Forest Management Intensity Affects Aquatic Communities in Artificial Tree Holes

PubMed Central

Petermann, Jana S.; Rohland, Anja; Sichardt, Nora; Lade, Peggy; Guidetti, Brenda; Weisser, Wolfgang W.; Gossner, Martin M.

2016-01-01

Forest management could potentially affect organisms in all forest habitats. However, aquatic communities in water-filled tree-holes may be especially sensitive because of small population sizes, the risk of drought and potential dispersal limitation. We set up artificial tree holes in forest stands subject to different management intensities in two regions in Germany and assessed the influence of local environmental properties (tree-hole opening type, tree diameter, water volume and water temperature) as well as regional drivers (forest management intensity, tree-hole density) on tree-hole insect communities (not considering other organisms such as nematodes or rotifers), detritus content, oxygen and nutrient concentrations. In addition, we compared data from artificial tree holes with data from natural tree holes in the same area to evaluate the methodological approach of using tree-hole analogues. We found that forest management had strong effects on communities in artificial tree holes in both regions and across the season. Abundance and species richness declined, community composition shifted and detritus content declined with increasing forest management intensity. Environmental variables, such as tree-hole density and tree diameter partly explained these changes. However, dispersal limitation, indicated by effects of tree-hole density, generally showed rather weak impacts on communities. Artificial tree holes had higher water temperatures (on average 2°C higher) and oxygen concentrations (on average 25% higher) than natural tree holes. The abundance of organisms was higher but species richness was lower in artificial tree holes. Community composition differed between artificial and natural tree holes. Negative management effects were detectable in both tree-hole systems, despite their abiotic and biotic differences. Our results indicate that forest management has substantial and pervasive effects on tree-hole communities and may alter their structure and

Nurses' knowledge and barriers regarding pain management in intensive care units.

PubMed

Wang, Hsiang-Ling; Tsai, Yun-Fang

2010-11-01

To explore nurses' knowledge and barriers regarding pain management in intensive care units. Pain is a common and treatable condition among intensive care patients. Quality care of these patients depends on the pain knowledge and pain management skills of critical care nurses. However, no single study has explored these nurses' knowledge of and perceived barriers to pain management in Taiwan. A cross-sectional study. Intensive care unit nurses (n = 370) were recruited from 16 hospitals chosen by stratified sampling across Taipei County in Taiwan. Data were collected on nurses' knowledge of pain management using the Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes Survey-Taiwanese version, on perceived barriers to pain management using a researcher-developed scale and on background information. The overall average correct response rate for the knowledge scale was 53.4%, indicating poor knowledge of pain management. The top barrier to managing pain identified by these nurses was 'giving proper pain prescription needs doctor's approval; can't depend on me'. Knowledge of pain management was significantly and negatively related to perceived barriers to pain management. In addition, scores for knowledge and perceived barriers differed significantly by specific intensive care unit. Knowledge also differed significantly by nurses' education level, clinical competence level (nursing ladder) and hospital accreditation category. Our results indicate an urgent need to strengthen pain education by including case analysis for intensive care nurses in Taiwan. Pain education should target knowledge deficits and barriers to changing pain management approaches for Taiwanese nurses in intensive care units. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[Management of dysphagia in internal intensive-care medicine].

PubMed

Michels, G; Motzko, M; Weinert, M; Bruckner, M; Pfister, R; Guntinas-Lichius, O

2015-04-01

Physicians specializing in dysphagia are needed in modern intensive care medicine. Long-term intubation is associated with aspiration and swallowing disorders. Early and standardised dysphagia management should be initiated during a patient's stay on intensive care unit. A clinically experienced, interdisciplinary team is required to provide optimal care for critically ill patients with dysphagia. Intensive care physicians should therefore know about basics in dysphagiology.

Human Milk Management Redesign: Improving Quality and Safety and Reducing Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse Stress.

PubMed

Settle, Margaret Doyle; Coakley, Amanda Bulette; Annese, Christine Donahue

2017-02-01

Human milk provides superior nutritional value for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit and is the enteral feeding of choice. Our hospital used the system engineering initiative for patient safety model to evaluate the human milk management system in our neonatal intensive care unit. Nurses described the previous process in a negative way, fraught with opportunities for error, increased stress for nurses, and the need to be away from the bedside and their patients. The redesigned process improved the quality and safety of human milk management and created time for the nurses to spend with their patients.

Establishing a Regional Nitrogen Management Approach to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity from Intensive Smallholder Maize Production

PubMed Central

Wu, Liang; Chen, Xinping; Cui, Zhenling; Zhang, Weifeng; Zhang, Fusuo

2014-01-01

The overuse of Nitrogen (N) fertilizers on smallholder farms in rapidly developing countries has increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and accelerated global N consumption over the past 20 years. In this study, a regional N management approach was developed based on the cost of the agricultural response to N application rates from 1,726 on-farm experiments to optimize N management across 12 agroecological subregions in the intensive Chinese smallholder maize belt. The grain yield and GHG emission intensity of this regional N management approach was investigated and compared to field-specific N management and farmers' practices. The regional N rate ranged from 150 to 219 kg N ha−1 for the 12 agroecological subregions. Grain yields and GHG emission intensities were consistent with this regional N management approach compared to field-specific N management, which indicated that this regional N rate was close to the economically optimal N application. This regional N management approach, if widely adopted in China, could reduce N fertilizer use by more than 1.4 MT per year, increase maize production by 31.9 MT annually, and reduce annual GHG emissions by 18.6 MT. This regional N management approach can minimize net N losses and reduce GHG emission intensity from over- and underapplications, and therefore can also be used as a reference point for regional agricultural extension employees where soil and/or plant N monitoring is lacking. PMID:24875747

Objective assessment of sperm motion characteristics of Malpura ram lambs raised under intensive management system in semiarid tropical environment.

PubMed

Kumar, Davendra; Joshi, Anil; Naqvi, S M K

2010-04-01

A study was conducted to evaluate the semen production and sperm motion characteristics of ram lambs by computer-aided semen analysis technique. Eight Malpura rams were raised under intensive management system and were trained for semen collection at a weekly interval from the age of 6 months. Rams were scheduled for semen collection at a weekly interval up to 1 year of age to assess their potential for semen production and objective evaluation of semen quality. The average age of ram lambs at the time of first ejaculation was 219 days ranging from 186 to 245 days. The age of ram lambs significantly (p < 0.05) influenced sperm concentration, sperm velocities, and beat frequency of spermatozoa, which were higher in 9-12-month-old compared to 6-9-month-old ram lambs. However, the effect of age was not significant on semen volume, percent motility, percent rapid, medium or slow motile spermatozoa, percent linearity, percent straightness, amplitude of lateral head displacement, percent elongation, and area of sperm head. The body weight of ram lambs was significantly (p < 0.01) and positively correlated (r = 0.46) with age. The results indicate that Malpura ram lambs of 9-12 months of age raised under the intensive management system in a semiarid tropical environment can produce good quality of semen.

Effects of inter-row management intensity on wild bee, plant and soil biota diversity in vineyards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kratschmer, Sophie; Pachinger, Bärbel; Winter, Silvia; Zaller, Johann G.; Buchholz, Jacob; Querner, Pascal; Strauß, Peter; Bauer, Thomas; Stiper, Katrin

2016-04-01

Vineyards may provide a range of essential ecosystem services, which interact with a diverse community of above- and belowground organisms. Intensive soil management like frequent tilling has resulted in the degradation of habitat quality with consequences on biodiversity and ecosystem services. This study is part of the European BiodivERsA project "VineDivers - Biodiversity-based ecosystem services in vineyards". We study the effects of different soil management intensities on above- and below-ground biodiversity (plants, insect pollinators, and soil biota), their interactions and the consequences for ecosystem services. We investigated 16 vineyards in Austria assessing the diversity of (1) wild bees using a semi-quantitative transect method, (2) earthworms by hand sorting, (3) Collembola (springtails) via pitfall trapping and soil coring, (4) plants by relevés and (5) litter decomposition (tea bag method). Management intensity differed in tillage frequency from intermediate intensity resulting in temporary vegetation cover to no tillage in permanent vegetation cover systems. First results show opposed relationships between the biodiversity of selected species groups and management intensity. We will discuss possible explanations and evaluate ecological interactions between wild bee, plant and soil biota diversity.

Neonatal intensive care practices: perceptions of parents, professionals, and managers.

PubMed

Lantz, Björn; Ottosson, Cornelia

2014-06-01

This article explores the differences and similarities in opinions of neonatal intensive care issues between parents, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) healthcare professionals (nurses and physicians), and managers (neonatal unit managers and pediatric division managers). An exploratory survey (n = 624) was conducted in Sweden during 2012-2013 on the basis of a validated questionnaire composed of 92 neonatal care-related Likert items. A total of 141 parents, 443 professionals, and 40 managers completed the survey. The parents were recruited consecutively from 5 NICUs of the Västra Götaland region in Sweden and the professionals and managers from all 40 NICUs in Sweden. Data were analyzed with analysis of variances, and post hoc analyses were conducted through pairwise t tests with Bonferroni corrections. Professionals and managers differed significantly on 1 item. Parents, however, found 54 items significantly less important than professionals did, but found only 4 to be significantly more important than professionals did. In line with previous research, we found that a gap exists between views of neonatal intensive care practices, with parents on one side and professionals and managers on the other. The nature of this gap, however, differs substantially from previous research, where parents found many items to be more important than professionals did. To develop and improve neonatal intensive care, this gap must be acknowledged and addressed, both in research and in practice. NICU managers need to develop strategies and routines that allow professionals to understand and adjust to the specific priorities of individual parents and families.

Effects of Coffee Management Intensity on Composition, Structure, and Regeneration Status of Ethiopian Moist Evergreen Afromontane Forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hundera, Kitessa; Aerts, Raf; Fontaine, Alexandre; Van Mechelen, Maarten; Gijbels, Pieter; Honnay, Olivier; Muys, Bart

2013-03-01

The effect of arabica coffee management intensity on composition, structure, and regeneration of moist evergreen Afromontane forests was studied in three traditional coffee-management systems of southwest Ethiopia: semiplantation coffee, semiforest coffee, and forest coffee. Vegetation and environmental data were collected in 84 plots from forests varying in intensity of coffee management. After controlling for environmental variation (altitude, aspect, slope, soil nutrient availability, and soil depth), differences in woody species composition, forest structure, and regeneration potential among management systems were compared using one way analysis of variance. The study showed that intensification of forest coffee cultivation to maximize coffee production negatively affects diversity and structure of Ethiopian moist evergreen Afromontane forests. Intensification of coffee productivity starts with the conversion of forest coffee to semiforest coffee, which has significant negative effects on tree seedling abundance. Further intensification leads to the conversion of semiforest to semiplantation coffee, causing significant diversity losses and the collapse of forest structure (decrease of stem density, basal area, crown closure, crown cover, and dominant tree height). Our study underlines the need for shade certification schemes to include variables other than canopy cover and that the loss of species diversity in intensively managed coffee systems may jeopardize the sustainability of coffee production itself through the decrease of ecosystem resilience and disruption of ecosystem services related to coffee yield, such as pollination and pest control.

Patient data management systems in intensive care--the situation in Europe.

PubMed

Metnitz, P G; Lenz, K

1995-09-01

Computerized Patient Data Management Systems (PDMS) have been developed for handling the enormous increase in data collection in ICUs. This study tries to evaluate the functionality of such systems installed in Europe. Criteria reflecting usefulness and practicality formed the basis of a questionnaire to be answered accurately by the vendors. We then examined functions provided and their implementation in European ICUs. Next, an "Information Delivery Test" evaluated variations in performance, taking questions arising from daily routine work and measured time of information delivery. ICUs located in Vienna (Austria), Antwerp (Belgium), Dortmund (Germany), Kuopio (Finland). 5 PDMS were selected on the basis of our inclusion criteria: commercial availability with at least one installation in Europe, bedside-based design, realization of international standards and a prescribed minimum of functionality. The "Table of Functions" shows an overview of functions and their implementation. "System analyses" indicates predominant differences in properties and functions found between the systems. Results of the "Information Delivery Tests" are shown in the graphic charts. Systems with graphical data presentation have advantages over systems presenting data mainly in numerical format. Time has come to form a medical establishment powerful enough to set standards and thus communicate with industrial partners as well as with hospital management responsible for planning, purchasing and implementing PDMS. Overall, communication between clinicians, nurses, computer scientists and PDMS vendors must be enhanced to achieve the common goal: useful and practical data management systems at ICUs.

User's manual for a computer program for simulating intensively managed allowable cut.

Treesearch

Robert W. Sassaman; Ed Holt; Karl Bergsvik

1972-01-01

Detailed operating instructions are described for SIMAC, a computerized forest simulation model which calculates the allowable cut assuming volume regulation for forests with intensively managed stands. A sample problem illustrates the required inputs and expected output. SIMAC is written in FORTRAN IV and runs on a CDC 6400 computer with a SCOPE 3.3 operating system....

A Catchment Systems Engineering (CSE) approach to managing intensively farmed land

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonczyk, Jennine; Quinn, Paul; Barber, Nicholas; Wilkinson, Mark; ODonnell, Greg

2014-05-01

Rural land management practices can have a significant impact on the hydrological and nutrient dynamics within a catchment which can dramatically alter the way it processes water, exacerbating nutrient losses from the system. A collaborative and holistic approach for managing potential conflicts between land management activity for food production alongside the aspiration to achieve good water quality and the need to make space for water can ensure the long-term sustainability of our agricultural catchments. Catchment System Engineering (CSE) is an interventionist approach to altering the catchment scale runoff regime through the manipulation of hydrological flow pathways throughout the catchment. By targeting hydrological flow pathways at source, such as overland flow, field drain and ditch function, a significant component of the runoff generation can be managed, greatly reducing erosive soil losses. Coupled with management of farm nutrients at source many runoff attenuation features or measures can be co-located to achieve benefits for water quality. Examples of community-led mitigation measures using the CSE approach will be presented from two catchments in Northumberland, Northern England, that demonstrate the generic framework for identification of multipurpose features that slow, store and filter runoff at strategic locations in the landscape. Measures include within-field barriers, edge of field traps and within-field sediment filters and sediment traps which demonstrate how sediment can be trapped locally (including silt and clay fractions) and be recovered for use back on the land. Deliverables from this CSE approach includes the reduction of downstream flood risk and capturing of sediment and associated nutrients. The CSE approach allows for a more natural flood and nutrient management approach which helps to restore vital catchment functions to re-establish a healthy catchment system.

Efforts to Implement a Financial-Management Information System in Iraq

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-28

Everything was paper intensive. The CPA, which then managed the budget, conceived the Iraqi Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) as a solution to...Iraqi financial management information system , it entered into a broadbased contract with BearingPoint, Inc. for that purpose. That contract had numerous

Intensive olive orchards on sloping land: good water and pest management are essential.

PubMed

Metzidakis, I; Martinez-Vilela, A; Castro Nieto, G; Basso, B

2008-11-01

There is intensive cultivation of olives on sloping land in Jaen-Granada (Spain), Basilicata (Italy) and Western Crete (Greece). The intensive olive groves here are characterised by a tree density of about 250treesha(-1), yearly fertilisation and pruning, several chemical sprays for pest control, soil tillage once to thrice per year and irrigation up to 2700m3ha(-1)yr(-1). Intensive management results in high yields of 3600-6500kgha(-1) but also higher labour costs of 1154-1590euroha(-1)yr(-1), varying per area. The major environmental concerns in this system are related to chemical residues in the fruit, the extinction of useful insects, the depletion of groundwater resources, the pollution of soil and water and the erosion of soil. This paper describes the impact of intensive orchard management on natural resources and gives recommendations for soil and water conservation, reduction of chemicals use and biodiversity enhancement. The specific recommendations for the relevant stakeholders--farmers, technicians, agricultural services and policy makers--are based on the experimental evaluation of different agricultural practices and a socio-economic analysis of local and global production and markets.

Intensive management affects composition of betaproteobacterial ammonia oxidizers in turfgrass systems.

PubMed

Dell, Emily A; Bowman, Daniel; Rufty, Thomas; Shi, Wei

2008-07-01

Turfgrass is a highly managed ecosystem subject to frequent fertilization, mowing, irrigation, and application of pesticides. Turf management practices may create a perturbed environment for ammonia oxidizers, a key microbial group responsible for nitrification. To elucidate the long-term effects of turf management on these bacteria, we assessed the composition of betaproteobacterial ammonia oxidizers in a chronosequence of turfgrass systems (i.e., 1, 6, 23, and 95 years old) and the adjacent native pines by using both 16S rRNA and amoA gene fragments specific to ammonia oxidizers. Based on the Shannon-Wiener diversity index of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis patterns and the rarefaction curves of amoA clones, turf management did not change the relative diversity and richness of ammonia oxidizers in turf soils as compared to native pine soils. Ammonia oxidizers in turfgrass systems comprised a suite of phylogenetic clusters common to other terrestrial ecosystems. Nitrosospira clusters 0, 2, 3, and 4; Nitrosospira sp. Nsp65-like sequences; and Nitrosomonas clusters 6 and 7 were detected in the turfgrass chronosequence with Nitrosospira clusters 3 and 4 being dominant. However, both turf age and land change (pine to turf) effected minor changes in ammonia oxidizer composition. Nitrosospira cluster 0 was observed only in older turfgrass systems (i.e., 23 and 95 years old); fine-scale differences within Nitrosospira cluster 3 were seen between native pines and turf. Further investigations are needed to elucidate the ecological implications of the compositional differences.

Nursing management and organizational ethics in the intensive care unit.

PubMed

Wlody, Ginger Schafer

2007-02-01

This article describes organizational ethics issues involved in nursing management of an intensive care unit. The intensive care team and medical center management have the dual responsibility to create an ethical environment in which to provide optimum patient care. Addressing organizational ethics is key to creating that ethical environment in the intensive care unit. During the past 15-20 yrs, increasing costs in health care, competitive markets, the effect of high technology, and global business changes have set the stage for business and healthcare organizational conflicts that affect the ethical environment. Studies show that critical care nurses experience moral distress and are affected by the ethical climate of both the intensive care unit and the larger organization. Thus, nursing moral distress may result in problems related to recruitment and retention of staff. Other issues with organizational ethics ramifications that may occur in the intensive care unit include patient safety issues (including those related to disruptive behavior), intensive care unit leadership style, research ethics, allocation of resources, triage, and other economic issues. Current organizational ethics conflicts are discussed, a professional practice model is described, and multidisciplinary recommendations are put forth.

Social Relation between Businessman and Community in Management of Intensive Shrimp Pond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gumay Febryano, Indra; Sinurat, James; Lovinia Salampessy, Messalina

2017-02-01

Expansion of aquaculture, especially shrimp culture, is the primary cause of deforestation of mangrove along coastal zone. This phenomenon is pretty much related to social relation between businessman of intensive shrimp pond and community around coastal zone. The objective of this research is to explain social relation between businessman and community in managing intensive shrimp pond. This research is a kind of qualitative research and the method used is a case study. The result of this research shows that the behaviour of the majority of businessman of intensive shrimp pond is not accordingly with environmental concerns as they compelled conversion of mangrove and they disposed waste of shrimp pond into the sea. Such kind of behaviour caused degradation of water ecosystem and marginalizing local community. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which was implemented by businessman of intensive shrimp pond in the area of social, religion, and education can downgrade the coming up of social turbulence. Otherwise, CSR in enabling economic community and environmental management was not conducted yet. CSR in environmental management can be conducted by businessman of intensive shrimp pond by considering the existence of mangrove and pond management and waste in a better way, so that environment around ponds is not polluted and the sustainability of shrimp pond business as well as income of community can be guaranteed. Accordingly with the result of this research, CSR is not only involving businessman of intensive shrimp pond and community, but also involving local government in terms of right and responsibility of citizen as well as management and development of community.

Small mammal communities of streamside management zones in intensively managed pine forests of Arkansas

Treesearch

Darren A. Miller; Ronald E. Thill; M. Anthony Melchiors; T. Bently Wigley; Philip A. Tappe

2004-01-01

Streamside management zones (SMZs), composed primarily of hardwoods in the southeastern United States, provide habitat diversity within intensively managed pine (Pinus spp.) plantations. However, effects of SMZ width and adjacent plantation structure on riparian wildlife communities are poorly understood. Therefore, during 1990-1995, we examined small mammal...

How does vineyard management intensity affect inter-row plant diversity and associated root parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winter, Silvia; Labuda, Thomas; Probus, Sandra; Penke, Nicole; Himmelbauer, Margarita; Loiskandl, Willibald; Strauss, Peter; Bauer, Thomas; Popescu, Daniela; Comsa, Maria; Bunea, Claudiu-Ioan; Zaller, Johann G.; Kriechbaum, Monika

2017-04-01

Vineyard management has changed dramatically in the last 50 years. In many wine-growing regions, vineyard inter-rows are kept clean of vegetation by frequent tillage or use of herbicides to establish bare soil systems. In the last thirty years, policy-makers and several winegrowers have realized that temporary or permanent vegetation cover between the vine rows may increase ecosystem services like soil erosion mitigation, soil fertility and biodiversity conservation. The inter-row area of a vineyard can host a diverse flora providing habitat and food resources for pollinating insects and natural enemies of pests. The goal of this study was to analyze the influence of different soil management intensities on plant diversity and root parameters in the vineyard inter-rows. We investigated 15 vineyards in Romania and 14 in Austria to study the effects of three different management intensities on plant diversity, above and below-ground plant biomass, total root length and surface area of roots. Management intensity ranged from bare soil inter-rows to alternative soil tillage every second year to permanent vegetation cover for more than five years. In each vineyard inter-row, six soil samples (7 cm diameter and 10 cm height) of the upper soil layer were extracted for root analyses. Root were separated from the soil, stained and finally scanned and analyzed with the WinRHIZO software. Finally, roots were dried at 70°C to obtain dry matter of the root samples. Vegetation cover and vascular plant diversity was recorded in four 1 m2 plots within each vineyard inter-row two times a year. The most intensive bare soil management regime in Romania significantly reduced root biomass, total root length and surface area in comparison to the alternative and permanent vegetation cover management. Plant biodiversity was also reduced by intensive management, but differences were not significant. While alternative tillage every second year showed the highest values of plant species

IML-CZO: Critical Zone Observatory for Intensively Managed Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Praveen; Papanicolaou, Thanos

2014-05-01

Intensively managed landscapes, regions of significant land use change, serve as a cradle for economic prosperity. However, the intensity of change is responsible for unintended deterioration of our land and water environments. By understanding present day dynamics in the context of long-term co-evolution of the Critical Zone comprising of the landscape, soil and biota, IML-CZO aims to support the assessment of short- and long-term resilience of the crucial ecological, hydrological and climatic services provided by the Critical Zone. An observational network of three sites in Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota that capture the geological diversity of the low relief, glaciated, and tile-drained landscape will drive novel scientific and technological advances. IML-CZO will provide leadership in developing the next generation of scientists and practitioners, and informing management strategies aimed at reducing the vulnerability of the system to present and emerging trends in human activities. IML-CZO, one of the nine observatories funded by the United States National Science Foundation (NSF), consists of two core sites: the 3,690- sq. km. Upper Sangamon River Basin in Illinois and 270-sq. km. Clear Creek Watershed in Iowa, along with the 44,000- sq. km. Minnesota River Basin as third participating site. These sites together are characterized by low-relief landscapes with poorly drained soils and represent a broad range of physiographic variations found throughout the glaciated Midwest, and thereby provide an opportunity to advance understanding of the CZO in this important region. Through novel measurements, analysis and modeling, IML-CZO aims to address the following questions: • How do different time scales of geologic evolution and anthropogenic influence interact to determine the trajectory of CZ structure and function? • How is the co-evolution of biota, consisting of both vegetation and microbes, and soil affected due to intensive management? • How have

Real-time estimation system for seismic-intensity exposed-population

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoi, S.; Nakamura, H.; Kunugi, T.; Suzuki, W.; Fujiwara, H.

2013-12-01

For an appropriate first-action to an earthquake, risk (damage) information evaluated in real-time are important as well as hazard (ground motion) information. To meet this need, we are developing real-time estimation system (J-RISQ) for exposed population and earthquake damage on buildings. We plan to open the web page of estimated exposed population to the public from autumn. When an earthquake occurs, seismic intensities are calculated at each observation station and sent to the DMC (Data Management Center) in different timing. For rapid estimation, the system does not wait for the data from all the stations but begins the first estimation when the number of the stations observing the seismic intensity of 2.5 or larger exceeds the threshold amount. Estimations are updated several times using all the available data at that moment. Spatial distribution of seismic intensity in 250 m meshes is estimated by the site amplification factor of surface layers and the observed data. By using this intensity distribution, the exposed population is estimated using population data of each mesh. The exposed populations for municipalities and prefectures are estimated by summing-up the exposures of included meshes for the area and are appropriately rounded taking estimation precision into consideration. The estimated intensities for major cities are shown by the histograms, which indicate the variation of the estimated values in the city together with the observed maximum intensity. The variation is mainly caused by the difference of the site amplification factors. The intensities estimated for meshes with large amplification factor are sometimes larger than the maximum value observed in the city. The estimated results are seen on the web site just after the earthquake. The results of the past earthquakes can be easily searched by keywords such as date, magnitudes, seismic intensities and source areas. The summary of the results in the one-page report of Portable Document Format

Managing conflicts in systems development.

PubMed

Barnett, E

1997-05-01

Conflict in systems development is nothing new. It can vary in intensity, but there will always be two possible outcomes--one constructive and the other destructive. The common approach to conflict management is to draw the battle lines and apply brute force. However, there are other ways to deal with conflict that are more effective and more people oriented.

Does introduction of a Patient Data Management System (PDMS) improve the financial situation of an intensive care unit?

PubMed

Castellanos, Ixchel; Schüttler, Jürgen; Prokosch, Hans-Ulrich; Bürkle, Thomas

2013-09-16

Patient Data Management Systems (PDMS) support clinical documentation at the bedside and have demonstrated effects on completeness of patient charting and the time spent on documentation. These systems are costly and raise the question if such a major investment pays off. We tried to answer the following questions: How do costs and revenues of an intensive care unit develop before and after introduction of a PDMS? Can higher revenues be obtained with improved PDMS documentation? Can we present cost savings attributable to the PDMS? Retrospective analysis of cost and reimbursement data of a 25 bed Intensive Care Unit at a German University Hospital, three years before (2004-2006) and three years after (2007-2009) PDMS implementation. Costs and revenues increased continuously over the years. The profit of the investigated ICU was fluctuating over the years and seemingly depending on other factors as well. We found a small increase in profit in the year after the introduction of the PDMS, but not in the following years. Profit per case peaked at 1039 € in 2007, but dropped subsequently to 639 € per case. We found no clear evidence for cost savings after the PDMS introduction. Our cautious calculation did not consider additional labour costs for IT staff needed for system maintenance. The introduction of a PDMS has probably minimal or no effect on reimbursement. In our case the observed increase in profit was too small to amortize the total investment for PDMS implementation.This may add some counterweight to the literature, where expectations for tools such as the PDMS can be quite unreasonable.

The mapping competences of the nurse Case/Care Manager in the context of Intensive Care.

PubMed

Alfieri, Emanuela; Ferrini, Anna Chiara; Gianfrancesco, Francesca; Lise, Gianluca; Messana, Giovanni; Tirelli, Lorenzo; Lorenzo, Ana; Sarli, Leopoldo

2017-03-15

Since the recent introduction of the Case/Care Manager's professional figure, it is quite difficult to identify properly his/her own particular features, which could be mainly be found revising mainly in American studies. Therefore, the present study intended to identify the Case/Care Manager's skills and professional profile in an Intensive Care Unit experience, taking into consideration the staff's activities, perception and expectations towards the Case/Care Manager. In particular, it has been compared the experience of an Intensive Care Units where the Case/Care Manager's profile is operational to a different Unit where a Case/Care Manager is not yet in force. a Levati's model was used to map the Case/Care Manager's skills, involving each unit whole working staff, executives and caregivers through semi-structured interviews. It has been taken into consideration the Anaesthesia Unit and Emergency Unit of Cesena's healthcare organisation (AUSL of Romagna) and a Cardiology Intensive Care Unit of Piacenza's healthcare organisation, where the Case/Care Manager's profile has not been experimented yet. Firstly, it a data collection in each healthcare organization has been organised. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews to doctors, unit nurses, caregivers, nurses' coordinators and medical staff have been used to compare each healthcare system. The interviewees' described their expectations in relation to the Case/Care Manager working in a critical area. Then, every data collected during interviews has been organised to map a Case/Care Manager's essential professional profile to work in a critical area together with medical staff. Piacenza's O.U. critical area experience reported a major demand for patients' and patient's families' assistance. On the other hand, the very same aspects seem to have been better achieved in Cesena's O.U., where a Case/Care Manager's recent introduction has actually helped to overcome the void in organising systems. a Case/Care Manager

Reimbursement for pediatric diabetes intensive case management: a model for chronic diseases?

PubMed

Beck, Joni K; Logan, Kathy J; Hamm, Robert M; Sproat, Scott M; Musser, Kathleen M; Everhart, Patricia D; McDermott, Harrold M; Copeland, Kenneth C

2004-01-01

Current reimbursement policies serve as potent disincentives for physicians who provide evaluation and management services exclusively. Such policies threaten nationwide availability of care for personnel-intensive services such as pediatric diabetes. This report describes an approach to improving reimbursement for highly specialized, comprehensive pediatric diabetes management through prospective contracting for services. The objective of this study was to determine whether pediatric diabetes intensive case management services are cost-effective to the payer, the patient, and a pediatric diabetes program. A contract with a third-party payer was created to reimburse for 3 key pediatric diabetes intensive case management components: specialty education, 24/7 telephone access to an educator (and board-certified pediatric endocrinologist as needed), and quarterly educator assessments of self-management skills. Data were collected and analyzed for 15 months after signing the contract. Within the first 15 months after the contract was signed, 22 hospital admissions for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) occurred in 16 different patients. After hospitalizations for DKA, all 16 patients were offered participation in the program. All were followed during the subsequent 1 to 15 months of observation. Ten patients elected to participate, and 6 refused participation. Frequency of rehospitalization, emergency department visits, and costs were compared between the 2 groups. Among the 10 participating patients, there was only 1 subsequent DKA admission, whereas among the 6 who refused participation, 5 were rehospitalized for DKA on at least 1 occasion. The 10 patients who participated in the program had greater telephone contact with the team compared with those who did not (16 crisis-management calls vs 0). Costs (education, hospitalization, and emergency department visits) per participating patient were approximately 1350 dollars less than those for nonparticipating patients

Effects of intensive forest management practices on insect infestation levels and loblolly pine growth

Treesearch

John T. Nowak; C. Wayne Berisford

2000-01-01

Intensive forest management practices have been shown to increase tree growth and shorten rotation time. However, they may also lead to an increased need for insect pest management because of higher infestation levels and lower action thresholds. To investigate the relationship between intensive management practices arid insect infestation, maximum growth potential...

A Writing-Intensive Program for Teaching Retail Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darian, Jean C.; And Others

1992-01-01

Presents the writing-intensive design for a retailing management course developed by its instructor in accordance with writing-across-the-curriculum principles. Provides an overview of the semester-long project. Details project procedures for preparatory activities, field research, and writing the marketing plan. (SR)

Organic Farming and Landscape Structure: Effects on Insect-Pollinated Plant Diversity in Intensively Managed Grasslands

PubMed Central

Power, Eileen F.; Kelly, Daniel L.; Stout, Jane C.

2012-01-01

Parallel declines in insect-pollinated plants and their pollinators have been reported as a result of agricultural intensification. Intensive arable plant communities have previously been shown to contain higher proportions of self-pollinated plants compared to natural or semi-natural plant communities. Though intensive grasslands are widespread, it is not known whether they show similar patterns to arable systems nor whether local and/or landscape factors are influential. We investigated plant community composition in 10 pairs of organic and conventional dairy farms across Ireland in relation to the local and landscape context. Relationships between plant groups and local factors (farming system, position in field and soil parameters) and landscape factors (e.g. landscape complexity) were investigated. The percentage cover of unimproved grassland was used as an inverse predictor of landscape complexity, as it was negatively correlated with habitat-type diversity. Intensive grasslands (organic and conventional) contained more insect-pollinated forbs than non-insect pollinated forbs. Organic field centres contained more insect-pollinated forbs than conventional field centres. Insect-pollinated forb richness in field edges (but not field centres) increased with increasing landscape complexity (% unimproved grassland) within 1, 3, 4 and 5km radii around sites, whereas non-insect pollinated forb richness was unrelated to landscape complexity. Pollination systems within intensive grassland communities may be different from those in arable systems. Our results indicate that organic management increases plant richness in field centres, but that landscape complexity exerts strong influences in both organic and conventional field edges. Insect-pollinated forb richness, unlike that for non-insect pollinated forbs, showed positive relationships to landscape complexity reflecting what has been documented for bees and other pollinators. The insect-pollinated forbs, their

FAILSAFE Health Management for Embedded Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horvath, Gregory A.; Wagner, David A.; Wen, Hui Ying; Barry, Matthew

2010-01-01

The FAILSAFE project is developing concepts and prototype implementations for software health management in mission- critical, real-time embedded systems. The project unites features of the industry-standard ARINC 653 Avionics Application Software Standard Interface and JPL s Mission Data System (MDS) technology (see figure). The ARINC 653 standard establishes requirements for the services provided by partitioned, real-time operating systems. The MDS technology provides a state analysis method, canonical architecture, and software framework that facilitates the design and implementation of software-intensive complex systems. The MDS technology has been used to provide the health management function for an ARINC 653 application implementation. In particular, the focus is on showing how this combination enables reasoning about, and recovering from, application software problems.

Hill slope and erosional controls on soil organic geochemistry in intensely managed landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filley, T. R.; Hou, T.; Hughes, M.; Tong, Y.; Papanicolaou, T.; Wacha, K.; Abban, B. K.; Boys, J.; Wilson, C. G.

2015-12-01

created by tillage activity. This indicates that particle/chemistry transport and enrichment of organic chemical signatures down slope and into associated flood plains and streams in modern intensively managed systems should be distinct from pre-settlement patterns and help interpret pre- and post settlement alluvium sediment.

Effects of inter row management intensity on soil physical properties in European vineyards.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Thomas; Strauss, Peter; Kumpan, Monika; Guzmán, Gema; Gómez, Jose A.; Stiper, Katrin; Popescou, Daniela; Guernion, Muriel; Nicolai, Annegret; Winter, Silvia; Zaller, Johann G.

2017-04-01

Successful viticulture is mainly depending on soil, climate and management capabilities of vine growers. These factors influence on the availability of water during the growing season which in turn impacts on wine quality and quantity. To protect soil from being eroded many winegrowers try to keep the inter row zones of the vineyards green for as much time as possible. Greening also helps to provide water-stress to the grapes for harvesting high quality wines. However, the management strategies concerning the intensity of inter row management are widely different across Europe. They differ within regions, between regions and between countries and are mainly based on personal experience of the winegrowers. To measure possible effects of inter row management in vineyards on soil physical parameters we selected vineyards with different inter row management intensities in Austria, Romania, France and Spain. In total more than 700 undisturbed core samples (from 3 to 8 cm depth) out of 50 individual vineyards were analysed for saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, soil water retention, aggregate stability, total organic carbon, soil texture and bulk density. The comparison between high intensity management with at least one soil disturbance per year, medium intensity with less frequent soil disturbance and low intensity management with no soil disturbance since at least 5 years indicates that investigated soil physical properties did not necessarily improve for the upper soil layer in every region. The results indicate that the influence of long term and high frequency mechanical stress imposed on soil by use of agricultural machinery in inter rows as well as different fertilization strategies may in some cases exhibit higher impacts on soil physical properties than the different tillage strategies.

A comprehensive infectious disease management system.

PubMed

Marcu, Alex; Farley, John D

2009-01-01

An efficient electronic management system is now an essential tool for the successful management and monitoring of those affected by communicable infectious diseases (Human Immunodeficiency Virus - HIV, hepatitis C - HEP C) during the course of the treatment. The current methods which depend heavily on manual collecting, compiling and disseminating treatment information are labor-intensive and time consuming. Clinics specialized in the treatment of infectious diseases use a mix of electronic systems that fail to interact with each other, result in data duplication, and do not support treatment of the patient as a whole. The purpose of the Infectious Disease Management System is to reduce the administrative overhead associated with data collection and analysis while providing correlation abilities and decision support in accordance with defined treatment guidelines. This Infectious Disease Management System was developed to: Ensure cost effectiveness by means of low software licensing costs, Introduce a centralized mechanism of collecting and monitoring all infectious disease management data, Automate electronic retrieval of laboratory findings, Introduce a decision support mechanism as per treatment guidelines, Seamlessly integrate of application modules, Provide comprehensive reporting capabilities, Maintain a high level of user friendliness.

Intensive case management for severe mental illness

PubMed Central

Dieterich, Marina; Irving, Claire B; Park, Bert; Marshall, Max

2014-01-01

(7328 participants) in this review. The trials provided data for two comparisons: 1. ICM versus standard care, 2. ICM versus non-ICM. 1. ICM versus standard care Twenty-four trials provided data on length of hospitalisation, and results favoured Intensive Case Management (n=3595, 24 RCTs, MD −0.86 CI −1.37 to −0.34). There was a high level of heterogeneity, but this significance still remained when the outlier studies were excluded from the analysis (n=3143, 20 RCTs, MD −0.62 CI −1.00 to −0.23). Nine studies found participants in the ICM group were less likely to be lost to psychiatric services (n=1633, 9 RCTs, RR 0.43 CI 0.30 to 0.61, I2=49%, p=0.05). One global state scale did show an Improvement in global state for those receiving ICM, the GAF scale (n=818, 5 RCTs, MD 3.41 CI 1.66 to 5.16). Results for mental state as measured through various rating scales, however, were equivocal, with no compelling evidence that ICM was really any better than standard care in improving mental state. No differences in mortality between ICM and standard care groups occurred, either due to ’all causes’ (n=1456, 9 RCTs, RR 0.84 CI 0.48 to 1.47) or to ’suicide’ (n=1456, 9 RCTs, RR 0.68 CI 0.31 to 1.51). Social functioning results varied, no differences were found in terms of contact with the legal system and with employment status, whereas significant improvement in accommodation status was found, as was the incidence of not living independently, which was lower in the ICM group (n=1185, 4 RCTs, RR 0.65 CI 0.49 to 0.88). Quality of life data found no significant difference between groups, but data were weak. CSQ scores showed a greater participant satisfaction in the ICM group (n=423, 2 RCTs, MD 3.23 CI 2.31 to 4.14). 2. ICM versus non-ICM The included studies failed to show a significant advantage of ICM in reducing the average length of hospitalisation (n=2220, 21 RCTs, MD −0.08 CI −0.37 to 0.21). They did find ICM to be more advantageous than non-ICM in

Present methods and technology available for intensive management and extent of present use

Treesearch

Gordon F. Weetman

1977-01-01

While there have been major technological developments in regional agriculture and forest harvesting and in intensive forest management in the Southern pine region and the Pacific Northwest, the application and development of intensive forest management has lagged in the Northeast. Some of the characteristics of low, medium and high yield forestry are presented and...

Workflow management in large distributed systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Legrand, I.; Newman, H.; Voicu, R.; Dobre, C.; Grigoras, C.

2011-12-01

The MonALISA (Monitoring Agents using a Large Integrated Services Architecture) framework provides a distributed service system capable of controlling and optimizing large-scale, data-intensive applications. An essential part of managing large-scale, distributed data-processing facilities is a monitoring system for computing facilities, storage, networks, and the very large number of applications running on these systems in near realtime. All this monitoring information gathered for all the subsystems is essential for developing the required higher-level services—the components that provide decision support and some degree of automated decisions—and for maintaining and optimizing workflow in large-scale distributed systems. These management and global optimization functions are performed by higher-level agent-based services. We present several applications of MonALISA's higher-level services including optimized dynamic routing, control, data-transfer scheduling, distributed job scheduling, dynamic allocation of storage resource to running jobs and automated management of remote services among a large set of grid facilities.

Critical Zone Services as a Measure for Evaluating the Trade-offs in Intensively Managed Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, M.; Kumar, P.

2015-12-01

The Critical Zone includes the range of biophysical processes occurring from the top of the vegetation canopy to the weathering zone below the groundwater table. These services (Field et al. 2015) provide a measure to value processes that support the goods and services from our landscapes. In intensively managed landscapes the provisioning and regulating services are being altered through anthropogenic energy inputs so as to derive more agricultural productivity from the landscapes. Land use change and other alterations to the environment result in positive and/or negative net Critical Zone services. Through studies in the Critical Zone Observatory for Intensively Managed Landscapes (IMLCZO), this research seeks to answer questions such as: Are perennial bioenergy crops or annual replaced crops better for the land and surrounding environment? How do we evaluate the products and services from the land for the energy and resources we put in? Before the economic valuation of Critical Zone services, these questions seemed abstract. However, with developments such as Critical Zone services and life cycle assessments, they are more concrete. To evaluate the trade-offs between positive and negative impacts, life cycle assessments are used to create an inventory of all the energy inputs and outputs in a landscape management system. Total energy is computed by summing the mechanical energy used to construct tile drains, fertilizer, and other processes involved in intensely managed landscapes and the chemical energy gained by the production of biofuels from bioenergy crops. A multi-layer canopy model (MLCan) computes soil, water, and nutrient outputs for each crop type, which can be translated into Critical Zone services. These values are then viewed alongside the energy inputs into the system to show the relationship between agricultural practices and their corresponding ecosystem and environmental impacts.

Myasthenic crisis patients who require intensive care unit management.

PubMed

Sakaguchi, Hideya; Yamashita, Satoshi; Hirano, Teruyuki; Nakajima, Makoto; Kimura, En; Maeda, Yasushi; Uchino, Makoto

2012-09-01

The purpose of this report was to investigate predictive factors that necessitate intensive care in myasthenic crisis (MC). We retrospectively reviewed MC patients at our institution and compared ICU and ward management groups. Higher MG-ADL scale scores, non-ocular initial symptoms, infection-triggered findings, and higher MGFA classification were observed more frequently in the ICU group. In patients with these prognostic factors, better outcomes may be obtained with early institution of intensive care. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Implementation of a patient data management system. Effects on intensive care documentation].

PubMed

Castellanos, I; Ganslandt, T; Prokosch, H U; Schüttler, J; Bürkle, T

2013-11-01

Patient data management systems (PDMS) enable digital documentation on intensive care units (ICU). A commercial PDMS was implemented in a 25-bed ICU replacing paper-based patient charting. The ICU electronic patient record is completely managed inside the PDMS. It compiles data from vital signs monitors, ventilators and further medical devices and facilitates some drug dose and fluid balance calculations as well as data reuse for administrative purposes. Ventilation time and patient severity scoring as well as coding of diagnoses and procedures is supported. Billing data transferred via interface to the central billing system of the hospital. Such benefits should show in measurable parameters, such as documented ventilator time, number of coded diagnoses and procedures and others. These parameters influence reimbursement in the German DRG system. Therefore, measurable changes in cost and reimbursement data of the ICU were expected. A retrospective analysis of documentation quality parameters, cost data and mortality rate of a 25-bed surgical ICU within a German university hospital 3 years before (2004-2006) and 5 years after (2007-2011) PDMS implementation. Selected parameters were documented electronically, consistently and reproducibly for the complete time span of 8 years including those years where no electronic patient recording was available. The following parameters were included: number of cleared DRG, cleared ventilator time, case mix (CM), case mix index (CMI), length of stay, number of coded diagnoses and procedures, detailed overview of a specific procedure code based on daily Apache II and TISS Core 10 scores, mortality, total ICU costs and revenues and partial profits for specific ICU procedures, such as renal replacement therapy and blood products. Systematic shifts were detected over the study period, such as increasing case numbers and decreasing length of stay as well as annual fluctuations in severity of disease seen in the CM and CMI. After PDMS

The relative meaning of absolute numbers: the case of pain intensity scores as decision support systems for pain management of patients with dementia.

PubMed

Lichtner, Valentina; Dowding, Dawn; Closs, S José

2015-12-24

Assessment and management of pain in patients with dementia is known to be challenging, due to patients' cognitive and/or communication difficulties. In the UK, pain in hospital is managed through regular assessments, with the use of pain intensity scores as triggers for action. The aim of this study was to understand current pain assessment practices, in order to later inform the development of a decision support tool designed to improve the management of pain for people with dementia in hospital. An exploratory study was conducted in four hospitals in the UK (11 wards), with observations of patients with dementia (n = 31), interviews of staff (n = 52) and patients' family members (n = 4) and documentary analysis. A thematic analysis was carried out, structured along dimensions of decision making. This paper focuses on the emergent themes related to the use of assessment tools and pain intensity scores. A variety of tools were used to record pain intensity, usually with numerical scales. None of the tools in actual use had been specifically designed for patients with cognitive impairment. With patients with more severe dementia, the patient's body language and other cues were studied to infer pain intensity and then a score entered on behalf of the patient. Information regarding the temporality of pain and changes in pain experience (rather than a score at a single point in time) seemed to be most useful to the assessment of pain. Given the inherent uncertainty of the meaning of pain scores for patients with dementia, numerical scales were used with caution. Numerical scores triggered action but their meaning was relative - to the patient, to the clinician, to the time of recording and to the purpose of documenting. There are implications for use of data and computerized decision support systems design. Decision support interventions should include personalized alerting cut-off scores for individual patients, display pain scores over time and integrate

Intensity-invariant coding in the auditory system.

PubMed

Barbour, Dennis L

2011-11-01

The auditory system faithfully represents sufficient details from sound sources such that downstream cognitive processes are capable of acting upon this information effectively even in the face of signal uncertainty, degradation or interference. This robust sound source representation leads to an invariance in perception vital for animals to interact effectively with their environment. Due to unique nonlinearities in the cochlea, sound representations early in the auditory system exhibit a large amount of variability as a function of stimulus intensity. In other words, changes in stimulus intensity, such as for sound sources at differing distances, create a unique challenge for the auditory system to encode sounds invariantly across the intensity dimension. This challenge and some strategies available to sensory systems to eliminate intensity as an encoding variable are discussed, with a special emphasis upon sound encoding. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strategies to address management challenges in larger intensive care units.

PubMed

Matlakala, M C; Bezuidenhout, M C; Botha, A D H

2015-10-01

To illustrate the need for and suggest strategies that will enhance sustainable management of a large intensive care unit (ICU). The challenges faced by intensive care nursing in South Africa are well documented. However, there appear to be no strategies available to assist nurses to manage large ICUs or for ICU managers to deal with problems as they arise. Data sources to illustrate the need for strategies were challenges described by ICU managers in the management of large ICUs. A purposive sample of managers was included in individual interviews during compilation of evidence regarding the challenges experienced in the management of large ICUs. The challenges were presented at the Critical Care Society of Southern Africa Congress held on 28 August to 2 September 2012 in Sun City North-West province, South Africa. Five strategies are suggested for the challenges identified: divide the units into sections; develop a highly skilled and effective nursing workforce to ensure delivery of quality nursing care; create a culture to retain an effective ICU nursing team; manage assets; and determine the needs of ICU nurses. ICUs need measures to drive the desired strategies into actions to continuously improve the management of the unit. Future research should be aimed at investigating the effectiveness of the strategies identified. This research highlights issues relating to large ICUs and the strategies will assist ICU managers to deal with problems related to large unit sizes, shortage of trained ICU nurses, use of agency nurses, shortage of equipment and supplies and stressors in the ICU. The article will make a contribution to the body of nursing literature on management of ICUs. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Intensive case management for high-risk patients with first-episode psychosis: service model and outcomes.

PubMed

Brewer, Warrick J; Lambert, Timothy J; Witt, Katrina; Dileo, John; Duff, Cameron; Crlenjak, Carol; McGorry, Patrick D; Murphy, Brendan P

2015-01-01

The first episode of psychosis is a crucial period when early intervention can alter the trajectory of the young person's ongoing mental health and general functioning. After an investigation into completed suicides in the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre (EPPIC) programme, the intensive case management subprogramme was developed in 2003 to provide assertive outreach to young people having a first episode of psychosis who are at high risk owing to risk to self or others, disengagement, or suboptimal recovery. We report intensive case management model development, characterise the target cohort, and report on outcomes compared with EPPIC treatment as usual. Inclusion criteria, staff support, referral pathways, clinical review processes, models of engagement and care, and risk management protocols are described. We compared 120 consecutive referrals with 50 EPPIC treatment as usual patients (age 15-24 years) in a naturalistic stratified quasi-experimental real-world design. Key performance indicators of service use plus engagement and suicide attempts were compared between EPPIC treatment as usual and intensive case management, and psychosocial and clinical measures were compared between intensive case management referral and discharge. Referrals were predominately unemployed males with low levels of functioning and educational attainment. They were characterised by a family history of mental illness, migration and early separation, with substantial trauma, history of violence, and forensic attention. Intensive case management improved psychopathology and psychosocial outcomes in high-risk patients and reduced risk ratings, admissions, bed days, and crisis contacts. Characterisation of intensive case management patients validated the clinical research focus and identified a first episode of psychosis high-risk subgroup. In a real-world study, implementation of an intensive case management stream within a well-established first episode of psychosis

Relative emissions intensity of dairy production systems: employing different functional units in life-cycle assessment.

PubMed

Ross, S A; Topp, C F E; Ennos, R A; Chagunda, M G G

2017-08-01

This study aimed to assess the merit and suitability of individual functional units (FU) in expressing greenhouse gas emissions intensity in different dairy production systems. An FU provides a clearly defined and measurable reference to which input and output data are normalised. This enables the results from life-cycle assessment (LCA) of different systems to be treated as functionally equivalent. Although the methodological framework of LCA has been standardised, selection of an appropriate FU remains ultimately at the discretion of the individual study. The aim of the present analysis was to examine the effect of different FU on the emissions intensities of different dairy production systems. Analysis was based on 7 years of data (2004 to 2010) from four Holstein-Friesian dairy systems at Scotland's Rural College's long-term genetic and management systems project, the Langhill herd. Implementation of LCA accounted for the environmental impacts of the whole-farm systems and their production of milk from 'cradle to farm gate'. Emissions intensity was determined as kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents referenced to six FU: UK livestock units, energy-corrected milk yield, total combined milk solids yield, on-farm land used for production, total combined on- and off-farm land used for production, and the proposed new FU-energy-corrected milk yield per hectare of total land used. Energy-corrected milk was the FU most effective for reflecting differences between the systems. Functional unit that incorporated a land-related aspect did not find difference between systems which were managed under the same forage regime, despite their comprising different genetic lines. Employing on-farm land as the FU favoured grazing systems. The proposed dual FU combining both productivity and land use did not differentiate between emissions intensity of systems as effectively as the productivity-based units. However, this dual unit displayed potential to quantify in a simple way

Does age influence the intensity of care in a managed care organization?

PubMed

Long, Michael J; Lescoe-Long, Mary

2005-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to determine whether an inverse relationship between age and the intensity of care prevailed in an elderly, functionally impaired population enrolled in a managed care organization. The secondary objective was to determine whether those who died during the study were treated more intensively than the survivors. A total of 278 enrollees in a managed care organization who were 75 years and over, had a severe functional disability, excessive hospital or Emergency Department use, volunteered to take part in a 2-year study. Seventy-seven clients died during the study. We calculated indices of outpatient care intensity and hospital care intensity for the study period. With minor exceptions, the results clearly show that, for this group of clients, the intensity of outpatient care was clearly, inversely related to age. The intensity of hospital care was also inversely related to age, thereby ruling out the hypothesis that it was being substituted for outpatient care. The results also clearly show that, for this population, those who died during the study period were treated more intensively than the survivors. We found strong support for our hypotheses. An investigation of the reasons for these findings was beyond the scope of our data.

Adaptation of intensive mental health intensive case management to rural communities in the Veterans Health Administration.

PubMed

Mohamed, Somaia

2013-03-01

There has been increasing concern in recent years about the availability of mental health services for people with serious mental illness in rural areas. To meet these needs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) implemented the Rural Access Networks for Growth Enhancement (RANGE) program, in 2007, modeled on the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model. This study uses VA administrative data from the RANGE program (N = 343) to compare client characteristics at program entry, patterns of service delivery, and outcomes with those of Veterans who received services from the general VA ACT-like program (Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM) (N = 3,077). Veterans in the rural program entered treatment with similar symptom severity, less likelihood of being diagnosed with schizophrenia and having had long-term hospitalization, but significantly higher suicidality index scores and greater likelihood of being dually diagnosed compared with those in the general program. RANGE Veterans live further away from their treatment teams but did not differ significantly in measures of face-to-face treatment intensity. Similar proportions of RANGE and MHICM Veterans were reported to have received rehabilitation services, crisis intervention and substance abuse treatment. The rural programs had higher scores on overall satisfaction with VA mental health care than general programs, slightly poorer outcomes on quality of life and on the suicidality index but no significant difference on other outcomes. These data demonstrate the clinical need, practical feasibility and potential effectiveness of providing intensive case management through small specialized case management teams in rural areas.

Integration Of PanDA Workload Management System With Supercomputers for ATLAS and Data Intensive Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klimentov, A.; De, K.; Jha, S.; Maeno, T.; Nilsson, P.; Oleynik, D.; Panitkin, S.; Wells, J.; Wenaus, T.

2016-10-01

The.LHC, operating at CERN, is leading Big Data driven scientific explorations. Experiments at the LHC explore the fundamental nature of matter and the basic forces that shape our universe. ATLAS, one of the largest collaborations ever assembled in the sciences, is at the forefront of research at the LHC. To address an unprecedented multi-petabyte data processing challenge, the ATLAS experiment is relying on a heterogeneous distributed computational infrastructure. The ATLAS experiment uses PanDA (Production and Data Analysis) Workload Management System for managing the workflow for all data processing on over 150 data centers. Through PanDA, ATLAS physicists see a single computing facility that enables rapid scientific breakthroughs for the experiment, even though the data centers are physically scattered all over the world. While PanDA currently uses more than 250,000 cores with a peak performance of 0.3 petaFLOPS, LHC data taking runs require more resources than grid can possibly provide. To alleviate these challenges, LHC experiments are engaged in an ambitious program to expand the current computing model to include additional resources such as the opportunistic use of supercomputers. We will describe a project aimed at integration of PanDA WMS with supercomputers in United States, in particular with Titan supercomputer at Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility. Current approach utilizes modified PanDA pilot framework for job submission to the supercomputers batch queues and local data management, with light-weight MPI wrappers to run single threaded workloads in parallel on LCFs multi-core worker nodes. This implementation was tested with a variety of Monte-Carlo workloads on several supercomputing platforms for ALICE and ATLAS experiments and it is in full pro duction for the ATLAS since September 2015. We will present our current accomplishments with running PanDA at supercomputers and demonstrate our ability to use PanDA as a portal independent of the

Compatibility of intensive timber culture with recreation, water and wildlife management

Treesearch

Samuel P. Shaw

1977-01-01

Two principles of ecology can be applied to make management for recreation, water, and wildlife habitat compatible with timber management. They are diversity within plant communities (i.e. timber types) and interspersion of these diverse communities in place and time. Intensive cultural operations can be the tool to create the...

Foundations of data-intensive science: Technology and practice for high throughput, widely distributed, data management and analysis systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnston, William; Ernst, M.; Dart, E.; Tierney, B.

2014-04-01

Today's large-scale science projects involve world-wide collaborations depend on moving massive amounts of data from an instrument to potentially thousands of computing and storage systems at hundreds of collaborating institutions to accomplish their science. This is true for ATLAS and CMS at the LHC, and it is true for the climate sciences, Belle-II at the KEK collider, genome sciences, the SKA radio telescope, and ITER, the international fusion energy experiment. DOE's Office of Science has been collecting science discipline and instrument requirements for network based data management and analysis for more than a decade. As a result of this certain key issues are seen across essentially all science disciplines that rely on the network for significant data transfer, even if the data quantities are modest compared to projects like the LHC experiments. These issues are what this talk will address; to wit: 1. Optical signal transport advances enabling 100 Gb/s circuits that span the globe on optical fiber with each carrying 100 such channels; 2. Network router and switch requirements to support high-speed international data transfer; 3. Data transport (TCP is still the norm) requirements to support high-speed international data transfer (e.g. error-free transmission); 4. Network monitoring and testing techniques and infrastructure to maintain the required error-free operation of the many R&E networks involved in international collaborations; 5. Operating system evolution to support very high-speed network I/O; 6. New network architectures and services in the LAN (campus) and WAN networks to support data-intensive science; 7. Data movement and management techniques and software that can maximize the throughput on the network connections between distributed data handling systems, and; 8. New approaches to widely distributed workflow systems that can support the data movement and analysis required by the science. All of these areas must be addressed to enable large

Current nitrogen management status and measures to improve the intensive wheat-maize system in China.

PubMed

Cui, Zhenling; Chen, Xinping; Zhang, Fusuo

2010-01-01

During the first 35 years of the Green Revolution, Chinese grain production doubled, greatly reducing food shortage, but at a high environmental cost. In 2005, China alone accounted for around 38% of the global N fertilizer consumption, but the average on-farm N recovery efficiency for the intensive wheat-maize system was only 16-18%. Current on-farm N use efficiency (NUE) is much lower than in research trials or on-farm in other parts of the world, which is attributed to the overuse of chemical N fertilizer, ignorance of the contribution of N from the environment and the soil, poor synchrony between crop N demand and N supply, failure to bring crop yield potential into full play, and an inability to effectively inhibit N losses. Based on such analyses, some measures to drastically improve NUE in China are suggested, such as managing various N sources to limit the total applied N, spatially and temporally matching rhizospheric N supply with N demand in high-yielding crops, reducing N losses, and simultaneously achieving high-yield and high NUE. Maximizing crop yields using a minimum of N inputs requires an integrated, interdisciplinary cooperation and major scientific and practical breakthroughs involving plant nutrition, soil science, agronomy, and breeding.

Progress and challenges to the global waste management system.

PubMed

Singh, Jagdeep; Laurenti, Rafael; Sinha, Rajib; Frostell, Björn

2014-09-01

Rapid economic growth, urbanization and increasing population have caused (materially intensive) resource consumption to increase, and consequently the release of large amounts of waste to the environment. From a global perspective, current waste and resource management lacks a holistic approach covering the whole chain of product design, raw material extraction, production, consumption, recycling and waste management. In this article, progress and different sustainability challenges facing the global waste management system are presented and discussed. The study leads to the conclusion that the current, rather isolated efforts, in different systems for waste management, waste reduction and resource management are indeed not sufficient in a long term sustainability perspective. In the future, to manage resources and wastes sustainably, waste management requires a more systems-oriented approach that addresses the root causes for the problems. A specific issue to address is the development of improved feedback information (statistics) on how waste generation is linked to consumption. © The Author(s) 2014.

Intensive Care Unit–Acquired Weakness: Implications for Physical Therapist Management

PubMed Central

Moss, Marc; Quan, Dianna; Schenkman, Margaret

2012-01-01

Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) can develop a condition referred to as “ICU-acquired weakness.” This condition is characterized by profound weakness that is greater than might be expected to result from prolonged bed rest. Intensive care unit–acquired weakness often is accompanied by dysfunction of multiple organ systems. Individuals with ICU-acquired weakness typically have significant activity limitations, often requiring physical assistance for even the most basic activities associated with bed mobility. Many of these individuals have activity limitations months to years after hospitalization. The purpose of this article is to review evidence that guides physical rehabilitation of people with ICU-acquired weakness. Included are diagnostic criteria, medical management, and prognostic indicators, as well as criteria for beginning physical rehabilitation, with an emphasis on patient safety. Data are presented indicating that rehabilitation can be implemented with very few adverse effects. Evidence is provided for appropriate measurement approaches and for physical intervention strategies. Finally, some of the key issues are summarized that should be investigated to determine the best intervention guidelines for individuals with ICU-acquired weakness. PMID:22282769

Software Intensive Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-01

Architect, Developer and Platform Evangelism • Microsoft Dynamic Systems Initiative-- John Wilson, Architect Windows Management • Windows Lifecycle...Presentations • Aegis--Reuben Pitts & CDR John Ailes, Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems • Long Term Mine Reconnaissance (LMRS)--CAPT...Paul Imes • Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS)--Richard North, JPEO JTRS & Leonard Schiavone , MITRE • Single Integrated Air Picture (SIAP)--CAPT

Effects of silvicultural management intensity on fluxes of dissolved and particulate organic matter in 27 forest sites of the Biodiversity Exploratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michalzik, Beate; Bischoff, Sebastian; Levia, Delphis; Schwarz, Martin; Escher, Peter; Wilcke, Wolfgang; Thieme, Lisa; Kerber, Katja; Kaupenjohann, Martin; Siemens, Jan

2017-04-01

In forested ecosystems, throughfall and stemflow function as key components in the cycling of water and associated biogeochemistry. Analysing annual flux data collected from 27 intensively monitored forest sites of the Biodiversity Exploratories, we found throughfall fluxes of DOC (dissolved organic carbon) linearly related (R2 = 0.40, p < 0.001) to the silvicultural management intensity indicator (SMI) developed by Schall and Ammer (2013). The SMI combines tree species, stand age and aboveground living and dead woody biomass, thereby allowing the quantifying of silvicultural management intensities of stands differing in species composition, age, silvicultural system as they convert from one stand type into another. Throughfall fluxes of particulate organic C and N (POC and PN) and dissolved N were, however independent from those forest structural metrics as well as annual C and N stemflow fluxes, which varied greatly among management intensity classes. In this context, we suggest that canopy structure metrics are more important drivers of water and matter stemflow dynamics, than structural metrics on the level of forest stands. On the other hand, leaching losses of DOC and POC from the litter layer of forests increased significantly with increasing forest management intensity. The observed relationships revealed by intensive flux monitoring are important because they allow us to link organic matter fluxes to forest metrics of larger forested areas (e.g. derived from LiDAR imagery), and hence to model and up-scale water-bound OC dynamics to the landscape level.

Complete feeds-intensive systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Most commercially cultivated fish are raised in high-density culture systems where the assumption is that the contribution of natural foods to the nutrition of the fish is insignificant. Thus, intensively cultured fish must be fed a nutritionally complete feed. A short section on the concept and im...

Low-intensity calibration source for optical imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holdsworth, David W.

2017-03-01

Laboratory optical imaging systems for fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging have become widely available for research applications. These systems use an ultra-sensitive CCD camera to produce quantitative measurements of very low light intensity, detecting signals from small-animal models labeled with optical fluorophores or luminescent emitters. Commercially available systems typically provide quantitative measurements of light output, in units of radiance (photons s-1 cm-2 SR-1) or intensity (photons s-1 cm-2). One limitation to current systems is that there is often no provision for routine quality assurance and performance evaluation. We describe such a quality assurance system, based on an LED-illuminated thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid-crystal display module. The light intensity is controlled by pulse-width modulation of the backlight, producing radiance values ranging from 1.8 x 106 photons s-1 cm-2 SR-1 to 4.2 x 1013 photons s-1 cm-2 SR-1. The lowest light intensity values are produced by very short backlight pulses (i.e. approximately 10 μs), repeated every 300 s. This very low duty cycle is appropriate for laboratory optical imaging systems, which typically operate with long-duration exposures (up to 5 minutes). The low-intensity light source provides a stable, traceable radiance standard that can be used for routine quality assurance of laboratory optical imaging systems.

[Effects of intensive management on soil C and N pools and soil enzyme activities in Moso bamboo plantations.

PubMed

Yang, Meng; Li, Yong Fu; Li, Yong Chun; Xiao, Yong Heng; Yue, Tian; Jiang, Pei Kun; Zhou, Guo Mo; Liu, Juan

2016-11-18

In order to elucidate the effects of intensive management on soil carbon pool, nitrogen pool, enzyme activities in Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) plantations, we collected soil samples from the soil surface (0-20 cm) and subsurface (20-40 cm) layers in the adjacent Moso bamboo plantations with extensive and intensive managements in Sankou Township, Lin'an City, Zhejiang Province. We determined different forms of C, N and soil invertase, urease, catalase and acid phosphatase activities. The results showed that long-term intensive management of Moso bamboo plantations significantly decreased the content and storage of soil organic carbon (SOC), with the SOC storage in the soil surface and subsurface layers decreased by 13.2% and 18.0%, respectively. After 15 years' intensive management of Masoo bamboo plantations, the contents of soil water soluble carbon (WSOC), hot water soluble carbon (HWSOC), microbial carbon (MBC) and readily oxidizable carbon (ROC) were significantly decreased in the soil surface and subsurface layers. The soil N storage in the soil surface and subsurface layers in intensively managed Moso bamboo plantations increased by 50.8% and 36.6%, respectively. Intensive management significantly increased the contents of nitrate-N (NO 3 - -N) and ammonium-N (NH 4 + -N), but decreased the contents of water-soluble nitrogen (WSON) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN). After 15 years' intensive management of Masoo bamboo plantations, the soil invertase, urease, catalase and acid phosphatase activities in the soil surface layer were significantly decreased, the soil acid phosphatase activity in the soil subsurface layer were significantly decreased, and other enzyme activities in the soil subsurface layer did not change. In conclusion, long-term intensive management led to a significant decline of soil organic carbon storage, soil labile carbon and microbial activity in Moso bamboo plantations. Therefore, we should consider the use of organic

Does management intensity in inter rows effect soil physical properties in Austrian and Romanian vineyards?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Thomas; Strauss, Peter; Stiper, Katrin; Klipa, Vladimir; Popescu, Daniela; Winter, Silvia; Zaller, Johann G.

2016-04-01

Successful viticulture is mainly influenced by soil and climate. The availability of water during the growing season highly influences wine quality and quantity. To protect soil from being eroded most of the winegrowers keep the inter row zones of the vineyards green. Greening also helps to provide water-stress to the grapes for harvesting high quality wines. However, these greening strategies concerning the intensity of inter row management differ from farm to farm and are mainly based on personal experience of the winegrowers. However to what extent different inter row management practices affect soil physical properties are not clearly understood yet. To measure possible effects of inter row management in vineyards on soil physical parameters we selected paired vineyards with different inter row management in Austria and Romania. In total more than 7000 soil analysis were conducted for saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, soil water retention, water stable aggregates, total organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, potassium, phosphorous, soil texture, bulk density and water infiltration. The comparison between high intensity management with at least one soil disturbance per year, medium intensity with one soil disturbance every second inter row per year and low intensity management with no soil disturbance since at least 5 years indicates that investigated soil physical properties did not improve for the upper soil layer (3-8cm). This is in contrast to general perceptions of improved soil physical properties due to low intensity of inter row management, i.e. permanent vegetated inter rows. This may be attributed to long term and high frequency mechanical stress by agricultural machinery in inter rows.

Impact of Primary Care Intensive Management on High-Risk Veterans' Costs and Utilization: A Randomized Quality Improvement Trial.

PubMed

Yoon, Jean; Chang, Evelyn; Rubenstein, Lisa V; Park, Angel; Zulman, Donna M; Stockdale, Susan; Ong, Michael K; Atkins, David; Schectman, Gordon; Asch, Steven M

2018-06-05

Primary care models that offer comprehensive, accessible care to all patients may provide insufficient resources to meet the needs of patients with complex conditions who have the greatest risk for hospitalization. To assess whether augmenting usual primary care with team-based intensive management lowers utilization and costs for high-risk patients. Randomized quality improvement trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03100526). 5 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers. Primary care patients at high risk for hospitalization who had a recent acute care episode. Locally tailored intensive management programs providing care coordination, goals assessment, health coaching, medication reconciliation, and home visits through an interdisciplinary team, including a physician or nurse practitioner, a nurse, and psychosocial experts. Utilization and costs (including intensive management program expenses) 12 months before and after randomization. 2210 patients were randomly assigned, 1105 to intensive management and 1105 to usual care. Patients had a mean age of 63 years and an average of 7 chronic conditions; 90% were men. Of the patients assigned to intensive management, 487 (44%) received intensive outpatient care (that is, ≥3 encounters in person or by telephone) and 204 (18%) received limited intervention. From the pre- to postrandomization periods, mean inpatient costs decreased more for the intensive management than the usual care group (-$2164 [95% CI, -$7916 to $3587]). Outpatient costs increased more for the intensive management than the usual care group ($2636 [CI, $524 to $4748]), driven by greater use of primary care, home care, telephone care, and telehealth. Mean total costs were similar in the 2 groups before and after randomization. Sites took up to several months to contact eligible patients, limiting the time between treatment and outcome assessment. Only VA costs were assessed. High-risk patients with access to an intensive management program

A digital intensity stabilization system for HeNe laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Zhimeng; Lu, Guangfeng; Yang, Kaiyong; Long, Xingwu; Huang, Yun

2012-02-01

A digital intensity stabilization system for HeNe laser is developed. Based on a switching power IC to design laser power supply and a general purpose microcontroller to realize digital PID control, the system constructs a closed loop to stabilize the laser intensity by regulating its discharge current. The laser tube is made of glass ceramics and its integrated structure is steady enough to eliminate intensity fluctuations at high frequency and attenuates all intensity fluctuations, and this makes it easy to tune the control loop. The control loop between discharge current and photodiode voltage eliminates the long-term drifts. The intensity stability of the HeNe laser with this system is 0.014% over 12 h.

Requirements Analysis for Information-Intensive Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callender, E. D.; Hartsough, C.; Morris, R. V.; Yamamoto, Y.

1986-01-01

Report discusses role of requirements analysis in development of information-intensive systems. System examined from variety of human viewpoints during design, development, and implementation. Such examination, called requirements analysis, ensures system simultaneously meets number of distinct but interacting needs. Viewpoints defined and integrated to help attain objectives.

Enhancing the diversity of breeding invertebrates within field margins of intensively managed grassland: Effects of alternative management practices.

PubMed

Fritch, Rochelle A; Sheridan, Helen; Finn, John A; McCormack, Stephen; Ó hUallacháin, Daire

2017-11-01

Severe declines in biodiversity have been well documented for many taxonomic groups due to intensification of agricultural practices. Establishment and appropriate management of arable field margins can improve the diversity and abundance of invertebrate groups; however, there is much less research on field margins within grassland systems. Three grassland field margin treatments (fencing off the existing vegetation "fenced"; fencing with rotavation and natural regeneration "rotavated" and; fencing with rotavation and seeding "seeded") were compared to a grazed control in the adjacent intensively managed pasture. Invertebrates were sampled using emergence traps to investigate species breeding and overwintering within the margins. Using a manipulation experiment, we tested whether the removal of grazing pressure and nutrient inputs would increase the abundance and richness of breeding invertebrates within grassland field margins. We also tested whether field margin establishment treatments, with their different vegetation communities, would change the abundance and richness of breeding invertebrates in the field margins. Exclusion of grazing and nutrient inputs led to increased abundance and richness in nearly all invertebrate groups that we sampled. However, there were more complex effects of field margin establishment treatment on the abundance and richness of invertebrate taxa. Each of the three establishment treatments supported a distinct invertebrate community. The removal of grazing from grassland field margins provided a greater range of overwintering/breeding habitat for invertebrates. We demonstrate the capacity of field margin establishment to increase the abundance and richness in nearly all invertebrate groups in study plots that were located on previously more depauperate areas of intensively managed grassland. These results from grassland field margins provide evidence to support practical actions that can inform Greening (Pillar 1) and agri

Climate Change Effects of Forest Management and Substitution of Carbon-Intensive Materials and Fossil Fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sathre, R.; Gustavsson, L.; Haus, S.; Lundblad, M.; Lundström, A.; Ortiz, C.; Truong, N.; Wikberg, P. E.

2016-12-01

Forests can play several roles in climate change mitigation strategies, for example as a reservoir for storing carbon and as a source of renewable materials and energy. To better understand the linkages and possible trade-offs between different forest management strategies, we conduct an integrated analysis where both sequestration of carbon in growing forests and the effects of substituting carbon intensive products within society are considered. We estimate the climate effects of directing forest management in Sweden towards increased carbon storage in forests, with more land set-aside for protection, or towards increased forest production for the substitution of carbon-intensive materials and fossil fuels, relative to a reference case of current forest management. We develop various scenarios of forest management and biomass use to estimate the carbon balances of the forest systems, including ecological and technological components, and their impacts on the climate in terms of cumulative radiative forcing over a 100-year period. For the reference case of current forest management, increasing the harvest of forest residues is found to give increased climate benefits. A scenario with increased set-aside area and the current level of forest residue harvest begins with climate benefits compared to the reference scenario, but the benefits cannot be sustained for 100 years because the rate of carbon storage in set-aside forests diminishes over time as the forests mature, but the demand for products and fuels remains. The most climatically beneficial scenario, expressed as reduced cumulative radiative forcing, in both the short and long terms is a strategy aimed at high forest production, high residue recovery rate, and high efficiency utilization of harvested biomass. Active forest management with high harvest level and efficient forest product utilization will provide more climate benefit, compared to reducing harvest and storing more carbon in the forest. Figure

Management intensity and vegetation complexity affect web-building spiders and their prey.

PubMed

Diehl, Eva; Mader, Viktoria L; Wolters, Volkmar; Birkhofer, Klaus

2013-10-01

Agricultural management and vegetation complexity affect arthropod diversity and may alter trophic interactions between predators and their prey. Web-building spiders are abundant generalist predators and important natural enemies of pests. We analyzed how management intensity (tillage, cutting of the vegetation, grazing by cattle, and synthetic and organic inputs) and vegetation complexity (plant species richness, vegetation height, coverage, and density) affect rarefied richness and composition of web-building spiders and their prey with respect to prey availability and aphid predation in 12 habitats, ranging from an uncut fallow to a conventionally managed maize field. Spiders and prey from webs were collected manually and the potential prey were quantified using sticky traps. The species richness of web-building spiders and the order richness of prey increased with plant diversity and vegetation coverage. Prey order richness was lower at tilled compared to no-till sites. Hemipterans (primarily aphids) were overrepresented, while dipterans, hymenopterans, and thysanopterans were underrepresented in webs compared to sticky traps. The per spider capture efficiency for aphids was higher at tilled than at no-till sites and decreased with vegetation complexity. After accounting for local densities, 1.8 times more aphids were captured at uncut compared to cut sites. Our results emphasize the functional role of web-building spiders in aphid predation, but suggest negative effects of cutting or harvesting. We conclude that reduced management intensity and increased vegetation complexity help to conserve local invertebrate diversity, and that web-building spiders at sites under low management intensity (e.g., semi-natural habitats) contribute to aphid suppression at the landscape scale.

[Quality assurance and quality management in intensive care].

PubMed

Notz, K; Dubb, R; Kaltwasser, A; Hermes, C; Pfeffer, S

2015-11-01

Treatment success in hospitals, particularly in intensive care units, is directly tied to quality of structure, process, and outcomes. Technological and medical advancements lead to ever more complex treatment situations with highly specialized tasks in intensive care nursing. Quality criteria that can be used to describe and correctly measure those highly complex multiprofessional situations have only been recently developed and put into practice.In this article, it will be shown how quality in multiprofessional teams can be definded and assessed in daily clinical practice. Core aspects are the choice of a nursing theory, quality assurance measures, and quality management. One possible option of quality assurance is the use of standard operating procedures (SOPs). Quality can ultimately only be achieved if professional groups think beyond their boundaries, minimize errors, and establish and live out instructions and SOPs.

The development and current status of Intensive Care Unit management of prospective organ donors

PubMed Central

Ellis, Margaret Kathleen Menzel; Sally, Mitchell Brett; Malinoski, Darren

2016-01-01

Introduction: Despite continuous advances in transplant medicine, there is a persistent worldwide shortage of organs available for donation. There is a growing body of research that supports that optimal management of deceased organ donors in Intensive Care Unit can substantially increase the availability of organs for transplant and improve outcomes in transplant recipients. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed, comprising a comprehensive search of the PubMed database for relevant terms, as well as individual assessment of references included in large original investigations, and comprehensive society guidelines. Results: In addition to overall adherence to catastrophic brain injury guidelines, optimization of physiologic state in accordance with established donor management goals (DMGs), and establishment of system-wide processes for ensuring early referral to organ procurement organizations (OPOs), several specific critical care management strategies have been associated with improved rates and outcomes of renal transplantation from deceased donors. These include vasoactive medication selection, maintenance of euvolemia, avoidance of hydroxyethyl starch, glycemic control, targeted temperature management, and blood transfusions if indicated. Conclusions: Management of deceased organ donors should focus first on maintaining adequate perfusion to all organ systems through adherence to standard critical care guidelines, early referral to OPOs, and family support. Furthermore, several specific DMGs and strategies have been recently shown to improve both the rates and outcomes of organ transplantation. PMID:27555674

Closed-loop control for cardiopulmonary management and intensive care unit sedation using digital imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gholami, Behnood

This dissertation introduces a new problem in the delivery of healthcare, which could result in lower cost and a higher quality of medical care as compared to the current healthcare practice. In particular, a framework is developed for sedation and cardiopulmonary management for patients in the intensive care unit. A method is introduced to automatically detect pain and agitation in nonverbal patients, specifically in sedated patients in the intensive care unit, using their facial expressions. Furthermore, deterministic as well as probabilistic expert systems are developed to suggest the appropriate drug dose based on patient sedation level. Patients in the intensive care unit who require mechanical ventilation due to acute respiratory failure also frequently require the administration of sedative agents. The need for sedation arises both from patient anxiety due to the loss of personal control and the unfamiliar and intrusive environment of the intensive care unit, and also due to pain or other variants of noxious stimuli. In this dissertation, we develop a rule-based expert system for cardiopulmonary management and intensive care unit sedation. Furthermore, we use probability theory to quantify uncertainty and to extend the proposed rule-based expert system to deal with more realistic situations. Pain assessment in patients who are unable to verbally communicate is a challenging problem. The fundamental limitations in pain assessment stem from subjective assessment criteria, rather than quantifiable, measurable data. The relevance vector machine (RVM) classification technique is a Bayesian extension of the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm which achieves comparable performance to SVM while providing posterior probabilities for class memberships and a sparser model. In this dissertation, we use the RVM classification technique to distinguish pain from non-pain as well as assess pain intensity levels. We also correlate our results with the pain intensity

DCMS: A data analytics and management system for molecular simulation.

PubMed

Kumar, Anand; Grupcev, Vladimir; Berrada, Meryem; Fogarty, Joseph C; Tu, Yi-Cheng; Zhu, Xingquan; Pandit, Sagar A; Xia, Yuni

Molecular Simulation (MS) is a powerful tool for studying physical/chemical features of large systems and has seen applications in many scientific and engineering domains. During the simulation process, the experiments generate a very large number of atoms and intend to observe their spatial and temporal relationships for scientific analysis. The sheer data volumes and their intensive interactions impose significant challenges for data accessing, managing, and analysis. To date, existing MS software systems fall short on storage and handling of MS data, mainly because of the missing of a platform to support applications that involve intensive data access and analytical process. In this paper, we present the database-centric molecular simulation (DCMS) system our team developed in the past few years. The main idea behind DCMS is to store MS data in a relational database management system (DBMS) to take advantage of the declarative query interface ( i.e. , SQL), data access methods, query processing, and optimization mechanisms of modern DBMSs. A unique challenge is to handle the analytical queries that are often compute-intensive. For that, we developed novel indexing and query processing strategies (including algorithms running on modern co-processors) as integrated components of the DBMS. As a result, researchers can upload and analyze their data using efficient functions implemented inside the DBMS. Index structures are generated to store analysis results that may be interesting to other users, so that the results are readily available without duplicating the analysis. We have developed a prototype of DCMS based on the PostgreSQL system and experiments using real MS data and workload show that DCMS significantly outperforms existing MS software systems. We also used it as a platform to test other data management issues such as security and compression.

Determining Nutrient Requirements For Intensively Managed Loblolly Pine Stands Using the SSAND (Soil Supply and Nutrient Demand) Model

Treesearch

Hector G. Adegbidi; Nicholas B. Comerford; Hua Li; Eric J. Jokela; Nairam F. Barros

2002-01-01

Nutrient management represents a central component of intensive silvicultural systems that are designed to increase forest productivity in southern pine stands. Forest soils throughout the South are generally infertile, and fertilizers may be applied one or more times over the course of a rotation. Diagnostic techniques, such as foliar analysis and soil testing are...

Management of Pediatric Delirium in Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Patients: An International Survey of Current Practices.

PubMed

Staveski, Sandra L; Pickler, Rita H; Lin, Li; Shaw, Richard J; Meinzen-Derr, Jareen; Redington, Andrew; Curley, Martha A Q

2018-06-01

The purpose of this study was to describe how pediatric cardiac intensive care clinicians assess and manage delirium in patients following cardiac surgery. Descriptive self-report survey. A web-based survey of pediatric cardiac intensive care clinicians who are members of the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society. Pediatric cardiac intensive care clinicians (physicians and nurses). None. One-hundred seventy-three clinicians practicing in 71 different institutions located in 13 countries completed the survey. Respondents described their clinical impression of the occurrence of delirium to be approximately 25%. Most respondents (75%) reported that their ICU does not routinely screen for delirium. Over half of the respondents (61%) have never attended a lecture on delirium. The majority of respondents (86%) were not satisfied with current delirium screening, diagnosis, and management practices. Promotion of day/night cycle, exposure to natural light, deintensification of care, sleep hygiene, and reorientation to prevent or manage delirium were among nonpharmacologic interventions reported along with the use of anxiolytic, antipsychotic, and medications for insomnia. Clinicians responding to the survey reported a range of delirium assessment and management practices in postoperative pediatric cardiac surgery patients. Study results highlight the need for improvement in delirium education for pediatric cardiac intensive care clinicians as well as the need for systematic evaluation of current delirium assessment and management practices.

Comparison of net global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity affected by management practices in two dryland cropping sites

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Little is known about the effect of management practices on net global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) that account for all sources and sinks of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in dryland cropping systems. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of a combinat...

Intensive gestational glycemic management and childhood obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Guillemette, L; Durksen, A; Rabbani, R; Zarychanski, R; Abou-Setta, A M; Duhamel, T A; McGavock, J M; Wicklow, B

2017-07-01

Hyperglycemia in pregnancy is associated with increased risk of offspring childhood obesity. Treatment reduces macrosomia; however, it is unclear if this effect translates into a reduced risk of childhood obesity. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intensive glycemic management in pregnancy in preventing childhood obesity. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL and ClinicalTrials.gov up to February 2016 and conference abstracts from 2010 to 2015. Two reviewers independently identified randomized controlled trials evaluating intensive glycemic management interventions for hyperglycemia in pregnancy and included four of the 383 citations initially identified. Two reviewers independently extracted study data and evaluated internal validity of the studies using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool. Data were pooled using random-effects models. Statistical heterogeneity was quantified using the I 2 test. The primary outcome was age- and sex-adjusted childhood obesity. Secondary outcomes included childhood weight and waist circumference and maternal hypoglycemia during the trial (safety outcome). The four eligible trials (n=767 children) similarly used lifestyle and insulin to manage gestational hyperglycemia, but only two measured offspring obesity and waist circumference and could be pooled for these outcomes. We found no association between intensive gestational glucose management and childhood obesity at 7-10 years of age (relative risk 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65 to 1.22; two trials; n=568 children). Waist circumference also did not differ between treatment and control arms (mean difference, -2.68 cm; 95% CI, -8.17 to 2.81 cm; two trials; n=568 children). Intensive gestational glycemic management is not associated with reduced childhood obesity in offspring, but randomized data is scarce. Long-term follow-up of trials should be prioritized and comprehensive

Lesions requiring wound management in a central tertiary neonatal intensive care unit.

PubMed

Meszes, Angéla; Tálosi, Gyula; Máder, Krisztina; Orvos, Hajnalka; Kemény, Lajos; Csoma, Zsanett Renáta

2017-04-01

Most of the skin disorders that occur in neonatal intensive care units are due in part to the immaturity and vulnerability of the neonatal skin. Various iatrogenic diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are also conducive to iatrogenic damage. This study was to review the neonates admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit who needed wound management, and to assess the most common skin injuries and wounds, and their aetiology. Data were extracted from medical records of neonates who needed wound management in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit between January 31, 2012 and January 31, 2013. Information about gestational age, sex, birth weight, area of involvement, wound aetiology, and therapy were collected. Among the 211 neonates observed, wound management was required in 10 cases of diaper dermatitis, 7 epidermal stripping, 6 extravasation injuries, 5 pressure ulcers, 1 surgical wound and infection, 1 thermal burn, and 5 other lesions. International guidelines in neonatal wound care practice are not available, and further research concerns are clearly needed. Dressings and antiseptic agents should be chosen with great care for application to neonates, with particular attention to the prevention of adverse events in this sensitive population. Team work among dermatologists, neonatologists and nurses is crucial for the successful treatment of neonates.

Breeding bird community response to establishing intercropped switchgrass in intensively-managed pine stands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Loman, Zachary G.; Riffell, Samuel K.; Wheat, Bradley R.; Miller, Darrin A.; Martin, James A.; Vilella, Francisco

2014-01-01

Intercropping switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) between tree rows within young pine (Pinus spp.) plantations is a potential method to generate lignocellulosic biofuel feedstocks within intensively managed forests. Intensively managed pine supports a diverse avian assemblage potentially affected by establishment and maintenance of an annual biomass feedstock via changes in plant communities, dead wood resources, and habitat structure. We sought to understand how establishing switchgrass on an operational scale affects bird communities within intercropped plantations as compared to typical intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) forest. We conducted breeding bird point counts using distance sampling for three years (2011–2013) following establishment of intercropped switchgrass stands (6 replicates), traditionally-managed pine plantations, and switchgrass-only plots (0.1 km2 minimum) in Kemper Co., MS. We detected 59 breeding bird species from 11,195 detections. Neotropical migrants and forest-edge associated species were less abundant in intercropped plots than controls the first two years after establishment and more abundant in year three. Short distance migrants and residents were scarce in intercropped and control plots initially, and did not differ between these two treatments in any year. Species associated with pine-grass habitat structure were less abundant initially in intercropped plots, but converged with pine controls in subsequent years. Switchgrass monocultures provided minimal resources for birds. If songbird conservation is a management priority, managers should consider potential reductions of some breeding birds for one to two years following intercropping. It is unclear how these relationships may change outside the breeding season and as stands age.

Research strategies for increasing productivity of intensively managed forest plantations

Treesearch

Eric D. Vance; Douglas A. Maguire; Ronald S. Jr. Zalesny

2010-01-01

Intensive management practices increase productivity of forest plantations by reducing site, stand, and biological limitations to dry matter production and by maximizing the allocation of production to harvestable tree components. The resulting increase allows greater fiber production from a smaller land base and provides market incentives to keep these lands under...

A multi-taxon approach reveals the effect of management intensity on biodiversity in Alpine larch grasslands.

PubMed

Nascimbene, Juri; Fontana, Veronika; Spitale, Daniel

2014-07-15

In the Alps, larch grasslands form one of the most pleasing aspects of the landscape. However, their effectiveness in contributing to biodiversity conservation may depend on the intensity of their management. We used a multi-taxon approach to evaluate the effects of the intensification of management practices and those of abandonment on the biodiversity of the main autotrophic organisms hosted in this habitat, including vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens. The study was carried out in the eastern part of South Tyrol, in the Italian Alps, where the diversity patterns of these three organismal groups were compared among intensively managed, extensively managed, and abandoned stands. The management intensity was found to strongly influence the biodiversity of the organisms, with a general pattern indicating the best conditions in extensively managed stands. Both abandonment and management intensification were detrimental to biodiversity through different mechanisms that led to species loss or to major shifts in species composition. However, the most negative effects were related to management intensification, mainly due to the high nitrogen supply, providing evidence for the increasing impact of eutrophication on Alpine environments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An agent based architecture for high-risk neonate management at neonatal intensive care unit.

PubMed

Malak, Jaleh Shoshtarian; Safdari, Reza; Zeraati, Hojjat; Nayeri, Fatemeh Sadat; Mohammadzadeh, Niloofar; Farajollah, Seide Sedighe Seied

2018-01-01

In recent years, the use of new tools and technologies has decreased the neonatal mortality rate. Despite the positive effect of using these technologies, the decisions are complex and uncertain in critical conditions when the neonate is preterm or has a low birth weight or malformations. There is a need to automate the high-risk neonate management process by creating real-time and more precise decision support tools. To create a collaborative and real-time environment to manage neonates with critical conditions at the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and to overcome high-risk neonate management weaknesses by applying a multi agent based analysis and design methodology as a new solution for NICU management. This study was a basic research for medical informatics method development that was carried out in 2017. The requirement analysis was done by reviewing articles on NICU Decision Support Systems. PubMed, Science Direct, and IEEE databases were searched. Only English articles published after 1990 were included; also, a needs assessment was done by reviewing the extracted features and current processes at the NICU environment where the research was conducted. We analyzed the requirements and identified the main system roles (agents) and interactions by a comparative study of existing NICU decision support systems. The Universal Multi Agent Platform (UMAP) was applied to implement a prototype of our multi agent based high-risk neonate management architecture. Local environment agents interacted inside a container and each container interacted with external resources, including other NICU systems and consultation centers. In the NICU container, the main identified agents were reception, monitoring, NICU registry, and outcome prediction, which interacted with human agents including nurses and physicians. Managing patients at the NICU units requires online data collection, real-time collaboration, and management of many components. Multi agent systems are applied as

uFarm: a smart farm management system based on RFID

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyoungsuk; Lee, Moonsup; Jung, Jonghyuk; Lee, Hyunwook; Kim, Taehyoun

2007-12-01

Recently, the livestock industry in Korea has been threatened by many challenges such as low productivity due to labor intensiveness, global competition compelled by the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and emerging animal disease issues such as BSE or foot-and-mouth. In this paper, we propose a smart farm management system, called uFarm, which would come up with such challenges by automating farm management. First, we automate labor-intensive jobs using equipments based on sensors and actuators. The automation subsystem can be controlled by remote user through wireless network. Second, we provide real-time traceability of information on farm animals using the radio-frequency identification (RFID) method and embedded data server with network connectivity.

Mapping Farming Practices in Belgian Intensive Cropping Systems from Sentinel-1 SAR Time Series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chome, G.; Baret, P. V.; Defourny, P.

2016-08-01

The environmental impact of the so-called conventional farming system calls for new farming practices reducing negative externalities. Emerging farming practices such as no-till and new inter-cropping management are promising tracks. The development of methods to characterize crop management across an entire region and to understand their spatial dimension offers opportunities to accompany the transition towards a more sustainable agriculture.This research takes advantage of the unmatched polarimetric and temporal resolutions of Sentinel-1 SAR C- band to develop a method to identify farming practices at the parcel level. To this end, the detection of changes in backscattering due to surface roughness modification (tillage, inter-crop cover destruction ...) is used to detect the farming management. The final results are compared to a reference dataset collected through an intensive field campaign. Finally, the performances are discussed in the perspective of practices monitoring of cropping systems through remote sensing.

Managing social awkwardness when caring for morbidly obese patients in intensive care: A focused ethnography.

PubMed

Hales, Caz; de Vries, Kay; Coombs, Maureen

2016-06-01

Critically ill morbidly obese patients pose considerable healthcare delivery and resource utilisation challenges in the intensive care setting. These are resultant from specific physiological responses to critical illness in this population and the nature of the interventional therapies used in the intensive care environment. An additional challenge arises for this population when considering the social stigma that is attached to being obese. Intensive care staff therefore not only attend to the physical and care needs of the critically ill morbidly obese patient but also navigate, both personally and professionally, the social terrain of stigma when providing care. To explore the culture and influences on doctors and nurses within the intensive care setting when caring for critically ill morbidly obese patients. A focused ethnographic approach was adopted to elicit the 'situated' experiences of caring for critically ill morbidly obese patients from the perspectives of intensive care staff. Participant observation of care practices and interviews with intensive care staff were undertaken over a four month period. Analysis was conducted using constant comparison technique to compare incidents applicable to each theme. An 18 bedded tertiary intensive care unit in New Zealand. Sixty-seven intensive care nurses and 13 intensive care doctors involved with the care and management of seven critically ill patients with a body mass index ≥40kg/m(2). Interactions between intensive care staff and morbidly obese patients were challenging due to the social stigma surrounding obesity. Social awkwardness and managing socially awkward moments were evident when caring for morbidly obese patients. Intensive care staff used strategies of face-work and mutual pretence to alleviate feelings of discomfort when engaged in aspects of care and caring. This was a strategy used to prevent embarrassment and distress for both the patients and staff. This study has brought new understandings

Scheduling-capable autonomic manager for policy-based IT change management system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AbdelSalam, Hady S.; Maly, Kurt; Mukkamala, Ravi; Zubair, Mohammad; Kaminsky, David

2010-11-01

Managing large IT environments is expensive and labour intensive. Maintaining and upgrading with minimal disruption and administrative support has always been a challenging task for system administrators. One challenge faced by IT administrators is arriving at schedules for applying one or more change requests to one of the system components. Most of the time, the impact analysis of the proposed changes is done by humans and is often laborious and error-prone. Although this methodology might be suitable to handle changes that are planned way ahead in time, it is completely inappropriate for changes that need to be done sooner. In addition, such manual handling does not scale well with the size of the IT infrastructure. In this article, the focus is on the problem of scheduling change requests in the presence of organisational policies governing the use of its resources. The authors propose two approaches for change management scheduling and present the implementation details of two prototypes that prove the feasibility of the proposed approaches. Their implementation is integrated with an autonomic manager which they had described in their earlier work.

AI in medicine on its way from knowledge-intensive to data-intensive systems.

PubMed

Horn, W

2001-08-01

The last 20 years of research and development in the field of artificial intelligence in medicine (AIM) show a path from knowledge-intensive systems, which try to capture the essential knowledge of experts in a knowledge-based system, to data-intensive systems available today. Nowadays enormous amounts of information is accessible electronically. Large datasets are collected continuously monitoring physiological parameters of patients. Knowledge-based systems are needed to make use of all these data available and to help us to cope with the information explosion. In addition, temporal data analysis and intelligent information visualization can help us to get a summarized view of the change over time of clinical parameters. Integrating AIM modules into the daily-routine software environment of our care providers gives us a great chance for maintaining and improving quality of care.

Two-year outcome of team-based intensive case management for patients with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Aberg-Wistedt, A; Cressell, T; Lidberg, Y; Liljenberg, B; Osby, U

1995-12-01

Two-year outcomes of patients with schizophrenic disorders who were assigned to an intensive, team-based case management program and patients who received standard psychiatric services were assessed. The case management model featured increased staff contact time with patients, rehabilitation plans based on patients' expressed needs, and patients' attendance at team meetings where their rehabilitation plan was discussed. Forty patients were randomly assigned to either the case management group or the control group that received standard services. Patients' use of emergency and inpatient services, their quality of life, the size of their social networks, and their relatives' burden of care were assessed at assignment to the study groups and at two-year follow-up. Patients in the case management group had significantly fewer emergency visits compared with the two years before the study, and their relatives reported significantly reduced burden of care associated with relationships with psychiatric services over the two-year period. The size of patients' social networks increased for the case management group and decreased for the control group. A team-based intensive case management model is an effective intervention in the rehabilitation of patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Process-Based Mission Assurance- Knowledge Management System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kantzes, Zachary S.; Wander, Stephen; Otero, Suzanne; Vantine, William; Stuart, Richard

2005-12-01

The Process-Based Mission Assurance - Knowledge Management System (PBMA-KMS) implemented at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) focuses on the practical application of the knowledge management (KM) theory and is based on a systems engineering management approach coupled to a continual improvement and risk management philosophy. Not to be confused with an Agency mandate, an intense focus has been placed on grassroots input to the future of the product. By providing emphasis to both Agency safety and mission success objectives and individual users' needs, the PBMA-KMS team has been able to be both reactive to Agency requirements and proactive to the needs of the community.PBMA-KMS is an excellent case study on how to use new approaches to facilitate and integrate safety into the culture of an organization. Principle discussion topics include: • Overarching themes,• Tactical approaches,• Highlights of key functionalities, and• Agency KM approach of managed Darwinism.PBMA-KMS can show how, by providing top-level guidance along with the necessary tools and support, the organization not only receives immediate value, but the long-ranging benefits of a more experienced, effective, and engaged workforce.

[Intercultural competence. Management of foreignness in intensive care medicine].

PubMed

Bein, T

2015-08-01

Living in a multicultural society is characterized by different attitudes caused by a variety of religions and cultures. In intensive care medicine such a variety of cultural aspects with respect to pain, shame, bodiliness, dying and death is of importance in this scenario. To assess the importance of cultural and religious attitudes in the face of foreignness in intensive care medicine and nursing. Notification of misunderstandings and misinterpretations in communication and actions. An analysis of the scientific literature was carried out and typical intercultural conflict burden situations regarding the management of brain death, organ donation and end of life decisions are depicted. Specific attitudes are found in various religions or cultures regarding the change of a therapeutic target, the value of the patient's living will and the organization of rituals for dying. Intercultural conflicts are mostly due to misunderstandings, assessment differences, discrimination and differences in values. Intercultural competence is crucial in intensive care medicine and includes knowledge of social and cultural influences of different attitudes on health and illness, the abstraction from own attitudes and the acceptance of other or foreign attitudes.

Design of Web-based Management Information System for Academic Degree & Graduate Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Rui; Zhang, Mingsheng

For every organization, the management information system is not only a computer-based human-machine system that can support and help the administrative supervisor but also an open technology system for society. It should supply the interaction function that face the organization and environment, besides gather, transmit and save the information. The authors starts with the intension of contingency theory and design a web-based management information system for academic degree & graduate education which is based on analyzing of work flow of domestic academic degree and graduate education system. What's more, the application of the system is briefly introduced in this paper.

Enhancing the Biodiversity of Ditches in Intensively Managed UK Farmland

PubMed Central

Shaw, Rosalind F.; Johnson, Paul J.; Macdonald, David W.; Feber, Ruth E.

2015-01-01

Drainage ditches, either seasonally flooded or permanent, are commonly found on intensively managed lowland farmland in the UK. They are potentially important for wetland biodiversity but, despite their ubiquity, information on their biodiversity and management in the wider countryside is scarce. We surveyed 175 ditches for their physical and chemical characteristics, spatial connectivity, plant communities and aquatic invertebrates in an area of intensively managed farmland in Oxfordshire, UK and collected information on ditch management from farmer interviews. Water depth and shade had a small impact on the diversity of plant and invertebrate communities in ditches. Increased shade over the ditch channel resulted in reduced taxonomic richness of both channel vegetation and aquatic invertebrates and channel vegetation cover was lower at shaded sites. Invertebrate taxonomic richness was higher when water was deeper. Spatial connectivity had no detectable impact on the aquatic invertebrate or plant communities found in ditches. The number of families within the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT), which contain many pollution-sensitive species, declined with decreasing pH of ditch water. As time since dredging increased, the number of EPT families increased in permanent ditches but decreased in temporary ditches. Whether or not a ditch was in an agri-environment scheme had little impact on the reported management regime or biodiversity value of the ditch. Measures for increasing the amount of water in ditches, by increasing the water depth or promoting retention of water in ditches, could increase the biodiversity value of ditches in agricultural land. Some temporary ditches for specialised species should be retained. Reducing the amount of shade over narrow ditches by managing adjacent hedgerows is also likely to increase the species diversity of plant and invertebrate communities within the ditch. We recommend that to preserve or enhance the

Enhancing the Biodiversity of Ditches in Intensively Managed UK Farmland.

PubMed

Shaw, Rosalind F; Johnson, Paul J; Macdonald, David W; Feber, Ruth E

2015-01-01

Drainage ditches, either seasonally flooded or permanent, are commonly found on intensively managed lowland farmland in the UK. They are potentially important for wetland biodiversity but, despite their ubiquity, information on their biodiversity and management in the wider countryside is scarce. We surveyed 175 ditches for their physical and chemical characteristics, spatial connectivity, plant communities and aquatic invertebrates in an area of intensively managed farmland in Oxfordshire, UK and collected information on ditch management from farmer interviews. Water depth and shade had a small impact on the diversity of plant and invertebrate communities in ditches. Increased shade over the ditch channel resulted in reduced taxonomic richness of both channel vegetation and aquatic invertebrates and channel vegetation cover was lower at shaded sites. Invertebrate taxonomic richness was higher when water was deeper. Spatial connectivity had no detectable impact on the aquatic invertebrate or plant communities found in ditches. The number of families within the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT), which contain many pollution-sensitive species, declined with decreasing pH of ditch water. As time since dredging increased, the number of EPT families increased in permanent ditches but decreased in temporary ditches. Whether or not a ditch was in an agri-environment scheme had little impact on the reported management regime or biodiversity value of the ditch. Measures for increasing the amount of water in ditches, by increasing the water depth or promoting retention of water in ditches, could increase the biodiversity value of ditches in agricultural land. Some temporary ditches for specialised species should be retained. Reducing the amount of shade over narrow ditches by managing adjacent hedgerows is also likely to increase the species diversity of plant and invertebrate communities within the ditch. We recommend that to preserve or enhance the

Ultimate biochemical oxygen demand in semi-intensively managed shrimp pond waters

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Three independent studies were conducted to quantified ultimate biochemical oxygen demand (UBOD) and the corresponding decomposition rate constant for production pond (average 21.5 ha each) waters and effluents on six semi-intensively managed marine shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farms in Honduras. S...

Environmental management and labour productivity: The moderating role of capital intensity.

PubMed

Lannelongue, Gustavo; Gonzalez-Benito, Javier; Quiroz, Idaisa

2017-04-01

Recent years have seen firms improve their environmental practices, although the question still remains as to whether or not investing in such practices is or is not beneficial or simply a matter of image. This study focuses on labour productivity as a measure of performance, and we argue that the impact of greater environmental performance on that productivity is moderated by capital intensity. A sample of 2823 plants provides empirical evidence to support our approach. Specifically, the analyses, making use of estimates based on multiple regression models, reveal that environmental management has a positive impact on labour productivity in organisations with low capital intensity, although that impact becomes negative in cases of high capital intensity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trivariate characteristics of intensity fluctuations for heavily saturated optical systems.

PubMed

Das, Biman; Drake, Eli; Jack, John

2004-02-01

Trivariate cumulants of intensity fluctuations have been computed starting from a trivariate intensity probability distribution function, which rests on the assumption that the variation of intensity has a maximum entropy distribution with the constraint that the total intensity is constant. The assumption holds for optical systems such as a thin, long, mirrorless gas laser amplifier where under heavy gain saturation the total output approaches a constant intensity, although intensity of any mode fluctuates rapidly over the average intensity. The relations between trivariate cumulants and central moments that were needed for the computation of trivariate cumulants were derived. The results of the computation show that the cumulants have characteristic values that depend on the number of interacting modes in the system. The cumulant values approach zero when the number of modes is infinite, as expected. The results will be useful for comparison with the experimental triavariate statistics of heavily saturated optical systems such as the output from a thin, long, bidirectional gas laser amplifier.

[Costs and consumption of material resources in pediatric intensive and semi-intensive care units].

PubMed

Zuliani, Larissa Lenotti; Jericó, Marli de Carvalho; de Castro, Liliana Cristina; Soler, Zaida Aurora Sperli Geraldes

2012-01-01

Cost management of hospital material resources is a trendy research topic, especially in specialized health units. Nurses are pointed out as the main managers for costs and consumption of hospital materials resources. This study aimed to characterize Pediatric Intensive and Semi-Intensive Care Units of a teaching hospital and investigate costs and consumption of material resources used to treat patients admitted to these units. This is a descriptive exploratory study with retrospective data and quantitative approach. Data were obtained from a Hospital Information System and analyzed according to the ABC classification. The average expenditures were similar in both the neonatal and cardiac units, and lower in Pediatric Intensive and Semi-Intensive care units. There was a significant variation in the monthly consumption of materials. Higher cost materials had a greater impact on the budget of the studied units. The data revealed the importance of using a systematic method for the analysis of materials consumption and expenditure in pediatric units. They subsidize administrative and economic actions.

A new patient registration method for intensive care department management.

PubMed

Van Aken, P; Bossaert, L; Gilot, C; Tielemans, L

1987-01-01

A new method to describe intensive care department performance is presented. The method is a complication of available administrative and medical data, completed with a severity of illness measure (Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation, APACHE) and the registration of nursing care intensity. The development of this latter patient stratification system (Intensive Care Activity Score, INCAS) is described. The performance of the method is demonstrated by a study of 200 consecutive admissions.

Foliage Density Distribution and Prediction of Intensively Managed Loblolly Pine

Treesearch

Yujia Zhang; Bruce E. Borders; Rodney E. Will; Hector De Los Santos Posadas

2004-01-01

The pipe model theory says that foliage biomass is proportional to the sapwood area at the base of the live crown. This knowledge was incorporated in an effort to develop a foliage biomass prediction model from integrating a stipulated foliage biomass distribution function within the crown. This model was parameterized using data collected from intensively managed...

A clinical decision support system prototype for cardiovascular intensive care.

PubMed

Lau, F

1994-08-01

This paper describes the development and validation of a decision-support system prototype that can help manage hypovolemic hypotension in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU). The prototype uses physiologic pattern-matching, therapeutic protocols, computational drug-dosage response modeling and expert reasoning heuristics in its selection of intervention strategies and choices. As part of model testing, the prototype simulated real-time operation by processing historical physiologic and intervention data on a patient sequentially, generating alerts on questionable data, critiques of interventions instituted and recommendations on preferred interventions. Bench-testing with 399 interventions from 13 historical cases showed therapies for bleeding and fluid replacement proposed by the prototype were significantly more consistent (p < 0.0001) than those instituted by the staff when compared against expert critiques (80% versus 44%). This study has demonstrated the feasibility of formalizing hemodynamic management of CVICU patients in a manner that may be implemented and evaluated in a clinical setting.

Contingency management for patients with dual disorders in intensive outpatient treatment for addiction.

PubMed

Kelly, Thomas M; Daley, Dennis C; Douaihy, Antoine B

2014-01-01

This quality improvement program evaluation investigated the effectiveness of contingency management for improving retention in treatment and positive outcomes among patients with dual disorders in intensive outpatient treatment for addiction. The effect of contingency management was explored among a group of 160 patients exposed to contingency management (n = 88) and not exposed to contingency management (no contingency management, n = 72) in a six-week partial hospitalization program. Patients referred to the partial hospitalization program for treatment of substance use and comorbid psychiatric disorders received diagnoses from psychiatrists and specialist clinicians according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association. A unique application of the contingency management "fishbowl" method was used to improve the consistency of attendance at treatment sessions, which patients attended 5 days a week. Days attending treatment and drug-free days were the main outcome variables. Other outcomes of interest were depression, anxiety and psychological stress, coping ability, and intensity of drug cravings. Patients in the contingency management group attended more treatment days compared to patients in the no contingency management group; M = 16.2 days (SD = 10.0) versus M = 9.9 days (SD = 8.5), respectively; t = 4.2, df = 158, p <.001. No difference was found between the treatment groups on number of drug-free days. Psychological stress and drug craving were inversely associated with drug-free days in bivariate testing (r = -.18, p <.02; r = -.31, p <.001, respectively). Treatment days attended and drug craving were associated with drug-free days in multivariate testing (B =.05, SE =.01, β =.39, t = 4.9, p <.001; B = -.47; SE =.12, β = -.30, t = -3.9, p <.001, respectively; Adj. R(2) =.21). Days attending treatment partially mediated the relationship between exposure to contingency management and self-reported drug-free days

Contingency Management for Patients with Dual Disorders in Intensive Outpatient Treatment for Addiction

PubMed Central

Daley, Dennis C.; Douaihy, Antoine B.

2014-01-01

Objective This project investigated the effectiveness of contingency management for improving retention in treatment and positive outcomes among patients with dual disorders in intensive outpatient treatment for addiction. Methods The effect of contingency management was explored among a group of 160 patients exposed to contingency management (n = 88) and not exposed to contingency management (no contingency management, n = 72) in a partial hospitalization program. Patients referred to the partial hospitalization program for treatment of substance use and comorbid psychiatric disorders were diagnosed by psychiatrists and specialist clinicians according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV-TR). A unique application of the contingency management “fishbowl” method was used in the to improve consistency of attendance at treatment sessions, which patients attended five days a week. Days attending treatment and drug-free days were the main outcome variables. Other outcomes of interest were depression, anxiety and psychological stress, coping ability, and intensity of drug cravings. Results Patients in the contingency management group attended more treatment days compared to patients in the no contingency management group; M = 16.2 days (SD = 10.0) vs. M = 9.9 days (SD = 8.5), respectively; t = 4.2, df = 158, p<.001. No difference was found between the treatment groups on number of drug-free days. Psychological stress and drug craving were inversely associated with drug-free days in bivariate testing (r =−.18, p<.02; r = −.31, p<.001 respectively). Treatment days attended and drug craving were associated with drug-free days in multivariate testing (B = .05, SE =.01, β = .39, t =4.9, p <.001; B = −.47 SE = .12, β = −.30, t =−3.9, p <.001; respectively; Adj. R2 = .21). Days attending treatment partially mediated the relationship between exposure to contingency management and self-reported drug-free days

A system management methodology for building successful resource management systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hornstein, Rhoda Shaller; Willoughby, John K.

1989-01-01

This paper presents a system management methodology for building successful resource management systems that possess lifecycle effectiveness. This methodology is based on an analysis of the traditional practice of Systems Engineering Management as it applies to the development of resource management systems. The analysis produced fifteen significant findings presented as recommended adaptations to the traditional practice of Systems Engineering Management to accommodate system development when the requirements are incomplete, unquantifiable, ambiguous and dynamic. Ten recommended adaptations to achieve operational effectiveness when requirements are incomplete, unquantifiable or ambiguous are presented and discussed. Five recommended adaptations to achieve system extensibility when requirements are dynamic are also presented and discussed. The authors conclude that the recommended adaptations to the traditional practice of Systems Engineering Management should be implemented for future resource management systems and that the technology exists to build these systems extensibly.

[Changes in soil organic carbon and soil microbial functional diversity of Carya cathayensis plantations under intensive managements].

PubMed

Wu, Jia-Sen; Qian, Jin-Fang; Tong, Zhi-Peng; Huang, Jian-Qin; Zhao, Ke-Li

2014-09-01

The change characteristics of soil organic carbon and microbial function diversity in Chinese hickory Carya cathayensis stands with different intensive-management durations (5, 10, 15 and 20 years) were studied. The results showed that soil total organic carbon (TOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) decreased significantly, while the stability of soil C pool increased significantly after the conversion from evergreen and deciduous broadleaf forest to intensively-managed forest (IMF). TOC, MBC and WSOC in the hickory forest soil decreased by 28.4%, 34.1% and 53.3% with 5-year intensive management, and by 38.6%, 48.9% and 64.1% with 20-year intensive management, respectively. The proportions of carboxyl C, phenolic C and aromatic C in the hickory forest soil all increased significantly, and the aromaticity of soil organic C increased by 23.0%. Soil microbial functional diversity decreased greatly af- ter intensive management of Chinese hickory forest. Significant differences in average well color development (AWCD) were found between the 0- and 5-year treatments and the 10-, 15- and 20- year treatments. The microbial diversity indexes (H) and evenness indexes (E) in the 0- and 5-year treatments were much greater than in the 10- and 20-year treatments. Correlation analysis showed that there were significant correlations among soil TOC, WSOC, MBC, AWCD, H and E.

Management of severe sepsis in patients admitted to Asian intensive care units: prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Phua, Jason; Du, Bin; Tang, Yao-Qing; Divatia, Jigeeshu V; Tan, Cheng Cheng; Gomersall, Charles D; Faruq, Mohammad Omar; Shrestha, Babu Raja; Gia Binh, Nguyen; Arabi, Yaseen M; Salahuddin, Nawal; Wahyuprajitno, Bambang; Tu, Mei-Lien; Wahab, Ahmad Yazid Haji Abd; Hameed, Akmal A; Nishimura, Masaji; Procyshyn, Mark; Chan, Yiong Huak

2011-01-01

Objectives To assess the compliance of Asian intensive care units and hospitals to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign’s resuscitation and management bundles. Secondary objectives were to evaluate the impact of compliance on mortality and the organisational characteristics of hospitals that were associated with higher compliance. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting 150 intensive care units in 16 Asian countries. Participants 1285 adult patients with severe sepsis admitted to these intensive care units in July 2009. The organisational characteristics of participating centres, the patients’ baseline characteristics, the achievement of targets within the resuscitation and management bundles, and outcome data were recorded. Main outcome measure Compliance with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign’s resuscitation (six hours) and management (24 hours) bundles. Results Hospital mortality was 44.5% (572/1285). Compliance rates for the resuscitation and management bundles were 7.6% (98/1285) and 3.5% (45/1285), respectively. On logistic regression analysis, compliance with the following bundle targets independently predicted decreased mortality: blood cultures (achieved in 803/1285; 62.5%, 95% confidence interval 59.8% to 65.1%), broad spectrum antibiotics (achieved in 821/1285; 63.9%, 61.3% to 66.5%), and central venous pressure (achieved in 345/870; 39.7%, 36.4% to 42.9%). High income countries, university hospitals, intensive care units with an accredited fellowship programme, and surgical intensive care units were more likely to be compliant with the resuscitation bundle. Conclusions While mortality from severe sepsis is high, compliance with resuscitation and management bundles is generally poor in much of Asia. As the centres included in this study might not be fully representative, achievement rates reported might overestimate the true degree of compliance with recommended care and should be interpreted with caution. Achievement of targets for blood cultures

How does vineyard management intensity affect ecosystem services and disservices - insights from a meta-analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winter, Silvia; Zaller, Johann G.; Kratschmer, Sophie; Pachinger, Bärbel; Strauss, Peter; Bauer, Thomas; Paredes, Daniel; Gómez, José A.; Guzmán, Gema; Landa, Blanca; Nicolai, Annegret; Burel, Francoise; Cluzeau, Daniel; Popescu, Daniela; Bunea, Claudiu-Ioan; Potthoff, Martin; Guernion, Muriel; Batáry, Péter

2016-04-01

Viticultural agro-ecosystems provide a range of different ecosystem services which are affected by management decisions of winegrowers. At the global scale, vineyards are often high intensity agricultural systems with bare soil or inter-row vegetation consisting of only a few plant species. These systems primarily aim at optimizing wine production by reducing competition for water and nutrients between grapevines and weeds and by preventing the outbreak of pests and diseases. At the same time, this kind of management is often associated with ecosystem disservices such as high rates of soil erosion, degradation of soil structure and fertility, contamination of groundwater and decline of biodiversity. Recently, several initiatives across the world tried to overcome detrimental effects of that management style by creating biodiversity friendly vineyards. The consequences of establishing divers cover crop mixes or tolerating spontaneous vegetation in vineyards for ecosystem services (including yield) overstretching local case studies has not been investigated yet. This meta-analysis will provide an overview of all published studies comparing the effects of different vineyard management practices on a range of different ecosystem services like biodiversity, pest control, pollination, soil conservation and carbon sequestration. The aggregated effect size will point out which management measures can provide the best overall net sum of ecosystem services. This meta-analysis is part of the transdisciplinary BiodivERsA project VineDivers and will ultimately lead into management and policy recommendations for various stakeholder groups engaged in viticulture.

Net global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity as affected by different water management strategies in Chinese double rice-cropping systems.

PubMed

Wu, Xiaohong; Wang, Wei; Xie, Xiaoli; Yin, Chunmei; Hou, Haijun; Yan, Wende; Wang, Guangjun

2018-01-15

This study provides a complete account of global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) in relation to a long-term water management experiment in Chinese double-rice cropping systems. The three strategies of water management comprised continuous (year-round) flooding (CF), flooding during the rice season but with drainage during the midseason and harvest time (F-D-F), and irrigation only for flooding during transplanting and the tillering stage (F-RF). The CH 4 and N 2 O fluxes were measured with the static chamber method. Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration rates were estimated based on the changes in the carbon stocks during 1998-2014. Longer periods of soil flooding led to increased CH 4 emissions, reduced N 2 O emissions, and enhanced SOC sequestration. The net GWPs were 22,497, 8,895, and 1,646 kg CO 2 -equivalent ha -1 yr -1 for the CF, F-D-F, and F-RF, respectively. The annual rice grain yields were comparable between the F-D-F and CF, but were reduced significantly (by 13%) in the F-RF. The GHGIs were 2.07, 0.87, and 0.18 kg CO 2 -equivalent kg -1 grain yr -1 for the CF, F-D-F, and F-RF, respectively. These results suggest that F-D-F could be used to maintain the grain yields and simultaneously mitigate the climatic impact of double rice-cropping systems.

Effects of genetics, management intensity, and seedling density on early stocking in loblolly pine

Treesearch

Scott D. Roberts; Randall J. Rousseau; B. Landis Herrin

2015-01-01

Rapid establishment and early tree growth can be key factors in successful plantation management. This generally entails planting good quality planting stock at a seedling density appropriate for the management objectives and then managing at an appropriate intensity with a goal of fully occupying the site as quickly as possible within the context of those objectives....

The timber-supply potential of intensive management in upland oak forests of Ohio

Treesearch

David A. Gansner; Owen W. Herrick; Owen W. Herrick

1973-01-01

Two alternative programs of intensive timber management were defined for Ohio's oak-hickory forests. Their potentials were evaluated by comparing the expected yields and yield values of each program with those expected from a continuation of current management practices. Neither program would produce large increases in timber yield. But the expected gains in yield...

A Lightweight, High-performance I/O Management Package for Data-intensive Computing

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

Jun Wang

2007-07-17

File storage systems are playing an increasingly important role in high-performance computing as the performance gap between CPU and disk increases. It could take a long time to develop an entire system from scratch. Solutions will have to be built as extensions to existing systems. If new portable, customized software components are plugged into these systems, better sustained high I/O performance and higher scalability will be achieved, and the development cycle of next-generation of parallel file systems will be shortened. The overall research objective of this ECPI development plan aims to develop a lightweight, customized, high-performance I/O management package namedmore » LightI/O to extend and leverage current parallel file systems used by DOE. During this period, We have developed a novel component in LightI/O and prototype them into PVFS2, and evaluate the resultant prototype—extended PVFS2 system on data-intensive applications. The preliminary results indicate the extended PVFS2 delivers better performance and reliability to users. A strong collaborative effort between the PI at the University of Nebraska Lincoln and the DOE collaborators—Drs Rob Ross and Rajeev Thakur at Argonne National Laboratory who are leading the PVFS2 group makes the project more promising.« less

Caprine herpesvirus 2-associated malignant catarrhal fever of captive sika deer (Cervus nippon) in an intensive management system.

PubMed

Zhu, Hongwei; Huang, Qingrong; Hu, Xiaoliang; Chu, Wenhui; Zhang, Jianlong; Jiang, Linlin; Yu, Xin; Zhang, Xingxiao; Cheng, Shipeng

2018-02-01

Caprine herpesvirus 2 (CpHV-2) infection usually induces chronic malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in sika deer (Cervus nippon), with the primary signs of weight loss, dermatitis and alopecia. Here, we report a case of CpHV-2-associated acute MCF in a sika deer herd raised in an intensive management system distant to the reservoir goats. Affected deer developed clinical signs of high fever (41 °C) followed by nasal discharge and lameness. Severe lesions of hemorrhage, necrosis and infiltration of lymphoid cells could readily be observed in the lung, kidney, heart valves and subcutaneous tissue surrounding a tendon. Etiologically, identical CpHV-2 specific DNA sequences were detected in peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) from the affected deer and reservoir goats. In summary, domestic goats were the reservoir of the CpHV-2, which is the causative agent of the outbreak of MCF in the three hinds. The disease was probably transmitted via aerosol infection. In addition, necrosis and inflammation in subcutaneous tissue surrounding a tendon was the reason for lameness. Therefore, MCF should be put into a differential diagnostic list when similar disease occurs in sika deer herds.

Catchment systems science and management: from evidence to resilient landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quinn, Paul

2014-05-01

There is an urgent need to reassess both the scientific understanding and the policy making approaches taken to manage flooding, water scarcity and pollution in intensively utilised catchments. Many European catchments have been heavily modified and natural systems have largely disappeared. However, working with natural processes must still be at the core of any future management strategy. Many catchments have greatly reduced infiltration rates and buffering capacity and this process needs to be reversed. An interventionist and holistic approach to managing water quantity and quality at the catchment scale is urgently required through the active manipulation of natural flow processes. Both quantitative (field experiments and modelling) and qualitative evidence (local knowledge) is required to demonstrate that catchment have become 'unhealthy'. For example, dense networks of low cost instrumentation could provide this multiscale evidence and, coupled with stakeholder knowledge, build a comprehensive understanding of whole system function. Proactive Catchment System Management is an interventionist approach to altering the catchment scale runoff regime through the manipulation of landscape scale hydrological flow pathways. Many of the changes to hydrological processes cannot be detected at the catchment scale as the primary causes of flooding and pollution. Evidence shows it is the land cover and the soil that are paramount to any change. Local evidence shows us that intense agricultural practices reduce the infiltration capacity through soil degradation. The intrinsic buffering capacity has also been lost across the landscape. The emerging hydrological process is one in which the whole system responds too quickly (driven by near surface and overland flow processes). The bulk of the soil matrix is bypassed during storm events and there is little or no buffering capacity in the riparian areas or in headwater catchments. The prospect of lower intensity farming rates is

12 years of intensive management increases soil carbon stocks in Loblolly pine and Sweetgum stands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, F. G.; Samuelson, L.; Johnsen, K.

2009-12-01

To achieve and maintain productivity goals, forest managers rely on intensive management strategies. These strategies have resulted in considerable gains in forest productivity. However, the impacts of these strategies on belowground carbon dynamics is less clear. Carbon dynamics are influenced by a multitude of factors including soil moisture, nutrient status, net primary productivity and carbon allocation patterns. In this study, we describe the impact of four management strategies on soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in 12-year-old loblolly pine and sweetgum plantations. The management strategies are: (1) complete understory control, (2) complete understory control + drip irrigation, (3) complete understory control + drip irrigation and fertilization and (4) complete understory control + drip irrigation and fertilization and pest control. These management strategies were replicated on 3 blocks in a randomized complete block design. After 12 years, soil carbon stocks increased with increasing management intensity for both tree species. This effect was consistent throughout the depth increments measured (0-10, 10-20, 20-30 cm). Alternatively, no significant effect was detected for soil nitrogen at any depth increment. Sweetgum had higher soil carbon and nitrogen stocks at each depth increment than loblolly pine. There was a greater difference in nitrogen stocks than carbon stocks between the two species resulting in lower soil C:N ratios in the sweetgum stands. These observations may be due to differences in net primary productivity, rooting structure and carbon allocation patterns of sweetgum compared with loblolly pine. To determine the relative stability of the carbon and nitrogen stocks for the different treatments and tree species, we sequentially fractionated the soil samples into six fractions of differing stability. Although soil carbon stocks for both species increased with management intensity, there was no detectable difference in the soil carbon

Production, allocation, and stemwood growth efficiency of Pinus taeda L. stands in response to 6 years of intensive management

Treesearch

Lisa J. Samuelson; Kurt Johnsen; Tom Stokes

2004-01-01

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is a highly plastic species with respect to growth responses to forest management. Loblolly pine is the most planted species across the southern United States, a region with the most expansive and intensively managed forest plantations in the world. Management intensity, using tools such as site preparation and...

Towards ethical decision support and knowledge management in neonatal intensive care.

PubMed

Yang, L; Frize, M; Eng, P; Walker, R; Catley, C

2004-01-01

Recent studies in neonatal medicine, clinical nursing, and cognitive psychology have indicated the need to augment current decision-making practice in neonatal intensive care units with computerized, intelligent decision support systems. Rapid progress in artificial intelligence and knowledge management facilitates the design of collaborative ethical decision-support tools that allow clinicians to provide better support for parents facing inherently difficult choices, such as when to withdraw aggressive treatment. The appropriateness of using computers to support ethical decision-making is critically analyzed through research and literature review. In ethical dilemmas, multiple diverse participants need to communicate and function as a team to select the best treatment plan. In order to do this, physicians require reliable estimations of prognosis, while parents need a highly useable tool to help them assimilate complex medical issues and address their own value system. Our goal is to improve and structuralize the ethical decision-making that has become an inevitable part of modern neonatal care units. The paper contributes to clinical decision support by outlining the needs and basis for ethical decision support and justifying the proposed development efforts.

Nitrogen deposition and its contribution to nutrient inputs to intensively managed agricultural ecosystems.

PubMed

He, Chun-E; Wang, Xin; Liu, Xuejun; Fangmeier, Andreas; Christie, Peter; Zhang, Fusuo

2010-01-01

Interest in nitrogen inputs via atmospheric deposition to agricultural ecosystems has increased recently, especially on the North China Plain because of extremely intensive agricultural systems and rapid urbanization in this region. Nitrogen deposition may make a significant contribution to crop N requirements but may also impose a considerable nutrient burden on the environment in general. We quantified total N deposition at two locations, Dongbeiwang near Beijing and Quzhou in Hebei province, over a two-year period from 2005 to 2007 using an 15N tracer method, the integrated total N input (ITNI) system. Total airborne N inputs to a maize wheat rotation system at both locations ranged from 99 to 117 kg N x ha(-1) x yr(-1), with higher N deposition during the maize season (57-66 kg N/ha) than the wheat season (42-51 kg N/ha). Plant available N from deposition for maize and wheat was about 52 kg N x ha(-1) x yr(-1), accounting for 50% of the total N deposition or 31% of total N uptake by the two crop species. In addition, a correction factor was derived for the maize season to adjust values obtained from small pots (0.057 m2) compared with field trays (0.98 m2) because of higher plant density in the pots. The results indicate that atmospheric N deposition is a very important N input and must be taken into account when calculating nutrient budgets in very intensively managed agricultural ecosystems.

Avian Species Richness in Relation to Intensive Forest Management Practices in Early Seral Tree Plantations

PubMed Central

Jones, Jay E.; Kroll, Andrew J.; Giovanini, Jack; Duke, Steven D.; Ellis, Tana M.; Betts, Matthew G.

2012-01-01

Background Managers of landscapes dedicated to forest commodity production require information about how practices influence biological diversity. Individual species and communities may be threatened if management practices truncate or simplify forest age classes that are essential for reproduction and survival. For instance, the degradation and loss of complex diverse forest in young age classes have been associated with declines in forest-associated Neotropical migrant bird populations in the Pacific Northwest, USA. These declines may be exacerbated by intensive forest management practices that reduce hardwood and broadleaf shrub cover in order to promote growth of economically valuable tree species in plantations. Methodology and Principal Findings We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to evaluate relationships between avian species richness and vegetation variables that reflect stand management intensity (primarily via herbicide application) on 212 tree plantations in the Coast Range, Oregon, USA. Specifically, we estimated the influence of broadleaf hardwood vegetation cover, which is reduced through herbicide applications, on bird species richness and individual species occupancy. Our model accounted for imperfect detection. We used average predictive comparisons to quantify the degree of association between vegetation variables and species richness. Both conifer and hardwood cover were positively associated with total species richness, suggesting that these components of forest stand composition may be important predictors of alpha diversity. Estimates of species richness were 35–80% lower when imperfect detection was ignored (depending on covariate values), a result that has critical implications for previous efforts that have examined relationships between forest composition and species richness. Conclusion and Significance Our results revealed that individual and community responses were positively associated with both conifer and hardwood cover. In our

Avian species richness in relation to intensive forest management practices in early seral tree plantations.

PubMed

Jones, Jay E; Kroll, Andrew J; Giovanini, Jack; Duke, Steven D; Ellis, Tana M; Betts, Matthew G

2012-01-01

Managers of landscapes dedicated to forest commodity production require information about how practices influence biological diversity. Individual species and communities may be threatened if management practices truncate or simplify forest age classes that are essential for reproduction and survival. For instance, the degradation and loss of complex diverse forest in young age classes have been associated with declines in forest-associated Neotropical migrant bird populations in the Pacific Northwest, USA. These declines may be exacerbated by intensive forest management practices that reduce hardwood and broadleaf shrub cover in order to promote growth of economically valuable tree species in plantations. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to evaluate relationships between avian species richness and vegetation variables that reflect stand management intensity (primarily via herbicide application) on 212 tree plantations in the Coast Range, Oregon, USA. Specifically, we estimated the influence of broadleaf hardwood vegetation cover, which is reduced through herbicide applications, on bird species richness and individual species occupancy. Our model accounted for imperfect detection. We used average predictive comparisons to quantify the degree of association between vegetation variables and species richness. Both conifer and hardwood cover were positively associated with total species richness, suggesting that these components of forest stand composition may be important predictors of alpha diversity. Estimates of species richness were 35-80% lower when imperfect detection was ignored (depending on covariate values), a result that has critical implications for previous efforts that have examined relationships between forest composition and species richness. Our results revealed that individual and community responses were positively associated with both conifer and hardwood cover. In our system, patterns of bird community assembly appear to be associated with

Potential Impacts of Increased Management Intensities on Planted Pine Growth and Yield and Timber Supply Modeling in the South

Treesearch

Jacek P. Siry; Frederick W. Cubbage; Andy J. Malmquist

1999-01-01

The South can increase pine productivity on its forest lands as increased timber prices make returns from intensified forest management more profitable. We determined the most likely management intensities on industrial lands resulting in five management intensity classes. They are used to estimate the potential growth and yield levels, and compare these to empirical...

Partnered research in healthcare delivery redesign for high-need, high-cost patients: development and feasibility of an Intensive Management Patient-Aligned Care Team (ImPACT).

PubMed

Zulman, Donna M; Ezeji-Okoye, Stephen C; Shaw, Jonathan G; Hummel, Debra L; Holloway, Katie S; Smither, Sasha F; Breland, Jessica Y; Chardos, John F; Kirsh, Susan; Kahn, James S; Asch, Steven M

2014-12-01

We employed a partnered research healthcare delivery redesign process to improve care for high-need, high-cost (HNHC) patients within the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system. Health services researchers partnered with VA national and Palo Alto facility leadership and clinicians to: 1) analyze characteristics and utilization patterns of HNHC patients, 2) synthesize evidence about intensive management programs for HNHC patients, 3) conduct needs-assessment interviews with HNHC patients (n = 17) across medical, access, social, and mental health domains, 4) survey providers (n = 8) about care challenges for HNHC patients, and 5) design, implement, and evaluate a pilot Intensive Management Patient-Aligned Care Team (ImPACT) for a random sample of 150 patients. HNHC patients accounted for over half (52 %) of VA facility patient costs. Most (94 %) had three or more chronic conditions, and 60 % had a mental health diagnosis. Formative data analyses and qualitative assessments revealed a need for intensive case management, care coordination, transitions navigation, and social support and services. The ImPACT multidisciplinary team developed care processes to meet these needs, including direct access to team members (including after-hours), chronic disease management protocols, case management, and rapid interventions in response to health changes or acute service use. Two-thirds of invited patients (n = 101) enrolled in ImPACT, 87 % of whom remained actively engaged at 9 months. ImPACT is now serving as a model for a national VA intensive management demonstration project. Partnered research that incorporated population data analysis, evidence synthesis, and stakeholder needs assessments led to the successful redesign and implementation of services for HNHC patients. The rigorous design process and evaluation facilitated dissemination of the intervention within the VA healthcare system. Employing partnered research to redesign care for high-need, high

Operations research in intensive care unit management: a literature review.

PubMed

Bai, Jie; Fügener, Andreas; Schoenfelder, Jan; Brunner, Jens O

2018-03-01

The intensive care unit (ICU) is a crucial and expensive resource largely affected by uncertainty and variability. Insufficient ICU capacity causes many negative effects not only in the ICU itself, but also in other connected departments along the patient care path. Operations research/management science (OR/MS) plays an important role in identifying ways to manage ICU capacities efficiently and in ensuring desired levels of service quality. As a consequence, numerous papers on the topic exist. The goal of this paper is to provide the first structured literature review on how OR/MS may support ICU management. We start our review by illustrating the important role the ICU plays in the hospital patient flow. Then we focus on the ICU management problem (single department management problem) and classify the literature from multiple angles, including decision horizons, problem settings, and modeling and solution techniques. Based on the classification logic, research gaps and opportunities are highlighted, e.g., combining bed capacity planning and personnel scheduling, modeling uncertainty with non-homogenous distribution functions, and exploring more efficient solution approaches.

Geostatistical approach for management of soil nutrients with special emphasis on different forms of potassium considering their spatial variation in intensive cropping system of West Bengal, India.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Sourov; Santra, Priyabrata; Majumdar, Kaushik; Ghosh, Debjani; Das, Indranil; Sanyal, S K

2015-04-01

indicates reserve native K exploitation under intensive cultivation. These maps highlight the necessity of estimating the other soil K fractions as well for better understanding of soil K supplying capacity and K fertilization strategy rather than the current recommendations, based on the plant-available K alone. In conclusion, the present study revealed that the variability of nutrient distribution was a consequence of complex interactions between the cropping system, nutrient application rates, and the native soil characteristics, and such interactions could be utilized to develop the nutrient management strategies for intensive small-holder system.

[The patient blood management concept : Joint recommendation of the German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine and the German Society of Surgery].

PubMed

Meybohm, P; Schmitz-Rixen, T; Steinbicker, A; Schwenk, W; Zacharowski, K

2017-10-01

Patient blood management is a multimodal concept that aims to detect, prevent and treat anemia, optimize hemostasis, minimize iatrogenic blood loss, and support a patient-centered decision to provide optimal use of allogeneic blood products. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has already recommended patient blood management as a new standard in 2010, many hospitals have not implemented it at all or only in part in clinical practice. The German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine and the German Society of Surgery therefore demand that i) all professionals involved in the treatment should implement important aspects of patient blood management considering local conditions, and ii) the structural, administrative and budgetary conditions should be created in the health care system to implement more intensively many of the measures in Germany.

Managed care and the diffusion of intensity-modulated radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

PubMed

Jacobs, Bruce L; Zhang, Yun; Skolarus, Ted A; Wei, John T; Montie, James E; Schroeck, Florian R; Hollenbeck, Brent K

2012-12-01

To better understand associations between managed care penetration in health care markets and the adoption of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). We used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data to identify men diagnosed with prostate cancer between 2001 and 2007 who were treated with radiotherapy (n = 55,162). We categorized managed care penetration in Health Service Areas (HSAs) as low (<3%), intermediate (3%-10%), and high (>10%), and assessed our main outcomes (ie, probability of IMRT adoption, which is the ability of a health care market to deliver IMRT, and IMRT utilization in HSA markets) using a Cox proportional hazards model and Poisson regression model, respectively. Compared with markets with low managed care penetration, populations in highly penetrated HSAs were more racially diverse (25% vs 15% non-white, P <.01), densely populated (2110 vs 145 people/square mile, P <.01), and wealthier (median income, $48,500 vs $31,900, P <.01). The probability of IMRT adoption was greatest in markets with the highest managed care penetration (eg, 0.82 [high] vs 0.72 [low] in 2007, P = .05). Among adopting markets, the use of IMRT increased in all HSA categories. However, relative to markets with low managed care penetration, IMRT use was constrained in markets with the highest penetration (0.69 [high] vs 0.76 [low] in 2007, P <.01). Markets with higher managed care penetration demonstrated a greater propensity for acquiring IMRT technology. However, after adopting IMRT, more highly penetrated markets had roughly 7% slower growth in IMRT use during the study period. These findings provide insight into the implications of delivery system reforms for cancer-related technologies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

It Systems Supporting the Management of Production Capacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milewska, Elżbieta

2017-03-01

The paper presents the problem of manufacturing process flexibility in view of a company's material and information flow stream management. The author of the article has described the functions of a production process control system and presented the characteristics of production capacity intensive and extensive reserves. The MRP II/ERP, MES and APS class IT tools supporting the process of production planning, organization and control have also been discussed.

High-Intensity Interval Training Versus Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training in the Prevention/Management of Cardiovascular Disease.

PubMed

Hussain, Syed R; Macaluso, Andrea; Pearson, Stephen J

Moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) has long been considered the most effective exercise treatment modality for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but more recently high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been viewed as a potential alternative to MICT in accruing such benefits. HIIT was initially found to induce significant improvements in numerous physiological and health-related indices, to a similar if not superior extent to MICT. Since then, many studies have attempted to explore the potential clinical utility of HIIT, relative to MICT, with respect to treating numerous cardiovascular conditions, such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, and hypertension. Despite this, however, the efficacy of HIIT in reversing the specific symptoms and risk factors of these cardiovascular pathologies is not well understood. HIIT is often perceived as very strenuous, which could render it unsafe for those at risk of or afflicted with CVD, but these issues are also yet to be reviewed. Furthermore, the optimal HIIT protocol for each of the CVD cohorts has not been established. Thus, the purpose of this review article is to (1) evaluate the efficacy of HIIT relative to MICT in the prevention and management of cardiovascular conditions, and (2) explore any potential safety issues surrounding the suitability and/or tolerability of HIIT for patients with CVD, and the potential optimal prescriptive variables of HIIT for application in the clinical environment.

[Morbidity and mortality after intensive care management of hemorrhagic stroke in Djibouti].

PubMed

Benois, A; Raynaud, L; Coton, T; Petitjeans, F; Hassan, A; Ilah, A; Sergent, H; Grassin, F; Leberre, J

2009-02-01

Prospective data on management and outcome of stroke in Africa is scarce. The purpose of this prospective descriptive study is to present epidemiologic, clinical and outcome data for a series of patients with hemorrhagic stroke in Djibouti. All patients admitted to the intensive care unit of the Bouffard Medical-Surgical Center in Djibouti for cerebral hemorrhage documented by CT-scan of the brain were recruited in this study. A total of 18 patients including 16 men were enrolled. The median patient age in this series was 51.5 years [range, 20-72]. The median duration of intensive care was 3 days [range, 1-38]. Mean Glasgow score at time of admission was 9 [range, 3-14]. Five patients were brought in by emergency medical airlift. The main risk factors for stroke were arterial hypertension, smoking, and regular khat use. Mechanical ventilation was performed in 10 patients with a survival rate of 40%. Six patients (33%) died in the intensive care unit. Hospital mortality within one month was 39% and mortality at 6 months was 44.4%. One-year survival for patients with a Glasgow score < or = 7 at the time of admission was 33%. Arterial hypertension, khat use, and smoking appeared to be major risk factors for male Djiboutians. Neurologic intensive care techniques provided hospital mortality rates similar to those reported in hospitals located in Western countries. Functional outcome in local survivors appeared to be good despite the absence of functional intensive care. These data argue against the passive, fatalistic approach to management of hemorrhagic stroke and for primary prevention of cardiovascular risk factors.

Innovative solutions: sample financial management business plan: neurosurgical intensive care unit.

PubMed

Villanueva-Baldonado, Analiza; Barrett-Sheridan, Shirley E

2010-01-01

This article describes one institution's intention to implement a financial management business plan for a neurosurgical intensive care unit in a level I trauma center. The financial objective of this proposed business plan includes a service increase in the patient population requiring critical care in a way that will help control costs.

Management of neutropenic patients in the intensive care unit (NEWBORNS EXCLUDED) recommendations from an expert panel from the French Intensive Care Society (SRLF) with the French Group for Pediatric Intensive Care Emergencies (GFRUP), the French Society of Anesthesia and Intensive Care (SFAR), the French Society of Hematology (SFH), the French Society for Hospital Hygiene (SF2H), and the French Infectious Diseases Society (SPILF).

PubMed

Schnell, David; Azoulay, Elie; Benoit, Dominique; Clouzeau, Benjamin; Demaret, Pierre; Ducassou, Stéphane; Frange, Pierre; Lafaurie, Matthieu; Legrand, Matthieu; Meert, Anne-Pascale; Mokart, Djamel; Naudin, Jérôme; Pene, Frédéric; Rabbat, Antoine; Raffoux, Emmanuel; Ribaud, Patricia; Richard, Jean-Christophe; Vincent, François; Zahar, Jean-Ralph; Darmon, Michael

2016-12-01

Neutropenia is defined by either an absolute or functional defect (acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome) of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and is associated with high risk of specific complications that may require intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Specificities in the management of critically ill neutropenic patients prompted the establishment of guidelines dedicated to intensivists. These recommendations were drawn up by a panel of experts brought together by the French Intensive Care Society in collaboration with the French Group for Pediatric Intensive Care Emergencies, the French Society of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, the French Society of Hematology, the French Society for Hospital Hygiene, and the French Infectious Diseases Society. Literature review and formulation of recommendations were performed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system. Each recommendation was then evaluated and rated by each expert using a methodology derived from the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method. Six fields are covered by the provided recommendations: (1) ICU admission and prognosis, (2) protective isolation and prophylaxis, (3) management of acute respiratory failure, (4) organ failure and organ support, (5) antibiotic management and source control, and (6) hematological management. Most of the provided recommendations are obtained from low levels of evidence, however, suggesting a need for additional studies. Seven recommendations were, however, associated with high level of evidences and are related to protective isolation, diagnostic workup of acute respiratory failure, medical management, and timing surgery in patients with typhlitis.

Funding Intensive Care - Approaches in Systems Using Diagnosis-Related Groups.

PubMed

Ettelt, Stefanie; Nolte, Ellen

2012-01-01

This article summarizes a review of approaches to funding intensive care in health systems that use activity-based payment mechanisms based on diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) to reimburse hospital care in Australia (Victoria), Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United States (Medicare). The study aims to inform the current debate about options for funding intensive care services for adults, children and newborns in England. Mechanisms of funding intensive care services tend to fall into three broad categories: (1) those that fund intensive care through DRGs as part of one episode of hospital care only (US Medicare, Germany, selected regions in Sweden and Italy; (2) those that use DRGs in combination with co-payments (Victoria, France); and (3) those that exclude intensive care from DRG funding and use an alternative form of payment, for example global budgets (Spain) or per diems (South Australia). The review suggests that there is no obvious example of "best practice" or dominant approach used by a majority of systems. Each approach has advantages and disadvantages, particularly in relation to the financial risk involved in providing intensive care. While the risk of underfunding intensive care may be highest in systems that apply DRGs to the entire episode of hospital care, including intensive care, concerns about potential underfunding were voiced in all systems reviewed here. Arrangements for additional funding in the form of co-payments or surcharges may reduce the risk of underfunding. However, these approaches also face the difficulty of determining the appropriate level of (additional) payment and balancing the incentive effect arising from higher payment.

Intensive management modifies soil CO2 efflux in 6-year-old Pinus taeda L. stands

Treesearch

Lisa J. Samuelson; Kurt Johnsen; Tom Stokes; Weinlang Lu

2004-01-01

Intensive forestry may reduce net CO2 emission into atmosphere by storing carbon in living biomass, dead organic matter and soil, and durable wood products. Because quantification of belowground carbon dynamics is important for reliable estimation of the carbon sequestered by intensively managed plantations, we examined soil CO2...

Intensity measurement of automotive headlamps using a photometric vision system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Balvant; Cruz, Jose; Perry, David L.; Himebaugh, Frederic G.

1996-01-01

Requirements for automotive head lamp luminous intensity tests are introduced. The rationale for developing a non-goniometric photometric test system is discussed. The design of the Ford photometric vision system (FPVS) is presented, including hardware, software, calibration, and system use. Directional intensity plots and regulatory test results obtained from the system are compared to corresponding results obtained from a Ford goniometric test system. Sources of error for the vision system and goniometer are discussed. Directions for new work are identified.

Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) System Manager

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schiff, Conrad; Maher, Francis Alfred; Henely, Sean Philip; Rand, David

2014-01-01

The Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) mission is an ambitious NASA space science mission in which 4 spacecraft are flown in tight formation about a highly elliptical orbit. Each spacecraft has multiple instruments that measure particle and field compositions in the Earths magnetosphere. By controlling the members relative motion, MMS can distinguish temporal and spatial fluctuations in a way that a single spacecraft cannot.To achieve this control, 2 sets of four maneuvers, distributed evenly across the spacecraft must be performed approximately every 14 days. Performing a single maneuver on an individual spacecraft is usually labor intensive and the complexity becomes clearly increases with four. As a result, the MMS flight dynamics team turned to the System Manager to put the routine or error-prone under machine control freeing the analysts for activities that require human judgment.The System Manager is an expert system that is capable of handling operations activities associated with performing MMS maneuvers. As an expert system, it can work off a known schedule, launching jobs based on a one-time occurrence or on a set reoccurring schedule. It is also able to detect situational changes and use event-driven programming to change schedules, adapt activities, or call for help.

Seasonal Dynamics in Leaf Area Index in Intensively Managed Loblolly Pine

Treesearch

Timothy B. Harrington; Jason A. Gatch; Bruce E. Borders

2002-01-01

Leaf area index (LAI; leaf area per ground area) was measured monthly or bimonthly for two years (March 1999 to February 2001) with the LAI-2000 in intensively managed plantations of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) at Eatonton and Waycross GA. Since establishment of the three age classes at each site, the stands have received combinations of complete...

Roadless area-intensive management tradeoffs on the Sierra National Forest, California

Treesearch

Robert J. Hrubes; Kent P. Connaughton; Robert W. Sassaman

1979-01-01

This hypothesis was tested by a linear programing model: Roadless areas on the Sierra National Forest precluded from planned future development would be candidates for wilderness designation, and the associated loss in present and future timber harvests could be offset by investing in more intensive management. The results of this simulation test suggest that levels of...

An Analysis of Intensive Mode Pedagogy in Management Education in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mishra, Sita; Nargundkar, Rajendra

2015-01-01

Purpose: Management education is at its peak in India. But pedagogy and modes of delivery are not always innovative compared to top international Business Schools. It is through experimentation that the paper may be able to discover what works best in our context. The purpose of this paper is to determine the effectiveness of intensive mode of…

Critical Zone services as environmental assessment criteria in intensively managed landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, Meredith; Kumar, Praveen

2017-06-01

The Critical Zone (CZ) includes the biophysical processes occurring from the top of the vegetation canopy to the weathering zone below the groundwater table. CZ services provide a measure for the goods and benefits derived from CZ processes. In intensively managed landscapes, cropland is altered through anthropogenic energy inputs to derive more productivity, as agricultural products, than would be possible under natural conditions. However, the actual costs of alterations to CZ functions within landscape profiles are unknown. Through comparisons of corn feed and corn-based ethanol, we show that valuation of these CZ services in monetary terms provides a more concrete tool for characterizing seemingly abstract environmental damages from agricultural production systems. Multiple models are combined to simulate the movement of nutrients throughout the soil system, enabling the measurement of agricultural anthropogenic impacts to the CZ's regulating services. Results indicate water quality and atmospheric stabilizing services, measured by soil carbon storage, carbon respiration, and nitrate leaching, among others, can cost more than double that of emissions estimated in previous studies. Energy efficiency in addition to environmental impact is assessed to demonstrate how the inclusion of CZ services is necessary in accounting for the entire life cycle of agricultural production systems. These results conclude that feed production systems are more energy efficient and less environmentally costly than corn-based ethanol.

Intensive management influence on Douglas-fir stem form, branch characteristics, and simulated product recovery

Treesearch

A.R. Weiskittel; R.A. Monserud; R. Rose; E.C. Turnblom; Douglas A. Maguire

2006-01-01

Intensive management may adversely affect lumber yield and quality by increasing knot size and creating a more conical stem form with a greater average rate of taper. This study was initiated to examine the impact of management on simulated lumber yield and quality. Stem diameter and branch size and location of 223 Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.)...

Pain intensity influences the relationship between anger management style and depression.

PubMed

Estlander, Ann-Mari; Knaster, Peter; Karlsson, Hasse; Kaprio, Jaakko; Kalso, Eija

2008-11-30

There is an abundance of studies concerning depression and pain, while the mechanisms and the relationships of anger expression and pain are less well known. The validity of commonly used depression questionnaires as measures of depression in pain patients has been questioned, as they include items which can be related to the pain problem as well as to signs of depression. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between pain severity, various signs of depression, and anger management style. Subjects were 100 consecutive patients referred to the Helsinki University Pain Clinic. Demographic data and pain intensity (VAS) were collected by a questionnaire. Two subscales (negative view and physical function) from the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Anger Expression Scales (Anger-in and Anger-out) from the Spielberg State Trait Anger Expression Inventory 2 were used to assess depression and anger expression, respectively. The results showed that pain severity modulates the relationship between anger expression and physical signs of depression. In patients with more severe pain, the relationships between anger management style, specifically, inhibition of anger and depression were strong, while no such relationships were found in the group of patients with less severe pain. No correlations were found between pain intensity and depression as measured by the sum score of the BDI. However, analysing separately the two subscales of the BDI, negative view and physical function, significant positive relationships between pain intensity and both subscales appeared.

A Technical Evaluation of Wireless Connectivity from Patient Monitors to an Anesthesia Information Management System During Intensive Care Unit Surgery.

PubMed

Simpao, Allan F; Galvez, Jorge A; England, W Randall; Wartman, Elicia C; Scott, James H; Hamid, Michael M; Rehman, Mohamed A; Epstein, Richard H

2016-02-01

Surgical procedures performed at the bedside in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia were documented using paper anesthesia records in contrast to the operating rooms, where an anesthesia information management system (AIMS) was used for all cases. This was largely because of logistical problems related to connecting cables between the bedside monitors and our portable AIMS workstations. We implemented an AIMS for documentation in the NICU using wireless adapters to transmit data from bedside monitoring equipment to a portable AIMS workstation. Testing of the wireless AIMS during simulation in the presence of an electrosurgical generator showed no evidence of interference with data transmission. Thirty NICU surgical procedures were documented via the wireless AIMS. Two wireless cases exhibited brief periods of data loss; one case had an extended data gap because of adapter power failure. In comparison, in a control group of 30 surgical cases in which wired connections were used, there were no data gaps. The wireless AIMS provided a simple, unobtrusive, portable alternative to paper records for documenting anesthesia records during NICU bedside procedures.

Intensive nursing care by an electronic followup system to promote secondary prevention after percutaneous coronary intervention: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Hu, Xin; Zhu, Xiuqin; Gao, Lei

2014-01-01

To investigate the effectiveness of an intensive nursing care electronic followup system for cardiovascular risk management after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In total, 840 subjects who underwent PCI in a single hospital in Beijing between January 2010 and January 2012 were enrolled. All subjects were randomized into the control and intensive nursing care groups (n = 420 each group). Both groups received standard secondary prevention according to guidelines. The control group received regular followup while the intensive nursing care group was closely monitored and followed by specific nursing staff with the electronic followup system. In total, 807 subjects were followed up for 1 year. Compared with subjects in the control group, those in the intensive group had decreased levels of total cholesterol (3.99 ± 1.08 vs 3.76 ± 0.98; P < .05), systolic blood pressure (142.41 ± 11.53 vs 135.71 ± 14.57 mm Hg; P < .05), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (2.72 ± 1.01 vs 2.42 ± 0.81; P < .05), and body mass index (25.13 ± 5.12 vs 24.23 ± 6.22; P < .05); a higher percentage with target LDL-C < 2.6 mmol/L (66.99% vs 47.88%; P < .05); increased use of medication including aspirin (96.51% vs 99.26%; P < .05), clopidogrel (87.53% vs 98.77%; P < .05), statins (52.62% vs 93.10%; P < .05), β-blockers (48.63% vs 61.33%; P < .05), and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (32.92% vs 61.82%; P < .05); and better dietary control and physical exercise (55.66% vs 26.18%, P < .05; 62.56% vs 38.65%, P < .05). Intensive nursing care by the electronic followup system may lead to an improvement in quality of secondary prevention after PCI, including risk factor control, the use of medication, and self-management abilities.

Grassland Resistance and Resilience after Drought Depends on Management Intensity and Species Richness

PubMed Central

Vogel, Anja; Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael; Weigelt, Alexandra

2012-01-01

The degree to which biodiversity may promote the stability of grasslands in the light of climatic variability, such as prolonged summer drought, has attracted considerable interest. Studies so far yielded inconsistent results and in addition, the effect of different grassland management practices on their response to drought remains an open question. We experimentally combined the manipulation of prolonged summer drought (sheltered vs. unsheltered sites), plant species loss (6 levels of 60 down to 1 species) and management intensity (4 levels varying in mowing frequency and amount of fertilizer application). Stability was measured as resistance and resilience of aboveground biomass production in grasslands against decreased summer precipitation, where resistance is the difference between drought treatments directly after drought induction and resilience is the difference between drought treatments in spring of the following year. We hypothesized that (i) management intensification amplifies biomass decrease under drought, (ii) resistance decreases with increasing species richness and with management intensification and (iii) resilience increases with increasing species richness and with management intensification. We found that resistance and resilience of grasslands to summer drought are highly dependent on management intensity and partly on species richness. Frequent mowing reduced the resistance of grasslands against drought and increasing species richness decreased resistance in one of our two study years. Resilience was positively related to species richness only under the highest management treatment. We conclude that low mowing frequency is more important for high resistance against drought than species richness. Nevertheless, species richness increased aboveground productivity in all management treatments both under drought and ambient conditions and should therefore be maintained under future climates. PMID:22615865

Distributions of emissions intensity for individual beef cattle reared on pasture-based production systems.

PubMed

McAuliffe, G A; Takahashi, T; Orr, R J; Harris, P; Lee, M R F

2018-01-10

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of livestock production systems is often based on inventory data for farms typical of a study region. As information on individual animals is often unavailable, livestock data may already be aggregated at the time of inventory analysis, both across individual animals and across seasons. Even though various computational tools exist to consider the effect of genetic and seasonal variabilities in livestock-originated emissions intensity, the degree to which these methods can address the bias suffered by representative animal approaches is not well-understood. Using detailed on-farm data collected on the North Wyke Farm Platform (NWFP) in Devon, UK, this paper proposes a novel approach of life cycle impact assessment that complements the existing LCA methodology. Field data, such as forage quality and animal performance, were measured at high spatial and temporal resolutions and directly transferred into LCA processes. This approach has enabled derivation of emissions intensity for each individual animal and, by extension, its intra-farm distribution, providing a step towards reducing uncertainty related to agricultural production inherent in LCA studies for food. Depending on pasture management strategies, the total emissions intensity estimated by the proposed method was higher than the equivalent value recalculated using a representative animal approach by 0.9-1.7 kg CO 2 -eq/kg liveweight gain, or up to 10% of system-wide emissions. This finding suggests that emissions intensity values derived by the latter technique may be underestimated due to insufficient consideration given to poorly performing animals, whose emissions becomes exponentially greater as average daily gain decreases. Strategies to mitigate life-cycle environmental impacts of pasture-based beef productions systems are also discussed.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AMONG INTENSIVE CARE NURSES: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY

PubMed Central

Heydari, Abbas; Najar, Ali Vafaee; Bakhshi, Mahmoud

2015-01-01

Background: Nurses are the main users of supplies and equipment applied in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) which are high-priced and costly. Therefore, understanding ICU nurses’ experiences about resource management contributes to the better control of the costs. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the culture of nurses’ working environment regarding the resource management in the ICUs in Iran. Patients and Methods: In this study, a focused ethnographic method was used. Twenty-eight informants among ICU nurses and other professional individuals were purposively selected and interviewed. As well, 400 hours of ethnographic observations as a participant observer was used for data gathering. Data analysis was performed using the methods described by Miles and Huberman (1994). Results: Two main themes describing the culture of ICU nurses regarding resource management included (a) consumption monitoring and auditing, and (b) prudent use. The results revealed that the efforts for resource management are conducted in the conditions of scarcity and uncertainty in supply. ICU nurses had a sense of futurism in the supply and use of resources in the unit and do the planning through taking the rules and guidelines as well as the available resources and their values into account. Improper storage of some supplies and equipment was a reaction to this uncertain condition among nurses. Conclusions: To manage the resources effectively, improvement of supply chain management in hospital seems essential. It is also necessary to hold educational classes in order to enhance the nurses’ awareness on effective supply chain and storage of the items in the unit stock. PMID:26889097

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AMONG INTENSIVE CARE NURSES: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY.

PubMed

Heydari, Abbas; Najar, Ali Vafaee; Bakhshi, Mahmoud

2015-12-01

Nurses are the main users of supplies and equipment applied in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) which are high-priced and costly. Therefore, understanding ICU nurses' experiences about resource management contributes to the better control of the costs. This study aimed to investigate the culture of nurses' working environment regarding the resource management in the ICUs in Iran. In this study, a focused ethnographic method was used. Twenty-eight informants among ICU nurses and other professional individuals were purposively selected and interviewed. As well, 400 hours of ethnographic observations as a participant observer was used for data gathering. Data analysis was performed using the methods described by Miles and Huberman (1994). Two main themes describing the culture of ICU nurses regarding resource management included (a) consumption monitoring and auditing, and (b) prudent use. The results revealed that the efforts for resource management are conducted in the conditions of scarcity and uncertainty in supply. ICU nurses had a sense of futurism in the supply and use of resources in the unit and do the planning through taking the rules and guidelines as well as the available resources and their values into account. Improper storage of some supplies and equipment was a reaction to this uncertain condition among nurses. To manage the resources effectively, improvement of supply chain management in hospital seems essential. It is also necessary to hold educational classes in order to enhance the nurses' awareness on effective supply chain and storage of the items in the unit stock.

Evaluation of New York State's Children and Youth Intensive Case Management Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dollard, Norin; And Others

The evaluation plan for New York State's Children and Youth Intensive Case Management (CYICM) Program is described, which was introduced in July 1988. The CYICM Program is a statewide intervention focusing on keeping children with serious emotional disturbances in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their needs. It is a…

Computer assisted data analysis in intensive care: the ICDEV project--development of a scientific database system for intensive care (Intensive Care Data Evaluation Project).

PubMed

Metnitz, P G; Laback, P; Popow, C; Laback, O; Lenz, K; Hiesmayr, M

1995-01-01

Patient Data Management Systems (PDMS) for ICUs collect, present and store clinical data. Various intentions make analysis of those digitally stored data desirable, such as quality control or scientific purposes. The aim of the Intensive Care Data Evaluation project (ICDEV), was to provide a database tool for the analysis of data recorded at various ICUs at the University Clinics of Vienna. General Hospital of Vienna, with two different PDMSs used: CareVue 9000 (Hewlett Packard, Andover, USA) at two ICUs (one medical ICU and one neonatal ICU) and PICIS Chart+ (PICIS, Paris, France) at one Cardiothoracic ICU. CONCEPT AND METHODS: Clinically oriented analysis of the data collected in a PDMS at an ICU was the beginning of the development. After defining the database structure we established a client-server based database system under Microsoft Windows NI and developed a user friendly data quering application using Microsoft Visual C++ and Visual Basic; ICDEV was successfully installed at three different ICUs, adjustment to the different PDMS configurations were done within a few days. The database structure developed by us enables a powerful query concept representing an 'EXPERT QUESTION COMPILER' which may help to answer almost any clinical questions. Several program modules facilitate queries at the patient, group and unit level. Results from ICDEV-queries are automatically transferred to Microsoft Excel for display (in form of configurable tables and graphs) and further processing. The ICDEV concept is configurable for adjustment to different intensive care information systems and can be used to support computerized quality control. However, as long as there exists no sufficient artifact recognition or data validation software for automatically recorded patient data, the reliability of these data and their usage for computer assisted quality control remain unclear and should be further studied.

Integration Of PanDA Workload Management System With Supercomputers for ATLAS and Data Intensive Science

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

De, K; Jha, S; Klimentov, A

2016-01-01

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC), operating at the international CERN Laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland, is leading Big Data driven scientific explorations. Experiments at the LHC explore the fundamental nature of matter and the basic forces that shape our universe, and were recently credited for the discovery of a Higgs boson. ATLAS, one of the largest collaborations ever assembled in the sciences, is at the forefront of research at the LHC. To address an unprecedented multi-petabyte data processing challenge, the ATLAS experiment is relying on a heterogeneous distributed computational infrastructure. The ATLAS experiment uses PanDA (Production and Data Analysis) Workload Managementmore » System for managing the workflow for all data processing on over 150 data centers. Through PanDA, ATLAS physicists see a single computing facility that enables rapid scientific breakthroughs for the experiment, even though the data centers are physically scattered all over the world. While PanDA currently uses more than 250,000 cores with a peak performance of 0.3 petaFLOPS, LHC data taking runs require more resources than Grid computing can possibly provide. To alleviate these challenges, LHC experiments are engaged in an ambitious program to expand the current computing model to include additional resources such as the opportunistic use of supercomputers. We will describe a project aimed at integration of PanDA WMS with supercomputers in United States, Europe and Russia (in particular with Titan supercomputer at Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF), MIRA supercomputer at Argonne Leadership Computing Facilities (ALCF), Supercomputer at the National Research Center Kurchatov Institute , IT4 in Ostrava and others). Current approach utilizes modified PanDA pilot framework for job submission to the supercomputers batch queues and local data management, with light-weight MPI wrappers to run single threaded workloads in parallel on LCFs multi-core worker nodes. This

High-Intensity Radiated Field Fault-Injection Experiment for a Fault-Tolerant Distributed Communication System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yates, Amy M.; Torres-Pomales, Wilfredo; Malekpour, Mahyar R.; Gonzalez, Oscar R.; Gray, W. Steven

2010-01-01

Safety-critical distributed flight control systems require robustness in the presence of faults. In general, these systems consist of a number of input/output (I/O) and computation nodes interacting through a fault-tolerant data communication system. The communication system transfers sensor data and control commands and can handle most faults under typical operating conditions. However, the performance of the closed-loop system can be adversely affected as a result of operating in harsh environments. In particular, High-Intensity Radiated Field (HIRF) environments have the potential to cause random fault manifestations in individual avionic components and to generate simultaneous system-wide communication faults that overwhelm existing fault management mechanisms. This paper presents the design of an experiment conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center's HIRF Laboratory to statistically characterize the faults that a HIRF environment can trigger on a single node of a distributed flight control system.

Long-term Outcomes of Regional Variations in Intensity of Invasive vs Medical Management of Medicare Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

PubMed Central

Stukel, Therese A.; Lucas, F. Lee; Wennberg, David E.

2005-01-01

Context The health and policy implications of the marked regional variations in intensity of invasive compared with medical management of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are unknown. Objectives To evaluate patient clinical characteristics associated with receiving more intensive treatment; and to assess whether AMI patients residing in regions with more intensive invasive treatment and management strategies have better long-term survival than those residing in regions with more intensive medical management strategies. Design, Setting, and Patients National cohort study of 158 831 elderly Medicare patients hospitalized with first episode of confirmed AMI in 1994–1995, followed up for 7 years (mean, 3.6 years), according to the intensity of invasive management (performance of cardiac catheterization within 30 days) and medical management (prescription of β-blockers to appropriate patients at discharge) in their region of residence. Baseline chart reviews were drawn from the Cooperative Cardiovascular Project and linked to Medicare health administrative data. Main Outcome Measure Long-term survival over 7 years of follow-up. Results Patient baseline AMI severity was similar across regions. In all regions, younger and healthier patients were more likely than older high-risk patients to receive invasive treatment and medical therapy. Regions with more invasive treatment practice styles had more cardiac catheterization laboratory capacity; patients in these regions were more likely to receive interventional treatment, regardless of age, clinical indication, or risk profile. The absolute unadjusted difference in 7-year survival between regions providing the highest rates of both invasive and medical management strategies and those providing the lowest rates of both was 6.2%. For both ST- and non–ST-segment elevation AMI patients, survival improved with regional intensity of both invasive and medical management. In areas with higher rates of medical

Long-term outcomes of regional variations in intensity of invasive vs medical management of Medicare Patients with acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Stukel, Therese A; Lucas, F Lee; Wennberg, David E

2005-03-16

The health and policy implications of the marked regional variations in intensity of invasive compared with medical management of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are unknown. To evaluate patient clinical characteristics associated with receiving more intensive treatment; and to assess whether AMI patients residing in regions with more intensive invasive treatment and management strategies have better long-term survival than those residing in regions with more intensive medical management strategies. National cohort study of 158,831 elderly Medicare patients hospitalized with first episode of confirmed AMI in 1994-1995, followed up for 7 years (mean, 3.6 years), according to the intensity of invasive management (performance of cardiac catheterization within 30 days) and medical management (prescription of beta-blockers to appropriate patients at discharge) in their region of residence. Baseline chart reviews were drawn from the Cooperative Cardiovascular Project and linked to Medicare health administrative data. Long-term survival over 7 years of follow-up. Patient baseline AMI severity was similar across regions. In all regions, younger and healthier patients were more likely than older high-risk patients to receive invasive treatment and medical therapy. Regions with more invasive treatment practice styles had more cardiac catheterization laboratory capacity; patients in these regions were more likely to receive interventional treatment, regardless of age, clinical indication, or risk profile. The absolute unadjusted difference in 7-year survival between regions providing the highest rates of both invasive and medical management strategies and those providing the lowest rates of both was 6.2%. For both ST- and non-ST-segment elevation AMI patients, survival improved with regional intensity of both invasive and medical management. In areas with higher rates of medical management, there appeared to be little or no improvement in survival associated

Risk-Informed Safety Assurance and Probabilistic Assessment of Mission-Critical Software-Intensive Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guarro, Sergio B.

2010-01-01

This report validates and documents the detailed features and practical application of the framework for software intensive digital systems risk assessment and risk-informed safety assurance presented in the NASA PRA Procedures Guide for Managers and Practitioner. This framework, called herein the "Context-based Software Risk Model" (CSRM), enables the assessment of the contribution of software and software-intensive digital systems to overall system risk, in a manner which is entirely compatible and integrated with the format of a "standard" Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA), as currently documented and applied for NASA missions and applications. The CSRM also provides a risk-informed path and criteria for conducting organized and systematic digital system and software testing so that, within this risk-informed paradigm, the achievement of a quantitatively defined level of safety and mission success assurance may be targeted and demonstrated. The framework is based on the concept of context-dependent software risk scenarios and on the modeling of such scenarios via the use of traditional PRA techniques - i.e., event trees and fault trees - in combination with more advanced modeling devices such as the Dynamic Flowgraph Methodology (DFM) or other dynamic logic-modeling representations. The scenarios can be synthesized and quantified in a conditional logic and probabilistic formulation. The application of the CSRM method documented in this report refers to the MiniAERCam system designed and developed by the NASA Johnson Space Center.

The Lake Victoria Intense Storm Early Warning System (VIEWS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiery, Wim; Gudmundsson, Lukas; Bedka, Kristopher; Semazzi, Fredrick; Lhermitte, Stef; Willems, Patrick; van Lipzig, Nicole; Seneviratne, Sonia I.

2017-04-01

Weather extremes have harmful impacts on communities around Lake Victoria in East Africa. Every year, intense nighttime thunderstorms cause numerous boating accidents on the lake, resulting in thousands of deaths among fishermen. Operational storm warning systems are therefore crucial. Here we complement ongoing early warning efforts based on NWP, by presenting a new satellite data-driven storm prediction system, the prototype Lake Victoria Intense storm Early Warning System (VIEWS). VIEWS derives predictability from the correlation between afternoon land storm activity and nighttime storm intensity on Lake Victoria, and relies on logistic regression techniques to forecast extreme thunderstorms from satellite observations. Evaluation of the statistical model reveals that predictive power is high and independent of the input dataset. We then optimise the configuration and show that also false alarms contain valuable information. Our results suggest that regression-based models that are motivated through process understanding have the potential to reduce the vulnerability of local fishing communities around Lake Victoria. The experimental prediction system is publicly available under the MIT licence at http://github.com/wthiery/VIEWS.

THE HIGH INTENSITY SOLAR ENVIRONMENT TEST SYSTEM

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-01-15

TODD SCHNEIDER LOOKS UP FROM WORK AT THE DOOR OF T HE HIGH INTENSITY SOLAR ENVIRONMENT TEST SYSTEM IN BUILDING 4605. SCHNEIDER IS A PHYSICIST IN THE MATERIALS AND PROCESSES DEPARTMENT AT MSFC AND IS PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR FOR HISET.

Anthropogenic Reorganization of Critical Zone in Intensively Managed Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, P.; Anders, A. M.; Bettis, E. A., III; Blair, N. E.; Filley, T. R.; Grimley, D. A.; Le, P. V.; Lin, H.; Lin, Y. F. F.; Keefer, D. A.; Keefer, L. L.; Muste, M.; Packman, A. I.; Papanicolaou, T.; Rhoads, B. L.; Richardson, M.; Schnoebelen, D. J.; Stumpf, A.; Ward, A. S.; Wilson, C. G.; Woo, D.; Yan, Q.; Goodwell, A. E.

2016-12-01

Intensification of industrial agricultural practices has resulted in some of the most profound global impacts in the Anthropocene. These include eutrophication of lakes, rivers, and oceans from nutrient loading, degradation of arable land from the loss of fertile organic soils through erosion, and loss and degradation of soil organic matter from mechanical impacts on the soil, among others. As we prepare to feed additional 2 billion people by 2050 along with the emerging practices of farming for bioenergy production, these practices will intensify further whose goal is to overcome bio-geo-physical rate limitations and rate limiting states to enhance agricultural productivity. These rate-enhancing efforts generally target the fast response production processes, creating an imbalance with the slower assimilative processes in the Critical Zone that cascade through complex inter-dependencies across carbon, soil, water, nutrient and ecological systems. These imbalances modify stores and create gradients for flux, which over time reorganize the landscape, both in structure and function. In this presentation we show how these reorganizations are occurring in the Critical Zone of intensively managed landscapes, and argue that an integrated understanding of such profound changes are necessary for developing sustainable solutions for maintaining agricultural productivity and mitigating agriculture based environmental impacts.

Feasibility testing of a web-based symptom self-management system for persons living with HIV.

PubMed

Schnall, Rebecca; Wantland, Dean; Velez, Olivia; Cato, Kenrick; Jia, Haomiao

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of using a Web-based tool to provide tailored symptom management strategies for persons living with HIV (PLWH) and to estimate the effect size of the tool for future studies. Testing the components of the Web-based system was done by incorporating a repeated-measures design measuring the outcomes of symptom frequency and intensity, use of symptom management strategies, and engagement with health care providers. We recruited 42 PLWH; participants were enrolled in the study for 12 weeks and were asked to use the system and complete the questionnaires every 2 weeks. Our results showed that participants who used the strategies were more likely to have a decrease in symptom frequency and intensity. Findings from this feasibility study provide preliminary evidence for the use of a Web-based HIV symptom management tool with self-management strategies for individuals living with HIV infection. Copyright © 2014 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acid sphingomyelinase serum activity predicts mortality in intensive care unit patients after systemic inflammation: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Kott, Matthias; Elke, Gunnar; Reinicke, Maike; Winoto-Morbach, Supandi; Schädler, Dirk; Zick, Günther; Frerichs, Inéz; Weiler, Norbert; Schütze, Stefan

2014-01-01

Acid sphingomyelinase is involved in lipid signalling pathways and regulation of apoptosis by the generation of ceramide and plays an important role during the host response to infectious stimuli. It thus has the potential to be used as a novel diagnostic marker in the management of critically ill patients. The objective of our study was to evaluate acid sphingomyelinase serum activity (ASM) as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in a mixed intensive care unit population before, during, and after systemic inflammation. 40 patients admitted to the intensive care unit at risk for developing systemic inflammation (defined as systemic inflammatory response syndrome plus a significant procalcitonin [PCT] increase) were included. ASM was analysed on ICU admission, before (PCT before), during (PCT peak) and after (PCT low) onset of SIRS. Patients undergoing elective surgery served as control (N = 8). Receiver-operating characteristics curves were computed. ASM significantly increased after surgery in the eight control patients. Patients from the intensive care unit had significantly higher ASM on admission than control patients after surgery. 19 out of 40 patients admitted to the intensive care unit developed systemic inflammation and 21 did not, with no differences in ASM between these two groups on admission. In patients with SIRS and PCT peak, ASM between admission and PCT before was not different, but further increased at PCT peak in non-survivors and was significantly higher at PCT low compared to survivors. Survivors exhibited decreased ASM at PCT peak and PCT low. Receiver operating curve analysis on discrimination of ICU mortality showed an area under the curve of 0.79 for ASM at PCT low. In summary, ASM was generally higher in patients admitted to the intensive care unit compared to patients undergoing uncomplicated surgery. ASM did not indicate onset of systemic inflammation. In contrast to PCT however, it remained high in non-surviving ICU patients after

Acid Sphingomyelinase Serum Activity Predicts Mortality in Intensive Care Unit Patients after Systemic Inflammation: A Prospective Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Reinicke, Maike; Winoto-Morbach, Supandi; Schädler, Dirk; Zick, Günther; Frerichs, Inéz; Weiler, Norbert; Schütze, Stefan

2014-01-01

Introduction Acid sphingomyelinase is involved in lipid signalling pathways and regulation of apoptosis by the generation of ceramide and plays an important role during the host response to infectious stimuli. It thus has the potential to be used as a novel diagnostic marker in the management of critically ill patients. The objective of our study was to evaluate acid sphingomyelinase serum activity (ASM) as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in a mixed intensive care unit population before, during, and after systemic inflammation. Methods 40 patients admitted to the intensive care unit at risk for developing systemic inflammation (defined as systemic inflammatory response syndrome plus a significant procalcitonin [PCT] increase) were included. ASM was analysed on ICU admission, before (PCTbefore), during (PCTpeak) and after (PCTlow) onset of SIRS. Patients undergoing elective surgery served as control (N = 8). Receiver-operating characteristics curves were computed. Results ASM significantly increased after surgery in the eight control patients. Patients from the intensive care unit had significantly higher ASM on admission than control patients after surgery. 19 out of 40 patients admitted to the intensive care unit developed systemic inflammation and 21 did not, with no differences in ASM between these two groups on admission. In patients with SIRS and PCT peak, ASM between admission and PCTbefore was not different, but further increased at PCTpeak in non-survivors and was significantly higher at PCTlow compared to survivors. Survivors exhibited decreased ASM at PCTpeak and PCTlow. Receiver operating curve analysis on discrimination of ICU mortality showed an area under the curve of 0.79 for ASM at PCTlow. Conclusions In summary, ASM was generally higher in patients admitted to the intensive care unit compared to patients undergoing uncomplicated surgery. ASM did not indicate onset of systemic inflammation. In contrast to PCT however, it remained high in non

A relative-intensity two-color phosphor thermography system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merski, N. Ronald

1991-01-01

The NASA LaRC has developed a relative-intensity two-color phosphor thermography system. This system has become a standard technique for acquiring aerothermodynamic data in LaRC Hypersonic Facilities Complex (HFC). The relative intensity theory and its application to the LaRC phosphor thermography system is discussed along with the investment casting technique which is critical to the utilization of the phosphor method for aerothermodynamic studies. Various approaches to obtaining quantitative heat transfer data using thermographic phosphors are addressed and comparisons between thin-film data and thermographic phosphor data on an orbiter-like configuration are presented. In general, data from these two techniques are in good agreement. A discussion is given on the application of phosphors to integration heat transfer data reduction techniques (the thin film method) and preliminary heat transfer data obtained on a calibration sphere using thin-film equations are presented. Finally, plans for a new phosphor system which uses target recognition software are discussed.

Bench-to-bedside review: Leadership and conflict management in the intensive care unit

PubMed Central

Strack van Schijndel, Rob JM; Burchardi, Hilmar

2007-01-01

In the management of critical care units, leadership and conflict management are vital areas for the successful performance of the unit. In this article a practical approach to define competencies for leadership and principles and practices of conflict management are offered. This article is, by lack of relevant intensive care unit (ICU) literature, not evidence based, but it is the result of personal experience and a study of literature on leadership as well on conflicts and negotiations in non-medical areas. From this, information was selected that was recognisable to the authors and, thus, also seems to be useful knowledge for medical doctors in the ICU environment. PMID:18086322

Bench-to-bedside review: leadership and conflict management in the intensive care unit.

PubMed

Strack van Schijndel, Rob J M; Burchardi, Hilmar

2007-01-01

In the management of critical care units, leadership and conflict management are vital areas for the successful performance of the unit. In this article a practical approach to define competencies for leadership and principles and practices of conflict management are offered. This article is, by lack of relevant intensive care unit (ICU) literature, not evidence based, but it is the result of personal experience and a study of literature on leadership as well on conflicts and negotiations in non-medical areas. From this, information was selected that was recognisable to the authors and, thus, also seems to be useful knowledge for medical doctors in the ICU environment.

Intensity-based readout of resonant-waveguide grating biosensors: Systems and nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulsen, Moritz; Jahns, Sabrina; Gerken, Martina

2017-09-01

Resonant waveguide gratings (RWG) - also called photonic crystal slabs (PCS) - have been established as reliable optical transducers for label-free biochemical assays as well as for cell-based assays. Current readout systems are based on mechanical scanning and spectrometric measurements with system sizes suitable for laboratory equipment. Here, we review recent progress in compact intensity-based readout systems for point-of-care (POC) applications. We briefly introduce PCSs as sensitive optical transducers and introduce different approaches for intensity-based readout systems. Photometric measurements have been realized with a simple combination of a light source and a photodetector. Recently a 96-channel, intensity-based readout system for both biochemical interaction analyses as well as cellular assays was presented employing the intensity change of a near cut-off mode. As an alternative for multiparametric detection, a camera system for imaging detection has been implemented. A portable, camera-based system of size 13 cm × 4.9 cm × 3.5 cm with six detection areas on an RWG surface area of 11 mm × 7 mm has been demonstrated for the parallel detection of six protein binding kinetics. The signal-to-noise ratio of this system corresponds to a limit of detection of 168 M (24 ng/ml). To further improve the signal-to-noise ratio advanced nanostructure designs are investigated for RWGs. Here, results on multiperiodic and deterministic aperiodic nanostructures are presented. These advanced nanostructures allow for the design of the number and wavelengths of the RWG resonances. In the context of intensity-based readout systems they are particularly interesting for the realization of multi-LED systems. These recent trends suggest that compact point-of-care systems employing disposable test chips with RWG functional areas may reach market in the near future.

Hydrological Modeling of Storm Water Drainage System due to Frequent and Intense Precipitation of Dhaka city using Storm Water Management Model (SWMM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hossain, S., Jr.

2015-12-01

Rainfall induced flooding during rainy season is a regular phenomenon in Dhaka City. Almost every year a significant part of the city suffers badly with drainage congestion. There are some highly dense areas with lower ground elevation which submerge under water even with an intense precipitation of few hours. The higher areas also suffer with the drainage problem due to inadequate maintenance of the system and encroachment or illegal filling up of the drainage canals and lakes. Most part of the city suffered from long term urban flooding during historical extreme rainfall events in September 2004, 2007 and July 2009. The situation is likely to worsen in the future due to Climate Change, which may lead to more frequent and intense precipitation. To assess the major and minor drainage systems and elements of the urban basins using the hydrodynamic modelling and, through this, identifying the flooding events and areas, taking into account the current situation and future flood or drainage scenarios. Stormwater modeling has a major role in preventing issues such as flash floods and urban water-quality problems. Stormwater models of a lowered spatial resolution would thus appear valuable if only their ability to provide realistic results could be proved. The present scenario of urban morphology of Dhaka city and existing drainage system is complex for hydrological and hydrodynamic modeling. Furthermore limitations of background data and uncertain future urban scenarios may confine the potential outputs of a model. Although several studies were carried out including modeling for drainage master planning, a detail model for whole DAP (Detaile Area Plan) of Dhaka city area is not available. The model developed under this study is covering the existing drainage system in the study area as well as natural flows in the fringe area. A good number of models are available for hydrological and hydraulic analysis of urban areas. These are MIKE 11, MOUSE, HEC-RAS, HEC HMS and EPA

Operations management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brandli, A. E.; Eckelkamp, R. E.; Kelly, C. M.; Mccandless, W.; Rue, D. L.

1990-01-01

The objective of an operations management system is to provide an orderly and efficient method to operate and maintain aerospace vehicles. Concepts are described for an operations management system and the key technologies are highlighted which will be required if this capability is brought to fruition. Without this automation and decision aiding capability, the growing complexity of avionics will result in an unmanageable workload for the operator, ultimately threatening mission success or survivability of the aircraft or space system. The key technologies include expert system application to operational tasks such as replanning, equipment diagnostics and checkout, global system management, and advanced man machine interfaces. The economical development of operations management systems, which are largely software, will require advancements in other technological areas such as software engineering and computer hardware.

Effects of taxation on the planning and implementation of intensive timber management

Treesearch

David B. Field

1977-01-01

Taxes on forest properties and on income from timber disposal impose one of the most significant kinds of cost burden faced by owners of interests in forest lands. Local property taxes impose annual charges regardless of the level of management, and may even be increased by intensive practices. Federal and state income taxes are usually second in impact only to...

Risk factors for kid mortality in West African Dwarf goats under an intensive management system in Ghana.

PubMed

Turkson, P K; Antiri, Y K; Baffuor-Awuah, O

2004-05-01

Breeding records from 1997 to 2000 for West African Dwarf goats kept under an intensive management system on the National Breeding Station at Kintampo in Ghana were analysed for the effect on mortality of sex, season and type of birth, and birth weight. The pre-weaning and post-weaning mortalities were 10% (n = 390) and 23.1% (n = 351), respectively, while the overall mortality from birth up to 12 months of age was 30.8% (n = 390). The post-weaning period recorded significantly higher proportions of deaths in males, females, single-born and twins, during the rainy and dry seasons, and for kids with low or high birth weight, compared to the pre-weaning period. There was significantly higher mortality in male kids than in female kids. The odds and risks of death for male kids were about twice those for females at post-weaning and up to 1 year of age. At pre-weaning and up to 1 year of age, a higher proportion of the dead were twins. Twins had approximately 2.5 the risk of death at pre-weaning, compared to singles. Also, kids born in the rainy season had significantly higher mortality than those born in the dry season. Kids that died by the time of weaning were significantly lighter in weight at birth than those that survived. Male kids had significantly higher mean weights at birth and at weaning, but not at 12 months of age. The significance of these findings is discussed.

Influence of the platform jitter on intensity fluctuation for laser launch system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Pengfei; Qiao, Chunhong; Huang, Tong; Zhang, Jinghui; Fan, Chengyu

2017-10-01

The jitter of the transmitting system can cause the light intensity fluctuation at the target position of the laser transmission, which affects the performance of the laser communication, imaging and the adaptive optical system. In this paper, the platform jitter is modeled by Gaussian random fluctuation phase and the analytic expression of the system jitter effect on the fluctuation of light intensity is obtained under the vacuum condition based on extended Huygens-Fresnel principle. The numerical simulation is compared with the theoretical expression and the consistency is obtained. At the same time, the influence of the jitter of the launch system on the intensity fluctuation of the target system under different turbulence conditions is analyzed by numerical simulation. The result show that normalized intensity fluctuation variance induced by platform jitter seems to be unrestricted. The jitter of the transmitting system has a more important influence on the fluctuation of the target position caused by the atmospheric turbulence, as the jitter increase. This result provides a reference for the application of the actual laser transmission system.

[Survey on the management of acute renal failure and renal replacement techniques in Spanish intensive care units].

PubMed

Úbeda-Iglesias, A; Herrera-Rojas, D; Gómez-González, C

2015-03-01

To analyze knowledge and experience in the diagnosis and management of acute renal failure (ARF) and the use of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in different Spanish Intensive Care Units (ICUs). A case series with a survey conducted by the Nephro-Intensive Care Working Group of the SEMICYUC was compiled between January and November 2011. Spanish national ICUs. A survey of 28 questions with multiple and open responses. The survey was sent to 99 ICUs. Volunteers consisting of the medical staff belonging to the 51 ICUs that responded. Main variables of interest General characteristics of hospitals and ICUs, definitions of ARF and RRT (indications and management). RIFLE/AKIN scales to define ARF (47%). ARF diagnosis: plasma creatinine (80.4%), creatinine clearance (52.9%). Protocols for RRT: 72.5%. RRT in non-renal indications: 70.6%. Indications for initiation of RRT: oliguria, increased creatinine and urea. End of RRT: increased diuresis. RRT dose: 21-35 ml/kg/h (41.2%), 36-45ml/kg/h (33.3%). There is great variability in the ARF detection methods, and adequate incorporation of the RIFLE/AKIN systems to daily clinical practice in the ICU is still lacking. Written protocols aimed at establishing an early diagnosis of ARF are needed, based on these systems. On the other hand, there is growing interest in RRT, despite the fact that there are no definitive indications or guidelines on the use and handling of such techniques. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Blood use in patients receiving intensive chemotherapy for acute leukemia or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: the impact of a health system-wide patient blood management program.

PubMed

Leahy, Michael F; Trentino, Kevin M; May, Colleen; Swain, Stuart G; Chuah, Hun; Farmer, Shannon L

2017-09-01

Little is published on patient blood management (PBM) programs in hematology. In 2008 Western Australia announced a health system-wide PBM program with PBM staff appointments commencing in November 2009. Our aim was to assess the impact this program had on blood utilization and patient outcomes in intensive chemotherapy for acute leukemia or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. A retrospective study of 695 admissions at two tertiary hospitals receiving intensive chemotherapy for acute leukemia or undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation between July 2010 and December 2014 was conducted. Main outcomes included pre-red blood cell (RBC) transfusion hemoglobin (Hb) levels, single-unit RBC transfusions, number of RBC and platelet (PLT) units transfused per admission, subsequent day case transfusions, length of stay, serious bleeding, and in-hospital mortality. Over the study period, the mean RBC units transfused per admission decreased 39% from 6.1 to 3.7 (p < 0.001), and the mean PLT units transfused decreased 35% from 6.3 to 4.1 (p < 0.001), with mean RBC and PLT units transfused for follow-up day cases decreasing from 0.6 to 0.4 units (p < 0.001). Mean pre-RBC transfusion Hb level decreased from 8.0 to 6.8 g/dL (p < 0.001), and single-unit RBC transfusions increased 39% to 67% (p < 0.001). This reduction represents blood product cost savings of AU$694,886 (US$654,007). There were no significant changes in unadjusted or adjusted length of stay, serious bleeding events, or in-hospital mortality over the study. The health system-wide PBM program had a significant impact, reducing blood product use and costs without increased morbidity or mortality in patients receiving intensive chemotherapy for acute leukemia or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. © 2017 AABB.

Intensity-based fibre-optic sensing system using contrast modulation of subcarrier interference pattern

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adamovsky, G.; Sherer, T. N.; Maitland, D. J.

1989-01-01

A novel technique to compensate for unwanted intensity losses in a fiber-optic sensing system is described. The technique involves a continuous sinusoidal modulation of the light source intensity at radio frequencies and an intensity sensor placed in an unbalanced interferometer. The system shows high sensitivity and stability.

New software system to improve AGU membership management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McEntee, Chris

2012-06-01

Almost 2 years ago, AGU began investigating how it could more efficiently manage member and customer records as well as support processes that currently run on multiple systems. I am pleased to announce that on 25 June, as the result of intense efforts, AGU will migrate to a new database software system that will house the majority of AGU operations. AGU staff will have more tools at their disposal to assist members, and members will have more intuitive and user-friendly options when using the online interface to update their profiles or make purchases. I am particularly excited about this major improvement to our infrastructure because it better positions AGU to achieve goals in its strategic plan.

Microbial communities and soil fertility in flood irrigated orchards under different management systems in eastern spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morugán-Coronado, Alicia; García-Orenes, Fuensanta; Caravaca, Fuensanta; Roldán, Antonio

2016-04-01

Unsuitable land management such as the excessive use of herbicides can lead to a loss of soil fertility and a drastic reduction in the abundance of microbial populations and their functions related to nutrient cycling. Microbial communities are the most sensitive and rapid indicators of perturbations in agroecosystems. A field experiment was performed in an orange-trees orchard (Citrus sinensis) to assess the long-term effect of three different management systems on the soil microbial community biomass, structure and composition (phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) total, pattern, and abundance). The three agricultural systems assayed were established 30 years ago: herbicides (Glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine) with inorganic fertilizers (H), intensive ploughing and inorganic fertilizers (NPK 15%) (P) and organic farming (chipped pruned branches and weeds, manure from sheep and goats) (O). Nine soil samples were taken from each system. The results showed that the management practices including herbicides and intensive ploughing had similar results on soil microbial properties, while organic fertilization significantly increased microbial biomass, shifted the structure and composition of the soil microbial community, and stimulated microbial activity, when compared to inorganic fertilization systems; thus, enhancing the sustainability of this agroecosystem under semiarid conditions.

Forecasting economic gains from intensive plantation management using unrealistic yield over input curves

Treesearch

David B. South; Curtis L. VanderSchaaf; Larry D. Teeter

2006-01-01

Some researchers claim that continuously increasing intensive plantation management will increase profits and reduce the unit cost of wood production while others believe in the law of diminishing returns. We developed four hypothetical production models where yield is a function of silvicultural effort. Models that produced unrealistic results were (1) an exponential...

Scheduling fertilizer applications as a simple mitigation option for reducing N2O emission in intensively managed mown grassland systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neftel, Albrecht; Calanca, Pierluigi; Felber, Raphael; Grant, Robert; Conen, Franz

2014-05-01

A general principle in all proposed N2O mitigation options is the fertilization according to plants' requirements. Meanwhile the amount of N fertilization allowed is regulated in many countries. Due to the high pressure from food security and the need for economic efficiency the given limits are generally used up. In mown grassland systems a simple mitigation option is to optimize the timing of the fertilizer applications. Application of fertilizer, both organic manure and mineral fertilizer, is generally scheduled after each cut in a narrow time window. In practice, the delay between cut and fertilizer application is determined by weather conditions, management conditions and most important by the planning and experience of the individual farmer. Many field experiments have shown that enhanced N2O emissions tend to occur after cuts but before the application of fertilizer, especially when soils are characterized by a high WFPS. These findings suggest that the time of fertilizer application has an important implications for the N2O emission rate and that scheduling fertilization according to soil conditions might be a simple, cheap and efficient measure to mitigate N2O emissions. In this paper we report on results from a sensitivity analysis aiming at quantifying the effects of the timing of the fertilizer applications on N2O emissions from intensively managed, mown grasslands. Simulations for different time schedules were carried out with the comprehensive ecosystem model "ECOSYS" . To our knowledge this aspect has not been systematically investigated from a scientific point of view, but might have been always there within the experiences of attentive environmentally concerned farmers.

Adding Data Management Services to Parallel File Systems

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

Brandt, Scott

2015-03-04

The objective of this project, called DAMASC for “Data Management in Scientific Computing”, is to coalesce data management with parallel file system management to present a declarative interface to scientists for managing, querying, and analyzing extremely large data sets efficiently and predictably. Managing extremely large data sets is a key challenge of exascale computing. The overhead, energy, and cost of moving massive volumes of data demand designs where computation is close to storage. In current architectures, compute/analysis clusters access data in a physically separate parallel file system and largely leave it scientist to reduce data movement. Over the past decadesmore » the high-end computing community has adopted middleware with multiple layers of abstractions and specialized file formats such as NetCDF-4 and HDF5. These abstractions provide a limited set of high-level data processing functions, but have inherent functionality and performance limitations: middleware that provides access to the highly structured contents of scientific data files stored in the (unstructured) file systems can only optimize to the extent that file system interfaces permit; the highly structured formats of these files often impedes native file system performance optimizations. We are developing Damasc, an enhanced high-performance file system with native rich data management services. Damasc will enable efficient queries and updates over files stored in their native byte-stream format while retaining the inherent performance of file system data storage via declarative queries and updates over views of underlying files. Damasc has four key benefits for the development of data-intensive scientific code: (1) applications can use important data-management services, such as declarative queries, views, and provenance tracking, that are currently available only within database systems; (2) the use of these services becomes easier, as they are provided within a familiar file

Knowledge-based operation and management of communications systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heggestad, Harold M.

1988-01-01

Expert systems techniques are being applied in operation and control of the Defense Communications System (DCS), which has the mission of providing reliable worldwide voice, data and message services for U.S. forces and commands. Thousands of personnel operate DCS facilities, and many of their functions match the classical expert system scenario: complex, skill-intensive environments with a full spectrum of problems in training and retention, cost containment, modernization, and so on. Two of these functions are: (1) fault isolation and restoral of dedicated circuits at Tech Control Centers, and (2) network management for the Defense Switched Network (the modernized dial-up voice system currently replacing AUTOVON). An expert system for the first of these is deployed for evaluation purposes at Andrews Air Force Base, and plans are being made for procurement of operational systems. In the second area, knowledge obtained with a sophisticated simulator is being embedded in an expert system. The background, design and status of both projects are described.

Knowledge-based operation and management of communications systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heggestad, Harold M.

1988-11-01

Expert systems techniques are being applied in operation and control of the Defense Communications System (DCS), which has the mission of providing reliable worldwide voice, data and message services for U.S. forces and commands. Thousands of personnel operate DCS facilities, and many of their functions match the classical expert system scenario: complex, skill-intensive environments with a full spectrum of problems in training and retention, cost containment, modernization, and so on. Two of these functions are: (1) fault isolation and restoral of dedicated circuits at Tech Control Centers, and (2) network management for the Defense Switched Network (the modernized dial-up voice system currently replacing AUTOVON). An expert system for the first of these is deployed for evaluation purposes at Andrews Air Force Base, and plans are being made for procurement of operational systems. In the second area, knowledge obtained with a sophisticated simulator is being embedded in an expert system. The background, design and status of both projects are described.

A flux footprint analysis to understand ecosystem fluxes in an intensively managed landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez Rodriguez, L. C.; Goodwell, A. E.; Kumar, P.

2017-12-01

Flux tower studies in agricultural sites have mainly been done at plot scale, where the footprint of the instruments is small such that the data reveals the behaviour of the nearby crop on which the study is focused. In the Midwestern United States, the agricultural ecosystem and its associated drainage, evapotranspiration, and nutrient dynamics are dominant influences on interactions between the soil, land, and atmosphere. In this study, we address large-scale ecohydrologic fluxes and states in an intensively managed landscape based on data from a 25m high eddy covariance flux tower. We show the calculated upwind distance and flux footprint for a flux tower located in Central Illinois as part of the Intensively Managed Landscapes Critical Zone Observatory (IMLCZO). In addition, we calculate the daily energy balance during the summer of 2016 from the flux tower measurements and compare with the modelled energy balance from a representative corn crop located in the flux tower footprint using the Multi-Layer Canopy model, MLCan. The changes in flux footprint over the course of hours, days, and the growing season have significant implications for the measured fluxes of carbon and energy at the flux tower. We use MLCan to simulate these fluxes under land covers of corn and soybeans. Our results demonstrate how the instrument heights impact the footprint of the captured eddy covariance fluxes, and we explore the implication for hydrological analysis. The convective turbulent atmosphere during the daytime shows a wide footprint of more than 10 km2, which reaches 3km length for the 90% contribution, where buoyancy is the dominant mechanism driving turbulence. In contrast, the stable atmosphere during the night-time shows a narrower footprint that goes beyond 8km2 and grows in the direction of the prevalent wind, which exceeds 4 km in length. This study improves our understanding of agricultural ecosystem behaviour in terms of the magnitude and variability of fluxes and

Lighting system with thermal management system

DOEpatents

Arik, Mehmet; Weaver, Stanton Earl; Stecher, Thomas Elliot; Seeley, Charles Erklin; Kuenzler, Glenn Howard; Wolfe, Jr., Charles Franklin; Utturkar, Yogen Vishwas; Sharma, Rajdeep; Prabhakaran, Satish; Icoz, Tunc

2015-02-24

Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.

Lighting system with thermal management system

DOEpatents

Arik, Mehmet; Weaver, Stanton Earl; Stecher, Thomas Elliot; Seeley, Charles Erklin; Kuenzler, Glenn Howard; Wolfe, Jr., Charles Franklin; Utturkar, Yogen Vishwas; Sharma, Rajdeep; Prabhakaran, Satish; Icoz, Tunc

2015-08-25

Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.

Lighting system with thermal management system

DOEpatents

Arik, Mehmet; Weaver, Stanton; Stecher, Thomas; Seeley, Charles; Kuenzler, Glenn; Wolfe, Jr., Charles; Utturkar, Yogen; Sharma, Rajdeep; Prabhakaran, Satish; Icoz, Tunc

2013-05-07

Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.

Lighting system with thermal management system

DOEpatents

Arik, Mehmet; Weaver, Stanton Earl; Stecher, Thomas Elliot; Seeley, Charles Erklin; Kuenzler, Glenn Howard; Wolfe, Jr, Charles Franklin; Utturkar, Yogen Vishwas; Sharma, Rajdeep; Prabhakaran, Satish; Icoz, Tunc

2016-10-11

Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.

Evidence and consensus based guideline for the management of delirium, analgesia, and sedation in intensive care medicine. Revision 2015 (DAS-Guideline 2015) - short version.

PubMed

Baron, Ralf; Binder, Andreas; Biniek, Rolf; Braune, Stephan; Buerkle, Hartmut; Dall, Peter; Demirakca, Sueha; Eckardt, Rahel; Eggers, Verena; Eichler, Ingolf; Fietze, Ingo; Freys, Stephan; Fründ, Andreas; Garten, Lars; Gohrbandt, Bernhard; Harth, Irene; Hartl, Wolfgang; Heppner, Hans-Jürgen; Horter, Johannes; Huth, Ralf; Janssens, Uwe; Jungk, Christine; Kaeuper, Kristin Maria; Kessler, Paul; Kleinschmidt, Stefan; Kochanek, Matthias; Kumpf, Matthias; Meiser, Andreas; Mueller, Anika; Orth, Maritta; Putensen, Christian; Roth, Bernd; Schaefer, Michael; Schaefers, Rainhild; Schellongowski, Peter; Schindler, Monika; Schmitt, Reinhard; Scholz, Jens; Schroeder, Stefan; Schwarzmann, Gerhard; Spies, Claudia; Stingele, Robert; Tonner, Peter; Trieschmann, Uwe; Tryba, Michael; Wappler, Frank; Waydhas, Christian; Weiss, Bjoern; Weisshaar, Guido

2015-01-01

In 2010, under the guidance of the DGAI (German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine) and DIVI (German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine), twelve German medical societies published the "Evidence- and Consensus-based Guidelines on the Management of Analgesia, Sedation and Delirium in Intensive Care". Since then, several new studies and publications have considerably increased the body of evidence, including the new recommendations from the American College of Critical Care Medicine (ACCM) in conjunction with Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) from 2013. For this update, a major restructuring and extension of the guidelines were needed in order to cover new aspects of treatment, such as sleep and anxiety management. The literature was systematically searched and evaluated using the criteria of the Oxford Center of Evidence Based Medicine. The body of evidence used to formulate these recommendations was reviewed and approved by representatives of 17 national societies. Three grades of recommendation were used as follows: Grade "A" (strong recommendation), Grade "B" (recommendation) and Grade "0" (open recommendation). The result is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, evidence and consensus-based set of level 3 guidelines. This publication was designed for all ICU professionals, and takes into account all critically ill patient populations. It represents a guide to symptom-oriented prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of delirium, anxiety, stress, and protocol-based analgesia, sedation, and sleep-management in intensive care medicine.

Managing hybrid marketing systems.

PubMed

Moriarty, R T; Moran, U

1990-01-01

As competition increases and costs become critical, companies that once went to market only one way are adding new channels and using new methods - creating hybrid marketing systems. These hybrid marketing systems hold the promise of greater coverage and reduced costs. But they are also hard to manage; they inevitably raise questions of conflict and control: conflict because marketing units compete for customers; control because new indirect channels are less subject to management authority. Hard as they are to manage, however, hybrid marketing systems promise to become the dominant design, replacing the "purebred" channel strategy in all kinds of businesses. The trick to managing the hybrid is to analyze tasks and channels within and across a marketing system. A map - the hybrid grid - can help managers make sense of their hybrid system. What the chart reveals is that channels are not the basic building blocks of a marketing system; marketing tasks are. The hybrid grid forces managers to consider various combinations of channels and tasks that will optimize both cost and coverage. Managing conflict is also an important element of a successful hybrid system. Managers should first acknowledge the inevitability of conflict. Then they should move to bound it by creating guidelines that spell out which customers to serve through which methods. Finally, a marketing and sales productivity (MSP) system, consisting of a central marketing database, can act as the central nervous system of a hybrid marketing system, helping managers create customized channels and service for specific customer segments.

[Scoring systems in intensive care medicine : principles, models, application and limits].

PubMed

Fleig, V; Brenck, F; Wolff, M; Weigand, M A

2011-10-01

Scoring systems are used in all diagnostic areas of medicine. Several parameters are evaluated and rated with points according to their value in order to simplify a complex clinical situation with a score. The application ranges from the classification of disease severity through determining the number of staff for the intensive care unit (ICU) to the evaluation of new therapies under study conditions. Since the introduction of scoring systems in the 1980's a variety of different score models has been developed. The scoring systems that are employed in intensive care and are discussed in this article can be categorized into prognostic scores, expenses scores and disease-specific scores. Since the introduction of compulsory recording of two scoring systems for accounting in the German diagnosis-related groups (DRG) system, these tools have gained more importance for all intensive care physicians. Problems remain in the valid calculation of scores and interpretation of the results.

Emergy-based comparative analysis of energy intensity in different industrial systems.

PubMed

Liu, Zhe; Geng, Yong; Wang, Hui; Sun, Lu; Ma, Zhixiao; Tian, Xu; Yu, Xiaoman

2015-12-01

With the rapid economic development, energy consumption of China has been the second place in the world next to the USA. Usually, measuring energy consumption intensity or efficiency applies heat unit which is joule per gross domestic production (GDP) or coal equivalent per GDP. However, this measuring approach is only oriented by the conversion coefficient of heat combustion which does not match the real value of the materials during their formation in the ecological system. This study applied emergy analysis to evaluate the energy consumption intensity to fill this gap. Emergy analysis is considered as a bridge between ecological system and economic system, which can evaluate the contribution of ecological products and services as well as the load placed on environmental systems. In this study, emergy indicator for performing energy consumption intensity of primary energy was proposed. Industrial production is assumed as the main contributor of energy consumption compared to primary and tertiary industries. Therefore, this study validated this method by investigating the two industrial case studies which were Dalian Economic Development Area (DEDA) and Fuzhou economic and technological area (FETA), to comparatively study on their energy consumption intensity between the different kinds of industrial systems and investigate the reasons behind the differences. The results show that primary energy consumption (PEC) of DEDA was much higher than that of FETA during 2006 to 2010 and its primary energy consumption ratio (PECR) to total emergy involvement had a dramatically decline from year 2006 to 2010. In the same time, nonrenewable energy of PEC in DEDA was also much higher than that in FETA. The reason was that industrial structure of DEDA was mainly formed by heavy industries like petro-chemistry industry, manufacturing industries, and high energy-intensive industries. However, FETA was formed by electronic business, food industry, and light industries. Although

Calibration of Clinical Audio Recording and Analysis Systems for Sound Intensity Measurement.

PubMed

Maryn, Youri; Zarowski, Andrzej

2015-11-01

Sound intensity is an important acoustic feature of voice/speech signals. Yet recordings are performed with different microphone, amplifier, and computer configurations, and it is therefore crucial to calibrate sound intensity measures of clinical audio recording and analysis systems on the basis of output of a sound-level meter. This study was designed to evaluate feasibility, validity, and accuracy of calibration methods, including audiometric speech noise signals and human voice signals under typical speech conditions. Calibration consisted of 3 comparisons between data from 29 measurement microphone-and-computer systems and data from the sound-level meter: signal-specific comparison with audiometric speech noise at 5 levels, signal-specific comparison with natural voice at 3 levels, and cross-signal comparison with natural voice at 3 levels. Intensity measures from recording systems were then linearly converted into calibrated data on the basis of these comparisons, and validity and accuracy of calibrated sound intensity were investigated. Very strong correlations and quasisimilarity were found between calibrated data and sound-level meter data across calibration methods and recording systems. Calibration of clinical sound intensity measures according to this method is feasible, valid, accurate, and representative for a heterogeneous set of microphones and data acquisition systems in real-life circumstances with distinct noise contexts.

[The German DRG system 2003-2010 from the perspective of intensive care medicine].

PubMed

Franz, Dominik; Bunzemeier, Holger; Roeder, Norbert; Reinecke, Holger

2010-01-01

Intensive care medicine is extremely heterogeneous, expensive and can only be partially planned and controlled. A correct and fair representation of intensive care medicine in the G-DRG system is an essential requirement for the use as a pricing system. From the perspective of intensive care medicine, pertinent changes of the DRG structure and differentiation of relevant parameters have been established within the G-DRG systems 2003-2010. Analysis of relevant diagnoses, medical procedures, co-payment structures and G-DRGs in the versions 2003-2010 based on the publications of the German DRG Institute (InEK) and the German Institute of Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI). Since the first G-DRG system version 2003, numerous measures improved quality of case allocation of intensive care medicine. Highly relevant to the system version 2010 are duration of mechanical ventilation, the intensive care treatment complex and complicating constellations. The number of G-DRGs relevant to intensive medical care increased from n = 3 (2003) to n = 58 (2010). For standard cases, quality of case allocation and G-DRG reimbursement are adequate in 2010. The G-DRG system gained complexity again. High demands are made on correct and complete coding of complex cases. Nevertheless, further adjustments of the G-DRG system especially for cases with extremely high costs are necessary. Where the G-DRG system is unable to cover extremely high-cost cases, reimbursement solutions beyond the G-DRG structure should be taken into account.

Targeted temperature management in neurological intensive care unit

PubMed Central

Muengtaweepongsa, Sombat; Srivilaithon, Winchana

2017-01-01

Targeted temperature management (TTM) shows the most promising neuroprotective therapy against hypoxic/ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). In addition, TTM is also useful for treatment of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). HIE and elevated ICP are common catastrophic conditions in patients admitted in Neurologic intensive care unit (ICU). The most common cause of HIE is cardiac arrest. Randomized control trials demonstrate clinical benefits of TTM in patients with post-cardiac arrest. Although clinical benefit of ICP control by TTM in some specific critical condition, for an example in traumatic brain injury, is still controversial, efficacy of ICP control by TTM is confirmed by both in vivo and in vitro studies. Several methods of TTM have been reported in the literature. TTM can apply to various clinical conditions associated with hypoxic/ischemic brain injury and elevated ICP in Neurologic ICU. PMID:28706860

A method of forest management for the planned introduction of intensive husbandry in virgin forest stands

Treesearch

B. Dolezal

1978-01-01

The method proposed is derived from long experience of intensive management in forest stands of Central Europe and from our proposal for management in virgin Iranian forests of the Caspian Region. The method establishes the need for systematic planning of stand conversion to insure both sustained yield and the harvesting of sufficient timber to sustain economic...

Information Security Management - Part Of The Integrated Management System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manea, Constantin Adrian

2015-07-01

The international management standards allow their integrated approach, thereby combining aspects of particular importance to the activity of any organization, from the quality management systems or the environmental management of the information security systems or the business continuity management systems. Although there is no national or international regulation, nor a defined standard for the Integrated Management System, the need to implement an integrated system occurs within the organization, which feels the opportunity to integrate the management components into a cohesive system, in agreement with the purpose and mission publicly stated. The issues relating to information security in the organization, from the perspective of the management system, raise serious questions to any organization in the current context of electronic information, reason for which we consider not only appropriate but necessary to promote and implement an Integrated Management System Quality - Environment - Health and Operational Security - Information Security

Adaptation of global land use and management intensity to changes in climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide.

PubMed

Alexander, Peter; Rabin, Sam; Anthoni, Peter; Henry, Roslyn; Pugh, Thomas A M; Rounsevell, Mark D A; Arneth, Almut

2018-02-27

Land use contributes to environmental change, but is also influenced by such changes. Climate and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) levels' changes alter agricultural crop productivity, plant water requirements and irrigation water availability. The global food system needs to respond and adapt to these changes, for example, by altering agricultural practices, including the crop types or intensity of management, or shifting cultivated areas within and between countries. As impacts and associated adaptation responses are spatially specific, understanding the land use adaptation to environmental changes requires crop productivity representations that capture spatial variations. The impact of variation in management practices, including fertiliser and irrigation rates, also needs to be considered. To date, models of global land use have selected agricultural expansion or intensification levels using relatively aggregate spatial representations, typically at a regional level, that are not able to characterise the details of these spatially differentiated responses. Here, we show results from a novel global modelling approach using more detailed biophysically derived yield responses to inputs with greater spatial specificity than previously possible. The approach couples a dynamic global vegetative model (LPJ-GUESS) with a new land use and food system model (PLUMv2), with results benchmarked against historical land use change from 1970. Land use outcomes to 2100 were explored, suggesting that increased intensity of climate forcing reduces the inputs required for food production, due to the fertilisation and enhanced water use efficiency effects of elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentrations, but requiring substantial shifts in the global and local patterns of production. The results suggest that adaptation in the global agriculture and food system has substantial capacity to diminish the negative impacts and gain greater benefits from positive outcomes of climate change

Permeable pavement and stormwater management systems: a review.

PubMed

Imran, H M; Akib, Shatirah; Karim, Mohamed Rehan

2013-01-01

Uncontrolled stormwater runoff not only creates drainage problems and flash floods but also presents a considerable threat to water quality and the environment. These problems can, to a large extent, be reduced by a type of stormwater management approach employing permeable pavement systems (PPS) in urban, industrial and commercial areas, where frequent problems are caused by intense undrained stormwater. PPS could be an efficient solution for sustainable drainage systems, and control water security as well as renewable energy in certain cases. Considerable research has been conducted on the function of PPS and their improvement to ensure sustainable drainage systems and water quality. This paper presents a review of the use of permeable pavement for different purposes. The paper focuses on drainage systems and stormwater runoff quality from roads, driveways, rooftops and parking lots. PPS are very effective for stormwater management and water reuse. Moreover, geotextiles provide additional facilities to reduce the pollutants from infiltrate runoff into the ground, creating a suitable environment for the biodegradation process. Furthermore, recently, ground source heat pumps and PPS have been found to be an excellent combination for sustainable renewable energy. In addition, this study has identified several gaps in the present state of knowledge on PPS and indicates some research needs for future consideration.

Facilitated Nurse Medication-Related Event Reporting to Improve Medication Management Quality and Safety in Intensive Care Units.

PubMed

Xu, Jie; Reale, Carrie; Slagle, Jason M; Anders, Shilo; Shotwell, Matthew S; Dresselhaus, Timothy; Weinger, Matthew B

Medication safety presents an ongoing challenge for nurses working in complex, fast-paced, intensive care unit (ICU) environments. Studying ICU nurse's medication management-especially medication-related events (MREs)-provides an approach to analyze and improve medication safety and quality. The goal of this study was to explore the utility of facilitated MRE reporting in identifying system deficiencies and the relationship between MREs and nurses' work in the ICUs. We conducted 124 structured 4-hour observations of nurses in three different ICUs. Each observation included measurement of nurse's moment-to-moment activity and self-reports of workload and negative mood. The observer then obtained MRE reports from the nurse using a structured tool. The MREs were analyzed by three experts. MREs were reported in 35% of observations. The 60 total MREs included four medication errors and seven adverse drug events. Of the 49 remaining MREs, 65% were associated with negative patient impact. Task/process deficiencies were the most common contributory factor for MREs. MRE occurrence was correlated with increased total task volume. MREs also correlated with increased workload, especially during night shifts. Most of these MREs would not be captured by traditional event reporting systems. Facilitated MRE reporting provides a robust information source about potential breakdowns in medication management safety and opportunities for system improvement.

A systems engineering management approach to resource management applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hornstein, Rhoda Shaller

1989-01-01

The author presents a program management response to the following question: How can the traditional practice of systems engineering management, including requirements specification, be adapted, enhanced, or modified to build future planning and scheduling systems for effective operations? The systems engineering management process, as traditionally practiced, is examined. Extensible resource management systems are discussed. It is concluded that extensible systems are a partial solution to problems presented by requirements that are incomplete, partially immeasurable, and often dynamic. There are positive indications that resource management systems have been characterized and modeled sufficiently to allow their implementation as extensible systems.

The Green, Amber, Red Delineation of Risk and Need (GARDIAN) management system: a pragmatic approach to optimizing heart health from primary prevention to chronic disease management.

PubMed

Carrington, Melinda J; Kok, Simone; Jansen, Kiki; Stewart, Simon

2013-08-01

A sustained epidemic of cardiovascular disease and related risk factors is a global phenomenon contributing significantly to premature deaths and costly morbidity. Preventative strategies across the full continuum of life, from a population to individual perspective, are not optimally applied. This paper describes a simple and adaptable 'traffic-light' system we have developed to systematically perform individual risk and need delineation in order to 'titrate' the intensity and frequency of healthcare intervention in a cost-effective manner. The GARDIAN (Green Amber Red Delineation of Risk and Need) system is an individual assessment of risk and need that modulates the frequency and intensity of future healthcare intervention. Individual assessment of risk and need for ongoing intervention and support is determined with reference to three domains: (1) clinical stability, (2) gold-standard management, and (3) a broader, holistic assessment of individual circumstance. This can be applied from a primary prevention, secondary prevention, or chronic disease management perspective. Our experience with applying and validating GARDIAN to titrate healthcare resources according to need has been extensive to date, with >5000 individuals profiled in a host of clinical settings. A series of clinical randomized trials will determine the impact of the GARDIAN system on important indices of healthcare utilization and health status. The GARDIAN model to delineating risk and need for varied intensity of management shows strong potential to cost effectively improve health outcomes for both individuals at risk of heart disease and those with established heart disease.

Seasonal nitrous oxide flux from an intensively managed pasture in a humid subtropical ecosystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brams, Eugene A.; Anthony, W. H.; Hutchinson, G. L.; Livingston, G. P.

1989-01-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) flux from vented chambers was measured over intensively and minimally managed bermuda grass hay meadows in a humid, subtropical ecosystem for several years during scheduled sampling protocol following harvest, fertilization and rainfall events while measuring diel N2O emissions once during each of 5 seasonal day growth cycles which divided each calendar year. Soil pools of nitrite NO2(-), nitrate NO3(-), and ammonia (NH3) were measured in soil samples taken at 2 and 10 cm depths during each emission collection to determine transformations of the nitrogen pools coupled with N2O emissions. The highest diel N2O emission occur midday in the Spring cycle, measuring 9.0 g N/ha/d only for several weeks, while emissions dropped to less than 1.0 g N/ha/day during hot, dry, and colder months. Intensively managed meadows (4 fertilizations and harvests per year plus pest management) induced higher seasonal N2O emissions than minimal treatment (1 fertilization and harvest) averaging 2.75 and 5.97 g N/ha/day. Nitrous oxide emission data as responses to soil parameters and environmental parameters were also measured where air temperature, soil moisture, and fertilization were the most powerful factors.

Processes in construction of failure management expert systems from device design information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T.; Lance, Nick

1987-01-01

This paper analyzes the tasks and problem solving methods used by an engineer in constructing a failure management expert system from design information about the device to te diagnosed. An expert test engineer developed a trouble-shooting expert system based on device design information and experience with similar devices, rather than on specific expert knowledge gained from operating the device or troubleshooting its failures. The construction of the expert system was intensively observed and analyzed. This paper characterizes the knowledge, tasks, methods, and design decisions involved in constructing this type of expert system, and makes recommendations concerning tools for aiding and automating construction of such systems.

[Structure and functional organization of integrated cardiac intensive care].

PubMed

Scherillo, Marino; Miceli, Domenico; Tubaro, Marco; Guiducci, Umberto

2007-05-01

The early invasive strategy for the treatment of acute coronary syndromes and the increasing number of older and sicker patients requiring prolonged and more complex intensive care have induced many changes in the function of the intensive care units. These changes include the statement that specially trained cardiologists and cardiac nurses who can manage patients with acute cardiac conditions should staff the intensive care units. This document indicates the structure of the units and specific recommendations for the number of beds, monitoring system, respirators, pacemaker/defibrillators and additional equipment.

Asterism: an integrated, complete, and open-source approach for running seismologist continuous data-intensive analysis on heterogeneous systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira da Silva, R.; Filgueira, R.; Deelman, E.; Atkinson, M.

2016-12-01

We present Asterism, an open source data-intensive framework, which combines the Pegasus and dispel4py workflow systems. Asterism aims to simplify the effort required to develop data-intensive applications that run across multiple heterogeneous resources, without users having to: re-formulate their methods according to different enactment systems; manage the data distribution across systems; parallelize their methods; co-place and schedule their methods with computing resources; and store and transfer large/small volumes of data. Asterism's key element is to leverage the strengths of each workflow system: dispel4py allows developing scientific applications locally and then automatically parallelize and scale them on a wide range of HPC infrastructures with no changes to the application's code; Pegasus orchestrates the distributed execution of applications while providing portability, automated data management, recovery, debugging, and monitoring, without users needing to worry about the particulars of the target execution systems. Asterism leverages the level of abstractions provided by each workflow system to describe hybrid workflows where no information about the underlying infrastructure is required beforehand. The feasibility of Asterism has been evaluated using the seismic ambient noise cross-correlation application, a common data-intensive analysis pattern used by many seismologists. The application preprocesses (Phase1) and cross-correlates (Phase2) traces from several seismic stations. The Asterism workflow is implemented as a Pegasus workflow composed of two tasks (Phase1 and Phase2), where each phase represents a dispel4py workflow. Pegasus tasks describe the in/output data at a logical level, the data dependency between tasks, and the e-Infrastructures and the execution engine to run each dispel4py workflow. We have instantiated the workflow using data from 1000 stations from the IRIS services, and run it across two heterogeneous resources described as

Data System Architectures: Recent Experiences from Data Intensive Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palanisamy, G.; Frame, M. T.; Boden, T.; Devarakonda, R.; Zolly, L.; Hutchison, V.; Latysh, N.; Krassovski, M.; Killeffer, T.; Hook, L.

2014-12-01

U.S. Federal agencies are frequently trying to address new data intensive projects that require next generation of data system architectures. This presentation will focus on two new such architectures: USGS's Science Data Catalog (SDC) and DOE's Next Generation Ecological Experiments - Arctic Data System. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed a Science Data Catalog (data.usgs.gov) to include records describing datasets, data collections, and observational or remotely-sensed data. The system was built using service oriented architecture and allows USGS scientists and data providers to create and register their data using either a standards-based metadata creation form or simply to register their already-created metadata records with the USGS SDC Dashboard. This dashboard then compiles the harvested metadata records and sends them to the post processing and indexing service using the JSON format. The post processing service, with the help of various ontologies and other geo-spatial validation services, auto-enhances these harvested metadata records and creates a Lucene index using the Solr enterprise search platform. Ultimately, metadata is made available via the SDC search interface. DOE's Next Generation Ecological Experiments (NGEE) Arctic project deployed a data system that allows scientists to prepare, publish, archive, and distribute data from field collections, lab experiments, sensors, and simulated modal outputs. This architecture includes a metadata registration form, data uploading and sharing tool, a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) tool, a Drupal based content management tool (http://ngee-arctic.ornl.gov), and a data search and access tool based on ORNL's Mercury software (http://mercury.ornl.gov). The team also developed Web-metric tools and a data ingest service to visualize geo-spatial and temporal observations.

Waste management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sauer, R. L.; Jorgensen, G. K.

1975-01-01

The function of the waste management system was to control the disposition of solid and liquid wastes and waste stowage gases. The waste management system consisting of a urine subsystem and a fecal subsystem is described in detail and its overall performance is evaluated. Recommendations for improvement are given.

Assessment of the Relationship Between Flexibility and Adaptive Capacity in Flood Management Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DiFrancesco, K.; Tullos, D. D.

2013-12-01

Discussions around adapting water management systems to future changes often state the need to increase system flexibility. Intuitively, a flexible, easily modifiable system seems desirable when faced with a wide range of uncertain, but plausible future conditions. Yet, despite the frequent use of the terms flexibility, very little work has examined what exactly it means to have a flexible water management system, what makes one system more flexible than another, or the extent to which flexibility increases adaptive capacity. This study applies a methodology for assessing the inherent flexibility of the structural and non-structural components of flood management systems using original flexibility metrics in the categories of: slack, intensity, connectivity, adjustability, and coordination. We use these metrics to assess the flexibility of three sub-systems within the Sacramento Valley flood management system in California, USA under current system conditions as well as with proposed management actions in place. We then assess the range of hydrologic conditions under which each sub-system can meet flood risk targets in order to determine whether more flexible systems are also more robust and able to perform over a wider range of hydrologic conditions. In doing so, we identify flexible characteristics of flood management systems that enhance the ability of the system to preform over a wide range of conditions making them better suited to adapt to an uncertain hydrologic future. We find that the flexibility characteristics that increase the range of conditions under which the system can meet performance goals varies depending on whether the region is considered urban, rural, or a small community. In some cases, a decrease in certain flexibility characteristics is associated with an increase in robustness, indicating that more flexibility is not always desirable. Future work will assess the transferability of these results to other regions and systems.

Critical Zone Services as Environmental Assessment Criteria in Intensively Managed Agricultural Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, M.; Kumar, P.

2016-12-01

The critical zone (CZ) includes the biophysical processes occurring from the top of the vegetation canopy to the weathering zone below the groundwater table. CZ services provide a measure for the goods and benefits derived from CZ processes. In intensively managed landscapes (IML), the provisioning, supporting, and regulating services are altered through anthropogenic energy inputs to derive more productivity, as agricultural products, from these landscapes than would be possible under natural conditions. However, the energy or cost equivalents of alterations to CZ functions within landscape profiles are unknown. The valuation of CZ services in energy or monetary terms provides a more concrete tool for characterizing seemingly abstract environmental damages from agricultural production systems. A multi-layer canopy-root-soil model is combined with nutrient and water flux models to simulate the movement of nutrients throughout the soil system. This data enables the measurement of agricultural anthropogenic impacts to the CZ's nutrient cycling supporting services and atmospheric stabilizing regulating services defined by the flux of carbon and nutrients. Such measurements include soil carbon storage, soil carbon respiration, nitrate leaching, and nitrous oxide flux into the atmosphere. Additionally, the socioeconomic values of corn feed and ethanol define the primary productivity supporting services of each crop use.In the debate between feed production and corn-based ethanol production, measured nutrient CZ services can cost up to four times more than traditionally estimated CO2 equivalences for the entire bioenergy production system. Energy efficiency in addition to environmental impacts demonstrate how the inclusion of CZ services is necessary in accounting for the entire life cycle of agricultural production systems. These results conclude that feed production systems are more energy efficient and less environmentally costly than corn-based ethanol systems.

An Analysis of the Environments of Intense Convective Systems in West Africa in 2003

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicholls, Stephen D.; Mohr, Karen I.

2010-01-01

We investigated the local- and regional-scale thermodynamical and dynamical environments associated with intense convective systems in West Africa during 2003. We identified convective system cases from TRMM microwave imagery, classifying each case by the system minimum 85-GHz brightness temperature and by the estimated elapsed time of propagation from high terrain. The speed of the mid-level jet, the magnitude of the low-level shear, and the surface equivalent potential temperature (theta(sub e)) were greater for the intense cases compared to the non-intense cases, although the differences between the means tended to be small, less than 3K for surface theta(sub e). Hypothesis testing of a series of commonly used intensity prediction metrics resulted in significant results only for low-level metrics such as convective available potential energy and not for any of the mid- or upper-level metrics such as 700-hPa theta(sub e). None of the environmental variables or intensity metrics by themselves or in combination appeared to be reliable direct predictors of intensity. In the regional scale analysis, the majority of intense convective systems occurred in the surface baroclinic zone where surface theta(sub e) exceeded 344 K and the 700-hPa zonal wind speeds were less than -6/ms. Fewer intense cases compared to non-intense cases were associated with African easterly wave troughs. Fewer than 25% of our cases occurred in environments with detectable Saharan dust loads, and the results for intense and non-intense cases were similar. Our results for the regional analysis were consistent with the seasonal movement of the WAM and the intertropical front, regional differences in topography, and AEW energetics.

Intensive care unit versus hospital floor: a comparative study of postoperative management of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

PubMed

Shan, Le-Qun; Skaggs, David L; Lee, Christopher; Kissinger, Catherine; Myung, Karen S

2013-04-03

Patients undergoing posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were admitted to the intensive care unit until two years ago, at which time we changed our protocol to admit these patients to the general hospital floor following a brief stay in a postanesthesia care unit. This study compared postoperative management on a hospital floor with that in the intensive care unit for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis undergoing posterior spinal fusion. A retrospective review of 124 consecutive patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis treated with spinal fusion from August 2007 to August 2010 was performed. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion surgery. Of 124 patients, sixty-six were managed postoperatively in the intensive care unit and fifty-eight, on the hospital floor. The mean age at the time of surgery was fourteen years. A mean of eleven vertebral levels (range, six to fifteen levels) were fused. No significant difference between the groups was found with respect to the mean age at the time of surgery, mean weight, mean preoperative and postoperative Cobb angles, and mean number of levels fused (p ≥ 0.12). However, the use of analgesic and antianxiety medication, number of postoperative blood tests, days of hospital stay, and number of physical therapy sessions were significantly decreased in the floor group compared with the intensive care unit group (p ≤ 0.05). No patient from the floor group had to be admitted to the intensive care unit. The mean charge was $33,121 for the floor group and $39,252 for the intensive care unit group (p < 0.001). Initial postoperative management of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis following a posterior spinal instrumentation and fusion surgery on a general hospital floor, rather than in an intensive care unit, was associated with a shorter hospital stay, fewer blood tests, less

Managing Conflict in Temporary Management Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilemon, David L.

1973-01-01

As organizational tasks have grown more complex, several innovative temporary management systems such as matrix management have been developed. The Apollo space program has been an important contribution to the development of matrix management techniques. Discusses the role of conflict within the matrix, its determinants, and the process of…

Case management for high-intensity service users: towards a relational approach to care co-ordination.

PubMed

McEvoy, Phil; Escott, Diane; Bee, Penny

2011-01-01

This study is based on a formative evaluation of a case management service for high-intensity service users in Northern England. The evaluation had three main purposes: (i) to assess the quality of the organisational infrastructure; (ii) to obtain a better understanding of the key influences that played a role in shaping the development of the service; and (iii) to identify potential changes in practice that may help to improve the quality of service provision. The evaluation was informed by Gittell's relational co-ordination theory, which focuses upon cross-boundary working practices that facilitate task integration. The Assessment of Chronic Illness Care Survey was used to assess the organisational infrastructure and qualitative interviews with front line staff were conducted to explore the key influences that shaped the development of the service. A high level of strategic commitment and political support for integrated working was identified. However, the quality of care co-ordination was variable. The most prominent operational factor that appeared to influence the scope and quality of care co-ordination was the pattern of interaction between the case managers and their co-workers. The co-ordination of patient care was much more effective in integrated co-ordination networks. Key features included clearly defined, task focussed, relational workspaces with interactive forums where case managers could engage with co-workers in discussions about the management of interdependent care activities. In dispersed co-ordination networks with fewer relational workspaces, the case managers struggled to work as effectively. The evaluation concluded that the creation of flexible and efficient task focused relational workspaces that are systemically managed and adequately resourced could help to improve the quality of care co-ordination, particularly in dispersed networks. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Management Information Systems Research.

DTIC Science & Technology

Research on management information systems is illusive in many respects. Part of the basic research problem in MIS stems from the absence of standard...decision making. But the transition from these results to the realization of ’satisfactory’ management information systems remains difficult indeed. The...paper discusses several aspects of research on management information systems and reviews a selection of efforts that appear significant for future progress. (Author)

Intensity position modulation for free-space laser communication system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jangjoo, Alireza; Faghihi, F.

2004-12-01

In this research a novel modulation technique for free-space laser communication system called Intensity Position Modulation (IPM) is carried out. According to TEM00 mode of a laser beam and by linear fitting on the Gaussian function as an approximation, the variation of linear part on the reverse biased pn photodiode produced alternating currents which contain the information. Here, no characteristic property of the beam as intensity or frequency is changed and only the beam position moves laterally. We demonstrated that in this method no bandwidth is required, so it is possible to reduce the background radiation noise by narrowband filtering of the carrier. The fidelity of the analog voice communication system which is made upon the IPM is satisfactory and we are able to transmit the audio signals up to 1Km.

DIaaS: Data-Intensive workflows as a service - Enabling easy composition and deployment of data-intensive workflows on Virtual Research Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filgueira, R.; Ferreira da Silva, R.; Deelman, E.; Atkinson, M.

2016-12-01

We present the Data-Intensive workflows as a Service (DIaaS) model for enabling easy data-intensive workflow composition and deployment on clouds using containers. DIaaS model backbone is Asterism, an integrated solution for running data-intensive stream-based applications on heterogeneous systems, which combines the benefits of dispel4py with Pegasus workflow systems. The stream-based executions of an Asterism workflow are managed by dispel4py, while the data movement between different e-Infrastructures, and the coordination of the application execution are automatically managed by Pegasus. DIaaS combines Asterism framework with Docker containers to provide an integrated, complete, easy-to-use, portable approach to run data-intensive workflows on distributed platforms. Three containers integrate the DIaaS model: a Pegasus node, and an MPI and an Apache Storm clusters. Container images are described as Dockerfiles (available online at http://github.com/dispel4py/pegasus_dispel4py), linked to Docker Hub for providing continuous integration (automated image builds), and image storing and sharing. In this model, all required software (workflow systems and execution engines) for running scientific applications are packed into the containers, which significantly reduces the effort (and possible human errors) required by scientists or VRE administrators to build such systems. The most common use of DIaaS will be to act as a backend of VREs or Scientific Gateways to run data-intensive applications, deploying cloud resources upon request. We have demonstrated the feasibility of DIaaS using the data-intensive seismic ambient noise cross-correlation application (Figure 1). The application preprocesses (Phase1) and cross-correlates (Phase2) traces from several seismic stations. The application is submitted via Pegasus (Container1), and Phase1 and Phase2 are executed in the MPI (Container2) and Storm (Container3) clusters respectively. Although both phases could be executed

SEMICYUC 2012. Recommendations for intensive care management of acute pancreatitis.

PubMed

Maraví Poma, E; Zubia Olascoaga, F; Petrov, M S; Navarro Soto, S; Laplaza Santos, C; Morales Alava, F; Darnell Martin, A; Gorraiz López, B; Bolado Concejo, F; Casi Villarroya, M; Aizcorbe Garralda, M; Albeniz Arbizu, E; Sánchez-Izquierdo Riera, J A; Tirapu León, J P; Bordejé Laguna, L; López Camps, V; Marcos Neira, P; Regidor Sanz, E; Jiménez Mendioroz, F

2013-04-01

Significant changes in the management of acute pancreatitis have taken place since the 2004 Pamplona Consensus Conference. The objective of this conference has been the revision and updating of the Conference recommendations, in order to unify the integral management of potentially severe acute pancreatitis in an ICU. Spanish and international intensive medicine physicians, radiologists, surgeons, gastroenterologists, emergency care physicians and other physicians involved in the treatment of acute pancreatitis. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE AND GRADES OF RECOMMENDATION: The GRADE method has been used for drawing them up. DRAWING UP THE RECOMMENDATIONS: The selection of the committee members was performed by means of a public announcement. The bibliography has been revised from 2004 to the present day and 16 blocks of questions on acute pancreatitis in a ICU have been drawn up. Firstly, all the questions according to groups have been drawn up in order to prepare one document. This document has been debated and agreed upon by computer at the SEMICYUC Congress and lastly at the Consensus Conference which was held with the sole objective of drawing up these recommendations. Eighty two recommendations for acute pancreatitis management in an ICU have been presented. Of these 84 recommendations, we would emphasize the new determinants-based classification of acute pancreatitis severity, new surgical techniques and nutritional recommendations. Note. This summary only lists the 84 recommendations of the 16 questions blocks except blocks greater relevance and impact of its novelty or because they modify the current management. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. and SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Strategic management of health care information systems: nurse managers' perceptions.

PubMed

Lammintakanen, Johanna; Kivinen, Tuula; Saranto, Kaija; Kinnunen, Juha

2009-01-01

The aim of this study is to describe nurse managers' perceptions of the strategic management of information systems in health care. Lack of strategic thinking is a typical feature in health care and this may also concern information systems. The data for this study was collected by eight focus group interviews including altogether 48 nurse managers from primary and specialised health care. Five main categories described the strategic management of information systems in health care; IT as an emphasis of strategy; lack of strategic management of information systems; the importance of management; problems in privacy protection; and costs of IT. Although IT was emphasised in the strategies of many health care organisations, a typical feature was a lack of strategic management of information systems. This was seen both as an underutilisation of IT opportunities in health care organisations and as increased workload from nurse managers' perspective. Furthermore, the nurse managers reported that implementation of IT strengthened their managerial roles but also required stronger management. In conclusion, strategic management of information systems needs to be strengthened in health care and nurse managers should be more involved in this process.

Irrigation and fertilization effects on Nantucket Pine Tip Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Damage levels and pupal weight in an intensively-managed pine plantation.

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

Coyle, David, R.; Nowak, John, T.; Fettig, Christopher, J.

2003-10-01

The widespread application of intensive forest management practices throughout the southeastern U.S. has increased loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., yields and shortened conventional rotation lengths. Fluctuations in Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock), population density and subsequent damage levels have been linked to variations in management intensity. We examined the effects of two practices, irrigation and fertilization, on R. frustrana damage levels and pupal weights in an intensively-managed P. taeda plantation in South Carolina. Trees received intensive weed control and one of the following treatments; irrigation only. fertilization only, irrigation + fertilization, or control. Mean whole-tree tip moth damagemore » levels ranged from <1 to 48% during this study. Damage levels differed significantly among treatments in two tip moth generations in 2001, but not 2000. Pupal weight was significantly heavier in fertilization compared to the irrigation treatment in 2000, but no significant differences were observed in 2001. Tree diameter. height. and aboveground volume were significantly greater in the irrigation + fertilization than in the irrigation treatment after two growing seasons. Our data suggest that intensive management practices that include irrigation and fertilization do not consistently increase R. frustrana damage levels and pupal weights as is commonly believed. However, tip moth suppression efforts in areas adjacent to our study may have partially reduced the potential impacts of R. frustrana on this experiment.« less

Optimal Multi-scale Demand-side Management for Continuous Power-Intensive Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitra, Sumit

With the advent of deregulation in electricity markets and an increasing share of intermittent power generation sources, the profitability of industrial consumers that operate power-intensive processes has become directly linked to the variability in energy prices. Thus, for industrial consumers that are able to adjust to the fluctuations, time-sensitive electricity prices (as part of so-called Demand-Side Management (DSM) in the smart grid) offer potential economical incentives. In this thesis, we introduce optimization models and decomposition strategies for the multi-scale Demand-Side Management of continuous power-intensive processes. On an operational level, we derive a mode formulation for scheduling under time-sensitive electricity prices. The formulation is applied to air separation plants and cement plants to minimize the operating cost. We also describe how a mode formulation can be used for industrial combined heat and power plants that are co-located at integrated chemical sites to increase operating profit by adjusting their steam and electricity production according to their inherent flexibility. Furthermore, a robust optimization formulation is developed to address the uncertainty in electricity prices by accounting for correlations and multiple ranges in the realization of the random variables. On a strategic level, we introduce a multi-scale model that provides an understanding of the value of flexibility of the current plant configuration and the value of additional flexibility in terms of retrofits for Demand-Side Management under product demand uncertainty. The integration of multiple time scales leads to large-scale two-stage stochastic programming problems, for which we need to apply decomposition strategies in order to obtain a good solution within a reasonable amount of time. Hence, we describe two decomposition schemes that can be applied to solve two-stage stochastic programming problems: First, a hybrid bi-level decomposition scheme with

Resource Management for Distributed Parallel Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neuman, B. Clifford; Rao, Santosh

1993-01-01

Multiprocessor systems should exist in the the larger context of distributed systems, allowing multiprocessor resources to be shared by those that need them. Unfortunately, typical multiprocessor resource management techniques do not scale to large networks. The Prospero Resource Manager (PRM) is a scalable resource allocation system that supports the allocation of processing resources in large networks and multiprocessor systems. To manage resources in such distributed parallel systems, PRM employs three types of managers: system managers, job managers, and node managers. There exist multiple independent instances of each type of manager, reducing bottlenecks. The complexity of each manager is further reduced because each is designed to utilize information at an appropriate level of abstraction.

Medical-Information-Management System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alterescu, Sidney; Friedman, Carl A.; Frankowski, James W.

1989-01-01

Medical Information Management System (MIMS) computer program interactive, general-purpose software system for storage and retrieval of information. Offers immediate assistance where manipulation of large data bases required. User quickly and efficiently extracts, displays, and analyzes data. Used in management of medical data and handling all aspects of data related to care of patients. Other applications include management of data on occupational safety in public and private sectors, handling judicial information, systemizing purchasing and procurement systems, and analyses of cost structures of organizations. Written in Microsoft FORTRAN 77.

Database Management System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

In 1981 Wayne Erickson founded Microrim, Inc, a company originally focused on marketing a microcomputer version of RIM (Relational Information Manager). Dennis Comfort joined the firm and is now vice president, development. The team developed an advanced spinoff from the NASA system they had originally created, a microcomputer database management system known as R:BASE 4000. Microrim added many enhancements and developed a series of R:BASE products for various environments. R:BASE is now the second largest selling line of microcomputer database management software in the world.

The large-scale structure of software-intensive systems

PubMed Central

Booch, Grady

2012-01-01

The computer metaphor is dominant in most discussions of neuroscience, but the semantics attached to that metaphor are often quite naive. Herein, we examine the ontology of software-intensive systems, the nature of their structure and the application of the computer metaphor to the metaphysical questions of self and causation. PMID:23386964

Interhospital paediatric intensive care transport: a novel transport unit based on a standard ambulance trolley.

PubMed

Vos, Gijs D; Buurman, Wim A; van Waardenburg, Dick A; Visser, Timo P L; Ramsay, Graham; Donckerwolcke, Raymond A M G

2003-09-01

A recent development in providing intensive care for children is that it is more and more centralized in tertiary centres. The centralization of intensive care facilities for children in tertiary centres demands a safe and well-organized transport system. The transfer of critically ill children from a referring general hospital to a tertiary paediatric intensive care centre should be performed by a specially trained and fully equipped transport team. During the transfer of these children continuous intensive care facilities should be provided. The minimal requirements of equipment and materials for transport that allow such care have been determined. The equipment consists of a monitor allowing continuous measurement of vital signs, a defibrillator, tools for airway and ventilatory management, an oxygen source, suction unit, fluid and electrolyte management, medication, resuscitation chart and a communication system. A mobile paediatric intensive care unit was constructed in order to store this equipment, including easily accessible ventilator and materials optimized for close patient observation and ventilator control.

Intensive Care Nurses’ Belief Systems Regarding the Health Economics: A Focused Ethnography

PubMed Central

Heydari, Abbas; Vafaee-Najar, Ali; Bakhshi, Mahmoud

2016-01-01

Background: Health care beliefs can have an effect on the efficiency and effectiveness of nursing practices. Nevertheless, how belief systems impact on the economic performance of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses is not known. This study aimed to explore the ICU nurses’ beliefs and their effect on nurse’s: practices and behavior patterns regarding the health economics. Methods: In this study, a focused ethnography method was used. Twenty-four informants from ICU nurses and other professional individuals were purposively selected and interviewed. As well, 400 hours of ethnographic observations were used for data collection. Data analysis was performed using the methods described by Miles and Huberman (1994). Findings: Eight beliefs were found that gave meaning to ICU nurse’s practices regarding the health economics. 1. The registration of medications and supplies disrupt the nursing care; 2. Monitoring and auditing improve consumption; 3. There is a fear of possible shortage in the future; 4. Supply and replacement of equipment is difficult; 5. Higher prices lead to more accurate consumption; 6. The quality of care precedes the costs; 7. Clinical Guidelines are abundant but useful; and 8. Patient economy has priority over hospital economy. Maintaining the quality of patient care with least attention to hospital costs was the main focus of the beliefs formed up in the ICU regarding the health economics. Conclusions: ICU nurses’ belief systems have significantly shaped in relation to providing a high-quality care. Although high quality of care can lead to a rise in the effectiveness of nursing care, cost control perspective should also be considered in planning for improve the quality of care. Therefore, it is necessary to involve the ICU nurses in decision-making about unit cost management. They must become familiar with the principles of heath care economics and productivity by applying an effective cost management program. It may be optimal to implement the

Intensive Care Nurses' Belief Systems Regarding the Health Economics: A Focused Ethnography.

PubMed

Heydari, Abbas; Vafaee-Najar, Ali; Bakhshi, Mahmoud

2016-09-01

Health care beliefs can have an effect on the efficiency and effectiveness of nursing practices. Nevertheless, how belief systems impact on the economic performance of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses is not known. This study aimed to explore the ICU nurses' beliefs and their effect on nurse's practices and behavior patterns regarding the health economics. In this study, a focused ethnography method was used. Twenty-four informants from ICU nurses and other professional individuals were purposively selected and interviewed. As well, 400 hours of ethnographic observations were used for data collection. Data analysis was performed using the methods described by Miles and Huberman (1994). Eight beliefs were found that gave meaning to ICU nurse's practices regarding the health economics. 1. The registration of medications and supplies disrupt the nursing care; 2.Monitoring and auditing improve consumption; 3.There is a fear of possible shortage in the future; 4.Supply and replacement of equipment is difficult; 5.Higher prices lead to more accurate consumption; 6.The quality of care precedes the costs; 7. Clinical Guidelines are abundant but useful; and 8.Patient economy has priority over hospital economy. Maintaining the quality of patient care with least attention to hospital costs was the main focus of the beliefs formed up in the ICU regarding the health economics. ICU nurses' belief systems have significantly shaped in relation to providing a high-quality care. Although high quality of care can lead to a rise in the effectiveness of nursing care, cost control perspective should also be considered in planning for improve the quality of care. Therefore, it is necessary to involve the ICU nurses in decision-making about unit cost management. They must become familiar with the principles of heath care economics and productivity by applying an effective cost management program. It may be optimal to implement the reforms in various aspects, such as the hospital

SNMP-SI: A Network Management Tool Based on Slow Intelligence System Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colace, Francesco; de Santo, Massimo; Ferrandino, Salvatore

The last decade has witnessed an intense spread of computer networks that has been further accelerated with the introduction of wireless networks. Simultaneously with, this growth has increased significantly the problems of network management. Especially in small companies, where there is no provision of personnel assigned to these tasks, the management of such networks is often complex and malfunctions can have significant impacts on their businesses. A possible solution is the adoption of Simple Network Management Protocol. Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is a standard protocol used to exchange network management information. It is part of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) protocol suite. SNMP provides a tool for network administrators to manage network performance, find and solve network problems, and plan for network growth. SNMP has a big disadvantage: its simple design means that the information it deals with is neither detailed nor well organized enough to deal with the expanding modern networking requirements. Over the past years much efforts has been given to improve the lack of Simple Network Management Protocol and new frameworks has been developed: A promising approach involves the use of Ontology. This is the starting point of this paper where a novel approach to the network management based on the use of the Slow Intelligence System methodologies and Ontology based techniques is proposed. Slow Intelligence Systems is a general-purpose systems characterized by being able to improve performance over time through a process involving enumeration, propagation, adaptation, elimination and concentration. Therefore, the proposed approach aims to develop a system able to acquire, according to an SNMP standard, information from the various hosts that are in the managed networks and apply solutions in order to solve problems. To check the feasibility of this model first experimental results in a real scenario are showed.

Materials management information systems.

PubMed

1996-01-01

The hospital materials management function--ensuring that goods and services get from a source to an end user--encompasses many areas of the hospital and can significantly affect hospital costs. Performing this function in a manner that will keep costs down and ensure adequate cash flow requires effective management of a large amount of information from a variety of sources. To effectively coordinate such information, most hospitals have implemented some form of materials management information system (MMIS). These systems can be used to automate or facilitate functions such as purchasing, accounting, inventory management, and patient supply charges. In this study, we evaluated seven MMISs from seven vendors, focusing on the functional capabilities of each system and the quality of the service and support provided by the vendor. This Evaluation is intended to (1) assist hospitals purchasing an MMIS by educating materials managers about the capabilities, benefits, and limitations of MMISs and (2) educate clinical engineers and information system managers about the scope of materials management within a healthcare facility. Because software products cannot be evaluated in the same manner as most devices typically included in Health Devices Evaluations, our standard Evaluation protocol was not applicable for this technology. Instead, we based our ratings on our observations (e.g., during site visits), interviews we conducted with current users of each system, and information provided by the vendor (e.g., in response to a request for information [RFI]). We divided the Evaluation into the following sections: Section 1. Responsibilities and Information Requirements of Materials Management: Provides an overview of typical materials management functions and describes the capabilities, benefits, and limitations of MMISs. Also includes the supplementary article, "Inventory Cost and Reimbursement Issues" and the glossary, "Materials Management Terminology." Section 2. The

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate Outcomes of a Workplace Self-Management Intervention and an Intensive Monitoring Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schopp, Laura H.; Clark, Mary J.; Lamberson, William R.; Uhr, David J.; Minor, Marian A.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine and compare outcomes of two voluntary workplace health management methods: an adapted worksite self-management (WSM) approach and an intensive health monitoring (IM) approach. Research participants were randomly assigned to either the WSM group or the IM group by a computer-generated list (n = 180; 92 WSM…

Managing the oncologic patient with suspected pneumonia in the intensive care unit.

PubMed

Leoni, D; Encina, B; Rello, J

2016-10-01

Solid cancer patients are frequently admitted in intensive care units for critical events. Improving survival rates in this setting is considered an achievable goal today. Respiratory failure is the main reason for admission, representing a primary target for research. This review presents a diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for pneumonia and other severe respiratory events in the solid cancer population. It aims to increase awareness of the risk factors and the different etiologies in this changing scenario in which neutropenia no longer seems to be a decisive factor in poor outcome. Bacterial pneumonia is the leading cause, but opportunistic diseases and non-infectious etiologies, especially unexpected adverse effects of radiation, biological drugs and monoclonal antibodies, are becoming increasingly frequent. Options for respiratory support and diagnostics are discussed and indications for antibiotics in the management of pneumonia are detailed. Expert commentary: Prompt initiation of critical care to facilitate optimal decision-making in the management of respiratory failure, early etiological assessment and appropriate antibiotic therapy are cornerstones in management of severe pneumonia in oncologic patients.

Intensity-Modulated and 3D-Conformal Radiotherapy for Whole-Ventricular Irradiation as Compared With Conventional Whole-Brain Irradiation in the Management of Localized Central Nervous System Germ Cell Tumors

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

Chen, Michael Jenwei, E-mail: michaelchen@einstein.b; Silva Santos, Adriana da; Sakuraba, Roberto Kenji

Purpose: To compare the sparing potential of cerebral hemispheres with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) for whole-ventricular irradiation (WVI) and conventional whole-brain irradiation (WBI) in the management of localized central nervous system germ cell tumors (CNSGCTs). Methods and Materials: Ten cases of patients with localized CNSGCTs and submitted to WVI by use of IMRT with or without a 'boost' to the primary lesion were selected. For comparison purposes, similar treatment plans were produced by use of 3D-CRT (WVI with or without boost) and WBI (opposed lateral fields with or without boost), and cerebral hemisphere sparing was evaluatedmore » at dose levels ranging from 2 Gy to 40 Gy. Results: The median prescription dose for WVI was 30.6 Gy (range, 25.2-37.5 Gy), and that for the boost was 16.5 Gy (range, 0-23.4 Gy). Mean irradiated cerebral hemisphere volumes were lower for WVI with IMRT than for 3D-CRT and were lower for WVI with 3D-CRT than for WBI. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy was associated with the lowest irradiated volumes, with reductions of 7.5%, 12.2%, and 9.0% at dose levels of 20, 30, and 40 Gy, respectively, compared with 3D-CRT. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy provided statistically significant reductions of median irradiated volumes at all dose levels (p = 0.002 or less). However, estimated radiation doses to peripheral areas of the body were 1.9 times higher with IMRT than with 3D-CRT. Conclusions: Although IMRT is associated with increased radiation doses to peripheral areas of the body, its use can spare a significant amount of normal central nervous system tissue compared with 3D-CRT or WBI in the setting of CNSGCT treatment.« less

Knowledge Management: A System Dynamics Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saurabh, Kumar

2005-01-01

In the present day market scenario of intense competition, organizations need to know what they know and be able to leverage on its knowledge base to gain competitive advantage. In this knowledge era, organisations can create and sustain competitive advantage through initiation of appropriate knowledge management processes. The organisations that…

On the Edge of Life, I: Assessment of, Reaction to, and Management of the Terminally Ill Recorded in an Intensive Care Unit Journal

PubMed Central

Sekeres, Mikkael A.; Stern, Theodore A.

2002-01-01

Background: In a general hospital, few clinical settings match the intensity of the intensive care unit (ICU) experience. Clinical rotations in ICUs elicit and emphasize the struggles house officers face on a daily basis throughout their training. Method: These struggles were recorded by hundreds of residents in a journal maintained in the Massachusetts General Hospital's Medical ICU for the past 20 years. We systematically reviewed these unsolicited entries to define and to illustrate how house officers respond to caring for terminally ill patients. The 3 overarching topics that surfaced repeatedly were assessment of terminally ill patients, reaction to their prognosis, and management of their disease or their eventual demise. Results: House officers record affective reactions and cognitive assessments to cope with the stress and dysfunction associated with the care of the critically ill and to facilitate their management of these patients. Journal entries by residents reveal a deep concern for the welfare of their patients, conflict about the technological advances and limitations of the system, and reflection on how involved physicians should become with their patients. Conclusion: House officer journal entries reflect a combination of newly gained medical knowledge and coping strategies in managing terminally ill patients. House officers also demonstrate a deep concern for the welfare of their patients. Insight from years of reflection from past house officers can help prepare trainees and residency programs for the breadth and intensity of the ICU experience and for work in clinical practice settings that follow completion of training. PMID:15014705

[Reimbursement of intensive care services in the German DRG system : Current problems and possible solutions].

PubMed

Riessen, R; Hermes, C; Bodmann, K-F; Janssens, U; Markewitz, A

2018-02-01

The reimbursement of intensive care and nursing services in the German health system is based on the diagnosis-related groups (G-DRG) system. Due to the lack of a central hospital planning, the G‑DRG system has become the most important influence on the development of the German health system. Compared to other countries, intensive care in Germany is characterized by a high number of intensive care beds, a low nurse-to-patient ratio, no official definition of the level of care, and a minimal available data set from intensive care units (ICUs). Under the given circumstances, a shortage of qualified intensive care nurses and physicians is currently the largest threat for intensive care in Germany. To address these deficiencies, we suggest the following measures: (1) Integration of ICUs into the levels of care which are currently developed for emergency centers at hospitals. (2) Mandatory collection of structured data sets from all ICUs including quality criteria. (3) A reform of intensive care and nursing reimbursement under consideration of adequate staffing in the individual ICU. (4) Actions to improve ICU staffing and qualification.

Active Provenance in Data-intensive Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinuso, Alessandro; Mihajlovski, Andrej; Filgueira, Rosa; Atkinson, Malcolm

2017-04-01

Scientific communities are building platforms where the usage of data-intensive workflows is crucial to conduct their research campaigns. However managing and effectively support the understanding of the 'live' processes, fostering computational steering, sharing and re-use of data and methods, present several bottlenecks. These are often caused by the poor level of documentation on the methods and the data and how users interact with it. This work wants to explore how in such systems, flexibility in the management of the provenance and its adaptation to the different users and application contexts can lead to new opportunities for its exploitation, improving productivity. In particular, this work illustrates a conceptual and technical framework enabling tunable and actionable provenance in data-intensive workflow systems in support of reproducible science. It introduces the concept of Agile data-intensive systems to define the characteristic of our target platform. It shows a novel approach to the integration of provenance mechanisms, offering flexibility in the scale and in the precision of the provenance data collected, ensuring its relevance to the domain of the data-intensive task, fostering its rapid exploitation. The contributions address aspects of the scale of the provenance records, their usability and active role in the research life-cycle. We will discuss the use of dynamically generated provenance types as the approach for the integration of provenance mechanisms into a data-intensive workflow system. Enabling provenance can be transparent to the workflow user and developer, as well as fully controllable and customisable, depending from their expertise and the application's reproducibility, monitoring and validation requirements. The API that allows the realisation and adoption of a provenance type is presented, especially for what concerns the support of provenance profiling, contextualisation and precision. An actionable approach to provenance

Using a Theory-Driven Approach to Manage the Relocation of an Intensive Care Unit: An Exemplar.

PubMed

Lin, Frances; Marshall, Andrea; Hervey, Lucy; Foster, Michelle; Hancock, Jane; Chaboyer, Wendy

Proactive planning and managing moving from old to newly built hospitals, and the relocation process of patients for complex specialized units such as intensive care units, are necessary for both patient safety and staff well-being. This article provides an exemplar for how theory can be used to facilitate a positive relocation experience. Using change management theory, a systematic approach to cocreate implementation strategy among researchers and clinicians was critical to the success of this project.

14 CFR 1212.704 - System manager.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false System manager. 1212.704 Section 1212.704... Authority and Responsibilities § 1212.704 System manager. (a) Each system manager is responsible for the following with regard to the system of records over which the system manager has cognizance: (1) Overall...

14 CFR 1212.705 - System manager.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false System manager. 1212.705 Section 1212.705... Authority and Responsibilities § 1212.705 System manager. (a) Each system manager is responsible for the following with regard to the system of records over which the system manager has cognizance: (1) Overall...

14 CFR 1212.704 - System manager.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2011-01-01 2010-01-01 true System manager. 1212.704 Section 1212.704... Authority and Responsibilities § 1212.704 System manager. (a) Each system manager is responsible for the following with regard to the system of records over which the system manager has cognizance: (1) Overall...

14 CFR 1212.704 - System manager.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false System manager. 1212.704 Section 1212.704... Authority and Responsibilities § 1212.704 System manager. (a) Each system manager is responsible for the following with regard to the system of records over which the system manager has cognizance: (1) Overall...

Effects of stress management program on the quality of nursing care and intensive care unit nurses

PubMed Central

Pahlavanzadeh, Saied; Asgari, Zohreh; Alimohammadi, Nasrollah

2016-01-01

Background: High level of stress in intensive care unit nurses affects the quality of their nursing care. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of a stress management program on the quality of nursing care of intensive care unit nurses. Materials and Methods: This study is a randomized clinical trial that was conducted on 65 nurses. The samples were selected by stratified sampling of the nurses working in intensive care units 1, 2, 3 in Al-Zahra Hospital in Isfahan, Iran and were randomly assigned to two groups. The intervention group underwent an intervention, including 10 sessions of stress management that was held twice a week. In the control group, placebo sessions were held simultaneously. Data were gathered by demographic checklist and Quality Patient Care Scale before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention in both groups. Then, the data were analyzed by Student's t-test, Mann–Whitney, Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) through SPSS software version 18. Results: Mean scores of overall and dimensions of quality of care in the intervention group were significantly higher immediately after and 1 month after the intervention, compared to pre-intervention (P < 0.001). The results showed that the quality of care in the intervention group was significantly higher immediately after and 1 month after the intervention, compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: As stress management is an effective method to improve the quality of care, the staffs are recommended to consider it in improvement of the quality of nursing care. PMID:27186196

Survey of current status of intensive care teaching in English-speaking medical schools.

PubMed

Shen, Judith; Joynt, Gavin M; Critchley, Lester A H; Tan, Ian K S; Lee, Anna

2003-01-01

To identify a consensus of opinion regarding the content of an intensive care core syllabus for undergraduate medical students and factors that may limit its teaching. Cross-sectional postal survey containing 35 items ranging from department structure to curriculum content and factors that limit the teaching of intensive care. English-speaking medical schools (n = 210) listed in the 1986 World Health Organization Directory. Of 122 (58%) returned questionnaires, a 45% return was achieved from the United States and 86% from non-U.S. countries. Most respondents (84%) considered teaching undergraduate intensive care to be essential; however, teaching intensive care was compulsory in only 31% of schools. Many schools (43%) reported recent changes to their intensive care curriculum. Most respondents (60%) thought that intensive care specialists should teach and that each student required a median (interquartile range) of 20 (10-80) hrs of teacher contact time. Resuscitation skills were taught in 98% of schools. In comparison, 63% of schools had no intensive care syllabus. More than 90% of respondents thought that the intensive care syllabus should include the following: cardiopulmonary resuscitation, assessment and management of the acutely ill patient; management of respiratory, circulatory, and multiple organ system failure (including systemic inflammatory response syndrome and sepsis); management of the unconscious patient; early postoperative care; and communication skills and ethics as they relate to end-of-life issues. Factors that limited intensive care teaching were lack of staff, funding, and time dedicated to teaching and excessive clinical workload. Student performance in intensive care was assessed by 66% of schools, but only 28% used a written or oral examination. By surveying a wide range of medical schools internationally, we have been able to define an undergraduate intensive care syllabus that could be delivered in 20 hrs or 1 wk of dedicated teaching

A closed-loop automatic control system for high-intensity acoustic test systems.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slusser, R. A.

1973-01-01

Description of an automatic control system for high-intensity acoustic tests in reverberation chambers. Working in 14 one-third-octave bands from 50 to 1000 Hz, the desired sound pressure levels are set into the memory in the control system before the test. The control system then increases the sound pressure level in the reverberation chamber gradually in each of the one-third-octave bands until the level set in the memory is reached. This level is then maintained for the duration of the test. Additional features of the system are overtest protection, the capability of 'holding' the spectrum at any time, and the presence of a total test timer.

An expert systems approach to automated fault management in a regenerative life support subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, J. T.; Lance, N., Jr.

1986-01-01

This paper describes FIXER, a prototype expert system for automated fault management in a regenerative life support subsystem typical of Space Station applications. The development project provided an evaluation of the use of expert systems technology to enhance controller functions in space subsystems. The software development approach permitted evaluation of the effectiveness of direct involvement of the expert in design and development. The approach also permitted intensive observation of the knowledge and methods of the expert. This paper describes the development of the prototype expert system and presents results of the evaluation.

Management intensity alters decomposition via biological pathways

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wickings, Kyle; Grandy, A. Stuart; Reed, Sasha; Cleveland, Cory

2011-01-01

Current conceptual models predict that changes in plant litter chemistry during decomposition are primarily regulated by both initial litter chemistry and the stage-or extent-of mass loss. Far less is known about how variations in decomposer community structure (e.g., resulting from different ecosystem management types) could influence litter chemistry during decomposition. Given the recent agricultural intensification occurring globally and the importance of litter chemistry in regulating soil organic matter storage, our objectives were to determine the potential effects of agricultural management on plant litter chemistry and decomposition rates, and to investigate possible links between ecosystem management, litter chemistry and decomposition, and decomposer community composition and activity. We measured decomposition rates, changes in litter chemistry, extracellular enzyme activity, microarthropod communities, and bacterial versus fungal relative abundance in replicated conventional-till, no-till, and old field agricultural sites for both corn and grass litter. After one growing season, litter decomposition under conventional-till was 20% greater than in old field communities. However, decomposition rates in no-till were not significantly different from those in old field or conventional-till sites. After decomposition, grass residue in both conventional- and no-till systems was enriched in total polysaccharides relative to initial litter, while grass litter decomposed in old fields was enriched in nitrogen-bearing compounds and lipids. These differences corresponded with differences in decomposer communities, which also exhibited strong responses to both litter and management type. Overall, our results indicate that agricultural intensification can increase litter decomposition rates, alter decomposer communities, and influence litter chemistry in ways that could have important and long-term effects on soil organic matter dynamics. We suggest that future

Enrichment Ratio and Aggregate Stability Dynamics in Intensely Managed Landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wacha, K.; Papanicolaou, T.; Filley, T. R.; Hou, T.; Abban, B. K.; Wilson, C. G.; Boys, J.

2015-12-01

Challenges in understanding the soil carbon dynamics within intensely managed landscapes (IMLs), found throughout much the US Midwest, is highly complex due to the presence of heterogeneous landscape features and properties, as well as a mosaic of physical and biogeochemical processes occurring at different time scales. In addition, rainfall events exacerbate the effects of tillage by the impact of raindrops, which break down aggregates that encase carbon and dislodge and entrain soil particles and aggregates along the downslope. The redistribution of soil and carbon can have huge implications on biogeochemical cycling and overall carbon budgeting. In this study, we provide some rare field data on the mechanisms impacting aggregate stability, enrichment ratio values to estimate fluxes of carbon, as well as lignin chemistry to see influences on oxidation/mineralization rates. Rainfall simulation experiments were conducted within agricultural fields. Experiments were performed on the midslope (eroding) and toeslope (depositional) sections of representative hillslopes, under a variety of land managements, including row crop (conventional and conservation) and restored grasslands. Sensors were utilized to capture the evolution of soil moisture, temperature, microbial respiration pulses, and discharge rates to identify pseudo-steady state conditions. Samples collected at the weir outlet were tested for sediment concentrations and size fractions, as well as carbon and lignin fluxes. Preliminary findings show that conservation management practices have higher aggregate stability and decreased mass fluxes of carbon in the downslope than conventional tillage techniques.

A conspiracy of optimism: Sustained yield, multiple use, and intensive management on the national forests, 1945-1991

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

Hirt, P.W.

1991-01-01

This study focuses on two core national forest management policies; sustained yield and multiple use. Public and elected officials attempt to apply principles of sustainable development to publicly-owned forest lands to ensure that a wide variety of both market and nonmarket forest values are preserved for the benefit of present and future generations. Interest groups, the Forest Service, and policy makers have conceived of sustained yield and multiple use in different and evolving ways over the years. This study explores how these principles have been variously defined and either implemented or thwarted. After World War Two, with escalating demands onmore » national forest resources, the US Forest Service turned to intensive management as a technological method of enhancing natural forest productivity and mitigating the environmental effects of increased use. But the agency's optimistic vision of efficient, sustained production of forest commodities through technical mastery over nature has met overwhelming fiscal, environmental, technical, and political obstacles. Changing public values since the 1960s and popularization of ecology have initiated a growing skepticism toward the premises of intensive management.« less

Managing Hardware Configurations and Data Products for the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hincks, A. D.; Shaw, J. R.; Chime Collaboration

2015-09-01

The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) is an ambitious new radio telescope project for measuring cosmic expansion and investigating dark energy. Keeping good records of both physical configuration of its 1280 antennas and their analogue signal chains as well as the ˜100 TB of data produced daily from its correlator will be essential to the success of CHIME. In these proceedings we describe the database-driven software we have developed to manage this complexity.

Fault management for data systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyd, Mark A.; Iverson, David L.; Patterson-Hine, F. Ann

1993-01-01

Issues related to automating the process of fault management (fault diagnosis and response) for data management systems are considered. Substantial benefits are to be gained by successful automation of this process, particularly for large, complex systems. The use of graph-based models to develop a computer assisted fault management system is advocated. The general problem is described and the motivation behind choosing graph-based models over other approaches for developing fault diagnosis computer programs is outlined. Some existing work in the area of graph-based fault diagnosis is reviewed, and a new fault management method which was developed from existing methods is offered. Our method is applied to an automatic telescope system intended as a prototype for future lunar telescope programs. Finally, an application of our method to general data management systems is described.

Raccoon (Procyon lotor) diurnal den use within an intensively managed forest in central West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Owen, Sheldon F.; Berl, Jacob L.; Edwards, John W.; Ford, W. Mark; Wood, Petra Bohall

2015-01-01

Intensive forest management may influence the availability of suitable den sites for large den-seeking species, such as Procyon lotor (Raccoon). As part of a Raccoon ecology study on an industrial forest in the Allegheny Mountains of central West Virginia, we radio-tracked 32 Raccoons to 175 diurnal den sites to determine relative use of dens that included cavity trees, rock dens, log piles, slash piles, and exposed limbs. Patterns of den use significantly differed between sexes and among seasons. Overall, we recorded 58 cavity dens in 12 tree species with 7 maternal dens found in 5 tree species. Raccoons selected larger-diameter den trees than available cavity trees and non-cavity trees. Because the abundance of suitable tree cavities is known to influence Raccoon densities and recruitment at fine spatial scales and female Raccoons in this study used tree cavities as maternal den sites, the continued harvest of large-diameter trees (i.e., those capable of developing den cavities) without replacement may impact Raccoon recruitment within intensively managed forests throughout the central Appalachians.

[A personal computer-based system for online monitoring of neurologic intensive care patients].

PubMed

Stoll, M; Hamann, G; Jost, V; Schimrigk, K

1992-03-01

In the management of neurological intensive care patients with an intracranial space-consuming process the measurement and recording of intracranial pressure together with arterial blood pressure is of special interest. These parameters can be used to monitor the treatment of brain edema and hypertension. Intracranial pressure measurement is also important in the diagnosis of the various subtypes of hydrocephalus. Not only the absolute figures, but also the recognition of specific pressure-patterns is of particular clinical and scientific interest. This new, easily installed and inexpensive system comprises a PC and a conventional monitor, which are connected by an AD-conversion card. Our software, specially developed for this system demonstrates, stores and prints the online-course and the trend of the measurements. In addition it is also possible to view the online-course of conspicuous parts of the trend curve retrospectively and to use these values for statistical analyses. Object-orientated software development techniques were used for flexible graphic output on the screen, printer or to a file. Though developed for this specific purpose, this system is also suitable for recording continuous, longer-term measurements in general.

Implementation of an open adoption research data management system for clinical studies.

PubMed

Müller, Jan; Heiss, Kirsten Ingmar; Oberhoffer, Renate

2017-07-06

Research institutions need to manage multiple studies with individual data sets, processing rules and different permissions. So far, there is no standard technology that provides an easy to use environment to create databases and user interfaces for clinical trials or research studies. Therefore various software solutions are being used-from custom software, explicitly designed for a specific study, to cost intensive commercial Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS) up to very basic approaches with self-designed Microsoft ® databases. The technology applied to conduct those studies varies tremendously from study to study, making it difficult to evaluate data across various studies (meta-analysis) and keeping a defined level of quality in database design, data processing, displaying and exporting. Furthermore, the systems being used to collect study data are often operated redundantly to systems used in patient care. As a consequence the data collection in studies is inefficient and data quality may suffer from unsynchronized datasets, non-normalized database scenarios and manually executed data transfers. With OpenCampus Research we implemented an open adoption software (OAS) solution on an open source basis, which provides a standard environment for state-of-the-art research database management at low cost.

ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS THEORY

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental Systems Management is the management of environmental problems at the systems level fully accounting for the multi-dimensional nature of the environment. This includes socio-economic dimensions as well as the usual physical and life science aspects. This is importa...

Workflow management systems in radiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wendler, Thomas; Meetz, Kirsten; Schmidt, Joachim

1998-07-01

In a situation of shrinking health care budgets, increasing cost pressure and growing demands to increase the efficiency and the quality of medical services, health care enterprises are forced to optimize or complete re-design their processes. Although information technology is agreed to potentially contribute to cost reduction and efficiency improvement, the real success factors are the re-definition and automation of processes: Business Process Re-engineering and Workflow Management. In this paper we discuss architectures for the use of workflow management systems in radiology. We propose to move forward from information systems in radiology (RIS, PACS) to Radiology Management Systems, in which workflow functionality (process definitions and process automation) is implemented through autonomous workflow management systems (WfMS). In a workflow oriented architecture, an autonomous workflow enactment service communicates with workflow client applications via standardized interfaces. In this paper, we discuss the need for and the benefits of such an approach. The separation of workflow management system and application systems is emphasized, and the consequences that arise for the architecture of workflow oriented information systems. This includes an appropriate workflow terminology, and the definition of standard interfaces for workflow aware application systems. Workflow studies in various institutions have shown that most of the processes in radiology are well structured and suited for a workflow management approach. Numerous commercially available Workflow Management Systems (WfMS) were investigated, and some of them, which are process- oriented and application independent, appear suitable for use in radiology.

Lithium battery management system

DOEpatents

Dougherty, Thomas J [Waukesha, WI

2012-05-08

Provided is a system for managing a lithium battery system having a plurality of cells. The battery system comprises a variable-resistance element electrically connected to a cell and located proximate a portion of the cell; and a device for determining, utilizing the variable-resistance element, whether the temperature of the cell has exceeded a predetermined threshold. A method of managing the temperature of a lithium battery system is also included.

Habitat restoration promotes pollinator persistence and colonization in intensively managed agriculture.

PubMed

M'Gonigle, Leithen K; Ponisio, Lauren C; Cutler, Kerry; Kremen, Claire

2015-09-01

Widespread evidence of pollinator declines has led to policies supporting habitat restoration including in agricultural landscapes. Yet, little is yet known about the effectiveness of these restoration techniques for promoting stable populations and communities of pollinators, especially in intensively managed agricultural landscapes. Introducing floral resources, such as flowering hedgerows, to enhance intensively cultivated agricultural landscapes is known to increase the abundances of native insect pollinators in and around restored areas. Whether this is a result of local short-term concentration at flowers or indicative of true increases in the persistence and species richness of these communities remains unclear. It is also unknown whether this practice supports species of conservation concern (e.g., those with more specialized dietary requirements). Analyzing occupancies of native bees and syrphid flies from 330 surveys across 15 sites over eight years, we found that hedgerow restoration promotes rates of between-season persistence and colonization as compared with unrestored field edges. Enhanced persistence and colonization, in turn, led to the formation of more species-rich communities. We also find that hedgerows benefit floral resource specialists more than generalists, emphasizing the value of this restoration technique for conservation in agricultural landscapes.

Archival Information Management System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-02-01

management system named Archival Information Management System (AIMS), designed to meet the audit trail requirement for studies completed under the...are to be archived to the extent that future reproducibility and interrogation of results will exist. This report presents a prototype information

Using short-rotation, intensively managed hardwood plantations as ‘green’ inventory for southeastern U.S

Treesearch

Tom Gallagher; Bob Shaffer; Bob Rummer

2008-01-01

As a routine wood source for a pulp mill, recent studies have shown that intensively managed, short-rotation hardwood plantations are not cost effective. The objective of this study was to determine if these plantations may be cost effective as "green" inventory, replacing some portion of high cost remote woodyard inventory. Three southeastern U.S. pulp mills...

Purge water management system

DOEpatents

Cardoso-Neto, J.E.; Williams, D.W.

1995-01-01

A purge water management system is described for effectively eliminating the production of purge water when obtaining a groundwater sample from a monitoring well. In its preferred embodiment, the purge water management system comprises an expandable container, a transportation system, and a return system. The purge water management system is connected to a wellhead sampling configuration, typically permanently installed at the well site. A pump, positioned with the monitoring well, pumps groundwater through the transportation system into the expandable container, which expands in direct proportion with volume of groundwater introduced, usually three or four well volumes, yet prevents the groundwater from coming into contact with the oxygen in the air. After this quantity of groundwater has been removed from the well, a sample is taken from a sampling port, after which the groundwater in the expandable container can be returned to the monitoring well through the return system. The purge water management system prevents the purge water from coming in contact with the outside environment, especially oxygen, which might cause the constituents of the groundwater to oxidize. Therefore, by introducing the purge water back into the monitoring well, the necessity of dealing with the purge water as a hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is eliminated.

Purge water management system

DOEpatents

Cardoso-Neto, Joao E.; Williams, Daniel W.

1996-01-01

A purge water management system for effectively eliminating the production of purge water when obtaining a groundwater sample from a monitoring well. In its preferred embodiment, the purge water management system comprises an expandable container, a transportation system, and a return system. The purge water management system is connected to a wellhead sampling configuration, typically permanently installed at the well site. A pump, positioned with the monitoring well, pumps groundwater through the transportation system into the expandable container, which expands in direct proportion with volume of groundwater introduced, usually three or four well volumes, yet prevents the groundwater from coming into contact with the oxygen in the air. After this quantity of groundwater has been removed from the well, a sample is taken from a sampling port, after which the groundwater in the expandable container can be returned to the monitoring well through the return system. The purge water management system prevents the purge water from coming in contact with the outside environment, especially oxygen, which might cause the constituents of the groundwater to oxidize. Therefore, by introducing the purge water back into the monitoring well, the necessity of dealing with the purge water as a hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is eliminated.

Impact of Neurointensivist Co-management on the Clinical Outcomes of Patients Admitted to a Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Limited data are available on improved outcomes after initiation of neurointensivist co-management in neurosurgical intensive care units (NSICUs) in Korea. We evaluated the impact of a newly appointed neurointensivist on the outcomes of neurosurgical patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). This retrospective observational study involved neurosurgical patients admitted to the NSICU at Samsung Medical Center between March 2013 and May 2016. Neurointensivist co-management was initiated in October 1 2014. We compared the outcomes of neurosurgical patients before and after neurointensivist co-management. The primary outcome was ICU mortality. A total of 571 patients were admitted to the NSICU during the study period, 291 prior to the initiation of neurointensivist co-management and 280 thereafter. Intracranial hemorrhage (29.6%) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) (26.6%) were the most frequent reasons for ICU admission. TBI was the most common cause of death (39.0%). There were no significant differences in mortality rates and length of ICU stay before and after co-management. However, the rates of ICU and 30-day mortality among the TBI patients were significantly lower after compared to before initiation of neurointensivist co-management (8.5% vs. 22.9%; P = 0.014 and 11.0% vs. 27.1%; P = 0.010, respectively). Although overall outcomes were not different after neurointensivist co-management, initiation of a strategy of routine involvement of a neurointensivist significantly reduced the ICU and 30-day mortality rates of TBI patients. PMID:28480662

The methodology of database design in organization management systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chudinov, I. L.; Osipova, V. V.; Bobrova, Y. V.

2017-01-01

The paper describes the unified methodology of database design for management information systems. Designing the conceptual information model for the domain area is the most important and labor-intensive stage in database design. Basing on the proposed integrated approach to design, the conceptual information model, the main principles of developing the relation databases are provided and user’s information needs are considered. According to the methodology, the process of designing the conceptual information model includes three basic stages, which are defined in detail. Finally, the article describes the process of performing the results of analyzing user’s information needs and the rationale for use of classifiers.

Bending strength and stiffness of loblolly pine lumber from intensively managed stands located on the Georgia Lower Coastal Plain

Treesearch

Mark Alexander Butler; Joseph Dahlen; Richard F. Daniels; Thomas L. Eberhardt; Finto Antony

2016-01-01

Loblolly pine is increasingly grown on intensively managed plantation forests that yield excellent growth; however, lumber cut from these trees often contains a large percentage of juvenile wood which negatively impacts strength and stiffness. Because of changing forest management and mill practices the design values for visually graded southern pine were updated in...

MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING SYSTEM OF WASTE WATER DISPOSAL SYSTEMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hori, Michihiro; Tsuruta, Takashi; Kaito, Kiyoyuki; Kobayashi, Kiyoshi

Sewage works facilities consist of various assets groups. And there are many kinds of financial resources. In order to optimize the maintenance plan, and to secure the stability and sustainability of sewage works management, it is necessary to carry out financial simulation based on the life-cycle cost analysis. Furthermore, it is important to develop management accounting system that is interlinked with the financial accounting system, because many sewage administration bodies have their financial accounting systems as public enterprises. In this paper, a management accounting system, which is designed to provide basic information for asset management of sewage works facilities, is presented. Also the applicability of the management accounting system presented in this paper is examined through financial simulations.

Hospital information management system: an evolutionary knowledge management perspective.

PubMed

Wadhwa, S; Saxena, Avneet; Wadhwa, Bharat

2007-01-01

The evolving paradigm shift resulting from IT, social and technological changes has created a need for developing an innovative knowledge-based healthcare system, which can effectively meet global healthcare system demands and also cater to future trends. The Hospital Information Management System (HIMS) is developed with this sole aim in mind, which helps in processing and management of hospital information not only inside the boundary, but also beyond the hospital boundary, e.g., telemedicine or e-healthcare. The purpose of this paper is to present such kind of functional HIMS, which can efficiently satisfy the current and future system requirements by using Knowledge Management (KM) and data management systems. The HIMS is developed in a KM context, wherein users can share and use the knowledge more effectively. The proposed system is fully compatible with future technical, social, managerial and economical requirements.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Tumor Therapy System and Its Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Fucheng; He, Ye; Li, Rui

2007-05-01

At the end of last century, a High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) tumor therapy system was successfully developed and manufactured in China, which has been already applied to clinical therapy. This article aims to discuss the HIFU therapy system and its application. Detailed research includes the following: power amplifiers for high-power ultrasound, ultrasound transducers with large apertures, accurate 3-D mechanical drives, a software control system (both high-voltage control and low-voltage control), and the B-mode ultrasonic diagnostic equipment used for treatment monitoring. Research on the dosage of ultrasound required for tumour therapy in multiple human cases has made it possible to relate a dosage formula, presented in this paper, to other significant parameters such as the volume of thermal tumor solidification, the acoustic intensity (I), and the ultrasound emission time (tn). Moreover, the HIFU therapy system can be applied to the clinical treatment of both benign and malignant tumors in the pelvic and abdominal cavity, such as uterine fibroids, liver cancer and pancreatic carcinoma.

Flexible data-management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pelouch, J. J., Jr.

1977-01-01

Combined ASRDI Data-Management and Analysis Technique (CADMAT) is system of computer programs and procedures that can be used to conduct data-management tasks. System was developed specifically for use by scientists and engineers who are confronted with management and analysis of large quantities of data organized into records of events and parametric fields. CADMAT is particularly useful when data are continually accumulated, such as when the need of retrieval and analysis is ongoing.

Biomass, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Accumulation in 4-Year-Old Intensively Managed Loblolly Pine and Sweetgum Plantations

Treesearch

Charles A. Gresham; Thomas M. William

2002-01-01

Knowing the nutrient uptake potential of plantations of fast-growing species is essential to designing land-based tertiary water treatment facilities. This study was conducted to estimate the biomass of 4-year-old, intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) plantations and to estimate the...

Severe fire weather and intensive forest management increase fire severity in a multi-ownership landscape.

PubMed

Zald, Harold S J; Dunn, Christopher J

2018-04-26

Many studies have examined how fuels, topography, climate, and fire weather influence fire severity. Less is known about how different forest management practices influence fire severity in multi-owner landscapes, despite costly and controversial suppression of wildfires that do not acknowledge ownership boundaries. In 2013, the Douglas Complex burned over 19,000 ha of Oregon & California Railroad (O&C) lands in Southwestern Oregon, USA. O&C lands are composed of a checkerboard of private industrial and federal forestland (Bureau of Land Management, BLM) with contrasting management objectives, providing a unique experimental landscape to understand how different management practices influence wildfire severity. Leveraging Landsat based estimates of fire severity (Relative differenced Normalized Burn Ratio, RdNBR) and geospatial data on fire progression, weather, topography, pre-fire forest conditions, and land ownership, we asked (1) what is the relative importance of different variables driving fire severity, and (2) is intensive plantation forestry associated with higher fire severity? Using Random Forest ensemble machine learning, we found daily fire weather was the most important predictor of fire severity, followed by stand age and ownership, followed by topographic features. Estimates of pre-fire forest biomass were not an important predictor of fire severity. Adjusting for all other predictor variables in a general least squares model incorporating spatial autocorrelation, mean predicted RdNBR was higher on private industrial forests (RdNBR 521.85 ± 18.67 [mean ± SE]) vs. BLM forests (398.87 ± 18.23) with a much greater proportion of older forests. Our findings suggest intensive plantation forestry characterized by young forests and spatially homogenized fuels, rather than pre-fire biomass, were significant drivers of wildfire severity. This has implications for perceptions of wildfire risk, shared fire management responsibilities, and developing

Evolution of the ATLAS PanDA workload management system for exascale computational science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeno, T.; De, K.; Klimentov, A.; Nilsson, P.; Oleynik, D.; Panitkin, S.; Petrosyan, A.; Schovancova, J.; Vaniachine, A.; Wenaus, T.; Yu, D.; Atlas Collaboration

2014-06-01

An important foundation underlying the impressive success of data processing and analysis in the ATLAS experiment [1] at the LHC [2] is the Production and Distributed Analysis (PanDA) workload management system [3]. PanDA was designed specifically for ATLAS and proved to be highly successful in meeting all the distributed computing needs of the experiment. However, the core design of PanDA is not experiment specific. The PanDA workload management system is capable of meeting the needs of other data intensive scientific applications. Alpha-Magnetic Spectrometer [4], an astro-particle experiment on the International Space Station, and the Compact Muon Solenoid [5], an LHC experiment, have successfully evaluated PanDA and are pursuing its adoption. In this paper, a description of the new program of work to develop a generic version of PanDA will be given, as well as the progress in extending PanDA's capabilities to support supercomputers and clouds and to leverage intelligent networking. PanDA has demonstrated at a very large scale the value of automated dynamic brokering of diverse workloads across distributed computing resources. The next generation of PanDA will allow other data-intensive sciences and a wider exascale community employing a variety of computing platforms to benefit from ATLAS' experience and proven tools.

On the theory of intensity distributions of tornadoes and other low pressure systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schielicke, Lisa; Névir, Peter

Approaching from a theoretical point of view, this work presents a theory which unifies intensity distributions of different low pressure systems, based on an energy of displacement. Resulting from a generalized Boltzmann distribution, the expression of this energy of displacement is obtained by radial integration over the forces which are in balance with the pressure gradient force in the horizontal equation of motion. A scale analysis helps to find out which balance of forces prevail. According to the prevailing balances, the expression of the energy of displacement differs for various depressions. Investigating the system at the moment of maximum intensity, the energy of displacement can be interpreted as the work that has to be done to generate and finally eliminate the pressure anomaly, respectively. By choosing the appropriate balance of forces, number-intensity (energy of displacement) distributions show exponential behavior with the same decay rate β for tornadoes and cyclones, if tropical and extra-tropical cyclones are investigated together. The decay rate is related to a characteristic (universal) scale of the energy of displacement which has approximately the value Eu = β- 1 ≈ 1000 m 2s - 2 . In consequence, while the different balances of forces cause the scales of velocity, the energy of displacement scale seems to be universal for all low pressure systems. Additionally, if intensity is expressed as lifetime minimum pressure, the number-intensity (pressure) distributions should be power law distributed. Moreover, this work points out that the choice of the physical quantity which represents the intensity is important concerning the behavior of intensity distributions. Various expressions of the intensity like velocity, kinetic energy, energy of displacement and pressure are possible, but lead to different behavior of the distributions.

Medical Information Management System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alterescu, S.; Hipkins, K. R.; Friedman, C. A.

1979-01-01

On-line interactive information processing system easily and rapidly handles all aspects of data management related to patient care. General purpose system is flexible enough to be applied to other data management situations found in areas such as occupational safety data, judicial information, or personnel records.

[Management of patients under 18years of age by adult intensive care unit professionals: Level of training, workload, and specific challenges].

PubMed

Brossier, D; Villedieu, F; Letouzé, N; Pinto Da Costa, N; Jokic, M

2017-03-01

In routine practice, intensive care physicians rarely have to manage children under 18years of age, particularly those under 15. This study's objectives were to assess the quality of training in pediatrics of adult intensive care teams, to document the workload generated by care of pediatric patients, and to identify the difficulties encountered in managing minors as patients. A survey was administered in Lower Normandy from 4 April 2012 to 1 September 2012. Physicians, residents, nurses, and nurses' aides practicing in one of the nine intensive care units of Lower Normandy were asked to complete an electronic or paper format questionnaire. This questionnaire assessed their level of pediatric training, the workload management of pediatric patients entailed, and the challenges posed by these patients. One hundred and nine questionnaires were returned (by 26 attending physicians, 18 residents, 38 nurses, and 27 nurses' aides). Eighty-three of the respondents (76%) had no experience in a pediatric unit of any kind. Forty-two percent thought that the pediatric age range lies between 3months and 15years of age. However, more than 50% of respondents would like the upper limit to be 16years or even older. Ninety-three respondents (85%) estimated having some exposure to pediatric patients in their routine practice, but this activity remained quite low. Seventy-three (67%) reported difficulties with the management of these young patients. This survey provides current information regarding the level of training of adult intensive care unit professionals and their concerns about managing patients under 18years of age, both in terms of workload and specific challenges. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Intensive Care, Intense Conflict: A Balanced Approach.

PubMed

Paquette, Erin Talati; Kolaitis, Irini N

2015-01-01

Caring for a child in a pediatric intensive care unit is emotionally and physically challenging and often leads to conflict. Skilled mediators may not always be available to aid in conflict resolution. Careproviders at all levels of training are responsible for managing difficult conversations with families and can often prevent escalation of conflict. Bioethics mediators have acknowledged the important contribution of mediation training in improving clinicians' skills in conflict management. Familiarizing careproviders with basic mediation techniques is an important step towards preventing escalation of conflict. While training in effective communication is crucial, a sense of fairness and justice that may only come with the introduction of a skilled, neutral third party is equally important. For intense conflict, we advocate for early recognition, comfort, and preparedness through training of clinicians in de-escalation and optimal communication, along with the use of more formally trained third-party mediators, as required. Copyright 2015 The Journal of Clinical Ethics. All rights reserved.

Acquisition Management for System of Systems: Affordability through Effective Portfolio Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

the management of strategic “ portfolios of systems” in military acquisitions; this includes application of Real Options (RO) theory and metrics such...Affordability Through Effective Portfolio Management Navindran Davendralingam and Daniel DeLaurentis Purdue University Published April 1, 2013...Systems: Affordability Through Effective Portfolio Management 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d

Applying management information systems to staffing.

PubMed

Hanson, R L

1982-10-01

A management information system (MIS) is a tool for managing resources effectively. After reviewing some concepts and principles for effective data management, Hanson clearly applies the concepts to nurse staffing systems, which manage human resources. He defines a seven-step process for establishing an MIS, from defining the management objective to implementing the system. Pointing out that an MIS need not be computerized to be effective, Hanson presents a positive perspective and clarifies some often-misconceived notions about management information systems and the paper printouts they generate. In the next issue of JONA, a second article by Hanson will take a more detailed look at the variety, use, and usefulness of staffing statistics available from an MIS for staffing. These articles are based on material in a forthcoming book, Management Systems for Nursing Service Staffing, to be published by Aspen Systems Corporation, Rockville, Maryland.

Automated drug dispensing system reduces medication errors in an intensive care setting.

PubMed

Chapuis, Claire; Roustit, Matthieu; Bal, Gaëlle; Schwebel, Carole; Pansu, Pascal; David-Tchouda, Sandra; Foroni, Luc; Calop, Jean; Timsit, Jean-François; Allenet, Benoît; Bosson, Jean-Luc; Bedouch, Pierrick

2010-12-01

We aimed to assess the impact of an automated dispensing system on the incidence of medication errors related to picking, preparation, and administration of drugs in a medical intensive care unit. We also evaluated the clinical significance of such errors and user satisfaction. Preintervention and postintervention study involving a control and an intervention medical intensive care unit. Two medical intensive care units in the same department of a 2,000-bed university hospital. Adult medical intensive care patients. After a 2-month observation period, we implemented an automated dispensing system in one of the units (study unit) chosen randomly, with the other unit being the control. The overall error rate was expressed as a percentage of total opportunities for error. The severity of errors was classified according to National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention categories by an expert committee. User satisfaction was assessed through self-administered questionnaires completed by nurses. A total of 1,476 medications for 115 patients were observed. After automated dispensing system implementation, we observed a reduced percentage of total opportunities for error in the study compared to the control unit (13.5% and 18.6%, respectively; p<.05); however, no significant difference was observed before automated dispensing system implementation (20.4% and 19.3%, respectively; not significant). Before-and-after comparisons in the study unit also showed a significantly reduced percentage of total opportunities for error (20.4% and 13.5%; p<.01). An analysis of detailed opportunities for error showed a significant impact of the automated dispensing system in reducing preparation errors (p<.05). Most errors caused no harm (National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention category C). The automated dispensing system did not reduce errors causing harm. Finally, the mean for working conditions improved from 1.0±0.8 to 2

Sustainability of High Intensity Forest Management with Respect to Water QuaIity and Site Nutrient Reserves

Treesearch

Virginia R. Tolbert; Carl C. Trettin; Dale W. Johnson; John W. Parsons; Allan E. Houston; David A. Mays

2001-01-01

Ensuring sustainability of intensively managed woody crops requires determining soil and water quality effects using a combination of field data and modeling projections. Plot- and catchrnent-scale research, models, and meta-analyses are addressing nutrient availability, site quality, and measures to increase short-rotation woody crop (SRWC) productivity and site...

Development and validation of an observation tool for the assessment of nursing pain management practices in intensive care unit in a standardized clinical simulation setting.

PubMed

Gosselin, Emilie; Bourgault, Patricia; Lavoie, Stephan; Coleman, Robin-Marie; Méziat-Burdin, Anne

2014-12-01

Pain management in the intensive care unit is often inadequate. There is no tool available to assess nursing pain management practices. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a measuring tool to assess nursing pain management in the intensive care unit during standardized clinical simulation. A literature review was performed to identify relevant components demonstrating optimal pain management in adult intensive care units and to integrate them in an observation tool. This tool was submitted to an expert panel and pretested. It was then used to assess pain management practice during 26 discrete standardized clinical simulation sessions with intensive care nurses. The Nursing Observation Tool for Pain Management (NOTPaM) contains 28 statements grouped into 8 categories, which are grouped into 4 dimensions: subjective assessment, objective assessment, interventions, and reassessment. The tool's internal consistency was calculated at a Cronbach's alpha of 0.436 for the whole tool; the alpha varies from 0.328 to 0.518 for each dimension. To evaluate the inter-rater reliability, intra-class correlation coefficient was used, which was calculated at 0.751 (p < .001) for the whole tool, with variations from 0.619 to 0.920 (p < .01) between dimensions. The expert panel was satisfied with the content and face validity of the tool. The psychometric qualities of the NOTPaM developed in this study are satisfactory. However, the tool could be improved with slight modifications. Nevertheless, it was useful in assessing intensive care nurses' pain management in a standardized clinical simulation. The NOTPaM is the first tool created for this purpose. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

When bad things happen: adverse event reporting and disclosure as patient safety and risk management tools in the neonatal intensive care unit.

PubMed

Donn, Steven M; McDonnell, William M

2012-01-01

The Institute of Medicine has recommended a change in culture from "name and blame" to patient safety. This will require system redesign to identify and address errors, establish performance standards, and set safety expectations. This approach, however, is at odds with the present medical malpractice (tort) system. The current system is outcomes-based, meaning that health care providers and institutions are often sued despite providing appropriate care. Nevertheless, the focus should remain to provide the safest patient care. Effective peer review may be hindered by the present tort system. Reporting of medical errors is a key piece of peer review and education, and both anonymous reporting and confidential reporting of errors have potential disadvantages. Diagnostic and treatment errors continue to be the leading sources of allegations of malpractice in pediatrics, and the neonatal intensive care unit is uniquely vulnerable. Most errors result from systems failures rather than human error. Risk management can be an effective process to identify, evaluate, and address problems that may injure patients, lead to malpractice claims, and result in financial losses. Risk management identifies risk or potential risk, calculates the probability of an adverse event arising from a risk, estimates the impact of the adverse event, and attempts to control the risk. Implementation of a successful risk management program requires a positive attitude, sufficient knowledge base, and a commitment to improvement. Transparency in the disclosure of medical errors and a strategy of prospective risk management in dealing with medical errors may result in a substantial reduction in medical malpractice lawsuits, lower litigation costs, and a more safety-conscious environment. Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

Oil field management system

DOEpatents

Fincke, James R.

2003-09-23

Oil field management systems and methods for managing operation of one or more wells producing a high void fraction multiphase flow. The system includes a differential pressure flow meter which samples pressure readings at various points of interest throughout the system and uses pressure differentials derived from the pressure readings to determine gas and liquid phase mass flow rates of the high void fraction multiphase flow. One or both of the gas and liquid phase mass flow rates are then compared with predetermined criteria. In the event such mass flow rates satisfy the predetermined criteria, a well control system implements a correlating adjustment action respecting the multiphase flow. In this way, various parameters regarding the high void fraction multiphase flow are used as control inputs to the well control system and thus facilitate management of well operations.

Intelligent Integrated System Health Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Figueroa, Fernando

2012-01-01

Intelligent Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) is the management of data, information, and knowledge (DIaK) with the purposeful objective of determining the health of a system (Management: storage, distribution, sharing, maintenance, processing, reasoning, and presentation). Presentation discusses: (1) ISHM Capability Development. (1a) ISHM Knowledge Model. (1b) Standards for ISHM Implementation. (1c) ISHM Domain Models (ISHM-DM's). (1d) Intelligent Sensors and Components. (2) ISHM in Systems Design, Engineering, and Integration. (3) Intelligent Control for ISHM-Enabled Systems

Modeling water, carbon, and nitrogen dynamics for two drained pine plantations under intensive management practices

Treesearch

Shiying Tian; Mohamed A. Youssef; R. Wayne Skaggs; Devendra Amatya; George M. Chescheir

2012-01-01

This paper reports results of a study to test the reliability of the DRAINMOD-FOREST model for predicting water, soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics in intensively managed forests. The study site, two adjacent loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations (referred as D2 and D3), are located in the coastal plain of North Carolina, USA. Controlled drainage (with weir...

Perceptions of diagnosis and management of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome: a survey of United Kingdom intensive care physicians.

PubMed

Dushianthan, Ahilanandan; Cusack, Rebecca; Chee, Nigel; Dunn, John-Oliver; Grocott, Michael P W

2014-01-01

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a potentially devastating refractory hypoxemic illness with multi-organ involvement. Although several randomised controlled trials into ventilator and fluid management strategies have provided level 1 evidence to guide supportive therapy, there are few, established guidelines on how to manage patients with ARDS. In addition, and despite their continued use, pharmacotherapies for ARDS disease modulation have no proven benefit in improving mortality. Little is known however about the variability in diagnostic and treatment practices across the United Kingdom (UK). The aim of this survey, therefore, was to assess the use of diagnostic criteria and treatment strategies for ARDS in critical care units across the UK. The survey questionnaire was developed and internally piloted at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. Following ethical approval from University of Southampton Ethics and Research Committee, a link to an online survey engine (Survey Monkey) was then placed on the Intensive Care Society (UK) website. Fellows of The Intensive Care Society were subsequently personally approached via e-mail to encourage participation. The survey was conducted over a period of 3 months. The survey received 191 responses from 125 critical care units, accounting for 11% of all registered intensive care physicians at The Intensive Care Society. The majority of the responses were from physicians managing general intensive care units (82%) and 34% of respondents preferred the American European Consensus Criteria for ARDS. There was a perceived decline in both incidence and mortality in ARDS. Primary ventilation strategies were based on ARDSnet protocols, though frequent deviations from ARDSnet positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) recommendations (51%) were described. The majority of respondents set permissive blood gas targets (hypoxia (92%), hypercapnia (58%) and pH (90%)). The routine use of pharmacological agents is

Design of distributed systems of hydrolithosphere processes management. A synthesis of distributed management systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pershin, I. M.; Pervukhin, D. A.; Ilyushin, Y. V.; Afanaseva, O. V.

2017-10-01

The paper considers an important problem of designing distributed systems of hydrolithosphere processes management. The control actions on the hydrolithosphere processes under consideration are implemented by a set of extractive wells. The article shows the method of defining the approximation links for description of the dynamic characteristics of hydrolithosphere processes. The structure of distributed regulators, used in the management systems by the considered processes, is presented. The paper analyses the results of the synthesis of the distributed management system and the results of modelling the closed-loop control system by the parameters of the hydrolithosphere process.

Atomic and Molecular Systems in Intense Ultrashort Laser Pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saenz, A.

2008-07-01

The full quantum mechanical treatment of atomic and molecular systems exposed to intense laser pulses is a so far unsolved challenge, even for systems as small as molecular hydrogen. Therefore, a number of simplified qualitative and quantitative models have been introduced in order to provide at least some interpretational tools for experimental data. The assessment of these models describing the molecular response is complicated, since a comparison to experiment requires often a number of averages to be performed. This includes in many cases averaging of different orientations of the molecule with respect to the laser field, focal volume effects, etc. Furthermore, the pulse shape and even the peak intensity is experimentally not known with very high precision; considering, e.g., the exponential intensity dependence of the ionization signal. Finally, experiments usually provide only relative yields. As a consequence of all these averagings and uncertainties, it is possible that different models may successfully explain some experimental results or features, although these models disagree substantially, if their predictions are compared before averaging. Therefore, fully quantum-mechanical approaches at least for small atomic and molecular systems are highly desirable and have been developed in our group. This includes efficient codes for solving the time-dependent Schrodinger equation of atomic hydrogen, helium or other effective one- or two-electron atoms as well as for the electronic motion in linear (effective) one-and two-electron diatomic molecules like H_2.Very recently, a code for larger molecular systems that adopts the so-called single-active electron approximation was also successfully implemented and applied. In the first part of this talk popular models describing intense laser-field ionization of atoms and their extensions to molecules are described. Then their validity is discussed on the basis of quantum-mechanical calculations. Finally, some

Management advisory memorandum on National Airspace System infrastructure management system prototype, Federal Aviation Administration

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-03-01

This is our Management Advisory Memorandum on the National Airspace : System (NAS) Infrastructure Management System (NIMS) prototype : project in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Our review was : initiated in response to a hotline complaint...

Technology management: case study of an integrated health system.

PubMed

Dahl, D H; McFarlan, T K

1994-12-01

Technology management has assumed a role of vital importance in today's health care environment. Capital reserves and operating income have been stretched by pervasive and expensive technologies, while overall reimbursement has been reduced. It is imperative for hospitals to develop and consistently use technology management processes that begin prior to a technology's introduction in the hospital and continue throughout its life cycle. At Samaritan Health System (SHS), an integrated health care delivery system based in Phoenix, technology management provides tools to improve decision making and assist in the system's integration strategy as well as control expenses. SHS uses a systemwide technology-specific plan to guide acquisition and/or funding decisions. This plan describes how particular technologies can help achieve SHS' organizational goals such as promoting system integration and/or improving patient outcomes while providing good economic value. After technologies are targeted in this systemwide plan they are prioritized using a two-stage capital prioritization process. The first stage of the capital prioritization process considers the quantitative and qualitative factors critical for equitable capital distribution across the system. The second stage develops a sense of ownership among the parties that affect and are affected by the allocation at a facility level. This process promotes an efficient, effective, equitable, and defensible approach to resource allocation and technology decision making. Minimizing equipment maintenance expenditures is also an integral part of technology management at SHS. The keys to reducing maintenance expenditures are having a process in place that supports a routine fiscal evaluation of maintenance coverage options and ensuring that manufacturers are obligated to provide critical maintenance resources at the time of equipment purchase. Maintenance service options under consideration in this report include full

Integrated Systems Health Management for Intelligent Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Figueroa, Fernando; Melcher, Kevin

2011-01-01

The implementation of an integrated system health management (ISHM) capability is fundamentally linked to the management of data, information, and knowledge (DIaK) with the purposeful objective of determining the health of a system. Management implies storage, distribution, sharing, maintenance, processing, reasoning, and presentation. ISHM is akin to having a team of experts who are all individually and collectively observing and analyzing a complex system, and communicating effectively with each other in order to arrive at an accurate and reliable assessment of its health. In this chapter, concepts, procedures, and approaches are presented as a foundation for implementing an ISHM capability relevant to intelligent systems. The capability stresses integration of DIaK from all elements of a system, emphasizing an advance toward an on-board, autonomous capability. Both ground-based and on-board ISHM capabilities are addressed. The information presented is the result of many years of research, development, and maturation of technologies, and of prototype implementations in operational systems.

Development of a hybrid modeling approach for predicting intensively managed Douglas-fir growth at multiple scales.

Treesearch

A. Weiskittel; D. Maguire; R. Monserud

2007-01-01

Hybrid models offer the opportunity to improve future growth projections by combining advantages of both empirical and process-based modeling approaches. Hybrid models have been constructed in several regions and their performance relative to a purely empirical approach has varied. A hybrid model was constructed for intensively managed Douglas-fir plantations in the...

Efficient Evaluation System for Learning Management Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavus, Nadire

2009-01-01

A learning management system (LMS) provides the platform for web-based learning environment by enabling the management, delivery, tracking of learning, testing, communication, registration process and scheduling. There are many LMS systems on the market that can be obtained for free or through payment. It has now become an important task to choose…

Knowledge-based systems for power management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lollar, L. F.

1992-01-01

NASA-Marshall's Electrical Power Branch has undertaken the development of expert systems in support of further advancements in electrical power system automation. Attention is given to the features (1) of the Fault Recovery and Management Expert System, (2) a resource scheduler or Master of Automated Expert Scheduling Through Resource Orchestration, and (3) an adaptive load-priority manager, or Load Priority List Management System. The characteristics of an advisory battery manager for the Hubble Space Telescope, designated the 'nickel-hydrogen expert system', are also noted.

Management Information System Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foley, Walter J.; Harr, Gordon G.

The Management Information System (MIS) described in this report represents a plan to utilize modern management techniques to facilitate the goal of a learner-responsive school system. The MIS component is being developed to meet the need for the coordination of the resources of staff, facilities, and time with the long range planning and…

Probe systems for static pressure and cross-stream turbulence intensity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rossow, Vernon, J.

1991-01-01

A recent study of total-pressure probes for use in highly turbulent streams is extended herein by developing probe systems that measure time-averaged static or ambient pressure and turbulence intensity. Arrangements of tubular probes of circular and elliptical cross section are described that measure the pressure at orifices on the sides of the probes to obtain different responses to the cross-stream velocity fluctuations. When the measured data are combined to remove the effect of the presence of the probes on the local pressure, the time-averaged static pressure and the cross-stream components of turbulence intensity can be determined. If a system of total pressure tubes, as described in an accompanying paper, is added to the static pressure group to form a single cluster, redundant measurements are obtained that permit accuracy and consistency checks.

Planning and Resource Management in an Intelligent Automated Power Management System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, Robert A.

1991-01-01

Power system management is a process of guiding a power system towards the objective of continuous supply of electrical power to a set of loads. Spacecraft power system management requires planning and scheduling, since electrical power is a scarce resource in space. The automation of power system management for future spacecraft has been recognized as an important R&D goal. Several automation technologies have emerged including the use of expert systems for automating human problem solving capabilities such as rule based expert system for fault diagnosis and load scheduling. It is questionable whether current generation expert system technology is applicable for power system management in space. The objective of the ADEPTS (ADvanced Electrical Power management Techniques for Space systems) is to study new techniques for power management automation. These techniques involve integrating current expert system technology with that of parallel and distributed computing, as well as a distributed, object-oriented approach to software design. The focus of the current study is the integration of new procedures for automatically planning and scheduling loads with procedures for performing fault diagnosis and control. The objective is the concurrent execution of both sets of tasks on separate transputer processors, thus adding parallelism to the overall management process.

Energy Management of Smart Distribution Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ansari, Bananeh

Electric power distribution systems interface the end-users of electricity with the power grid. Traditional distribution systems are operated in a centralized fashion with the distribution system owner or operator being the only decision maker. The management and control architecture of distribution systems needs to gradually transform to accommodate the emerging smart grid technologies, distributed energy resources, and active electricity end-users or prosumers. The content of this document concerns with developing multi-task multi-objective energy management schemes for: 1) commercial/large residential prosumers, and 2) distribution system operator of a smart distribution system. The first part of this document describes a method of distributed energy management of multiple commercial/ large residential prosumers. These prosumers not only consume electricity, but also generate electricity using their roof-top solar photovoltaics systems. When photovoltaics generation is larger than local consumption, excess electricity will be fed into the distribution system, creating a voltage rise along the feeder. Distribution system operator cannot tolerate a significant voltage rise. ES can help the prosumers manage their electricity exchanges with the distribution system such that minimal voltage fluctuation occurs. The proposed distributed energy management scheme sizes and schedules each prosumer's ES to reduce the electricity bill and mitigate voltage rise along the feeder. The second part of this document focuses on emergency energy management and resilience assessment of a distribution system. The developed emergency energy management system uses available resources and redundancy to restore the distribution system's functionality fully or partially. The success of the restoration maneuver depends on how resilient the distribution system is. Engineering resilience terminology is used to evaluate the resilience of distribution system. The proposed emergency energy

Temporal changes in management and outcome of septic shock in patients with malignancies in the intensive care unit.

PubMed

Pène, Frédéric; Percheron, Stéphanie; Lemiale, Virginie; Viallon, Vivian; Claessens, Yann-Erick; Marqué, Sophie; Charpentier, Julien; Angus, Derek C; Cariou, Alain; Chiche, Jean-Daniel; Mira, Jean-Paul

2008-03-01

Septic shock is a severe, often terminal, complication of malignancy. For patients without malignancy, outcome from septic shock has improved with new advances in care. We wished to explore whether outcome from septic shock has similarly improved for cancer patients, with regard to implementation of recent adjuvant therapies. An 8-yr retrospective observational study. A 24-bed medical intensive care unit in a university hospital. Patients were 238 consecutive cancer patients (solid tumors or hematologic malignancies) with septic shock admitted to the intensive care unit within two consecutive 4-yr periods: 1998-2001 and 2002-2005. None. Septic shock occurred in 90 patients in 1998-2001 and 148 in 2002-2005. Management of septic shock between the two periods mostly differed by emergence of adjuvant therapies of sepsis (mainly low-dose glucocorticoids) and intensive insulin therapy and a more frequent use of renal replacement therapy in the recent period. Short-term survival rates were significantly higher during 2002-2005 compared with the previous 4-yr period: 28-day, intensive care unit, and hospital survival rates were 47.3% vs. 27.8% (p = .003), 41.2% vs. 26.7% (p = .02), and 36.5% vs. 21.1% (p = .01), respectively. After adjustment, intensive care unit admission between 2002 and 2005 was an independent favorable prognostic factor for short-term outcome. Improved survival was mainly observed in patients who did not require renal replacement therapy during their stay in the intensive care unit (hospital survival 65% in 2002-2005 vs. 21.4% in 1998-2001, p < .001). Improved outcome in critically ill cancer patients extended to the subgroup of patients with septic shock. This might be ascribed both to a better selection of patients and to improvements in the care and management, including new therapeutic strategies for sepsis.

Operational Management System for Regulated Water Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Loenen, A.; van Dijk, M.; van Verseveld, W.; Berger, H.

2012-04-01

Most of the Dutch large rivers, canals and lakes are controlled by the Dutch water authorities. The main reasons concern safety, navigation and fresh water supply. Historically the separate water bodies have been controlled locally. For optimizating management of these water systems an integrated approach was required. Presented is a platform which integrates data from all control objects for monitoring and control purposes. The Operational Management System for Regulated Water Systems (IWP) is an implementation of Delft-FEWS which supports operational control of water systems and actively gives advice. One of the main characteristics of IWP is that is real-time collects, transforms and presents different types of data, which all add to the operational water management. Next to that, hydrodynamic models and intelligent decision support tools are added to support the water managers during their daily control activities. An important advantage of IWP is that it uses the Delft-FEWS framework, therefore processes like central data collection, transformations, data processing and presentation are simply configured. At all control locations the same information is readily available. The operational water management itself gains from this information, but it can also contribute to cost efficiency (no unnecessary pumping), better use of available storage and advise during (water polution) calamities.

Transmission calculation and intensity suppression for a proton therapy system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wei; Yang, Jun; Qin, Bin; Liang, ZhiKai; Chen, Qushan; Liu, Kaifeng; Li, Dong; Fan, Mingwu

2018-02-01

A proton therapy project HUST-PTF (HUST Proton Therapy Facility) based on a 250 MeV isochronous superconducting cyclotron is under development in Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST). In this paper we report the main design features of the beam line in HUST-PTF project. The energy selection system (ESS) for energy modulation is discussed in detail, including the collimators, momentum slit and transmission calculation. Due to significant difference among the transmissions of ESS for different energies, the intensity suppression scheme by defocusing beam at high energies on collimators in the beam line is proposed and discussed. Finally, the ratios of beam intensities between low and high energies are expected to be controlled within 10 to meet the clinical requirement, and the beam optics of each energy step after intensity suppression is studied respectively.

SUPERFUND SOILS DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

This paper describes the Superfund Soil Data Management System (DMS), a PC-based data system being developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its effort to manage and evaluate treatment and performance data for contaminated soil, sludge, and debris. his system...

The positive financial impact of using an Intensive Care Information System in a tertiary Intensive Care Unit.

PubMed

Levesque, Eric; Hoti, Emir; de La Serna, Sofia; Habouchi, Houssam; Ichai, Philippe; Saliba, Faouzi; Samuel, Didier; Azoulay, Daniel

2013-03-01

In the French healthcare system, the intensive care budget allocated is directly dependent on the activity level of the center. To evaluate this activity level, it is necessary to code the medical diagnoses and procedures performed on Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of using an Intensive Care Information System (ICIS) on the incidence of coding errors and its impact on the ICU budget allocated. Since 2005, the documentation on and monitoring of every patient admitted to our ICU has been carried out using an ICIS. However, the coding process was performed manually until 2008. This study focused on two periods: the period of manual coding (year 2007) and the period of computerized coding (year 2008) which covered a total of 1403 ICU patients. The time spent on the coding process, the rate of coding errors (defined as patients missed/not coded or wrongly identified as undergoing major procedure/s) and the financial impact were evaluated for these two periods. With computerized coding, the time per admission decreased significantly (from 6.8 ± 2.8 min in 2007 to 3.6 ± 1.9 min in 2008, p<0.001). Similarly, a reduction in coding errors was observed (7.9% vs. 2.2%, p<0.001). This decrease in coding errors resulted in a reduced difference between the potential and real ICU financial supplements obtained in the respective years (€194,139 loss in 2007 vs. a €1628 loss in 2008). Using specific computer programs improves the intensive process of manual coding by shortening the time required as well as reducing errors, which in turn positively impacts the ICU budget allocation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Comprehensive System of Energy Intensity Indicators for the U.S.: Methods, Data and Key Trends

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

Belzer, D. B.

2014-08-01

This report describes a comprehensive system of energy intensity indicators for the United States that has been developed for the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) over the past decade. This system of indicators is hierarchical in nature, beginning with detailed indexes of energy intensity for various sectors of the economy, which are ultimately aggregated to an overall energy intensity index for the economy as a whole. The aggregation of energy intensity indexes to higher levels in the hierarchy is performed with a version of the Log Mean Divisia index (LMDI) method. Based upon themore » data and methods in the system of indicators, the economy-wide energy intensity index shows a decline of about 14% in 2011 relative to a 1985 base year.« less

Web-Based Evaluation System for Learning Management Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Momani, Alaa

2010-01-01

E-learning systems have become an issue in recent years. A learning management system (LMS) is an electronic environment helps the educational society to communicate, exchange information, manage, and schedule the learning process. This study has provided a web-based evaluation system that may help the users to choose the convenient system…

Configuration Management File Manager Developed for Numerical Propulsion System Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Follen, Gregory J.

1997-01-01

One of the objectives of the High Performance Computing and Communication Project's (HPCCP) Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) is to provide a common and consistent way to manage applications, data, and engine simulations. The NPSS Configuration Management (CM) File Manager integrated with the Common Desktop Environment (CDE) window management system provides a common look and feel for the configuration management of data, applications, and engine simulations for U.S. engine companies. In addition, CM File Manager provides tools to manage a simulation. Features include managing input files, output files, textual notes, and any other material normally associated with simulation. The CM File Manager includes a generic configuration management Application Program Interface (API) that can be adapted for the configuration management repositories of any U.S. engine company.

Managing geometric information with a data base management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dube, R. P.

1984-01-01

The strategies for managing computer based geometry are described. The computer model of geometry is the basis for communication, manipulation, and analysis of shape information. The research on integrated programs for aerospace-vehicle design (IPAD) focuses on the use of data base management system (DBMS) technology to manage engineering/manufacturing data. The objectives of IPAD is to develop a computer based engineering complex which automates the storage, management, protection, and retrieval of engineering data. In particular, this facility must manage geometry information as well as associated data. The approach taken on the IPAD project to achieve this objective is discussed. Geometry management in current systems and the approach taken in the early IPAD prototypes are examined.

20 CFR 632.76 - Program management systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Program management systems. 632.76 Section... management systems. (a) All Native American grantees shall establish management information systems to... for the overall management of all programs including: (1) Eligibility verification systems as...

GNSS-based emergency management system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yuhang; Chen, Xiuwan; Ma, Lei

2009-06-01

Public safety and public service is a particularly challenging task. The questions of how to use the limited resources efficiently, how to improve the Government's emergency rapid response and ability of risk resistance, and how to provide a more efficient emergency service for the public, have increasingly become the focus to strengthen urban management. Emergency Response Management System is a highly efficient and powerful command system dealing with natural and social disasters, by using all aspects of the force being gathered in a short period of time, sudden events can be handled efficiently, and further development of the incident can be controlled. In this paper, based on the analysis of development status of the emergency management system at home and abroad, and the key technologies of the emergency management system based on GNSS, research and development on emergency command system based on GNSS has been done. Meanwhile, test in Sichuan earthquake has also been carried out. Practice in Sichuan province earthquake relief work has proved that the emergency management command system based on GNSS can play the advantage function and exert the maximum potential, and can play the role of "lifeline" in the critical moment.

Advanced Distribution Management Systems | Grid Modernization | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Advanced Distribution Management Systems Advanced Distribution Management Systems Electric utilities are investing in updated grid technologies such as advanced distribution management systems to management testbed for cyber security in power systems. The "advanced" elements of advanced

Tank waste remediation system systems engineering management plan

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

Peck, L.G.

1998-01-08

This Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP) describes the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) implementation of the US Department of Energy (DOE) systems engineering policy provided in 97-IMSD-193. The SEMP defines the products, process, organization, and procedures used by the TWRS Project to implement the policy. The SEMP will be used as the basis for tailoring the systems engineering applications to the development of the physical systems and processes necessary to achieve the desired end states of the program. It is a living document that will be revised as necessary to reflect changes in systems engineering guidance as the program evolves.more » The US Department of Energy-Headquarters has issued program management guidance, DOE Order 430. 1, Life Cycle Asset Management, and associated Good Practice Guides that include substantial systems engineering guidance.« less

14 CFR § 1212.705 - System manager.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false System manager. § 1212.705 Section § 1212... NASA Authority and Responsibilities § 1212.705 System manager. (a) Each system manager is responsible for the following with regard to the system of records over which the system manager has cognizance...

Critical care nurses' decision making: sedation assessment and management in intensive care.

PubMed

Aitken, Leanne M; Marshall, Andrea P; Elliott, Rosalind; McKinley, Sharon

2009-01-01

This study was designed to examine the decision making processes that nurses use when assessing and managing sedation for a critically ill patient, specifically the attributes and concepts used to determine sedation needs and the influence of a sedation guideline on the decision making processes. Sedation management forms an integral component of the care of critical care patients. Despite this, there is little understanding of how nurses make decisions regarding assessment and management of intensive care patients' sedation requirements. Appropriate nursing assessment and management of sedation therapy is essential to quality patient care. Observational study. Nurses providing sedation management for a critically ill patient were observed and asked to think aloud during two separate occasions for two hours of care. Follow-up interviews were conducted to collect data from five expert critical care nurses pre- and postimplementation of a sedation guideline. Data from all sources were integrated, with data analysis identifying the type and number of attributes and concepts used to form decisions. Attributes and concepts most frequently used related to sedation and sedatives, anxiety and agitation, pain and comfort and neurological status. On average each participant raised 48 attributes related to sedation assessment and management in the preintervention phase and 57 attributes postintervention. These attributes related to assessment (pre, 58%; post, 65%), physiology (pre, 10%; post, 9%) and treatment (pre, 31%; post, 26%) aspects of care. Decision making in this setting is highly complex, incorporating a wide range of attributes that concentrate primarily on assessment aspects of care. Clinical guidelines should provide support for strategies known to positively influence practice. Further, the education of nurses to use such guidelines optimally must take into account the highly complex iterative process and wide range of data sources used to make decisions.

AOIPS water resources data management system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merritt, E. S.; Shotwell, R. L.; Place, M. C.; Belknap, N. J.

1976-01-01

A geocoded data management system applicable for hydrological applications was designed to demonstrate the utility of the Atmospheric and Oceanographic Information Processing System (AOIPS) for hydrological applications. Within that context, the geocoded hydrology data management system was designed to take advantage of the interactive capability of the AOIPS hardware. Portions of the Water Resource Data Management System which best demonstrate the interactive nature of the hydrology data management system were implemented on the AOIPS. A hydrological case study was prepared using all data supplied for the Bear River watershed located in northwest Utah, southeast Idaho, and western Wyoming.

Pakistan's health management information system: health managers' perspectives.

PubMed

Qazi, Muhammad Suleman; Ali, Moazzam

2009-01-01

To explore the perceptions of health managers regarding Health Management Information System (HMIS), within their organizational setting and in the context of decentralization process in Pakistan. Owing to the importance of HMIS as a decision making tool and the dependency for its effectiveness on the field-managers who are the key stake holders, a qualitative research was planned to explore, understand, and describe the perceptions of health managers regarding HMIS within their organizational setting in Pakistan. The study was carried out in seven selected districts in all provinces of Pakistan. The strengths highlighted were the sustainability of system even after suspension of funds from donors; vast coverage of over ten thousand health facilities, logistics and drug support systems. The weaknesses included scarcity of resources (i.e. skilled personnel and financial resources), contentious quality and underutilization of data; lack of motivation and feedback among health managers. There is a need to instigate organizational development and institutional strengthening initiatives. These may include defining the structure of organizations; specifying the roles, responsibilities and defining a career structure; managing resources; overhauling the training activity, right from needs assessment to evaluation; creating sense of responsibility; motivating the staff; giving incentives for good work and inculcating work ethics.

Safety Management Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fido, A. T.; Wood, D. O.

This document discusses the issues that need to be considered by the education and training system as it responds to the changing needs of industry in Great Britain. Following a general introduction, the development of quality management ideas is traced. The underlying principles of safety and risk management are clarified and the implications of…

Management of chest pain in the French emergency healthcare system: the prospective observational EPIDOULTHO study.

PubMed

Charpentier, Sandrine; Beaune, Sebastien; Joly, Luc Marie; Khoury, Abdo; Duchateau, François-Xavier; Briot, Raphael; Renaud, Bertrand; Ageron, François-Xavier

2017-07-18

The aim of this paper was to describe the epidemiology, and diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that emergency physicians use to manage patients presenting with chest pain at all three levels of the French emergency medical system - that is, dispatch centres (SAMUs: the medical emergency system), which operate the mobile intensive care units (MICUs), and hospitals' emergency departments (EDs), with a focus on acute coronary syndrome (ACS). All patients with chest pain who contacted a SAMU and/or were managed by a MICU and/or were admitted into an ED were included in a 1-day multicentre prospective study carried out in January 2013. Data on diagnostic and therapeutic management and disposition were collected. An in-hospital follow-up was performed. In total, 1339 patients were included: 537 from SAMU, 187 attended by a MICU and 615 in EDs. Diagnosing ACS was the main diagnostic strategy of the French emergency care system, diagnosed in 16% of SAMU patients, 25% of MICU patients and 10% of ED patients. Among patients calling the SAMU, 76 (14%) received only medical advice, 15 (8%) patients remained at home after being seen by a MICU and 454 (74%) were discharged from an ED. Management of chest pain at the three levels of the French medical emergency system is mainly oriented towards ruling out ACS. The strategy of diagnostic management is based on minimizing missed diagnoses of ACS.

The effect of three culture methods on intensive culture system of pacific white shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Zhen; Wan, Rong; Song, Xiefa; Gao, Lei

2013-09-01

Different culture methods may affect the intensive culture system of Pacific white shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei) regarding water quality and growth and economic performance. This study evaluated the potential effects of three culture methods through cultivation of juvenile shrimps under consistent tank management conditions for 84 d. The three methods involved shrimp cultivation in different tanks, i.e., outdoor tanks with cement bottom (mode-C), greenhouse tanks with cement bottom (mode-G) and outdoor tanks with mud-substrate (mode-M). Results showed that water temperature was significantly higher in mode-G than that in mode-C ( P < 0.05). In contrast to the other two treatments, mode-M had stable pH after 50 d cultivation of shrimps. In the mid-late period, the average concentrations of TAN, NO2-N, DIP and COD were significantly lower in mode-M and mode-G compared with those in mode-C ( P < 0.05). Despite lack of differences in the final shrimp weight among different treatments ( P > 0.05), mode-M had significantly higher shrimp yield, survival rate and feed conversion rate ( P < 0.05) than other modes. There were significant differences in revenue and net return among different treatments ( P < 0.05). These demonstrated that the treatments of mode-G and mode-M were conductive to the intensive culture system of L. vannamei.

Computer memory management system

DOEpatents

Kirk, III, Whitson John

2002-01-01

A computer memory management system utilizing a memory structure system of "intelligent" pointers in which information related to the use status of the memory structure is designed into the pointer. Through this pointer system, The present invention provides essentially automatic memory management (often referred to as garbage collection) by allowing relationships between objects to have definite memory management behavior by use of coding protocol which describes when relationships should be maintained and when the relationships should be broken. In one aspect, the present invention system allows automatic breaking of strong links to facilitate object garbage collection, coupled with relationship adjectives which define deletion of associated objects. In another aspect, The present invention includes simple-to-use infinite undo/redo functionality in that it has the capability, through a simple function call, to undo all of the changes made to a data model since the previous `valid state` was noted.

Investment threshold and management reflection for industrial system cleaning: a case for China.

PubMed

Fang, Yiping

2012-03-01

The recognition that industrial activity plays an essential role in a sustainable society is now widespread. To understand the causal relationship between industrial pollution abatement expenditure and industrial system cleaning level in China is of considerable importance, especially under extremely rapid industrial growth and serious pressure of industrial pollutants abatement context. We use composite index assessment method and regression analysis in this paper. We establish the mathematical model between composite industrial cleaner index and investment intensity for industrial pollutants abatement, and analyze the effects of industrial pollutants treatment and discharge indicators on composite industrial cleaner index in China. Results show that: (1) There is significant nonlinear relationship between composite industrial cleaner index and investment intensity for industrial pollutants abatement. (2) From single indicator perspective, the effect of investment intensity on pollutants treatment indicators is positively, on the contrary, the effect of investment intensity on pollutants discharge indicators is negatively; (3) From decomposition cleaner index perspective, the effect of pollutants discharge level (process control) is higher than pollutants treatment capacity (end-of-pipe) on composite industrial cleaner index; (4) There is threshold between investment intensity and composite cleaner industrial index, it is a crucial reference scale for industrial environmental management in selected period.

Resonant fluorescence for multilevel systems in intense nonmonochromatic fields: possibilities for applications in laser medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karagodova, Tamara Y.

1999-03-01

The theory of resonant fluorescence of multilevel system in two monochromatic intense laser fields has been applied for investigating the temporal decay of magnetic sublevels of an atom. As for two-level system the triplet of resonant fluorescence is observed, for real atom being the multilevel system the multiplet of resonant fluorescence can be observed. The excitation spectra, defining the intensities of lines in the multiplet of resonant fluorescence, and shifts of components of spectra are shown. Typical temporal dependence of fluorescence intensity for magnetic sublevels of an atom having different relaxation constants is shown. The computer simulation of resonant fluorescence for simple systems can help to understand the regularities in temporal decay curves of atherosclerotic plaque, malignant tumor compared to normal surrounding tissue.

A decision support system for adaptive real-time management ofseasonal wetlands in California

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

Quinn, Nigel W.T.; Hanna, W. Mark

This paper describes the development of a comprehensive flow and salinity monitoring system and application of a decision support system (DSS) to improve management of seasonal wetlands in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The Environmental Protection Agency regulates salinity discharges from non-point sources to the San Joaquin River using a procedure known as the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) to allocate the assimilative capacity of the River for salt among watershed sources. Management of wetland sources of salt load will require the development of monitoring systems, more integrative management strategies and coordination with other entities. To obtain local cooperationmore » the Grassland Water District, whose primary function is to supply surface water to private duck clubs and managed wetlands, needs to communicate to local landowners the likely impacts of salinity regulation on the long term health and function of wildfowl habitat. The project described in this paper will also provide this information. The models that form the backbone of the DSS develop salinity balances at both a regional and local scale. The regional scale concentrates on deliveries to and exports from the Grasland Water District while the local scale focuses on an individual wetland unit where more intensive monitoring is being conducted. The design of the DSS is constrained to meet the needs of busy wetland managers and is being designed from the bottom up utilizing tools and procedures familiar to these individuals.« less

JAX Colony Management System (JCMS): an extensible colony and phenotype data management system.

PubMed

Donnelly, Chuck J; McFarland, Mike; Ames, Abigail; Sundberg, Beth; Springer, Dave; Blauth, Peter; Bult, Carol J

2010-04-01

The Jackson Laboratory Colony Management System (JCMS) is a software application for managing data and information related to research mouse colonies, associated biospecimens, and experimental protocols. JCMS runs directly on computers that run one of the PC Windows operating systems, but can be accessed via web browser interfaces from any computer running a Windows, Macintosh, or Linux operating system. JCMS can be configured for a single user or multiple users in small- to medium-size work groups. The target audience for JCMS includes laboratory technicians, animal colony managers, and principal investigators. The application provides operational support for colony management and experimental workflows, sample and data tracking through transaction-based data entry forms, and date-driven work reports. Flexible query forms allow researchers to retrieve database records based on user-defined criteria. Recent advances in handheld computers with integrated barcode readers, middleware technologies, web browsers, and wireless networks add to the utility of JCMS by allowing real-time access to the database from any networked computer.

NICA project management information system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashashin, M. V.; Kekelidze, D. V.; Kostromin, S. A.; Korenkov, V. V.; Kuniaev, S. V.; Morozov, V. V.; Potrebenikov, Yu. K.; Trubnikov, G. V.; Philippov, A. V.

2016-09-01

The science projects growth, changing of the efficiency criteria during the project implementation require not only increasing of the management specialization level but also pose the problem of selecting the effective planning methods, monitoring of deadlines and interaction of participants involved in research projects. This paper is devoted to choosing the project management information system for the new heavy-ion collider NICA (Nuclotron based Ion Collider fAcility). We formulate the requirements for the project management information system with taking into account the specifics of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR, Dubna, Russia) as an international intergovernmental research organization, which is developed on the basis of a flexible and effective information system for the NICA project management.

Integrated Computer System of Management in Logistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chwesiuk, Krzysztof

2011-06-01

This paper aims at presenting a concept of an integrated computer system of management in logistics, particularly in supply and distribution chains. Consequently, the paper includes the basic idea of the concept of computer-based management in logistics and components of the system, such as CAM and CIM systems in production processes, and management systems for storage, materials flow, and for managing transport, forwarding and logistics companies. The platform which integrates computer-aided management systems is that of electronic data interchange.

Intensive care unit without walls: seeking patient safety by improving the efficiency of the system.

PubMed

Gordo, F; Abella, A

2014-10-01

The term "ICU without walls" refers to innovative management in Intensive Care, based on two key elements: (1) collaboration of all medical and nursing staff involved in patient care during hospitalization and (2) technological support for severity early detection protocols by identifying patients at risk of deterioration throughout the hospital, based on the assessment of vital signs and/or laboratory test values, with the clear aim of improving critical patient safety in the hospitalization process. At present, it can be affirmed that there is important work to be done in the detection of severity and early intervention in patients at risk of organ dysfunction. Such work must be adapted to the circumstances of each center and should include training in the detection of severity, multidisciplinary work in the complete patient clinical process, and the use of technological systems allowing intervention on the basis of monitored laboratory and physiological parameters, with effective and efficient use of the information generated. Not only must information be generated, but also efficient management of such information must also be achieved. It is necessary to improve our activity through innovation in management procedures that facilitate the work of the intensivist, in collaboration with other specialists, throughout the hospital environment. Innovation is furthermore required in the efficient management of the information generated in hospitals, through intelligent and directed usage of the new available technology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

A Comprehensive System of Energy Intensity Indicators for the U.S.: Methods, Data and Key Trends

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

Belzer, David B.

2014-08-31

This report describes a comprehensive system of energy intensity indicators for the United States that has been developed for the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) over the past decade. This system of indicators is hierarchical in nature, beginning with detailed indexes of energy intensity for various sectors of the economy, which are ultimately aggregated to an overall energy intensity index for the economy as a whole. The aggregation of energy intensity indexes to higher levels in the hierarchy is performed with a version of the Log Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method. Based upon themore » data and methods in the system of indicators, the economy-wide energy intensity index shows a decline of about 14% in 2010 relative to a 1985 base year. Discussion of energy intensity indicators for each of the broad end-use sectors of the economy—residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation—is presented in the report. An analysis of recent changes in the efficiency of electricity generation in the U.S. is also included. A detailed appendix describes the data sources and methodology behind the energy intensity indicators for each sector.« less

Cover crops in vegetable production systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Current vegetable production systems require an intensive amount Current vegetable production systems require an intensive amount of work and inputs, and if not properly managed could have detrimental effects on soil and the environment. Practices such as intensive tillage, increased herbicide use, ...

5 CFR 430.304 - SES performance management systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false SES performance management systems. 430... PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Managing Senior Executive Performance § 430.304 SES performance management systems. (a... or more performance management systems for its senior executives. (b) Performance management systems...

5 CFR 430.304 - SES performance management systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false SES performance management systems. 430... PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Managing Senior Executive Performance § 430.304 SES performance management systems. (a... or more performance management systems for its senior executives. (b) Performance management systems...

5 CFR 430.304 - SES performance management systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false SES performance management systems. 430... PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Managing Senior Executive Performance § 430.304 SES performance management systems. (a... or more performance management systems for its senior executives. (b) Performance management systems...

5 CFR 430.304 - SES performance management systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false SES performance management systems. 430... PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Managing Senior Executive Performance § 430.304 SES performance management systems. (a... or more performance management systems for its senior executives. (b) Performance management systems...

Uniform Food Service Management System.

DTIC Science & Technology

The study report contains an analysis of the management of food service within the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the military departments...Procedures and organizations which inhibit an optimum food service management system are discussed. Recommendations are made for the establishment of...a uniform food service management system in the Department of Defense which will be responsive to present day requirements in food service operations

[Hospital management of acute respiratory failure: the role of the pulmonologist and of the respiratory intensive care unit].

PubMed

Scala, Raffaele

2009-04-01

Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is one of the most common and severe urgencies of the modern medicine which may require the application of mechanical ventilation and a careful monitoring of the patient's conditions. With the popularity of non-invasive ventilation and the interest of the pulmonologist for the care of the respiratory critical patient, in Italy there has been the spreading of Respiratory Intensive Care Units (RICU), which are as intermediate specialist structures in terms of intensity of care between the General Intensive Care Unit and the ordinary ward. In this article, the author analysed the cultural, scientific and organizational aspects of the central role played by the pulmonologist who's working in the RICU in the complex intra-hospital multi-disciplinary management of ARF.

The importance of management information systems in a managed care environment.

PubMed

Porro, M R; Brill, K R

1995-06-01

Keys to successful information systems for home care providers are planning and control. With managed care's emphasis on data, agencies need to have information systems that can handle the demands managed care puts on agencies today--planning before hurrying to install a system will ensure control as the managed care contracts add up.

Towards evaluating the intensity of convective systems by using GPS radio occultation profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biondi, Riccardo; Steiner, Andrea K.; Kirchengast, Gottfried

2015-04-01

Deep convective systems, also more casually often just called storms, are destructive weather phenomena causing every year many deaths, injuries and damages and accounting for major economic losses in several countries. The number and intensity of such phenomena increased over the last decades in some areas of the globe, including Europe. Damages are mostly caused by strong winds and heavy rain and these parameters are strongly connected to the structure of the storm. Convection over land is usually stronger and deeper than over the ocean and some convective systems, known as supercells, also develop tornadoes through processes which are still mostly unclear. The intensity forecast and monitoring of convective systems is one of the major challenges for meteorology because in-situ measurements during extreme events are too sparse or not reliable and most ongoing satellite missions do not provide suitable time/space coverage. With this study we propose a new method for detecting the convection intensity in terms of rain rate and surface wind speed by using meteorological surface measurements in combination with atmospheric profiles from Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation observations, which are available in essentially all weather conditions and with global coverage. The analysis of models indicated a relationship between the cloud top altitude and the intensity of a storm. We thus use GPS radio occultation bending angle profiles for detecting the storm's cloud top altitude and we correlate this value to the rain rate and wind speed measured by meteorological station networks in two different regions, the WegenerNet climate station network (South-Eastern Styria, Austria) and the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement site (ARM, Southern Great Plains, USA), respectively. The results show a good correlation between the cloud top altitude and the maximum rain rate in the monitored areas, while this is not found for maximum wind speed. We conclude from this

Residential load management system

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

Uhr, C.W.

1986-03-01

The MAX load management system marketed by the UHR Corporation is described. The system completely replaces conventional heating, cooling, and hot water equipment. It is designed to reduce significantly the home's peak demand during the electric utility's system-wide peak load periods while at the same time maintain the homeowner's comfort. The integration of microprocessor, thermal storage, and heat pump technologies allows for broad flexibility in terms of tailoring the system to a specific electric utility's needs. Twelve pilot systems installed in Northern Virginia outside of Washington, DC have been operational since early 1985. The test results to date have confirmedmore » both the system's load management capability and its comfort improvement characteristics. The fundamental characteristics and hardware for the system are described. 9 figures.« less

20 CFR 632.76 - Program management systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... NATIVE AMERICAN EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS Program Design and Management § 632.76 Program management systems. (a) All Native American grantees shall establish management information systems to... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Program management systems. 632.76 Section...

Management and control of self-replicating systems: A systems model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vontiesenhausen, G.

1982-01-01

In 1980, a conceptual engineering approach to self-replicating systems was achieved. The design was based on von Newmann's kinematic version of self-replicating automata. The systems management and control and the organization of the control elements are reported. After developing the functional requirements of such a system, a hierarchy of three management and control levels is described. These are an autonomous, an external, and an intelligent management and control system. Systems recycling, systems specialization, and information replication are discussed.

Taking global scale data handling to the Fermilab intensity frontier

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

Lyon, Adam L.; Illingworth, Robert A.; Mengel, Marc

2012-01-01

SAM is a comprehensive data management system used by the Tevatron Run II experiments with great success. The newest experiments at Fermilab, the Intensity Frontier experiments, are currently lacking such a system. In these proceedings, the advantages of using SAM for these experiments is discussed. Two improvements to SAM, namely SAMWeb and SAMfs are described. These improvements will make SAM much easier to integrate, deploy, maintain, and use.

Site-specific nutrient management systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Site-specific nutrient management systems were created to manage for spatial and temporal variability in biophysical factors that determine the availability and demand of crop nutrients. These systems differ among geographical regions in the information utilized and way they operate to accomplish th...

Y-12 Integrated Materials Management System

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

Alspaugh, D. H.; Hickerson, T. W.

2002-06-03

The Integrated Materials Management System, when fully implemented, will provide the Y-12 National Security Complex with advanced inventory information and analysis capabilities and enable effective assessment, forecasting and management of nuclear materials, critical non-nuclear materials, and certified supplies. These capabilities will facilitate future Y-12 stockpile management work, enhance interfaces to existing National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) corporate-level information systems, and enable interfaces to planned NNSA systems. In the current national nuclear defense environment where, for example, weapons testing is not permitted, material managers need better, faster, more complete information about material properties and characteristics. They now must manage non-special nuclearmore » material at the same high-level they have managed SNM, and information capabilities about both must be improved. The full automation and integration of business activities related to nuclear and non-nuclear materials that will be put into effect by the Integrated Materials Management System (IMMS) will significantly improve and streamline the process of providing vital information to Y-12 and NNSA managers. This overview looks at the kinds of information improvements targeted by the IMMS project, related issues, the proposed information architecture, and the progress to date in implementing the system.« less

Software And Systems Engineering Risk Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

RSKM 2004 COSO Enterprise RSKM Framework 2006 ISO/IEC 16085 Risk Management Process 2008 ISO/IEC 12207 Software Lifecycle Processes 2009 ISO/IEC...1 Software And Systems Engineering Risk Management John Walz VP Technical and Conferences Activities, IEEE Computer Society Vice-Chair Planning...Software & Systems Engineering Standards Committee, IEEE Computer Society US TAG to ISO TMB Risk Management Working Group Systems and Software

Horizon: The Portable, Scalable, and Reusable Framework for Developing Automated Data Management and Product Generation Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, T.; Alarcon, C.; Quach, N. T.

2014-12-01

Capture, curate, and analysis are the typical activities performed at any given Earth Science data center. Modern data management systems must be adaptable to heterogeneous science data formats, scalable to meet the mission's quality of service requirements, and able to manage the life-cycle of any given science data product. Designing a scalable data management doesn't happen overnight. It takes countless hours of refining, refactoring, retesting, and re-architecting. The Horizon data management and workflow framework, developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is a portable, scalable, and reusable framework for developing high-performance data management and product generation workflow systems to automate data capturing, data curation, and data analysis activities. The NASA's Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PO.DAAC)'s Data Management and Archive System (DMAS) is its core data infrastructure that handles capturing and distribution of hundreds of thousands of satellite observations each day around the clock. DMAS is an application of the Horizon framework. The NASA Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) is NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS)'s solution for making high-resolution global imageries available to the science communities. The Imagery Exchange (TIE), an application of the Horizon framework, is a core subsystem for GIBS responsible for data capturing and imagery generation automation to support the EOSDIS' 12 distributed active archive centers and 17 Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS). This presentation discusses our ongoing effort in refining, refactoring, retesting, and re-architecting the Horizon framework to enable data-intensive science and its applications.

A Wireless Sensor Network-Based Ubiquitous Paprika Growth Management System

PubMed Central

Hwang, Jeonghwan; Shin, Changsun; Yoe, Hyun

2010-01-01

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) technology can facilitate advances in productivity, safety and human quality of life through its applications in various industries. In particular, the application of WSN technology to the agricultural area, which is labor-intensive compared to other industries, and in addition is typically lacking in IT technology applications, adds value and can increase the agricultural productivity. This study attempts to establish a ubiquitous agricultural environment and improve the productivity of farms that grow paprika by suggesting a ‘Ubiquitous Paprika Greenhouse Management System’ using WSN technology. The proposed system can collect and monitor information related to the growth environment of crops outside and inside paprika greenhouses by installing WSN sensors and monitoring images captured by CCTV cameras. In addition, the system provides a paprika greenhouse environment control facility for manual and automatic control from a distance, improves the convenience and productivity of users, and facilitates an optimized environment to grow paprika based on the growth environment data acquired by operating the system. PMID:22163543

Evolution from safety management system (SMS) to HSE MS: Incorporating health aspects into the HSE management system

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

Jong, G. de

1996-12-31

There is increasing recognition within the E&P industry that protection and promotion of the health of people at work is more than taking care of individual health. It is an organizational issue which can be managed using the same principles as for safety and environment. The synergy`s with safety and environmental management provide the link with the management system. However line managers need to under the critical Health issues: what are they are they relevant? How do we manage them? what are the standards? What are the management tools to be used? How do we monitor performance? What is themore » role of the line? What is the role of the health advisers? What training and competencies are needed for health management? What are the benefits? These questions have to be clarified before acceptance can be achieved for full integration of Health aspects into the HSE Management System. Health Risk Assessment was developed as a tool for systematic identification and assessment of health hazards and risks. It specifies the need for and type of controls and recovery measures, which can subsequently be incorporated in HSE Management System and HSE Cases. Our experience to date indicates that Health can successfully be integrated in HSE Management Systems and HSE Cases by using the same principles as developed for Safety Management Systems and Safety Cases. There are still many problems which need to be addressed but the methodology used appears to be sound and will eventually enhance line management understanding of the health management aspects relevant to the E&P Industry.« less

Gregorian optical system with non-linear optical technology for protection against intense optical transients

DOEpatents

Ackermann, Mark R [Albuquerque, NM; Diels, Jean-Claude M [Albuquerque, NM

2007-06-26

An optical system comprising a concave primary mirror reflects light through an intermediate focus to a secondary mirror. The secondary mirror re-focuses the image to a final image plane. Optical limiter material is placed near the intermediate focus to optically limit the intensity of light so that downstream components of the optical system are protected from intense optical transients. Additional lenses before and/or after the intermediate focus correct optical aberrations.

I-15 integrated corridor management system : project management plan.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-06-01

The Project Management Plan (PMP) assists the San Diego ICM Team by defining a procedural framework for management and control of the I-15 Integrated Corridor Management Demonstration Project, and development and deployment of the ICM System. The PMP...

Effect of 26 Years of Intensively Managed Carya cathayensis Stands on Soil Organic Carbon and Fertility

PubMed Central

Wu, Jiasen; Huang, Jianqin; Liu, Dan; Li, Jianwu; Zhang, Jinchi; Wang, Hailong

2014-01-01

Chinese hickory (Carya cathayensis), a popular nut food tree species, is mainly distributed in southeastern China. A field study was carried out to investigate the effect of long-term intensive management on fertility of soils under a C. cathayensis forest. Results showed that after 26 years' intensive management, the soil organic carbon (SOC) content of the A and B horizons reduced by 19% and 14%, respectively. The reduced components of SOC are mainly the alkyl C and O-alkyl C, whereas the aromatic C and carbonyl C remain unchanged. The reduction of active organic matter could result in degradation of soil fertility. The pH value of soil in the A horizon had dropped by 0.7 units on average. The concentrations of the major nutrients also showed a decreasing trend. On average the concentrations of total nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) of tested soils dropped by 21.8%, 7.6%, and 13.6%, respectively, in the A horizon. To sustain the soil fertility and C. cathayensis production, it is recommended that more organic fertilizers (manures) should be used together with chemical fertilizers. Lime should also be applied to reduce soil acidity. PMID:24558339

Effect of 26 years of intensively managed Carya cathayensis stands on soil organic carbon and fertility.

PubMed

Wu, Jiasen; Huang, Jianqin; Liu, Dan; Li, Jianwu; Zhang, Jinchi; Wang, Hailong

2014-01-01

Chinese hickory (Carya cathayensis), a popular nut food tree species, is mainly distributed in southeastern China. A field study was carried out to investigate the effect of long-term intensive management on fertility of soils under a C. cathayensis forest. Results showed that after 26 years' intensive management, the soil organic carbon (SOC) content of the A and B horizons reduced by 19% and 14%, respectively. The reduced components of SOC are mainly the alkyl C and O-alkyl C, whereas the aromatic C and carbonyl C remain unchanged. The reduction of active organic matter could result in degradation of soil fertility. The pH value of soil in the A horizon had dropped by 0.7 units on average. The concentrations of the major nutrients also showed a decreasing trend. On average the concentrations of total nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) of tested soils dropped by 21.8%, 7.6%, and 13.6%, respectively, in the A horizon. To sustain the soil fertility and C. cathayensis production, it is recommended that more organic fertilizers (manures) should be used together with chemical fertilizers. Lime should also be applied to reduce soil acidity.

Computer-Managed Instruction: State of the Art.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bozeman, William C.

1979-01-01

Summarizes the findings of a report on the current status of systems of computer-managed instruction (CMI). Five systems are reviewed intensively and seventeen others are described briefly. CMI appears to offer potential as a management device but little conclusive evidence exists concerning cost-effectiveness or impact on student achievement.…

23 CFR 970.204 - Management systems requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... the management systems and their associated databases; and (5) A process for data collection, processing, analysis and updating for each management system. (d) All management systems will use databases with a geographical reference system that can be used to geolocate all database information. (e...

23 CFR 970.204 - Management systems requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... the management systems and their associated databases; and (5) A process for data collection, processing, analysis and updating for each management system. (d) All management systems will use databases with a geographical reference system that can be used to geolocate all database information. (e...

23 CFR 970.204 - Management systems requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... the management systems and their associated databases; and (5) A process for data collection, processing, analysis and updating for each management system. (d) All management systems will use databases with a geographical reference system that can be used to geolocate all database information. (e...

23 CFR 970.204 - Management systems requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... the management systems and their associated databases; and (5) A process for data collection, processing, analysis and updating for each management system. (d) All management systems will use databases with a geographical reference system that can be used to geolocate all database information. (e...

The mechanism and theoretical basis of the management of intensity of the heat transfer control through periodic influences on the turbulent boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovalnogov, Vladislav N.; Fedorov, Ruslan V.; Khakhaleva, Larisa V.; Chukalin, Andrey V.; Bondarenko, Aleksandr A.; Kovrizhnykh, Evgeny N.

2017-07-01

Generalization of classical model of a displacement way on the transfer of heat exchange and mass exchange of a stream in the boundary layer, confirmed by the control action of the different nature, is undertaken. Here are given the results of numerical research which have allowed explaining the mechanism, to reveal efficiency and limits of various ways of management of intensity in exchange processes. The possibility of management of intensity in processes of a thermolysis and friction by use of the perforated surface with the damping cavities is analyzed.

Hybrid power management system and method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichenberg, Dennis J. (Inventor)

2007-01-01

A system and method for hybrid power management. The system includes photovoltaic cells, ultracapacitors, and pulse generators. In one embodiment, the hybrid power management system is used to provide power for a highway safety flasher.

Hybrid Power Management System and Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichenberg, Dennis J. (Inventor)

2008-01-01

A system and method for hybrid power management. The system includes photovoltaic cells, ultracapacitors, and pulse generators. In one embodiment, the hybrid power management system is used to provide power for a highway safety flasher.

Diagnosis and management of tetanus outside the intensive care unit: a case report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bravo, T. E.; Siregar, M. L.; Jamil, K. F.

2018-03-01

Tetanus is an acute, toxin-mediated disease caused by Clostridium tetani infection. Under favorable anaerobic conditions, such as in the unclean environment, necrotic wounds, this ubiquitous bacillus may produce tetanospasmin, an extremely potent neurotoxin. A 38-year-old man was admitted to an emergency room, at Zainoel Abidin General Hospital, with the main complaint of back-muscle stiffness. Based on physical examination, he was fully alert with a slightly rapid breathing, trismus with the maximum oral cavity opening was only about one finger width, but rhisus sardonicus was not evident. Ten days before admission, while gardening, his left foot accidentally stabbed by wooden tree stake. We immediately started a single dose of tetanus immunoglobulin followed by intravenous metronidazole, penicillin G, and intravenous diazepam. Tetanus diagnosed by physical clinical finding. The management of tetanus patients including the use of immunoglobulin and antibiotic therapy, analgesia, sedation and neuromuscular blockade management and mechanical ventilation, the care was delivered outside the Intensive care unit.

Information management systems for pharmacogenomics.

PubMed

Thallinger, Gerhard G; Trajanoski, Slave; Stocker, Gernot; Trajanoski, Zlatko

2002-09-01

The value of high-throughput genomic research is dramatically enhanced by association with key patient data. These data are generally available but of disparate quality and not typically directly associated. A system that could bring these disparate data sources into a common resource connected with functional genomic data would be tremendously advantageous. However, the integration of clinical and accurate interpretation of the generated functional genomic data requires the development of information management systems capable of effectively capturing the data as well as tools to make that data accessible to the laboratory scientist or to the clinician. In this review these challenges and current information technology solutions associated with the management, storage and analysis of high-throughput data are highlighted. It is suggested that the development of a pharmacogenomic data management system which integrates public and proprietary databases, clinical datasets, and data mining tools embedded in a high-performance computing environment should include the following components: parallel processing systems, storage technologies, network technologies, databases and database management systems (DBMS), and application services.

Reducing Risk in DoD Software-Intensive Systems Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

intensive systems development risk. This research addresses the use of the Technical Readiness Assessment (TRA) using the nine-level software Technology...The software TRLs are ineffective in reducing technical risk for the software component development. • Without the software TRLs, there is no...effective method to perform software TRA or reduce the technical development risk. The software component will behave as a new, untried technology in nearly

Virtual Network Configuration Management System for Data Center Operations and Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okita, Hideki; Yoshizawa, Masahiro; Uehara, Keitaro; Mizuno, Kazuhiko; Tarui, Toshiaki; Naono, Ken

Virtualization technologies are widely deployed in data centers to improve system utilization. However, they increase the workload for operators, who have to manage the structure of virtual networks in data centers. A virtual-network management system which automates the integration of the configurations of the virtual networks is provided. The proposed system collects the configurations from server virtualization platforms and VLAN-supported switches, and integrates these configurations according to a newly developed XML-based management information model for virtual-network configurations. Preliminary evaluations show that the proposed system helps operators by reducing the time to acquire the configurations from devices and correct the inconsistency of operators' configuration management database by about 40 percent. Further, they also show that the proposed system has excellent scalability; the system takes less than 20 minutes to acquire the virtual-network configurations from a large scale network that includes 300 virtual machines. These results imply that the proposed system is effective for improving the configuration management process for virtual networks in data centers.

23 CFR 971.204 - Management systems requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... maintain the management systems and their associated databases; and (5) A process for data collection, processing, analysis, and updating for each management system. (c) All management systems will use databases with a common or coordinated reference system, that can be used to geolocate all database information...

23 CFR 971.204 - Management systems requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... maintain the management systems and their associated databases; and (5) A process for data collection, processing, analysis, and updating for each management system. (c) All management systems will use databases with a common or coordinated reference system, that can be used to geolocate all database information...

23 CFR 971.204 - Management systems requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... maintain the management systems and their associated databases; and (5) A process for data collection, processing, analysis, and updating for each management system. (c) All management systems will use databases with a common or coordinated reference system, that can be used to geolocate all database information...

23 CFR 971.204 - Management systems requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... maintain the management systems and their associated databases; and (5) A process for data collection, processing, analysis, and updating for each management system. (c) All management systems will use databases with a common or coordinated reference system, that can be used to geolocate all database information...

Sewer System Management Plan.

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

Holland, Robert C.

A Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) is required by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Order No. 2006-0003-DWQ Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) for Sanitary Sewer Systems (General Permit). DOE, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Sandia Field Office has filed a Notice of Intent to be covered under this General Permit. The General Permit requires a proactive approach to reduce the number and frequency of sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) within the State. SSMPs must include provisions to provide proper and efficient management, operation, and maintenance of sanitary sewer systems and must contain a spill response plan.

10 CFR 600.323 - Property management system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Property management system. 600.323 Section 600.323 Energy....323 Property management system. The recipient's property management system must include the following... existence, current utilization, and continued need for the property. (d) A control system must be in effect...

10 CFR 600.323 - Property management system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Property management system. 600.323 Section 600.323 Energy....323 Property management system. The recipient's property management system must include the following... existence, current utilization, and continued need for the property. (d) A control system must be in effect...

A Randomized Trial of Contingency Management for Smoking Cessation During Intensive Outpatient Alcohol Treatment.

PubMed

Cooney, Judith L; Cooper, Sharon; Grant, Christoffer; Sevarino, Kevin; Krishnan-Sarin, Suchitra; Gutierrez, Ian A; Cooney, Ned L

2017-01-01

This randomized clinical trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of contingency management (CM) for smoking cessation for smokers with alcohol abuse or dependence delivered concurrently with intensive outpatient alcohol treatment. The study also explored the indirect effects of CM smoking treatment and smoking cessation on alcohol and drug use outcomes. Alcohol abuse/dependent smokers were randomized to cognitive behavioral therapy plus nicotine replacement therapy plus contingency management (CBT+NRT+CM) or to cognitive behavior therapy plus nicotine replacement therapy (CBT+NRT) delivered concurrent with a three-week intensive outpatient alcohol treatment program. Participants in the CBT+NRT+CM condition were significantly more likely to be cigarette abstinent at the end of treatment (χ 2 (1)=8.48, p=.004) with approximately double the carbon monoxide confirmed quit rate (60%) compared with the CBT+NRT condition (29%). At the one-month and six-month time-points there were nonsignificant differences in smoking abstinence outcomes by condition. Smoking treatment condition did not directly affect alcohol abstinence outcomes, but we observed an indirect effect of smoking treatment on alcohol and drug abstinence at one-month follow-up that was mediated by smoking cessation at the end of treatment. Adding CM to an evidence-based smoking cessation treatment that included medication and behavioral counseling doubled the quit rate at the end of treatment. This finding provides strong evidence for the efficacy of CM for helping alcohol dependent smokers reach the milestone of initial smoking abstinence. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Air Program Information Management System (APIMS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-02

Technology November 2, 2011 The Air Program Information Management System (APIMS) Frank Castaneda, III, P.E. APIMS Program Manager AFCEE/TDNQ APIMS...NOV 2011 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2011 to 00-00-2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE The Air Program Information Management System (APIMS... Information   Management   System : Sustainability of  Enterprise air quality management system • Aspects and Impacts to Process • Auditing and Measurement

Iterative management of heat early warning systems in a changing climate.

PubMed

Hess, Jeremy J; Ebi, Kristie L

2016-10-01

Extreme heat is a leading weather-related cause of morbidity and mortality, with heat exposure becoming more widespread, frequent, and intense as climates change. The use of heat early warning and response systems (HEWSs) that integrate weather forecasts with risk assessment, communication, and reduction activities is increasingly widespread. HEWSs are frequently touted as an adaptation to climate change, but little attention has been paid to the question of how best to ensure effectiveness of HEWSs as climates change further. In this paper, we discuss findings showing that HEWSs satisfy the tenets of an intervention that facilitates adaptation, but climate change poses challenges infrequently addressed in heat action plans, particularly changes in the onset, duration, and intensity of dangerously warm temperatures, and changes over time in the relationships between temperature and health outcomes. Iterative management should be central to a HEWS, and iteration cycles should be of 5 years or less. Climate change adaptation and implementation science research frameworks can be used to identify HEWS modifications to improve their effectiveness as temperature continues to rise, incorporating scientific insights and new understanding of effective interventions. We conclude that, at a minimum, iterative management activities should involve planned reassessment at least every 5 years of hazard distribution, population-level vulnerability, and HEWS effectiveness. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

LTAR information management: Six examples of data intensive work at site and network levels

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Information systems for managing research data from the Long-term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) program are implemented at site and network levels. Different information management tools are necessary to manage a variety of data types. There is no one-size fits all solution for managing all LTAR dat...

32 CFR 34.23 - Property management system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Property management system. 34.23 Section 34.23... Requirements Property Standards § 34.23 Property management system. The recipient's property management system... control system shall be in effect to insure adequate safeguards to prevent loss, damage, or theft of the...

32 CFR 34.23 - Property management system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Property management system. 34.23 Section 34.23... Requirements Property Standards § 34.23 Property management system. The recipient's property management system... control system shall be in effect to insure adequate safeguards to prevent loss, damage, or theft of the...

36 CFR 212.5 - Road system management.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... safety or to environmental degradation. (c) Cost recovery on National Forest System roads. The Chief may... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Road system management. 212.5... MANAGEMENT Administration of the Forest Transportation System § 212.5 Road system management. (a) Traffic...

Development of Participative Management System in Learning Environment Management for Small Sized Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernthaisong, Prasertsak; Sirisuthi, Chaiyuth; Wisetrinthong, Kanjana

2017-01-01

The research aimed to: 1) study the factors of a participative management system in learning environment management, 2) study the current situation, desirable outcomes, and further needs for developing a participative management system in learning management, 3) develop a working participative management system, and 4) assess the system's…

NASA's Risk Management System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perera, Jeevan S.

2013-01-01

Phased-approach for implementation of risk management is necessary. Risk management system will be simple, accessible and promote communication of information to all relevant stakeholders for optimal resource allocation and risk mitigation. Risk management should be used by all team members to manage risks - not just risk office personnel. Each group/department is assigned Risk Integrators who are facilitators for effective risk management. Risks will be managed at the lowest-level feasible, elevate only those risks that require coordination or management from above. Risk informed decision making should be introduced to all levels of management. ? Provide necessary checks and balances to insure that risks are caught/identified and dealt with in a timely manner. Many supporting tools, processes & training must be deployed for effective risk management implementation. Process improvement must be included in the risk processes.

Integrated Systems Health Management for Intelligent Systems