Variance Analysis of Regression Equation of the Surface Roughness obtained by End Milling process of 7136 Aluminium Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

POP, A. B.; ȚÎȚU, M. A.

2016-11-01

In the metal cutting process, surface quality is intrinsically related to the cutting parameters and to the cutting tool geometry. At the same time, metal cutting processes are closely related to the machining costs. The purpose of this paper is to reduce manufacturing costs and processing time. A study was made, based on the mathematical modelling of the average of the absolute value deviation (Ra) resulting from the end milling process on 7136 aluminium alloy, depending on cutting process parameters. The novel element brought by this paper is the 7136 aluminium alloy type, chosen to conduct the experiments, which is a material developed and patented by Universal Alloy Corporation. This aluminium alloy is used in the aircraft industry to make parts from extruded profiles, and it has not been studied for the proposed research direction. Based on this research, a mathematical model of surface roughness Ra was established according to the cutting parameters studied in a set experimental field. A regression analysis was performed, which identified the quantitative relationships between cutting parameters and the surface roughness. Using the variance analysis ANOVA, the degree of confidence for the achieved results by the regression equation was determined, and the suitability of this equation at every point of the experimental field.

Magnetorheological elastic super-smooth finishing for high-efficiency manufacturing of ultraviolet laser resistant optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Feng; Shu, Yong; Dai, Yifan; Peng, Xiaoqiang; Li, Shengyi

2013-07-01

Based on the elastic-plastic deformation theory, status between abrasives and workpiece in magnetorheological finishing (MRF) process and the feasibility of elastic polishing are analyzed. The relationship among material removal mechanism and particle force, removal efficiency, and surface topography are revealed through a set of experiments. The chemical dominant elastic super-smooth polishing can be fulfilled by changing the components of magnetorheological (MR) fluid and optimizing polishing parameters. The MR elastic super-smooth finishing technology can be applied in polishing high-power laser-irradiated components with high efficiency, high accuracy, low damage, and high laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT). A 430×430×10 mm fused silica (FS) optic window is polished and surface error is improved from 538.241 nm [peak to valley (PV)], 96.376 nm (rms) to 76.372 nm (PV), 8.295 nm (rms) after 51.6 h rough polishing, 42.6 h fine polishing, and 54.6 h super-smooth polishing. A 50×50×10 mm sample is polished with exactly the same parameters. The roughness is improved from 1.793 nm [roughness average (Ra)] to 0.167 nm (Ra) and LIDT is improved from 9.77 to 19.2 J/cm2 after MRF elastic polishing.

Wear Behavior of Ceramic CAD/CAM Crowns and Natural Antagonists

PubMed Central

Naumova, Ella A.; Schneider, Stephan; Arnold, Wolfgang H.; Piwowarczyk, Andree

2017-01-01

Objective: Evaluation of wear behavior of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) crowns from various restorative materials and natural antagonists. Method: Full CAD/CAM crowns fabricated with nanoceramic resin (Lava Ultimate (LU)), a glass ceramic in a resin interpenetrating matrix (Vita Enamic (VE)) and a lithium silicate reinforced ceramic enriched with zirconia (Vita Suprinity (VS)) were cemented on human molars. The crown and antagonists were subjected to simulated chewing. 3D data sets, before and after the chewing simulation, were generated and matched. Occlusal surface roughness, vertical and volume loss of the crowns and antagonists were analyzed. Results: Crown roughness was significantly different between the LU and VE groups after chewing simulation. Crown vertical loss differed in all groups. The highest crown volume loss was found in the LU group, and the lowest in the VE group. Comparisons between the LU and VE groups and the LU and VS groups were significantly different. The highest antagonist volume loss was reached in the VE group, the lowest was in the LU group. Conclusion: Roughness increased after chewing simulation. LU crowns are the most natural antagonist-friendly; these were the most susceptible to vertical and volume loss. Of the tested materials, the VE crowns are the most stable regarding occlusion. PMID:28772602

Mass and charge transport in IPMC actuators with fractal interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Longfei; Wu, Yucheng; Zhu, Zicai; Li, Heng

2016-04-01

Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite (IPMC) actuators have been attracting a growing interest in extensive applications, which consequently raises the demands on the accuracy of its theoretical modeling. For the last few years, rough landscape of the interface between the electrode and the ionic membrane of IPMC has been well-documented as one of the key elements to ensure a satisfied performance. However, in most of the available work, the interface morphology of IPMC was simplified with structural idealization, which lead to perplexity in the physical interpretation on its interface mechanism. In this paper, the quasi-random rough interface of IPMC was described with fractal dimension and scaling parameters. And the electro-chemical field was modeled by Poisson equation and a properly simplified Nernst-Planck equation set. Then, by simulation with Finite Element Method, a comprehensive analysis on he inner mass and charge transportation in IPMC actuators with different fractal interfaces was provided, which may be further adopted to instruct the performance-oriented interface design for ionic electro-active actuators. The results also verified that rough interface can impact the electrical and mechanical response of IPMC, not only from the respect of the real surface increase, but also from mass distribution difference caused by the complexity of the micro profile.

Mesoscale model response to random, surface-based perturbations — A sea-breeze experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, J. R.; Pielke, R. A.; Miller, W. F.; Lee, T. J.

1990-09-01

The introduction into a mesoscale model of random (in space) variations in roughness length, or random (in space and time) surface perturbations of temperature and friction velocity, produces a measurable, but barely significant, response in the simulated flow dynamics of the lower atmosphere. The perturbations are an attempt to include the effects of sub-grid variability into the ensemble-mean parameterization schemes used in many numerical models. Their magnitude is set in our experiments by appeal to real-world observations of the spatial variations in roughness length and daytime surface temperature over the land on horizontal scales of one to several tens of kilometers. With sea-breeze simulations, comparisons of a number of realizations forced by roughness-length and surface-temperature perturbations with the standard simulation reveal no significant change in ensemble mean statistics, and only small changes in the sea-breeze vertical velocity. Changes in the updraft velocity for individual runs, of up to several cms-1 (compared to a mean of 14 cms-1), are directly the result of prefrontal temperature changes of 0.1 to 0.2K, produced by the random surface forcing. The correlation and magnitude of the changes are entirely consistent with a gravity-current interpretation of the sea breeze.

Rough-Fuzzy Clustering and Unsupervised Feature Selection for Wavelet Based MR Image Segmentation

PubMed Central

Maji, Pradipta; Roy, Shaswati

2015-01-01

Image segmentation is an indispensable process in the visualization of human tissues, particularly during clinical analysis of brain magnetic resonance (MR) images. For many human experts, manual segmentation is a difficult and time consuming task, which makes an automated brain MR image segmentation method desirable. In this regard, this paper presents a new segmentation method for brain MR images, integrating judiciously the merits of rough-fuzzy computing and multiresolution image analysis technique. The proposed method assumes that the major brain tissues, namely, gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid from the MR images are considered to have different textural properties. The dyadic wavelet analysis is used to extract the scale-space feature vector for each pixel, while the rough-fuzzy clustering is used to address the uncertainty problem of brain MR image segmentation. An unsupervised feature selection method is introduced, based on maximum relevance-maximum significance criterion, to select relevant and significant textural features for segmentation problem, while the mathematical morphology based skull stripping preprocessing step is proposed to remove the non-cerebral tissues like skull. The performance of the proposed method, along with a comparison with related approaches, is demonstrated on a set of synthetic and real brain MR images using standard validity indices. PMID:25848961

Annual Report to the President and the Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

rescheduled for a time in 2000. The Improved Response Programs effort is a set of indi- vidual technical investigations and exercises geared toward ...full-school local area networks in every school. • Full-day Kindergarten . Starting children in school early ensures greater student success in later...identified an annual procure- ment budget of roughly $60 billion as necessary in order to recapitalize defense equipment and the move toward a transformed

V1 mechanisms underlying chromatic contrast detection

PubMed Central

Hass, Charles A.

2013-01-01

To elucidate the cortical mechanisms of color vision, we recorded from individual primary visual cortex (V1) neurons in macaque monkeys performing a chromatic detection task. Roughly 30% of the neurons that we encountered were unresponsive at the monkeys' psychophysical detection threshold (PT). The other 70% were responsive at threshold but on average, were slightly less sensitive than the monkey. For these neurons, the relationship between neurometric threshold (NT) and PT was consistent across the four isoluminant color directions tested. A corollary of this result is that NTs were roughly four times lower for stimuli that modulated the long- and middle-wavelength sensitive cones out of phase. Nearly one-half of the neurons that responded to chromatic stimuli at the monkeys' detection threshold also responded to high-contrast luminance modulations, suggesting a role for neurons that are jointly tuned to color and luminance in chromatic detection. Analysis of neuronal contrast-response functions and signal-to-noise ratios yielded no evidence for a special set of “cardinal color directions,” for which V1 neurons are particularly sensitive. We conclude that at detection threshold—as shown previously with high-contrast stimuli—V1 neurons are tuned for a diverse set of color directions and do not segregate naturally into red–green and blue–yellow categories. PMID:23446689

A Temporal Mining Framework for Classifying Un-Evenly Spaced Clinical Data: An Approach for Building Effective Clinical Decision-Making System.

PubMed

Jane, Nancy Yesudhas; Nehemiah, Khanna Harichandran; Arputharaj, Kannan

2016-01-01

Clinical time-series data acquired from electronic health records (EHR) are liable to temporal complexities such as irregular observations, missing values and time constrained attributes that make the knowledge discovery process challenging. This paper presents a temporal rough set induced neuro-fuzzy (TRiNF) mining framework that handles these complexities and builds an effective clinical decision-making system. TRiNF provides two functionalities namely temporal data acquisition (TDA) and temporal classification. In TDA, a time-series forecasting model is constructed by adopting an improved double exponential smoothing method. The forecasting model is used in missing value imputation and temporal pattern extraction. The relevant attributes are selected using a temporal pattern based rough set approach. In temporal classification, a classification model is built with the selected attributes using a temporal pattern induced neuro-fuzzy classifier. For experimentation, this work uses two clinical time series dataset of hepatitis and thrombosis patients. The experimental result shows that with the proposed TRiNF framework, there is a significant reduction in the error rate, thereby obtaining the classification accuracy on an average of 92.59% for hepatitis and 91.69% for thrombosis dataset. The obtained classification results prove the efficiency of the proposed framework in terms of its improved classification accuracy.

Interface morphology of Mo/Si multilayer systems with varying Mo layer thickness studied by EUV diffuse scattering.

PubMed

Haase, Anton; Soltwisch, Victor; Braun, Stefan; Laubis, Christian; Scholze, Frank

2017-06-26

We investigate the influence of the Mo-layer thickness on the EUV reflectance of Mo/Si mirrors with a set of unpolished and interface-polished Mo/Si/C multilayer mirrors. The Mo-layer thickness is varied in the range from 1.7 nm to 3.05 nm. We use a novel combination of specular and diffuse intensity measurements to determine the interface roughness throughout the multilayer stack and do not rely on scanning probe measurements at the surface only. The combination of EUV and X-ray reflectivity measurements and near-normal incidence EUV diffuse scattering allows to reconstruct the Mo layer thicknesses and to determine the interface roughness power spectral density. The data analysis is conducted by applying a matrix method for the specular reflection and the distorted-wave Born approximation for diffuse scattering. We introduce the Markov-chain Monte Carlo method into the field in order to determine the respective confidence intervals for all reconstructed parameters. We unambiguously detect a threshold thickness for Mo in both sample sets where the specular reflectance goes through a local minimum correlated with a distinct increase in diffuse scatter. We attribute that to the known appearance of an amorphous-to-crystallization transition at a certain thickness threshold which is altered in our sample system by the polishing.

A Novel Method for Predicting Anisakid Nematode Infection of Atlantic Cod Using Rough Set Theory.

PubMed

Wąsikowska, Barbara; Sobecka, Ewa; Bielat, Iwona; Legierko, Monika; Więcaszek, Beata

2018-03-01

Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua L.) is one of the most important fish species in the fisheries industries of many countries; however, these fish are often infected with parasites. The detection of pathogenic larval nematodes is usually performed in fish processing facilities by visual examination using candling or by digesting muscles in artificial digestive juices, but these methods are both time and labor intensive. This article presents an innovative approach to the analysis of cod parasites from both the Atlantic and Baltic Sea areas through the application of rough set theory, one of the methods of artificial intelligence, for the prediction of food safety in a food production chain. The parasitological examinations were performed focusing on nematode larvae pathogenic to humans, e.g., Anisakis simplex, Contracaecum osculatum, and Pseudoterranova decipiens. The analysis allowed identification of protocols with which it is possible to make preliminary estimates of the quantity and quality of parasites found in cod catches before detailed analyses are performed. The results indicate that the method used can be an effective analytical tool for these types of data. To achieve this goal, a database is needed that contains the patterns intensity of parasite infections and the conditions of commercial fish species in different localities in their distributions.

Changes in unique hues induced by chromatic surrounds.

PubMed

Klauke, Susanne; Wachtler, Thomas

2016-03-01

A chromatic surround can have a strong influence on the perceived hue of a stimulus. We investigated whether chromatic induction has similar effects on the perception of colors that appear pure and unmixed (unique red, green, blue, and yellow) as on other colors. Subjects performed unique hue settings of stimuli in isoluminant surrounds of different chromaticities. Compared with the settings in a neutral gray surround, unique hue settings altered systematically with chromatic surrounds. The amount of induced hue shift depended on the difference between stimulus and surround hues, and was similar for unique hue settings as for settings of nonunique hues. Intraindividual variability in unique hue settings was roughly twice as high as for settings obtained in asymmetric matching experiments, which may reflect the presence of a reference stimulus in the matching task. Variabilities were also larger with chromatic surrounds than with neutral gray surrounds, for both unique hue settings and matching of nonunique hues. The results suggest that the neural representations underlying unique hue percepts are influenced by the same neural processing mechanisms as the percepts of other colors.

Numerical simulation of electroosmotic flow in rough microchannels using the lattice Poisson-Nernst-Planck methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamali, Reza; Soloklou, Mohsen Nasiri; Hadidi, Hooman

2018-05-01

In this study, coupled Lattice Boltzmann method is applied to solve the dynamic model for an electroosmotic flow and investigate the effects of roughness in a 2-D flat microchannel. In the present model, the Poisson equation is solved for the electrical potential, the Nernst- Planck equation is solved for the ion concentration. In the analysis of electroosmotic flows, when the electric double layers fully overlap or the convective effects are not negligible, the Nernst-Planck equation must be used to find the ionic distribution throughout the microchannel. The effects of surface roughness height, roughness interval spacing and roughness surface potential on flow conditions are investigated for two different configurations of the roughness, when the EDL layers fully overlap through the microchannel. The results show that in both arrangements of roughness in homogeneously charged rough channels, the flow rate decreases by increasing the roughness height. A discrepancy in the mass flow rate is observed when the roughness height is about 0.15 of the channel width, which its average is higher for the asymmetric configuration and this difference grows by increasing the roughness height. In the symmetric roughness arrangement, the mass flow rate increases until the roughness interval space is almost 1.5 times the roughness width and it decreases for higher values of the roughness interval space. For the heterogeneously charged rough channel, when the roughness surface potential ψr is less than channel surface potential ψs , the net charge density increases by getting far from the roughness surface, while in the opposite situation, when ψs is more than ψr , the net charge density decreases from roughness surface to the microchannel middle center. Increasing the roughness surface potential induces stronger electric driving force on the fluid which results in larger velocities in the flow.

Controlling Laboratory Processes From A Personal Computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Will, H.; Mackin, M. A.

1991-01-01

Computer program provides natural-language process control from IBM PC or compatible computer. Sets up process-control system that either runs without operator or run by workers who have limited programming skills. Includes three smaller programs. Two of them, written in FORTRAN 77, record data and control research processes. Third program, written in Pascal, generates FORTRAN subroutines used by other two programs to identify user commands with device-driving routines written by user. Also includes set of input data allowing user to define user commands to be executed by computer. Requires personal computer operating under MS-DOS with suitable hardware interfaces to all controlled devices. Also requires FORTRAN 77 compiler and device drivers written by user.

Simulation of Co-Seismic Off-Fault Stress Effects: Influence of Fault Roughness and Pore Pressure Coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fälth, B.; Lund, B.; Hökmark, H.

2017-12-01

Aiming at improved safety assessment of geological nuclear waste repositories, we use dynamic 3D earthquake simulations to estimate the potential for co-seismic off-fault distributed fracture slip. Our model comprises a 12.5 x 8.5 km strike-slip fault embedded in a full space continuum where we apply a homogeneous initial stress field. In the reference case (Case 1) the fault is planar and oriented optimally for slip, given the assumed stress field. To examine the potential impact of fault roughness, we also study cases where the fault surface has undulations with self-similar fractal properties. In both the planar and the undulated cases the fault has homogeneous frictional properties. In a set of ten rough fault models (Case 2), the fault friction is equal to that of Case 1, meaning that these models generate lower seismic moments than Case 1. In another set of ten rough fault models (Case 3), the fault dynamic friction is adjusted such that seismic moments on par with that of Case 1 are generated. For the propagation of the earthquake rupture we adopt the linear slip-weakening law and obtain Mw 6.4 in Case 1 and Case 3, and Mw 6.3 in Case 2 (35 % lower moment than Case 1). During rupture we monitor the off-fault stress evolution along the fault plane at 250 m distance and calculate the corresponding evolution of the Coulomb Failure Stress (CFS) on optimally oriented hypothetical fracture planes. For the stress-pore pressure coupling, we assume Skempton's coefficient B = 0.5 as a base case value, but also examine the sensitivity to variations of B. We observe the following: (I) The CFS values, and thus the potential for fracture slip, tend to increase with the distance from the hypocenter. This is in accordance with results by other authors. (II) The highest CFS values are generated by quasi-static stress concentrations around fault edges and around large scale fault bends, where we obtain values of the order of 10 MPa. (III) Locally, fault roughness may have a significant impact. The ratios (max CFS in Case 2) / (max CFS in Case 1) = 1.1 and (max CFS in Case 3) / (max CFS in Case 1) = 1.2 indicate a minor impact. However, at specific locations, CFS in Case 2 and Case 3 may be more than 5 times higher than in Case 1. (IV) The sensitivity to variations of B is modest; (max CFS in Case 1 with B = 0) / (max CFS in Case 1 with B = 1) = 1.15.

Fast Reduction Method in Dominance-Based Information Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yan; Zhou, Qinghua; Wen, Yongchuan

2018-01-01

In real world applications, there are often some data with continuous values or preference-ordered values. Rough sets based on dominance relations can effectively deal with these kinds of data. Attribute reduction can be done in the framework of dominance-relation based approach to better extract decision rules. However, the computational cost of the dominance classes greatly affects the efficiency of attribute reduction and rule extraction. This paper presents an efficient method of computing dominance classes, and further compares it with traditional method with increasing attributes and samples. Experiments on UCI data sets show that the proposed algorithm obviously improves the efficiency of the traditional method, especially for large-scale data.

a Traffic-Dependent Acoustical Grinding Criterion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DINGS, P.; VERHEIJEN, E.; KOOTWIJK-DAMMAN, C.

2000-03-01

On most lines of the Dutch railway network, where a substantial amount of block-braked trains have rough wheels, the average wheel roughness dominates over the rail roughness. Therefore, reducing wheel roughness is top priority in the Netherlands. However, for the situations where rail roughness exceeds wheel roughness, this roughness can be lowered at acceptable cost. The high rail roughness is often due to rail corrugation which can be removed by grinding. A method has been developed to assess periodically the rail roughness on each railway line of the network, to compare it with the average wheel roughness for that line and to determine whether a noise reduction can be achieved by grinding the rail. Roughness measurements can be carried out with an instrumented coach. The two axle-boxes of a measurement wheelset are equipped with accelerometers. Together with the train speed and the right frequency filter, the accelerometer signal is used to produce a wavelength spectrum of the rail roughness. To determine the average wheel roughness on a given line, the so-called Acoustical Timetable can be used. This database comprises train types, train intensities and train speeds for each track section in the Netherlands. An average wheel roughness spectrum is known for each type of braking system. The number of trains of each type passing by on a certain track section determine the average roughness. Analysis of the data shows on which track sections the rail roughness exceeds the wheel roughness by a specified level difference. If this track section lies in a residential area, the decision can be made to grind this piece of track to reduce the noise production locally. Using this methodology, the noise production can be kept to a minimum, determined by the local average wheel roughness.

Transition Induced by a Streamwise Array of Roughness Elements on a Supersonic Flat Plate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, Amanda; Kegerise, Michael A.

2017-01-01

Roughness is unavoidable on practical high-speed vehicles, so it is critical to determine its impact on boundary layer transition. The flow field downstream of a streamwise array of cylindrical roughness elements is probed with hot-wire anemometry in this experiment. Mean flow distortion is examined in several measurement planes in the wake of the cylindrical roughness using the streak strength profiles and contour plots of the mass flux and total temperature. The roughness element heights and spacings were varied and their instability modes were examined. Cylindrical roughness elements approximately 140 micron tall produce an odd instability mode that grows weakly with downstream distance in the measurement range of this experiment. Cylindrical roughness elements approximately 280 micron tall produce an even instability mode that grows, becomes nonlinear, and then breaks down. Transition onset remains constant relative to the most downstream roughness in the streamwise array when the 280 micron roughness elements are spaced 2 diameters apart. Transition onset occurs at an earlier upstream location relative to the most downstream roughness in the streamwise array when the roughness elements are spaced 4 diameters appear to recover before the next downstream roughness element, so the location of transition shifts with the location of the most downstream roughness element in the array. When the rough- apart. The wake behind roughness elements spaced 2 diameters apart do not ness elements are spaced 4 diameters apart, the flow behind the first roughness element has enough space to recover before feeding into the second roughness element, and thus, moves transition forward.

Self-regulating the effortful "social dos".

PubMed

Cortes, Kassandra; Kammrath, Lara K; Scholer, Abigail A; Peetz, Johanna

2014-03-01

In the current research, we explored differences in the self-regulation of the personal dos (i.e., engaging in active and effortful behaviors that benefit the self) and in the self-regulation of the social dos (engaging in those same effortful behaviors to benefit someone else). In 6 studies, we examined whether the same trait self-control abilities that predict task persistence on personal dos would also predict task persistence on social dos. That is, would the same behavior, such as persisting through a tedious and attentionally demanding task, show different associations with trait self-control when it is framed as benefitting the self versus someone else? In Studies 1-3, we directly compared the personal and social dos and found that trait self-control predicted self-reported and behavioral personal dos but not social dos, even when the behaviors were identical and when the incentives were matched. Instead, trait agreeableness--a trait linked to successful self-regulation within the social domain--predicted the social dos. Trait self-control did not predict the social dos even when task difficulty increased (Study 4), but it did predict the social don'ts, consistent with past research (Studies 5-6). The current studies provide support for the importance of distinguishing different domains of self-regulated behaviors and suggest that social dos can be successfully performed through routes other than traditional self-control abilities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Extracting fuzzy rules under uncertainty and measuring definability using rough sets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Culas, Donald E.

1991-01-01

Although computers have come a long way since their invention, they are basically able to handle only crisp values at the hardware level. Unfortunately, the world we live in consists of problems which fail to fall into this category, i.e., uncertainty is all too common. A problem is looked at which involves uncertainty. To be specific, attributes are dealt with which are fuzzy sets. Under this condition, knowledge is acquired by looking at examples. In each example, a condition as well as a decision is made available. Based on the examples given, two sets of rules are extracted, certain and possible. Furthermore, measures are constructed of how much these rules are believed in, and finally, the decisions are defined as a function of the terms used in the conditions.

Towards a Kieselguhr- and PVPP-Free Clarification and Stabilization Process of Rough Beer at Room-Temperature Conditions.

PubMed

Cimini, Alessio; Moresi, Mauro

2018-01-01

In this work, the main constraint (that is, beer chilling and chill haze removing) of the current beer conditioning techniques using Kieselguhr filtration and Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) treatment was overcome by developing a novel higher-throughput conditioning process, operating at room temperatures with no use of filter aids. The effect of filtration temperature (T F ) in the range of 0 to 40 °C on the hydraulic permeability of ceramic hollow-fiber (HF) membranes with nominal pore size of 0.2 to 1.4 μm, as well as on their limiting permeation flux (J * ) when feeding precentrifuged rough beer, was preliminarily assessed. When using the 1.4-μm HF membrane operating at T F ≥ 20 °C, it was possible to enhance the average permeation flux at values (676 to 1844 L/m 2 /h), noticeably higher than those (250 to 500 L/m 2 /h) characteristics of conventional powder filtration. Despite its acceptable permanent haze, the resulting beer permeate still exhibited colloidal instability. By resorting to the commercial enzyme preparation Brewers Clarex® before beer clarification, it was possible to significantly improve its colloidal stability as measured using a number of European Brewing Convention forcing tests, especially with respect to that of precentrifuged rough beer by itself. By combining the above enzymatic treatment with membrane clarification at 30 °C across the ceramic 1.4-μm HF membrane module, it was possible to limit the haze development due to chilling, sensitive proteins, and alcohol addition to as low as 0.78, 4.1, and 4.0 EBC-U, respectively, the enzymatic treatment being by far more effective than that using PVPP. A novel Kieselguhr- and PVPP-free rough beer conditioning process at room temperatures was set up. By submitting precentrifuged rough beer to commercial preparation Brewers Clarex ® and then to membrane clarification at 30 °C across a ceramic 1.4-μm hollow-fiber membrane module, it was possible to obtain a clear and stable beer with a throughput (1306 ± 72 L/m 2 /h) by far higher than that (250 to 500 L/m 2 /h) characterizing the current powder filters. The haze development due to chilling, sensitive proteins, and alcohol adding was by far lower than that observed when microfiltering PVPP-pretreated rough beer. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

The evolution of slip surface roughness during earthquake propagation in carbonate faults

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, B.; De Paola, N.; Llewellin, E. W.; Holdsworth, R.

2014-12-01

Slip surface roughness is understood to control the dynamics of earthquake propagation. Quantifying the micro- and nano-scale roughness of slip surfaces can give insight into the grain-scale processes controlling the strength of faults during earthquake propagation. Friction experiments were performed on fine-grained calcite gouges, at speed 1 ms-1, normal stress 18 MPa, displacements 0.009-1.46 m, and room temperature and humidity. Results show a two stage-evolution (S1-2) of the fault strength, with an initial increase up to peak value 0.82 (S1), followed by a sudden decrease to a low, steady-state value 0.18 (S2). Samples retrieved at the end of S1 show the development of a cohesive slip zone (SZ), made of micron-scale, angular clasts formed by brittle fracturing and cataclasis. The SZ of samples deformed up to S2, is composed of nanograin aggregates which exhibit polygonal grain boundaries indicating high temperature grain boundary sliding creep deformation. In both cases, the SZ is bounded by a sharply defined slip surface. The 3-D geometry of seven experimental slip surfaces (40μm×40μm) has been reconstructed by digital processing of sets of 1800 images of SZ cross sections acquired at 20 nm intervals perpendicular to the slip direction, using a slicing (Focussed Ion Beam) and viewing (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope) technique. Spectrum power density analyses show that nano- and micron-scale slip surface roughness is anisotropic for both S1 and S2 slip surfaces. At the nano- and micron-scale, root mean square values decrease with length for S1 slip surfaces, but only slightly for S2 surfaces, and are anisotropic in the slip-normal and slip-parallel directions. The anisotropy is reduced at the nano-scale, although S2 slip surfaces are still smoother parallel to slip than normal to slip. Hurst exponents vary through scales, and are anisotropic in the directions parallel and normal to slip. Variable Hurst exponents indicate that slip surface roughness is scale-dependent with anisotropic, not self-affine behaviour at the micro/nano-scale, in contrast to the self-affine behaviour inferred at the mm to km scales. Dynamic weakening and creep deformation, observed during S2, coincide with an evolution towards less anisotropic and scale-dependent slip surface roughness at the nanoscale.

Impact of the variation in dynamic vehicle load on flexible pavement responses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahsanuzzaman, Md

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the dynamic variation in asphalt pavement critical responses due to dynamic tire load variations. An attempt was also made to develop generalized regression equations to predict the dynamic response variation in flexible pavement under various dynamic load conditions. The study used an extensive database of computed pavement response histories for five different types of sites (smooth, rough, medium rough, very rough and severely rough), two different asphalt pavement structures (thin and thick) at two temperatures (70 °F and 104 °F), subjected to a tandem axle dual tire at three speeds 25, 37 and 50 mph (40, 60 and 80 km/h). All pavement responses were determined using the 3D-Move Analysis program (Version 1.2) developed by University of Nevada, Reno. A new term called Dynamic Response Coefficient (DRC) was introduced in this study to address the variation in critical pavement responses due to dynamic loads as traditionally measured by the Dynamic Load Coefficient (DLC). While DLC represents the additional varying component of the tire load, DRC represents the additional varying component of the response value (standard deviation divided by mean response). In this study, DRC was compared with DLC for five different sites based on the roughness condition of the sites. Previous studies showed that DLC varies with vehicle speed and suspension types, and assumes a constant value for the whole pavement structure (lateral and vertical directions). On the other hand, in this study, DRC was found to be significantly varied with the asphalt pavement and function of pavement structure, road roughness conditions, temperatures, vehicle speeds, suspension types, and locations of the point of interest in the pavement. A major contribution of the study is that the variation of pavement responses due to dynamic load in a flexible pavement system can be predicted with generalized regression equations. Fitting parameters (R2) in the rage of 0.60 to 0.87 were observed the DRC predictive equations. In addition, verification of those generalized equations was evaluated using different sets of asphalt pavement structures and pavement materials. The differences between calculated and predicted values were found to be within +/-20% for the maximum tensile strain and +/-30% for the maximum compressive strain in the asphalt layer.

DOS-32 System Manual

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1973-06-01

This manual describes the internal workings of the Disk Operating System (DOS-32 for the Noneywell H - 632 computer. DOS - 32 is a core resident, one user, console oriented operating system written primarily in FORTRAN. A companion document DOS - 32 ...

DOS-32 User's Manual

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1973-01-01

This manual describes the internal workings of the Disk Operating System (DOS-32 for the Noneywell H - 632 computer. DOS - 32 is a core resident, one user, console oriented operating system written primarily in FORTRAN. A companion document DOS - 32 ...

Topographic Features of Malyy Naryn River Watershed Based on Different Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, M.; Chen, L.; Cui, Y.; Zhang, M.

2018-04-01

This paper researched the influence on the topographical characteristics of watersheds by setting different catchment area thresholds based on different data sets, namely ZY3 DSM, SRTM DEM and ASTER GDEM. Slope, hypsometric integral, river network density and river network discrepancy are analyzed and compared. The results are as follows: a) Three data sets all can express the same rough terrain characteristics and the same degree of watershed topography development; b) ZY3 DSM can reflect terrain information over the Malyy Naryn River watershed in most detail and it has the best expression effect on the terrain among the three data sets of ZY3 DSM, SRTM DEM and ASTER GDEM, followed by SRTM DEM, and the effect of ASTER GDEM is the worst; c) The similarity of river networks extracted by ZY3 DSM and SRTM DEM is the highest, and the similarity between ZY3 DSM and ASTER GDEM is the lowest one.

Surface correlations of hydrodynamic drag for transitionally rough engineering surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thakkar, Manan; Busse, Angela; Sandham, Neil

2017-02-01

Rough surfaces are usually characterised by a single equivalent sand-grain roughness height scale that typically needs to be determined from laboratory experiments. Recently, this method has been complemented by a direct numerical simulation approach, whereby representative surfaces can be scanned and the roughness effects computed over a range of Reynolds number. This development raises the prospect over the coming years of having enough data for different types of rough surfaces to be able to relate surface characteristics to roughness effects, such as the roughness function that quantifies the downward displacement of the logarithmic law of the wall. In the present contribution, we use simulation data for 17 irregular surfaces at the same friction Reynolds number, for which they are in the transitionally rough regime. All surfaces are scaled to the same physical roughness height. Mean streamwise velocity profiles show a wide range of roughness function values, while the velocity defect profiles show a good collapse. Profile peaks of the turbulent kinetic energy also vary depending on the surface. We then consider which surface properties are important and how new properties can be incorporated into an empirical model, the accuracy of which can then be tested. Optimised models with several roughness parameters are systematically developed for the roughness function and profile peak turbulent kinetic energy. In determining the roughness function, besides the known parameters of solidity (or frontal area ratio) and skewness, it is shown that the streamwise correlation length and the root-mean-square roughness height are also significant. The peak turbulent kinetic energy is determined by the skewness and root-mean-square roughness height, along with the mean forward-facing surface angle and spanwise effective slope. The results suggest feasibility of relating rough-wall flow properties (throughout the range from hydrodynamically smooth to fully rough) to surface parameters.

Description of a Quality Assurance Process for a Surface Wind Database in Eastern Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucio-Eceiza, E. E.; Gonzalez-Rouco, F. J.; Navarro, J.; Beltrami, H.; García-Bustamante, E.; Hidalgo; Jiménez, P. A.

2011-12-01

Meteorological data of good quality are important for understanding both global and regional climates. The data are subject to different types of measurement errors that can be roughly classified into three groups: random, systematic and rough errors. Random errors are unavoidable and inherent to the very nature of the measurements as instrumental responses to real physical phenomena, as they are an approximate representation of the reality. Systematic errors are produced by instrumental scale shifts and drifts or by some more or less persistent factors that are not taken into account (changes in the sensor, recalibrations or location displacements). Rough errors are associated with sensor malfunction or mismanagement arising during data processing, transmission, reception or storage. It is essential to develop procedures that allow to identify, and correct if possible, the errors in observed series, in order to improve the quality of the data sets and reach solid conclusions in the studies. This work summarizes the evaluation made to date of the quality assurance process of wind speed and direction data acquired over a wide area in Eastern Canada (including the provinces of Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador), a region of the adjacent maritime areas and a region of the north-eastern U.S. (Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont). The data set consists of 527 stations, it spans the period 1940-2009 and has been compiled from three different sources: a set of 344 land sites obtained from Environment Canada (1940-2009), a subset of 40 buoys distributed over the East Coast and the Canadian Great Lakes (1988-2008) provided by Fisheries and Oceans, and a subset of 143 land sites combining both eastern Canada and north-eastern U.S. provided by the National Center of Atmospheric Research (1975-2007). The data have been compiled and subsequently a set of quality assurance techniques have been applied to explore the detection and later treatment of errors within measurements. These techniques involve, among others, detection of manipulation errors, limit checks to avoid unrealistic records and temporal consistency checks to suppress abnormally low/high variations. There are other issues specifically related to the heterogeneous nature of this data set such as unit-conversion and changes in recording times or direction resolution over time. Ensuring the quality of wind observations is essential for the later analysis that will focus in exploring the wind field behaviour at the regional scale, with a special interest over the area of Nova Scotia. The wind behaviour will be examined attending to the specific features of the regional topography and to the influence of changes in the large scale atmospheric circulation. Subsequent steps will involve a simulation of the wind field with high spatial resolution using a mesoscale model (such as WRF) and its validation with the observational data set presented herein.

Roughness and temperature effects on the filter media of a trickling filter for nitrification.

PubMed

Kishimoto, Naoyuki; Ohara, Tetsuya; Hinobayashi, Jouji; Hashimoto, Tsutomu

2014-01-01

The performance of trickling filters using two types of plastic media with the same material, the same shape and different roughness was evaluated during a temperature-decreasing period to understand the roughness and temperature effects on the filter media. Real restaurant wastewater was used for the experiments. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal and nitrification performance of plastic media with a rough surface (LT-15) was superior to that with a smooth surface (KT-15). Because the biomass of microorganisms attached on the LT-15 was twice that attached on the KT-15, the larger biomass attached on the LT-15 was thought to be responsible for the higher performance. During the operation, the COD loading and water temperature varied in the range from 0.37 to 1.9 kg m(-3) d(-1) and 17.0--10.0 degrees C, respectively. However, the COD removal performance was not dependent on the COD loading or water temperature. On the contrary, the COD loading and the water temperature influenced the nitrification performance. Although a nitrification efficiency of 100% was recorded at a COD loading of 0.37 kg m(-3) d(-1), it deteriorated to 17-28% at higher COD loading. Moreover, a decline in the water temperature decreased the nitrification performance. The temperature-activity coefficient for nitrification was estimated to be 1.096. Based on this value, it was inferred that the COD loading should be set at less than 0.20 kg m(-3) d(-1) for the complete nitrification of the restaurant wastewater in winter, when the water temperature usually drops to around 10 degrees C.

Optimization of Coolant Technique Conditions for Machining A319 Aluminium Alloy Using Response Surface Method (RSM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainal Ariffin, S.; Razlan, A.; Ali, M. Mohd; Efendee, A. M.; Rahman, M. M.

2018-03-01

Background/Objectives: The paper discusses about the optimum cutting parameters with coolant techniques condition (1.0 mm nozzle orifice, wet and dry) to optimize surface roughness, temperature and tool wear in the machining process based on the selected setting parameters. The selected cutting parameters for this study were the cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut and coolant techniques condition. Methods/Statistical Analysis Experiments were conducted and investigated based on Design of Experiment (DOE) with Response Surface Method. The research of the aggressive machining process on aluminum alloy (A319) for automotive applications is an effort to understand the machining concept, which widely used in a variety of manufacturing industries especially in the automotive industry. Findings: The results show that the dominant failure mode is the surface roughness, temperature and tool wear when using 1.0 mm nozzle orifice, increases during machining and also can be alternative minimize built up edge of the A319. The exploration for surface roughness, productivity and the optimization of cutting speed in the technical and commercial aspects of the manufacturing processes of A319 are discussed in automotive components industries for further work Applications/Improvements: The research result also beneficial in minimizing the costs incurred and improving productivity of manufacturing firms. According to the mathematical model and equations, generated by CCD based RSM, experiments were performed and cutting coolant condition technique using size nozzle can reduces tool wear, surface roughness and temperature was obtained. Results have been analyzed and optimization has been carried out for selecting cutting parameters, shows that the effectiveness and efficiency of the system can be identified and helps to solve potential problems.

Tests of bed roughness models using field data from the Middle Atlantic Bight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, J. P.; Wright, L. D.

Four bottom roughness models are tested using field data from the inner shelf of the Middle Atlantic Bight. Bottom roughness plays a significant role in calculations of sediment concentration profiles and current velocity profiles. The importance of each of the three parts in the roughness models (grain roughness, ripple roughness and sediment motion roughness) vary depending on forcing conditions. Consistent with the observations of others e.g. Caechione and Drake, 1990 ( The sea, Vol. 9, pp. 729-773); Wiberg and Harris, 1994 ( Journal of Geophysical Research, 99(C1), 775-7879), our results show that the models of Smith and McLean (1977; Journal of Geophysical Research, 82, 1735-1746), Grant and Madsen (1982; Journal of Geophysical Research, 87, 469-481) and Nielsen (1983; Coastal Engineering, 7, 233-257) overestimate the sediment transport roughness under sheet-flow conditions. However, the Nielsen (1983) model can predict the ripple roughness under moderate energy conditions quite well. A refined bottom roughness model is proposed that combines Nielsen's ripple roughness model and a modified sediment motion roughness modelk b=d + 8ννα+ Ωd(ψ' m - ψ c This sediment motion roughness is defined in such a way that it is proportional to the maximum skin friction Shields' parameter. The proportionality constant, Ω, is determined by fitting the modeled roughnesses and shear velocities with the field observations. The calculated velocity profiles and roughness using the refined roughness model, with Ω = 5, compare well to the field observations made under both moderate and high energy conditions at a sandy inner shelf site.

Characteristics of surface roughness associated with leading edge ice accretion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shin, Jaiwon

1994-01-01

Detailed size measurements of surface roughness associated with leading edge ice accretions are presented to provide information on characteristics of roughness and trends of roughness development with various icing parameters. Data was obtained from icing tests conducted in the Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) using a NACA 0012 airfoil. Measurements include diameters, heights, and spacing of roughness elements along with chordwise icing limits. Results confirm the existence of smooth and rough ice zones and that the boundary between the two zones (surface roughness transition region) moves upstream towards stagnation region with time. The height of roughness grows as the air temperature and the liquid water content increase, however, the airspeed has little effect on the roughness height. Results also show that the roughness in the surface roughness transition region grows during a very early stage of accretion but reaches a critical height and then remains fairly constant. Results also indicate that a uniformly distributed roughness model is only valid at a very initial stage of the ice accretion process.

Sensitivity of June Near-Surface Temperatures and Precipitation in the Eastern United States to Historical Land Cover Changes Since European Settlement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strack, John E.; Pielke, Roger A.; Steyaert, Louis T.; Knox, Robert G.

2008-01-01

Land cover changes alter the near surface weather and climate. Changes in land surface properties such as albedo, roughness length, stomatal resistance, and leaf area index alter the surface energy balance, leading to differences in near surface temperatures. This study utilized a newly developed land cover data set for the eastern United States to examine the influence of historical land cover change on June temperatures and precipitation. The new data set contains representations of the land cover and associated biophysical parameters for 1650, 1850, 1920, and 1992, capturing the clearing of the forest and the expansion of agriculture over the eastern United States from 1650 to the early twentieth century and the subsequent forest regrowth. The data set also includes the inferred distribution of potentially water-saturated soils at each time slice for use in the sensitivity tests. The Regional Atmospheric Modeling System, equipped with the Land Ecosystem-Atmosphere Feedback (LEAF-2) land surface parameterization, was used to simulate the weather of June 1996 using the 1992, 1920, 1850, and 1650 land cover representations. The results suggest that changes in surface roughness and stomatal resistance have caused present-day maximum and minimum temperatures in the eastern United States to warm by about 0.3 C and 0.4 C, respectively, when compared to values in 1650. In contrast, the maximum temperatures have remained about the same, while the minimums have cooled by about 0.1 C when compared to 1920. Little change in precipitation was found.

Automatic generation of endocardial surface meshes with 1-to-1 correspondence from cine-MR images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Yi; Teo, S.-K.; Lim, C. W.; Zhong, L.; Tan, R. S.

2015-03-01

In this work, we develop an automatic method to generate a set of 4D 1-to-1 corresponding surface meshes of the left ventricle (LV) endocardial surface which are motion registered over the whole cardiac cycle. These 4D meshes have 1- to-1 point correspondence over the entire set, and is suitable for advanced computational processing, such as shape analysis, motion analysis and finite element modelling. The inputs to the method are the set of 3D LV endocardial surface meshes of the different frames/phases of the cardiac cycle. Each of these meshes is reconstructed independently from border-delineated MR images and they have no correspondence in terms of number of vertices/points and mesh connectivity. To generate point correspondence, the first frame of the LV mesh model is used as a template to be matched to the shape of the meshes in the subsequent phases. There are two stages in the mesh correspondence process: (1) a coarse matching phase, and (2) a fine matching phase. In the coarse matching phase, an initial rough matching between the template and the target is achieved using a radial basis function (RBF) morphing process. The feature points on the template and target meshes are automatically identified using a 16-segment nomenclature of the LV. In the fine matching phase, a progressive mesh projection process is used to conform the rough estimate to fit the exact shape of the target. In addition, an optimization-based smoothing process is used to achieve superior mesh quality and continuous point motion.

Sensitivity of June near‐surface temperatures and precipitation in the eastern United States to historical land cover changes since European settlement

USGS Publications Warehouse

Strack, John E.; Pielke, Roger A.; Steyaert, Louis T.; Knox, Robert G.

2008-01-01

Land cover changes alter the near surface weather and climate. Changes in land surface properties such as albedo, roughness length, stomatal resistance, and leaf area index alter the surface energy balance, leading to differences in near surface temperatures. This study utilized a newly developed land cover data set for the eastern United States to examine the influence of historical land cover change on June temperatures and precipitation. The new data set contains representations of the land cover and associated biophysical parameters for 1650, 1850, 1920, and 1992, capturing the clearing of the forest and the expansion of agriculture over the eastern United States from 1650 to the early twentieth century and the subsequent forest regrowth. The data set also includes the inferred distribution of potentially water‐saturated soils at each time slice for use in the sensitivity tests. The Regional Atmospheric Modeling System, equipped with the Land Ecosystem‐Atmosphere Feedback (LEAF‐2) land surface parameterization, was used to simulate the weather of June 1996 using the 1992, 1920, 1850, and 1650 land cover representations. The results suggest that changes in surface roughness and stomatal resistance have caused present‐day maximum and minimum temperatures in the eastern United States to warm by about 0.3°C and 0.4°C, respectively, when compared to values in 1650. In contrast, the maximum temperatures have remained about the same, while the minimums have cooled by about 0.1°C when compared to 1920. Little change in precipitation was found.

Use of Optical Storage Devices as Shared Resources in Local Area Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

13 3. SERVICE CALLS FOR MS-DOS CD-ROM EXTENSIONS . 14 4. MS-DOS PRIMITIVE GROUPS ....................... 15 5. RAM USAGE FOR VARIOUS LAN...17 2. Service Call Translation to DOS Primitives ............. 19 3. MS-DOS Device Drivers ............................. 21 4. MS-DOS/ROM...directed to I/O devices will be referred to as primitive instruction groups). These primitive instruction groups include keyboard, video, disk, serial

The software application and classification algorithms for welds radiograms analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sikora, R.; Chady, T.; Baniukiewicz, P.; Grzywacz, B.; Lopato, P.; Misztal, L.; Napierała, L.; Piekarczyk, B.; Pietrusewicz, T.; Psuj, G.

2013-01-01

The paper presents a software implementation of an Intelligent System for Radiogram Analysis (ISAR). The system has to support radiologists in welds quality inspection. The image processing part of software with a graphical user interface and a welds classification part are described with selected classification results. Classification was based on a few algorithms: an artificial neural network, a k-means clustering, a simplified k-means and a rough sets theory.

Formation of stationary alternate bars in a steep channel with mixed-size sediment: a flume experiment

Treesearch

Thomas E. Lisle; Hiroshi Ikeda; Fujiko Iseya

1991-01-01

Abstract - Alternate bars were formed by sediment transport in a flume with Froude-modelled flow and relative roughness characteristic of gravel-boulder channels with steep slopes. The flume (0.3 m wide x 7.5 m long) was filled with a sand-gravel mixture, which was also fed into the top of the flume at a constant rate under constant discharge. Channel slope was set at...

Effect of Asperity Interactions on Scuffing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-05-01

with the conventionally com - puted flash temperature, calculated film parameter, and ellipse dimensions were then examined and evaluated for evidence...persists * despite the severe working of the surface. Figure 9 is a com - parable set of photographs taken at 500X and 1000X in the scuffed area of the...through 14 were made at magnification of 5,OOOX and thus are directly com - parable. Figure 13 confirms the difference in roughness in the polished and

Nuclear Terrorism: Calibrating Funding for Defensive Programs in Response to the Threat

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

fertilizer , ceramic tile, and bananas, slow the cargo screening process and in some cases have even led officials to reduce the sensitivity settings...kilograms of HEU or 8 kilograms of plutonium (weights roughly equated to the size of a melon and a plum respectively).234 Terrorists would likely...ed. Schwartz, 214. 69 On February 26, 1993, terrorists detonated 1,400 pounds of fertilizer -based explosives in the underground parking garage of

Pawlak Algebra and Approximate Structure on Fuzzy Lattice

PubMed Central

Zhuang, Ying; Liu, Wenqi; Wu, Chin-Chia; Li, Jinhai

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the general approximation structure, weak approximation operators, and Pawlak algebra in the framework of fuzzy lattice, lattice topology, and auxiliary ordering. First, we prove that the weak approximation operator space forms a complete distributive lattice. Then we study the properties of transitive closure of approximation operators and apply them to rough set theory. We also investigate molecule Pawlak algebra and obtain some related properties. PMID:25152922

Pawlak algebra and approximate structure on fuzzy lattice.

PubMed

Zhuang, Ying; Liu, Wenqi; Wu, Chin-Chia; Li, Jinhai

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the general approximation structure, weak approximation operators, and Pawlak algebra in the framework of fuzzy lattice, lattice topology, and auxiliary ordering. First, we prove that the weak approximation operator space forms a complete distributive lattice. Then we study the properties of transitive closure of approximation operators and apply them to rough set theory. We also investigate molecule Pawlak algebra and obtain some related properties.

Effects of Surface Roughness on Conical Squeeze Film Bearings with Micropolar fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajani, C. B.; Hanumagowda, B. N.; Shigehalli, Vijayalaxmi S.

2018-04-01

In the current paper, a hypothetical analysis of the impact of surface roughness on squeeze film lubrication of rough conical bearing using Micropolar fluid is examined using Eringen’sMicropolar fluid model. The generalized averaged Reynolds type equation for roughness has been determined analytically using the Christensen’s stochastic theory of roughness effects and the closed form expressions are obtained for the fluid film pressure, load carrying capacity and squeezing time. Further, the impacts of surface roughness using micropolar fluids on the squeeze film lubrication of rough conical bearings has been discussed and according to the outcomes arrived, pressure, load carrying capacity and squeezing time increases for azimuthal roughness pattern and decreases for radial roughness patterns comparatively to the smooth case.

Modeling of the rough spherical nanoparticles manipulation on a substrate based on the AFM nanorobot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakeri, M.; Faraji, J.

2014-12-01

In this paper, dynamic behavior of the rough spherical micro/nanoparticles during pulling/pushing on the flat substrate has been investigated and analyzed. For this purpose, at first, two hexagonal roughness models (George and Cooper) were studied and then evaluations for adhesion force were determined for rough particle manipulation on flat substrate. These two models were then changed by using of the Rabinovich theory. Evaluations were determined for contact adhesion force between rough particle and flat substrate; depth of penetration evaluations were determined by the Johnson-Kendall-Roberts contact mechanic theory and the Schwartz method and according to Cooper and George roughness models. Then, the novel contact theory was used to determine a dynamic model for rough micro/nanoparticle manipulation on flat substrate. Finally, simulation of particle dynamic behavior was implemented during pushing of rough spherical gold particles with radii of 50, 150, 400, 600, and 1,000 nm. Results derived from simulations of particles with several rates of roughness on flat substrate indicated that compared to results for flat particles, inherent roughness on particles might reduce the rate of critical force needed for sliding and rolling given particles. Given a fixed radius for roughness value and increased roughness height, evaluations for sliding and rolling critical forces showed greater reduction. Alternately, the rate of critical force was shown to reduce relative to an increased roughness radius. With respect to both models, based on the George roughness model, the predicted rate of adhesion force was greater than that determined in the Cooper roughness model, and as a result, the predicted rate of critical force based on the George roughness model was closer to the critical force value of flat particle.

Shear Stress Partitioning in Large Patches of Roughness in the Atmospheric Inertial Sublayer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillies, John A.; Nickling, William G.; King, James

2007-01-01

Drag partition measurements were made in the atmospheric inertial sublayer for six roughness configurations made up of solid elements in staggered arrays of different roughness densities. The roughness was in the form of a patch within a large open area and in the shape of an equilateral triangle with 60 m long sides. Measurements were obtained of the total shear stress (tau) acting on the surfaces, the surface shear stress on the ground between the elements (tau(sub S)) and the drag force on the elements for each roughness array. The measurements indicated that tau(sub S) quickly reduced near the leading edge of the roughness compared with tau, and a tau(sub S) minimum occurs at a normalized distance (x/h, where h is element height) of approx. -42 (downwind of the roughness leading edge is negative), then recovers to a relatively stable value. The location of the minimum appears to scale with element height and not roughness density. The force on the elements decreases exponentially with normalized downwind distance and this rate of change scales with the roughness density, with the rate of change increasing as roughness density increases. Average tau(sub S): tau values for the six roughness surfaces scale predictably as a function of roughness density and in accordance with a shear stress partitioning model. The shear stress partitioning model performed very well in predicting the amount of surface shear stress, given knowledge of the stated input parameters for these patches of roughness. As the shear stress partitioning relationship within the roughness appears to come into equilibrium faster for smaller roughness element sizes it would also appear the shear stress partitioning model can be applied with confidence for smaller patches of smaller roughness elements than those used in this experiment.

Critical surface roughness for wall bounded flow of viscous fluids in an electric submersible pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deshmukh, Dhairyasheel; Siddique, Md Hamid; Kenyery, Frank; Samad, Abdus

2017-11-01

Surface roughness plays a vital role in the performance of an electric submersible pump (ESP). A 3-D numerical analysis has been carried out to find the roughness effect on ESP. The performance of pump for steady wall bounded turbulent flows is evaluated at different roughness values and compared with smooth surface considering a non-dimensional roughness factor K. The k- ω SST turbulence model with fine mesh at near wall region captures the rough wall effects accurately. Computational results are validated with experimental results of water (1 cP), at a design speed (3000 RPM). Maximum head is observed for a hydraulically smooth surface (K=0). When roughness factor is increased, the head decreases till critical roughness factor (K=0.1) due to frictional loss. Further increase in roughness factor (K>0.1) increases the head due to near wall turbulence. The performance of ESP is analyzed for turbulent kinetic energy and eddy viscosity at different roughness values. The wall disturbance over the rough surface affects the pressure distribution and velocity field. The roughness effect is predominant for high viscosity oil (43cP) as compared to water. Moreover, the study at off-design conditions showed that Reynolds number influences the overall roughness effect.

Skin friction measurements of systematically-varied roughness: Probing the role of roughness amplitude and skewness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barros, Julio; Flack, Karen; Schultz, Michael

2017-11-01

Real-world engineering systems which feature either external or internal wall-bounded turbulent flow are routinely affected by surface roughness. This gives rise to performance degradation in the form of increased drag or head loss. However, at present there is no reliable means to predict these performance losses based upon the roughness topography alone. This work takes a systematic approach by generating random surface roughness in which the surface statistics are closely controlled. Skin friction and roughness function results will be presented for two groups of these rough surfaces. The first group is Gaussian (i.e. zero skewness) in which the root-mean-square roughness height (krms) is varied. The second group has a fixed krms, and the skewness is varied from approximately -1 to +1. The effect of the roughness amplitude and skewness on the skin friction will be discussed. Particular attention will be paid to the effect of these parameters on the roughness function in the transitionally-rough flow regime. For example, the role these parameters play in the monotonic or inflectional nature of the roughness function will be addressed. Future research into the details of the turbulence structure over these rough surfaces will also be outlined. Research funded by U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR).

Effect of surface roughness on droplet splashing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Jiguang

2017-12-01

It is well known that rough surfaces trigger prompt splashing and suppress corona splashing on droplet impact. Upon water droplet impact, we experimentally found that a slightly rough substrate triggers corona splashing which is suppressed to prompt splashing by both further increase and further decrease of surface roughness. The nonmonotonic effect of surface roughness on corona splashing weakens with decreasing droplet surface tension. The threshold velocities for prompt splashing and corona splashing are quantified under different conditions including surface roughness, droplet diameter, and droplet surface tension. It is determined that slight roughness significantly enhances both prompt splashing and corona splashing of a water droplet, whereas it weakly affects low-surface-tension droplet splashing. Consistent with previous studies, high roughness triggers prompt splashing and suppresses corona splashing. Further experiments on droplet spreading propose that the mechanism of slight roughness enhancing water droplet splashing is due to the decrease of the wetted area with increasing surface roughness.

Hydrological regime shift in a constructed catchment: Effect of vegetation encroachment on surface runoff

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinz, C.; Caviedes-Voullieme, D.; Andezhath Mohanan, A.; Brueck, Y.; Zaplata, M.

2017-12-01

The Hühnerwasser catchment (Chicken Creek) was constructed to provide discharge for a small stream in the post-mining landscape of Lusatia, Germany. It has an area of 6 ha and quaternary sands with a thickness of 2-4 m were dumped on to a clay liner to prevent deep drainage. After completion of the construction the catchment was left to develop on its own without intervention and has been monitored since 2005. The upper part of the catchment discharges water and sediment into the lower part forming an alluvial fan. Below the alluvial fan is a pond receiving all surface and subsurface water from the upper catchment. After the formation of the drainage network vegetation started growing and surface runoff decreased until the water balance was dominated by evapotranspiration. This regime shift and the rate at which it happened depends on the vegetation encroachment into the rills and the interrill areas. Based on the hypothesis that vegetation will increase surface roughness and infiltration behavior, aerial photos were used to map rills and vegetation within and outside the rills for the last 10 years to obtain a time series of change. Observational evidence clearly shows that vegetation encroaches from the bottom, from the interrill areas as well as from the top. The rills themselves did not change their topology, however, the width of the erosion rills and gully increased at the bottom. For a subcatchment area a high resolution a physical based numerical model of overland flow was developed to explicitly assess the importance of increasing roughness and infiltration capacity for surface runoff. For the purpose of analyzing the effect of rainfall variability a rainfall generator was developed to carry out large sets of simulations. The simulations provide a means to assess how the roughness/infiltration feedback affects the rate of regime shift for a set of parameters that are consistent with the observed hydrological behavior of the drainage network.

Earth science photographs from the U.S. Geological Survey Library

USGS Publications Warehouse

McGregor, Joseph K.; Abston, Carl C.

1995-01-01

This CD-ROM set contains 1,500 scanned photographs from the U.S. Geological Survey Library for use as a photographic glossary of elementary geologic terms. Scholars are encouraged to copy these public domain images into their reports or databases to enhance their presentations. High-quality prints and (or) slides are available upon request from the library. This CD-ROM was produced in accordance with the ISO 9660 standard; however, it is intended for use on DOS-based computer systems only.

Effect of Yaw Angle and Ambient Wind on Fabric Penetration of a Simulated Sleeve

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-20

aerosol dissemination is made using an array of tubing with ejectors (usually in the tunnel contraction or settling chamber) that allow dissemination...atomizing nozzle (Spray Systems, Co., Wheaton, Illinois, 1/4JAUMCO- 316SS2050) that was installed in a 2.5-gal pressure tank (W.R. Brown Co., North Chicago...Illinois, Model Speed). An earth-grounded, 5-gal pressure tank held a mixture of 200-proof ethanol and 10% DOS. The tank was generally set to 6 psi

Transition in a Supersonic Boundary-Layer Due to Roughness and Acoustic Disturbances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balakumar, P.

2003-01-01

The transition process induced by the interaction of an isolated roughness with acoustic disturbances in the free stream is numerically investigated for a boundary layer over a flat plate with a blunted leading edge at a free stream Mach number of 3.5. The roughness is assumed to be of Gaussian shape and the acoustic disturbances are introduced as boundary condition at the outer field. The governing equations are solved using the 5'h-rder accurate weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme for space discretization and using third- order total-variation-diminishing (TVD) Runge- Kutta scheme for time integration. The steady field induced by the two and three-dimensional roughness is also computed. The flow field induced by two-dimensional roughness exhibits different characteristics depending on the roughness heights. At small roughness heights the flow passes smoothly over the roughness, at moderate heights the flow separates downstream of the roughness and at larger roughness heights the flow separates upstream and downstream of the roughness. Computations also show that disturbances inside the boundary layer is due to the direct interaction of the acoustic waves and isolated roughness plays a minor role in generating instability waves.

Towards predictive models for transitionally rough surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abderrahaman-Elena, Nabil; Garcia-Mayoral, Ricardo

2017-11-01

We analyze and model the previously presented decomposition for flow variables in DNS of turbulence over transitionally rough surfaces. The flow is decomposed into two contributions: one produced by the overlying turbulence, which has no footprint of the surface texture, and one induced by the roughness, which is essentially the time-averaged flow around the surface obstacles, but modulated in amplitude by the first component. The roughness-induced component closely resembles the laminar steady flow around the roughness elements at the same non-dimensional roughness size. For small - yet transitionally rough - textures, the roughness-free component is essentially the same as over a smooth wall. Based on these findings, we propose predictive models for the onset of the transitionally rough regime. Project supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

A Low-Speed Experimental Investigation of the Effect of a Sandpaper Type of Roughness on Boundary-Layer Transition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Von Doenhoff, Albert E; Horton, Elmer A

1958-01-01

An investigation was made in the Langley low-turbulence pressure tunnel to determine the effect of size and location of a sandpaper type of roughness on the Reynolds number for transition. Transition was observed by means of a hot-wire anemometer located at various chordwise stations for each position of the roughness. These observations indicated that when the roughness is sufficiently submerged in the boundary layer to provide a substantially linear variation of boundary-layer velocity with distance from the surface up to the top of the roughness, turbulent "spots" begin to appear immediately behind the roughness when the Reynolds number based on the velocity at the top of the roughness height exceeds a value of approximately 600. At Reynolds numbers even slightly below the critical value (value for transition), the sandpaper type of roughness introduced no measurable disturbances into the laminar layer downstream of the roughness. The extent of the roughness area does not appear to have an important effect on the critical value of the roughness Reynolds number.

Role of rough surface topography on gas slip flow in microchannels.

PubMed

Zhang, Chengbin; Chen, Yongping; Deng, Zilong; Shi, Mingheng

2012-07-01

We conduct a lattice Boltzmann simulation of gas slip flow in microchannels incorporating rough surface effects as characterized by fractal geometry with a focus on gas-solid interaction. The gas slip flow in rough microchannels, which is characterized by Poiseuille number and mass flow rate, is evaluated and compared with smooth microchannels. The effects of roughness height, surface fractal dimension, and Knudsen number on slip behavior of gas flow in microchannels are all investigated and discussed. The results indicate that the presence of surface roughness reduces boundary slip for gas flow in microchannels with respect to a smooth surface. The gas flows at the valleys of rough walls are no-slip while velocity slips are observed over the top of rough walls. We find that the gas flow behavior in rough microchannels is insensitive to the surface topography irregularity (unlike the liquid flow in rough microchannels) but is influenced by the statistical height of rough surface and rarefaction effects. In particular, decrease in roughness height or increase in Knudsen number can lead to large wall slip for gas flow in microchannels.

Lacunarity study of speckle patterns produced by rough surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, M. R. B.; Dornelas, D.; Balthazar, W. F.; Huguenin, J. A. O.; da Silva, L.

2017-11-01

In this work we report on the study of Lacunarity of digital speckle patterns generated by rough surfaces. The study of Lacunarity of speckle patterns was performed on both static and moving rough surfaces. The results show that the Lacunarity is sensitive to the surface roughness, which suggests that it can be used to perform indirect measurement of surface roughness as well as to monitor defects, or variations of roughness, of metallic moving surfaces. Our results show the robustness of this statistical tool applied to speckle pattern in order to study surface roughness.

OCEAN-PC and a distributed network for ocean data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mclain, Douglas R.

1992-01-01

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) wishes to develop an integrated software package for oceanographic data entry and access in developing countries. The software, called 'OCEAN-PC', would run on low cost PC microcomputers and would encourage and standardize: (1) entry of local ocean observations; (2) quality control of the local data; (3) merging local data with historical data; (4) improved display and analysis of the merged data; and (5) international data exchange. OCEAN-PC will link existing MS-DOS oceanographic programs and data sets with table-driven format conversions. Since many ocean data sets are now being distributed on optical discs (Compact Discs - Read Only Memory, CD-ROM, Mass et al. 1987), OCEAN-PC will emphasize access to CD-ROMs.

IN VITRO INTERACTIONS BETWEEN LACTIC ACID SOLUTION AND ART GLASS-IONOMER CEMENTS

PubMed Central

Wang, Linda; Cefaly, Daniela Francisca Gigo; dos Santos, Janaína Lima; dos Santos, Jean Rodrigo; Lauris, José Roberto Pereira; Mondelli, Rafael Francisco Lia; Atta, Maria Teresa

2009-01-01

Objectives: Production of acids such as lactic acid contributes to establish a cariogenic environment that leads to dental substrate demineralization. Fluoride plays an important role in this case and, as fluoride-releasing materials, glass-ionomer cements are expected to contribute to minimize deleterious reactions. This study evaluated interactions of glass-ionomer cements used in atraumatic restorative treatment (ART-GICs) with an aqueous lactic acid solution, testing the null hypotheses that no changes occur in the pH of the solution or on the surface roughness and mass of the ART-GICs when exposed to lactic acid solution over a 6-week period. Material and Methods: Ketac Molar, Fuji IX, Vitro Molar and Magic Glass were tested, and compared to Filtek Z250 and Ketac Fil Plus as control groups. Six specimens of each material were made according to manufacturers' instructions. The pH of the solution and roughness and mass changes of each specimen were determined over 6 weeks. Each specimen was individually stored in 2 mL of 0.02 M lactic acid solution for 1 week, renewing the solution every week. pH of solution and mass of the specimens were monitored weekly, and surface roughness of the specimens was assessed before and at the end of the 6-week acid challenge. pH and mass data were analyzed statistically by repeated measures using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc tests for each material. Paired t-tests were used for roughness analysis. Tukey's post-hoc tests were applied to verify differences of final roughness among the materials. Significance level was set at 5%. Results: The null hypotheses were partially rejected. All materials were able to increase the pH of the lactic acid solution and presented rougher surfaces after immersion, while mass change was minimal and generally not statistically significant. Conclusions: These findings can be helpful to predict the performance of these materials under clinical conditions. A protective action against the carious process with significant surface damage due to erosion may be expected. PMID:19668984

Effects of Fault Segmentation, Mechanical Interaction, and Structural Complexity on Earthquake-Generated Deformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haddad, David Elias

Earth's topographic surface forms an interface across which the geodynamic and geomorphic engines interact. This interaction is best observed along crustal margins where topography is created by active faulting and sculpted by geomorphic processes. Crustal deformation manifests as earthquakes at centennial to millennial timescales. Given that nearly half of Earth's human population lives along active fault zones, a quantitative understanding of the mechanics of earthquakes and faulting is necessary to build accurate earthquake forecasts. My research relies on the quantitative documentation of the geomorphic expression of large earthquakes and the physical processes that control their spatiotemporal distributions. The first part of my research uses high-resolution topographic lidar data to quantitatively document the geomorphic expression of historic and prehistoric large earthquakes. Lidar data allow for enhanced visualization and reconstruction of structures and stratigraphy exposed by paleoseismic trenches. Lidar surveys of fault scarps formed by the 1992 Landers earthquake document the centimeter-scale erosional landforms developed by repeated winter storm-driven erosion. The second part of my research employs a quasi-static numerical earthquake simulator to explore the effects of fault roughness, friction, and structural complexities on earthquake-generated deformation. My experiments show that fault roughness plays a critical role in determining fault-to-fault rupture jumping probabilities. These results corroborate the accepted 3-5 km rupture jumping distance for smooth faults. However, my simulations show that the rupture jumping threshold distance is highly variable for rough faults due to heterogeneous elastic strain energies. Furthermore, fault roughness controls spatiotemporal variations in slip rates such that rough faults exhibit lower slip rates relative to their smooth counterparts. The central implication of these results lies in guiding the interpretation of paleoseismically derived slip rates that are used to form earthquake forecasts. The final part of my research evaluates a set of Earth science-themed lesson plans that I designed for elementary-level learning-disabled students. My findings show that a combination of concept delivery techniques is most effective for learning-disabled students and should incorporate interactive slide presentations, tactile manipulatives, teacher-assisted concept sketches, and student-led teaching to help learning-disabled students grasp Earth science concepts.

An Efficient Non-iterative Bulk Parametrization of Surface Fluxes for Stable Atmospheric Conditions Over Polar Sea-Ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gryanik, Vladimir M.; Lüpkes, Christof

2018-02-01

In climate and weather prediction models the near-surface turbulent fluxes of heat and momentum and related transfer coefficients are usually parametrized on the basis of Monin-Obukhov similarity theory (MOST). To avoid iteration, required for the numerical solution of the MOST equations, many models apply parametrizations of the transfer coefficients based on an approach relating these coefficients to the bulk Richardson number Rib. However, the parametrizations that are presently used in most climate models are valid only for weaker stability and larger surface roughnesses than those documented during the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean campaign (SHEBA). The latter delivered a well-accepted set of turbulence data in the stable surface layer over polar sea-ice. Using stability functions based on the SHEBA data, we solve the MOST equations applying a new semi-analytic approach that results in transfer coefficients as a function of Rib and roughness lengths for momentum and heat. It is shown that the new coefficients reproduce the coefficients obtained by the numerical iterative method with a good accuracy in the most relevant range of stability and roughness lengths. For small Rib, the new bulk transfer coefficients are similar to the traditional coefficients, but for large Rib they are much smaller than currently used coefficients. Finally, a possible adjustment of the latter and the implementation of the new proposed parametrizations in models are discussed.

Line-width roughness of advanced semiconductor features by using FIB and planar-TEM as reference metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takamasu, Kiyoshi; Takahashi, Satoru; Kawada, Hiroki; Ikota, Masami

2018-03-01

LER (Line Edge Roughness) and LWR (Line Width Roughness) of the semiconductor device are an important evaluation scale of the performance of the device. Conventionally, LER and LWR is evaluated from CD-SEM (Critical Dimension Scanning Electron Microscope) images. However, CD-SEM measurement has a problem that high frequency random noise is large, and resolution is not sufficiently high. For random noise of CD-SEM measurement, some techniques are proposed. In these methods, it is necessary to set parameters for model and processing, and it is necessary to verify the correctness of these parameters using reference metrology. We have already proposed a novel reference metrology using FIB (Focused Ion Beam) process and planar-TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope) method. In this study, we applied the proposed method to three new samples such as SAQP (Self-Aligned Quadruple Patterning) FinFET device, EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography) conventional resist, and EUV new material resist. LWR and PSD (Power Spectral Density) of LWR are calculated from the edge positions on planar-TEM images. We confirmed that LWR and PSD of LWR can be measured with high accuracy and evaluated the difference by the proposed method. Furthermore, from comparisons with PSD of the same sample by CD-SEM, the validity of measurement of PSD and LWR by CD-SEM can be verified.

Controls on the extent of sediment cover in bedrock-alluvial channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodge, Rebecca; Johnson, Joel; Tranmer, Andy; Yager, Elowyn

2017-04-01

The amount and location of sediment cover in a bedrock-alluvial channel is a key factor that controls the morphological evolution of the channel, sediment transport pathways and channel roughness. The amount of sediment cover is often predicted as a function of relative sediment supply (sediment supply over transport capacity). However, several different forms of this relationship have been produced using a range of different approaches, and there is not yet agreement as to the controlling factors that need to be included. Part of this lack of agreement is because of the need for a more processed-based understanding of the way in which sediment cover is formed and eroded in bedrock-alluvial channels. We start to address this knowledge gap by assessing the factors that control the location of sediment cover in a field setting. We present field data from two channels in the Henry Mountains, USA. The field data includes measurement of channel geometry, slope, sediment cover location, bedrock roughness, grain size and boulder occurrence. Relative sediment supply is estimated by assuming that downstream changes are primarily accounted for by changes in transport capacity, rather than sediment supply. Preliminary results suggest that there is a relationship between local sediment cover extent and relative sediment supply, but that this relationship is altered as a function of local bedrock roughness. We consider the implications of our findings for the form of sediment cover relationships.

Fractures in outcrops in the vicinity of drill hole USW G-4. Yucca Mountain, Nevada; data analysis and compilation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barton, Christopher C.; Page, William R.; Morgan, Terrance L.

1989-01-01

Fractures on outcrops in the vicinity of drill hole USW G-4, Yucca Mountain, Nevada, were studied in order to contribute to characterization of fractures for hydrologjc, geomechanical, and tectonic modeling of the Yucca Mountain block and to characterize fractures prior to the excavation of a proposed exploratory shaft located near USW G-4. Yucca Mountain is a prospective site for the construction of an underground repository for high-level nuclear waste.Measurements were taken and recorded on 5,000 fractures at 50 outcrop stations primarily in the upper lithophysal unit of the Tiva Canyon Member of the Miocene Paintbrush Tuff. Fracture orientation and surface roughness were recorded for each fracture. Additionally, notes were taken on fracture abutting, crossing, and offsetting relations, swarming, curvature, brecciation, slickensides, and fracture fillings. Frequency distributions of orientation and roughness were plotted and analyzed. Fractures with low roughness coefficients (0-4) group tightly into two sets based on orientation. We conclude that such fractures are cooling joints and that all other fractures are tectonic. The development of small-scale fractures adjacent, subparallel, and possibly related to the Ghost Dance fault has been addressed in a preliminary way based on data collected in this study. Such sympathetic fractures are abundant in the upper cliff unit but not in the upper lithophysal unit.

Frost characteristics and heat transfer on a flat plate under freezer operating conditions: Part 1, Experimentation and correlations

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

Mao, Y.; Besant, R.W.; Chen, H.

1999-07-01

An experimental investigation of frost growth on a flat, cold surface supplied by subfreezing, turbulent, humid, parallel flow of air is presented. The operating conditions are typical of many commercial freezers. A test loop was constructed to perform the tests, and the frost height, frost mass concentration, and cold surface heat flux were measured using specially designed and calibrated instrumentation. Twenty tests were done for steady operating conditions, each starting with no initial frost accumulation, and were run for two to six hours giving 480 data samples. Measured results show that the frost characteristics differ significantly with frost growth datamore » taken previously for room temperature airflow. Depending on the temperature of the cold plate and the relative humidity of the subfreezing supply air, the frost could appear to be either smooth or rough. Smooth frost, which occurred at warmer plate temperatures and lower supply air relative humidities, gave rise to frost growth that was much thinner and denser than that for the rough, thick, low-density frost. Frost growth characteristics are correlated as a function of five independent variables (time, distance from the leading edge, cold plate temperature ratio, humidity ratio, and Reynolds number). These correlations are presented separately for the full data set, the rough frost data, and the smooth frost data.« less

Laser melting of groove defect repair on high thermal conductivity steel (HTCS-150)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norhafzan, B.; Aqida, S. N.; Fazliana, F.; Reza, M. S.; Ismail, I.; Khairil, C. M.

2018-02-01

This paper presents laser melting repair of groove defect on HTCS-150 surface using Nd:YAG laser system. Laser melting process was conducted using JK300HPS Nd:YAG twin lamp laser source with 1064 nm wavelength and pulsed mode. The parameters are pulse repetition frequency (PRF) that is set from 70 to 100 Hz, average power ( P A) of 50-70 W, and laser spot size of 0.7 mm. HTCS-150 samples were prepared with groove dimension of 0.3 mm width and depths of 0.5 mm using EDM wire cut. Groove defect repaired using laser melting process on groove surface area with various parameters' process. The melted surface within the groove was characterized for subsurface hardness profile, roughness, phase identification, chemical composition, and metallographic study. The roughness analysis indicates high PRF at large spot size caused high surface roughness and low surface hardness. Grain refinement of repaired layer was analyzed within the groove as a result of rapid heating and cooling. The hardness properties of modified HTCS inside the groove and the bulk surface increased two times from as received HTCS due to grain refinement which is in agreement with Hall-Petch equation. These findings are significant to parameter design of die repair for optimum surface integrity and potential for repairing crack depth and width of less than 0.5 and 0.3 mm, respectively.

Optimization of tribological performance of SiC embedded composite coating via Taguchi analysis approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maleque, M. A.; Bello, K. A.; Adebisi, A. A.; Akma, N.

2017-03-01

Tungsten inert gas (TIG) torch is one of the most recently used heat source for surface modification of engineering parts, giving similar results to the more expensive high power laser technique. In this study, ceramic-based embedded composite coating has been produced by precoated silicon carbide (SiC) powders on the AISI 4340 low alloy steel substrate using TIG welding torch process. A design of experiment based on Taguchi approach has been adopted to optimize the TIG cladding process parameters. The L9 orthogonal array and the signal-to-noise was used to study the effect of TIG welding parameters such as arc current, travelling speed, welding voltage and argon flow rate on tribological response behaviour (wear rate, surface roughness and wear track width). The objective of the study was to identify optimal design parameter that significantly minimizes each of the surface quality characteristics. The analysis of the experimental results revealed that the argon flow rate was found to be the most influential factor contributing to the minimum wear and surface roughness of the modified coating surface. On the other hand, the key factor in reducing wear scar is the welding voltage. Finally, a convenient and economical Taguchi approach used in this study was efficient to find out optimal factor settings for obtaining minimum wear rate, wear scar and surface roughness responses in TIG-coated surfaces.

Characterization for stability in planar conductivities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faraco, Daniel; Prats, Martí

2018-05-01

We find a complete characterization for sets of uniformly strongly elliptic and isotropic conductivities with stable recovery in the L2 norm when the data of the Calderón Inverse Conductivity Problem is obtained in the boundary of a disk and the conductivities are constant in a neighborhood of its boundary. To obtain this result, we present minimal a priori assumptions which turn out to be sufficient for sets of conductivities to have stable recovery in a bounded and rough domain. The condition is presented in terms of the integral moduli of continuity of the coefficients involved and their ellipticity bound as conjectured by Alessandrini in his 2007 paper, giving explicit quantitative control for every pair of conductivities.

Noninvasive evaluation of mental stress using by a refined rough set technique based on biomedical signals.

PubMed

Liu, Tung-Kuan; Chen, Yeh-Peng; Hou, Zone-Yuan; Wang, Chao-Chih; Chou, Jyh-Horng

2014-06-01

Evaluating and treating of stress can substantially benefits to people with health problems. Currently, mental stress evaluated using medical questionnaires. However, the accuracy of this evaluation method is questionable because of variations caused by factors such as cultural differences and individual subjectivity. Measuring of biomedical signals is an effective method for estimating mental stress that enables this problem to be overcome. However, the relationship between the levels of mental stress and biomedical signals remain poorly understood. A refined rough set algorithm is proposed to determine the relationship between mental stress and biomedical signals, this algorithm combines rough set theory with a hybrid Taguchi-genetic algorithm, called RS-HTGA. Two parameters were used for evaluating the performance of the proposed RS-HTGA method. A dataset obtained from a practice clinic comprising 362 cases (196 male, 166 female) was adopted to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. The empirical results indicate that the proposed method can achieve acceptable accuracy in medical practice. Furthermore, the proposed method was successfully used to identify the relationship between mental stress levels and bio-medical signals. In addition, the comparison between the RS-HTGA and a support vector machine (SVM) method indicated that both methods yield good results. The total averages for sensitivity, specificity, and precision were greater than 96%, the results indicated that both algorithms produced highly accurate results, but a substantial difference in discrimination existed among people with Phase 0 stress. The SVM algorithm shows 89% and the RS-HTGA shows 96%. Therefore, the RS-HTGA is superior to the SVM algorithm. The kappa test results for both algorithms were greater than 0.936, indicating high accuracy and consistency. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve for both the RS-HTGA and a SVM method were greater than 0.77, indicating a good discrimination capability. In this study, crucial attributes in stress evaluation were successfully recognized using biomedical signals, thereby enabling the conservation of medical resources and elucidating the mapping relationship between levels of mental stress and candidate attributes. In addition, we developed a prototype system for mental stress evaluation that can be used to provide benefits in medical practice. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Surface roughness: A review of its measurement at micro-/nano-scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Yuxuan; Xu, Jian; Buchanan, Relva C.

2018-01-01

The measurement of surface roughness at micro-/nano-scale is of great importance to metrological, manufacturing, engineering, and scientific applications given the critical roles of roughness in physical and chemical phenomena. The surface roughness of materials can significantly change the way of how they interact with light, phonons, molecules, and so forth, thus surface roughness ultimately determines the functionality and property of materials. In this short review, the techniques of measuring micro-/nano-scale surface roughness are discussed with special focus on the limitations and capabilities of each technique. In addition, the calculations of surface roughness and their theoretical background are discussed to offer readers a better understanding of the importance of post-measurement analysis. Recent progress on fractal analysis of surface roughness is discussed to shed light on the future efforts in surface roughness measurement.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE AERODYNAMIC ROUGHNESS LENGTH AND THE ROUGHNESS DENSITY IN CASES OF LOW ROUGHNESS DENSITY

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents measurements of roughness length performed in a wind tunnel for low roughness density. The experiments were performed with both compact and porous obstacles (clusters), in order to simulate the behavior of sparsely vegetated surfaces.

A note on ``critical roughness height'' and ``transitional roughness''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradshaw, P.

2000-06-01

An unrigorous but plausible analysis suggests that the concept of a critical roughness height, below which roughness does not affect a turbulent wall flow, is erroneous. The Oseen approximation implies that the effect of roughness on the additive constant in the logarithmic law of the wall should vary as the square of the roughness Reynolds number (specifically the roughness height in "wall units"). This is an important point in determining whether surfaces used in experiments at high unit Reynolds number can be regarded as hydraulically smooth. Attention is also called to the qualitative difference between Nikuradse's measurements of friction factor in pipe flow with uniform-size sand-grain roughness in the "transitional" range of Reynolds number and the data correlation in the Moody chart of 1944; the latter was derived from tests on miscellaneous real-life rough surfaces in the 1930s. Nearly all textbooks on elementary fluid dynamics present, but practically none discuss, this difference. Nikuradse's monodisperse roughness is a very rare case with untypical behavior in the transitional range.

Effect of Blade Roughness on Transition and Wind Turbine Performance.

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

Ehrmann, Robert S.; White, E. B.

The real-world effect of accumulated surface roughness on wind-turbine power production is not well understood. To isolate specific blade roughness features and test their effect, field measurements of turbine-blade roughness were made and simulated on a NACA 633-418 airfoil in a wind tunnel. Insect roughness, paint chips, and erosion were characterized then manufactured. In the tests, these roughness configurations were recreated as distributed roughness, a forward-facing step, and an eroded leading edge. Distributed roughness was tested in three heights and five densities. Chord Reynolds number was varied between 0:8 to 4:8 × 10 6. Measurements included lift, drag, pitching moment,more » and boundary-layer transition location. Results indicate minimal effect from paint-chip roughness. As distributed roughness height and density increase, the lift-curve slope, maximum lift, and lift-to-drag ratio decrease. As Reynolds number increases, natural transition is replaced by bypass transition. The critical roughness Reynolds number varies between 178 to 318, within the historical range. At a chord Reynolds number of 3:2 × 10 6, the maximum lift-to-drag ratio decreases 40% for 140 μm roughness, corresponding to a 2.3% loss in annual energy production. Simulated performance loss compares well to measured performance loss of an in-service wind turbine.« less

76 FR 38459 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Rough Diamonds Reporting Requirements

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-30

... for Rough Diamonds Reporting Requirements AGENCY: Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury. ACTION... comments concerning OFAC's requirements to report information about the shipment of rough diamonds on an...: Request for Comments (Rough Diamonds Reporting) (202) 622-1657 Mail: Attn: Request for Comments (Rough...

Client relations in South Asia: programmatic and societal determinants.

PubMed

Simmons, R; Koblinsky, M A; Phillips, J F

1986-01-01

Client relations constitute a neglected area of research in family planning. Findings from studies in northern India and Bangladesh reveal considerable variation in both the quantity and quality of contacts in programs that function under roughly comparable socioeconomic conditions. Client relations are determined by a complex set of forces in which both programmatic factors and conditions pertaining to the societal environment play a key role. Worker-client exchanges have a net, incremental effect on contraceptive use.

Quantitative fractography by digital image processing: NIH Image macro tools for stereo pair analysis and 3-D reconstruction.

PubMed

Hein, L R

2001-10-01

A set of NIH Image macro programs was developed to make qualitative and quantitative analyses from digital stereo pictures produced by scanning electron microscopes. These tools were designed for image alignment, anaglyph representation, animation, reconstruction of true elevation surfaces, reconstruction of elevation profiles, true-scale elevation mapping and, for the quantitative approach, surface area and roughness calculations. Limitations on time processing, scanning techniques and programming concepts are also discussed.

Precision Control of Thermal Transport in Cryogenic Single-Crystal Silicon Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rostem, K.; Chuss, D. T.; Colazo, F. A.; Crowe, E. J.; Denis, K. L.; Lourie, N. P.; Moseley, S. H.; Stevenson, T. R.; Wollack, E. J.

2014-01-01

We report on the diffusive-ballistic thermal conductance of multi-moded single-crystal silicon beams measured below 1 K. It is shown that the phonon mean-free-path is a strong function of the surface roughness characteristics of the beams. This effect is enhanced in diffuse beams with lengths much larger than, even when the surface is fairly smooth, 510 nm rms, and the peak thermal wavelength is 0.6 microns. Resonant phonon scattering has been observed in beams with a pitted surface morphology and characteristic pit depth of 30 nm. Hence, if the surface roughness is not adequately controlled, the thermal conductance can vary significantly for diffuse beams fabricated across a wafer. In contrast, when the beam length is of order, the conductance is dominated by ballistic transport and is effectively set by the beam cross-sectional area. We have demonstrated a uniformity of +/-8% in fractional deviation for ballistic beams, and this deviation is largely set by the thermal conductance of diffuse beams that support the micro-electro-mechanical device and electrical leads. In addition, we have found no evidence for excess specific heat in single-crystal silicon membranes. This allows for the precise control of the device heat capacity with normal metal films. We discuss the results in the context of the design and fabrication of large-format arrays of far-infrared and millimeter wavelength cryogenic detectors.

MEASUREMENT OF FATHER-CHILD ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE PLAY AND ITS RELATIONS TO CHILD BEHAVIOR.

PubMed

Stgeorge, Jennifer; Freeman, Emily

2017-11-01

Although there is increasing evidence of paternal influence on child outcomes such as language and cognition, researchers are not yet clear on the features of father-child play that are most valuable in terms of child development. Physical play such as rough and tumble play (RTP) is a favored type of father-child play in Western societies that has been linked to children's socioemotional competence. It is important, therefore, to determine the implications of this play for child development. In this review and meta-analysis, associations between father-child physical play and child behavior were examined. The review also focused on study methods. Sixteen studies are reviewed, N = 1,521 father-child dyads, 35% boys. Study characteristics such as definitions of physical play, play settings, play measures, and coding were examined. The meta-analysis found weak to moderate population effects for links between father-child physical play and child aggression, social competence, emotional skills, and self-regulation. Research investigating the effect of father-child physical play on children's development will be improved when definitions clearly identify the nature of play, settings facilitate boisterous play, and measures include frequency and quality of play interactions. This play shows promise as an enhancer of positive father-child relationships and a catalyst for child development. © 2017 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Evaluating the Utility of Web-Based Consumer Support Tools Using Rough Sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maciag, Timothy; Hepting, Daryl H.; Slezak, Dominik; Hilderman, Robert J.

On the Web, many popular e-commerce sites provide consumers with decision support tools to assist them in their commerce-related decision-making. Many consumers will rank the utility of these tools quite highly. Data obtained from web usage mining analyses, which may provide knowledge about a user's online experiences, could help indicate the utility of these tools. This type of analysis could provide insight into whether provided tools are adequately assisting consumers in conducting their online shopping activities or if new or additional enhancements need consideration. Although some research in this regard has been described in previous literature, there is still much that can be done. The authors of this paper hypothesize that a measurement of consumer decision accuracy, i.e. a measurement preferences, could help indicate the utility of these tools. This paper describes a procedure developed towards this goal using elements of rough set theory. The authors evaluated the procedure using two support tools, one based on a tool developed by the US-EPA and the other developed by one of the authors called cogito. Results from the evaluation did provide interesting insights on the utility of both support tools. Although it was shown that the cogito tool obtained slightly higher decision accuracy, both tools could be improved from additional enhancements. Details of the procedure developed and results obtained from the evaluation will be provided. Opportunities for future work are also discussed.

FIELD TEST INSTRUCTION 100-NR-2 OPERABLE UNIT DESIGN OPTIMIZATION STUDY FOR SEQUESTRATION OF SR-90 SATURATED ZONE APATITE PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIER EXTENSION

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

BOWLES NA

2010-10-06

The objective of this field test instruction is to provide technical guidance for aqueous injection emplacement of an extension apatite permeable reactive barrier (PRE) for the sequestration of strontium-90 (Sr-90) using a high concentration amendment formulation. These field activities will be conducted according to the guidelines established in DOE/RL-2010-29, 100-NR-2 Design Optimization Study, hereafter referred to as the DOS. The DOS supports the Federal Facility Agreement Consent Order (EPA et al., 1989), Milestone M-16-06-01, and 'Complete Construction of a Permeable Reactive Barrier at 100-N.' Injections of apatite precursor chemicals will occur at an equal distance intervals on each end ofmore » the existing PRE to extend the PRB from the existing 91 m (300 ft) to at least 274 m (900 ft). Field testing at the 100-N Area Apatite Treatability Test Site, as depicted on Figure 1, shows that the barrier is categorized by two general hydrologic conceptual models based on overall well capacity and contrast between the Hanford and Ringold hydraulic conductivities. The upstream portion of the original barrier, shown on Figure 1, is characterized by relatively low overall well specific capacity. This is estimated from well development data and a lower contrast in hydraulic conductivity between the Hanford formation and Ringold Formations. Comparison of test results from these two locations indicate that permeability contrast between the Hanford formation and Ringold Formation is significantly less over the upstream one-third of the barrier. The estimated hydraulic conductivity for the Hanford formation and Ringold Formation over the upstream portion of the barrier based on observations during emplacement of the existing 91 m (300 ft) PRB is approximately 12 and 10 m/day (39 and 32 ft/day), respectively (PNNL-17429). However, these estimates should be used as a rough guideline only, as significant variability in hydraulic conductivity is likely to be observed in the barrier extension wells, particularly those in the Ringold formation. The downstream portion of the original barrier, shown on Figure 1, is characterized by generally higher well specific capacity and a larger hydraulic conductivity contrast between the Hanford formation and Ringold Formation. Hydraulic conductivity rates for the Hanford formation and Ringold Formation over the downstream portion of the barrier were estimated at 29 and 9 m/day (95 and 29 ft/day), respectively (with the Hanford formation hydraulic conductivity being greater in the downstream portion than the upstream portion). Once again, it should be noted that the actual conductivities may vary significantly, and the values state above should only be used as a rough initial estimates. Optimum apatite emplacement has been shown to occur when injections targeting the Hanford formation and the Ringold Formation are performed separately. The remainder of this test instruction provides details for conducting these formation-targeted injections.« less

31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592.310... ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn, cleaved...

31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592.310... ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn, cleaved...

31 CFR 592.201 - Prohibited importation and exportation of any rough diamond; permitted importation or exportation...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... of any rough diamond; permitted importation or exportation of any rough diamond. 592.201 Section 592... FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS Prohibitions § 592.201 Prohibited importation and exportation of any rough diamond; permitted importation or exportation...

31 CFR 592.201 - Prohibited importation and exportation of any rough diamond; permitted importation or exportation...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... of any rough diamond; permitted importation or exportation of any rough diamond. 592.201 Section 592... FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS Prohibitions § 592.201 Prohibited importation and exportation of any rough diamond; permitted importation or exportation...

31 CFR 592.201 - Prohibited importation and exportation of any rough diamond; permitted importation or exportation...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... of any rough diamond; permitted importation or exportation of any rough diamond. 592.201 Section 592... FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS Prohibitions § 592.201 Prohibited importation and exportation of any rough diamond; permitted importation or exportation...

31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592... FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn...

31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592.310... ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn, cleaved...

31 CFR 592.201 - Prohibited importation and exportation of any rough diamond; permitted importation or exportation...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... of any rough diamond; permitted importation or exportation of any rough diamond. 592.201 Section 592... FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS Prohibitions § 592.201 Prohibited importation and exportation of any rough diamond; permitted importation or exportation...

31 CFR 592.310 - Rough diamond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Rough diamond. 592.310 Section 592.310... ASSETS CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS General Definitions § 592.310 Rough diamond. The term rough diamond means any diamond that is unworked or simply sawn, cleaved...

Effect of wall roughness on liquid oscillations damping in rectangular tanks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bugg, F. M.

1970-01-01

Tests were conducted in two rectangular glass tanks using silicon carbide grit bonded to walls to determine effect of wall roughness for damping liquid oscillations. Tests included effects of roughness height, roughness location, roughness at various values, amplitude decay, Reynolds number, and boundary layer thickness.

7 CFR 868.211 - Grade designation and other certificate information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Rough Rice Principles Governing Application of Standards § 868.211 Grade designation and other certificate information. (a) Rough rice. The grade designation for all classes of Rough rice shall be included... statement of the milling yield. (b) Mixed rough rice information. For the class Mixed Rough rice, the...

7 CFR 868.211 - Grade designation and other certificate information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Rough Rice Principles Governing Application of Standards § 868.211 Grade designation and other certificate information. (a) Rough rice. The grade designation for all classes of Rough rice shall be included... statement of the milling yield. (b) Mixed rough rice information. For the class Mixed Rough rice, the...

31 CFR 592.502 - Annual reports by rough diamond importers and exporters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Schedule classifications of rough diamonds during the reporting year, including: (A) Total amount of carats of each classification of rough diamonds imported and/or exported; and (B) Total of all shipments of each classification of rough diamonds imported and/or exported. (3) Information on stockpiles of rough...

Poly-Gaussian model of randomly rough surface in rarefied gas flow

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

Aksenova, Olga A.; Khalidov, Iskander A.

2014-12-09

Surface roughness is simulated by the model of non-Gaussian random process. Our results for the scattering of rarefied gas atoms from a rough surface using modified approach to the DSMC calculation of rarefied gas flow near a rough surface are developed and generalized applying the poly-Gaussian model representing probability density as the mixture of Gaussian densities. The transformation of the scattering function due to the roughness is characterized by the roughness operator. Simulating rough surface of the walls by the poly-Gaussian random field expressed as integrated Wiener process, we derive a representation of the roughness operator that can be appliedmore » in numerical DSMC methods as well as in analytical investigations.« less

Experimental methodology of contact edge roughness on sub-100-nm pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Tae Yong; Ihm, Dongchul; Kang, Hyo Chun; Lee, Jun Bum; Lee, Byoung-Ho; Chin, Soo-Bok; Cho, Do-Hyun; Kim, Yang Hyong; Yang, Ho Dong; Yang, Kyoung Mo

2004-05-01

The measurement of edge roughness has become a hot issue in the semiconductor industry. Major vendors offer a variety of features to measure the edge roughness in their CD-SEMs. However, most of the features are limited by the applicable pattern types. For the line and space patterns, features such as Line Edge Roughness (LER) and Line Width Roughness (LWR) are available in current CD-SEMs. The edge roughness is more critical in contact process. However the measurement of contact edge roughness (CER) or contact space roughness (CSR) is more complicated than that of LER or LWR. So far, no formal standard measurement algorithm or definition of contact roughness measurement exists. In this article, currently available features are investigated to assess their representability for CER or CSR. Some new ideas to quantify CER and CSR were also suggested with preliminary experimental results.

Effective field model of roughness in magnetic nano-structures

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

Lepadatu, Serban, E-mail: SLepadatu@uclan.ac.uk

2015-12-28

An effective field model is introduced here within the micromagnetics formulation, to study roughness in magnetic structures, by considering sub-exchange length roughness levels as a perturbation on a smooth structure. This allows the roughness contribution to be separated, which is found to give rise to an effective configurational anisotropy for both edge and surface roughness, and accurately model its effects with fine control over the roughness depth without the explicit need to refine the computational cell size to accommodate the roughness profile. The model is validated by comparisons with directly roughened structures for a series of magnetization switching and domainmore » wall velocity simulations and found to be in excellent agreement for roughness levels up to the exchange length. The model is further applied to vortex domain wall velocity simulations with surface roughness, which is shown to significantly modify domain wall movement and result in dynamic pinning and stochastic creep effects.« less

Understanding EUV mask blank surface roughness induced LWR and associated roughness requirement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Pei-Yang; Zhang, Guojing; Gullikson, Eric M.; Goldberg, Ken A.; Benk, Markus P.

2015-03-01

Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) mask multi-layer (ML) blank surface roughness specification historically comes from blank defect inspection tool requirement. Later, new concerns on ML surface roughness induced wafer pattern line width roughness (LWR) arise. In this paper, we have studied wafer level pattern LWR as a function of EUVL mask surface roughness via High-NA Actinic Reticle Review Tool. We found that the blank surface roughness induced LWR at current blank roughness level is in the order of 0.5nm 3σ for NA=0.42 at the best focus. At defocus of ±40nm, the corresponding LWR will be 0.2nm higher. Further reducing EUVL mask blank surface roughness will increase the blank cost with limited benefit in improving the pattern LWR, provided that the intrinsic resist LWR is in the order of 1nm and above.

Investigation of secondary flows in turbulent pipe flows with three-dimensional sinusoidal walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Leon; MacDonald, Michael; Chung, Daniel; Hutchins, Nicholas; Ooi, Andrew

2017-11-01

The occurrence of secondary flows is systematically investigated via Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) of turbulent flow in a rough wall pipe at friction Reynolds numbers of 540. In this study, the peak-to-trough height of the roughness elements, which consist of three-dimensional sinusoidal roughness, is fixed at 120 viscous units while the wavelength of the roughness elements is varied. The solidity or effective slope (ES) of the roughness ranges from the sparse regime (ES = 0.18) to the closely packed roughness/dense regime (ES = 0.72). The time-independent dispersive stresses, which arise due to the stationary features of the flow, are analysed and are found to increase with increasing roughness wavelength. These dispersive stresses are related to the occurrence of secondary flows and are maximum within the roughness canopy. Above the crest of the roughness elements, the dispersive stresses reduce to zero at wall-normal heights greater than half of the roughness wavelength. This study has found that the size and wall-normal extent of the secondary flows scales with the roughness wavelength and can reach wall-normal heights of almost half of the pipe radius.

Improving Public Reporting and Data Validation for Complex Surgical Site Infections After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery and Hip Arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Calderwood, Michael S.; Kleinman, Ken; Murphy, Michael V.; Platt, Richard; Huang, Susan S.

2014-01-01

Background  Deep and organ/space surgical site infections (D/OS SSI) cause significant morbidity, mortality, and costs. Rates are publicly reported and increasingly used as quality metrics affecting hospital payment. Lack of standardized surveillance methods threaten the accuracy of reported data and decrease confidence in comparisons based upon these data. Methods  We analyzed data from national validation studies that used Medicare claims to trigger chart review for SSI confirmation after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and hip arthroplasty. We evaluated code performance (sensitivity and positive predictive value) to select diagnosis codes that best identified D/OS SSI. Codes were analyzed individually and in combination. Results  Analysis included 143 patients with D/OS SSI after CABG and 175 patients with D/OS SSI after hip arthroplasty. For CABG, 9 International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD-9) diagnosis codes identified 92% of D/OS SSI, with 1 D/OS SSI identified for every 4 cases with a diagnosis code. For hip arthroplasty, 6 ICD-9 diagnosis codes identified 99% of D/OS SSI, with 1 D/OS SSI identified for every 2 cases with a diagnosis code. Conclusions  This standardized and efficient approach for identifying D/OS SSI can be used by hospitals to improve case detection and public reporting. This method can also be used to identify potential D/OS SSI cases for review during hospital audits for data validation. PMID:25734174

Antibiotic and Duration of Perioperative Prophylaxis Predicts Surgical Site Infection in Head and Neck Surgery.

PubMed

Langerman, Alexander; Thisted, Ronald; Hohmann, Samuel; Howell, Michael

2016-06-01

To examine the effect of giving antibiotics on the day of surgery (DOS) vs DOS and first postoperative day (DOS+1) for prophylaxis against surgical site infection (SSI) in clean-contaminated head and neck surgery (CCHNS). Retrospective multi-institution analysis using University HealthSystem Consortium data. A multivariate logistic regression model of 8836 discharge records from patients undergoing CCHNS was used to determine the odds of SSI for antibiotic agent/duration combinations. Ninety-two academic and affiliated medical centers from 2008 to 2011. Ampicillin/sulbactam, clindamycin, cefazolin + metronidazole, and cefazolin alone were the most common antibiotics. For patients receiving antibiotics only on DOS, there was no significant difference in odds of SSI based on antibiotic choice. When given on the DOS and DOS+1, patients receiving ampicillin/sulbactam had a reduction in odds of SSI by over two-thirds (odds ratio [OR], 0.28 [95% confidence interval, 0.13-0.61], P = .001, compared with ampicillin/sulbactam on DOS only), whereas this effect was not seen with clindamycin (1.82 [0.93-3.56], P = .078, compared with clindamycin on DOS only). Prolonging clindamycin beyond the DOS was associated with a higher odds of SSI compared with DOS-only ampicillin/sulbactam (OR, 2.66; 95% CI, 1.33-5.30; P = .006). These relationships held in a subset of physicians and hospitals that used multiple different regimens. DOS+1 regimens were not associated with an increased odds of antibiotic-induced complications. Prolonging ampicillin/sulbactam beyond the day of surgery may have a protective effect against SSI, and 1 or more days of ampicillin/sulbactam may be preferable to multiple days of clindamycin. New randomized trials are needed to define the ideal regimen for CCHNS. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2016.

Inversion of surface parameters using fast learning neural networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawson, M. S.; Olvera, J.; Fung, A. K.; Manry, M. T.

1992-01-01

A neural network approach to the inversion of surface scattering parameters is presented. Simulated data sets based on a surface scattering model are used so that the data may be viewed as taken from a completely known randomly rough surface. The fast learning (FL) neural network and a multilayer perceptron (MLP) trained with backpropagation learning (BP network) are tested on the simulated backscattering data. The RMS error of training the FL network is found to be less than one half the error of the BP network while requiring one to two orders of magnitude less CPU time. When applied to inversion of parameters from a statistically rough surface, the FL method is successful at recovering the surface permittivity, the surface correlation length, and the RMS surface height in less time and with less error than the BP network. Further applications of the FL neural network to the inversion of parameters from backscatter measurements of an inhomogeneous layer above a half space are shown.

Solar coronal loop heating by cross-field wave transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amendt, Peter; Benford, Gregory

1989-01-01

Solar coronal arches heated by turbulent ion-cyclotron waves may suffer significant cross-field transport by these waves. Nonlinear processes fix the wave-propagation speed at about a tenth of the ion thermal velocity, which seems sufficient to spread heat from a central core into a large cool surrounding cocoon. Waves heat cocoon ions both through classical ion-electron collisions and by turbulent stochastic ion motions. Plausible cocoon sizes set by wave damping are in roughly kilometers, although the wave-emitting core may be only 100 m wide. Detailed study of nonlinear stabilization and energy-deposition rates predicts that nearby regions can heat to values intermediate between the roughly electron volt foot-point temperatures and the about 100 eV core, which is heated by anomalous Ohmic losses. A volume of 100 times the core volume may be affected. This qualitative result may solve a persistent problem with current-driven coronal heating; that it affects only small volumes and provides no way to produce the extended warm structures perceptible to existing instruments.

Terahertz NDE for Metallic Surface Roughness Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madaras, Eric I.; Anastasi, Robert F.

2006-01-01

Metallic surface roughness in a nominally smooth surface is a potential indication of material degradation or damage. When the surface is coated or covered with an opaque dielectric material, such as paint or insulation, then inspecting for surface changes becomes almost impossible. Terahertz NDE is a method capable of penetrating the coating and inspecting the metallic surface. The terahertz frequency regime is between 100 GHz and 10 THz and has a free space wavelength of 300 micrometers at 1 THz. Pulsed terahertz radiation, can be generated and detected using optical excitation of biased semiconductors with femtosecond laser pulses. The resulting time domain signal is 320 picoseconds in duration. In this application, samples are inspected with a commercial terahertz NDE system that scans the sample and generates a set of time-domain signals that are a function of the backscatter from the metallic surface. Post processing is then performed in the time and frequency domains to generate C-scan type images that show scattering effects due to surface non-uniformity.

Intelligent Flow Friction Estimation.

PubMed

Brkić, Dejan; Ćojbašić, Žarko

2016-01-01

Nowadays, the Colebrook equation is used as a mostly accepted relation for the calculation of fluid flow friction factor. However, the Colebrook equation is implicit with respect to the friction factor (λ). In the present study, a noniterative approach using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) was developed to calculate the friction factor. To configure the ANN model, the input parameters of the Reynolds Number (Re) and the relative roughness of pipe (ε/D) were transformed to logarithmic scales. The 90,000 sets of data were fed to the ANN model involving three layers: input, hidden, and output layers with, 2, 50, and 1 neurons, respectively. This configuration was capable of predicting the values of friction factor in the Colebrook equation for any given values of the Reynolds number (Re) and the relative roughness (ε/D) ranging between 5000 and 10(8) and between 10(-7) and 0.1, respectively. The proposed ANN demonstrates the relative error up to 0.07% which had the high accuracy compared with the vast majority of the precise explicit approximations of the Colebrook equation.

Numerical investigation of roughness effects in aircraft icing calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matheis, Brian Daniel

2008-10-01

Icing codes are playing a role of increasing significance in the design and certification of ice protected aircraft surfaces. However, in the interest of computational efficiency certain small scale physics of the icing problem are grossly approximated by the codes. One such small scale phenomena is the effect of ice roughness on the development of the surface water film and on the convective heat transfer. This study uses computational methods to study the potential effect of ice roughness on both of these small scale phenomena. First, a two-dimensional condensed layer code is used to examine the effect of roughness on surface water development. It is found that the Couette approximation within the film breaks down as the wall shear goes to zero, depending on the film thickness. Roughness elements with initial flow separation in the air induce flow separation in the water layer at steady state, causing a trapping of the film. The amount of trapping for different roughness configurations is examined. Second, a three-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes code is developed to examine large scale ice roughness on the leading edge. The effect on the convective heat transfer and potential effect on the surface water dynamics is examined for a number of distributed roughness parameters including Reynolds number, roughness height, streamwise extent, roughness spacing and roughness shape. In most cases the roughness field increases the net average convective heat transfer on the leading edge while narrowing surface shear lines, indicating a choking of the surface water flow. Both effects show significant variation on the scale of the ice roughness. Both the change in heat transfer as well as the potential change in surface water dynamics are presented in terms of the development of singularities in the surface shear pattern. Of particular interest is the effect of the smooth zone upstream of the roughness which shows both a relatively large increase in convective heat transfer as well as excessive choking of the surface shear lines at the upstream end of the roughness field. A summary of the heat transfer results is presented for both the averaged heat transfer as well as the maximum heat transfer over each roughness element, indicating that the roughness Reynolds number is the primary parameter which characterizes the behavior of the roughness for the problem of interest.

Spectral roughness of glaciated bedrock geomorphic surfaces: Implications for glacier sliding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubbard, Bryn; Siegert, Martin J.; McCarroll, Danny

2000-09-01

A microroughness meter (MRM) was used to measure the high-frequency roughness of a number of geomorphic surfaces in the forefield of Glacier de Tsanfleuron, Switzerland. Resulting spectral power densities are added to low-frequency spectra, measured by electro-optical distance meter (EDM), to generate composite roughness spectra that include almost 5 orders of magnitude of roughness in the frequency domain. These are used to define two roughness indices: a general index of bed roughness is defined as the integral of the raw, spectral power densities, and a sliding-related index of bed roughness is defined as the integral of the spectral power densities weighted to account for the optimum dependence of glacier sliding speed on hummock wavelength. Results indicate that MRM-measured geomorphic components vary in roughness by 3 orders of magnitude, principally depending on the surface microenvironment measured and profile orientation relative to the direction of former ice flow. Both MRM- and EDM-measured roughnesses are lower parallel to the direction of former ice flow than perpendicular to it. Composite roughness spectra consequently indicate that the glacier bed is smoothed in the direction of former ice flow at all horizontal scales from 1 mm to 40 m, typically resulting in an order of magnitude decrease in sliding-related roughness relative to that measured perpendicular to ice flow. Comparison of data from two survey sites located adjacent to, and ˜1.2 km from, the current glacier margin indicates that postglacial subaerial weathering homogenizes bedrock roughness, in particular reducing high-frequency, flow-orthogonal roughness. Accounting for the effect of 28% ice-bedrock separation over one of the profiles reduces net, sliding-dependent roughness by between 27% and 43%, depending on the transition wave number used.

Hydraulic Roughness and Flow Resistance in a Subglacial Conduit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Y.; Liu, X.; Mankoff, K. D.

2017-12-01

The hydraulic roughness significantly affects the flow resistance in real subglacial conduits, but has been poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, this paper first proposes a procedure to define and quantify the geometry roughness, and then relates such a geometry roughness to the hydraulic roughness based on a series of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The results indicate that by using the 2nd order structure function, the roughness field can be well quantified by the powers of the scaling-law, the vertical and horizontal length scales of the structure functions. The vertical length scale can be further chosen as the standard deviation of the roughness field σr. The friction factors calculated from either total drag force or the linear decreasing pressure agree very well with those calculated from traditional rough pipe theories when the equivalent hydraulic roughness height is corrected as ks = (1.1 ˜ 1.5)σr. This result means that the fully rough pipe resistance formula λ = [2 log(D0/2ks) + 1.74]-2, and the Moody diagram are still valid for the friction factor estimation in subglacial conduits when σr /D0<18% and ks/D0<22%. The results further show that when a proper hydraulic roughness is determined, the total flow resistance corresponding to the given hydraulic roughness height can be accurately modelled by using a rough wall function. This suggests that the flow resistance for the longer realistic subglacial conduits with large sinuosity and cross-sectional variations may be correctly predicted by CFD simulations. The results also show that the friction factors from CFD modeling are much larger than those determined from traditional rough pipe theories when σr /D0>20%.

Components for the Global Digital Object Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glaves, Helen; Hanahoe, Hilary; Weigel, Tobias; Lannom, Larry; Wittenburg, Peter; Koureas, Dimitris; Almas, Bridget

2017-04-01

We are at a tipping point in the development of a common conceptual framework and set of tools and components which will revolutionize the management of scientific data. It is widely acknowledged that the current volumes and complexity of data now being collected, and the inevitable and enormous increase in that volume and complexity, have reached the point where action is required. Around 80% of the data generated is being lost after short time periods and a corresponding amount of time is being wasted by reseachers on routine data management tasks. At the same time, and largely in response to this perceived crisis, a number of principles (G8, RDA DFT, FAIR) for the management of scientific data have arisen and been widely endorsed. The danger now is that agreement will stop at the level of principles and that multiple non-interoperable domain and technology specific silos will continue to arise, all based on the abstract principles. If this happens, we will lose the opportunity to create a common set of low-level tools and components based on an agreed conceptual approach. The Research Data Alliance (RDA) is now combining recommendations from its individual working and interest groups, such as suggestions for proper citation of dynamic data or how to assess the quality of repositories, to design configurations of core components (as specified by RDA and other initiatives such as W3C) and stimulate their implementation. Together with a few global communities such as climate modeling, biodiversity and material science, experts involved in RDA are developing a concept called Global Digital Object Cloud (GDOC) which has the potential to overcome the huge fragmentation which hampers efficient data management and re-use. It is compliant with the FAIR principles in so far as a) it puts Digital Objects (DOs) in its center, b) has all DOs assigned PIDs which are resolvable to useful state information, c) has all DOs associated with metadata, and d) has all DO bit sequences stored in trustworthy repositories. The presentation will give an overview of the types of components involved, the corresponding specifications of RDA, and the concept of the GDOC.

Turbulence modifications in a turbulent boundary layer over a rough wall with spanwise-alternating roughness strips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, H. L.; Kevin, Hutchins, N.; Monty, J. P.

2018-05-01

Turbulence modifications over a rough wall with spanwise-varying roughness are investigated at a moderate Reynolds number Reτ ≈ 2000 (or Reθ ≈ 6400), using particle image velocimetry (PIV) and hotwire anemometry. The rough wall is comprised of spanwise-alternating longitudinal sandpaper strips of two different roughness heights. The ratio of high- and low-roughness heights is 8, and the ratio of high- and low-roughness strip width is 0.5. PIV measurements are conducted in a wall-parallel plane located in the logarithmic region, while hotwire measurements are made throughout the entire boundary layer in a cross-stream plane. In a time-average sense, large-scale counter-rotating roll-modes are observed in the cross-stream plane over the rough wall, with downwash and upwash common-flows displayed over the high- and low-roughness strips, respectively. Meanwhile, elevated and reduced streamwise velocities occur over the high- and low-roughness strips, respectively. Significant modifications in the distributions of mean vorticities and Reynolds stresses are observed, exhibiting features of spatial preference. Furthermore, spatial correlations and conditional average analyses are performed to examine the alterations of turbulence structures over the rough wall, revealing that the time-invariant structures observed are resultant from the time-average process of instantaneous turbulent events that occur mostly and preferentially in space.

Disk Operating System--DOS. Teacher Packet. Learning Activity Packets.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

The Learning Activity Packets (LAPs) contained in this manual are designed to assist the beginning user in understanding DOS (Disk Operating System). LAPs will not work with any version below DOS Version 3.0 and do not address the enhanced features of versions 4.0 or higher. These elementary activities cover only the DOS commands necessary to…

Experimental Study on Effects of Ground Roughness on Flow Characteristics of Tornado-Like Vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jin; Cao, Shuyang; Pang, Weichiang; Cao, Jinxin

2017-02-01

The three-dimensional wind velocity and dynamic pressure for stationary tornado-like vortices that developed over ground of different roughness categories were investigated to clarify the effects of ground roughness. Measurements were performed for various roughness categories and two swirl ratios. Variations of the vertical and horizontal distributions of velocity and pressure with roughness are presented, with the results showing that the tangential, radial, and axial velocity components increase inside the vortex core near the ground under rough surface conditions. Meanwhile, clearly decreased tangential components are found outside the core radius at low elevations. The high axial velocity inside the vortex core over rough ground surface indicates that roughness produces an effect similar to a reduced swirl ratio. In addition, the pressure drop accompanying a tornado is more significant at elevations closer to the ground under rough compared with smooth surface conditions. We show that the variations of the flow characteristics with roughness are dependent on the vortex-generating mechanism, indicating the need for appropriate modelling of tornado-like vortices.

Mechanisms resulting in accreted ice roughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bilanin, Alan J.; Chua, Kiat

1992-01-01

Icing tests conducted on rotating cylinders in the BF Goodrich's Icing Research Facility indicate that a regular, deterministic, icing roughness pattern is typical. The roughness pattern is similar to kernels of corn on a cob for cylinders of diameter typical of a cob. An analysis is undertaken to determine the mechanisms which result in this roughness to ascertain surface scale and amplitude of roughness. Since roughness and the resulting augmentation of the convected heat transfer coefficient has been determined to most strongly control the accreted ice in ice prediction codes, the ability to predict a priori, location, amplitude and surface scale of roughness would greatly augment the capabilities of current ice accretion models.

Cheap and fast measuring roughness on big surfaces with an imprint method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schopf, C.; Liebl, J.; Rascher, R.

2017-10-01

Roughness, shape and structure of a surface offer information on the state, shape and surface characteristics of a component. Particularly the roughness of the surface dictates the subsequent polishing of the optical surface. The roughness is usually measured by a white light interferometer, which is limited by the size of the components. Using a moulding method of surfaces that are difficult to reach, an imprint is taken and analysed regarding to roughness and structure. This moulding compound method is successfully used in dental technology. In optical production, the moulding compound method is advantageous in roughness determination in inaccessible spots or on large components (astrological optics). The "replica method" has been around in metal analysis and processing. Film is used in order to take an impression of a surface. Then, it is analysed for structures. In optical production, compound moulding seems advantageous in roughness determination in inaccessible spots or on large components (astrological optics). In preliminary trials, different glass samples with different roughness levels were manufactured. Imprints were taken from these samples (based on DIN 54150 "Abdruckverfahren für die Oberflächenprüfung"). The objective of these feasibility tests was to determine the limits of this method (smallest roughness determinable / highest roughness). The roughness of the imprint was compared with the roughness of the glass samples. By comparing the results, the uncertainty of the measuring method was determined. The spectrum for the trials ranged from rough grind (0.8 μm rms), over finishing grind (0.6 μm rms) to polishing (0.1 μm rms).

Effect of dry air on interface smoothening in reactive sputter deposited Co/Ti multilayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biswas, A.; Porwal, A.; Bhattacharya, Debarati; Prajapat, C. L.; Ghosh, Arnab; Nand, Mangla; Nayak, C.; Rai, S.; Jha, S. N.; Singh, M. R.; Bhattacharyya, D.; Basu, S.; Sahoo, N. K.

2017-09-01

Top surface roughness and interface roughness are one of the key elements which determine the performance of X-ray and neutron thin film multilayer devices. It has been observed that by mixing air with argon in sputtering ambience during deposition of Co layers, polarized neutron reflectivity (PNR) of Co/Ti supermirror polarizers can be improved substantially. Cross-sectional HRTEM measurement reveals that sharper interfaces in the supermirror can be achieved in case of deposition of the multilayer under mixed ambience of argon and air. In order to investigate this interface modification mechanism further, in this communication two sets of tri-layer Co/Ti/Co samples and 20-layer Co/Ti periodic multilayer samples have been prepared; in one set all the layers are deposited only under argon ambience and in the other set, Co layers are deposited under a mixed ambience of argon and air. These samples have been characterized by measuring specular and non-specular X-ray reflectivities (GIXR) with X-rays of 1.54 Å wavelength and polarized neutron reflectivity (PNR) with neutron of 2.5 Å wavelength at grazing angle of incidence. It has been observed that the X-ray and neutron specular reflectivities at Bragg peaks of 20 layer periodic multilayer increase when Co layers are deposited under mixed ambience of argon and air. The detail information regarding the effect of air on the interfaces and magnetic properties has been obtained by fitting the measured spectra. The above information has subsequently been supplemented by XRD and magnetic measurements on the samples. XPS and XANES measurements have also been carried out to investigate whether cobalt oxide or cobalt nitride layers are being formed due to use of air in sputtering ambience.

The Role of Near-Shore Bathymetry During Tsunami Inundation in a Reef Island Setting: A Case Study of Tutuila Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dilmen, Derya I.; Roe, Gerard H.; Wei, Yong; Titov, Vasily V.

2018-04-01

On September 29, 2009 at 17:48 UTC, an M w = 8.1 earthquake in the Tonga Trench generated a tsunami that caused heavy damage across Samoa, American Samoa, and Tonga. One of the worst hits was the volcanic island of Tutuila in American Samoa. Tutuila has a typical tropical island bathymetry setting influenced by coral reefs, and so the event provided an opportunity to evaluate the relationship between tsunami dynamics and the bathymetry in that typical island environment. Previous work has come to differing conclusions regarding how coral reefs affect tsunami dynamics through their influence on bathymetry and dissipation. This study presents numerical simulations of this event with a focus on two main issues: first, how roughness variations affect tsunami run-up and whether different values of Manning's roughness parameter, n, improve the simulated run-up compared to observations; and second, how depth variations in the shelf bathymetry with coral reefs control run-up and inundation on the island coastlines they shield. We find that no single value of n provides a uniformly good match to all observations; and we find substantial bay-to-bay variations in the impact of varying n. The results suggest that there are aspects of tsunami wave dissipation which are not captured by a simplified drag formulation used in shallow-water waves model. The study also suggests that the primary impact of removing the near-shore bathymetry in coral reef environment is to reduce run-up, from which we conclude that, at least in this setting, the impact of the near-shore bathymetry is to increase run-up and inundation.

The Role of Near-Shore Bathymetry During Tsunami Inundation in a Reef Island Setting: A Case Study of Tutuila Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dilmen, Derya I.; Roe, Gerard H.; Wei, Yong; Titov, Vasily V.

2018-02-01

On September 29, 2009 at 17:48 UTC, an M w = 8.1 earthquake in the Tonga Trench generated a tsunami that caused heavy damage across Samoa, American Samoa, and Tonga. One of the worst hits was the volcanic island of Tutuila in American Samoa. Tutuila has a typical tropical island bathymetry setting influenced by coral reefs, and so the event provided an opportunity to evaluate the relationship between tsunami dynamics and the bathymetry in that typical island environment. Previous work has come to differing conclusions regarding how coral reefs affect tsunami dynamics through their influence on bathymetry and dissipation. This study presents numerical simulations of this event with a focus on two main issues: first, how roughness variations affect tsunami run-up and whether different values of Manning's roughness parameter, n, improve the simulated run-up compared to observations; and second, how depth variations in the shelf bathymetry with coral reefs control run-up and inundation on the island coastlines they shield. We find that no single value of n provides a uniformly good match to all observations; and we find substantial bay-to-bay variations in the impact of varying n. The results suggest that there are aspects of tsunami wave dissipation which are not captured by a simplified drag formulation used in shallow-water waves model. The study also suggests that the primary impact of removing the near-shore bathymetry in coral reef environment is to reduce run-up, from which we conclude that, at least in this setting, the impact of the near-shore bathymetry is to increase run-up and inundation.

Geochemical and isotopic constraints on the tectonic setting of Serra dos Carajas belt, eastern Para, Brazil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olszewski, W. J., Jr.; Gibbs, A. K.; Wirth, K. R.

1986-01-01

The lower part of the Serra dos Carajas belt is the metavolcanic and metasedimentary Grao para Group (GPG). The GPG is thought to unconformably overlie the older (but undated) Xingu Complex, composed of medium and high-grade gneisses and amphibolite and greenstone belts. The geochemical data indicate that the GPG has many features in common with ancient and modern volcanic suites erupted through continental crust. The mafic rocks clearly differ from those of most Archean greenstone belts, and modern MORB, IAB, and hot-spot basalts. The geological, geochemical, and isotopic data are all consistent with deposition on continental crust, presumably in a marine basin formed by crustal extension. The isotopic data also suggest the existence of depleted mantle as a source for the parent magmas of the GPG. The overall results suggest a tectonic environment, igneous sources, and petrogenesis similar to many modern continental extensional basins, in contrast to most Archean greenstone belts. The Hammersley basin in Australia and the circum-Superior belts in Canada may be suitable Archean and Proterozoic analogues, respectively.

Observational Assessment of Preschool Disruptive Behavior, Part II: validity of the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS).

PubMed

Wakschlag, Lauren S; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J; Hill, Carri; Danis, Barbara; Leventhal, Bennett L; Keenan, Kate; Egger, Helen L; Cicchetti, Domenic; Burns, James; Carter, Alice S

2008-06-01

To examine the validity of the Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS), a new observational method for assessing preschool disruptive behavior. A total of 327 behaviorally heterogeneous preschoolers from low-income environments comprised the validation sample. Parent and teacher reports were used to identify children with clinically significant disruptive behavior. The DB-DOS assessed observed disruptive behavior in two domains, problems in Behavioral Regulation and Anger Modulation, across three interactional contexts: Examiner Engaged, Examiner Busy, and Parent. Convergent and divergent validity of the DB-DOS were tested in relation to parent and teacher reports and independently observed behavior. Clinical validity was tested in terms of criterion and incremental validity of the DB-DOS for discriminating disruptive behavior status and impairment, concurrently and longitudinally. DB-DOS scores were significantly associated with reported and independently observed behavior in a theoretically meaningful fashion. Scores from both DB-DOS domains and each of the three DB-DOS contexts contributed uniquely to discrimination of disruptive behavior status, concurrently and predictively. Observed behavior on the DB-DOS also contributed incrementally to prediction of impairment over time, beyond variance explained by meeting DSM-IV disruptive behavior disorder symptom criteria based on parent/teacher report. The multidomain, multicontext approach of the DB-DOS is a valid method for direct assessment of preschool disruptive behavior. This approach shows promise for enhancing accurate identification of clinically significant disruptive behavior in young children and for characterizing subtypes in a manner that can directly inform etiological and intervention research.

14 CFR 25.1517 - Rough air speed, VRA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Rough air speed, VRA. 25.1517 Section 25... Limitations § 25.1517 Rough air speed, VRA. A rough air speed, VRA, for use as the recommended turbulence... rough air encounters will not cause the overspeed warning to operate too frequently. In the absence of a...

Validation of the ROMI-RIP rough mill simulator

Treesearch

Edward R. Thomas; Urs Buehlmann

2002-01-01

The USDA Forest Service's ROMI-RIP rough mill rip-first simulation program is a popular tool for analyzing rough mill conditions, determining more efficient rough mill practices, and finding optimal lumber board cut-up patterns. However, until now, the results generated by ROMI-RIP have not been rigorously compared to those of an actual rough mill. Validating the...

The influence of cumulus cells during in vitro fertilization of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) denuded oocytes that have undergone vitrification.

PubMed

Attanasio, Laura; De Rosa, Anna; De Blasi, Marina; Neglia, Gianluca; Zicarelli, Luigi; Campanile, Giuseppe; Gasparrini, Bianca

2010-11-01

The aim of this work was to evaluate whether providing a support of cumulus cells during IVF of buffalo denuded oocytes submitted to vitrification-warming enhances their fertilizing ability. In vitro matured denuded oocytes were vitrified by Cryotop in 20% EG + 20% of DMSO and 0.5 M sucrose and warmed into decreasing concentrations of sucrose (1.25 M-0.3M). Oocytes that survived vitrification were fertilized: 1) in the absence of a somatic support (DOs); 2) in the presence of bovine cumulus cells in suspension (DOs+susp); 3) on a bovine cumulus monolayer (DOs+monol); and 4) with intact bovine COCs in a 1:1 ratio (DOs+COCs). In vitro matured oocytes were fertilized and cultured to the blastocyst stage as a control. An increased cleavage rate was obtained from DOs+COCs (60.9%) compared to DOs, DOs+susp (43.6 and 38.4, respectively; P < 0.01) and DOs+monol (47.5%; P < 0.05). Interestingly, cleavage rate of DOs+COCs was similar to that of fresh control oocytes (67.8%). However, development to blastocysts significantly decreased in all vitrification groups compared to the control (P < 0.01). In conclusion the co-culture with intact COCs during IVF completely restores fertilizing capability of buffalo denuded vitrified oocytes, without improving blastocyst development. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DOS cones along atomic chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwapiński, Tomasz

2017-03-01

The electron transport properties of a linear atomic chain are studied theoretically within the tight-binding Hamiltonian and the Green’s function method. Variations of the local density of states (DOS) along the chain are investigated. They are crucial in scanning tunnelling experiments and give important insight into the electron transport mechanism and charge distribution inside chains. It is found that depending on the chain parity the local DOS at the Fermi level can form cone-like structures (DOS cones) along the chain. The general condition for the local DOS oscillations is obtained and the linear behaviour of the local density function is confirmed analytically. DOS cones are characterized by a linear decay towards the chain which is in contrast to the propagation properties of charge density waves, end states and Friedel oscillations in one-dimensional systems. We find that DOS cones can appear due to non-resonant electron transport, the spin-orbit scattering or for chains fabricated on a substrate with localized electrons. It is also shown that for imperfect chains (e.g. with a reduced coupling strength between two neighboring sites) a diamond-like structure of the local DOS along the chain appears.

Non-linear boundary-layer receptivity due to distributed surface roughness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amer, Tahani Reffet

1995-01-01

The process by which a laminar boundary layer internalizes the external disturbances in the form of instability waves is known as boundary-layer receptivity. The objective of the present research was to determine the effect of acoustic excitation on boundary-layer receptivity for a flat plate with distributed variable-amplitude surface roughness through measurements with a hot-wire probe. Tollmien-Schlichting mode shapes due to surface roughness receptivity have also been determined, analyzed, and shown to be in agreement with theory and other experimental work. It has been shown that there is a linear relationship between the surface roughness and receptivity for certain roughness configurations with constant roughness wavelength. In addition, strong non-linear receptivity effects exist for certain surface roughness configurations over a band where the surface roughness and T-S wavelength are matched. The results from the present experiment follow the trends predicted by theory and other experimental work for linear receptivity. In addition, the results show the existence of non-linear receptivity effects for certain combinations of surface roughness elements.

Modeling of surface roughness effects on Stokes flow in circular pipes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Siyuan; Yang, Xiaohu; Xin, Fengxian; Lu, Tian Jian

2018-02-01

Fluid flow and pressure drop across a channel are significantly influenced by surface roughness on a channel wall. The present study investigates the effects of periodically structured surface roughness upon flow field and pressure drop in a circular pipe at low Reynolds numbers. The periodic roughness considered exhibits sinusoidal, triangular, and rectangular morphologies, with the relative roughness (i.e., ratio of the amplitude of surface roughness to hydraulic diameter of the pipe) no more than 0.2. Based upon a revised perturbation theory, a theoretical model is developed to quantify the effect of roughness on fully developed Stokes flow in the pipe. The ratio of static flow resistivity and the ratio of the Darcy friction factor between rough and smooth pipes are expressed in four-order approximate formulations, which are validated against numerical simulation results. The relative roughness and the wave number are identified as the two key parameters affecting the static flow resistivity and the Darcy friction factor.

Experimental study of contact edge roughness on sub-100 nm various circular shapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Tae Y.; Ihm, Dongchul; Kang, Hyo C.; Lee, Jum B.; Lee, Byoung H.; Chin, Soo B.; Cho, Do H.; Song, Chang L.

2005-05-01

The measurement of edge roughness has become a hot issue in the semiconductor industry. Especially the contact roughness is being more critical as design rule shrinks. Major vendors offer a variety of features to measure the edge roughness in their CD-SEMs. For the line and space patterns, features such as Line Edge Roughness (LER) and Line Width Roughness (LWR) are available in current CD-SEMs. However the features currently available in commercial CD-SEM cannot provide a proper solution in monitoring the contact roughness. We had introduced a new parameter R, measurement algorithm and definition of contact edge roughness to quantify CER and CSR in previous paper. The parameter, R could provide an alternative solution to monitor contact or island pattern roughness. In this paper, we investigated to assess optimum number of CD measurement (1-D) and fitting method for CER or CSR. The study was based on a circular contact shape. Some new ideas to quantify CER or CSR were also suggested with preliminary experimental results.

Influence of Ca2+ on the mechanosensitivity of the hair cells in the lateral line organs of Necturus maculosus.

PubMed

Jørgensen, F

1983-08-01

The degree of synchronization (DOS) between the afferent spike activity from one stitch of the lateral line of Necturus maculosus (in vivo) and the mechanical stimulation of one neuromast of the same stitch was measured under different circumstances. The DOS was found to be independent of changes in the concentration of monovalent cations (Na+, K+ and choline+) in the bulk solution at high Ca concentration (1 mM). DOS was also independent of the Ca concentration in the range 1 mM-1 microM in Tris-HCl buffer, but was markedly reduced at Ca = 10 microM in MOPS-KOH buffer. The reduced DOS, however, could be restored by addition of 10-20 mM KCl. 5 mM of 4-aminopyridine did not influence the DOS at high Ca concentration, but completely reduced DOS at Ca = 10 microM. D600 (a methoxy derivative of verapamil) decreased DOS both at high and low Ca concentration.

Use of the recognition heuristic depends on the domain's recognition validity, not on the recognition validity of selected sets of objects.

PubMed

Pohl, Rüdiger F; Michalkiewicz, Martha; Erdfelder, Edgar; Hilbig, Benjamin E

2017-07-01

According to the recognition-heuristic theory, decision makers solve paired comparisons in which one object is recognized and the other not by recognition alone, inferring that recognized objects have higher criterion values than unrecognized ones. However, success-and thus usefulness-of this heuristic depends on the validity of recognition as a cue, and adaptive decision making, in turn, requires that decision makers are sensitive to it. To this end, decision makers could base their evaluation of the recognition validity either on the selected set of objects (the set's recognition validity), or on the underlying domain from which the objects were drawn (the domain's recognition validity). In two experiments, we manipulated the recognition validity both in the selected set of objects and between domains from which the sets were drawn. The results clearly show that use of the recognition heuristic depends on the domain's recognition validity, not on the set's recognition validity. In other words, participants treat all sets as roughly representative of the underlying domain and adjust their decision strategy adaptively (only) with respect to the more general environment rather than the specific items they are faced with.

Roughness as classicality indicator of a quantum state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemos, Humberto C. F.; Almeida, Alexandre C. L.; Amaral, Barbara; Oliveira, Adélcio C.

2018-03-01

We define a new quantifier of classicality for a quantum state, the Roughness, which is given by the L2 (R2) distance between Wigner and Husimi functions. We show that the Roughness is bounded and therefore it is a useful tool for comparison between different quantum states for single bosonic systems. The state classification via the Roughness is not binary, but rather it is continuous in the interval [ 0 , 1 ], being the state more classic as the Roughness approaches to zero, and more quantum when it is closer to the unity. The Roughness is maximum for Fock states when its number of photons is arbitrarily large, and also for squeezed states at the maximum compression limit. On the other hand, the Roughness approaches its minimum value for thermal states at infinite temperature and, more generally, for infinite entropy states. The Roughness of a coherent state is slightly below one half, so we may say that it is more a classical state than a quantum one. Another important result is that the Roughness performs well for discriminating both pure and mixed states. Since the Roughness measures the inherent quantumness of a state, we propose another function, the Dynamic Distance Measure (DDM), which is suitable for measure how much quantum is a dynamics. Using DDM, we studied the quartic oscillator, and we observed that there is a certain complementarity between dynamics and state, i.e. when dynamics becomes more quantum, the Roughness of the state decreases, while the Roughness grows as the dynamics becomes less quantum.

Dissolved organic sulfur in the ocean: Biogeochemistry of a petagram inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ksionzek, Kerstin B.; Lechtenfeld, Oliver J.; McCallister, S. Leigh; Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe; Geuer, Jana K.; Geibert, Walter; Koch, Boris P.

2016-10-01

Although sulfur is an essential element for marine primary production and critical for climate processes, little is known about the oceanic pool of nonvolatile dissolved organic sulfur (DOS). We present a basin-scale distribution of solid-phase extractable DOS in the East Atlantic Ocean and the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. Although molar DOS versus dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) ratios of 0.11 ± 0.024 in Atlantic surface water resembled phytoplankton stoichiometry (sulfur/nitrogen ~ 0.08), increasing dissolved organic carbon (DOC) versus DOS ratios and decreasing methionine-S yield demonstrated selective DOS removal and active involvement in marine biogeochemical cycles. Based on stoichiometric estimates, the minimum global inventory of marine DOS is 6.7 petagrams of sulfur, exceeding all other marine organic sulfur reservoirs by an order of magnitude.

Rock discontinuity surface roughness variation with scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bitenc, Maja; Kieffer, D. Scott; Khoshelham, Kourosh

2017-04-01

ABSTRACT: Rock discontinuity surface roughness refers to local departures of the discontinuity surface from planarity and is an important factor influencing the shear resistance. In practice, the Joint Roughness Coefficient (JRC) roughness parameter is commonly relied upon and input to a shear strength criterion such as developed by Barton and Choubey [1977]. The estimation of roughness by JRC is hindered firstly by the subjective nature of visually comparing the joint profile to the ten standard profiles. Secondly, when correlating the standard JRC values and other objective measures of roughness, the roughness idealization is limited to a 2D profile of 10 cm length. With the advance of measuring technologies that provide accurate and high resolution 3D data of surface topography on different scales, new 3D roughness parameters have been developed. A desirable parameter is one that describes rock surface geometry as well as the direction and scale dependency of roughness. In this research a 3D roughness parameter developed by Grasselli [2001] and adapted by Tatone and Grasselli [2009] is adopted. It characterizes surface topography as the cumulative distribution of local apparent inclination of asperities with respect to the shear strength (analysis) direction. Thus, the 3D roughness parameter describes the roughness amplitude and anisotropy (direction dependency), but does not capture the scale properties. In different studies the roughness scale-dependency has been attributed to data resolution or size of the surface joint (see a summary of researches in [Tatone and Grasselli, 2012]). Clearly, the lower resolution results in lower roughness. On the other hand, have the investigations of surface size effect produced conflicting results. While some studies have shown a decrease in roughness with increasing discontinuity size (negative scale effect), others have shown the existence of positive scale effects, or both positive and negative scale effects. We hypothesize that roughness can increase or decrease with the joint size, depending on the large scale roughness (or waviness), which is entering the roughness calculation once the discontinuity size increases. Therefore, our objective is to characterize roughness at various spatial scales, rather than at changing surface size. Firstly, the rock surface is interpolated into a grid on which a Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) is applied. The resulting surface components have different frequencies, or in other words, they have a certain physical scale depending on the decomposition level and input grid resolution. Secondly, the Grasselli Parameter is computed for the original and each decomposed surface. Finally, the relative roughness change is analyzed with respect to increasing roughness wavelength for four different rock samples. The scale variation depends on the sample itself and thus indicates its potential mechanical behavior. References: - Barton, N. and V. Choubey (1977). "The shear strength of rock joints in theory and practice." Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering 10(1): 1-54. - Grasselli, G. (2001). Shear strength of rock joints based on quantified surface description. École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. Lausanne, EPFL. - Tatone, B. S. A. and G. Grasselli (2009). "A method to evaluate the three-dimensional roughness of fracture surfaces in brittle geomaterials." Review of Scientific Instruments 80(12) - Tatone, B. and G. Grasselli (2012). "An Investigation of Discontinuity Roughness Scale Dependency Using High-Resolution Surface Measurements." Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering: 1-25.

Basic math in monkeys and college students.

PubMed

Cantlon, Jessica F; Brannon, Elizabeth M

2007-12-01

Adult humans possess a sophisticated repertoire of mathematical faculties. Many of these capacities are rooted in symbolic language and are therefore unlikely to be shared with nonhuman animals. However, a subset of these skills is shared with other animals, and this set is considered a cognitive vestige of our common evolutionary history. Current evidence indicates that humans and nonhuman animals share a core set of abilities for representing and comparing approximate numerosities nonverbally; however, it remains unclear whether nonhuman animals can perform approximate mental arithmetic. Here we show that monkeys can mentally add the numerical values of two sets of objects and choose a visual array that roughly corresponds to the arithmetic sum of these two sets. Furthermore, monkeys' performance during these calculations adheres to the same pattern as humans tested on the same nonverbal addition task. Our data demonstrate that nonverbal arithmetic is not unique to humans but is instead part of an evolutionarily primitive system for mathematical thinking shared by monkeys.

Lung segmentation from HRCT using united geometric active contours

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Junwei; Li, Chuanfu; Xiong, Jin; Feng, Huanqing

2007-12-01

Accurate lung segmentation from high resolution CT images is a challenging task due to various detail tracheal structures, missing boundary segments and complex lung anatomy. One popular method is based on gray-level threshold, however its results are usually rough. A united geometric active contours model based on level set is proposed for lung segmentation in this paper. Particularly, this method combines local boundary information and region statistical-based model synchronously: 1) Boundary term ensures the integrality of lung tissue.2) Region term makes the level set function evolve with global characteristic and independent on initial settings. A penalizing energy term is introduced into the model, which forces the level set function evolving without re-initialization. The method is found to be much more efficient in lung segmentation than other methods that are only based on boundary or region. Results are shown by 3D lung surface reconstruction, which indicates that the method will play an important role in the design of computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) system.

Rough and Tumble Play 101

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Frances

2009-01-01

Many people fear that play-fighting or rough and tumble play is the same as real fighting. There is also a fear that this rough play will become real fighting if allowed to continue. Most of all, parents and teachers fear that during the course of rough and tumble play a child may be hurt. To provide for and allow children to play rough without…

Dynamic evolution of interface roughness during friction and wear processes.

PubMed

Kubiak, K J; Bigerelle, M; Mathia, T G; Dubois, A; Dubar, L

2014-01-01

Dynamic evolution of surface roughness and influence of initial roughness (S(a) = 0.282-6.73 µm) during friction and wear processes has been analyzed experimentally. The mirror polished and rough surfaces (28 samples in total) have been prepared by surface polishing on Ti-6Al-4V and AISI 1045 samples. Friction and wear have been tested in classical sphere/plane configuration using linear reciprocating tribometer with very small displacement from 130 to 200 µm. After an initial period of rapid degradation, dynamic evolution of surface roughness converges to certain level specific to a given tribosystem. However, roughness at such dynamic interface is still increasing and analysis of initial roughness influence revealed that to certain extent, a rheology effect of interface can be observed and dynamic evolution of roughness will depend on initial condition and history of interface roughness evolution. Multiscale analysis shows that morphology created in wear process is composed from nano, micro, and macro scale roughness. Therefore, mechanical parts working under very severe contact conditions, like rotor/blade contact, screws, clutch, etc. with poor initial surface finishing are susceptible to have much shorter lifetime than a quality finished parts. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Multiscale Roughness Influencing on Transport Behavior of Passive Solute through a Single Self-affine Fracture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dou, Z.

2017-12-01

In this study, the influence of multi-scale roughness on transport behavior of the passive solute through the self-affine fracture was investigated. The single self-affine fracture was constructed by the successive random additions (SRA) and the fracture roughness was decomposed into two different scales (i.e. large-scale primary roughness and small-scale secondary roughness) by the Wavelet analysis technique. The fluid flow in fractures, which was characterized by the Forchheimer's law, showed the non-linear flow behaviors such as eddies and tortuous streamlines. The results indicated that the small-scale secondary roughness was primarily responsible for the non-linear flow behaviors. The direct simulations of asymptotic passive solute transport represented the Non-Fickian transport characteristics (i.e. early arrivals and long tails) in breakthrough curves (BTCs) and residence time distributions (RTDs) with and without consideration of the secondary roughness. Analysis of multiscale BTCs and RTDs showed that the small-scale secondary roughness played a significant role in enhancing the Non-Fickian transport characteristics. We found that removing small-scale secondary roughness led to the lengthening arrival and shortening tail. The peak concentration in BTCs decreased as the secondary roughness was removed, implying that the secondary could also enhance the solute dilution. The estimated BTCs by the Fickian advection-dispersion equation (ADE) yielded errors which decreased with the small-scale secondary roughness being removed. The mobile-immobile model (MIM) was alternatively implemented to characterize the Non-Fickian transport. We found that the MIM was more capable of estimating Non-Fickian BTCs. The small-scale secondary roughness resulted in the decreasing mobile domain fraction and the increasing mass exchange rate between immobile and mobile domains. The estimated parameters from the MIM could provide insight into the inherent mechanism of roughness-induced Non-Fickian transport behaviors.

Medical savings accounts make waves.

PubMed

Gardner, J

1995-02-27

MSAs: the theory. Medical savings account legislation would allow consumers to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for day-to-day healthcare costs. The accounts are to be backed up by a catastropic policy with a deductible roughly equal to the maximum amount allowed in the MSA. The aim is to reduce healthcare cost inflation by making consumers more aware of the costs of healthcare than they are under comprehensive policies and enabling them to shop for the lowest-cost, highest-quality care.

87Sr/86Sr ratios in basalts from islands in the Indian Ocean

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hedge, C.E.; Watkins, N.D.; Hildreth, R.A.; Doering, W.P.

1973-01-01

87Sr/86Sr ratios of basalts from islands in the Indian Ocean (0.7040) are higher than those of basalts dredged from the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge (0.7034). The sources of the island basalts have apparently not been in equilibrium with the source of the ridge basalts for roughly 109 years. Both ridge and island basalts in the Indian Ocean are higher in 87Sr/86Sr than are rocks from similar settings in the eastern Pacific. ?? 1973.

Phase I Cultural Resources Survey and Archeological Inventory of a Proposed 1.12 ha (2.87 ac) Borrow Pit and an Associated Access Road, Ascension Parish, Louisiana

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-10-01

proximus orarius Westemn Ribbon Snake Thamnophis proximus proximus Eastern Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta ... elegans Rough Earth Snake Virginia striatula Western Earth Snake Virginia valeriae elegan 19 R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc. Chapter H...King Rail Ra::* nllus elegans 24 R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc. Chapter I: Natural Setting Table 5, continued COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME

Waveguide device and method for making same

DOEpatents

Forman, Michael A [San Francisco, CA

2007-08-14

A monolithic micromachined waveguide device or devices with low-loss, high-power handling, and near-optical frequency ranges is set forth. The waveguide and integrated devices are capable of transmitting near-optical frequencies due to optical-quality sidewall roughness. The device or devices are fabricated in parallel, may be mass produced using a LIGA manufacturing process, and may include a passive component such as a diplexer and/or an active capping layer capable of particularized signal processing of the waveforms propagated by the waveguide.

Application of Nondestructive Testing Techniques to Materials Testing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

describes enjoy the same luxury. Real-time interpolation of the data set the dynamic-range limitations of real-time digital imaging sys - terns due to...delta encoded, ELEMENT %’. ~ ._________ litlcrcrtnen t) hr t is currtent value. I n DAI SY . thle accumulator is% a sitmple up-co uriter, and the binary...roughly 36 A. Phase Qrittization antd Phase Qiuan:ti, ’o / rr, r kilolbytes of focus mem-ory. 2 Such an architecture requtres For :i sy -,𔃾 @tl V.it)1 M)0

Railway Online Booking System Design and Implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zongjiang, Wang

In this paper, we define rule usefulness and introduce one approach to evaluate the rule usefulness in rough sets. And we raise one method to get most useful rules. This method is easy and effective in applications of prisoners' reform. Comparing with the method to get most interesting rules, ours is direct and objective. Rule interestingness must consider the predefined knowledge on what kind of information is interesting. Our method greatly reduces the rule numbers generated and provides a measure of rule usefulness at the same time.

Set-Membership Identification for Robust Control Design

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-28

system G can be regarded as having no memory in (18) in terms of G and 0, we get of events prior to t = 1, the initial time. Roughly, this means all...algorithm in [1]. Also in our application, the size of the matrices involved is quite large and special attention should be paid to the memory ...management and algorithmic implementation; otherwise huge amounts of memory will be required to perform the optimization even for modest values of M and N

Improving Situational Awareness in the Counter-IED Fight with the Utilization of Unmanned Sensor Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, which were designed to withstand an antitank mine (Eisler, 2007). An EFP can penetrate a thickness of armored...These robots weigh less than 100 pounds, are man-portable, and move on small treads with seven speed settings. The TALON is controlled with a...is powered by a two-stroke piston engine and has a steerable nose and main gear, with tires suitable for rough terrain. The Tern utilizes a GPS

China’s Evolving Nuclear Posture. Part 2 - The Evolution of China’s Nuclear Strategy

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

17th Century, writing his Go Rin No Sho, the Book of Five Rings, during the early decades of the Tokugawa Shogunate; while Sun Tzu wrote his Sunzi...strategic discourse between adversaries remained largely alien to the Western mind-set, at least until translations of Sun Tzu’s book became widely...Western literature. The same pattern has been in place for the last 30 years, with Sun Tzu showing up in Chinese books roughly 10 or more times as

Surface Roughness of the Moon Derived from Multi-frequency Radar Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fa, W.

2011-12-01

Surface roughness of the Moon provides important information concerning both significant questions about lunar surface processes and engineering constrains for human outposts and rover trafficabillity. Impact-related phenomena change the morphology and roughness of lunar surface, and therefore surface roughness provides clues to the formation and modification mechanisms of impact craters. Since the Apollo era, lunar surface roughness has been studied using different approaches, such as direct estimation from lunar surface digital topographic relief, and indirect analysis of Earth-based radar echo strengths. Submillimeter scale roughness at Apollo landing sites has been studied by computer stereophotogrammetry analysis of Apollo Lunar Surface Closeup Camera (ALSCC) pictures, whereas roughness at meter to kilometer scale has been studied using laser altimeter data from recent missions. Though these studies shown lunar surface roughness is scale dependent that can be described by fractal statistics, roughness at centimeter scale has not been studied yet. In this study, lunar surface roughnesses at centimeter scale are investigated using Earth-based 70 cm Arecibo radar data and miniature synthetic aperture radar (Mini-SAR) data at S- and X-band (with wavelengths 12.6 cm and 4.12 cm). Both observations and theoretical modeling show that radar echo strengths are mostly dominated by scattering from the surface and shallow buried rocks. Given the different penetration depths of radar waves at these frequencies (< 30 m for 70 cm wavelength, < 3 m at S-band, and < 1 m at X-band), radar echo strengths at S- and X-band will yield surface roughness directly, whereas radar echo at 70-cm will give an upper limit of lunar surface roughness. The integral equation method is used to model radar scattering from the rough lunar surface, and dielectric constant of regolith and surface roughness are two dominate factors. The complex dielectric constant of regolith is first estimated globally using the regolith composition and the relation among the dielectric constant, bulk density, and regolith composition. The statistical properties of lunar surface roughness are described by the root mean square (RMS) height and correlation length, which represent the vertical and horizontal scale of the roughness. The correlation length and its scale dependence are studied using the topography data from laser altimeter observations from recent lunar missions. As these two parameters are known, surface roughness (RMS slope) can be estimated by minimizing the difference between the observed and modeled radar echo strength. Surface roughness of several regions over Oceanus Procellarum and southeastern highlands on lunar nearside are studied, and preliminary results show that maira is smoother than highlands at 70 cm scale, whereas the situation turns opposite at 12 and 4 cm scale. Surface roughness of young craters is in general higher than that of maria and highlands, indicating large rock population produced during impacting process.

Comparative study of knowledge about oral cancer among undergraduate dental students.

PubMed

Silva, Samara Ribeiro da; Juliano, Yara; Novo, Neil Ferreira; Weinfeld, Ilan

2016-01-01

To evaluate and compare the knowledge of dental undergraduate students about oral cancer. The students were divided into two groups according to semester attended in the undergraduate course: Group A, the first semester; and Group B, seventh semester. They were asked to answer a questionnaire about epidemiology, risk factors, clinical aspects, therapeutic solutions and oral self-examination. For statistical analysis, the Fisher's exact test, the Cochran's G test and Kendall's concordance test were used, with significance level set at 0.05. Regarding the prevalent sex, only 8.0% of Group A and 56.0% of Group B judged males as the frequent affected by the disease (p=0.0006). In terms of age, 84.0% of the Group B and 44.0% of the Group A estimated that most cases were diagnosed over 40 years (p=0.0072). Smoking was identified as the major risk factor for 64.0% and 91.6% of Groups A and B, respectively (p=0.0110). On issues related to sex, ethnicity, age, risk factors, self-examination, treatment, professional responsible for treatment and profile of an individual with the disease, the seventh-semester showed significantly higher correct answer percentages than first-semester undergraduates. There was significant correlation between the right and wrong answers given by first and seventh semester students, making necessary a specific approach directed to their lack of knowledge. Avaliar e comparar o conhecimento de acadêmicos de odontologia sobre câncer bucal. Os acadêmicos foram divididos em dois grupos, de acordo com o semestre cursado na graduação: Grupo A, primeiro semestre; e Grupo B: sétimo semestre. Eles foram convidados a responderem um questionário referente a epidemiologia, fatores de risco, aspectos clínicos, soluções terapêuticas e autoexame bucal. Para a análise estatística dos resultados, foram utilizados o teste exato de Fisher, o teste G de Cochran e o teste de concordância de Kendall, com nível de significância estabelecido em 0,05. Somente 8,0% do Grupo A e 56,0% do Grupo B julgaram o sexo masculino como aquele frequentemente acometido pela lesão (p=0,0006). Em relação à faixa etária, 84,0% do Grupo B e 44,0% do Grupo A estimaram que a maioria dos casos era diagnosticada acima dos 40 anos (p=0,0072). O tabagismo foi apontado como principal fator de risco por 64,0% e 91,6% dos alunos dos Grupos A e B, respectivamente (p=0,0110). Nas questões referentes a sexo, etnia, faixa etária, fatores de risco, autoexame, tratamento, profissional responsável pelo tratamento e perfil de um indivíduo portador da lesão, os alunos do sétimo semestre apresentaram percentagens de respostas corretas significantemente maiores que as dos discentes do primeiro semestre. Houve significativa concordância entre os erros e acertos dos discentes do primeiro e sétimo semestres, sendo necessária uma abordagem específica direcionada à deficiência por eles apresentadas.

EM Bias-Correction for Ice Thickness and Surface Roughness Retrievals over Rough Deformed Sea Ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, L.; Gaiser, P. W.; Allard, R.; Posey, P. G.; Hebert, D. A.; Richter-Menge, J.; Polashenski, C. M.

2016-12-01

The very rough ridge sea ice accounts for significant percentage of total ice areas and even larger percentage of total volume. The commonly used Radar altimeter surface detection techniques are empirical in nature and work well only over level/smooth sea ice. Rough sea ice surfaces can modify the return waveforms, resulting in significant Electromagnetic (EM) bias in the estimated surface elevations, and thus large errors in the ice thickness retrievals. To understand and quantify such sea ice surface roughness effects, a combined EM rough surface and volume scattering model was developed to simulate radar returns from the rough sea ice `layer cake' structure. A waveform matching technique was also developed to fit observed waveforms to a physically-based waveform model and subsequently correct the roughness induced EM bias in the estimated freeboard. This new EM Bias Corrected (EMBC) algorithm was able to better retrieve surface elevations and estimate the surface roughness parameter simultaneously. In situ data from multi-instrument airborne and ground campaigns were used to validate the ice thickness and surface roughness retrievals. For the surface roughness retrievals, we applied this EMBC algorithm to co-incident LiDAR/Radar measurements collected during a Cryosat-2 under-flight by the NASA IceBridge missions. Results show that not only does the waveform model fit very well to the measured radar waveform, but also the roughness parameters derived independently from the LiDAR and radar data agree very well for both level and deformed sea ice. For sea ice thickness retrievals, validation based on in-situ data from the coordinated CRREL/NRL field campaign demonstrates that the physically-based EMBC algorithm performs fundamentally better than the empirical algorithm over very rough deformed sea ice, suggesting that sea ice surface roughness effects can be modeled and corrected based solely on the radar return waveforms.

Addressing scale dependence in roughness and morphometric statistics derived from point cloud data.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buscombe, D.; Wheaton, J. M.; Hensleigh, J.; Grams, P. E.; Welcker, C. W.; Anderson, K.; Kaplinski, M. A.

2015-12-01

The heights of natural surfaces can be measured with such spatial density that almost the entire spectrum of physical roughness scales can be characterized, down to the morphological form and grain scales. With an ability to measure 'microtopography' comes a demand for analytical/computational tools for spatially explicit statistical characterization of surface roughness. Detrended standard deviation of surface heights is a popular means to create continuous maps of roughness from point cloud data, using moving windows and reporting window-centered statistics of variations from a trend surface. If 'roughness' is the statistical variation in the distribution of relief of a surface, then 'texture' is the frequency of change and spatial arrangement of roughness. The variance in surface height as a function of frequency obeys a power law. In consequence, roughness is dependent on the window size through which it is examined, which has a number of potential disadvantages: 1) the choice of window size becomes crucial, and obstructs comparisons between data; 2) if windows are large relative to multiple roughness scales, it is harder to discriminate between those scales; 3) if roughness is not scaled by the texture length scale, information on the spacing and clustering of roughness `elements' can be lost; and 4) such practice is not amenable to models describing the scattering of light and sound from rough natural surfaces. We discuss the relationship between roughness and texture. Some useful parameters which scale vertical roughness to characteristic horizontal length scales are suggested, with examples of bathymetric point clouds obtained using multibeam from two contrasting riverbeds, namely those of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, and the Snake River in Hells Canyon. Such work, aside from automated texture characterization and texture segmentation, roughness and grain size calculation, might also be useful for feature detection and classification from point clouds.

Rough Electrode Creates Excess Capacitance in Thin-Film Capacitors

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The parallel-plate capacitor equation is widely used in contemporary material research for nanoscale applications and nanoelectronics. To apply this equation, flat and smooth electrodes are assumed for a capacitor. This essential assumption is often violated for thin-film capacitors because the formation of nanoscale roughness at the electrode interface is very probable for thin films grown via common deposition methods. In this work, we experimentally and theoretically show that the electrical capacitance of thin-film capacitors with realistic interface roughness is significantly larger than the value predicted by the parallel-plate capacitor equation. The degree of the deviation depends on the strength of the roughness, which is described by three roughness parameters for a self-affine fractal surface. By applying an extended parallel-plate capacitor equation that includes the roughness parameters of the electrode, we are able to calculate the excess capacitance of the electrode with weak roughness. Moreover, we introduce the roughness parameter limits for which the simple parallel-plate capacitor equation is sufficiently accurate for capacitors with one rough electrode. Our results imply that the interface roughness beyond the proposed limits cannot be dismissed unless the independence of the capacitance from the interface roughness is experimentally demonstrated. The practical protocols suggested in our work for the reliable use of the parallel-plate capacitor equation can be applied as general guidelines in various fields of interest. PMID:28745040

Effect of leading-edge roughness on stability and transition of wind turbine blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kutz, Douglas; Freels, Justin; Hidore, John; White, Edward

2011-11-01

Over time, wind turbine blades erode due to impacts with sand and other debris. The resulting surface roughness degrades the blades' aerodynamic performance. Experimental studies conducted at the Texas A&M University Low-Speed Wind Tunnel examine roughness effects using a 2D NACA 63-418 airfoil with interchangeable leading edges of varying roughness at chord Reynolds numbers up to 3 . 0 ×106 . These data reveal decreased CL , max and increased CD , min as roughness increases. At very high roughness levels, even the lift curve slope is reduced. To better understand these findings and improve modeling of roughness effects, extensive boundary layer measurements including surface-mounted hotfilms and boundary-layer velocity profiles are used to assess how laminar-to-turbulent transition is promoted by roughness. As expected, roughness accelerates transition. Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) transition is observed only for a smooth leading edge while bypass transition is observed for the moderate and high roughness levels. Results are compared to N-factor transition predictions generated with software used by the wind industry. Predictions are successful for the smooth leading edge but even the low roughness level prevents correct transition prediction using TS-based methods. Support for this work by Vestas Technology Americas, Inc., is gratefully acknowledged as is the support of the wind-energy research group and the Low-Speed Wind Tunnel staff.

Modelling turbulent boundary layer flow over fractal-like multiscale terrain using large-eddy simulations and analytical tools.

PubMed

Yang, X I A; Meneveau, C

2017-04-13

In recent years, there has been growing interest in large-eddy simulation (LES) modelling of atmospheric boundary layers interacting with arrays of wind turbines on complex terrain. However, such terrain typically contains geometric features and roughness elements reaching down to small scales that typically cannot be resolved numerically. Thus subgrid-scale models for the unresolved features of the bottom roughness are needed for LES. Such knowledge is also required to model the effects of the ground surface 'underneath' a wind farm. Here we adapt a dynamic approach to determine subgrid-scale roughness parametrizations and apply it for the case of rough surfaces composed of cuboidal elements with broad size distributions, containing many scales. We first investigate the flow response to ground roughness of a few scales. LES with the dynamic roughness model which accounts for the drag of unresolved roughness is shown to provide resolution-independent results for the mean velocity distribution. Moreover, we develop an analytical roughness model that accounts for the sheltering effects of large-scale on small-scale roughness elements. Taking into account the shading effect, constraints from fundamental conservation laws, and assumptions of geometric self-similarity, the analytical roughness model is shown to provide analytical predictions that agree well with roughness parameters determined from LES.This article is part of the themed issue 'Wind energy in complex terrains'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Rough Electrode Creates Excess Capacitance in Thin-Film Capacitors.

PubMed

Torabi, Solmaz; Cherry, Megan; Duijnstee, Elisabeth A; Le Corre, Vincent M; Qiu, Li; Hummelen, Jan C; Palasantzas, George; Koster, L Jan Anton

2017-08-16

The parallel-plate capacitor equation is widely used in contemporary material research for nanoscale applications and nanoelectronics. To apply this equation, flat and smooth electrodes are assumed for a capacitor. This essential assumption is often violated for thin-film capacitors because the formation of nanoscale roughness at the electrode interface is very probable for thin films grown via common deposition methods. In this work, we experimentally and theoretically show that the electrical capacitance of thin-film capacitors with realistic interface roughness is significantly larger than the value predicted by the parallel-plate capacitor equation. The degree of the deviation depends on the strength of the roughness, which is described by three roughness parameters for a self-affine fractal surface. By applying an extended parallel-plate capacitor equation that includes the roughness parameters of the electrode, we are able to calculate the excess capacitance of the electrode with weak roughness. Moreover, we introduce the roughness parameter limits for which the simple parallel-plate capacitor equation is sufficiently accurate for capacitors with one rough electrode. Our results imply that the interface roughness beyond the proposed limits cannot be dismissed unless the independence of the capacitance from the interface roughness is experimentally demonstrated. The practical protocols suggested in our work for the reliable use of the parallel-plate capacitor equation can be applied as general guidelines in various fields of interest.

Computer simulation techniques for artificial modification of the ionosphere. Final report 31 jan 79-30 apr 81

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

Vance, B.; Mendillo, M.

1981-04-30

A three-dimensional model of the ionosphere was developed including chemical reactions and neutral and plasma transport. The model uses Finite Element Simulation to simulate ionospheric modification rather than solving a set of differential equations. The initial conditions of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory experiments, Lagopedo Uno and Dos, were input to the model, and these events were simulated. Simulation results were compared to ground and rocketborne electron-content measurements. A simulation of the transport of released SF6 was also made.

Spreadsheet macros for coloring sequence alignments.

PubMed

Haygood, M G

1993-12-01

This article describes a set of Microsoft Excel macros designed to color amino acid and nucleotide sequence alignments for review and preparation of visual aids. The colored alignments can then be modified to emphasize features of interest. Procedures for importing and coloring sequences are described. The macro file adds a new menu to the menu bar containing sequence-related commands to enable users unfamiliar with Excel to use the macros more readily. The macros were designed for use with Macintosh computers but will also run with the DOS version of Excel.

Roughness Induced Transition in a Supersonic Boundary Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balakumar, Ponnampalam; Kergerise, Michael A.

2013-01-01

Direct numerical simulation is used to investigate the transition induced by threedimensional isolated roughness elements in a supersonic boundary layer at a free stream Mach number of 3.5. Simulations are performed for two different configurations: one is a square planform roughness and the other is a diamond planform roughness. The mean-flow calculations show that the roughness induces counter rotating streamwise vortices downstream of the roughness. These vortices persist for a long distance downstream and lift the low momentum fluid from the near wall region and place it near the outer part of the boundary layer. This forms highly inflectional boundary layer profiles. These observations agree with recent experimental observations. The receptivity calculations showed that the amplitudes of the mass-flux fluctuations near the neutral point for the diamond shape roughness are the same as the amplitude of the acoustic disturbances. They are three times smaller for the square shape roughness.

Analysis of the coherent and turbulent stresses of a numerically simulated rough wall pipe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, L.; MacDonald, M.; Chung, D.; Hutchins, N.; Ooi, A.

2017-04-01

A turbulent rough wall flow in a pipe is simulated using direct numerical simulation (DNS) where the roughness elements consist of explicitly gridded three-dimensional sinusoids. Two groups of simulations were conducted where the roughness semi-amplitude h+ and the roughness wavelength λ+ are systematically varied. The triple decomposition is applied to the velocity to separate the coherent and turbulent components. The coherent or dispersive component arises due to the roughness and depends on the topological features of the surface. The turbulent stress on the other hand, scales with the friction Reynolds number. For the case with the largest roughness wavelength, large secondary flows are observed which are similar to that of duct flows. The occurrence of these large secondary flows is due to the spanwise heterogeneity of the roughness which has a spacing approximately equal to the boundary layer thickness δ.

TS-SRP/PACK - COMPUTER PROGRAMS TO CHARACTERIZE ALLOYS AND PREDICT CYCLIC LIFE USING THE TOTAL STRAIN VERSION OF STRAINRANGE PARTITIONING

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saltsman, J. F.

1994-01-01

TS-SRP/PACK is a set of computer programs for characterizing and predicting fatigue and creep-fatigue resistance of metallic materials in the high-temperature, long-life regime for isothermal and nonisothermal fatigue. The programs use the total strain version of the Strainrange Partitioning (TS-SRP). The user should be thoroughly familiar with the TS-SRP method before attempting to use any of these programs. The document for this program includes a theory manual as well as a detailed user's manual with a tutorial to guide the user in the proper use of TS-SRP. An extensive database has also been developed in a parallel effort. This database is an excellent source of high-temperature, creep-fatigue test data and can be used with other life-prediction methods as well. Five programs are included in TS-SRP/PACK along with the alloy database. The TABLE program is used to print the datasets, which are in NAMELIST format, in a reader friendly format. INDATA is used to create new datasets or add to existing ones. The FAIL program is used to characterize the failure behavior of an alloy as given by the constants in the strainrange-life relations used by the total strain version of SRP (TS-SRP) and the inelastic strainrange-based version of SRP. The program FLOW is used to characterize the flow behavior (the constitutive response) of an alloy as given by the constants in the flow equations used by TS-SRP. Finally, LIFE is used to predict the life of a specified cycle, using the constants characterizing failure and flow behavior determined by FAIL and FLOW. LIFE is written in interpretive BASIC to avoid compiling and linking every time the equation constants are changed. Four out of five programs in this package are written in FORTRAN 77 for IBM PC series and compatible computers running MS-DOS and are designed to read data using the NAMELIST format statement. The fifth is written in BASIC version 3.0 for IBM PC series and compatible computers running MS-DOS version 3.10. The executables require at least 239K of memory and DOS 3.1 or higher. To compile the source, a Lahey FORTRAN compiler is required. Source code modifications will be necessary if the compiler to be used does not support NAMELIST input. Probably the easiest revision to make is to use a list-directed READ statement. The standard distribution medium for this program is a set of two 5.25 inch 360K MS-DOS format diskettes. The contents of the diskettes are compressed using the PKWARE archiving tools. The utility to unarchive the files, PKUNZIP.EXE, is included. TS-SRP/PACK was developed in 1992.

Cyber-Attack Methods, Why They Work on Us, and What to Do

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byrne, DJ

2015-01-01

Basic cyber-attack methods are well documented, and even automated with user-friendly GUIs (Graphical User Interfaces). Entire suites of attack tools are legal, conveniently packaged, and freely downloadable to anyone; more polished versions are sold with vendor support. Our team ran some of these against a selected set of projects within our organization to understand what the attacks do so that we can design and validate defenses against them. Some existing defenses were effective against the attacks, some less so. On average, every machine had twelve easily identifiable vulnerabilities, two of them "critical". Roughly 5% of passwords in use were easily crack-able. We identified a clear set of recommendations for each project, and some common patterns that emerged among them all.

DOS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Traven, Bill

1988-01-01

Discusses using the DOS PATH command (for MS-DOS) to enable the microcomputer user to move from directory to directory on a hard drive. Lists the commands to be programed, gives examples, and explains the use of each. (MVL)

Roughness characteristics of natural channels

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnes, Harry Hawthorne

1967-01-01

Color photographs and descriptive data are presented for 50 stream channels for which roughness coefficients have been determined. All hydraulic computations involving flow in open channels require an evaluation of the roughness characteristics of the channel. In the absence of a satisfactory quantitative procedure this evaluation remains chiefly an art. The ability to evaluate roughness coefficients must be developed through experience. One means of gaining this experience is by examining and becoming acquainted with the appearance of some typical channels whose roughness coefficients are known. The photographs and data contained in this report represent a wide range of channel conditions. Familiarity with the appearance, geometry, and roughness characteristics of these channels will improve the engineer's ability to select roughness coefficients for other channels .

[Influence of sample surface roughness on mathematical model of NIR quantitative analysis of wood density].

PubMed

Huang, An-Min; Fei, Ben-Hua; Jiang, Ze-Hui; Hse, Chung-Yun

2007-09-01

Near infrared spectroscopy is widely used as a quantitative method, and the main multivariate techniques consist of regression methods used to build prediction models, however, the accuracy of analysis results will be affected by many factors. In the present paper, the influence of different sample roughness on the mathematical model of NIR quantitative analysis of wood density was studied. The result of experiments showed that if the roughness of predicted samples was consistent with that of calibrated samples, the result was good, otherwise the error would be much higher. The roughness-mixed model was more flexible and adaptable to different sample roughness. The prediction ability of the roughness-mixed model was much better than that of the single-roughness model.

Numerical investigation of hypersonic flat-plate boundary layer transition mechanism induced by different roughness shapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yunlong; Zhao, Yunfei; Xu, Dan; Chai, Zhenxia; Liu, Wei

2016-10-01

The roughness-induced laminar-turbulent boundary layer transition is significant for high-speed aerospace applications. The transition mechanism is closely related to the roughness shape. In this paper, high-order numerical method is used to investigate the effect of roughness shape on the flat-plate laminar-to-turbulent boundary layer transition. Computations are performed in both the supersonic and hypersonic regimes (free-stream Mach number from 3.37 up to 6.63) for the square, cylinder, diamond and hemisphere roughness elements. It is observed that the square and diamond roughness elements are more effective in inducing transition compared with the cylinder and hemisphere ones. The square roughness element has the longest separated region in which strong unsteadiness exists and the absolute instability is formed, thus resulting in the earliest transition. The diamond roughness element has a maximum width of the separated region leading to the widest turbulent wake region far downstream. Furthermore, transition location moves backward as the Mach number increases, which indicates that the compressibility significantly suppresses the roughness-induced boundary layer transition.