Factors concerned with sanitary landfill site selection: General discussion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graff, W. J.; Stone, L. J.

1972-01-01

A general view of factors affecting site selection for sanitary landfill sites is presented. Examinations were made of operational methods, possible environment pollution, types of waste to be disposed, base and cover materials, and the economics involved in the operation.

Developing proactive methods for general aviation data collection

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-11-01

Introduction. Over the last 20 years, nearly 40,000 general aviation (GA) aircraft were involved in accidents, : roughly 20% of which were fatal. To address this safety concern, scientists have often relied on accident data. : Because of the rare nat...

24 CFR 941.102 - Development methods and funding.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... the staff of the PHA perform the work. (4) Mixed-finance. This method involves financing from both... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Development methods and funding... URBAN DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT General § 941.102 Development methods and funding. (a...

Systems and methods for producing metal clusters; functionalized surfaces; and droplets including solvated metal ions

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

Cooks, Robert Graham; Li, Anyin; Luo, Qingjie

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for producing metal clusters; functionalized surfaces; and droplets including solvated metal ions. In certain aspects, the invention provides methods that involve providing a metal and a solvent. The methods additionally involve applying voltage to the solvated metal to thereby produce solvent droplets including ions of the metal containing compound, and directing the solvent droplets including the metal ions to a target. In certain embodiments, once at the target, the metal ions can react directly or catalyze reactions.

Systems and methods for producing metal clusters; functionalized surfaces; and droplets including solvated metal ions

DOEpatents

Cooks, Robert Graham; Li, Anyin; Luo, Qingjie

2017-01-24

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for producing metal clusters; functionalized surfaces; and droplets including solvated metal ions. In certain aspects, the invention provides methods that involve providing a metal and a solvent. The methods additionally involve applying voltage to the solvated metal to thereby produce solvent droplets including ions of the metal containing compound, and directing the solvent droplets including the metal ions to a target. In certain embodiments, once at the target, the metal ions can react directly or catalyze reactions.

Microorganism genomics, compositions and methods related thereto

DOEpatents

Handelsman, Jo; Goodman, Robert M.; Rondon, Michelle R.

2001-01-01

The present invention provides methods and compositions for accessing, in a generally unbaised manner, a diverse genetic pool for genes involved in biosynthetic pathways. The invention also provides compounds which can be identified by cloning biosynthetic pathways.

Sensitivity analysis and approximation methods for general eigenvalue problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murthy, D. V.; Haftka, R. T.

1986-01-01

Optimization of dynamic systems involving complex non-hermitian matrices is often computationally expensive. Major contributors to the computational expense are the sensitivity analysis and reanalysis of a modified design. The present work seeks to alleviate this computational burden by identifying efficient sensitivity analysis and approximate reanalysis methods. For the algebraic eigenvalue problem involving non-hermitian matrices, algorithms for sensitivity analysis and approximate reanalysis are classified, compared and evaluated for efficiency and accuracy. Proper eigenvector normalization is discussed. An improved method for calculating derivatives of eigenvectors is proposed based on a more rational normalization condition and taking advantage of matrix sparsity. Important numerical aspects of this method are also discussed. To alleviate the problem of reanalysis, various approximation methods for eigenvalues are proposed and evaluated. Linear and quadratic approximations are based directly on the Taylor series. Several approximation methods are developed based on the generalized Rayleigh quotient for the eigenvalue problem. Approximation methods based on trace theorem give high accuracy without needing any derivatives. Operation counts for the computation of the approximations are given. General recommendations are made for the selection of appropriate approximation technique as a function of the matrix size, number of design variables, number of eigenvalues of interest and the number of design points at which approximation is sought.

40 CFR 63.90 - Program overview.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... calibration gases or test cells; (4) Use of an analytical technology that differs from that specified by a... “proven technology” (generally accepted by the scientific community as equivalent or better) that is... enforceable test method involving “proven technology” (generally accepted by the scientific community as...

40 CFR 63.90 - Program overview.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... calibration gases or test cells; (4) Use of an analytical technology that differs from that specified by a... “proven technology” (generally accepted by the scientific community as equivalent or better) that is... enforceable test method involving “proven technology” (generally accepted by the scientific community as...

40 CFR 63.90 - Program overview.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... calibration gases or test cells; (4) Use of an analytical technology that differs from that specified by a... “proven technology” (generally accepted by the scientific community as equivalent or better) that is... enforceable test method involving “proven technology” (generally accepted by the scientific community as...

Covariant conserved currents for scalar-tensor Horndeski theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, J.; Bičák, J.

2018-04-01

The scalar-tensor theories have become popular recently in particular in connection with attempts to explain present accelerated expansion of the universe, but they have been considered as a natural extension of general relativity long time ago. The Horndeski scalar-tensor theory involving four invariantly defined Lagrangians is a natural choice since it implies field equations involving at most second derivatives. Following the formalisms of defining covariant global quantities and conservation laws for perturbations of spacetimes in standard general relativity, we extend these methods to the general Horndeski theory and find the covariant conserved currents for all four Lagrangians. The current is also constructed in the case of linear perturbations involving both metric and scalar fields. As a specific illustration, we derive a superpotential that leads to the covariantly conserved current in the Branse-Dicke theory.

Local Discontinuous Galerkin Methods for Partial Differential Equations with Higher Order Derivatives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yan, Jue; Shu, Chi-Wang; Bushnell, Dennis M. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

In this paper we review the existing and develop new continuous Galerkin methods for solving time dependent partial differential equations with higher order derivatives in one and multiple space dimensions. We review local discontinuous Galerkin methods for convection diffusion equations involving second derivatives and for KdV type equations involving third derivatives. We then develop new local discontinuous Galerkin methods for the time dependent bi-harmonic type equations involving fourth derivatives, and partial differential equations involving fifth derivatives. For these new methods we present correct interface numerical fluxes and prove L(exp 2) stability for general nonlinear problems. Preliminary numerical examples are shown to illustrate these methods. Finally, we present new results on a post-processing technique, originally designed for methods with good negative-order error estimates, on the local discontinuous Galerkin methods applied to equations with higher derivatives. Numerical experiments show that this technique works as well for the new higher derivative cases, in effectively doubling the rate of convergence with negligible additional computational cost, for linear as well as some nonlinear problems, with a local uniform mesh.

Traditional and Cognitive Job Analyses as Tools for Understanding the Skills Gap.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanser, Lawrence M.

Traditional methods of job and task analysis may be categorized as worker-oriented methods focusing on general human behaviors performed by workers in jobs or as job-oriented methods focusing on the technologies involved in jobs. The ability of both types of traditional methods to identify, understand, and communicate the skills needed in high…

Man-systems evaluation of moving base vehicle simulation motion cues. [human acceleration perception involving visual feedback

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirkpatrick, M.; Brye, R. G.

1974-01-01

A motion cue investigation program is reported that deals with human factor aspects of high fidelity vehicle simulation. General data on non-visual motion thresholds and specific threshold values are established for use as washout parameters in vehicle simulation. A general purpose similator is used to test the contradictory cue hypothesis that acceleration sensitivity is reduced during a vehicle control task involving visual feedback. The simulator provides varying acceleration levels. The method of forced choice is based on the theory of signal detect ability.

Conformal mapping for multiple terminals

PubMed Central

Wang, Weimin; Ma, Wenying; Wang, Qiang; Ren, Hao

2016-01-01

Conformal mapping is an important mathematical tool that can be used to solve various physical and engineering problems in many fields, including electrostatics, fluid mechanics, classical mechanics, and transformation optics. It is an accurate and convenient way to solve problems involving two terminals. However, when faced with problems involving three or more terminals, which are more common in practical applications, existing conformal mapping methods apply assumptions or approximations. A general exact method does not exist for a structure with an arbitrary number of terminals. This study presents a conformal mapping method for multiple terminals. Through an accurate analysis of boundary conditions, additional terminals or boundaries are folded into the inner part of a mapped region. The method is applied to several typical situations, and the calculation process is described for two examples of an electrostatic actuator with three electrodes and of a light beam splitter with three ports. Compared with previously reported results, the solutions for the two examples based on our method are more precise and general. The proposed method is helpful in promoting the application of conformal mapping in analysis of practical problems. PMID:27830746

Application of a boundary element method to the study of dynamical torsion of beams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Czekajski, C.; Laroze, S.; Gay, D.

1982-01-01

During dynamic torsion of beam elements, consideration of nonuniform warping effects involves a more general technical formulation then that of Saint-Venant. Nonclassical torsion constants appear in addition to the well known torsional rigidity. The adaptation of the boundary integral element method to the calculation of these constants for general section shapes is described. The suitability of the formulation is investigated with some examples of thick as well as thin walled cross sections.

A regularization corrected score method for nonlinear regression models with covariate error.

PubMed

Zucker, David M; Gorfine, Malka; Li, Yi; Tadesse, Mahlet G; Spiegelman, Donna

2013-03-01

Many regression analyses involve explanatory variables that are measured with error, and failing to account for this error is well known to lead to biased point and interval estimates of the regression coefficients. We present here a new general method for adjusting for covariate error. Our method consists of an approximate version of the Stefanski-Nakamura corrected score approach, using the method of regularization to obtain an approximate solution of the relevant integral equation. We develop the theory in the setting of classical likelihood models; this setting covers, for example, linear regression, nonlinear regression, logistic regression, and Poisson regression. The method is extremely general in terms of the types of measurement error models covered, and is a functional method in the sense of not involving assumptions on the distribution of the true covariate. We discuss the theoretical properties of the method and present simulation results in the logistic regression setting (univariate and multivariate). For illustration, we apply the method to data from the Harvard Nurses' Health Study concerning the relationship between physical activity and breast cancer mortality in the period following a diagnosis of breast cancer. Copyright © 2013, The International Biometric Society.

Systems of Inhomogeneous Linear Equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scherer, Philipp O. J.

Many problems in physics and especially computational physics involve systems of linear equations which arise e.g. from linearization of a general nonlinear problem or from discretization of differential equations. If the dimension of the system is not too large standard methods like Gaussian elimination or QR decomposition are sufficient. Systems with a tridiagonal matrix are important for cubic spline interpolation and numerical second derivatives. They can be solved very efficiently with a specialized Gaussian elimination method. Practical applications often involve very large dimensions and require iterative methods. Convergence of Jacobi and Gauss-Seidel methods is slow and can be improved by relaxation or over-relaxation. An alternative for large systems is the method of conjugate gradients.

Use of Recommended Search Strategies in Systematic Reviews and the Impact of Librarian Involvement: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Recent Authors

PubMed Central

Koffel, Jonathan B.

2015-01-01

Background Previous research looking at published systematic reviews has shown that their search strategies are often suboptimal and that librarian involvement, though recommended, is low. Confidence in the results, however, is limited due to poor reporting of search strategies the published articles. Objectives To more accurately measure the use of recommended search methods in systematic reviews, the levels of librarian involvement, and whether librarian involvement predicts the use of recommended methods. Methods A survey was sent to all authors of English-language systematic reviews indexed in the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE) from January 2012 through January 2014. The survey asked about their use of search methods recommended by the Institute of Medicine, Cochrane Collaboration, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and if and how a librarian was involved in the systematic review. Rates of use of recommended methods and librarian involvement were summarized. The impact of librarian involvement on use of recommended methods was examined using a multivariate logistic regression. Results 1560 authors completed the survey. Use of recommended search methods ranged widely from 98% for use of keywords to 9% for registration in PROSPERO and were generally higher than in previous studies. 51% of studies involved a librarian, but only 64% acknowledge their assistance. Librarian involvement was significantly associated with the use of 65% of recommended search methods after controlling for other potential predictors. Odds ratios ranged from 1.36 (95% CI 1.06 to 1.75) for including multiple languages to 3.07 (95% CI 2.06 to 4.58) for using controlled vocabulary. Conclusions Use of recommended search strategies is higher than previously reported, but many methods are still under-utilized. Librarian involvement predicts the use of most methods, but their involvement is under-reported within the published article. PMID:25938454

Methods and systems for carrying out a pH-influenced chemical and/or biological reaction

DOEpatents

Stern, Michael C.; Simeon, Fritz; Hatton, Trevor Alan

2016-04-05

The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for carrying out a pH-influenced chemical and/or biological reaction. In some embodiments, the pH-influenced reaction involves the conversion of CO.sub.2 to a dissolved species.

Neuromedin and FN-38 Peptides for Treating Psychiatric Diseases

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Methods and compositions for treating psychiatric diseases and disorders are disclosed. The methods provided generally involve the administration of an NMX peptide, an FNX peptide, or an NMX receptor agonist, or analogs or derivatives thereof, to a subject in order to treat psychiatric diseases and ...

Use of recommended search strategies in systematic reviews and the impact of librarian involvement: a cross-sectional survey of recent authors.

PubMed

Koffel, Jonathan B

2015-01-01

Previous research looking at published systematic reviews has shown that their search strategies are often suboptimal and that librarian involvement, though recommended, is low. Confidence in the results, however, is limited due to poor reporting of search strategies the published articles. To more accurately measure the use of recommended search methods in systematic reviews, the levels of librarian involvement, and whether librarian involvement predicts the use of recommended methods. A survey was sent to all authors of English-language systematic reviews indexed in the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE) from January 2012 through January 2014. The survey asked about their use of search methods recommended by the Institute of Medicine, Cochrane Collaboration, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and if and how a librarian was involved in the systematic review. Rates of use of recommended methods and librarian involvement were summarized. The impact of librarian involvement on use of recommended methods was examined using a multivariate logistic regression. 1560 authors completed the survey. Use of recommended search methods ranged widely from 98% for use of keywords to 9% for registration in PROSPERO and were generally higher than in previous studies. 51% of studies involved a librarian, but only 64% acknowledge their assistance. Librarian involvement was significantly associated with the use of 65% of recommended search methods after controlling for other potential predictors. Odds ratios ranged from 1.36 (95% CI 1.06 to 1.75) for including multiple languages to 3.07 (95% CI 2.06 to 4.58) for using controlled vocabulary. Use of recommended search strategies is higher than previously reported, but many methods are still under-utilized. Librarian involvement predicts the use of most methods, but their involvement is under-reported within the published article.

Social Involvement of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Elementary School Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rotheram-Fuller, Erin; Kasari, Connie; Chamberlain, Brandt; Locke, Jill

2010-01-01

Background: Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are increasingly included in general education classrooms in an effort to improve their social involvement. Methods: Seventy-nine children with ASD and 79 randomly selected, gender-matched peers (88.6% male) in 75 early (K-1), middle (2nd-3rd), and late (4th-5th) elementary classrooms…

Importance sampling with imperfect cloning for the computation of generalized Lyapunov exponents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anteneodo, Celia; Camargo, Sabrina; Vallejos, Raúl O.

2017-12-01

We revisit the numerical calculation of generalized Lyapunov exponents, L (q ) , in deterministic dynamical systems. The standard method consists of adding noise to the dynamics in order to use importance sampling algorithms. Then L (q ) is obtained by taking the limit noise-amplitude → 0 after the calculation. We focus on a particular method that involves periodic cloning and pruning of a set of trajectories. However, instead of considering a noisy dynamics, we implement an imperfect (noisy) cloning. This alternative method is compared with the standard one and, when possible, with analytical results. As a workbench we use the asymmetric tent map, the standard map, and a system of coupled symplectic maps. The general conclusion of this study is that the imperfect-cloning method performs as well as the standard one, with the advantage of preserving the deterministic dynamics.

Flood hydrology for Dry Creek, Lake County, Northwestern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parrett, C.; Jarrett, R.D.

2004-01-01

Dry Creek drains about 22.6 square kilometers of rugged mountainous terrain upstream from Tabor Dam in the Mission Range near St. Ignatius, Montana. Because of uncertainty about plausible peak discharges and concerns regarding the ability of the Tabor Dam spillway to safely convey these discharges, the flood hydrology for Dry Creek was evaluated on the basis of three hydrologic and geologic methods. The first method involved determining an envelope line relating flood discharge to drainage area on the basis of regional historical data and calculating a 500-year flood for Dry Creek using a regression equation. The second method involved paleoflood methods to estimate the maximum plausible discharge for 35 sites in the study area. The third method involved rainfall-runoff modeling for the Dry Creek basin in conjunction with regional precipitation information to determine plausible peak discharges. All of these methods resulted in estimates of plausible peak discharges that are substantially less than those predicted by the more generally applied probable maximum flood technique. Copyright ASCE 2004.

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

Eltayeb, Aly Eldeen O.; Stern, Michael C.; Hatton, Trevor Alan

The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for carrying out a pH-influenced chemical and/or biological reaction. In some embodiments, the pH-influenced reaction involves the conversion of CO.sub.2 to a dissolved species.

Simple Test Functions in Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raju, Ivatury S.

2016-01-01

Two meshless local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) methods based on two different trial functions but that use a simple linear test function were developed for beam and column problems. These methods used generalized moving least squares (GMLS) and radial basis (RB) interpolation functions as trial functions. These two methods were tested on various patch test problems. Both methods passed the patch tests successfully. Then the methods were applied to various beam vibration problems and problems involving Euler and Beck's columns. Both methods yielded accurate solutions for all problems studied. The simple linear test function offers considerable savings in computing efforts as the domain integrals involved in the weak form are avoided. The two methods based on this simple linear test function method produced accurate results for frequencies and buckling loads. Of the two methods studied, the method with radial basis trial functions is very attractive as the method is simple, accurate, and robust.

Resource Units in Language Arts for General Course Students in Senior High Schools. Curriculum Bulletin, 1966-67 Series No. 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY.

This publication contains practical suggestions for the teacher of high school students who are not enrolled in college preparatory programs. A list of character traits common to these students and general suggestions for appropriate curriculums, teaching methods, and scheduling precede (1) a literature unit involving a sequence of lessons on…

What does moisture-related durability of wood bonds mean?

Treesearch

Charles R. Frihart; Daniel J. Yelle; Alex C. Wiedenhoeft

2008-01-01

The accelerated test methods that distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable wood adhesives generally involve subjecting the bonded assembly to abnormally rapid and extreme moisture exposure or cycling. In the United States and Canada, these tests for moisture durability have been established, but selection of the appropriate test methods for the different service...

Personnel Administration: The Case Method of Teaching *

PubMed Central

Shaffer, Kenneth R.

1965-01-01

Only recently are case materials being used in the area of personnel administration, general library administration, and reference services. These permit more intellectual involvement on the part of the student than do the generalizations which result from the traditional lecture-discussion techniques. The medical library field has a professional character quite particular to itself. This is illustrated by its highly specialized clienteles, the quite special nature of the materials involved and their control, and the aura of special ethical considerations involved in any aspect of medicine. The development of a body of case materials would seem to have merit as a teaching vehicle for the medical library course, for in-service training in larger medical libraries, for workshops and institutes, and as a learning vehicle for the individual medical librarian. PMID:5832703

Spectrum Recombination.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenslade, Thomas B., Jr.

1984-01-01

Describes several methods of executing lecture demonstrations involving the recombination of the spectrum. Groups the techniques into two general classes: bringing selected portions of the spectrum together using lenses or mirrors and blurring the colors by rapid movement or foreshortening. (JM)

Field by field hybrid upwind splitting methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coquel, Frederic; Liou, Meng-Sing

1993-01-01

A new and general approach to upwind splitting is presented. The design principle combines the robustness of flux vector splitting schemes in the capture of nonlinear waves and the accuracy of some flux difference splitting schemes in the resolution of linear waves. The new schemes are derived following a general hybridization technique performed directly at the basic level of the field by field decomposition involved in FDS methods. The scheme does not use a spatial switch to be tuned up according to the local smoothness of the approximate solution.

Service user involvement in preregistration general nurse education: a systematic review.

PubMed

Scammell, Janet; Heaslip, Vanessa; Crowley, Emma

2016-01-01

A systematic review of published studies on service user involvement in undergraduate, preregistration general nursing education (excluding mental health-specific programmes). The objective is to examine how students are exposed to engagement with service users. The requirement of service user involvement in all nurse education is policy expectation of health professional education providers, in response to the increased public and political expectations. Previous literature reviews have focused solely on mental health. Systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines; timeframe 1997-2014; published in English. Search of CINAHL, Cochrane Review, Education Research Complete, Internurse, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Scopus, SocINDEX and Web of Science yielded 229 citations; 11 studies met the review eligibility criteria. Seven studies used qualitative methodology, two quantitative and two mixed methods. Studies from the United Kingdom dominated (n = 9), the remainder from South Africa and Turkey. The results are described using four themes: benefits and limitations of service user involvement; nursing student selection; education delivery; practice-based learning and assessment. Most studies were small scale; nine had less than 30 participants. Overall the evidence suggests that student, lecturers and service users valued service user involvement in nurse education, to provide an authentic insight into the illness experience. Logistical considerations around support and student cohort size emerged. This is the first systematic review to focus on service user involvement in general nurse education. It reveals that service user involvement commenced later and is more limited in general programmes as compared to equivalent mental health education provision. Most of the evidence focuses on perceptions of the value of involvement. Further research is required to more clearly establish impact on learning and clinical practice. Service user involvement in nurse education is valued by stakeholders but preparation and support for those involved, including mentors is underestimated. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Correction of the significance level when attempting multiple transformations of an explanatory variable in generalized linear models

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In statistical modeling, finding the most favorable coding for an exploratory quantitative variable involves many tests. This process involves multiple testing problems and requires the correction of the significance level. Methods For each coding, a test on the nullity of the coefficient associated with the new coded variable is computed. The selected coding corresponds to that associated with the largest statistical test (or equivalently the smallest pvalue). In the context of the Generalized Linear Model, Liquet and Commenges (Stat Probability Lett,71:33–38,2005) proposed an asymptotic correction of the significance level. This procedure, based on the score test, has been developed for dichotomous and Box-Cox transformations. In this paper, we suggest the use of resampling methods to estimate the significance level for categorical transformations with more than two levels and, by definition those that involve more than one parameter in the model. The categorical transformation is a more flexible way to explore the unknown shape of the effect between an explanatory and a dependent variable. Results The simulations we ran in this study showed good performances of the proposed methods. These methods were illustrated using the data from a study of the relationship between cholesterol and dementia. Conclusion The algorithms were implemented using R, and the associated CPMCGLM R package is available on the CRAN. PMID:23758852

Studying the Global Bifurcation Involving Wada Boundary Metamorphosis by a Method of Generalized Cell Mapping with Sampling-Adaptive Interpolation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiao-Ming; Jiang, Jun; Hong, Ling; Tang, Dafeng

In this paper, a new method of Generalized Cell Mapping with Sampling-Adaptive Interpolation (GCMSAI) is presented in order to enhance the efficiency of the computation of one-step probability transition matrix of the Generalized Cell Mapping method (GCM). Integrations with one mapping step are replaced by sampling-adaptive interpolations of third order. An explicit formula of interpolation error is derived for a sampling-adaptive control to switch on integrations for the accuracy of computations with GCMSAI. By applying the proposed method to a two-dimensional forced damped pendulum system, global bifurcations are investigated with observations of boundary metamorphoses including full to partial and partial to partial as well as the birth of fully Wada boundary. Moreover GCMSAI requires a computational time of one thirtieth up to one fiftieth compared to that of the previous GCM.

Beats: Video Monitors and Cameras.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worth, Frazier

1996-01-01

Presents a method to teach the concept of beats as a generalized phenomenon rather than teaching it only in the context of sound. Involves using a video camera to film a computer terminal, 16-mm projector, or TV monitor. (JRH)

Conflict Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, William; Koue, Glen

1991-01-01

Discusses general issues involved in conflict management and provides more specific examples of conflict management in libraries. Causes of conflict are considered, including organizational structure, departmentalization, performance appraisal, poor communication, and technological change; and methods of dealing with conflict are described,…

Contemporary Topics in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aronstein, Laurence W.; Beam, Kathryn J.

1974-01-01

Discusses the offering of a Science for Poets course at the General Science Department of State University College at Buffalo, involving objectives, methods, and grouping techniques. Included are lists of problems proposed by teachers and students in the course. (CC)

Biological system interactions.

PubMed Central

Adomian, G; Adomian, G E; Bellman, R E

1984-01-01

Mathematical modeling of cellular population growth, interconnected subsystems of the body, blood flow, and numerous other complex biological systems problems involves nonlinearities and generally randomness as well. Such problems have been dealt with by mathematical methods often changing the actual model to make it tractable. The method presented in this paper (and referenced works) allows much more physically realistic solutions. PMID:6585837

A Test Method for Monitoring Modulus Changes during Durability Tests on Building Joint Sealants

Treesearch

Christopher C. White; Donald L. Hunston; Kar Tean Tan; Gregory T. Schueneman

2012-01-01

The durability of building joint sealants is generally assessed using a descriptive methodology involving visual inspection of exposed specimens for defects. It is widely known that this methodology has inherent limitations, including that the results are qualitative. A new test method is proposed that provides more fundamental and quantitative information about...

Treatment of ice cover and other thin elastic layers with the parabolic equation method.

PubMed

Collins, Michael D

2015-03-01

The parabolic equation method is extended to handle problems involving ice cover and other thin elastic layers. Parabolic equation solutions are based on rational approximations that are designed using accuracy constraints to ensure that the propagating modes are handled properly and stability constrains to ensure that the non-propagating modes are annihilated. The non-propagating modes are especially problematic for problems involving thin elastic layers. It is demonstrated that stable results may be obtained for such problems by using rotated rational approximations [Milinazzo, Zala, and Brooke, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 101, 760-766 (1997)] and generalizations of these approximations. The approach is applied to problems involving ice cover with variable thickness and sediment layers that taper to zero thickness.

A Projection free method for Generalized Eigenvalue Problem with a nonsmooth Regularizer.

PubMed

Hwang, Seong Jae; Collins, Maxwell D; Ravi, Sathya N; Ithapu, Vamsi K; Adluru, Nagesh; Johnson, Sterling C; Singh, Vikas

2015-12-01

Eigenvalue problems are ubiquitous in computer vision, covering a very broad spectrum of applications ranging from estimation problems in multi-view geometry to image segmentation. Few other linear algebra problems have a more mature set of numerical routines available and many computer vision libraries leverage such tools extensively. However, the ability to call the underlying solver only as a "black box" can often become restrictive. Many 'human in the loop' settings in vision frequently exploit supervision from an expert, to the extent that the user can be considered a subroutine in the overall system. In other cases, there is additional domain knowledge, side or even partial information that one may want to incorporate within the formulation. In general, regularizing a (generalized) eigenvalue problem with such side information remains difficult. Motivated by these needs, this paper presents an optimization scheme to solve generalized eigenvalue problems (GEP) involving a (nonsmooth) regularizer. We start from an alternative formulation of GEP where the feasibility set of the model involves the Stiefel manifold. The core of this paper presents an end to end stochastic optimization scheme for the resultant problem. We show how this general algorithm enables improved statistical analysis of brain imaging data where the regularizer is derived from other 'views' of the disease pathology, involving clinical measurements and other image-derived representations.

Simplified half-life methods for the analysis of kinetic data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eberhart, J. G.; Levin, E.

1988-01-01

The analysis of reaction rate data has as its goal the determination of the order rate constant which characterize the data. Chemical reactions with one reactant and present simplified methods for accomplishing this goal are considered. The approaches presented involve the use of half lives or other fractional lives. These methods are particularly useful for the more elementary discussions of kinetics found in general and physical chemistry courses.

Minimizing Higgs potentials via numerical polynomial homotopy continuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maniatis, M.; Mehta, D.

2012-08-01

The study of models with extended Higgs sectors requires to minimize the corresponding Higgs potentials, which is in general very difficult. Here, we apply a recently developed method, called numerical polynomial homotopy continuation (NPHC), which guarantees to find all the stationary points of the Higgs potentials with polynomial-like non-linearity. The detection of all stationary points reveals the structure of the potential with maxima, metastable minima, saddle points besides the global minimum. We apply the NPHC method to the most general Higgs potential having two complex Higgs-boson doublets and up to five real Higgs-boson singlets. Moreover the method is applicable to even more involved potentials. Hence the NPHC method allows to go far beyond the limits of the Gröbner basis approach.

Method for producing components with internal architectures, such as micro-channel reactors, via diffusion bonding sheets

DOEpatents

Alman, David E [Corvallis, OR; Wilson, Rick D [Corvallis, OR; Davis, Daniel L [Albany, OR

2011-03-08

This invention relates to a method for producing components with internal architectures, and more particularly, this invention relates to a method for producing structures with microchannels via the use of diffusion bonding of stacked laminates. Specifically, the method involves weakly bonding a stack of laminates forming internal voids and channels with a first generally low uniaxial pressure and first temperature such that bonding at least between the asperites of opposing laminates occurs and pores are isolated in interfacial contact areas, followed by a second generally higher isostatic pressure and second temperature for final bonding. The method thereby allows fabrication of micro-channel devices such as heat exchangers, recuperators, heat-pumps, chemical separators, chemical reactors, fuel processing units, and combustors without limitation on the fin aspect ratio.

Comparative analysis of a nontraditional general chemistry textbook and selected traditional textbooks used in Texas community colleges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvato, Steven Walter

The purpose of this study was to analyze questions within the chapters of a nontraditional general chemistry textbook and the four general chemistry textbooks most widely used by Texas community colleges in order to determine if the questions require higher- or lower-order thinking according to Bloom's taxonomy. The study employed quantitative methods. Bloom's taxonomy (Bloom, Engelhart, Furst, Hill, & Krathwohl, 1956) was utilized as the main instrument in the study. Additional tools were used to help classify the questions into the proper category of the taxonomy (McBeath, 1992; Metfessel, Michael, & Kirsner, 1969). The top four general chemistry textbooks used in Texas community colleges and Chemistry: A Project of the American Chemical Society (Bell et al., 2005) were analyzed during the fall semester of 2010 in order to categorize the questions within the chapters into one of the six levels of Bloom's taxonomy. Two coders were used to assess reliability. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential methods. The descriptive method involved calculation of the frequencies and percentages of coded questions from the books as belonging to the six categories of the taxonomy. Questions were dichotomized into higher- and lower-order thinking questions. The inferential methods involved chi-square tests of association to determine if there were statistically significant differences among the four traditional college general chemistry textbooks in the proportions of higher- and lower-order questions and if there were statistically significant differences between the nontraditional chemistry textbook and the four traditional general chemistry textbooks. Findings indicated statistically significant differences among the four textbooks frequently used in Texas community colleges in the number of higher- and lower-level questions. Statistically significant differences were also found among the four textbooks and the nontraditional textbook. After the analysis of the data, conclusions were drawn, implications for practice were delineated, and recommendations for future research were given.

Cambered Jet-Flapped Airfoil Theory with Tables and Computer Programs for Application.

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-01

influence function which is a parametric function of the jet-momentum coefficient. In general, the integrals involved must be evaluated by numerical methods. Tables of the necessary influence functions are given in the report.

Migration without migraines

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

Lines, L.; Burton, A.; Lu, H.X.

Accurate velocity models are a necessity for reliable migration results. Velocity analysis generally involves the use of methods such as normal moveout analysis (NMO), seismic traveltime tomography, or iterative prestack migration. These techniques can be effective, and each has its own advantage or disadvantage. Conventional NMO methods are relatively inexpensive but basically require simplifying assumptions about geology. Tomography is a more general method but requires traveltime interpretation of prestack data. Iterative prestack depth migration is very general but is computationally expensive. In some cases, there is the opportunity to estimate vertical velocities by use of well information. The well informationmore » can be used to optimize poststack migrations, thereby eliminating some of the time and expense of iterative prestack migration. The optimized poststack migration procedure defined here computes the velocity model which minimizes the depth differences between seismic images and formation depths at the well by using a least squares inversion method. The optimization methods described in this paper will hopefully produce ``migrations without migraines.``« less

General method of solving the Schroedinger equation of atoms and molecules

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

Nakatsuji, Hiroshi

2005-12-15

We propose a general method of solving the Schroedinger equation of atoms and molecules. We first construct the wave function having the exact structure, using the ICI (iterative configuration or complement interaction) method and then optimize the variables involved by the variational principle. Based on the scaled Schroedinger equation and related principles, we can avoid the singularity problem of atoms and molecules and formulate a general method of calculating the exact wave functions in an analytical expansion form. We choose initial function {psi}{sub 0} and scaling g function, and then the ICI method automatically generates the wave function that hasmore » the exact structure by using the Hamiltonian of the system. The Hamiltonian contains all the information of the system. The free ICI method provides a flexible and variationally favorable procedure of constructing the exact wave function. We explain the computational procedure of the analytical ICI method routinely performed in our laboratory. Simple examples are given using hydrogen atom for the nuclear singularity case, the Hooke's atom for the electron singularity case, and the helium atom for both cases.« less

A simple method for assessing occupational exposure via the one-way random effects model.

PubMed

Krishnamoorthy, K; Mathew, Thomas; Peng, Jie

2016-11-01

A one-way random effects model is postulated for the log-transformed shift-long personal exposure measurements, where the random effect in the model represents an effect due to the worker. Simple closed-form confidence intervals are proposed for the relevant parameters of interest using the method of variance estimates recovery (MOVER). The performance of the confidence bounds is evaluated and compared with those based on the generalized confidence interval approach. Comparison studies indicate that the proposed MOVER confidence bounds are better than the generalized confidence bounds for the overall mean exposure and an upper percentile of the exposure distribution. The proposed methods are illustrated using a few examples involving industrial hygiene data.

Shape optimization using a NURBS-based interface-enriched generalized FEM

DOE PAGES

Najafi, Ahmad R.; Safdari, Masoud; Tortorelli, Daniel A.; ...

2016-11-26

This study presents a gradient-based shape optimization over a fixed mesh using a non-uniform rational B-splines-based interface-enriched generalized finite element method, applicable to multi-material structures. In the proposed method, non-uniform rational B-splines are used to parameterize the design geometry precisely and compactly by a small number of design variables. An analytical shape sensitivity analysis is developed to compute derivatives of the objective and constraint functions with respect to the design variables. Subtle but important new terms involve the sensitivity of shape functions and their spatial derivatives. As a result, verification and illustrative problems are solved to demonstrate the precision andmore » capability of the method.« less

Study of diatomic molecules. 2: Intensities. [optical emission spectroscopy of ScO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Femenias, J. L.

1978-01-01

The theory of perturbations, giving the diatomic effective Hamiltonian, is used for calculating actual molecular wave functions and intensity factors involved in transitions between states arising from Hund's coupling cases a,b, intermediate a-b, and c tendency. The Herman and Wallis corrections are derived, without any knowledge of the analytical expressions of the wave functions, and generalized to transitions between electronic states with whatever symmetry and multiplicity. A general method for studying perturbed intensities is presented using primarily modern spectroscopic numerical approaches. The method is used in the study of the ScO optical emission spectrum.

A Review of Teaching Methods--Lecturing and Facilitation in Higher Education (HE): A Summary of the Published Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regmi, Krishna

2012-01-01

Several studies have documented that teaching methods in HE (generally involves work towards a university or college level education), are the most important aspect of a curriculum. This is because they serve as an interface between the learners and the philosophy of the curriculum. It is, however, difficult to define how knowledge is…

A simple method for finding explicit analytic transition densities of diffusion processes with general diploid selection.

PubMed

Song, Yun S; Steinrücken, Matthias

2012-03-01

The transition density function of the Wright-Fisher diffusion describes the evolution of population-wide allele frequencies over time. This function has important practical applications in population genetics, but finding an explicit formula under a general diploid selection model has remained a difficult open problem. In this article, we develop a new computational method to tackle this classic problem. Specifically, our method explicitly finds the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the diffusion generator associated with the Wright-Fisher diffusion with recurrent mutation and arbitrary diploid selection, thus allowing one to obtain an accurate spectral representation of the transition density function. Simplicity is one of the appealing features of our approach. Although our derivation involves somewhat advanced mathematical concepts, the resulting algorithm is quite simple and efficient, only involving standard linear algebra. Furthermore, unlike previous approaches based on perturbation, which is applicable only when the population-scaled selection coefficient is small, our method is nonperturbative and is valid for a broad range of parameter values. As a by-product of our work, we obtain the rate of convergence to the stationary distribution under mutation-selection balance.

A Simple Method for Finding Explicit Analytic Transition Densities of Diffusion Processes with General Diploid Selection

PubMed Central

Song, Yun S.; Steinrücken, Matthias

2012-01-01

The transition density function of the Wright–Fisher diffusion describes the evolution of population-wide allele frequencies over time. This function has important practical applications in population genetics, but finding an explicit formula under a general diploid selection model has remained a difficult open problem. In this article, we develop a new computational method to tackle this classic problem. Specifically, our method explicitly finds the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the diffusion generator associated with the Wright–Fisher diffusion with recurrent mutation and arbitrary diploid selection, thus allowing one to obtain an accurate spectral representation of the transition density function. Simplicity is one of the appealing features of our approach. Although our derivation involves somewhat advanced mathematical concepts, the resulting algorithm is quite simple and efficient, only involving standard linear algebra. Furthermore, unlike previous approaches based on perturbation, which is applicable only when the population-scaled selection coefficient is small, our method is nonperturbative and is valid for a broad range of parameter values. As a by-product of our work, we obtain the rate of convergence to the stationary distribution under mutation–selection balance. PMID:22209899

Peer-Assisted Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topping, Keith, Ed.; Ehly, Stewart, Ed.

Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) involves students consciously assisting others to learn, and in so doing, learning more effectively themselves. PAL encompasses peer tutoring, peer modeling, peer education, peer counseling, peer monitoring, and peer assessment, which are differentiated from other more general "cooperative learning" methods.…

Method for fixating sludges and soils contaminated with mercury and other heavy metals

DOEpatents

Broderick, Thomas E.; Roth, Rachel L.; Carlson, Allan L.

2005-06-28

The invention relates to a method, composition and apparatus for stabilizing mercury and other heavy metals present in a particulate material such that the metals will not leach from the particulate material. The method generally involves the application of a metal reagent, a sulfur-containing compound, and the addition of oxygen to the particulate material, either through agitation, sparging or the addition of an oxygen-containing compound.

Improved Net-Level Filling And Finishing Of Large Castings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Erik P.; Brown, Richard F.

1995-01-01

Improved method of vacuum casting of large, generally cylindrical objects to net sizes and shapes reduces amount of direct manual labor by workers in proximity to cast material. Original application for which method devised is fabrication of solid rocket-motor segments containing solid propellant, wherein need to minimize exposure of workers to propellant material being cast. Improved method adaptable to other applications involving large castings of toxic, flammable, or otherwise hazardous materials.

Exploration of contextual factors in a successful quality improvement collaborative in English ambulance services: cross‐sectional survey

PubMed Central

Phung, Viet‐Hai; Essam, Nadya; Asghar, Zahid; Spaight, Anne

2015-01-01

Abstract Rationale, aims and objectives Clinical leadership and organizational culture are important contextual factors for quality improvement (QI) but the relationship between these and with organizational change is complex and poorly understood. We aimed to explore the relationship between clinical leadership, culture of innovation and clinical engagement in QI within a national ambulance QI Collaborative (QIC). Methods We used a self‐administered online questionnaire survey sent to front‐line clinicians in all 12 English ambulance services. We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis of quantitative data and qualitative analysis of free‐text responses. Results There were 2743 (12% of 22 117) responses from 11 of the 12 participating ambulance services. In the 3% of responders that were directly involved with the QIC, leadership behaviour was significantly higher than for those not directly involved. QIC involvement made no significant difference to responders' perceptions of the culture of innovation in their organization, which was generally considered poor. Although uptake of QI methods was low overall, QIC members were significantly more likely to use QI methods, which were also significantly associated with leadership behaviour. Conclusions Despite a limited organizational culture of innovation, clinical leadership and use of QI methods in ambulance services generally, the QIC achieved its aims to significantly improve pre‐hospital care for acute myocardial infarction and stroke. We postulate that this was mediated through an improvement subculture, linked to the QIC, which facilitated large‐scale improvement by stimulating leadership and QI methods. Further research is needed to understand success factors for QI in complex health care environments. PMID:26303398

Generalized query-based active learning to identify differentially methylated regions in DNA.

PubMed

Haque, Md Muksitul; Holder, Lawrence B; Skinner, Michael K; Cook, Diane J

2013-01-01

Active learning is a supervised learning technique that reduces the number of examples required for building a successful classifier, because it can choose the data it learns from. This technique holds promise for many biological domains in which classified examples are expensive and time-consuming to obtain. Most traditional active learning methods ask very specific queries to the Oracle (e.g., a human expert) to label an unlabeled example. The example may consist of numerous features, many of which are irrelevant. Removing such features will create a shorter query with only relevant features, and it will be easier for the Oracle to answer. We propose a generalized query-based active learning (GQAL) approach that constructs generalized queries based on multiple instances. By constructing appropriately generalized queries, we can achieve higher accuracy compared to traditional active learning methods. We apply our active learning method to find differentially DNA methylated regions (DMRs). DMRs are DNA locations in the genome that are known to be involved in tissue differentiation, epigenetic regulation, and disease. We also apply our method on 13 other data sets and show that our method is better than another popular active learning technique.

Improving Generalization Based on l1-Norm Regularization for EEG-Based Motor Imagery Classification

PubMed Central

Zhao, Yuwei; Han, Jiuqi; Chen, Yushu; Sun, Hongji; Chen, Jiayun; Ke, Ang; Han, Yao; Zhang, Peng; Zhang, Yi; Zhou, Jin; Wang, Changyong

2018-01-01

Multichannel electroencephalography (EEG) is widely used in typical brain-computer interface (BCI) systems. In general, a number of parameters are essential for a EEG classification algorithm due to redundant features involved in EEG signals. However, the generalization of the EEG method is often adversely affected by the model complexity, considerably coherent with its number of undetermined parameters, further leading to heavy overfitting. To decrease the complexity and improve the generalization of EEG method, we present a novel l1-norm-based approach to combine the decision value obtained from each EEG channel directly. By extracting the information from different channels on independent frequency bands (FB) with l1-norm regularization, the method proposed fits the training data with much less parameters compared to common spatial pattern (CSP) methods in order to reduce overfitting. Moreover, an effective and efficient solution to minimize the optimization object is proposed. The experimental results on dataset IVa of BCI competition III and dataset I of BCI competition IV show that, the proposed method contributes to high classification accuracy and increases generalization performance for the classification of MI EEG. As the training set ratio decreases from 80 to 20%, the average classification accuracy on the two datasets changes from 85.86 and 86.13% to 84.81 and 76.59%, respectively. The classification performance and generalization of the proposed method contribute to the practical application of MI based BCI systems. PMID:29867307

NMR spectroscopy for assessing lipid oxidation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although lipid oxidation involves a variety of chemical reactions to produce numerous substances, most of traditional methods assessing lipid oxidation measure only one kind of oxidation product. For this reason, in general, one indicator of oxidation is not enough to accurately describe the oxidati...

MODELING A MIXTURE: PBPK/PD APPROACHES FOR PREDICTING CHEMICAL INTERACTIONS.

EPA Science Inventory

Since environmental chemical exposures generally involve multiple chemicals, there are both regulatory and scientific drivers to develop methods to predict outcomes of these exposures. Even using efficient statistical and experimental designs, it is not possible to test in vivo a...

Comparison of Five System Identification Algorithms for Rotorcraft Higher Harmonic Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacklin, Stephen A.

1998-01-01

This report presents an analysis and performance comparison of five system identification algorithms. The methods are presented in the context of identifying a frequency-domain transfer matrix for the higher harmonic control (HHC) of helicopter vibration. The five system identification algorithms include three previously proposed methods: (1) the weighted-least- squares-error approach (in moving-block format), (2) the Kalman filter method, and (3) the least-mean-squares (LMS) filter method. In addition there are two new ones: (4) a generalized Kalman filter method and (5) a generalized LMS filter method. The generalized Kalman filter method and the generalized LMS filter method were derived as extensions of the classic methods to permit identification by using more than one measurement per identification cycle. Simulation results are presented for conditions ranging from the ideal case of a stationary transfer matrix and no measurement noise to the more complex cases involving both measurement noise and transfer-matrix variation. Both open-loop identification and closed- loop identification were simulated. Closed-loop mode identification was more challenging than open-loop identification because of the decreasing signal-to-noise ratio as the vibration became reduced. The closed-loop simulation considered both local-model identification, with measured vibration feedback and global-model identification with feedback of the identified uncontrolled vibration. The algorithms were evaluated in terms of their accuracy, stability, convergence properties, computation speeds, and relative ease of implementation.

Advances in heterocycle synthesis via [3+m]-cycloaddition reactions involving an azaoxyallyl cation as the key intermediate.

PubMed

Xuan, Jun; Cao, Xia; Cheng, Xiao

2018-05-17

Heterocyclic compounds are widely found in many natural isolates and medicinally relevant compounds, as well as some fine chemicals. The development of general and efficient methods for the construction of heterocyclic compounds is one of the most important tasks in synthetic organic chemistry. Along these lines, [3+m]-cycloaddition reactions involving in situ generated azaoxyallyl cations as the 3-atom units have emerged as a powerful method for the synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocycles. In this feature article, we highlight recent advances in this rapidly growing area, mainly focusing on the reaction design as well as the reaction mechanism.

Patient Involvement in Health Care Decision Making: A Review

PubMed Central

Vahdat, Shaghayegh; Hamzehgardeshi, Leila; Hessam, Somayeh; Hamzehgardeshi, Zeinab

2014-01-01

Background: Patient participation means involvement of the patient in decision making or expressing opinions about different treatment methods, which includes sharing information, feelings and signs and accepting health team instructions. Objectives: Given the importance of patient participation in healthcare decision making which empowers patients and improves services and health outcomes, this study was performed to review previous studies on patient participation in healthcare decision making. Materials and Methods: To prepare this narrative review article, researchers used general and specific search engines, as well as textbooks addressing this subject for an in-depth study of patient involvement in healthcare decision-making. As a result, 35 (out of 100 relevant) articles and also two books were selected for writing this review article. Results: Based on the review of articles and books, topics were divided into six general categories: definition of participation, importance of patient participation, factors influencing participation of patients in healthcare decisions, method of patient participation, tools for evaluating participation, and benefits and consequences of patient participation in health care decision-making. Conclusions: In most studies, factors influencing patient participation consisted of: factors associated with health care professionals such as doctor-patient relationship, recognition of patient’s knowledge, allocation of sufficient time for participation, and also factors related to patients such as having knowledge, physical and cognitive ability, and emotional connections, beliefs, values and their experiences in relation to health services. PMID:24719703

Generators of the brainstem auditory evoked potential in cat. I. An experimental approach to their identification.

PubMed

Melcher, J R; Knudson, I M; Fullerton, B C; Guinan, J J; Norris, B E; Kiang, N Y

1996-04-01

This paper is the first in a series aimed at identifying the cellular generators of the brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) in cats. The approach involves (1) developing experimental procedures for making small selective lesions and determining the corresponding changes in BAEP waveforms, (2) identifying brainstem regions involved in BAEP generation by examining the effects of lesions on the BAEP and (3) identifying specific cell populations involved by combining the lesion results with electrophysiological and anatomical information from other kinds of studies. We created lesions in the lower brainstem by injecting kainic acid which is generally toxic for neuronal cell bodies but not for axons and terminals. This first paper describes the justifications for using kainic acid, explains the associated problems, and develops a methodology that addresses the main difficulties. The issues and aspects of the specific methods are generally applicable to physiological and anatomical studies using any neurotoxin, as well as to the present BAEP study. The methods chosen involved (1) measuring the BAEP at regular intervals until it reached a post-injection steady state and perfusing the animals with fixative shortly after the last BAEP recordings were made, (2) using objective criteria to distinguish injection-related BAEP changes from unrelated ones, (3) making control injections to identify effects not due to kainic acid toxicity, (4) verifying the anatomical and functional integrity of axons in lesioned regions, and (5) examining injected brainstems microscopically for cell loss and cellular abnormalities indicating dysfunction. This combination of methods enabled us to identify BAEP changes which are clearly correlated with lesion locations.

Sol-gel processing with inorganic metal salt precursors

DOEpatents

Hu, Zhong-Cheng

2004-10-19

Methods for sol-gel processing that generally involve mixing together an inorganic metal salt, water, and a water miscible alcohol or other organic solvent, at room temperature with a macromolecular dispersant material, such as hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) added. The resulting homogenous solution is incubated at a desired temperature and time to result in a desired product. The methods enable production of high quality sols and gels at lower temperatures than standard methods. The methods enable production of nanosize sols from inorganic metal salts. The methods offer sol-gel processing from inorganic metal salts.

SPIP: A computer program implementing the Interaction Picture method for simulation of light-wave propagation in optical fibre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balac, Stéphane; Fernandez, Arnaud

2016-02-01

The computer program SPIP is aimed at solving the Generalized Non-Linear Schrödinger equation (GNLSE), involved in optics e.g. in the modelling of light-wave propagation in an optical fibre, by the Interaction Picture method, a new efficient alternative method to the Symmetric Split-Step method. In the SPIP program a dedicated costless adaptive step-size control based on the use of a 4th order embedded Runge-Kutta method is implemented in order to speed up the resolution.

Detecting submerged objects: the application of side scan sonar to forensic contexts.

PubMed

Schultz, John J; Healy, Carrie A; Parker, Kenneth; Lowers, Bim

2013-09-10

Forensic personnel must deal with numerous challenges when searching for submerged objects. While traditional water search methods have generally involved using dive teams, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and water scent dogs for cases involving submerged objects and bodies, law enforcement is increasingly integrating multiple methods that include geophysical technologies. There are numerous advantages for integrating geophysical technologies, such as side scan sonar and ground penetrating radar (GPR), with more traditional search methods. Overall, these methods decrease the time involved searching, in addition to increasing area searched. However, as with other search methods, there are advantages and disadvantages when using each method. For example, in instances with excessive aquatic vegetation or irregular bottom terrain, it may not be possible to discern a submersed body with side scan sonar. As a result, forensic personnel will have the highest rate of success during searches for submerged objects when integrating multiple search methods, including deploying multiple geophysical technologies. The goal of this paper is to discuss the methodology of various search methods that are employed for submerged objects and how these various methods can be integrated as part of a comprehensive protocol for water searches depending upon the type of underwater terrain. In addition, two successful case studies involving the search and recovery of a submerged human body using side scan sonar are presented to illustrate the successful application of integrating a geophysical technology with divers when searching for a submerged object. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pot economy and one-pot synthesis.

PubMed

Hayashi, Yujiro

2016-02-01

The one-pot synthesis of a target molecule in the same reaction vessel is widely considered to be an efficient approach in synthetic organic chemistry. In this review, the characteristics and limitations of various one-pot syntheses of biologically active molecules are explained, primarily involving organocatalytic methods as key tactics. Besides catalysis, the pot-economy concepts presented herein are also applicable to organometallic and organic reaction methods in general.

A Discussion and Comparison of Selected Methods for Determining Cutoff Scores for Proficiency and Placement Tests. Placement and Proficiency Testing Report No. 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Anna C.; Whitney, Douglas R.

Procedures and related issues involved in the application of trait-treatment interaction (TTI) to institutional research, in general, and to placement and proficiency testing, in particular, are discussed and illustrated. Traditional methods for choosing cut-off scores are compared and proposals for evaluating the results in the TTI framework are…

An Implementation Guide for Settling Contract Disputes Within DoD Using Alternative Disputes Resolution Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

such as freedom from injury to himself, his property, or his reputation. Torts protect basic freedoms; contract law protects the interests of...Governments. Butterworth Legal Publishing, 1987. 15. United States Army Judge Advocate General School. Government Contract Law Deskbook...Permissible or Desirable Method For Resolving Disputes Involving Federal Acquisition and Assistance Contracts". Public Contract Law Journal 16, (1986

System and method for air temperature control in an oxygen transport membrane based reactor

DOEpatents

Kelly, Sean M

2016-09-27

A system and method for air temperature control in an oxygen transport membrane based reactor is provided. The system and method involves introducing a specific quantity of cooling air or trim air in between stages in a multistage oxygen transport membrane based reactor or furnace to maintain generally consistent surface temperatures of the oxygen transport membrane elements and associated reactors. The associated reactors may include reforming reactors, boilers or process gas heaters.

System and method for temperature control in an oxygen transport membrane based reactor

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

Kelly, Sean M.

A system and method for temperature control in an oxygen transport membrane based reactor is provided. The system and method involves introducing a specific quantity of cooling air or trim air in between stages in a multistage oxygen transport membrane based reactor or furnace to maintain generally consistent surface temperatures of the oxygen transport membrane elements and associated reactors. The associated reactors may include reforming reactors, boilers or process gas heaters.

48 CFR 35.002 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... programs is to advance scientific and technical knowledge and apply that knowledge to the extent necessary... are directed toward objectives for which the work or methods cannot be precisely described in advance... to encourage the best sources from the scientific and industrial community to become involved in the...

48 CFR 35.002 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... programs is to advance scientific and technical knowledge and apply that knowledge to the extent necessary... are directed toward objectives for which the work or methods cannot be precisely described in advance... to encourage the best sources from the scientific and industrial community to become involved in the...

48 CFR 35.002 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... programs is to advance scientific and technical knowledge and apply that knowledge to the extent necessary... are directed toward objectives for which the work or methods cannot be precisely described in advance... to encourage the best sources from the scientific and industrial community to become involved in the...

77 FR 25438 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-30

... consideration. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods: Electronic: CFPB_Public_PRA... agencies and the general public. Nearly all information collection will involve the use of electronic communication or other forms of information technology and telephonic means. Current Actions: Request for new...

A Practicum for Oral Cancer Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barr, Charles E.; Goldberg, Marshal D.

1983-01-01

A hospital-based method for teaching general practice dental residents, involving patients for whom the residents are responsible, is described. Residents present prepared cases of dental patients according to a predetermined protocol: a talk, complete documentation of clinical history and laboratory findings, and discussion of therapy and…

A Simplified Way for the Stabilization of Pediatric Mandibular Fracture With an Occlusal Splint.

PubMed

Demirkol, Mehmet; Demirkol, Nermin; Abdo, Omar Hasan; Aras, Mutan Hamdi

2016-06-01

The management of pediatric mandibular fractures is challenging for maxillofacial surgeons due to ongoing mandibular growth involving tooth buds. The treatment of such fractures has been a topic of much research. Generally accepted methods for the treatment of mandibular parasymphyseal or symphyseal fractures in children are conservative approaches involving the use of acrylic splints, lateral compression with an open-cap splint stabilized by circummandibular wiring, and maxillomandibular fixation with an arch bar and eyelet wiring. The aim of this technical note was to describe a straightforward approach to the treatment of pediatric mandibular fractures, in which an occlusal splint is secured to prevent trauma to the soft tissue, without the need for general anesthesia.

Selective Catalytic Combustion Sensors for Reactive Organic Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Innes, W. B.

1971-01-01

Sensors involving a vanadia-alumina catalyst bed-thermocouple assembly satisfy requirements for simple, reproducible and rapid continuous analysis or reactive organics. Responses generally increase with temperature to 400 C and increase to a maximum with flow rate/catalyst volume. Selectivity decreases with temperature. Response time decreases with flow rate and increases with catalyst volume. At chosen optimum conditions calculated response which is additive and linear agrees better with photochemical reactivity than other methods for various automotive sources, and response to vehicle exhaust is insensitive to flow rate. Application to measurement of total reactive organics in vehicle exhaust as well as for gas chromatography detection illustrate utility. The approach appears generally applicable to high thermal effect reactions involving first order kinetics.

A new statistical method for transfer coefficient calculations in the framework of the general multiple-compartment model of transport for radionuclides in biological systems.

PubMed

Garcia, F; Arruda-Neto, J D; Manso, M V; Helene, O M; Vanin, V R; Rodriguez, O; Mesa, J; Likhachev, V P; Filho, J W; Deppman, A; Perez, G; Guzman, F; de Camargo, S P

1999-10-01

A new and simple statistical procedure (STATFLUX) for the calculation of transfer coefficients of radionuclide transport to animals and plants is proposed. The method is based on the general multiple-compartment model, which uses a system of linear equations involving geometrical volume considerations. By using experimentally available curves of radionuclide concentrations versus time, for each animal compartment (organs), flow parameters were estimated by employing a least-squares procedure, whose consistency is tested. Some numerical results are presented in order to compare the STATFLUX transfer coefficients with those from other works and experimental data.

A General Simulation Method for Multiple Bodies in Proximate Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meakin, Robert L.

2003-01-01

Methods of unsteady aerodynamic simulation for an arbitrary number of independent bodies flying in close proximity are considered. A novel method to efficiently detect collision contact points is described. A method to compute body trajectories in response to aerodynamic loads, applied loads, and inter-body collisions is also given. The physical correctness of the methods are verified by comparison to a set of analytic solutions. The methods, combined with a Navier-Stokes solver, are used to demonstrate the possibility of predicting the unsteady aerodynamics and flight trajectories of moving bodies that involve rigid-body collisions.

Evaporation and transpiration

Treesearch

Robert R. Ziemer

1979-01-01

For years, the principal objective of evapotranspiration research has been to calculate the loss of water under varying conditions of climate, soil, and vegetation. The early simple empirical methods have generally been replaced by more detailed models which more closely represent the physical and biological processes involved. Monteith's modification of the...

Analysis of Nonequivalent Assessments across Different Linguistic Groups Using a Mixed Methods Approach: Understanding the Causes of Differential Item Functioning by Cognitive Interviewing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benítez, Isabel; Padilla, José-Luis

2014-01-01

Differential item functioning (DIF) can undermine the validity of cross-lingual comparisons. While a lot of efficient statistics for detecting DIF are available, few general findings have been found to explain DIF results. The objective of the article was to study DIF sources by using a mixed method design. The design involves a quantitative phase…

Generalized Method for the User Evaluation of Purchased Information Services. Report Number Three; Monthly Report (October 1 to November 30, 1975).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Homer J.

Four case histories were studied in an on-going project to develop a method for user selection of purchased scientific and technical information services. The issues involved were: (1) the value of computer search services to a small branch of a company technical library; (2) the special decision-making factors used for selecting items of very…

Theoretical Foundation of Copernicus: A Unified System for Trajectory Design and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ocampo, Cesar; Senent, Juan S.; Williams, Jacob

2010-01-01

The fundamental methods are described for the general spacecraft trajectory design and optimization software system called Copernicus. The methods rely on a unified framework that is used to model, design, and optimize spacecraft trajectories that may operate in complex gravitational force fields, use multiple propulsion systems, and involve multiple spacecraft. The trajectory model, with its associated equations of motion and maneuver models, are discussed.

Muscle MR Imaging in Tubular Aggregate Myopathy

PubMed Central

Beltrame, Valeria; Ortolan, Paolo; Coran, Alessandro; Zanato, Riccardo; Gazzola, Matteo; Frigo, Annachiara; Bello, Luca; Pegoraro, Elena; Stramare, Roberto

2014-01-01

Purpose To evaluate with Magnetic Resonance (MR) the degree of fatty replacement and edematous involvement in skeletal muscles in patients with Tubular Aggregate Myopathy (TAM). To asses the inter-observer agreement in evaluating muscle involvement and the symmetry index of fatty replacement. Materials and Methods 13 patients were evaluated by MR to ascertain the degree of fatty replacement (T1W sequences) according to Mercuri's scale, and edema score (STIR sequences) according to extent and site. Results Fatty replacement mainly affects the posterior superficial compartment of the leg; the anterior compartment is generally spared. Edema was generally poor and almost only in the superficial compartment of the leg. The inter-observer agreement is very good with a Krippendorff's coefficient >0.9. Data show a total symmetry in the muscular replacement (McNemar-Bowker test with p = 1). Conclusions MR reveals characteristic muscular involvement, and is a reproducible technique for evaluation of TAM. There may also be a characteristic involvement of the long and short heads of the biceps femoris. It is useful for aimed biopsies, diagnostic hypotheses and evaluation of disease progression. PMID:24722334

Soldering and brazing safety guide: A handbook on space practice for those involved in soldering and brazing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

This manual provides those involved in welding and brazing with effective safety procedures for use in performance of their jobs. Hazards exist in four types of general soldering and brazing processes: (1) cleaning; (2) application of flux; (3) application of heat and filler metal; and (4) residue cleaning. Most hazards during those operations can be avoided by using care, proper ventilation, protective clothing and equipment. Specific process hazards for various methods of brazing and soldering are treated. Methods to check ventilation are presented as well as a check of personal hygiene and good maintenance practices are stressed. Several emergency first aid treatments are described.

New Directions: Communication Development in Persons with Severe Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goetz, Lori; Sailor, Wayne

1988-01-01

To produce spontaneous and generalized language use by severely disabled individuals, the language training context and content must be examined. Training methods can better approximate the conditions of natural language use when they involve: generation of spontaneous language responses to effect real-world changes, single performance "trials,"…

Specificity of Facial Expression Labeling Deficits in Childhood Psychopathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guyer, Amanda E.; McClure, Erin B.; Adler, Abby D.; Brotman, Melissa A.; Rich, Brendan A.; Kimes, Alane S.; Pine, Daniel S.; Ernst, Monique; Leibenluft, Ellen

2007-01-01

Background: We examined whether face-emotion labeling deficits are illness-specific or an epiphenomenon of generalized impairment in pediatric psychiatric disorders involving mood and behavioral dysregulation. Method: Two hundred fifty-two youths (7-18 years old) completed child and adult facial expression recognition subtests from the Diagnostic…

COMPARISON OF CONVENTIONAL AND PROGRAMED INSTRUCTION IN TEACHING AVIONICS FUNDAMENTALS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LONGO, ALEXANDER A.; MAYO, G. DOUGLAS

THIS STUDY, PART OF A SERIES INVOLVING A VARIETY OF COURSE CONTENT AND TRAINING CONDITIONS, COMPARED PROGRAMED INSTRUCTION WITH CONVENTIONAL INSTRUCTION TO GAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE GENERAL UTILITY OF PROGRAMED METHODS. THE PERFORMANCE OF 200 NAVY TRAINEES TAKING 26 HOURS OF CONVENTIONAL INSTRUCTION IN ELECTRICAL CALCULATIONS, DIRECT CURRENT…

An Examination of Teacher-Student Interactions in Inclusive Classrooms: Teacher Interviews and Classroom Observations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cameron, David Lansing

2014-01-01

Teacher-student interactions in 17 inclusive classrooms were examined using a mixed-methods approach that involved quantitative analysis of interactions recorded during classroom observations and follow-up interviews with seven general educators. Observational findings suggest that classrooms were organised along traditional lines with the vast…

Undergraduate Professors' Pedagogical Content Knowledge: The Case of "Amount of Substance"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Padilla, Kira; Ponce-de-Leon, Ana Maria; Rembado, Florencia Mabel; Garritz, Andoni

2008-01-01

This paper documents the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of four university professors in General Chemistry for the topic "amount of substance"; a fundamental quantity of the International System of Units (SI). The research method involved the development of a Content Representation and the application of Mortimer's Conceptual…

Constructivist Teaching/Learning Theory and Participatory Teaching Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernando, Sithara Y. J. N.; Marikar, Faiz M. M. T.

2017-01-01

Evidence for the teaching involves transmission of knowledge, superiority of guided transmission is explained in the context of our knowledge, but it is also much more that. In this study we have examined General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University's cadet and civilian students' response to constructivist learning theory and participatory…

Rooting of conifer propagules

Treesearch

R.L. Mott

1977-01-01

An outline of the general problems involved with the propagation of elite conifer clones by rooted cuttings is drawn from published reports. New approaches for resolving these problems can come from studies of clone production through tissue culture methods. Probable extension of tissue culture techniques will permit the establishment of clones from adult, proven trees...

Factors Contributing to Stress in Parents of Individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tehee, Erin; Honan, Rita; Hevey, David

2009-01-01

Background: The study explores the experiences of parents of individuals with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs), and examines the influences of parent gender and child age on perceived stress, stress and coping, child-rearing involvement, support and information/education accessed. Methods and Materials: Questionnaires assessed general perceived…

Analytical difficulties facing today's regulatory laboratories: issues in method validation.

PubMed

MacNeil, James D

2012-08-01

The challenges facing analytical laboratories today are not unlike those faced in the past, although both the degree of complexity and the rate of change have increased. Challenges such as development and maintenance of expertise, maintenance and up-dating of equipment, and the introduction of new test methods have always been familiar themes for analytical laboratories, but international guidelines for laboratories involved in the import and export testing of food require management of such changes in a context which includes quality assurance, accreditation, and method validation considerations. Decisions as to when a change in a method requires re-validation of the method or on the design of a validation scheme for a complex multi-residue method require a well-considered strategy, based on a current knowledge of international guidance documents and regulatory requirements, as well the laboratory's quality system requirements. Validation demonstrates that a method is 'fit for purpose', so the requirement for validation should be assessed in terms of the intended use of a method and, in the case of change or modification of a method, whether that change or modification may affect a previously validated performance characteristic. In general, method validation involves method scope, calibration-related parameters, method precision, and recovery. Any method change which may affect method scope or any performance parameters will require re-validation. Some typical situations involving change in methods are discussed and a decision process proposed for selection of appropriate validation measures. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Teaching and assessment of professional attitudes in UK dental schools - commentary.

PubMed

Field, J; Ellis, J; Abbas, C; Germain, P

2010-08-01

The General Dental Council expects professionalism to be embedded and assessed through-out the undergraduate dental programme. Curricula need therefore to accommodate these recommendations. A stroll poll of UK dental schools provided a basis for understanding the current methods of teaching and assessing professionalism. All respondent schools recognised the importance of professionalism and reported that this was taught and assessed within their curriculum. For most the methods involved were largely traditional, relying on lectures and seminars taught throughout the course. The most common form of assessment was by grading and providing formative feedback after a clinical encounter. Whilst clinical skills and knowledge can perhaps be readily taught and assessed using traditional methods, those involved in education are challenged to identify and implement effective methods of not only teaching, but also assessing professionalism. A variety of standalone methods need to be developed that assess professionalism and this will, in turn, allow the effectiveness of teaching methods to be assessed.

Patient involvement in health care decision making: a review.

PubMed

Vahdat, Shaghayegh; Hamzehgardeshi, Leila; Hessam, Somayeh; Hamzehgardeshi, Zeinab

2014-01-01

Patient participation means involvement of the patient in decision making or expressing opinions about different treatment methods, which includes sharing information, feelings and signs and accepting health team instructions. Given the importance of patient participation in healthcare decision making which empowers patients and improves services and health outcomes, this study was performed to review previous studies on patient participation in healthcare decision making. To prepare this narrative review article, researchers used general and specific search engines, as well as textbooks addressing this subject for an in-depth study of patient involvement in healthcare decision-making. As a result, 35 (out of 100 relevant) articles and also two books were selected for writing this review article. BASED ON THE REVIEW OF ARTICLES AND BOOKS, TOPICS WERE DIVIDED INTO SIX GENERAL CATEGORIES: definition of participation, importance of patient participation, factors influencing participation of patients in healthcare decisions, method of patient participation, tools for evaluating participation, and benefits and consequences of patient participation in health care decision-making. IN MOST STUDIES, FACTORS INFLUENCING PATIENT PARTICIPATION CONSISTED OF: factors associated with health care professionals such as doctor-patient relationship, recognition of patient's knowledge, allocation of sufficient time for participation, and also factors related to patients such as having knowledge, physical and cognitive ability, and emotional connections, beliefs, values and their experiences in relation to health services.

Evolutionary Oseen Model for Generalized Newtonian Fluid with Multivalued Nonmonotone Friction Law

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Migórski, Stanisław; Dudek, Sylwia

2018-03-01

The paper deals with the non-stationary Oseen system of equations for the generalized Newtonian incompressible fluid with multivalued and nonmonotone frictional slip boundary conditions. First, we provide a result on existence of a unique solution to an abstract evolutionary inclusion involving the Clarke subdifferential term for a nonconvex function. We employ a method based on a surjectivity theorem for multivalued L-pseudomonotone operators. Then, we exploit the abstract result to prove the weak unique solvability of the Oseen system.

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

Albeverio, Sergio; Chen Kai; Fei Shaoming

A necessary separability criterion that relates the structures of the total density matrix and its reductions is given. The method used is based on the realignment method [K. Chen and L. A. Wu, Quant. Inf. Comput. 3, 193 (2003)]. The separability criterion naturally generalizes the reduction separability criterion introduced independently in the previous work [M. Horodecki and P. Horodecki, Phys. Rev. A 59, 4206 (1999) and N. J. Cerf, C. Adami, and R. M. Gingrich, Phys. Rev. A 60, 898 (1999)]. In special cases, it recovers the previous reduction criterion and the recent generalized partial transposition criterion [K. Chen andmore » L. A. Wu, Phys. Lett. A 306, 14 (2002)]. The criterion involves only simple matrix manipulations and can therefore be easily applied.« less

Three-dimensional elliptic grid generation technique with application to turbomachinery cascades

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, S. C.; Schwab, J. R.

1988-01-01

Described is a numerical method for generating 3-D grids for turbomachinery computational fluid dynamic codes. The basic method is general and involves the solution of a quasi-linear elliptic partial differential equation via pointwise relaxation with a local relaxation factor. It allows specification of the grid point distribution on the boundary surfaces, the grid spacing off the boundary surfaces, and the grid orthogonality at the boundary surfaces. A geometry preprocessor constructs the grid point distributions on the boundary surfaces for general turbomachinery cascades. Representative results are shown for a C-grid and an H-grid for a turbine rotor. Two appendices serve as user's manuals for the basic solver and the geometry preprocessor.

A general method for copper-catalyzed arene cross-dimerization.

PubMed

Do, Hien-Quang; Daugulis, Olafs

2011-08-31

A general method for a highly regioselective copper-catalyzed cross-coupling of two aromatic compounds using iodine as an oxidant has been developed. The reactions involve an initial iodination of one arene followed by arylation of the most acidic C-H bond of the other coupling component. Cross-coupling of electron-rich arenes, electron-poor arenes, and five- and six-membered heterocycles is possible in many combinations. Typically, a 1/1.5 to 1/3 ratio of coupling components is used, in contrast to existing methodology that often employs a large excess of one of the arenes. Common functionalities such as ester, ketone, aldehyde, ether, nitrile, nitro, and amine are well-tolerated.

A General Method for Copper-Catalyzed Arene Cross-Dimerization

PubMed Central

Do, Hien-Quang; Daugulis, Olafs

2011-01-01

A general method for a highly regioselective, copper-catalyzed cross-coupling of two aromatic compounds by using iodine oxidant has been developed. The reactions involve an initial iodination of one arene followed by arylation of the most acidic C-H bond of the other coupling component. Cross-coupling of electron-rich arenes, electron-poor arenes, five- and six-membered heterocycles is possible in many combinations. Typically, 1/1.5 to 1/3 ratio of coupling components is used in contrast to existing methodology that often employs a large excess of one of the arenes. Common functionalities such as ester, ketone, aldehyde, ether, nitrile, nitro, and amine are well-tolerated. PMID:21823581

On the validity of the modified equation approach to the stability analysis of finite-difference methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Sin-Chung

1987-01-01

The validity of the modified equation stability analysis introduced by Warming and Hyett was investigated. It is shown that the procedure used in the derivation of the modified equation is flawed and generally leads to invalid results. Moreover, the interpretation of the modified equation as the exact partial differential equation solved by a finite-difference method generally cannot be justified even if spatial periodicity is assumed. For a two-level scheme, due to a series of mathematical quirks, the connection between the modified equation approach and the von Neuman method established by Warming and Hyett turns out to be correct despite its questionable original derivation. However, this connection is only partially valid for a scheme involving more than two time levels. In the von Neumann analysis, the complex error multiplication factor associated with a wave number generally has (L-1) roots for an L-level scheme. It is shown that the modified equation provides information about only one of these roots.

Entropic Lattice Boltzmann Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-12-10

model of fluid dynamics in one dimension, first considered by Renda et al. in 1997 [14]. Here the geometric picture involves a four dimensional polytope...convention of including constant terms in an extra column of the matrix, using the device of appending 1 to the column vector of unknowns. In general, there...we apply the entropic lattice Boltzmann method to a simple five-velocity model of fluid dynamics in one dimension, first considered by Renda et al

A spatial analysis of the expanding roles of nurses in general practice.

PubMed

Pearce, Christopher; Hall, Sally; Phillips, Christine; Dwan, Kathryn; Yates, Rachael; Sibbald, Bonnie

2012-08-07

Changes to the workforce and organisation of general practice are occurring rapidly in response to the Australian health care reform agenda, and the changing nature of the medical profession. In particular, the last five years has seen the rapid introduction and expansion of a nursing workforce in Australian general practices. This potentially creates pressures on current infrastructure in general practice. This study used a mixed methods, 'rapid appraisal' approach involving observation, photographs, and interviews. Nurses utilise space differently to GPs, and this is part of the diversity they bring to the general practice environment. At the same time their roles are partly shaped by the ways space is constructed in general practices. The fluidity of nursing roles in general practice suggests that nurses require a versatile space in which to maximize their role and contribution to the general practice team.

Generalized second-order slip boundary condition for nonequilibrium gas flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Zhaoli; Qin, Jishun; Zheng, Chuguang

2014-01-01

It is a challenging task to model nonequilibrium gas flows within a continuum-fluid framework. Recently some extended hydrodynamic models in the Navier-Stokes formulation have been developed for such flows. A key problem in the application of such models is that suitable boundary conditions must be specified. In the present work, a generalized second-order slip boundary condition is developed in which an effective mean-free path considering the wall effect is used. By combining this slip scheme with certain extended Navier-Stokes constitutive relation models, we obtained a method for nonequilibrium gas flows with solid boundaries. The method is applied to several rarefied gas flows involving planar or curved walls, including the Kramers' problem, the planar Poiseuille flow, the cylindrical Couette flow, and the low speed flow over a sphere. The results show that the proposed method is able to give satisfied predictions, indicating the good potential of the method for nonequilibrium flows.

Plasmonics simulations including nonlocal effects using a boundary element method approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trügler, Andreas; Hohenester, Ulrich; García de Abajo, F. Javier

2017-09-01

Spatial nonlocality in the photonic response of metallic nanoparticles is actually known to produce near-field quenching and significant plasmon frequency shifts relative to local descriptions. As the control over size and morphology of fabricated nanostructures is truly reaching the nanometer scale, understanding and accounting for nonlocal phenomena is becoming increasingly important. Recent advances clearly point out the need to go beyond the local theory. We here present a general formalism for incorporating spatial dispersion effects through the hydrodynamic model and generalizations for arbitrary surface morphologies. Our method relies on the boundary element method, which we supplement with a nonlocal interaction potential. We provide numerical examples in excellent agreement with the literature for individual and paired gold nanospheres, and critically examine the accuracy of our approach. The present method involves marginal extra computational cost relative to local descriptions and facilitates the simulation of spatial dispersion effects in the photonic response of complex nanoplasmonic structures.

Phenolate constrained geometry polymerization catalyst and method for preparing

DOEpatents

Marks, Tobin J.; Chen, You-Xian

1999-01-01

The subject invention involves a method of preparing and the constrained geometry catalyst thereby prepared of the general formula Ar'R4(O)Ar"R'.sub.4 M(CH.sub.2 Ph).sub.2 where Ar' is a phenyl or naphthyl group; Ar" is a cyclopentadienyl or indenyl group, R and R' are H or alkyl substituents (C.ltoreq.10) and M is Ti, Zr or Hf. The synthetic method involves a simple alkane elimination approach which permits a "one-pot" procedure. The catalyst, when combined with a cocatalyst such as Pb.sub.3 C.sup.+ B(Ar.sub.3.sup.F).sub.4 BAr.sub.3.sup.F or methyl alumoxane where Ar.sup.F is a fluoroaryl group, is an effective catalyst for the polymerization of .alpha.-olefins such as ethylene, propylene and styrene.

Satisfaction rates with the current Special Type Consultation (STC) reimbursement scheme among General Practitioners - A Mixed Methods Study.

PubMed

Kiely, A; O'Meara, S; Fitzgerald, N; Regan, A M; Durcan, P; McGuire, G; Kelly, M E

2017-03-10

The Special Type Consultation (STC) scheme is a fee-for-service reimbursement scheme for General Practitioners (GPs) in Ireland. Introduced in 1989, the scheme includes specified patient services involving the application of a learned skill, e.g. suturing. This study aims to establish the extent to which GPs believe this scheme is appropriate for current General Practice. This is an embedded mixed-methods study combining quantitative data on GPs working experience of and qualitative data on GPs attitudes towards the scheme. Data were collected by means of an anonymous postal questionnaire. The response rate was 60.4% (n=159.) Twenty-nine percent (n=46) disagreed and 65% (n=104) strongly disagreed that the current list of special items is satisfactory. Two overriding themes were identified: economics and advancement of the STC process. This study demonstrates an overwhelming consensus among GPs that the current STC scheme is outdated and in urgent need of revision to reflect modern General Practice.

A stable partitioned FSI algorithm for rigid bodies and incompressible flow. Part II: General formulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banks, J. W.; Henshaw, W. D.; Schwendeman, D. W.; Tang, Qi

2017-08-01

A stable partitioned algorithm is developed for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems involving viscous incompressible flow and rigid bodies. This added-mass partitioned (AMP) algorithm remains stable, without sub-iterations, for light and even zero mass rigid bodies when added-mass and viscous added-damping effects are large. The scheme is based on a generalized Robin interface condition for the fluid pressure that includes terms involving the linear acceleration and angular acceleration of the rigid body. Added mass effects are handled in the Robin condition by inclusion of a boundary integral term that depends on the pressure. Added-damping effects due to the viscous shear forces on the body are treated by inclusion of added-damping tensors that are derived through a linearization of the integrals defining the force and torque. Added-damping effects may be important at low Reynolds number, or, for example, in the case of a rotating cylinder or rotating sphere when the rotational moments of inertia are small. In this second part of a two-part series, the general formulation of the AMP scheme is presented including the form of the AMP interface conditions and added-damping tensors for general geometries. A fully second-order accurate implementation of the AMP scheme is developed in two dimensions based on a fractional-step method for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations using finite difference methods and overlapping grids to handle the moving geometry. The numerical scheme is verified on a number of difficult benchmark problems.

Environmental Perception as a Diagnostic Probe of Environmental Complexity Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freitas, Mirlaine R.; Macedo, Renato L. G.; Freitas, Matheus P.; Nunes, Cleiton A.; Venturin, Nelson

2015-01-01

Purpose: Educational methods to diagnose and improve the level of environmental conception are required. The present work reports a methodology based on studies about the environmental perception of a university public, divided into general students and those related to the forest sciences, who are involved with disciplines and researches related…

Heuristics as a Basis for Assessing Creative Potential: Measures, Methods, and Contingencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vessey, William B.; Mumford, Michael D.

2012-01-01

Studies of creative thinking skills have generally measured a single aspect of creativity, divergent thinking. A number of other processes involved in creative thought have been identified. Effective execution of these processes is held to depend on the strategies applied in process execution, or heuristics. In this article, we review prior…

Research in Reading in English as a Second Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devine, Joanne, Ed.; And Others

This collection of essays, most followed by comments, reflect some aspect of the general theme: reading is a multifacted, complex, interactive process that involves many subskills and many types of reader, as well as text, variables. Papers include: "The Eclectic Synergy of Methods of Reading Research" (Ulla Connor); "A View of…

An Analysis of Social Studies Teachers' Perception Levels Regarding Web Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yesiltas, Erkan

2016-01-01

Web pedagogical content knowledge generally takes pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge, and Web knowledge as basis. It is a structure emerging through the interaction of these three components. Content knowledge refers to knowledge of subjects to be taught. Pedagogical knowledge involves knowledge of process, implementation, learning methods,…

Sexuality Education in Europe: An Overview of Current Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Rachael; Wellings, Kaye; Lazarus, Jeffrey V.

2009-01-01

Comprehensive sexuality education is one of the most important tools to ensure that young people have the information they need to make healthy and informed choices. The aim of this article is, firstly, to outline general issues about sexuality education pertaining to curriculum content, the didactic methods used, agencies involved, political…

Workjobs: Activity-Centered Learning for Early Childhood Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorton, Mary Baratta

Based on the idea that through active involvement with the materials the child would draw out the generalizations within the material, a teacher's method of activity-centered learning for early childhood education is presented. The first section of the book deals with the development of language through workjobs, emphasizing perception, matching,…

Student Motivation for Involvement in Supervised Agricultural Experiences: An Historical Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bird, William A.; Martin, Michael J.; Simonsen, Jon C.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine student motivation for SAEs through the lens of the Self-Determination Theory. Self-Determination Theory proposed that human beings are more genuinely motivated when driven by internal factors as opposed to external factors. We used historical research and general qualitative interpretative methods to…

Methods for Integrating Moderation and Mediation: A General Analytical Framework Using Moderated Path Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Jeffrey R.; Lambert, Lisa Schurer

2007-01-01

Studies that combine moderation and mediation are prevalent in basic and applied psychology research. Typically, these studies are framed in terms of moderated mediation or mediated moderation, both of which involve similar analytical approaches. Unfortunately, these approaches have important shortcomings that conceal the nature of the moderated…

Surrogate Seeds For Growth Of Crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shlichta, Paul J.

1989-01-01

Larger crystals of higher quality grown. Alternative method for starting growth of crystal involves use of seed crystal of different material instead of same material as solution. Intended for growing single-crystal proteins for experiments but applicable in general to growth of crystals from solutions and to growth of semiconductor or other crystals from melts.

Research on plasma turbulence involving binary particle collisions and collective effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandri, G.

1972-01-01

Plasmas in which binary collisions are important are studied by means of nonadiabatic methods. Two- and three-body correlations are calculated to determine the one-particle distribution for the ionization model. The general dispersion analysis is summarized, and examples of the ionization model and of the static fluctuations are discussed.

Fast Mapping Verb Meaning from Argument Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Valerie E.

2010-01-01

Purpose: To examine lexical knowledge in children through a fast mapping task. Method: This study compared the performance of 60 African American English-speaking and general American English-speaking children between the ages of 4 and 6 years. They were presented with a comprehension task involving the fast mapping of novel verbs in 4 different…

Higher Education Faculty Engagement in a Modified Mapmark Standard Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horst, S. Jeanne; DeMars, Christine E.

2016-01-01

The Mapmark standard setting method was adapted to a higher education setting in which faculty leaders were highly involved. Eighteen university faculty members participated in a day-long standard setting for a general education communications test. In Round 1, faculty set initial cut-scores for each of four student learning objectives. In Rounds…

Methods of Identification of Students with Learning Disabilities in Reading: Perceptions of Administrators in Illinois and Implications for School Psychologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopper, Christy L.

2014-01-01

School psychologists' training provides a variety of skills from which its practitioners may draw, including consultation, intervention, counseling, staff development, and assessment. Despite these broad skills, school psychologists' primary roles involve assessment and assessment-related tasks, generally as related to eligibility determination…

Perturbative description of the fermionic projector: Normalization, causality, and Furry's theorem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finster, Felix; Tolksdorf, Jürgen

2014-05-01

The causal perturbation expansion of the fermionic projector is performed with a contour integral method. Different normalization conditions are analyzed. It is shown that the corresponding light-cone expansions are causal in the sense that they only involve bounded line integrals. For the resulting loop diagrams we prove a generalized Furry theorem.

Geometric construction of quantum hall clustering Hamiltonians

DOE PAGES

Lee, Ching Hua; Papić, Zlatko; Thomale, Ronny

2015-10-08

In this study, many fractional quantum Hall wave functions are known to be unique highest-density zero modes of certain “pseudopotential” Hamiltonians. While a systematic method to construct such parent Hamiltonians has been available for the infinite plane and sphere geometries, the generalization to manifolds where relative angular momentum is not an exact quantum number, i.e., the cylinder or torus, remains an open problem. This is particularly true for non-Abelian states, such as the Read-Rezayi series (in particular, the Moore-Read and Read-Rezayi Z 3 states) and more exotic nonunitary (Haldane-Rezayi and Gaffnian) or irrational (Haffnian) states, whose parent Hamiltonians involve complicatedmore » many-body interactions. Here, we develop a universal geometric approach for constructing pseudopotential Hamiltonians that is applicable to all geometries. Our method straightforwardly generalizes to the multicomponent SU(n) cases with a combination of spin or pseudospin (layer, subband, or valley) degrees of freedom. We demonstrate the utility of our approach through several examples, some of which involve non-Abelian multicomponent states whose parent Hamiltonians were previously unknown, and we verify the results by numerically computing their entanglement properties.« less

Training in paediatric clinical pharmacology in the UK

PubMed Central

Choonara, Imti; Dewit, Odile; Harrop, Emily; Howarth, Sheila; Helms, Peter; Kanabar, Dipak; Lenney, Warren; Rylance, George; Vallance, Patrick

2004-01-01

Aims To produce a training programme in paediatric clinical pharmacology. Methods A working group, consisting of clinical pharmacologists (paediatric and adult), general paediatricians and the pharmaceutical industry was established to produce the training programme. Results Following a two year training programme in general paediatrics, a three year training programme in clinical pharmacology has been established. This includes one year of research in clinical pharmacology (paediatric or adult). The other two years involve training in different aspects of paediatric clinical pharmacology and general paediatrics. Conclusion The existence of a formal training programme should result in a significant increase in the number of paediatric clinical pharmacologists. PMID:15255806

A class of fractional differential hemivariational inequalities with application to contact problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Shengda; Liu, Zhenhai; Migorski, Stanislaw

2018-04-01

In this paper, we study a class of generalized differential hemivariational inequalities of parabolic type involving the time fractional order derivative operator in Banach spaces. We use the Rothe method combined with surjectivity of multivalued pseudomonotone operators and properties of the Clarke generalized gradient to establish existence of solution to the abstract inequality. As an illustrative application, a frictional quasistatic contact problem for viscoelastic materials with adhesion is investigated, in which the friction and contact conditions are described by the Clarke generalized gradient of nonconvex and nonsmooth functionals, and the constitutive relation is modeled by the fractional Kelvin-Voigt law.

Exploration of contextual factors in a successful quality improvement collaborative in English ambulance services: cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Phung, Viet-Hai; Essam, Nadya; Asghar, Zahid; Spaight, Anne; Siriwardena, Aloysius N

2016-02-01

Clinical leadership and organizational culture are important contextual factors for quality improvement (QI) but the relationship between these and with organizational change is complex and poorly understood. We aimed to explore the relationship between clinical leadership, culture of innovation and clinical engagement in QI within a national ambulance QI Collaborative (QIC). We used a self-administered online questionnaire survey sent to front-line clinicians in all 12 English ambulance services. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of quantitative data and qualitative analysis of free-text responses. There were 2743 (12% of 22 117) responses from 11 of the 12 participating ambulance services. In the 3% of responders that were directly involved with the QIC, leadership behaviour was significantly higher than for those not directly involved. QIC involvement made no significant difference to responders' perceptions of the culture of innovation in their organization, which was generally considered poor. Although uptake of QI methods was low overall, QIC members were significantly more likely to use QI methods, which were also significantly associated with leadership behaviour. Despite a limited organizational culture of innovation, clinical leadership and use of QI methods in ambulance services generally, the QIC achieved its aims to significantly improve pre-hospital care for acute myocardial infarction and stroke. We postulate that this was mediated through an improvement subculture, linked to the QIC, which facilitated large-scale improvement by stimulating leadership and QI methods. Further research is needed to understand success factors for QI in complex health care environments. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

General MoM Solutions for Large Arrays

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

Fasenfest, B; Capolino, F; Wilton, D R

2003-07-22

This paper focuses on a numerical procedure that addresses the difficulties of dealing with large, finite arrays while preserving the generality and robustness of full-wave methods. We present a fast method based on approximating interactions between sufficiently separated array elements via a relatively coarse interpolation of the Green's function on a uniform grid commensurate with the array's periodicity. The interaction between the basis and testing functions is reduced to a three-stage process. The first stage is a projection of standard (e.g., RWG) subdomain bases onto a set of interpolation functions that interpolate the Green's function on the array face. Thismore » projection, which is used in a matrix/vector product for each array cell in an iterative solution process, need only be carried out once for a single cell and results in a low-rank matrix. An intermediate stage matrix/vector product computation involving the uniformly sampled Green's function is of convolutional form in the lateral (transverse) directions so that a 2D FFT may be used. The final stage is a third matrix/vector product computation involving a matrix resulting from projecting testing functions onto the Green's function interpolation functions; the low-rank matrix is either identical to (using Galerkin's method) or similar to that for the bases projection. An effective MoM solution scheme is developed for large arrays using a modification of the AIM (Adaptive Integral Method) method. The method permits the analysis of arrays with arbitrary contours and nonplanar elements. Both fill and solve times within the MoM method are improved with respect to more standard MoM solvers.« less

An automated repair method of water pipe infrastructure using carbon fiber bundles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wisotzkey, Sean; Carr, Heath; Fyfe, Ed

2011-04-01

The United States water pipe infrastructure is made up of over 2 million miles of pipe. Due to age and deterioration, a large portion of this pipe is in need of repair to prevent catastrophic failures. Current repair methods generally involve intrusive techniques that can be time consuming and costly, but also can cause major societal impacts. A new automated repair method incorporating innovative carbon fiber technology is in development. This automated method would eliminate the need for trenching and would vastly cut time and labor costs, providing a much more economical pipe repair solution.

Some issues related to simulation of the tracking and communications computer network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lacovara, Robert C.

1989-01-01

The Communications Performance and Integration branch of the Tracking and Communications Division has an ongoing involvement in the simulation of its flight hardware for Space Station Freedom. Specifically, the communication process between central processor(s) and orbital replaceable units (ORU's) is simulated with varying degrees of fidelity. The results of investigations into three aspects of this simulation effort are given. The most general area involves the use of computer assisted software engineering (CASE) tools for this particular simulation. The second area of interest is simulation methods for systems of mixed hardware and software. The final area investigated is the application of simulation methods to one of the proposed computer network protocols for space station, specifically IEEE 802.4.

Some issues related to simulation of the tracking and communications computer network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacovara, Robert C.

1989-12-01

The Communications Performance and Integration branch of the Tracking and Communications Division has an ongoing involvement in the simulation of its flight hardware for Space Station Freedom. Specifically, the communication process between central processor(s) and orbital replaceable units (ORU's) is simulated with varying degrees of fidelity. The results of investigations into three aspects of this simulation effort are given. The most general area involves the use of computer assisted software engineering (CASE) tools for this particular simulation. The second area of interest is simulation methods for systems of mixed hardware and software. The final area investigated is the application of simulation methods to one of the proposed computer network protocols for space station, specifically IEEE 802.4.

An Efficient Synthesis of 2-Substituted Benzimidazoles via Photocatalytic Condensation of o-Phenylenediamines and Aldehydes.

PubMed

Kovvuri, Jeshma; Nagaraju, Burri; Kamal, Ahmed; Srivastava, Ajay K

2016-10-10

A photocatalytic method has been developed for the efficient synthesis of functionalized benzimidazoles. This protocol involves photocatalytic condensation of o-phenylenediamines with various aldehydes using the Rose Bengal as photocatalyst. The method was found to be general and was successfully employed for accessing pharmaceutically important benzimidazoles by the condensation of aromatic, heteroaromatic and aliphatic aldehydes with o-phenylenediamines, in good-to-excellent yields. Notably, the method was found to be effective for the condensation of less reactive heterocyclic aldehydes with o-phenylenediamines.

Modelling the firing pattern of bullfrog vestibular neurons responding to naturalistic stimuli

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paulin, M. G.; Hoffman, L. F.

1999-01-01

We have developed a neural system identification method for fitting models to stimulus-response data, where the response is a spike train. The method involves using a general nonlinear optimisation procedure to fit models in the time domain. We have applied the method to model bullfrog semicircular canal afferent neuron responses during naturalistic, broad-band head rotations. These neurons respond in diverse ways, but a simple four parameter class of models elegantly accounts for the various types of responses observed. c1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

An Eulerian/Lagrangian method for computing blade/vortex impingement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinhoff, John; Senge, Heinrich; Yonghu, Wenren

1991-01-01

A combined Eulerian/Lagrangian approach to calculating helicopter rotor flows with concentrated vortices is described. The method computes a general evolving vorticity distribution without any significant numerical diffusion. Concentrated vortices can be accurately propagated over long distances on relatively coarse grids with cores only several grid cells wide. The method is demonstrated for a blade/vortex impingement case in 2D and 3D where a vortex is cut by a rotor blade, and the results are compared to previous 2D calculations involving a fifth-order Navier-Stokes solver on a finer grid.

Tutorial examples for uncertainty quantification methods.

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

De Bord, Sarah

2015-08-01

This report details the work accomplished during my 2015 SULI summer internship at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, CA. During this internship, I worked on multiple tasks with the common goal of making uncertainty quantification (UQ) methods more accessible to the general scientific community. As part of my work, I created a comprehensive numerical integration example to incorporate into the user manual of a UQ software package. Further, I developed examples involving heat transfer through a window to incorporate into tutorial lectures that serve as an introduction to UQ methods.

Elevated temperature biaxial fatigue

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, E. H.

1983-01-01

Biaxial fatigue is often encountered in the complex thermo-mechanical loadings present in gas turbine engines. Engine strain histories can involve non-constant temperature, mean stress, creep, environmental effects, both isotropic and anisotropic materials and non-proportional loading. Life prediction for the general case involving all the above factors is not a practicable research project. The current research program is limited to isothermal fatigue at room temperature and 1200 F of Hastalloy-X for both proportional and non-proportional loading. An improved method for predicting the fatigue life and deformation response under biaxial cycle loading is sought.

Model verification of mixed dynamic systems. [POGO problem in liquid propellant rockets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chrostowski, J. D.; Evensen, D. A.; Hasselman, T. K.

1978-01-01

A parameter-estimation method is described for verifying the mathematical model of mixed (combined interactive components from various engineering fields) dynamic systems against pertinent experimental data. The model verification problem is divided into two separate parts: defining a proper model and evaluating the parameters of that model. The main idea is to use differences between measured and predicted behavior (response) to adjust automatically the key parameters of a model so as to minimize response differences. To achieve the goal of modeling flexibility, the method combines the convenience of automated matrix generation with the generality of direct matrix input. The equations of motion are treated in first-order form, allowing for nonsymmetric matrices, modeling of general networks, and complex-mode analysis. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated for an example problem involving a complex hydraulic-mechanical system.

Layout optimization using the homogenization method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suzuki, Katsuyuki; Kikuchi, Noboru

1993-01-01

A generalized layout problem involving sizing, shape, and topology optimization is solved by using the homogenization method for three-dimensional linearly elastic shell structures in order to seek a possibility of establishment of an integrated design system of automotive car bodies, as an extension of the previous work by Bendsoe and Kikuchi. A formulation of a three-dimensional homogenized shell, a solution algorithm, and several examples of computing the optimum layout are presented in this first part of the two articles.

The MDI Method as a Generalization of Logit, Probit and Hendry Analyses in Marketing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

model involves nothing more than fitting a normal distribution function ( Hanushek and Jackson (1977)). For a given value of x, the probit model...preference shifts within the soft drink category. --For applications of probit models relevant for marketing, see Hausman and Wise (1978) and Hanushek and...Marketing Research" JMR XIV, Feb. (1977). Hanushek , E.A., and J.E. Jackson, Statistical Methods for Social Scientists. Academic Press, New York (1977

Jacobian-free approximate solvers for hyperbolic systems: Application to relativistic magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castro, Manuel J.; Gallardo, José M.; Marquina, Antonio

2017-10-01

We present recent advances in PVM (Polynomial Viscosity Matrix) methods based on internal approximations to the absolute value function, and compare them with Chebyshev-based PVM solvers. These solvers only require a bound on the maximum wave speed, so no spectral decomposition is needed. Another important feature of the proposed methods is that they are suitable to be written in Jacobian-free form, in which only evaluations of the physical flux are used. This is particularly interesting when considering systems for which the Jacobians involve complex expressions, e.g., the relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (RMHD) equations. On the other hand, the proposed Jacobian-free solvers have also been extended to the case of approximate DOT (Dumbser-Osher-Toro) methods, which can be regarded as simple and efficient approximations to the classical Osher-Solomon method, sharing most of it interesting features and being applicable to general hyperbolic systems. To test the properties of our schemes a number of numerical experiments involving the RMHD equations are presented, both in one and two dimensions. The obtained results are in good agreement with those found in the literature and show that our schemes are robust and accurate, running stable under a satisfactory time step restriction. It is worth emphasizing that, although this work focuses on RMHD, the proposed schemes are suitable to be applied to general hyperbolic systems.

On the acceleration of charged particles at relativistic shock fronts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirk, J. G.; Schneider, P.

1987-01-01

The diffusive acceleration of highly relativistic particles at a shock is reconsidered. Using the same physical assumptions as Blandford and Ostriker (1978), but dropping the restriction to nonrelativistic shock velocities, the authors find approximate solutions of the particle kinetic equation by generalizing the diffusion approximation to higher order terms in the anisotropy of the particle distribution. The general solution of the transport equation on either side of the shock is constructed, which involves the solution of an eigenvalue problem. By matching the two solutions at the shock, the spectral index of the resulting power law is found by taking into account a sufficiently large number of eigenfunctions. Low-order truncation corresponds to the standard diffusion approximation and to a somewhat more general method described by Peacock (1981). In addition to the energy spectrum, the method yields the angular distribution of the particles and its spatial dependence.

Domain Adaptation Methods for Improving Lab-to-field Generalization of Cocaine Detection using Wearable ECG.

PubMed

Natarajan, Annamalai; Angarita, Gustavo; Gaiser, Edward; Malison, Robert; Ganesan, Deepak; Marlin, Benjamin M

2016-09-01

Mobile health research on illicit drug use detection typically involves a two-stage study design where data to learn detectors is first collected in lab-based trials, followed by a deployment to subjects in a free-living environment to assess detector performance. While recent work has demonstrated the feasibility of wearable sensors for illicit drug use detection in the lab setting, several key problems can limit lab-to-field generalization performance. For example, lab-based data collection often has low ecological validity, the ground-truth event labels collected in the lab may not be available at the same level of temporal granularity in the field, and there can be significant variability between subjects. In this paper, we present domain adaptation methods for assessing and mitigating potential sources of performance loss in lab-to-field generalization and apply them to the problem of cocaine use detection from wearable electrocardiogram sensor data.

Generalized fictitious methods for fluid-structure interactions: Analysis and simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yue; Baek, Hyoungsu; Karniadakis, George Em

2013-07-01

We present a new fictitious pressure method for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems in incompressible flow by generalizing the fictitious mass and damping methods we published previously in [1]. The fictitious pressure method involves modification of the fluid solver whereas the fictitious mass and damping methods modify the structure solver. We analyze all fictitious methods for simplified problems and obtain explicit expressions for the optimal reduction factor (convergence rate index) at the FSI interface [2]. This analysis also demonstrates an apparent similarity of fictitious methods to the FSI approach based on Robin boundary conditions, which have been found to be very effective in FSI problems. We implement all methods, including the semi-implicit Robin based coupling method, in the context of spectral element discretization, which is more sensitive to temporal instabilities than low-order methods. However, the methods we present here are simple and general, and hence applicable to FSI based on any other spatial discretization. In numerical tests, we verify the selection of optimal values for the fictitious parameters for simplified problems and for vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) even at zero mass ratio ("for-ever-resonance"). We also develop an empirical a posteriori analysis for complex geometries and apply it to 3D patient-specific flexible brain arteries with aneurysms for very large deformations. We demonstrate that the fictitious pressure method enhances stability and convergence, and is comparable or better in most cases to the Robin approach or the other fictitious methods.

A general method for constructing multidimensional molecular potential energy surfaces from {ital ab} {ital initio} calculations

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

Ho, T.; Rabitz, H.

1996-02-01

A general interpolation method for constructing smooth molecular potential energy surfaces (PES{close_quote}s) from {ital ab} {ital initio} data are proposed within the framework of the reproducing kernel Hilbert space and the inverse problem theory. The general expression for an {ital a} {ital posteriori} error bound of the constructed PES is derived. It is shown that the method yields globally smooth potential energy surfaces that are continuous and possess derivatives up to second order or higher. Moreover, the method is amenable to correct symmetry properties and asymptotic behavior of the molecular system. Finally, the method is generic and can be easilymore » extended from low dimensional problems involving two and three atoms to high dimensional problems involving four or more atoms. Basic properties of the method are illustrated by the construction of a one-dimensional potential energy curve of the He{endash}He van der Waals dimer using the exact quantum Monte Carlo calculations of Anderson {ital et} {ital al}. [J. Chem. Phys. {bold 99}, 345 (1993)], a two-dimensional potential energy surface of the HeCO van der Waals molecule using recent {ital ab} {ital initio} calculations by Tao {ital et} {ital al}. [J. Chem. Phys. {bold 101}, 8680 (1994)], and a three-dimensional potential energy surface of the H{sup +}{sub 3} molecular ion using highly accurate {ital ab} {ital initio} calculations of R{umlt o}hse {ital et} {ital al}. [J. Chem. Phys. {bold 101}, 2231 (1994)]. In the first two cases the constructed potentials clearly exhibit the correct asymptotic forms, while in the last case the constructed potential energy surface is in excellent agreement with that constructed by R{umlt o}hse {ital et} {ital al}. using a low order polynomial fitting procedure. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Laser Pencil Beam Based Techniques for Visualization and Analysis of Interfaces Between Media

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adamovsky, Grigory; Giles, Sammie, Jr.

1998-01-01

Traditional optical methods that include interferometry, Schlieren, and shadowgraphy have been used successfully for visualization and evaluation of various media. Aerodynamics and hydrodynamics are major fields where these methods have been applied. However, these methods have such major drawbacks as a relatively low power density and suppression of the secondary order phenomena. A novel method introduced at NASA Lewis Research Center minimizes disadvantages of the 'classical' methods. The method involves a narrow pencil-like beam that penetrates a medium of interest. The paper describes the laser pencil beam flow visualization methods in detail. Various system configurations are presented. The paper also discusses interfaces between media in general terms and provides examples of interfaces.

Process-related factors associated with disciplinary board decisions.

PubMed

Birkeland, Søren; Christensen, Rene dePont; Damsbo, Niels; Kragstrup, Jakob

2013-01-07

In most health care systems disciplinary boards have been organised in order to process patients' complaints about health professionals. Although, the safe-guarding of the legal rights of the involved parties is a crucial concern, there is limited knowledge about what role the complaint process plays with regard to board decision outcomes. Using complaint cases towards general practitioners, the aim of this study was to identify what process factors are statistically associated with disciplinary actions as seen from the party of the complainant and the defendant general practitioner, respectively. Danish Patient Complaints Board decisions concerning general practitioners completed in 2007 were examined. Information on process factors was extracted from the case files and included complaint delay, complainant's lawyer involvement, the number of general practitioners involved, event duration, expert witness involvement, case management duration and decision outcome (discipline or no discipline). Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed on compound case decisions eventually involving more general practitioners (as seen from the complainant's side) and on separated decisions (as seen from the defendant general practitioner's side). From the general practitioner's side, when the number of general practitioners involved in a complaint case increased, odds of being disciplined significantly decreased (OR=0.661 per additional general practitioner involved, p<0.001). Contrarily, from the complainant's side, no association could be detected between complaining against a plurality of general practitioners and the odds of at least one general practitioner being disciplined. From both sides, longer case management duration was associated with higher odds of discipline (OR=1.038 per additional month, p=0.010). No association could be demonstrated with regard to complaint delay, lawyer involvement, event duration, or expert witness involvement. There was lawyer involvement in 5% of cases and expert witness involvement in 92% of cases. The mean complaint delay was 3 months and 18 days and the mean case management duration was 14 months and 7 days. Certain complaint process factors might be statistically associated with decision outcomes. However, the impact diverges as seen from the different parties. Future studies are merited in order to uncover the judicial mechanisms lying behind.

Recent Enhancements To The FUN3D Flow Solver For Moving-Mesh Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biedron, Robert T,; Thomas, James L.

2009-01-01

An unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver for unstructured grids has been extended to handle general mesh movement involving rigid, deforming, and overset meshes. Mesh deformation is achieved through analogy to elastic media by solving the linear elasticity equations. A general method for specifying the motion of moving bodies within the mesh has been implemented that allows for inherited motion through parent-child relationships, enabling simulations involving multiple moving bodies. Several example calculations are shown to illustrate the range of potential applications. For problems in which an isolated body is rotating with a fixed rate, a noninertial reference-frame formulation is available. An example calculation for a tilt-wing rotor is used to demonstrate that the time-dependent moving grid and noninertial formulations produce the same results in the limit of zero time-step size.

Clinical features and prognostic factors of Churg-Strauss syndrome

PubMed Central

Kim, Mi-Yeong; Sohn, Kyoung-Hee; Song, Woo-Jung; Park, Heung-Woo; Cho, Sang-Heon; Min, Kyung-Up

2014-01-01

Background/Aims Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare systemic necrotizing small-vessel vasculitis, with accompanying bronchial asthma, eosinophilia, and eosinophilic infiltration of various tissues. The purposes of our study were to characterize the clinical features of CSS and to identify factors associated with CSS prognosis in Koreans. Methods Medical records were reviewed retrospectively for all physician-diagnosed CSS patients in the Seoul National University Hospital between January 1990 and March 2011. Results Data from 52 CSS patients were analyzed. The respiratory tract was the most commonly involved organ (90.4%). Renal involvement was less frequent in antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)(-) patients than in ANCA(+) patients (p = 0.048). Clinical remission occurred in 95.3% of patients, but 16.3% of them relapsed. Patients who maintained remission for more than 6 months were relatively older (median, 51 years) at diagnosis (p = 0.004), had been diagnosed in earlier stages (p = 0.027), showed more frequent respiratory involvement (p = 0.024) and generalized symptoms (p = 0.039), and showed less frequent cutaneous involvement (p = 0.030) than those who did not achieve persistent (> 6 months) remission. Patients who achieved persistent remission also showed higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (p = 0.031) than those who did not. Conclusions ANCA(-) CSS patients showed less frequent renal involvement. Characteristics of good responders were older age, diagnosis at earlier stages, less cutaneous involvement, more respiratory involvement, high CRP values, and more generalized symptoms. PMID:24574837

Increasing patient involvement in choosing treatment for early breast cancer.

PubMed

Street, R L; Voigt, B; Geyer, C; Manning, T; Swanson, G P

1995-12-01

This investigation examined factors affecting patient involvement in consultations to decide local treatment for early breast cancer and the effectiveness of two methods of preconsultation education aimed at increasing patient participation in these discussions. Sixty patients with Stage I or II breast cancer (1) were pretested on their knowledge about breast cancer treatment and optimism for the future, (2) were randomly assigned to one of two methods for preconsultation education: interactive multimedia program or brochure, (3) completed knowledge and optimism measures, (4) consulted with a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, and general surgeon, and (5) completed self-report measures assessing their involvement in the consultations and control over decision-making. The consultations were audiorecorded and analyzed to identify behavioral indicators of patient involvement (question-asking, opinion-giving, and expressing concern) and physician utterances encouraging patient participation. College-educated patients younger than 65 years of age were more active participants in these consultations than were older, less educated patients. In addition, patients showed more involvement when they interacted with physicians who encouraged and facilitated patient participation. The method of education did not affect patient involvement although patients tended to learn more about breast cancer treatment after using the multimedia program than after reading the brochure. Although patients vary in their expressiveness, physicians may be able to increase patient participation in deciding treatment by using patient-centered behavior. Also, preconsultation education appears to be an effective clinical strategy for helping patients gain an accurate understanding of their treatment options before meeting with physicians.

Microbial diversity and their roles in the vinegar fermentation process.

PubMed

Li, Sha; Li, Pan; Feng, Feng; Luo, Li-Xin

2015-06-01

Vinegar is one of the oldest acetic acid-diluted solution products in the world. It is produced from any fermentable sugary substrate by various fermentation methods. The final vinegar products possess unique functions, which are endowed with many kinds of compounds formed in the fermentation process. The quality of vinegar is determined by many factors, especially by the raw materials and microbial diversity involved in vinegar fermentation. Given that metabolic products from the fermenting strains are directly related to the quality of the final products of vinegar, the microbial diversity and features of the dominant strains involved in different fermentation stages should be analyzed to improve the strains and stabilize fermentation. Moreover, although numerous microbiological studies have been conducted to examine the process of vinegar fermentation, knowledge about microbial diversity and their roles involved in fermentation is still fragmentary and not systematic enough. Therefore, in this review, the dominant microorganism species involved in the stages of alcoholic fermentation and acetic acid fermentation of dissimilar vinegars were summarized. We also summarized various physicochemical properties and crucial compounds in disparate types of vinegar. Furthermore, the merits and drawbacks of vital fermentation methods were generalized. Finally, we described in detail the relationships among microbial diversity, raw materials, fermentation methods, physicochemical properties, compounds, functionality, and final quality of vinegar. The integration of this information can provide us a detailed map about the microbial diversity and function involved in vinegar fermentation.

Evaluation of metabolites extraction strategies for identifying different brain regions and their relationship with alcohol preference and gender difference using NMR metabolomics.

PubMed

Wang, Jie; Zeng, Hao-Long; Du, Hongying; Liu, Zeyuan; Cheng, Ji; Liu, Taotao; Hu, Ting; Kamal, Ghulam Mustafa; Li, Xihai; Liu, Huili; Xu, Fuqiang

2018-03-01

Metabolomics generate a profile of small molecules from cellular/tissue metabolism, which could directly reflect the mechanisms of complex networks of biochemical reactions. Traditional metabolomics methods, such as OPLS-DA, PLS-DA are mainly used for binary class discrimination. Multiple groups are always involved in the biological system, especially for brain research. Multiple brain regions are involved in the neuronal study of brain metabolic dysfunctions such as alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease, etc. In the current study, 10 different brain regions were utilized for comparative studies between alcohol preferring and non-preferring rats, male and female rats respectively. As many classes are involved (ten different regions and four types of animals), traditional metabolomics methods are no longer efficient for showing differentiation. Here, a novel strategy based on the decision tree algorithm was employed for successfully constructing different classification models to screen out the major characteristics of ten brain regions at the same time. Subsequently, this method was also utilized to select the major effective brain regions related to alcohol preference and gender difference. Compared with the traditional multivariate statistical methods, the decision tree could construct acceptable and understandable classification models for multi-class data analysis. Therefore, the current technology could also be applied to other general metabolomics studies involving multi class data. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cystic fibrosis: to screen or not to screen? Involving a Citizens' jury in decisions on screening carrier.

PubMed

Mosconi, Paola; Castellani, Carlo; Villani, Walter; Satolli, Roberto

2015-12-01

In recent years, the continuous improvements in molecular biology techniques have made it possible to detect carriers for several genetic conditions, including cystic fibrosis (CF). In some countries, CF carrier screening is offered to increasing subset of the general population. Offering of carrier screening at a population level should not be decided by local health authorities only, without consulting citizens' preferences. One way to involve citizens in the decision process might be to a Citizens' jury, a method of deliberative democracy. The object of the study is to produce a recommendation statement about CF carrier screening using a Citizens' jury. As this is a new method in the field, the study also provided the opportunity to evaluate its effectiveness. The project is designed and managed by an executive committee. The whole process is superintended by a multidisciplinary scientific committee. The 16 members of the jury attend a 1 day meeting, assisted by a non-medical and unbiased facilitator. Informative material was prepared and distributed 15 days before the jury meeting; during the meeting, experts and witnesses interact directly with all the jurors through questions and answers. All except one member of the jury felt positively about the Health Service actively providing population carrier screening for CF. The final statement was available to public, clinicians, researchers and decision-makers. In general, a Citizens' jury is a feasible method for involving citizens in public health decision-making process and in particular for obtaining a community view about CF carrier screening. © 2014 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Progress Toward an Efficient and General CFD Tool for Propulsion Design/Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, C. F.; Cinnella, P.; Westmoreland, S.

1996-01-01

The simulation of propulsive flows inherently involves chemical activity. Recent years have seen substantial strides made in the development of numerical schemes for reacting flowfields, in particular those involving finite-rate chemistry. However, finite-rate calculations are computationally intensive and require knowledge of the actual kinetics, which are not always known with sufficient accuracy. Alternatively, flow simulations based on the assumption of local chemical equilibrium are capable of obtaining physically reasonable results at far less computational cost. The present study summarizes the development of efficient numerical techniques for the simulation of flows in local chemical equilibrium, whereby a 'Black Box' chemical equilibrium solver is coupled to the usual gasdynamic equations. The generalization of the methods enables the modelling of any arbitrary mixture of thermally perfect gases, including air, combustion mixtures and plasmas. As demonstration of the potential of the methodologies, several solutions, involving reacting and perfect gas flows, will be presented. Included is a preliminary simulation of the SSME startup transient. Future enhancements to the proposed techniques will be discussed, including more efficient finite-rate and hybrid (partial equilibrium) schemes. The algorithms that have been developed and are being optimized provide for an efficient and general tool for the design and analysis of propulsion systems.

An advanced probabilistic structural analysis method for implicit performance functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Y.-T.; Millwater, H. R.; Cruse, T. A.

1989-01-01

In probabilistic structural analysis, the performance or response functions usually are implicitly defined and must be solved by numerical analysis methods such as finite element methods. In such cases, the most commonly used probabilistic analysis tool is the mean-based, second-moment method which provides only the first two statistical moments. This paper presents a generalized advanced mean value (AMV) method which is capable of establishing the distributions to provide additional information for reliability design. The method requires slightly more computations than the second-moment method but is highly efficient relative to the other alternative methods. In particular, the examples show that the AMV method can be used to solve problems involving non-monotonic functions that result in truncated distributions.

Multi-criteria clinical decision support: A primer on the use of multiple criteria decision making methods to promote evidence-based, patient-centered healthcare.

PubMed

Dolan, James G

2010-01-01

Current models of healthcare quality recommend that patient management decisions be evidence-based and patient-centered. Evidence-based decisions require a thorough understanding of current information regarding the natural history of disease and the anticipated outcomes of different management options. Patient-centered decisions incorporate patient preferences, values, and unique personal circumstances into the decision making process and actively involve both patients along with health care providers as much as possible. Fundamentally, therefore, evidence-based, patient-centered decisions are multi-dimensional and typically involve multiple decision makers.Advances in the decision sciences have led to the development of a number of multiple criteria decision making methods. These multi-criteria methods are designed to help people make better choices when faced with complex decisions involving several dimensions. They are especially helpful when there is a need to combine "hard data" with subjective preferences, to make trade-offs between desired outcomes, and to involve multiple decision makers. Evidence-based, patient-centered clinical decision making has all of these characteristics. This close match suggests that clinical decision support systems based on multi-criteria decision making techniques have the potential to enable patients and providers to carry out the tasks required to implement evidence-based, patient-centered care effectively and efficiently in clinical settings.The goal of this paper is to give readers a general introduction to the range of multi-criteria methods available and show how they could be used to support clinical decision-making. Methods discussed include the balance sheet, the even swap method, ordinal ranking methods, direct weighting methods, multi-attribute decision analysis, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP).

Multi-criteria clinical decision support: A primer on the use of multiple criteria decision making methods to promote evidence-based, patient-centered healthcare

PubMed Central

Dolan, James G.

2010-01-01

Current models of healthcare quality recommend that patient management decisions be evidence-based and patient-centered. Evidence-based decisions require a thorough understanding of current information regarding the natural history of disease and the anticipated outcomes of different management options. Patient-centered decisions incorporate patient preferences, values, and unique personal circumstances into the decision making process and actively involve both patients along with health care providers as much as possible. Fundamentally, therefore, evidence-based, patient-centered decisions are multi-dimensional and typically involve multiple decision makers. Advances in the decision sciences have led to the development of a number of multiple criteria decision making methods. These multi-criteria methods are designed to help people make better choices when faced with complex decisions involving several dimensions. They are especially helpful when there is a need to combine “hard data” with subjective preferences, to make trade-offs between desired outcomes, and to involve multiple decision makers. Evidence-based, patient-centered clinical decision making has all of these characteristics. This close match suggests that clinical decision support systems based on multi-criteria decision making techniques have the potential to enable patients and providers to carry out the tasks required to implement evidence-based, patient-centered care effectively and efficiently in clinical settings. The goal of this paper is to give readers a general introduction to the range of multi-criteria methods available and show how they could be used to support clinical decision-making. Methods discussed include the balance sheet, the even swap method, ordinal ranking methods, direct weighting methods, multi-attribute decision analysis, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) PMID:21394218

Phenolate constrained geometry polymerization catalyst and method for preparing

DOEpatents

Marks, T.J.; Chen, Y.X.

1999-01-05

The subject invention involves a method of preparing and the constrained geometry catalyst thereby prepared of the general formula Ar{prime}R4(O)Ar{double_prime}R{prime}{sub 4}M(CH{sub 2}Ph){sub 2} where Ar{prime} is a phenyl or naphthyl group; Ar{double_prime} is a cyclopentadienyl or indenyl group, R and R{prime} are H or alkyl substituents (C{<=}10) and M is Ti, Zr or Hf. The synthetic method involves a simple alkane elimination approach which permits a ``one-pot`` procedure. The catalyst, when combined with a cocatalyst such as Pb{sub 3}C{sup +}B(Ar{sub 3}{sup F}){sub 4}BAr{sub 3}{sup F} or methyl alumoxane where Ar{sup F} is a fluoroaryl group, is an effective catalyst for the polymerization of {alpha}-olefins such as ethylene, propylene and styrene. 1 fig.

Some recent developments of the immersed interface method for flow simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Sheng

2017-11-01

The immersed interface method is a general methodology for solving PDEs subject to interfaces. In this talk, I will give an overview of some recent developments of the method toward the enhancement of its robustness for flow simulation. In particular, I will present with numerical results how to capture boundary conditions on immersed rigid objects, how to adopt interface triangulation in the method, and how to parallelize the method for flow with moving objects. With these developments, the immersed interface method can achieve accurate and efficient simulation of a flow involving multiple moving complex objects. Thanks to NSF for the support of this work under Grant NSF DMS 1320317.

Inhibition Of Call-Cell Binding By Kipid Assemblies

DOEpatents

Nagy, Jon O. , Bargatze, Robert F.

2003-12-16

This invention relates generally to the field of therapeutic compounds designed to interfere between the binding of ligands and their receptors on cell surface. More specifically, it provides products and methods for inhibiting cell migration and activation using lipid assemblies with surface recognition elements that are specific for the receptors involved in cell migration and activation.

Improving Teacher Candidates' Lesson Planning Competencies through Peer Review in a Wiki Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salajan, Florin D.; Nyachwaya, James M.; Hoffman, Jeanette G.; Hill, Brent D.

2016-01-01

This article examines the implementation of a wiki-type platform for lesson planning for teacher candidates in an undergraduate general instructional methods course in the teacher education program of a Midwestern university in the United States. The study draws on the results of two separate sets of analysis involving 159 participants. Teacher…

Preschool Racial Attitude Measure II (PRAM II): Technical Report #1: 1970-71 Standardization Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, John E.

This report provides detailed technical information concerning the Preschool Racial Attitude Measure II (PRAM II) a method for assessing the attitudes of pre-literate children toward light- and dark-skinned individuals. Several major changes were involved in the PRAM II revision: (1) the length was doubled, (2) the general artistic quality of the…

Inhibition of cell-cell binding by lipid assemblies

DOEpatents

Nagy, Jon O.; Bargatze, Robert F.

2001-05-22

This invention relates generally to the field of therapeutic compounds designed to interfere between the binding of ligands and their receptors on cell surface. More specifically, it provides products and methods for inhibiting cell migration and activation using lipid assemblies with surface recognition elements that are specific for the receptors involved in cell migration and activation.

The Hazardous-Drums Project: A Multiweek Laboratory Exercise for General Chemistry Involving Environmental, Quality Control, and Cost Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, David; Widanski, Bozena

2013-01-01

A laboratory experiment is described that introduces students to "real-world" hazardous waste management issues chemists face. The students are required to define an analytical problem, choose a laboratory analysis method, investigate cost factors, consider quality-control issues, interpret the meaning of results, and provide management…

Generalized nonequilibrium vertex correction method in coherent medium theory for quantum transport simulation of disordered nanoelectronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Jiawei; Ke, Youqi

2016-07-01

Electron transport properties of nanoelectronics can be significantly influenced by the inevitable and randomly distributed impurities/defects. For theoretical simulation of disordered nanoscale electronics, one is interested in both the configurationally averaged transport property and its statistical fluctuation that tells device-to-device variability induced by disorder. However, due to the lack of an effective method to do disorder averaging under the nonequilibrium condition, the important effects of disorders on electron transport remain largely unexplored or poorly understood. In this work, we report a general formalism of Green's function based nonequilibrium effective medium theory to calculate the disordered nanoelectronics. In this method, based on a generalized coherent potential approximation for the Keldysh nonequilibrium Green's function, we developed a generalized nonequilibrium vertex correction method to calculate the average of a two-Keldysh-Green's-function correlator. We obtain nine nonequilibrium vertex correction terms, as a complete family, to express the average of any two-Green's-function correlator and find they can be solved by a set of linear equations. As an important result, the averaged nonequilibrium density matrix, averaged current, disorder-induced current fluctuation, and averaged shot noise, which involve different two-Green's-function correlators, can all be derived and computed in an effective and unified way. To test the general applicability of this method, we applied it to compute the transmission coefficient and its fluctuation with a square-lattice tight-binding model and compared with the exact results and other previously proposed approximations. Our results show very good agreement with the exact results for a wide range of disorder concentrations and energies. In addition, to incorporate with density functional theory to realize first-principles quantum transport simulation, we have also derived a general form of conditionally averaged nonequilibrium Green's function for multicomponent disorders.

Ion current detector for high pressure ion sources for monitoring separations

DOEpatents

Smith, R.D.; Wahl, J.H.; Hofstadler, S.A.

1996-08-13

The present invention relates generally to any application involving the monitoring of signal arising from ions produced by electrospray or other high pressure (>100 torr) ion sources. The present invention relates specifically to an apparatus and method for the detection of ions emitted from a capillary electrophoresis (CE) system, liquid chromatography, or other small-scale separation methods. And further, the invention provides a very simple diagnostic as to the quality of the separation and the operation of an electrospray source. 7 figs.

Ion current detector for high pressure ion sources for monitoring separations

DOEpatents

Smith, Richard D.; Wahl, Jon H.; Hofstadler, Steven A.

1996-01-01

The present invention relates generally to any application involving the monitoring of signal arising from ions produced by electrospray or other high pressure (>100 torr) ion sources. The present invention relates specifically to an apparatus and method for the detection of ions emitted from a capillary electrophoresis (CE) system, liquid chromatography, or other small-scale separation methods. And further, the invention provides a very simple diagnostic as to the quality of the separation and the operation of an electrospray source.

Robust estimation of simulated urinary volume from camera images under bathroom illumination.

PubMed

Honda, Chizuru; Bhuiyan, Md Shoaib; Kawanaka, Haruki; Watanabe, Eiichi; Oguri, Koji

2016-08-01

General uroflowmetry method involves the risk of nosocomial infections or time and effort of the recording. Medical institutions, therefore, need to measure voided volume simply and hygienically. Multiple cylindrical model that can estimate the fluid flow rate from the photographed image using camera has been proposed in an earlier study. This study implemented a flow rate estimation by using a general-purpose camera system (Raspberry Pi Camera Module) and the multiple cylindrical model. However, large amounts of noise in extracting liquid region are generated by the variation of the illumination when performing measurements in the bathroom. So the estimation error gets very large. In other words, the specifications of the previous study's camera setup regarding the shutter type and the frame rate was too strict. In this study, we relax the specifications to achieve a flow rate estimation using a general-purpose camera. In order to determine the appropriate approximate curve, we propose a binarizing method using background subtraction at each scanning row and a curve approximation method using RANSAC. Finally, by evaluating the estimation accuracy of our experiment and by comparing it with the earlier study's results, we show the effectiveness of our proposed method for flow rate estimation.

Empirical comparison study of approximate methods for structure selection in binary graphical models.

PubMed

Viallon, Vivian; Banerjee, Onureena; Jougla, Eric; Rey, Grégoire; Coste, Joel

2014-03-01

Looking for associations among multiple variables is a topical issue in statistics due to the increasing amount of data encountered in biology, medicine, and many other domains involving statistical applications. Graphical models have recently gained popularity for this purpose in the statistical literature. In the binary case, however, exact inference is generally very slow or even intractable because of the form of the so-called log-partition function. In this paper, we review various approximate methods for structure selection in binary graphical models that have recently been proposed in the literature and compare them through an extensive simulation study. We also propose a modification of one existing method, that is shown to achieve good performance and to be generally very fast. We conclude with an application in which we search for associations among causes of death recorded on French death certificates. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Analysis of cohort studies with multivariate and partially observed disease classification data.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Nilanjan; Sinha, Samiran; Diver, W Ryan; Feigelson, Heather Spencer

2010-09-01

Complex diseases like cancers can often be classified into subtypes using various pathological and molecular traits of the disease. In this article, we develop methods for analysis of disease incidence in cohort studies incorporating data on multiple disease traits using a two-stage semiparametric Cox proportional hazards regression model that allows one to examine the heterogeneity in the effect of the covariates by the levels of the different disease traits. For inference in the presence of missing disease traits, we propose a generalization of an estimating equation approach for handling missing cause of failure in competing-risk data. We prove asymptotic unbiasedness of the estimating equation method under a general missing-at-random assumption and propose a novel influence-function-based sandwich variance estimator. The methods are illustrated using simulation studies and a real data application involving the Cancer Prevention Study II nutrition cohort.

Computational Relativistic Astrophysics Using the Flow Field-Dependent Variation Theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, G. A.; Chung, T. J.

2002-01-01

We present our method for solving general relativistic nonideal hydrodynamics. Relativistic effects become pronounced in such cases as jet formation from black hole magnetized accretion disks which may lead to the study of gamma-ray bursts. Nonideal flows are present where radiation, magnetic forces, viscosities, and turbulence play an important role. Our concern in this paper is to reexamine existing numerical simulation tools as to the accuracy and efficiency of computations and introduce a new approach known as the flow field-dependent variation (FDV) method. The main feature of the FDV method consists of accommodating discontinuities of shock waves and high gradients of flow variables such as occur in turbulence and unstable motions. In this paper, the physics involved in the solution of relativistic hydrodynamics and solution strategies of the FDV theory are elaborated. The general relativistic astrophysical flow and shock solver (GRAFSS) is introduced, and some simple example problems for computational relativistic astrophysics (CRA) are demonstrated.

The Baldwin-Lomax model for separated and wake flows using the entropy envelope concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brock, J. S.; Ng, W. F.

1992-01-01

Implementation of the Baldwin-Lomax algebraic turbulence model is difficult and ambiguous within flows characterized by strong viscous-inviscid interactions and flow separations. A new method of implementation is proposed which uses an entropy envelope concept and is demonstrated to ensure the proper evaluation of modeling parameters. The method is simple, computationally fast, and applicable to both wake and boundary layer flows. The method is general, making it applicable to any turbulence model which requires the automated determination of the proper maxima of a vorticity-based function. The new method is evalulated within two test cases involving strong viscous-inviscid interaction.

Validation of catchment models for predicting land-use and climate change impacts. 1. Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ewen, J.; Parkin, G.

1996-02-01

Computer simulation models are increasingly being proposed as tools capable of giving water resource managers accurate predictions of the impact of changes in land-use and climate. Previous validation testing of catchment models is reviewed, and it is concluded that the methods used do not clearly test a model's fitness for such a purpose. A new generally applicable method is proposed. This involves the direct testing of fitness for purpose, uses established scientific techniques, and may be implemented within a quality assured programme of work. The new method is applied in Part 2 of this study (Parkin et al., J. Hydrol., 175:595-613, 1996).

Validation of a standardized extraction method for formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples.

PubMed

Lagheden, Camilla; Eklund, Carina; Kleppe, Sara Nordqvist; Unger, Elizabeth R; Dillner, Joakim; Sundström, Karin

2016-07-01

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples can be DNA-extracted and used for human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping. The xylene-based gold standard for extracting FFPE samples is laborious, suboptimal and involves health hazards for the personnel involved. To compare extraction with the standard xylene method to a xylene-free method used in an HPV LabNet Global Reference Laboratory at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC); based on a commercial method with an extra heating step. Fifty FFPE samples were randomly selected from a national audit of all cervical cancer cases diagnosed in Sweden during 10 years. For each case-block, a blank-block was sectioned, as a control for contamination. For xylene extraction, the standard WHO Laboratory Manual protocol was used. For the CDC method, the manufacturers' protocol was followed except for an extra heating step, 120°C for 20min. Samples were extracted and tested in parallel with β-globin real-time PCR, HPV16 real-time PCR and HPV typing using modified general primers (MGP)-PCR and Luminex assays. For a valid result the blank-block had to be betaglobin-negative in all tests and the case-block positive for beta-globin. Overall, detection was improved with the heating method and the amount of HPV-positive samples increased from 70% to 86% (p=0.039). For all samples where HPV type concordance could be evaluated, there was 100% type concordance. A xylene-free and robust extraction method for HPV-DNA typing in FFPE material is currently in great demand. Our proposed standardized protocol appears to be generally useful. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

On the importance of considering heterogeneity in witnesses' competence levels when reconstructing crimes from multiple witness testimonies.

PubMed

Waubert de Puiseau, Berenike; Greving, Sven; Aßfalg, André; Musch, Jochen

2017-09-01

Aggregating information across multiple testimonies may improve crime reconstructions. However, different aggregation methods are available, and research on which method is best suited for aggregating multiple observations is lacking. Furthermore, little is known about how variance in the accuracy of individual testimonies impacts the performance of competing aggregation procedures. We investigated the superiority of aggregation-based crime reconstructions involving multiple individual testimonies and whether this superiority varied as a function of the number of witnesses and the degree of heterogeneity in witnesses' ability to accurately report their observations. Moreover, we examined whether heterogeneity in competence levels differentially affected the relative accuracy of two aggregation procedures: a simple majority rule, which ignores individual differences, and the more complex general Condorcet model (Romney et al., Am Anthropol 88(2):313-338, 1986; Batchelder and Romney, Psychometrika 53(1):71-92, 1988), which takes into account differences in competence between individuals. 121 participants viewed a simulated crime and subsequently answered 128 true/false questions about the crime. We experimentally generated groups of witnesses with homogeneous or heterogeneous competences. Both the majority rule and the general Condorcet model provided more accurate reconstructions of the observed crime than individual testimonies. The superiority of aggregated crime reconstructions involving multiple individual testimonies increased with an increasing number of witnesses. Crime reconstructions were most accurate when competences were heterogeneous and aggregation was based on the general Condorcet model. We argue that a formal aggregation should be considered more often when eyewitness testimonies have to be assessed and that the general Condorcet model provides a good framework for such aggregations.

General practice research: attitudes and involvement of Queensland general practitioners.

PubMed

Askew, Deborah A; Clavarino, Alexandra M; Glasziou, Paul P; Del Mar, Christopher B

2002-07-15

To determine general practitioners' (GPs') attitudes towards and involvement in general practice research. Postal survey and semi-structured interviews conducted from May to September 2001. 467 of 631 GPs in four Queensland Divisions of General Practice responded to the survey (74% response rate); 18 selected GPs were interviewed. Survey - attitudes to research; access to information resources; and involvement in research. Interviews - the need for general practice research; barriers against and factors enabling greater participation in research. 389/463 (84%) GPs, especially younger and more recent graduates, had positive attitudes to research, but only 29% wanted more involvement. 223/462 (48%) were aware they had access to MEDLINE, although presumably all those with Internet access (89%) would have free access via PubMed. Barriers included the general practice environment (especially fee-for-service funding), and the culture of general practice. Enabling factors included academic mentors; opportunities to participate in reputable, established research activities relevant to general practice; and access to information resources. Although Australian general practice has a weak research culture, about a third of GPs would like to increase their involvement in research. However, the research must be perceived as relevant, and structured to minimise the inherent barriers in the environment and culture of general practice.

A qualitative assessment of implementing a cross-cultural survey on cancer wards in Denmark - a description of barriers

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Research into migration and health is often confronted with methodological challenges related to the identification of migrants in various settings. Furthermore, it is often difficult to reach an acceptable level of participation among migrant groups in quantitative research. The aim of this study is to conduct a qualitative assessment of the barriers encountered during the implementation of a cross-cultural survey on cancer wards in Copenhagen, Denmark. Methods Participant observation at the involved wards was combined with qualitative interviews with selected nurses and informal talks with a wider group of nurses at the wards involved in the survey. Results One possible way to increase the participation of migrant patients in research is through the involvement of the hospital staff in contact with patients. Involvement of nurses on cancer wards in the delivery of questionnaires to patients was challenging, despite a general willingness to participate in psychosocial research. The main difficulties were found to be both external (policy changes, general strike among nurses) and internal on the wards (heavy workload, lack of time, focus on medical aspects of cancer rather than psychosocial aspects). These factors interacted and resulted in a lower priority being given to psychosocial research. Further, nurses expressed a feeling that researchers in general did not recognize their contribution in research, making it more difficult to engage fully in studies. Conclusions Involving hospital staff in research is feasible but not straightforward. Awareness of the influence of possible external and internal factors and efforts to deal with these factors are fundamental to the successful implementation of psychosocial cancer research in a hospital setting. PMID:20067615

Residual stress alleviation of aircraft metal structures reinforced with filamentary composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, J. B.; June, R. R.

1973-01-01

Methods to eliminate or reduce residual stresses in aircraft metal structures reinforced by filamentary composites are discussed. Residual stress level reductions were achieved by modifying the manufacturing procedures used during adhesive bonding. The residual stress alleviation techniques involved various forms of mechanical constraint which were applied to the components during bonding. Nine methods were evaluated, covering a wide range in complexity. All methods investigated during the program affected the residual stress level. In general, residual stresses were reduced by 70 percent or more from the stress level produced by conventional adhesive bonding procedures.

Adaptive Elastic Net for Generalized Methods of Moments.

PubMed

Caner, Mehmet; Zhang, Hao Helen

2014-01-30

Model selection and estimation are crucial parts of econometrics. This paper introduces a new technique that can simultaneously estimate and select the model in generalized method of moments (GMM) context. The GMM is particularly powerful for analyzing complex data sets such as longitudinal and panel data, and it has wide applications in econometrics. This paper extends the least squares based adaptive elastic net estimator of Zou and Zhang (2009) to nonlinear equation systems with endogenous variables. The extension is not trivial and involves a new proof technique due to estimators lack of closed form solutions. Compared to Bridge-GMM of Caner (2009), we allow for the number of parameters to diverge to infinity as well as collinearity among a large number of variables, also the redundant parameters set to zero via a data dependent technique. This method has the oracle property, meaning that we can estimate nonzero parameters with their standard limit and the redundant parameters are dropped from the equations simultaneously. Numerical examples are used to illustrate the performance of the new method.

A novel algorithm for laser self-mixing sensors used with the Kalman filter to measure displacement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Hui; Liu, Ji-Gou

2018-07-01

This paper proposes a simple and effective method for estimating the feedback level factor C in a self-mixing interferometric sensor. It is used with a Kalman filter to retrieve the displacement. Without the complicated and onerous calculation process of the general C estimation method, a final equation is obtained. Thus, the estimation of C only involves a few simple calculations. It successfully retrieves the sinusoidal and aleatory displacement by means of simulated self-mixing signals in both weak and moderate feedback regimes. To deal with the errors resulting from noise and estimate bias of C and to further improve the retrieval precision, a Kalman filter is employed following the general phase unwrapping method. The simulation and experiment results show that the retrieved displacement using the C obtained with the proposed method is comparable to the joint estimation of C and α. Besides, the Kalman filter can significantly decrease measurement errors, especially the error caused by incorrectly locating the peak and valley positions of the signal.

Application of the generalized reduced gradient method to conceptual aircraft design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gabriele, G. A.

1984-01-01

The complete aircraft design process can be broken into three phases of increasing depth: conceptual design, preliminary design, and detail design. Conceptual design consists primarily of developing general arrangements and selecting the configuration that optimally satisfies all mission requirements. The result of the conceptual phase is a conceptual baseline configuration that serves as the starting point for the preliminary design phase. The conceptual design of an aircraft involves a complex trade-off of many independent variables that must be investigated before deciding upon the basic configuration. Some of these variables are discrete (number of engines), some represent different configurations (canard vs conventional tail) and some may represent incorporation of new technologies (aluminum vs composite materials). At Lockheed-Georgia, the sizing program is known as GASP (Generalized Aircraft Sizing Program). GASP is a large program containing analysis modules covering the many different disciplines involved fin defining the aricraft, such as aerodynamics, structures, stability and control, mission performance, and cost. These analysis modules provide first-level estimates the aircraft properties that are derived from handbook, experimental, and historical sources.

Dynamics of polymers: A mean-field theory

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

Fredrickson, Glenn H.; Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106; Department of Materials, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106

2014-02-28

We derive a general mean-field theory of inhomogeneous polymer dynamics; a theory whose form has been speculated and widely applied, but not heretofore derived. Our approach involves a functional integral representation of a Martin-Siggia-Rose (MSR) type description of the exact many-chain dynamics. A saddle point approximation to the generating functional, involving conditions where the MSR action is stationary with respect to a collective density field ρ and a conjugate MSR response field ϕ, produces the desired dynamical mean-field theory. Besides clarifying the proper structure of mean-field theory out of equilibrium, our results have implications for numerical studies of polymer dynamicsmore » involving hybrid particle-field simulation techniques such as the single-chain in mean-field method.« less

A randomized controlled study of a social skills training for preadolescent children with autism spectrum disorders: generalization of skills by training parents and teachers?

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Social skills training (SST) is a common intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) to improve their social and communication skills. Despite the fact that SSTs are often applied in clinical practice, the evidence for the effectiveness of these trainings for children with ASD is inconclusive. Moreover, long term outcome and generalization of learned skills are little evaluated. Additionally, there is no research on the influence of involvement of parents and teachers on effectiveness of SST and on the generalization of learned social skills to daily life. We expect parent and teacher involvement in SST to enhance treatment efficacy and to facilitate generalization of learned skills to daily life. Method/Design In a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with three conditions, 120 participants with ASD at the end of primary school (10–12 years of calendar age) have been randomized to SST, SST-PTI (SST with Parent & Teacher Involvement), or care-as-usual. The SST consists of 18 group sessions of 1.5 hours for the children. In the SST-PTI condition, parents additionally participate in 8 parent sessions and parents and teachers are actively involved in homework assignments. Assessment takes place at three moments: before and immediately after the intervention period and at 6 months follow-up. Primary outcome is socialization, as an aspect of adaptive functioning. Secondary outcomes focus on specific social skills children learn during SST and on more general social skills pertaining to home and community settings from a multi-informant perspective. Additionally, possible predictors of treatment outcome will be assessed. Discussion The current study is an RCT study evaluating SST in a large sample of Dutch children with ASD in a specific age range (10–12 years). Strengths of the study are the use of one manualized protocol, application of standardized and internationally used rating instruments, use of multiple raters, investigation of generalization of learned skills to daily life, and the evaluation of efficacy in the longer term by follow-up measures at 6 months after the end of training. Trial registration NTR2405 PMID:24989854

Reconstructing biochemical pathways from time course data.

PubMed

Srividhya, Jeyaraman; Crampin, Edmund J; McSharry, Patrick E; Schnell, Santiago

2007-03-01

Time series data on biochemical reactions reveal transient behavior, away from chemical equilibrium, and contain information on the dynamic interactions among reacting components. However, this information can be difficult to extract using conventional analysis techniques. We present a new method to infer biochemical pathway mechanisms from time course data using a global nonlinear modeling technique to identify the elementary reaction steps which constitute the pathway. The method involves the generation of a complete dictionary of polynomial basis functions based on the law of mass action. Using these basis functions, there are two approaches to model construction, namely the general to specific and the specific to general approach. We demonstrate that our new methodology reconstructs the chemical reaction steps and connectivity of the glycolytic pathway of Lactococcus lactis from time course experimental data.

21 CFR 330.14 - Additional criteria and procedures for classifying OTC drugs as generally recognized as safe and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... conditions regulated as a cosmetic or dietary supplement in a foreign country that would be regulated as OTC... without the personal involvement of a pharmacist; dietary supplement; or cosmetic). If the condition has... concerns about the condition's toxicity or other potentiality for harmful effect, the method of its use, or...

Do Specialty Courts Achieve Better Outcomes for Children in Foster Care than General Courts?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sloan, Frank A.; Gifford, Elizabeth J.; Eldred, Lindsey M.; Acquah, Kofi F.; Blevins, Claire E.

2013-01-01

Objective: This study assessed the effects of unified family and drug treatment courts (DTCs) on the resolution of cases involving foster care children and the resulting effects on school performance. Method: The first analytic step was to assess the impacts of presence of unified and DTCs in North Carolina counties on time children spent in…

Picture This... Safety, Dignity, and Voice-Ethical Research with Children: Practical Considerations for the Reflexive Researcher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phelan, Shanon K.; Kinsella, Elizabeth Anne

2013-01-01

While engaged in a research project involving the use of visual methods with children, the authors discovered that there are many ethical considerations beyond what could have been predicted at the outset. Some of these considerations are important with respect to research with children in general, while others arise more particularly when using…

A re-evaluation of a case-control model with contaminated controls for resource selection studies

Treesearch

Christopher T. Rota; Joshua J. Millspaugh; Dylan C. Kesler; Chad P. Lehman; Mark A. Rumble; Catherine M. B. Jachowski

2013-01-01

A common sampling design in resource selection studies involves measuring resource attributes at sample units used by an animal and at sample units considered available for use. Few models can estimate the absolute probability of using a sample unit from such data, but such approaches are generally preferred over statistical methods that estimate a relative probability...

Least Squares Computations in Science and Engineering

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-02-01

iterative least squares deblurring procedure. Because of the ill-posed characteristics of the deconvolution problem, in the presence of noise , direct...optimization methods. Generally, the problems are accompanied by constraints, such as bound constraints, and the observations are corrupted by noise . The...engineering. This effort has involved interaction with researchers in closed-loop active noise (vibration) control at Phillips Air Force Laboratory

Reducing drug related deaths: a pre-implementation assessment of knowledge,barriers and enablers for naloxone distribution through general practice

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The Scottish Naloxone Programme aims to reduce Scotland’s high number of drug-related deaths (DRDs) caused by opiate overdose. It is currently implemented through specialist drug services but General Practitioners (GPs) are likely to have contact with drug using patients and their families and are therefore in an ideal position to direct them to naloxone schemes, or provide it themselves. This research gathered baseline data on GP’s knowledge of and willingness to be involved in DRD prevention, including naloxone administration, prior to the implementation of primary care based delivery. Methods Mixed methods were used comprising a quantitative, postal survey and qualitative telephone interviews. A questionnaire was sent to 500 GPs across Scotland. An initial mailing was followed by a reminder. A shortened questionnaire containing seven key questions was posted as a final reminder. Telephone interviews were conducted with 17 GPs covering a range of demographic characteristics and drug user experience. Results A response rate of 55% (240/439) was achieved. There was some awareness of the naloxone programme but little involvement (3.3%), 9% currently provided routine overdose prevention, there was little involvement in displaying overdose prevention information (<20%). Knowledge of DRD risk was mixed. There was tentative willingness to be involved in naloxone prescribing with half of respondents willing to provide this to drug users or friends/family. However half were uncertain GP based naloxone provision was essential to reduce DRDs. Factors enabling naloxone distribution were: evidence of effectiveness, appropriate training, and adding to the local formulary. Interviewees had limited awareness of what naloxone distribution in primary care may involve and considered naloxone supply as a specialist service rather than a core GP role. Wider attitudinal barriers to involvement with this group were expressed. Conclusions There was poor awareness of the Scottish National Naloxone Programme in participants. Results indicated GPs did not currently feel sufficiently skilled or knowledgeable to be involved in naloxone provision. Appropriate training was identified as a key requirement. PMID:24428947

Copper(II)-catalyzed amidations of alkynyl bromides as a general synthesis of ynamides and Z-enamides. An intramolecular amidation for the synthesis of macrocyclic ynamides.

PubMed

Zhang, Xuejun; Zhang, Yanshi; Huang, Jian; Hsung, Richard P; Kurtz, Kimberly C M; Oppenheimer, Jossian; Petersen, Matthew E; Sagamanova, Irina K; Shen, Lichun; Tracey, Michael R

2006-05-26

A general and efficient method for the coupling of a wide range of amides with alkynyl bromides is described here. This novel amidation reaction involves a catalytic protocol using copper(II) sulfate-pentahydrate and 1,10-phenanthroline to direct the sp-C-N bond formation, leading to a structurally diverse array of ynamides including macrocyclic ynamides via an intramolecular amidation. Given the surging interest in ynamide chemistry, this atom economical synthesis of ynamides should invoke further attention from the synthetic organic community.

Analytical Models of Exoplanetary Atmospheres. IV. Improved Two-stream Radiative Transfer for the Treatment of Aerosols

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

Heng, Kevin; Kitzmann, Daniel, E-mail: kevin.heng@csh.unibe.ch, E-mail: daniel.kitzmann@csh.unibe.ch

We present a novel generalization of the two-stream method of radiative transfer, which allows for the accurate treatment of radiative transfer in the presence of strong infrared scattering by aerosols. We prove that this generalization involves only a simple modification of the coupling coefficients and transmission functions in the hemispheric two-stream method. This modification originates from allowing the ratio of the first Eddington coefficients to depart from unity. At the heart of the method is the fact that this ratio may be computed once and for all over the entire range of values of the single-scattering albedo and scattering asymmetrymore » factor. We benchmark our improved two-stream method by calculating the fraction of flux reflected by a single atmospheric layer (the reflectivity) and comparing these calculations to those performed using a 32-stream discrete-ordinates method. We further compare our improved two-stream method to the two-stream source function (16 streams) and delta-Eddington methods, demonstrating that it is often more accurate at the order-of-magnitude level. Finally, we illustrate its accuracy using a toy model of the early Martian atmosphere hosting a cloud layer composed of carbon dioxide ice particles. The simplicity of implementation and accuracy of our improved two-stream method renders it suitable for implementation in three-dimensional general circulation models. In other words, our improved two-stream method has the ease of implementation of a standard two-stream method, but the accuracy of a 32-stream method.« less

General public's views on pharmacy public health services: current situation and opportunities in the future.

PubMed

Saramunee, K; Krska, J; Mackridge, A; Richards, J; Suttajit, S; Phillips-Howard, P

2015-06-01

To explore the experience of and willingness to use seven pharmacy public health services related to cardiovascular risk among the general public in England. Mixed-methods study. A mixed-methods study, involving a cross-sectional survey using multiple distribution methods followed by a focus group discussion (FGD) with a sample of survey respondents. From 3596 approachable individuals, 908 questionnaires were completed (response rate 25.3%). Few respondents (2.1-12.7%) had experienced any of the seven pharmacy public health services. About 40% stated they would be willing to use health check services, fewer (9.3-26.3%) were willing to use advisory services. More females, frequent pharmacy users and those in good health were willing to use services in general (P < 0.05). Smokers, overweight individuals and those with alcohol-related problems were most willing to use specific advisory services supporting their problems (P < 0.05). FGD identified barriers to service use; for example, frequent staff changes, seeing pharmacist as medicines suppliers and concerns about competence for these services. The general public are receptive to pharmacy public health services. Pharmacists must consider barriers if uptake of services is to increase. Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Machine Learning Method for the Prediction of Receptor Activation in the Simulation of Synapses

PubMed Central

Montes, Jesus; Gomez, Elena; Merchán-Pérez, Angel; DeFelipe, Javier; Peña, Jose-Maria

2013-01-01

Chemical synaptic transmission involves the release of a neurotransmitter that diffuses in the extracellular space and interacts with specific receptors located on the postsynaptic membrane. Computer simulation approaches provide fundamental tools for exploring various aspects of the synaptic transmission under different conditions. In particular, Monte Carlo methods can track the stochastic movements of neurotransmitter molecules and their interactions with other discrete molecules, the receptors. However, these methods are computationally expensive, even when used with simplified models, preventing their use in large-scale and multi-scale simulations of complex neuronal systems that may involve large numbers of synaptic connections. We have developed a machine-learning based method that can accurately predict relevant aspects of the behavior of synapses, such as the percentage of open synaptic receptors as a function of time since the release of the neurotransmitter, with considerably lower computational cost compared with the conventional Monte Carlo alternative. The method is designed to learn patterns and general principles from a corpus of previously generated Monte Carlo simulations of synapses covering a wide range of structural and functional characteristics. These patterns are later used as a predictive model of the behavior of synapses under different conditions without the need for additional computationally expensive Monte Carlo simulations. This is performed in five stages: data sampling, fold creation, machine learning, validation and curve fitting. The resulting procedure is accurate, automatic, and it is general enough to predict synapse behavior under experimental conditions that are different to the ones it has been trained on. Since our method efficiently reproduces the results that can be obtained with Monte Carlo simulations at a considerably lower computational cost, it is suitable for the simulation of high numbers of synapses and it is therefore an excellent tool for multi-scale simulations. PMID:23894367

General methods for sensitivity analysis of equilibrium dynamics in patch occupancy models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, David A.W.

2012-01-01

Sensitivity analysis is a useful tool for the study of ecological models that has many potential applications for patch occupancy modeling. Drawing from the rich foundation of existing methods for Markov chain models, I demonstrate new methods for sensitivity analysis of the equilibrium state dynamics of occupancy models. Estimates from three previous studies are used to illustrate the utility of the sensitivity calculations: a joint occupancy model for a prey species, its predators, and habitat used by both; occurrence dynamics from a well-known metapopulation study of three butterfly species; and Golden Eagle occupancy and reproductive dynamics. I show how to deal efficiently with multistate models and how to calculate sensitivities involving derived state variables and lower-level parameters. In addition, I extend methods to incorporate environmental variation by allowing for spatial and temporal variability in transition probabilities. The approach used here is concise and general and can fully account for environmental variability in transition parameters. The methods can be used to improve inferences in occupancy studies by quantifying the effects of underlying parameters, aiding prediction of future system states, and identifying priorities for sampling effort.

Darkness without dark matter and energy - generalized unimodular gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barvinsky, A. O.; Kamenshchik, A. Yu.

2017-11-01

We suggest a Lorentz non-invariant generalization of the unimodular gravity theory, which is classically equivalent to general relativity with a locally inert (devoid of local degrees of freedom) perfect fluid having an equation of state with a constant parameter w. For the range of w near -1 this dark fluid can play the role of dark energy, while for w = 0 this dark dust admits spatial inhomogeneities and can be interpreted as dark matter. We discuss possible implications of this model in the cosmological initial conditions problem. In particular, this is the extension of known microcanonical density matrix predictions for the initial quantum state of the closed cosmology to the case of spatially open Universe, based on the imitation of the spatial curvature by the dark fluid density. We also briefly discuss quantization of this model necessarily involving the method of gauge systems with reducible constraints and the effect of this method on the treatment of recently! suggested mechanism of vacuum energy sequestering.

Polymicrogyria-associated epilepsy: a multi-center phenotypic study from the Epilepsy Phenome/Genome Project

PubMed Central

Shain, Catherine; Ramgopal, Sriram; Fallil, Zianka; Parulkar, Isha; Alongi, Richard; Knowlton, Robert; Poduri, Annapurna

2013-01-01

Purpose Polymicrogyria (PMG) is an epileptogenic malformation of cortical development. We describe the clinical epilepsy and imaging features of a large cohort with PMG-related epilepsy. Methods Participants were recruited through the Epilepsy Phenome/Genome Project, a multi-center collaborative effort to collect detailed phenotypic data on individuals with epilepsy. We reviewed phenotypic data from participants with epilepsy and PMG. Key Findings We identified 87 participants, 43 female and 44 male, with PMG and epilepsy. Median age of seizure onset was 3 years (range <1 month-37 years). Most presented with focal epilepsy (87.4%), some in combination with seizures generalized from onset (23.0%). Focal seizures with dyscognitive features were most common (54.3%). Of those presenting with generalized seizure types, infantile spasms were most prevalent (45.2%). The most common topographic pattern was perisylvian PMG (77.0%), of which the majority was bilateral (56.7%). Generalized PMG presented with an earlier age of seizure onset (median age of 8 months) and an increased prevalence of developmental delay prior to seizure onset (57.1%). Of the focal, unilateral and asymmetric bilateral groups where PMG was more involved in one hemisphere, the majority (71.4%) of participants had seizures that lateralized to the same hemisphere as the PMG or the hemisphere with greater involvement. Significance Participants with PMG had both focal and generalized onset of seizures. Our data confirm the involvement of known topographic patterns of PMG and suggest that more extensive distributions of PMG present with an earlier age of seizure onset and increased prevalence of developmental delay prior to seizure onset. PMID:23750890

Model-Based Prognostics of Hybrid Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daigle, Matthew; Roychoudhury, Indranil; Bregon, Anibal

2015-01-01

Model-based prognostics has become a popular approach to solving the prognostics problem. However, almost all work has focused on prognostics of systems with continuous dynamics. In this paper, we extend the model-based prognostics framework to hybrid systems models that combine both continuous and discrete dynamics. In general, most systems are hybrid in nature, including those that combine physical processes with software. We generalize the model-based prognostics formulation to hybrid systems, and describe the challenges involved. We present a general approach for modeling hybrid systems, and overview methods for solving estimation and prediction in hybrid systems. As a case study, we consider the problem of conflict (i.e., loss of separation) prediction in the National Airspace System, in which the aircraft models are hybrid dynamical systems.

Generalized radiation-field quantization method and the Petermann excess-noise factor

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

Cheng, Y.-J.; Siegman, A.E.; E.L. Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305

2003-10-01

We propose a generalized radiation-field quantization formalism, where quantization does not have to be referenced to a set of power-orthogonal eigenmodes as conventionally required. This formalism can be used to directly quantize the true system eigenmodes, which can be non-power-orthogonal due to the open nature of the system or the gain/loss medium involved in the system. We apply this generalized field quantization to the laser linewidth problem, in particular, lasers with non-power-orthogonal oscillation modes, and derive the excess-noise factor in a fully quantum-mechanical framework. We also show that, despite the excess-noise factor for oscillating modes, the total spatially averaged decaymore » rate for the laser atoms remains unchanged.« less

Finite element analysis and computer graphics visualization of flow around pitching and plunging airfoils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bratanow, T.; Ecer, A.

1973-01-01

A general computational method for analyzing unsteady flow around pitching and plunging airfoils was developed. The finite element method was applied in developing an efficient numerical procedure for the solution of equations describing the flow around airfoils. The numerical results were employed in conjunction with computer graphics techniques to produce visualization of the flow. The investigation involved mathematical model studies of flow in two phases: (1) analysis of a potential flow formulation and (2) analysis of an incompressible, unsteady, viscous flow from Navier-Stokes equations.

Gauge-free cluster variational method by maximal messages and moment matching.

PubMed

Domínguez, Eduardo; Lage-Castellanos, Alejandro; Mulet, Roberto; Ricci-Tersenghi, Federico

2017-04-01

We present an implementation of the cluster variational method (CVM) as a message passing algorithm. The kind of message passing algorithm used for CVM, usually named generalized belief propagation (GBP), is a generalization of the belief propagation algorithm in the same way that CVM is a generalization of the Bethe approximation for estimating the partition function. However, the connection between fixed points of GBP and the extremal points of the CVM free energy is usually not a one-to-one correspondence because of the existence of a gauge transformation involving the GBP messages. Our contribution is twofold. First, we propose a way of defining messages (fields) in a generic CVM approximation, such that messages arrive on a given region from all its ancestors, and not only from its direct parents, as in the standard parent-to-child GBP. We call this approach maximal messages. Second, we focus on the case of binary variables, reinterpreting the messages as fields enforcing the consistency between the moments of the local (marginal) probability distributions. We provide a precise rule to enforce all consistencies, avoiding any redundancy, that would otherwise lead to a gauge transformation on the messages. This moment matching method is gauge free, i.e., it guarantees that the resulting GBP is not gauge invariant. We apply our maximal messages and moment matching GBP to obtain an analytical expression for the critical temperature of the Ising model in general dimensions at the level of plaquette CVM. The values obtained outperform Bethe estimates, and are comparable with loop corrected belief propagation equations. The method allows for a straightforward generalization to disordered systems.

Gauge-free cluster variational method by maximal messages and moment matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domínguez, Eduardo; Lage-Castellanos, Alejandro; Mulet, Roberto; Ricci-Tersenghi, Federico

2017-04-01

We present an implementation of the cluster variational method (CVM) as a message passing algorithm. The kind of message passing algorithm used for CVM, usually named generalized belief propagation (GBP), is a generalization of the belief propagation algorithm in the same way that CVM is a generalization of the Bethe approximation for estimating the partition function. However, the connection between fixed points of GBP and the extremal points of the CVM free energy is usually not a one-to-one correspondence because of the existence of a gauge transformation involving the GBP messages. Our contribution is twofold. First, we propose a way of defining messages (fields) in a generic CVM approximation, such that messages arrive on a given region from all its ancestors, and not only from its direct parents, as in the standard parent-to-child GBP. We call this approach maximal messages. Second, we focus on the case of binary variables, reinterpreting the messages as fields enforcing the consistency between the moments of the local (marginal) probability distributions. We provide a precise rule to enforce all consistencies, avoiding any redundancy, that would otherwise lead to a gauge transformation on the messages. This moment matching method is gauge free, i.e., it guarantees that the resulting GBP is not gauge invariant. We apply our maximal messages and moment matching GBP to obtain an analytical expression for the critical temperature of the Ising model in general dimensions at the level of plaquette CVM. The values obtained outperform Bethe estimates, and are comparable with loop corrected belief propagation equations. The method allows for a straightforward generalization to disordered systems.

Stimulus-reinforcement Based Decision-making and Anxiety: Impairment in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), but not in Generalized Social Phobia (GSP)

PubMed Central

DeVido, Jeffrey; Jones, Matthew; Geraci, Marilla; Hollon, Nick; Blair, R. J. R.; Pine, Daniel S.; Blair, Karina

2010-01-01

Background Generalized Social Phobia (GSP) involves the fear/avoidance of social situations while Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) involves an intrusive worry about everyday life circumstances. It remains unclear whether these, highly comorbid, conditions represent distinct disorders or alternative presentations of a single underlying pathology. In this study, we examined stimulus-reinforcement based decision-making in GSP and GAD. Methods Twenty unmedicated patients with GSP, sixteen unmedicated patients with GAD and nineteen age, IQ, and gender matched healthy comparison individuals completed the Differential Reward/ Punishment Learning Task (DRPLT). In this task, the subject chooses between two objects associated with different levels of reward or punishment. Thus, response choice indexes not only reward/ punishment sensitivity but also sensitivity to reward/ punishment level according to between-object reinforcement distance. Results We found that patients with GAD committed a significantly greater number of errors compared to both the patients with GSP and the healthy comparison individuals. In contrast, the patients with GSP and the healthy comparison individuals did not differ in performance on this task. Conclusions These results link GAD with an anomalous non-affective based decision-making. Further, they are indicative that GSP and GAD are associated with distinct pathophysiologies. PMID:19102795

Asymmetric Methods for the Synthesis of Flavanones, Chromanones, and Azaflavanones

PubMed Central

Nibbs, Antoinette E.

2012-01-01

Flavanones, chromanones, and related structures are privileged natural products that display a wide variety of biological activities. Although flavanoids are abundant in nature, there are a limited number of available general and efficient synthetic methods for accessing molecules of this class in a stereoselective manner. Their structurally simple architectures belie the difficulties involved in installation and maintenance of the stereogenic configuration at the C2 position, which can be sensitive and can undergo epimerization under mildly acidic, basic, and thermal reaction conditions. This review presents the methods currently used to access these related structures. The synthetic methods include manipulation of the flavone/flavanone core, carbon-carbon bond formation, and carbon–heteroatom bond formation. PMID:22876166

Numerical optimization methods for controlled systems with parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyatyushkin, A. I.

2017-10-01

First- and second-order numerical methods for optimizing controlled dynamical systems with parameters are discussed. In unconstrained-parameter problems, the control parameters are optimized by applying the conjugate gradient method. A more accurate numerical solution in these problems is produced by Newton's method based on a second-order functional increment formula. Next, a general optimal control problem with state constraints and parameters involved on the righthand sides of the controlled system and in the initial conditions is considered. This complicated problem is reduced to a mathematical programming one, followed by the search for optimal parameter values and control functions by applying a multimethod algorithm. The performance of the proposed technique is demonstrated by solving application problems.

[Statistics and analysis on acupuncture and moxibustion projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China of traditional Chinese medicine universities and colleges in recent 10 years: taking the General Program and National Science Fund for Young Scholars as examples].

PubMed

Li, Qingling; Ma, Qiang; Li, Dan; Liu, Nana; Yang, Jiahui; Sun, Chun; Cheng, Cheng; Jia, Xuezhao; Wang, Jing; Zeng, Yonglei

2018-03-12

To analyze statistically the situation of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) from 2007 to 2016 in the field of acupuncture and moxibustion for supporting the national Universities colleges of traditional Chinese medicine on the General Program (GP) and the National Science Fund for Young Scholars (NSFYS). In view of five aspects, named fund, supporting units, key words, method, disorder and signal path, the differences were compared between GP and NSFYS, the following characteristics were summarized. ① The fund aid was increased from 2007 through 2013 and down-regulated from 2013 through 2016. In recent ten years, the funding condition was fluctuated, but increasing in tendency generally. ② The relevant projects of the same research direction had been approved continuously for over 3 years in a part of TCM universities, in which, the research continuity was the hot topic. ③ Regarding the therapeutic methods, acupuncture was the chief therapy; electroacupuncture, moxibustion and acupoints were involved as well. ④ The disorders involved in the research were cerebral ischemia, myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury. It is suggested that the ischemic disorder is predominated in the research. ⑤ The signal path occupied the main research index system, including cell proliferation, metabolism, immune, apoptosis and autophagy. The researches on the other aspects were less.

Robust, Adaptive Functional Regression in Functional Mixed Model Framework.

PubMed

Zhu, Hongxiao; Brown, Philip J; Morris, Jeffrey S

2011-09-01

Functional data are increasingly encountered in scientific studies, and their high dimensionality and complexity lead to many analytical challenges. Various methods for functional data analysis have been developed, including functional response regression methods that involve regression of a functional response on univariate/multivariate predictors with nonparametrically represented functional coefficients. In existing methods, however, the functional regression can be sensitive to outlying curves and outlying regions of curves, so is not robust. In this paper, we introduce a new Bayesian method, robust functional mixed models (R-FMM), for performing robust functional regression within the general functional mixed model framework, which includes multiple continuous or categorical predictors and random effect functions accommodating potential between-function correlation induced by the experimental design. The underlying model involves a hierarchical scale mixture model for the fixed effects, random effect and residual error functions. These modeling assumptions across curves result in robust nonparametric estimators of the fixed and random effect functions which down-weight outlying curves and regions of curves, and produce statistics that can be used to flag global and local outliers. These assumptions also lead to distributions across wavelet coefficients that have outstanding sparsity and adaptive shrinkage properties, with great flexibility for the data to determine the sparsity and the heaviness of the tails. Together with the down-weighting of outliers, these within-curve properties lead to fixed and random effect function estimates that appear in our simulations to be remarkably adaptive in their ability to remove spurious features yet retain true features of the functions. We have developed general code to implement this fully Bayesian method that is automatic, requiring the user to only provide the functional data and design matrices. It is efficient enough to handle large data sets, and yields posterior samples of all model parameters that can be used to perform desired Bayesian estimation and inference. Although we present details for a specific implementation of the R-FMM using specific distributional choices in the hierarchical model, 1D functions, and wavelet transforms, the method can be applied more generally using other heavy-tailed distributions, higher dimensional functions (e.g. images), and using other invertible transformations as alternatives to wavelets.

Robust, Adaptive Functional Regression in Functional Mixed Model Framework

PubMed Central

Zhu, Hongxiao; Brown, Philip J.; Morris, Jeffrey S.

2012-01-01

Functional data are increasingly encountered in scientific studies, and their high dimensionality and complexity lead to many analytical challenges. Various methods for functional data analysis have been developed, including functional response regression methods that involve regression of a functional response on univariate/multivariate predictors with nonparametrically represented functional coefficients. In existing methods, however, the functional regression can be sensitive to outlying curves and outlying regions of curves, so is not robust. In this paper, we introduce a new Bayesian method, robust functional mixed models (R-FMM), for performing robust functional regression within the general functional mixed model framework, which includes multiple continuous or categorical predictors and random effect functions accommodating potential between-function correlation induced by the experimental design. The underlying model involves a hierarchical scale mixture model for the fixed effects, random effect and residual error functions. These modeling assumptions across curves result in robust nonparametric estimators of the fixed and random effect functions which down-weight outlying curves and regions of curves, and produce statistics that can be used to flag global and local outliers. These assumptions also lead to distributions across wavelet coefficients that have outstanding sparsity and adaptive shrinkage properties, with great flexibility for the data to determine the sparsity and the heaviness of the tails. Together with the down-weighting of outliers, these within-curve properties lead to fixed and random effect function estimates that appear in our simulations to be remarkably adaptive in their ability to remove spurious features yet retain true features of the functions. We have developed general code to implement this fully Bayesian method that is automatic, requiring the user to only provide the functional data and design matrices. It is efficient enough to handle large data sets, and yields posterior samples of all model parameters that can be used to perform desired Bayesian estimation and inference. Although we present details for a specific implementation of the R-FMM using specific distributional choices in the hierarchical model, 1D functions, and wavelet transforms, the method can be applied more generally using other heavy-tailed distributions, higher dimensional functions (e.g. images), and using other invertible transformations as alternatives to wavelets. PMID:22308015

Design and Diagnosis Problem Solving with Multifunctional Technical Knowledge Bases

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-29

STRUCTURE METHODOLOGY Design problem solving is a complex activity involving a number of subtasks. and a number of alternative methods potentially available...Conference on Artificial Intelligence. London: The British Computer Society, pp. 621-633. Friedland, P. (1979). Knowledge-based experimental design ...Computing Milieuxl: Management of Computing and Information Systems- -ty,*m man- agement General Terms: Design . Methodology Additional Key Words and Phrases

All the World's a Stage? Consequences of a Role-Playing Pedagogy on Psychological Factors and Writing and Rhetorical Skill in College Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stroessner, Steven J.; Beckerman, Laurie Susser; Whittaker, Alexis

2009-01-01

Reacting to the Past is a pedagogy involving collaborative role playing in history-based games over a semester. This article presents results from a systematic assessment of this novel pedagogy conducted in 3 phases following student focus group interviews. Interviews indicated that the method was generally popular compared with traditional…

Photography and Oral History as a Means of Chronicling the Homeless in Miami: The "StreetWays" Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Provenzo, Eugene F.; Ameen, Edward; Bengochea, Alain; Doorn, Kristen; Pontier, Ryan; Sembiante, Sabrina

2011-01-01

This article describes the use of Photography and Oral History research methods as part of a collaborative research project on homelessness in Miami. Issues involving the use of documentary photography and oral history as a means of creating greater social awareness in the general public are explored, as well as broader issues of Social Justice.…

Equalization in Aeronautical Telemetry Using Multiple Antennas

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

Multiple Antennas April 2014 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. Test Resource Management Center...Telemetry Using Multiple Antennas 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER: W900KK-13-C- 0026 5b. GRANT NUMBER: N/A 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Michael...employing two transmit antennas and as a method for exploiting partial channel state information by the transmitter. The generalization involves

A new approach to exact optical soliton solutions for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales-Delgado, V. F.; Gómez-Aguilar, J. F.; Baleanu, Dumitru

2018-05-01

By using the modified homotopy analysis transform method, we construct the analytical solutions of the space-time generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation involving a new fractional conformable derivative in the Liouville-Caputo sense and the fractional-order derivative with the Mittag-Leffler law. Employing theoretical parameters, we present some numerical simulations and compare the solutions obtained.

Interatomic potentials in condensed matter via the maximum-entropy principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlsson, A. E.

1987-09-01

A general method is described for the calculation of interatomic potentials in condensed-matter systems by use of a maximum-entropy Ansatz for the interatomic correlation functions. The interatomic potentials are given explicitly in terms of statistical correlation functions involving the potential energy and the structure factor of a ``reference medium.'' Illustrations are given for Al-Cu alloys and a model transition metal.

Methods and costs associated with outfitting light aircraft for remote sensing applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rhodes, O. L.; Zetka, E. F.

1973-01-01

This document was designed to provide the potential user of a light aircraft remote sensor platform/data gathering system with general information on aircraft definition, implementation complexity, costs, scheduling and operational factors involved in this type of activity. Most of the subject material was developed from actual situations and problem areas encountered during the build-up cycle and early phases of flight operations.

Exploiting the User: Adapting Personas for Use in Security Visualization Design

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

Stoll, Jennifer C.; McColgin, David W.; Gregory, Michelle L.

It has long been noted that visual representations of complex information can facilitate rapid understanding of data {citation], even with respect to ComSec applications {citation]. Recognizing that visualizations can increase usability in ComSec applications, [Zurko, Sasse] have argued that there is a need to create more usable security visualizations. (VisSec) However, usability of applications generally fall into the domain of Human Computer Interaction (HCI), which generally relies on heavy-weight user-centered design (UCD) processes. For example, the UCD process can involve many prototype iterations, or an ethnographic field study that can take months to complete. The problem is that VisSec projectsmore » generally do not have the resources to perform ethnographic field studies, or to employ complex UCD methods. They often are running on tight deadlines and budgets that can not afford standard UCD methods. In order to help resolve the conflict of needing more usable designs in ComSec, but not having the resources to employ complex UCD methods, in this paper we offer a stripped-down lighter weight version of a UCD process which can help with capturing user requirements. The approach we use is personas which a user requirements capturing method arising out of the Participatory Design philosophy [Grudin02].« less

Engaging participants in a complex intervention trial in Australian General Practice

PubMed Central

Perkins, David; Harris, Mark F; Tan, Jocelyn; Christl, Bettina; Taggart, Jane; Fanaian, Mahnaz

2008-01-01

Background The paper examines the key issues experienced in recruiting and retaining practice involvement in a large complex intervention trial in Australian General Practice. Methods Reflective notes made by research staff and telephone interviews with staff from general practices which expressed interest, took part or withdrew from a trial of a complex general practice intervention. Results Recruitment and retention difficulties were due to factors inherent in the demands and context of general practice, the degree of engagement of primary care organisations (Divisions of General Practice), perceived benefits by practices, the design of the trial and the timing and complexity of data collection. Conclusion There needs to be clearer articulation to practices of the benefits of the research to participants and streamlining of the design and processes of data collection and intervention to fit in with their work practices. Ultimately deeper engagement may require additional funding and ongoing participation through practice research networks. Trial Registration Current Controlled Trials ACTRN12605000788673 PMID:18700984

Method of preparing thin porous sheets of ceramic material

DOEpatents

Swarr, Thomas E.; Nickols, Richard C.; Krasij, Myron

1987-03-24

A method of forming thin porous sheets of ceramic material for use as electrodes or other components in a molten carbonate fuel cell is disclosed. The method involves spray drying a slurry of fine ceramic particles in liquid carrier to produce generally spherical agglomerates of high porosity and a rough surface texture. The ceramic particles may include the electrode catalyst and the agglomerates can be calcined to improve mechanical strength. After slurrying with suitable volatile material and binder tape casting is used to form sheets that are sufficiently strong for further processing and handling in the assembly of a high temperature fuel cell.

Methods for calculating conjugate problems of heat transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalinin, E. K.; Dreitser, G. A.; Kostiuk, V. V.; Berlin, I. I.

Methods are examined for calculating various conjugate problems of heat transfer in channels and closed vessels in cases of single-phase and two-phase flow in steady and unsteady conditions. The single-phase-flow studies involve the investigation of gaseous and liquid heat-carriers in pipes, annular and plane channels, and pipe bundles in cases of cooling and heating. General relationships are presented for heat transfer in cases of film, transition, and nucleate boiling, as well as for boiling crises. Attention is given to methods for analyzing the filling and cooling of conduits and tanks by cryogenic liquids; and ways to intensify heat transfer in these conditions are examined.

Approaches to Fungal Genome Annotation

PubMed Central

Haas, Brian J.; Zeng, Qiandong; Pearson, Matthew D.; Cuomo, Christina A.; Wortman, Jennifer R.

2011-01-01

Fungal genome annotation is the starting point for analysis of genome content. This generally involves the application of diverse methods to identify features on a genome assembly such as protein-coding and non-coding genes, repeats and transposable elements, and pseudogenes. Here we describe tools and methods leveraged for eukaryotic genome annotation with a focus on the annotation of fungal nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. We highlight the application of the latest technologies and tools to improve the quality of predicted gene sets. The Broad Institute eukaryotic genome annotation pipeline is described as one example of how such methods and tools are integrated into a sequencing center’s production genome annotation environment. PMID:22059117

Method of preparing thin porous sheets of ceramic material

DOEpatents

Swarr, T.E.; Nickols, R.C.; Krasij, M.

1984-05-23

A method of forming thin porous sheets of ceramic material for use as electrodes or other components in a molten carbonate fuel cell is disclosed. The method involves spray drying a slurry of fine ceramic particles in liquid carrier to produce generally spherical agglomerates of high porosity and a rough surface texture. The ceramic particles may include the electrode catalyst and the agglomerates can be calcined to improve mechanical strength. After slurrying with suitable volatile material and binder tape casting is used to form sheets that are sufficiently strong for further processing and handling in the assembly of a high temperature fuel cell.

Involving the public in spatial decision making using Internet GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhengrong; Sheng, Grant; Wang, Lei

2006-10-01

Public participation is an integral part of legislation or decision making processes. Traditionally, public participation took place through face-to-face encounters such as public meetings and other fora. However, some important factors limiting the efficiency and effectiveness of this mode of public participation include: geographic separation of participants, scheduling and financial constraints in attending meetings, and limited duration of meetings. These led to the awareness that public participation requires new methods in order to achieve a better democratic decision making. On the other hand, GIS has in the past been accused of being an elitist technology, giving more power to those people already possessing it and depriving those, namely the general public, who more often lack such direct forms of information access. Public participation GIS (PPGIS) is emerging as a distinct subset of two previously separate activities: technology-based spatial analysis and participatory democracy. The paper considers both traditional methods and Internet-based technologies of public participation and argues that new Internet-based technologies have the potential to widen participation by using online spatial decision support systems. GIS and the Internet can be used together to provide the general public with a powerful mechanism for becoming more involved in decision problems. Provision of full access to spatial and non-spatial data, along with the appropriate tools with which to use it, may greatly empower the general public. PPGIS focuses on engaging the public to participate and become involved in a particular subject of interest. It empowers GIS users from all walks of life and enabling them to use the technology purposefully to capture their local knowledge and advance their goals. In the project of public participatory Ontario nuclear waste siting, we focused on developing an Internet based PPGIS prototype to help the public to participate online from inception to the final phase of site decision-making. It shows that in certain siting problems and policy formulation processes, participatory online systems are a useful means of implementing public participation through informing and engaging the public to participate in spatial decision making. Web based PPGIS can involve more participants and higher degree of participation among experts, officials and the pblic than traditional means.

The Houdini Transformation: True, but Illusory.

PubMed

Bentler, Peter M; Molenaar, Peter C M

2012-01-01

Molenaar (2003, 2011) showed that a common factor model could be transformed into an equivalent model without factors, involving only observed variables and residual errors. He called this invertible transformation the Houdini transformation. His derivation involved concepts from time series and state space theory. This paper verifies the Houdini transformation on a general latent variable model using algebraic methods. The results show that the Houdini transformation is illusory, in the sense that the Houdini transformed model remains a latent variable model. Contrary to common knowledge, a model that is a path model with only observed variables and residual errors may, in fact, be a latent variable model.

The Houdini Transformation: True, but Illusory

PubMed Central

Bentler, Peter M.; Molenaar, Peter C. M.

2012-01-01

Molenaar (2003, 2011) showed that a common factor model could be transformed into an equivalent model without factors, involving only observed variables and residual errors. He called this invertible transformation the Houdini transformation. His derivation involved concepts from time series and state space theory. This paper verifies the Houdini transformation on a general latent variable model using algebraic methods. The results show that the Houdini transformation is illusory, in the sense that the Houdini transformed model remains a latent variable model. Contrary to common knowledge, a model that is a path model with only observed variables and residual errors may, in fact, be a latent variable model. PMID:23180888

Approximation concepts for efficient structural synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmit, L. A., Jr.; Miura, H.

1976-01-01

It is shown that efficient structural synthesis capabilities can be created by using approximation concepts to mesh finite element structural analysis methods with nonlinear mathematical programming techniques. The history of the application of mathematical programming techniques to structural design optimization problems is reviewed. Several rather general approximation concepts are described along with the technical foundations of the ACCESS 1 computer program, which implements several approximation concepts. A substantial collection of structural design problems involving truss and idealized wing structures is presented. It is concluded that since the basic ideas employed in creating the ACCESS 1 program are rather general, its successful development supports the contention that the introduction of approximation concepts will lead to the emergence of a new generation of practical and efficient, large scale, structural synthesis capabilities in which finite element analysis methods and mathematical programming algorithms will play a central role.

An efficient and general numerical method to compute steady uniform vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luzzatto-Fegiz, Paolo; Williamson, Charles H. K.

2011-07-01

Steady uniform vortices are widely used to represent high Reynolds number flows, yet their efficient computation still presents some challenges. Existing Newton iteration methods become inefficient as the vortices develop fine-scale features; in addition, these methods cannot, in general, find solutions with specified Casimir invariants. On the other hand, available relaxation approaches are computationally inexpensive, but can fail to converge to a solution. In this paper, we overcome these limitations by introducing a new discretization, based on an inverse-velocity map, which radically increases the efficiency of Newton iteration methods. In addition, we introduce a procedure to prescribe Casimirs and remove the degeneracies in the steady vorticity equation, thus ensuring convergence for general vortex configurations. We illustrate our methodology by considering several unbounded flows involving one or two vortices. Our method enables the computation, for the first time, of steady vortices that do not exhibit any geometric symmetry. In addition, we discover that, as the limiting vortex state for each flow is approached, each family of solutions traces a clockwise spiral in a bifurcation plot consisting of a velocity-impulse diagram. By the recently introduced "IVI diagram" stability approach [Phys. Rev. Lett. 104 (2010) 044504], each turn of this spiral is associated with a loss of stability for the steady flows. Such spiral structure is suggested to be a universal feature of steady, uniform-vorticity flows.

A study of general aviation accidents involving children in 2011.

PubMed

Poland, Kristin M; Marshall, Nora M

2014-08-01

General aviation accidents involving children are rare, but when they do happen, little is known about the children involved, including their age, restraint status, and injuries. This lack of information is due to the fact that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) did not always collect detailed data about passengers involved in accidents. Consequently, in 2011, NTSB investigators collected detailed information on children involved in general aviation accidents and this report provides a summary of the outcomes. During 2011, 19 general aviation accidents and incidents included 39 children who were 14 yr old and younger. In total, 26 children sustained fatal injuries, 2 sustained serious injuries, 5 sustained minor injuries, and 6 sustained no injuries. All of the children less than 2 yr old were restrained in a child restraint system and sustained no injuries in the accidents. At least one 4-yr-old child would have benefited from being restrained in a child restraint system. In addition, in two accidents, it was determined that children were likely sharing a single seat belt. This year-long data collection regarding children involved in general aviation accidents provided substantial information concerning age, restraint status, and injuries. In response to issues identified, the NTSB made improvements to its aviation data management system to routinely collect this information for future investigations and enable subsequent evaluation of the data regarding child passengers involved in general aviation accidents over the long term.

29 CFR 2.11 - General principles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Secretary of Labor GENERAL REGULATIONS Audiovisual Coverage of Administrative Hearings § 2.11 General... involve administrative hearings. If such administrative hearings are held, we encourage their audiovisual coverage. (b) Audiovisual coverage shall be excluded in adjudicatory proceedings involving the rights or...

Do Oncologists Engage in Bereavement Practices? A Survey of the Israeli Society of Clinical Oncology and Radiation Therapy (ISCORT)

PubMed Central

Shabtai, Esther; Merimsky, Ofer; Inbar, Moshe; Rosenbaum, Eli; Meirovitz, Amichay; Wexler, Isaiah D.

2010-01-01

Purpose. We sought to determine the level of involvement of oncologists in bereavement rituals after a patient dies. Subjects and Methods. Members of the Israeli Society for Clinical Oncology and Radiation Therapy (ISCORT) were surveyed. The survey instrument consisted of questions regarding participation in bereavement rituals for patients in general and those with whom the oncologist had a special bond. Oncologists were queried as to the reasons for nonparticipation in bereavement rituals. Results. Nearly 70% of the ISCORT membership (126 of 182) completed the survey tool. Respondents included radiation, surgical, and medical oncologists. In general, oncologists rarely participated in bereavement rituals that involved direct contact with families such as funerals and visitations. Twenty-eight percent of physicians at least occasionally participated in rituals involving direct contact whereas 45% had indirect contact (e.g., letter of condolence) with the family on an occasional basis. There was significantly greater involvement in bereavement rituals when oncologists developed a special bond with the patient. In a stepwise linear regression model, the only factor significantly associated with greater participation in bereavement rituals was self-perceived spirituality in those claiming not to be religious. The major reasons offered for nonparticipation were time constraints, need to maintain appropriate boundaries between physicians and patients, and fear of burnout. Conclusion. Although many oncologists participate at least occasionally in some sort of bereavement ritual, a significant proportion of oncologists are not involved in these practices at all. PMID:20228130

Audit of tumour histopathology reviewed by a regional oncology centre.

PubMed Central

Prescott, R J; Wells, S; Bisset, D L; Banerjee, S S; Harris, M

1995-01-01

AIMS--To analyse the diagnostic differences in reporting tumour histopathology between a district general hospital and a regional oncology centre. METHODS--Tumour histopathology reports (n = 227) extracted from Bolton General Hospital files between 1988 and 1992 were compared with the corresponding Christie Hospital (oncology centre) reports, the same material having been seen at both hospitals. RESULTS--Diagnostic agreement existed in 77% of all cases. The incidence of major discrepancies was 8.37%. Of the diagnoses, 19 (36%) cases involved major discrepancies and 34 (64%) cases minor discrepancies. Most discrepancies occurred in the lymphoma group and involved subclassification of Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Ki1 anaplastic large cell lymphoma and T cell rich B cell lymphoma were problematic diagnoses. The correct grading of follicle centre cell lymphomas using the Kiel classification was another problem area. In 19 cases certain aspects of immunohistochemistry produced discrepancies. In one case an incorrect diagnosis was made at the oncology centre and in another both centres gave an incorrect diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS--Areas of diagnostic difficulty mainly involve the subclassification of lymphomas. Review of tumour pathology by experts is recommended, at least in certain categories, to ensure correct diagnosis and uniformity in subclassification of tumours. PMID:7730487

Validation of a One-Step Method for Extracting Fatty Acids from Salmon, Chicken and Beef Samples.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhichao; Richardson, Christine E; Hennebelle, Marie; Taha, Ameer Y

2017-10-01

Fatty acid extraction methods are time-consuming and expensive because they involve multiple steps and copious amounts of extraction solvents. In an effort to streamline the fatty acid extraction process, this study compared the standard Folch lipid extraction method to a one-step method involving a column that selectively elutes the lipid phase. The methods were tested on raw beef, salmon, and chicken. Compared to the standard Folch method, the one-step extraction process generally yielded statistically insignificant differences in chicken and salmon fatty acid concentrations, percent composition and weight percent. Initial testing showed that beef stearic, oleic and total fatty acid concentrations were significantly lower by 9-11% with the one-step method as compared to the Folch method, but retesting on a different batch of samples showed a significant 4-8% increase in several omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid concentrations with the one-step method relative to the Folch. Overall, the findings reflect the utility of a one-step extraction method for routine and rapid monitoring of fatty acids in chicken and salmon. Inconsistencies in beef concentrations, although minor (within 11%), may be due to matrix effects. A one-step fatty acid extraction method has broad applications for rapidly and routinely monitoring fatty acids in the food supply and formulating controlled dietary interventions. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Testing for Granger Causality in the Frequency Domain: A Phase Resampling Method.

PubMed

Liu, Siwei; Molenaar, Peter

2016-01-01

This article introduces phase resampling, an existing but rarely used surrogate data method for making statistical inferences of Granger causality in frequency domain time series analysis. Granger causality testing is essential for establishing causal relations among variables in multivariate dynamic processes. However, testing for Granger causality in the frequency domain is challenging due to the nonlinear relation between frequency domain measures (e.g., partial directed coherence, generalized partial directed coherence) and time domain data. Through a simulation study, we demonstrate that phase resampling is a general and robust method for making statistical inferences even with short time series. With Gaussian data, phase resampling yields satisfactory type I and type II error rates in all but one condition we examine: when a small effect size is combined with an insufficient number of data points. Violations of normality lead to slightly higher error rates but are mostly within acceptable ranges. We illustrate the utility of phase resampling with two empirical examples involving multivariate electroencephalography (EEG) and skin conductance data.

Nano-flow vs standard-flow: Which is the more suitable LC/MS method for quantifying hepcidin-25 in human serum in routine clinical settings?

PubMed

Vialaret, Jérôme; Picas, Alexia; Delaby, Constance; Bros, Pauline; Lehmann, Sylvain; Hirtz, Christophe

2018-06-01

Hepcidin-25 peptide is a biomarker which is known to have considerable clinical potential for diagnosing iron-related diseases. Developing analytical methods for the absolute quantification of hepcidin is still a real challenge, however, due to the sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility issues involved. In this study, we compare and discuss two MS-based assays for quantifying hepcidin, which differ only in terms of the type of liquid chromatography (nano LC/MS versus standard LC/MS) involved. The same sample preparation, the same internal standards and the same MS analyzer were used with both approaches. In the field of proteomics, nano LC chromatography is generally known to be more sensitive and less robust than standard LC methods. In this study, we established that the performances of the standard LC method are equivalent to those of our previously developed nano LC method. Although the analytical performances were very similar in both cases. The standard-flow platform therefore provides the more suitable alternative for accurately determining hepcidin in clinical settings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Finite difference time domain calculation of transients in antennas with nonlinear loads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luebbers, Raymond J.; Beggs, John H.; Kunz, Karl S.; Chamberlin, Kent

1991-01-01

Determining transient electromagnetic fields in antennas with nonlinear loads is a challenging problem. Typical methods used involve calculating frequency domain parameters at a large number of different frequencies, then applying Fourier transform methods plus nonlinear equation solution techniques. If the antenna is simple enough so that the open circuit time domain voltage can be determined independently of the effects of the nonlinear load on the antennas current, time stepping methods can be applied in a straightforward way. Here, transient fields for antennas with more general geometries are calculated directly using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) methods. In each FDTD cell which contains a nonlinear load, a nonlinear equation is solved at each time step. As a test case, the transient current in a long dipole antenna with a nonlinear load excited by a pulsed plane wave is computed using this approach. The results agree well with both calculated and measured results previously published. The approach given here extends the applicability of the FDTD method to problems involving scattering from targets, including nonlinear loads and materials, and to coupling between antennas containing nonlinear loads. It may also be extended to propagation through nonlinear materials.

An Efficient Statistical Method to Compute Molecular Collisional Rate Coefficients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loreau, Jérôme; Lique, François; Faure, Alexandre

2018-01-01

Our knowledge about the “cold” universe often relies on molecular spectra. A general property of such spectra is that the energy level populations are rarely at local thermodynamic equilibrium. Solving the radiative transfer thus requires the availability of collisional rate coefficients with the main colliding partners over the temperature range ∼10–1000 K. These rate coefficients are notoriously difficult to measure and expensive to compute. In particular, very few reliable collisional data exist for inelastic collisions involving reactive radicals or ions. In this Letter, we explore the use of a fast quantum statistical method to determine molecular collisional excitation rate coefficients. The method is benchmarked against accurate (but costly) rigid-rotor close-coupling calculations. For collisions proceeding through the formation of a strongly bound complex, the method is found to be highly satisfactory up to room temperature. Its accuracy decreases with decreasing potential well depth and with increasing temperature, as expected. This new method opens the way to the determination of accurate inelastic collisional data involving key reactive species such as {{{H}}}3+, H2O+, and H3O+ for which exact quantum calculations are currently not feasible.

Feasibility of using LANDSAT images of vegetation cover to estimate effective hydraulic properties of soils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eagleson, P. S.

1985-01-01

Research activities conducted from February 1, 1985 to July 31, 1985 and preliminary conclusions regarding research objectives are summarized. The objective is to determine the feasibility of using LANDSAT data to estimate effective hydraulic properties of soils. The general approach is to apply the climatic-climax hypothesis (Ealgeson, 1982) to natural water-limited vegetation systems using canopy cover estimated from LANDSAT data. Natural water-limited systems typically consist of inhomogeneous vegetation canopies interspersed with bare soils. The ground resolution associated with one pixel from LANDSAT MSS (or TM) data is generally greater than the scale of the plant canopy or canopy clusters. Thus a method for resolving percent canopy cover at a subpixel level must be established before the Eagleson hypothesis can be tested. Two formulations are proposed which extend existing methods of analyzing mixed pixels to naturally vegetated landscapes. The first method involves use of the normalized vegetation index. The second approach is a physical model based on radiative transfer principles. Both methods are to be analyzed for their feasibility on selected sites.

CAVE3: A general transient heat transfer computer code utilizing eigenvectors and eigenvalues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palmieri, J. V.; Rathjen, K. A.

1978-01-01

The method of solution is a hybrid analytical numerical technique which utilizes eigenvalues and eigenvectors. The method is inherently stable, permitting large time steps even with the best of conductors with the finest of mesh sizes which can provide a factor of five reduction in machine time compared to conventional explicit finite difference methods when structures with small time constants are analyzed over long time periods. This code will find utility in analyzing hypersonic missile and aircraft structures which fall naturally into this class. The code is a completely general one in that problems involving any geometry, boundary conditions and materials can be analyzed. This is made possible by requiring the user to establish the thermal network conductances between nodes. Dynamic storage allocation is used to minimize core storage requirements. This report is primarily a user's manual for CAVE3 code. Input and output formats are presented and explained. Sample problems are included which illustrate the usage of the code as well as establish the validity and accuracy of the method.

A two-stage linear discriminant analysis via QR-decomposition.

PubMed

Ye, Jieping; Li, Qi

2005-06-01

Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) is a well-known method for feature extraction and dimension reduction. It has been used widely in many applications involving high-dimensional data, such as image and text classification. An intrinsic limitation of classical LDA is the so-called singularity problems; that is, it fails when all scatter matrices are singular. Many LDA extensions were proposed in the past to overcome the singularity problems. Among these extensions, PCA+LDA, a two-stage method, received relatively more attention. In PCA+LDA, the LDA stage is preceded by an intermediate dimension reduction stage using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Most previous LDA extensions are computationally expensive, and not scalable, due to the use of Singular Value Decomposition or Generalized Singular Value Decomposition. In this paper, we propose a two-stage LDA method, namely LDA/QR, which aims to overcome the singularity problems of classical LDA, while achieving efficiency and scalability simultaneously. The key difference between LDA/QR and PCA+LDA lies in the first stage, where LDA/QR applies QR decomposition to a small matrix involving the class centroids, while PCA+LDA applies PCA to the total scatter matrix involving all training data points. We further justify the proposed algorithm by showing the relationship among LDA/QR and previous LDA methods. Extensive experiments on face images and text documents are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Shifting attention from objective risk factors to patients' self-assessed health resources: a clinical model for general practice.

PubMed

Hollnagel, H; Malterud, K

1995-12-01

The study was designed to present and apply theoretical and empirical knowledge for the construction of a clinical model intended to shift the attention of the general practitioner from objective risk factors to self-assessed health resources in male and female patients. Review, discussion and analysis of selected theoretical models about personal health resources involving assessing existing theories according to their emphasis concerning self-assessed vs. doctor-assessed health resources, specific health resources vs. life and coping in general, abstract vs. clinically applicable theory, gender perspective explicitly included or not. Relevant theoretical models on health and coping (salutogenesis, coping and social support, control/demand, locus of control, health belief model, quality of life), and the perspective of the underprivileged Other (critical theory, feminist standpoint theory, the patient-centred clinical method) were presented and assessed. Components from Antonovsky's salutogenetic perspective and McWhinney's patient-centred clinical method, supported by gender perspectives, were integrated to a clinical model which is presented. General practitioners are recommended to shift their attention from objective risk factors to self-assessed health resources by means of the clinical model. The relevance and feasibility of the model should be explored in empirical research.

[Application of three risk assessment models in occupational health risk assessment of dimethylformamide].

PubMed

Wu, Z J; Xu, B; Jiang, H; Zheng, M; Zhang, M; Zhao, W J; Cheng, J

2016-08-20

Objective: To investigate the application of United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inhalation risk assessment model, Singapore semi-quantitative risk assessment model, and occupational hazards risk assessment index method in occupational health risk in enterprises using dimethylformamide (DMF) in a certain area in Jiangsu, China, and to put forward related risk control measures. Methods: The industries involving DMF exposure in Jiangsu province were chosen as the evaluation objects in 2013 and three risk assessment models were used in the evaluation. EPA inhalation risk assessment model: HQ=EC/RfC; Singapore semi-quantitative risk assessment model: Risk= (HR×ER) 1/2 ; Occupational hazards risk assessment index=2 Health effect level ×2 exposure ratio ×Operation condition level. Results: The results of hazard quotient (HQ>1) from EPA inhalation risk assessment model suggested that all the workshops (dry method, wet method and printing) and work positions (pasting, burdening, unreeling, rolling, assisting) were high risk. The results of Singapore semi-quantitative risk assessment model indicated that the workshop risk level of dry method, wet method and printing were 3.5 (high) , 3.5 (high) and 2.8 (general) , and position risk level of pasting, burdening, unreeling, rolling, assisting were 4 (high) , 4 (high) , 2.8 (general) , 2.8 (general) and 2.8 (general) . The results of occupational hazards risk assessment index method demonstrated that the position risk index of pasting, burdening, unreeling, rolling, assisting were 42 (high) , 33 (high) , 23 (middle) , 21 (middle) and 22 (middle) . The results of Singapore semi-quantitative risk assessment model and occupational hazards risk assessment index method were similar, while EPA inhalation risk assessment model indicated all the workshops and positions were high risk. Conclusion: The occupational hazards risk assessment index method fully considers health effects, exposure, and operating conditions and can comprehensively and accurately evaluate occupational health risk caused by DMF.

GARN: Sampling RNA 3D Structure Space with Game Theory and Knowledge-Based Scoring Strategies.

PubMed

Boudard, Mélanie; Bernauer, Julie; Barth, Dominique; Cohen, Johanne; Denise, Alain

2015-01-01

Cellular processes involve large numbers of RNA molecules. The functions of these RNA molecules and their binding to molecular machines are highly dependent on their 3D structures. One of the key challenges in RNA structure prediction and modeling is predicting the spatial arrangement of the various structural elements of RNA. As RNA folding is generally hierarchical, methods involving coarse-grained models hold great promise for this purpose. We present here a novel coarse-grained method for sampling, based on game theory and knowledge-based potentials. This strategy, GARN (Game Algorithm for RNa sampling), is often much faster than previously described techniques and generates large sets of solutions closely resembling the native structure. GARN is thus a suitable starting point for the molecular modeling of large RNAs, particularly those with experimental constraints. GARN is available from: http://garn.lri.fr/.

Reliability improvement methods for sapphire fiber temperature sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schietinger, C.; Adams, B.

1991-08-01

Mechanical, optical, electrical, and software design improvements can be brought to bear in the enhancement of fiber-optic sapphire-fiber temperature measurement tool reliability in harsh environments. The optical fiber thermometry (OFT) equipment discussed is used in numerous process industries and generally involves a sapphire sensor, an optical transmission cable, and a microprocessor-based signal analyzer. OFT technology incorporating sensors for corrosive environments, hybrid sensors, and two-wavelength measurements, are discussed.

Statistical Models and Inference Procedures for Structural and Materials Reliability

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

as an official Department of the Army positio~n, policy, or decision, unless sD designated by other documentazion. 12a. DISTRIBUTION /AVAILABILITY...Some general stress-strength models were also developed and applied to the failure of systems subject to cyclic loading. Involved in the failure of...process control ideas and sequential design and analysis methods. Finally, smooth nonparametric quantile .wJ function estimators were studied. All of

A Long-Term Retention Advantage for Spatial Information Learned Naturally and in the Laboratory

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-09

study. Memory & Cognition, 10, 324-332. Tulving, E. (1972). Episodic and semantic memory . In E. Tulving & W. Donaldson (Eds.), Organization of memory ...the cognitive research literature. Some of the better known divisions include the distinction between semantic , episodic and procedural knowledge...the probe method by being more structured and more focused on specific memory episodes . In general, questionnaire studies simply involve formulating

Economic Limits to Corporate Growth in America

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

domestic product and the value-added accounting methods involved here. Mankiw (2004) provides a thorough overview of the concepts, their importance...data focus on compliance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), economic data focus on measuring the economic essence of what is...www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/TR/TR06/tr06.pdf. Last accessed May 30, 2006. Brealy, R.A., Myers, S.C. & Allen, F. (2006). Principles of Corporate

General aviation crash safety program at Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomson, R. G.

1976-01-01

The purpose of the crash safety program is to support development of the technology to define and demonstrate new structural concepts for improved crash safety and occupant survivability in general aviation aircraft. The program involves three basic areas of research: full-scale crash simulation testing, nonlinear structural analyses necessary to predict failure modes and collapse mechanisms of the vehicle, and evaluation of energy absorption concepts for specific component design. Both analytical and experimental methods are being used to develop expertise in these areas. Analyses include both simplified procedures for estimating energy absorption capabilities and more complex computer programs for analysis of general airframe response. Full-scale tests of typical structures as well as tests on structural components are being used to verify the analyses and to demonstrate improved design concepts.

Transition-Metal Hydride Radical Cations.

PubMed

Hu, Yue; Shaw, Anthony P; Estes, Deven P; Norton, Jack R

2016-08-10

Transition-metal hydride radical cations (TMHRCs) are involved in a variety of chemical and biochemical reactions, making a more thorough understanding of their properties essential for explaining observed reactivity and for the eventual development of new applications. Generally, these species may be treated as the ones formed by one-electron oxidation of diamagnetic analogues that are neutral or cationic. Despite the importance of TMHRCs, the generally sensitive nature of these complexes has hindered their development. However, over the last four decades, many more TMHRCs have been synthesized, characterized, isolated, or hypothesized as reaction intermediates. This comprehensive review focuses on experimental studies of TMHRCs reported through the year 2014, with an emphasis on isolated and observed species. The methods used for the generation or synthesis of TMHRCs are surveyed, followed by a discussion about the stability of these complexes. The fundamental properties of TMHRCs, especially those pertaining to the M-H bond, are described, followed by a detailed treatment of decomposition pathways. Finally, reactions involving TMHRCs as intermediates are described.

Families Affected by Huntington’s Disease Report Difficulties in Communication, Emotional Involvement, and Problem Solving

PubMed Central

Jona, Celine M.H.; Labuschagne, Izelle; Mercieca, Emily-Clare; Fisher, Fiona; Gluyas, Cathy; Stout, Julie C.; Andrews, Sophie C.

2017-01-01

Background: Family functioning in Huntington’s disease (HD) is known from previous studies to be adversely affected. However, which aspects of family functioning are disrupted is unknown, limiting the empirical basis around which to create supportive interventions. Objective: The aim of the current study was to assess family functioning in HD families. Methods: We assessed family functioning in 61 participants (38 HD gene-expanded participants and 23 family members) using the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD; Epstein, Baldwin and Bishop, 1983), which provides scores for seven domains of functioning: Problem Solving; Communication; Affective Involvement; Affective Responsiveness; Behavior Control; Roles; and General Family Functioning. Results: The most commonly reported disrupted domain for HD participants was Affective Involvement, which was reported by 39.5% of HD participants, followed closely by General Family Functioning (36.8%). For family members, the most commonly reported dysfunctional domains were Affective Involvement and Communication (both 52.2%). Furthermore, symptomatic HD participants reported more disruption to Problem Solving than pre-symptomatic HD participants. In terms of agreement between pre-symptomatic and symptomatic HD participants and their family members, all domains showed moderate to very good agreement. However, on average, family members rated Communication as more disrupted than their HD affected family member. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need to target areas of emotional engagement, communication skills and problem solving in family interventions in HD. PMID:28968240

Perceived organizational support and job involvement in the Iranian health care system: A case study of emergency room nurses in general hospitals

PubMed Central

Gorji, Hassan Abolghasem; Etemadi, Manal; Hoseini, Fatemeh

2014-01-01

Background and Objectives: Researchers believe that there are social exchanges between the employers and employees, because the employees would be interested in their organization and trust it based on how the organization values them and their welfare, comfort, and security. This belief is known as perceived organizational support that makes employees consider themselves as a part of their organization and have a commitment to it. The literature review is very limited in both variables in Iran and thus few studies also report the perceived organizational support and job involvement at the lower levels in our country. This research aimed at studying the levels of perceived organizational support and job involvement, relationship between this two, and the demographic factors relationship with both of them. Materials and Methods: This research was a descriptive analytical study conducted in 2012. The population included 123 emergency nurses in General Hospitals of Qom. Data were collected through Perceived Organizational Support and Job Involvement Questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS software, descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation and Chi-square test. Results: Both mean scores for perceived organizational support and job involvement were in average level, 146/12 and 35/38, respectively. There was a significant relationship between perceived organizational support and age, education, tenure, organizational position, and job shift. There was also a significant relationship between job involvement and age and education and finally between perceived organizational support and job involvement (P = 0/029). Discussion: The high correlation between perceived organizational support and job involvement indicates that the improvement of perceived organizational support are necessary through motivating the employees, showing interest in them, paying attention to them, respecting them, and providing development opportunity in the organization. These should be always considered by managers to improve job involvement PMID:25077151

Guidelines for determining flood flow frequency—Bulletin 17C

USGS Publications Warehouse

England, John F.; Cohn, Timothy A.; Faber, Beth A.; Stedinger, Jery R.; Thomas, Wilbert O.; Veilleux, Andrea G.; Kiang, Julie E.; Mason, Robert R.

2018-03-29

Accurate estimates of flood frequency and magnitude are a key component of any effective nationwide flood risk management and flood damage abatement program. In addition to accuracy, methods for estimating flood risk must be uniformly and consistently applied because management of the Nation’s water and related land resources is a collaborative effort involving multiple actors including most levels of government and the private sector.Flood frequency guidelines have been published in the United States since 1967, and have undergone periodic revisions. In 1967, the U.S. Water Resources Council presented a coherent approach to flood frequency with Bulletin 15, “A Uniform Technique for Determining Flood Flow Frequencies.” The method it recommended involved fitting the log-Pearson Type III distribution to annual peak flow data by the method of moments.The first extension and update of Bulletin 15 was published in 1976 as Bulletin 17, “Guidelines for Determining Flood Flow Frequency” (Guidelines). It extended the Bulletin 15 procedures by introducing methods for dealing with outliers, historical flood information, and regional skew. Bulletin 17A was published the following year to clarify the computation of weighted skew. The next revision of the Bulletin, the Bulletin 17B, provided a host of improvements and new techniques designed to address situations that often arise in practice, including better methods for estimating and using regional skew, weighting station and regional skew, detection of outliers, and use of the conditional probability adjustment.The current version of these Guidelines are presented in this document, denoted Bulletin 17C. It incorporates changes motivated by four of the items listed as “Future Work” in Bulletin 17B and 30 years of post-17B research on flood processes and statistical methods. The updates include: adoption of a generalized representation of flood data that allows for interval and censored data types; a new method, called the Expected Moments Algorithm, which extends the method of moments so that it can accommodate interval data; a generalized approach to identification of low outliers in flood data; and an improved method for computing confidence intervals.Federal agencies are requested to use these Guidelines in all planning activities involving water and related land resources. State, local, and private organizations are encouraged to use these Guidelines to assure uniformity in the flood frequency estimates that all agencies concerned with flood risk should use for Federal planning decisions.This revision is adopted with the knowledge and understanding that review of these procedures will be ongoing. Updated methods will be adopted when warranted by experience and by examination and testing of new techniques.

Group decision-making approach for flood vulnerability identification using the fuzzy VIKOR method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, G.; Jun, K. S.; Chung, E.-S.

2015-04-01

This study proposes an improved group decision making (GDM) framework that combines the VIKOR method with data fuzzification to quantify the spatial flood vulnerability including multiple criteria. In general, GDM method is an effective tool for formulating a compromise solution that involves various decision makers since various stakeholders may have different perspectives on their flood risk/vulnerability management responses. The GDM approach is designed to achieve consensus building that reflects the viewpoints of each participant. The fuzzy VIKOR method was developed to solve multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problems with conflicting and noncommensurable criteria. This comprising method can be used to obtain a nearly ideal solution according to all established criteria. This approach effectively can propose some compromising decisions by combining the GDM method and fuzzy VIKOR method. The spatial flood vulnerability of the southern Han River using the GDM approach combined with the fuzzy VIKOR method was compared with the spatial flood vulnerability using general MCDM methods, such as the fuzzy TOPSIS and classical GDM methods (i.e., Borda, Condorcet, and Copeland). As a result, the proposed fuzzy GDM approach can reduce the uncertainty in the data confidence and weight derivation techniques. Thus, the combination of the GDM approach with the fuzzy VIKOR method can provide robust prioritization because it actively reflects the opinions of various groups and considers uncertainty in the input data.

Investigation of the influence of the neutron spectrum in determinations of integral cross-section ratios

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

Smith, D.L.

1987-11-01

Ratio measurements are routinely employed in studies of neutron interaction processes in order to generate new differential cross-section data or to test existing differential cross-section information through examination of the corresponding response in integral neutron spectra. Interpretation of such data requires that careful attention be given to details of the neutron spectra involved in these measurements. Two specific tasks are undertaken in the present investigation: (1) Using perturbation theory, a formula is derived which permits one to relate the ratio measured in a realistic quasimonoenergetic spectrum to the desired pure monoenergetic ratio. This expression involves only the lowest-order moments ofmore » the neutron energy distribution and corresponding parameters which serve to characterize the energy dependence of the differential cross sections, quantities which can generally be estimated with reasonable precision from the uncorrected data or from auxiliary information. (2) Using covariance methods, a general formalism is developed for calculating the uncertainty of a measured integral cross-section ratio which involves an arbitrary neutron spectrum. This formalism is employed to further examine the conditions which influence the sensitivity of such measured ratios to details of the neutron spectra and to their uncertainties. Several numerical examples are presented in this report in order to illustrate these principles, and some general conclusion are drawn concerning the development and testing of neutron cross-section data by means of ratio experiments. 16 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs.« less

Electrodynamic multiple-scattering method for the simulation of optical trapping atop periodic metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yannopapas, Vassilios; Paspalakis, Emmanuel

2018-07-01

We present a new theoretical tool for simulating optical trapping of nanoparticles in the presence of an arbitrary metamaterial design. The method is based on rigorously solving Maxwell's equations for the metamaterial via a hybrid discrete-dipole approximation/multiple-scattering technique and direct calculation of the optical force exerted on the nanoparticle by means of the Maxwell stress tensor. We apply the method to the case of a spherical polystyrene probe trapped within the optical landscape created by illuminating of a plasmonic metamaterial consisting of periodically arranged tapered metallic nanopyramids. The developed technique is ideally suited for general optomechanical calculations involving metamaterial designs and can compete with purely numerical methods such as finite-difference or finite-element schemes.

Bound-preserving Legendre-WENO finite volume schemes using nonlinear mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Timothy; Pantano, Carlos

2017-11-01

We present a new method to enforce field bounds in high-order Legendre-WENO finite volume schemes. The strategy consists of reconstructing each field through an intermediate mapping, which by design satisfies realizability constraints. Determination of the coefficients of the polynomial reconstruction involves nonlinear equations that are solved using Newton's method. The selection between the original or mapped reconstruction is implemented dynamically to minimize computational cost. The method has also been generalized to fields that exhibit interdependencies, requiring multi-dimensional mappings. Further, the method does not depend on the existence of a numerical flux function. We will discuss details of the proposed scheme and show results for systems in conservation and non-conservation form. This work was funded by the NSF under Grant DMS 1318161.

Promoting occupational health interventions in early return to work by implementing financial subsidies: a Swedish case study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In 2010, the Swedish government introduced a system of subsidies for occupational health (OH) service interventions, as a part in a general policy promoting early return to work. The aim of this study was to analyse the implementation of these subsidies, regarding how they were used and perceived. Methods The study was carried out using a mixed-methods approach, and comprises material from six sub-studies: a register study of the use of the subsidies, one survey to OH service providers, one survey to employers, one document analysis of the documentation from interventions, interviews with stakeholders, and case interviews with actors involved in coordinated interventions. Results The subsidized services were generally perceived as positive but were modestly used. The most extensive subsidy – for coordinated interventions – was rarely used. Employers and OH service providers reported few or no effects on services and contracts. OH service providers explained the modest use in terms of already having less bureaucratic routines in place, where applying for subsidies would involve additional costs. Information about the subsidies was primarily communicated to OH service providers, while employers were not informed. Conclusions The study highlights the complexity of promoting interventions through financial incentives, since their implementation requires that they are perceived by the stakeholders involved as purposeful, manageable and cost-effective. There are inherent political challenges in influencing stakeholders who act on a free market, in that the impact of policies may be limited, unless they are enforced by law. PMID:23566064

A study of prediction methods for the high angle-of-attack aerodynamics of straight wings and fighter aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmillan, O. J.; Mendenhall, M. R.; Perkins, S. C., Jr.

1984-01-01

Work is described dealing with two areas which are dominated by the nonlinear effects of vortex flows. The first area concerns the stall/spin characteristics of a general aviation wing with a modified leading edge. The second area concerns the high-angle-of-attack characteristics of high performance military aircraft. For each area, the governing phenomena are described as identified with the aid of existing experimental data. Existing analytical methods are reviewed, and the most promising method for each area used to perform some preliminary calculations. Based on these results, the strengths and weaknesses of the methods are defined, and research programs recommended to improve the methods as a result of better understanding of the flow mechanisms involved.

A quantitative method for evaluating alternatives. [aid to decision making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forthofer, M. J.

1981-01-01

When faced with choosing between alternatives, people tend to use a number of criteria (often subjective, rather than objective) to decide which is the best alternative for them given their unique situation. The subjectivity inherent in the decision-making process can be reduced by the definition and use of a quantitative method for evaluating alternatives. This type of method can help decision makers achieve degree of uniformity and completeness in the evaluation process, as well as an increased sensitivity to the factors involved. Additional side-effects are better documentation and visibility of the rationale behind the resulting decisions. General guidelines for defining a quantitative method are presented and a particular method (called 'hierarchical weighted average') is defined and applied to the evaluation of design alternatives for a hypothetical computer system capability.

Palliative sedation in Dutch general practice from 2005 to 2011: a dynamic cohort study of trends and reasons

PubMed Central

Donker, Gé A; Slotman, Frank G; Spreeuwenberg, Peter; Francke, Anneke L

2013-01-01

Background Little is known about the quantity and reasons for use of palliative sedation in general practice. Aim To gain more insight into the trends of and reasons for palliative sedation in Dutch general practice. Design and setting Dynamic cohort study using registrations and questionnaire data of Dutch GPs. Method Data collected in the years from 2005 until 2011 in the Dutch Sentinel General Practice Network were analysed. Trends and reasons for use of palliative sedation were analysed using multilevel analyses to control for clustering of observations within general practices. Results From 2005–2011, 183 cases were reported from 56 general practices. The incidence of palliative sedation fluctuated between 33.7 per 100 000 patients in 2006 and 15.2 in 2011. No rise or decline during the period was observed. Palliative sedation was applied in 5.7% of all deaths and most frequently used in younger patients with cancer. The mean number of refractory symptoms was 2.6 (SD 1.2); pain (69.4%), dyspnoea (53.0%), and fear (39.3%). Patient involvement in decision making before the start of palliative sedation (87.4%) was less frequently present in patients suffering from cardiovascular or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and in older patients compared to patients with cancer (P<0.05). Pending euthanasia requests were present in 20.8% of cases; the choice for palliative sedation in these cases was clearly motivated. Conclusion Palliative sedation is performed in a small proportion of dying patients in Dutch general practice, without a rise or decline observed from 2005 to 2011. Patients with non-cancer diseases are less frequently involved in decision making than patients with cancer, possibly related to sudden deterioration. PMID:24152481

Palliative sedation in Dutch general practice from 2005 to 2011: a dynamic cohort study of trends and reasons.

PubMed

Donker, Gé A; Slotman, Frank G; Spreeuwenberg, Peter; Francke, Anneke L

2013-10-01

Little is known about the quantity and reasons for use of palliative sedation in general practice. To gain more insight into the trends of and reasons for palliative sedation in Dutch general practice. Dynamic cohort study using registrations and questionnaire data of Dutch GPs. Method Data collected in the years from 2005 until 2011 in the Dutch Sentinel General Practice Network were analysed. Trends and reasons for use of palliative sedation were analysed using multilevel analyses to control for clustering of observations within general practices. From 2005-2011, 183 cases were reported from 56 general practices. The incidence of palliative sedation fluctuated between 33.7 per 100 000 patients in 2006 and 15.2 in 2011. No rise or decline during the period was observed. Palliative sedation was applied in 5.7% of all deaths and most frequently used in younger patients with cancer. The mean number of refractory symptoms was 2.6 (SD 1.2); pain (69.4%), dyspnoea (53.0%), and fear (39.3%). Patient involvement in decision making before the start of palliative sedation (87.4%) was less frequently present in patients suffering from cardiovascular or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and in older patients compared to patients with cancer (P<0.05). Pending euthanasia requests were present in 20.8% of cases; the choice for palliative sedation in these cases was clearly motivated. Palliative sedation is performed in a small proportion of dying patients in Dutch general practice, without a rise or decline observed from 2005 to 2011. Patients with non-cancer diseases are less frequently involved in decision making than patients with cancer, possibly related to sudden deterioration.

Techniques for forced response involving discrete nonlinearities. I - Theory. II - Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avitabile, Peter; Callahan, John O.

Several new techniques developed for the forced response analysis of systems containing discrete nonlinear connection elements are presented and compared to the traditional methods. In particular, the techniques examined are the Equivalent Reduced Model Technique (ERMT), Modal Modification Response Technique (MMRT), and Component Element Method (CEM). The general theory of the techniques is presented, and applications are discussed with particular reference to the beam nonlinear system model using ERMT, MMRT, and CEM; frame nonlinear response using the three techniques; and comparison of the results obtained by using the ERMT, MMRT, and CEM models.

Best Technical Approach Analysis (BTA) for Force Provider Wastewater Management

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-07-07

Sanitation methods involving burnout latrines and seepage pits are no longer permitted in many areas. Further, those methods are generally only applicable...and profit. * 4-3 I 4-jcrz E CO 3 I* 0U 0 c0 QQ 0 1%CDt 0 sJ19100IUMSOO 6AAlo soll~v4 l ss oUOIS~a M*. I I COLLECT PACKAGED FIELD OXIDATION AND PLANT...DISTRIBUTION: BQDA, ATTN: DALO-TST/D O-FD/DAMO-FDD/DAMO-FDL/DALO-PLZ/ DAMA-PPM/DALO-SMS/DýMO- C/DAPE- MBI CINC, USAREUR and Seventh y, ATTN: AEAGX-SA/AEAGC

A decentralized square root information filter/smoother

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bierman, G. J.; Belzer, M. R.

1985-01-01

A number of developments has recently led to a considerable interest in the decentralization of linear least squares estimators. The developments are partly related to the impending emergence of VLSI technology, the realization of parallel processing, and the need for algorithmic ways to speed the solution of dynamically decoupled, high dimensional estimation problems. A new method is presented for combining Square Root Information Filters (SRIF) estimates obtained from independent data sets. The new method involves an orthogonal transformation, and an information matrix filter 'homework' problem discussed by Schweppe (1973) is generalized. The employed SRIF orthogonal transformation methodology has been described by Bierman (1977).

Patient characteristics, resource use and outcomes associated with general internal medicine hospital care: the General Medicine Inpatient Initiative (GEMINI) retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Verma, Amol A.; Guo, Yishan; Kwan, Janice L.; Lapointe-Shaw, Lauren; Rawal, Shail; Tang, Terence; Weinerman, Adina; Cram, Peter; Dhalla, Irfan A.; Hwang, Stephen W.; Laupacis, Andreas; Mamdani, Muhammad M.; Shadowitz, Steven; Upshur, Ross; Reid, Robert J.; Razak, Fahad

2017-01-01

Background: The precise scope of hospital care delivered under general internal medicine services remains poorly quantified. The purpose of this study was to describe the demographic characteristics, medical conditions, health outcomes and resource use of patients admitted to general internal medicine at 7 hospital sites in the Greater Toronto Area. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study involving all patients who were admitted to or discharged from general internal medicine at the study sites between Apr. 1, 2010, and Mar. 31, 2015. Clinical data from hospital electronic information systems were linked to administrative data from each hospital. We examined trends in resource use and patient characteristics over the study period. Results: There were 136 208 admissions to general internal medicine involving 88 121 unique patients over the study period. General internal medicine admissions accounted for 38.8% of all admissions from the emergency department and 23.7% of all hospital bed-days. Over the study period, the number of admissions to general internal medicine increased by 32.4%; there was no meaningful change in the median length of stay or cost per hospital stay. The median patient age was 73 (interquartile range [IQR] 57-84) years, and the median number of coexisting conditions was 6 (IQR 3-9). The median acute length of stay was 4.6 (IQR 2.5-8.6) days, and the median total cost per hospital stay was $5850 (IQR $3915-$10 061). Patients received at least 1 computed tomography scan in 52.2% of admissions. The most common primary discharge diagnoses were pneumonia (5.0% of admissions), heart failure (4.7%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (4.1%), urinary tract infection (4.0%) and stroke (3.6%). Interpretation: Patients admitted to general internal medicine services represent a large, heterogeneous, resource-intensive and growing population. Understanding and improving general internal medicine care is essential to promote a high-quality, sustainable health care system. PMID:29237706

Evaluation of a modified team based learning method for teaching general embryology to 1st year medical graduate students.

PubMed

Shankar, Nachiket; Roopa, R

2009-01-01

To encourage student participation in the learning process, the authors introduced a modified team based learning (TBL) method to cover two general embryology topics in the 1st year MBBS curriculum. The aim of this study was to evaluate students' perception of this method vis-à-vis the lecture method of teaching. A questionnaire was used to survey and evaluate the perceptions of 1st year MBBS students at the Department of Anatomy at our medical college in India. A total of eight classes were allotted to cover General Embryology. Six of these classes were conducted using the traditional didactic lecture method. Two topics were covered using the modified TBL method. Five teams of students were constituted, and each team was given handouts which contained basic factual material, four clinical case histories, and previous university exam questions from the topic. On the day of the session, these were discussed in the presence of the faculty facilitator. Students evaluated these sessions through a questionnaire. A majority of students felt that the modified TBL sessions were better at fulfilling learning objectives (46 students, 85%), enabled better understanding (43 students, 79%), were more interesting (43 students, 81%), ensured greater student participation (51 students, 94%) and involved greater effort on the part of students (53 students, 98%), as compared to traditional teaching methods. Most of the students (43 students, 79%) opined that more such sessions should be organized in the future. Responses from students show that the modified TBL classes could be utilized judiciously along with the traditional didactic lectures for teaching embryology.

Challenges in microarray class discovery: a comprehensive examination of normalization, gene selection and clustering

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Cluster analysis, and in particular hierarchical clustering, is widely used to extract information from gene expression data. The aim is to discover new classes, or sub-classes, of either individuals or genes. Performing a cluster analysis commonly involve decisions on how to; handle missing values, standardize the data and select genes. In addition, pre-processing, involving various types of filtration and normalization procedures, can have an effect on the ability to discover biologically relevant classes. Here we consider cluster analysis in a broad sense and perform a comprehensive evaluation that covers several aspects of cluster analyses, including normalization. Result We evaluated 2780 cluster analysis methods on seven publicly available 2-channel microarray data sets with common reference designs. Each cluster analysis method differed in data normalization (5 normalizations were considered), missing value imputation (2), standardization of data (2), gene selection (19) or clustering method (11). The cluster analyses are evaluated using known classes, such as cancer types, and the adjusted Rand index. The performances of the different analyses vary between the data sets and it is difficult to give general recommendations. However, normalization, gene selection and clustering method are all variables that have a significant impact on the performance. In particular, gene selection is important and it is generally necessary to include a relatively large number of genes in order to get good performance. Selecting genes with high standard deviation or using principal component analysis are shown to be the preferred gene selection methods. Hierarchical clustering using Ward's method, k-means clustering and Mclust are the clustering methods considered in this paper that achieves the highest adjusted Rand. Normalization can have a significant positive impact on the ability to cluster individuals, and there are indications that background correction is preferable, in particular if the gene selection is successful. However, this is an area that needs to be studied further in order to draw any general conclusions. Conclusions The choice of cluster analysis, and in particular gene selection, has a large impact on the ability to cluster individuals correctly based on expression profiles. Normalization has a positive effect, but the relative performance of different normalizations is an area that needs more research. In summary, although clustering, gene selection and normalization are considered standard methods in bioinformatics, our comprehensive analysis shows that selecting the right methods, and the right combinations of methods, is far from trivial and that much is still unexplored in what is considered to be the most basic analysis of genomic data. PMID:20937082

A General Method for Predicting Amino Acid Residues Experiencing Hydrogen Exchange

PubMed Central

Wang, Boshen; Perez-Rathke, Alan; Li, Renhao; Liang, Jie

2018-01-01

Information on protein hydrogen exchange can help delineate key regions involved in protein-protein interactions and provides important insight towards determining functional roles of genetic variants and their possible mechanisms in disease processes. Previous studies have shown that the degree of hydrogen exchange is affected by hydrogen bond formations, solvent accessibility, proximity to other residues, and experimental conditions. However, a general predictive method for identifying residues capable of hydrogen exchange transferable to a broad set of proteins is lacking. We have developed a machine learning method based on random forest that can predict whether a residue experiences hydrogen exchange. Using data from the Start2Fold database, which contains information on 13,306 residues (3,790 of which experience hydrogen exchange and 9,516 which do not exchange), our method achieves good performance. Specifically, we achieve an overall out-of-bag (OOB) error, an unbiased estimate of the test set error, of 20.3 percent. Using a randomly selected test data set consisting of 500 residues experiencing hydrogen exchange and 500 which do not, our method achieves an accuracy of 0.79, a recall of 0.74, a precision of 0.82, and an F1 score of 0.78.

40 CFR 13.5 - Claims involving criminal activities or misconduct.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... misconduct. 13.5 Section 13.5 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL CLAIMS COLLECTION STANDARDS General § 13.5 Claims involving criminal activities or misconduct. (a) The Administrator will refer cases of suspected criminal activity or misconduct to the EPA Office of Inspector General...

40 CFR 13.5 - Claims involving criminal activities or misconduct.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... misconduct. 13.5 Section 13.5 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL CLAIMS COLLECTION STANDARDS General § 13.5 Claims involving criminal activities or misconduct. (a) The Administrator will refer cases of suspected criminal activity or misconduct to the EPA Office of Inspector General...

40 CFR 13.5 - Claims involving criminal activities or misconduct.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... misconduct. 13.5 Section 13.5 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL CLAIMS COLLECTION STANDARDS General § 13.5 Claims involving criminal activities or misconduct. (a) The Administrator will refer cases of suspected criminal activity or misconduct to the EPA Office of Inspector General...

40 CFR 13.5 - Claims involving criminal activities or misconduct.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... misconduct. 13.5 Section 13.5 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL CLAIMS COLLECTION STANDARDS General § 13.5 Claims involving criminal activities or misconduct. (a) The Administrator will refer cases of suspected criminal activity or misconduct to the EPA Office of Inspector General...

40 CFR 13.5 - Claims involving criminal activities or misconduct.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... misconduct. 13.5 Section 13.5 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL CLAIMS COLLECTION STANDARDS General § 13.5 Claims involving criminal activities or misconduct. (a) The Administrator will refer cases of suspected criminal activity or misconduct to the EPA Office of Inspector General...

WEIGHTED LIKELIHOOD ESTIMATION UNDER TWO-PHASE SAMPLING

PubMed Central

Saegusa, Takumi; Wellner, Jon A.

2013-01-01

We develop asymptotic theory for weighted likelihood estimators (WLE) under two-phase stratified sampling without replacement. We also consider several variants of WLEs involving estimated weights and calibration. A set of empirical process tools are developed including a Glivenko–Cantelli theorem, a theorem for rates of convergence of M-estimators, and a Donsker theorem for the inverse probability weighted empirical processes under two-phase sampling and sampling without replacement at the second phase. Using these general results, we derive asymptotic distributions of the WLE of a finite-dimensional parameter in a general semiparametric model where an estimator of a nuisance parameter is estimable either at regular or nonregular rates. We illustrate these results and methods in the Cox model with right censoring and interval censoring. We compare the methods via their asymptotic variances under both sampling without replacement and the more usual (and easier to analyze) assumption of Bernoulli sampling at the second phase. PMID:24563559

Stochastic Dynamics through Hierarchically Embedded Markov Chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasconcelos, Vítor V.; Santos, Fernando P.; Santos, Francisco C.; Pacheco, Jorge M.

2017-02-01

Studying dynamical phenomena in finite populations often involves Markov processes of significant mathematical and/or computational complexity, which rapidly becomes prohibitive with increasing population size or an increasing number of individual configuration states. Here, we develop a framework that allows us to define a hierarchy of approximations to the stationary distribution of general systems that can be described as discrete Markov processes with time invariant transition probabilities and (possibly) a large number of states. This results in an efficient method for studying social and biological communities in the presence of stochastic effects—such as mutations in evolutionary dynamics and a random exploration of choices in social systems—including situations where the dynamics encompasses the existence of stable polymorphic configurations, thus overcoming the limitations of existing methods. The present formalism is shown to be general in scope, widely applicable, and of relevance to a variety of interdisciplinary problems.

Embolization of a large, symptomatic splenic artery pseudoaneurysm

PubMed Central

Kukliński, Adam; Batycki, Krzysztof; Matuszewski, Wiesław; Ostrach, Andrzej; Kupis, Zbigniew; Łęgowik, Tomasz

2014-01-01

Summary Background Splenic artery aneurysm is the third most common abdominal aneurysm. Most often it is due to pancreatitis. There were only 19 cases of aneurysms larger than 5 cm in diameter described in the literature. Management of splenic artery aneurysms depends on the size and symptoms. Invasive treatment modalities involve open procedures and interventional radiology methods (endovascular). Case Reports A 44-years-old male with chronic pancreatitis, in a gradually worsening general condition due to a large splenic artery aneurysm, was subjected to the procedure. Blood flow through the aneurysm was cut-off by implanting a covered stent between celiac trunk and common hepatic artery. Patient’s general condition rapidly improved, allowing discharge home in good state soon after the procedure. Conclusions Percutaneous embolization appears to be the best method of treatment of large splenic artery aneurysms. Complications of such treatment are significantly less dangerous than those associated with surgery. PMID:25009678

Stochastic Dynamics through Hierarchically Embedded Markov Chains.

PubMed

Vasconcelos, Vítor V; Santos, Fernando P; Santos, Francisco C; Pacheco, Jorge M

2017-02-03

Studying dynamical phenomena in finite populations often involves Markov processes of significant mathematical and/or computational complexity, which rapidly becomes prohibitive with increasing population size or an increasing number of individual configuration states. Here, we develop a framework that allows us to define a hierarchy of approximations to the stationary distribution of general systems that can be described as discrete Markov processes with time invariant transition probabilities and (possibly) a large number of states. This results in an efficient method for studying social and biological communities in the presence of stochastic effects-such as mutations in evolutionary dynamics and a random exploration of choices in social systems-including situations where the dynamics encompasses the existence of stable polymorphic configurations, thus overcoming the limitations of existing methods. The present formalism is shown to be general in scope, widely applicable, and of relevance to a variety of interdisciplinary problems.

Selective flotation of phosphate minerals with hydroxamate collectors

DOEpatents

Miller, Jan D.; Wang, Xuming; Li, Minhua

2002-01-01

A method is disclosed for separating phosphate minerals from a mineral mixture, particularly from high-dolomite containing phosphate ores. The method involves conditioning the mineral mixture by contacting in an aqueous in environment with a collector in an amount sufficient for promoting flotation of phosphate minerals. The collector is a hydroxamate compound of the formula; ##STR1## wherein R is generally hydrophobic and chosen such that the collector has solubility or dispersion properties it can be distributed in the mineral mixture, typically an alkyl, aryl, or alkylaryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms. M is a cation, typically hydrogen, an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. Preferably, the collector also comprises an alcohol of the formula, R'--OH wherein R' is generally hydrophobic and chosen such that the collector has solubility or dispersion properties so that it can be distributed in the mineral mixture, typically an alkyl, aryl, or alkylaryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms.

A general optimality criteria algorithm for a class of engineering optimization problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belegundu, Ashok D.

2015-05-01

An optimality criteria (OC)-based algorithm for optimization of a general class of nonlinear programming (NLP) problems is presented. The algorithm is only applicable to problems where the objective and constraint functions satisfy certain monotonicity properties. For multiply constrained problems which satisfy these assumptions, the algorithm is attractive compared with existing NLP methods as well as prevalent OC methods, as the latter involve computationally expensive active set and step-size control strategies. The fixed point algorithm presented here is applicable not only to structural optimization problems but also to certain problems as occur in resource allocation and inventory models. Convergence aspects are discussed. The fixed point update or resizing formula is given physical significance, which brings out a strength and trim feature. The number of function evaluations remains independent of the number of variables, allowing the efficient solution of problems with large number of variables.

Survey of Anomaly Detection Methods

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

Ng, B

This survey defines the problem of anomaly detection and provides an overview of existing methods. The methods are categorized into two general classes: generative and discriminative. A generative approach involves building a model that represents the joint distribution of the input features and the output labels of system behavior (e.g., normal or anomalous) then applies the model to formulate a decision rule for detecting anomalies. On the other hand, a discriminative approach aims directly to find the decision rule, with the smallest error rate, that distinguishes between normal and anomalous behavior. For each approach, we will give an overview ofmore » popular techniques and provide references to state-of-the-art applications.« less

Method for making thick and/or thin film

DOEpatents

Pham, Ai Quoc; Glass, Robert S.

2004-11-02

A method to make thick or thin films a very low cost. The method is generally similar to the conventional tape casting techniques while being more flexible and versatile. The invention involves preparing a slip (solution) of desired material and including solvents such as ethanol and an appropriate dispersant to prevent agglomeration. The slip is then sprayed on a substrate to be coated using an atomizer which spreads the slip in a fine mist. Upon hitting the substrate, the solvent evaporates, leaving a green tape containing the powder and other additives, whereafter the tape may be punctured, cut, and heated for the desired application. The tape thickness can vary from about 1 .mu.m upward.

Wave propagation in a random medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, R. W.; Harp, J. C.

1969-01-01

A simple technique is used to derive statistical characterizations of the perturbations imposed upon a wave (plane, spherical or beamed) propagating through a random medium. The method is essentially physical rather than mathematical, and is probably equivalent to the Rytov method. The limitations of the method are discussed in some detail; in general they are restrictive only for optical paths longer than a few hundred meters, and for paths at the lower microwave frequencies. Situations treated include arbitrary path geometries, finite transmitting and receiving apertures, and anisotropic media. Results include, in addition to the usual statistical quantities, time-lagged functions, mixed functions involving amplitude and phase fluctuations, angle-of-arrival covariances, frequency covariances, and other higher-order quantities.

A stable partitioned FSI algorithm for rigid bodies and incompressible flow. Part I: Model problem analysis

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

Banks, J. W.; Henshaw, W. D.; Schwendeman, D. W.

A stable partitioned algorithm is developed for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems involving viscous incompressible flow and rigid bodies. This added-mass partitioned (AMP) algorithm remains stable, without sub-iterations, for light and even zero mass rigid bodies when added-mass and viscous added-damping effects are large. The scheme is based on a generalized Robin interface condition for the fluid pressure that includes terms involving the linear acceleration and angular acceleration of the rigid body. Added mass effects are handled in the Robin condition by inclusion of a boundary integral term that depends on the pressure. Added-damping effects due to the viscous shear forcesmore » on the body are treated by inclusion of added-damping tensors that are derived through a linearization of the integrals defining the force and torque. Added-damping effects may be important at low Reynolds number, or, for example, in the case of a rotating cylinder or rotating sphere when the rotational moments of inertia are small. In this second part of a two-part series, the general formulation of the AMP scheme is presented including the form of the AMP interface conditions and added-damping tensors for general geometries. A fully second-order accurate implementation of the AMP scheme is developed in two dimensions based on a fractional-step method for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations using finite difference methods and overlapping grids to handle the moving geometry. Here, the numerical scheme is verified on a number of difficult benchmark problems.« less

Analytical model for advective-dispersive transport involving flexible boundary inputs, initial distributions and zero-order productions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jui-Sheng; Li, Loretta Y.; Lai, Keng-Hsin; Liang, Ching-Ping

2017-11-01

A novel solution method is presented which leads to an analytical model for the advective-dispersive transport in a semi-infinite domain involving a wide spectrum of boundary inputs, initial distributions, and zero-order productions. The novel solution method applies the Laplace transform in combination with the generalized integral transform technique (GITT) to obtain the generalized analytical solution. Based on this generalized analytical expression, we derive a comprehensive set of special-case solutions for some time-dependent boundary distributions and zero-order productions, described by the Dirac delta, constant, Heaviside, exponentially-decaying, or periodically sinusoidal functions as well as some position-dependent initial conditions and zero-order productions specified by the Dirac delta, constant, Heaviside, or exponentially-decaying functions. The developed solutions are tested against an analytical solution from the literature. The excellent agreement between the analytical solutions confirms that the new model can serve as an effective tool for investigating transport behaviors under different scenarios. Several examples of applications, are given to explore transport behaviors which are rarely noted in the literature. The results show that the concentration waves resulting from the periodically sinusoidal input are sensitive to dispersion coefficient. The implication of this new finding is that a tracer test with a periodic input may provide additional information when for identifying the dispersion coefficients. Moreover, the solution strategy presented in this study can be extended to derive analytical models for handling more complicated problems of solute transport in multi-dimensional media subjected to sequential decay chain reactions, for which analytical solutions are not currently available.

A stable partitioned FSI algorithm for rigid bodies and incompressible flow. Part I: Model problem analysis

DOE PAGES

Banks, J. W.; Henshaw, W. D.; Schwendeman, D. W.; ...

2017-01-20

A stable partitioned algorithm is developed for fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems involving viscous incompressible flow and rigid bodies. This added-mass partitioned (AMP) algorithm remains stable, without sub-iterations, for light and even zero mass rigid bodies when added-mass and viscous added-damping effects are large. The scheme is based on a generalized Robin interface condition for the fluid pressure that includes terms involving the linear acceleration and angular acceleration of the rigid body. Added mass effects are handled in the Robin condition by inclusion of a boundary integral term that depends on the pressure. Added-damping effects due to the viscous shear forcesmore » on the body are treated by inclusion of added-damping tensors that are derived through a linearization of the integrals defining the force and torque. Added-damping effects may be important at low Reynolds number, or, for example, in the case of a rotating cylinder or rotating sphere when the rotational moments of inertia are small. In this second part of a two-part series, the general formulation of the AMP scheme is presented including the form of the AMP interface conditions and added-damping tensors for general geometries. A fully second-order accurate implementation of the AMP scheme is developed in two dimensions based on a fractional-step method for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations using finite difference methods and overlapping grids to handle the moving geometry. Here, the numerical scheme is verified on a number of difficult benchmark problems.« less

Method of making alkyl esters

DOEpatents

Elliott, Brian

2010-09-14

Methods of making alkyl esters are described herein. The methods are capable of using raw, unprocessed, low-cost feedstocks and waste grease. Generally, the method involves converting a glyceride source to a fatty acid composition and esterifying the fatty acid composition to make alkyl esters. In an embodiment, a method of making alkyl esters comprises providing a glyceride source. The method further comprises converting the glyceride source to a fatty acid composition comprising free fatty acids and less than about 1% glyceride by mass. Moreover, the method comprises esterifying the fatty acid composition in the presence of a solid acid catalyst at a temperature ranging firm about 70.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C. to produce alkyl esters, such that at least 85% of the free fatty acids are converted to alkyl esters. The method also incorporates the use of packed bed reactors for glyceride conversion and/or fatty acid esterification to make alkyl esters.

Inhibition of ongoing responses in patients with Parkinson's disease

PubMed Central

Gauggel, S; Rieger, M; Feghoff, T

2004-01-01

Objectives: We investigated the involvement of the basal ganglia in inhibiting ongoing responses in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: Thirty two patients with PD and 31 orthopaedic controls performed the stop signal task, which allows an estimation of the time it takes to inhibit an ongoing reaction (stop signal reaction time, SSRT). Results: Patients with PD showed significantly longer SSRTs than the controls. This effect seemed to be independent of global cognitive impairment and severity of PD. Furthermore, in the PD patients, there was no significant relation between general slowing and inhibitory efficiency. Conclusions: Our results provide evidence for involvement of the basal ganglia in the inhibition of ongoing responses. PMID:15026491

Relation between social network and psychological distress among middle-aged adults in Japan: Evidence from a national longitudinal survey.

PubMed

Fu, Rong; Noguchi, Harkuo; Tachikawa, Hirokazu; Aiba, Miyuki; Nakamine, Shin; Kawamura, Akira; Takahashi, Hideto; Tamiya, Nanako

2017-02-01

It is widely documented that psychological distress is negatively associated with social networks involvement. However, despite the theoretical postulations that social networks are crucial for alleviating psychological distress, no study has yet empirically confirmed the causality of this relationship. Thus, we used the random-effects generalized least squares method to investigate the effect of one- and two-year lagged values for involvement in social networks on psychological distress. Nine years of longitudinal data were extracted from a nationally representative survey in Japan ("The Longitudinal Survey of Middle-aged and Older Persons"). We utilized the Kessler 6 (K6) score to measure psychological distress among 15,242 respondents aged 50-59 years in the baseline year (2005), and stratified participants into three layers of social networks: inner (well-established friendship ties and participating in hobby activates), intermediary (neighborly ties), and outer (involvement in community activities). We found highly significant and negative associations between all three layers and K6 scores, with the strongest association being for the inner layer. We further observed that one-year lagged involvement in the inner and intermediary layers led to significantly lower K6 scores. However, the protective influences of social networks generally diminished over time. In addition, the protective influences of social network involvement on psychological distress were stronger for women than for men. Furthermore, involvement in social networks was especially important for improving mental health among people with psychological distress. These findings would be important for policymaking to prevent mental health deterioration among middle-aged adults in Japan. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A multiconfigurational time-dependent Hartree-Fock method for excited electronic states. I. General formalism and application to open-shell states.

PubMed

Miranda, R P; Fisher, A J; Stella, L; Horsfield, A P

2011-06-28

The solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for systems of interacting electrons is generally a prohibitive task, for which approximate methods are necessary. Popular approaches, such as the time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) approximation and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT), are essentially single-configurational schemes. TDHF is by construction incapable of fully accounting for the excited character of the electronic states involved in many physical processes of interest; TDDFT, although exact in principle, is limited by the currently available exchange-correlation functionals. On the other hand, multiconfigurational methods, such as the multiconfigurational time-dependent Hartree-Fock (MCTDHF) approach, provide an accurate description of the excited states and can be systematically improved. However, the computational cost becomes prohibitive as the number of degrees of freedom increases, and thus, at present, the MCTDHF method is only practical for few-electron systems. In this work, we propose an alternative approach which effectively establishes a compromise between efficiency and accuracy, by retaining the smallest possible number of configurations that catches the essential features of the electronic wavefunction. Based on a time-dependent variational principle, we derive the MCTDHF working equation for a multiconfigurational expansion with fixed coefficients and specialise to the case of general open-shell states, which are relevant for many physical processes of interest.

Quantum mechanical generalized phase-shift approach to atom-surface scattering: a Feshbach projection approach to dealing with closed channel effects.

PubMed

Maji, Kaushik; Kouri, Donald J

2011-03-28

We have developed a new method for solving quantum dynamical scattering problems, using the time-independent Schrödinger equation (TISE), based on a novel method to generalize a "one-way" quantum mechanical wave equation, impose correct boundary conditions, and eliminate exponentially growing closed channel solutions. The approach is readily parallelized to achieve approximate N(2) scaling, where N is the number of coupled equations. The full two-way nature of the TISE is included while propagating the wave function in the scattering variable and the full S-matrix is obtained. The new algorithm is based on a "Modified Cayley" operator splitting approach, generalizing earlier work where the method was applied to the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. All scattering variable propagation approaches to solving the TISE involve solving a Helmholtz-type equation, and for more than one degree of freedom, these are notoriously ill-behaved, due to the unavoidable presence of exponentially growing contributions to the numerical solution. Traditionally, the method used to eliminate exponential growth has posed a major obstacle to the full parallelization of such propagation algorithms. We stabilize by using the Feshbach projection operator technique to remove all the nonphysical exponentially growing closed channels, while retaining all of the propagating open channel components, as well as exponentially decaying closed channel components.

Methods for determination of inorganic substances in water and fluvial sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fishman, Marvin J.; Friedman, Linda C.

1985-01-01

Chapter Al of the laboratory manual contains methods used by the Geological Survey to analyze samples of water, suspended sediments, and bottom material for their content of inorganic constituents. Included are methods for determining the concentration of dissolved constituents in water, total recoverable and total of constituents in water-suspended sediment samples, and recoverable and total concentrations of constituents in samples of bottom material. Essential definitions are included in the introduction to the manual, along with a brief discussion of the use of significant figures in calculating and reporting analytical results. Quality control in the water-analysis laboratory is discussed, including accuracy and precision of analyses, the use of standard reference water samples, and the operation of an effective quality assurance program. Methods for sample preparation and pretreatment are given also.A brief discussion of the principles of the analytical techniques involved and their particular application to water and sediment analysis is presented. The analytical methods involving these techniques are arranged alphabetically according to constituent. For each method given, the general topics covered are application, principle of the method, interferences, apparatus and reagents required, a detailed description of the analytical procedure, reporting results, units and significant figures, and analytical precision data, when available. More than 125 methods are given for the determination of 70 different inorganic constituents and physical properties of water, suspended sediment, and bottom material.

Reanalysis information for eigenvalues derived from a differential equation analysis formulation. [for shell of revolution buckling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thornton, W. A.; Majumder, D. K.

1974-01-01

The investigation reported demonstrates that in the case considered perturbation methods can be used in a straightforward manner to obtain reanalysis information. A perturbation formula for the buckling loads of a general shell of revolution is derived. The accuracy of the obtained relations and their range of application is studied with the aid of a specific example involving a particular stiffened shell of revolution.

Trans-Dermal Fentanyl Patches are a Cost-Effective Method of Long-Term Analgesic Delivery Following Corneal Exposure to Sulfur Mustard Vapor

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

SM) exposure in rabbits involves delivery of the opioid receptor agonist buprenorphine using subcutaneously implanted osmotic pumps. The...significantly lower than the costs of purchasing and loading an osmotic pump with buprenorphine . Pump implantation took approximately 10 min per...general distress than did the buprenorphine cohort. The elevated behavioral changes exhibited by the rabbits with implanted pumps were likely a

U.S. Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School Training Process: Discrete-Event Simulation and Lean Options

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

acknowledged that Continuous Improvement (CI), or Kaizen in Japanese, is practiced in some way, shape, or form by most if not all Fortune 500 companies...greater resistance in the individualistic U.S. culture. Kaizen generally involves methodical examination and testing, followed by the adoption of new...or streamlined procedures, including scrupulous measurement and changes based on statistical deviation formulas. Kaizen appears to be a perfect fit

The chemical basis for the origin of the genetic code and the process of protein synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The principles upon which the process of protein synthesis and the genetic code were established are elucidated. Extensive work on nuclear magnetic resonance studies of both monomermonomer and monoamino acid polynucleotide interactions is included. A new method of general utility for studying any amino acid interacting with any polynucleotide was developed. This system involves the use of methyl esters of amino acids interacting with polynucleotides.

Prediction of final error level in learning and repetitive control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levoci, Peter A.

Repetitive control (RC) is a field that creates controllers to eliminate the effects of periodic disturbances on a feedback control system. The methods have applications in spacecraft problems, to isolate fine pointing equipment from periodic vibration disturbances such as slight imbalances in momentum wheels or cryogenic pumps. A closely related field of control design is iterative learning control (ILC) which aims to eliminate tracking error in a task that repeats, each time starting from the same initial condition. Experiments done on a robot at NASA Langley Research Center showed that the final error levels produced by different candidate repetitive and learning controllers can be very different, even when each controller is analytically proven to converge to zero error in the deterministic case. Real world plant and measurement noise and quantization noise (from analog to digital and digital to analog converters) in these control methods are acted on as if they were error sources that will repeat and should be cancelled, which implies that the algorithms amplify such errors. Methods are developed that predict the final error levels of general first order ILC, of higher order ILC including current cycle learning, and of general RC, in the presence of noise, using frequency response methods. The method involves much less computation than the corresponding time domain approach that involves large matrices. The time domain approach was previously developed for ILC and handles a certain class of ILC methods. Here methods are created to include zero-phase filtering that is very important in creating practical designs. Also, time domain methods are developed for higher order ILC and for repetitive control. Since RC and ILC must be implemented digitally, all of these methods predict final error levels at the sample times. It is shown here that RC can easily converge to small error levels between sample times, but that ILC in most applications will have large and diverging intersample error if in fact zero error is reached at the sample times. This is independent of the ILC law used, and is purely a property of the physical system. Methods are developed to address this issue.

Developing, validating and consolidating the doctor-patient relationship: the patients' views of a dynamic process.

PubMed Central

Gore, J; Ogden, J

1998-01-01

BACKGROUND: Previous research has examined the doctor-patient relationship in terms of its therapeutic effect, the need to consider the patients' models of their illness, and the patients' expectations of their doctor. However, to date, no research has examined the patients' views of the doctor-patient relationship. AIM: To examine patients' views of the process of creating a relationship with their general practitioner (GP). METHOD: A qualitative design was used involving in-depth interviews with 27 frequently attending patients from four urban general practices. They were chosen to provide a heterogeneous group in terms of age, sex, and ethnicity. RESULTS: The responders described creating the relationship in terms of three stages: development, validation, and consolidation. The development stage involved overcoming initial reservations, actively searching for a doctor that met the patient's needs, or knowing from the start that the doctor was the right one for them. The validation stage involved evaluating the nature of the relationship by searching for evidence of caring, comparing their doctor with others, storing key events for illustration of the value of the relationship, recruiting the views of others to support their own perspectives, and the willingness to make tradeoffs. The consolidation stage involved testing and setting boundaries concerned with knowledge, power, and a personal relationship. CONCLUSION: Creating a relationship with a GP is a dynamic process involving an active patient who searches out a GP who matches their own representation of the 'ideal', selects and retains information to validate their choice, and locates mutually acceptable boundaries. PMID:9800396

Subjective memory impairment in general practice : Short overview and design of a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Pentzek, Michael; Leve, Verena; Leucht, Verena

2017-05-01

Public awareness for dementia is rising and patients with concerns about forgetfulness are not uncommon in general practice. For the general practitioner (GP) subjectively perceived memory impairment (SMI) also offers a chance to broach the issue of cognitive function with the patient. This may support GPs' patient-centered care in terms of a broader frailty concept. What is SMI (definition, operationalization, prevalence and burden)? Which conceptions and approaches do GPs have regarding SMI? Narrative overview of recent SMI criteria and results, selective utilization of results from a systematic literature search on GP dementia care, non-systematic search regarding SMI in general practice, deduction of a study design from the overview and development according to international standards. Studies revealed that approximately 60% of GP patients aged >74 reported a declining memory, every sixth person had concerns about this aspect and only relatively few seek medical advice. Concerns about SMI are considered a risk factor for future dementia. Specific general practice conceptions about SMI could not be identified in the literature. Using guidelines for mixed methods research, the design of an exploratory sequential mixed methods study is presented, which should reveal different attitudes of GPs towards SMI. Subjective memory impairment (SMI) is a common feature and troubles a considerable proportion of patients. Neuropsychiatric research is progressing, but for the transfer of the SMI concept into routine practice, involvement of GP research is necessary. A new study aims to make a contribution to this.

Modified Levenberg-Marquardt Method for RÖSSLER Chaotic System Fuzzy Modeling Training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yu-Hui; Wu, Qing-Xian; Jiang, Chang-Sheng; Xue, Ya-Li; Fang, Wei

Generally, fuzzy approximation models require some human knowledge and experience. Operator's experience is involved in the mathematics of fuzzy theory as a collection of heuristic rules. The main goal of this paper is to present a new method for identifying unknown nonlinear dynamics such as Rössler system without any human knowledge. Instead of heuristic rules, the presented method uses the input-output data pairs to identify the Rössler chaotic system. The training algorithm is a modified Levenberg-Marquardt (L-M) method, which can adjust the parameters of each linear polynomial and fuzzy membership functions on line, and do not rely on experts' experience excessively. Finally, it is applied to training Rössler chaotic system fuzzy identification. Comparing this method with the standard L-M method, the convergence speed is accelerated. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Biomimetic polymeric superhydrophobic surfaces and nanostructures: from fabrication to applications.

PubMed

Wen, Gang; Guo, ZhiGuang; Liu, Weimin

2017-03-09

Numerous research studies have contributed to the development of mature superhydrophobic systems. The fabrication and applications of polymeric superhydrophobic surfaces have been discussed and these have attracted tremendous attention over the past few years due to their excellent properties. In general, roughness and chemical composition, the two most crucial factors with respect to surface wetting, provide the basic criteria for yielding polymeric superhydrophobic materials. Furthermore, with their unique properties and flexible configurations, polymers have been one of the most efficient materials for fabricating superhydrophobic materials. This review aims to summarize the most recent progress in polymeric superhydrophobic surfaces. Significantly, the fundamental theories for designing these materials will be presented, and the original methods will be introduced, followed by a summary of multifunctional superhydrophobic polymers and their applications. The principles of these methods can be divided into two categories: the first involves adding nanoparticles to a low surface energy polymer, and the other involves combining a low surface energy material with a textured surface, followed by chemical modification. Notably, surface-initiated radical polymerization is a versatile method for a variety of vinyl monomers, resulting in controlled molecular weights and low polydispersities. The surfaces produced by these methods not only possess superhydrophobicity but also have many applications, such as self-cleaning, self-healing, anti-icing, anti-bioadhesion, oil-water separation, and even superamphiphobic surfaces. Interestingly, the combination of responsive materials and roughness enhances the responsiveness, which allows the achievement of intelligent transformation between superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity. Nevertheless, surfaces with poor physical and chemical properties are generally unable to withstand the severe conditions of the outside world; thus, it is necessary to optimize the performances of such materials to yield durable superhydrophobic surfaces. To sum up, some challenges and perspectives regarding the future research and development of polymeric superhydrophobic surfaces are presented.

Selecting, training and assessing new general practice community teachers in UK medical schools.

PubMed

Hydes, Ciaran; Ajjawi, Rola

2015-09-01

Standards for undergraduate medical education in the UK, published in Tomorrow's Doctors, include the criterion 'everyone involved in educating medical students will be appropriately selected, trained, supported and appraised'. To establish how new general practice (GP) community teachers of medical students are selected, initially trained and assessed by UK medical schools and establish the extent to which Tomorrow's Doctors standards are being met. A mixed-methods study with questionnaire data collected from 24 lead GPs at UK medical schools, 23 new GP teachers from two medical schools plus a semi-structured telephone interview with two GP leads. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively and qualitative data were analysed informed by framework analysis. GP teachers' selection is non-standardised. One hundred per cent of GP leads provide initial training courses for new GP teachers; 50% are mandatory. The content and length of courses varies. All GP leads use student feedback to assess teaching, but other required methods (peer review and patient feedback) are not universally used. To meet General Medical Council standards, medical schools need to include equality and diversity in initial training and use more than one method to assess new GP teachers. Wider debate about the selection, training and assessment of new GP teachers is needed to agree minimum standards.

Optimal steering for kinematic vehicles with applications to spatially distributed agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Scott; Praeger, Cheryl E.; Giudici, Michael

While there is no universal method to address control problems involving networks of autonomous vehicles, there exist a few promising schemes that apply to different specific classes of problems, which have attracted the attention of many researchers from different fields. In particular, one way to extend techniques that address problems involving a single autonomous vehicle to those involving teams of autonomous vehicles is to use the concept of Voronoi diagram. The Voronoi diagram provides a spatial partition of the environment the team of vehicles operate in, where each element of this partition is associated with a unique vehicle from the team. The partition induces a graph abstraction of the operating space that is in an one-to-one correspondence with the network abstraction of the team of autonomous vehicles; a fact that can provide both conceptual and analytical advantages during mission planning and execution. In this dissertation, we propose the use of a new class of Voronoi-like partitioning schemes with respect to state-dependent proximity (pseudo-) metrics rather than the Euclidean distance or other generalized distance functions, which are typically used in the literature. An important nuance here is that, in contrast to the Euclidean distance, state-dependent metrics can succinctly capture system theoretic features of each vehicle from the team (e.g., vehicle kinematics), as well as the environment-vehicle interactions, which are induced, for example, by local winds/currents. We subsequently illustrate how the proposed concept of state-dependent Voronoi-like partition can induce local control schemes for problems involving networks of spatially distributed autonomous vehicles by examining a sequential pursuit problem of a maneuvering target by a group of pursuers distributed in the plane. The construction of generalized Voronoi diagrams with respect to state-dependent metrics poses some significant challenges. First, the generalized distance metric may be a function of the direction of motion of the vehicle (anisotropic pseudo-distance function) and/or may not be expressible in closed form. Second, such problems fall under the general class of partitioning problems for which the vehicles' dynamics must be taken into account. The topology of the vehicle's configuration space may be non-Euclidean, for example, it may be a manifold embedded in a Euclidean space. In other words, these problems may not be reducible to generalized Voronoi diagram problems for which efficient construction schemes, analytical and/or computational, exist in the literature. This research effort pursues three main objectives. First, we present the complete solution of different steering problems involving a single vehicle in the presence of motion constraints imposed by the maneuverability envelope of the vehicle and/or the presence of a drift field induced by winds/currents in its vicinity. The analysis of each steering problem involving a single vehicle provides us with a state-dependent generalized metric, such as the minimum time-to-go/come. We subsequently use these state-dependent generalized distance functions as the proximity metrics in the formulation of generalized Voronoi-like partitioning problems. The characterization of the solutions of these state-dependent Voronoi-like partitioning problems using either analytical or computational techniques constitutes the second main objective of this dissertation. The third objective of this research effort is to illustrate the use of the proposed concept of state-dependent Voronoi-like partition as a means for passing from control techniques that apply to problems involving a single vehicle to problems involving networks of spatially distributed autonomous vehicles. To this aim, we formulate the problem of sequential/relay pursuit of a maneuvering target by a group of spatially distributed pursuers and subsequently propose a distributed group pursuit strategy that directly derives from the solution of a state-dependent Voronoi-like partitioning problem. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Exploring misinformation of family planning practices and methods among deaf people in Ghana.

PubMed

Mprah, Wisdom Kwadwo; Anafi, Patricia; Addai Yeaboah, Paul Yaw

2017-05-01

Having a good knowledge of family planning methods is vital for reducing maternal morbidity and mortality resulting from unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. In this paper, we highlight deaf people's ability to discern various misconceptions about pregnancy, with the aim of assessing their level of knowledge on pregnancy prevention methods. The article is derived from a sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs assessment involving participants residing in two cities and a senior high school in Ghana. The needs assessment involved three focus groups with 26 participants, a survey with 152 respondents, and an interview with one health professional. Apart from the health professional, all the remaining participants were deaf people. Findings from the study indicated that more than half the participants lacked familiarity with pregnancy prevention methods. The findings of this study confirm other studies that there is a general lack of knowledge on SRH issues among deaf people in Ghana. Thus, although this study focused on prevention of unwanted pregnancy, which is just one component of SRH issues, the study provides insights into the broader SRH needs of the deaf community and calls for making these issues visible for policy-making.

Measuring the degree of integration for an integrated service network

PubMed Central

Ye, Chenglin; Browne, Gina; Grdisa, Valerie S; Beyene, Joseph; Thabane, Lehana

2012-01-01

Background Integration involves the coordination of services provided by autonomous agencies and improves the organization and delivery of multiple services for target patients. Current measures generally do not distinguish between agencies’ perception and expectation. We propose a method for quantifying the agencies’ service integration. Using the data from the Children’s Treatment Network (CTN), we aimed to measure the degree of integration for the CTN agencies in York and Simcoe. Theory and methods We quantified the integration by the agreement between perceived and expected levels of involvement and calculated four scores from different perspectives for each agency. We used the average score to measure the global network integration and examined the sensitivity of the global score. Results Most agencies’ integration scores were <65%. As measured by the agreement between every other agency’s perception and expectation, the overall integration of CTN in Simcoe and York was 44% (95% CI: 39%–49%) and 52% (95% CI: 48%–56%), respectively. The sensitivity analysis showed that the global scores were robust. Conclusion Our method extends existing measures of integration and possesses a good extent of validity. We can also apply the method in monitoring improvement and linking integration with other outcomes. PMID:23593050

Multicriteria analysis of ontologically represented information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasielewska, K.; Ganzha, M.; Paprzycki, M.; Bǎdicǎ, C.; Ivanovic, M.; Lirkov, I.

2014-11-01

Our current work concerns the development of a decision support system for the software selection problem. The main idea is to utilize expert knowledge to help the user in selecting the best software / method / computational resource to solve a computational problem. Obviously, this involves multicriterial decision making and the key open question is: which method to choose. The context of the work is provided by the Agents in Grid (AiG) project, where the software selection (and thus multicriterial analysis) is to be realized when all information concerning the problem, the hardware and the software is ontologically represented. Initially, we have considered the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), which is well suited for the hierarchical data structures (e.g., such that have been formulated in terms of ontologies). However, due to its well-known shortcomings, we have decided to extend our search for the multicriterial analysis method best suited for the problem in question. In this paper we report results of our search, which involved: (i) TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution), (ii) PROMETHEE, and (iii) GRIP (Generalized Regression with Intensities of Preference). We also briefly argue why other methods have not been considered as valuable candidates.

Generalized Differential Calculus and Applications to Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rector, Robert Blake Hayden

This thesis contains contributions in three areas: the theory of generalized calculus, numerical algorithms for operations research, and applications of optimization to problems in modern electric power systems. A geometric approach is used to advance the theory and tools used for studying generalized notions of derivatives for nonsmooth functions. These advances specifically pertain to methods for calculating subdifferentials and to expanding our understanding of a certain notion of derivative of set-valued maps, called the coderivative, in infinite dimensions. A strong understanding of the subdifferential is essential for numerical optimization algorithms, which are developed and applied to nonsmooth problems in operations research, including non-convex problems. Finally, an optimization framework is applied to solve a problem in electric power systems involving a smart solar inverter and battery storage system providing energy and ancillary services to the grid.

Hypersonic blunt body computations including real gas effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montagne, J.-L.; Yee, H. C.; Klopfer, G. H.; Vinokur, M.

1989-01-01

Various second-order explicit and implicit TVD shock-capturing methods, a generalization of Roe's approximate Riemann solver, and a generalized flux-vector splitting scheme are used to study two-dimensional hypersonic real-gas flows. Special attention is given to the identification of some of the elements and parameters which can affect the convergence rate for high Mach numbers or real gases, but have negligible effect for low Mach numbers, for cases involving steady-state inviscid blunt flows. Blunt body calculations at Mach numbers of greater than 15 are performed to treat real-gas effects, and impinging shock results are obtained to test the treatment of slip surfaces and complex structures. Even with the addition of improvements, the convergence rate of algorithms in the hypersonic flow regime is found to be generally slower for a real gas than for a perfect gas.

Combined AIE/EBE/GMRES approach to incompressible flows. [Adaptive Implicit-Explicit/Grouped Element-by-Element/Generalized Minimum Residuals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liou, J.; Tezduyar, T. E.

1990-01-01

Adaptive implicit-explicit (AIE), grouped element-by-element (GEBE), and generalized minimum residuals (GMRES) solution techniques for incompressible flows are combined. In this approach, the GEBE and GMRES iteration methods are employed to solve the equation systems resulting from the implicitly treated elements, and therefore no direct solution effort is involved. The benchmarking results demonstrate that this approach can substantially reduce the CPU time and memory requirements in large-scale flow problems. Although the description of the concepts and the numerical demonstration are based on the incompressible flows, the approach presented here is applicable to larger class of problems in computational mechanics.

A January angular momentum balance in the OSU two-level atmospheric general circulation model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, J.-W.; Grady, W.

1982-01-01

The present investigation is concerned with an analysis of the atmospheric angular momentum balance, based on the simulation data of the Oregon State University two-level atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM). An attempt is also made to gain an understanding of the involved processes. Preliminary results on the angular momentum and mass balance in the AGCM are shown. The basic equations are examined, and questions of turbulent momentum transfer are investigated. The methods of analysis are discussed, taking into account time-averaged balance equations, time and longitude-averaged balance equations, mean meridional circulation, the mean meridional balance of relative angular momentum, and standing and transient components of motion.

Generalized indical forces on deforming rectangular wings in supersonic flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lomax, Harvard; Fuller, Franklyn B; Sluder, Loma

1955-01-01

A method is presented for determining the time-dependent flow over a rectangular wing moving with a supersonic forward speed and undergoing small vertical distortions expressible as polynomials involving spanwise and chordwise distances. The solution for the velocity potential is presented in a form analogous to that for steady supersonic flow having the familiar "reflected area" concept discovered by Evvard. Particular attention is paid to indicial-type motions and results are expressed in terms of generalized indicial forces. Numerical results for Mach numbers equal to 1.1 and 1.2 are given for polynomials of the first and fifth degree in the chordwise and spanwise directions, respectively, on a wing having an aspect ratio of 4.

[Involving patients, the insured and the general public in healthcare decision making].

PubMed

Mühlbacher, Axel C; Juhnke, Christin

2016-01-01

No doubt, the public should be involved in healthcare decision making, especially when decision makers from politics and self-government agencies are faced with the difficult task of setting priorities. There is a general consensus on the need for a stronger patient centeredness, even in HTA processes, and internationally different ways of public participation are discussed and tested in decision making processes. This paper describes how the public can be involved in different decision situations, and it shows how preference measurement methods are currently being used in an international context to support decision making. It distinguishes between different levels of decision making on health technologies: approval, assessment, pricing, and finally utilization. The range of participation efforts extends from qualitative surveys of patients' needs (Citizen Councils of NICE in the UK) to science-based documentation of quantitative patient preferences, such as in the current pilot projects of the FDA in the US and the EMA at the European level. Possible approaches for the elicitation and documentation of preference structures and trade-offs in relation to alternate health technologies are decision aids, such as multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), that provide the necessary information for weighting and prioritizing decision criteria. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

A generalized exponential link function to map a conflict indicator into severity index within safety continuum framework.

PubMed

Zheng, Lai; Ismail, Karim

2017-05-01

Traffic conflict indicators measure the temporal and spatial proximity of conflict-involved road users. These indicators can reflect the severity of traffic conflicts to a reliable extent. Instead of using the indicator value directly as a severity index, many link functions have been developed to map the conflict indicator to a severity index. However, little information is available about the choice of a particular link function. To guard against link misspecification or subjectivity, a generalized exponential link function was developed. The severity index generated by this link was introduced to a parametric safety continuum model which objectively models the centre and tail regions. An empirical method, together with full Bayesian estimation method was adopted to estimate model parameters. The safety implication of return level was calculated based on the model parameters. The proposed approach was applied to the conflict and crash data collected from 21 segments from three freeways located in Guangdong province, China. The Pearson's correlation test between return levels and observed crashes showed that a θ value of 1.2 was the best choice of the generalized parameter for current data set. This provides statistical support for using the generalized exponential link function. With the determined generalized exponential link function, the visualization of parametric safety continuum was found to be a gyroscope-shaped hierarchy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neural Correlates of Biased Responses: The Negative Method Effect in the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale Is Associated with Right Amygdala Volume.

PubMed

Wang, Yinan; Kong, Feng; Huang, Lijie; Liu, Jia

2016-10-01

Self-esteem is a widely studied construct in psychology that is typically measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). However, a series of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have suggested that a simple and widely used unidimensional factor model does not provide an adequate explanation of RSES responses due to method effects. To identify the neural correlates of the method effect, we sought to determine whether and how method effects were associated with the RSES and investigate the neural basis of these effects. Two hundred and eighty Chinese college students (130 males; mean age = 22.64 years) completed the RSES and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Behaviorally, method effects were linked to both positively and negatively worded items in the RSES. Neurally, the right amygdala volume negatively correlated with the negative method factor, while the hippocampal volume positively correlated with the general self-esteem factor in the RSES. The neural dissociation between the general self-esteem factor and negative method factor suggests that there are different neural mechanisms underlying them. The amygdala is involved in modulating negative affectivity; therefore, the current study sheds light on the nature of method effects that are related to self-report with a mix of positively and negatively worded items. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A hybrid method combining the surface integral equation method and ray tracing for the numerical simulation of high frequency diffraction involved in ultrasonic NDT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonnet, M.; Collino, F.; Demaldent, E.; Imperiale, A.; Pesudo, L.

2018-05-01

Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Testing (US NDT) has become widely used in various fields of applications to probe media. Exploiting the surface measurements of the ultrasonic incident waves echoes after their propagation through the medium, it allows to detect potential defects (cracks and inhomogeneities) and characterize the medium. The understanding and interpretation of those experimental measurements is performed with the help of numerical modeling and simulations. However, classical numerical methods can become computationally very expensive for the simulation of wave propagation in the high frequency regime. On the other hand, asymptotic techniques are better suited to model high frequency scattering over large distances but nevertheless do not allow accurate simulation of complex diffraction phenomena. Thus, neither numerical nor asymptotic methods can individually solve high frequency diffraction problems in large media, as those involved in UNDT controls, both quickly and accurately, but their advantages and limitations are complementary. Here we propose a hybrid strategy coupling the surface integral equation method and the ray tracing method to simulate high frequency diffraction under speed and accuracy constraints. This strategy is general and applicable to simulate diffraction phenomena in acoustic or elastodynamic media. We provide its implementation and investigate its performances for the 2D acoustic diffraction problem. The main features of this hybrid method are described and results of 2D computational experiments discussed.

Spectral iterative method and convergence analysis for solving nonlinear fractional differential equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yarmohammadi, M.; Javadi, S.; Babolian, E.

2018-04-01

In this study a new spectral iterative method (SIM) based on fractional interpolation is presented for solving nonlinear fractional differential equations (FDEs) involving Caputo derivative. This method is equipped with a pre-algorithm to find the singularity index of solution of the problem. This pre-algorithm gives us a real parameter as the index of the fractional interpolation basis, for which the SIM achieves the highest order of convergence. In comparison with some recent results about the error estimates for fractional approximations, a more accurate convergence rate has been attained. We have also proposed the order of convergence for fractional interpolation error under the L2-norm. Finally, general error analysis of SIM has been considered. The numerical results clearly demonstrate the capability of the proposed method.

Ice Growth Measurements from Image Data to Support Ice Crystal and Mixed-Phase Accretion Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Struk, Peter M.; Lynch, Christopher J.

2012-01-01

This paper describes the imaging techniques as well as the analysis methods used to measure the ice thickness and growth rate in support of ice-crystal icing tests performed at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Research Altitude Test Facility (RATFac). A detailed description of the camera setup, which involves both still and video cameras, as well as the analysis methods using the NASA Spotlight software, are presented. Two cases, one from two different test entries, showing significant ice growth are analyzed in detail describing the ice thickness and growth rate which is generally linear. Estimates of the bias uncertainty are presented for all measurements. Finally some of the challenges related to the imaging and analysis methods are discussed as well as methods used to overcome them.

Ice Growth Measurements from Image Data to Support Ice-Crystal and Mixed-Phase Accretion Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Struk, Peter, M; Lynch, Christopher, J.

2012-01-01

This paper describes the imaging techniques as well as the analysis methods used to measure the ice thickness and growth rate in support of ice-crystal icing tests performed at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Research Altitude Test Facility (RATFac). A detailed description of the camera setup, which involves both still and video cameras, as well as the analysis methods using the NASA Spotlight software, are presented. Two cases, one from two different test entries, showing significant ice growth are analyzed in detail describing the ice thickness and growth rate which is generally linear. Estimates of the bias uncertainty are presented for all measurements. Finally some of the challenges related to the imaging and analysis methods are discussed as well as methods used to overcome them.

Using observational methods in nursing research.

PubMed

Salmon, Jenny

2015-07-08

Observation is a research data-collection method used generally to capture the activities of participants as well as when and where things are happening in a given setting. It checks description of the phenomena against what the researcher perceives to be fact in a rich experiential context. The method's main strength is that it provides direct access to the social phenomena under consideration. It can be used quantitatively or qualitatively, depending on the research question. Challenges in using observation relate to adopting the role of participant or non-participant researcher as observer. This article discusses some of the complexities involved when nurse researchers seek to collect observational data on social processes in naturalistic settings using unstructured or structured observational methods in qualitative research methodology. A glossary of research terms is provided.

Genetic shifting: a novel approach for controlling vector-borne diseases.

PubMed

Powell, Jeffrey R; Tabachnick, Walter J

2014-06-01

Rendering populations of vectors of diseases incapable of transmitting pathogens through genetic methods has long been a goal of vector geneticists. We outline a method to achieve this goal that does not involve the introduction of any new genetic variants to the target population. Rather we propose that shifting the frequencies of naturally occurring alleles that confer refractoriness to transmission can reduce transmission below a sustainable level. The program employs methods successfully used in plant and animal breeding. Because no artificially constructed genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are introduced into the environment, the method is minimally controversial. We use Aedes aegypti and dengue virus (DENV) for illustrative purposes but point out that the proposed program is generally applicable to vector-borne disease control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A method for the selection of a functional form for a thermodynamic equation of state using weighted linear least squares stepwise regression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobsen, R. T.; Stewart, R. B.; Crain, R. W., Jr.; Rose, G. L.; Myers, A. F.

1976-01-01

A method was developed for establishing a rational choice of the terms to be included in an equation of state with a large number of adjustable coefficients. The methods presented were developed for use in the determination of an equation of state for oxygen and nitrogen. However, a general application of the methods is possible in studies involving the determination of an optimum polynomial equation for fitting a large number of data points. The data considered in the least squares problem are experimental thermodynamic pressure-density-temperature data. Attention is given to a description of stepwise multiple regression and the use of stepwise regression in the determination of an equation of state for oxygen and nitrogen.

Barriers to male involvement in contraceptive uptake and reproductive health services: a qualitative study of men and women’s perceptions in two rural districts in Uganda

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Spousal communication can improve family planning use and continuation. Yet, in countries with high fertility rates and unmet need, men have often been regarded as unsupportive of their partner’s use of family planning methods. This study examines men and women’s perceptions regarding obstacles to men’s support and uptake of modern contraceptives. Methods A qualitative study using 18 focus group discussions (FGDs) with purposively selected men aged 15–54 and women aged 15–49 as well as eight key informant interviews (KIIs) with government and community leaders was conducted in 2012 in Bugiri and Mpigi Districts, Uganda. Open-ended question guides were used to explore men and women’s perceptions regarding barriers to men’s involvement in reproductive health. All FGDs and KIIs were recorded, translated, and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded and analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti. Results Five themes were identified as rationale for men’s limited involvement: (i) perceived side effects of female contraceptive methods which disrupt sexual activity, (ii) limited choices of available male contraceptives, including fear and concerns relating to vasectomy, (iii) perceptions that reproductive health was a woman’s domain due to gender norms and traditional family planning communication geared towards women, (iv) preference for large family sizes which are uninhibited by prolonged birth spacing; and (v) concerns that women’s use of contraceptives will lead to extramarital sexual relations. In general, knowledge of effective contraceptive methods was high. However, lack of time and overall limited awareness regarding the specific role of men in reproductive health was also thought to deter men’s meaningful involvement in issues related to fertility regulation. Conclusion Decision-making on contraceptive use is the shared responsibility of men and women. Effective development and implementation of male-involvement family planning initiatives should address barriers to men’s supportive participation in reproductive health, including addressing men's negative beliefs regarding contraceptive services. PMID:24597502

Reference-based source separation method for identification of brain regions involved in a reference state from intracerebral EEG

PubMed Central

Samadi, Samareh; Amini, Ladan; Cosandier-Rimélé, Delphine; Soltanian-Zadeh, Hamid; Jutten, Christian

2013-01-01

In this paper, we present a fast method to extract the sources related to interictal epileptiform state. The method is based on general eigenvalue decomposition using two correlation matrices during: 1) periods including interictal epileptiform discharges (IED) as a reference activation model and 2) periods excluding IEDs or abnormal physiological signals as background activity. After extracting the most similar sources to the reference or IED state, IED regions are estimated by using multiobjective optimization. The method is evaluated using both realistic simulated data and actual intracerebral electroencephalography recordings of patients suffering from focal epilepsy. These patients are seizure-free after the resective surgery. Quantitative comparisons of the proposed IED regions with the visually inspected ictal onset zones by the epileptologist and another method of identification of IED regions reveal good performance. PMID:23428609

A theoretical study of thorium titanium-based alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obodo, K. O.; Chetty, N.

2013-09-01

Using theoretical quantum chemical methods, we investigate the dearth of ordered alloys involving thorium and titanium. Whereas both these elements are known to alloy very readily with various other elements, for example with oxygen, current experimental data suggests that Th and Ti do not alloy very readily with each other. In this work, we consider a variety of ordered alloys at varying stoichiometries involving these elements within the framework of density functional theory using the generalized gradient approximation for the exchange and correlation functional. By probing the energetics, electronic, phonon and elastic properties of these systems, we confirm the scarcity of ordered alloys involving Th and Ti, since for a variety of reasons many of the systems that we considered were found to be unfavorable. However, our investigations resulted in one plausible ordered structure: We propose ThTi3 in the Cr3Si structure as a metastable ordered alloy.

Application of at-site peak-streamflow frequency analyses for very low annual exceedance probabilities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Asquith, William H.; Kiang, Julie E.; Cohn, Timothy A.

2017-07-17

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, has investigated statistical methods for probabilistic flood hazard assessment to provide guidance on very low annual exceedance probability (AEP) estimation of peak-streamflow frequency and the quantification of corresponding uncertainties using streamgage-specific data. The term “very low AEP” implies exceptionally rare events defined as those having AEPs less than about 0.001 (or 1 × 10–3 in scientific notation or for brevity 10–3). Such low AEPs are of great interest to those involved with peak-streamflow frequency analyses for critical infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants. Flood frequency analyses at streamgages are most commonly based on annual instantaneous peak streamflow data and a probability distribution fit to these data. The fitted distribution provides a means to extrapolate to very low AEPs. Within the United States, the Pearson type III probability distribution, when fit to the base-10 logarithms of streamflow, is widely used, but other distribution choices exist. The USGS-PeakFQ software, implementing the Pearson type III within the Federal agency guidelines of Bulletin 17B (method of moments) and updates to the expected moments algorithm (EMA), was specially adapted for an “Extended Output” user option to provide estimates at selected AEPs from 10–3 to 10–6. Parameter estimation methods, in addition to product moments and EMA, include L-moments, maximum likelihood, and maximum product of spacings (maximum spacing estimation). This study comprehensively investigates multiple distributions and parameter estimation methods for two USGS streamgages (01400500 Raritan River at Manville, New Jersey, and 01638500 Potomac River at Point of Rocks, Maryland). The results of this study specifically involve the four methods for parameter estimation and up to nine probability distributions, including the generalized extreme value, generalized log-normal, generalized Pareto, and Weibull. Uncertainties in streamflow estimates for corresponding AEP are depicted and quantified as two primary forms: quantile (aleatoric [random sampling] uncertainty) and distribution-choice (epistemic [model] uncertainty). Sampling uncertainties of a given distribution are relatively straightforward to compute from analytical or Monte Carlo-based approaches. Distribution-choice uncertainty stems from choices of potentially applicable probability distributions for which divergence among the choices increases as AEP decreases. Conventional goodness-of-fit statistics, such as Cramér-von Mises, and L-moment ratio diagrams are demonstrated in order to hone distribution choice. The results generally show that distribution choice uncertainty is larger than sampling uncertainty for very low AEP values.

Probabilistic liver atlas construction.

PubMed

Dura, Esther; Domingo, Juan; Ayala, Guillermo; Marti-Bonmati, Luis; Goceri, E

2017-01-13

Anatomical atlases are 3D volumes or shapes representing an organ or structure of the human body. They contain either the prototypical shape of the object of interest together with other shapes representing its statistical variations (statistical atlas) or a probability map of belonging to the object (probabilistic atlas). Probabilistic atlases are mostly built with simple estimations only involving the data at each spatial location. A new method for probabilistic atlas construction that uses a generalized linear model is proposed. This method aims to improve the estimation of the probability to be covered by the liver. Furthermore, all methods to build an atlas involve previous coregistration of the sample of shapes available. The influence of the geometrical transformation adopted for registration in the quality of the final atlas has not been sufficiently investigated. The ability of an atlas to adapt to a new case is one of the most important quality criteria that should be taken into account. The presented experiments show that some methods for atlas construction are severely affected by the previous coregistration step. We show the good performance of the new approach. Furthermore, results suggest that extremely flexible registration methods are not always beneficial, since they can reduce the variability of the atlas and hence its ability to give sensible values of probability when used as an aid in segmentation of new cases.

The application of midbond basis sets in efficient and accurate ab initio calculations on electron-deficient systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Chu Hwan

2002-09-01

Ab initio chemistry has shown great promise in reproducing experimental results and in its predictive power. The many complicated computational models and methods seem impenetrable to an inexperienced scientist, and the reliability of the results is not easily interpreted. The application of midbond orbitals is used to determine a general method for use in calculating weak intermolecular interactions, especially those involving electron-deficient systems. Using the criteria of consistency, flexibility, accuracy and efficiency we propose a supermolecular method of calculation using the full counterpoise (CP) method of Boys and Bernardi, coupled with Moller-Plesset (MP) perturbation theory as an efficient electron-correlative method. We also advocate the use of the highly efficient and reliable correlation-consistent polarized valence basis sets of Dunning. To these basis sets, we add a general set of midbond orbitals and demonstrate greatly enhanced efficiency in the calculation. The H2-H2 dimer is taken as a benchmark test case for our method, and details of the computation are elaborated. Our method reproduces with great accuracy the dissociation energies of other previous theoretical studies. The added efficiency of extending the basis sets with conventional means is compared with the performance of our midbond-extended basis sets. The improvement found with midbond functions is notably superior in every case tested. Finally, a novel application of midbond functions to the BH5 complex is presented. The system is an unusual van der Waals complex. The interaction potential curves are presented for several standard basis sets and midbond-enhanced basis sets, as well as for two popular, alternative correlation methods. We report that MP theory appears to be superior to coupled-cluster (CC) in speed, while it is more stable than B3LYP, a widely-used density functional theory (DFT). Application of our general method yields excellent results for the midbond basis sets. Again they prove superior to conventional extended basis sets. Based on these results, we recommend our general approach as a highly efficient, accurate method for calculating weakly interacting systems.

Blood characterization using UV/vis spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattley, Yvette D.; Mitrani-Gold, F.; Orton, S.; Bacon, Christina P.; Leparc, German F.; Bayona, M.; Potter, Robert L.; Garcia-Rubio, Luis H.

1995-05-01

The current methods used for typing blood involve an agglutination reaction which results from the association of specific antibodies with antigens present on the erythrocyte cell surface. While this method is effective, it requires involved laboratory procedures to detect the cell surface antigens. As an alternative technique, uv/vis spectroscopy has been investigated as a novel way to characterize and differentiate the blood types. Typing with this technique is based on spectral differences which appear throughout portions of both the ultraviolet and visible range. The origin of these spectral differences is unknown and presently under investigation. They may be due to intrinsic absorption differences at the molecular level, and/or they may be due to scattering differences brought about by either subtle variation in cell surface characteristics, cell shape or state of aggregation. As the background optical density in these samples is identified and accounted for, the spectral differences become more defined. This work and the continuation of this project will be included in a general database encompassing a wide range of blood samples. In addition, long term goals involve the investigation of diseased blood with the potential of providing a more rapid diagnosis for blood borne pathogens.

Wind-tunnel simulation of store jettison with the aid of magnetic artificial gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, T.; Adams, R.

1972-01-01

A method employed in the simulation of jettison of stores from aircraft involving small scale wind-tunnel drop tests from a model of the parent aircraft is described. Proper scaling of such experiments generally dictates that the gravitational acceleration should ideally be a test variable. A method of introducing a controllable artificial component of gravity by magnetic means has been proposed. The use of a magnetic artificial gravity facility based upon this idea, in conjunction with small scale wind-tunnel drop tests, would improve the accuracy of simulation. A review of the scaling laws as they apply to the design of such a facility is presented. The design constraints involved in the integration of such a facility with a wind tunnel are defined. A detailed performance analysis procedure applicable to such a facility is developed. A practical magnet configuration is defined which is capable of controlling the strength and orientation of the magnetic artificial gravity field in the vertical plane, thereby allowing simulation of store jettison from a diving or climbing aircraft. The factors involved in the choice between continuous or intermittent operation of the facility, and the use of normal or superconducting magnets, are defined.

Receptionists' role in new approaches to consultations in primary care: a focused ethnographic study.

PubMed

Brant, Heather Dawn; Atherton, Helen; Bikker, Annemieke; Porqueddu, Tania; Salisbury, Chris; McKinstry, Brian; Campbell, John; Gibson, Andy; Ziebland, Sue

2018-06-04

The receptionist is pivotal to the smooth running of general practice in the UK, communicating with patients and booking appointments. The authors aimed to explore the role of the receptionist in the implementation of new approaches to consultations in primary care. The authors conducted a team-based focused ethnography. Three researchers observed eight general practices across England and Scotland between June 2015 and May 2016. Interviews were conducted with 39 patients and 45 staff in the practices, all of which had adopted one or more methods (telephone, email, e-consultation, or internet video) for providing an alternative to face-to-face consultation. Receptionists have a key role in facilitating patient awareness regarding new approaches to consultations in primary care, while at the same time ensuring that patients receive a consultation appropriate to their needs. In this study, receptionists' involvement in implementation and planning for the introduction of alternative approaches to face-to-face consultations was minimal, despite the expectation that they would be involved in delivery. A shared understanding within practices of the potential difficulties and extra work that might ensue for reception staff was lacking. This might contribute to the low uptake by patients of potentially important innovations in service delivery. Involvement of the wider practice team in planning and piloting changes, supporting team members through service reconfiguration, and providing an opportunity to discuss and contribute to modifications of any new system would ensure that reception staff are suitably prepared to support the introduction of a new approach to consultations. © British Journal of General Practice 2018.

Adapting total quality management for general practice: evaluation of a programme.

PubMed Central

Lawrence, M; Packwood, T

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of the benefits and limitations of a quality improvement programme based on total quality management principles in general practice over a period of one year (October 1993-4). DESIGN: Questionnaires to practice team members before any intervention and after one year. Three progress reports completed by facilitators at four month intervals. Semistructured interviews with a sample of staff from each practice towards the end of the year. SETTING: 18 self selected practices from across the former Oxford Region. Three members of each practice received an initial residential course and three one day seminars during the year. Each practice was supported by a facilitator from their Medical Audit Advisory Group. MEASURES: Extent of understanding and implementation of quality improvement methodology. Number, completeness, and evaluation of quality improvement projects. Practice team members' attitudes to and involvement in team working and quality improvement. RESULTS: 16 of the 18 practices succeeded in implementing the quality improvement methods. 48 initiatives were considered and staff involvement was broad. Practice members showed increased involvement in, and appreciation of, strategic planning and team working, and satisfaction from improved patients services. 11 of the practices intend to continue with the methodology. The commonest barrier expressed was time. CONCLUSION: Quality improvement programmes based on total quality management principles produce beneficial changes in service delivery and team working in most general practices. It is incompatible with traditional doctor centred practice. The methodology needs to be adapted for primary care to avoid quality improvement being seen as separate from routine activity, and to save time. PMID:10161529

Characteristics of primary care consultations for musculoskeletal foot and ankle problems in the UK

PubMed Central

Jordan, Kelvin P.; Roddy, Edward; Croft, Peter R.

2010-01-01

Objective. Foot and ankle problems are highly prevalent in the general population; however, little is known about the characteristics of those seeking medical assessment for these problems. The objective of this study was to explore the extent and types of musculoskeletal foot and ankle problems in primary care. Methods. Consultation data related to musculoskeletal foot and ankle problems in 2006 were extracted from the Consultations in Primary Care Archive (CiPCA), which covers consultations in 12 general practices in North Staffordshire. Data were cross-tabulated by age and gender, and annual consultation prevalence per 10 000 registered persons was calculated. Results. Of the 55 033 musculoskeletal consultations documented in CiPCA in 2006, 4500 (8%) related to foot and ankle problems. The most commonly documented Read term was ‘foot pain’ (1281 consultations; 28%), followed by ‘ankle pain’ [451 (10%)]. Most consultations [3538 (79%)] involved non-traumatic conditions. Females accounted for slightly more consultations than males (55 vs 45%), and the highest proportion of consultations involved people aged 45–64 years (36%). The number of consultations per patient ranged from 1 to 11. Annual consultation prevalence was 290 per 10 000 registered persons and increased with age, reaching a peak in the 65- to 74-year age group (411 per 10 000 registered persons). Conclusion. Foot and ankle problems account for a substantial number of consultations in primary care, and most frequently involve non-traumatic conditions. Further research is required to evaluate the factors that influence consultation for foot problems and strategies that general practitioners use to manage these conditions. PMID:20403912

Applying micro-costing methods to estimate the costs of pharmacy interventions: an illustration using multi-professional clinical medication reviews in care homes for older people.

PubMed

Sach, Tracey H; Desborough, James; Houghton, Julie; Holland, Richard

2014-11-06

Economic methods are underutilised within pharmacy research resulting in a lack of quality evidence to support funding decisions for pharmacy interventions. The aim of this study is to illustrate the methods of micro-costing within the pharmacy context in order to raise awareness and use of this approach in pharmacy research. Micro-costing methods are particularly useful where a new service or intervention is being evaluated and for which no previous estimates of the costs of providing the service exist. This paper describes the rationale for undertaking a micro-costing study before detailing and illustrating the process involved. The illustration relates to a recently completed trial of multi-professional medication reviews as an intervention provided in care homes. All costs are presented in UK£2012. In general, costing methods involve three broad steps (identification, measurement and valuation); when using micro-costing, closer attention to detail is required within all three stages of this process. The mean (standard deviation; 95% confidence interval (CI) ) cost per resident of the multi-professional medication review intervention was £104.80 (50.91; 98.72 to 109.45), such that the overall cost of providing the intervention to all intervention home residents was £36,221.29 (95% CI, 32 810.81 to 39 631.77). This study has demonstrated that micro-costing can be a useful method, not only for estimating the cost of a pharmacy intervention to feed into a pharmacy economic evaluation, but also as a source of information to help inform those designing pharmacy services about the potential time and costs involved in delivering such services. © 2014 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Species Specific Bacterial Spore Detection Using Lateral-Flow Immunoassay with DPA-Triggered Tb Luminescence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ponce, Adrian

2003-01-01

A method of detecting bacterial spores incorporates (1) A method of lateral-flow immunoassay in combination with (2) A method based on the luminescence of Tb3+ ions to which molecules of dipicolinic acid (DPA) released from the spores have become bound. The present combination of lateral-flow immunoassay and DPA-triggered Tb luminescence was developed as a superior alternative to a prior lateral-flow immunoassay method in which detection involves the visual observation and/or measurement of red light scattered from colloidal gold nanoparticles. The advantage of the present combination method is that it affords both (1) High selectivity for spores of the species of bacteria that one seeks to detect (a characteristic of lateral-flow immunoassay in general) and (2) Detection sensitivity much greater (by virtue of the use of DPA-triggered Tb luminescence instead of gold nanoparticles) than that of the prior lateral-flow immunoassay method

A simple method for the fast calculation of charge redistribution of solutes in an implicit solvent model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, L. G.; Shimizu, K.; Farah, J. P. S.; Chaimovich, H.

2002-09-01

We propose and demonstrate the usefulness of a method, defined as generalized Born electronegativity equalization method (GBEEM) to estimate solvent-induced charge redistribution. The charges obtained by GBEEM, in a representative series of small organic molecules, were compared to PM3-CM1 charges in vacuum and in water. Linear regressions with appropriate correlation coefficients and standard deviations between GBEEM and PM3-CM1 methods were obtained ( R=0.94,SD=0.15, Ftest=234, N=32, in vacuum; R=0.94,SD=0.16, Ftest=218, N=29, in water). In order to test the GBEEM response when intermolecular interactions are involved we calculated a water dimer in dielectric water using both GBEEM and PM3-CM1 and the results were similar. Hence, the method developed here is comparable to established calculation methods.

Reprint of Solution of Ambrosio-Tortorelli model for image segmentation by generalized relaxation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Ambra, Pasqua; Tartaglione, Gaetano

2015-04-01

Image segmentation addresses the problem to partition a given image into its constituent objects and then to identify the boundaries of the objects. This problem can be formulated in terms of a variational model aimed to find optimal approximations of a bounded function by piecewise-smooth functions, minimizing a given functional. The corresponding Euler-Lagrange equations are a set of two coupled elliptic partial differential equations with varying coefficients. Numerical solution of the above system often relies on alternating minimization techniques involving descent methods coupled with explicit or semi-implicit finite-difference discretization schemes, which are slowly convergent and poorly scalable with respect to image size. In this work we focus on generalized relaxation methods also coupled with multigrid linear solvers, when a finite-difference discretization is applied to the Euler-Lagrange equations of Ambrosio-Tortorelli model. We show that non-linear Gauss-Seidel, accelerated by inner linear iterations, is an effective method for large-scale image analysis as those arising from high-throughput screening platforms for stem cells targeted differentiation, where one of the main goal is segmentation of thousand of images to analyze cell colonies morphology.

Solution of Ambrosio-Tortorelli model for image segmentation by generalized relaxation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Ambra, Pasqua; Tartaglione, Gaetano

2015-03-01

Image segmentation addresses the problem to partition a given image into its constituent objects and then to identify the boundaries of the objects. This problem can be formulated in terms of a variational model aimed to find optimal approximations of a bounded function by piecewise-smooth functions, minimizing a given functional. The corresponding Euler-Lagrange equations are a set of two coupled elliptic partial differential equations with varying coefficients. Numerical solution of the above system often relies on alternating minimization techniques involving descent methods coupled with explicit or semi-implicit finite-difference discretization schemes, which are slowly convergent and poorly scalable with respect to image size. In this work we focus on generalized relaxation methods also coupled with multigrid linear solvers, when a finite-difference discretization is applied to the Euler-Lagrange equations of Ambrosio-Tortorelli model. We show that non-linear Gauss-Seidel, accelerated by inner linear iterations, is an effective method for large-scale image analysis as those arising from high-throughput screening platforms for stem cells targeted differentiation, where one of the main goal is segmentation of thousand of images to analyze cell colonies morphology.

Hardware Testing and System Evaluation: Procedures to Evaluate Commodity Hardware for Production Clusters

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

Goebel, J

2004-02-27

Without stable hardware any program will fail. The frustration and expense of supporting bad hardware can drain an organization, delay progress, and frustrate everyone involved. At Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), we have created a testing method that helps our group, SLAC Computer Services (SCS), weed out potentially bad hardware and purchase the best hardware at the best possible cost. Commodity hardware changes often, so new evaluations happen periodically each time we purchase systems and minor re-evaluations happen for revised systems for our clusters, about twice a year. This general framework helps SCS perform correct, efficient evaluations. This article outlinesmore » SCS's computer testing methods and our system acceptance criteria. We expanded the basic ideas to other evaluations such as storage, and we think the methods outlined in this article has helped us choose hardware that is much more stable and supportable than our previous purchases. We have found that commodity hardware ranges in quality, so systematic method and tools for hardware evaluation were necessary. This article is based on one instance of a hardware purchase, but the guidelines apply to the general problem of purchasing commodity computer systems for production computational work.« less

PHYSICAL-CONSTRAINT-PRESERVING CENTRAL DISCONTINUOUS GALERKIN METHODS FOR SPECIAL RELATIVISTIC HYDRODYNAMICS WITH A GENERAL EQUATION OF STATE

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

Wu, Kailiang; Tang, Huazhong, E-mail: wukl@pku.edu.cn, E-mail: hztang@math.pku.edu.cn

The ideal gas equation of state (EOS) with a constant adiabatic index is a poor approximation for most relativistic astrophysical flows, although it is commonly used in relativistic hydrodynamics (RHD). This paper develops high-order accurate, physical-constraints-preserving (PCP), central, discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods for the one- and two-dimensional special RHD equations with a general EOS. It is built on our theoretical analysis of the admissible states for RHD and the PCP limiting procedure that enforce the admissibility of central DG solutions. The convexity, scaling invariance, orthogonal invariance, and Lax–Friedrichs splitting property of the admissible state set are first proved with themore » aid of its equivalent form. Then, the high-order central DG methods with the PCP limiting procedure and strong stability-preserving time discretization are proved, to preserve the positivity of the density, pressure, specific internal energy, and the bound of the fluid velocity, maintain high-order accuracy, and be L {sup 1}-stable. The accuracy, robustness, and effectiveness of the proposed methods are demonstrated by several 1D and 2D numerical examples involving large Lorentz factor, strong discontinuities, or low density/pressure, etc.« less

Feature Augmentation via Nonparametrics and Selection (FANS) in High-Dimensional Classification.

PubMed

Fan, Jianqing; Feng, Yang; Jiang, Jiancheng; Tong, Xin

We propose a high dimensional classification method that involves nonparametric feature augmentation. Knowing that marginal density ratios are the most powerful univariate classifiers, we use the ratio estimates to transform the original feature measurements. Subsequently, penalized logistic regression is invoked, taking as input the newly transformed or augmented features. This procedure trains models equipped with local complexity and global simplicity, thereby avoiding the curse of dimensionality while creating a flexible nonlinear decision boundary. The resulting method is called Feature Augmentation via Nonparametrics and Selection (FANS). We motivate FANS by generalizing the Naive Bayes model, writing the log ratio of joint densities as a linear combination of those of marginal densities. It is related to generalized additive models, but has better interpretability and computability. Risk bounds are developed for FANS. In numerical analysis, FANS is compared with competing methods, so as to provide a guideline on its best application domain. Real data analysis demonstrates that FANS performs very competitively on benchmark email spam and gene expression data sets. Moreover, FANS is implemented by an extremely fast algorithm through parallel computing.

Feature Augmentation via Nonparametrics and Selection (FANS) in High-Dimensional Classification

PubMed Central

Feng, Yang; Jiang, Jiancheng; Tong, Xin

2015-01-01

We propose a high dimensional classification method that involves nonparametric feature augmentation. Knowing that marginal density ratios are the most powerful univariate classifiers, we use the ratio estimates to transform the original feature measurements. Subsequently, penalized logistic regression is invoked, taking as input the newly transformed or augmented features. This procedure trains models equipped with local complexity and global simplicity, thereby avoiding the curse of dimensionality while creating a flexible nonlinear decision boundary. The resulting method is called Feature Augmentation via Nonparametrics and Selection (FANS). We motivate FANS by generalizing the Naive Bayes model, writing the log ratio of joint densities as a linear combination of those of marginal densities. It is related to generalized additive models, but has better interpretability and computability. Risk bounds are developed for FANS. In numerical analysis, FANS is compared with competing methods, so as to provide a guideline on its best application domain. Real data analysis demonstrates that FANS performs very competitively on benchmark email spam and gene expression data sets. Moreover, FANS is implemented by an extremely fast algorithm through parallel computing. PMID:27185970

Prediction of proprotein convertase cleavage sites.

PubMed

Duckert, Peter; Brunak, Søren; Blom, Nikolaj

2004-01-01

Many secretory proteins and peptides are synthesized as inactive precursors that in addition to signal peptide cleavage undergo post-translational processing to become biologically active polypeptides. Precursors are usually cleaved at sites composed of single or paired basic amino acid residues by members of the subtilisin/kexin-like proprotein convertase (PC) family. In mammals, seven members have been identified, with furin being the one first discovered and best characterized. Recently, the involvement of furin in diseases ranging from Alzheimer's disease and cancer to anthrax and Ebola fever has created additional focus on proprotein processing. We have developed a method for prediction of cleavage sites for PCs based on artificial neural networks. Two different types of neural networks have been constructed: a furin-specific network based on experimental results derived from the literature, and a general PC-specific network trained on data from the Swiss-Prot protein database. The method predicts cleavage sites in independent sequences with a sensitivity of 95% for the furin neural network and 62% for the general PC network. The ProP method is made publicly available at http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/ProP.

Risk Assessment and Hierarchical Risk Management of Enterprises in Chemical Industrial Parks Based on Catastrophe Theory

PubMed Central

Chen, Yu; Song, Guobao; Yang, Fenglin; Zhang, Shushen; Zhang, Yun; Liu, Zhenyu

2012-01-01

According to risk systems theory and the characteristics of the chemical industry, an index system was established for risk assessment of enterprises in chemical industrial parks (CIPs) based on the inherent risk of the source, effectiveness of the prevention and control mechanism, and vulnerability of the receptor. A comprehensive risk assessment method based on catastrophe theory was then proposed and used to analyze the risk levels of ten major chemical enterprises in the Songmu Island CIP, China. According to the principle of equal distribution function, the chemical enterprise risk level was divided into the following five levels: 1.0 (very safe), 0.8 (safe), 0.6 (generally recognized as safe, GRAS), 0.4 (unsafe), 0.2 (very unsafe). The results revealed five enterprises (50%) with an unsafe risk level, and another five enterprises (50%) at the generally recognized as safe risk level. This method solves the multi-objective evaluation and decision-making problem. Additionally, this method involves simple calculations and provides an effective technique for risk assessment and hierarchical risk management of enterprises in CIPs. PMID:23208298

Computational Biorheology of Human Blood Flow in Health and Disease

PubMed Central

Fedosov, Dmitry A.; Dao, Ming; Karniadakis, George Em; Suresh, Subra

2014-01-01

Hematologic disorders arising from infectious diseases, hereditary factors and environmental influences can lead to, and can be influenced by, significant changes in the shape, mechanical and physical properties of red blood cells (RBCs), and the biorheology of blood flow. Hence, modeling of hematologic disorders should take into account the multiphase nature of blood flow, especially in arterioles and capillaries. We present here an overview of a general computational framework based on dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) which has broad applicability in cell biophysics with implications for diagnostics, therapeutics and drug efficacy assessments for a wide variety of human diseases. This computational approach, validated by independent experimental results, is capable of modeling the biorheology of whole blood and its individual components during blood flow so as to investigate cell mechanistic processes in health and disease. DPD is a Lagrangian method that can be derived from systematic coarse-graining of molecular dynamics but can scale efficiently up to arterioles and can also be used to model RBCs down to the spectrin level. We start from experimental measurements of a single RBC to extract the relevant biophysical parameters, using single-cell measurements involving such methods as optical tweezers, atomic force microscopy and micropipette aspiration, and cell-population experiments involving microfluidic devices. We then use these validated RBC models to predict the biorheological behavior of whole blood in healthy or pathological states, and compare the simulations with experimental results involving apparent viscosity and other relevant parameters. While the approach discussed here is sufficiently general to address a broad spectrum of hematologic disorders including certain types of cancer, this paper specifically deals with results obtained using this computational framework for blood flow in malaria and sickle cell anemia. PMID:24419829

Optical contacting of quartz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Payne, L. L.

1982-01-01

The strength of the bond between optically contacted quartz surfaces was investigated. The Gravity Probe-B (GP-B) experiment to test the theories of general relativity requires extremely precise measurements. The quartz components of the instruments to make these measurements must be held together in a very stable unit. Optical contacting is suggested as a possible method of joining these components. The fundamental forces involved in optical contacting are reviewed and relates calculations of these forces to the results obtained in experiments.

Toward a Model-Based Approach to the Clinical Assessment of Personality Psychopathology

PubMed Central

Eaton, Nicholas R.; Krueger, Robert F.; Docherty, Anna R.; Sponheim, Scott R.

2015-01-01

Recent years have witnessed tremendous growth in the scope and sophistication of statistical methods available to explore the latent structure of psychopathology, involving continuous, discrete, and hybrid latent variables. The availability of such methods has fostered optimism that they can facilitate movement from classification primarily crafted through expert consensus to classification derived from empirically-based models of psychopathological variation. The explication of diagnostic constructs with empirically supported structures can then facilitate the development of assessment tools that appropriately characterize these constructs. Our goal in this paper is to illustrate how new statistical methods can inform conceptualization of personality psychopathology and therefore its assessment. We use magical thinking as example, because both theory and earlier empirical work suggested the possibility of discrete aspects to the latent structure of personality psychopathology, particularly forms of psychopathology involving distortions of reality testing, yet other data suggest that personality psychopathology is generally continuous in nature. We directly compared the fit of a variety of latent variable models to magical thinking data from a sample enriched with clinically significant variation in psychotic symptomatology for explanatory purposes. Findings generally suggested a continuous latent variable model best represented magical thinking, but results varied somewhat depending on different indices of model fit. We discuss the implications of the findings for classification and applied personality assessment. We also highlight some limitations of this type of approach that are illustrated by these data, including the importance of substantive interpretation, in addition to use of model fit indices, when evaluating competing structural models. PMID:24007309

The value of a year's general education for reducing the symptoms of dementia.

PubMed

Brent, Robert J

2018-01-01

We present a method for estimating the benefits of years of education for reducing dementia symptoms based on the cost savings that would accrue from continuing independent living rather than relying on formal or informal carers. Our method for estimating the benefits of education involves three steps: first taking a year of education and seeing how much this lowers dementia, second using this dementia reduction and estimating how much independent living is affected and third applying the change in caregiving costs associated with the independent living change. We apply our method for estimating education benefits to a National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center sample of 17,239 participants at 32 US Alzheimer's disease centres over the period September 2005 and May 2015.

Discrete maximal regularity of time-stepping schemes for fractional evolution equations.

PubMed

Jin, Bangti; Li, Buyang; Zhou, Zhi

2018-01-01

In this work, we establish the maximal [Formula: see text]-regularity for several time stepping schemes for a fractional evolution model, which involves a fractional derivative of order [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], in time. These schemes include convolution quadratures generated by backward Euler method and second-order backward difference formula, the L1 scheme, explicit Euler method and a fractional variant of the Crank-Nicolson method. The main tools for the analysis include operator-valued Fourier multiplier theorem due to Weis (Math Ann 319:735-758, 2001. doi:10.1007/PL00004457) and its discrete analogue due to Blunck (Stud Math 146:157-176, 2001. doi:10.4064/sm146-2-3). These results generalize the corresponding results for parabolic problems.

Direct characterization of quantum dynamics with noisy ancilla

DOE PAGES

Dumitrescu, Eugene F.; Humble, Travis S.

2015-11-23

We present methods for the direct characterization of quantum dynamics (DCQD) in which both the principal and ancilla systems undergo noisy processes. Using a concatenated error detection code, we discriminate between located and unlocated errors on the principal system in what amounts to filtering of ancilla noise. The example of composite noise involving amplitude damping and depolarizing channels is used to demonstrate the method, while we find the rate of noise filtering is more generally dependent on code distance. Furthermore our results indicate the accuracy of quantum process characterization can be greatly improved while remaining within reach of current experimentalmore » capabilities.« less

Application of fast Fourier transforms to the direct solution of a class of two-dimensional separable elliptic equations on the sphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moorthi, Shrinivas; Higgins, R. W.

1993-01-01

An efficient, direct, second-order solver for the discrete solution of a class of two-dimensional separable elliptic equations on the sphere (which generally arise in implicit and semi-implicit atmospheric models) is presented. The method involves a Fourier transformation in longitude and a direct solution of the resulting coupled second-order finite-difference equations in latitude. The solver is made efficient by vectorizing over longitudinal wave-number and by using a vectorized fast Fourier transform routine. It is evaluated using a prescribed solution method and compared with a multigrid solver and the standard direct solver from FISHPAK.

Adaptively-refined overlapping grids for the numerical solution of systems of hyperbolic conservation laws

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brislawn, Kristi D.; Brown, David L.; Chesshire, Geoffrey S.; Saltzman, Jeffrey S.

1995-01-01

Adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) in conjunction with higher-order upwind finite-difference methods have been used effectively on a variety of problems in two and three dimensions. In this paper we introduce an approach for resolving problems that involve complex geometries in which resolution of boundary geometry is important. The complex geometry is represented by using the method of overlapping grids, while local resolution is obtained by refining each component grid with the AMR algorithm, appropriately generalized for this situation. The CMPGRD algorithm introduced by Chesshire and Henshaw is used to automatically generate the overlapping grid structure for the underlying mesh.

A systematic scoping review of the evidence for consumer involvement in organisations undertaking systematic reviews: focus on Cochrane.

PubMed

Morley, Richard F; Norman, Gill; Golder, Su; Griffith, Polly

2016-01-01

Cochrane is the largest international producer of systematic reviews of clinical trial evidence. We looked for published evidence that reports where consumers (patients and the public) have been involved in Cochrane systematic reviews, and also in reviews published by other organisations.We found 36 studies that reported about consumer involvement either in individual systematic reviews, or in other organisations. The studies showed that consumers were involved in reviews in a range of different ways: coordinating and producing reviews, making reviews more accessible, and spreading the results of reviews ("knowledge transfer"). The most common role was commenting on reviews ("peer reviewing"). Consumers also had other general roles, for example in educating people about evidence or helping other consumers. There were some interesting examples of new ways of involving consumers. The studies showed that most consumers came from rich and English speaking countries. There was little evidence about how consumer involvement had changed the reviews ("impact"). The studies found that consumer involvement needed to be properly supported.In future we believe that more research should be done to understand what kind of consumer involvement has the best impact; that more review authors should report how consumers have been involved; and that consumers who help with reviews should come from more varied backgrounds. Background Cochrane is the largest international producer of systematic reviews, and is committed to consumer involvement in the production and dissemination of its reviews. The review aims to systematically scope the evidence base for consumer involvement in organisations which commission, undertake or support systematic reviews; with an emphasis on Cochrane. Methods In June 2015 we searched six databases and other sources for studies of consumer involvement in organisations which commission, undertake or support systematic reviews, or in individual systematic review processes. All types of reports and evaluations were eligible. Included studies were combined in a narrative synthesis structured by the level of evaluation and the type of involvement. Results We identified 36 relevant studies. Eleven of these were evaluations at the level of a whole organisation; seven of these studied consumer involvement in Cochrane. Ten studies examined individual Cochrane review groups. Twelve studies reported on individual reviews; only two of these were Cochrane reviews. Finally, three studies were themselves syntheses of other studies. The included studies reported varying levels of consumer involvement across a wide range of activities related to review design and conduct. These included activities such as priority setting and outcome definition as well as review-specific roles such as acting as peer referees and producing plain language summaries. The level of satisfaction and awareness of impact was generally higher in studies focused on individual Cochrane review groups than in the organisation-wide studies. Conclusions There was evidence of highly variable levels and types of consumer involvement within and beyond Cochrane, but limited evidence for what makes the most effective methods and levels of involving consumers in review production. Where evidence of impact was found at the level of individual reviews and review groups it underlined the need for properly resourced and supported processes in order to derive the greatest benefit from the lived experiences of consumers who are willing to be involved. Where reviews do involve consumers, their contribution to the final result could be more clearly identified. More rigorous evaluations are needed to determine the best approach to achieving this. Trial registration Not applicable.

Automated Discovery of Functional Generality of Human Gene Expression Programs

PubMed Central

Gerber, Georg K; Dowell, Robin D; Jaakkola, Tommi S; Gifford, David K

2007-01-01

An important research problem in computational biology is the identification of expression programs, sets of co-expressed genes orchestrating normal or pathological processes, and the characterization of the functional breadth of these programs. The use of human expression data compendia for discovery of such programs presents several challenges including cellular inhomogeneity within samples, genetic and environmental variation across samples, uncertainty in the numbers of programs and sample populations, and temporal behavior. We developed GeneProgram, a new unsupervised computational framework based on Hierarchical Dirichlet Processes that addresses each of the above challenges. GeneProgram uses expression data to simultaneously organize tissues into groups and genes into overlapping programs with consistent temporal behavior, to produce maps of expression programs, which are sorted by generality scores that exploit the automatically learned groupings. Using synthetic and real gene expression data, we showed that GeneProgram outperformed several popular expression analysis methods. We applied GeneProgram to a compendium of 62 short time-series gene expression datasets exploring the responses of human cells to infectious agents and immune-modulating molecules. GeneProgram produced a map of 104 expression programs, a substantial number of which were significantly enriched for genes involved in key signaling pathways and/or bound by NF-κB transcription factors in genome-wide experiments. Further, GeneProgram discovered expression programs that appear to implicate surprising signaling pathways or receptor types in the response to infection, including Wnt signaling and neurotransmitter receptors. We believe the discovered map of expression programs involved in the response to infection will be useful for guiding future biological experiments; genes from programs with low generality scores might serve as new drug targets that exhibit minimal “cross-talk,” and genes from high generality programs may maintain common physiological responses that go awry in disease states. Further, our method is multipurpose, and can be applied readily to novel compendia of biological data. PMID:17696603

A survey of automated methods for sensemaking support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llinas, James

2014-05-01

Complex, dynamic problems in general present a challenge for the design of analysis support systems and tools largely because there is limited reliable a priori procedural knowledge descriptive of the dynamic processes in the environment. Problem domains that are non-cooperative or adversarial impute added difficulties involving suboptimal observational data and/or data containing the effects of deception or covertness. The fundamental nature of analysis in these environments is based on composite approaches involving mining or foraging over the evidence, discovery and learning processes, and the synthesis of fragmented hypotheses; together, these can be labeled as sensemaking procedures. This paper reviews and analyzes the features, benefits, and limitations of a variety of automated techniques that offer possible support to sensemaking processes in these problem domains.

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

Prakash, S. Arun; Malathi, V.; Mani Rajan, M. S., E-mail: senthilmanirajanofc@gmail.com

We obtain the bright similariton solutions for generalized inhomogeneous nonlinear Schrödinger equation (GINLSE) which governs the pulse propagation in a tapered graded index diffraction decreasing waveguide (DDW). The exact solutions have been worked out by employing similarity transformations which involve the mapping of the GINLSE to standard NLSE for the certain conditions of the parameters. By making use of the exact analytical solutions, we have investigated the dynamical behavior of optical similariton pairs and have suggested the methods to control them as they propagate through DDW. Moreover, pulse width of similariton is controlled through various profiles. These results are helpfulmore » to understand the similaritons in DDW and can be potentially useful for future experiments in optical communications which involve optical amplifiers and long-haul telecommunication networks.« less

Compatibility of Segments of Thermoelectric Generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, G. Jeffrey; Ursell, Tristan

2009-01-01

A method of calculating (usually for the purpose of maximizing) the power-conversion efficiency of a segmented thermoelectric generator is based on equations derived from the fundamental equations of thermoelectricity. Because it is directly traceable to first principles, the method provides physical explanations in addition to predictions of phenomena involved in segmentation. In comparison with the finite-element method used heretofore to predict (without being able to explain) the behavior of a segmented thermoelectric generator, this method is much simpler to implement in practice: in particular, the efficiency of a segmented thermoelectric generator can be estimated by evaluating equations using only hand-held calculator with this method. In addition, the method provides for determination of cascading ratios. The concept of cascading is illustrated in the figure and the definition of the cascading ratio is defined in the figure caption. An important aspect of the method is its approach to the issue of compatibility among segments, in combination with introduction of the concept of compatibility within a segment. Prior approaches involved the use of only averaged material properties. Two materials in direct contact could be examined for compatibility with each other, but there was no general framework for analysis of compatibility. The present method establishes such a framework. The mathematical derivation of the method begins with the definition of reduced efficiency of a thermoelectric generator as the ratio between (1) its thermal-to-electric power-conversion efficiency and (2) its Carnot efficiency (the maximum efficiency theoretically attainable, given its hot- and cold-side temperatures). The derivation involves calculation of the reduced efficiency of a model thermoelectric generator for which the hot-side temperature is only infinitesimally greater than the cold-side temperature. The derivation includes consideration of the ratio (u) between the electric current and heat-conduction power and leads to the concept of compatibility factor (s) for a given thermoelectric material, defined as the value of u that maximizes the reduced efficiency of the aforementioned model thermoelectric generator.

Experiences of general practitioners, home care nurses, physiotherapists and seniors involved in a multidisciplinary home-based fall prevention programme: a mixed method study.

PubMed

Amacher, Astrid E; Nast, Irina; Zindel, Barbara; Schmid, Lukas; Krafft, Valérie; Niedermann, Karin

2016-09-05

The feasibility of effective fall prevention programmes (FPPs) for use in daily clinical practice needs to be assessed in the specific healthcare settings. The aim of this study was to explore the perceived benefits and barriers of an evidence-based, home-based pilot FPP among the involved seniors, general practitioners (GPs), home care nurses (HCNs) and physiotherapists (PTs), in order to develop tailored implementation strategies. The study was a mixed method study using an 'exploratory sequential design'. In the initial qualitative sequence, semi-structured interviews were performed with four participants from each group and analysed using a deductive content analysis. In the successive quantitative sequence, target group specific postal surveys were conducted with all participants. The triangulation of both steps allowed merging the in-depth experiences from the interviews with the general findings from the survey. In this evaluation study participated 17 seniors (mean age 79.7 (SD +/-6.2) years). 40 GPs, 12 HCNs and four PTs. All were satisfied with the organization and processes of the FPP. The main benefit, perceived by each target group, was the usefulness of the FPP in detecting risk of falling at the senior's home. A low number of recruiting GPs and HCNs, divergent opinions of the health professionals towards the aim of the FPP as well as no perceived need for changes by the seniors were the most important barriers to the participation of (more) seniors. Multidisciplinary home-based fall prevention is a useful approach to detect the risk of falling in seniors. The barriers identified need to be resolved through tailored strategies to facilitate the successful nationwide implementation of this pilot FPP.

On the Unreasonable Effectiveness of post-Newtonian Theory in Gravitational-Wave Physics

ScienceCinema

Will, Clifford M.

2017-12-22

The first indirect detection of gravitational waves involved a binary system of neutron stars.  In the future, the first direct detection may also involve binary systems -- inspiralling and merging binary neutron stars or black holes. This means that it is essential to understand in full detail the two-body system in general relativity, a notoriously difficult problem with a long history. Post-Newtonian approximation methods are thought to work only under slow motion and weak field conditions, while numerical solutions of Einstein's equations are thought to be limited to the final merger phase.  Recent results have shown that post-Newtonian approximations seem to remain unreasonably valid well into the relativistic regime, while advances in numerical relativity now permit solutions for numerous orbits before merger.  It is now possible to envision linking post-Newtonian theory and numerical relativity to obtain a complete "solution" of the general relativistic two-body problem.  These solutions will play a central role in detecting and understanding gravitational wave signals received by interferometric observatories on Earth and in space.

The orbital PDF: general inference of the gravitational potential from steady-state tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jiaxin; Wang, Wenting; Cole, Shaun; Frenk, Carlos S.

2016-02-01

We develop two general methods to infer the gravitational potential of a system using steady-state tracers, I.e. tracers with a time-independent phase-space distribution. Combined with the phase-space continuity equation, the time independence implies a universal orbital probability density function (oPDF) dP(λ|orbit) ∝ dt, where λ is the coordinate of the particle along the orbit. The oPDF is equivalent to Jeans theorem, and is the key physical ingredient behind most dynamical modelling of steady-state tracers. In the case of a spherical potential, we develop a likelihood estimator that fits analytical potentials to the system and a non-parametric method (`phase-mark') that reconstructs the potential profile, both assuming only the oPDF. The methods involve no extra assumptions about the tracer distribution function and can be applied to tracers with any arbitrary distribution of orbits, with possible extension to non-spherical potentials. The methods are tested on Monte Carlo samples of steady-state tracers in dark matter haloes to show that they are unbiased as well as efficient. A fully documented C/PYTHON code implementing our method is freely available at a GitHub repository linked from http://icc.dur.ac.uk/data/#oPDF.

Transmission FTIR derivative spectroscopy for estimation of furosemide in raw material and tablet dosage form

PubMed Central

Gallignani, Máximo; Rondón, Rebeca A.; Ovalles, José F.; Brunetto, María R.

2014-01-01

A Fourier transform infrared derivative spectroscopy (FTIR-DS) method has been developed for determining furosemide (FUR) in pharmaceutical solid dosage form. The method involves the extraction of FUR from tablets with N,N-dimethylformamide by sonication and direct measurement in liquid phase mode using a reduced path length cell. In general, the spectra were measured in transmission mode and the equipment was configured to collect a spectrum at 4 cm−1 resolution and a 13 s collection time (10 scans co-added). The spectra were collected between 1400 cm−1 and 450 cm−1. Derivative spectroscopy was used for data processing and quantitative measurement using the peak area of the second order spectrum of the major spectral band found at 1165 cm−1 (SO2 stretching of FUR) with baseline correction. The method fulfilled most validation requirements in the 2 mg/mL and 20 mg/mL range, with a 0.9998 coefficient of determination obtained by simple calibration model, and a general coefficient of variation <2%. The mean recovery for the proposed assay method resulted within the (100±3)% over the 80%–120% range of the target concentration. The results agree with a pharmacopoeial method and, therefore, could be considered interchangeable. PMID:26579407

Early intervention for substance abuse among youth and young adults with mental health conditions: an exploration of community mental health practices.

PubMed

Anthony, Elizabeth K; Taylor, Sarah A; Raffo, Zulma

2011-05-01

This mixed method study examined current practices and barriers for screening and assessing substance use among youth/young adults in community mental health systems. Substance use rates remain high among youth/young adults in the general population and substance use disorders are prevalent among young people involved in public service systems such as mental health. In an effort to understand the dynamics for early intervention, 64 case managers and/or clinical directors from children's mental health systems in two states participated in an online survey or focus group in fall 2008. Quantitative survey questions and qualitative focus group questions explored attitudes and perspectives about screening and early intervention for substance use among youth/young adults involved in the mental health system and current agency practices. Mixed method results suggest a number of barriers to substance use screening and early intervention and point to innovations that could be more effectively supported.

The use of mandibular body distraction in hemifacial microsomia

PubMed Central

Sakamoto, Yoshiaki; Nakajima, Hideo; Ogata, Hisao; Kishi, Kazuo

2013-01-01

Objective: The goals of treatment for hemifacial microsomia include horizontalization of occlusal plane and acquisition of facial symmetry. Although horizontalization of occlusal plane can be easily achieved, facial symmetry, particularly in relation to mandibular contour, can be difficult to attain. Soft tissue is generally reconstructed to correct facial asymmetry, and no studies have described correction of facial asymmetry through skeletal reconstruction. Case: A 12-year-old girl presented with grade IIb right-sided hemifacial microsomia. She was treated using Nakajima's angle-variable internal distraction (NAVID) system for mandibular body distraction. Results: Following treatment, appropriate facial symmetry was achieved, and the patient was extremely satisfied with the results. Conclusions: Thus, we successfully treated the present patient by our novel method involving distraction osteogenesis. This method was effective and useful for several reasons including; the changes were not accompanied by postoperative tissue absorption, donor sites were not involved, and the treatment outcome could be reevaluated by adjusting distraction while the patient's appearance was being remodeled. PMID:24205479

Large loop excision of the transformation zone for treating cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a 12-year experience.

PubMed

Paraskevaidis, E; Koliopoulos, G; Malamou-Mitsi, V; Zikopoulos, K; Paschopoulos, M; Pappa, L; Agnantis, N J; Loli, D E

2001-01-01

Although the existing evidence suggests that there is no obviously superior conservative method for treating cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), one of the most widely used is the large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ). A total of 897 women who were treated with LLETZ at our colposcopy clinic from 1989 to 2000 were retrospectively studied. Forty women did not have significant cervical pathology (4.5% over-treatment rate). Clear margins of excision were obtained in 748 (88.5%) of the 845 cases of CIN or microinvasive cancers. Treatment failure rates were 4.7% for clear margins and 26.8% for involved or uncertain. LLETZ is a fast and reliable method of treating CIN and microinvasive carcinoma. Generalized cauterization of the resulting crater should be avoided and satellite HPV lesions ablated. Involved margins have a higher treatmentfailure rate, therefore a larger excision is recommended as cervical craters regenerate. Treatment in pregnant women can be delayed until postpartum provided they have adequate surveillance during pregnancy.

Assessing the Hydraulic Criticality of Deep Ocean Overflows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratt, L. J.; Helfrich, K. R.

2004-12-01

Two methods for assessing the hydraulic criticality of a modelled or observed deep overflow are discussed. The methods should be of use in determining the position of the control section, which is needed to establish the transport relation helpful for long-term monitoring from upstream. Both approaches are based on a multiple streamtube idealization in which the observed flow at a particular section is divided up into subsections (streamtubes). There are no restrictions on the bottom topography or potential vorticity distribution. The first criteria involves evauation of a generalized Jacobian condition based on the conservation laws for each streamtube; the second involves direct calculation of the long-wave phase speeds. We also comment on the significance of the local Froude number F of the flow and argue that F must pass through unity across a section of hydraulic control. These criteria are applied to some numerically modelled flows and are used in the companion presentation (Girton, et al.) to evaluate the hydraulic criticality of the Faroe Bank Channel.

A novel model for DNA sequence similarity analysis based on graph theory.

PubMed

Qi, Xingqin; Wu, Qin; Zhang, Yusen; Fuller, Eddie; Zhang, Cun-Quan

2011-01-01

Determination of sequence similarity is one of the major steps in computational phylogenetic studies. As we know, during evolutionary history, not only DNA mutations for individual nucleotide but also subsequent rearrangements occurred. It has been one of major tasks of computational biologists to develop novel mathematical descriptors for similarity analysis such that various mutation phenomena information would be involved simultaneously. In this paper, different from traditional methods (eg, nucleotide frequency, geometric representations) as bases for construction of mathematical descriptors, we construct novel mathematical descriptors based on graph theory. In particular, for each DNA sequence, we will set up a weighted directed graph. The adjacency matrix of the directed graph will be used to induce a representative vector for DNA sequence. This new approach measures similarity based on both ordering and frequency of nucleotides so that much more information is involved. As an application, the method is tested on a set of 0.9-kb mtDNA sequences of twelve different primate species. All output phylogenetic trees with various distance estimations have the same topology, and are generally consistent with the reported results from early studies, which proves the new method's efficiency; we also test the new method on a simulated data set, which shows our new method performs better than traditional global alignment method when subsequent rearrangements happen frequently during evolutionary history.

A pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial of early intervention for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by practice nurse-general practitioner teams: Study Protocol

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of disability, hospitalization, and premature mortality. General practice is well placed to diagnose and manage COPD, but there is a significant gap between evidence and current practice, with a low level of awareness and implementation of clinical practice guidelines. Under-diagnosis of COPD is a world-wide problem, limiting the benefit that could potentially be achieved through early intervention strategies such as smoking cessation, dietary advice, and exercise. General practice is moving towards more structured chronic disease management, and the increasing involvement of practice nurses in delivering chronic care. Design A pragmatic cluster randomised trial will test the hypothesis that intervention by a practice nurse-general practitioner (GP) team leads to improved health-related quality of life and greater adherence with clinical practice guidelines for patients with newly-diagnosed COPD, compared with usual care. Forty general practices in greater metropolitan Sydney Australia will be recruited to identify patients at risk of COPD and invite them to attend a case finding appointment. Practices will be randomised to deliver either practice nurse-GP partnership care, or usual care, to patients newly-diagnosed with COPD. The active intervention will involve the practice nurse and GP working in partnership with the patient in developing and implementing a care plan involving (as appropriate), smoking cessation, immunisation, pulmonary rehabilitation, medication review, assessment and correction of inhaler technique, nutritional advice, management of psycho-social issues, patient education, and management of co-morbidities. The primary outcome measure is health-related quality of life, assessed with the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire 12 months after diagnosis. Secondary outcome measures include validated disease-specific and general health related quality of life measures, smoking and immunisation status, medications, inhaler technique, and lung function. Outcomes will be assessed by project officers blinded to patients’ randomization groups. Discussion This study will use proven case-finding methods to identify patients with undiagnosed COPD in general practice, where improved care has the potential for substantial benefit in health and healthcare utilization. The study provides the capacity to trial a new model of team-based assessment and management of newly diagnosed COPD in Australian primary care. Trial registration ACTRN12610000592044\\ PMID:22958678

Entropy-limited hydrodynamics: a novel approach to relativistic hydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guercilena, Federico; Radice, David; Rezzolla, Luciano

2017-07-01

We present entropy-limited hydrodynamics (ELH): a new approach for the computation of numerical fluxes arising in the discretization of hyperbolic equations in conservation form. ELH is based on the hybridisation of an unfiltered high-order scheme with the first-order Lax-Friedrichs method. The activation of the low-order part of the scheme is driven by a measure of the locally generated entropy inspired by the artificial-viscosity method proposed by Guermond et al. (J. Comput. Phys. 230(11):4248-4267, 2011, doi: 10.1016/j.jcp.2010.11.043). Here, we present ELH in the context of high-order finite-differencing methods and of the equations of general-relativistic hydrodynamics. We study the performance of ELH in a series of classical astrophysical tests in general relativity involving isolated, rotating and nonrotating neutron stars, and including a case of gravitational collapse to black hole. We present a detailed comparison of ELH with the fifth-order monotonicity preserving method MP5 (Suresh and Huynh in J. Comput. Phys. 136(1):83-99, 1997, doi: 10.1006/jcph.1997.5745), one of the most common high-order schemes currently employed in numerical-relativity simulations. We find that ELH achieves comparable and, in many of the cases studied here, better accuracy than more traditional methods at a fraction of the computational cost (up to {˜}50% speedup). Given its accuracy and its simplicity of implementation, ELH is a promising framework for the development of new special- and general-relativistic hydrodynamics codes well adapted for massively parallel supercomputers.

Improved Doubly Robust Estimation when Data are Monotonely Coarsened, with Application to Longitudinal Studies with Dropout

PubMed Central

Tsiatis, Anastasios A.; Davidian, Marie; Cao, Weihua

2010-01-01

Summary A routine challenge is that of making inference on parameters in a statistical model of interest from longitudinal data subject to drop out, which are a special case of the more general setting of monotonely coarsened data. Considerable recent attention has focused on doubly robust estimators, which in this context involve positing models for both the missingness (more generally, coarsening) mechanism and aspects of the distribution of the full data, that have the appealing property of yielding consistent inferences if only one of these models is correctly specified. Doubly robust estimators have been criticized for potentially disastrous performance when both of these models are even only mildly misspecified. We propose a doubly robust estimator applicable in general monotone coarsening problems that achieves comparable or improved performance relative to existing doubly robust methods, which we demonstrate via simulation studies and by application to data from an AIDS clinical trial. PMID:20731640

Micromechanics of Composite Materials Governed by Vector Constitutive Laws

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Aboudi, Jacob; Arnold, Steven M.

2017-01-01

The high-fidelity generalized method of cells micromechanics theory has been extended for the prediction of the effective property tensor and the corresponding local field distributions for composites whose constituents are governed by vector constitutive laws. As shown, the shear analogy, which can predict effective transverse properties, is not valid in the general three-dimensional case. Consequently, a general derivation is presented that is applicable to both continuously and discontinuously reinforced composites with arbitrary vector constitutive laws and periodic microstructures. Results are given for thermal and electric problems, effective properties and local field distributions, ordered and random microstructures, as well as complex geometries including woven composites. Comparisons of the theory's predictions are made to test data, numerical analysis, and classical expressions from the literature. Further, classical methods cannot provide the local field distributions in the composite, and it is demonstrated that, as the percolation threshold is approached, their predictions are increasingly unreliable. XXXX It has been observed that the bonding between the fibers and matrix in composite materials can be imperfect. In the context of thermal conductivity, such imperfect interfaces have been investigated in micromechanical models by Dunn and Taya (1993), Duan and Karihaloo (2007), Nan et al. (1997) and Hashin (2001). The present HFGMC micromechanical method, derived for perfectly bonded composite materials governed by vector constitutive laws, can be easily generalized to include the effects of weak bonding between the constituents. Such generalizations, in the context of the mechanical micromechanics problem, involve introduction of a traction-separation law at the fiber/matrix interface and have been presented by Aboudi (1987), Bednarcyk and Arnold (2002), Bednarcyk et al. (2004) and Aboudi et al. (2013) and will be addressed in the future.

An epidemiologic investigation of occupation, age, and exposure in general aviation accidents.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-04-01

This study involved a census of 4,491 general aviation accident-involved airmen records for the year 1974 to obtain relevant occupation, age, exposure, and other epidemiologic profile information of a descriptive nature. Population comparison data fo...

Collaborative learning about e-health for mental health professionals and service users in a structured anonymous online short course: pilot study.

PubMed

Ashurst, Emily J; Jones, Ray B; Williamson, Graham R; Emmens, Tobit; Perry, Jon

2012-05-31

Professionals are interested in using e-health but implementation of new methods is slow. Barriers to implementation include the need for training and limited awareness or experience. Research may not always convince mental health professionals (MHPs). Adding the 'voice' of mental health service users (MHSUs) in collaborative learning may help. Involving MHSUs in face-face education can be difficult. We had previously been unable to engage MHPs in online discussion with MHSUs. Here we assessed the feasibility of short online courses involving MHSUs and MHPs. We ran three e-health courses, comprising live interactive webcast, week's access to a discussion forum, and final live interactive webcast. We recruited MHPs via posters, newsletters, and telephone from a local NHS trust, and online via mailing lists and personal contacts from NHS trusts and higher education. We recruited MHSUs via a previous project and an independent user involvement service. Participants were presented with research evidence about e-health and asked to discuss topics using professional and lived experience. Feasibility was assessed through recruitment and attrition, participation, and researcher workloads. Outcomes of self-esteem and general self-efficacy (MHSUs), and Internet self-efficacy and confidence (MHPs) were piloted. Online recruiting was effective. We lost 15/41 from registration to follow-up but only 5/31 that participated in the course failed to complete follow-up. Nineteen MHPs and 12 MHSUs took part and engaged with each other in online discussion. Feedback was positive; three-quarters of MHPs indicated future plans to use the Internet for practice, and 80% of MHSUs felt the course should be continued. Running three courses for 31 participants took between 200 to 250 hours. Before and after outcome measures were completed by 26/31 that participated. MHP Internet self-efficacy and general Internet confidence, MHSU self-esteem and general self-efficacy, all seemed reliable and seemed to show some increase. Collaborative learning between MHSUs and MHPs in a structured online anonymous environment over a one-week course is feasible, may be more practical and less costly than face-face methods, and is worthy of further study.

Development of a proteomic approach to monitor protein synthesis in mycotoxin producing moulds.

PubMed

Milles, J; Krämer, J; Prange, A

2007-12-01

In general, proteome studies compare different states of metabolism to investigate external or internal influences on protein expression. In the context of mycotoxin production the method could open another view on this complex and could be helpful to gain knowledge about proteins which are involved in metabolism (enzymes, transporters). In this short technical report, we describe a new protocol suitable for protein preparation for whole proteome analysis ofFusarium graminearum. Cell lysis was performed by grinding the mycelium with liquid nitrogen. Proteins were extracted with TCA/acetone and then cleaned; the isolated proteins were separated in a 2D-gel electrophoresis system (BioRad) using different pH gradients. The protocol established seems also generally applicable for other mycotoxin producing fungi.

OPTIMASS: a package for the minimization of kinematic mass functions with constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Won Sang; Gainer, James S.; Kim, Doojin; Lim, Sung Hak; Matchev, Konstantin T.; Moortgat, Filip; Pape, Luc; Park, Myeonghun

2016-01-01

Reconstructed mass variables, such as M 2, M 2 C , M T * , and M T2 W , play an essential role in searches for new physics at hadron colliders. The calculation of these variables generally involves constrained minimization in a large parameter space, which is numerically challenging. We provide a C++ code, O ptimass, which interfaces with the M inuit library to perform this constrained minimization using the Augmented Lagrangian Method. The code can be applied to arbitrarily general event topologies, thus allowing the user to significantly extend the existing set of kinematic variables. We describe this code, explain its physics motivation, and demonstrate its use in the analysis of the fully leptonic decay of pair-produced top quarks using M 2 variables.

Group theoretical formulation of free fall and projectile motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Düztaş, Koray

2018-07-01

In this work we formulate the group theoretical description of free fall and projectile motion. We show that the kinematic equations for constant acceleration form a one parameter group acting on a phase space. We define the group elements ϕ t by their action on the points in the phase space. We also generalize this approach to projectile motion. We evaluate the group orbits regarding their relations to the physical orbits of particles and unphysical solutions. We note that the group theoretical formulation does not apply to more general cases involving a time-dependent acceleration. This method improves our understanding of the constant acceleration problem with its global approach. It is especially beneficial for students who want to pursue a career in theoretical physics.

Ewald method for polytropic potentials in arbitrary dimensionality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osychenko, O. N.; Astrakharchik, G. E.; Boronat, J.

2012-02-01

The Ewald summation technique is generalized to power-law 1/| r | k potentials in three-, two- and one-dimensional geometries with explicit formulae for all the components of the sums. The cases of short-range, long-range and 'marginal' interactions are treated separately. The jellium model, as a particular case of a charge-neutral system, is discussed and the explicit forms of the Ewald sums for such a system are presented. A generalized form of the Ewald sums for a non-cubic (non-square) simulation cell for three- (two-) dimensional geometry is obtained and its possible field of application is discussed. A procedure for the optimization of the involved parameters in actual simulations is developed and an example of its application is presented.

Analysis of general-aviation accidents using ATC radar records

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wingrove, R. C.; Bach, R. E., Jr.

1982-01-01

It is pointed out that general aviation aircraft usually do not carry flight recorders, and in accident investigations the only available data may come from the Air Traffic Control (ATC) records. A description is presented of a technique for deriving time-histories of aircraft motions from ATC radar records. The employed procedure involves a smoothing of the raw radar data. The smoothed results, in combination with other available information (meteorological data and aircraft aerodynamic data) are used to derive the expanded set of motion time-histories. Applications of the considered analytical methods are related to different types of aircraft, such as light piston-props, executive jets, and commuter turboprops, as well as different accident situations, such as takeoff, climb-out, icing, and deep stall.

An ansatz for solving nonlinear partial differential equations in mathematical physics.

PubMed

Akbar, M Ali; Ali, Norhashidah Hj Mohd

2016-01-01

In this article, we introduce an ansatz involving exact traveling wave solutions to nonlinear partial differential equations. To obtain wave solutions using direct method, the choice of an appropriate ansatz is of great importance. We apply this ansatz to examine new and further general traveling wave solutions to the (1+1)-dimensional modified Benjamin-Bona-Mahony equation. Abundant traveling wave solutions are derived including solitons, singular solitons, periodic solutions and general solitary wave solutions. The solutions emphasize the nobility of this ansatz in providing distinct solutions to various tangible phenomena in nonlinear science and engineering. The ansatz could be more efficient tool to deal with higher dimensional nonlinear evolution equations which frequently arise in many real world physical problems.

Methods of Antimicrobial Coating of Diverse Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akse, James R.; Holtsnider, John T.; Kliestik, Helen

2011-01-01

Methods of coating diverse substrate materials with antimicrobial agents have been developed. Originally intended to reduce health risks to astronauts posed by pathogenic microorganisms that can grow on surfaces in spacecraft, these methods could also be used on Earth for example, to ensure sterility of surgical inserts and other medical equipment. The methods involve, generally, chemical preparation of substrate surfaces to enable attachment of antimicrobial molecules to the substrate surfaces via covalent bonds. Substrate materials that have been treated successfully include aluminum, glass, a corrosion-resistant nickel alloy, stainless steel, titanium, and poly(tetrafluoroethylene). Antimicrobial agents that have been successfully immobilized include antibiotics, enzymes, bacteriocins, bactericides, and fungicides. A variety of linkage chem istries were employed. Activity of antimicrobial coatings against gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, and fungi was demonstrated. Results of investigations indicate that the most suitable combination of antimicrobial agent, substrate, and coating method depends upon the intended application.

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

Kagan, D. N., E-mail: d.n.kagan@mtu-net.ru; Krechetova, G. A.; Shpil'rain, E. E.

A detailed procedural analysis is given and results of implementation of the new version of the effusion method for determining the Gibbs energy (thermodynamic activity) of binary and ternary systems of alkali metals Cs-Na, K-Na, Cs-K, and Cs-K-Na are presented. The activity is determined using partial pressures of the components measured according the effusion method by the intensity of their atomic beams. The pressure range used in the experiment is intermediate between the Knudsen and hydrodynamic effusion modes. A generalized version of the effusion method involves the pressure range beyond the limits of the applicability of the Hertz-Knudsen equation. Employmentmore » of this method provides the differential equation of chemical thermodynamics; solution of this equation makes it possible to construct the Gibbs energy in the range of temperatures 400 {<=} T {<=} 1200 K and concentrations 0 {<=} x{sub i} {<=} 1.« less

A framework for discrete stochastic simulation on 3D moving boundary domains

DOE PAGES

Drawert, Brian; Hellander, Stefan; Trogdon, Michael; ...

2016-11-14

We have developed a method for modeling spatial stochastic biochemical reactions in complex, three-dimensional, and time-dependent domains using the reaction-diffusion master equation formalism. In particular, we look to address the fully coupled problems that arise in systems biology where the shape and mechanical properties of a cell are determined by the state of the biochemistry and vice versa. To validate our method and characterize the error involved, we compare our results for a carefully constructed test problem to those of a microscale implementation. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our method by simulating a model of polarization and shmoo formationmore » during the mating of yeast. The method is generally applicable to problems in systems biology where biochemistry and mechanics are coupled, and spatial stochastic effects are critical.« less

A method for the dynamic and thermal stress analysis of space shuttle surface insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ojalvo, I. U.; Levy, A.; Austin, F.

1975-01-01

The thermal protection system of the space shuttle consists of thousands of separate insulation tiles bonded to the orbiter's surface through a soft strain-isolation layer. The individual tiles are relatively thick and possess nonuniform properties. Therefore, each is idealized by finite-element assemblages containing up to 2500 degrees of freedom. Since the tiles affixed to a given structural panel will, in general, interact with one another, application of the standard direct-stiffness method would require equation systems involving excessive numbers of unknowns. This paper presents a method which overcomes this problem through an efficient iterative procedure which requires treatment of only a single tile at any given time. Results of associated static, dynamic, and thermal stress analyses and sufficient conditions for convergence of the iterative solution method are given.

Exact finite element method analysis of viscoelastic tapered structures to transient loads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spyrakos, Constantine Chris

1987-01-01

A general method is presented for determining the dynamic torsional/axial response of linear structures composed of either tapered bars or shafts to transient excitations. The method consists of formulating and solving the dynamic problem in the Laplace transform domain by the finite element method and obtaining the response by a numerical inversion of the transformed solution. The derivation of the torsional and axial stiffness matrices is based on the exact solution of the transformed governing equation of motion, and it consequently leads to the exact solution of the problem. The solution permits treatment of the most practical cases of linear tapered bars and shafts, and employs modeling of structures with only one element per member which reduces the number of degrees of freedom involved. The effects of external viscous or internal viscoelastic damping are also taken into account.

Relative Effectiveness of Worker Safety and Health Training Methods

PubMed Central

Burke, Michael J.; Sarpy, Sue Ann; Smith-Crowe, Kristin; Chan-Serafin, Suzanne; Salvador, Rommel O.; Islam, Gazi

2006-01-01

Objectives. We sought to determine the relative effectiveness of different methods of worker safety and health training aimed at improving safety knowledge and performance and reducing negative outcomes (accidents, illnesses, and injuries). Methods. Ninety-five quasi-experimental studies (n=20991) were included in the analysis. Three types of intervention methods were distinguished on the basis of learners’ participation in the training process: least engaging (lecture, pamphlets, videos), moderately engaging (programmed instruction, feedback interventions), and most engaging (training in behavioral modeling, hands-on training). Results. As training methods became more engaging (i.e., requiring trainees’ active participation), workers demonstrated greater knowledge acquisition, and reductions were seen in accidents, illnesses, and injuries. All methods of training produced meaningful behavioral performance improvements. Conclusions. Training involving behavioral modeling, a substantial amount of practice, and dialogue is generally more effective than other methods of safety and health training. The present findings challenge the current emphasis on more passive computer-based and distance training methods within the public health workforce. PMID:16380566

Group decision-making approach for flood vulnerability identification using the fuzzy VIKOR method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, G.; Jun, K. S.; Cung, E. S.

2014-09-01

This study proposes an improved group decision making (GDM) framework that combines VIKOR method with fuzzified data to quantify the spatial flood vulnerability including multi-criteria evaluation indicators. In general, GDM method is an effective tool for formulating a compromise solution that involves various decision makers since various stakeholders may have different perspectives on their flood risk/vulnerability management responses. The GDM approach is designed to achieve consensus building that reflects the viewpoints of each participant. The fuzzy VIKOR method was developed to solve multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problems with conflicting and noncommensurable criteria. This comprising method can be used to obtain a nearly ideal solution according to all established criteria. Triangular fuzzy numbers are used to consider the uncertainty of weights and the crisp data of proxy variables. This approach can effectively propose some compromising decisions by combining the GDM method and fuzzy VIKOR method. The spatial flood vulnerability of the south Han River using the GDM approach combined with the fuzzy VIKOR method was compared with the results from general MCDM methods, such as the fuzzy TOPSIS and classical GDM methods, such as those developed by Borda, Condorcet, and Copeland. The evaluated priorities were significantly dependent on the employed decision-making method. The proposed fuzzy GDM approach can reduce the uncertainty in the data confidence and weight derivation techniques. Thus, the combination of the GDM approach with the fuzzy VIKOR method can provide robust prioritization because it actively reflects the opinions of various groups and considers uncertainty in the input data.

Partition of unity finite element method for quantum mechanical materials calculations

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

Pask, J. E.; Sukumar, N.

The current state of the art for large-scale quantum-mechanical simulations is the planewave (PW) pseudopotential method, as implemented in codes such as VASP, ABINIT, and many others. However, since the PW method uses a global Fourier basis, with strictly uniform resolution at all points in space, it suffers from substantial inefficiencies in calculations involving atoms with localized states, such as first-row and transition-metal atoms, and requires significant nonlocal communications, which limit parallel efficiency. Real-space methods such as finite-differences (FD) and finite-elements (FE) have partially addressed both resolution and parallel-communications issues but have been plagued by one key disadvantage relative tomore » PW: excessive number of degrees of freedom (basis functions) needed to achieve the required accuracies. In this paper, we present a real-space partition of unity finite element (PUFE) method to solve the Kohn–Sham equations of density functional theory. In the PUFE method, we build the known atomic physics into the solution process using partition-of-unity enrichment techniques in finite element analysis. The method developed herein is completely general, applicable to metals and insulators alike, and particularly efficient for deep, localized potentials, as occur in calculations at extreme conditions of pressure and temperature. Full self-consistent Kohn–Sham calculations are presented for LiH, involving light atoms, and CeAl, involving heavy atoms with large numbers of atomic-orbital enrichments. We find that the new PUFE approach attains the required accuracies with substantially fewer degrees of freedom, typically by an order of magnitude or more, than the PW method. As a result, we compute the equation of state of LiH and show that the computed lattice constant and bulk modulus are in excellent agreement with reference PW results, while requiring an order of magnitude fewer degrees of freedom to obtain.« less

Partition of unity finite element method for quantum mechanical materials calculations

DOE PAGES

Pask, J. E.; Sukumar, N.

2016-11-09

The current state of the art for large-scale quantum-mechanical simulations is the planewave (PW) pseudopotential method, as implemented in codes such as VASP, ABINIT, and many others. However, since the PW method uses a global Fourier basis, with strictly uniform resolution at all points in space, it suffers from substantial inefficiencies in calculations involving atoms with localized states, such as first-row and transition-metal atoms, and requires significant nonlocal communications, which limit parallel efficiency. Real-space methods such as finite-differences (FD) and finite-elements (FE) have partially addressed both resolution and parallel-communications issues but have been plagued by one key disadvantage relative tomore » PW: excessive number of degrees of freedom (basis functions) needed to achieve the required accuracies. In this paper, we present a real-space partition of unity finite element (PUFE) method to solve the Kohn–Sham equations of density functional theory. In the PUFE method, we build the known atomic physics into the solution process using partition-of-unity enrichment techniques in finite element analysis. The method developed herein is completely general, applicable to metals and insulators alike, and particularly efficient for deep, localized potentials, as occur in calculations at extreme conditions of pressure and temperature. Full self-consistent Kohn–Sham calculations are presented for LiH, involving light atoms, and CeAl, involving heavy atoms with large numbers of atomic-orbital enrichments. We find that the new PUFE approach attains the required accuracies with substantially fewer degrees of freedom, typically by an order of magnitude or more, than the PW method. As a result, we compute the equation of state of LiH and show that the computed lattice constant and bulk modulus are in excellent agreement with reference PW results, while requiring an order of magnitude fewer degrees of freedom to obtain.« less

The Role of Metaphysical Naturalism in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahner, Martin

2012-10-01

This paper defends the view that metaphysical naturalism is a constitutive ontological principle of science in that the general empirical methods of science, such as observation, measurement and experiment, and thus the very production of empirical evidence, presuppose a no-supernature principle. It examines the consequences of metaphysical naturalism for the testability of supernatural claims, and it argues that explanations involving supernatural entities are pseudo-explanatory due to the many semantic and ontological problems of supernatural concepts. The paper also addresses the controversy about metaphysical versus methodological naturalism.

Characterizing hospital inpatients: the importance of demographics and attitudes.

PubMed

Danko, W D; Janakiramanan, B; Stanley, T J

1988-01-01

To compete effectively, hospital administrators must understand inpatients who are involved in hospital-choice decisions more clearly. To this end, a methodology is presented to measure and assess the importance of inpatients' personal attributes in predicting hospital selection. Empirical results show that demographic characteristics are poor--but attitudes are useful--segmentation variables that delineate differences between two particular hospitals' inpatients. More generally, the survey method and statistical procedures outlined are applicable (with slight modification) to markets with a greater number of competitors.

Applications of Advanced Experimental Methods to Visual Technology Research Simulator Studies: Supplemental Techniques.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-01

straight line. Those that are larger than might be expected by chance will deviate i.oticeably from the line. Wilk and Gnanadesikan (1964; also see Roy... Gnanadesikan , and Srivasta, 1971, Chapter VIII; also see Simon, 1977a, pp 151-158 for a general description of the procedure) describe how to use a...by Wilk and Gnanadesikan is rather involved and is explained in matrix algebra terms, it is described b-low along with an example to facilitate its

EVEN VISITING SCIENTISTS COULD MAKE DISCOVERIES IN MONTREAL.

PubMed

Lázár, György

2014-03-30

This publication summarizes the scientific adventure with Professor Selye, and focuses on the specific effect of rare metal salts on reticuloendothelial functions. Rare earth metal ions markedly affect the functions of cells involved in inflammatory and immunological phenomena. The Kupffer cell blockade induced by GdCl3 is a generally accepted method for investigation of the physiological and pathophysiological roles of Kupffer cells. Potential beneficial effects of macrophage blockade have been demonstrated in different shock states, liver injury and obstructive jaundice.

An Osteobiography of a Remarkable Protohistoric Chamorro Man from Taga, Tinian

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

the term is used more inclusively, to refer to skeletal studies that address the “composite lives of the general population,” as well as questions...that guma’ latte may have con- tinued to be used until the mid-1700s. Taotao Tagga’ was buried at a late prehistoric to early historic village along...of the best non-invasive adult aging methods involve examination of metamorphic changes to the auricular surface of the ilium and, especially, the

Using the case study teaching method to promote college students' critical thinking skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terry, David Richard

2007-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine general and domain-specific critical thinking skills in college students, particularly ways in which these skills might be increased through the use of the case study method of teaching. General critical thinking skills were measured using the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) Short Form, a forty-item paper-and-pencil test designed to measure important abilities involved in critical thinking, including inference, recognition of assumptions, deduction, interpretation, and evaluation of arguments. The ability to identify claims and support those claims with evidence is also an important aspect of critical thinking. I developed a new instrument, the Claim and Evidence Assessment Tool (CEAT), to measure these skills in a domain-specific manner. Forty undergraduate students in a general science course for non-science majors at a small two-year college in the northeastern United States experienced positive changes in general critical thinking according to results obtained using the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA). In addition, the students showed cumulative improvement in their ability to identify claims and evidence, as measured by the Claim and Evidence Assessment Tool (CEAT). Mean score on the WGCTA improved from 22.15 +/- 4.59 to 23.48 +/- 4.24 (out of 40), and the mean CEAT score increased from 14.98 +/- 3.28 to 16.20 +/- 3.08 (out of 24). These increases were modest but statistically and educationally significant. No differences in claim and evidence identification were found between students who learned about specific biology topics using the case study method of instruction and those who were engaged in more traditional instruction, and the students' ability to identify claims and evidence and their factual knowledge showed little if any correlation. The results of this research were inconclusive regarding whether or not the case study teaching method promotes college students' general or domain-specific critical thinking skills, and future research addressing this issue should probably utilize larger sample sizes and a pretest-posttest randomized experimental design.

Pure E and B polarization maps via Wiener filtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunn, Emory F.; Wandelt, Benjamin

2017-08-01

In order to draw scientific conclusions from observations of cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization, it is necessary to separate the contributions of the E and B components of the data. For data with incomplete sky coverage, there are ambiguous modes, which can be sourced by either E or B signals. Techniques exist for producing "pure" E and B maps, which are guaranteed to be free of cross-contamination, although the standard method, which involves constructing an eigenbasis, has a high computational cost. We show that such pure maps can be thought of as resulting from the application of a Wiener filter to the data. This perspective leads to far more efficient methods of producing pure maps. Moreover, by expressing the idea of purification in the general framework of Wiener filtering (i.e., maximization of a posterior probability), it leads to a variety of generalizations of the notion of pure E and B maps, e.g., accounting for noise or other contaminants in the data as well as correlations with temperature anisotropy.

A general approach for sample size calculation for the three-arm 'gold standard' non-inferiority design.

PubMed

Stucke, Kathrin; Kieser, Meinhard

2012-12-10

In the three-arm 'gold standard' non-inferiority design, an experimental treatment, an active reference, and a placebo are compared. This design is becoming increasingly popular, and it is, whenever feasible, recommended for use by regulatory guidelines. We provide a general method to calculate the required sample size for clinical trials performed in this design. As special cases, the situations of continuous, binary, and Poisson distributed outcomes are explored. Taking into account the correlation structure of the involved test statistics, the proposed approach leads to considerable savings in sample size as compared with application of ad hoc methods for all three scale levels. Furthermore, optimal sample size allocation ratios are determined that result in markedly smaller total sample sizes as compared with equal assignment. As optimal allocation makes the active treatment groups larger than the placebo group, implementation of the proposed approach is also desirable from an ethical viewpoint. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

General practitioners’ views of clinically led commissioning: cross-sectional survey in England

PubMed Central

Moran, Valerie; Checkland, Kath; Coleman, Anna; Spooner, Sharon; Gibson, Jonathan; Sutton, Matt

2017-01-01

Objectives Involving general practitioners (GPs) in the commissioning/purchasing of services has been an important element in English health policy for many years. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 handed responsibility for commissioning of the majority of care for local populations to GP-led Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). In this paper, we explore GP attitudes to involvement in commissioning and future intentions for engagement. Design and setting Survey of a random sample of GPs across England in 2015. Method The Eighth National GP Worklife Survey was distributed to GPs in spring 2015. Responses were received from 2611 respondents (response rate = 46%). We compared responses across different GP characteristics and conducted two sample tests of proportions to identify statistically significant differences in responses across groups. We also used multivariate logistic regression to identify the characteristics associated with wanting a formal CCG role in the future. Results While GPs generally agree that they can add value to aspects of commissioning, only a minority feel that this is an important part of their role. Many current leaders intend to quit in the next 5 years, and there is limited appetite among those not currently in a formal role to take up such a role in the future. CCGs were set up as ‘membership organisations’ but only a minority of respondents reported feeling that they had ‘ownership’ of their local CCG and these were often GPs with formal CCG roles. However, respondents generally agree that the CCG has a legitimate role in influencing the work that they do. Conclusion CCGs need to engage in active succession planning to find the next generation of GP leaders. GPs believe that CCGs have a legitimate role in influencing their work, suggesting that there may be scope for CCGs to involve GPs more fully in roles short of formal leadership. PMID:28596217

Improving antibiotic prescribing by general practitioners: a protocol for a systematic review of interventions involving pharmacists

PubMed Central

Saha, Sajal K; Hawes, Lesley; Mazza, Danielle

2018-01-01

Introduction Effective antibiotic options in general practice for patients with infections are declining significantly due to antibiotic over-prescribing and emerging antibiotic resistance. To better improve antibiotic prescribing by general practitioner (GP), pharmacist–GP collaborations have been promoted under antibiotic stewardship programmes. However, there is insufficient information about whether and how pharmacists help GPs to more appropriately prescribe antibiotics. This systematic review aims to determine whether pharmacist-led or pharmacist-involved interventions are effective at improving antibiotic prescribing by GPs. Methods and analysis A systematic review of English language randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cluster RCTs, controlled before-and-after studies and interrupted time series studies cited in MEDLINE, EMBASE, EMCARE, CINAHL Plus, PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Web of Science databases will be conducted. Studies will be included if a pharmacist is involved as the intervention provider and GPs are the intervention recipients in general practice setting. Data extraction and management will be conducted using Effective Practice and Organisation of Care data abstraction tools and a template for intervention description and replication. The Cochrane and ROBINS-I risk of bias assessment tools will be used to assess the methodological quality of studies. Primary outcome measures include changes (overall, broad spectrum and guidelines concordance) of GP-prescribed antibiotics. Secondary outcomes include quality of antibiotic prescribing, delayed antibiotic use, acceptability and feasibility of interventions. Meta-analysis for combined effect and forest plots, χ2 test and I2 statistics for detailed heterogeneity and sensitivity analysis will be performed if data permit. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols guidance will be used to report findings. Ethics and dissemination No ethics approval is required as no primary, personal or confidential data are being collected in this study. The findings will be disseminated to national and international scientific sessions and published in a peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO registration number CRD42017078478. PMID:29654036

Petz recovery versus matrix reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holzäpfel, Milan; Cramer, Marcus; Datta, Nilanjana; Plenio, Martin B.

2018-04-01

The reconstruction of the state of a multipartite quantum mechanical system represents a fundamental task in quantum information science. At its most basic, it concerns a state of a bipartite quantum system whose subsystems are subjected to local operations. We compare two different methods for obtaining the original state from the state resulting from the action of these operations. The first method involves quantum operations called Petz recovery maps, acting locally on the two subsystems. The second method is called matrix (or state) reconstruction and involves local, linear maps that are not necessarily completely positive. Moreover, we compare the quantities on which the maps employed in the two methods depend. We show that any state that admits Petz recovery also admits state reconstruction. However, the latter is successful for a strictly larger set of states. We also compare these methods in the context of a finite spin chain. Here, the state of a finite spin chain is reconstructed from the reduced states of a few neighbouring spins. In this setting, state reconstruction is the same as the matrix product operator reconstruction proposed by Baumgratz et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 020401 (2013)]. Finally, we generalize both these methods so that they employ long-range measurements instead of relying solely on short-range correlations embodied in such local reduced states. Long-range measurements enable the reconstruction of states which cannot be reconstructed from measurements of local few-body observables alone and hereby we improve existing methods for quantum state tomography of quantum many-body systems.

An efficient strongly coupled immersed boundary method for deforming bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goza, Andres; Colonius, Tim

2016-11-01

Immersed boundary methods treat the fluid and immersed solid with separate domains. As a result, a nonlinear interface constraint must be satisfied when these methods are applied to flow-structure interaction problems. This typically results in a large nonlinear system of equations that is difficult to solve efficiently. Often, this system is solved with a block Gauss-Seidel procedure, which is easy to implement but can require many iterations to converge for small solid-to-fluid mass ratios. Alternatively, a Newton-Raphson procedure can be used to solve the nonlinear system. This typically leads to convergence in a small number of iterations for arbitrary mass ratios, but involves the use of large Jacobian matrices. We present an immersed boundary formulation that, like the Newton-Raphson approach, uses a linearization of the system to perform iterations. It therefore inherits the same favorable convergence behavior. However, we avoid large Jacobian matrices by using a block LU factorization of the linearized system. We derive our method for general deforming surfaces and perform verification on 2D test problems of flow past beams. These test problems involve large amplitude flapping and a wide range of mass ratios. This work was partially supported by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Consumer involvement in cancer research: example from a Cancer Network.

PubMed

Arain, Mubashir; Pyne, Sarah; Thornton, Nigel; Palmer, Susan; Sharma, Ricky A

2015-10-01

The involvement of consumers and the general public in improving cancer services is an important component of health services. However, consumer involvement in cancer research is relatively unexplored. The objective of this study was to explore different ways of involving consumers in cancer research in one regional network. Thames Valley Cancer Network Consumer Research Partnership (CRP) group was formed in 2009. The group consists of consumers and professionals to help in promoting consumer involvement in Cancer Research in the Thames Valley. This study evaluated the project of consumer involvement in cancer research in the Thames Valley from March 2010 to March 2011. We used different indices to judge the level of consumer involvement: number of projects involving consumers through the group, types of projects, level of involvement (ranged from consultation on research documents to collaborating in preparing grant applications) and the methods of involving consumers in cancer research. Fifteen projects were submitted to the CRP group during the 12-month period studied. Of these, eight projects were clinical trials, three were qualitative research projects, two were patients' surveys and two were non-randomized interventional studies. Seven projects requested consumer involvement on patient information sheets for clinical trials. Of these seven applications, three also requested consumers' help in designing research questionnaires and another three requested that consumers should be involved in their project management group. In addition, four projects involved consumers in the proposal development phase and another four projects asked for advice on how to increase trial recruitment, conduct patient interviews or help with grant applications. The creation of the CRP and this audit of its activity have documented consumer involvement in cancer research in the Thames Valley. We have clearly shown that consumers can be involved in designing and managing cancer research projects. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Role of the parameters involved in the plan optimization based on the generalized equivalent uniform dose and radiobiological implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widesott, L.; Strigari, L.; Pressello, M. C.; Benassi, M.; Landoni, V.

2008-03-01

We investigated the role and the weight of the parameters involved in the intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) optimization based on the generalized equivalent uniform dose (gEUD) method, for prostate and head-and-neck plans. We systematically varied the parameters (gEUDmax and weight) involved in the gEUD-based optimization of rectal wall and parotid glands. We found that the proper value of weight factor, still guaranteeing planning treatment volumes coverage, produced similar organs at risks dose-volume (DV) histograms for different gEUDmax with fixed a = 1. Most of all, we formulated a simple relation that links the reference gEUDmax and the associated weight factor. As secondary objective, we evaluated plans obtained with the gEUD-based optimization and ones based on DV criteria, using the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models. gEUD criteria seemed to improve sparing of rectum and parotid glands with respect to DV-based optimization: the mean dose, the V40 and V50 values to the rectal wall were decreased of about 10%, the mean dose to parotids decreased of about 20-30%. But more than the OARs sparing, we underlined the halving of the OARs optimization time with the implementation of the gEUD-based cost function. Using NTCP models we enhanced differences between the two optimization criteria for parotid glands, but no for rectum wall.

Prevalence of Different Combinations of Antiepileptic Drugs and CNS Drugs in Elderly Home Care Service and Nursing Home Patients in Norway.

PubMed

Halvorsen, Kjell H; Johannessen Landmark, Cecilie; Granas, Anne Gerd

2016-01-01

Introduction. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are used to treat different conditions in elderly patients and are among the drug classes most susceptible to be involved in drug-drug interactions (DDI). The aim of the study was to describe and compare use of AEDs between home care service and nursing home patients, as these patients are not included in nationwide databases of drug utilization. In the combined population, we investigate DDI of AEDs with other central nervous system- (CNS-) active drugs and DDIs involving AEDs in general. Materials and Methods. Point-prevalence study of Norwegian patients in home care services and nursing homes in 2009. At the patient level, we screened for different DDIs involving AEDs. Results. In total, 882 patients (7.8%) of 11,254 patients used AEDs and number of users did not differ between home care services and nursing homes (8.2% versus 7.7%). In the combined population, we identified 436 potential DDIs in 45% of the patients. Conclusions. In a large population of elderly, home care service and nursing home patients do not differ with respect to exposure of AEDs but use more AEDs as compared to the general population of similar age. The risk of DDIs with AEDs and other CNS-active drugs should be taken into consideration and individual clinical evaluations are assessed in this population.

A comparison of university student and community gamblers: Motivations, impulsivity, and gambling cognitions

PubMed Central

Marmurek, Harvey H. C.; Switzer, Jessica; D’Alvise, Joshua

2014-01-01

Background and aims: The present study tested whether the associations among motivational, cognitive, and personality correlates of problem gambling severity differed across university student gamblers (n = 123) and gamblers in the general adult community (n = 113). Methods: The participants completed a survey that included standardized measures of gambling motivation, gambling related cognitions, and impulsivity. The survey also asked participants to report the forms of gambling in which they engaged to test whether gambling involvement (number of different forms of gambling) was related to problem gambling severity. After completing the survey, participants played roulette online to examine whether betting patterns adhered to the gambler’s fallacy. Results: Gambling involvement was significantly related to problem gambling severity for the community sample but not for the student sample. A logistic regression analysis that tested the involvement, motivation, impulsivity and cognitive correlates showed that money motivation and gambling related cognitions were the only significant independent predictors of gambling severity. Adherence to the gambler’s fallacy was stronger for students than for the community sample, and was associated with gambling related cognitions. Discussion: The motivational, impulsivity and cognitive, and correlates of problem gambling function similarly in university student gamblers and in gamblers from the general adult community. Interventions for both groups should focus on the financial and cognitive supports of problem gambling. PMID:25215214

Safer Prescribing and Care for the Elderly (SPACE): feasibility of audit and feedback plus practice mail-out to patients with high-risk prescribing.

PubMed

Wallis, Katharine; Tuckey, Rebecca

2017-06-01

INTRODUCTION High-risk prescribing in general practice is common and places patients at increased risk of adverse events. AIM The Safer Prescribing and Care for the Elderly (SPACE) intervention, comprising audit and feedback plus practice mail-out to patients with high-risk prescribing, was designed to promote medicines review and support safer prescribing. This study aims to test the SPACE intervention feasibility in general practice. METHODS This feasibility study involved an Auckland Primary Health Organisation (PHO), a clinical advisory pharmacist, two purposively sampled urban general practices, and seven GPs. The acceptability and utility of the SPACE intervention were assessed by semi- structured interviews involving study participants, including 11 patients with high-risk prescribing. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a general inductive approach to identify emergent themes. RESULTS The pharmacist said the SPACE intervention facilitated communication with GPs, and provided a platform for their clinical advisory role at no extra cost to the PHO. GPs said the feedback session with the pharmacist was educational but added to time pressures. GPs selected 29 patients for the mail-out. Some GPs were concerned the mail-out might upset patients, but patients said they felt cared for. Some patients intended to take the letter to their next appointment and discuss their medicines with their GP; others said there were already many things to discuss and not enough time. Some patients were confused by the medicines information brochure. DISCUSSION The SPACE intervention is feasible in general practice. The medicines information brochure needs simplification. Further research is needed to test the effect of SPACE on high-risk prescribing.

An Evaluation on Iran International Public Health Summer School in Relation to its Efficacy Based on Participants' Experience and Opinions.

PubMed

Parnia, Aidin; Yamani, Nikoo; Zamani, Ahmadreza; Badihian, Shervin; Manouchehri, Navid; Fakhri, Maryam

2017-01-01

A serious challenge to educate health staff for public health is to appear encouraging enough to persuade them for learning issues on this field and implementing new educational methods and innovative ways. Iran International Public Health Summer School (IPHS) made an effort to provide medical sciences students with a fortune to get familiar with and involved in public health. This study intended to evaluate the efficacy of this event. This cross-sectional study was performed in March-April 2015 by the help of an electronic self-administered questionnaire filled out by 49 Iranian participants 6 months after IPHS2014. The questionnaire assessed the main goals in seven main domains: Interest, activities, and general knowledge in the field of public health, general skills, educational methods, educational and executive schedules, and general satisfaction. Average scores of all domains were >3 (the mean), and all were statistically significant. The highest average score belonged to educational methods (3.92) and the lowest was calculated for the item regarding participants' activities on public health (3.5). No significant difference was found between positive answers of individuals who were interested or active in public health prior to the event and those who had no background. We believe IPHS was a unique instance in Public Health Education in Iran. Considering the level of success of this program to reach its goals for both students' with or without any previous background on public health, it is recommended as a general model to be simulated in other developing countries.

Electronic excitation and quenching of atoms at insulator surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swaminathan, P. K.; Garrett, Bruce C.; Murthy, C. S.

1988-01-01

A trajectory-based semiclassical method is used to study electronically inelastic collisions of gas atoms with insulator surfaces. The method provides for quantum-mechanical treatment of the internal electronic dynamics of a localized region involving the gas/surface collision, and a classical treatment of all the nuclear degrees of freedom (self-consistently and in terms of stochastic trajectories), and includes accurate simulation of the bath-temperature effects. The method is easy to implement and has a generality that holds promise for many practical applications. The problem of electronically inelastic dynamics is solved by computing a set of stochastic trajectories that on thermal averaging directly provide electronic transition probabilities at a given temperature. The theory is illustrated by a simple model of a two-state gas/surface interaction.

The value of a year’s general education for reducing the symptoms of dementia

PubMed Central

Brent, Robert J.

2017-01-01

We present a method for estimating the benefits of years of education for reducing dementia symptoms based on the cost savings that would accrue from continuing independent living rather than relying on formal or informal carers. Our method for estimating the benefits of education involves three steps: first taking a year of education and seeing how much this lowers dementia, second using this dementia reduction and estimating how much independent living is affected and third applying the change in caregiving costs associated with the independent living change. We apply our method for estimating education benefits to a National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center sample of 17,239 participants at 32 US Alzheimer’s disease centres over the period September 2005 and May 2015. PMID:29743729

Fluid-structure interaction involving large deformations: 3D simulations and applications to biological systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Fang-Bao; Dai, Hu; Luo, Haoxiang; Doyle, James F.; Rousseau, Bernard

2014-02-01

Three-dimensional fluid-structure interaction (FSI) involving large deformations of flexible bodies is common in biological systems, but accurate and efficient numerical approaches for modeling such systems are still scarce. In this work, we report a successful case of combining an existing immersed-boundary flow solver with a nonlinear finite-element solid-mechanics solver specifically for three-dimensional FSI simulations. This method represents a significant enhancement from the similar methods that are previously available. Based on the Cartesian grid, the viscous incompressible flow solver can handle boundaries of large displacements with simple mesh generation. The solid-mechanics solver has separate subroutines for analyzing general three-dimensional bodies and thin-walled structures composed of frames, membranes, and plates. Both geometric nonlinearity associated with large displacements and material nonlinearity associated with large strains are incorporated in the solver. The FSI is achieved through a strong coupling and partitioned approach. We perform several validation cases, and the results may be used to expand the currently limited database of FSI benchmark study. Finally, we demonstrate the versatility of the present method by applying it to the aerodynamics of elastic wings of insects and the flow-induced vocal fold vibration.

Fluid–structure interaction involving large deformations: 3D simulations and applications to biological systems

PubMed Central

Tian, Fang-Bao; Dai, Hu; Luo, Haoxiang; Doyle, James F.; Rousseau, Bernard

2013-01-01

Three-dimensional fluid–structure interaction (FSI) involving large deformations of flexible bodies is common in biological systems, but accurate and efficient numerical approaches for modeling such systems are still scarce. In this work, we report a successful case of combining an existing immersed-boundary flow solver with a nonlinear finite-element solid-mechanics solver specifically for three-dimensional FSI simulations. This method represents a significant enhancement from the similar methods that are previously available. Based on the Cartesian grid, the viscous incompressible flow solver can handle boundaries of large displacements with simple mesh generation. The solid-mechanics solver has separate subroutines for analyzing general three-dimensional bodies and thin-walled structures composed of frames, membranes, and plates. Both geometric nonlinearity associated with large displacements and material nonlinearity associated with large strains are incorporated in the solver. The FSI is achieved through a strong coupling and partitioned approach. We perform several validation cases, and the results may be used to expand the currently limited database of FSI benchmark study. Finally, we demonstrate the versatility of the present method by applying it to the aerodynamics of elastic wings of insects and the flow-induced vocal fold vibration. PMID:24415796

Engaging parents to increase youth physical activity a systematic review.

PubMed

O'Connor, Teresia M; Jago, Russell; Baranowski, Tom

2009-08-01

Parents are often involved in interventions to engage youth in physical activity, but it is not clear which methods for involving parents are effective. A systematic review was conducted of interventions with physical activity and parental components among healthy youth to identify how best to involve parents in physical activity interventions for children. Identified intervention studies were reviewed in 2008 for study design, description of family components, and physical activity outcomes. The quality of reporting was assessed using the CONSORT checklist for reporting on trials of nonpharmacologic treatments. The literature search identified 1227 articles, 35 of which met review criteria. Five of the 14 RCTs met > or =70% of CONSORT checklist items. Five general procedures for involving parents were identified: (1) face-to-face educational programs or parent training, (2) family participatory exercise programs, (3) telephone communication, (4) organized activities, and (5) educational materials sent home. Lack of uniformity in reporting trials, multiple pilot studies, and varied measurements of physical activity outcomes prohibited systematic conclusions. Interventions with educational or training programs during family visits or via telephone communication with parents appear to offer some promise. There is little evidence for effectiveness of family involvement methods in programs for promoting physical activity in children, because of the heterogeneity of study design, study quality, and outcome measures used. There is a need to build an evidence base of more-predictive models of child physical activity that include parent and child mediating variables and procedures that can effect changes in these variables for future family-based physical activity interventions.

Mapping the Views of Adolescent Health Stakeholders.

PubMed

Ewan, Lindsay A; McLinden, Daniel; Biro, Frank; DeJonckheere, Melissa; Vaughn, Lisa M

2016-01-01

Health research that includes youth and family stakeholders increases the contextual relevance of findings, which can benefit both the researchers and stakeholders involved. The goal of this study was to identify youth and family adolescent health priorities and to explore strategies to address these concerns. Stakeholders identified important adolescent health concerns, perceptions of which were then explored using concept mapping. Concept mapping is a mixed-method participatory research approach that invites input from various stakeholders. In response to prompts, stakeholders suggested ways to address the identified health conditions. Adolescent participants then sorted the statements into groups based on content similarity and rated the statements for importance and feasibility. Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis were then applied to create the concept maps. Stakeholders identified sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and obesity as the health conditions they considered most important. The concept map for STIs identified 7 clusters: General sex education, support and empowerment, testing and treatment, community involvement and awareness, prevention and protection, parental involvement in sex education, and media. The obesity concept map portrayed 8 clusters: Healthy food choices, obesity education, support systems, clinical and community involvement, community support for exercise, physical activity, nutrition support, and nutrition education. Ratings were generally higher for importance than for feasibility. The concept maps demonstrate stakeholder-driven ideas about approaches to target STIs and obesity in this context. Strategies at multiple social ecological levels were emphasized. The concept maps can be used to generate discussion regarding these topics and to identify interventions. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

State-vector formalism and the Legendre polynomial solution for modelling guided waves in anisotropic plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Mingfang; He, Cunfu; Lu, Yan; Wu, Bin

2018-01-01

We presented a numerical method to solve phase dispersion curve in general anisotropic plates. This approach involves an exact solution to the problem in the form of the Legendre polynomial of multiple integrals, which we substituted into the state-vector formalism. In order to improve the efficiency of the proposed method, we made a special effort to demonstrate the analytical methodology. Furthermore, we analyzed the algebraic symmetries of the matrices in the state-vector formalism for anisotropic plates. The basic feature of the proposed method was the expansion of field quantities by Legendre polynomials. The Legendre polynomial method avoid to solve the transcendental dispersion equation, which can only be solved numerically. This state-vector formalism combined with Legendre polynomial expansion distinguished the adjacent dispersion mode clearly, even when the modes were very close. We then illustrated the theoretical solutions of the dispersion curves by this method for isotropic and anisotropic plates. Finally, we compared the proposed method with the global matrix method (GMM), which shows excellent agreement.

Force Evaluation in the Lattice Boltzmann Method Involving Curved Geometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mei, Renwei; Yu, Dazhi; Shyy, Wei; Luo, Li-Shi; Bushnell, Dennis M. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The present work investigates two approaches for force evaluation in the lattice Boltzmann equation: the momentum- exchange method and the stress-integration method on the surface of a body. The boundary condition for the particle distribution functions on curved geometries is handled with second order accuracy based on our recent works. The stress-integration method is computationally laborious for two-dimensional flows and in general difficult to implement for three-dimensional flows, while the momentum-exchange method is reliable, accurate, and easy to implement for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional flows. Several test cases are selected to evaluate the present methods, including: (i) two-dimensional pressure-driven channel flow; (ii) two-dimensional uniform flow past a column of cylinders; (iii) two-dimensional flow past a cylinder asymmetrically placed in a channel (with vortex shedding); (iv) three-dimensional pressure-driven flow in a circular pipe; and (v) three-dimensional flow past a sphere. The drag evaluated by using the momentum-exchange method agrees well with the exact or other published results.

Relative effectiveness of worker safety and health training methods.

PubMed

Burke, Michael J; Sarpy, Sue Ann; Smith-Crowe, Kristin; Chan-Serafin, Suzanne; Salvador, Rommel O; Islam, Gazi

2006-02-01

We sought to determine the relative effectiveness of different methods of worker safety and health training aimed at improving safety knowledge and performance and reducing negative outcomes (accidents, illnesses, and injuries). Ninety-five quasi-experimental studies (n=20991) were included in the analysis. Three types of intervention methods were distinguished on the basis of learners' participation in the training process: least engaging (lecture, pamphlets, videos), moderately engaging (programmed instruction, feedback interventions), and most engaging (training in behavioral modeling, hands-on training). As training methods became more engaging (i.e., requiring trainees' active participation), workers demonstrated greater knowledge acquisition, and reductions were seen in accidents, illnesses, and injuries. All methods of training produced meaningful behavioral performance improvements. Training involving behavioral modeling, a substantial amount of practice, and dialogue is generally more effective than other methods of safety and health training. The present findings challenge the current emphasis on more passive computer-based and distance training methods within the public health workforce.

Evaluating public participation in environmental decision-making: EPA's superfund community involvement program.

PubMed

Charnley, Susan; Engelbert, Bruce

2005-11-01

This article discusses an 8-year, ongoing project that evaluates the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund community involvement program. The project originated as a response to the Government Performance and Results Act, which requires federal agencies to articulate program goals, and evaluate and report their progress in meeting those goals. The evaluation project assesses how effective the Superfund community involvement program is in promoting public participation in decisions about how to clean up hazardous wastes at Superfund sites. We do three things in the article: (1) share our experience with evaluating an Agency public participation program, including lessons learned about methods of evaluation; (2) report evaluation results; and (3) address a number of issues pertaining to the evaluation of public participation in environmental decision-making. Our goal is to encourage more environmental managers to incorporate evaluation into their public participation programs as a tool for improving them. We found that written mail surveys were an effective and economical tool for obtaining feedback on EPA's community involvement program at Superfund sites. The evaluation focused on four criteria: citizen satisfaction with EPA information about the Superfund site, citizen understanding of environmental and human health risks associated with the site, citizen satisfaction with opportunities provided by EPA for community input, and citizen satisfaction with EPA's response to community input. While the evaluation results were mixed, in general, community members who were most informed about and involved in the cleanup process at Superfund sites generally were also the most satisfied with the community involvement process, and the job that EPA was doing cleaning up the site. We conclude that systematic evaluation provides meaningful and useful information that agencies can use to improve their public participation programs. However, there need to be institutionalized processes that ensure evaluation results are used to develop and implement strategies for improvement.

Open-loop-feedback control of serum drug concentrations: pharmacokinetic approaches to drug therapy.

PubMed

Jelliffe, R W

1983-01-01

Recent developments to optimize open-loop-feedback control of drug dosage regimens, generally applicable to pharmacokinetically oriented therapy with many drugs, involve computation of patient-individualized strategies for obtaining desired serum drug concentrations. Analyses of past therapy are performed by least squares, extended least squares, and maximum a posteriori probability Bayesian methods of fitting pharmacokinetic models to serum level data. Future possibilities for truly optimal open-loop-feedback therapy with full Bayesian methods, and conceivably for optimal closed-loop therapy in such data-poor clinical situations, are also discussed. Implementation of these various therapeutic strategies, using automated, locally controlled infusion devices, has also been achieved in prototype form.

Comparison of mixed-mode stress-intensity factors obtained through displacement correlation, J-integral formulation, and modified crack-closure integral

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bittencourt, Tulio N.; Barry, Ahmabou; Ingraffea, Anthony R.

This paper presents a comparison among stress-intensity factors for mixed-mode two-dimensional problems obtained through three different approaches: displacement correlation, J-integral, and modified crack-closure integral. All mentioned procedures involve only one analysis step and are incorporated in the post-processor page of a finite element computer code for fracture mechanics analysis (FRANC). Results are presented for a closed-form solution problem under mixed-mode conditions. The accuracy of these described methods then is discussed and analyzed in the framework of their numerical results. The influence of the differences among the three methods on the predicted crack trajectory of general problems is also discussed.

A simplified analysis of the multigrid V-cycle as a fast elliptic solver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decker, Naomi H.; Taasan, Shlomo

1988-01-01

For special model problems, Fourier analysis gives exact convergence rates for the two-grid multigrid cycle and, for more general problems, provides estimates of the two-grid convergence rates via local mode analysis. A method is presented for obtaining mutigrid convergence rate estimates for cycles involving more than two grids (using essentially the same analysis as for the two-grid cycle). For the simple cast of the V-cycle used as a fast Laplace solver on the unit square, the k-grid convergence rate bounds obtained by this method are sharper than the bounds predicted by the variational theory. Both theoretical justification and experimental evidence are presented.

SEU System Analysis: Not Just the Sum of All Parts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berg, Melanie D.; Label, Kenneth

2014-01-01

Single event upset (SEU) analysis of complex systems is challenging. Currently, system SEU analysis is performed by component level partitioning and then either: the most dominant SEU cross-sections (SEUs) are used in system error rate calculations; or the partition SEUs are summed to eventually obtain a system error rate. In many cases, system error rates are overestimated because these methods generally overlook system level derating factors. The problem with overestimating is that it can cause overdesign and consequently negatively affect the following: cost, schedule, functionality, and validation/verification. The scope of this presentation is to discuss the risks involved with our current scheme of SEU analysis for complex systems; and to provide alternative methods for improvement.

Long distance measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution with entangled photon sources

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

Xu, Feihu; Qi, Bing; Liao, Zhongfa

2013-08-05

We present a feasible method that can make quantum key distribution (QKD), both ultra-long-distance and immune, to all attacks in the detection system. This method is called measurement-device-independent QKD (MDI-QKD) with entangled photon sources in the middle. By proposing a model and simulating a QKD experiment, we find that MDI-QKD with one entangled photon source can tolerate 77 dB loss (367 km standard fiber) in the asymptotic limit and 60 dB loss (286 km standard fiber) in the finite-key case with state-of-the-art detectors. Our general model can also be applied to other non-QKD experiments involving entanglement and Bell state measurements.

The role of water in unconventional in situ energy resource extraction technologies: Chapter 7 in Food, energy, and water: The chemistry connection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gallegos, Tanya J.; Bern, Carleton R.; Birdwell, Justin E.; Haines, Seth S.; Engle, Mark A.

2015-01-01

Global trends toward developing new energy resources from lower grade, larger tonnage deposits that are not generally accessible using “conventional” extraction methods involve variations of subsurface in situ extraction techniques including in situ oil-shale retorting, hydraulic fracturing of petroleum reservoirs, and in situ recovery (ISR) of uranium. Although these methods are economically feasible and perhaps result in a smaller above-ground land-use footprint, there remain uncertainties regarding potential subsurface impacts to groundwater. This chapter provides an overview of the role of water in these technologies and the opportunities and challenges for water reuse and recycling.

Recent research in snow hydrology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dozier, Jeff

1987-01-01

Recent work on snow-pack energy exchange has involved detailed investigations on snow albedo and attempts to integrate energy-balance calculations over drainage basins. Along with a better understanding of the EM properties of snow, research in remote sensing has become more focused toward estimation of snow-pack properties. In snow metamorphism, analyses of the physical processes must now be coupled to better descriptions of the geometry of the snow microstructure. The dilution method now appears to be the best direct technique for measuring the liquid water content of snow; work on EM methods continues. Increasing attention to the chemistry of the snow pack has come with the general focus on acid precipitation in hydrology.

Compatibility of scientific research and specialty training in General Practice. A cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Kötter, Thomas; Carmienke, Solveig; Herrmann, Wolfram J.

2014-01-01

Objective: In many departments of General Practice (GP) in Germany, young doctors who are trainees also work as researchers. Often these trainees work part time at the university and part time as a trainee in clinical practice. However, little is known about the situation of the actors involved. The aim of the study was to investigate the perspectives of GP trainees, heads of departments and GP trainers regarding the combination of research and GP training. Methods: We conducted a web-based survey with the heads of all German departments of General Practice, GP trainees who also conduct research and their GP trainers. The questionnaires consisted of open and closed questions. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative methods. Results: 28 heads of GP departments and 20 GP trainees responded. The trainees were mostly very satisfied with their situation as a trainee. However, the trainees considered the combination of research and GP training as difficult. The respondents name as problems the coordination of multiple jobs and the lack of credibility given to research in General Practice. They name as solutions research-enabling training programs and uniform requirements in training regarding research. Conclusion: The combination of GP training and scientific research activity is perceived as difficult. However, well-organized and designed programs can improve the quality of the combination. PMID:25228933

Discrete transparent boundary conditions for the mixed KDV-BBM equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Besse, Christophe; Noble, Pascal; Sanchez, David

2017-09-01

In this paper, we consider artificial boundary conditions for the linearized mixed Korteweg-de Vries (KDV) and Benjamin-Bona-Mahoney (BBM) equation which models water waves in the small amplitude, large wavelength regime. Continuous (respectively discrete) artificial boundary conditions involve non local operators in time which in turn requires to compute time convolutions and invert the Laplace transform of an analytic function (respectively the Z-transform of an holomorphic function). In this paper, we propose a new, stable and fairly general strategy to carry out this crucial step in the design of transparent boundary conditions. For large time simulations, we also introduce a methodology based on the asymptotic expansion of coefficients involved in exact direct transparent boundary conditions. We illustrate the accuracy of our methods for Gaussian and wave packets initial data.

Process evaluation of the project P.A.T.H.S. (secondary 2 program): findings based on the co-walker scheme.

PubMed

Shek, Daniel T L; Tam, Suet-yan

2009-01-01

To understand the implementation quality of the Tier 1 Program (Secondary 2 Curriculum) of the P.A.T.H.S. Project, process evaluation was carried out by co-walkers through classroom observation of 195 units in 131 schools. Results showed that the overall level of program adherence was generally high with an average of 84.55%, and different factors of the implementation process were evaluated as positive. Quality of program implementation and achievement of program objectives were predicted by students' participation and involvement, strategies to enhance students' motivation, opportunity for reflection, time management, and class preparation. Success in program implementation was predicted by students' participation and involvement, classroom control, interactive delivery method, strategies to enhance students' motivation, opportunity for reflection, and lesson preparation.

Patient participation in general practice based undergraduate teaching: a focus group study of patient perspectives

PubMed Central

Park, Sophie E; Allfrey, Caroline; Jones, Melvyn M; Chana, Jasprit; Abbott, Ciara; Faircloth, Sofia; Higgins, Nicola; Abdullah, Laila

2017-01-01

Background Patients make a crucial contribution to undergraduate medical education. Although a national resource is available for patients participating in research, none is as yet available for education. Aim This study aimed to explore what information patients would like about participation in general practice based undergraduate medical education, and how they would like to obtain this information. Design and setting Two focus groups were conducted in London-based practices involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. Method Patients both with and without teaching experience were recruited using leaflets, posters, and patient participation groups. An open-ended topic guide explored three areas: perceived barriers that participants anticipated or had experienced; patient roles in medical education; and what help would support participation. Focus groups were audiorecorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically. Results Patients suggested ways of professionalising the teaching process. These were: making information available to patients about confidentiality, iterative consent, and normalising teaching in the practice. Patients highlighted the importance of relationships, making information available about their GPs’ involvement in teaching, and initiating student–patient interactions. Participants emphasised educational principles to maximise exchange of information, including active participation of students, patient identification of student learner needs, and exchange of feedback. Conclusion This study will inform development of patient information resources to support their participation in teaching and access to information both before and during general practice based teaching encounters. PMID:28360073

36 CFR 212.52 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... MANAGEMENT Designation of Roads, Trails, and Areas for Motor Vehicle Use § 212.52 Public involvement. (a) General. The public shall be allowed to participate in the designation of National Forest System roads... in temporary, emergency closures—(1) General. Nothing in this section shall alter or limit the...

36 CFR 212.52 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... MANAGEMENT Designation of Roads, Trails, and Areas for Motor Vehicle Use § 212.52 Public involvement. (a) General. The public shall be allowed to participate in the designation of National Forest System roads... in temporary, emergency closures—(1) General. Nothing in this section shall alter or limit the...

36 CFR 212.52 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... MANAGEMENT Designation of Roads, Trails, and Areas for Motor Vehicle Use § 212.52 Public involvement. (a) General. The public shall be allowed to participate in the designation of National Forest System roads... in temporary, emergency closures—(1) General. Nothing in this section shall alter or limit the...

36 CFR 212.52 - Public involvement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... MANAGEMENT Designation of Roads, Trails, and Areas for Motor Vehicle Use § 212.52 Public involvement. (a) General. The public shall be allowed to participate in the designation of National Forest System roads... in temporary, emergency closures—(1) General. Nothing in this section shall alter or limit the...

Annual review of aircraft accident data : U.S. general aviation, calendar year 1997

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-09-01

A total of 1,870 U.S. registered general aviation aircraft were involved in 1,848 accidents during calendar year 1997. Of these 1,848 accidents, 351 accidents (involving 361 aircraft) resulted in fatal injuries. This report presents a statistical rev...

Study on Communication System of Social Risk Information on Nuclear Energy

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

Hidekazu Yoshikawa; Toshio Sugiman; Yasunaga Wakabayashi

2004-07-01

As a new risk communication method for the construction of effective knowledge bases about 'safety and non-anxiety for nuclear energy', a study on new communication method of social risk information by means of electronic communication has been started, by noticing rapid expansion of internet usage in the society. The purpose of this research is to enhance the public acceptance to nuclear power in Japan by the following two aspects. The first is to develop the mutual communication system among the working persons involved in both the operation and maintenance activities for nuclear power plant, by which they will exchange theirmore » daily experiences to improve the safety conscious activities to foster 'safety culture' attitude. The other is the development of an effective risk communication system between nuclear society and the general publics about the hot issues of 'what are the concerned involved in the final disposal of high-level radioactive waste?' and 'what should we do to have social consensus to deal with this issue in future'. The authors' research plan for the above purpose is summarized as shown in Table 1. As the first step of the authors' three year research project which started from August 2003, social investigation by questionnaires by internet and postal mail, have been just recently conducted on their risk perception for the nuclear power for the people engaged in nuclear business and women in the metropolitan area, respectively, in order to obtain the relevant information on how and what should be considered for constructing effective risk communication methods of social risk information between the people within nuclear industries and the general public in society. Although there need to be discussed, the contrasting risk images as shown in Fig.1, can be depicted between the nuclear people and general public these days in Japan, from the results of the social investigation. As the conclusion of the authors' study thus far conducted, the contrasting risk perceptions by both the nuclear people and the general public which are shown in Fig. 1, will contribute to the authors' development of two risk communication systems as the next step of this research project, the one for 'Community network system to foster safety culture among nuclear workers', while the other for 'Affective risk communication network open to society'. (authors)« less

Is involvement in school bullying associated with general health and psychosocial adjustment outcomes in adulthood?

PubMed

Sigurdson, J F; Wallander, J; Sund, A M

2014-10-01

The aim was to examine prospectively associations between bullying involvement at 14-15 years of age and self-reported general health and psychosocial adjustment in young adulthood, at 26-27 years of age. A large representative sample (N=2,464) was recruited and assessed in two counties in Mid-Norway in 1998 (T1) and 1999/2000 (T2) when the respondents had a mean age of 13.7 and 14.9, respectively, leading to classification as being bullied, bully-victim, being aggressive toward others or non-involved. Information about general health and psychosocial adjustment was gathered at a follow-up in 2012 (T4) (N=1,266) with a respondent mean age of 27.2. Logistic regression and ANOVA analyses showed that groups involved in bullying of any type in adolescence had increased risk for lower education as young adults compared to those non-involved. The group aggressive toward others also had a higher risk of being unemployed and receiving any kind of social help. Compared with the non-involved, those being bullied and bully-victims had increased risk of poor general health and high levels of pain. Bully-victims and those aggressive toward others during adolescence subsequently had increased risk of tobacco use and lower job functioning than non-involved. Further, those being bullied and aggressive toward others had increased risk of illegal drug use. Relations to live-in spouse/partner were poorer among those being bullied. Involvement in bullying, either as victim or perpetrator, has significant social costs even 12 years after the bullying experience. Accordingly, it will be important to provide early intervention for those involved in bullying in adolescence. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Primary health care service delivery networks for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes: using social network methods to describe interorganisational collaboration in a rural setting.

PubMed

McDonald, Julie; Jayasuriya, Rohan; Harris, Mark Fort

2011-01-01

Adults with type 2 diabetes or with behavioural risk factors require comprehensive and well coordinated responses from a range of health care providers who often work in different organisational settings. This study examines three types of collaborative links between organisations involved in a rural setting. Social network methods were employed using survey data on three types of links, and data was collected from a purposive sample of 17 organisations representing the major provider types. The analysis included a mix of unconfirmed and confirmed links, and network measures. General practices were the most influential provider group in initiating referrals, and they referred to the broadest range of organisations in the network. Team care arrangements formed a small part of the general practice referral network. They were used more for access to private sector allied health care providers and less for sharing care with public sector health services. Involvement in joint programs/activities was limited to public and non-government sector services, with no participation from the private sector. The patterns of interactions suggest that informal referral networks provide access to services and coordination of care for individual patients with diabetes. Two population subgroups would benefit from more proactive approaches to ensure equitable access to services and coordination of care across organisational boundaries: people with more complex health care needs and people at risk of developing diabetes.

A Survey to Assess Family Physicians’ Motivation to Teach Undergraduates in Their Practices

PubMed Central

May, Marcus; Mand, Peter; Biertz, Frank; Hummers-Pradier, Eva; Kruschinski, Carsten

2012-01-01

Background In Germany, family physicians (FPs) are increasingly needed to participate in undergraduate medical education. Knowledge of FPs’ motivation to teach medical students in their practices is lacking. Purpose To describe a novel questionnaire that assesses the motivation of FPs to teach undergraduates in their practices and to show the results of a subsequent survey using this instrument. Methods The questionnaire was developed based on a review of the literature. Previously used empirical instruments assessing occupational values and motivation were included. A preliminary version was pretested in a pilot study. The resulting 68-item questionnaire was sent to 691 FPs involved in undergraduate medical education. Reliability was assessed and subgroups were analyzed with regard to differences in motivation. Results A total of 523 physicians in n = 458 teaching practices participated (response rate 75.7%). ‘Helping others’ and ‘interest’ were revealed as the predominant motives. Responses showed a predominantly intrinsic motivation of the participating FPs. Their main incentives were an ambition to work as a medical preceptor, to generally improve undergraduate education and to share knowledge. Material compensation was of minor importance. Time restraints were indicated as a barrier by some FPs, but were not a general concern. Conclusion German FPs involved in medical education have altruistic attitudes towards teaching medical students in their practices. Motivational features give an important insight for the recruitment of FP preceptors as well as for their training in instructional methods. PMID:23029272

Crossover ensembles of random matrices and skew-orthogonal polynomials

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

Kumar, Santosh, E-mail: skumar.physics@gmail.com; Pandey, Akhilesh, E-mail: ap0700@mail.jnu.ac.in

2011-08-15

Highlights: > We study crossover ensembles of Jacobi family of random matrices. > We consider correlations for orthogonal-unitary and symplectic-unitary crossovers. > We use the method of skew-orthogonal polynomials and quaternion determinants. > We prove universality of spectral correlations in crossover ensembles. > We discuss applications to quantum conductance and communication theory problems. - Abstract: In a recent paper (S. Kumar, A. Pandey, Phys. Rev. E, 79, 2009, p. 026211) we considered Jacobi family (including Laguerre and Gaussian cases) of random matrix ensembles and reported exact solutions of crossover problems involving time-reversal symmetry breaking. In the present paper we givemore » details of the work. We start with Dyson's Brownian motion description of random matrix ensembles and obtain universal hierarchic relations among the unfolded correlation functions. For arbitrary dimensions we derive the joint probability density (jpd) of eigenvalues for all transitions leading to unitary ensembles as equilibrium ensembles. We focus on the orthogonal-unitary and symplectic-unitary crossovers and give generic expressions for jpd of eigenvalues, two-point kernels and n-level correlation functions. This involves generalization of the theory of skew-orthogonal polynomials to crossover ensembles. We also consider crossovers in the circular ensembles to show the generality of our method. In the large dimensionality limit, correlations in spectra with arbitrary initial density are shown to be universal when expressed in terms of a rescaled symmetry breaking parameter. Applications of our crossover results to communication theory and quantum conductance problems are also briefly discussed.« less

Preconditioned steepest descent methods for some nonlinear elliptic equations involving p-Laplacian terms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Wenqiang; Salgado, Abner J.; Wang, Cheng; Wise, Steven M.

2017-04-01

We describe and analyze preconditioned steepest descent (PSD) solvers for fourth and sixth-order nonlinear elliptic equations that include p-Laplacian terms on periodic domains in 2 and 3 dimensions. The highest and lowest order terms of the equations are constant-coefficient, positive linear operators, which suggests a natural preconditioning strategy. Such nonlinear elliptic equations often arise from time discretization of parabolic equations that model various biological and physical phenomena, in particular, liquid crystals, thin film epitaxial growth and phase transformations. The analyses of the schemes involve the characterization of the strictly convex energies associated with the equations. We first give a general framework for PSD in Hilbert spaces. Based on certain reasonable assumptions of the linear pre-conditioner, a geometric convergence rate is shown for the nonlinear PSD iteration. We then apply the general theory to the fourth and sixth-order problems of interest, making use of Sobolev embedding and regularity results to confirm the appropriateness of our pre-conditioners for the regularized p-Lapacian problems. Our results include a sharper theoretical convergence result for p-Laplacian systems compared to what may be found in existing works. We demonstrate rigorously how to apply the theory in the finite dimensional setting using finite difference discretization methods. Numerical simulations for some important physical application problems - including thin film epitaxy with slope selection and the square phase field crystal model - are carried out to verify the efficiency of the scheme.

A Semi-Infinite Programming based algorithm for determining T-optimum designs for model discrimination

PubMed Central

Duarte, Belmiro P.M.; Wong, Weng Kee; Atkinson, Anthony C.

2016-01-01

T-optimum designs for model discrimination are notoriously difficult to find because of the computational difficulty involved in solving an optimization problem that involves two layers of optimization. Only a handful of analytical T-optimal designs are available for the simplest problems; the rest in the literature are found using specialized numerical procedures for a specific problem. We propose a potentially more systematic and general way for finding T-optimal designs using a Semi-Infinite Programming (SIP) approach. The strategy requires that we first reformulate the original minimax or maximin optimization problem into an equivalent semi-infinite program and solve it using an exchange-based method where lower and upper bounds produced by solving the outer and the inner programs, are iterated to convergence. A global Nonlinear Programming (NLP) solver is used to handle the subproblems, thus finding the optimal design and the least favorable parametric configuration that minimizes the residual sum of squares from the alternative or test models. We also use a nonlinear program to check the global optimality of the SIP-generated design and automate the construction of globally optimal designs. The algorithm is successfully used to produce results that coincide with several T-optimal designs reported in the literature for various types of model discrimination problems with normally distributed errors. However, our method is more general, merely requiring that the parameters of the model be estimated by a numerical optimization. PMID:27330230

A Semi-Infinite Programming based algorithm for determining T-optimum designs for model discrimination.

PubMed

Duarte, Belmiro P M; Wong, Weng Kee; Atkinson, Anthony C

2015-03-01

T-optimum designs for model discrimination are notoriously difficult to find because of the computational difficulty involved in solving an optimization problem that involves two layers of optimization. Only a handful of analytical T-optimal designs are available for the simplest problems; the rest in the literature are found using specialized numerical procedures for a specific problem. We propose a potentially more systematic and general way for finding T-optimal designs using a Semi-Infinite Programming (SIP) approach. The strategy requires that we first reformulate the original minimax or maximin optimization problem into an equivalent semi-infinite program and solve it using an exchange-based method where lower and upper bounds produced by solving the outer and the inner programs, are iterated to convergence. A global Nonlinear Programming (NLP) solver is used to handle the subproblems, thus finding the optimal design and the least favorable parametric configuration that minimizes the residual sum of squares from the alternative or test models. We also use a nonlinear program to check the global optimality of the SIP-generated design and automate the construction of globally optimal designs. The algorithm is successfully used to produce results that coincide with several T-optimal designs reported in the literature for various types of model discrimination problems with normally distributed errors. However, our method is more general, merely requiring that the parameters of the model be estimated by a numerical optimization.

STRATEGIES FOR QUANTIFYING PET IMAGING DATA FROM TRACER STUDIES OF BRAIN RECEPTORS AND ENZYMES.

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

Logan, J.

2001-04-02

A description of some of the methods used in neuroreceptor imaging to distinguish changes in receptor availability has been presented in this chapter. It is necessary to look beyond regional uptake of the tracer since uptake generally is affected by factors other than the number of receptors for which the tracer has affinity. An exception is the infusion method producing an equilibrium state. The techniques vary in complexity some requiring arterial blood measurements of unmetabolized tracer and multiple time uptake data. Others require only a few plasma and uptake measurements and those based on a reference region require no plasmamore » measurements. We have outlined some of the limitations of the different methods. Laruelle (1999) has pointed out that test/retest studies to which various methods can be applied are crucial in determining the optimal method for a particular study. The choice of method will also depend upon the application. In a clinical setting, methods not involving arterial blood sampling are generally preferred. In the future techniques for externally measuring arterial plasma radioactivity with only a few blood samples for metabolite correction will extend the modeling options of clinical PET. Also since parametric images can provide information beyond that of ROI analysis, improved techniques for generating such images will be important, particularly for ligands requiring more than a one-compartment model. Techniques such as the wavelet transform proposed by Turkheimer et al. (2000) may prove to be important in reducing noise and improving quantitation.« less

A kernel regression approach to gene-gene interaction detection for case-control studies.

PubMed

Larson, Nicholas B; Schaid, Daniel J

2013-11-01

Gene-gene interactions are increasingly being addressed as a potentially important contributor to the variability of complex traits. Consequently, attentions have moved beyond single locus analysis of association to more complex genetic models. Although several single-marker approaches toward interaction analysis have been developed, such methods suffer from very high testing dimensionality and do not take advantage of existing information, notably the definition of genes as functional units. Here, we propose a comprehensive family of gene-level score tests for identifying genetic elements of disease risk, in particular pairwise gene-gene interactions. Using kernel machine methods, we devise score-based variance component tests under a generalized linear mixed model framework. We conducted simulations based upon coalescent genetic models to evaluate the performance of our approach under a variety of disease models. These simulations indicate that our methods are generally higher powered than alternative gene-level approaches and at worst competitive with exhaustive SNP-level (where SNP is single-nucleotide polymorphism) analyses. Furthermore, we observe that simulated epistatic effects resulted in significant marginal testing results for the involved genes regardless of whether or not true main effects were present. We detail the benefits of our methods and discuss potential genome-wide analysis strategies for gene-gene interaction analysis in a case-control study design. © 2013 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

Newton gauge cosmological perturbations for static spherically symmetric modifications of the de Sitter metric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santa Vélez, Camilo; Enea Romano, Antonio

2018-05-01

Static coordinates can be convenient to solve the vacuum Einstein's equations in presence of spherical symmetry, but for cosmological applications comoving coordinates are more suitable to describe an expanding Universe, especially in the framework of cosmological perturbation theory (CPT). Using CPT we develop a method to transform static spherically symmetric (SSS) modifications of the de Sitter solution from static coordinates to the Newton gauge. We test the method with the Schwarzschild de Sitter (SDS) metric and then derive general expressions for the Bardeen's potentials for a class of SSS metrics obtained by adding to the de Sitter metric a term linear in the mass and proportional to a general function of the radius. Using the gauge invariance of the Bardeen's potentials we then obtain a gauge invariant definition of the turn around radius. We apply the method to an SSS solution of the Brans-Dicke theory, confirming the results obtained independently by solving the perturbation equations in the Newton gauge. The Bardeen's potentials are then derived for new SSS metrics involving logarithmic, power law and exponential modifications of the de Sitter metric. We also apply the method to SSS metrics which give flat rotation curves, computing the radial energy density profile in comoving coordinates in presence of a cosmological constant.

47 CFR 1.9048 - Special provisions relating to spectrum leasing arrangements involving licensees in the Public...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Special provisions relating to spectrum leasing... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9048 Special provisions relating to spectrum leasing arrangements involving licensees in the...

47 CFR 1.9048 - Special provisions relating to spectrum leasing arrangements involving licensees in the Public...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Special provisions relating to spectrum leasing... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9048 Special provisions relating to spectrum leasing arrangements involving licensees in the...

47 CFR 1.9049 - Special provisions relating to spectrum leasing arrangements involving the ancillary terrestrial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Special provisions relating to spectrum leasing... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION GENERAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9049 Special provisions relating to spectrum leasing arrangements involving the...

Acquiring Knowledge and Using It.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smilkstein, Rita

1993-01-01

Understanding why students are not naturally and easily able to generalize or apply what they have learned in other situations involves understanding what teachers want their students to learn; what learning is; what teaching is; and what is involved in generalizing or applying what has been learned. Research in educational psychology identifies…

46 CFR 197.540 - Determination of personal exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... HEALTH STANDARDS GENERAL PROVISIONS Benzene § 197.540 Determination of personal exposure. (a) General. (1... which involves the handling of or potential exposure to benzene are monitored. The monitoring must be... operation involving benzene. Monitoring one vessel of a class is sufficient for all vessels of that class...

46 CFR 197.540 - Determination of personal exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... HEALTH STANDARDS GENERAL PROVISIONS Benzene § 197.540 Determination of personal exposure. (a) General. (1... which involves the handling of or potential exposure to benzene are monitored. The monitoring must be... operation involving benzene. Monitoring one vessel of a class is sufficient for all vessels of that class...

46 CFR 197.540 - Determination of personal exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... HEALTH STANDARDS GENERAL PROVISIONS Benzene § 197.540 Determination of personal exposure. (a) General. (1... which involves the handling of or potential exposure to benzene are monitored. The monitoring must be... operation involving benzene. Monitoring one vessel of a class is sufficient for all vessels of that class...

46 CFR 197.540 - Determination of personal exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... HEALTH STANDARDS GENERAL PROVISIONS Benzene § 197.540 Determination of personal exposure. (a) General. (1... which involves the handling of or potential exposure to benzene are monitored. The monitoring must be... operation involving benzene. Monitoring one vessel of a class is sufficient for all vessels of that class...

46 CFR 197.540 - Determination of personal exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... HEALTH STANDARDS GENERAL PROVISIONS Benzene § 197.540 Determination of personal exposure. (a) General. (1... which involves the handling of or potential exposure to benzene are monitored. The monitoring must be... operation involving benzene. Monitoring one vessel of a class is sufficient for all vessels of that class...

21 CFR 50.23 - Exception from general requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...) sponsored by the Department of Defense (DOD) and limited to specific military personnel involved in a... 50.23 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL... involved the Secretary of Defense must first request such a determination from the President, and certify...

21 CFR 50.23 - Exception from general requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...) sponsored by the Department of Defense (DOD) and limited to specific military personnel involved in a... 50.23 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL... involved the Secretary of Defense must first request such a determination from the President, and certify...

21 CFR 50.23 - Exception from general requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...) sponsored by the Department of Defense (DOD) and limited to specific military personnel involved in a... 50.23 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL... involved the Secretary of Defense must first request such a determination from the President, and certify...

Using a Thematic Laboratory-Centered Curriculum to Teach General Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopkins, Todd A.; Samide, Michael

2013-01-01

This article describes an approach to general chemistry that involves teaching chemical concepts in the context of two thematic laboratory modules: environmental remediation and the fate of pharmaceuticals in the environment. These modules were designed based on active-learning pedagogies and involve multiple-week projects that dictate what…

Development and Assessment of Service Learning Projects in General Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felzien, Lisa; Salem, Laura

2008-01-01

Service learning involves providing service to the community while requiring students to meet learning goals in a specific course. A service learning project was implemented in a general biology course at Rockhurst University to involve students in promoting scientific education in conjunction with community partner educators. Students were…

A Methodology for Multiple Rule System Integration and Resolution Within a Singular Knowledge Base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kautzmann, Frank N., III

1988-01-01

Expert Systems which support knowledge representation by qualitative modeling techniques experience problems, when called upon to support integrated views embodying description and explanation, especially when other factors such as multiple causality, competing rule model resolution, and multiple uses of knowledge representation are included. A series of prototypes are being developed to demonstrate the feasibility of automating the process of systems engineering, design and configuration, and diagnosis and fault management. A study involves not only a generic knowledge representation; it must also support multiple views at varying levels of description and interaction between physical elements, systems, and subsystems. Moreover, it will involve models of description and explanation for each level. This multiple model feature requires the development of control methods between rule systems and heuristics on a meta-level for each expert system involved in an integrated and larger class of expert system. The broadest possible category of interacting expert systems is described along with a general methodology for the knowledge representation and control of mutually exclusive rule systems.

Barriers to male involvement in contraceptive uptake and reproductive health services: a qualitative study of men and women's perceptions in two rural districts in Uganda.

PubMed

Kabagenyi, Allen; Jennings, Larissa; Reid, Alice; Nalwadda, Gorette; Ntozi, James; Atuyambe, Lynn

2014-03-05

Spousal communication can improve family planning use and continuation. Yet, in countries with high fertility rates and unmet need, men have often been regarded as unsupportive of their partner's use of family planning methods. This study examines men and women's perceptions regarding obstacles to men's support and uptake of modern contraceptives. A qualitative study using 18 focus group discussions (FGDs) with purposively selected men aged 15-54 and women aged 15-49 as well as eight key informant interviews (KIIs) with government and community leaders was conducted in 2012 in Bugiri and Mpigi Districts, Uganda. Open-ended question guides were used to explore men and women's perceptions regarding barriers to men's involvement in reproductive health. All FGDs and KIIs were recorded, translated, and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded and analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti. Five themes were identified as rationale for men's limited involvement: (i) perceived side effects of female contraceptive methods which disrupt sexual activity, (ii) limited choices of available male contraceptives, including fear and concerns relating to vasectomy, (iii) perceptions that reproductive health was a woman's domain due to gender norms and traditional family planning communication geared towards women, (iv) preference for large family sizes which are uninhibited by prolonged birth spacing; and (v) concerns that women's use of contraceptives will lead to extramarital sexual relations. In general, knowledge of effective contraceptive methods was high. However, lack of time and overall limited awareness regarding the specific role of men in reproductive health was also thought to deter men's meaningful involvement in issues related to fertility regulation. Decision-making on contraceptive use is the shared responsibility of men and women. Effective development and implementation of male-involvement family planning initiatives should address barriers to men's supportive participation in reproductive health, including addressing men's negative beliefs regarding contraceptive services.

HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT OF MEDICAL DEVICES IN EUROPE: PROCESSES, PRACTICES, AND METHODS.

PubMed

Fuchs, Sabine; Olberg, Britta; Panteli, Dimitra; Busse, Reinhard

2016-01-01

To review and compare current Health Technology Assessment (HTA) activities for medical devices (MDs) across European HTA institutions. A comprehensive approach was adopted to identify institutions involved in HTA in European countries. We systematically searched institutional Web sites and other online sources by using a structured tool to extract information on the role and link to decision making, structure, scope, process, methodological approach, and available HTA reports for each included institution. Information was obtained from eighty-four institutions, forty-seven of which were analyzed. Fifty-four methodological documents from twenty-three agencies in eighteen countries were identified. Only five agencies had separate documents for the assessment of MDs. A few agencies made separate provisions for the assessment of MDs in their general methods. The amount of publicly available HTA reports on MDs varied by device category and agency remit. Despite growing consensus on their importance and international initiatives, such as the EUnetHTA Core Model®, specific tools for the assessment of MDs are rarely developed and implemented at the national level. Separate additional signposts incorporated in existing general methods guides may be sufficient for the evaluation of MDs.

Aveiro method in reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces under complete dictionary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mai, Weixiong; Qian, Tao

2017-12-01

Aveiro Method is a sparse representation method in reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces (RKHS) that gives orthogonal projections in linear combinations of reproducing kernels over uniqueness sets. It, however, suffers from determination of uniqueness sets in the underlying RKHS. In fact, in general spaces, uniqueness sets are not easy to be identified, let alone the convergence speed aspect with Aveiro Method. To avoid those difficulties we propose an anew Aveiro Method based on a dictionary and the matching pursuit idea. What we do, in fact, are more: The new Aveiro method will be in relation to the recently proposed, the so called Pre-Orthogonal Greedy Algorithm (P-OGA) involving completion of a given dictionary. The new method is called Aveiro Method Under Complete Dictionary (AMUCD). The complete dictionary consists of all directional derivatives of the underlying reproducing kernels. We show that, under the boundary vanishing condition, bring available for the classical Hardy and Paley-Wiener spaces, the complete dictionary enables an efficient expansion of any given element in the Hilbert space. The proposed method reveals new and advanced aspects in both the Aveiro Method and the greedy algorithm.

Novel hermetic packaging methods for MOEMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stark, David

2003-01-01

Hermetic packaging of micro-optoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS) is an immature technology, lacking industry-consensus methods and standards. Off-the-shelf, catalog window assemblies are not yet available. Window assemblies are in general custom designed and manufactured for each new product, resulting in longer than acceptable cycle times, high procurement costs and questionable reliability. There are currently two dominant window-manufacturing methods wherein a metal frame is attached to glass, as well as a third, less-used method. The first method creates a glass-to-metal seal by heating the glass above its Tg to fuse it to the frame. The second method involves first metallizing the glass where it is to be attached to the frame, and then soldering the glass to the frame. The third method employs solder-glass to bond the glass to the frame. A novel alternative with superior features compared to the three previously described window-manufacturing methods is proposed. The new approach lends itself to a plurality of glass-to-metal attachment techniques. Benefits include lower temperature processing than two of the current methods and potentially more cost-effective manufacturing than all three of today"s attachment methods.

Valuing the visual impact of wind farms: A calculus method for synthesizing choice experiments studies.

PubMed

Wen, Cheng; Dallimer, Martin; Carver, Steve; Ziv, Guy

2018-05-06

Despite the great potential of mitigating carbon emission, development of wind farms is often opposed by local communities due to the visual impact on landscape. A growing number of studies have applied nonmarket valuation methods like Choice Experiments (CE) to value the visual impact by eliciting respondents' willingness to pay (WTP) or willingness to accept (WTA) for hypothetical wind farms through survey questions. Several meta-analyses have been found in the literature to synthesize results from different valuation studies, but they have various limitations related to the use of the prevailing multivariate meta-regression analysis. In this paper, we propose a new meta-analysis method to establish general functions for the relationships between the estimated WTP or WTA and three wind farm attributes, namely the distance to residential/coastal areas, the number of turbines and turbine height. This method involves establishing WTA or WTP functions for individual studies, fitting the average derivative functions and deriving the general integral functions of WTP or WTA against wind farm attributes. Results indicate that respondents in different studies consistently showed increasing WTP for moving wind farms to greater distances, which can be fitted by non-linear (natural logarithm) functions. However, divergent preferences for the number of turbines and turbine height were found in different studies. We argue that the new analysis method proposed in this paper is an alternative to the mainstream multivariate meta-regression analysis for synthesizing CE studies and the general integral functions of WTP or WTA against wind farm attributes are useful for future spatial modelling and benefit transfer studies. We also suggest that future multivariate meta-analyses should include non-linear components in the regression functions. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Impact of the Method of Gunshot Injury: War Injuries vs. Stray Bullets vs. Civilian Fighting.

PubMed

Mansor, Salah; Bodalal, Zuhir

2015-04-01

To analyze the impact of the method of Gunshot Injury (GSI) (i.e. war injuries, stray bullets, and civilian fighting) on patient morbidity and mortality. An observational study. Biostatistics Department of Al-Jalaa Hospital in Benghazi, Libya, from January to December 2011. Patients' records were analyzed with the method of gunshot injury as a classifying/comparative parameter. Age, gender, site of injury, receiving department, ICU admission, city of origin, length of stay, morbidity and mortality were determined and compared between the different methods of GSI. During the conflict, 1761 gunshot injuries were treated at the hospital. The method of injury was recorded for 62% (n=1096) of the cases and were classified under war injuries (72.2%, n=791), stray bullets (14.1%, n=155), and civilian fighting (13.7%, n=150). Nearly all the patients being treated for civilian fighting (98%, n=147) were males, (stray bullets, 82.6%, n=128, and war injuries 98.4%, n=778). Women were significantly less involved in a war injury (1.6%, n=13, p < 0.001). Stray bullets affected the younger age groups i.e. ² 19 years (26.5%, n=41) more than either fighting injuries (8%, n=12) or war injuries (11.8%, n=93, p < 0.001). Civilian fighting injuries (83.3%, n=125) mostly involved the 20-39 years age group (p < 0.001). Fighting wounds and stray bullets were more common in an urban (82.7%, n=124) rather than rural setting (p < 0.001); the same was true for stray bullets (76.8%, n = 119). The number of GSI's showed a close relationship with major events in society (i.e. military campaigns, celebration and civilian unrest). Significantly higher mortality rates were observed in civilian fighting injuries (7.7%, n=12, p=0.003) and stray bullets (10%, n=15, p=0.003) compared to general GSI's (5.2%, n=91) and war injuries (4.4%, n=35). Surgeons and general physicians need to be aware that GSI's differ in their salient features and outcome based on the method of injury.

Imaging Fracking Zones by Microseismic Reverse Time Migration for Downhole Microseismic Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Y.; Zhang, H.

2015-12-01

Hydraulic fracturing is an engineering tool to create fractures in order to better recover oil and gas from low permeability reservoirs. Because microseismic events are generally associated with fracturing development, microseismic monitoring has been used to evaluate the fracking process. Microseismic monitoring generally relies on locating microseismic events to understand the spatial distribution of fractures. For the multi-stage fracturing treatment, fractures created in former stages are strong scatterers in the medium and can induce strong scattering waves on the waveforms for microseismic events induced during later stages. In this study, we propose to take advantage of microseismic scattering waves to image fracking zones by using seismic reverse time migration method. For downhole microseismic monitoring that involves installing a string of seismic sensors in a borehole near the injection well, the observation geometry is actually similar to the VSP (vertical seismic profile) system. For this reason, we adapt the VSP migration method for the common shot gather to the common event gather. Microseismic reverse-time migration method involves solving wave equation both forward and backward in time for each microseismic event. At current stage, the microseismic RTM is based on 2D acoustic wave equation (Zhang and Sun, 2008), solved by the finite-difference method with PML absorbing boundary condition applied to suppress the reflections of artificial boundaries. Additionally, we use local wavefield decomposition instead of cross-correlation imaging condition to suppress the imaging noise. For testing the method, we create a synthetic dataset for a downhole microseismic monitoring system with multiple fracking stages. It shows that microseismic migration using individual event is able to clearly reveal the fracture zone. The shorter distance between fractures and the microseismic event the clearer the migration image is. By summing migration images for many events, it can better reveal the fracture development during the hydraulic fracturing treatment. The synthetic test shows that microseismic migration is able to characterize the fracturing zone along with microseismic events. We will extend the method from 2D to 3D as well as from acoustic to elastic and apply it to real microseismic data.

Decomposition method for zonal resource allocation problems in telecommunication networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konnov, I. V.; Kashuba, A. Yu

2016-11-01

We consider problems of optimal resource allocation in telecommunication networks. We first give an optimization formulation for the case where the network manager aims to distribute some homogeneous resource (bandwidth) among users of one region with quadratic charge and fee functions and present simple and efficient solution methods. Next, we consider a more general problem for a provider of a wireless communication network divided into zones (clusters) with common capacity constraints. We obtain a convex quadratic optimization problem involving capacity and balance constraints. By using the dual Lagrangian method with respect to the capacity constraint, we suggest to reduce the initial problem to a single-dimensional optimization problem, but calculation of the cost function value leads to independent solution of zonal problems, which coincide with the above single region problem. Some results of computational experiments confirm the applicability of the new methods.

A finite element-boundary integral method for scattering and radiation by two- and three-dimensional structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Jian-Ming; Volakis, John L.; Collins, Jeffery D.

1991-01-01

A review of a hybrid finite element-boundary integral formulation for scattering and radiation by two- and three-dimensional composite structures is presented. In contrast to other hybrid techniques involving the finite element method, the proposed one is in principle exact and can be implemented using a low O(N) storage. This is of particular importance for large scale applications and is a characteristic of the boundary chosen to terminate the finite element mesh, usually as close to the structure as possible. A certain class of these boundaries lead to convolutional boundary integrals which can be evaluated via the fast Fourier transform (FFT) without a need to generate a matrix; thus, retaining the O(N) storage requirement. The paper begins with a general description of the method. A number of two- and three-dimensional applications are then given, including numerical computations which demonstrate the method's accuracy, efficiency, and capability.

Numerical Hydrodynamics in Special Relativity.

PubMed

Martí, José Maria; Müller, Ewald

2003-01-01

This review is concerned with a discussion of numerical methods for the solution of the equations of special relativistic hydrodynamics (SRHD). Particular emphasis is put on a comprehensive review of the application of high-resolution shock-capturing methods in SRHD. Results of a set of demanding test bench simulations obtained with different numerical SRHD methods are compared. Three applications (astrophysical jets, gamma-ray bursts and heavy ion collisions) of relativistic flows are discussed. An evaluation of various SRHD methods is presented, and future developments in SRHD are analyzed involving extension to general relativistic hydrodynamics and relativistic magneto-hydrodynamics. The review further provides FORTRAN programs to compute the exact solution of a 1D relativistic Riemann problem with zero and nonzero tangential velocities, and to simulate 1D relativistic flows in Cartesian Eulerian coordinates using the exact SRHD Riemann solver and PPM reconstruction. Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.12942/lrr-2003-7 and is accessible for authorized users.

Precise and in situ genetic humanization of 6 Mb of mouse immunoglobulin genes.

PubMed

Macdonald, Lynn E; Karow, Margaret; Stevens, Sean; Auerbach, Wojtek; Poueymirou, William T; Yasenchak, Jason; Frendewey, David; Valenzuela, David M; Giallourakis, Cosmas C; Alt, Frederick W; Yancopoulos, George D; Murphy, Andrew J

2014-04-08

Genetic humanization, which involves replacing mouse genes with their human counterparts, can create powerful animal models for the study of human genes and diseases. One important example of genetic humanization involves mice humanized for their Ig genes, allowing for human antibody responses within a mouse background (HumAb mice) and also providing a valuable platform for the generation of fully human antibodies as therapeutics. However, existing HumAb mice do not have fully functional immune systems, perhaps because of the manner in which they were genetically humanized. Heretofore, most genetic humanizations have involved disruption of the endogenous mouse gene with simultaneous introduction of a human transgene at a new and random location (so-called KO-plus-transgenic humanization). More recent efforts have attempted to replace mouse genes with their human counterparts at the same genetic location (in situ humanization), but such efforts involved laborious procedures and were limited in size and precision. We describe a general and efficient method for very large, in situ, and precise genetic humanization using large compound bacterial artificial chromosome-based targeting vectors introduced into mouse ES cells. We applied this method to genetically humanize 3-Mb segments of both the mouse heavy and κ light chain Ig loci, by far the largest genetic humanizations ever described. This paper provides a detailed description of our genetic humanization approach, and the companion paper reports that the humoral immune systems of mice bearing these genetically humanized loci function as efficiently as those of WT mice.

A hybrid technique for speech segregation and classification using a sophisticated deep neural network

PubMed Central

Nawaz, Tabassam; Mehmood, Zahid; Rashid, Muhammad; Habib, Hafiz Adnan

2018-01-01

Recent research on speech segregation and music fingerprinting has led to improvements in speech segregation and music identification algorithms. Speech and music segregation generally involves the identification of music followed by speech segregation. However, music segregation becomes a challenging task in the presence of noise. This paper proposes a novel method of speech segregation for unlabelled stationary noisy audio signals using the deep belief network (DBN) model. The proposed method successfully segregates a music signal from noisy audio streams. A recurrent neural network (RNN)-based hidden layer segregation model is applied to remove stationary noise. Dictionary-based fisher algorithms are employed for speech classification. The proposed method is tested on three datasets (TIMIT, MIR-1K, and MusicBrainz), and the results indicate the robustness of proposed method for speech segregation. The qualitative and quantitative analysis carried out on three datasets demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method compared to the state-of-the-art speech segregation and classification-based methods. PMID:29558485

SSAGES: Software Suite for Advanced General Ensemble Simulations

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

Sidky, Hythem; Colón, Yamil J.; Helfferich, Julian

Molecular simulation has emerged as an essential tool for modern-day research, but obtaining proper results and making reliable conclusions from simulations requires adequate sampling of the system under consideration. To this end, a variety of methods exist in the literature that can enhance sampling considerably, and increasingly sophisticated, effective algorithms continue to be developed at a rapid pace. Implementation of these techniques, however, can be challenging for experts and non-experts alike. There is a clear need for software that provides rapid, reliable, and easy access to a wide range of advanced sampling methods, and that facilitates implementation of new techniquesmore » as they emerge. Here we present SSAGES, a publicly available Software Suite for Advanced General Ensemble Simulations designed to interface with multiple widely used molecular dynamics simulations packages. SSAGES allows facile application of a variety of enhanced sampling techniques—including adaptive biasing force, string methods, and forward flux sampling—that extract meaningful free energy and transition path data from all-atom and coarse grained simulations. A noteworthy feature of SSAGES is a user-friendly framework that facilitates further development and implementation of new methods and collective variables. In this work, the use of SSAGES is illustrated in the context of simple representative applications involving distinct methods and different collective variables that are available in the current release of the suite.« less

SSAGES: Software Suite for Advanced General Ensemble Simulations.

PubMed

Sidky, Hythem; Colón, Yamil J; Helfferich, Julian; Sikora, Benjamin J; Bezik, Cody; Chu, Weiwei; Giberti, Federico; Guo, Ashley Z; Jiang, Xikai; Lequieu, Joshua; Li, Jiyuan; Moller, Joshua; Quevillon, Michael J; Rahimi, Mohammad; Ramezani-Dakhel, Hadi; Rathee, Vikramjit S; Reid, Daniel R; Sevgen, Emre; Thapar, Vikram; Webb, Michael A; Whitmer, Jonathan K; de Pablo, Juan J

2018-01-28

Molecular simulation has emerged as an essential tool for modern-day research, but obtaining proper results and making reliable conclusions from simulations requires adequate sampling of the system under consideration. To this end, a variety of methods exist in the literature that can enhance sampling considerably, and increasingly sophisticated, effective algorithms continue to be developed at a rapid pace. Implementation of these techniques, however, can be challenging for experts and non-experts alike. There is a clear need for software that provides rapid, reliable, and easy access to a wide range of advanced sampling methods and that facilitates implementation of new techniques as they emerge. Here we present SSAGES, a publicly available Software Suite for Advanced General Ensemble Simulations designed to interface with multiple widely used molecular dynamics simulations packages. SSAGES allows facile application of a variety of enhanced sampling techniques-including adaptive biasing force, string methods, and forward flux sampling-that extract meaningful free energy and transition path data from all-atom and coarse-grained simulations. A noteworthy feature of SSAGES is a user-friendly framework that facilitates further development and implementation of new methods and collective variables. In this work, the use of SSAGES is illustrated in the context of simple representative applications involving distinct methods and different collective variables that are available in the current release of the suite. The code may be found at: https://github.com/MICCoM/SSAGES-public.

Joint reconstruction via coupled Bregman iterations with applications to PET-MR imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasch, Julian; Brinkmann, Eva-Maria; Burger, Martin

2018-01-01

Joint reconstruction has recently attracted a lot of attention, especially in the field of medical multi-modality imaging such as PET-MRI. Most of the developed methods rely on the comparison of image gradients, or more precisely their location, direction and magnitude, to make use of structural similarities between the images. A challenge and still an open issue for most of the methods is to handle images in entirely different scales, i.e. different magnitudes of gradients that cannot be dealt with by a global scaling of the data. We propose the use of generalized Bregman distances and infimal convolutions thereof with regard to the well-known total variation functional. The use of a total variation subgradient respectively the involved vector field rather than an image gradient naturally excludes the magnitudes of gradients, which in particular solves the scaling behavior. Additionally, the presented method features a weighting that allows to control the amount of interaction between channels. We give insights into the general behavior of the method, before we further tailor it to a particular application, namely PET-MRI joint reconstruction. To do so, we compute joint reconstruction results from blurry Poisson data for PET and undersampled Fourier data from MRI and show that we can gain a mutual benefit for both modalities. In particular, the results are superior to the respective separate reconstructions and other joint reconstruction methods.

SSAGES: Software Suite for Advanced General Ensemble Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidky, Hythem; Colón, Yamil J.; Helfferich, Julian; Sikora, Benjamin J.; Bezik, Cody; Chu, Weiwei; Giberti, Federico; Guo, Ashley Z.; Jiang, Xikai; Lequieu, Joshua; Li, Jiyuan; Moller, Joshua; Quevillon, Michael J.; Rahimi, Mohammad; Ramezani-Dakhel, Hadi; Rathee, Vikramjit S.; Reid, Daniel R.; Sevgen, Emre; Thapar, Vikram; Webb, Michael A.; Whitmer, Jonathan K.; de Pablo, Juan J.

2018-01-01

Molecular simulation has emerged as an essential tool for modern-day research, but obtaining proper results and making reliable conclusions from simulations requires adequate sampling of the system under consideration. To this end, a variety of methods exist in the literature that can enhance sampling considerably, and increasingly sophisticated, effective algorithms continue to be developed at a rapid pace. Implementation of these techniques, however, can be challenging for experts and non-experts alike. There is a clear need for software that provides rapid, reliable, and easy access to a wide range of advanced sampling methods and that facilitates implementation of new techniques as they emerge. Here we present SSAGES, a publicly available Software Suite for Advanced General Ensemble Simulations designed to interface with multiple widely used molecular dynamics simulations packages. SSAGES allows facile application of a variety of enhanced sampling techniques—including adaptive biasing force, string methods, and forward flux sampling—that extract meaningful free energy and transition path data from all-atom and coarse-grained simulations. A noteworthy feature of SSAGES is a user-friendly framework that facilitates further development and implementation of new methods and collective variables. In this work, the use of SSAGES is illustrated in the context of simple representative applications involving distinct methods and different collective variables that are available in the current release of the suite. The code may be found at: https://github.com/MICCoM/SSAGES-public.

Reconstructing missing information on precipitation datasets: impact of tails on adopted statistical distributions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedretti, Daniele; Beckie, Roger Daniel

2014-05-01

Missing data in hydrological time-series databases are ubiquitous in practical applications, yet it is of fundamental importance to make educated decisions in problems involving exhaustive time-series knowledge. This includes precipitation datasets, since recording or human failures can produce gaps in these time series. For some applications, directly involving the ratio between precipitation and some other quantity, lack of complete information can result in poor understanding of basic physical and chemical dynamics involving precipitated water. For instance, the ratio between precipitation (recharge) and outflow rates at a discharge point of an aquifer (e.g. rivers, pumping wells, lysimeters) can be used to obtain aquifer parameters and thus to constrain model-based predictions. We tested a suite of methodologies to reconstruct missing information in rainfall datasets. The goal was to obtain a suitable and versatile method to reduce the errors given by the lack of data in specific time windows. Our analyses included both a classical chronologically-pairing approach between rainfall stations and a probability-based approached, which accounted for the probability of exceedence of rain depths measured at two or multiple stations. Our analyses proved that it is not clear a priori which method delivers the best methodology. Rather, this selection should be based considering the specific statistical properties of the rainfall dataset. In this presentation, our emphasis is to discuss the effects of a few typical parametric distributions used to model the behavior of rainfall. Specifically, we analyzed the role of distributional "tails", which have an important control on the occurrence of extreme rainfall events. The latter strongly affect several hydrological applications, including recharge-discharge relationships. The heavy-tailed distributions we considered were parametric Log-Normal, Generalized Pareto, Generalized Extreme and Gamma distributions. The methods were first tested on synthetic examples, to have a complete control of the impact of several variables such as minimum amount of data required to obtain reliable statistical distributions from the selected parametric functions. Then, we applied the methodology to precipitation datasets collected in the Vancouver area and on a mining site in Peru.

Computations involving differential operators and their actions on functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crouch, Peter E.; Grossman, Robert; Larson, Richard

1991-01-01

The algorithms derived by Grossmann and Larson (1989) are further developed for rewriting expressions involving differential operators. The differential operators involved arise in the local analysis of nonlinear dynamical systems. These algorithms are extended in two different directions: the algorithms are generalized so that they apply to differential operators on groups and the data structures and algorithms are developed to compute symbolically the action of differential operators on functions. Both of these generalizations are needed for applications.

Principal component analysis of the nonlinear coupling of harmonic modes in heavy-ion collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

BoŻek, Piotr

2018-03-01

The principal component analysis of flow correlations in heavy-ion collisions is studied. The correlation matrix of harmonic flow is generalized to correlations involving several different flow vectors. The method can be applied to study the nonlinear coupling between different harmonic modes in a double differential way in transverse momentum or pseudorapidity. The procedure is illustrated with results from the hydrodynamic model applied to Pb + Pb collisions at √{sN N}=2760 GeV. Three examples of generalized correlations matrices in transverse momentum are constructed corresponding to the coupling of v22 and v4, of v2v3 and v5, or of v23,v33 , and v6. The principal component decomposition is applied to the correlation matrices and the dominant modes are calculated.

Statistical detection of patterns in unidimensional distributions by continuous wavelet transforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baluev, R. V.

2018-04-01

Objective detection of specific patterns in statistical distributions, like groupings or gaps or abrupt transitions between different subsets, is a task with a rich range of applications in astronomy: Milky Way stellar population analysis, investigations of the exoplanets diversity, Solar System minor bodies statistics, extragalactic studies, etc. We adapt the powerful technique of the wavelet transforms to this generalized task, making a strong emphasis on the assessment of the patterns detection significance. Among other things, our method also involves optimal minimum-noise wavelets and minimum-noise reconstruction of the distribution density function. Based on this development, we construct a self-closed algorithmic pipeline aimed to process statistical samples. It is currently applicable to single-dimensional distributions only, but it is flexible enough to undergo further generalizations and development.

Efficient calculation of luminance variation of a luminaire that uses LED light sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, Peter

2007-09-01

Many luminaires have an array of LEDs that illuminate a lenslet-array diffuser in order to create the appearance of a single, extended source with a smooth luminance distribution. Designing such a system is challenging because luminance calculations for a lenslet array generally involve tracing millions of rays per LED, which is computationally intensive and time-consuming. This paper presents a technique for calculating an on-axis luminance distribution by tracing only one ray per LED per lenslet. A multiple-LED system is simulated with this method, and with Monte Carlo ray-tracing software for comparison. Accuracy improves, and computation time decreases by at least five orders of magnitude with this technique, which has applications in LED-based signage, displays, and general illumination.

A new formulation for anisotropic radiative transfer problems. I - Solution with a variational technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheyney, H., III; Arking, A.

1976-01-01

The equations of radiative transfer in anisotropically scattering media are reformulated as linear operator equations in a single independent variable. The resulting equations are suitable for solution by a variety of standard mathematical techniques. The operators appearing in the resulting equations are in general nonsymmetric; however, it is shown that every bounded linear operator equation can be embedded in a symmetric linear operator equation and a variational solution can be obtained in a straightforward way. For purposes of demonstration, a Rayleigh-Ritz variational method is applied to three problems involving simple phase functions. It is to be noted that the variational technique demonstrated is of general applicability and permits simple solutions for a wide range of otherwise difficult mathematical problems in physics.

OPTIMASS: A package for the minimization of kinematic mass functions with constraints

DOE PAGES

Cho, Won Sang; Gainer, James S.; Kim, Doojin; ...

2016-01-07

Reconstructed mass variables, such as M 2, M 2C, M* T, and M T2 W, play an essential role in searches for new physics at hadron colliders. The calculation of these variables generally involves constrained minimization in a large parameter space, which is numerically challenging. We provide a C++ code, Optimass, which interfaces with the Minuit library to perform this constrained minimization using the Augmented Lagrangian Method. The code can be applied to arbitrarily general event topologies, thus allowing the user to significantly extend the existing set of kinematic variables. Here, we describe this code, explain its physics motivation, andmore » demonstrate its use in the analysis of the fully leptonic decay of pair-produced top quarks using M 2 variables.« less