The dynamics of narrative writing in primary grade children: writing process factors predict story quality.

PubMed

von Koss Torkildsen, Janne; Morken, Frøydis; Helland, Wenche A; Helland, Turid

In this study of third grade school children, we investigated the association between writing process measures recorded with key stroke logging and the final written product. Moreover, we examined the cognitive predictors of writing process and product measures. Analyses of key strokes showed that while most children spontaneously made local online revisions while writing, few revised previously written text. Children with good reading and spelling abilities made more online revisions than their peers. Two process factors, transcription fluency and online revision activity, contributed to explaining variance in narrative macrostructural quality and story length. As for cognitive predictors, spelling was the only factor that gave a unique contribution to explaining variance in writing process factors. Better spelling was associated with more revisions and faster transcription. The results show that developing writers' ability to make online revisions in creative writing tasks is related to both the quality of the final written product and to individual literacy skills. More generally, the findings indicate that investigations of the dynamics of the writing process may provide insights into the factors that contribute to creative writing during early stages of literacy.

Application of ASP Technology to Realize the Online Administrative License of the earthquake in Hunan Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Hongliang; Kang, Chengxu; Tian, Youping

2018-01-01

Realizing the online handling of administrative approval of earthquakes is an important measure to improve work efficiency and facilitate people’s convenience. Based on the analysis of the characteristics and processes of the administrative licensing in the earthquake industry, this paper proposes an online processing model based on ASP technology and an online processing system based on B/S architecture. This paper presents the design and implementation methods. The application of the system shows that the system is simple in design and full in function, and can be used on mobile platforms such as computers and mobile phones, and has good practicability and forward-lookingness.

Simultaneous Online Measurement of H2O and CO2 in the Humid CO2 Adsorption/Desorption Process.

PubMed

Yu, Qingni; Ye, Sha; Zhu, Jingke; Lei, Lecheng; Yang, Bin

2015-01-01

A dew point meter (DP) and an infrared (IR) CO2 analyzer were assembled in a humid CO2 adsorption/desorption system in series for simultaneous online measurements of H2O and CO2, respectively. The humidifier, by using surface-flushing on a saturated brine solution was self-made for the generation of humid air flow. It was found that by this method it became relatively easy to obtain a low H2O content in air flow and that its fluctuation could be reduced compared to the bubbling method. Water calibration for the DP-IR detector is necessary to be conducted for minimizing the measurement error of H2O. It demonstrated that the relative error (RA) for simultaneous online measurements H2O and CO2 in the desorption process is lower than 0.1%. The high RA in the adsorption of H2O is attributed to H2O adsorption on the transfer pipe and amplification of the measurement error. The high accuracy of simultaneous online measurements of H2O and CO2 is promising for investigating their co-adsorption/desorption behaviors, especially for direct CO2 capture from ambient air.

SPECTROSCOPIC ONLINE MONITORING FOR PROCESS CONTROL AND SAFEGUARDING OF RADIOCHEMICAL STREAMS

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

Bryan, Samuel A.; Levitskaia, Tatiana G.

2013-09-29

There is a renewed interest worldwide to promote the use of nuclear power and close the nuclear fuel cycle. The long term successful use of nuclear power is critically dependent upon adequate and safe processing and disposition of the used nuclear fuel. Liquid-liquid extraction is a separation technique commonly employed for the processing of the dissolved used nuclear fuel. The instrumentation used to monitor these processes must be robust, require little or no maintenance, and be able to withstand harsh environments such as high radiation fields and aggressive chemical matrices. This paper summarizes application of the absorption and vibrational spectroscopicmore » techniques supplemented by physicochemical measurements for radiochemical process monitoring. In this context, our team experimentally assessed the potential of Raman and spectrophotometric techniques for online real-time monitoring of the U(VI)/nitrate ion/nitric acid and Pu(IV)/Np(V)/Nd(III), respectively, in solutions relevant to spent fuel reprocessing. These techniques demonstrate robust performance in the repetitive batch measurements of each analyte in a wide concentration range using simulant and commercial dissolved spent fuel solutions. Spectroscopic measurements served as training sets for the multivariate data analysis to obtain partial least squares predictive models, which were validated using on-line centrifugal contactor extraction tests. Satisfactory prediction of the analytes concentrations in these preliminary experiments warrants further development of the spectroscopy-based methods for radiochemical process control and safeguarding. Additionally, the ability to identify material intentionally diverted from a liquid-liquid extraction contactor system was successfully tested using on-line process monitoring as a means to detect the amount of material diverted. A chemical diversion and detection from a liquid-liquid extraction scheme was demonstrated using a centrifugal contactor system operating with the simulant PUREX extraction system of Nd(NO3)3/nitric acid aqueous phase and TBP/n-dodecane organic phase. During a continuous extraction experiment, a portion of the feed from a counter-current extraction system was diverted while the spectroscopic on-line process monitoring system was simultaneously measuring the feed, raffinate and organic products streams. The amount observed to be diverted by on-line spectroscopic process monitoring was in excellent agreement with values based from the known mass of sample directly taken (diverted) from system feed solution.« less

REMPI-TOFMS for on-line monitoring and controlling the coffee roasting process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorfner, Ralph; Ferge, Thomas; Yeretzian, Chahan; Zimmermann, Ralf; Kettrup, Antonius

2001-08-01

REMPI@266nm-TOFMS is used for on-line analysis of the coffee roasting process. Volatile and flavor active compounds of coffee were ionized by REMPI@266nm and monitored on-line and in real-time by TOFMS during the coffee roasting process. The phenol and 4-vinylguaiacol time-intensity profiles, for example, show typical behavior for different roasting temperatures and provide an indicator to the achieved degree of roasting. The impact of the moisture level of the green coffee beans on the time shift of a typical (commercial) roasting time, correlates with REMPI-TOFMS measurements and literature data.

Research and application of online measurement system of tire tread profile in automobile tire production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Pengyao; Chen, Xiangguang; Yang, Kai; Liu, Xuejiao

2017-01-01

To improve the measuring efficiency of width and thickness of tire tread in the process of automobile tire production, the actual condition for the tire production process is analyzed, and a fast online measurement system based on moving tire tread of tire specifications is established in this paper. The coordinate data of tire tread profile is acquired by 3D laser sensor, and we use C# language for programming which is an object-oriented programming language to complete the development of client program. The system with laser sensor can provide real-time display of tire tread profile and the data to require in the process of tire production. Experimental results demonstrate that the measuring precision of the system is <= 1mm, it can meet the measurement requirements of the production process, and the system has the characteristics of convenient installation and testing, system stable operation.

A cross-sectional study assessing the association between online ratings and structural and quality of care measures: results from two German physician rating websites.

PubMed

Emmert, Martin; Adelhardt, Thomas; Sander, Uwe; Wambach, Veit; Lindenthal, Jörg

2015-09-24

Even though physician rating websites (PRWs) have been gaining in importance in both practice and research, little evidence is available on the association of patients' online ratings with the quality of care of physicians. It thus remains unclear whether patients should rely on these ratings when selecting a physician. The objective of this study was to measure the association between online ratings and structural and quality of care measures for 65 physician practices from the German Integrated Health Care Network "Quality and Efficiency" (QuE). Online reviews from two German PRWs were included which covered a three-year period (2011 to 2013) and included 1179 and 991 ratings, respectively. Information for 65 QuE practices was obtained for the year 2012 and included 21 measures related to structural information (N = 6), process quality (N = 10), intermediate outcomes (N = 2), patient satisfaction (N = 1), and costs (N = 2). The Spearman rank coefficient of correlation was applied to measure the association between ratings and practice-related information. Patient satisfaction results from offline surveys and the patients per doctor ratio in a practice were shown to be significantly associated with online ratings on both PRWs. For one PRW, additional significant associations could be shown between online ratings and cost-related measures for medication, preventative examinations, and one diabetes type 2-related intermediate outcome measure. There again, results from the second PRW showed significant associations with the age of the physicians and the number of patients per practice, four process-related quality measures for diabetes type 2 and asthma, and one cost-related measure for medication. Several significant associations were found which varied between the PRWs. Patients interested in the satisfaction of other patients with a physician might select a physician on the basis of online ratings. Even though our results indicate associations with some diabetes and asthma measures, but not with coronary heart disease measures, there is still insufficient evidence to draw strong conclusions. The limited number of practices in our study may have weakened our findings.

Continuous Odour Measurement with Chemosensor Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boeker, Peter; Haas, T.; Diekmann, B.; Lammer, P. Schulze

2009-05-01

The continuous odour measurement is a challenging task for chemosensor systems. Firstly, a long term and stable measurement mode must be guaranteed in order to preserve the validity of the time consuming and expensive olfactometric calibration data. Secondly, a method is needed to deal with the incoming sensor data. The continuous online detection of signal patterns, the correlated gas emission and the assigned odour data is essential for the continuous odour measurement. Thirdly, a severe danger of over-fitting in the process of the odour calibration is present, because of the high measurement uncertainty of the olfactometry. In this contribution we present a technical solution for continuous measurements comprising of a hybrid QMB-sensor array and electrochemical cells. A set of software tools enables the efficient data processing and calibration and computes the calibration parameters. The internal software of the measurement systems microcontroller processes the calibration parameters online for the output of the desired odour information.

Online total organic carbon (TOC) monitoring for water and wastewater treatment plants processes and operations optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assmann, Céline; Scott, Amanda; Biller, Dondra

2017-08-01

Organic measurements, such as biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were developed decades ago in order to measure organics in water. Today, these time-consuming measurements are still used as parameters to check the water treatment quality; however, the time required to generate a result, ranging from hours to days, does not allow COD or BOD to be useful process control parameters - see (1) Standard Method 5210 B; 5-day BOD Test, 1997, and (2) ASTM D1252; COD Test, 2012. Online organic carbon monitoring allows for effective process control because results are generated every few minutes. Though it does not replace BOD or COD measurements still required for compliance reporting, it allows for smart, data-driven and rapid decision-making to improve process control and optimization or meet compliances. Thanks to the smart interpretation of generated data and the capability to now take real-time actions, municipal drinking water and wastewater treatment facility operators can positively impact their OPEX (operational expenditure) efficiencies and their capabilities to meet regulatory requirements. This paper describes how three municipal wastewater and drinking water plants gained process insights, and determined optimization opportunities thanks to the implementation of online total organic carbon (TOC) monitoring.

[On-line monitoring of biomass in 1,3-propanediol fermentation by Fourier-transformed near-infrared spectra analysis].

PubMed

Wang, Lu; Liu, Tao; Chen, Yang; Sun, Yaqin; Xiu, Zhilong

2017-01-25

Biomass is an important parameter reflecting the fermentation dynamics. Real-time monitoring of biomass can be used to control and optimize a fermentation process. To overcome the deficiencies of measurement delay and manual errors from offline measurement, we designed an experimental platform for online monitoring the biomass during a 1,3-propanediol fermentation process, based on using the fourier-transformed near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectra analysis. By pre-processing the real-time sampled spectra and analyzing the sensitive spectra bands, a partial least-squares algorithm was proposed to establish a dynamic prediction model for the biomass change during a 1,3-propanediol fermentation process. The fermentation processes with substrate glycerol concentrations of 60 g/L and 40 g/L were used as the external validation experiments. The root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) obtained by analyzing experimental data was 0.341 6 and 0.274 3, respectively. These results showed that the established model gave good prediction and could be effectively used for on-line monitoring the biomass during a 1,3-propanediol fermentation process.

Online measurement of viscosity for biological systems in stirred tank bioreactors.

PubMed

Schelden, Maximilian; Lima, William; Doerr, Eric Will; Wunderlich, Martin; Rehmann, Lars; Büchs, Jochen; Regestein, Lars

2017-05-01

One of the most critical parameters in chemical and biochemical processes is the viscosity of the medium. Its impact on mixing, as well as on mass and energy transfer is substantial. An increase of viscosity with reaction time can be caused by the formation of biopolymers like xanthan or by filamentous growth of microorganisms. In either case the properties of fermentation broth are changing and frequently non-Newtonian behavior are observed, resulting in major challenges for the measurement and control of mixing and mass transfer. This study demonstrates a method for the online determination of the viscosity inside a stirred tank reactor. The presented method is based on online measurement of heat transfer capacity from the bulk medium to the jacket of the reactor. To prove the feasibility of the method, fermentations with the xanthan producing bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris B100 as model system were performed. Excellent correlation between offline measured apparent viscosity and online determined heat transfer capacity were found. The developed tool should be applicable to any other process with formation of biopolymers and filamentous growth. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 990-997. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Non-invasive online wavelength measurements at FLASH2 and present benchmark

PubMed Central

Braune, Markus; Buck, Jens; Kuhlmann, Marion; Grunewald, Sören; Düsterer, Stefan; Viefhaus, Jens; Tiedtke, Kai

2018-01-01

At FLASH2, the free-electron laser radiation wavelength is routinely measured by an online spectrometer based on photoionization of gas targets. Photoelectrons are detected with time-of-flight spectrometers and the wavelength is determined by means of well known binding energies of the target species. The wavelength measurement is non-invasive and transparent with respect to running user experiments due to the low gas pressure applied. Sophisticated controls for setting the OPIS operation parameters have been created and integrated into the distributed object-oriented control system at FLASH2. Raw and processed data can be stored on request in the FLASH data acquisition system for later correlation with data from user experiments or re-analysis. In this paper, the commissioning of the instrument at FLASH2 and the challenges of space charge effects on wavelength determination are reported. Furthermore, strategies for fast data reduction and online data processing are presented. PMID:29271744

On-line surveillance of a dynamic process by a moving system based on pulsed digital holographic interferometry.

PubMed

Pedrini, Giancarlo; Alexeenko, Igor; Osten, Wolfgang; Schnars, Ulf

2006-02-10

A method based on pulsed digital holographic interferometry for the measurement of dynamic deformations of a surface by using a moving system is presented. The measuring system may move with a speed of several meters per minute and can measure deformation of the surface with an accuracy of better than 50 nm. The deformation is obtained by comparison of the wavefronts recorded at different times with different laser pulses produced by a Nd:YAG laser. The effect due to the movement of the measuring system is compensated for by digital processing of the different holograms. The system is well suited for on-line surveillance of a dynamic process such as laser welding and friction stir welding. Experimental results are presented, and the advantages of the method are discussed.

Virtual sensors for on-line wheel wear and part roughness measurement in the grinding process.

PubMed

Arriandiaga, Ander; Portillo, Eva; Sánchez, Jose A; Cabanes, Itziar; Pombo, Iñigo

2014-05-19

Grinding is an advanced machining process for the manufacturing of valuable complex and accurate parts for high added value sectors such as aerospace, wind generation, etc. Due to the extremely severe conditions inside grinding machines, critical process variables such as part surface finish or grinding wheel wear cannot be easily and cheaply measured on-line. In this paper a virtual sensor for on-line monitoring of those variables is presented. The sensor is based on the modelling ability of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) for stochastic and non-linear processes such as grinding; the selected architecture is the Layer-Recurrent neural network. The sensor makes use of the relation between the variables to be measured and power consumption in the wheel spindle, which can be easily measured. A sensor calibration methodology is presented, and the levels of error that can be expected are discussed. Validation of the new sensor is carried out by comparing the sensor's results with actual measurements carried out in an industrial grinding machine. Results show excellent estimation performance for both wheel wear and surface roughness. In the case of wheel wear, the absolute error is within the range of microns (average value 32 μm). In the case of surface finish, the absolute error is well below Ra 1 μm (average value 0.32 μm). The present approach can be easily generalized to other grinding operations.

Development of Online Spectroscopic pH Monitoring for Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Plants: Weak Acid Schemes.

PubMed

Casella, Amanda J; Ahlers, Laura R H; Campbell, Emily L; Levitskaia, Tatiana G; Peterson, James M; Smith, Frances N; Bryan, Samuel A

2015-05-19

In nuclear fuel reprocessing, separating trivalent minor actinides and lanthanide fission products is extremely challenging and often necessitates tight pH control in TALSPEAK (Trivalent Actinide-Lanthanide Separation by Phosphorus reagent Extraction from Aqueous Komplexes) separations. In TALSPEAK and similar advanced processes, aqueous pH is one of the most important factors governing the partitioning of lanthanides and actinides between an aqueous phase containing a polyaminopolycarboxylate complexing agent and a weak carboxylic acid buffer and an organic phase containing an acidic organophosphorus extractant. Real-time pH monitoring would significantly increase confidence in the separation performance. Our research is focused on developing a general method for online determination of the pH of aqueous solutions through chemometric analysis of Raman spectra. Spectroscopic process-monitoring capabilities, incorporated in a counter-current centrifugal contactor bank, provide a pathway for online, real-time measurement of solution pH. The spectroscopic techniques are process-friendly and can be easily configured for online applications, whereas classic potentiometric pH measurements require frequent calibration/maintenance and have poor long-term stability in aggressive chemical and radiation environments. Raman spectroscopy discriminates between the protonated and deprotonated forms of the carboxylic acid buffer, and the chemometric processing of the Raman spectral data with PLS (partial least-squares) regression provides a means to quantify their respective abundances and therefore determine the solution pH. Interpretive quantitative models have been developed and validated under a range of chemical composition and pH conditions using a lactic acid/lactate buffer system. The developed model was applied to new spectra obtained from online spectral measurements during a solvent extraction experiment using a counter-current centrifugal contactor bank. The model predicted the pH of this validation data set within 11% for pH > 2, thus demonstrating that this technique could provide the capability of monitoring pH online in applications such as nuclear fuel reprocessing.

An Intelligent Optical Dissolved Oxygen Measurement Method Based on a Fluorescent Quenching Mechanism.

PubMed

Li, Fengmei; Wei, Yaoguang; Chen, Yingyi; Li, Daoliang; Zhang, Xu

2015-12-09

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a key factor that influences the healthy growth of fishes in aquaculture. The DO content changes with the aquatic environment and should therefore be monitored online. However, traditional measurement methods, such as iodometry and other chemical analysis methods, are not suitable for online monitoring. The Clark method is not stable enough for extended periods of monitoring. To solve these problems, this paper proposes an intelligent DO measurement method based on the fluorescence quenching mechanism. The measurement system is composed of fluorescent quenching detection, signal conditioning, intelligent processing, and power supply modules. The optical probe adopts the fluorescent quenching mechanism to detect the DO content and solves the problem, whereas traditional chemical methods are easily influenced by the environment. The optical probe contains a thermistor and dual excitation sources to isolate visible parasitic light and execute a compensation strategy. The intelligent processing module adopts the IEEE 1451.2 standard and realizes intelligent compensation. Experimental results show that the optical measurement method is stable, accurate, and suitable for online DO monitoring in aquaculture applications.

An Intelligent Optical Dissolved Oxygen Measurement Method Based on a Fluorescent Quenching Mechanism

PubMed Central

Li, Fengmei; Wei, Yaoguang; Chen, Yingyi; Li, Daoliang; Zhang, Xu

2015-01-01

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a key factor that influences the healthy growth of fishes in aquaculture. The DO content changes with the aquatic environment and should therefore be monitored online. However, traditional measurement methods, such as iodometry and other chemical analysis methods, are not suitable for online monitoring. The Clark method is not stable enough for extended periods of monitoring. To solve these problems, this paper proposes an intelligent DO measurement method based on the fluorescence quenching mechanism. The measurement system is composed of fluorescent quenching detection, signal conditioning, intelligent processing, and power supply modules. The optical probe adopts the fluorescent quenching mechanism to detect the DO content and solves the problem, whereas traditional chemical methods are easily influenced by the environment. The optical probe contains a thermistor and dual excitation sources to isolate visible parasitic light and execute a compensation strategy. The intelligent processing module adopts the IEEE 1451.2 standard and realizes intelligent compensation. Experimental results show that the optical measurement method is stable, accurate, and suitable for online DO monitoring in aquaculture applications. PMID:26690176

Influence of local calibration on the quality of online wet weather discharge monitoring: feedback from five international case studies.

PubMed

Caradot, Nicolas; Sonnenberg, Hauke; Rouault, Pascale; Gruber, Günter; Hofer, Thomas; Torres, Andres; Pesci, Maria; Bertrand-Krajewski, Jean-Luc

2015-01-01

This paper reports about experiences gathered from five online monitoring campaigns in the sewer systems of Berlin (Germany), Graz (Austria), Lyon (France) and Bogota (Colombia) using ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectrometers and turbidimeters. Online probes are useful for the measurement of highly dynamic processes, e.g. combined sewer overflows (CSO), storm events, and river impacts. The influence of local calibration on the quality of online chemical oxygen demand (COD) measurements of wet weather discharges has been assessed. Results underline the need to establish local calibration functions for both UV-VIS spectrometers and turbidimeters. It is suggested that practitioners calibrate locally their probes using at least 15-20 samples. However, these samples should be collected over several events and cover most of the natural variability of the measured concentration. For this reason, the use of automatic peristaltic samplers in parallel to online monitoring is recommended with short representative sampling campaigns during wet weather discharges. Using reliable calibration functions, COD loads of CSO and storm events can be estimated with a relative uncertainty of approximately 20%. If no local calibration is established, concentrations and loads are estimated with a high error rate, questioning the reliability and meaning of the online measurement. Similar results have been obtained for total suspended solids measurements.

On-line monitoring of the crystallization process: relationship between crystal size and electrical impedance spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yanlin; Yao, Jun; Wang, Mi

2016-07-01

On-line monitoring of crystal size in the crystallization process is crucial to many pharmaceutical and fine-chemical industrial applications. In this paper, a novel method is proposed for the on-line monitoring of the cooling crystallization process of L-glutamic acid (LGA) using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The EIS method can be used to monitor the growth of crystal particles relying on the presence of an electrical double layer on the charged particle surface and the polarization of double layer under the excitation of alternating electrical field. The electrical impedance spectra and crystal size were measured on-line simultaneously by an impedance analyzer and focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM), respectively. The impedance spectra were analyzed using the equivalent circuit model and the equivalent circuit elements in the model can be obtained by fitting the experimental data. Two equivalent circuit elements, including capacitance (C 2) and resistance (R 2) from the dielectric polarization of the LGA solution and crystal particle/solution interface, are in relation with the crystal size. The mathematical relationship between the crystal size and the equivalent circuit elements can be obtained by a non-linear fitting method. The function can be used to predict the change of crystal size during the crystallization process.

Actively stabilized optical fiber interferometry technique for online/in-process surface measurement.

PubMed

Wang, Kaiwei; Martin, Haydn; Jiang, Xiangqian

2008-02-01

In this paper, we report the recent progress in optical-beam scanning fiber interferometry for potential online nanoscale surface measurement based on the previous research. It attempts to generate a robust and miniature measurement device for future development into a multiprobe array measurement system. In this research, both fiber-optic-interferometry and the wavelength-division-multiplexing techniques have been used, so that the optical probe and the optical interferometer are well spaced and fast surface scanning can be carried out, allowing flexibility for online measurement. In addition, this system provides a self-reference signal to stabilize the optical detection with high common-mode noise suppression by adopting an active phase tracking and stabilization technique. Low-frequency noise was significantly reduced compared with unstabilized result. The measurement of a sample surface shows an attained repeatability of 3.3 nm.

On-line infrared process signature measurements through combustion atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zweibaum, F. M.; Kozlowski, A. T.; Surette, W. E., Jr.

1980-01-01

A number of on-line infrared process signature measurements have been made through combustion atmospheres, including those in jet engines, piston engines, and coal gasification reactors. The difficulties involved include operation in the presence of pressure as high as 1800 psi, temperatures as high as 3200 F, and explosive, corrosive and dust-laden atmospheres. Calibration problems have resulted from the use of purge gases to clear the viewing tubes, and the obscuration of the view ports by combustion products. A review of the solutions employed to counteract the problems is presented, and areas in which better solutions are required are suggested.

Using the Internet to Improve HRD Research: The Case of the Web-Based Delphi Research Technique to Achieve Content Validity of an HRD-Oriented Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatcher, Tim; Colton, Sharon

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to highlight the results of the online Delphi research project; in particular the procedures used to establish an online and innovative process of content validation and obtaining "rich" and descriptive information using the internet and current e-learning technologies. The online Delphi was proven to be an…

On-line multiple component analysis for efficient quantitative bioprocess development.

PubMed

Dietzsch, Christian; Spadiut, Oliver; Herwig, Christoph

2013-02-20

On-line monitoring devices for the precise determination of a multitude of components are a prerequisite for fast bioprocess quantification. On-line measured values have to be checked for quality and consistency, in order to extract quantitative information from these data. In the present study we characterized a novel on-line sampling and analysis device comprising an automatic photometric robot. We connected this on-line device to a bioreactor and concomitantly measured six components (i.e. glucose, glycerol, ethanol, acetate, phosphate and ammonium) during different batch cultivations of Pichia pastoris. The on-line measured data did not show significant deviations from off-line taken samples and were consequently used for incremental rate and yield calculations. In this respect we highlighted the importance of data quality and discussed the phenomenon of error propagation. On-line calculated rates and yields depicted the physiological responses of the P. pastoris cells in unlimited and limited cultures. A more detailed analysis of the physiological state was possible by considering the off-line determined biomass dry weight and the calculation of specific rates. Here we present a novel device for on-line monitoring of bioprocesses, which ensures high data quality in real-time and therefore refers to a valuable tool for Process Analytical Technology (PAT). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Near common-path optical fiber interferometer for potentially fast on-line microscale-nanoscale surface measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Xiangqian; Wang, Kaiwei; Martin, Haydn

2006-12-01

We introduce a new surface measurement method for potential online application. Compared with our previous research, the new design is a significant improvement. It also features high stability because it uses a near common-path configuration. The method should be of great benefit to advanced manufacturing, especially for quality and process control in ultraprecision manufacturing and on the production line. Proof-of-concept experiments have been successfully conducted by measuring the system repeatability and the displacements of a mirror surface.

On-line photolithography modeling using spectrophotometry and Prolith/2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engstrom, Herbert L.; Beacham, Jeanne E.

1994-05-01

Spectrophotometry has been applied to optimizing photolithography processes in semiconductor manufacturing. For many years thin film measurement systems have been used in manufacturing for controlling film deposition processes. The combination of film thickness mapping with photolithography modeling has expanded the applications of this technology. Experimental measurements of dose-to-clear, the minimum light exposure dose required to fully develop a photoresist, are described. It is shown how dose-to-clear and photoresist contrast may be determined rapidly and conveniently from measurements of a dose exposure matrix on a monitor wafer. Such experimental measurements may underestimate the dose-to- clear because of thickness variations of the photoresist and underlying layers on the product wafer. Online modeling of the photolithographic process together with film thickness maps of the entire wafer can overcome this problem. Such modeling also provides maps of dose-to- clear and resist linewidth that can be used to estimate and optimize yield.

Monitoring biodegradation of diesel fuel in bioventing processes using in situ respiration rate.

PubMed

Lee, T H; Byun, I G; Kim, Y O; Hwang, I S; Park, T J

2006-01-01

An in situ measuring system of respiration rate was applied for monitoring biodegradation of diesel fuel in a bioventing process for bioremediation of diesel contaminated soil. Two laboratory-scale soil columns were packed with 5 kg of soil that was artificially contaminated by diesel fuel as final TPH (total petroleum hydrocarbon) concentration of 8,000 mg/kg soil. Nutrient was added to make a relative concentration of C:N:P = 100:10:1. One soil column was operated with continuous venting mode, and the other one with intermittent (6 h venting/6 h rest) venting mode. On-line O2 and CO2 gas measuring system was applied to measure O2 utilisation and CO2 production during biodegradation of diesel for 5 months. Biodegradation rate of TPH was calculated from respiration rate measured by the on-line gas measuring system. There were no apparent differences between calculated biodegradation rates from two columns with different venting modes. The variation of biodegradation rates corresponded well with trend of the remaining TPH concentrations comparing other biodegradation indicators, such as C17/pristane and C18/phytane ratio, dehydrogenase activity, and the ratio of hydrocarbon utilising bacteria to total heterotrophic bacteria. These results suggested that the on-line measuring system of respiration rate would be applied to monitoring biodegradation rate and to determine the potential applicability of bioventing process for bioremediation of oil contaminated soil.

Understanding Counterfactuality: A Review of Experimental Evidence for the Dual Meaning of Counterfactuals

PubMed Central

Nieuwland, Mante S.

2016-01-01

Abstract Cognitive and linguistic theories of counterfactual language comprehension assume that counterfactuals convey a dual meaning. Subjunctive‐counterfactual conditionals (e.g., ‘If Tom had studied hard, he would have passed the test’) express a supposition while implying the factual state of affairs (Tom has not studied hard and failed). The question of how counterfactual dual meaning plays out during language processing is currently gaining interest in psycholinguistics. Whereas numerous studies using offline measures of language processing consistently support counterfactual dual meaning, evidence coming from online studies is less conclusive. Here, we review the available studies that examine online counterfactual language comprehension through behavioural measurement (self‐paced reading times, eye‐tracking) and neuroimaging (electroencephalography, functional magnetic resonance imaging). While we argue that these studies do not offer direct evidence for the online computation of counterfactual dual meaning, they provide valuable information about the way counterfactual meaning unfolds in time and influences successive information processing. Further advances in research on counterfactual comprehension require more specific predictions about how counterfactual dual meaning impacts incremental sentence processing. PMID:27512408

Lognormal Infection Times of Online Information Spread

PubMed Central

Doerr, Christian; Blenn, Norbert; Van Mieghem, Piet

2013-01-01

The infection times of individuals in online information spread such as the inter-arrival time of Twitter messages or the propagation time of news stories on a social media site can be explained through a convolution of lognormally distributed observation and reaction times of the individual participants. Experimental measurements support the lognormal shape of the individual contributing processes, and have resemblance to previously reported lognormal distributions of human behavior and contagious processes. PMID:23700473

Do Health Care Providers Use Online Patient Ratings to Improve the Quality of Care? Results From an Online-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Emmert, Martin; Meszmer, Nina; Sander, Uwe

2016-09-19

Physician-rating websites have become a popular tool to create more transparency about the quality of health care providers. So far, it remains unknown whether online-based rating websites have the potential to contribute to a better standard of care. Our goal was to examine which health care providers use online rating websites and for what purposes, and whether health care providers use online patient ratings to improve patient care. We conducted an online-based cross-sectional study by surveying 2360 physicians and other health care providers (September 2015). In addition to descriptive statistics, we performed multilevel logistic regression models to ascertain the effects of providers' demographics as well as report card-related variables on the likelihood that providers implement measures to improve patient care. Overall, more than half of the responding providers surveyed (54.66%, 1290/2360) used online ratings to derive measures to improve patient care (implemented measures: mean 3.06, SD 2.29). Ophthalmologists (68%, 40/59) and gynecologists (65.4%, 123/188) were most likely to implement any measures. The most widely implemented quality measures were related to communication with patients (28.77%, 679/2360), the appointment scheduling process (23.60%, 557/2360), and office workflow (21.23%, 501/2360). Scaled-survey results had a greater impact on deriving measures than narrative comments. Multilevel logistic regression models revealed medical specialty, the frequency of report card use, and the appraisal of the trustworthiness of scaled-survey ratings to be significantly associated predictors for implementing measures to improve patient care because of online ratings. Our results suggest that online ratings displayed on physician-rating websites have an impact on patient care. Despite the limitations of our study and unintended consequences of physician-rating websites, they still may have the potential to improve patient care.

Online terahertz thickness measurement in films and coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duling, Irl N.; White, Jeffrey S.

2017-02-01

Pulsed terahertz systems are currently being deployed for online process control and quality control of multi-layered products for use in the building products and aerospace industries. While many laboratory applications of terahertz can allow waveforms to be acquired at rates of 1 - 40 Hz, online applications require measurement rates of in excess of 100Hz. The existing technologies of thickness measurement (nuclear, x-ray, or laser gauges) have rates between 100 and 1000 Hz. At these rates, the single waveform bandwidth must still remain at 2THz or above to allow thinner layers to be measured. In the applications where terahertz can provide unique capability (e.g. multi-layer thickness, delamination, density) long-term stability must be guaranteed within the tolerance required by the measurement. This can mean multi-day stability of less than a micron. The software that runs on these systems must be flexible enough to allow multiple product configurations, while maintaining the simplicity required by plant operators. The final requirement is to have systems that can withstand the environmental conditions of the measurement. This might mean qualification in explosive environments, or operation in hot, wet or dusty environments. All of these requirements can put restrictions on not only the voltage of electronic circuitry used, but also the wavelength and optical power used for the transmitter and receiver. The application of terahertz systems to online process control presents unique challenges that not only effect the physical design of the system, but can also effect the choices made on the terahertz technology itself.

Virtual Sensors for On-line Wheel Wear and Part Roughness Measurement in the Grinding Process

PubMed Central

Arriandiaga, Ander; Portillo, Eva; Sánchez, Jose A.; Cabanes, Itziar; Pombo, Iñigo

2014-01-01

Grinding is an advanced machining process for the manufacturing of valuable complex and accurate parts for high added value sectors such as aerospace, wind generation, etc. Due to the extremely severe conditions inside grinding machines, critical process variables such as part surface finish or grinding wheel wear cannot be easily and cheaply measured on-line. In this paper a virtual sensor for on-line monitoring of those variables is presented. The sensor is based on the modelling ability of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) for stochastic and non-linear processes such as grinding; the selected architecture is the Layer-Recurrent neural network. The sensor makes use of the relation between the variables to be measured and power consumption in the wheel spindle, which can be easily measured. A sensor calibration methodology is presented, and the levels of error that can be expected are discussed. Validation of the new sensor is carried out by comparing the sensor's results with actual measurements carried out in an industrial grinding machine. Results show excellent estimation performance for both wheel wear and surface roughness. In the case of wheel wear, the absolute error is within the range of microns (average value 32 μm). In the case of surface finish, the absolute error is well below Ra 1 μm (average value 0.32 μm). The present approach can be easily generalized to other grinding operations. PMID:24854055

Analysis of Generator Oscillation Characteristics Based on Multiple Synchronized Phasor Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashiguchi, Takuhei; Yoshimoto, Masamichi; Mitani, Yasunori; Saeki, Osamu; Tsuji, Kiichiro

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the on-line measurement, such as observation of power system dynamics and evaluation of machine parameters. On-line methods are particularly attractive since the machine’s service need not be interrupted and parameter estimation is performed by processing measurements obtained during the normal operation of the machine. Authors placed PMU (Phasor Measurement Unit) connected to 100V outlets in some Universities in the 60Hz power system and examine oscillation characteristics in power system. PMU is synchronized based on the global positioning system (GPS) and measured data are transmitted via Internet. This paper describes an application of PMU for generator oscillation analysis. The purpose of this paper is to show methods for processing phase difference and to estimate damping coeffcient and natural angular frequency from phase difference at steady state.

Performance Monitoring Of A Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Lathe Using Pattern Recognition Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daneshmend, L. K.; Pak, H. A.

1984-02-01

On-line monitoring of the cutting process in CNC lathe is desirable to ensure unattended fault-free operation in an automated environment. The state of the cutting tool is one of the most important parameters which characterises the cutting process. Direct monitoring of the cutting tool or workpiece is not feasible during machining. However several variables related to the state of the tool can be measured on-line. A novel monitoring technique is presented which uses cutting torque as the variable for on-line monitoring. A classifier is designed on the basis of the empirical relationship between cutting torque and flank wear. The empirical model required by the on-line classifier is established during an automated training cycle using machine vision for off-line direct inspection of the tool.

Application of HFCT and UHF Sensors in On-Line Partial Discharge Measurements for Insulation Diagnosis of High Voltage Equipment

PubMed Central

Álvarez, Fernando; Garnacho, Fernando; Ortego, Javier; Sánchez-Urán, Miguel Ángel

2015-01-01

Partial discharge (PD) measurements provide valuable information for assessing the condition of high voltage (HV) insulation systems, contributing to their quality assurance. Different PD measuring techniques have been developed in the last years specially designed to perform on-line measurements. Non-conventional PD methods operating in high frequency bands are usually used when this type of tests are carried out. In PD measurements the signal acquisition, the subsequent signal processing and the capability to obtain an accurate diagnosis are conditioned by the selection of a suitable detection technique and by the implementation of effective signal processing tools. This paper proposes an optimized electromagnetic detection method based on the combined use of wideband PD sensors for measurements performed in the HF and UHF frequency ranges, together with the implementation of powerful processing tools. The effectiveness of the measuring techniques proposed is demonstrated through an example, where several PD sources are measured simultaneously in a HV installation consisting of a cable system connected by a plug-in terminal to a gas insulated substation (GIS) compartment. PMID:25815452

Computer vision based method and system for online measurement of geometric parameters of train wheel sets.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhi-Feng; Gao, Zhan; Liu, Yuan-Yuan; Jiang, Feng-Chun; Yang, Yan-Li; Ren, Yu-Fen; Yang, Hong-Jun; Yang, Kun; Zhang, Xiao-Dong

2012-01-01

Train wheel sets must be periodically inspected for possible or actual premature failures and it is very significant to record the wear history for the full life of utilization of wheel sets. This means that an online measuring system could be of great benefit to overall process control. An online non-contact method for measuring a wheel set's geometric parameters based on the opto-electronic measuring technique is presented in this paper. A charge coupled device (CCD) camera with a selected optical lens and a frame grabber was used to capture the image of the light profile of the wheel set illuminated by a linear laser. The analogue signals of the image were transformed into corresponding digital grey level values. The 'mapping function method' is used to transform an image pixel coordinate to a space coordinate. The images of wheel sets were captured when the train passed through the measuring system. The rim inside thickness and flange thickness were measured and analyzed. The spatial resolution of the whole image capturing system is about 0.33 mm. Theoretic and experimental results show that the online measurement system based on computer vision can meet wheel set measurement requirements.

A non-invasive online photoionization spectrometer for FLASH2.

PubMed

Braune, Markus; Brenner, Günter; Dziarzhytski, Siarhei; Juranić, Pavle; Sorokin, Andrey; Tiedtke, Kai

2016-01-01

The stochastic nature of the self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) process of free-electron lasers (FELs) effects pulse-to-pulse fluctuations of the radiation properties, such as the photon energy, which are determinative for processes of photon-matter interactions. Hence, SASE FEL sources pose a great challenge for scientific investigations, since experimenters need to obtain precise real-time feedback of these properties for each individual photon bunch for interpretation of the experimental data. Furthermore, any device developed to deliver the according information should not significantly interfere with or degrade the FEL beam. Regarding the spectral properties, a device for online monitoring of FEL wavelengths has been developed for FLASH2, which is based on photoionization of gaseous targets and the measurements of the corresponding electron and ion time-of-flight spectra. This paper presents experimental studies and cross-calibration measurements demonstrating the viability of this online photoionization spectrometer.

A non-invasive online photoionization spectrometer for FLASH2

PubMed Central

Braune, Markus; Brenner, Günter; Dziarzhytski, Siarhei; Juranić, Pavle; Sorokin, Andrey; Tiedtke, Kai

2016-01-01

The stochastic nature of the self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) process of free-electron lasers (FELs) effects pulse-to-pulse fluctuations of the radiation properties, such as the photon energy, which are determinative for processes of photon–matter interactions. Hence, SASE FEL sources pose a great challenge for scientific investigations, since experimenters need to obtain precise real-time feedback of these properties for each individual photon bunch for interpretation of the experimental data. Furthermore, any device developed to deliver the according information should not significantly interfere with or degrade the FEL beam. Regarding the spectral properties, a device for online monitoring of FEL wavelengths has been developed for FLASH2, which is based on photoionization of gaseous targets and the measurements of the corresponding electron and ion time-of-flight spectra. This paper presents experimental studies and cross-calibration measurements demonstrating the viability of this online photoionization spectrometer. PMID:26698040

Managing Skills and Knowledge Using Online Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waller, Dave; Holland, Tom

2009-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explore a structured approach to measuring skills and knowledge, and to outline how such an approach can be beneficial for improving performance and supporting strategy. It also seeks to examine how online tools can help with this process and to look at implications for the wider UK and European skills development…

On-line monitoring of methanol and methyl formate in the exhaust gas of an industrial formaldehyde production plant by a mid-IR gas sensor based on tunable Fabry-Pérot filter technology.

PubMed

Genner, Andreas; Gasser, Christoph; Moser, Harald; Ofner, Johannes; Schreiber, Josef; Lendl, Bernhard

2017-01-01

On-line monitoring of key chemicals in an industrial production plant ensures economic operation, guarantees the desired product quality, and provides additional in-depth information on the involved chemical processes. For that purpose, rapid, rugged, and flexible measurement systems at reasonable cost are required. Here, we present the application of a flexible mid-IR filtometer for industrial gas sensing. The developed prototype consists of a modulated thermal infrared source, a temperature-controlled gas cell for absorption measurement and an integrated device consisting of a Fabry-Pérot interferometer and a pyroelectric mid-IR detector. The prototype was calibrated in the research laboratory at TU Wien for measuring methanol and methyl formate in the concentration ranges from 660 to 4390 and 747 to 4610 ppmV. Subsequently, the prototype was transferred and installed at the project partner Metadynea Austria GmbH and linked to their Process Control System via a dedicated micro-controller and used for on-line monitoring of the process off-gas. Up to five process streams were sequentially monitored in a fully automated manner. The obtained readings for methanol and methyl formate concentrations provided useful information on the efficiency and correct functioning of the process plant. Of special interest for industry is the now added capability to monitor the start-up phase and process irregularities with high time resolution (5 s).

Industrial application of ultrasound based in-line rheometry: From stationary to pulsating pipe flow of chocolate suspension in precrystallization process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouriev, Boris; Windhab, Erich; Braun, Peter; Birkhofer, Beat

2004-10-01

In-line visualization and on-line characterization of nontransparent fluids becomes an important subject for process development in food and nonfood industries. In our work, a noninvasive Doppler ultrasound-based technique is introduced. Such a technique is applied for investigation of nonstationary flow in the chocolate precrystallization process. Unstable flow conditions were induced by abrupt flow interruption and were followed up by strong flow pulsations in the piping system. While relying on available process information, such as absolute pressures and temperatures, no analyses of flow conditions or characterization of suspension properties could possibly be done. It is obvious that chocolate flow properties are sensitive to flow boundary conditions. Therefore, it becomes essential to perform reliable structure state monitoring and particularly in application to nonstationary flow processes. Such flow instabilities in chocolate processing can often lead to failed product quality with interruption of the mainstream production. As will be discussed, a combination of flow velocity profiles, on-line fit into flow profiles, and pressure difference measurement are sufficient for reliable analyses of fluid properties and flow boundary conditions as well as monitoring of the flow state. Analyses of the flow state and flow properties of chocolate suspension are based on on-line measurement of one-dimensional velocity profiles across the flow channel and their on-line characterization with the power-law model. Conclusions about flow boundary conditions were drawn from a calculated velocity standard mean deviation, the parameters of power-law fit into velocity profiles, and volumetric flow rate information.

Emerging behavior in electronic bidding.

PubMed

Yang, I; Jeong, H; Kahng, B; Barabási, A-L

2003-07-01

We characterize the statistical properties of a large number of agents on two major online auction sites. The measurements indicate that the total number of bids placed in a single category and the number of distinct auctions frequented by a given agent follow power-law distributions, implying that a few agents are responsible for a significant fraction of the total bidding activity on the online market. We find that these agents exert an unproportional influence on the final price of the auctioned items. This domination of online auctions by an unusually active minority may be a generic feature of all online mercantile processes.

Emerging behavior in electronic bidding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, I.; Jeong, H.; Kahng, B.; Barabási, A.-L.

2003-07-01

We characterize the statistical properties of a large number of agents on two major online auction sites. The measurements indicate that the total number of bids placed in a single category and the number of distinct auctions frequented by a given agent follow power-law distributions, implying that a few agents are responsible for a significant fraction of the total bidding activity on the online market. We find that these agents exert an unproportional influence on the final price of the auctioned items. This domination of online auctions by an unusually active minority may be a generic feature of all online mercantile processes.

Online Denoising Based on the Second-Order Adaptive Statistics Model.

PubMed

Yi, Sheng-Lun; Jin, Xue-Bo; Su, Ting-Li; Tang, Zhen-Yun; Wang, Fa-Fa; Xiang, Na; Kong, Jian-Lei

2017-07-20

Online denoising is motivated by real-time applications in the industrial process, where the data must be utilizable soon after it is collected. Since the noise in practical process is usually colored, it is quite a challenge for denoising techniques. In this paper, a novel online denoising method was proposed to achieve the processing of the practical measurement data with colored noise, and the characteristics of the colored noise were considered in the dynamic model via an adaptive parameter. The proposed method consists of two parts within a closed loop: the first one is to estimate the system state based on the second-order adaptive statistics model and the other is to update the adaptive parameter in the model using the Yule-Walker algorithm. Specifically, the state estimation process was implemented via the Kalman filter in a recursive way, and the online purpose was therefore attained. Experimental data in a reinforced concrete structure test was used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Results show the proposed method not only dealt with the signals with colored noise, but also achieved a tradeoff between efficiency and accuracy.

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

Casella, Amanda J.; Hylden, Laura R.; Campbell, Emily L.

Knowledge of real-time solution properties and composition is a necessity for any spent nuclear fuel reprocessing method. Metal-ligand speciation in aqueous solutions derived from the dissolved commercial spent fuel is highly dependent upon the acid concentration/pH, which influences extraction efficiency and the resulting speciation in the organic phase. Spectroscopic process monitoring capabilities, incorporated in a counter current centrifugal contactor bank, provide a pathway for on-line real-time measurement of solution pH. The spectroscopic techniques are process-friendly and can be easily configured for on-line applications, while classic potentiometric pH measurements require frequent calibration/maintenance and have poor long-term stability in aggressive chemical andmore » radiation environments. Our research is focused on developing a general method for on-line determination of pH of aqueous solutions through chemometric analysis of Raman spectra. Interpretive quantitative models have been developed and validated under the range of chemical composition and pH using a lactic acid/lactate buffer system. The developed model was applied to spectra obtained on-line during solvent extractions performed in a centrifugal contactor bank. The model predicted the pH within 11% for pH > 2, thus demonstrating that this technique could provide the capability of monitoring pH on-line in applications such as nuclear fuel reprocessing.« less

Hadoop-Based Distributed System for Online Prediction of Air Pollution Based on Support Vector Machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghaemi, Z.; Farnaghi, M.; Alimohammadi, A.

2015-12-01

The critical impact of air pollution on human health and environment in one hand and the complexity of pollutant concentration behavior in the other hand lead the scientists to look for advance techniques for monitoring and predicting the urban air quality. Additionally, recent developments in data measurement techniques have led to collection of various types of data about air quality. Such data is extremely voluminous and to be useful it must be processed at high velocity. Due to the complexity of big data analysis especially for dynamic applications, online forecasting of pollutant concentration trends within a reasonable processing time is still an open problem. The purpose of this paper is to present an online forecasting approach based on Support Vector Machine (SVM) to predict the air quality one day in advance. In order to overcome the computational requirements for large-scale data analysis, distributed computing based on the Hadoop platform has been employed to leverage the processing power of multiple processing units. The MapReduce programming model is adopted for massive parallel processing in this study. Based on the online algorithm and Hadoop framework, an online forecasting system is designed to predict the air pollution of Tehran for the next 24 hours. The results have been assessed on the basis of Processing Time and Efficiency. Quite accurate predictions of air pollutant indicator levels within an acceptable processing time prove that the presented approach is very suitable to tackle large scale air pollution prediction problems.

Help or Hurt? Why We Select and How We Process Online Social Information about Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hocevar, Kristin Page

2017-01-01

Health information is increasingly being shared online not just by credentialed sources such as physicians or health organizations, but also by patients with personal experience with a health concern. This dissertation proposes a new measure of vigilance-avoidance, or tendency to approach or avoid threatening stimuli, in order to understand how…

Blue Car, Red Car: Developing Efficiency in Online Interpretation of Adjective-Noun Phrases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernald, Anne; Thorpe, Kirsten; Marchman, Virginia A.

2010-01-01

Two experiments investigated the development of fluency in interpreting adjective-noun phrases in 30- and 36-month-old English-learning children. Using online processing measures, children's gaze patterns were monitored as they heard the familiar adjective-noun phrases (e.g. "blue car") in visual contexts where the adjective was either informative…

Preliminary Findings on the Computer-Administered Multiple-Choice Online Causal Comprehension Assessment, a Diagnostic Reading Comprehension Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davison, Mark L.; Biancarosa, Gina; Carlson, Sarah E.; Seipel, Ben; Liu, Bowen

2018-01-01

The computer-administered Multiple-Choice Online Causal Comprehension Assessment (MOCCA) for Grades 3 to 5 has an innovative, 40-item multiple-choice structure in which each distractor corresponds to a comprehension process upon which poor comprehenders have been shown to rely. This structure requires revised thinking about measurement issues…

Perspectives for on-line analysis of bauxite by neutron irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beurton, Gabriel; Ledru, Bertrand; Letourneur, Philippe

1995-03-01

The interest in bauxite as a major source of alumina results in a strong demand for on-line instrumentation suitable for sorting, blending, and processing operations at the bauxite mine and for monitoring instrumentation in the Bayer process. The results of laboratory experiments based on neutron interactions with bauxite are described. The technique was chosen in order to overcome the problem of spatial heterogeneity in bulk mineral analysis. The evaluated elements contributed to approximately 99.5% of the sample weight. In addition, the measurements provide valuable information on physical parameters such as density, hygrometry, and material flow. Using a pulsed generator, the analysis system offers potential for on-line measurements (borehole logging or conveyor belt). An overall description of the experimental set-up is given. The experimental data include measurements of natural radioactivity, delayed radioactivity induced by activation, and prompt gamma rays following neutron reaction. In situ applications of neutron interactions provide continuous analysis and produce results which are more statistically significant. The key factors contributing to advances in industrial applications are the development of high count rate gamma spectroscopy and computational tools to design measurement systems and interpret their results.

Monitoring and control of the biogas process based on propionate concentration using online VFA measurement.

PubMed

Boe, Kanokwan; Steyer, Jean-Philippe; Angelidaki, Irini

2008-01-01

Simple logic control algorithms were tested for automatic control of a lab-scale CSTR manure digester. Using an online VFA monitoring system, propionate concentration in the reactor was used as parameter for control of the biogas process. The propionate concentration was kept below a threshold of 10 mM by manipulating the feed flow. Other online parameters such as pH, biogas production, total VFA, and other individual VFA were also measured to examine process performance. The experimental results showed that a simple logic control can successfully prevent the reactor from overload, but with fluctuations of the propionate level due to the nature of control approach. The fluctuation of propionate concentration could be reduced, by adding a lower feed flow limit into the control algorithm to prevent undershooting of propionate response. It was found that use of the biogas production as a main control parameter, rather than propionate can give a more stable process, since propionate was very persistent and only responded very slowly to the decrease of the feed flow which lead to high fluctuation of biogas production. Propionate, however, was still an excellent parameter to indicate process stress under gradual overload and thus recommended as an alarm in the control algorithm. Copyright IWA Publishing 2008.

Analysis of pure tar substances (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in the gas stream using ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and multivariate curve resolution (MCR).

PubMed

Weide, Tobias; Guschin, Viktor; Becker, Wolfgang; Koelle, Sabine; Maier, Simon; Seidelt, Stephan

2015-01-01

The analysis of tar, mostly characterized as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), describes a topic that has been researched for years. An online analysis of tar in the gas stream in particular is needed to characterize the tar conversion or formation in the biomass gasification process. The online analysis in the gas is carried out with ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy (190-720 nm). This online analysis is performed with a measuring cell developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT). To this day, online tar measurements using UV-Vis spectroscopy have not been carried out in detail. Therefore, PAHs are analyzed as follows. The measurements are split into different steps. The first step to prove the online method is to vaporize single tar substances. These experiments show that a qualitative analysis of PAHs in the gas stream with the used measurement setup is possible. Furthermore, it is shown that the method provides very exact results, so that a differentiation of various PAHs is possible. The next step is to vaporize a PAH mixture. This step consists of vaporizing five pure substances almost simultaneously. The interpretation of the resulting data is made using a chemometric interpretation method, the multivariate curve resolution (MCR). The verification of the calculated results is the main aim of this experiment. It has been shown that the tar mixture can be analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively (in arbitrary units) in detail using the MCR. Finally it is the main goal of this paper to show the first steps in the applicability of the UV-Vis spectroscopy and the measurement setup on online tar analysis in view of characterizing the biomass gasification process. Due to that, the gasification plant (at the laboratory scale), developed and constructed by the Fraunhofer ICT, has been used to vaporize these substances. Using this gasification plant for the experiments enables the usage of the measurement setup also for the spectroscopic analysis of the tar formation during the biomass gasification.

On-line IR analyzer system to monitor cephamycin C loading on ion-exchange resin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shank, Sheldon; Russ, Warren; Gravatt, Douglas; Lee, Wesley; Donahue, Steven M.

1992-08-01

An on-line infrared analyzer is being developed for monitoring cephamycin C loading on ion exchange resin. Accurate measurement of product loading offers productivity improvements with direct savings from product loss avoidance, minimized raw material cost, and reduced off-line laboratory testing. Ultrafiltered fermentation broth is fed onto ion exchange columns under conditions which adsorb the product, cephamycin C, to the resin while allowing impurities to pass unretained. Product loading is stopped when the on-line analyzer determines that resin capacity for adsorbing product is nearly exhausted. Infrared spectroscopy has been shown capable of quantifying cephamycin C in the process matrix at concentrations that support process control decisions. Process-to-analyzer interface challenges have been resolved, including sample conditioning requirements. Analyzer requirements have been defined. The sample conditioning station is under design.

Psycholinguistically Oriented Second Language Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juffs, Alan

2001-01-01

Reviews recent research that investigates second language performance from the perspective of sentence processing (on-line comprehension studies) and word recognition. Concentrates on describing methods that employ reaction time measures as correlates of processing difficulty or knowledge representation. (Author/VWL)

Application of a mechanistic model as a tool for on-line monitoring of pilot scale filamentous fungal fermentation processes-The importance of evaporation effects.

PubMed

Mears, Lisa; Stocks, Stuart M; Albaek, Mads O; Sin, Gürkan; Gernaey, Krist V

2017-03-01

A mechanistic model-based soft sensor is developed and validated for 550L filamentous fungus fermentations operated at Novozymes A/S. The soft sensor is comprised of a parameter estimation block based on a stoichiometric balance, coupled to a dynamic process model. The on-line parameter estimation block models the changing rates of formation of product, biomass, and water, and the rate of consumption of feed using standard, available on-line measurements. This parameter estimation block, is coupled to a mechanistic process model, which solves the current states of biomass, product, substrate, dissolved oxygen and mass, as well as other process parameters including k L a, viscosity and partial pressure of CO 2 . State estimation at this scale requires a robust mass model including evaporation, which is a factor not often considered at smaller scales of operation. The model is developed using a historical data set of 11 batches from the fermentation pilot plant (550L) at Novozymes A/S. The model is then implemented on-line in 550L fermentation processes operated at Novozymes A/S in order to validate the state estimator model on 14 new batches utilizing a new strain. The product concentration in the validation batches was predicted with an average root mean sum of squared error (RMSSE) of 16.6%. In addition, calculation of the Janus coefficient for the validation batches shows a suitably calibrated model. The robustness of the model prediction is assessed with respect to the accuracy of the input data. Parameter estimation uncertainty is also carried out. The application of this on-line state estimator allows for on-line monitoring of pilot scale batches, including real-time estimates of multiple parameters which are not able to be monitored on-line. With successful application of a soft sensor at this scale, this allows for improved process monitoring, as well as opening up further possibilities for on-line control algorithms, utilizing these on-line model outputs. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 589-599. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

On-line consolidation of thermoplastic composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shih, Po-Jen

An on-line consolidation system, which includes a computer-controlled filament winding machine and a consolidation head assembly, has been designed and constructed to fabricate composite parts from thermoplastic towpregs. A statistical approach was used to determine the significant processing parameters and their effect on the mechanical and physical properties of composite cylinders fabricated by on-line consolidation. A central composite experimental design was used to select the processing conditions for manufacturing the composite cylinders. The thickness, density, void content, degree of crystallinity and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) were measured for each composite cylinder. Micrographs showed that complete intimate contact and uniform fiber-matrix distribution were achieved. The degree of crystallinity of the cylinders was found to be in the range of 25-30%. Under optimum processing conditions, an ILSS of 58 MPa and a void content of <1% were achieved for APC-2 (PEEK/Carbon fiber) composite cylinders. An in-situ measurement system which uses a slip ring assembly and a computer data acquisition system was developed to obtain temperature data during winding. Composite cylinders were manufactured with eight K-type thermocouples installed in various locations inside the cylinder. The temperature distribution inside the composite cylinder during winding was measured for different processing conditions. ABAQUS finite element models of the different processes that occur during on-line consolidation were constructed. The first model was used to determine the convective heat transfer coefficient for the hot-air heat source. A convective heat transfer coefficient of 260 w/msp{2°}K was obtained by matching the calculated temperature history to the in-situ measurement data. To predict temperature distribution during winding an ABAQUS winding simulation model was developed. The winding speed was modeled by incrementally moving the convective boundary conditions around the outer surface of the composite cylinder. A towpreg heating model was constructed to predict the temperature distribution on the cross section of the incoming towpreg. For the process-induced thermal stresses analysis, a thermoelastic finite element model was constructed. Using the temperature history obtained from thermal analysis as the initial conditions, the thermal stresses during winding and cooling were investigated.

Assessing segmentation processes by click detection: online measure of statistical learning, or simple interference?

PubMed

Franco, Ana; Gaillard, Vinciane; Cleeremans, Axel; Destrebecqz, Arnaud

2015-12-01

Statistical learning can be used to extract the words from continuous speech. Gómez, Bion, and Mehler (Language and Cognitive Processes, 26, 212-223, 2011) proposed an online measure of statistical learning: They superimposed auditory clicks on a continuous artificial speech stream made up of a random succession of trisyllabic nonwords. Participants were instructed to detect these clicks, which could be located either within or between words. The results showed that, over the length of exposure, reaction times (RTs) increased more for within-word than for between-word clicks. This result has been accounted for by means of statistical learning of the between-word boundaries. However, even though statistical learning occurs without an intention to learn, it nevertheless requires attentional resources. Therefore, this process could be affected by a concurrent task such as click detection. In the present study, we evaluated the extent to which the click detection task indeed reflects successful statistical learning. Our results suggest that the emergence of RT differences between within- and between-word click detection is neither systematic nor related to the successful segmentation of the artificial language. Therefore, instead of being an online measure of learning, the click detection task seems to interfere with the extraction of statistical regularities.

Process spectroscopy in microemulsions—setup and multi-spectral approach for reaction monitoring of a homogeneous hydroformylation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, K.; Ruiken, J.-P.; Illner, M.; Paul, A.; Müller, D.; Esche, E.; Wozny, G.; Maiwald, M.

2017-03-01

Reaction monitoring in disperse systems, such as emulsions, is of significant technical importance in various disciplines like biotechnological engineering, chemical industry, food science, and a growing number other technical fields. These systems pose several challenges when it comes to process analytics, such as heterogeneity of mixtures, changes in optical behavior, and low optical activity. Concerning this, online nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a powerful technique for process monitoring in complex reaction mixtures due to its unique direct comparison abilities, while at the same time being non-invasive and independent of optical properties of the sample. In this study the applicability of online-spectroscopic methods on the homogeneously catalyzed hydroformylation system of 1-dodecene to tridecanal is investigated, which is operated in a mini-plant scale at Technische Universität Berlin. The design of a laboratory setup for process-like calibration experiments is presented, including a 500 MHz online NMR spectrometer, a benchtop NMR device with 43 MHz proton frequency as well as two Raman probes and a flow cell assembly for an ultraviolet and visible light (UV/VIS) spectrometer. Results of high-resolution online NMR spectroscopy are shown and technical as well as process-specific problems observed during the measurements are discussed.

How Hearing Impairment Affects Sentence Comprehension: Using Eye Fixations to Investigate the Duration of Speech Processing

PubMed Central

Kollmeier, Birger; Brand, Thomas

2015-01-01

The main objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which hearing impairment influences the duration of sentence processing. An eye-tracking paradigm is introduced that provides an online measure of how hearing impairment prolongs processing of linguistically complex sentences; this measure uses eye fixations recorded while the participant listens to a sentence. Eye fixations toward a target picture (which matches the aurally presented sentence) were measured in the presence of a competitor picture. Based on the recorded eye fixations, the single target detection amplitude, which reflects the tendency of the participant to fixate the target picture, was used as a metric to estimate the duration of sentence processing. The single target detection amplitude was calculated for sentence structures with different levels of linguistic complexity and for different listening conditions: in quiet and in two different noise conditions. Participants with hearing impairment spent more time processing sentences, even at high levels of speech intelligibility. In addition, the relationship between the proposed online measure and listener-specific factors, such as hearing aid use and cognitive abilities, was investigated. Longer processing durations were measured for participants with hearing impairment who were not accustomed to using a hearing aid. Moreover, significant correlations were found between sentence processing duration and individual cognitive abilities (such as working memory capacity or susceptibility to interference). These findings are discussed with respect to audiological applications. PMID:25910503

Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Chemometric Modeling for Bioprocess Monitoring

PubMed Central

Faassen, Saskia M.; Hitzmann, Bernd

2015-01-01

On-line sensors for the detection of crucial process parameters are desirable for the monitoring, control and automation of processes in the biotechnology, food and pharma industry. Fluorescence spectroscopy as a highly developed and non-invasive technique that enables the on-line measurements of substrate and product concentrations or the identification of characteristic process states. During a cultivation process significant changes occur in the fluorescence spectra. By means of chemometric modeling, prediction models can be calculated and applied for process supervision and control to provide increased quality and the productivity of bioprocesses. A range of applications for different microorganisms and analytes has been proposed during the last years. This contribution provides an overview of different analysis methods for the measured fluorescence spectra and the model-building chemometric methods used for various microbial cultivations. Most of these processes are observed using the BioView® Sensor, thanks to its robustness and insensitivity to adverse process conditions. Beyond that, the PLS-method is the most frequently used chemometric method for the calculation of process models and prediction of process variables. PMID:25942644

Cultivating Asian Students' Willingness to Communicate in American Classrooms Using an Online Video-Based Pre-Arrival Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Hui-Ching Kayla

2017-01-01

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was: (1) to document the design and implementation process of an online video-based pre-arrival course that was intended to cultivate Asian students' willingness to communicate in American Classrooms; (2) to assess the effectiveness of the course by measuring students' oral proficiency and willingness to…

An online detection system for aggregate sizes and shapes based on digital image processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jianhong; Chen, Sijia

2017-02-01

Traditional aggregate size measuring methods are time-consuming, taxing, and do not deliver online measurements. A new online detection system for determining aggregate size and shape based on a digital camera with a charge-coupled device, and subsequent digital image processing, have been developed to overcome these problems. The system captures images of aggregates while falling and flat lying. Using these data, the particle size and shape distribution can be obtained in real time. Here, we calibrate this method using standard globules. Our experiments show that the maximum particle size distribution error was only 3 wt%, while the maximum particle shape distribution error was only 2 wt% for data derived from falling aggregates, having good dispersion. In contrast, the data for flat-lying aggregates had a maximum particle size distribution error of 12 wt%, and a maximum particle shape distribution error of 10 wt%; their accuracy was clearly lower than for falling aggregates. However, they performed well for single-graded aggregates, and did not require a dispersion device. Our system is low-cost and easy to install. It can successfully achieve online detection of aggregate size and shape with good reliability, and it has great potential for aggregate quality assurance.

Do Films Make You Learn? Inference Processes in Expository Film Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tibus, Maike; Heier, Anke; Schwan, Stephan

2013-01-01

The present article examines how suitable expository films are for learning. This question was motivated by the assumption that films are processed in a superficial manner. However, previous research has been dominated by the analyses of outcome measures and has never taken a look at online measures so that no clear conclusions have been drawn.…

On-line depth measurement for laser-drilled holes based on the intensity of plasma emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Chao-Ching; Chiu, Chih-Mu; Chang, Yuan-Jen; Hsu, Jin-Chen; Kuo, Chia-Lung

2014-09-01

The direct time-resolved depth measurement of blind holes is extremely difficult due to the short time interval and the limited space inside the hole. This work presents a method that involves on-line plasma emission acquisition and analysis to obtain correlations between the machining processes and the optical signal output. Given that the depths of laser-machined holes can be estimated on-line using a coaxial photodiode, this was employed in our inspection system. Our experiments were conducted in air under normal atmospheric conditions without gas assist. The intensity of radiation emitted from the vaporized material was found to correlate with the depth of the hole. The results indicate that the estimated depths of the laser-drilled holes were inversely proportional to the maximum plasma light emission measured for a given laser pulse number.

On-line method of determining utilization factor in Hg-196 photochemical separation process

DOEpatents

Grossman, Mark W.; Moskowitz, Philip E.

1992-01-01

The present invention is directed to a method for determining the utilization factor [U] in a photochemical mercury enrichment process (.sup.196 Hg) by measuring relative .sup.196 Hg densities using absorption spectroscopy.

Slowed Speech Input has a Differential Impact on On-line and Off-line Processing in Children’s Comprehension of Pronouns

PubMed Central

Walenski, Matthew; Swinney, David

2009-01-01

The central question underlying this study revolves around how children process co-reference relationships—such as those evidenced by pronouns (him) and reflexives (himself)—and how a slowed rate of speech input may critically affect this process. Previous studies of child language processing have demonstrated that typical language developing (TLD) children as young as 4 years of age process co-reference relations in a manner similar to adults on-line. In contrast, off-line measures of pronoun comprehension suggest a developmental delay for pronouns (relative to reflexives). The present study examines dependency relations in TLD children (ages 5–13) and investigates how a slowed rate of speech input affects the unconscious (on-line) and conscious (off-line) parsing of these constructions. For the on-line investigations (using a cross-modal picture priming paradigm), results indicate that at a normal rate of speech TLD children demonstrate adult-like syntactic reflexes. At a slowed rate of speech the typical language developing children displayed a breakdown in automatic syntactic parsing (again, similar to the pattern seen in unimpaired adults). As demonstrated in the literature, our off-line investigations (sentence/picture matching task) revealed that these children performed much better on reflexives than on pronouns at a regular speech rate. However, at the slow speech rate, performance on pronouns was substantially improved, whereas performance on reflexives was not different than at the regular speech rate. We interpret these results in light of a distinction between fast automatic processes (relied upon for on-line processing in real time) and conscious reflective processes (relied upon for off-line processing), such that slowed speech input disrupts the former, yet improves the latter. PMID:19343495

Patients’ online access to their electronic health records and linked online services: a systematic interpretative review

PubMed Central

de Lusignan, Simon; Mold, Freda; Sheikh, Aziz; Majeed, Azeem; Wyatt, Jeremy C; Quinn, Tom; Cavill, Mary; Gronlund, Toto Anne; Franco, Christina; Chauhan, Umesh; Blakey, Hannah; Kataria, Neha; Barker, Fiona; Ellis, Beverley; Koczan, Phil; Arvanitis, Theodoros N; McCarthy, Mary; Jones, Simon; Rafi, Imran

2014-01-01

Objectives To investigate the effect of providing patients online access to their electronic health record (EHR) and linked transactional services on the provision, quality and safety of healthcare. The objectives are also to identify and understand: barriers and facilitators for providing online access to their records and services for primary care workers; and their association with organisational/IT system issues. Setting Primary care. Participants A total of 143 studies were included. 17 were experimental in design and subject to risk of bias assessment, which is reported in a separate paper. Detailed inclusion and exclusion criteria have also been published elsewhere in the protocol. Primary and secondary outcome measures Our primary outcome measure was change in quality or safety as a result of implementation or utilisation of online records/transactional services. Results No studies reported changes in health outcomes; though eight detected medication errors and seven reported improved uptake of preventative care. Professional concerns over privacy were reported in 14 studies. 18 studies reported concern over potential increased workload; with some showing an increase workload in email or online messaging; telephone contact remaining unchanged, and face-to face contact staying the same or falling. Owing to heterogeneity in reporting overall workload change was hard to predict. 10 studies reported how online access offered convenience, primarily for more advantaged patients, who were largely highly satisfied with the process when clinician responses were prompt. Conclusions Patient online access and services offer increased convenience and satisfaction. However, professionals were concerned about impact on workload and risk to privacy. Studies correcting medication errors may improve patient safety. There may need to be a redesign of the business process to engage health professionals in online access and of the EHR to make it friendlier and provide equity of access to a wider group of patients. A1. Systematic review registration number PROSPERO CRD42012003091. PMID:25200561

Research on On-Line Modeling of Fed-Batch Fermentation Process Based on v-SVR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Yongjun

The fermentation process is very complex and non-linear, many parameters are not easy to measure directly on line, soft sensor modeling is a good solution. This paper introduces v-support vector regression (v-SVR) for soft sensor modeling of fed-batch fermentation process. v-SVR is a novel type of learning machine. It can control the accuracy of fitness and prediction error by adjusting the parameter v. An on-line training algorithm is discussed in detail to reduce the training complexity of v-SVR. The experimental results show that v-SVR has low error rate and better generalization with appropriate v.

Fed-batch control based upon the measurement of intracellular NADH

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Armiger, W. B.; Lee, J. F.; Montalvo, L. M.; Forro, J. R.

1987-01-01

A series of experiments demonstrating that on-line measurements of intracellular NADH by culture fluorescence can be used to monitor and control the fermentation process are described. A distinct advantage of intercellular NADH measurements over other monitoring techniques such as pH and dissolved oxygen is that it directly measures real time events occurring within the cell rather than changes in the environment. When coupled with other measurement parameters, it can provide a finer degree of sophistication in process control.

Exploring key factors in online shopping with a hybrid model.

PubMed

Chen, Hsiao-Ming; Wu, Chia-Huei; Tsai, Sang-Bing; Yu, Jian; Wang, Jiangtao; Zheng, Yuxiang

2016-01-01

Nowadays, the web increasingly influences retail sales. An in-depth analysis of consumer decision-making in the context of e-business has become an important issue for internet vendors. However, factors affecting e-business are complicated and intertwined. To stimulate online sales, understanding key influential factors and causal relationships among the factors is important. To gain more insights into this issue, this paper introduces a hybrid method, which combines the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) with the analytic network process, called DANP method, to find out the driving factors that influence the online business mostly. By DEMATEL approach the causal graph showed that "online service" dimension has the highest degree of direct impact on other dimensions; thus, the internet vendor is suggested to made strong efforts on service quality throughout the online shopping process. In addition, the study adopted DANP to measure the importance of key factors, among which "transaction security" proves to be the most important criterion. Hence, transaction security should be treated with top priority to boost the online businesses. From our study with DANP approach, the comprehensive information can be visually detected so that the decision makers can spotlight on the root causes to develop effectual actions.

Online detecting system of roller wear based on laser-linear array CCD technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Yuan

2010-10-01

Roller is an important metallurgy tool in the rolling mill. And the surface of a roller affects the quantity of the rolling product directly. After using a period of time, roller must be repaired or replaced. Examining the profile of a working roller between the intervals of rolling is called online detecting for roller wear. The study of online detecting roller wear is very important for selecting the grinding time in reason, reducing the exchanging times of rollers, improving the quality of the product and realizing online grinding rollers. By applying the laser-linear array CCD detective technology, a method for online non-touch detecting roller wear was brought forward. The principle, composition and the operation process of the linear array CCD detecting system were expatiated. And an error compensation algorithm is exactly calculated to offset the shift of the roller axis in this measurement system. So the stability and the accuracy were improved remarkably. The experiment proves that the accuracy of the detecting system reaches to the demand of practical production process. It can provide a new method of high speed and high accuracy online detecting for roller wear.

Brain activity patterns induced by interrupting the cognitive processes with online advertising.

PubMed

Rejer, Izabela; Jankowski, Jarosław

2017-11-01

As a result of the increasing role of online advertising and strong competition among advertisers, intrusive techniques are commonly used to attract web users' attention. Moreover, since marketing content is usually delivered to the target audience when they are performing typical online tasks, like searching for information or reading online content, its delivery interrupts the web user's current cognitive process. The question posed by many researchers in the field of online advertising is: how should we measure the influence of interruption of cognitive processes on human behavior and emotional state? Much research has been conducted in this field; however, most of this research has focused on monitoring activity in the simulated environment, or processing declarative responses given by users in prepared questionnaires. In this paper, a more direct real-time approach is taken, and the effect of the interruption on a web user is analyzed directly by studying the activity of his brain. This paper presents the results of an experiment that was conducted to find the brain activity patterns associated with interruptions of the cognitive process by showing internet advertisements during a text-reading task. Three specific aspects were addressed in the experiment: individual patterns, the consistency of these patterns across trials, and the intra-subject correlation of the individual patterns. Two main effects were observed for most subjects: a drop in activity in the frontal and prefrontal cortical areas across all frequency bands, and significant changes in the frontal/prefrontal asymmetry index.

Online biochemical oxygen demand monitoring for wastewater process control--full-scale studies at Los Angeles Glendale wastewater plant, California.

PubMed

Iranpour, Reza; Zermeno, Miguel

2008-04-01

The main objective of this investigation is to determine whether or not it would be feasible to use the measured values of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of wastewater obtained by an online instrument at the Los Angeles/Glendale Water Reclamation Plant (California) for controlling its activated sludge process. This investigation is part of a project to develop online BOD monitoring for process control in the City of Los Angeles wastewater treatment plants. Tests studied the Siepmann und Teutscher GmbH (ISCO-STIP Inc., Lincoln, Nebraska) BIOX-1010, which uses a bioreactor containing a culture of microbes from the wastewater to measure soluble BOD in 2 minutes. This rapid approximation to the operation of secondary treatment allows anticipation of system response. Calibration measurements allow the operators to find a conversion factor for the instrument's microprocessor to compute values of BOD that agree well with the standard 5-day BOD (BOD5) measurement, despite the differences in the details of the two testing methods. This instrument has recently been used at other wastewater treatment plants, at a number of airports in Europe and the United States to monitor runway runoff, and is also being used on waste streams at an increasing number of food processing plants. A comparison was made between the plant influent BOD values obtained by the BIOX-1010 online monitor from the end of August, 2000, to late January, 2001, and the individual and average values obtained for the same period using the standard BOD5, 20 degrees C test, to determine the effectiveness of the Biox-1010 to identify shock loads and their duration. Individual BOD estimates and averages over periods of overly high biological loads (shock loads) were compared, and the instrument readings were evaluated for their effectiveness in detecting shock loads. The results were highly satisfactory, so the instrument was used to trigger a shock-load warning alarm since late September, 2000. This allowed flow diversion and temporary storage to prevent process upsets.

Development of a Versatile Laser-Ultrasonic System and Application to the Online Measurement for Process Control of Wall Thickness and Eccentricity of Seamless Tubes

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

Robert V. Kolarik II

2002-10-23

A system for the online, non-contact measurement of wall thickness in steel seamless mechanical tubing has been developed and demonstrated at a tubing production line at the Timken Company in Canton, Ohio. The system utilizes laser-generation of ultrasound and laser-detection of time of flight with interferometry, laser-doppler velocimetry and pyrometry, all with fiber coupling. Accuracy (<1% error) and precision (1.5%) are at targeted levels. Cost and energy savings have exceeded estimates. The system has shown good reliability in measuring over 200,000 tubes in its first six months of deployment.

Industrial application of ultrasound based in-line rheometry: Visualization of steady shear pipe flow of chocolate suspension in pre-crystallization process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouriev, Boris; Windhab, Erich; Braun, Peter; Zeng, Yuantong; Birkhofer, Beat

2003-12-01

In the present work an in-line ultrasonic method for investigation of the rheological flow behavior of concentrated suspensions was created. It is based on a nondestructive rheological measuring technique for pilot plant and industrial scale applications. Elsewhere the author discusses a tremendous need for in-line rheological characterization of highly concentrated suspensions exposed to pressure driven shear flow conditions. Most existing on-line methods are based on destructive macro actuators, which are not suitable for materials with sensitive to applied deformation structure. Since the process of our basic interest influences the structure of suspension it would be difficult to separate the effects of rheometric measurement and weakly pronounced structural changes arising from a fine adjustment of the process parameters. The magnitude of these effects is usually associated with the complex flow dynamics of structured liquids and is sensitive to density or temperature fluctuations around the moving rheometric actuator. Interpretation of the results of such measurements can be hindered by process parameter influences on liquid product structure. Therefore, the author introduces an in-line noninvasive rheometric method, which is implemented in a pre-crystallization process of chocolate suspension. Use of ultrasound velocity profile pressure difference (UVP-PD) technique enabled process monitoring of the chocolate pre-crystallization process. Influence of seeded crystals on Rheology of chocolate suspension was recorded and monitored on line. It was shown that even slight velocity pulsations in chocolate mainstream can strongly influence rheological properties besides influencing flow velocity profiles. Based on calculations of power law fit in raw velocity profiles and calculation of wall shear stress from pressure difference measurement, a viscosity function was calculated and monitored on line. On-line results were found to be in a good agreement with off-line data. The results of the industrial test of the UVP-PD system brought practical knowledge and stipulated further development of a Smart UVP-PD noninventive on-line rheometer.

Online monitoring of dissolved oxygen tension in microtiter plates based on infrared fluorescent oxygen-sensitive nanoparticles.

PubMed

Ladner, Tobias; Flitsch, David; Schlepütz, Tino; Büchs, Jochen

2015-10-09

During the past years, new high-throughput screening systems with capabilities of online monitoring turned out to be powerful tools for the characterization of microbial cell cultures. These systems are often easy to use, offer economic advantages compared to larger systems and allow to determine many important process parameters within short time. Fluorescent protein tags tremendously simplified the tracking and observation of cellular activity in vivo. Unfortunately, interferences between established fluorescence based dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) measurement techniques and fluorescence-based protein tags appeared. Therefore, the applicability of new oxygen-sensitive nanoparticles operated within the more suitable infrared wavelength region are introduced and validated for DOT measurement. The biocompatibility of the used dispersed oxygen-sensitive nanoparticles was proven via RAMOS cultivations for Hansenula polymorpha, Gluconobacter oxydans, and Escherichia coli. The applicability of the introduced DOT measurement technique for online monitoring of cultivations was demonstrated and successfully validated. The nanoparticles showed no disturbing effect on the online measurement of the fluorescence intensities of the proteins GFP, mCherry and YFP measured by a BioLector prototype. Additionally, the DOT measurement was not influenced by changing concentrations of these proteins. The kLa values for the applied cultivation conditions were successfully determined based on the measured DOT. The introduced technique appeared to be practically as well as economically advantageous for DOT online measuring in microtiter plates. The disadvantage of limited availability of microtiter plates with immobilized sensor spots (optodes) does not apply for this introduced technique. Due to the infrared wavelength range, used for the DOT measurement, no interferences with biogenic fluorescence or with expressed fluorescent proteins (e.g. YFP, GFP or mCherry) occur.

Novel Online Diagnostic Analysis for In-Flight Particle Properties in Cold Spraying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koivuluoto, Heli; Matikainen, Ville; Larjo, Jussi; Vuoristo, Petri

2018-02-01

In cold spraying, powder particles are accelerated by preheated supersonic gas stream to high velocities and sprayed on a substrate. The particle velocities depend on the equipment design and process parameters, e.g., on the type of the process gas and its pressure and temperature. These, in turn, affect the coating structure and the properties. The particle velocities in cold spraying are high, and the particle temperatures are low, which can, therefore, be a challenge for the diagnostic methods. A novel optical online diagnostic system, HiWatch HR, will open new possibilities for measuring particle in-flight properties in cold spray processes. The system employs an imaging measurement technique called S-PTV (sizing-particle tracking velocimetry), first introduced in this research. This technique enables an accurate particle size measurement also for small diameter particles with a large powder volume. The aim of this study was to evaluate the velocities of metallic particles sprayed with HPCS and LPCS systems and with varying process parameters. The measured in-flight particle properties were further linked to the resulting coating properties. Furthermore, the camera was able to provide information about variations during the spraying, e.g., fluctuating powder feeding, which is important from the process control and quality control point of view.

Using incident response trees as a tool for risk management of online financial services.

PubMed

Gorton, Dan

2014-09-01

The article introduces the use of probabilistic risk assessment for modeling the incident response process of online financial services. The main contribution is the creation of incident response trees, using event tree analysis, which provides us with a visual tool and a systematic way to estimate the probability of a successful incident response process against the currently known risk landscape, making it possible to measure the balance between front-end and back-end security measures. The model is presented using an illustrative example, and is then applied to the incident response process of a Swedish bank. Access to relevant data is verified and the applicability and usability of the proposed model is verified using one year of historical data. Potential advantages and possible shortcomings are discussed, referring to both the design phase and the operational phase, and future work is presented. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

On-line application of near-infrared spectroscopy for monitoring water levels in parts per million in a manufacturing-scale distillation process.

PubMed

Lambertus, Gordon; Shi, Zhenqi; Forbes, Robert; Kramer, Timothy T; Doherty, Steven; Hermiller, James; Scully, Norma; Wong, Sze Wing; LaPack, Mark

2014-01-01

An on-line analytical method based on transmission near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for the quantitative determination of water concentrations (in parts per million) was developed and applied to the manufacture of a pharmaceutical intermediate. Calibration models for water analysis, built at the development site and applied at the manufacturing site, were successfully demonstrated during six manufacturing runs at a 250-gallon scale. The water measurements will be used as a forward-processing control point following distillation of a toluene product solution prior to use in a Grignard reaction. The most significant impact of using this NIRS-based process analytical technology (PAT) to replace off-line measurements is the significant reduction in the risk of operator exposure through the elimination of sampling of a severely lachrymatory and mutagenic compound. The work described in this report illustrates the development effort from proof-of-concept phase to manufacturing implementation.

Development of on-line laser power monitoring system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Chien-Fang; Lee, Meng-Shiou; Li, Kuan-Ming

2016-03-01

Since the laser was invented, laser has been applied in many fields such as material processing, communication, measurement, biomedical engineering, defense industries and etc. Laser power is an important parameter in laser material processing, i.e. laser cutting, and laser drilling. However, the laser power is easily affected by the environment temperature, we tend to monitor the laser power status, ensuring there is an effective material processing. Besides, the response time of current laser power meters is too long, they cannot measure laser power accurately in a short time. To be more precisely, we can know the status of laser power and help us to achieve an effective material processing at the same time. To monitor the laser power, this study utilize a CMOS (Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) camera to develop an on-line laser power monitoring system. The CMOS camera captures images of incident laser beam after it is split and attenuated by beam splitter and neutral density filter. By comparing the average brightness of the beam spots and measurement results from laser power meter, laser power can be estimated. Under continuous measuring mode, the average measuring error is about 3%, and the response time is at least 3.6 second shorter than thermopile power meters; under trigger measuring mode which enables the CMOS camera to synchronize with intermittent laser output, the average measuring error is less than 3%, and the shortest response time is 20 millisecond.

How hearing impairment affects sentence comprehension: using eye fixations to investigate the duration of speech processing.

PubMed

Wendt, Dorothea; Kollmeier, Birger; Brand, Thomas

2015-04-24

The main objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which hearing impairment influences the duration of sentence processing. An eye-tracking paradigm is introduced that provides an online measure of how hearing impairment prolongs processing of linguistically complex sentences; this measure uses eye fixations recorded while the participant listens to a sentence. Eye fixations toward a target picture (which matches the aurally presented sentence) were measured in the presence of a competitor picture. Based on the recorded eye fixations, the single target detection amplitude, which reflects the tendency of the participant to fixate the target picture, was used as a metric to estimate the duration of sentence processing. The single target detection amplitude was calculated for sentence structures with different levels of linguistic complexity and for different listening conditions: in quiet and in two different noise conditions. Participants with hearing impairment spent more time processing sentences, even at high levels of speech intelligibility. In addition, the relationship between the proposed online measure and listener-specific factors, such as hearing aid use and cognitive abilities, was investigated. Longer processing durations were measured for participants with hearing impairment who were not accustomed to using a hearing aid. Moreover, significant correlations were found between sentence processing duration and individual cognitive abilities (such as working memory capacity or susceptibility to interference). These findings are discussed with respect to audiological applications. © The Author(s) 2015.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Simister, Heather D; Tkachuk, Gregg A; Shay, Barbara L; Vincent, Norah; Pear, Joseph J; Skrabek, Ryan Q

2018-03-02

In this study, 67 participants (95% female) with fibromyalgia (FM) were randomly assigned to an online acceptance and commitment therapy (online ACT) and treatment as usual (TAU; ACT + TAU) protocol or a TAU control condition. Online ACT + TAU participants were asked to complete 7 modules over an 8-week period. Assessments were completed at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up periods and included measures of FM impact (primary outcome), depression, pain, sleep, 6-minute walk, sit to stand, pain acceptance (primary process variable), mindfulness, cognitive fusion, valued living, kinesiophobia, and pain catastrophizing. The results indicated that online ACT + TAU participants significantly improved in FM impact, relative to TAU (P <.001), with large between condition effect sizes at post-treatment (1.26) and follow-up (1.59). Increases in pain acceptance significantly mediated these improvements (P = .005). Significant improvements in favor of online ACT + TAU were also found on measures of depression (P = .02), pain (P = .01), and kinesiophobia (P = .001). Although preliminary, this study highlights the potential for online ACT to be an efficacious, accessible, and cost-effective treatment for people with FM and other chronic pain conditions. Online ACT reduced FM impact relative to a TAU control condition in this randomized controlled trial. Reductions in FM impact were mediated by improvements in pain acceptance. Online ACT appears to be a promising intervention for FM. Copyright © 2018 The American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On-line condition monitoring applications in nuclear power plants

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

Hastiemian, H. M.; Feltus, M. A.

2006-07-01

Existing signals from process instruments in nuclear power plants can be sampled while the plant is operating and analyzed to verify the static and dynamic performance of process sensors, identify process-to-sensor problems, detect instrument anomalies such as venturi fouling, measure the vibration of the reactor vessel and its internals, or detect thermal hydraulic anomalies within the reactor coolant system. These applications are important in nuclear plants to satisfy a variety of objectives such as: 1) meeting the plant technical specification requirements; 2) complying with regulatory regulations; 3) guarding against equipment and process degradation; 4) providing a means for incipient failuremore » detection and predictive maintenance; or 5) identifying the root cause of anomalies in equipment and plant processes. The technologies that are used to achieve these objectives are collectively referred to as 'on-line condition monitoring.' This paper presents a review of key elements of these technologies, provides examples of their use in nuclear power plants, and illustrates how they can be integrated into an on-line condition monitoring system for nuclear power plants. (authors)« less

Comparison of Student Performance in Video Game Format vs. Traditional Approach in Introductory Astronomy Classes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barringer, Daniel; Kregenow, Julia M.; Palma, Christopher; Plummer, Julia

2015-01-01

In Spring of 2014, Penn State debuted an online Introductory Astronomy (AST 001) section that was designed as a video game. Previous studies have shown that well-designed games help learners to build accurate understanding of embedded concepts and processes and aid learner motivation, which strongly contributes to a student's willingness to learn. We start by presenting the learning gains as measured with the Test of Astronomy Standards (TOAST) from this new course design. We further compare the learning gains from the video game section with learning gains measured from more traditional online formats and in-person lecture sections of AST 001 taught at Penn State over the last five years to evaluate the extent to which this new medium for online Astronomy education supports student learning.

An investigation into semantic and phonological processing in individuals with Williams syndrome.

PubMed

Lee, Cheryl S; Binder, Katherine S

2014-02-01

The current study examined semantic and phonological processing in individuals with Williams syndrome (WS). Previous research in language processing in individuals with WS suggests a complex linguistic system characterized by "deviant" semantic organization and differential phonological processing. Two experiments explored these representations in individuals with WS. The first experiment analyzed the relative typicality and frequency of participants' responses to a semantic and phonological fluency task. The second experiment tapped into online language processing through a semantic priming task and an online sentence reading task measuring the effects of word frequency. Thirteen participants with WS were matched to a group of participants on reading grade level and a group of participants on chronological age. The results of the semantic fluency task, semantic priming task, and word frequency task suggest that semantic organization in individuals with WS appears commensurate with their reading level rather than deviant. The pattern of results suggests that individuals with WS do not appear to have deviant semantic organization, while confirming that online tasks that tap into these processes are a promising direction in investigations that include atypically developing populations. These findings for the phonological tasks warrant further research into phonological processing in individuals with WS.

Do morphemes matter when reading compound words with transposed letters? Evidence from eye-tracking and event-related potentials

DOE PAGES

Stites, Mallory C.; Federmeier, Kara D.; Christianson, Kiel

2016-08-06

We investigate the online processing consequences of encountering compound words with transposed letters (TLs), in order to determine if cross-morpheme TLs are more disruptive to reading than those within a single morpheme, as would be predicted by accounts of obligatory morpho-orthopgrahic decomposition. Two measures of online processing, eye movements and event-related potentials (ERPs), were collected in separate experiments. Participants read sentences containing correctly spelled compound words (cupcake), or compounds with TLs occurring either across morphemes (cucpake) or within one morpheme (cupacke). Results showed that between- and within-morpheme transpositions produced equal processing costs in both measures, in the form of longermore » reading times (Experiment 1) and a late posterior positivity (Experiment 2) that did not differ between conditions. Our findings converge to suggest that within- and between-morpheme TLs are equally disruptive to recognition, providing evidence against obligatory morpho-orthographic processing and in favour of whole-word access of English compound words during sentence reading.« less

Do Morphemes Matter when Reading Compound Words with Transposed Letters? Evidence from Eye-Tracking and Event-Related Potentials

PubMed Central

Stites, Mallory C.; Federmeier, Kara D.; Christianson, Kiel

2017-01-01

The current study investigates the online processing consequences of encountering compound words with transposed letters (TLs), to determine if TLs that cross morpheme boundaries are more disruptive to reading than those within a single morpheme, as would be predicted by accounts of obligatory morpho-orthopgrahic decomposition. Two measures of online processing, eye movements and event-related potentials (ERPs), were collected in separate experiments. Participants read sentences containing correctly spelled compound words (cupcake), or compounds with TLs occurring either across morpheme boundaries (cucpake) or within one morpheme (cupacke). Results showed that between- and within-morpheme transpositions produced equal processing costs in both measures, in the form of longer reading times (Experiment 1) and a late posterior positivity (Experiment 2) that did not differ between conditions. Findings converge to suggest that within- and between-morpheme TLs are equally disruptive to recognition, providing evidence against obligatory morpho-orthographic processing and in favor of whole-word access of English compound words during sentence reading. PMID:28791313

Online monitoring of Mezcal fermentation based on redox potential measurements.

PubMed

Escalante-Minakata, P; Ibarra-Junquera, V; Rosu, H C; De León-Rodríguez, A; González-García, R

2009-01-01

We describe an algorithm for the continuous monitoring of the biomass and ethanol concentrations as well as the growth rate in the Mezcal fermentation process. The algorithm performs its task having available only the online measurements of the redox potential. The procedure combines an artificial neural network (ANN) that relates the redox potential to the ethanol and biomass concentrations with a nonlinear observer-based algorithm that uses the ANN biomass estimations to infer the growth rate of this fermentation process. The results show that the redox potential is a valuable indicator of the metabolic activity of the microorganisms during Mezcal fermentation. In addition, the estimated growth rate can be considered as a direct evidence of the presence of mixed culture growth in the process. Usually, mixtures of microorganisms could be intuitively clear in this kind of processes; however, the total biomass data do not provide definite evidence by themselves. In this paper, the detailed design of the software sensor as well as its experimental application is presented at the laboratory level.

Do morphemes matter when reading compound words with transposed letters? Evidence from eye-tracking and event-related potentials

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

Stites, Mallory C.; Federmeier, Kara D.; Christianson, Kiel

We investigate the online processing consequences of encountering compound words with transposed letters (TLs), in order to determine if cross-morpheme TLs are more disruptive to reading than those within a single morpheme, as would be predicted by accounts of obligatory morpho-orthopgrahic decomposition. Two measures of online processing, eye movements and event-related potentials (ERPs), were collected in separate experiments. Participants read sentences containing correctly spelled compound words (cupcake), or compounds with TLs occurring either across morphemes (cucpake) or within one morpheme (cupacke). Results showed that between- and within-morpheme transpositions produced equal processing costs in both measures, in the form of longermore » reading times (Experiment 1) and a late posterior positivity (Experiment 2) that did not differ between conditions. Our findings converge to suggest that within- and between-morpheme TLs are equally disruptive to recognition, providing evidence against obligatory morpho-orthographic processing and in favour of whole-word access of English compound words during sentence reading.« less

Application of Motion Induced Remote-Field Eddy-Current effect to online inspection and quality examination of rolling metallic strips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yushi; Udpa, Satish; Lord, William; Udpa, Lalita; Ouyang, Tianhe

2001-04-01

The Motion Induced Remote-Field Eddy-Current (MIRFEC) effect was first observed in 1994. The effect was first exploited for detecting pipeline stress corrosion cracks as a part of a research project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation. This paper presents a new application of the MIRFEC effect for online inspection of rolling metallic strips. Currently, rolled metallic strips and sheets are inspected off-line, which is costly, time consuming and not ideal for quality control. A well-designed online diagnostic and control system for metal rolling process may be able to reduce cost, improve quality, and hence enhance competitiveness of the product. The overall objective of this paper is to demonstrate the feasibility of a new nondestructive measurement system for on-line diagnostics and control of metallic rolling process using the MIRFEC effect. The system can be used to monitor, in real time, metallic strips/sheets for possible anomalies, inclusions, voids, bubbles, lamination, as well as variations in its magnetic and other properties. The potential advantages of the MIRFEC system include simplicity, robustness, low cost, high reliability, quick and accurate signal classification and characterization. Such systems can be used for real-time process control, or off-line data analysis. The technique also allows operation at high temperatures, tolerates large lift-off and vibration, and high rolling speed. Results of finite element modeling of the MIRFEC effect and experimental measurement data obtained from a prototype system are presented.

On-line carbon balance of yeast fermentations using miniaturized optical sensors.

PubMed

Beuermann, Thomas; Egly, Dominik; Geoerg, Daniel; Klug, Kerris Isolde; Storhas, Winfried; Methner, Frank-Juergen

2012-03-01

Monitoring of microbiological processes using optical sensors and spectrometers has gained in importance over the past few years due to its advantage in enabling non-invasive on-line analysis. Near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectrometer set-ups in combination with multivariate calibrations have already been successfully employed for the simultaneous determination of different metabolites in microbiological processes. Photometric sensors, in addition to their low price compared to spectrometer set-ups, have the advantage of being compact and are easy to calibrate and operate. In this work, the detection of ethanol and CO(2) in the exhaust gas during aerobic yeast fermentation was performed by two photometric gas analyzers, and dry yeast biomass was monitored using a fiber optic backscatter set-up. The optical sensors could be easily fitted to the bioreactor and exhibited high robustness during measuring. The ethanol content of the fermentation broth was monitored on-line by measuring the ethanol concentration in the fermentation exhaust and applying a conversion factor. The vapor/liquid equilibrium and the associated conversion factor strongly depend on the process parameter temperature but not on aeration and stirring rate. Dry yeast biomass was determined in-line by a backscattering signal applying a linear calibration. An on-line balance with a recovery rate of 95-97% for carbon was achieved with the use of three optical sensors (two infrared gas analyzers and one fiber optic backscatter set-up). Copyright © 2011 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Propagation of measurement accuracy to biomass soft-sensor estimation and control quality.

PubMed

Steinwandter, Valentin; Zahel, Thomas; Sagmeister, Patrick; Herwig, Christoph

2017-01-01

In biopharmaceutical process development and manufacturing, the online measurement of biomass and derived specific turnover rates is a central task to physiologically monitor and control the process. However, hard-type sensors such as dielectric spectroscopy, broth fluorescence, or permittivity measurement harbor various disadvantages. Therefore, soft-sensors, which use measurements of the off-gas stream and substrate feed to reconcile turnover rates and provide an online estimate of the biomass formation, are smart alternatives. For the reconciliation procedure, mass and energy balances are used together with accuracy estimations of measured conversion rates, which were so far arbitrarily chosen and static over the entire process. In this contribution, we present a novel strategy within the soft-sensor framework (named adaptive soft-sensor) to propagate uncertainties from measurements to conversion rates and demonstrate the benefits: For industrially relevant conditions, hereby the error of the resulting estimated biomass formation rate and specific substrate consumption rate could be decreased by 43 and 64 %, respectively, compared to traditional soft-sensor approaches. Moreover, we present a generic workflow to determine the required raw signal accuracy to obtain predefined accuracies of soft-sensor estimations. Thereby, appropriate measurement devices and maintenance intervals can be selected. Furthermore, using this workflow, we demonstrate that the estimation accuracy of the soft-sensor can be additionally and substantially increased.

Simulation of mass storage systems operating in a large data processing facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, R.

1972-01-01

A mass storage simulation program was written to aid system designers in the design of a data processing facility. It acts as a tool for measuring the overall effect on the facility of on-line mass storage systems, and it provides the means of measuring and comparing the performance of competing mass storage systems. The performance of the simulation program is demonstrated.

Removal of correlated noise online for in situ measurements by using multichannel magnetic resonance sounding system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Tingting; Zhang, Siyuan; Zhang, Yang; Wan, Ling; Lin, Jun

2017-01-01

Compared with the other geophysical approaches, magnetic resonance sounding (MRS) technique is direct and nondestructive in subsurface water exploration. It provides water content distribution and estimates hydrogeological properties. The biggest challenge is that MRS measurement always suffers bad signal-to-noise ratio, and it can be carried out only far from sources of noise. To solve this problem, a series of de-noising methods are developed. However, most of them are post-processing, leading the data quality uncontrolled for in situ measurements. In the present study, a new approach that removal of correlated noise online is found to overcome the restriction. Based on LabVIEW, a method is provided to enable online data quality control by the way of realizing signal acquisition and noise filtering simultaneously. Using one or more reference coils, adaptive noise cancellation based on LabVIEW to eliminate the correlated noise is available for in situ measurements. The approach was examined through numerical simulation and field measurements. The correlated noise is mitigated effectively and the application of MRS measurements is feasible in high-level noise environment. The method shortens the measurement time and improves the measurement efficiency.

Measurement of Chlorine Dioxide in Water by DPD Colorimetric Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Min; Yan, Panping; Yao, Jun

2018-01-01

In order to solve the problems of chlorine dioxide in water by DPD colorimetric method, this paper discusses the effects of the formulation, temperature, color development time and amount of color reagent on the measurement process, improving the on-line instrument for domestic and drinking water in chlorine dioxide measurement precision and accuracy.

Online devices and measuring systems for the automatic control of newspaper printing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marszalec, Elzbieta A.; Heikkila, Ismo; Juhola, Helene; Lehtonen, Tapio

1999-09-01

The paper reviews the state-of-the-art color measuring systems used for the control of newspaper printing. The printing process requirements are specified and different off-line and on-line color quality control systems, commercially available and under development, are evaluated. Recent market trends in newspaper printing are discussed based on the survey. The study was made on information derived from: conference proceedings (TAGA, IARIGAI, SPIE and IS&T), journals (American Printer, Applied Optics), discussions with experts (GMI, QTI, HONEYWELL, TOBIAS, GretagMacbeth), IFRA Expo'98/Quality Measuring Technologies, commercial brochures, and the Internet. On the background of this review, three different measuring principles, currently, under investigation at VTT Information Technology, are described and their applicability to newspaper printing is evaluated.

Online Assessment, Measurement and Evaluation: Emerging Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, David, Ed.; Hricko, Mary, Ed.; Howell, Scott, Ed.

2006-01-01

"Online Assessment, Measurement and Evaluation: Emerging Practices" provides a view of the possibilities and challenges facing online educators and evaluators in the 21st Century. As technology evolves and online measurement and assessment follow, "Online Assessment, Measurement and Evaluation: Emerging Practices" uses…

Heat Transfer Modeling of an Annular On-Line Spray Water Cooling Process for Electric-Resistance-Welded Steel Pipe

PubMed Central

Chen, Zejun; Han, Huiquan; Ren, Wei; Huang, Guangjie

2015-01-01

On-line spray water cooling (OSWC) of electric-resistance-welded (ERW) steel pipes can replace the conventional off-line heat treatment process and become an important and critical procedure. The OSWC process improves production efficiency, decreases costs, and enhances the mechanical properties of ERW steel pipe, especially the impact properties of the weld joint. In this paper, an annular OSWC process is investigated based on an experimental simulation platform that can obtain precise real-time measurements of the temperature of the pipe, the water pressure and flux, etc. The effects of the modes of annular spray water cooling and related cooling parameters on the mechanical properties of the pipe are investigated. The temperature evolutions of the inner and outer walls of the pipe are measured during the spray water cooling process, and the uniformity of mechanical properties along the circumferential and longitudinal directions is investigated. A heat transfer coefficient model of spray water cooling is developed based on measured temperature data in conjunction with simulation using the finite element method. Industrial tests prove the validity of the heat transfer model of a steel pipe undergoing spray water cooling. The research results can provide a basis for the industrial application of the OSWC process in the production of ERW steel pipes. PMID:26201073

Heat Transfer Modeling of an Annular On-Line Spray Water Cooling Process for Electric-Resistance-Welded Steel Pipe.

PubMed

Chen, Zejun; Han, Huiquan; Ren, Wei; Huang, Guangjie

2015-01-01

On-line spray water cooling (OSWC) of electric-resistance-welded (ERW) steel pipes can replace the conventional off-line heat treatment process and become an important and critical procedure. The OSWC process improves production efficiency, decreases costs, and enhances the mechanical properties of ERW steel pipe, especially the impact properties of the weld joint. In this paper, an annular OSWC process is investigated based on an experimental simulation platform that can obtain precise real-time measurements of the temperature of the pipe, the water pressure and flux, etc. The effects of the modes of annular spray water cooling and related cooling parameters on the mechanical properties of the pipe are investigated. The temperature evolutions of the inner and outer walls of the pipe are measured during the spray water cooling process, and the uniformity of mechanical properties along the circumferential and longitudinal directions is investigated. A heat transfer coefficient model of spray water cooling is developed based on measured temperature data in conjunction with simulation using the finite element method. Industrial tests prove the validity of the heat transfer model of a steel pipe undergoing spray water cooling. The research results can provide a basis for the industrial application of the OSWC process in the production of ERW steel pipes.

Experimental infrared measurements for hydrocarbon pollutant determination in subterranean waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lay-Ekuakille, A.; Palamara, I.; Caratelli, D.; Morabito, F. C.

2013-01-01

Subterranean waters are often polluted by industrial and anthropic effluents that are drained in subsoil. To prevent and control pollution, legislations of different developed countries require an online monitoring measurement, especially for detecting organic solvents (chlorinated and unchlorinated ones). Online measurements include both real-time and no real-time measurements. In general, it is difficult to implement real-time measurements in stricto sensu for online acquisitions on aqueous effluents since they need to be processed by a modeling. This research presents an experimental measurement system based on infrared (IR) spectroscopy for aqueous effluents containing hydrocarbons and capable of displaying excellent values of pollutant concentrations even in instable conditions; the system is able to detect pollutants either in laminar or turbulent flow. The results show the possibility of avoiding the use of "Pitot tube" that is employed to create a stagnation point in order to convert kinetic energy into potential one. This conversion allows the transformation of a turbulent flow in a laminar flow making easy measurement of pollutants included in an aqueous effluent. Obviously, "Pitot tube" is also used for other fluid effluents. The obtained results have been compared with those produced by means of sophisticated IR instrumentation for laboratory applications.

Experimental infrared measurements for hydrocarbon pollutant determination in subterranean waters.

PubMed

Lay-Ekuakille, A; Palamara, I; Caratelli, D; Morabito, F C

2013-01-01

Subterranean waters are often polluted by industrial and anthropic effluents that are drained in subsoil. To prevent and control pollution, legislations of different developed countries require an online monitoring measurement, especially for detecting organic solvents (chlorinated and unchlorinated ones). Online measurements include both real-time and no real-time measurements. In general, it is difficult to implement real-time measurements in stricto sensu for online acquisitions on aqueous effluents since they need to be processed by a modeling. This research presents an experimental measurement system based on infrared (IR) spectroscopy for aqueous effluents containing hydrocarbons and capable of displaying excellent values of pollutant concentrations even in instable conditions; the system is able to detect pollutants either in laminar or turbulent flow. The results show the possibility of avoiding the use of "Pitot tube" that is employed to create a stagnation point in order to convert kinetic energy into potential one. This conversion allows the transformation of a turbulent flow in a laminar flow making easy measurement of pollutants included in an aqueous effluent. Obviously, "Pitot tube" is also used for other fluid effluents. The obtained results have been compared with those produced by means of sophisticated IR instrumentation for laboratory applications.

Using eye-tracking to study the on-line processing of case-marking information among intermediate L2 learners of German

PubMed Central

Jackson, Carrie N.; Dussias, Paola E.; Hristova, Adelina

2012-01-01

This study uses eye-tracking to examine the processing of case-marking information in ambiguous subject- and object-first wh-questions in German. The position of the lexical verb was also manipulated via verb tense to investigate whether verb location influences how intermediate L2 learners process L2 sentences. Results show that intermediate L2 German learners were sensitive to case-marking information, exhibiting longer processing times on subject-first than object-first sentences, regardless of verb location. German native speakers exhibited the opposite word order preference, with longer processing times on object-first than subject-first sentences, replicating previous findings. These results are discussed in light of current L2 processing research, highlighting how methodological constraints influence researchers’ abilities to measure the on-line processing of morphosyntactic information among intermediate L2 learners. PMID:23493761

Quasi-continuous parallel online scattered light, fluorescence and dissolved oxygen tension measurement combined with monitoring of the oxygen transfer rate in each well of a shaken microtiter plate.

PubMed

Ladner, Tobias; Held, Markus; Flitsch, David; Beckers, Mario; Büchs, Jochen

2016-12-03

Microtiter plates (MTP) are often applied as culture vessels in high-throughput screening programs. If online measuring techniques are available, MTPs can also be applied in the first steps of process development. For such small-scale bioreactors dipping probes are usually too large; therefore, optical measurements are often used. For example, the BioLector technology allows for the online monitoring of scattered light and fluorescence in each well of a continuously orbitally shaken MTP. Although this system provides valuable data, these measurements are mainly of a semi-quantitative nature. Therefore, signal calibration is required to obtain absolute values. With the µRAMOS technology it became possible for the first time to quantify the oxygen transfer rate (OTR) separately in each well of an MTP. In this work, a device is presented that combines both techniques, to provide a hitherto unparalleled high amount of information from each single well. Because both systems (BioLector and µRAMOS) are based on optical measurements, the measurements need to be synchronized to avoid interferences with the optical signals. The new experimental setup was applied for online monitoring in cultures of Escherichia coli and Hansenula polymorpha. It has been demonstrated that the well-to-well reproducibility is very high, and that the monitored signals provide reliable and valuable information about the process. With varying filling volumes, different maximum oxygen transfer capacities (OTR max ) were adjusted in oxygen-limited cultures. The different degrees of stress during the culture due to oxygen limitation affected microbial growth and also impacted reproducibility from culture to culture. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that this new device significantly simplifies the experimental efforts: instead of parallel cultures in a shake flask and MTP, just one single experiment in MTP needs to be conducted to measure the OTR, dissolved oxygen tension (DOT), scattered light and fluorescence. The new device is a very suitable system for the online monitoring of cultures in continuously orbitally shaken MTPs. Due to the high number of parameters that can simultaneously be measured with this small-scale device, deeper insight into the investigated microbial system can be achieved. Furthermore, the experimental efforts to obtain OTR, DOT, scattered light and fluorescence signals during a culture are decreased. Ultimately, this new technology and the resulting high amount of collected data will eliminate the currently existing separation between screening and process development. Graphical abstract Picture of the combined μRAMOS and BioLector setup which allows for measurements of the oxygen transfer rate (OTR), dissolved oxygen tension (DOT), scattered light and fluorescence in each single well of an orbitally shaken microtiter plate.

How vocabulary size in two languages relates to efficiency in spoken word recognition by young Spanish-English bilinguals

PubMed Central

Marchman, Virginia A.; Fernald, Anne; Hurtado, Nereyda

2010-01-01

Research using online comprehension measures with monolingual children shows that speed and accuracy of spoken word recognition are correlated with lexical development. Here we examined speech processing efficiency in relation to vocabulary development in bilingual children learning both Spanish and English (n=26; 2;6 yrs). Between-language associations were weak: vocabulary size in Spanish was uncorrelated with vocabulary in English, and children’s facility in online comprehension in Spanish was unrelated to their facility in English. Instead, efficiency of online processing in one language was significantly related to vocabulary size in that language, after controlling for processing speed and vocabulary size in the other language. These links between efficiency of lexical access and vocabulary knowledge in bilinguals parallel those previously reported for Spanish and English monolinguals, suggesting that children’s ability to abstract information from the input in building a working lexicon relates fundamentally to mechanisms underlying the construction of language. PMID:19726000

Collaborative Attention Work on Gender Agreement in Italian as a Foreign Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kunitz, Silvia

2018-01-01

In cognitivist Second Language Acquisition (SLA), attention and noticing are described as psycholinguistic processes that (may) have a role in language learning. The operationalization of such constructs, however, poses methodological challenges, since neither online nor off-line measures are coextensive with these cognitive processes that occur…

Online measurement for geometrical parameters of wheel set based on structure light and CUDA parallel processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Kaihua; Shao, Zhencheng; Chen, Nian; Wang, Wenjie

2018-01-01

The wearing degree of the wheel set tread is one of the main factors that influence the safety and stability of running train. Geometrical parameters mainly include flange thickness and flange height. Line structure laser light was projected on the wheel tread surface. The geometrical parameters can be deduced from the profile image. An online image acquisition system was designed based on asynchronous reset of CCD and CUDA parallel processing unit. The image acquisition was fulfilled by hardware interrupt mode. A high efficiency parallel segmentation algorithm based on CUDA was proposed. The algorithm firstly divides the image into smaller squares, and extracts the squares of the target by fusion of k_means and STING clustering image segmentation algorithm. Segmentation time is less than 0.97ms. A considerable acceleration ratio compared with the CPU serial calculation was obtained, which greatly improved the real-time image processing capacity. When wheel set was running in a limited speed, the system placed alone railway line can measure the geometrical parameters automatically. The maximum measuring speed is 120km/h.

Adaptive Data Processing Technique for Lidar-Assisted Control to Bridge the Gap between Lidar Systems and Wind Turbines: Preprint

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

Schlipf, David; Raach, Steffen; Haizmann, Florian

2015-12-14

This paper presents first steps toward an adaptive lidar data processing technique crucial for lidar-assisted control in wind turbines. The prediction time and the quality of the wind preview from lidar measurements depend on several factors and are not constant. If the data processing is not continually adjusted, the benefit of lidar-assisted control cannot be fully exploited, or can even result in harmful control action. An online analysis of the lidar and turbine data are necessary to continually reassess the prediction time and lidar data quality. In this work, a structured process to develop an analysis tool for the predictionmore » time and a new hardware setup for lidar-assisted control are presented. The tool consists of an online estimation of the rotor effective wind speed from lidar and turbine data and the implementation of an online cross correlation to determine the time shift between both signals. Further, initial results from an ongoing campaign in which this system was employed for providing lidar preview for feed-forward pitch control are presented.« less

Assessing and Measuring Statistics Cognition in Higher Education Online Environments: Emerging Research and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chase, Justin P.; Yan, Zheng

2017-01-01

The ability to effective learn, process, and retain new information is critical to the success of any student. Since mathematics are becoming increasingly more important in our educational systems, it is imperative that we devise an efficient system to measure these types of information recall. "Assessing and Measuring Statistics Cognition in…

Tar analysis from biomass gasification by means of online fluorescence spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumhakl, Christoph; Karellas, Sotirios

2011-07-01

Optical methods in gas analysis are very valuable mainly due to their non-intrusive character. That gives the possibility to use them for in-situ or online measurements with only optical intervention in the measurement volume. In processes like the gasification of biomass, it is of high importance to monitor the gas quality in order to use the product gas in proper machines for energy production following the restrictions in the gas composition but also improving its quality, which leads to high efficient systems. One of the main problems in the biomass gasification process is the formation of tars. These higher hydrocarbons can lead to problems in the operation of the energy system. Up to date, the state of the art method used widely for the determination of tars is a standardized offline measurement system, the so-called "Tar Protocol". The aim of this work is to describe an innovative, online, optical method for determining the tar content of the product gas by means of fluorescence spectroscopy. This method uses optical sources and detectors that can be found in the market at low cost and therefore it is very attractive, especially for industrial applications where cost efficiency followed by medium to high precision are of high importance.

Education in Quality Improvement for Pediatric Practice: an online program to teach clinicians QI.

PubMed

Bundy, David G; Morawski, Lori F; Lazorick, Suzanne; Bradbury, Scott; Kamachi, Karen; Suresh, Gautham K

2014-01-01

Education in Quality Improvement for Pediatric Practice (EQIPP) is an online program designed to improve evidence-based care delivery by teaching front-line clinicians quality improvement (QI) skills. Our objective was to evaluate EQIPP data to characterize 1) participant enrollment, use patterns, and demographics; 2) changes in performance in clinical QI measures from baseline to follow-up measurement; and 3) participant experience. We conducted an observational study of EQIPP participants utilizing 1 of 3 modules (asthma, immunizations, gastroesophageal reflux disease) from 2009 to 2013. Enrollment and use, demographic, and quality measure data were extracted directly from the EQIPP system; participant experience was assessed via an optional online survey. Study participants (n = 3501) were diverse in their gender, age, and race; most were board certified. Significant quality gaps were observed across many of the quality measures at baseline; sizable improvements were observed across most quality measures at follow-up. Participants were generally satisfied with their experience. The most influential module elements were collecting and analyzing data, creating and implementing aim statements and improvement plans, and completing "QI Basics." Online educational programs, such as EQIPP, hold promise for front-line clinicians to learn QI. The sustainability of the observed improvements in care processes and their linkage to improvements in health outcomes are unknown and are an essential topic for future study. Copyright © 2014 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In Situ Monitoring of Particle Consolidation During Low Pressure Cold Spray by Ultrasonic Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maev, R. Gr.; Titov, S.; Leshchynsky, V.; Dzhurinskiy, D.; Lubrick, M.

2011-06-01

This study attempts to test the viability of the examination of the cold spray process using acoustic methods, specifically in situ testing during the actual spray process itself. Multiple composites studied by flat and multi-channel transducers as well as the results of actual online measurements are presented. It is shown that the final thickness as well as the dynamics of buildup can be evaluated (including plotting rates of buildup). Cross sections of the coating thickness are also easy to obtain and show true profiles of the coating. The data can also be used to generate real estimates for nozzle speed and spray diameter. Finally, comparisons of real thickness and acoustically estimated thickness show a close linear relationship. The data clearly show that online acoustic measurement is a viable method for estimating thickness buildup.

Characterizing User Groups in Online Social Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gyarmati, László; Trinh, Tuan Anh

The users’ role is crucial in the development, deployment and the success of online social networks (OSNs). Despite this fact, little is known and even less has been published about user activities in the operating OSNs. In this paper, we present a large scale measurement analysis of user behaviour, in terms of time spent online, in some popular OSNs, namely Bebo, Flixster, MySpace, and Skyrock, and characterise user groups in OSNs. We used more than 200 PlanetLab [1] nodes for our measurement, monitored more than 3000 users for three weeks by downloading repeatedly their profile pages; more than 100 million pages were processed in total. The main findings of the paper are the following. Firstly, we create a measurement framework in order to observe user activity. Secondly, we present cumulative usage statistics of the different OSNs. Thirdly, we classify the monitored users into different groups and characterise the common properties of the members. Finally, we illustrate the wide applicability of our datasets by predicting the sign out method of the OSN users.

How online learning modules can improve the representational fluency and conceptual understanding of university physics students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, M.; Sharma, M. D.; Johnston, H.

2015-07-01

The use of online learning resources as core components of university science courses is increasing. Learning resources range from summaries, videos, and simulations, to question banks. Our study set out to develop, implement, and evaluate research-based online learning resources in the form of pre-lecture online learning modules (OLMs). The aim of this paper is to share our experiences with those using, or considering implementing, online learning resources. Our first task was to identify student learning issues in physics to base the learning resources on. One issue with substantial research is conceptual understanding, the other with comparatively less research is scientific representations (graphs, words, equations, and diagrams). We developed learning resources on both these issues and measured their impact. We created weekly OLMs which were delivered to first year physics students at The University of Sydney prior to their first lecture of the week. Students were randomly allocated to either a concepts stream or a representations stream of online modules. The programme was first implemented in 2013 to trial module content, gain experience and process logistical matters and repeated in 2014 with approximately 400 students. Two validated surveys, the Force and Motion Concept Evaluation (FMCE) and the Representational Fluency Survey (RFS) were used as pre-tests and post-tests to measure learning gains while surveys and interviews provided further insights. While both streams of OLMs produced similar positive learning gains on the FMCE, the representations-focussed OLMs produced higher gains on the RFS. Conclusions were triangulated with student responses which indicated that they have recognized the benefit of the OLMs for their learning of physics. Our study shows that carefully designed online resources used as pre-instruction can make a difference in students’ conceptual understanding and representational fluency in physics, as well as make them more aware of their learning processes. In particular, the representations-focussed modules offer more advantages.

Racism in digital era: Development and initial validation of the Perceived Online Racism Scale (PORS v1.0).

PubMed

Keum, Brian TaeHyuk; Miller, Matthew J

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study was to develop the Perceived Online Racism Scale (PORS) to assess perceived online racist interpersonal interactions and exposure to online racist content among people of color. Items were developed through a multistage process involving a comprehensive literature review, focus-groups, qualitative data collection, and survey of online racism experiences. Based on a sample of 1,023 racial minority participants, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provided support for a 30-item bifactor model accounted by the general factor and the following 3 specific factors: (a) personal experience of racial cyber-aggression, (b) vicarious exposure to racial cyber-aggression, and (c) online-mediated exposure to racist reality. The PORS demonstrated measurement invariance across racial/ethnic groups in our sample. Internal reliability estimates for the total and subscale scores of the PORS were above .88 and the 4-week test-retest reliability was adequate. Limitations and future directions for research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Cognitive Benefits of Online Social Networking for Healthy Older Adults.

PubMed

Myhre, Janelle W; Mehl, Matthias R; Glisky, Elizabeth L

2017-09-01

Research suggests that older adults who remain socially active and cognitively engaged have better cognitive function than those who are isolated and disengaged. This study examined the efficacy of learning and using an online social networking website, Facebook.com, as an intervention to maintain or enhance cognitive function in older adults. Forty-one older adults were assigned to learn and use Facebook (n = 14) or an online diary website (active control, n = 13) for 8 weeks or placed on a waitlist (n = 14). Outcome measures included neuropsychological tests of executive functions, memory, and processing speed and self-report questionnaires about social engagement. The Facebook group showed a significant increase in a composite measure of updating, an executive function factor associated with complex working memory tasks, compared to no significant change in the control groups. Other measures of cognitive function and social support showed no differential improvement in the Facebook group. Learning and using an online social networking site may provide specific benefits for complex working memory in a group of healthy older adults. This may reflect the particular cognitive demands associated with online social networking and/or the benefits of social engagement more generally. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The effects of pre-processing strategies in sentiment analysis of online movie reviews

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zin, Harnani Mat; Mustapha, Norwati; Murad, Masrah Azrifah Azmi; Sharef, Nurfadhlina Mohd

2017-10-01

With the ever increasing of internet applications and social networking sites, people nowadays can easily express their feelings towards any products and services. These online reviews act as an important source for further analysis and improved decision making. These reviews are mostly unstructured by nature and thus, need processing like sentiment analysis and classification to provide a meaningful information for future uses. In text analysis tasks, the appropriate selection of words/features will have a huge impact on the effectiveness of the classifier. Thus, this paper explores the effect of the pre-processing strategies in the sentiment analysis of online movie reviews. In this paper, supervised machine learning method was used to classify the reviews. The support vector machine (SVM) with linear and non-linear kernel has been considered as classifier for the classification of the reviews. The performance of the classifier is critically examined based on the results of precision, recall, f-measure, and accuracy. Two different features representations were used which are term frequency and term frequency-inverse document frequency. Results show that the pre-processing strategies give a significant impact on the classification process.

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

PubMed

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

1992-03-01

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

Kfits: a software framework for fitting and cleaning outliers in kinetic measurements.

PubMed

Rimon, Oded; Reichmann, Dana

2018-01-01

Kinetic measurements have played an important role in elucidating biochemical and biophysical phenomena for over a century. While many tools for analysing kinetic measurements exist, most require low noise levels in the data, leaving outlier measurements to be cleaned manually. This is particularly true for protein misfolding and aggregation processes, which are extremely noisy and hence difficult to model. Understanding these processes is paramount, as they are associated with diverse physiological processes and disorders, most notably neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, a better tool for analysing and cleaning protein aggregation traces is required. Here we introduce Kfits, an intuitive graphical tool for detecting and removing noise caused by outliers in protein aggregation kinetics data. Following its workflow allows the user to quickly and easily clean large quantities of data and receive kinetic parameters for assessment of the results. With minor adjustments, the software can be applied to any type of kinetic measurements, not restricted to protein aggregation. Kfits is implemented in Python and available online at http://kfits.reichmannlab.com, in source at https://github.com/odedrim/kfits/, or by direct installation from PyPI (`pip install kfits`). danare@mail.huji.ac.il. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Analyzing consumers' reactions to news coverage of the 2011 Escherichia coli O104:H4 outbreak, using the Extended Parallel Processing Model.

PubMed

De Vocht, Melanie; Cauberghe, Verolien; Sas, Benedikt; Uyttendaele, Mieke

2013-03-01

This article describes and analyzes Flemish consumers' real-life reactions after reading online newspaper articles related to the enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O104:H4 outbreak associated with fresh produce in May and June 2011 in Germany. Using the Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM) as the theoretical framework, the present study explored the impact of Flemish (Belgian) online news coverage on consumers' perception of the risk induced by the EHEC outbreak and their behavioral intentions as consumers of fresh produce. After the consumers read a newspaper article related to the outbreak, EPPM concepts were measured, namely, perceived severity, susceptibility, self-efficacy, and affective response, combined with behavioral intentions to eat less fresh produce, to rinse fresh produce better, and to alert loved ones concerning the risk. The consumers' reactions were measured by inserting a link to an online survey below every online newspaper article on the EHEC outbreak that appeared in two substantial Flemish newspapers. The reactions of 6,312 respondents were collected within 9 days for 17 different online newspaper articles. Looking at the perceived values of the EPPM concepts, the perceived severity and the perceived susceptibility of the risk were, as expected, high. However, the consumers thought they could prevent the risk from happening, which stresses the importance of increasing consumers' knowledge of emerging food safety risks. Furthermore, analyses showed the moderating role of government trust and its influence on the way consumers perceived the risk, how worried they were, and their behavioral intentions.

Mapping Processing Strategies in Learning from Expository Text: An Exploratory Eye Tracking Study Followed by a Cued Recall

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catrysse, Leen; Gijbels, David; Donche, Vincent; De Maeyer, Sven; Van den Bossche, Piet; Gommers, Luci

2016-01-01

This study starts from the observation that current empirical research on students' processing strategies in higher education has mainly focused on the use of self-report instruments to measure students' general preferences towards processing strategies. In contrast, there is a rather limited use of more direct and online observation techniques to…

What Online User Innovation Communities Can Teach Us about Capturing the Experiences of Patients Living with Chronic Health Conditions. A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Amann, Julia; Zanini, Claudia; Rubinelli, Sara

2016-01-01

Background In order to adapt to societal changes, healthcare systems need to switch from a disease orientation to a patient-centered approach. Virtual patient networks are a promising tool to favor this switch and much can be learned from the open and user innovation literature where the involvement of online user communities in the innovation process is well-documented. Objectives The objectives of this study were 1) to describe the use of online communities as a tool to capture and harness innovative ideas of end users or consumers; and 2) to point to the potential value and challenges of these virtual platforms to function as a tool to inform and promote patient-centered care in the context of chronic health conditions. Methods A scoping review was conducted. A total of seven databases were searched for scientific articles published in English between 1995 and 2014. The search strategy was refined through an iterative process. Results A total of 144 studies were included in the review. Studies were coded inductively according to their research focus to identify groupings of papers. The first set of studies focused on the interplay of factors related to user roles, motivations, and behaviors that shape the innovation process within online communities. Studies of the second set examined the role of firms in online user innovation initiatives, identifying different organizational strategies and challenges. The third set of studies focused on the idea selection process and measures of success with respect to online user innovation initiatives. Finally, the findings from the review are presented in the light of the particularities and challenges discussed in current healthcare research. Conclusion The present paper highlights the potential of virtual patient communities to inform and promote patient-centered care, describes the key challenges involved in this process, and makes recommendations on how to address them. PMID:27272912

What Online User Innovation Communities Can Teach Us about Capturing the Experiences of Patients Living with Chronic Health Conditions. A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Amann, Julia; Zanini, Claudia; Rubinelli, Sara

2016-01-01

In order to adapt to societal changes, healthcare systems need to switch from a disease orientation to a patient-centered approach. Virtual patient networks are a promising tool to favor this switch and much can be learned from the open and user innovation literature where the involvement of online user communities in the innovation process is well-documented. The objectives of this study were 1) to describe the use of online communities as a tool to capture and harness innovative ideas of end users or consumers; and 2) to point to the potential value and challenges of these virtual platforms to function as a tool to inform and promote patient-centered care in the context of chronic health conditions. A scoping review was conducted. A total of seven databases were searched for scientific articles published in English between 1995 and 2014. The search strategy was refined through an iterative process. A total of 144 studies were included in the review. Studies were coded inductively according to their research focus to identify groupings of papers. The first set of studies focused on the interplay of factors related to user roles, motivations, and behaviors that shape the innovation process within online communities. Studies of the second set examined the role of firms in online user innovation initiatives, identifying different organizational strategies and challenges. The third set of studies focused on the idea selection process and measures of success with respect to online user innovation initiatives. Finally, the findings from the review are presented in the light of the particularities and challenges discussed in current healthcare research. The present paper highlights the potential of virtual patient communities to inform and promote patient-centered care, describes the key challenges involved in this process, and makes recommendations on how to address them.

On-line object feature extraction for multispectral scene representation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ghassemian, Hassan; Landgrebe, David

1988-01-01

A new on-line unsupervised object-feature extraction method is presented that reduces the complexity and costs associated with the analysis of the multispectral image data and data transmission, storage, archival and distribution. The ambiguity in the object detection process can be reduced if the spatial dependencies, which exist among the adjacent pixels, are intelligently incorporated into the decision making process. The unity relation was defined that must exist among the pixels of an object. Automatic Multispectral Image Compaction Algorithm (AMICA) uses the within object pixel-feature gradient vector as a valuable contextual information to construct the object's features, which preserve the class separability information within the data. For on-line object extraction the path-hypothesis and the basic mathematical tools for its realization are introduced in terms of a specific similarity measure and adjacency relation. AMICA is applied to several sets of real image data, and the performance and reliability of features is evaluated.

The Effectiveness of an Online Curriculum on High School Students' Understanding of Biological Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsteller, Robert B.; Bodzin, Alec M.

2015-12-01

An online curriculum about biological evolution was designed to promote increased student content knowledge and evidentiary reasoning. A feasibility study was conducted with 77 rural high school biology students who learned with the online biological evolution unit. Data sources included the Biological Evolution Assessment Measure (BEAM), an analysis of discussion forum posts, and a post-implementation perceptions and attitudes questionnaire. BEAM posttest scores were significantly higher than the pretest scores. However, the findings revealed that the students required additional support to develop evidentiary reasoning. Many students perceived that the Web-based curriculum would have been enhanced by increased immediate interaction and feedback. Students required greater scaffolding to support complex, process-oriented tasks. Implications for designing Web-based science instruction with curriculum materials to support students' acquisition of content knowledge and science process skills in a Web-based setting are discussed.

A machine vision system for micro-EDM based on linux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Rui; Zhao, Wansheng; Li, Gang; Li, Zhiyong; Zhang, Yong

2006-11-01

Due to the high precision and good surface quality that it can give, Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) is potentially an important process for the fabrication of micro-tools and micro-components. However, a number of issues remain unsolved before micro-EDM becomes a reliable process with repeatable results. To deal with the difficulties in micro electrodes on-line fabrication and tool wear compensation, a micro-EDM machine vision system is developed with a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera, with an optical resolution of 1.61μm and an overall magnification of 113~729. Based on the Linux operating system, an image capturing program is developed with the V4L2 API, and an image processing program is exploited by using OpenCV. The contour of micro electrodes can be extracted by means of the Canny edge detector. Through the system calibration, the micro electrodes diameter can be measured on-line. Experiments have been carried out to prove its performance, and the reasons of measurement error are also analyzed.

Recent progress in online ultrasonic process monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Szu-Sheng L.; Chen, Tzu-Fang; Ramos-Franca, Demartonne; Nguyen, Ky T.; Jen, Cheng-Kuei; Ihara, Ikuo; Derdouri, A.; Garcia-Rejon, Andres

1998-03-01

On-line ultrasonic monitoring of polymer co-extrusion and gas-assisted injection molding are presented. During the co- extrusion of high density polyethylene and Santoprene ultrasonic sensors consisting of piezoelectric transducers and clad ultrasonic buffer rods are used to detect the interface between these two polymers and the stability of the extrusion. The same ultrasonic sensor also measures the surface temperature of the extruded polymer. The results indicate that temperature measurements using ultrasound have a faster response time than those obtained by conventional thermocouple. In gas-assisted injection molding the polymer and gas flow front positions are monitored simultaneously. This information may be used to control the plunger movement.

Comparison of online and offline tests in LED accelerated reliability tests under temperature stress.

PubMed

Ke, Hong-Liang; Jing, Lei; Gao, Qun; Wang, Yao; Hao, Jian; Sun, Qiang; Xu, Zhi-Jun

2015-11-20

Accelerated aging tests are the main method used in the evaluation of LED reliability, and can be performed in either online or offline modes. The goal of this study is to provide the difference between the two test modes. In the experiments, the sample is attached to different heat sinks to acquire the optical parameters under different junction temperatures of LEDs. By measuring the junction temperature in the aging process (Tj1), and the junction temperature in the testing process (Tj2), we achieve consistency with an online test of Tj1 and Tj2 and a difference with an offline test of Tj1 and Tj2. Experimental results show that the degradation rate of the luminous flux rises as Tj2 increases, which yields a difference of projected life L(70%) of 8% to 13%. For color shifts over 5000 h of aging, the online test shows a larger variation of the distance from the Planckian locus, about 40% to 50% more than the normal test at an ambient temperature of 25°C.

Measuring Cognitive and Metacognitive Regulatory Processes during Hypermedia Learning: Issues and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azevedo, Roger; Moos, Daniel C.; Johnson, Amy M.; Chauncey, Amber D.

2010-01-01

Self-regulated learning (SRL) with hypermedia environments involves a complex cycle of temporally unfolding cognitive and metacognitive processes that impact students' learning. We present several methodological issues related to treating SRL as an event and strengths and challenges of using online trace methodologies to detect, trace, model, and…

Linguistic Complexity and Information Structure in Korean: Evidence from Eye-Tracking during Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Yoonhyoung; Lee, Hanjung; Gordon, Peter C.

2007-01-01

The nature of the memory processes that support language comprehension and the manner in which information packaging influences online sentence processing were investigated in three experiments that used eye-tracking during reading to measure the ease of understanding complex sentences in Korean. All three experiments examined reading of embedded…

Evaluating a campaign GNSS velocity field derived from an online precise point positioning service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holden, L.; Silcock, D.; Choy, S.; Cas, R.; Ailleres, L.; Fournier, N.

2017-01-01

Traditional processing of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data using dedicated scientific software has provided the highest levels of positional accuracy, and has been used extensively in geophysical deformation studies. To achieve these accuracies a significant level of understanding and training is required, limiting their availability to the general scientific community. Various online GNSS processing services, now freely available, address some of these difficulties and allow users to easily process their own GNSS data and potentially obtain high quality results. Previous research into these services has focused on Continually Operating Reference Station (CORS) GNSS data. Less research exists on the results achievable with these services using large campaign GNSS data sets, which are inherently noisier than CORS data. Even less research exists on the quality of velocity fields derived from campaign GNSS data processed through online precise point positioning services. Particularly, whether they are suitable for geodynamic and deformation studies where precise and reliable velocities are needed. In this research, we process a very large campaign GPS data set (spanning 10 yr) with the online Jet Propulsion Laboratory Automated Precise Positioning Service. This data set is taken from a GNSS network specifically designed and surveyed to measure deformation through the central North Island of New Zealand. This includes regional CORS stations. We then use these coordinates to derive a horizontal and vertical velocity field. This is the first time that a large campaign GPS data set has been processed solely using an online service and the solutions used to determine a horizontal and vertical velocity field. We compared this velocity field to that of another well utilized GNSS scientific software package. The results show a good agreement between the CORS positions and campaign station velocities obtained from the two approaches. We discuss the implications of these results for how future GNSS campaign field surveys might be conducted and how their data might be processed.

Machine tools error characterization and compensation by on-line measurement of artifact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahid Khan, Abdul; Chen, Wuyi; Wu, Lili

2009-11-01

Most manufacturing machine tools are utilized for mass production or batch production with high accuracy at a deterministic manufacturing principle. Volumetric accuracy of machine tools depends on the positional accuracy of the cutting tool, probe or end effector related to the workpiece in the workspace volume. In this research paper, a methodology is presented for volumetric calibration of machine tools by on-line measurement of an artifact or an object of a similar type. The machine tool geometric error characterization was carried out through a standard or an artifact, having similar geometry to the mass production or batch production product. The artifact was measured at an arbitrary position in the volumetric workspace with a calibrated Renishaw touch trigger probe system. Positional errors were stored into a computer for compensation purpose, to further run the manufacturing batch through compensated codes. This methodology was found quite effective to manufacture high precision components with more dimensional accuracy and reliability. Calibration by on-line measurement gives the advantage to improve the manufacturing process by use of deterministic manufacturing principle and found efficient and economical but limited to the workspace or envelop surface of the measured artifact's geometry or the profile.

Real-Time PCR (qPCR) Primer Design Using Free Online Software

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thornton, Brenda; Basu, Chhandak

2011-01-01

Real-time PCR (quantitative PCR or qPCR) has become the preferred method for validating results obtained from assays which measure gene expression profiles. The process uses reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), coupled with fluorescent chemistry, to measure variations in transcriptome levels between samples. The four most…

Application of an online ion chromatography-based instrument for gradient flux measurements of speciated nitrogen and sulfur

EPA Science Inventory

In North America, the dry component of total nitrogen and sulfur deposition remains uncertain due to a lack of measurements of sufficient chemical speciation and temporal extent to develop complete annual mass budgets or of sufficient process level detail to improve current air-s...

Development of A Low-Cost FPGA-Based Measurement System for Real-Time Processing of Acoustic Emission Data: Proof of Concept Using Control of Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquids.

PubMed

Wirtz, Sebastian F; Cunha, Adauto P A; Labusch, Marc; Marzun, Galina; Barcikowski, Stephan; Söffker, Dirk

2018-06-01

Today, the demand for continuous monitoring of valuable or safety critical equipment is increasing in many industrial applications due to safety and economical requirements. Therefore, reliable in-situ measurement techniques are required for instance in Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) as well as process monitoring and control. Here, current challenges are related to the processing of sensor data with a high data rate and low latency. In particular, measurement and analyses of Acoustic Emission (AE) are widely used for passive, in-situ inspection. Advantages of AE are related to its sensitivity to different micro-mechanical mechanisms on the material level. However, online processing of AE waveforms is computationally demanding. The related equipment is typically bulky, expensive, and not well suited for permanent installation. The contribution of this paper is the development of a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)-based measurement system using ZedBoard devlopment kit with Zynq-7000 system on chip for embedded implementation of suitable online processing algorithms. This platform comprises a dual-core Advanced Reduced Instruction Set Computer Machine (ARM) architecture running a Linux operating system and FPGA fabric. A FPGA-based hardware implementation of the discrete wavelet transform is realized to accelerate processing the AE measurements. Key features of the system are low cost, small form factor, and low energy consumption, which makes it suitable to serve as field-deployed measurement and control device. For verification of the functionality, a novel automatically realized adjustment of the working distance during pulsed laser ablation in liquids is established as an example. A sample rate of 5 MHz is achieved at 16 bit resolution.

Online course design for teaching critical thinking.

PubMed

Schaber, Patricia; Shanedling, Janet

2012-01-01

Teaching critical thinking (CT) skills, a goal in higher education, is seldom considered in the primary design of either classroom or online courses, and is even less frequently measured in student learning. In health professional education, CT along with clinical reasoning skills is essential for the development of clinical practitioners. This study, measuring CT skill development in an online theory course, supports using a cyclical course design to build higher level processes in student thinking. Eighty-six Masters of Occupational Therapy students in four sections of an occupation-based theory course were evaluated on elements in the Paul and Elder CT Model throughout the course and surveyed for their perceptions in their ability to think critically at course completion. Results of this study demonstrated that the online theory course design contributed to improving critical thinking skills and student's perceived CT skill development as applicable to their future professional practice. In a focus group, eight students identified four effective course design features that contributed to their CT skill development: highly structured learning, timely feedback from instructor, repetition of assignments, and active engagement with the material.

Classification of user interfaces for graph-based online analytical processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michaelis, James R.

2016-05-01

In the domain of business intelligence, user-oriented software for conducting multidimensional analysis via Online- Analytical Processing (OLAP) is now commonplace. In this setting, datasets commonly have well-defined sets of dimensions and measures around which analysis tasks can be conducted. However, many forms of data used in intelligence operations - deriving from social networks, online communications, and text corpora - will consist of graphs with varying forms of potential dimensional structure. Hence, enabling OLAP over such data collections requires explicit definition and extraction of supporting dimensions and measures. Further, as Graph OLAP remains an emerging technique, limited research has been done on its user interface requirements. Namely, on effective pairing of interface designs to different types of graph-derived dimensions and measures. This paper presents a novel technique for pairing of user interface designs to Graph OLAP datasets, rooted in Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) driven comparisons. Attributes of the classification strategy are encoded through an AHP ontology, developed in our alternate work and extended to support pairwise comparison of interfaces. Specifically, according to their ability, as perceived by Subject Matter Experts, to support dimensions and measures corresponding to Graph OLAP dataset attributes. To frame this discussion, a survey is provided both on existing variations of Graph OLAP, as well as existing interface designs previously applied in multidimensional analysis settings. Following this, a review of our AHP ontology is provided, along with a listing of corresponding dataset and interface attributes applicable toward SME recommendation structuring. A walkthrough of AHP-based recommendation encoding via the ontology-based approach is then provided. The paper concludes with a short summary of proposed future directions seen as essential for this research area.

Modelling and control for laser based welding processes: modern methods of process control to improve quality of laser-based joining methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zäh, Ralf-Kilian; Mosbach, Benedikt; Hollwich, Jan; Faupel, Benedikt

2017-02-01

To ensure the competitiveness of manufacturing companies it is indispensable to optimize their manufacturing processes. Slight variations of process parameters and machine settings have only marginally effects on the product quality. Therefore, the largest possible editing window is required. Such parameters are, for example, the movement of the laser beam across the component for the laser keyhole welding. That`s why it is necessary to keep the formation of welding seams within specified limits. Therefore, the quality of laser welding processes is ensured, by using post-process methods, like ultrasonic inspection, or special in-process methods. These in-process systems only achieve a simple evaluation which shows whether the weld seam is acceptable or not. Furthermore, in-process systems use no feedback for changing the control variables such as speed of the laser or adjustment of laser power. In this paper the research group presents current results of the research field of Online Monitoring, Online Controlling and Model predictive controlling in laser welding processes to increase the product quality. To record the characteristics of the welding process, tested online methods are used during the process. Based on the measurement data, a state space model is ascertained, which includes all the control variables of the system. Depending on simulation tools the model predictive controller (MPC) is designed for the model and integrated into an NI-Real-Time-System.

Humidity Measurements: A Psychrometer Suitable for On-Line Data Acquisition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caporaloni, Marina; Ambrosini, Roberto

1992-01-01

Explains the typical design, operation, and calibration of a traditional psychrometer. Presents the method utilized for this class project with design considerations, calibration techniques, remote data sensing schematic, and specifics of the implementation process. (JJK)

Estimation of tool wear during CNC milling using neural network-based sensor fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, N.; Ravi, Y. B.; Patra, A.; Mukhopadhyay, S.; Paul, S.; Mohanty, A. R.; Chattopadhyay, A. B.

2007-01-01

Cutting tool wear degrades the product quality in manufacturing processes. Monitoring tool wear value online is therefore needed to prevent degradation in machining quality. Unfortunately there is no direct way of measuring the tool wear online. Therefore one has to adopt an indirect method wherein the tool wear is estimated from several sensors measuring related process variables. In this work, a neural network-based sensor fusion model has been developed for tool condition monitoring (TCM). Features extracted from a number of machining zone signals, namely cutting forces, spindle vibration, spindle current, and sound pressure level have been fused to estimate the average flank wear of the main cutting edge. Novel strategies such as, signal level segmentation for temporal registration, feature space filtering, outlier removal, and estimation space filtering have been proposed. The proposed approach has been validated by both laboratory and industrial implementations.

Flow chemistry vs. flow analysis.

PubMed

Trojanowicz, Marek

2016-01-01

The flow mode of conducting chemical syntheses facilitates chemical processes through the use of on-line analytical monitoring of occurring reactions, the application of solid-supported reagents to minimize downstream processing and computerized control systems to perform multi-step sequences. They are exactly the same attributes as those of flow analysis, which has solid place in modern analytical chemistry in several last decades. The following review paper, based on 131 references to original papers as well as pre-selected reviews, presents basic aspects, selected instrumental achievements and developmental directions of a rapidly growing field of continuous flow chemical synthesis. Interestingly, many of them might be potentially employed in the development of new methods in flow analysis too. In this paper, examples of application of flow analytical measurements for on-line monitoring of flow syntheses have been indicated and perspectives for a wider application of real-time analytical measurements have been discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Process Analytical Technology for Advanced Process Control in Biologics Manufacturing with the Aid of Macroscopic Kinetic Modeling.

PubMed

Kornecki, Martin; Strube, Jochen

2018-03-16

Productivity improvements of mammalian cell culture in the production of recombinant proteins have been made by optimizing cell lines, media, and process operation. This led to enhanced titers and process robustness without increasing the cost of the upstream processing (USP); however, a downstream bottleneck remains. In terms of process control improvement, the process analytical technology (PAT) initiative, initiated by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA), aims to measure, analyze, monitor, and ultimately control all important attributes of a bioprocess. Especially, spectroscopic methods such as Raman or near-infrared spectroscopy enable one to meet these analytical requirements, preferably in-situ. In combination with chemometric techniques like partial least square (PLS) or principal component analysis (PCA), it is possible to generate soft sensors, which estimate process variables based on process and measurement models for the enhanced control of bioprocesses. Macroscopic kinetic models can be used to simulate cell metabolism. These models are able to enhance the process understanding by predicting the dynamic of cells during cultivation. In this article, in-situ turbidity (transmission, 880 nm) and ex-situ Raman spectroscopy (785 nm) measurements are combined with an offline macroscopic Monod kinetic model in order to predict substrate concentrations. Experimental data of Chinese hamster ovary cultivations in bioreactors show a sufficiently linear correlation (R² ≥ 0.97) between turbidity and total cell concentration. PLS regression of Raman spectra generates a prediction model, which was validated via offline viable cell concentration measurement (RMSE ≤ 13.82, R² ≥ 0.92). Based on these measurements, the macroscopic Monod model can be used to determine different process attributes, e.g., glucose concentration. In consequence, it is possible to approximately calculate (R² ≥ 0.96) glucose concentration based on online cell concentration measurements using turbidity or Raman spectroscopy. Future approaches will use these online substrate concentration measurements with turbidity and Raman measurements, in combination with the kinetic model, in order to control the bioprocess in terms of feeding strategies, by employing an open platform communication (OPC) network-either in fed-batch or perfusion mode, integrated into a continuous operation of upstream and downstream.

Process Analytical Technology for Advanced Process Control in Biologics Manufacturing with the Aid of Macroscopic Kinetic Modeling

PubMed Central

Kornecki, Martin; Strube, Jochen

2018-01-01

Productivity improvements of mammalian cell culture in the production of recombinant proteins have been made by optimizing cell lines, media, and process operation. This led to enhanced titers and process robustness without increasing the cost of the upstream processing (USP); however, a downstream bottleneck remains. In terms of process control improvement, the process analytical technology (PAT) initiative, initiated by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA), aims to measure, analyze, monitor, and ultimately control all important attributes of a bioprocess. Especially, spectroscopic methods such as Raman or near-infrared spectroscopy enable one to meet these analytical requirements, preferably in-situ. In combination with chemometric techniques like partial least square (PLS) or principal component analysis (PCA), it is possible to generate soft sensors, which estimate process variables based on process and measurement models for the enhanced control of bioprocesses. Macroscopic kinetic models can be used to simulate cell metabolism. These models are able to enhance the process understanding by predicting the dynamic of cells during cultivation. In this article, in-situ turbidity (transmission, 880 nm) and ex-situ Raman spectroscopy (785 nm) measurements are combined with an offline macroscopic Monod kinetic model in order to predict substrate concentrations. Experimental data of Chinese hamster ovary cultivations in bioreactors show a sufficiently linear correlation (R2 ≥ 0.97) between turbidity and total cell concentration. PLS regression of Raman spectra generates a prediction model, which was validated via offline viable cell concentration measurement (RMSE ≤ 13.82, R2 ≥ 0.92). Based on these measurements, the macroscopic Monod model can be used to determine different process attributes, e.g., glucose concentration. In consequence, it is possible to approximately calculate (R2 ≥ 0.96) glucose concentration based on online cell concentration measurements using turbidity or Raman spectroscopy. Future approaches will use these online substrate concentration measurements with turbidity and Raman measurements, in combination with the kinetic model, in order to control the bioprocess in terms of feeding strategies, by employing an open platform communication (OPC) network—either in fed-batch or perfusion mode, integrated into a continuous operation of upstream and downstream. PMID:29547557

Generally applicable fed-batch culture concept based on the detection of metabolic state by on-line balancing.

PubMed

Jobé, Anna Marya; Herwig, Christoph; Surzyn, Martin; Walker, Bernhard; Marison, Ian; von Stockar, Urs

2003-06-20

In many microorganisms, flux limitations in oxidative metabolism lead to the formation of overflow metabolites even under fully aerobic conditions. This can be avoided if the specific growth rate is controlled at a low enough value. This is usually accomplished by controlling the substrate feeding profile in a fed-batch process. The present work proposes a control concept which is based on the on-line detection of metabolic state by on-line calculation of mass and elemental balances. The advantages of this method are: 1) the check of measurement consistency based on all of the available measurements, 2) the minimum requirement of a priori knowledge of metabolism, and 3) the exclusive use of simple and established on-line techniques which do not require direct measurement of the metabolite in question. The control concept has been linked to a simple adaptive controller and applied to fed-batch cultures of S. cerevisiae and E. coli, organisms which express different overflow metabolites, ethanol and acetic acid, respectively. Oxidative and oxidoreductive states of S. cerevisiae and E. coli cultures were detected with high precision. As demonstrated by the formation of acetic acid in E. coli cultures, metabolic states could be correctly distinguished for systems for which traditional methods, such as respiratory quotient (RQ), are insensitive. Hence, it could be shown that the control concept allowed avoidance of overflow metabolite formation and operation at maximum oxidative biomass productivity and oxidative conversion of substrate into biomass. Based on mass and elemental balances, the proposed method additionally provides a richness of additional information, such as yield coefficients and estimation of concentrations and specific conversion rates. These data certainly help the operator to additionally evaluate the state of the process on-line. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 82: 627-639, 2003.

A successful online mentoring program for nurses.

PubMed

O'Keefe, Trish; Forrester, David Anthony Tony

2009-01-01

This article describes the successful implementation of An Online Mentoring Program for Nurses at a Magnet-designated acute care medical center, Morristown Memorial Hospital (MMH/Atlantic Health). A comprehensive approach to incorporating mentor-protégée teams into professional nurse role development has been demonstrated to (1) improve nurse employee satisfaction, retention, and recruitment outcomes; (2) change the ways nurses and others perceive nurses; (3) augment support by managers and coworkers; and (4) improve patient care outcomes. Nurses are partnered in mentor-protégée relationships and continually engage one another by evaluating the protégée's unique contributions and identifying specific strategic actions to move the protégée toward accomplishing their professional objectives. Building an online mentor-protégée collaboration: (1) maximizing potential, (2) identifying the protégée's unique contributions, and (3) strategic planning. The online mentoring process is a success and has delivered measurable results that have benefited the nurse participants and contributed to our institution's culture of nursing engagement. The online mentoring process has potential to benefit nurses and their organizations by (1) providing real-time communication, (2) facilitating strategic thinking, (3) monitoring progress, (4) "going green," and (5) improving organizational knowledge.

Online Multitasking Line-Scan Imaging Techniques for Simultaneous Safety and Quality Evaluation of Apples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Moon Sung; Lee, Kangjin; Chao, Kaunglin; Lefcourt, Alan; Cho, Byung-Kwan; Jun, Won

We developed a push-broom, line-scan imaging system capable of simultaneous measurements of reflectance and fluorescence. The system allows multitasking inspections for quality and safety attributes of apples due to its dynamic capabilities in simultaneously capturing fluorescence and reflectance, and selectivity in multispectral bands. A multitasking image-based inspection system for online applications has been suggested in that a single imaging device that could perform a multitude of both safety and quality inspection needs. The presented multitask inspection approach in online applications may provide an economically viable means for a number of food processing industries being able to adapt to operate and meet the dynamic and specific inspection and sorting needs.

An Online Risk Monitor System (ORMS) to Increase Safety and Security Levels in Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubair, M.; Rahman, Khalil Ur; Hassan, Mehmood Ul

2013-12-01

The main idea of this research is to develop an Online Risk Monitor System (ORMS) based on Living Probabilistic Safety Assessment (LPSA). The article highlights the essential features and functions of ORMS. The basic models and modules such as, Reliability Data Update Model (RDUM), running time update, redundant system unavailability update, Engineered Safety Features (ESF) unavailability update and general system update have been described in this study. ORMS not only provides quantitative analysis but also highlights qualitative aspects of risk measures. ORMS is capable of automatically updating the online risk models and reliability parameters of equipment. ORMS can support in the decision making process of operators and managers in Nuclear Power Plants.

Research on on-line monitoring technology for steel ball's forming process based on load signal analysis method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ying-jun; Ai, Chang-sheng; Men, Xiu-hua; Zhang, Cheng-liang; Zhang, Qi

2013-04-01

This paper presents a novel on-line monitoring technology to obtain forming quality in steel ball's forming process based on load signal analysis method, in order to reveal the bottom die's load characteristic in initial cold heading forging process of steel balls. A mechanical model of the cold header producing process is established and analyzed by using finite element method. The maximum cold heading force is calculated. The results prove that the monitoring on the cold heading process with upsetting force is reasonable and feasible. The forming defects are inflected on the three feature points of the bottom die signals, which are the initial point, infection point, and peak point. A novel PVDF piezoelectric force sensor which is simple on construction and convenient on installation is designed. The sensitivity of the PVDF force sensor is calculated. The characteristics of PVDF force sensor are analyzed by FEM. The PVDF piezoelectric force sensor is fabricated to acquire the actual load signals in the cold heading process, and calibrated by a special device. The measuring system of on-line monitoring is built. The characteristics of the actual signals recognized by learning and identification algorithm are in consistence with simulation results. Identification of actual signals shows that the timing difference values of all feature points for qualified products are not exceed ±6 ms, and amplitude difference values are less than ±3%. The calibration and application experiments show that PVDF force sensor has good static and dynamic performances, and is competent at dynamic measuring on upsetting force. It greatly improves automatic level and machining precision. Equipment capacity factor with damages identification method depends on grade of steel has been improved to 90%.

Laser Ultrasonic System for On-Line Steel Tube Gauging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monchalin, Jean-Pierre; Choquet, Marc; Padioleau, Christian; Néron, Christian; Lévesque, Daniel; Blouin, Alain; Corbeil, Christian; Talbot, Richard; Bendada, Abdelhakim; Lamontagne, Mario; Kolarik, Robert V.; Jeskey, Gerald V.; Dominik, Erich D.; Duly, Larry J.; Samblanet, Kenneth J.; Agger, Steven E.; Roush, Kenneth J.; Mester, Michael L.

2003-03-01

A laser-ultrasonic system has been installed on a seamless tubing production line of The Timken Company and is being used to measure on-line the wall thickness of tubes during processing. The seamless process consists essentially in forcing a mandrel through a hot cylindrical billet in rotation and typically results in fairly large wall thickness variations that should be minimized and controlled to respect specifications. The system includes a Q-switched Nd-YAG laser for generation of ultrasound by ablation, a long pulse very stable Nd-YAG laser for detection coupled to a confocal Fabry-Perot interferometer, a pyrometer to measure tube temperature and two laser Doppler velocimeters to measure the coordinates of the probing location at the tube surface. The laser, data acquisition and processing units are housed in a cabin off line and connected to a front coupling head located over the passing tube by optical fibers. The system has been integrated into the plant computer network and provides in real time thickness data to the plant operators. It allow much faster mill setups, has been used since its deployment for inspecting more than 100,000 tubes and has demonstrated very significant savings.

Development of an Index of Engagement in HIV Care: An Adapted Internet-Based Delphi Process

PubMed Central

Koester, Kimberly A; Wood, Troy; Neilands, Torsten B; Pomeranz, Jamie L; Christopoulos, Katerina A

2017-01-01

Background Improving engagement in medical care among persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is critical to optimizing clinical outcomes and reducing onward transmission of HIV. However, a clear conceptualization of what it means to be engaged in HIV care is lacking, and thus efforts to measure and enhance engagement in care are limited. Objective This paper describes the use of a modified online Delphi process of consensus building to solicit input from a range of HIV and non-HIV researchers and providers, and to integrate that input with focus group data conducted with HIV-infected patients. The overarching goal was to generate items for a patient-centered measure of engagement in HIV care for use in future research and clinical practice. Methods We recruited 66 expert panelists from around the United States. Starting with six open-ended questions, we used four rounds of online Delphi data collection in tandem with 12 in-person focus groups with patients and cognitive interviews with 25 patients. Results We recruited 66 expert panelists from around the United States and 64 (97%) were retained for four rounds of data collection. Starting with six open-ended questions, we used four rounds of online Delphi data collection in tandem with 12 in-person focus groups with patients and cognitive interviews with 25 patients. The process resulted in an expansion to 120 topics that were subsequently reduced to 13 candidate items for the planned assessment measure. Conclusions The process was an efficient method of soliciting input from geographically separated and busy experts across a range of disciplines and professional roles with the aim of arriving at a coherent definition of engagement in HIV care and a manageable set of survey items to assess it. Next steps are to validate the utility of the new measure in predicting retention in care, adherence to treatment, and clinical outcomes among patients living with HIV. PMID:29208589

Knowledge and Attitudes of Produce and Seafood Processors and Food Safety Educators Regarding Nonthermal Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pivarnik, Lori F.; Richard, Nicole L.; Gable, Robert K.; Worobo, Randy W.

2016-01-01

A needs assessment survey was designed and administered to measure knowledge of and attitudes toward food safety impacts of nonthermal processing technologies of shellfish and produce industry personnel and extension educators. An online survey was sent via e-mail notification with the survey link through professional listserves. The survey…

Using Eye-Tracking in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conklin, Kathy; Pellicer-Sánchez, Ana

2016-01-01

With eye-tracking technology the eye is thought to give researchers a window into the mind. Importantly, eye-tracking has significant advantages over traditional online processing measures: chiefly that it allows for more "natural" processing as it does not require a secondary task, and that it provides a very rich moment-to-moment data…

Self-Guided Reading: Touch-Based Measures of Syntactic Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatfield, Hunter

2016-01-01

A novel online reading methodology termed Self-Guided Reading (SGR) is examined to determine if it can successfully detect well-studied syntactic processing behaviours. In SGR, a participant runs their finger under masked text in order to reveal a sentence. It is therefore similar to self-paced reading in presentation of stimuli, but different in…

Real-Time Processing of Gender-Marked Articles by Native and Non-Native Spanish Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lew-Williams, Casey; Fernald, Anne

2010-01-01

Three experiments using online-processing measures explored whether native and non-native Spanish-speaking adults use gender-marked articles to identify referents of target nouns more rapidly, as shown previously with 3-year-old children learning Spanish as L1 (Lew-Williams & Fernald, 2007). In Experiment 1, participants viewed familiar objects…

The Development and Technical Adequacy of Seventh-Grade Reading Comprehension Measures in a Progress Monitoring Assessment System. Technical Report #1102

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Bitnara Jasmine; Alonzo, Julie; Tindal, Gerald

2011-01-01

This technical report describes the process of development and piloting of reading comprehension measures that are appropriate for seventh-grade students as part of an online progress screening and monitoring assessment system, http://easycbm.com. Each measure consists of an original fictional story of approximately 1,600 to 1,900 words with 20…

The influence of causal connections between symptoms on the diagnosis of mental disorders: evidence from online and offline measures.

PubMed

Flores, Amanda; Cobos, Pedro L; López, Francisco J; Godoy, Antonio; González-Martín, Estrella

2014-09-01

An experiment conducted with students and experienced clinicians demonstrated very fast and online causal reasoning in the diagnosis of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) mental disorders. The experiment also demonstrated that clinicians' causal reasoning is triggered by information that is directly related to the causal structure that explains the symptoms, such as their temporal sequence. The use of causal theories was measured through explicit, verbal diagnostic judgments and through the online registration of participants' reading times of clinical reports. To detect both online and offline causal reasoning, the consistency of clinical reports was manipulated. This manipulation was made by varying the temporal order in which different symptoms developed in hypothetical clients, and by providing explicit information about causal connections between symptoms. The temporal order of symptoms affected the clinicians' but not the students' reading times. However, offline diagnostic judgments in both groups were influenced by the consistency manipulation. Overall, our results suggest that clinicians engage in fast and online causal reasoning processes when dealing with diagnostic information concerning mental disorders, and that both clinicians and students engage in causal reasoning in diagnostic judgment tasks. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Advanced glossmeters for industrial applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuivalainen, Kalle; Oksman, Antti; Juuti, Mikko; Myller, Kari; Peiponen, Kai-Erik

2010-05-01

In this paper, we present three new types of diffractive-optical-element (DOE)-based glossmeters (DOGs) that have been developed for both laboratory and online local specular gloss measurements of objects in industrial processes. The three are denoted as the handheld wireless glossmeter, µDOG two-dimensional (2D) and µDOG one-dimensional (1D), respectively. These glossmeters are designed to operate under conditions where gloss measurement with conventional glossmeters is impossible or difficult, or when fine structures of the gloss over a surface are an issue. Here, we show the applicability of the handheld glossmeter and µDOG 2D in the inspection of gloss from rough stainless steel plates finished by different machining methods. We also briefly introduce the concept of online gauge µDOG 1D for gloss assessment in industrial measurement environments.

Online Characterisation of Mineral Dust Aerosol by Single Particle Mass Spectrometry: Mineralogical Signatures of Potential Source Areas in North Africa.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsden, N. A.; Allan, J. D.; Flynn, M.; Ullrich, R.; Moehler, O.; Coe, H.

2017-12-01

The mineralogy of individual dust particles is important for atmospheric processes because mineralogy influences optical properties, their potential to act as ice nucleating particles (INP) and geochemical cycling of elements to the ocean. Bulk mineralogy of transported mineral dust has been shown to be a reflection of the source area and size fractionation during transport. Online characterisation of single particle mineralogy is highly desirable as the composition of individual particles can be reported at a temporal resolution that is relevant to atmospheric processes. Single particle mass spectrometry (SPMS) has indentified and characterised the composition of ambient dust particles but is hampered by matrix effects that result in a non-quantatative measurement of composition. The work presented describes a comparison of mass spectral characteristics of sub 2.5μm particle fractions generated from; i) nominally pure samples from the clay mineral society (CMS), ii) soil samples collected from potential source areas in North Africa and iii) ambient measurement of transported African dust made at the Cape Verde Islands. Using a novel approach to analyse the mass spectra, the distinct characteristics of the various dust samples are obtained from the online measurements. Using this technique it was observed that dust generated from sources on the North West Margin of the Sahara Desert have distinct characteristics of illite in contrast to the kaolinitic characteristics of dust generated from sources in the Sahel. These methods offer great potential for describing the hourly variation in the source and mineralogy of transported mineral dust and the online differentiation of mineral phase in multi-mineralic dust samples.

Trust and Online Reputation Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwan, Ming; Ramachandran, Deepak

Web 2.0 technologies provide organizations with unprecedented opportunities to expand and solidify relationships with their customers, partners, and employees—while empowering firms to define entirely new business models focused on sharing information in online collaborative environments. Yet, in and of themselves, these technologies cannot ensure productive online interactions. Leading enterprises that are experimenting with social networks and online communities are already discovering this fact and along with it, the importance of establishing trust as the foundation for online collaboration and transactions. Just as today's consumers must feel secure to bank, exchange personal information and purchase products and services online; participants in Web 2.0 initiatives will only accept the higher levels of risk and exposure inherent in e-commerce and Web collaboration in an environment of trust. Indeed, only by attending to the need to cultivate online trust with customers, partners and employees will enterprises ever fully exploit the expanded business potential posed by Web 2.0. But developing online trust is no easy feat. While various preliminary attempts have occurred, no definitive model for establishing or measuring it has yet been established. To that end, nGenera has identified three, distinct dimensions of online trust: reputation (quantitative-based); relationship (qualitative-based) and process (system-based). When considered together, they form a valuable model for understanding online trust and a toolbox for cultivating it to support Web 2.0 initiatives.

The impact of teachers' approaches to teaching and students' learning styles on students' approaches to learning in college online biology courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Yuh-Fong

With the rapid growth of online courses in higher education institutions, research on quality of learning for online courses is needed. However, there is a notable lack of research in the cited literature providing evidence that online distance education promotes the quality of independent learning to which it aspires. Previous studies focused on academic outcomes and technology applications which do not monitor students' learning processes, such as their approaches to learning. Understanding students' learning processes and factors influencing quality of learning will provide valuable information for instructors and institutions in providing quality online courses and programs. The purpose of this study was to identify and investigate college biology teachers' approaches to teaching and students' learning styles, and to examine the impact of approaches to teaching and learning styles on students' approaches to learning via online instruction. Data collection included eighty-seven participants from five online biology courses at a community college in the southern area of Texas. Data analysis showed the following results. First, there were significant differences in approaches to learning among students with different learning styles. Second, there was a significant difference in students' approaches to learning between classes using different approaches to teaching. Three, the impact of learning styles on students' approaches to learning was not influenced by instructors' approaches to teaching. Two conclusions were obtained from the results. First, individuals with the ability to perceive information abstractly might be more likely to adopt deep approaches to learning than those preferring to perceive information through concrete experience in online learning environments. Second, Teaching Approach Inventory might not be suitable to measure approaches to teaching for online biology courses due to online instructional design and technology limitations. Based on the findings and conclusions of this study, implications for distance education and future research are described.

Evolutionary game analysis and regulatory strategies for online group-buying based on system dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Zhong-Zhong; He, Na; Qin, Xuwei; Ip, W. H.; Wu, C. H.; Yung, K. L.

2018-07-01

The emergence of online group-buying provides a new consumption pattern for consumers in e-commerce era. However, many consumers realize that their own interests sometimes can't be guaranteed in the group-buying market due to the lack of being regulated. This paper aims to develop effective regulation strategies for online group-buying market. To the best of our knowledge, most existing studies assume that three parties in online group-buying market, i.e. the retailer, the group-buying platform and the consumer, are perfectly rational. To better understand the decision process, in this paper, we incorporate the concept of bounded rationality into consideration. Firstly, a three-parties evolutionary game model is established to study each player's game strategy based on bounded rationality. Secondly, the game model is simulated as a whole by adopting system dynamics to analyze its stability. Finally, theoretical analysis and extensive computational experiments are conducted to obtain the managerial insights and regulation strategies for online group-buying market. Our results clearly demonstrate that a suitable bonus-penalty measure can promote the healthy development of online group-buying market.

Developing a quality assurance program for online services.

PubMed Central

Humphries, A W; Naisawald, G V

1991-01-01

A quality assurance (QA) program provides not only a mechanism for establishing training and competency standards, but also a method for continuously monitoring current service practices to correct shortcomings. The typical QA cycle includes these basic steps: select subject for review, establish measurable standards, evaluate existing services using the standards, identify problems, implement solutions, and reevaluate services. The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library (CMHSL) developed a quality assurance program for online services designed to evaluate services against specific criteria identified by research studies as being important to customer satisfaction. These criteria include reliability, responsiveness, approachability, communication, and physical factors. The application of these criteria to the library's existing online services in the quality review process is discussed with specific examples of the problems identified in each service area, as well as the solutions implemented to correct deficiencies. The application of the QA cycle to an online services program serves as a model of possible interventions. The use of QA principles to enhance online service quality can be extended to other library service areas. PMID:1909197

Developing a quality assurance program for online services.

PubMed

Humphries, A W; Naisawald, G V

1991-07-01

A quality assurance (QA) program provides not only a mechanism for establishing training and competency standards, but also a method for continuously monitoring current service practices to correct shortcomings. The typical QA cycle includes these basic steps: select subject for review, establish measurable standards, evaluate existing services using the standards, identify problems, implement solutions, and reevaluate services. The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library (CMHSL) developed a quality assurance program for online services designed to evaluate services against specific criteria identified by research studies as being important to customer satisfaction. These criteria include reliability, responsiveness, approachability, communication, and physical factors. The application of these criteria to the library's existing online services in the quality review process is discussed with specific examples of the problems identified in each service area, as well as the solutions implemented to correct deficiencies. The application of the QA cycle to an online services program serves as a model of possible interventions. The use of QA principles to enhance online service quality can be extended to other library service areas.

Holographic digital microscopy in on-line process control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osanlou, Ardeshir

2011-09-01

This article investigates the feasibility of real-time three-dimensional imaging of microscopic objects within various emulsions while being produced in specialized production vessels. The study is particularly relevant to on-line process monitoring and control in chemical, pharmaceutical, food, cleaning, and personal hygiene industries. Such processes are often dynamic and the materials cannot be measured once removed from the production vessel. The technique reported here is applicable to three-dimensional characterization analyses on stirred fluids in small reaction vessels. Relatively expensive pulsed lasers have been avoided through the careful control of the speed of the moving fluid in relation to the speed of the camera exposure and the wavelength of the continuous wave laser used. The ultimate aim of the project is to introduce a fully robust and compact digital holographic microscope as a process control tool in a full size specialized production vessel.

A high sensitivity wear debris sensor using ferrite cores for online oil condition monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xiaoliang; Zhong, Chong; Zhe, Jiang

2017-07-01

Detecting wear debris and measuring the increasing number of wear debris in lubrication oil can indicate abnormal machine wear well ahead of machine failure, and thus are indispensable for online machine health monitoring. A portable wear debris sensor with ferrite cores for online monitoring is presented. The sensor detects wear debris by measuring the inductance change of two planar coils wound around a pair of ferrite cores that make the magnetic flux denser and more uniform in the sensing channel, thereby improving the sensitivity of the sensor. Static testing results showed this wear debris sensor is capable of detecting 11 µm and 50 µm ferrous debris in 1 mm and 7 mm diameter fluidic pipes, respectively; such a high sensitivity has not been achieved before. Furthermore, a synchronized sampling method was also applied to reduce the data size and realize real-time data processing. Dynamic testing results demonstrated that the sensor is capable of detecting wear debris in real time with a high throughput of 750 ml min-1 the measured debris concentration is in good agreement with the actual concentration.

Audits of oncology units - an effective and pragmatic approach.

PubMed

Abratt, Raymond Pierre; Eedes, David; Bailey, Belinda; Salmon, Chris; Govender, Yogi; Oelofse, Ivan; Burger, Henriette

2017-05-24

Audits of oncology units are part of all quality-assurance programmes. However, they do not always come across as pragmatic and helpful to staff. To report on the results of an online survey on the usefulness and impact of an audit process for oncology units. Staff in oncology units who were part of the audit process completed the audit self-assessment form for the unit. This was followed by a visit to each unit by an assessor, and then subsequent personal contact, usually via telephone. The audit self-assessment document listed quality-assurance measures or items in the physical and functional areas of the oncology unit. There were a total of 153 items included in the audit. The online survey took place in October 2016. The invitation to participate was sent to 59 oncology units at which staff members had completed the audit process. The online survey was completed by 54 (41%) of the 132 potential respondents. The online survey found that the audit was very or extremely useful in maintaining personal professional standards in 89% of responses. The audit process and feedback was rated as very or extremely satisfactory in 80% and 81%, respectively. The self-assessment audit document was scored by survey respondents as very or extremely practical in 63% of responses. The feedback on the audit was that it was very or extremely helpful in formulating improvement plans in oncology units in 82% of responses. Major and minor changes that occurred as a result of the audit process were reported as 8% and 88%, respectively. The survey findings show that the audit process and its self- assessment document meet the aims of being helpful and pragmatic.

Repetition blindness has a perceptual locus: evidence from online processing of targets in RSVP streams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, James C.; Hochhaus, Larry; Ruthruff, Eric

2002-01-01

Four experiments tested whether repetition blindness (RB; reduced accuracy reporting repetitions of briefly displayed items) is a perceptual or a memory-recall phenomenon. RB was measured in rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) streams, with the task altered to reduce memory demands. In Experiment 1 only the number of targets (1 vs. 2) was reported, eliminating the need to remember target identities. Experiment 2 segregated repeated and nonrepeated targets into separate blocks to reduce bias against repeated targets. Experiments 3 and 4 required immediate "online" buttonpress responses to targets as they occurred. All 4 experiments showed very strong RB. Furthermore, the online response data showed clearly that the 2nd of the repeated targets is the one missed. The present results show that in the RSVP paradigm, RB occurs online during initial stimulus encoding and decision making. The authors argue that RB is indeed a perceptual phenomenon.

Teaching mindfulness to occupational therapy students: pilot evaluation of an online curriculum.

PubMed

Reid, Denise T

2013-02-01

How mindfulness can be learned by occupational therapy students to manage their own self-care processes has not been fully examined as yet. This article describes an online curriculum approach for teaching a general introductory mindfulness course and examines outcomes with master's entry-level occupational therapy students. Fifteen students participated in an 8-week online mindfulness curriculum and completed a pre- and post-training survey. The Mindfulness Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS) was used to measure mindfulness. Demographic, MAAS-scored mindfulness, and clinical utility data were collected. Results showed a statistically significant change (t = -4.82, p = 0.002) in MAAS mindfulness scores from the program start to end. Informal practice exercises and guided meditations were perceived by participants as being more helpful ways for developing an understanding and approach to mindfulness than were readings about mindfulness. This study suggests that mindfulness can be taught using an online approach.

Closed-loop optical neural stimulation based on a 32-channel low-noise recording system with online spike sorting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, T. K. T.; Navratilova, Z.; Cabral, H.; Wang, L.; Gielen, G.; Battaglia, F. P.; Bartic, C.

2014-08-01

Objective. Closed-loop operation of neuro-electronic systems is desirable for both scientific and clinical (neuroprosthesis) applications. Integrating optical stimulation with recording capability further enhances the selectivity of neural stimulation. We have developed a system enabling the local delivery of optical stimuli and the simultaneous electrical measuring of the neural activities in a closed-loop approach. Approach. The signal analysis is performed online through the implementation of a template matching algorithm. The system performance is demonstrated with the recorded data and in awake rats. Main results. Specifically, the neural activities are simultaneously recorded, detected, classified online (through spike sorting) from 32 channels, and used to trigger a light emitting diode light source using generated TTL signals. Significance. A total processing time of 8 ms is achieved, suitable for optogenetic studies of brain mechanisms online.

Bilinear modeling and nonlinear estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwyer, Thomas A. W., III; Karray, Fakhreddine; Bennett, William H.

1989-01-01

New methods are illustrated for online nonlinear estimation applied to the lateral deflection of an elastic beam on board measurements of angular rates and angular accelerations. The development of the filter equations, together with practical issues of their numerical solution as developed from global linearization by nonlinear output injection are contrasted with the usual method of the extended Kalman filter (EKF). It is shown how nonlinear estimation due to gyroscopic coupling can be implemented as an adaptive covariance filter using off-the-shelf Kalman filter algorithms. The effect of the global linearization by nonlinear output injection is to introduce a change of coordinates in which only the process noise covariance is to be updated in online implementation. This is in contrast to the computational approach which arises in EKF methods arising by local linearization with respect to the current conditional mean. Processing refinements for nonlinear estimation based on optimal, nonlinear interpolation between observations are also highlighted. In these methods the extrapolation of the process dynamics between measurement updates is obtained by replacing a transition matrix with an operator spline that is optimized off-line from responses to selected test inputs.

Hybrid intelligent control of substrate feeding for industrial fed-batch chlortetracycline fermentation process.

PubMed

Jin, Huaiping; Chen, Xiangguang; Yang, Jianwen; Wu, Lei; Wang, Li

2014-11-01

The lack of accurate process models and reliable online sensors for substrate measurements poses significant challenges for controlling substrate feeding accurately, automatically and optimally in fed-batch fermentation industries. It is still a common practice to regulate the feeding rate based upon manual operations. To address this issue, a hybrid intelligent control method is proposed to enable automatic substrate feeding. The resulting control system consists of three modules: a presetting module for providing initial set-points; a predictive module for estimating substrate concentration online based on a new time interval-varying soft sensing algorithm; and a feedback compensator using expert rules. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated through its successful applications to the industrial fed-batch chlortetracycline fermentation process. Copyright © 2014 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy as an Analytical Process Technology for the On-Line Quantification of Water Precipitation Processes during Danhong Injection.

PubMed

Liu, Xuesong; Wu, Chunyan; Geng, Shu; Jin, Ye; Luan, Lianjun; Chen, Yong; Wu, Yongjiang

2015-01-01

This paper used near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for the on-line quantitative monitoring of water precipitation during Danhong injection. For these NIR measurements, two fiber optic probes designed to transmit NIR radiation through a 2 mm flow cell were used to collect spectra in real-time. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was developed as the preferred chemometrics quantitative analysis of the critical intermediate qualities: the danshensu (DSS, (R)-3, 4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid), protocatechuic aldehyde (PA), rosmarinic acid (RA), and salvianolic acid B (SAB) concentrations. Optimized PLSR models were successfully built and used for on-line detecting of the concentrations of DSS, PA, RA, and SAB of water precipitation during Danhong injection. Besides, the information of DSS, PA, RA, and SAB concentrations would be instantly fed back to site technical personnel for control and adjustment timely. The verification experiments determined that the predicted values agreed with the actual homologic value.

Individual Differences in Lexical Processing at 18 Months Predict Vocabulary Growth in Typically Developing and Late-Talking Toddlers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernald, Anne; Marchman, Virginia A.

2012-01-01

Using online measures of familiar word recognition in the looking-while-listening procedure, this prospective longitudinal study revealed robust links between processing efficiency and vocabulary growth from 18 to 30 months in children classified as typically developing (n = 46) and as "late talkers" (n = 36) at 18 months. Those late talkers who…

Most Courses Are Not Born Digital: An Overview of the Quality Matters Peer Review Process for Online Course Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varonis, Evageline Marlos

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss benefits of and barriers to online learning and describe utilization of the Quality Matters (QM) peer review process as a method to assure the quality of online courses. It outlines the QM higher education rubric, explains how the collaborative QM peer review process facilitates online course design…

Assessment of online continuing dental education in North Carolina.

PubMed

Francis, B; Mauriello, S M; Phillips, C; Englebardt, S; Grayden, S K

2000-01-01

Dental professionals are discovering the unique advantages of asynchronous lifelong learning through continuing dental education (CDE) opportunities offered online. The purpose of this study was to evaluate both the process and outcomes of online CDE in North Carolina. The assessment was designed to provide a better understanding of practicing dental professionals experiences with online CDE and to determine the effectiveness of this learning strategy. Dental professionals from four North Carolina Area Health Education Centers regions evaluated two pilot online CDE modules in 1998. Thirty-one participants were recruited and subsequently enrolled with 23 completing at least one module. Each module included objectives, a multiple-choice pretest, interactive core material, and a post-test. Participants completed three online surveys measuring individual demographics and computer skill level, module design, and use and overall reaction to online learning. Most participants agreed that the modules were comprehensive, were pleasing in appearance, provided clear instructions, provided adequate feedback, and were easy to navigate. Most participants agreed that knowledge of the material increased. This was validated by a significant increase in mean pre- to post-test scores (p = .0001). Participants agreed that convenience was a definite advantage, and they would choose online courses again to meet their CDE needs. The least-liked aspects included technical and formatting issues. Participants were enthusiastic about online learning and learned effectively with this teaching strategy, but desired much more interactivity than existed in the current design.

On-line moisture determination of ore concentrates 'a review of traditional methods and introduction of a novel solution'.

PubMed

Cancilla, P A; Barrette, P; Rosenblum, F

2002-12-01

The manual gravimetric drying moisture determination methods currently employed by most mineral processing plants fail to provide timely and accurate information required for automatic control. The costs associated with transporting and handling concentrates still represent a major portion of the overall treatment price. When considering the cash flow of a mining operation that is governed by both the smelter contract, with moisture penalties and the quantity and quality of the concentrates shipped, an efficient method of on-line moisture content would be a welcome tool. A novel on-line determination system for ore concentrate moisture content would replace the tedious manual procedure. Since the introduction of microelectronic-based control systems, operators have strived to reduce the treatment costs to the minimum. Therefore, a representative and timely determination of on-line moisture content becomes vital for control set points and timely feedback. Reliable sensors have long been on the 'wish list' of mineral processors since the problem has always been that you can only control what you can measure. Today, the task of moisture determination is still done by the classical technique of loss in weight utilizing uncontrolled procedures. These same methods were introduced in the earliest base metal concentrators. Generally, it is acceptable to have ore concentrate moisture content vary within a range of 7-9%, but controlling the moisture content below 8% is a difficult task with a manually controlled system. Many times, delays in manually achieving reliable feedback of the moisture content results in the moisture varying from 5-12% before corrective actions can be made. This paper first reviews the traditional and widely available methods for determining moisture content in granular materials by applying physical principles and properties to measure moisture content. All methods are in some form affected when employed on mineral ore concentrates. This paper introduces and describes a novel on-line moisture sensor employed for mineral processing de-watering applications, which not only automates the tedious tasks but also results in reliable moisture feedback that can be used in the optimization of the de-watering process equipment such as pressure or vacuum filters and fuel-fired driers. Finally, two measurement applications will be presented which indicate the usefulness and summarizes the measurement requirements for the proposed method of employing drag force and mechanical properties of the material itself to determine the moisture content. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Online anomaly detection in wireless body area networks for reliable healthcare monitoring.

PubMed

Salem, Osman; Liu, Yaning; Mehaoua, Ahmed; Boutaba, Raouf

2014-09-01

In this paper, we propose a lightweight approach for online detection of faulty measurements by analyzing the data collected from medical wireless body area networks. The proposed framework performs sequential data analysis using a smart phone as a base station, and takes into account the constrained resources of the smart phone, such as processing power and storage capacity. The main objective is to raise alarms only when patients enter in an emergency situation, and to discard false alarms triggered by faulty measurements or ill-behaved sensors. The proposed approach is based on the Haar wavelet decomposition, nonseasonal Holt-Winters forecasting, and the Hampel filter for spatial analysis, and on for temporal analysis. Our objective is to reduce false alarms resulting from unreliable measurements and to reduce unnecessary healthcare intervention. We apply our proposed approach on real physiological dataset. Our experimental results prove the effectiveness of our approach in achieving good detection accuracy with a low false alarm rate. The simplicity and the processing speed of our proposed framework make it useful and efficient for real time diagnosis.

Patients' online access to their electronic health records and linked online services: a systematic interpretative review.

PubMed

de Lusignan, Simon; Mold, Freda; Sheikh, Aziz; Majeed, Azeem; Wyatt, Jeremy C; Quinn, Tom; Cavill, Mary; Gronlund, Toto Anne; Franco, Christina; Chauhan, Umesh; Blakey, Hannah; Kataria, Neha; Barker, Fiona; Ellis, Beverley; Koczan, Phil; Arvanitis, Theodoros N; McCarthy, Mary; Jones, Simon; Rafi, Imran

2014-09-08

To investigate the effect of providing patients online access to their electronic health record (EHR) and linked transactional services on the provision, quality and safety of healthcare. The objectives are also to identify and understand: barriers and facilitators for providing online access to their records and services for primary care workers; and their association with organisational/IT system issues. Primary care. A total of 143 studies were included. 17 were experimental in design and subject to risk of bias assessment, which is reported in a separate paper. Detailed inclusion and exclusion criteria have also been published elsewhere in the protocol. Our primary outcome measure was change in quality or safety as a result of implementation or utilisation of online records/transactional services. No studies reported changes in health outcomes; though eight detected medication errors and seven reported improved uptake of preventative care. Professional concerns over privacy were reported in 14 studies. 18 studies reported concern over potential increased workload; with some showing an increase workload in email or online messaging; telephone contact remaining unchanged, and face-to face contact staying the same or falling. Owing to heterogeneity in reporting overall workload change was hard to predict. 10 studies reported how online access offered convenience, primarily for more advantaged patients, who were largely highly satisfied with the process when clinician responses were prompt. Patient online access and services offer increased convenience and satisfaction. However, professionals were concerned about impact on workload and risk to privacy. Studies correcting medication errors may improve patient safety. There may need to be a redesign of the business process to engage health professionals in online access and of the EHR to make it friendlier and provide equity of access to a wider group of patients. A1 SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42012003091. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The role of character-based knowledge in online narrative comprehension: evidence from eye movements and ERPs.

PubMed

Filik, Ruth; Leuthold, Hartmut

2013-04-19

Little is known about the on-line evaluation of information relating to well-known story characters during text comprehension. For example, it is not clear in how much detail readers represent character-based information, and the time course over which this information is utilized during on-line language comprehension. We describe an event-related potential (ERP) study (Experiment 1) and an eye-tracking study (Experiment 2) investigating whether, and when, readers utilize their prior knowledge of a character in processing event information. Participants read materials in which an event was described that either did or did not fit with the character's typical behavior. ERPs elicited by the critical word revealed an N400 effect when the action described did not fit with the character's typical behavior. Results from early eye movement measures supported these findings, and later measures suggested that such violations were more easily accommodated for well-known fictional characters than real-world characters. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of online measures to monitor and evaluate multiplatform fusion performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stubberud, Stephen C.; Kowalski, Charlene; Klamer, Dale M.

1999-07-01

A primary concern of multiplatform data fusion is assessing the quality and utility of data shared among platforms. Constraints such as platform and sensor capability and task load necessitate development of an on-line system that computes a metric to determine which other platform can provide the best data for processing. To determine data quality, we are implementing an approach based on entropy coupled with intelligent agents. To determine data quality, we are implementing an approach based on entropy coupled with intelligent agents. Entropy measures quality of processed information such as localization, classification, and ambiguity in measurement-to-track association. Lower entropy scores imply less uncertainty about a particular target. When new information is provided, we compuete the level of improvement a particular track obtains from one measurement to another. The measure permits us to evaluate the utility of the new information. We couple entropy with intelligent agents that provide two main data gathering functions: estimation of another platform's performance and evaluation of the new measurement data's quality. Both functions result from the entropy metric. The intelligent agent on a platform makes an estimate of another platform's measurement and provides it to its own fusion system, which can then incorporate it, for a particular target. A resulting entropy measure is then calculated and returned to its own agent. From this metric, the agent determines a perceived value of the offboard platform's measurement. If the value is satisfactory, the agent requests the measurement from the other platform, usually by interacting with the other platform's agent. Once the actual measurement is received, again entropy is computed and the agent assesses its estimation process and refines it accordingly.

Neural processing of emotional-intensity predicts emotion regulation choice.

PubMed

Shafir, Roni; Thiruchselvam, Ravi; Suri, Gaurav; Gross, James J; Sheppes, Gal

2016-12-01

Emotional-intensity is a core characteristic of affective events that strongly determines how individuals choose to regulate their emotions. Our conceptual framework suggests that in high emotional-intensity situations, individuals prefer to disengage attention using distraction, which can more effectively block highly potent emotional information, as compared with engagement reappraisal, which is preferred in low emotional-intensity. However, existing supporting evidence remains indirect because prior intensity categorization of emotional stimuli was based on subjective measures that are potentially biased and only represent the endpoint of emotional-intensity processing. Accordingly, this study provides the first direct evidence for the role of online emotional-intensity processing in predicting behavioral regulatory-choices. Utilizing the high temporal resolution of event-related potentials, we evaluated online neural processing of stimuli's emotional-intensity (late positive potential, LPP) prior to regulatory-choices between distraction and reappraisal. Results showed that enhanced neural processing of intensity (enhanced LPP amplitudes) uniquely predicted (above subjective measures of intensity) increased tendency to subsequently choose distraction over reappraisal. Additionally, regulatory-choices led to adaptive consequences, demonstrated in finding that actual implementation of distraction relative to reappraisal-choice resulted in stronger attenuation of LPPs and self-reported arousal. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Application of automated measurement stations for continuous water quality monitoring of the Dender river in Flanders, Belgium.

PubMed

Vandenberghe, V; Goethals, P L M; Van Griensven, A; Meirlaen, J; De Pauw, N; Vanrolleghem, P; Bauwens, W

2005-09-01

During the summer of 1999, two automated water quality measurement stations were installed along the Dender river in Belgium. The variables dissolved oxygen, temperature, conductivity, pH, rain-intensity, flow and solar radiation were measured continuously. In this paper these on-line measurement series are presented and interpreted using also additional measurements and ecological expert-knowledge. The purpose was to demonstrate the variability in time and space of the aquatic processes and the consequences of conducting and interpreting discrete measurements for river quality assessment and management. The large fluctuations of the data illustrated the importance of continuous measurements for the complete description and modelling of the biological processes in the river.

Development of 3D online contact measurement system for intelligent manufacturing based on stereo vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Peng; Chong, Wenyan; Ma, Yongjun

2017-10-01

In order to avoid shortcomings of low efficiency and restricted measuring range exsited in traditional 3D on-line contact measurement method for workpiece size, the development of a novel 3D contact measurement system is introduced, which is designed for intelligent manufacturing based on stereo vision. The developed contact measurement system is characterized with an intergarted use of a handy probe, a binocular stereo vision system, and advanced measurement software.The handy probe consists of six track markers, a touch probe and the associated elcetronics. In the process of contact measurement, the hand probe can be located by the use of the stereo vision system and track markers, and 3D coordinates of a space point on the workpiece can be mearsured by calculating the tip position of a touch probe. With the flexibility of the hand probe, the orientation, range, density of the 3D contact measurenent can be adptable to different needs. Applications of the developed contact measurement system to high-precision measurement and rapid surface digitization are experimentally demonstrated.

Reliability and validity of a self-administered tool for online neuropsychological testing: The Amsterdam Cognition Scan.

PubMed

Feenstra, Heleen E M; Murre, Jaap M J; Vermeulen, Ivar E; Kieffer, Jacobien M; Schagen, Sanne B

2018-04-01

To facilitate large-scale assessment of a variety of cognitive abilities in clinical studies, we developed a self-administered online neuropsychological test battery: the Amsterdam Cognition Scan (ACS). The current studies evaluate in a group of adult cancer patients: test-retest reliability of the ACS and the influence of test setting (home or hospital), and the relationship between our online and a traditional test battery (concurrent validity). Test-retest reliability was studied in 96 cancer patients (57 female; M age  = 51.8 years) who completed the ACS twice. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to assess consistency over time. The test setting was counterbalanced between home and hospital; influence on test performance was assessed by repeated measures analyses of variance. Concurrent validity was studied in 201 cancer patients (112 female; M age  = 53.5 years) who completed both the online and an equivalent traditional neuropsychological test battery. Spearman or Pearson correlations were used to assess consistency between online and traditional tests. ICCs of the online tests ranged from .29 to .76, with an ICC of .78 for the ACS total score. These correlations are generally comparable with the test-retest correlations of the traditional tests as reported in the literature. Correlating online and traditional test scores, we observed medium to large concurrent validity (r/ρ = .42 to .70; total score r = .78), except for a visuospatial memory test (ρ = .36). Correlations were affected-as expected-by design differences between online tests and their offline counterparts. Although development and optimization of the ACS is an ongoing process, and reliability can be optimized for several tests, our results indicate that it is a highly usable tool to obtain (online) measures of various cognitive abilities. The ACS is expected to facilitate efficient gathering of data on cognitive functioning in the near future.

Presentation and response timing accuracy in Adobe Flash and HTML5/JavaScript Web experiments.

PubMed

Reimers, Stian; Stewart, Neil

2015-06-01

Web-based research is becoming ubiquitous in the behavioral sciences, facilitated by convenient, readily available participant pools and relatively straightforward ways of running experiments: most recently, through the development of the HTML5 standard. Although in most studies participants give untimed responses, there is a growing interest in being able to record response times online. Existing data on the accuracy and cross-machine variability of online timing measures are limited, and generally they have compared behavioral data gathered on the Web with similar data gathered in the lab. For this article, we took a more direct approach, examining two ways of running experiments online-Adobe Flash and HTML5 with CSS3 and JavaScript-across 19 different computer systems. We used specialist hardware to measure stimulus display durations and to generate precise response times to visual stimuli in order to assess measurement accuracy, examining effects of duration, browser, and system-to-system variability (such as across different Windows versions), as well as effects of processing power and graphics capability. We found that (a) Flash and JavaScript's presentation and response time measurement accuracy are similar; (b) within-system variability is generally small, even in low-powered machines under high load; (c) the variability of measured response times across systems is somewhat larger; and (d) browser type and system hardware appear to have relatively small effects on measured response times. Modeling of the effects of this technical variability suggests that for most within- and between-subjects experiments, Flash and JavaScript can both be used to accurately detect differences in response times across conditions. Concerns are, however, noted about using some correlational or longitudinal designs online.

Process for the physical segregation of minerals

DOEpatents

Yingling, Jon C.; Ganguli, Rajive

2004-01-06

With highly heterogeneous groups or streams of minerals, physical segregation using online quality measurements is an economically important first stage of the mineral beneficiation process. Segregation enables high quality fractions of the stream to bypass processing, such as cleaning operations, thereby reducing the associated costs and avoiding the yield losses inherent in any downstream separation process. The present invention includes various methods for reliably segregating a mineral stream into at least one fraction meeting desired quality specifications while at the same time maximizing yield of that fraction.

Development of an online platform for streamlining highway LiDAR data collection, sharing, and processing.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-01

Lidar (a portmanteau of "light" and "radar.") is a remote sensing technology that measures distance by illuminating a target with a laser and analyzing the reflected light. Among other applications, lidar is particularly useful for detailed mapping o...

New instrument for on-line viscosity measurement of fermentation media.

PubMed

Picque, D; Corrieu, G

1988-01-01

In an attempt to resolve the difficult problem of on-line determination of the viscosity of non-Newtonian fermentation media, the authors have used a vibrating rod sensor mounted on a bioreactor. The sensor signal decreases nonlinearly with increased apparent viscosity. Electronic filtering of the signal damps the interfering effect of aeration and mechanical agitation. Sensor drift is very low (0.03% of measured value per hour). On the rheological level the sensor is primarily an empirical tool that must be specifically calibrated for each fermentation process. Once this is accomplished, it becomes possible to establish linear or second-degree correlations between the electrical signal from the sensor and the essential parameters of the fermentation process in question (pH of a fermented milk during acidification, concentration of extra cellular polysaccharide). In addition, by applying the power law to describe the rheological behavior of fermentation media, we observe a second-order polynomial correlation between the sensor signal and the behavior index (n).

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

Hung, Cheng-Hung

The main objective of this project was to develop a low-cost integrated substrate for rigid OLED solid-state lighting produced at a manufacturing scale. The integrated substrates could include combinations of soda lime glass substrate, light extraction layer, and an anode layer (i.e., Transparent Conductive Oxide, TCO). Over the 3 + year course of the project, the scope of work was revised to focus on the development of a glass substrates with an internal light extraction (IEL) layer. A manufacturing-scale float glass on-line particle embedding process capable of producing an IEL glass substrate having a thickness of less than 1.7mm andmore » an area larger than 500mm x 400mm was demonstrated. Substrates measuring 470mm x 370mm were used in the OLED manufacturing process for fabricating OLED lighting panels in single pixel devices as large as 120.5mm x 120.5mm. The measured light extraction efficiency (calculated as external quantum efficiency, EQE) for on-line produced IEL samples (>50%) met the project’s initial goal.« less

Online Teaching in Education, Health and Human Services: Helping Faculty Transition to Online Instruction and Providing Tools for Attaining Instructional Excellence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Magy; Martin, Don

2015-01-01

The critical success of online instructors is their ability to engage students in the learning process. With this expertise, the online experience is extremely effective. The goal of this book is to help faculty understand the processes of teaching online and learning to be student-centered, which are the first steps toward becoming a successful…

Contributing Factors to a Successful Online Course Development Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Karl B.

2013-01-01

This qualitative case study examined the experiences of instructional designers and professors during the online course development process. The purpose of this study was to determine if their experiences had an effect on the process itself. Data analysis revealed five emergent themes: communication, commitment to quality online courses,…

Capturing the Interplay of Dynamics and Networks through Parameterizations of Laplacian Operators

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-24

important vertices and communities in the network. Specifically, for each dynamical process in this framework, we define a centrality measure that...vertices as a potential cluster (or community ) with respect to this process. We show that the subset-quality function generalizes the traditional conductance...compare the different perspectives they create on network structure. Subjects Network Science and Online Social Networks Keywords Network, Community

Learning Tasks, Peer Interaction, and Cognition Process: An Online Collaborative Design Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Du, Jianxia; Durrington, Vance A.

2013-01-01

This paper illustrates a model for Online Group Collaborative Learning. The authors based the foundation of the Online Collaborative Design Model upon Piaget's concepts of assimilation and accommodation, and Vygotsky's theory of social interaction. The four components of online collaborative learning include: individual processes, the task(s)…

Self-control in Online Discussions: Disinhibited Online Behavior as a Failure to Recognize Social Cues

PubMed Central

Voggeser, Birgit J.; Singh, Ranjit K.; Göritz, Anja S.

2018-01-01

In an online experiment we examined the role of self-control in recognizing social cues in the context of disinhibited online behavior (e.g., flaming and trolling). We temporarily lowered participants' self-control capacity with an ego depletion paradigm (i.e., color Stroop task). Next, we measured participants' sensitivity to social cues with an emotional Stroop task containing neutral, negative, and taboo words. Sensitivity to social cues is represented by the increase in reaction time to negative and especially taboo words compared to neutral words. As expected, undepleted participants were slower to process the color of negative and taboo words. By contrast, depleted participants (i.e., those with lowered self-control capacity) did not react differently to taboo or negative words than they did to neutral words. The experiment illustrates that self-control failure may manifest itself in a failure to recognize social cues. The finding underlines the importance of self-control in understanding disinhibited online behavior: Many instances of disinhibited online behavior may occur not because people are unable to control themselves, but because they do not realize that a situation calls for self-control in the first place. PMID:29375457

Internet Trolling and Everyday Sadism: Parallel Effects on Pain Perception and Moral Judgment.

PubMed

Buckels, Erin E; Trapnell, Paul D; Andjelovic, Tamara; Paulhus, Delroy L

2018-04-16

To clarify the association between online trolling and sadistic personality; and provide evidence that the reward and rationalization processes at work in sadism are likewise manifest in online trolling. Online respondents (total N = 1,715) completed self-report measures of personality and trolling behavior. They subsequently engaged in one of two judgment tasks. In Study 1, respondents viewed stimuli depicting scenes of emotional/physical suffering, and provided ratings of (a) perceived pain intensity and (b) pleasure experienced while viewing the photos. In Study 2, the iTroll questionnaire was developed and validated. It was then administered alongside a moral judgment task. Across both studies, online trolling was strongly associated with a sadistic personality profile. Moreover, sadism and trolling predicted identical patterns of pleasure and harm minimization. The incremental contribution of sadism was sustained even when controlling for broader antisocial tendencies (i.e., the Dark Triad, callous-emotionality, and trait aggression). Results confirm that online trolling is motivated (at least in part) by sadistic tendencies. Coupled with effective rationalization mechanisms, sadistic pleasure can be consummated in such everyday behaviors as online trolling. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Self-control in Online Discussions: Disinhibited Online Behavior as a Failure to Recognize Social Cues.

PubMed

Voggeser, Birgit J; Singh, Ranjit K; Göritz, Anja S

2017-01-01

In an online experiment we examined the role of self-control in recognizing social cues in the context of disinhibited online behavior (e.g., flaming and trolling). We temporarily lowered participants' self-control capacity with an ego depletion paradigm (i.e., color Stroop task). Next, we measured participants' sensitivity to social cues with an emotional Stroop task containing neutral, negative, and taboo words. Sensitivity to social cues is represented by the increase in reaction time to negative and especially taboo words compared to neutral words. As expected, undepleted participants were slower to process the color of negative and taboo words. By contrast, depleted participants (i.e., those with lowered self-control capacity) did not react differently to taboo or negative words than they did to neutral words. The experiment illustrates that self-control failure may manifest itself in a failure to recognize social cues. The finding underlines the importance of self-control in understanding disinhibited online behavior: Many instances of disinhibited online behavior may occur not because people are unable to control themselves, but because they do not realize that a situation calls for self-control in the first place.

EFFECTS OF USING ONLINE NARRATIVE AND DIDACTIC INFORMATION ON HEALTHCARE PARTICIPATION FOR BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

PubMed Central

Wise, Meg; Han, Jeong Yeob; Shaw, Bret; McTavish, Fiona; Gustafson, David H.

2008-01-01

Objectives To determine the effects of online narrative and didactic information on breast cancer patients’ healthcare participation and the interaction effects of race. Methods Sample: 353 breast cancer patients (111 African Americans) using an eHealth program with narratives (audiovisual and text) and didactic information (text only). Measures: healthcare participation scale (0, 4 months), online information use. Analyses: hierarchical regression. Results Narrative (β = .123, p <.01) and didactic (β = .104, p <.05) information use had independent and positive effects on healthcare participation. Effects of both were significantly greater for African Americans. Conclusions Findings are consistent with and advance prior research on online learning processes and outcomes for breast cancer patients: (1) Benefits accrue with using a variety of online learning tools; and (2) African Americans use and benefit more from online narrative and didactic information than do Caucasians. Practice implications eHealth programs should provide both didactic and narrative information—especially for African Americans and might consider making greater use of interactive and audiovisual formats. As patients increasingly use of the web for cancer information, clinicians should provide lists of web high quality resources that provide both narrative and didactic information. PMID:18201859

An analysis of learning in an online biology course for teachers and teacher candidates: A mixed methods approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebec, Michael Thomas

Due to discipline specific shortages, web-based learning has been proposed as a convenient way to upgrade the content knowledge of instructors interested in learning to teach science. Despite quantitative evidence that web-based instruction is equivalent to traditional methods, questions remain regarding its use. The efficiency and practicality of this approach with teachers in particular has not been extensively studied. This investigation examines learning in an online biology course designed to help teachers prepare for science certification exams. Research questions concern flow teachers learn biology in the online environment and how this setting influences the learning process. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies are employed in an attempt to provide a more complete perspective than typical studies of online learning. Concept maps, tests, and online discussion transcripts are compared as measures of assimilated knowledge, while interviews reflect participants' views on the course. Findings indicate that participants experienced gains in declarative knowledge, but little improvement with respect to conditional knowledge. Qualitative examination of concept maps demonstrates gaps in participants' understandings of key course ideas. Engagement in the use of online resources varied according to participants' attitudes towards online learning. Subjects also reported a lack of motivation to fully engage in the course due to busy teaching schedules and the absence of accountability.

On-line surface inspection using cylindrical lens-based spectral domain low-coherence interferometry.

PubMed

Tang, Dawei; Gao, Feng; Jiang, X

2014-08-20

We present a spectral domain low-coherence interferometry (SD-LCI) method that is effective for applications in on-line surface inspection because it can obtain a surface profile in a single shot. It has an advantage over existing spectral interferometry techniques by using cylindrical lenses as the objective lenses in a Michelson interferometric configuration to enable the measurement of long profiles. Combined with a modern high-speed CCD camera, general-purpose graphics processing unit, and multicore processors computing technology, fast measurement can be achieved. By translating the tested sample during the measurement procedure, real-time surface inspection was implemented, which is proved by the large-scale 3D surface measurement in this paper. ZEMAX software is used to simulate the SD-LCI system and analyze the alignment errors. Two step height surfaces were measured, and the captured interferograms were analyzed using a fast Fourier transform algorithm. Both 2D profile results and 3D surface maps closely align with the calibrated specifications given by the manufacturer.

Online tracking of instantaneous frequency and amplitude of dynamical system response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank Pai, P.

2010-05-01

This paper presents a sliding-window tracking (SWT) method for accurate tracking of the instantaneous frequency and amplitude of arbitrary dynamic response by processing only three (or more) most recent data points. Teager-Kaiser algorithm (TKA) is a well-known four-point method for online tracking of frequency and amplitude. Because finite difference is used in TKA, its accuracy is easily destroyed by measurement and/or signal-processing noise. Moreover, because TKA assumes the processed signal to be a pure harmonic, any moving average in the signal can destroy the accuracy of TKA. On the other hand, because SWT uses a constant and a pair of windowed regular harmonics to fit the data and estimate the instantaneous frequency and amplitude, the influence of any moving average is eliminated. Moreover, noise filtering is an implicit capability of SWT when more than three data points are used, and this capability increases with the number of processed data points. To compare the accuracy of SWT and TKA, Hilbert-Huang transform is used to extract accurate time-varying frequencies and amplitudes by processing the whole data set without assuming the signal to be harmonic. Frequency and amplitude trackings of different amplitude- and frequency-modulated signals, vibrato in music, and nonlinear stationary and non-stationary dynamic signals are studied. Results show that SWT is more accurate, robust, and versatile than TKA for online tracking of frequency and amplitude.

Flexible coordinate measurement system based on robot for industries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Yin; Yang, Xue-you; Liu, Chang-jie; Ye, Sheng-hua

2010-10-01

The flexible coordinate measurement system based on robot which is applicable to multi-model vehicle is designed to meet the needs of online measurement for current mainstream mixed body-in-white(BIW) production line. The moderate precision, good flexibility and no blind angle are the benefits of this measurement system. According to the measurement system, a monocular structured light vision sensor has been designed, which can measure not only edges, but also planes, apertures and other features. And a effective way to fast on-site calibration of the whole system using the laser tracker has also been proposed, which achieves the unity of various coordinate systems in industrial fields. The experimental results show satisfactory precision of +/-0.30mm of this measurement system, which is sufficient for the needs of online measurement for body-in-white(BIW) in the auto production line. The system achieves real-time detection and monitoring of the whole process of the car body's manufacture, and provides a complete data support in purpose of overcoming the manufacturing error immediately and accurately and improving the manufacturing precision.

A linguistic analysis of grooming strategies of online child sex offenders: Implications for our understanding of predatory sexual behavior in an increasingly computer-mediated world.

PubMed

Black, Pamela J; Wollis, Melissa; Woodworth, Michael; Hancock, Jeffrey T

2015-06-01

There is a large body of evidence to suggest that child sex offenders engage in grooming to facilitate victimization. It has been speculated that this step-by-step grooming process is also used by offenders who access their underage victims online; however, little research has been done to examine whether there are unique aspects of computer-mediated communication that impact the traditional face-to-face grooming process. This study considered the similarities and differences in the grooming process in online environments by analyzing the language used by online offenders when communicating with their victims. The transcripts of 44 convicted online offenders were analyzed to assess a proposed theory of the online grooming process (O'Connell, 2003). Using a stage-based approach, computerized text analysis examined the types of language used in each stage of the offender-victim interaction. The transcripts also were content analyzed to examine the frequency of specific techniques known to be employed by both face-to-face and online offenders, such as flattery. Results reveal that while some evidence of the strategies used by offenders throughout the grooming process are present in online environments, the order and timing of these stages appear to be different. The types (and potential underlying pattern) of strategies used in online grooming support the development of a revised model for grooming in online environments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EFFECTS OF LASER RADIATION ON MATTER. LASER PLASMA: Doppler backscattered-signal diagnostics of laser-induced surface hydrodynamic processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordienko, Vyacheslav M.; Kurochkin, Nikolay N.; Markov, V. N.; Panchenko, Vladislav Ya; Pogosov, G. A.; Chastukhin, E. M.

1995-02-01

A method is proposed for on-line monitoring of laser industrial processing. The method is based on optical heterodyne measurements of the Doppler backscattering signal generated in the interaction zone. Qualitative and quantitative information on hydrodynamic flows in the interaction zone can be obtained. A report is given of measurements, carried out at cw CO2 laser radiation intensities up to 1 kW cm-2, on the surfaces of a number of condensed materials irradiated in the monostatic interaction configuration.

The Online Social Support Scale: Measure development and validation.

PubMed

Nick, Elizabeth A; Cole, David A; Cho, Sun-Joo; Smith, Darcy K; Carter, T Grace; Zelkowitz, Rachel L

2018-05-21

A new measure, the Online Social Support Scale, was developed based on previous theory, research, and measurement of in-person social support. It includes four subscales: Esteem/Emotional Support, Social Companionship, Informational Support, and Instrumental Support. In college and community samples, factor analytic and item response theory results suggest that subtypes of in-person social support also pertain in the online world. Evidence of reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity provide excellent psychometric support for the measure. Construct validity accrues to the measure vis-à-vis support for three hypotheses: (a) Various broad types of Internet platforms for social interactions are differentially associated with online social support and online victimization; (b) similar to in-person social support, online social support offsets the adverse effect of negative life events on self-esteem and depression-related outcome; and (c) online social support counteracts the effects of online victimization in much the same way that in-person friends in one social niche counterbalance rejection in other social niches. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Lyophilization Cycle Design for Dual Chamber Cartridges and a Method for Online Process Control: The "DCC LyoMate" Procedure.

PubMed

Korpus, Christoph; Friess, Wolfgang

2017-08-01

Freeze-drying process design is a challenging task that necessitates a profound understanding of the complex interrelation among critical process parameters (e.g., shelf temperature and chamber pressure), heat transfer characteristics of the involved materials (e.g., product containers and holder devices), and critical quality attributes of the product (e.g., collapse temperatures). The Dual Chamber Cartridge "(DCC) LyoMate" (from lyophilization and automated) is a manometric temperature measurement-based process control strategy that was developed within this study to streamline this complicated task. It was successfully applied using 5% sucrose formulations with 0.5 and 1 mL fill volumes. The system was further challenged using 2, 20, and 100 mg/mL monoclonal antibody formulations. The DCC LyoMate method did not only produce pharmaceutically acceptable cakes but was also able to maintain the desired product temperature irrespective of formulation and protein content. It enabled successful process design even at high protein concentrations and aided the design and online control of the lyophilization process for drying in DCCs within a single development run. Thus, it helps to reduce development cost and the DCC LyoMate can also be easily installed on every freeze-dryer capable of performing a manometric temperature measurement, without the need for hardware modification. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mechanical fault detection of electric motors by laser vibrometer and accelerometer measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cristalli, C.; Paone, N.; Rodríguez, R. M.

2006-08-01

This paper presents a comparative study between accelerometer and laser vibrometer measurements aimed at on-line quality control carried out on the universal motors used in washing machines, which exhibit defects localised mainly in the bearings, including faults in the cage, in the rolling element and in the outer and inner ring. A set of no defective and defective motors were analysed by means of the acceleration signal provided by the accelerometer, and the displacement and velocity signals given by a single-point laser vibrometer. Advantages and disadvantages of both absolute and relative sensors and of contact and non-contact instrumentation are discussed taking into account the applicability to real on-line quality control measurements and bringing to light the related measurement problems due to the specific environmental conditions of assembly lines and sensor installation constraints. The performance of different signal-processing algorithms is discussed: RMS computation at steady-state proves effective for pass or fail diagnosis, while the amplitude of selected frequencies in the averaged spectra allows also for classification of a variety of special faults in bearings. Joint time-frequency analysis output data can be successfully used for pass or fail diagnosis during transients, thus achieving a remarkable reduction in testing time, which is important for on-line diagnostics.

Translating the Science of Measuring Ecosystems at a National Scale: NEON's Online Learning Portal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasser, L. A.

2015-12-01

"Big Data" are becoming increasingly common in many fields. The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) will collect data over the 30 years, using consistent, standardized methods across the United States. These freely available new data provide an opportunity for increased understanding of continental- and global scale processes such as changes in vegetation structure and condition, biodiversity and landuse. However, while "big data" are becoming more accessible and available, working with big data is challenging. New and potentially unfamiliar data types and associated processing methods, required to work with a growing diversity of available data take time and resources to learn. Analysis of these big datasets may further present a challenge given large file sizes, and uncertainty regarding best methods to properly statistically summarize and analyze results. Finally, resources that support learning these concepts and approaches, are distributed widely across multiple online spaces and may take time to find. This presentation will overview the development of NEON's collaborative University-focused online education portal. It will also cover content testing, community feedback and results from workshops using online content. Portal content is hosted in github to facilitate community input, accessibility version control. Content includes 1) videos and supporting graphics that explain key concepts related to NEON and related big spatio-temporal and 2) data tutorials that include subsets of spatio-temporal data that can be used to learn key big data skills in a self-paced approach, or that can be used as a teaching tool in the classroom or in a workshop. All resources utilize free and open data processing, visualization and analysis tools, techniques and scripts. All NEON materials are being developed in collaboration with the scientific community and are being tested via in-person workshops. Visit the portal online: www.neondataskills.org.

Online residence time distribution measurement of thermochemical biomass pretreatment reactors

DOE PAGES

Sievers, David A.; Kuhn, Erik M.; Stickel, Jonathan J.; ...

2015-11-03

Residence time is a critical parameter that strongly affects the product profile and overall yield achieved from thermochemical pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass during production of liquid transportation fuels. The residence time distribution (RTD) is one important measure of reactor performance and provides a metric to use when evaluating changes in reactor design and operating parameters. An inexpensive and rapid RTD measurement technique was developed to measure the residence time characteristics in biomass pretreatment reactors and similar equipment processing wet-granular slurries. Sodium chloride was pulsed into the feed entering a 600 kg/d pilot-scale reactor operated at various conditions, and aqueous saltmore » concentration was measured in the discharge using specially fabricated electrical conductivity instrumentation. This online conductivity method was superior in both measurement accuracy and resource requirements compared to offline analysis. Experimentally measured mean residence time values were longer than estimated by simple calculation and screw speed and throughput rate were investigated as contributing factors. In conclusion, a semi-empirical model was developed to predict the mean residence time as a function of operating parameters and enabled improved agreement.« less

Design of on-line system for measuring and tracking time of assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senderská, Katarína; Mareš, Albert; Evin, Emil

2016-04-01

Manual assembly performed at assembly workstations nowadays still has a unique place in different kinds of production. To increase the productivity and quality of manual assembly it is necessary to analyse the existing workplaces and find ways to improve and streamline work done at these workplaces. The article deals with the design of a model for on-line analysis of a manual assembly process. The proposed model is based on the use of sensors or the so-called button-box and the use of software for recording and evaluating data. Based on the obtained data it is then possible to evaluate the time characteristics of the assembly process, aswell as to find sources of delays and mistakes and then take appropriate action to correct them.

Online Game Addiction among Chinese College Students Measurement and Attribution.

PubMed

Zhou, Yuqiong; Li, Zhitian

2009-01-01

This study made an initial attempt to measure and attribute online game addiction among Chinese college students. We generated three factors of online game addiction: Control Disorder, Conflict, and Injury, as well as proposed a comprehensive model that attributed online game addiction to three groups of driving forces: environmental influences (most significant), characteristics of online games, and personal reasons.

Practical adaptive quantum tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granade, Christopher; Ferrie, Christopher; Flammia, Steven T.

2017-11-01

We introduce a fast and accurate heuristic for adaptive tomography that addresses many of the limitations of prior methods. Previous approaches were either too computationally intensive or tailored to handle special cases such as single qubits or pure states. By contrast, our approach combines the efficiency of online optimization with generally applicable and well-motivated data-processing techniques. We numerically demonstrate these advantages in several scenarios including mixed states, higher-dimensional systems, and restricted measurements. http://cgranade.com complete data and source code for this work are available online [1], and can be previewed at https://goo.gl/koiWxR.

Online Resource for Earth-Observing Satellite Sensor Calibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCorkel, J.; Czapla-Myers, J.; Thome, K.; Wenny, B.

2015-01-01

The Radiometric Calibration Test Site (RadCaTS) at Railroad Valley Playa, Nevada is being developed by the University of Arizona to enable improved accuracy and consistency for airborne and satellite sensor calibration. Primary instrumentation at the site consists of ground-viewing radiometers, a sun photometer, and a meteorological station. Measurements made by these instruments are used to calculate surface reflectance, atmospheric properties and a prediction for top-of-atmosphere reflectance and radiance. This work will leverage research for RadCaTS, and describe the requirements for an online database, associated data formats and quality control, and processing levels.

In-Pile Qualification of the Fast-Neutron-Detection-System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fourmentel, D.; Villard, J.-F.; Destouches, C.; Geslot, B.; Vermeeren, L.; Schyns, M.

2018-01-01

In order to improve measurement techniques for neutron flux assessment, a unique system for online measurement of fast neutron flux has been developed and recently qualified in-pile by the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) in cooperation with the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•ECEN). The Fast-Neutron-Detection-System (FNDS) has been designed to monitor accurately high-energy neutrons flux (E > 1 MeV) in typical Material Testing Reactor conditions, where overall neutron flux level can be as high as 1015 n.cm-2.s-1 and is generally dominated by thermal neutrons. Moreover, the neutron flux is coupled with a high gamma flux of typically a few 1015 γ.cm-2.s-1, which can be highly disturbing for the online measurement of neutron fluxes. The patented FNDS system is based on two detectors, including a miniature fission chamber with a special fissile material presenting an energy threshold near 1 MeV, which can be 242Pu for MTR conditions. Fission chambers are operated in Campbelling mode for an efficient gamma rejection. FNDS also includes a specific software that processes measurements to compensate online the fissile material depletion and to adjust the sensitivity of the detectors, in order to produce a precise evaluation of both thermal and fast neutron flux even after long term irradiation. FNDS has been validated through a two-step experimental program. A first set of tests was performed at BR2 reactor operated by SCK•CEN in Belgium. Then a second test was recently completed at ISIS reactor operated by CEA in France. FNDS proved its ability to measure online the fast neutron flux with an overall accuracy better than 5%.

The Massive Online Needs Assessment (MONA) to inform the development of an emergency haematology educational blog series.

PubMed

Chan, Teresa M; Jo, David; Shih, Andrew W; Bhagirath, Vinai C; Castellucci, Lana A; Yeh, Calvin; Thoma, Brent; Tseng, Eric K; de Wit, Kerstin

2018-06-01

Online educational resources are criticized as being teacher-centred, failing to address learner's needs. Needs assessments are an important precursor to inform curriculum development, but these are often overlooked or skipped by developers of online educational resources due to cumbersome measurement tools. Novel methods are required to identify perceived and unperceived learning needs to allow targeted development of learner-centred curricula. To evaluate the feasibility of performing a novel technique dubbed the Massive Online Needs Assessment (MONA) for the purpose of emergency haematology online educational curricular planning, within an online learning community (affiliated with the Free Open Access Medical education movement). An online survey was launched on CanadiEM.org using an embedded Google Forms survey. Participants were recruited using the study website and a social media campaign (utilizing Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, and a poster) targeting a specific online community. Web analytics were used to monitor participation rates in addition to survey responses. The survey was open from 20 September to 10 December 2016 and received 198 complete responses representing 6 medical specialties from 21 countries. Most survey respondents identified themselves as staff physicians (n = 109) and medical trainees (n = 75). We identified 17 high-priority perceived needs, 17 prompted needs, and 10 topics with unperceived needs through our MONA process. A MONA is a feasible, novel method for collecting data on perceived, prompted, and unperceived learning needs to inform an online emergency haematology educational blog. This methodology could be useful to the developers of other online education resources.

Rasch Measurement of Collaborative Problem Solving in an Online Environment.

PubMed

Harding, Susan-Marie E; Griffin, Patrick E

2016-01-01

This paper describes an approach to the assessment of human to human collaborative problem solving using a set of online interactive tasks completed by student dyads. Within the dyad, roles were nominated as either A or B and students selected their own roles. The question as to whether role selection affected individual student performance measures is addressed. Process stream data was captured from 3402 students in six countries who explored the problem space by clicking, dragging the mouse, moving the cursor and collaborating with their partner through a chat box window. Process stream data were explored to identify behavioural indicators that represented elements of a conceptual framework. These indicative behaviours were coded into a series of dichotomous items. These items represented actions and chats performed by students. The frequency of occurrence was used as a proxy measure of item difficulty. Then given a measure of item difficulty, student ability could be estimated using the difficulty estimates of the range of items demonstrated by the student. The Rasch simple logistic model was used to review the indicators to identify those that were consistent with the assumptions of the model and were invariant across national samples, language, curriculum and age of the student. The data were analysed using a one and two dimension, one parameter model. Rasch separation reliability, fit to the model, distribution of students and items on the underpinning construct, estimates for each country and the effect of role differences are reported. This study provides evidence that collaborative problem solving can be assessed in an online environment involving human to human interaction using behavioural indicators shown to have a consistent relationship between the estimate of student ability, and the probability of demonstrating the behaviour.

Internet-based site-specific interventions for syphilis prevention among gay and bisexual men.

PubMed

Klausner, J D; Levine, D K; Kent, C K

2004-11-01

Recent increases in syphilis in gay men in urban areas in the US and Europe have been associated with men meeting new sex partners on the Internet in chat-rooms and at websites that facilitate partner meeting. In response to the syphilis epidemic in San Francisco, the San Francisco Department of Public Health partnered with a community-based organization, Internet Sexuality Information Services, Inc., to develop, implement and evaluate a broad range of innovative Internet-based prevention interventions including the creation of a website, individual online outreach, banner advertisements, chats, an educational site, message boards, warnings and an online syphilis testing program. This paper documents the varied success of these interventions with process measures and calls for greater emphasis on impact measures in the evaluation of these types of intervention.

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

Michelsen, H. A.; Schulz, C.; Smallwood, G. J.

The understanding of soot formation in combustion processes and the optimization of practical combustion systems require in situ measurement techniques that can provide important characteristics, such as particle concentrations and sizes, under a variety of conditions. Of equal importance are techniques suitable for characterizing soot particles produced from incomplete combustion and emitted into the environment. Also, the production of engineered nanoparticles, such as carbon blacks, may benefit from techniques that allow for online monitoring of these processes.

Epistemic Processing When Adolescents Read Online: A Verbal Protocol Analysis of More And Less Successful Online Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Byeong-Young; Woodward, Lindsay; Li, Dan

2018-01-01

This study examines how the beliefs that adolescent readers hold about knowledge and knowing are activated during online reading. The research questions center on the pattern of these readers' epistemic processes through which more or less productive learning occurs. High school students performed a critical online reading task on a controversial…

How Do Students Define Their Roles and Responsibilities in Online Learning Group Projects?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Karen C.; Morgan, Kari; Cameron, Bruce A.

2011-01-01

The goal of this study was to explore the processes of group role formation in online class settings. Qualitative analysis was used to code chat logs and discussion threads in six undergraduate Family and Consumer Sciences online courses that required online group projects. Four themes related to the process of group role formation emerged:…

A Computational Method for Enabling Teaching-Learning Process in Huge Online Courses and Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mora, Higinio; Ferrández, Antonio; Gil, David; Peral, Jesús

2017-01-01

Massive Open Online Courses and e-learning represent the future of the teaching-learning processes through the development of Information and Communication Technologies. They are the response to the new education needs of society. However, this future also presents many challenges such as the processing of online forums when a huge number of…

The Process and Experience of Online Group Counseling for Masters-Level Counseling Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopresti, Jason Michael

2010-01-01

The present study explored the process and experience of online group counseling using a text-based synchronous program, particularly addressing how the process compares to face-to-face group counseling. Six students in a masters-level group counseling class voluntarily chose to participate for eight sixty minute online sessions on a weekly basis,…

A hybrid artificial neural network as a software sensor for optimal control of a wastewater treatment process.

PubMed

Choi, D J; Park, H

2001-11-01

For control and automation of biological treatment processes, lack of reliable on-line sensors to measure water quality parameters is one of the most important problems to overcome. Many parameters cannot be measured directly with on-line sensors. The accuracy of existing hardware sensors is also not sufficient and maintenance problems such as electrode fouling often cause trouble. This paper deals with the development of software sensor techniques that estimate the target water quality parameter from other parameters using the correlation between water quality parameters. We focus our attention on the preprocessing of noisy data and the selection of the best model feasible to the situation. Problems of existing approaches are also discussed. We propose a hybrid neural network as a software sensor inferring wastewater quality parameter. Multivariate regression, artificial neural networks (ANN), and a hybrid technique that combines principal component analysis as a preprocessing stage are applied to data from industrial wastewater processes. The hybrid ANN technique shows an enhancement of prediction capability and reduces the overfitting problem of neural networks. The result shows that the hybrid ANN technique can be used to extract information from noisy data and to describe the nonlinearity of complex wastewater treatment processes.

Teaching High-Accuracy Global Positioning System to Undergraduates Using Online Processing Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Guoquan

2013-01-01

High-accuracy Global Positioning System (GPS) has become an important geoscientific tool used to measure ground motions associated with plate movements, glacial movements, volcanoes, active faults, landslides, subsidence, slow earthquake events, as well as large earthquakes. Complex calculations are required in order to achieve high-precision…

Using Online Measures to Determine How Learners Process Instructional Explanations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Emilio; Garcia-Rodicio, Hector

2013-01-01

The goal of the present study was to examine the mechanisms underlying a strategy that we developed to make instructional explanations effective. In two experiments participants learned about plate tectonics from a multimedia material, including adjunct explanations that revised common misunderstandings. These explanations were either marked…

NEAR-REAL-TIME MEASUREMENT OF TRACE VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM COMBUSTION PROCESSES USING AN ON-LINE GAS CHROMATOGRAPH

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. EPA's current regulatory approach for combustion and incineration sources emphasizes the use of real-time continuous emission monitors (CEMs) for particulate, Metals, and volatile, semivolatile, and of nonvolatile organic compounds to monitor source emissions. Currently...

Adapting an existing visualization application for browser-based deployment: A case study from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, Owen A.

2013-02-01

THOR, the Tool for High-resolution Observation Review, is a data viewer for the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and the upcoming Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission. THOR began as a desktop application, but now it can be accessed with a web browser, making THOR one of the first online tools for visualizing TRMM satellite data (http://pps.gsfc.nasa.gov/thor). In this effort, the reuse of the existing visualization code was maximized and the complexity of new code was minimized by avoiding unnecessary functionality, frameworks, or libraries. The simplicity of this approach makes it potentially attractive to researchers wishing to adapt their visualization applications for online deployment. To enable THOR to run within a web browser, three new pieces of code are written. First, the graphical user interface (GUI) of the desktop application is translated into HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Second, a simple communication mechanism is developed over HTTP. Third, a virtual GUI is created on the server that interfaces with the image-generating routines of the existing desktop application so that these routines do not need to be modified for online use. While the basic functionality of THOR is now available online, prototyping is ongoing for enhanced 3D imaging and other aspects of both THOR Desktop and THOR Online. Because TRMM data products are complex and periodically reprocessed with improved algorithms, having a tool such as THOR is important to analysts at the Precipitation Processing System where the algorithms are tested and the products generated, stored, and distributed. Researchers also have found THOR useful for taking a first look at individual files before writing their own software to perform specialized calculations and analyses.

Online neural monitoring of statistical learning

PubMed Central

Batterink, Laura J.; Paller, Ken A.

2017-01-01

The extraction of patterns in the environment plays a critical role in many types of human learning, from motor skills to language acquisition. This process is known as statistical learning. Here we propose that statistical learning has two dissociable components: (1) perceptual binding of individual stimulus units into integrated composites and (2) storing those integrated representations for later use. Statistical learning is typically assessed using post-learning tasks, such that the two components are conflated. Our goal was to characterize the online perceptual component of statistical learning. Participants were exposed to a structured stream of repeating trisyllabic nonsense words and a random syllable stream. Online learning was indexed by an EEG-based measure that quantified neural entrainment at the frequency of the repeating words relative to that of individual syllables. Statistical learning was subsequently assessed using conventional measures in an explicit rating task and a reaction-time task. In the structured stream, neural entrainment to trisyllabic words was higher than in the random stream, increased as a function of exposure to track the progression of learning, and predicted performance on the RT task. These results demonstrate that monitoring this critical component of learning via rhythmic EEG entrainment reveals a gradual acquisition of knowledge whereby novel stimulus sequences are transformed into familiar composites. This online perceptual transformation is a critical component of learning. PMID:28324696

Status of the MeLoDIE experiment, an advanced device for the study of the irradiation creep of LWR cladding with full online capabilities

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

Guimbal, P.; Huotilainen, S.; Taehtinen, S.

2015-07-01

As a prototype of future instrumented material experiments in the Jules Horowitz Reactor (JHR), the MELODIE project was launched in 2009 by the CEA in collaboration with VTT. Being designed as a biaxial creep experiment with online capability, MELODIE is able to apply an online-controlled biaxial loading on a LWR clad sample up to 120 MPa and to perform an online measurement of its biaxial deformation. An important experimental challenge was to perform reliably accurate measurements under the high nuclear heat load of in-core locations while keeping within their tight space. For that purpose, specific sensors were co-designed with andmore » built by IFE Halden. Manufacturing of the MELODIE components was completed one year ago. The complexity of its in-pile section and of the pressurization system requested a step-by-step tuning of the setup. The toughest part of this process dealt with the Diameter gauge which required a partial redesign to take into account unexpected and unwanted electromagnetic interactions with the hosting device. Final cold performance tests of the on-board instrumentation will be presented. The MELODIE device is now ready and irradiation should start in OSIRIS reactor this spring. (authors)« less

The use of quizStar application for online examination in basic physics course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kustijono, R.; Budiningarti, H.

2018-03-01

The purpose of the study is to produce an online Basic Physics exam system using the QuizStar application. This is a research and development with ADDIE model. The steps are: 1) analysis; 2) design; 3) development; 4) implementation; 5) evaluation. System feasibility is reviewed for its validity, practicality, and effectiveness. The subjects of research are 60 Physics Department students of Universitas Negeri Surabaya. The data analysis used is a descriptive statistic. The validity, practicality, and effectiveness scores are measured using a Likert scale. Criteria feasible if the total score of all aspects obtained is ≥ 61%. The results obtained from the online test system by using QuizStar developed are 1) conceptually feasible to use; 2) the system can be implemented in the Basic Physics assessment process, and the existing constraints can be overcome; 3) student's response to system usage is in a good category. The results conclude that QuizStar application is eligible to be used for online Basic Physics exam system.

On-Line Control of Glucose Concentration in High-Yielding Mammalian Cell Cultures Enabled Through Oxygen Transfer Rate Measurements.

PubMed

Goldrick, Stephen; Lee, Kenneth; Spencer, Christopher; Holmes, William; Kuiper, Marcel; Turner, Richard; Farid, Suzanne S

2018-04-01

Glucose control is vital to ensure consistent growth and protein production in mammalian cell cultures. The typical fed-batch glucose control strategy involving bolus glucose additions based on infrequent off-line daily samples results in cells experiencing significant glucose concentration fluctuations that can influence product quality and growth. This study proposes an on-line method to control and manipulate glucose utilizing readily available process measurements. The method generates a correlation between the cumulative oxygen transfer rate and the cumulative glucose consumed. This correlation generates an on-line prediction of glucose that has been successfully incorporated into a control algorithm manipulating the glucose feed-rate. This advanced process control (APC) strategy enables the glucose concentration to be maintained at an adjustable set-point and has been found to significantly reduce the deviation in glucose concentration in comparison to conventional operation. This method has been validated to produce various therapeutic proteins across cell lines with different glucose consumption demands and is successfully demonstrated on micro (15 mL), laboratory (7 L), and pilot (50 L) scale systems. This novel APC strategy is simple to implement and offers the potential to significantly enhance the glucose control strategy for scales spanning micro-scale systems through to full scale industrial bioreactors. © 2018 The Authors. Biotechnology Journal Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Measuring the learning effectiveness of Web-based teacher professional development in the hypothesis based learning method of teaching science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Penne L.

2007-12-01

This study was conducted as part of the five year evaluation of the Star Schools grant awarded to Oklahoma State University for the development on online teacher professional development in the Hypothesis Based Learning (HbL) method of science instruction. Participants in this research were five teachers who had completed the online workshop, submitted a lesson plan, and who allowed this researcher and other members of the University of New Mexico Evaluation Team into their classrooms to observe and to determine if the learning of the method from the online HbL workshop had translated into practice. These teachers worked in inner city, suburban, metropolitan, and rural communities in the U.S. Southwest. This study was conducted to determine if teachers learned the HbL method from the online HbL workshop, to examine the relationship of satisfaction to learning, and to determine the elements of the online workshop that led to teacher learning. To measure learning of HbL, three different assessment instruments were used: embedded assessments within the online HbL workshop that gave teachers a scenario and asked them to generate questions to facilitate the HbL process; the analysis of a lesson plan provided by teachers using a science concept that they wished to incorporate in their curriculum using an HbL lesson template provided at the HbL website; and, observations of teachers facilitating the HbL process conducted at three different times during the year that they began the HbL online workshop. To determine if teachers were satisfied with the learning environment, the online HbL workshop, and the product, HbL Method for Teaching Science, and to determine if teachers could identify the elements of the online workshop that led to learning, interviews with the participants were conducted. The research findings were presented in two parts: Part I is an analysis of data provided by the assessment instruments and a content analysis of the transcripts of the teacher interviews; Part II is a series of embedded, explanatory case studies which present an in-depth examination of three of the participants of this study to better understand the factors that influenced their learning of the HbL method of teaching science. Findings of this study indicate that teachers did learn the HbL method of teaching science through the online HbL workshop, the only place instruction in the HbL method was available. The structure of the online workshop which first introduced an element of the HbL process to teachers, next asked them to conduct a personal activity, and then to use a similar activity in their classrooms with students, and to reflect on the outcome of the activity, was successful in teaching the HbL method. Teachers expressed satisfaction with the structure of the online workshop and with the HbL method which they believed made learning science fun and which encouraged students to become more creative and critical thinkers, and also increased their knowledge of science concepts. The main motivation for learning HbL and the primary factor that led to teachers' satisfaction was the students' positive reaction to the HbL method. The teachers were encouraged because the students loved to do science after being introduced to HbL. Also identified in this study was the need by a participant for the inclusion of video models of teachers using the HbL method within the HbL online workshop. This suggestion demonstrated the need to incorporate more learning styles in the activities included in the HbL workshop in order to appeal to a wider audience of online learners.

A cross-sectional study assessing the association between online ratings and clinical quality of care measures for US hospitals: results from an observational study.

PubMed

Emmert, Martin; Meszmer, Nina; Schlesinger, Mark

2018-02-05

Little is known about the usefulness of online ratings when searching for a hospital. We therefore assess the association between quantitative and qualitative online ratings for US hospitals and clinical quality of care measures. First, we collected a stratified random sample of 1000 quantitative and qualitative online ratings for hospitals from the website RateMDs. We used an integrated iterative approach to develop a categorization scheme to capture both the topics and sentiment in the narrative comments. Next, we matched the online ratings with hospital-level quality measures published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Regarding nominally scaled measures, we checked for differences in the distribution among the online rating categories. For metrically scaled measures, we applied the Spearman rank coefficient of correlation. Thirteen of the twenty-nine quality of care measures were significantly associated with the quantitative online ratings (Spearman p = ±0.143, p < 0.05 for all). Thereof, eight associations indicated better clinical outcomes for better online ratings. Seven of the twenty-nine clinical measures were significantly associated with the sentiment of patient narratives (p = ±0.114, p < 0.05 for all), whereof four associations indicated worse clinical outcomes in more favorable narrative comments. There seems to be some association between quantitative online ratings and clinical performance measures. However, the relatively weak strength and inconsistency of the direction of the association as well as the lack of association with several other clinical measures may not enable the drawing of strong conclusions. Narrative comments also seem to have limited potential to reflect the clinical quality of care in its current form. Thus, online ratings are of limited usefulness in guiding patients towards high-performing hospitals from a clinical point of view. Nevertheless, patients might prefer different aspects of care when choosing a hospital.

Taking your own path: Individual differences in executive function and language processing skills in child learners.

PubMed

Woodard, Kristina; Pozzan, Lucia; Trueswell, John C

2016-01-01

Children as old as 5 or 6 years display selective difficulties in revising initial interpretive commitments, as indicated by both online and offline measures of sentence comprehension. It is likely, however, that individual children differ in how well they can recover from misinterpretations and in the age at which they become adult-like in these abilities. To better understand the cognitive functions that support sentence processing and revision, the current work investigated how individual differences in children's ability to interpret temporarily ambiguous sentences relate to individual differences in other linguistic and domain-general cognitive abilities. Children were tested over 2 days on a battery of executive function, working memory, and language comprehension tasks. Performance on these tasks was then used to predict online and offline measures of children's ability to revise initial misinterpretations of temporarily ambiguous sentences. We found two measures of children's cognitive flexibility to be related to their ambiguity resolution abilities. These results provide converging evidence for the hypothesis that the ability to revise initial interpretive commitments is supported by domain-general executive function abilities, which are highly variable and not fully developed in children. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Speed of Processing Training on Older Driver Screening Measures.

PubMed

Eramudugolla, Ranmalee; Kiely, Kim M; Chopra, Sidhant; Anstey, Kaarin J

2017-01-01

Objective: Computerized training for cognitive enhancement is of great public interest, however, there is inconsistent evidence for the transfer of training gains to every day activity. Several large trials have focused on speed of processing (SOP) training with some promising findings for long-term effects on daily activity, but no immediate transfer to other cognitive tests. Here, we examine the transfer of SOP training gains to cognitive measures that are known predictors of driving safety in older adults. Methods: Fifty-three adults aged 65-87 years who were current drivers participated in a two group non-randomized design with repeated measures and a no-contact matched control group. The Intervention group completed an average of 7.9 ( SD = 3.0) hours of self-administered online SOP training at home. Control group was matched on age, gender and test-re-test interval. Measures included the Useful Field of View (UFOV) test, a Hazard Perception test, choice reaction time (Cars RT), Trail Making Test B, a Maze test, visual motion threshold, as well as road craft and road knowledge tests. Results: Speed of processing training resulted in significant improvement in processing speed on the UFOV test relative to controls, with an average change of -45.8 ms ( SE = 14.5), and effect size of ω 2 = 0.21. Performance on the Maze test also improved, but significant slowing on the Hazard Perception test was observed after SOP training. Training effects on the UFOV task was associated with similar effects on the Cars RT, but not the Hazard Perception and Maze tests, suggesting transfer to some but not all driving related measures. There were no effects of training on any of the other measures examined. Conclusion: Speed of processing training effects on the UFOV task can be achieved with self-administered, online training at home, with some transfer to other cognitive tests. However, differential effects of training may be observed for tasks requiring goal-directed search strategies rather than diffuse attention.

Development and Evaluation of an Online CO2 Evolution Test and a Multicomponent Biodegradation Test System

PubMed Central

Strotmann, Uwe; Reuschenbach, Peter; Schwarz, Helmut; Pagga, Udo

2004-01-01

Well-established biodegradation tests use biogenously evolved carbon dioxide (CO2) as an analytical parameter to determine the ultimate biodegradability of substances. A newly developed analytical technique based on the continuous online measurement of conductivity showed its suitability over other techniques. It could be demonstrated that the method met all criteria of established biodegradation tests, gave continuous biodegradation curves, and was more reliable than other tests. In parallel experiments, only small variations in the biodegradation pattern occurred. When comparing the new online CO2 method with existing CO2 evolution tests, growth rates and lag periods were similar and only the final degree of biodegradation of aniline was slightly lower. A further test development was the unification and parallel measurement of all three important summary parameters for biodegradation—i.e., CO2 evolution, determination of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC)—in a multicomponent biodegradation test system (MCBTS). The practicability of this test method was demonstrated with aniline. This test system had advantages for poorly water-soluble and highly volatile compounds and allowed the determination of the carbon fraction integrated into biomass (heterotrophic yield). The integrated online measurements of CO2 and BOD systems produced continuous degradation curves, which better met the stringent criteria of ready biodegradability (60% biodegradation in a 10-day window). Furthermore the data could be used to calculate maximal growth rates for the modeling of biodegradation processes. PMID:15294794

An innovative online VFA monitoring system for the anerobic process, based on headspace gas chromatography.

PubMed

Boe, Kanokwan; Batstone, Damien John; Angelidaki, Irini

2007-03-01

A new method for online measurement of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in anerobic digesters has been developed based on headspace gas chromatography (HSGC). The method applies ex situ VFA stripping with variable headspace volume and gas analysis by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID). In each extraction, digester sample was acidified with H(3)PO(4) and NaHSO(4), then heated to strip the VFA into the gas phase. The gas was sampled in a low friction glass syringe before injected into the GC for measurement. The system has been tested for online monitoring of a lab-scale CSTR reactor treating manure for more than 6 months and has shown good agreement with off-line analysis. The system is capable of measuring individual VFA components. This is of advantage since specific VFA components such as propionic and butyric acid can give extra information about the process status. Another important advantage of this sensor is that there is no filtration, which makes possible application in high solids environments. The system can thus be easily applied in a full-scale biogas reactor by connecting the system to the liquid circulation loop to obtain fresh sample from the reactor. Local calibration is needed but automatic calibration is also possible using standard addition method. Sampling duration is 25-40 min, depending on the washing duration, and sensor response is 10 min. This is appropriate for full-scale reactors, since dynamics within most biogas reactors are of the order of several hours.

Radiation safety in the cardiac catheterization lab: A time series quality improvement initiative.

PubMed

Abuzeid, Wael; Abunassar, Joseph; Leis, Jerome A; Tang, Vicky; Wong, Brian; Ko, Dennis T; Wijeysundera, Harindra C

Interventional cardiologists have one of the highest annual radiation exposures yet systems of care that promote radiation safety in cardiac catheterization labs are lacking. This study sought to reduce the frequency of radiation exposure, for PCI procedures, above 1.5Gy in labs utilizing a Phillips system at our local institution by 40%, over a 12-month period. We performed a time series study to assess the impact of different interventions on the frequency of radiation exposure above 1.5Gy. Process measures were percent of procedures where collimation and magnification were used and percent of completion of online educational modules. Balancing measures were the mean number of cases performed and mean fluoroscopy time. Information sessions, online modules, policies and posters were implemented followed by the introduction of a new lab with a novel software (AlluraClarity©) to reduce radiation dose. There was a significant reduction (91%, p<0.05) in the frequency of radiation exposure above 1.5Gy after utilizing a novel software (AlluraClarity©) in a new Phillips lab. Process measures of use of collimation (95.0% to 98.0%), use of magnification (20.0% to 14.0%) and completion of online modules (62%) helped track implementation. The mean number of cases performed and mean fluoroscopy time did not change significantly. While educational strategies had limited impact on reducing radiation exposure, implementing a novel software system provided the most effective means of reducing radiation exposure. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The development of an industrial-scale fed-batch fermentation simulation.

PubMed

Goldrick, Stephen; Ştefan, Andrei; Lovett, David; Montague, Gary; Lennox, Barry

2015-01-10

This paper describes a simulation of an industrial-scale fed-batch fermentation that can be used as a benchmark in process systems analysis and control studies. The simulation was developed using a mechanistic model and validated using historical data collected from an industrial-scale penicillin fermentation process. Each batch was carried out in a 100,000 L bioreactor that used an industrial strain of Penicillium chrysogenum. The manipulated variables recorded during each batch were used as inputs to the simulator and the predicted outputs were then compared with the on-line and off-line measurements recorded in the real process. The simulator adapted a previously published structured model to describe the penicillin fermentation and extended it to include the main environmental effects of dissolved oxygen, viscosity, temperature, pH and dissolved carbon dioxide. In addition the effects of nitrogen and phenylacetic acid concentrations on the biomass and penicillin production rates were also included. The simulated model predictions of all the on-line and off-line process measurements, including the off-gas analysis, were in good agreement with the batch records. The simulator and industrial process data are available to download at www.industrialpenicillinsimulation.com and can be used to evaluate, study and improve on the current control strategy implemented on this facility. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design Process for Online Websites Created for Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language in Web Based Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Türker, Fatih Mehmet

2016-01-01

In today's world, where online learning environments have increased their efficiency in education and training, the design of the websites prepared for education and training purposes has become an important process. This study is about the teaching process of the online learning environments created to teach Turkish in web based environments, and…

On-Line Ion Exchange Liquid Chromatography as a Process Analytical Technology for Monoclonal Antibody Characterization in Continuous Bioprocessing.

PubMed

Patel, Bhumit A; Pinto, Nuno D S; Gospodarek, Adrian; Kilgore, Bruce; Goswami, Kudrat; Napoli, William N; Desai, Jayesh; Heo, Jun H; Panzera, Dominick; Pollard, David; Richardson, Daisy; Brower, Mark; Richardson, Douglas D

2017-11-07

Combining process analytical technology (PAT) with continuous production provides a powerful tool to observe and control monoclonal antibody (mAb) fermentation and purification processes. This work demonstrates on-line liquid chromatography (on-line LC) as a PAT tool for monitoring a continuous biologics process and forced degradation studies. Specifically, this work focused on ion exchange chromatography (IEX), which is a critical separation technique to detect charge variants. Product-related impurities, including charge variants, that impact function are classified as critical quality attributes (CQAs). First, we confirmed no significant differences were observed in the charge heterogeneity profile of a mAb through both at-line and on-line sampling and that the on-line method has the ability to rapidly detect changes in protein quality over time. The robustness and versatility of the PAT methods were tested by sampling from two purification locations in a continuous mAb process. The PAT IEX methods used with on-line LC were a weak cation exchange (WCX) separation and a newly developed shorter strong cation exchange (SCX) assay. Both methods provided similar results with the distribution of percent acidic, main, and basic species remaining unchanged over a 2 week period. Second, a forced degradation study showed an increase in acidic species and a decrease in basic species when sampled on-line over 7 days. These applications further strengthen the use of on-line LC to monitor CQAs of a mAb continuously with various PAT IEX analytical methods. Implementation of on-line IEX will enable faster decision making during process development and could potentially be applied to control in biomanufacturing.

An online peak extraction algorithm for ion mobility spectrometry data.

PubMed

Kopczynski, Dominik; Rahmann, Sven

2015-01-01

Ion mobility (IM) spectrometry (IMS), coupled with multi-capillary columns (MCCs), has been gaining importance for biotechnological and medical applications because of its ability to detect and quantify volatile organic compounds (VOC) at low concentrations in the air or in exhaled breath at ambient pressure and temperature. Ongoing miniaturization of spectrometers creates the need for reliable data analysis on-the-fly in small embedded low-power devices. We present the first fully automated online peak extraction method for MCC/IMS measurements consisting of several thousand individual spectra. Each individual spectrum is processed as it arrives, removing the need to store the measurement before starting the analysis, as is currently the state of the art. Thus the analysis device can be an inexpensive low-power system such as the Raspberry Pi. The key idea is to extract one-dimensional peak models (with four parameters) from each spectrum and then merge these into peak chains and finally two-dimensional peak models. We describe the different algorithmic steps in detail and evaluate the online method against state-of-the-art peak extraction methods.

Real-time PCR (qPCR) primer design using free online software.

PubMed

Thornton, Brenda; Basu, Chhandak

2011-01-01

Real-time PCR (quantitative PCR or qPCR) has become the preferred method for validating results obtained from assays which measure gene expression profiles. The process uses reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), coupled with fluorescent chemistry, to measure variations in transcriptome levels between samples. The four most commonly used fluorescent chemistries are SYBR® Green dyes and TaqMan®, Molecular Beacon or Scorpion probes. SYBR® Green is very simple to use and cost efficient. As SYBR® Green dye binds to any double-stranded DNA product, its success depends greatly on proper primer design. Many types of online primer design software are available, which can be used free of charge to design desirable SYBR® Green-based qPCR primers. This laboratory exercise is intended for those who have a fundamental background in PCR. It addresses the basic fluorescent chemistries of real-time PCR, the basic rules and pitfalls of primer design, and provides a step-by-step protocol for designing SYBR® Green-based primers with free, online software. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Relationships of online exhaled, offline exhaled, and ambient nitric oxide in an epidemiologic survey of schoolchildren.

PubMed

Linn, William S; Berhane, Kiros T; Rappaport, Edward B; Bastain, Tracy M; Avol, Edward L; Gilliland, Frank D

2009-11-01

Field measurements of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and ambient nitric oxide (NO) are useful to assess both respiratory health and short-term air pollution exposure. Online real-time measurement maximizes data quality and comparability with clinical studies, but offline delayed measurement may be more practical for large epidemiological studies. To facilitate cross-comparison in larger studies, we measured FeNO and concurrent ambient NO both online and offline in 362 children at 14 schools in 8 Southern California communities. Offline breath samples were collected in bags at 100 ml/s expiratory flow with deadspace discard; online FeNO was measured at 50 ml/s. Scrubbing of ambient NO from inhaled air appeared to be nearly 100% effective online, but 50-75% effective offline. Offline samples were stored at 2-8 degrees C and analyzed 2-26 h later at a central laboratory. Offline and online FeNO showed a nearly (but not completely) linear relationship (R(2)=0.90); unadjusted means (ranges) were 10 (4-94) and 15 (3-181) p.p.b., respectively. Ambient NO concentration range was 0-212 p.p.b. Offline FeNO was positively related to ambient NO (r=0.30, P<0.0001), unlike online FeNO (r=0.09, P=0.08), indicating that ambient NO artifactually influenced offline measurements. Offline FeNO differed between schools (P<0.001); online FeNO did not (P=0.26), suggesting artifacts related to offline bag storage and transport. Artifact effects were small in comparison with between-subject variance of FeNO. An empirical statistical model predicting individual online FeNO from offline FeNO, ambient NO, and lag time before offline analysis gave R(2)=0.94. Analyses of school or age differences yielded similar results from measured or model-predicted online FeNO. Either online or offline measurement of exhaled NO and concurrent ambient NO can be useful in field epidemiology. Influence of ambient NO on exhaled NO should be examined carefully, particularly for offline measurements.

User roles and contributions during the new product development process in collaborative innovation communities.

PubMed

Guo, Wei; Zheng, Qing; An, Weijin; Peng, Wei

2017-09-01

Collaborative innovation (co-innovation) community emerges as a new product design platform where companies involve users in the new product development (NPD) process. Large numbers of users participate and contribute to the process voluntarily. This exploratory study investigates the heterogeneous roles of users based on a global co-innovation project in online community. Content analysis, social network analysis and cluster method are employed to measure user behaviors, distinguish user roles, and analyze user contributions. The study identifies six user roles that emerge during the NPD process in co-innovation community: project leader, active designer, generalist, communicator, passive designer, and observer. The six user roles differ in their contribution forms and quality. This paper contributes to research on co-innovation in online communities, including design team structure, user roles and their contribution to design task and solution, as well as user value along the process. In addition, the study provides practices guidance on implementing project, attracting users, and designing platform for co-innovation community practitioners. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student evaluation team focus groups increase students' satisfaction with the overall course evaluation process.

PubMed

Brandl, Katharina; Mandel, Jess; Winegarden, Babbi

2017-02-01

Most medical schools use online systems to gather student feedback on the quality of their educational programmes and services. Online data may be limiting, however, as the course directors cannot question the students about written comments, nor can students engage in mutual problem-solving dialogue with course directors. We describe the implementation of a student evaluation team (SET) process to permit course directors and students to gather shortly after courses end to engage in feedback and problem solving regarding the course and course elements. Approximately 16 students were randomly selected to participate in each SET meeting, along with the course director, academic deans and other faculty members involved in the design and delivery of the course. An objective expert facilitates the SET meetings. SETs are scheduled for each of the core courses and threads that occur within the first 2 years of medical school, resulting in approximately 29 SETs annually. SET-specific satisfaction surveys submitted by students (n = 76) and course directors (n = 16) in 2015 were used to evaluate the SET process itself. Survey data were collected from 885 students (2010-2015), which measured student satisfaction with the overall evaluation process before and after the implementation of SETs. Students and course directors valued the SET process itself as a positive experience. Students felt that SETs allowed their voices to be heard, and that the SET increased the probability of suggested changes being implemented. Students' satisfaction with the overall evaluation process significantly improved after implementation of the SET process. Our data suggest that the SET process is a valuable way to supplement online evaluation systems and to increase students' and faculty members' satisfaction with the evaluation process. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Measuring Student Engagement in the Online Course: The Online Student Engagement Scale (OSE)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixson, Marcia D.

2015-01-01

Student engagement is critical to student learning, especially in the online environment, where students can often feel isolated and disconnected. Therefore, teachers and researchers need to be able to measure student engagement. This study provides validation of the Online Student Engagement scale (OSE) by correlating student self-reports of…

How I Became a Convert to Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kremer, Nick

2011-01-01

This article describes how the author's skepticism about online education turns into belief when he teaches his own online course. Throughout the process of designing and facilitating his online course, he found himself slowly evolving from critic to champion of online education. Here, he shares the benefits of online learning.

Mentoring and Student Support in Online Doctoral Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Swapna; Coe, Catherine

2017-01-01

The increase in online graduate programs and the online mentoring of student research have led to the need to identify challenges faced by online mentees and successful strategies used by online mentors during the dissertation process. Based on semistructured interviews with ten graduates, strategies for online mentoring and areas of support…

SEIR Model of Rumor Spreading in Online Social Network with Varying Total Population Size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Suyalatu; Deng, Yan-Bin; Huang, Yong-Chang

2017-10-01

Based on the infectious disease model with disease latency, this paper proposes a new model for the rumor spreading process in online social network. In this paper what we establish an SEIR rumor spreading model to describe the online social network with varying total number of users and user deactivation rate. We calculate the exact equilibrium points and reproduction number for this model. Furthermore, we perform the rumor spreading process in the online social network with increasing population size based on the original real world Facebook network. The simulation results indicate that the SEIR model of rumor spreading in online social network with changing total number of users can accurately reveal the inherent characteristics of rumor spreading process in online social network. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. 11275017 and 11173028

Infrared Thermography for Monitoring of Freeze-Drying Processes: Instrumental Developments and Preliminary Results

PubMed Central

Emteborg, Håkan; Zeleny, Reinhard; Charoud-Got, Jean; Martos, Gustavo; Lüddeke, Jörg; Schellin, Holger; Teipel, Katharina

2014-01-01

Coupling an infrared (IR) camera to a freeze dryer for on-line monitoring of freeze-drying cycles is described for the first time. Normally, product temperature is measured using a few invasive Pt-100 probes, resulting in poor spatial resolution. To overcome this, an IR camera was placed on a process-scale freeze dryer. Imaging took place every 120 s through a Germanium window comprising 30,000 measurement points obtained contact-free from −40°C to 25°C. Results are presented for an empty system, bulk drying of cheese slurry, and drying of 1 mL human serum in 150 vials. During freezing of the empty system, differences of more than 5°C were measured on the shelf. Adding a tray to the empty system, a difference of more than 8°C was observed. These temperature differences probably cause different ice structures affecting the drying speed during sublimation. A temperature difference of maximum 13°C was observed in bulk mode during sublimation. When drying in vials, differences of more than 10°C were observed. Gradually, the large temperature differences disappeared during secondary drying and products were transformed into uniformly dry cakes. The experimental data show that the IR camera is a highly versatile on-line monitoring tool for different kinds of freeze-drying processes. © 2014 European Union 103:2088–2097, 2014 PMID:24902839

Infrared thermography for monitoring of freeze-drying processes: instrumental developments and preliminary results.

PubMed

Emteborg, Håkan; Zeleny, Reinhard; Charoud-Got, Jean; Martos, Gustavo; Lüddeke, Jörg; Schellin, Holger; Teipel, Katharina

2014-07-01

Coupling an infrared (IR) camera to a freeze dryer for on-line monitoring of freeze-drying cycles is described for the first time. Normally, product temperature is measured using a few invasive Pt-100 probes, resulting in poor spatial resolution. To overcome this, an IR camera was placed on a process-scale freeze dryer. Imaging took place every 120 s through a Germanium window comprising 30,000 measurement points obtained contact-free from -40 °C to 25 °C. Results are presented for an empty system, bulk drying of cheese slurry, and drying of 1 mL human serum in 150 vials. During freezing of the empty system, differences of more than 5 °C were measured on the shelf. Adding a tray to the empty system, a difference of more than 8 °C was observed. These temperature differences probably cause different ice structures affecting the drying speed during sublimation. A temperature difference of maximum 13 °C was observed in bulk mode during sublimation. When drying in vials, differences of more than 10 °C were observed. Gradually, the large temperature differences disappeared during secondary drying and products were transformed into uniformly dry cakes. The experimental data show that the IR camera is a highly versatile on-line monitoring tool for different kinds of freeze-drying processes. © 2014 European Union.

How are learning strategies reflected in the eyes? Combining results from self-reports and eye-tracking.

PubMed

Catrysse, Leen; Gijbels, David; Donche, Vincent; De Maeyer, Sven; Lesterhuis, Marije; Van den Bossche, Piet

2018-03-01

Up until now, empirical studies in the Student Approaches to Learning field have mainly been focused on the use of self-report instruments, such as interviews and questionnaires, to uncover differences in students' general preferences towards learning strategies, but have focused less on the use of task-specific and online measures. This study aimed at extending current research on students' learning strategies by combining general and task-specific measurements of students' learning strategies using both offline and online measures. We want to clarify how students process learning contents and to what extent this is related to their self-report of learning strategies. Twenty students with different generic learning profiles (according to self-report questionnaires) read an expository text, while their eye movements were registered to answer questions on the content afterwards. Eye-tracking data were analysed with generalized linear mixed-effects models. The results indicate that students with an all-high profile, combining both deep and surface learning strategies, spend more time on rereading the text than students with an all-low profile, scoring low on both learning strategies. This study showed that we can use eye-tracking to distinguish very strategic students, characterized using cognitive processing and regulation strategies, from low strategic students, characterized by a lack of cognitive and regulation strategies. These students processed the expository text according to how they self-reported. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

An Innovative Optical Sensor for the Online Monitoring and Control of Biomass Concentration in a Membrane Bioreactor System for Lactic Acid Production

PubMed Central

Fan, Rong; Ebrahimi, Mehrdad; Quitmann, Hendrich; Aden, Matthias; Czermak, Peter

2016-01-01

Accurate real-time process control is necessary to increase process efficiency, and optical sensors offer a competitive solution because they provide diverse system information in a noninvasive manner. We used an innovative scattered light sensor for the online monitoring of biomass during lactic acid production in a membrane bioreactor system because biomass determines productivity in this type of process. The upper limit of the measurement range in fermentation broth containing Bacillus coagulans was ~2.2 g·L−1. The specific cell growth rate (µ) during the exponential phase was calculated using data representing the linear range (cell density ≤ 0.5 g·L−1). The results were consistently and reproducibly more accurate than offline measurements of optical density and cell dry weight, because more data were gathered in real-time over a shorter duration. Furthermore, µmax was measured under different filtration conditions (transmembrane pressure 0.3–1.2 bar, crossflow velocity 0.5–1.5 m·s−1), showing that energy input had no significant impact on cell growth. Cell density was monitored using the sensor during filtration and was maintained at a constant level by feeding with glucose according to the fermentation kinetics. Our novel sensor is therefore suitable for integration into control strategies for continuous fermentation in membrane bioreactor systems. PMID:27007380

Measuring the absolute carrier-envelope phase of many-cycle laser fields

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

Tzallas, P.; Skantzakis, E.; Charalambidis, D.

2010-12-15

The carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of high-peak-power, many-cycle laser fields becomes a crucial parameter when such fields are used, in conjunction with polarization gating techniques, in isolated attosecond (asec) pulse generation. However, its measurement has not been achieved so far. We demonstrate a physical process sensitive to the CEP value of such fields and describe a method for its online shot-to-shot monitoring. This work paves the way for the exploitation of energetic isolated asec pulses in studies of nonlinear extreme ultraviolet (XUV) processes and XUV-pump-XUV-probe experiments with asec resolutions.

[Applications and prospects of on-line near infrared spectroscopy technology in manufacturing of Chinese materia medica].

PubMed

Li, Yang; Wu, Zhi-Sheng; Pan, Xiao-Ning; Shi, Xin-Yuan; Guo, Ming-Ye; Xu, Bing; Qiao, Yan-Jiang

2014-10-01

The quality of Chinese materia medica (CMM) is affected by every process in CMM manufacturing. According to multi-unit complex features in the production of CMM, on-line near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) is used as an evaluating technology with its rapid, non-destructive and non-pollution etc. advantages. With the research in institutions, the on-line NIR applied in process analysis and control of CMM was described systematically, and the on-line NIR platform building was used as an example to clarify the feasibility of on-line NIR technology in CMM manufacturing process. Then, from the point of application by pharmaceutical companies, the current on-line NIR research on CMM and its production in pharmaceutical companies was relatively comprehensively summarized. Meanwhile, the types of CMM productions were classified in accordance with two formulations (liquid and solid dosage formulations). The different production processes (extraction, concentration and alcohol precipitation, etc. ) were used as liquid formulation diacritical points; the different types (tablets, capsules and plasters, etc.) were used as solid dosage formulation diacritical points, and the reliability of on-line NIR used in the whole process in CMM production was proved in according to the summary of literatures in recent 10 years, which could support the modernization of CMM production.

Researching Applicants Online in the Veterinary Program Admissions Process: Perceptions, Practices, and Implications for Curricular Change.

PubMed

Kogan, Lori R; Hellyer, Peter W; Stewart, Sherry M; Hendrickson, Dean A; Dowers, Kristy L; Schoenfeld-Tacher, Regina

2015-01-01

As the use of social media websites continues to grow among adults 18-34 years old, it is necessary to examine the consequences of online disclosure to the veterinary admissions processes and to consider the effects on the professional integrity of veterinary schools and on the e-professionalism of DVM graduates. Prior research has shown that employers, across all fields, routinely use information from social media sites to make hiring decisions. In veterinary medicine, a little over one-third of private practitioners reported using online information in the selection of new associates. However, professional academic programs appear to use online information less frequently in the selection processes. The current study examines the behaviors and attitudes of veterinary medical admissions committees toward the use of applicants' online information and profiles in their recruitment and selection process. An online survey was distributed to Associate Deans for Academic Affairs at all AAVMC-affiliated schools of veterinary medicine. A total of 21 schools completed the survey. The results showed that most veterinary schools do not currently use online research in their admissions process; however, most admissions committee members feel that using online social networking information to investigate applicants is an acceptable use of technology. Previous research has suggested that the majority of veterinary student applicants view this as an invasion of their privacy. Given this discordance, future educational efforts should focus on helping veterinary students determine what type of information is appropriate for posting online and how to use privacy settings to control their sharing behaviors.

16 CFR 312.12 - Voluntary Commission Approval Processes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... CONGRESS CHILDREN'S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION RULE § 312.12 Voluntary Commission Approval Processes. (a...; and (b) Support for internal operations of the Web site or online service. An interested party may... potential effects on children's online privacy. The request shall be filed with the Commission's Office of...

Research on online 3D laser scanner dimensional measurement system for heavy high-temperature forgings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jingguo; Li, Menglin; Jiang, Yan; Xie, Tianpeng; Li, Feng; Jiang, Chenghao; Liu, Ruqing; Meng, Zhe

2017-10-01

Online 3-D laser-scanner is a non-contact measurement system with high speed, high precision and easy operation, which can be used to measure heavy and high-temperature forgings. But the current online laser measurement system is mainly a mobile light indicator, which can only be used in the limited environment and lacks the capability of 3-D accurate measurement. This paper mainly introduces the structure of the online high-speed real-time 3-D measurement for heavy high-temperature forgings of Academy of Opto-Electronics (AOE), Chinese Academy of Sciences. Combining TOF pulse distance measurement with hybrid scan mode, the system can scan and acquire point cloud data of an area of 20m×10m with a 75°×40° field of view at the distance of 20m. The entire scanning time is less than 5 seconds with an accuracy of 8mm, which can meet the online dimensional measurement requirements of heavy high-temperature forgings.

On-line process analysis innovation: DiComp (tm) shunting dielectric sensor technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Craig R.; Waldman, Frank A.

1993-01-01

The DiComp Shunting Dielectric Sensor (SDS) is a new patent-pending technology developed under the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) for NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The incorporation of a shunt electrode into a conventional fringing field dielectric sensor makes the SDS uniquely sensitive to changes in material dielectric properties in the KHz to MHz range which were previously detectable only at GHz measurement frequencies. The initial NASA application of the SDS for Nutrient Delivery Control has demonstrated SDS capabilities for thickness and concentration measurement of Hoagland nutrient solutions. The commercial introduction of DiComp SDS technology for concentration and percent solids measurements in dispersions, emulsions and solutions represents a new technology for process measurements for liquids in a variety of industries.

Observing Consistency in Online Communication Patterns for User Re-Identification.

PubMed

Adeyemi, Ikuesan Richard; Razak, Shukor Abd; Salleh, Mazleena; Venter, Hein S

2016-01-01

Comprehension of the statistical and structural mechanisms governing human dynamics in online interaction plays a pivotal role in online user identification, online profile development, and recommender systems. However, building a characteristic model of human dynamics on the Internet involves a complete analysis of the variations in human activity patterns, which is a complex process. This complexity is inherent in human dynamics and has not been extensively studied to reveal the structural composition of human behavior. A typical method of anatomizing such a complex system is viewing all independent interconnectivity that constitutes the complexity. An examination of the various dimensions of human communication pattern in online interactions is presented in this paper. The study employed reliable server-side web data from 31 known users to explore characteristics of human-driven communications. Various machine-learning techniques were explored. The results revealed that each individual exhibited a relatively consistent, unique behavioral signature and that the logistic regression model and model tree can be used to accurately distinguish online users. These results are applicable to one-to-one online user identification processes, insider misuse investigation processes, and online profiling in various areas.

An Adaptive Technique for a Redundant-Sensor Navigation System. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chien, T. T.

1972-01-01

An on-line adaptive technique is developed to provide a self-contained redundant-sensor navigation system with a capability to utilize its full potentiality in reliability and performance. The gyro navigation system is modeled as a Gauss-Markov process, with degradation modes defined as changes in characteristics specified by parameters associated with the model. The adaptive system is formulated as a multistage stochastic process: (1) a detection system, (2) an identification system and (3) a compensation system. It is shown that the sufficient statistics for the partially observable process in the detection and identification system is the posterior measure of the state of degradation, conditioned on the measurement history.

Computer aided statistical process control for on-line instrumentation

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

Meils, D.E.

1995-01-01

On-line chemical process instrumentation historically has been used for trending. Recent technological advances in on-line instrumentation have improved the accuracy and reliability of on-line instrumentation. However, little attention has been given to validating and verifying on-line instrumentation. This paper presents two practical approaches for validating instrument performance by comparison of on-line instrument response to either another portable instrument or another bench instrument. Because the comparison of two instruments` performance to each other requires somewhat complex statistical calculations, a computer code (Lab Stats Pack{reg_sign}) is used to simplify the calculations. Lab Stats Pack{reg_sign} also develops control charts that may be usedmore » for continuous verification of on-line instrument performance.« less

On-Line and Off-Line Assessment of Metacognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saraç, Seda; Karakelle, Sema

2012-01-01

The study investigates the interrelationships between different on-line and off-line measures for assessing metacognition. The participants were 47 fifth grade elementary students. Metacognition was assessed through two off-line and two on-line measures. The off-line measures consisted of a teacher rating scale and a self-report questionnaire. The…

Adapting for Scalability: Automating the Video Assessment of Instructional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts , Amy M.; LoCasale-Crouch, Jennifer; Hamre, Bridget K.; Buckrop, Jordan M.

2017-01-01

Although scalable programs, such as online courses, have the potential to reach broad audiences, they may pose challenges to evaluating learners' knowledge and skills. Automated scoring offers a possible solution. In the current paper, we describe the process of creating and testing an automated means of scoring a validated measure of teachers'…

Effects of Word Frequency and Modality on Sentence Comprehension Impairments in People with Aphasia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeDe, Gayle

2012-01-01

Purpose: It is well known that people with aphasia have sentence comprehension impairments. The present study investigated whether lexical factors contribute to sentence comprehension impairments in both the auditory and written modalities using online measures of sentence processing. Method: People with aphasia and non brain-damaged controls…

Key Skills for Science Learning: The Importance of Text Cohesion and Reading Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Sophie Susannah; Maltby, John; Filik, Ruth; Paterson, Kevin B.

2016-01-01

To explore the importance of text cohesion, we conducted two experiments. We measured online (reading times) and offline (comprehension accuracy) processes for texts that were high and low cohesion. In study one (n?=?60), we manipulated referential cohesion using noun repetition (high cohesion) and synonymy (low cohesion). Students showed enhanced…

Constructing Proxy Variables to Measure Adult Learners' Time Management Strategies in LMS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jo, Il-Hyun; Kim, Dongho; Yoon, Meehyun

2015-01-01

This study describes the process of constructing proxy variables from recorded log data within a Learning Management System (LMS), which represents adult learners' time management strategies in an online course. Based on previous research, three variables of total login time, login frequency, and regularity of login interval were selected as…

Gender Differences in the Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Right Hemisphere Lateralization for Facial Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castro-Schilo, Laura; Kee, Daniel W.

2010-01-01

The present study examined relationships between emotional intelligence, measured by the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, and right hemisphere dominance for a free vision chimeric face test. A sample of 122 ethnically diverse college students participated and completed online versions of the forenamed tests. A hierarchical…

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

PubMed Central

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

2017-01-01

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

A Case Study of Online Degree Course Design and Performance of Online Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saul, Robert

2013-01-01

The increasing demand of learners in online higher education courses currently presents a challenge to online course designs in increasing the performance of learners. The online course design process involves many challenges, including a new delivery system, understanding online drivers for success, and an emerging profession of online…

Learners' Internal Management of Cognitive Processing in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, C.-Y.; Pedersen, S.

2012-01-01

This study examined students' internal management of their cognitive processing in an interactive online class. A mixed methods approach was used to explore students' strategy use in online discussions. The focus is on examining individual knowledge construction through active cognitive engagement, rather than the social interactions, in the…

Online sensing and control of oil in process wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khomchenko, Irina B.; Soukhomlinoff, Alexander D.; Mitchell, T. F.; Selenow, Alexander E.

2002-02-01

Industrial processes, which eliminate high concentration of oil in their waste stream, find it extremely difficult to measure and control the water purification process. Most oil separation processes involve chemical separation using highly corrosive caustics, acids, surfactants, and emulsifiers. Included in the output of this chemical treatment process are highly adhesive tar-like globules, emulsified and surface oils, and other emulsified chemicals, in addition to suspended solids. The level of oil/hydrocarbons concentration in the wastewater process may fluctuate from 1 ppm to 10,000 ppm, depending upon the specifications of the industry and level of water quality control. The authors have developed a sensing technology, which provides the accuracy of scatter/absorption sensing in a contactless environment by combining these methodologies with reflective measurement. The sensitivity of the sensor may be modified by changing the fluid level control in the flow cell, allowing for a broad range of accurate measurement from 1 ppm to 10,000 ppm. Because this sensing system has been designed to work in a highly invasive environment, it can be placed close to the process source to allow for accurate real time measurement and control.

Online production validation in a HEP environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harenberg, T.; Kuhl, T.; Lang, N.; Mättig, P.; Sandhoff, M.; Schwanenberger, C.; Volkmer, F.

2017-03-01

In high energy physics (HEP) event simulations, petabytes of data are processed and stored requiring millions of CPU-years. This enormous demand for computing resources is handled by centers distributed worldwide, which form part of the LHC computing grid. The consumption of such an important amount of resources demands for an efficient production of simulation and for the early detection of potential errors. In this article we present a new monitoring framework for grid environments, which polls a measure of data quality during job execution. This online monitoring facilitates the early detection of configuration errors (specially in simulation parameters), and may thus contribute to significant savings in computing resources.

The online social self: an open vocabulary approach to personality.

PubMed

Kern, Margaret L; Eichstaedt, Johannes C; Schwartz, H Andrew; Dziurzynski, Lukasz; Ungar, Lyle H; Stillwell, David J; Kosinski, Michal; Ramones, Stephanie M; Seligman, Martin E P

2014-04-01

We present a new open language analysis approach that identifies and visually summarizes the dominant naturally occurring words and phrases that most distinguished each Big Five personality trait. Using millions of posts from 69,792 Facebook users, we examined the correlation of personality traits with online word usage. Our analysis method consists of feature extraction, correlational analysis, and visualization. The distinguishing words and phrases were face valid and provide insight into processes that underlie the Big Five traits. Open-ended data driven exploration of large datasets combined with established psychological theory and measures offers new tools to further understand the human psyche. © The Author(s) 2013.

Online differentiation of mineral phase in aerosol particles by ion formation mechanism using a LAAP-TOF single-particle mass spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsden, Nicholas A.; Flynn, Michael J.; Allan, James D.; Coe, Hugh

2018-01-01

Mineralogy of silicate mineral dust has a strong influence on climate and ecosystems due to variation in physiochemical properties that result from differences in composition and crystal structure (mineral phase). Traditional offline methods of analysing mineral phase are labour intensive and the temporal resolution of the data is much longer than many atmospheric processes. Single-particle mass spectrometry (SPMS) is an established technique for the online size-resolved measurement of particle composition by laser desorption ionisation (LDI) followed by time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS). Although non-quantitative, the technique is able to identify the presence of silicate minerals in airborne dust particles from markers of alkali metals and silicate molecular ions in the mass spectra. However, the differentiation of mineral phase in silicate particles by traditional mass spectral peak area measurements is not possible. This is because instrument function and matrix effects in the ionisation process result in variations in instrument response that are greater than the differences in composition between common mineral phases.In this study, we introduce a novel technique that enables the differentiation of mineral phase in silicate mineral particles by ion formation mechanism measured from subtle changes in ion arrival times at the TOF-MS detector. Using a combination of peak area and peak centroid measurements, we show that the arrangement of the interstitial alkali metals in the crystal structure, an important property in silicate mineralogy, influences the ion arrival times of elemental and molecular ion species in the negative ion mass spectra. A classification scheme is presented that allowed for the differentiation of illite-smectite, kaolinite and feldspar minerals on a single-particle basis. Online analysis of mineral dust aerosol generated from clay mineral standards produced mineral fractions that are in agreement with bulk measurements reported by traditional XRD (X-ray diffraction) analysis.

The Binding Database: data management and interface design.

PubMed

Chen, Xi; Lin, Yuhmei; Liu, Ming; Gilson, Michael K

2002-01-01

The large and growing body of experimental data on biomolecular binding is of enormous value in developing a deeper understanding of molecular biology, in developing new therapeutics, and in various molecular design applications. However, most of these data are found only in the published literature and are therefore difficult to access and use. No existing public database has focused on measured binding affinities and has provided query capabilities that include chemical structure and sequence homology searches. We have created Binding DataBase (BindingDB), a public, web-accessible database of measured binding affinities. BindingDB is based upon a relational data specification for describing binding measurements via Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) and enzyme inhibition. A corresponding XML Document Type Definition (DTD) is used to create and parse intermediate files during the on-line deposition process and will also be used for data interchange, including collection of data from other sources. The on-line query interface, which is constructed with Java Servlet technology, supports standard SQL queries as well as searches for molecules by chemical structure and sequence homology. The on-line deposition interface uses Java Server Pages and JavaBean objects to generate dynamic HTML and to store intermediate results. The resulting data resource provides a range of functionality with brisk response-times, and lends itself well to continued development and enhancement.

Evidence that attitude accessibility augments the relationship between speeding attitudes and speeding behavior: a test of the MODE model in the context of driving.

PubMed

Elliott, Mark A; Lee, Emme; Robertson, Jamie S; Innes, Rhona

2015-01-01

According to the MODE model of attitude-to-behavior processes, attitude accessibility augments attitude-behavior correspondence, reflecting an automatic influence of attitudes on behavior. We therefore tested whether attitude accessibility moderates the attitude-behavior relationship in a context that is governed by characteristically automatic behavior, namely driving. In study 1 (correlational design), participants (N=130) completed online questionnaire measures of the valences and accessibilities of their attitudes towards speeding. Two weeks later, online questionnaire measures of subsequent speeding behavior were obtained. Attitude valence was a significantly better predictor of behavior at high (mean+1SD) versus low (mean-1SD) levels of attitude accessibility. In study 2 (experimental design), attitude accessibility was manipulated with a repeated attitude expression task. Immediately after the manipulation, participants (N=122) completed online questionnaire measures of attitude valence and accessibility, and two weeks later, subsequent speeding behavior. Increased attitude accessibility in the experimental (versus control) condition generated an increase in attitude-behavior correspondence. The findings are consistent with the MODE model's proposition that attitudes can exert an automatic influence on behavior. Interventions to reduce speeding could usefully increase the accessibility of anti-speeding attitudes and reduce the accessibility of pro-speeding attitudes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Online adaptation and over-trial learning in macaque visuomotor control.

PubMed

Braun, Daniel A; Aertsen, Ad; Paz, Rony; Vaadia, Eilon; Rotter, Stefan; Mehring, Carsten

2011-01-01

When faced with unpredictable environments, the human motor system has been shown to develop optimized adaptation strategies that allow for online adaptation during the control process. Such online adaptation is to be contrasted to slower over-trial learning that corresponds to a trial-by-trial update of the movement plan. Here we investigate the interplay of both processes, i.e., online adaptation and over-trial learning, in a visuomotor experiment performed by macaques. We show that simple non-adaptive control schemes fail to perform in this task, but that a previously suggested adaptive optimal feedback control model can explain the observed behavior. We also show that over-trial learning as seen in learning and aftereffect curves can be explained by learning in a radial basis function network. Our results suggest that both the process of over-trial learning and the process of online adaptation are crucial to understand visuomotor learning.

Online Adaptation and Over-Trial Learning in Macaque Visuomotor Control

PubMed Central

Braun, Daniel A.; Aertsen, Ad; Paz, Rony; Vaadia, Eilon; Rotter, Stefan; Mehring, Carsten

2011-01-01

When faced with unpredictable environments, the human motor system has been shown to develop optimized adaptation strategies that allow for online adaptation during the control process. Such online adaptation is to be contrasted to slower over-trial learning that corresponds to a trial-by-trial update of the movement plan. Here we investigate the interplay of both processes, i.e., online adaptation and over-trial learning, in a visuomotor experiment performed by macaques. We show that simple non-adaptive control schemes fail to perform in this task, but that a previously suggested adaptive optimal feedback control model can explain the observed behavior. We also show that over-trial learning as seen in learning and aftereffect curves can be explained by learning in a radial basis function network. Our results suggest that both the process of over-trial learning and the process of online adaptation are crucial to understand visuomotor learning. PMID:21720526

Online teaching: "are you there, and do you care?".

PubMed

Mastel-Smith, Beth; Post, Jerri; Lake, Pamela

2015-03-01

Much of nursing education is moving online, and faculty must learn to deliver content and communicate differently. A hybrid model of concept development provided insight into faculty's perceptions and expressions of online caring presence. Phase one of concept development revealed many related concepts. Phase two involved (a) six qualitative interviews with doctoral-prepared nursing faculty who taught 100% online, and (b) Watson's Ten Caritas Processes were revised for application in online nursing education and used as a guide for course review. Four themes emerged from the interview data: (a) online teaching experiences, (b) similarities and differences between online and face-to-face teaching, (c) online presence, and (d) online caring presence. Course review suggested that faculty promoted helping-trusting-caring relationships and addressed individual learning needs. Phase three integrated findings from phases one and two; a comprehensive definition of online caring presence was developed. Recommendations regarding technology and communication skill acquisition and Caritas Process application are suggested. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

A mobile system for a comprehensive online-characterization of nanoparticle aggregates based on wide-angle light scattering and laser-induced incandescence

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

Huber, Franz J. T.; Will, Stefan, E-mail: stefan.will@fau.de; Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies

A mobile demonstrator for the comprehensive online-characterization of gas-borne nanoparticle aggregates is presented. Two optical measurement techniques are combined, both utilizing a pulsed Nd:YAG laser as light source. Aggregate size and fractal dimension are measured by Wide-Angle Light Scattering (WALS). An ellipsoidal mirror images elastically scattered light from scattering angles between 10° and 165° onto a CCD-camera chip resulting in an almost complete scattering diagram with high angular resolution. Primary particle size and volume fraction are measured by time-resolved Laser-Induced Incandescence (TiRe-LII). Here, particles are heated up to about 3000 K by the short laser pulse, the enhanced thermal radiationmore » signal is detected with gated photomultiplier tubes. Analysis of the signal decay time and maximum LII-signal allows for the determination of primary particle diameter and volume fraction. The performance of the system is demonstrated by combined measurements on soot nanoparticle aggregates from a soot aerosol generator. Particle and aggregate sizes are varied by using different equivalence ratios of the combustion in the generator. Soot volume fraction can be adjusted by different levels of dilution with air. Online-measurements were carried out demonstrating the favorable performance of the system and the potential for industrial applications such as process control and product development. The particle properties obtained are confirmed through transmission electron microscopy analysis on representative samples.« less

A mobile system for a comprehensive online-characterization of nanoparticle aggregates based on wide-angle light scattering and laser-induced incandescence.

PubMed

Huber, Franz J T; Altenhoff, Michael; Will, Stefan

2016-05-01

A mobile demonstrator for the comprehensive online-characterization of gas-borne nanoparticle aggregates is presented. Two optical measurement techniques are combined, both utilizing a pulsed Nd:YAG laser as light source. Aggregate size and fractal dimension are measured by Wide-Angle Light Scattering (WALS). An ellipsoidal mirror images elastically scattered light from scattering angles between 10° and 165° onto a CCD-camera chip resulting in an almost complete scattering diagram with high angular resolution. Primary particle size and volume fraction are measured by time-resolved Laser-Induced Incandescence (TiRe-LII). Here, particles are heated up to about 3000 K by the short laser pulse, the enhanced thermal radiation signal is detected with gated photomultiplier tubes. Analysis of the signal decay time and maximum LII-signal allows for the determination of primary particle diameter and volume fraction. The performance of the system is demonstrated by combined measurements on soot nanoparticle aggregates from a soot aerosol generator. Particle and aggregate sizes are varied by using different equivalence ratios of the combustion in the generator. Soot volume fraction can be adjusted by different levels of dilution with air. Online-measurements were carried out demonstrating the favorable performance of the system and the potential for industrial applications such as process control and product development. The particle properties obtained are confirmed through transmission electron microscopy analysis on representative samples.

A mobile system for a comprehensive online-characterization of nanoparticle aggregates based on wide-angle light scattering and laser-induced incandescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huber, Franz J. T.; Altenhoff, Michael; Will, Stefan

2016-05-01

A mobile demonstrator for the comprehensive online-characterization of gas-borne nanoparticle aggregates is presented. Two optical measurement techniques are combined, both utilizing a pulsed Nd:YAG laser as light source. Aggregate size and fractal dimension are measured by Wide-Angle Light Scattering (WALS). An ellipsoidal mirror images elastically scattered light from scattering angles between 10° and 165° onto a CCD-camera chip resulting in an almost complete scattering diagram with high angular resolution. Primary particle size and volume fraction are measured by time-resolved Laser-Induced Incandescence (TiRe-LII). Here, particles are heated up to about 3000 K by the short laser pulse, the enhanced thermal radiation signal is detected with gated photomultiplier tubes. Analysis of the signal decay time and maximum LII-signal allows for the determination of primary particle diameter and volume fraction. The performance of the system is demonstrated by combined measurements on soot nanoparticle aggregates from a soot aerosol generator. Particle and aggregate sizes are varied by using different equivalence ratios of the combustion in the generator. Soot volume fraction can be adjusted by different levels of dilution with air. Online-measurements were carried out demonstrating the favorable performance of the system and the potential for industrial applications such as process control and product development. The particle properties obtained are confirmed through transmission electron microscopy analysis on representative samples.

Scientific literacy of adult participants in an online citizen science project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Charles Aaron

Citizen Science projects offer opportunities for non-scientists to take part in scientific research. Scientific results from these projects have been well documented. However, there is limited research about how these projects affect their volunteer participants. In this study, I investigate how participation in an online, collaborative astronomical citizen science project can be associated with the scientific literacy of its participants. Scientific literacy is measured through three elements: attitude towards science, belief in the nature of science and competencies associated with learning science. The first two elements are measured through a pre-test given to 1,385 participants when they join the project and a post-test given six months later to 125 participants. Attitude towards science was measured using nine Likert-items custom designed for this project and beliefs in the nature of science were measured using a modified version of the Nature of Science Knowledge scale. Responses were analyzed using the Rasch Rating Scale Model. Competencies are measured through analysis of discourse occurring in online asynchronous discussion forums using the Community of Inquiry framework, which describes three types of presence in the online forums: cognitive, social and teaching. Results show that overall attitudes did not change, p = .225. However, there was significant change towards attitudes about science in the news (positive) and scientific self efficacy (negative), p < .001 and p = .035 respectively. Beliefs in the nature of science exhibited a small, but significant increase, p = .04. Relative positioning of scores on the belief items did not change much, suggesting the increase is mostly due to reinforcement of current beliefs. The cognitive and teaching presence in the online forums did not change, p = .807 and p = .505 respectively. However, the social presence did change, p = .011. Overall, these results suggest that multi-faceted, collaborative citizen science projects can have an impact on some aspects of scientific literacy. Using the Rasch Model allowed us to uncover effects that may have otherwise been hidden. Future projects may want to include social interactivity between participants and also make participants specifically aware of how they are contributing to the entire scientific process.

Design of Online Spheroidization Process for 1.0C-1.5Cr Bearing Steel and Microstructure Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhen-Xing; Li, Chang-Sheng; Ren, Jin-Yi; Li, Bin-Zhou; Suh, Dong-Woo

2018-02-01

Using thermo-mechanical control process, the online spheroidization annealing process of 1.0C-1.5Cr bearing steel was designed. Apart from intercritical online spheroidization (IS), a novel subcritical online spheroidization (SS) process was proposed, which is characterized by water-cooling to around 773 K (500 °C) after the final rolling pass, and then directly reheating to 973 K (700 °C) for isothermal holding. Compared with the results from the traditional offline spheroidization (TS) process, the size of spheroidized carbides is similar in both the TS and IS processes, whereas it is much smaller in the SS process. After spheroidization annealing, microstructure evolution during austenitization and quenching treatment was examined. It is shown that the refining of spheroidized carbides accelerates the dissolution of carbides during the austenitizing process, and decreases the size of undissolved carbides. In addition, the SS process can obtain finer prior austenite grain after quenching, which contributes to the enhancement of final hardness.

Achieving online consent to participation in large-scale gene-environment studies: a tangible destination.

PubMed

Wood, Fiona; Kowalczuk, Jenny; Elwyn, Glyn; Mitchell, Clive; Gallacher, John

2011-08-01

Population based genetics studies are dependent on large numbers of individuals in the pursuit of small effect sizes. Recruiting and consenting a large number of participants is both costly and time consuming. We explored whether an online consent process for large-scale genetics studies is acceptable for prospective participants using an example online genetics study. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 42 members of the public stratified by age group, gender and newspaper readership (a measure of social status). Respondents were asked to use a website designed to recruit for a large-scale genetic study. After using the website a semi-structured interview was conducted to explore opinions and any issues they would have. Responses were analysed using thematic content analysis. The majority of respondents said they would take part in the research (32/42). Those who said they would decline to participate saw fewer benefits from the research, wanted more information and expressed a greater number of concerns about the study. Younger respondents had concerns over time commitment. Middle aged respondents were concerned about privacy and security. Older respondents were more altruistic in their motivation to participate. Common themes included trust in the authenticity of the website, security of personal data, curiosity about their own genetic profile, operational concerns and a desire for more information about the research. Online consent to large-scale genetic studies is likely to be acceptable to the public. The online consent process must establish trust quickly and effectively by asserting authenticity and credentials, and provide access to a range of information to suit different information preferences.

Changes to online control and eye-hand coordination with healthy ageing.

PubMed

O'Rielly, Jessica L; Ma-Wyatt, Anna

2018-06-01

Goal directed movements are typically accompanied by a saccade to the target location. Online control plays an important part in correction of a reach, especially if the target or goal of the reach moves during the reach. While there are notable changes to visual processing and motor control with healthy ageing, there is limited evidence about how eye-hand coordination during online updating changes with healthy ageing. We sought to quantify differences between older and younger people for eye-hand coordination during online updating. Participants completed a double step reaching task implemented under time pressure. The target perturbation could occur 200, 400 and 600 ms into a reach. We measured eye position and hand position throughout the trials to investigate changes to saccade latency, movement latency, movement time, reach characteristics and eye-hand latency and accuracy. Both groups were able to update their reach in response to a target perturbation that occurred at 200 or 400 ms into the reach. All participants demonstrated incomplete online updating for the 600 ms perturbation time. Saccade latencies, measured from the first target presentation, were generally longer for older participants. Older participants had significantly increased movement times but there was no significant difference between groups for touch accuracy. We speculate that the longer movement times enable the use of new visual information about the target location for online updating towards the end of the movement. Interestingly, older participants also produced a greater proportion of secondary saccades within the target perturbation condition and had generally shorter eye-hand latencies. This is perhaps a compensatory mechanism as there was no significant group effect on final saccade accuracy. Overall, the pattern of results suggests that online control of movements may be qualitatively different in older participants. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical Fiber On-Line Detection System for Non-Touch Monitoring Roller Shape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Y.; Wang, Y. T.

2006-10-01

Basing on the principle of reflective displacement fiber-optic sensor, a high accuracy non-touch on-line optical fiber measurement system for roller shape is presented. The principle and composition of the detection system and the operation process are expatiated also. By using a novel probe of three optical fibers in equal transverse space, the effects of fluctuations in the light source, reflective changing of target surface and the intensity losses in the fiber lines are automatically compensated. Meantime, an optical fiber sensor model of correcting static error based on BP artificial neural network (ANN) is set up. Also by using interpolation method and value filtering to process the signals, effectively reduce the influence of random noise and the vibration of the roller bearing. So enhance the accuracy and resolution remarkably. Experiment proves that the accuracy of the system reach to the demand of practical production process, it provides a new method for the high speed, accurate and automatic on line detection of the mill roller shape.

Multivariate Analysis of Ladle Vibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yenus, Jaefer; Brooks, Geoffrey; Dunn, Michelle

2016-08-01

The homogeneity of composition and uniformity of temperature of the steel melt before it is transferred to the tundish are crucial in making high-quality steel product. The homogenization process is performed by stirring the melt using inert gas in ladles. Continuous monitoring of this process is important to make sure the action of stirring is constant throughout the ladle. Currently, the stirring process is monitored by process operators who largely rely on visual and acoustic phenomena from the ladle. However, due to lack of measurable signals, the accuracy and suitability of this manual monitoring are problematic. The actual flow of argon gas to the ladle may not be same as the flow gage reading due to leakage along the gas line components. As a result, the actual degree of stirring may not be correctly known. Various researchers have used one-dimensional vibration, and sound and image signals measured from the ladle to predict the degree of stirring inside. They developed online sensors which are indeed to monitor the online stirring phenomena. In this investigation, triaxial vibration signals have been measured from a cold water model which is a model of an industrial ladle. Three flow rate ranges and varying bath heights were used to collect vibration signals. The Fast Fourier Transform was applied to the dataset before it has been analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS). PCA was used to unveil the structure in the experimental data. PLS was mainly applied to predict the stirring from the vibration response. It was found that for each flow rate range considered in this study, the informative signals reside in different frequency ranges. The first latent variables in these frequency ranges explain more than 95 pct of the variation in the stirring process for the entire single layer and the double layer data collected from the cold model. PLS analysis in these identified frequency ranges demonstrated that the latent variables of the response and predictor variables are highly correlated. The predicted variable has shown linear relationship with the stirring energy and bath recirculation speed. This outcome can improve the predictability of the mixing status in ladle metallurgy and make the online control of the process easier. Industrial testing of this input will follow.

Measuring Quality in Online Education: A Meta-Synthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esfijani, Azam

2018-01-01

This article presents a meta-synthesis review of quality of online education (QOE) measurement approaches. In order to survey the existing body of knowledge, a qualitative method was employed to investigate what quality of online education is comprised of and how the concept has been measured through the literature. To achieve this, a total of 112…

Emotional coping differences among breast cancer patients from an online support group: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Batenburg, Anika; Das, Enny

2014-02-05

Due to mixed findings in research on the effect of online peer-to-peer support on psychological well-being, there is a need for studies explaining why and when online support communities are beneficial for cancer patients. Previous studies have typically not taken into account individual coping differences, despite the fact that patients have different strategies to cope with cancer-related emotions. In the current study, it was predicted that the effects of online support group participation would partly depend on patients' ability to cope with thoughts and emotions regarding the illness. For this study, 184 Dutch breast cancer patients filled out a questionnaire assessing activity within a peer-led online support community, coping with emotions and thoughts regarding the illness (cognitive avoidance, emotional processing, and expression) and psychological well-being (depression, breast cancer-related concerns, and emotional well-being). Of these, 163 patients were visiting an online peer-led support community. Results showed interactions of the intensity of support group participation and coping style on psychological well-being. Specifically, we found an interaction of online activity and emotional expression on depression (beta=-.17, P=.030), a marginally significant interaction of online activity and emotional expression on emotional well-being (beta=.14, P=.089), and an interaction of online activity and cognitive avoidance on breast cancer-related concerns (beta=.15, P=.027). For patients who actively dealt with their emotions and thoughts, active online support group participation was positively related to psychological well-being. For patients high on avoidance of illness-related thoughts or low on emotional expression, active participation was negatively related to measures of well-being. The current study revealed the role of individual differences in coping in online support group participation. Results suggest that breast cancer patients' ability to cope with emotions and thoughts regarding the illness influence the relationship between online support group participation and psychological well-being.

Emotional Coping Differences Among Breast Cancer Patients From an Online Support Group: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Due to mixed findings in research on the effect of online peer-to-peer support on psychological well-being, there is a need for studies explaining why and when online support communities are beneficial for cancer patients. Objective Previous studies have typically not taken into account individual coping differences, despite the fact that patients have different strategies to cope with cancer-related emotions. In the current study, it was predicted that the effects of online support group participation would partly depend on patients’ ability to cope with thoughts and emotions regarding the illness. Methods For this study, 184 Dutch breast cancer patients filled out a questionnaire assessing activity within a peer-led online support community, coping with emotions and thoughts regarding the illness (cognitive avoidance, emotional processing, and expression) and psychological well-being (depression, breast cancer-related concerns, and emotional well-being). Of these, 163 patients were visiting an online peer-led support community. Results Results showed interactions of the intensity of support group participation and coping style on psychological well-being. Specifically, we found an interaction of online activity and emotional expression on depression (beta=–.17, P=.030), a marginally significant interaction of online activity and emotional expression on emotional well-being (beta=.14, P=.089), and an interaction of online activity and cognitive avoidance on breast cancer–related concerns (beta=.15, P=.027). For patients who actively dealt with their emotions and thoughts, active online support group participation was positively related to psychological well-being. For patients high on avoidance of illness-related thoughts or low on emotional expression, active participation was negatively related to measures of well-being. Conclusions The current study revealed the role of individual differences in coping in online support group participation. Results suggest that breast cancer patients’ ability to cope with emotions and thoughts regarding the illness influence the relationship between online support group participation and psychological well-being. PMID:24499687

Distance measurement using frequency scanning interferometry with mode-hoped laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medhat, M.; Sobee, M.; Hussein, H. M.; Terra, O.

2016-06-01

In this paper, frequency scanning interferometry is implemented to measure distances up to 5 m absolutely. The setup consists of a Michelson interferometer, an external cavity tunable diode laser, and an ultra-low expansion (ULE) Fabry-Pérot (FP) cavity to measure the frequency scanning range. The distance is measured by acquiring simultaneously the interference fringes from, the Michelson and the FP interferometers, while scanning the laser frequency. An online fringe processing technique is developed to calculate the distance from the fringe ratio while removing the parts result from the laser mode-hops without significantly affecting the measurement accuracy. This fringe processing method enables accurate distance measurements up to 5 m with measurements repeatability ±3.9×10-6 L. An accurate translation stage is used to find the FP cavity free-spectral-range and therefore allow accurate measurement. Finally, the setup is applied for the short distance calibration of a laser distance meter (LDM).

Analyzing the Learning Process of an Online Role-Playing Discussion Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hou, Huei-Tse

2012-01-01

Instructional activities based on online discussion strategies have gained prevalence in recent years. Within this context, a crucial research topic is to design innovative and appropriate online discussion strategies that assist learners in attaining a deeper level of interaction and higher cognitive skills. By analyzing the process of online…

The IBM PC as an Online Search Machine. Part 5: Searching through Crosstalk.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolner, Stuart J.

1985-01-01

This last of a five-part series on using the IBM personal computer for online searching highlights a brief review, search process, making the connection, switching between screens and modes, online transaction, capture buffer controls, coping with options, function keys, script files, processing downloaded information, note to TELEX users, and…

Apportionment of urban aerosol sources in Cork (Ireland) by synergistic measurement techniques.

PubMed

Dall'Osto, Manuel; Hellebust, Stig; Healy, Robert M; O'Connor, Ian P; Kourtchev, Ivan; Sodeau, John R; Ovadnevaite, Jurgita; Ceburnis, Darius; O'Dowd, Colin D; Wenger, John C

2014-09-15

The sources of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during wintertime at a background urban location in Cork city (Ireland) have been determined. Aerosol chemical analyses were performed by multiple techniques including on-line high resolution aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Aerodyne HR-ToF-AMS), on-line single particle aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TSI ATOFMS), on-line elemental carbon-organic carbon analysis (Sunset_EC-OC), and off-line gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and ion chromatography analysis of filter samples collected at 6-h resolution. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) has been carried out to better elucidate aerosol sources not clearly identified when analyzing results from individual aerosol techniques on their own. Two datasets have been considered: on-line measurements averaged over 2-h periods, and both on-line and off-line measurements averaged over 6-h periods. Five aerosol sources were identified by PMF in both datasets, with excellent agreement between the two solutions: (1) regional domestic solid fuel burning--"DSF_Regional," 24-27%; (2) local urban domestic solid fuel burning--"DSF_Urban," 22-23%; (3) road vehicle emissions--"Traffic," 15-20%; (4) secondary aerosols from regional anthropogenic sources--"SA_Regional" 9-13%; and (5) secondary aged/processed aerosols related to urban anthropogenic sources--"SA_Urban," 21-26%. The results indicate that, despite regulations for restricting the use of smoky fuels, solid fuel burning is the major source (46-50%) of PM2.5 in wintertime in Cork, and also likely other areas of Ireland. Whilst wood combustion is strongly associated with OC and EC, it was found that peat and coal combustion is linked mainly with OC and the aerosol from these latter sources appears to be more volatile than that produced by wood combustion. Ship emissions from the nearby port were found to be mixed with the SA_Regional factor. The PMF analysis allowed us to link the AMS cooking organic aerosol factor (AMS_PMF_COA) to oxidized organic aerosol, chloride and locally produced nitrate, indicating that AMS_PMF_COA cannot be attributed to primary cooking emissions only. Overall, there are clear benefits from factor analysis applied to results obtained from multiple techniques, which allows better association of aerosols with sources and atmospheric processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contamination detection NDE for cleaning process inspection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marinelli, W. J.; Dicristina, V.; Sonnenfroh, D.; Blair, D.

1995-01-01

In the joining of multilayer materials, and in welding, the cleanliness of the joining surface may play a large role in the quality of the resulting bond. No non-intrusive techniques are currently available for the rapid measurement of contamination on large or irregularly shaped structures prior to the joining process. An innovative technique for the measurement of contaminant levels in these structures using laser based imaging is presented. The approach uses an ultraviolet excimer laser to illuminate large and/or irregular surface areas. The UV light induces fluorescence and is scattered from the contaminants. The illuminated area is viewed by an image-intensified CCD (charge coupled device) camera interfaced to a PC-based computer. The camera measures the fluorescence and/or scattering from the contaminants for comparison with established standards. Single shot measurements of contamination levels are possible. Hence, the technique may be used for on-line NDE testing during manufacturing processes.

Imaging Ultrasound Guidance and on-line Estimation of Thermal Behavior in HIFU Exposed Targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chauhan, Sunita; Haryanto, Amir

2006-05-01

Elevated temperatures have been used for many years to combat several diseases including treatment of certain types of cancers/tumors. High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) has emerged as a potential non-invasive modality for trackless targeting of deep-seated cancers of human body. For the procedures which require thermal elevation such as hyperthermia and tissue ablation, temperature becomes a parameter of vital importance in order to monitor the treatment on-line. Also, embedding invasive temperature probes for this purpose beats the supremacy of the non-invasive ablating modality. In this paper, we describe the use of a non-invasive and inexpensive conventional imaging ultrasound modality for lesion positioning and estimation of thermal behavior of the tissue on exposure to HIFU. Representative results of our online lesion tracking algorithm for discerning lesioning behavior using image capture, processing and phase-shift measurements are presented.

Development of online NIR urine analyzing system based on AOTF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Feng; Sun, Zhendong; Li, Xiaoxia

2006-09-01

In this paper, some key techniques on development of on-line MR urine analyzing system based on AOTF (Acousto - Optics Tunable Filter) are introduced. Problems about designing the optical system including collimation of incident light and working distance (the shortest distance for separating incident light and diffracted light) are analyzed and researched. DDS (Direct Digital Synthesizer) controlled by microprocessor is used to realize the wavelength scan. The experiment results show that this MR urine analyzing system based on. AOTF has 10000 - 4000cm -1 wavelength range and O.3ms wavelength transfer rate. Compare with the conventional Fourier Transform NIP. spectrophotometer for analyzing multi-components in urine, this system features low cost, small volume and on-line measurement function. Unscrambler software (multivariate statistical software by CAMO Inc. Norway) is selected as the software for processing the data. This system can realize on line quantitative analysis of protein, urea and creatinine in urine.

The combined influence of central and peripheral routes in the online persuasion process.

PubMed

SanJosé-Cabezudo, Rebeca; Gutiérrez-Arranz, Ana M; Gutiérrez-Cillán, Jesús

2009-06-01

The elaboration likelihood model (ELM) is one of the most widely used psychological theories in academic literature to account for how advertising information is processed. The current work seeks to overturn one of the basic principles of the ELM and takes account of new variables in the model that help to explain the online persuasion process more clearly. Specifically, we posit that in a context of high-involvement exposure to advertising (e.g., Web pages), central and peripheral processing routes may act together. In a repeated-measures experimental design, 112 participants were exposed to two Web sites of a fictitious travel agency, differing only in their design--serious versus amusing. Findings evidence that a peripheral cue, such as how the Web pages are presented, does prove relevant when attempting to reflect the level of effectiveness. Moreover, if we take account of individuals' motivation when accessing the Internet, whether cognitive or affective, the motivation will impact their response to the Web site design. The work contributes to ELM literature and may help firms to pinpoint those areas and features of Internet advertising that prove most efficient.

On-line vs off-line electrical conductivity characterization. Polycarbonate composites developed with multiwalled carbon nanotubes by compounding technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llorens-Chiralt, R.; Weiss, P.; Mikonsaari, I.

2014-05-01

Material characterization is one of the key steps when conductive polymers are developed. The dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a polymeric matrix using melt mixing influence final composite properties. The compounding becomes trial and error using a huge amount of materials, spending time and money to obtain competitive composites. Traditional methods to carry out electrical conductivity characterization include compression and injection molding. Both methods need extra equipments and moulds to obtain standard bars. This study aims to investigate the accuracy of the data obtained from absolute resistance recorded during the melt compounding, using an on-line setup developed by our group, and to correlate these values with off-line characterization and processing parameters (screw/barrel configuration, throughput, screw speed, temperature profile and CNTs percentage). Compounds developed with different percentages of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and polycarbonate has been characterized during and after extrusion. Measurements, on-line resistance and off-line resistivity, showed parallel response and reproducibility, confirming method validity. The significance of the results obtained stems from the fact that we are able to measure on-line resistance and to change compounding parameters during production to achieve reference values reducing production/testing cost and ensuring material quality. Also, this method removes errors which can be found in test bars development, showing better correlation with compounding parameters.

Online neural monitoring of statistical learning.

PubMed

Batterink, Laura J; Paller, Ken A

2017-05-01

The extraction of patterns in the environment plays a critical role in many types of human learning, from motor skills to language acquisition. This process is known as statistical learning. Here we propose that statistical learning has two dissociable components: (1) perceptual binding of individual stimulus units into integrated composites and (2) storing those integrated representations for later use. Statistical learning is typically assessed using post-learning tasks, such that the two components are conflated. Our goal was to characterize the online perceptual component of statistical learning. Participants were exposed to a structured stream of repeating trisyllabic nonsense words and a random syllable stream. Online learning was indexed by an EEG-based measure that quantified neural entrainment at the frequency of the repeating words relative to that of individual syllables. Statistical learning was subsequently assessed using conventional measures in an explicit rating task and a reaction-time task. In the structured stream, neural entrainment to trisyllabic words was higher than in the random stream, increased as a function of exposure to track the progression of learning, and predicted performance on the reaction time (RT) task. These results demonstrate that monitoring this critical component of learning via rhythmic EEG entrainment reveals a gradual acquisition of knowledge whereby novel stimulus sequences are transformed into familiar composites. This online perceptual transformation is a critical component of learning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Online incidental statistical learning of audiovisual word sequences in adults: a registered report.

PubMed

Kuppuraj, Sengottuvel; Duta, Mihaela; Thompson, Paul; Bishop, Dorothy

2018-02-01

Statistical learning has been proposed as a key mechanism in language learning. Our main goal was to examine whether adults are capable of simultaneously extracting statistical dependencies in a task where stimuli include a range of structures amenable to statistical learning within a single paradigm. We devised an online statistical learning task using real word auditory-picture sequences that vary in two dimensions: (i) predictability and (ii) adjacency of dependent elements. This task was followed by an offline recall task to probe learning of each sequence type. We registered three hypotheses with specific predictions. First, adults would extract regular patterns from continuous stream (effect of grammaticality). Second, within grammatical conditions, they would show differential speeding up for each condition as a factor of statistical complexity of the condition and exposure. Third, our novel approach to measure online statistical learning would be reliable in showing individual differences in statistical learning ability. Further, we explored the relation between statistical learning and a measure of verbal short-term memory (STM). Forty-two participants were tested and retested after an interval of at least 3 days on our novel statistical learning task. We analysed the reaction time data using a novel regression discontinuity approach. Consistent with prediction, participants showed a grammaticality effect, agreeing with the predicted order of difficulty for learning different statistical structures. Furthermore, a learning index from the task showed acceptable test-retest reliability ( r  = 0.67). However, STM did not correlate with statistical learning. We discuss the findings noting the benefits of online measures in tracking the learning process.

Online incidental statistical learning of audiovisual word sequences in adults: a registered report

PubMed Central

Duta, Mihaela; Thompson, Paul

2018-01-01

Statistical learning has been proposed as a key mechanism in language learning. Our main goal was to examine whether adults are capable of simultaneously extracting statistical dependencies in a task where stimuli include a range of structures amenable to statistical learning within a single paradigm. We devised an online statistical learning task using real word auditory–picture sequences that vary in two dimensions: (i) predictability and (ii) adjacency of dependent elements. This task was followed by an offline recall task to probe learning of each sequence type. We registered three hypotheses with specific predictions. First, adults would extract regular patterns from continuous stream (effect of grammaticality). Second, within grammatical conditions, they would show differential speeding up for each condition as a factor of statistical complexity of the condition and exposure. Third, our novel approach to measure online statistical learning would be reliable in showing individual differences in statistical learning ability. Further, we explored the relation between statistical learning and a measure of verbal short-term memory (STM). Forty-two participants were tested and retested after an interval of at least 3 days on our novel statistical learning task. We analysed the reaction time data using a novel regression discontinuity approach. Consistent with prediction, participants showed a grammaticality effect, agreeing with the predicted order of difficulty for learning different statistical structures. Furthermore, a learning index from the task showed acceptable test–retest reliability (r = 0.67). However, STM did not correlate with statistical learning. We discuss the findings noting the benefits of online measures in tracking the learning process. PMID:29515876

SOS: Observation, Intervention, and Scaffolding towards Successful Online Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ainsa, Trisha

2017-01-01

Research, reflection, and evaluation of online classes indicated a need for graduated scaffolding for first time students experiencing distance learning. In order to promote student engagement in the online learning process, I designed SOS for beginning online students. Sixty-three online students were offered an opportunity to participate in a…

NASA Earth Sciences Data Support System and Services for the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leptoukh, Gregory

2006-01-01

The presentation describes the recently awarded ACCESS project to provide data management of NASA remote sensing data for the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI). The project targets integration of remote sensing data from MODIS, and other NASA instruments on board US-satellites (with potential expansion to data from non-US satellites), customized data products from climatology data sets (e.g., ISCCP, ISLSCP) and model data (e.g., NCEP/NCAR) into a single, well-architected data management system. It will utilize two existing components developed by the Goddard Earth Sciences Data & Information Services Center (GES DISC) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: (1) online archiving and distribution system, that allows collection, processing and ingest of data from various sources into the online archive, and (2) user-friendly intelligent web-based online visualization and analysis system, also known as Giovanni. The former includes various kinds of data preparation for seamless interoperability between measurements by different instruments. The latter provides convenient access to various geophysical parameters measured in the Northern Eurasia region without any need to learn complicated remote sensing data formats, or retrieve and process large volumes of NASA data. Initial implementation of this data management system will concentrate on atmospheric data and surface data aggregated to coarse resolution to support collaborative environment and climate change studies and modeling, while at later stages, data from NASA and non-NASA satellites at higher resolution will be integrated into the system.

Observing Consistency in Online Communication Patterns for User Re-Identification

PubMed Central

Venter, Hein S.

2016-01-01

Comprehension of the statistical and structural mechanisms governing human dynamics in online interaction plays a pivotal role in online user identification, online profile development, and recommender systems. However, building a characteristic model of human dynamics on the Internet involves a complete analysis of the variations in human activity patterns, which is a complex process. This complexity is inherent in human dynamics and has not been extensively studied to reveal the structural composition of human behavior. A typical method of anatomizing such a complex system is viewing all independent interconnectivity that constitutes the complexity. An examination of the various dimensions of human communication pattern in online interactions is presented in this paper. The study employed reliable server-side web data from 31 known users to explore characteristics of human-driven communications. Various machine-learning techniques were explored. The results revealed that each individual exhibited a relatively consistent, unique behavioral signature and that the logistic regression model and model tree can be used to accurately distinguish online users. These results are applicable to one-to-one online user identification processes, insider misuse investigation processes, and online profiling in various areas. PMID:27918593

Equilibrium relations and bipolar cognitive mapping for online analytical processing with applications in international relations and strategic decision support.

PubMed

Zhang, Wen-Ran

2003-01-01

Bipolar logic, bipolar sets, and equilibrium relations are proposed for bipolar cognitive mapping and visualization in online analytical processing (OLAP) and online analytical mining (OLAM). As cognitive models, cognitive maps (CMs) hold great potential for clustering and visualization. Due to the lack of a formal mathematical basis, however, CM-based OLAP and OLAM have not gained popularity. Compared with existing approaches, bipolar cognitive mapping has a number of advantages. First, bipolar CMs are formal logical models as well as cognitive models. Second, equilibrium relations (with polarized reflexivity, symmetry, and transitivity), as bipolar generalizations and fusions of equivalence relations, provide a theoretical basis for bipolar visualization and coordination. Third, an equilibrium relation or CM induces bipolar partitions that distinguish disjoint coalition subsets not involved in any conflict, disjoint coalition subsets involved in a conflict, disjoint conflict subsets, and disjoint harmony subsets. Finally, equilibrium energy analysis leads to harmony and stability measures for strategic decision and multiagent coordination. Thus, this work bridges a gap for CM-based clustering and visualization in OLAP and OLAM. Basic ideas are illustrated with example CMs in international relations.

Temporal dynamics of online petitions.

PubMed

Böttcher, Lucas; Woolley-Meza, Olivia; Brockmann, Dirk

2017-01-01

Online petitions are an important avenue for direct political action, yet the dynamics that determine when a petition will be successful are not well understood. Here we analyze the temporal characteristics of online-petition signing behavior in order to identify systematic differences between popular petitions, which receive a high volume of signatures, and unpopular ones. We find that, in line with other temporal characterizations of human activity, the signing process is typically non-Poissonian and non-homogeneous in time. However, this process exhibits anomalously high memory for human activity, possibly indicating that synchronized external influence or contagion play and important role. More interestingly, we find clear differences in the characteristics of the inter-event time distributions depending on the total number of signatures that petitions receive, independently of the total duration of the petitions. Specifically, popular petitions that attract a large volume of signatures exhibit more variance in the distribution of inter-event times than unpopular petitions with only a few signatures, which could be considered an indication that the former are more bursty. However, petitions with large signature volume are less bursty according to measures that consider the time ordering of inter-event times. Our results, therefore, emphasize the importance of accounting for time ordering to characterize human activity.

Measurement Tools for Integrated Worker Health Protection and Promotion: Lessons Learned From the SafeWell Project.

PubMed

Pronk, Nicolaas P; McLellan, Deborah L; McGrail, Michael P; Olson, Shawn M; McKinney, Zeke J; Katz, Jeffrey N; Wagner, Gregory R; Sorensen, Glorian

2016-07-01

To describe (a) a conceptual approach, (b) measurement tools and data collection processes, (c) characteristics of an integrated feedback report and action plan, and (d) experiences of three companies with an integrated measurement approach to worker safety and health. Three companies implemented measurement tools designed to create an integrated view of health protection and promotion based on organizational- and individual-level assessments. Feedback and recommended actions were presented following assessments at baseline and 1-year follow-up. Measurement processes included group dialogue sessions, walk-through, online surveys, and focus groups. The approach and measurement tools generated actionable recommendations and documented changes in the physical (eg, safety hazards) and psychosocial (eg, health and safety culture) work environment between baseline and 1-year follow-up. The measurement tools studied were feasible, acceptable, and meaningful to companies in the SafeWell study.

An on-line potentiometric sequential injection titration process analyser for the determination of acetic acid.

PubMed

van Staden, J F; Mashamba, Mulalo G; Stefan, Raluca I

2002-09-01

An on-line potentiometric sequential injection titration process analyser for the determination of acetic acid is proposed. A solution of 0.1 mol L(-1) sodium chloride is used as carrier. Titration is achieved by aspirating acetic acid samples between two strong base-zone volumes into a holding coil and by channelling the stack of well-defined zones with flow reversal through a reaction coil to a potentiometric sensor where the peak widths were measured. A linear relationship between peak width and logarithm of the acid concentration was obtained in the range 1-9 g/100 mL. Vinegar samples were analysed without any sample pre-treatment. The method has a relative standard deviation of 0.4% with a sample frequency of 28 samples per hour. The results revealed good agreement between the proposed sequential injection and an automated batch titration method.

NIR technology for on-line determination of superficial a(w) and moisture content during the drying process of fermented sausages.

PubMed

Collell, Carles; Gou, Pere; Arnau, Jacint; Muñoz, Israel; Comaposada, Josep

2012-12-01

Three different NIR equipment were evaluated based on their ability to predict superficial water activity (a(w)) and moisture content in two types of fermented sausages (with and without moulds on surface), using partial least squares (PLS) regression models. The instruments differed mainly in wavelength range, resolution and measurement configuration. The most accurate equipment was used in a new experiment to achieve robust models in sausages with different salt contents and submitted to different drying conditions. The models developed showed determination coefficients (R(2)(P)) values of 0.990, 0.910 and 0.984, and RMSEP values of 1.560%, 0.220% and 0.007% for moisture, salt and a(w) respectively. It was demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy could be a suitable non-destructive method for on-line monitoring and control of the drying process in fermented sausages. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of users' opinion evolution on information diffusion in online social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Hengmin; Kong, Yuehan; Wei, Jing; Ma, Jing

2018-02-01

The process of topic propagation always interweaves information diffusion and opinion evolution, but most previous works studied the models of information diffusion and opinion evolution separately, and seldom focused on their interaction of each other. To shed light on the effect of users' opinion evolution on information diffusion in online social networks, we proposed a model which incorporates opinion evolution into the process of topic propagation. Several real topics propagating on Sina Microblog were collected to analyze individuals' propagation intentions, and different propagation intentions were considered in the model. The topic propagation was simulated to explore the impact of different opinion distributions and intervention with opposite opinion on information diffusion. Results show that the topic with one-sided opinions can spread faster and more widely, and intervention with opposite opinion is an effective measure to guide the topic propagation. The earlier to intervene, the more effectively the topic propagation would be guided.

Online Community Detection for Large Complex Networks

PubMed Central

Pan, Gang; Zhang, Wangsheng; Wu, Zhaohui; Li, Shijian

2014-01-01

Complex networks describe a wide range of systems in nature and society. To understand complex networks, it is crucial to investigate their community structure. In this paper, we develop an online community detection algorithm with linear time complexity for large complex networks. Our algorithm processes a network edge by edge in the order that the network is fed to the algorithm. If a new edge is added, it just updates the existing community structure in constant time, and does not need to re-compute the whole network. Therefore, it can efficiently process large networks in real time. Our algorithm optimizes expected modularity instead of modularity at each step to avoid poor performance. The experiments are carried out using 11 public data sets, and are measured by two criteria, modularity and NMI (Normalized Mutual Information). The results show that our algorithm's running time is less than the commonly used Louvain algorithm while it gives competitive performance. PMID:25061683

Undertaking the first online sexuality survey among private university students in Lebanon – Process, challenges, and lessons learned.

PubMed

Yasmine, Rola; Ghandour, Lilian; El Kak, Faysal

2016-01-01

The taboo surrounding reproductive and sexual health in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, specifically among unmarried youth, has resulted in an incomplete and inaccurate documentation of the status of youth sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Documenting regional research processes and successes can support SRH researchers in promoting evidence-based services and local policies. This paper describes the process, challenges and lessons learned during the first online research study in the MENA to assess university students’ sexual practices, values and perceptions. An online survey was completed by 2,182 university students attending the 4th largest private university in Lebanon. An online SRH survey among Arab youth must be carefully developed with the cultural context and its prevailing issues in mind. Careful attention must be paid to any translation process specifically regarding tone and choice of certain sexual terms. The online program/software must be thoroughly piloted for possible technical flaws, language support, and web browser compatibility. Inter-disciplinary collaboration between the research team, IT and IRB offices is crucial in order to conduct an ethicallyappropriate technically-functional online survey. Online survey methods hold great promise for surveying SRH and other sensitive topics in Lebanon and the MENA.

Image processing for stripper harvested cotton trash content measurement a progress report

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study was initiated to provide the basis for obtaining on-line information as to the levels of the various types of gin trash. The objective is to provide the ginner with knowledge of the quantity of the various trash components in the raw uncleaned seed cotton. This information is currently no...

Developing Data Systems To Support the Analysis and Development of Large-Scale, On-Line Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Chong Ho

Today many data warehousing systems are data rich, but information poor. Extracting useful information from an ocean of data to support administrative, policy, and instructional decisions becomes a major challenge to both database designers and measurement specialists. This paper focuses on the development of a data processing system that…

LOWLY CHLORINATED DIBENZODIOXINS AS TEQ INDICATORS. A COMBINED APPROACH USING SPECTROSCOPIC MEASUREMENTS WITH DLR JET-REMPI AND STATISTICAL CORRELATIONS WITH WASTE COMBUSTOR EMISSIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Continuous monitoring of trace gas species in incineration processes can serve two purposes: (i) monitoring precursors of polychlorinated dibenzodioxin and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) or other indicator species in the raw gas will enable use of their on-line signals for...

Implicit Memory Influences on Metamemory during Verbal Learning after Traumatic Brain Injury

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramanathan, Pradeep; Kennedy, Mary R. T.; Marsolek, Chad J.

2014-01-01

Purpose: Prior research has shown that individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be overconfident in their judgments of learning (JOLs; online measures of self-monitoring of learning and memory). JOLs had been presumed to be driven by explicit processes, but recent research has also revealed implicit memory involvement. Given that implicit…

Tool path strategy and cutting process monitoring in intelligent machining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ming; Wang, Chengdong; An, Qinglong; Ming, Weiwei

2018-06-01

Intelligent machining is a current focus in advanced manufacturing technology, and is characterized by high accuracy and efficiency. A central technology of intelligent machining—the cutting process online monitoring and optimization—is urgently needed for mass production. In this research, the cutting process online monitoring and optimization in jet engine impeller machining, cranio-maxillofacial surgery, and hydraulic servo valve deburring are introduced as examples of intelligent machining. Results show that intelligent tool path optimization and cutting process online monitoring are efficient techniques for improving the efficiency, quality, and reliability of machining.

[Online endpoint detection algorithm for blending process of Chinese materia medica].

PubMed

Lin, Zhao-Zhou; Yang, Chan; Xu, Bing; Shi, Xin-Yuan; Zhang, Zhi-Qiang; Fu, Jing; Qiao, Yan-Jiang

2017-03-01

Blending process, which is an essential part of the pharmaceutical preparation, has a direct influence on the homogeneity and stability of solid dosage forms. With the official release of Guidance for Industry PAT, online process analysis techniques have been more and more reported in the applications in blending process, but the research on endpoint detection algorithm is still in the initial stage. By progressively increasing the window size of moving block standard deviation (MBSD), a novel endpoint detection algorithm was proposed to extend the plain MBSD from off-line scenario to online scenario and used to determine the endpoint in the blending process of Chinese medicine dispensing granules. By online learning of window size tuning, the status changes of the materials in blending process were reflected in the calculation of standard deviation in a real-time manner. The proposed method was separately tested in the blending processes of dextrin and three other extracts of traditional Chinese medicine. All of the results have shown that as compared with traditional MBSD method, the window size changes according to the proposed MBSD method (progressively increasing the window size) could more clearly reflect the status changes of the materials in blending process, so it is suitable for online application. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Increasing engagement with, and effectiveness of, an online CBT-based stress management intervention for employees through the use of an online facilitated bulletin board: study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Carolan, Stephany; Harris, Peter R; Greenwood, Kathryn; Cavanagh, Kate

2016-12-15

The evidence for the benefits of online cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)-based programmes delivered in a clinical context is clear, but this evidence does not translate to online CBT-based stress management programmes delivered within a workplace context. One of the challenges to the delivery of online interventions is programme engagement; this challenge is even more acute for interventions delivered in real-world settings such as the workplace. The purpose of this pilot study is to explore the effect of an online facilitated discussion group on engagement, and to estimate the potential effectiveness of an online CBT-based stress management programme. This study is a three-arm randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing a minimally guided, online, CBT-based stress management intervention delivered with and without an online facilitated bulletin board, and a wait list control group. Up to 90 employees from six UK-based organisations will be recruited to the study. Inclusion criteria will include age 18 years or over, elevated levels of stress (as measured on the PSS-10 scale), access to a computer or a tablet and the Internet. The primary outcome measure will be engagement, as defined by the number of logins to the site; secondary outcome measures will include further measures of engagement (the number of pages visited, the number of modules completed and self-report engagement) and measures of effectiveness (psychological distress and subjective wellbeing). Possible moderators will include measures of intervention quality (satisfaction, acceptability, credibility, system usability), time pressure, goal conflict, levels of distress at baseline and job autonomy. Measures will be taken at baseline, 2 weeks (credibility and expectancy measures only), 8 weeks (completion of intervention) and 16 weeks (follow-up). Primary analysis will be conducted on intention-to-treat principles. To our knowledge this is the first study to explore the effect of an online discussion group on the engagement and effectiveness of an online CBT-based stress management intervention. This study could provide a solution to the growing problem of poor employee psychological health and begin to address the challenge of increasing engagement with Internet-delivered health interventions. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02729987 . Registered on 18 Mar 2016.

The Use of Online Annotations in Reading Instruction and Its Impact on Students' Reading Progress and Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeh, Hui-Chin; Hung, Hsiu-Ting; Chiang, Yu-Hsin

2017-01-01

Studies suggest that the incorporation of online annotations in reading instruction can improve students' reading comprehension. However, little research has addressed how students use online annotations in their reading processes and how such use may lead to their improvement. This study thus adopted Reciprocal Teaching (RT) as an instructional…

The Community of Inquiry Framework Meets the SOLO Taxonomy: A Process-Product Model of Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shea, Peter; Gozza-Cohen, Mary; Uzuner, Sedef; Mehta, Ruchi; Valtcheva, Anna Valentinova; Hayes, Suzanne; Vickers, Jason

2011-01-01

This paper presents both a conceptual and empirical investigation of teaching and learning in online courses. Employing both the Community of Inquiry framework (CoI) and the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy, two complete online courses were examined for the quality of both collaborative learning processes and learning…

Computer-Controlled System for Plasma Ion Energy Auto-Analyzer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xian-qiu; Chen, Jun-fang; Jiang, Zhen-mei; Zhong, Qing-hua; Xiong, Yu-ying; Wu, Kai-hua

2003-02-01

A computer-controlled system for plasma ion energy auto-analyzer was technically studied for rapid and online measurement of plasma ion energy distribution. The system intelligently controls all the equipments via a RS-232 port, a printer port and a home-built circuit. The software designed by Lab VIEW G language automatically fulfils all of the tasks such as system initializing, adjustment of scanning-voltage, measurement of weak-current, data processing, graphic export, etc. By using the system, a few minutes are taken to acquire the whole ion energy distribution, which rapidly provides important parameters of plasma process techniques based on semiconductor devices and microelectronics.

Emotional approach coping and the effects of online peer-led support group participation among patients with breast cancer: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Batenburg, Anika; Das, Enny

2014-11-28

Previous research on the effects of online peer support on psychological well-being of patients with cancer showed mixed findings. There is a need for longitudinal studies explaining if and when online peer-led support groups are beneficial. How patients cope with emotions that come along with the cancer diagnosis might influence effectiveness of online participation. Emotional approach coping is a construct encompassing the intentional use of emotional processing and emotional expression in efforts to manage adverse circumstances. In this longitudinal study, we hypothesize that mixed findings in previous research are partly caused by individual differences in coping with emotions, which may moderate the effects of online support group participation on patients' well-being. A total of 133 Dutch patients with breast cancer filled out a baseline (T0) and a follow-up (T1, 6 months later) questionnaire assessing intensity of online participation within the online support community, emotional approach coping (ie, actively processing and expressing emotions), and psychological well-being (depression, emotional well-being, and breast cancer-related concerns). There were 109 patients who visited an online support community at both points in time. Repeated measures ANOVAs assessed change in well-being over time. Results showed 3-way interactions of time, online intensity of participation, and emotional approach coping on emotional well-being (F1,89=4.232, P=.04, η(2) ρ=.045) and depression (F1,88=8.167, P=.005, η(2) ρ=.085). Online support group participation increased emotional well-being over time for patients who scored low on emotional approach coping at T0, provided that they were highly active online. Patients who were highly active online with a high score on emotional approach coping reported no change in sense of well-being, but showed the highest score on well-being overall. Participating less frequently online was only beneficial for patients who scored high on emotional approach coping, showing an increase in well-being over time. Patients participating less frequently and with a low score on emotional approach coping reported no significant change in well-being over time. This study extends previous findings on the effects of online peer support in two ways: by testing changes in well-being as a function of intensity of online support group participation and by examining the role of individual differences in emotional coping styles. Findings showed no negative effects of intense support group participation. Participating frequently online was especially helpful for patients who approach their emotions less actively; their emotional well-being increased over time. In contrast, frequent online users who actively approach their emotions experienced no change in well-being, reporting highest levels of well-being overall. For patients who participate less intensively within the support community, coping style seems to outweigh effects of online participation; over time, patients who actively approached emotions experienced an increase in psychological well-being, whereas patients with a low score on emotional approach coping reported no change in depression and emotional well-being.

Emotional Approach Coping and the Effects of Online Peer-Led Support Group Participation Among Patients With Breast Cancer: A Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Previous research on the effects of online peer support on psychological well-being of patients with cancer showed mixed findings. There is a need for longitudinal studies explaining if and when online peer-led support groups are beneficial. How patients cope with emotions that come along with the cancer diagnosis might influence effectiveness of online participation. Emotional approach coping is a construct encompassing the intentional use of emotional processing and emotional expression in efforts to manage adverse circumstances. Objective In this longitudinal study, we hypothesize that mixed findings in previous research are partly caused by individual differences in coping with emotions, which may moderate the effects of online support group participation on patients’ well-being. Methods A total of 133 Dutch patients with breast cancer filled out a baseline (T0) and a follow-up (T1, 6 months later) questionnaire assessing intensity of online participation within the online support community, emotional approach coping (ie, actively processing and expressing emotions), and psychological well-being (depression, emotional well-being, and breast cancer–related concerns). There were 109 patients who visited an online support community at both points in time. Repeated measures ANOVAs assessed change in well-being over time. Results Results showed 3-way interactions of time, online intensity of participation, and emotional approach coping on emotional well-being (F 1,89=4.232, P=.04, η2 ρ=.045) and depression (F 1,88=8.167, P=.005, η2 ρ=.085). Online support group participation increased emotional well-being over time for patients who scored low on emotional approach coping at T0, provided that they were highly active online. Patients who were highly active online with a high score on emotional approach coping reported no change in sense of well-being, but showed the highest score on well-being overall. Participating less frequently online was only beneficial for patients who scored high on emotional approach coping, showing an increase in well-being over time. Patients participating less frequently and with a low score on emotional approach coping reported no significant change in well-being over time. Conclusions This study extends previous findings on the effects of online peer support in two ways: by testing changes in well-being as a function of intensity of online support group participation and by examining the role of individual differences in emotional coping styles. Findings showed no negative effects of intense support group participation. Participating frequently online was especially helpful for patients who approach their emotions less actively; their emotional well-being increased over time. In contrast, frequent online users who actively approach their emotions experienced no change in well-being, reporting highest levels of well-being overall. For patients who participate less intensively within the support community, coping style seems to outweigh effects of online participation; over time, patients who actively approached emotions experienced an increase in psychological well-being, whereas patients with a low score on emotional approach coping reported no change in depression and emotional well-being. PMID:25474819

Application of Online Discussion and Cooperative Learning Strategies to Online and Blended College Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Douglas J.

2010-01-01

Effective online instructional practices may be applied to online and blended college courses. Carefully orchestrated online discussions support learning well beyond the limited face-to-face course time. Students gain greater depth of academic understanding and leadership skills if cooperative learning groups use research-based process and…

Effects of Online Mentoring in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Environments: Mentor Presence and Cognitive Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorner, Helga

2012-01-01

This study examines online mentor roles and effects with the online mentoring process in computer-supported collaborative learning environments in communities of in-service teachers. Interest in the online mentors' activity encompassed their participation in the online interactions, the influence of their activity on participants' patterns of…

Determinants of Student Satisfaction in Online Tutorial: A Study of A Distance Education Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harsasi, Meirani; Sutawijaya, Adrian

2018-01-01

Education system nowadays tends to utilize online learning, including in higher education. Online learning system becomes a major requirement in implementing learning process, including in Indonesia. Universitas Terbuka has implemented online learning system known as online tutorials to support the distance learning system. One interesting issue…

The cognitive atlas: toward a knowledge foundation for cognitive neuroscience.

PubMed

Poldrack, Russell A; Kittur, Aniket; Kalar, Donald; Miller, Eric; Seppa, Christian; Gil, Yolanda; Parker, D Stott; Sabb, Fred W; Bilder, Robert M

2011-01-01

Cognitive neuroscience aims to map mental processes onto brain function, which begs the question of what "mental processes" exist and how they relate to the tasks that are used to manipulate and measure them. This topic has been addressed informally in prior work, but we propose that cumulative progress in cognitive neuroscience requires a more systematic approach to representing the mental entities that are being mapped to brain function and the tasks used to manipulate and measure mental processes. We describe a new open collaborative project that aims to provide a knowledge base for cognitive neuroscience, called the Cognitive Atlas (accessible online at http://www.cognitiveatlas.org), and outline how this project has the potential to drive novel discoveries about both mind and brain.

Benchmarking the ATLAS software through the Kit Validation engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Salvo, Alessandro; Brasolin, Franco

2010-04-01

The measurement of the experiment software performance is a very important metric in order to choose the most effective resources to be used and to discover the bottlenecks of the code implementation. In this work we present the benchmark techniques used to measure the ATLAS software performance through the ATLAS offline testing engine Kit Validation and the online portal Global Kit Validation. The performance measurements, the data collection, the online analysis and display of the results will be presented. The results of the measurement on different platforms and architectures will be shown, giving a full report on the CPU power and memory consumption of the Monte Carlo generation, simulation, digitization and reconstruction of the most CPU-intensive channels. The impact of the multi-core computing on the ATLAS software performance will also be presented, comparing the behavior of different architectures when increasing the number of concurrent processes. The benchmark techniques described in this paper have been used in the HEPiX group since the beginning of 2008 to help defining the performance metrics for the High Energy Physics applications, based on the real experiment software.

Review on characterization of nano-particle emissions and PM morphology from internal combustion engines: Part 2 [Review on morphology and nanostructure characterization of nano-particle emission from internal combustion engines

DOE PAGES

Choi, Seungmok; Myung, C. L.; Park, S.

2014-03-05

This study presents a review of the characterization of physical properties, morphology, and nanostructure of particulate emissions from internal combustion engines. Because of their convenience and readiness of measurement, various on-line commercial instruments have been used to measure the mass, number, and size distribution of nano-particles from different engines. However, these on-line commercial instruments have inherent limitations in detailed analysis of chemical and physical properties, morphology, and nanostructure of engine soot agglomerates, information that is necessary to understand the soot formation process in engine combustion, soot particle behavior in after-treatment systems, and health impacts of the nano-particles. For these reasons,more » several measurement techniques used in the carbon research field, i.e., highresolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy, were used for analysis of engine particulate matter (PM). This review covers a brief introduction of several measurement techniques and previous results from engine nano-particle characterization studies using those techniques.« less

Near-infrared Spectroscopy as a Process Analytical Technology Tool for Monitoring the Parching Process of Traditional Chinese Medicine Based on Two Kinds of Chemical Indicators.

PubMed

Li, Kaiyue; Wang, Weiying; Liu, Yanping; Jiang, Su; Huang, Guo; Ye, Liming

2017-01-01

The active ingredients and thus pharmacological efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) at different degrees of parching process vary greatly. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) was used to develop a new method for rapid online analysis of TCM parching process, using two kinds of chemical indicators (5-(hydroxymethyl) furfural [5-HMF] content and 420 nm absorbance) as reference values which were obviously observed and changed in most TCM parching process. Three representative TCMs, Areca ( Areca catechu L.), Malt ( Hordeum Vulgare L.), and Hawthorn ( Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.), were used in this study. With partial least squares regression, calibration models of NIR were generated based on two kinds of reference values, i.e. 5-HMF contents measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and 420 nm absorbance measured by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV/Vis), respectively. In the optimized models for 5-HMF, the root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) for Areca, Malt, and Hawthorn was 0.0192, 0.0301, and 0.2600 and correlation coefficients ( R cal ) were 99.86%, 99.88%, and 99.88%, respectively. Moreover, in the optimized models using 420 nm absorbance as reference values, the RMSEP for Areca, Malt, and Hawthorn was 0.0229, 0.0096, and 0.0409 and R cal were 99.69%, 99.81%, and 99.62%, respectively. NIR models with 5-HMF content and 420 nm absorbance as reference values can rapidly and effectively identify three kinds of TCM in different parching processes. This method has great promise to replace current subjective color judgment and time-consuming HPLC or UV/Vis methods and is suitable for rapid online analysis and quality control in TCM industrial manufacturing process. Near-infrared spectroscopy.(NIR) was used to develop a new method for online analysis of traditional Chinese medicine.(TCM) parching processCalibration and validation models of Areca, Malt, and Hawthorn were generated by partial least squares regression using 5.(hydroxymethyl) furfural contents and 420.nm absorbance as reference values, respectively, which were main indicator components during parching process of most TCMThe established NIR models of three TCMs had low root mean square errors of prediction and high correlation coefficientsThe NIR method has great promise for use in TCM industrial manufacturing processes for rapid online analysis and quality control. Abbreviations used: NIR: Near-infrared Spectroscopy; TCM: Traditional Chinese medicine; Areca: Areca catechu L.; Hawthorn: Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.; Malt: Hordeum vulgare L.; 5-HMF: 5-(hydroxymethyl) furfural; PLS: Partial least squares; D: Dimension faction; SLS: Straight line subtraction, MSC: Multiplicative scatter correction; VN: Vector normalization; RMSECV: Root mean square errors of cross-validation; RMSEP: Root mean square errors of validation; R cal : Correlation coefficients; RPD: Residual predictive deviation; PAT: Process analytical technology; FDA: Food and Drug Administration; ICH: International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use.

Energy Measurement Studies for CO2 Measurement with a Coherent Doppler Lidar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beyon, Jeffrey Y.; Koch, Grady J.; Vanvalkenburg, Randal L.; Yu, Jirong; Singh, Upendra N.; Kavaya, Michael J.

2010-01-01

The accurate measurement of energy in the application of lidar system for CO2 measurement is critical. Different techniques of energy estimation in the online and offline pulses are investigated for post processing of lidar returns. The cornerstone of the techniques is the accurate estimation of the spectrum of lidar signal and background noise. Since the background noise is not the ideal white Gaussian noise, simple average level estimation of noise level is not well fit in the energy estimation of lidar signal and noise. A brief review of the methods is presented in this paper.

75 FR 71376 - Simplified Network Application Processing System, On-Line Registration and Account Maintenance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-23

...-02] RIN 0694-AE98 Simplified Network Application Processing System, On-Line Registration and Account...'') electronically via BIS's Simplified Network Application Processing (SNAP-R) system. Currently, parties must... Network Applications Processing System (SNAP-R) in October 2006. The SNAP-R system provides a Web based...

Limitations of student-driven formative assessment in a clinical clerkship. A randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Palmer, Edward J; Devitt, Peter G

2008-01-01

Background Teachers strive to motivate their students to be self-directed learners. One of the methods used is to provide online formative assessment material. The concept of formative assessment and use of these processes is heavily promoted, despite limited evidence as to their efficacy. Methods Fourth year medical students, in their first year of clinical work were divided into four groups. In addition to the usual clinical material, three of the groups were provided with some form of supplementary learning material. For two groups, this was provided as online formative assessment. The amount of time students spent on the supplementary material was measured, their opinion on learning methods was surveyed, and their performance in summative exams at the end of their surgical attachments was measured. Results The performance of students was independent of any educational intervention imposed by this study. Despite its ready availability and promotion, student use of the online formative tools was poor. Conclusion Formative learning is an ideal not necessarily embraced by students. If formative assessment is to work students need to be encouraged to participate, probably by implementing some form of summative assessment. PMID:18471324

On-line monitoring of volatile organic compounds at pptv levels by means of proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) medical applications, food control and environmental research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindinger, W.; Hansel, A.; Jordan, A.

1998-02-01

A proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) system has been developed which allows for on-line measurements of trace components with concentrations as low as a few pptv. The method is based on reactions of H3O+ ions, which perform non-dissociative proton transfer to most of the common volatile organic compounds (VOCs) but do not react with any of the components present in clean air. Medical applications by means of breath analysis allow for monitoring of metabolic processes in the human body, and examples of food research are discussed on the basis of VOC emissions from fruit, coffee and meat. Environmental applications include investigations of VOC emissions from decaying biomatter which have been found to be an important source for tropospheric acetone, methanol and ethanol. On-line monitoring of the diurnal variations of VOCs in the troposphere yield data demonstrating the present sensitivity of PTR-MS to be in the range of a few pptv. Finally, PTR-MS has proven to be an ideal tool to measure Henry's law constants and their dependencies on temperature as well as on the salt content of water.

Why reread? Evidence from garden-path and local coherence structures.

PubMed

Christianson, Kiel; Luke, Steven G; Hussey, Erika K; Wochna, Kacey L

2017-07-01

Two eye-tracking experiments were conducted to compare the online reading and offline comprehension of main verb/reduced relative garden-path sentences and local coherence sentences. Rereading of early material in garden-path reduced relatives should be revisionary, aimed at reanalysing an earlier misparse; however, rereading of early material in a local coherence reduced relative need only be confirmatory, as the original parse of the earlier portion of these sentences is ultimately correct. Results of online and offline measures showed that local coherence structures elicited signals of reading disruption that arose earlier and lasted longer, and local coherence comprehension was also better than garden path comprehension. Few rereading measures in either sentence type were predicted by structural features of these sentences, nor was rereading related to comprehension accuracy, which was extremely low overall. Results are discussed with respect to selective reanalysis and good-enough processing.

Monitoring of Students' Interaction in Online Learning Settings by Structural Network Analysis and Indicators.

PubMed

Ammenwerth, Elske; Hackl, Werner O

2017-01-01

Learning as a constructive process works best in interaction with other learners. Support of social interaction processes is a particular challenge within online learning settings due to the spatial and temporal distribution of participants. It should thus be carefully monitored. We present structural network analysis and related indicators to analyse and visualize interaction patterns of participants in online learning settings. We validate this approach in two online courses and show how the visualization helps to monitor interaction and to identify activity profiles of learners. Structural network analysis is a feasible approach for an analysis of the intensity and direction of interaction in online learning settings.

Brief Online Training Enhances Competitive Performance: Findings of the BBC Lab UK Psychological Skills Intervention Study

PubMed Central

Lane, Andrew M.; Totterdell, Peter; MacDonald, Ian; Devonport, Tracey J.; Friesen, Andrew P.; Beedie, Christopher J.; Stanley, Damian; Nevill, Alan

2016-01-01

In conjunction with BBC Lab UK, the present study developed 12 brief psychological skill interventions for online delivery. A protocol was designed that captured data via self-report measures, used video recordings to deliver interventions, involved a competitive concentration task against an individually matched computer opponent, and provided feedback on the effects of the interventions. Three psychological skills were used; imagery, self-talk, and if-then planning, with each skill directed to one of four different foci: outcome goal, process goal, instruction, or arousal-control. This resulted in 12 different intervention participant groups (randomly assigned) with a 13th group acting as a control. Participants (n = 44,742) completed a competitive task four times—practice, baseline, following an intervention, and again after repeating the intervention. Results revealed performance improved following practice with incremental effects for imagery-outcome, imagery-process, and self-talk-outcome and self-talk-process over the control group, with the same interventions increasing the intensity of effort invested, arousal and pleasant emotion. Arousal-control interventions associated with pleasant emotions, low arousal, and low effort invested in performance. Instructional interventions were not effective. Results offer support for the utility of online interventions in teaching psychological skills and suggest brief interventions that focus on increasing motivation, increased arousal, effort invested, and pleasant emotions were the most effective. PMID:27065904

An aeration control strategy for oxidation ditch processes based on online oxygen requirement estimation.

PubMed

Zhan, J X; Ikehata, M; Mayuzumi, M; Koizumi, E; Kawaguchi, Y; Hashimoto, T

2013-01-01

A feedforward-feedback aeration control strategy based on online oxygen requirements (OR) estimation is proposed for oxidation ditch (OD) processes, and it is further developed for intermittent aeration OD processes, which are the most popular type in Japan. For calculating OR, concentrations of influent biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) are estimated online by the measurement of suspended solids (SS) and sometimes TKN is estimated by NH4-N. Mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) and temperature are used to estimate the required oxygen for endogenous respiration. A straightforward parameter named aeration coefficient, Ka, is introduced as the only parameter that can be tuned automatically by feedback control or manually by the operators. Simulation with an activated sludge model was performed in comparison to fixed-interval aeration and satisfying result of OR control strategy was obtained. The OR control strategy has been implemented at seven full-scale OD plants and improvements in nitrogen removal are obtained in all these plants. Among them, the results obtained in Yumoto wastewater treatment plant were presented, in which continuous aeration was applied previously. After implementing intermittent OR control, the total nitrogen concentration was reduced from more than 5 mg/L to under 2 mg/L, and the electricity consumption was reduced by 61.2% for aeration or 21.5% for the whole plant.

Investigating Changes in Students’ Attitudes Towards Science During an Adaptive Online Astrobiology Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perera, Viranga; Buxner, Sanlyn R.; Horodyskyj, Lev; Anbar, Ariel; Semken, Steven; Mead, Chris; Lopatto, David

2015-11-01

Online education is an emergent sector of formal education and Arizona State University (ASU) is a leader in offering online courses. One that garners very strong positive feedback on student surveys is Habitable Worlds, which is an interdisciplinary online science course offered every semester since Fall 2011. Primary goals of this course are to teach understanding of scientific reasoning and practices by using principles from trans-disciplinary research in astrobiology. To examine course outcomes we administered the Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) survey, which has been previously developed to measure student experiences. Here we use the survey for the first time for an online course. The survey was taken before and after completing the course during the Fall 2014 and Spring 2015 semesters (N = 544). Here, we present students’ views of science represented by 22 questions on the survey. For the questions, students responded either "not applicable," "strongly disagree," "disagree," "neutral," "agree," or "strongly agree." In order to interpret the data, we divided the questions into three broader categories for analysis: students’ understanding of the scientific process, students’ scientific self-efficacy and students’ views on science teaching. We study how the sample of students changed their responses to each of the questions as a group by using a paired-samples sign test to gauge the statistical significance of the difference between pre and post responses. We further analyze how individual students changed their responses. For example, we designated a change from “strongly disagree” to “disagree” differently than a change from “agree” to “disagree” since the latter indicated a notable change in the student’s opinion. We found statistically significant changes on 12 of the 22 questions. These early results indicate that there are measurable changes on several identified course objectives. By measuring changes that occurred to the whole group of students as well as identifying in detail what type of changes occurred from student to student for each question, we will be able to improve future offerings of the course as well as to make broader conclusions about online science education.

Facilitating mental health help-seeking by young adults with a dedicated online program: a feasibility study of Link

PubMed Central

Kauer, Sylvia D; Buhagiar, Kerrie; Blake, Victoria; Cotton, Sue; Sanci, Lena

2017-01-01

Objective To explore the feasibility of a dedicated online youth mental health help-seeking intervention and to evaluate using a randomised controlled trial (RCT) study design in order to identify any modifications needed before commencement of the full-scale RCT. Design A pilot RCT with 1:1 randomisation to either the intervention or comparison arm. Setting An online study conducted Australia-wide. Participants 18–25 year olds living in Australia were recruited via social media. Intervention Link is a dedicated online mental health help-seeking navigation tool that matches user’s mental health issues, severity and service-type preferences (online, phone and face-to-face) with appropriate youth-friendly services. The comparison arm was usual help-seeking strategies with a link to Google.com. Main outcome measures The primary outcome was the number of acceptability and feasibility criteria successfully met. Intervention and study design acceptability and feasibility were assessed by nine criteria. Secondary outcomes, via online surveys (at baseline, 1 week and 1 month) measured service use, help-seeking intentions, psychological distress, barriers to help-seeking, attitudes towards mental health help-seeking, mental health literacy, satisfaction and trust. Results Fifty-one participants were randomised (intervention: n=24; comparison: n=27). Three out of four of the intervention and two out of five of the study design criteria were met. Unmet criteria could be addressed by modifications to the study design. Qualitative analysis demonstrated that Link was useful to participants and may have increased their positive experiences towards help-seeking. There were no observable differences between arms in any outcome measures and no harms were detected. Conclusion Generally, the Link intervention and study design were acceptable and feasible with modifications suggested for the four out of nine unmet criteria. The main trial will hence have shorter surveys and a simpler recruitment process, use positive affect as the primary outcome and will not link to Google.com for the comparison arm. Trial registration number Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12614000386639. PMID:28694345

Online and offline video game use in adolescents: measurement invariance and problem severity.

PubMed

Smohai, Máté; Urbán, Róbert; Griffiths, Mark D; Király, Orsolya; Mirnics, Zsuzsanna; Vargha, András; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2017-01-01

Despite the increasing popularity of video game playing, little is known about the similarities and differences between online and offline video game players. The aims of this study were (i) to test the applicability and the measurement invariance of the previously developed Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire (POGQ) in both online and offline gamers and to (ii) examine the differences in these groups. Video game use habits and POGQ were assessed in a sample of 1,964 (71% male) adolescent videogame players. Those gamers who played at least sometimes in an online context were considered "online gamers," while those who played videogames exclusively offline were considered "offline gamers." Confirmatory factor analysis supported the measurement invariance across online and offline videogame players. According to the multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) model, online gamers were more likely to score higher on overuse, interpersonal conflict, and social isolation subscales of the POGQ. The results of the present study suggest that online and offline gaming can be assessed using the same psychometric instrument. These findings open the possibility for future research studies concerning problematic video gaming to include participants who exclusively play online or offline games, or both. However, the study also identified important structural features about how online and offline gaming might contribute differently to problematic use. These results provide important information that could be utilized in parental education and the prevention program about the possible detrimental consequences of online vs. offline video gaming.

Process analytical technology (PAT) in insect and mammalian cell culture processes: dielectric spectroscopy and focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM).

PubMed

Druzinec, Damir; Weiss, Katja; Elseberg, Christiane; Salzig, Denise; Kraume, Matthias; Pörtner, Ralf; Czermak, Peter

2014-01-01

Modern bioprocesses demand for a careful definition of the critical process parameters (CPPs) already during the early stages of process development in order to ensure high-quality products and satisfactory yields. In this context, online monitoring tools can be applied to recognize unfavorable changes of CPPs during the production processes and to allow for early interventions in order to prevent losses of production batches due to quality issues. Process analytical technologies such as the dielectric spectroscopy or focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) are possible online monitoring tools, which can be applied to monitor cell growth as well as morphological changes. Since the dielectric spectroscopy only captures cells with intact cell membranes, even information about dead cells with ruptured or leaking cell membranes can be derived. The following chapter describes the application of dielectric spectroscopy on various virus-infected and non-infected cell lines with respect to adherent as well as suspension cultures in common stirred tank reactors. The adherent mammalian cell lines Vero (African green monkey kidney cells) and hMSC-TERT (telomerase-immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells) are thereby cultured on microcarrier, which provide the required growth surface and allow the cultivation of these cells even in dynamic culture systems. In turn, the insect-derived cell lines S2 and Sf21 are used as examples for cells typically cultured in suspension. Moreover, the FBRM technology as a further monitoring tool for cell culture applications has been included in this chapter using the example of Drosophila S2 insect cells.

Online Adaboost-Based Parameterized Methods for Dynamic Distributed Network Intrusion Detection.

PubMed

Hu, Weiming; Gao, Jun; Wang, Yanguo; Wu, Ou; Maybank, Stephen

2014-01-01

Current network intrusion detection systems lack adaptability to the frequently changing network environments. Furthermore, intrusion detection in the new distributed architectures is now a major requirement. In this paper, we propose two online Adaboost-based intrusion detection algorithms. In the first algorithm, a traditional online Adaboost process is used where decision stumps are used as weak classifiers. In the second algorithm, an improved online Adaboost process is proposed, and online Gaussian mixture models (GMMs) are used as weak classifiers. We further propose a distributed intrusion detection framework, in which a local parameterized detection model is constructed in each node using the online Adaboost algorithm. A global detection model is constructed in each node by combining the local parametric models using a small number of samples in the node. This combination is achieved using an algorithm based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) and support vector machines. The global model in each node is used to detect intrusions. Experimental results show that the improved online Adaboost process with GMMs obtains a higher detection rate and a lower false alarm rate than the traditional online Adaboost process that uses decision stumps. Both the algorithms outperform existing intrusion detection algorithms. It is also shown that our PSO, and SVM-based algorithm effectively combines the local detection models into the global model in each node; the global model in a node can handle the intrusion types that are found in other nodes, without sharing the samples of these intrusion types.

What to do on spring break? The role of predicted, on-line, and remembered experience in future choice.

PubMed

Wirtz, Derrick; Kruger, Justin; Napa Scollon, Christie; Diener, Ed

2003-09-01

When individuals choose future activities on the basis of their past experiences, what guides those choices? The present study compared students' predicted, on-line, and remembered spring-break experiences, as well as the influence of these factors on students' desire to take a similar vacation in the future. Predicted and remembered experiences were both more positive-and, paradoxically, more negative-than on-line experiences. Of key importance, path analyses revealed that remembered experience, but neither on-line nor anticipated experience, directly predicted the desire to repeat the experience. These results suggest that although on-line measures may be superior to retrospective measures for approximating objective experience, retrospective measures may be superior for predicting choice.

Laser-induced incandescence: Particulate diagnostics for combustion, atmospheric, and industrial applications

DOE PAGES

Michelsen, H. A.; Schulz, C.; Smallwood, G. J.; ...

2015-09-09

The understanding of soot formation in combustion processes and the optimization of practical combustion systems require in situ measurement techniques that can provide important characteristics, such as particle concentrations and sizes, under a variety of conditions. Of equal importance are techniques suitable for characterizing soot particles produced from incomplete combustion and emitted into the environment. Also, the production of engineered nanoparticles, such as carbon blacks, may benefit from techniques that allow for online monitoring of these processes.

On-line fresh-cut lettuce quality measurement system using hyperspectral imaging

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lettuce, which is a main type of fresh-cut vegetable, has been used in various fresh-cut products. In this study, an online quality measurement system for detecting foreign substances on the fresh-cut lettuce was developed using hyperspectral reflectance imaging. The online detection system with a s...

Advanced mathematical on-line analysis in nuclear experiments. Usage of parallel computing CUDA routines in standard root analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grzeszczuk, A.; Kowalski, S.

2015-04-01

Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) is a parallel computing platform developed by Nvidia for increase speed of graphics by usage of parallel mode for processes calculation. The success of this solution has opened technology General-Purpose Graphic Processor Units (GPGPUs) for applications not coupled with graphics. The GPGPUs system can be applying as effective tool for reducing huge number of data for pulse shape analysis measures, by on-line recalculation or by very quick system of compression. The simplified structure of CUDA system and model of programming based on example Nvidia GForce GTX580 card are presented by our poster contribution in stand-alone version and as ROOT application.

Towards Hybrid Online On-Demand Querying of Realtime Data with Stateful Complex Event Processing

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

Zhou, Qunzhi; Simmhan, Yogesh; Prasanna, Viktor K.

Emerging Big Data applications in areas like e-commerce and energy industry require both online and on-demand queries to be performed over vast and fast data arriving as streams. These present novel challenges to Big Data management systems. Complex Event Processing (CEP) is recognized as a high performance online query scheme which in particular deals with the velocity aspect of the 3-V’s of Big Data. However, traditional CEP systems do not consider data variety and lack the capability to embed ad hoc queries over the volume of data streams. In this paper, we propose H2O, a stateful complex event processing framework,more » to support hybrid online and on-demand queries over realtime data. We propose a semantically enriched event and query model to address data variety. A formal query algebra is developed to precisely capture the stateful and containment semantics of online and on-demand queries. We describe techniques to achieve the interactive query processing over realtime data featured by efficient online querying, dynamic stream data persistence and on-demand access. The system architecture is presented and the current implementation status reported.« less

Online Event Reconstruction in the CBM Experiment at FAIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akishina, Valentina; Kisel, Ivan

2018-02-01

Targeting for rare observables, the CBM experiment will operate at high interaction rates of up to 10 MHz, which is unprecedented in heavy-ion experiments so far. It requires a novel free-streaming readout system and a new concept of data processing. The huge data rates of the CBM experiment will be reduced online to the recordable rate before saving the data to the mass storage. Full collision reconstruction and selection will be performed online in a dedicated processor farm. In order to make an efficient event selection online a clean sample of particles has to be provided by the reconstruction package called First Level Event Selection (FLES). The FLES reconstruction and selection package consists of several modules: track finding, track fitting, event building, short-lived particles finding, and event selection. Since detector measurements contain also time information, the event building is done at all stages of the reconstruction process. The input data are distributed within the FLES farm in a form of time-slices. A time-slice is reconstructed in parallel between processor cores. After all tracks of the whole time-slice are found and fitted, they are collected into clusters of tracks originated from common primary vertices, which then are fitted, thus identifying the interaction points. Secondary tracks are associated with primary vertices according to their estimated production time. After that short-lived particles are found and the full event building process is finished. The last stage of the FLES package is a selection of events according to the requested trigger signatures. The event reconstruction procedure and the results of its application to simulated collisions in the CBM detector setup are presented and discussed in detail.

Online Learning Self-Efficacy in Students with and without Online Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmerman, Whitney Alicia; Kulikowich, Jonna M.

2016-01-01

A need was identified for an instrument to measure online learning self-efficacy, which encompassed the wide variety of tasks required of successful online students. The Online Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (OLSES) was designed to include tasks required of students enrolled in paced online courses at one university. In the present study, the…

Joining of thin glass with semiconductors by ultra-fast high-repetition laser welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horn, Alexander; Mingaeev, Ilja; Werth, Alexander; Kachel, Martin

2008-02-01

Lighting applications like OLED or on silicon for electro-optical applications need a reproducible sealing process. The joining has to be strong, the permeability for gasses and humidity very low and the process itself has to be very localized not affecting any organic or electronic parts inside the sealed region. The actual sealing process using glue does not fulfil these industrial needs. A new joining process using ultra-fast laser radiation offers a very precise joining with geometry dimensions smaller than 50 μm. Ultra-fast laser radiation is absorbed by multi-photon absorption in the glass. Due to the very definite threshold for melting and ablation the process of localized heating can be controlled without cracking. Repeating the irradiation at times smaller than the heat diffusion time the temperature in the focus is increased by heat accumulation reaching melting of the glass. Mowing the substrate relatively to the laser beam generates a seal of re-solidified glass. Joining of glass is achieved by positioning the laser focus at the interface. A similar approach is used for glass-silicon joining. The investigations presented will demonstrate the joining geometry by microscopy of cross-sections achieved by welding two glass plates (Schott D263 and AF45) with focused IR femtosecond laser radiation (wavelength λ = 1045nm, repetition rate f = 1 MHz, pulse duration t p = 500 fs, focus diameter w 0 = 4 μm, feeding velocity v= 1-10 mm/s). The strength of the welding seam is measured by tensile stress measurements and the gas and humidity is detected. A new diagnostic method for the on-line detection of the welding seam properties will be presented. Using a non-interferometric technique by quantitative phase microscopy the refractive index is measured during welding of glass in the time regime 0-2 μs. By calibration of the measured refractive index with a relation between refractive index and temperature a online-temperature detection can be achieved.

An on-line monitoring system for navigation equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Bo; Yang, Ping; Liu, Jing; Yang, Zhengbo; Liang, Fei

2017-10-01

Civil air navigation equipment is the most important infrastructure of Civil Aviation, which is closely related to flight safety. In addition to regular flight inspection, navigation equipment's patrol measuring, maintenance measuring, running measuring under special weather conditions are the important means of ensuring aviation flight safety. According to the safety maintenance requirements of Civil Aviation Air Traffic Control navigation equipment, this paper developed one on-line monitoring system with independent intellectual property rights for navigation equipment, the system breakthroughs the key technologies of measuring navigation equipment on-line including Instrument Landing System (ILS) and VHF Omni-directional Range (VOR), which also meets the requirements of navigation equipment ground measurement set by the ICAO DOC 8071, it provides technical means of the ground on-line measurement for navigation equipment, improves the safety of navigation equipment operation, and reduces the impact of measuring navigation equipment on airport operation.

Building online brand perceptual map.

PubMed

Chiang, I-Ping; Lin, Chih-Ying; Wang, Kaisheng M

2008-10-01

Many companies have launched their products or services online as a new business focus, but only a few of them have survived the competition and made profits. The most important key to an online business's success is to create "brand value" for the customers. Although the concept of online brand has been discussed in previous studies, there is no empirical study on the measurement of online branding. As Web 2.0 emerges to be critical to online branding, the purpose of this study was to measure Taiwan's major Web sites with a number of personality traits to build a perceptual map for online brands. A pretest identified 10 most representative online brand perceptions. The results of the correspondence analysis showed five groups in the perceptual map. This study provided a practical view of the associations and similarities among online brands for potential alliance or branding strategies. The findings also suggested that brand perceptions can be used with identified consumer needs and behaviors to better position online services. The brand perception map in the study also contributed to a better understanding of the online brands in Taiwan.

Online elemental analysis of process gases with ICP-OES: A case study on waste wood combustion

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

Wellinger, Marco, E-mail: marco.wellinger@gmail.com; Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne; Wochele, Joerg

2012-10-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Simultaneous measurements of 23 elements in process gases of a waste wood combustor. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mobile ICP spectrometer allows measurements of high quality at industrial plants. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Continuous online measurements with high temporal resolution. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Linear correlations among element concentrations in the raw flue gas were detected. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Novel sampling and calibration methods for ICP-OES analysis of process gases. - Abstract: A mobile sampling and measurement system for the analysis of gaseous and liquid samples in the field was developed. An inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES), which is built into a van, was used as detector. Themore » analytical system was calibrated with liquid and/or gaseous standards. It was shown that identical mass flows of either gaseous or liquid standards resulted in identical ICP-OES signal intensities. In a field measurement campaign trace and minor elements in the raw flue gas of a waste wood combustor were monitored. Sampling was performed with a highly transport efficient liquid quench system, which allowed to observe temporal variations in the elemental process gas composition. After a change in feedstock an immediate change of the element concentrations in the flue gas was detected. A comparison of the average element concentrations during the combustion of the two feedstocks showed a high reproducibility for matrix elements that are expected to be present in similar concentrations. On the other hand elements that showed strong differences in their concentration in the feedstock were also represented by a higher concentration in the flue gas. Following the temporal variations of different elements revealed strong correlations between a number of elements, such as chlorine with sodium, potassium and zinc, as well as arsenic with lead, and calcium with strontium.« less

On-line dimensional measurement of small components on the eyeglasses assembly line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosati, G.; Boschetti, G.; Biondi, A.; Rossi, A.

2009-03-01

Dimensional measurement of the subassemblies at the beginning of the assembly line is a very crucial process for the eyeglasses industry, since even small manufacturing errors of the components can lead to very visible defects on the final product. For this reason, all subcomponents of the eyeglass are verified before beginning the assembly process either with a 100% inspection or on a statistical basis. Inspection is usually performed by human operators, with high costs and a degree of repeatability which is not always satisfactory. This paper presents a novel on-line measuring system for dimensional verification of small metallic subassemblies for the eyeglasses industry. The machine vision system proposed, which was designed to be used at the beginning of the assembly line, could also be employed in the Statistical Process Control (SPC) by the manufacturer of the subassemblies. The automated system proposed is based on artificial vision, and exploits two CCD cameras and an anthropomorphic robot to inspect and manipulate the subcomponents of the eyeglass. Each component is recognized by the first camera in a quite large workspace, picked up by the robot and placed in the small vision field of the second camera which performs the measurement process. Finally, the part is palletized by the robot. The system can be easily taught by the operator by simply placing the template object in the vision field of the measurement camera (for dimensional data acquisition) and hence by instructing the robot via the Teaching Control Pendant within the vision field of the first camera (for pick-up transformation acquisition). The major problem we dealt with is that the shape and dimensions of the subassemblies can vary in a quite wide range, but different positioning of the same component can look very similar one to another. For this reason, a specific shape recognition procedure was developed. In the paper, the whole system is presented together with first experimental lab results.

Measurement of Online Student Engagement: Utilization of Continuous Online Student Behavior Indicators as Items in a Partial Credit Rasch Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Student engagement has been shown to be essential to the development of research-based best practices for K-12 education. It has been defined and measured in numerous ways. The purpose of this research study was to develop a measure of online student engagement for grades 3 through 8 using a partial credit Rasch model and validate the measure…

Development of an Online Toolkit for Measuring Performance in Health Emergency Response Exercises.

PubMed

Agboola, Foluso; Bernard, Dorothy; Savoia, Elena; Biddinger, Paul D

2015-10-01

Exercises that simulate emergency scenarios are accepted widely as an essential component of a robust Emergency Preparedness program. Unfortunately, the variability in the quality of the exercises conducted, and the lack of standardized processes to measure performance, has limited the value of exercises in measuring preparedness. In order to help health organizations improve the quality and standardization of the performance data they collect during simulated emergencies, a model online exercise evaluation toolkit was developed using performance measures tested in over 60 Emergency Preparedness exercises. The exercise evaluation toolkit contains three major components: (1) a database of measures that can be used to assess performance during an emergency response exercise; (2) a standardized data collection tool (form); and (3) a program that populates the data collection tool with the measures that have been selected by the user from the database. The evaluation toolkit was pilot tested from January through September 2014 in collaboration with 14 partnering organizations representing 10 public health agencies and four health care agencies from eight states across the US. Exercise planners from the partnering organizations were asked to use the toolkit for their exercise evaluation process and were interviewed to provide feedback on the use of the toolkit, the generated evaluation tool, and the usefulness of the data being gathered for the development of the exercise after-action report. Ninety-three percent (93%) of exercise planners reported that they found the online database of performance measures appropriate for the creation of exercise evaluation forms, and they stated that they would use it again for future exercises. Seventy-two percent (72%) liked the exercise evaluation form that was generated from the toolkit, and 93% reported that the data collected by the use of the evaluation form were useful in gauging their organization's performance during the exercise. Seventy-nine percent (79%) of exercise planners preferred the evaluation form generated by the toolkit to other forms of evaluations. Results of this project show that users found the newly developed toolkit to be user friendly and more relevant to measurement of specific public health and health care capabilities than other tools currently available. The developed toolkit may contribute to the further advancement of developing a valid approach to exercise performance measurement.

Perspectives for online analysis of raw material by pulsed neutron irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bach, Pierre; Le Tourneur, P.; Poumarede, B.

1997-02-01

On-line analysis by pulsed neutron irradiation is an example of an advanced technology application of nuclear techniques, concerning real problems in the cement, mineral and coal industries. The most significant of these nuclear techniques is their capability of continuous measurement without contact and without sampling, which can lead to improved control of processes and resultant large financial savings. Compared to Californium neutron sources, the use of electrical pulsed neutron generators allows to obtain a higher signal/noise ratio for a more sensitive measurement, and allows to overcome a number of safety problems concerning transportation, installation and maintenance. An experiment related to a possible new on-line raw material analyzer is described, using a pulsed neutron generator. The key factors contributing to an accurate measurement are related to a suitable generator, to a high count rate gamma ray spectroscopy electronics, and to computational tools. Calculation and results for the optimization of the neutron irradiation time diagram are reported. One of the operational characteristics of such an equipment is related to neutron flux available: it is possible to adjust it to the requested accuracy, i.e. for a high accuracy during a few hours/day and for a lower accuracy the rest of the time. This feature allows to operate the neutron tube during a longer time, and then to reduce the cost of analysis.

When Less Is More in Cognitive Diagnosis: A Rapid Online Method for Diagnosing Learner Task-Specific Expertise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalyuga, Slava

2008-01-01

Rapid cognitive diagnosis allows measuring current levels of learner domain-specific knowledge in online learning environments. Such measures are required for individualizing instructional support in real time, as students progress through a learning session. This article describes 2 experiments designed to validate a rapid online diagnostic…

Disconfirming User Expectations of the Online Service Experience: Inferred versus Direct Disconfirmation Modeling.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neill, Martin; Palmer, Adrian; Wright, Christine

2003-01-01

Disconfirmation models of online service measurement seek to define service quality as the difference between user expectations of the service to be received and perceptions of the service actually received. Two such models-inferred and direct disconfirmation-for measuring quality of the online experience are compared (WebQUAL, SERVQUAL). Findings…

The South Australia Health Chronic Disease Self-Management Internet Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorig, Kate; Ritter, Philip L.; Plant, Kathryn; Laurent, Diana D.; Kelly, Pauline; Rowe, Sally

2013-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of an online chronic disease self-management program for South Australia residents. Method: Data were collected online at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. The intervention was an asynchronous 6-week chronic disease self-management program offered online. The authors measured eight health status measures,…

Measuring Student Engagement in an Online Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigatel, Paula; Williams, Vicki

2015-01-01

In an effort to measure the effectiveness of faculty development courses promoting student engagement, the faculty development unit of Penn State's Online Campus conducted a pilot study within a large online Bachelor of Science in Business (BSB) program. In all, 2,296 students were surveyed in the spring and summer semesters of 2014 in order to…

Implementation of an Online Climate Science Course at San Antonio College

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reyes, R.; Strybos, J.

2016-12-01

San Antonio College (SAC) plans to incorporate an online climate science class into the curriculum with a focus on local weather conditions and data. SAC is part of a network of five community colleges based around San Antonio, Texas, has over 20,000 students enrolled, and its student population reflects the diversity in ethnicity, age and gender of the San Antonio community. The college understands the importance of educating San Antonio residents on climate science and its complexities. San Antonio residents are familiar with weather changes and extreme conditions. The region has experienced an extreme drought, including water rationing in the city. Then, this year's El Niño intensified expected annual rainfalls and flash floods. The proposed climate science course will uniquely prepare students to understand weather data and the evidence of climate change impacting San Antonio at a local level. This paper will discuss the importance and challenges of introducing the new climate science course into the curriculum, and the desired class format that will increase the course's success. Two of the most significant challenges are informing students about the value of this class and identifying the best teaching format. Additionally, measuring and monitoring enrollment will be essential to determine the course performance and success. At the same time, Alamo Colleges is modifying the process of teaching online classes and is officially working to establish an online college. Around 23% of students enrolled in SAC offered courses are currently enrolled in online courses only, representing an opportunity to incorporate the climate science class as an online course. Since the proposed course will be using electronic textbooks and online applications to access hyperlocal weather data, the class is uniquely suited for online students.

A Systematic Mapping on the Learning Analytics Field and Its Analysis in the Massive Open Online Courses Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moissa, Barbara; Gasparini, Isabela; Kemczinski, Avanilde

2015-01-01

Learning Analytics (LA) is a field that aims to optimize learning through the study of dynamical processes occurring in the students' context. It covers the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about students and their contexts. This study aims at surveying existing research on LA to identify approaches, topics, and needs for…

An Exploratory Study of the Effects of Online Course Efficiency Perceptions on Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estelami, Hooman

2016-01-01

One of the fundamental drivers of the growing use of distance learning methods in modern business education has been the efficiency gains associated with this method of educational delivery. Distance methods benefit both students and educational institutions as they facilitate the processing of large volumes of learning material to overcome…

From Log Files to Assessment Metrics: Measuring Students' Science Inquiry Skills Using Educational Data Mining

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gobert, Janice D.; Sao Pedro, Michael; Raziuddin, Juelaila; Baker, Ryan S.

2013-01-01

We present a method for assessing science inquiry performance, specifically for the inquiry skill of designing and conducting experiments, using educational data mining on students' log data from online microworlds in the Inq-ITS system (Inquiry Intelligent Tutoring System; www.inq-its.org). In our approach, we use a 2-step process: First we use…

Predicting online ratings based on the opinion spreading process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Xing-Sheng; Zhou, Ming-Yang; Zhuo, Zhao; Fu, Zhong-Qian; Liu, Jian-Guo

2015-10-01

Predicting users' online ratings is always a challenge issue and has drawn lots of attention. In this paper, we present a rating prediction method by combining the user opinion spreading process with the collaborative filtering algorithm, where user similarity is defined by measuring the amount of opinion a user transfers to another based on the primitive user-item rating matrix. The proposed method could produce a more precise rating prediction for each unrated user-item pair. In addition, we introduce a tunable parameter λ to regulate the preferential diffusion relevant to the degree of both opinion sender and receiver. The numerical results for Movielens and Netflix data sets show that this algorithm has a better accuracy than the standard user-based collaborative filtering algorithm using Cosine and Pearson correlation without increasing computational complexity. By tuning λ, our method could further boost the prediction accuracy when using Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) as measurements. In the optimal cases, on Movielens and Netflix data sets, the corresponding algorithmic accuracy (MAE and RMSE) are improved 11.26% and 8.84%, 13.49% and 10.52% compared to the item average method, respectively.

Thermal sensors to control polymer forming. Challenge and solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemeunier, F.; Boyard, N.; Sarda, A.; Plot, C.; Lefèvre, N.; Petit, I.; Colomines, G.; Allanic, N.; Bailleul, J. L.

2017-10-01

Many thermal sensors are already used, for many years, to better understand and control material forming processes, especially polymer processing. Due to technical constraints (high pressure, sealing, sensor dimensions…) the thermal measurement is often performed in the tool or close its surface. Thus, it only gives partial and disturbed information. Having reliable information about the heat flux exchanges between the tool and the material during the process would be very helpful to improve the control of the process and to favor the development of new materials. In this work, we present several sensors developed in labs to study the molding steps in forming processes. The analysis of the obtained thermal measurements (temperature, heat flux) shows the required sensitivity threshold of sensitivity of thermal sensors to be able to detect on-line the rate of thermal reaction. Based on these data, we will present new sensor designs which have been patented.

Using the "Indicators of Engaged Learning Online" Framework to Evaluate Online Course Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigatel, Paula M.; Edel-Malizia, Stephanie

2018-01-01

This article is a case study of the use of the "Indicators of Engaged Learning Online" (IELO) framework (See Appendix 1) as a guide to evaluate the quality of online courses. The framework lends itself well to measures of engagement, particularly, in terms of online course design because of its comprehensiveness. Six online courses were…

Online Learning and the Process of Change: The Experiences of Faculty and Students at a Two-Year College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schafer, Christine L.

2012-01-01

This phenomenological case study examined the process of change at a rural two-year college migrating from traditional face-to-face instruction to an online learning environment and its affect on faculty and students. Instructors and support staff were concerned about the move to online learning due to the diversity of the student body, including…

Measuring the Impact of Cultural Competence Training for Dental Hygiene Students.

PubMed

Daugherty, Heather N; Kearney, Rachel C

2017-10-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure the change in levels of knowledge of providing culturally competent care and self-assessed cultural competence of senior level dental hygiene students after the implementation of an online cultural competence training module. Methods: Twenty-eight members of the senior class of 31 dental hygiene students (N=28) volunteered to participate in this IRB approved study at the Ohio State University School of Dentistry. The students took the online Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence- Student Version (IAPCC-SV), to assess their self-perceived cultural competence. Upon completion of the pre-test, students then completed the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) Cultural Competency Program for Oral Health Professionals; a three-module online training program designed to measure increased knowledge of cultural competence. Three weeks following the initial pre-test and upon completion of the Cultural Competency Program for Oral Health Professionals online learning modules, students re-took the IAPCC-SV. Results: Twenty-eight senior dental hygiene students completed the IAPCC-SV pre-test, the OMH e-learning modules and the IAPCC-SV post-test. The average score on the pre-test was 55.14±7.54 and the average score on the post-test was 61.33±7.86. There was a significant difference in pre-test and post-test scores (p<0.001). There were also significant differences in the constructs of knowledge of cultural competence (p<0.001) and skill (p<0.001). Conclusion: The HHS OMH Cultural Competency Program for Oral Health Professionals was effective for increasing dental hygiene students' levels of knowledge of cultural competence. Copyright © 2017 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

REddyProc: Enabling researchers to process Eddy-Covariance data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wutzler, Thomas; Moffat, Antje; Migliavacca, Mirco; Knauer, Jürgen; Menzer, Olaf; Sickel, Kerstin; Reichstein, Markus

2017-04-01

Analysing Eddy-Covariance measurements involves extensive processing, which puts technical labour to researchers. There is a need to overcome difficulties in data processing associated with deploying, adapting and using existing software and online tools. We tackled that need by developing the REddyProc package in the open source cross-platform language R that provides standard processing routines for reading half-hourly files from different formats, including from the recently released FLUXNET 2015 dataset, uStar threshold estimation and associated uncertainty, gap-filling, flux partitioning (both night-time or daytime based), and visualization of results. Although different in some features, the package mimics the online tool that has been extensively used by many users and site Principal Investigators (PIs) in the last years, and available on the website of the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry. Generally, REddyProc results are statistically equal to results based on the state-of the art tools. The provided routines can be easily installed, configured, used, and integrated with further analysis. Hence the eddy covariance community will benefit from using the provided package allowing easier integration of standard processing with extended analysis. This complements activities by AmeriFlux, ICOS, NEON, and other regional networks for developing codes for standardized data processing of multiple sites in FLUXNET.

Aircraft borne combined measurements of the Fukushima radionuclide Xe-133 and fossil fuel combustion generated pollutants in the TIL - Implications for Cyclone induced lift and TIL physical-chemical processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold, Frank; Schlager, Hans; Simgen, Hardy; Aufmhoff, Heinfried; Baumann, Robert; Lindemann, Sigfried; Rauch, Ludwig; Kaether, Frank; Pirjolla, Liisa; Schumann, Ulrich

2013-04-01

The radionuclide Xe-133, released by the March 2011 nuclear disaster at Fukushima/Daiichi (hereafter FD), represents an ideal tracer for atmospheric transport. We report the, to our best knowledge, only aircraft borne measurements of FD Xe-133 in the Tropopause Inversion Layer (TIL), indicating rapid lift of Xe-133 rich planetary boundary layer air to the TIL. On the same research aircraft (FALCON), we have also conducted on-line measurements of fossil fuel combustion generated pollutant gases (SO2, NOx, HNO3,NOy), which were found to have increased concentrations in the TIL. In addition, we have conducted supporting model simulations of transport, chemical processes, and aerosol processes. Our investigations reveal a potentially important influence of East-Asian cyclone induced pollutants transport to the TIL, particularly influencing aerosol formation in the TIL.

An on-line monitoring system for oil-film, pressure and temperature distributions in large-scale hydro-generator bearings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Höbel, M.; Haffner, K.

1999-05-01

Instrumentation that allows the behaviour of a hydro-generator thrust bearing to be monitored during operation is described. The measurement system was developed at the Asea Brown Boveri corporate research centre in Switzerland and was tested under realistic operating conditions at the Harbin Electric Machinery Company bearing-testing facility in the People's Republic of China. Newly developed fibre-optical proximity probes were used for the on-line monitoring of the thin oil film between the static and rotating parts of the bearing. These sensors are based on a back-reflection technique and can be used for various target materials such as Babbitt and Teflon. The monitoring system comprises about 120 temperature sensors, four pressure sensors and five optical oil-film thickness sensors. Temperature sensors are installed at specific static locations, whereas pressure and oil-film sensors are positioned in the runner and generate data during rotation. A special feature of the monitoring equipment is its on-line processing capability. Digital signal processors operating in parallel handle pressure and oil-film thickness data. Important measurement parameters such as the maximum pressure, maximum temperature and minimum oil-film thickness are displayed on-line. Detailed three-dimensional temperature information on one of the load segments can be obtained from subsequent off-line data analysis. The system also calculates two-dimensional plots of the oil-film thickness and pressure for most of the 12 load segments.

Assuring Quality in Large-Scale Online Course Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parscal, Tina; Riemer, Deborah

2010-01-01

Student demand for online education requires colleges and universities to rapidly expand the number of courses and programs offered online while maintaining high quality. This paper outlines two universities respective processes to assure quality in large-scale online programs that integrate instructional design, eBook custom publishing, Quality…

Working with Difference in Online Collaborative Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Regina O.

2005-01-01

This qualitative cross-case study explored the experiences that learners describe within online collaborative groups. The study context was a fully online graduate course on adult learning. The findings suggest that the small online groups demonstrated dynamics and process that are characteristic of individual growth and development and group…

Knowledge Transfer in Online Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, David E.

2008-01-01

Research comparing online and traditional course delivery methods has sought to demonstrate the equivalence of student performance in online and traditional courses. This study examines the unique proposition that online course delivery is superior to traditional when it comes to applied learning and is thus superior in the process of knowledge…

Frequency, Contingency and Online Processing of Multiword Sequences: An Eye-Tracking Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yi, Wei; Lu, Shiyi; Ma, Guojie

2017-01-01

Frequency and contingency are two primary statistical factors that drive the acquisition and processing of language. This study explores the role of phrasal frequency and contingency (the co-occurrence probability/statistical association of the constituent words in multiword sequences) during online processing of multiword sequences. Meanwhile, it…

Essays on Socialization in Online Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Bo Reum

2012-01-01

One challenge of online groups is helping new members adjust to their environment. This adjustment process has been referred to as socialization, or the process by which newcomers make the transition from being organizational outsiders to being insiders. During the adjustment process, new members moved from peripheral to full participation, with…

Issues related to processability during the manufacture of thermoplastic composites using on-line consolidation techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghasemi Nejhad, M. N.

1993-04-01

The on-line consolidation of thermoplastic composites is a relatively new technology that can be used to manufacture composite parts with complex geometries. The localized melting/solidification technique employed in this process can reduce the residual stresses and allow for improved dimensional stability and performance. An additional advantage of this technique is the elimination of the curing steps which are necessary in the processing of thermoset-matrix composites. This article presents the effects of processing parameters on processability in on-line consolidation of thermoplastic composites for tape-laying and filament-winding processes employing anisotropic thermal analyses. The results show that the heater size, preheating conditions, and tow thickness can significantly affect the processing window which, in turn, affects the production rate and the quality of the parts.

Instantaneous nonlinear assessment of complex cardiovascular dynamics by Laguerre-Volterra point process models.

PubMed

Valenza, Gaetano; Citi, Luca; Barbieri, Riccardo

2013-01-01

We report an exemplary study of instantaneous assessment of cardiovascular dynamics performed using point-process nonlinear models based on Laguerre expansion of the linear and nonlinear Wiener-Volterra kernels. As quantifiers, instantaneous measures such as high order spectral features and Lyapunov exponents can be estimated from a quadratic and cubic autoregressive formulation of the model first order moment, respectively. Here, these measures are evaluated on heartbeat series coming from 16 healthy subjects and 14 patients with Congestive Hearth Failure (CHF). Data were gathered from the on-line repository PhysioBank, which has been taken as landmark for testing nonlinear indices. Results show that the proposed nonlinear Laguerre-Volterra point-process methods are able to track the nonlinear and complex cardiovascular dynamics, distinguishing significantly between CHF and healthy heartbeat series.

Metrology for Fuel Cell Manufacturing

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

Stocker, Michael; Stanfield, Eric

2015-02-04

The project was divided into three subprojects. The first subproject is Fuel Cell Manufacturing Variability and Its Impact on Performance. The objective was to determine if flow field channel dimensional variability has an impact on fuel cell performance. The second subproject is Non-contact Sensor Evaluation for Bipolar Plate Manufacturing Process Control and Smart Assembly of Fuel Cell Stacks. The objective was to enable cost reduction in the manufacture of fuel cell plates by providing a rapid non-contact measurement system for in-line process control. The third subproject is Optical Scatterfield Metrology for Online Catalyst Coating Inspection of PEM Soft Goods. Themore » objective was to evaluate the suitability of Optical Scatterfield Microscopy as a viable measurement tool for in situ process control of catalyst coatings.« less

Ready, Set, Change! Development and usability testing of an online readiness for change decision support tool for healthcare organizations.

PubMed

Timmings, Caitlyn; Khan, Sobia; Moore, Julia E; Marquez, Christine; Pyka, Kasha; Straus, Sharon E

2016-02-24

To address challenges related to selecting a valid, reliable, and appropriate readiness assessment measure in practice, we developed an online decision support tool to aid frontline implementers in healthcare settings in this process. The focus of this paper is to describe a multi-step, end-user driven approach to developing this tool for use during the planning stages of implementation. A multi-phase, end-user driven approach was used to develop and test the usability of a readiness decision support tool. First, readiness assessment measures that are valid, reliable, and appropriate for healthcare settings were identified from a systematic review. Second, a mapping exercise was performed to categorize individual items of included measures according to key readiness constructs from an existing framework. Third, a modified Delphi process was used to collect stakeholder ratings of the included measures on domains of feasibility, relevance, and likelihood to recommend. Fourth, two versions of a decision support tool prototype were developed and evaluated for usability. Nine valid and reliable readiness assessment measures were included in the decision support tool. The mapping exercise revealed that of the nine measures, most measures (78 %) focused on assessing readiness for change at the organizational versus the individual level, and that four measures (44 %) represented all constructs of organizational readiness. During the modified Delphi process, stakeholders rated most measures as feasible and relevant for use in practice, and reported that they would be likely to recommend use of most measures. Using data from the mapping exercise and stakeholder panel, an algorithm was developed to link users to a measure based on characteristics of their organizational setting and their readiness for change assessment priorities. Usability testing yielded recommendations that were used to refine the Ready, Set, Change! decision support tool . Ready, Set, Change! decision support tool is an implementation support that is designed to facilitate the routine incorporation of a readiness assessment as an early step in implementation. Use of this tool in practice may offer time and resource-saving implications for implementation.

Dynamic competition account of men's perceptions of women's sexual interest.

PubMed

Smith, Jodi R; Treat, Teresa A; Farmer, Thomas A; McMurray, Bob

2018-05-01

This work applies a dynamic competition framework of decision making to the domain of sexual perception, which is linked theoretically and empirically to college men's risk for exhibiting sexual coercion and aggression toward female acquaintances. Within a mouse-tracking paradigm, 152 undergraduate men viewed full-body photographs of women who varied in affect (sexual interest or rejection), clothing style (provocative or conservative), and attractiveness, and decided whether each woman currently felt sexually interested or rejecting. Participants' mouse movements were recorded to capture competition dynamics during online processing (throughout the decisional process), and as an index of the final categorical decision (endpoint of the decisional process). Participants completed a measure of Rape-Supportive Attitudes (RSA), a well-established correlate of male-initiated sexual aggression toward female acquaintances. Mixed-effects analyses revealed greater curvature toward the incorrect response on conceptually incongruent trials (e.g., rejecting and dressed provocatively) than on congruent trials (e.g., rejecting and dressed conservatively). This suggests that the two decision alternatives are simultaneously active and compete continuously over time, consistent with a dynamic competition account. Congruence effects also emerged at the decisional endpoint; accuracy was typically lower when stimulus features were incongruent, rather than congruent. RSA potentiated online congruence effects (intermediate states of behavior) but not offline congruence effects (endpoint states of behavior). In a hierarchical regression analysis, online processing indices accounted for unique variability in RSA above and beyond offline accuracy rates. The process-based account of men's sexual-interest judgments ultimately may point to novel targets for prevention strategies designed to reduce acquaintance-initiated sexual aggression on college campuses. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Virtual sensors for robust on-line monitoring (OLM) and Diagnostics

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

Tipireddy, Ramakrishna; Lerchen, Megan E.; Ramuhalli, Pradeep

Unscheduled shutdown of nuclear power facilities for recalibration and replacement of faulty sensors can be expensive and disruptive to grid management. In this work, we present virtual (software) sensors that can replace a faulty physical sensor for a short duration thus allowing recalibration to be safely deferred to a later time. The virtual sensor model uses a Gaussian process model to process input data from redundant and other nearby sensors. Predicted data includes uncertainty bounds including spatial association uncertainty and measurement noise and error. Using data from an instrumented cooling water flow loop testbed, the virtual sensor model has predictedmore » correct sensor measurements and the associated error corresponding to a faulty sensor.« less

Improving the K-12 Online Course Design Review Process: Experts Weigh in on iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adelstein, David; Barbour, Michael K.

2017-01-01

Within the K-12 online learning environment there are a variety of standards that designers can utilize when creating online courses. To date, the only research-based standards available are proprietary in manner. As such, many jurisdictions have begun adopting online course design standards from the leading advocacy organization, which that have…

A real-time optical tracking and measurement processing system for flying targets.

PubMed

Guo, Pengyu; Ding, Shaowen; Zhang, Hongliang; Zhang, Xiaohu

2014-01-01

Optical tracking and measurement for flying targets is unlike the close range photography under a controllable observation environment, which brings extreme conditions like diverse target changes as a result of high maneuver ability and long cruising range. This paper first designed and realized a distributed image interpretation and measurement processing system to achieve resource centralized management, multisite simultaneous interpretation and adaptive estimation algorithm selection; then proposed a real-time interpretation method which contains automatic foreground detection, online target tracking, multiple features location, and human guidance. An experiment is carried out at performance and efficiency evaluation of the method by semisynthetic video. The system can be used in the field of aerospace tests like target analysis including dynamic parameter, transient states, and optical physics characteristics, with security control.

A Real-Time Optical Tracking and Measurement Processing System for Flying Targets

PubMed Central

Guo, Pengyu; Ding, Shaowen; Zhang, Hongliang; Zhang, Xiaohu

2014-01-01

Optical tracking and measurement for flying targets is unlike the close range photography under a controllable observation environment, which brings extreme conditions like diverse target changes as a result of high maneuver ability and long cruising range. This paper first designed and realized a distributed image interpretation and measurement processing system to achieve resource centralized management, multisite simultaneous interpretation and adaptive estimation algorithm selection; then proposed a real-time interpretation method which contains automatic foreground detection, online target tracking, multiple features location, and human guidance. An experiment is carried out at performance and efficiency evaluation of the method by semisynthetic video. The system can be used in the field of aerospace tests like target analysis including dynamic parameter, transient states, and optical physics characteristics, with security control. PMID:24987748

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for in-line monitoring of polymer extrusion processes.

PubMed

Rohe, T; Becker, W; Kölle, S; Eisenreich, N; Eyerer, P

1999-09-13

In recent years, near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has become an analytical tool frequently used in many chemical production processes. In particular, on-line measurements are of interest to increase process stability and to document constant product quality. Application to polymer processing e.g. polymer extrusion, could even increase product quality. Interesting parameters are composition of the processed polymer, moisture, or reaction status in reactive extrusion. For this issue a transmission sensor was developed for application of NIR spectroscopy to extrusion processes. This sensor includes fibre optic probes and a measuring cell to be adapted to various extruders for in-line measurements. In contrast to infrared sensors, it only uses optical quartz components. Extrusion processes at temperatures up to 300 degrees C and pressures up to 37 MPa have been investigated. Application of multivariate data analysis (e.g. partial least squares, PLS) demonstrated the performance of the system with respect to process monitoring: in the case of polymer blending, deviations between predicted and actual polymer composition were quite low (in the range of +/-0.25%). So the complete system is suitable for harsh industrial environments and could lead to improved polymer extrusion processes.

Attitudes of Austrian Psychotherapists Towards Process and Outcome Monitoring.

PubMed

Kaiser, Tim; Schmutzhart, Lisa; Laireiter, Anton-Rupert

2018-03-08

While monitoring systems in psychotherapy have become more common, little is known about the attitudes that mental health practitioners have towards these systems. In an online survey among 111 Austrian psychotherapists and trainees, attitudes towards therapy monitoring were measured. A well-validated questionnaire measuring attitudes towards outcome monitoring, the Outcome Measurement Questionnaire, was used. Clinicians' theoretical orientations as well as previous knowledge and experience with monitoring systems were associated with positive attitudes towards monitoring. Possible factors that may have led to these findings, like the views of different theoretical orientations or obstacles in Austrian public health care, are discussed.

Optofluidic UV-Vis spectrophotometer for online monitoring of photocatalytic reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ning; Tan, Furui; Zhao, Yu; Tsoi, Chi Chung; Fan, Xudong; Yu, Weixing; Zhang, Xuming

2016-06-01

On-chip integration of optical detection units into the microfluidic systems for online monitoring is highly desirable for many applications and is also well in line with the spirit of optofluidics technology-fusion of optics and microfluidics for advanced functionalities. This paper reports the construction of a UV-Vis spectrophotometer on a microreactor, and demonstrates the online monitoring of the photocatalytic degradations of methylene blue and methyl orange under different flow rates and different pH values by detecting the intensity change and/or the peak shift. The integrated device consists of a TiO2-coated glass substrate, a PDMS micro-sized reaction chamber and two flow cells. By comparing with the results of commercial equipment, we have found that the measuring range and the sensitivity are acceptable, especially when the transmittance is in the range of 0.01-0.9. This integrated optofluidic device can significantly cut down the test time and the sample volume, and would provide a versatile platform for real-time characterization of photochemical performance. Moreover, its online monitoring capability may enable to access the usually hidden information in biochemical reactions like intermediate products, time-dependent processes and reaction kinetics.

Optofluidic UV-Vis spectrophotometer for online monitoring of photocatalytic reactions

PubMed Central

Wang, Ning; Tan, Furui; Zhao, Yu; Tsoi, Chi Chung; Fan, Xudong; Yu, Weixing; Zhang, Xuming

2016-01-01

On-chip integration of optical detection units into the microfluidic systems for online monitoring is highly desirable for many applications and is also well in line with the spirit of optofluidics technology–fusion of optics and microfluidics for advanced functionalities. This paper reports the construction of a UV-Vis spectrophotometer on a microreactor, and demonstrates the online monitoring of the photocatalytic degradations of methylene blue and methyl orange under different flow rates and different pH values by detecting the intensity change and/or the peak shift. The integrated device consists of a TiO2-coated glass substrate, a PDMS micro-sized reaction chamber and two flow cells. By comparing with the results of commercial equipment, we have found that the measuring range and the sensitivity are acceptable, especially when the transmittance is in the range of 0.01–0.9. This integrated optofluidic device can significantly cut down the test time and the sample volume, and would provide a versatile platform for real-time characterization of photochemical performance. Moreover, its online monitoring capability may enable to access the usually hidden information in biochemical reactions like intermediate products, time-dependent processes and reaction kinetics. PMID:27352840

Optofluidic UV-Vis spectrophotometer for online monitoring of photocatalytic reactions.

PubMed

Wang, Ning; Tan, Furui; Zhao, Yu; Tsoi, Chi Chung; Fan, Xudong; Yu, Weixing; Zhang, Xuming

2016-06-29

On-chip integration of optical detection units into the microfluidic systems for online monitoring is highly desirable for many applications and is also well in line with the spirit of optofluidics technology-fusion of optics and microfluidics for advanced functionalities. This paper reports the construction of a UV-Vis spectrophotometer on a microreactor, and demonstrates the online monitoring of the photocatalytic degradations of methylene blue and methyl orange under different flow rates and different pH values by detecting the intensity change and/or the peak shift. The integrated device consists of a TiO2-coated glass substrate, a PDMS micro-sized reaction chamber and two flow cells. By comparing with the results of commercial equipment, we have found that the measuring range and the sensitivity are acceptable, especially when the transmittance is in the range of 0.01-0.9. This integrated optofluidic device can significantly cut down the test time and the sample volume, and would provide a versatile platform for real-time characterization of photochemical performance. Moreover, its online monitoring capability may enable to access the usually hidden information in biochemical reactions like intermediate products, time-dependent processes and reaction kinetics.

The writer independent online handwriting recognition system frog on hand and cluster generative statistical dynamic time warping.

PubMed

Bahlmann, Claus; Burkhardt, Hans

2004-03-01

In this paper, we give a comprehensive description of our writer-independent online handwriting recognition system frog on hand. The focus of this work concerns the presentation of the classification/training approach, which we call cluster generative statistical dynamic time warping (CSDTW). CSDTW is a general, scalable, HMM-based method for variable-sized, sequential data that holistically combines cluster analysis and statistical sequence modeling. It can handle general classification problems that rely on this sequential type of data, e.g., speech recognition, genome processing, robotics, etc. Contrary to previous attempts, clustering and statistical sequence modeling are embedded in a single feature space and use a closely related distance measure. We show character recognition experiments of frog on hand using CSDTW on the UNIPEN online handwriting database. The recognition accuracy is significantly higher than reported results of other handwriting recognition systems. Finally, we describe the real-time implementation of frog on hand on a Linux Compaq iPAQ embedded device.

Evaluation of on-line pyrolysis coupled to isotope ratio mass spectrometry for the determination of position-specific (13)C isotope composition of short chain n-alkanes (C6-C12).

PubMed

Gilbert, Alexis; Yamada, Keita; Yoshida, Naohiro

2016-06-01

We measured (13)C intramolecular isotopic composition of commercially available short-chain hydrocarbons (n-C6-n-C12) using (13)C-NMR. Results show that the main variation is between the terminal and the sub-terminal C-atom positions. Site-preference (difference in δ(13)C values between terminal and sub-terminal C-atom positions) among all the samples varies between -12.2‰ and +8.4‰. Comparison of these results with those obtained using on-line pyrolysis coupled with GC-C-IRMS show that the thermal cracking of hydrocarbons occurs with a good isotopic fidelity between terminal and sub-terminal C-atom positions of the starting material and the related pyrolysis products (methane and ethylene). On-line pyrolysis coupled with GC-C-IRMS can thus be used for tracing hydrocarbons biogeochemical processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measuring e-Commerce service quality from online customer review using sentiment analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kencana Sari, Puspita; Alamsyah, Andry; Wibowo, Sulistyo

2018-03-01

The biggest e-Commerce challenge to understand their market is to chart their level of service quality according to customer perception. The opportunities to collect user perception through online user review is considered faster methodology than conducting direct sampling methodology. To understand the service quality level, sentiment analysis methodology is used to classify the reviews into positive and negative sentiment for five dimensions of electronic service quality (e-Servqual). As case study in this research, we use Tokopedia, one of the biggest e-Commerce service in Indonesia. We obtain the online review comments about Tokopedia service quality during several month observations. The Naïve Bayes classification methodology is applied for the reason of its high-level accuracy and support large data processing. The result revealed that personalization and reliability dimension required more attention because have high negative sentiment. Meanwhile, trust and web design dimension have high positive sentiments that means it has very good services. The responsiveness dimension have balance sentiment positive and negative.

Testing of an automated online EA-IRMS method for fast and simultaneous carbon content and stable isotope measurement of aerosol samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Major, István; Gyökös, Brigitta; Túri, Marianna; Futó, István; Filep, Ágnes; Hoffer, András; Molnár, Mihály

2016-04-01

Comprehensive atmospheric studies have demonstrated that carbonaceous aerosol is one of the main components of atmospheric particulate matter over Europe. Various methods, considering optical or thermal properties, have been developed for quantification of the accurate amount of both organic and elemental carbon constituents of atmospheric aerosol. The aim of our work was to develop an alternative fast and easy method for determination of the total carbon content of individual aerosol samples collected on prebaked quartz filters whereby the mass and surface concentration becomes simply computable. We applied the conventional "elemental analyzer (EA) coupled online with an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS)" technique which is ubiquitously used in mass spectrometry. Using this technique we are able to measure simultaneously the carbon stable isotope ratio of the samples, as well. During the developing process, we compared the EA-IRMS technique with an off-line catalytic combustion method worked out previously at Hertelendi Laboratory of Environmental Studies (HEKAL). We tested the combined online total carbon content and stable isotope ratio measurement both on standard materials and real aerosol samples. Regarding the test results the novel method assures, on the one hand, at least 95% of carbon recovery yield in a broad total carbon mass range (between 100 and 3000 ug) and, on the other hand, a good reproducibility of stable isotope measurements with an uncertainty of ± 0.2 per mill. Comparing the total carbon results obtained by the EA-IRMS and the off-line catalytic combustion method we found a very good correlation (R2=0.94) that proves the applicability of both preparation method. Advantages of the novel method are the fast and simplified sample preparation steps and the fully automated, simultaneous carbon stable isotope ratio measurement processes. Furthermore stable isotope ratio results can effectively be applied in the source apportionment investigations of atmospheric carbonaceous aerosol. This research was supported by the European Union and the State of Hungary, co-financed by the European Social Fund in the framework of TÁMOP 4.2.4.A/2-11-1-2012-0001 'National Excellence Program.

Potential of on-line visible and near infrared spectroscopy for measurement of pH for deriving variable rate lime recommendations.

PubMed

Tekin, Yücel; Kuang, Boyan; Mouazen, Abdul M

2013-08-08

This paper aims at exploring the potential of visible and near infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy for on-line measurement of soil pH, with the intention to produce variable rate lime recommendation maps. An on-line vis-NIR soil sensor set up to a frame was used in this study. Lime application maps, based on pH predicted by vis-NIR techniques, were compared with maps based on traditional lab-measured pH. The validation of the calibration model using off-line spectra provided excellent prediction accuracy of pH (R2 = 0.85, RMSEP = 0.18 and RPD = 2.52), as compared to very good accuracy obtained with the on-line measured spectra (R2 = 0.81, RMSEP = 0.20 and RPD = 2.14). On-line predicted pH of all points (e.g., 2,160) resulted in the largest overall field virtual lime requirement (1.404 t), as compared to those obtained with 16 validation points off-line prediction (0.28 t), on-line prediction (0.14 t) and laboratory reference measurement (0.48 t). The conclusion is that the vis-NIR spectroscopy can be successfully used for the prediction of soil pH and for deriving lime recommendations. The advantage of the on-line sensor over sampling with limited number of samples is that more detailed information about pH can be obtained, which is the reason for a higher but precise calculated lime recommendation rate.

Potential of On-Line Visible and Near Infrared Spectroscopy for Measurement of pH for Deriving Variable Rate Lime Recommendations

PubMed Central

Tekin, Yücel; Kuang, Boyan; Mouazen, Abdul M.

2013-01-01

This paper aims at exploring the potential of visible and near infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy for on-line measurement of soil pH, with the intention to produce variable rate lime recommendation maps. An on-line vis-NIR soil sensor set up to a frame was used in this study. Lime application maps, based on pH predicted by vis-NIR techniques, were compared with maps based on traditional lab-measured pH. The validation of the calibration model using off-line spectra provided excellent prediction accuracy of pH (R2 = 0.85, RMSEP = 0.18 and RPD = 2.52), as compared to very good accuracy obtained with the on-line measured spectra (R2 = 0.81, RMSEP = 0.20 and RPD = 2.14). On-line predicted pH of all points (e.g., 2,160) resulted in the largest overall field virtual lime requirement (1.404 t), as compared to those obtained with 16 validation points off-line prediction (0.28 t), on-line prediction (0.14 t) and laboratory reference measurement (0.48 t). The conclusion is that the vis-NIR spectroscopy can be successfully used for the prediction of soil pH and for deriving lime recommendations. The advantage of the on-line sensor over sampling with limited number of samples is that more detailed information about pH can be obtained, which is the reason for a higher but precise calculated lime recommendation rate. PMID:23966186

Temporal dynamics of online petitions

PubMed Central

Woolley-Meza, Olivia; Brockmann, Dirk

2017-01-01

Online petitions are an important avenue for direct political action, yet the dynamics that determine when a petition will be successful are not well understood. Here we analyze the temporal characteristics of online-petition signing behavior in order to identify systematic differences between popular petitions, which receive a high volume of signatures, and unpopular ones. We find that, in line with other temporal characterizations of human activity, the signing process is typically non-Poissonian and non-homogeneous in time. However, this process exhibits anomalously high memory for human activity, possibly indicating that synchronized external influence or contagion play and important role. More interestingly, we find clear differences in the characteristics of the inter-event time distributions depending on the total number of signatures that petitions receive, independently of the total duration of the petitions. Specifically, popular petitions that attract a large volume of signatures exhibit more variance in the distribution of inter-event times than unpopular petitions with only a few signatures, which could be considered an indication that the former are more bursty. However, petitions with large signature volume are less bursty according to measures that consider the time ordering of inter-event times. Our results, therefore, emphasize the importance of accounting for time ordering to characterize human activity. PMID:28542492

Inference generation during discourse and its relation to social competence: an online investigation of abilities of children with and without language impairment.

PubMed

Ford, Janet A; Milosky, Linda M

2008-04-01

This study examined whether young children with typical language development (TL) and children with language impairment (LI) make emotion inferences online during the process of discourse comprehension, identified variables that predict emotion inferencing, and explored the relationship of these variables to social competence. Preschool children (16 TL and 16 LI) watched narrated videos designed to activate knowledge about a particular emotional state. Following each story, children named a facial expression that either matched or did not match the anticipated emotion. Several experimental tasks examined linguistic and nonlinguistic abilities. Finally, each child's teacher completed a measure of social competence. Children with TL named expressions significantly more slowly in the mismatched condition than in the matched condition, whereas children with LI did not differ in response times between the conditions. Language and vocal response time measures were related to emotion inferencing ability, and this ability predicted social competence scores. The findings suggest that children with TL are inferring emotions during the comprehension process, whereas children with LI often fail to make these inferences. Making emotion inferences is related to discourse comprehension and to social competence in children. The current findings provide evidence that language and vocal response time measures predicted inferencing ability and suggest that additional factors may influence discourse inferencing and social competence.

Real-time and online screening method for materials emitting volatile organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Changhyuk; Sul, Yong Tae; Pui, David Y. H.

2016-09-01

In the semiconductor industry, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the cleanroom air work as airborne molecular contamination, which reduce the production yield of semiconductor chips by forming nanoparticles and haze on silicon wafers and photomasks under ultraviolet irradiation during photolithography processes. Even though VOCs in outdoor air are removed by gas filters, VOCs can be emitted from many kinds of materials used in cleanrooms, such as organic solvents and construction materials (e.g., adhesives, flame retardants and sealants), threatening the production of semiconductors. Therefore, finding new replacements that emit lower VOCs is now essential in the semiconductor industry. In this study, we developed a real-time and online method to screen materials for developing the replacements by converting VOCs into nanoparticles under soft X-ray irradiation. This screening method was applied to measure VOCs emitted from different kinds of organic solvents and adhesives. Our results showed good repeatability and high sensitivity for VOCs, which come from aromatic compounds, some alcohols and all tested adhesives (Super glue and cleanroom-use adhesives). In addition, the overall trend of measured VOCs from cleanroom-use adhesives was well matched with those measured by a commercial thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, which is a widely used off-line method for analyzing VOCs. Based on the results, this screening method can help accelerate the developing process for reducing VOCs in cleanrooms.

Design of a Phase /Doppler Light-Scattering System for Measurement of Small-Diameter Glass Fibers During Fiberglass Manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaub, Scott A.; Naqwi, Amir A.; Harding, Foster L.

1998-01-01

We present fundamental studies examining the design of a phase /Doppler laser light-scattering system applicable to on-line measurements of small-diameter ( <15 m) fibers during fiberglass manufacturing. We first discuss off-line diameter measurement techniques currently used in the fiberglass industry and outline the limitations and problems associated with these methods. For the phase /Doppler design study we have developed a theoretical computer model for the response of the measurement system to cylindrical fibers, which is based on electromagnetic scattering theory. The model, valid for arbitrary fiber diameters and hardware configurations, generates simulated detector output as a function of time for a finite absorbing, cylindrical fiber oriented perpendicular to the two incident laser beams. Results of experimental measurements are presented, confirming predictions of the theoretical model. Parametric studies have also been conducted using the computer model to identify experimental arrangements that provide linear phase -diameter relationships for small-diameter fibers, within the measurement constraints imposed by the fiberglass production environment. The effect of variations in optical properties of the glass as well as fiber orientation effects are discussed. Through this research we have identified phase /Doppler arrangements that we expect to have future applications in the fiberglass industry for on-line diameter monitoring and process control.

Design of a phase/doppler light-scattering system for measurement of small-diameter glass fibers during fiberglass manufacturing.

PubMed

Schaub, S A; Naqwi, A A; Harding, F L

1998-01-20

We present fundamental studies examining the design of a phase/Doppler laser light-scattering system applicable to on-line measurements of small-diameter (<15 mum) fibers during fiberglass manufacturing. We first discuss off-line diameter measurement techniques currently used in the fiberglass industry and outline the limitations and problems associated with these methods. For the phase/Doppler design study we have developed a theoretical computer model for the response of the measurement system to cylindrical fibers, which is based on electromagnetic scattering theory. The model, valid for arbitrary fiber diameters and hardware configurations, generates simulated detector output as a function of time for a finite absorbing, cylindrical fiber oriented perpendicular to the two incident laser beams. Results of experimental measurements are presented, confirming predictions of the theoretical model. Parametric studies have also been conducted using the computer model to identify experimental arrangements that provide linear phase-diameter relationships for small-diameter fibers, within the measurement constraints imposed by the fiberglass production environment. The effect of variations in optical properties of the glass as well as fiber orientation effects are discussed. Through this research we have identified phase/Doppler arrangements that we expect to have future applications in the fiberglass industry for on-line diameter monitoring and process control.

Calibration of a flexible measurement system based on industrial articulated robot and structured light sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mu, Nan; Wang, Kun; Xie, Zexiao; Ren, Ping

2017-05-01

To realize online rapid measurement for complex workpieces, a flexible measurement system based on an articulated industrial robot with a structured light sensor mounted on the end-effector is developed. A method for calibrating the system parameters is proposed in which the hand-eye transformation parameters and the robot kinematic parameters are synthesized in the calibration process. An initial hand-eye calibration is first performed using a standard sphere as the calibration target. By applying the modified complete and parametrically continuous method, we establish a synthesized kinematic model that combines the initial hand-eye transformation and distal link parameters as a whole with the sensor coordinate system as the tool frame. According to the synthesized kinematic model, an error model is constructed based on spheres' center-to-center distance errors. Consequently, the error model parameters can be identified in a calibration experiment using a three-standard-sphere target. Furthermore, the redundancy of error model parameters is eliminated to ensure the accuracy and robustness of the parameter identification. Calibration and measurement experiments are carried out based on an ER3A-C60 robot. The experimental results show that the proposed calibration method enjoys high measurement accuracy, and this efficient and flexible system is suitable for online measurement in industrial scenes.

The Development and Validation of the Online Shopping Addiction Scale.

PubMed

Zhao, Haiyan; Tian, Wei; Xin, Tao

2017-01-01

We report the development and validation of a scale to measure online shopping addiction. Inspired by previous theories and research on behavioral addiction, the Griffiths's widely accepted six-factor component model was referred to and an 18-item scale was constructed, with each component measured by three items. The results of exploratory factor analysis, based on Sample 1 (999 college students) and confirmatory factor analysis, based on Sample 2 (854 college students) showed the Griffiths's substantive six-factor structure underlay the online shopping addiction scale. Cronbach's alpha suggested that the resulting scale was highly reliable. Concurrent validity, based on Sample 3 (328 college students), was also satisfactory as indicated by correlations between the scale and measures of similar constructs. Finally, self-perceived online shopping addiction can be predicted to a relatively high degree. The present 18-item scale is a solid theory-based instrument to empirically measure online shopping addiction and can be used for understanding the phenomena among young adults.

The Development and Validation of the Online Shopping Addiction Scale

PubMed Central

Zhao, Haiyan; Tian, Wei; Xin, Tao

2017-01-01

We report the development and validation of a scale to measure online shopping addiction. Inspired by previous theories and research on behavioral addiction, the Griffiths's widely accepted six-factor component model was referred to and an 18-item scale was constructed, with each component measured by three items. The results of exploratory factor analysis, based on Sample 1 (999 college students) and confirmatory factor analysis, based on Sample 2 (854 college students) showed the Griffiths's substantive six-factor structure underlay the online shopping addiction scale. Cronbach's alpha suggested that the resulting scale was highly reliable. Concurrent validity, based on Sample 3 (328 college students), was also satisfactory as indicated by correlations between the scale and measures of similar constructs. Finally, self-perceived online shopping addiction can be predicted to a relatively high degree. The present 18-item scale is a solid theory-based instrument to empirically measure online shopping addiction and can be used for understanding the phenomena among young adults. PMID:28559864

Evaluation of a Teaching Tool--Wiki--in Online Graduate Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Caroline L.; Crocker, Cheryl; Nussey, Janice; Springate, Joyce; Hutchings, Darlene

2010-01-01

This study provides information on ways to enhance learning for students using online educational programs. Technologies that foster and engage students in the learning process are necessary in the online learning environment. Wiki is an online teaching strategy used to promote student interaction. A Wiki was introduced into three sections of a…

Online Chats: A Strategy to Enhance Learning in Large Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mtshali, Muntuwenkosi Abraham; Maistry, Suriamurthee Moonsamy; Govender, Desmond Wesley

2015-01-01

Online-supported teaching and learning is a technological innovation in education that integrates face-to-face teaching in plenary lectures, with an online component using a learning management system. This extends opportunities to students to interact with one another via online chats in the process of transacting their learning. There is a need…

Librarian Recruitment Process at Home in the Wired Nation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nesbeitt, Sarah

2003-01-01

Discusses the trend toward online recruitment for librarians and describes a survey of library employees who had posted jobs online. Topics include reasons for online job postings; where positions were advertised, including types of Web sites and print media; electronic communication and emailed resumes; and the future of online recruitment. (LRW)

Promoting Community for Online Learners in Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Elizabeth; Jones, Phyllis; Semon, Sarah

2012-01-01

This study examined the sense of community in an online course for special education teachers enrolled in a master's program. The sense of community in an online environment may contribute to students' success and satisfaction (Knapczyk, Chapman, Rodes, & Chung, 2001). This article provides an example of a process for online community development…

Designing an Online Writing System: Learning with Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuo, Chih-Hua

2008-01-01

The potential of online language learning has received much attention recently. This paper reports the design of an online writing system featuring learning support for non-native students during their writing process. The central premise is that in the online writing situation, students are in great need of writing aids. The proposed system…

Assuring Quality in Online Course Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matuga, Julia M.; Wooldridge, Deborah G.; Poirier, Sandra

2011-01-01

This paper examines the critical issue of assuring quality online course delivery by examining four key components of online teaching and learning. The topic of course delivery is viewed as a cultural issue that permeates processes from the design of an online course to its evaluation. First, the authors examine and review key components of and…

Quality Indicators of Online Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirner, Leo; Kochtanek, Thomas

2012-01-01

The continued growth of online programs in higher education has resulted in concerns about how institutions monitor the quality of their online programs. These concerns indicate a need for a process by which online programs may be evaluated and compared. They provided the impetus for this study, the goals of which were to identify quality…

Faculty Perceptions of the Online Course Review Process: Does It Improve Quality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yowe, Benita

2016-01-01

From 2009 to 2010, online college enrollment grew by one million students (Allen & Seaman, 2010.) To address this growth, the number of online courses and programs has increased as well (Windes & Lesht, 2014). Online programs and courses that are well developed can provide a rewarding educational experience for students. However, the…

On-line algorithms for forecasting hourly loads of an electric utility

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

Vemuri, S.; Huang, W.L.; Nelson, D.J.

A method that lends itself to on-line forecasting of hourly electric loads is presented, and the results of its use are compared to models developed using the Box-Jenkins method. The method consits of processing the historical hourly loads with a sequential least-squares estimator to identify a finite-order autoregressive model which, in turn, is used to obtain a parsimonious autoregressive-moving average model. The method presented has several advantages in comparison with the Box-Jenkins method including much-less human intervention, improved model identification, and better results. The method is also more robust in that greater confidence can be placed in the accuracy ofmore » models based upon the various measures available at the identification stage.« less

Calibration of non-contact ultrasound as an online sensor for wood characterization: Effects of temperature, moisture, and scanning direction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vun, R. Y.; Hoover, K.; Janowiak, J.; Bhardwaj, M.

2008-01-01

Numerous handheld moisture meters are available for measuring moisture levels of wood and building materials for a vast range of quality control and moisture diagnosis applications. However, many methods currently available require physical contact of a probe with the test material to operate. The contact requirement of such devices has limited applications for these purposes. There is a tremendous demand for dynamic online quality assessment of in-process materials for moisture content (MC) measurements. In this paper, a non-destructive non-contact ultrasound technology was used to evaluate the effects of increasing temperature in two MC levels and of increasing MC in lumber. The results show that the ultrasonic absolute transmittance and velocity parameters are directly correlated very well (R2≥0.87) with temperature for the two moisture levels in wood. At constant temperature, however, the velocity is inversely correlated with MC. It was also found that the distribution of MC along the length is marginally insignificant to both ultrasonic measurements. The transmittance measurement along the orthogonal thickness direction is insignificant above the fiber saturation MC; similarly, the velocity measurement is marginally insignificant. The study concludes a positive correlation and a good fit for this technology to advance into the development of an automated device for determining wood moisture levels, which will in turn be used to control the dynamics of wood drying/sterilization processes. Further calibration research is recommended to ascertain the constraints and limitations of the technology to specific wood species and dimension.

Laser ultrasonics for bulk-density distribution measurement on green ceramic tiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Revel, G. M.; Cavuto, A.; Pandarese, G.

2016-10-01

In this paper a Laser Ultrasonics (LUT) system is developed and applied to measure bulk density distribution of green ceramic tiles, which are porous materials with low heat conductivity. Bulk density of green ceramic bodies is a fundamental parameter to be kept under control in the industrial production of ceramic tiles. The LUT system proposed is based on a Nd:YAG pulsed laser for excitation and an air-coupled electro-capacitive transducer for detection. The paper reports experimental apparent bulk-density measurements on white ceramic bodies after a calibration procedures. The performances observed are better than those previously achieved by authors using air-coupled ultrasonic probes for both emission and detection, allowing to reduce average uncertainty down to about ±6 kg/m3 (±0.3%), thanks to the increase in excitation efficiency and lateral resolution, while maintaining potential flexibility for on-line application. The laser ultrasonic procedure proposed is available for both on-line and off-line application. In this last case it is possible to obtain bulk density maps with high spatial resolution by a 2D scan without interrupting the production process.

A Delphi Study to Examine the Quality Measurement Standards by Online Instructors Using the Quality Matters™ Rubric as a Basis for Creating Instructional Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Daniel J.

2017-01-01

Quality measurement tools such as the Rubric for Online Instruction (ROI) and Quality Matters (QM) have developed guidelines by providing research based educational criteria for planning, creating, and implementing quality online education courses. This dissertation reviews QM program standards and identifies the primary characteristics of…

78 FR 78462 - Open Government: Use of Genetic Information in Documenting and Evaluating Disability; Extension...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-26

... information within the disability decision process. Under our current, long-standing policy, we do not... disability determination process via an online forum. We stated that the forum would be open until December... genetic information in the disability determination process via an online forum that would be open until...

An Online Process Model of Second-Order Cultivation Effects: How Television Cultivates Materialism and Its Consequences for Life Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shrum, L. J.; Lee, Jaehoon; Burroughs, James E.; Rindfleisch, Aric

2011-01-01

Two studies investigated the interrelations among television viewing, materialism, and life satisfaction, and their underlying processes. Study 1 tested an online process model for television's cultivation of materialism by manipulating level of materialistic content. Viewing level influenced materialism, but only among participants who reported…

Flexible Self-Regulated Reading as a Cue for Deep Comprehension: Evidence from Online and Offline Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minguela, Marta; Solé, Isabel; Pieschl, Stephanie

2015-01-01

Being a skilled reader means being able to process a text both superficially and deeply. However, international assessments show that 15 year-old students continue to have difficulty in understanding a text deeply. The aim of this study was to examine the differentiated contribution of several facets of self-regulation in the understanding of a…

New solutions and applications of 3D computer tomography image processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Effenberger, Ira; Kroll, Julia; Verl, Alexander

2008-02-01

As nowadays the industry aims at fast and high quality product development and manufacturing processes a modern and efficient quality inspection is essential. Compared to conventional measurement technologies, industrial computer tomography (CT) is a non-destructive technology for 3D-image data acquisition which helps to overcome their disadvantages by offering the possibility to scan complex parts with all outer and inner geometric features. In this paper new and optimized methods for 3D image processing, including innovative ways of surface reconstruction and automatic geometric feature detection of complex components, are presented, especially our work of developing smart online data processing and data handling methods, with an integrated intelligent online mesh reduction. Hereby the processing of huge and high resolution data sets is guaranteed. Besides, new approaches for surface reconstruction and segmentation based on statistical methods are demonstrated. On the extracted 3D point cloud or surface triangulation automated and precise algorithms for geometric inspection are deployed. All algorithms are applied to different real data sets generated by computer tomography in order to demonstrate the capabilities of the new tools. Since CT is an emerging technology for non-destructive testing and inspection more and more industrial application fields will use and profit from this new technology.

The Internet Process Addiction Test: Screening for Addictions to Processes Facilitated by the Internet

PubMed Central

Northrup, Jason C.; Lapierre, Coady; Kirk, Jeffrey; Rae, Cosette

2015-01-01

The Internet Process Addiction Test (IPAT) was created to screen for potential addictive behaviors that could be facilitated by the internet. The IPAT was created with the mindset that the term “Internet addiction” is structurally problematic, as the Internet is simply the medium that one uses to access various addictive processes. The role of the internet in facilitating addictions, however, cannot be minimized. A new screening tool that effectively directed researchers and clinicians to the specific processes facilitated by the internet would therefore be useful. This study shows that the Internet Process Addiction Test (IPAT) demonstrates good validity and reliability. Four addictive processes were effectively screened for with the IPAT: Online video game playing, online social networking, online sexual activity, and web surfing. Implications for further research and limitations of the study are discussed. PMID:26226007

The Internet Process Addiction Test: Screening for Addictions to Processes Facilitated by the Internet.

PubMed

Northrup, Jason C; Lapierre, Coady; Kirk, Jeffrey; Rae, Cosette

2015-07-28

The Internet Process Addiction Test (IPAT) was created to screen for potential addictive behaviors that could be facilitated by the internet. The IPAT was created with the mindset that the term "Internet addiction" is structurally problematic, as the Internet is simply the medium that one uses to access various addictive processes. The role of the internet in facilitating addictions, however, cannot be minimized. A new screening tool that effectively directed researchers and clinicians to the specific processes facilitated by the internet would therefore be useful. This study shows that the Internet Process Addiction Test (IPAT) demonstrates good validity and reliability. Four addictive processes were effectively screened for with the IPAT: Online video game playing, online social networking, online sexual activity, and web surfing. Implications for further research and limitations of the study are discussed.

Comparison of Onsite Versus Online Chart Reviews as Part of the American College of Radiation Oncology Accreditation Program.

PubMed

Hepel, Jaroslaw T; Heron, Dwight E; Mundt, Arno J; Yashar, Catheryn; Feigenberg, Steven; Koltis, Gordon; Regine, William F; Prasad, Dheerendra; Patel, Shilpen; Sharma, Navesh; Hebert, Mary; Wallis, Norman; Kuettel, Michael

2017-05-01

Accreditation based on peer review of professional standards of care is essential in ensuring quality and safety in administration of radiation therapy. Traditionally, medical chart reviews have been performed by a physical onsite visit. The American College of Radiation Oncology Accreditation Program has remodeled its process whereby electronic charts are reviewed remotely. Twenty-eight radiation oncology practices undergoing accreditation had three charts per practice undergo both onsite and online review. Onsite review was performed by a single reviewer for each practice. Online review consisted of one or more disease site-specific reviewers for each practice. Onsite and online reviews were blinded and scored on a 100-point scale on the basis of 20 categories. A score of less than 75 was failing, and a score of 75 to 79 was marginal. Any failed charts underwent rereview by a disease site team leader. Eighty-four charts underwent both onsite and online review. The mean scores were 86.0 and 86.9 points for charts reviewed onsite and online, respectively. Comparison of onsite and online reviews revealed no statistical difference in chart scores ( P = .43). Of charts reviewed, 21% had a marginal (n = 8) or failing (n = 10) score. There was no difference in failing charts ( P = .48) or combined marginal and failing charts ( P = .13) comparing onsite and online reviews. The American College of Radiation Oncology accreditation process of online chart review results in comparable review scores and rate of failing scores compared with traditional on-site review. However, the modern online process holds less potential for bias by using multiple reviewers per practice and allows for greater oversight via disease site team leader rereview.

How Big is Earth?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thurber, Bonnie B.

2015-08-01

How Big is Earth celebrates the Year of Light. Using only the sunlight striking the Earth and a wooden dowel, students meet each other and then measure the circumference of the earth. Eratosthenes did it over 2,000 years ago. In Cosmos, Carl Sagan shared the process by which Eratosthenes measured the angle of the shadow cast at local noon when sunlight strikes a stick positioned perpendicular to the ground. By comparing his measurement to another made a distance away, Eratosthenes was able to calculate the circumference of the earth. How Big is Earth provides an online learning environment where students do science the same way Eratosthenes did. A notable project in which this was done was The Eratosthenes Project, conducted in 2005 as part of the World Year of Physics; in fact, we will be drawing on the teacher's guide developed by that project.How Big Is Earth? expands on the Eratosthenes project by providing an online learning environment provided by the iCollaboratory, www.icollaboratory.org, where teachers and students from Sweden, China, Nepal, Russia, Morocco, and the United States collaborate, share data, and reflect on their learning of science and astronomy. They are sharing their information and discussing their ideas/brainstorming the solutions in a discussion forum. There is an ongoing database of student measurements and another database to collect data on both teacher and student learning from surveys, discussions, and self-reflection done online.We will share our research about the kinds of learning that takes place only in global collaborations.The entrance address for the iCollaboratory is http://www.icollaboratory.org.

Online recording of ethane traces in human breath via infrared laser spectroscopy.

PubMed

von Basum, Golo; Dahnke, Hannes; Halmer, Daniel; Hering, Peter; Mürtz, Manfred

2003-12-01

A method is described for rapidly measuring the ethane concentration in exhaled human breath. Ethane is considered a volatile marker for lipid peroxidation. The breath samples are analyzed in real time during single exhalations by means of infrared cavity leak-out spectroscopy. This is an ultrasensitive laser-based method for the analysis of trace gases on the sub-parts per billion level. We demonstrate that this technique is capable of online quantifying of ethane traces in exhaled human breath down to 500 parts per trillion with a time resolution of better than 800 ms. This study includes what we believe to be the first measured expirograms for trace fractions of ethane. The expirograms were recorded after a controlled inhalation exposure to 1 part per million of ethane. The normalized slope of the alveolar plateau was determined, which shows a linear increase over the first breathing cycles and ends in a mean value between 0.21 and 0.39 liter-1. The washout process was observed for a time period of 30 min and was modelled by a threefold exponential decay function, with decay times ranging from 12 to 24, 341 to 481, and 370 to 1770 s. Our analyzer provides a promising noninvasive tool for online monitoring of the oxidative stress status.

Automated Water Quality Survey and Evaluation Using an IoT Platform with Mobile Sensor Nodes.

PubMed

Li, Teng; Xia, Min; Chen, Jiahong; Zhao, Yuanjie; de Silva, Clarence

2017-07-28

An Internet of Things (IoT) platform with capabilities of sensing, data processing, and wireless communication has been deployed to support remote aquatic environmental monitoring. In this paper, the design and development of an IoT platform with multiple Mobile Sensor Nodes (MSN) for the spatiotemporal quality evaluation of surface water is presented. A survey planner is proposed to distribute the Sampling Locations of Interest (SLoIs) over the study area and generate paths for MSNs to visit the SLoIs, given the limited energy and time budgets. The SLoIs are chosen based on a cellular decomposition that is composed of uniform hexagonal cells. They are visited by the MSNs along a path ring generated by a planning approach that uses a spanning tree. For quality evaluation, an Online Water Quality Index (OLWQI) is developed to interpret the large quantities of online measurements. The index formulations are modified by a state-of-the-art index, the CCME WQI, which has been developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME) for off-line indexing. The proposed index has demonstrated effective and reliable performance in online indexing a large volume of measurements of water quality parameters. The IoT platform is deployed in the field, and its performance is demonstrated and discussed in this paper.

Fast online inverse scattering with Reduced Basis Method (RBM) for a 3D phase grating with specific line roughness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleemann, Bernd H.; Kurz, Julian; Hetzler, Jochen; Pomplun, Jan; Burger, Sven; Zschiedrich, Lin; Schmidt, Frank

2011-05-01

Finite element methods (FEM) for the rigorous electromagnetic solution of Maxwell's equations are known to be very accurate. They possess a high convergence rate for the determination of near field and far field quantities of scattering and diffraction processes of light with structures having feature sizes in the range of the light wavelength. We are using FEM software for 3D scatterometric diffraction calculations allowing the application of a brilliant and extremely fast solution method: the reduced basis method (RBM). The RBM constructs a reduced model of the scattering problem from precalculated snapshot solutions, guided self-adaptively by an error estimator. Using RBM, we achieve an efficiency accuracy of about 10-4 compared to the direct problem with only 35 precalculated snapshots being the reduced basis dimension. This speeds up the calculation of diffraction amplitudes by a factor of about 1000 compared to the conventional solution of Maxwell's equations by FEM. This allows us to reconstruct the three geometrical parameters of our phase grating from "measured" scattering data in a 3D parameter manifold online in a minute having the full FEM accuracy available. Additionally, also a sensitivity analysis or the choice of robust measuring strategies, for example, can be done online in a few minutes.

Comprehensive modeling study of ozonolysis of oleic acid aerosol based on real-time, online measurements of aerosol composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallimore, P. J.; Griffiths, P. T.; Pope, F. D.; Reid, J. P.; Kalberer, M.

2017-04-01

The chemical composition of organic aerosols profoundly influences their atmospheric properties, but a detailed understanding of heterogeneous and in-particle reactivity is lacking. We present here a combined experimental and modeling study of the ozonolysis of oleic acid particles. An online mass spectrometry (MS) method, Extractive Electrospray Ionization (EESI), is used to follow the composition of the aerosol at a molecular level in real time; relative changes in the concentrations of both reactants and products are determined during aerosol aging. The results show evidence for multiple non-first-order reactions involving stabilized Criegee intermediates, including the formation of secondary ozonides and other oligomers. Offline liquid chromatography MS is used to confirm the online MS assignment of the monomeric and dimeric products. We explain the observed EESI-MS chemical composition changes, and chemical and physical data from previous studies, using a process-based aerosol chemistry simulation, the Pretty Good Aerosol Model (PG-AM). In particular, we extend previous studies of reactant loss by demonstrating success in reproducing the time dependence of product formation and the evolving particle size. This advance requires a comprehensive chemical scheme coupled to the partitioning of semivolatile products; relevant reaction and evaporation parameters have been refined using our new measurements in combination with PG-AM.

An MFC-Based Online Monitoring and Alert System for Activated Sludge Process

PubMed Central

Xu, Gui-Hua; Wang, Yun-Kun; Sheng, Guo-Ping; Mu, Yang; Yu, Han-Qing

2014-01-01

In this study, based on a simple, compact and submersible microbial fuel cell (MFC), a novel online monitoring and alert system with self-diagnosis function was established for the activated sludge (AS) process. Such a submersible MFC utilized organic substrates and oxygen in the AS reactor as the electron donor and acceptor respectively, and could provide an evaluation on the status of the AS reactor and thus give a reliable early warning of potential risks. In order to evaluate the reliability and sensitivity of this online monitoring and alert system, a series of tests were conducted to examine the response of this system to various shocks imposed on the AS reactor. The results indicate that this online monitoring and alert system was highly sensitive to the performance variations of the AS reactor. The stability, sensitivity and repeatability of this online system provide feasibility of being incorporated into current control systems of wastewater treatment plants to real-time monitor, diagnose, alert and control the AS process. PMID:25345502

Characterization of aerosol particles from grass mowing by joint deployment of ToF-AMS and ATOFMS instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drewnick, Frank; Dall'Osto, Manuel; Harrison, Roy

During a measurement campaign at a semi-urban/industrial site a grass-cutting event was observed, when the lawn in the immediate surrounding of the measurement site was mowed. Using a wide variety of state-of-the-art aerosol measurement technology allowed a broad characterization of the aerosol generated by the lawn mowing. The instrumentation included two on-line aerosol mass spectrometers: an Aerodyne Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (ToF-AMS) and a TSI Aerosol Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (ATOFMS); in addition, a selection of on-line aerosol concentration and size distribution instruments (OPC, APS, SMPS, CPC, FDMS-TEOM, MAAP) was deployed. From comparison of background aerosol measurements during most of the day with the aerosol measured during the lawn mowing, the grass cutting was found to generate mainly two different types of aerosol particles: an intense ultrafine particle mode (1 h average: 4 μg m -3) of almost pure hydrocarbon-like organics and a distinct particle mode in the upper sub-micrometer size range containing particles with potassium and nitrogen-organic compounds. The ultrafine particles are probably lubricating oil particles from the lawn mower exhaust; the larger particles are swirled-up plant debris particles from the mowing process. While these particle types were identified in the data from the two mass spectrometers, the on-line aerosol concentration and size distribution data support these findings. The results presented here show that the combination of quantitative aerosol particle ensemble mass spectrometry (ToF-AMS) and single particle mass spectrometry (ATOFMS) provides much deeper insights into the nature of the aerosol properties than each of the instruments could do alone. Therefore a combined deployment of both types of instruments is strongly recommended.

Validation of online psychometric instruments for common mental health disorders: a systematic review.

PubMed

van Ballegooijen, Wouter; Riper, Heleen; Cuijpers, Pim; van Oppen, Patricia; Smit, Johannes H

2016-02-25

Online questionnaires for measuring common mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders are increasingly used. The psychometrics of several pen-and-paper questionnaires have been re-examined for online use and new online instruments have been developed and tested for validity as well. This study aims to review and synthesise the literature on this subject and provide a framework for future research. We searched Medline and PsycINFO for psychometric studies on online instruments for common mental health disorders and extracted the psychometric data. Studies were coded and assessed for quality by independent raters. We included 56 studies on 62 online instruments. For common instruments such as the CES-D, MADRS-S and HADS there is mounting evidence for adequate psychometric properties. Further results are scattered over different instruments and different psychometric characteristics. Few studies included patient populations. We found at least one online measure for each of the included mental health disorders and symptoms. A small number of online questionnaires have been studied thoroughly. This study provides an overview of online instruments to refer to when choosing an instrument for assessing common mental health disorders online, and can structure future psychometric research.

Corrosion probe. Innovative technology summary report

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

NONE

Over 253 million liters of high-level waste (HLW) generated from plutonium production is stored in mild steel tanks at the Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site. Corrosion monitoring of double-shell storage tanks (DSTs) is currently performed at Hanford using a combination of process knowledge and tank waste sampling and analysis. Available technologies for corrosion monitoring have progressed to a point where it is feasible to monitor and control corrosion by on-line monitoring of the corrosion process and direct addition of corrosion inhibitors. The electrochemical noise (EN) technique deploys EN-based corrosion monitoring probes into storage tanks. This system is specifically designedmore » to measure corrosion rates and detect changes in waste chemistry that trigger the onset of pitting and cracking. These on-line probes can determine whether additional corrosion inhibitor is required and, if so, provide information on an effective end point to the corrosion inhibitor addition procedure. This report describes the technology, its performance, its application, costs, regulatory and policy issues, and lessons learned.« less

Online low-field NMR spectroscopy for process control of an industrial lithiation reaction-automated data analysis.

PubMed

Kern, Simon; Meyer, Klas; Guhl, Svetlana; Gräßer, Patrick; Paul, Andrea; King, Rudibert; Maiwald, Michael

2018-05-01

Monitoring specific chemical properties is the key to chemical process control. Today, mainly optical online methods are applied, which require time- and cost-intensive calibration effort. NMR spectroscopy, with its advantage being a direct comparison method without need for calibration, has a high potential for enabling closed-loop process control while exhibiting short set-up times. Compact NMR instruments make NMR spectroscopy accessible in industrial and rough environments for process monitoring and advanced process control strategies. We present a fully automated data analysis approach which is completely based on physically motivated spectral models as first principles information (indirect hard modeling-IHM) and applied it to a given pharmaceutical lithiation reaction in the framework of the European Union's Horizon 2020 project CONSENS. Online low-field NMR (LF NMR) data was analyzed by IHM with low calibration effort, compared to a multivariate PLS-R (partial least squares regression) approach, and both validated using online high-field NMR (HF NMR) spectroscopy. Graphical abstract NMR sensor module for monitoring of the aromatic coupling of 1-fluoro-2-nitrobenzene (FNB) with aniline to 2-nitrodiphenylamine (NDPA) using lithium-bis(trimethylsilyl) amide (Li-HMDS) in continuous operation. Online 43.5 MHz low-field NMR (LF) was compared to 500 MHz high-field NMR spectroscopy (HF) as reference method.

Online Group Work Design: Processes, Complexities, and Intricacies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleinsasser, Robert; Hong, Yi-Chun

2016-01-01

This paper describes the challenges of designing and implementing online group work. We are responsible for a seven-and-a-half week's online literacy and bi-literacy graduate course in a Bilingual/English as a Second Language (BLE/ESL) Master of Arts program. One of the tasks includes online literacy circle exchanges where students are encouraged…

The Reciprocal Determinism of Online Scaffolding in Sustaining a Community of Inquiry in Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bautista, Romiro G.

2013-01-01

This study investigated the learning impact of online scaffolding in sustaining a community of inquiry in Physics instruction. The students' a-priori e-learning activities in online discussion were used in leveraging the learning behaviors of the students. Online learning segments were included in the process of developing classroom tasks…

Exploring Dispositions toward Online Reading: Analyzing the Survey of Online Reading Attitudes and Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putman, S. Michael

2014-01-01

The Internet is having a profound impact on the literacy practices of today's students. Acknowledging the complex processes associated with reading online, the Survey of Online Reading Attitudes and Behaviors (SORAB) was created to further our understandings in this area. A factor analysis revealed the instrument included five factors that…

Exploring the Effectiveness of Self-Regulated Learning in Massive Open Online Courses on Non-Native English Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Liang-Yi

2015-01-01

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are expanding the scope of online distance learning in the creation of a cross-country global learning environment. For learners worldwide, MOOCs offer a wealth of online learning resources. However, such a diversified environment makes the learning process complicated and challenging. To achieve their…

Improving integrity of on-line grammage measurement with traceable basic calibration.

PubMed

Kangasrääsiö, Juha

2010-07-01

The automatic control of grammage (basis weight) in paper and board production is based upon on-line grammage measurement. Furthermore, the automatic control of other quality variables such as moisture, ash content and coat weight, may rely on the grammage measurement. The integrity of Kr-85 based on-line grammage measurement systems was studied, by performing basic calibrations with traceably calibrated plastic reference standards. The calibrations were performed according to the EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard, which is a requirement for calibration laboratories. The observed relative measurement errors were 3.3% in the first time calibrations at the 95% confidence level. With the traceable basic calibration method, however, these errors can be reduced to under 0.5%, thus improving the integrity of on-line grammage measurements. Also a standardised algorithm, based on the experience from the performed calibrations, is proposed to ease the adjustment of the different grammage measurement systems. The calibration technique can basically be applied to all beta-radiation based grammage measurements. 2010 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical team functioning and IT innovation: a study of the diffusion of a point-of-care online evidence system.

PubMed

Gosling, A Sophie; Westbrook, Johanna I; Braithwaite, Jeffrey

2003-01-01

To investigate the association between clinical team functioning and diffusion (awareness, use, and impact) of a 24-hour online evidence retrieval system. To examine the relationships between clinical team characteristics and the adoption of the online evidence system. 18 clinical teams, consisting of 180 clinicians from three Australian hospitals, were identified and studied. Teams were categorized as small ( 15). Clinical team functioning was assessed using the Team Climate Inventory (TCI). Awareness, use, and impact of an online evidence retrieval system were measured using a self-administered questionnaire. The relationships between TCI scores and awareness, use, and impact were examined using t-tests and one-way ANOVAs. Chi square analyses were used to examine differences between small and large teams. RESULTS were interpreted within a diffusion of innovations framework. Clinical team functioning was not related to awareness or use of the online evidence retrieval system. However, clinical team functioning was significantly associated with the impact of online evidence in terms of reported experience of improved patient care following system use. Clinicians in small teams ( 15) teams. Team functioning had the greatest impact on the fourth stage of innovation diffusion, the effective use of online evidence for clinical care. This supports Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory, to the effect that different types of communication about an innovation are important at different stages in the diffusion process. Members of small teams were more aware of the system than members of large teams. Team functioning is amenable to improvement through interventions. The findings suggest that the role of team climate in the diffusion of information systems is a promising area for future research.

Online Self-Help as an Add-On to Inpatient Psychotherapy: Efficacy of a New Blended Treatment Approach.

PubMed

Zwerenz, Rüdiger; Becker, Jan; Knickenberg, Rudolf J; Siepmann, Martin; Hagen, Karin; Beutel, Manfred E

2017-01-01

Depression is one of the most frequent and costly mental disorders. While there is increasing evidence for the efficacy of online self-help to improve depression or prevent relapse, there is little evidence in blended care settings, especially combined with inpatient face-to-face psychotherapy. Therefore, we evaluated whether an evidence-based online self-help program improves the efficacy of inpatient psychotherapy. A total of 229 depressed patients were randomly allocated either to an online self-help program (intervention group [IG]; Deprexis) or an active control group (CG; weekly online information on depression) in addition to inpatient psychodynamic psychotherapy. Both groups had access to their respective experimental intervention for 12 weeks, regardless of inpatient treatment duration. Reduction of depressive symptoms, as measured with the Beck Depression Inventory-II, was the primary outcome at the end of the intervention (T2). Depressive symptoms were statistically significantly lower in the IG compared to the active CG at T2 with a moderate between-group effect size of d = 0.44. The same applied to anxiety (d = 0.33), quality of life (d = 0.34), and self-esteem (d = 0.38) at discharge from inpatient treatment (T1). No statistically significant differences were found regarding dysfunctional attitudes (d = 0.14) and work ability (d = 0.08) at T1. This is the first evidence for blended treatment combining online self-help with inpatient psychotherapy. The study opens new and promising avenues for increasing the efficacy of inpatient psychotherapy. Future studies should determine how integration of online self-help into the therapeutic process can be developed further. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Butterfly Girls; promoting healthy diet and physical activity to young African American girls online: rationale and design.

PubMed

Thompson, Debbe; Mahabir, Rory; Bhatt, Riddhi; Boutte, Cynthia; Cantu, Dora; Vazquez, Isabel; Callender, Chishinga; Cullen, Karen; Baranowski, Tom; Liu, Yan; Walker, Celeste; Buday, Richard

2013-08-02

Young African American girls have a high risk of obesity. Online behavior change programs promoting healthy diet and physical activity are convenient and may be effective for reducing disparities related to obesity. This report presents the protocol guiding the design and evaluation of a culturally and developmental appropriate online obesity prevention program for young African American girls. The Butterfly Girls and the Quest for Founder's Rock is an 8-episode online program delivered as an animated, interactive comic. The program promotes healthy diet and physical activity and is specifically designed for 8-10 year old African American girls. Girls, parents, and community representatives provided formative feedback on cultural relevance and developmental appropriateness. A three-group (treatment, comparison, wait-list control) randomized design (n=390 parent/child dyads) is employed, with child as the unit of assignment. Change in body mass index is the primary outcome; change in fruit and vegetable consumption, water, and physical activity are secondary outcomes. Data collection occurs at baseline, approximately 3 months after baseline (i.e., completion of the online program), and approximately three months later (i.e., maintenance assessment). Two dietary recalls are collected at each data collection period by trained interviewers using the Nutrient Data System for Research (NDSR 2012) system. Physical activity is objectively measured by seven days of accelerometry. Psychosocial and process data are also collected. Girls in the treatment and comparison groups will be interviewed at post 1 to obtain information on personal reactions to the program. This research will develop and evaluate the efficacy of an online program for reducing obesity risk among girls at risk of obesity and related diseases. Online programs offer the potential for wide dissemination, thus reducing disparities related to obesity. NCT01481948.

Flow measurements in sewers based on image analysis: automatic flow velocity algorithm.

PubMed

Jeanbourquin, D; Sage, D; Nguyen, L; Schaeli, B; Kayal, S; Barry, D A; Rossi, L

2011-01-01

Discharges of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and stormwater are recognized as an important source of environmental contamination. However, the harsh sewer environment and particular hydraulic conditions during rain events reduce the reliability of traditional flow measurement probes. An in situ system for sewer water flow monitoring based on video images was evaluated. Algorithms to determine water velocities were developed based on image-processing techniques. The image-based water velocity algorithm identifies surface features and measures their positions with respect to real world coordinates. A web-based user interface and a three-tier system architecture enable remote configuration of the cameras and the image-processing algorithms in order to calculate automatically flow velocity on-line. Results of investigations conducted in a CSO are presented. The system was found to measure reliably water velocities, thereby providing the means to understand particular hydraulic behaviors.

Ceramic membrane ultrafiltration of natural surface water with ultrasound enhanced backwashing.

PubMed

Boley, A; Narasimhan, K; Kieninger, M; Müller, W-R

2010-01-01

Ultrafiltration membrane cleaning with ultrasound enhanced backwashing was investigated with two ceramic membrane systems in parallel. One of them was subjected to ultrasound during backwashing, the other acted as a reference system. The feed water was directly taken from a creek with a sedimentation process as only pre-treatment. The cleaning performance was improved with ultrasound but after 3 weeks of operation damages occurred on the membranes. These effects were studied with online measurements of flux, trans-membrane-pressure and temperature, but also with integrity tests, turbidity measurements and visual examination.

High-speed event detector for embedded nanopore bio-systems.

PubMed

Huang, Yiyun; Magierowski, Sebastian; Ghafar-Zadeh, Ebrahim; Wang, Chengjie

2015-08-01

Biological measurements of microscopic phenomena often deal with discrete-event signals. The ability to automatically carry out such measurements at high-speed in a miniature embedded system is desirable but compromised by high-frequency noise along with practical constraints on filter quality and sampler resolution. This paper presents a real-time event-detection method in the context of nanopore sensing that helps to mitigate these drawbacks and allows accurate signal processing in an embedded system. Simulations show at least a 10× improvement over existing on-line detection methods.

Using the Knowledge, Process, Practice (KPP) model for driving the design and development of online postgraduate medical education.

PubMed

Shaw, Tim; Barnet, Stewart; Mcgregor, Deborah; Avery, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Online learning is a primary delivery method for continuing health education programs. It is critical that programs have curricula objectives linked to educational models that support learning. Using a proven educational modelling process ensures that curricula objectives are met and a solid basis for learning and assessment is achieved. To develop an educational design model that produces an educationally sound program development plan for use by anyone involved in online course development. We have described the development of a generic educational model designed for continuing health education programs. The Knowledge, Process, Practice (KPP) model is founded on recognised educational theory and online education practice. This paper presents a step-by-step guide on using this model for program development that encases reliable learning and evaluation. The model supports a three-step approach, KPP, based on learning outcomes and supporting appropriate assessment activities. It provides a program structure for online or blended learning that is explicit, educationally defensible, and supports multiple assessment points for health professionals. The KPP model is based on best practice educational design using a structure that can be adapted for a variety of online or flexibly delivered postgraduate medical education programs.

Investigation of poly(γ-glutamic acid) production via online determination of viscosity and oxygen transfer rate in shake flasks.

PubMed

Regestein Née Meissner, Lena; Arndt, Julia; Palmen, Thomas G; Jestel, Tim; Mitsunaga, Hitoshi; Fukusaki, Eiichiro; Büchs, Jochen

2017-01-01

Poly(γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) is a biopolymer with many useful properties making it applicable for instance in food and skin care industries, in wastewater treatment, in biodegradable plastics or in the pharmaceutical industry. γ-PGA is usually produced microbially by different Bacillus spp. The produced γ-PGA increases the viscosity of the fermentation broth. In case of shake flask fermentations, this results in an increase of the volumetric power input. The power input in shake flasks can be determined by measuring the torque of an orbitally rotating lab shaker. The online measurement of the volumetric power input enables to continuously monitor the formation or degradation of viscous products like γ-PGA. Combined with the online measurement of the oxygen transfer rate (OTR), the respiration activity of the organisms can be observed at the same time. Two different Bacillus licheniformis strains and three medium compositions were investigated using online volumetric power input and OTR measurements as well as thorough offline analysis. The online volumetric power input measurement clearly depicted changes in γ-PGA formation due to different medium compositions as well as differences in the production behavior of the two investigated strains. A higher citric acid concentration and the addition of trace elements to the standard medium showed a positive influence on γ-PGA production. The online power input signal was used to derive an online viscosity signal which was validated with offline determined viscosity values. The online measurement of the OTR proved to be a valuable tool to follow the respiration activity of the cultivated strains and to determine its reproducibility under different cultivation conditions. The combination of the volumetric power input and the OTR allows for an easy and reliable investigation of new strains, cultivation conditions and medium compositions for their potential in γ-PGA production. The power input signal and the derived online viscosity directly reflect changes in γ-PGA molecular weight and concentration, respectively, due to different cultivation conditions or production strains.

Evaluating Online Dialogue on "Security" Using a Novel Instructional Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arora, Payal

2008-01-01

This paper explores evaluation strategies to gauge the impact of a novel instructional design on international community participation online. This is done by conceptualizing and devising indicators for measuring "engagement" online amongst marginalized adult communities worldwide. In doing so, a review of online evaluation literature is…

Design Considerations for Today's Online Learners: A Study of Personalized, Relationship-Based Social Awareness Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heo, Misook

2009-01-01

This article examined online learners' preferences in personalized, relationship-based social awareness information sharing in course management systems. Three hundred seventy-seven online learners' willingness to share social awareness information was measured through a national survey. Results indicated that today's online learners are open…

English Proficiency and Participation in Online Discussion for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, Steve

2013-01-01

Does English proficiency affect participation in online discussion? This study polled 14 students from a postgraduate online course that require online discussion. The students are divided into groups according to their home language spoken and self-assessed English proficiency, and measure against their participation level in the required…

On-line atomic data access

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, David R.; Nash, Jeffrey K.

1996-07-01

The need for atomic data is one which continues to expand in a wide variety of applications including fusion energy, astrophysics, laser-produced plasma research, and plasma processing. Modern computer database and communications technology enables this data to be placed on-line and obtained by users over the INTERNET. Presented here is a summary of the observations and conclusions regarding such on-line atomic data access derived from a forum held at the Tenth APS Topical Conference on Atomic Processes in Plasmas.

Hierarchical sequencing of online social graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andjelković, Miroslav; Tadić, Bosiljka; Maletić, Slobodan; Rajković, Milan

2015-10-01

In online communications, patterns of conduct of individual actors and use of emotions in the process can lead to a complex social graph exhibiting multilayered structure and mesoscopic communities. Using simplicial complexes representation of graphs, we investigate in-depth topology of the online social network constructed from MySpace dialogs which exhibits original community structure. A simulation of emotion spreading in this network leads to the identification of two emotion-propagating layers. Three topological measures are introduced, referred to as the structure vectors, which quantify graph's architecture at different dimension levels. Notably, structures emerging through shared links, triangles and tetrahedral faces, frequently occur and range from tree-like to maximal 5-cliques and their respective complexes. On the other hand, the structures which spread only negative or only positive emotion messages appear to have much simpler topology consisting of links and triangles. The node's structure vector represents the number of simplices at each topology level in which the node resides and the total number of such simplices determines what we define as the node's topological dimension. The presented results suggest that the node's topological dimension provides a suitable measure of the social capital which measures the actor's ability to act as a broker in compact communities, the so called Simmelian brokerage. We also generalize the results to a wider class of computer-generated networks. Investigating components of the node's vector over network layers reveals that same nodes develop different socio-emotional relations and that the influential nodes build social capital by combining their connections in different layers.

The eSGID Process: How to Improve Teaching and Learning in Online Graduate Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neal-Hixson, Kelly; Long, Jenny; Bock, Marjorie

2017-01-01

Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGID) is a feedback process to collect midterm feedback from students. The process uses small focus group student interviews to identify strengths of the course, areas of concern, and suggestions to address concerns. The purpose of this paper is to shares experiences using on online format of Small Group…

SAFARI, an On-Line Text-Processing System User's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapin, P.G.; And Others.

This report describes for the potential user a set of procedures for processing textual materials on-line. In this preliminary model an information analyst can scan through messages, reports, and other documents on a display scope and select relevant facts, which are processed linguistically and then stored in the computer in the form of logical…

Using student satisfaction data to evaluate a new online accelerated nursing education program.

PubMed

Gazza, Elizabeth A; Matthias, April

2016-10-01

As increasing numbers of students enroll in online education, institutions of higher education are responsible for delivering quality online courses and programs. Agencies that accredit institutions and programs require evidence of program quality, including student satisfaction. A large state university in the Southeastern United States transitioned an online nursing education degree completion, or Registered Nurse-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing, program to an online accelerated format in order to meet the needs of working nurses and ultimately, increase the number of nurses prepared at the baccalaureate level. This article describes a descriptive, cross-sectional study that evaluated the effectiveness of the new online accelerated program using the quality indicator of student satisfaction. Ninety-one (32%) of the 284 students who were enrolled or had been enrolled in a course within the online accelerated degree completion program between fall 2013 session 1 and summer 2014 session participated in the study. The electronic Noel-Levitz Priorities Survey for Online Learners™ was used to measure student satisfaction with the program and associated services. Results provided insight into the students' satisfaction with the new program format and served as the basis for an interdepartmental program enhancement plan aimed at maintaining and enhancing student satisfaction and overall program quality. Findings indicated that measuring and evaluating student satisfaction can provide valuable information about the effectiveness of an online program. Recommendations for using the measurement tool in online program planning and studying student satisfaction in relation to retention and program completion were identified. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hypergraph topological quantities for tagged social networks.

PubMed

Zlatić, Vinko; Ghoshal, Gourab; Caldarelli, Guido

2009-09-01

Recent years have witnessed the emergence of a new class of social networks, which require us to move beyond previously employed representations of complex graph structures. A notable example is that of the folksonomy, an online process where users collaboratively employ tags to resources to impart structure to an otherwise undifferentiated database. In a recent paper, we proposed a mathematical model that represents these structures as tripartite hypergraphs and defined basic topological quantities of interest. In this paper, we extend our model by defining additional quantities such as edge distributions, vertex similarity and correlations as well as clustering. We then empirically measure these quantities on two real life folksonomies, the popular online photo sharing site Flickr and the bookmarking site CiteULike. We find that these systems share similar qualitative features with the majority of complex networks that have been previously studied. We propose that the quantities and methodology described here can be used as a standard tool in measuring the structure of tagged networks.

Hypergraph topological quantities for tagged social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zlatić, Vinko; Ghoshal, Gourab; Caldarelli, Guido

2009-09-01

Recent years have witnessed the emergence of a new class of social networks, which require us to move beyond previously employed representations of complex graph structures. A notable example is that of the folksonomy, an online process where users collaboratively employ tags to resources to impart structure to an otherwise undifferentiated database. In a recent paper, we proposed a mathematical model that represents these structures as tripartite hypergraphs and defined basic topological quantities of interest. In this paper, we extend our model by defining additional quantities such as edge distributions, vertex similarity and correlations as well as clustering. We then empirically measure these quantities on two real life folksonomies, the popular online photo sharing site Flickr and the bookmarking site CiteULike. We find that these systems share similar qualitative features with the majority of complex networks that have been previously studied. We propose that the quantities and methodology described here can be used as a standard tool in measuring the structure of tagged networks.

Formulation design for optimal high-shear wet granulation using on-line torque measurements.

PubMed

Cavinato, Mauro; Bresciani, Massimo; Machin, Marianna; Bellazzi, Guido; Canu, Paolo; Santomaso, Andrea C

2010-03-15

An alternative procedure for achieving formulation design in a high-shear wet granulation process has been developed. Particularly, a new formulation map has been proposed which describes the onset of a significant granule growth as a function of the formulation variables (diluent, dry and liquid binder). Granule growth has been monitored using on-line impeller torque and evaluated as changes in granule particle size distribution with respect to the dry formulation. It is shown how the onset of granule growth is denoted by an abrupt increase in the torque value requires the amount of binder liquid added to be greater than a certain threshold that is identified here as 'minimum liquid volume'. This minimum liquid volume is determined as a function of dry binder type, amount, hygroscopicity and particle size distribution of diluent. It is also demonstrated how this formulation map can be constructed from independent measurements of binder glass transition temperatures using a static humidity conditioning system. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

14C sample preparation for AMS microdosing studies at Lund University using online combustion and septa-sealed vials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sydoff, Marie; Stenström, Kristina

2010-04-01

The Department of Physics at Lund University is participating in a European Union project called EUMAPP (European Union Microdose AMS Partnership Programme), in which sample preparation and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurements of biological samples from microdosing studies have been made. This paper describes a simplified method of converting biological samples to solid graphite for 14C analysis with AMS. The method is based on online combustion of the samples, and reduction of CO 2 in septa-sealed vials. The septa-sealed vials and disposable materials are used to eliminate sample cross-contamination. Measurements of ANU and Ox I standards show deviations of 2% and 3%, respectively, relative to reference values. This level of accuracy is sufficient for biological samples from microdosing studies. Since the method has very few handling steps from sample to graphite, the risk of failure during the sample preparation process is minimized, making the method easy to use in routine preparation of samples.

Online analysis of protein inclusion bodies produced in E. coli by monitoring alterations in scattered and reflected light.

PubMed

Ude, Christian; Ben-Dov, Nadav; Jochums, André; Li, Zhaopeng; Segal, Ester; Scheper, Thomas; Beutel, Sascha

2016-05-01

The online monitoring of recombinant protein aggregate inclusion bodies during microbial cultivation is an immense challenge. Measurement of scattered and reflected light offers a versatile and non-invasive measurement technique. Therefore, we investigated two methods to detect the formation of inclusion bodies and monitor their production: (1) online 180° scattered light measurement (λ = 625 nm) using a sensor platform during cultivation in shake flask and (2) online measurement of the light reflective interference using a porous Si-based optical biosensor (SiPA). It could be shown that 180° scattered light measurement allows monitoring of alterations in the optical properties of Escherichia coli BL21 cells, associated with the formation of inclusion bodies during cultivation. A reproducible linear correlation between the inclusion body concentration of the non-fluorescent protein human leukemia inhibitory factor (hLIF) carrying a thioredoxin tag and the shift ("Δamp") in scattered light signal intensity was observed. This was also observed for the glutathione-S-transferase-tagged green fluorescent protein (GFP-GST). Continuous online monitoring of reflective interference spectra reveals a significant increase in the bacterium refractive index during hLIF production in comparison to a non-induced reference that coincide with the formation of inclusion bodies. These online monitoring techniques could be applied for fast and cost-effective screening of different protein expression systems.

Identification of shareholder ethics and responsibilities in online reverse auctions for construction projects.

PubMed

Hatipkarasulu, Yilmaz; Gill, James H

2004-04-01

The increasing number of companies providing internet services and auction tools helped popularize the online reverse auction trend for purchasing commodities and services in the last decade. As a result, a number of owners, both public and private, accepted the online reverse auctions as the bidding technique for their construction projects. Owners, while trying to minimize their costs for construction projects, are also required to address their ethical responsibilities to the shareholders. In the case of online reverse auctions for construction projects, the ethical issues involved in the bidding technique directly reflects on the owner's ethical and social responsibilities to their shareholders. The goal of this paper is to identify the shareholder ethics and responsibilities in online reverse auctions for construction projects by analyzing the ethical issues for the parties involved in the process. The identification of the ethical issues and responsibilities requires clear definition and understanding of professional ethics and the roles of the involved parties. In this paper, first, the concept of professional ethics and social responsibility is described in a general form. To illustrate the ethical issues and responsibilities, a sample case of bidding for a construction project using online reverse auction techniques is presented in which the shareholders were actively involved in questioning the ethical issues. The issues involved in the bidding process and their reflection on the shareholder responsibilities are described and analyzed for each stage of the process. A brief discussion of the overall process is also included to address the general ethical issues involved in online reverse auctions.

Two new advanced forms of spectrometry for space and commercial applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlager, Kenneth J.

1991-01-01

Reagentless ultraviolet absorption spectrometry (UVAS) and Liquid Atomic Emission Spectrometry (LAES) represent new forms of spectrometry with extensive potential in both space and commercial applications. Originally developed under KSC sponsorship for monitoring nutrient solutions for the Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS), both UVAS and LAES have extensive analytical capabilities for both organic and inorganic chemical compounds. Both forms of instrumentation involve the use of remote fiber optic probes and real-time measurements for on-line process monitoring. Commercial applications exist primarily in environmental analysis and for process control in the chemical, pulp and paper, food processing, metal plating, and water/wastewater treatment industries.

Data-driven process decomposition and robust online distributed modelling for large-scale processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Zhang; Lijuan, Li; Lijuan, Yao; Shipin, Yang; Tao, Zou

2018-02-01

With the increasing attention of networked control, system decomposition and distributed models show significant importance in the implementation of model-based control strategy. In this paper, a data-driven system decomposition and online distributed subsystem modelling algorithm was proposed for large-scale chemical processes. The key controlled variables are first partitioned by affinity propagation clustering algorithm into several clusters. Each cluster can be regarded as a subsystem. Then the inputs of each subsystem are selected by offline canonical correlation analysis between all process variables and its controlled variables. Process decomposition is then realised after the screening of input and output variables. When the system decomposition is finished, the online subsystem modelling can be carried out by recursively block-wise renewing the samples. The proposed algorithm was applied in the Tennessee Eastman process and the validity was verified.

Improving quality of laser scanning data acquisition through calibrated amplitude and pulse deviation measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfennigbauer, Martin; Ullrich, Andreas

2010-04-01

Newest developments in laser scanner technologies put surveyors in the position to comply with the ever increasing demand of high-speed, high-accuracy, and highly reliable data acquisition from terrestrial, mobile, and airborne platforms. Echo digitization in pulsed time-of-flight laser ranging has demonstrated its superior performance in the field of bathymetry and airborne laser scanning for more than a decade, however at the cost of somewhat time consuming off line post processing. State-of-the-art online waveform processing as implemented in RIEGL's V-Line not only saves users post-processing time to obtain true 3D point clouds, it also adds the assets of calibrated amplitude and reflectance measurement for data classification and pulse deviation determination for effective and reliable data validation. We present results from data acquisitions in different complex target situations.

On-line determination of pork color and intramuscular fat by computer vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Yi-Tao; Fan, Yu-Xia; Wu, Xue-Qian; Xie, Li-juan; Cheng, Fang

2010-04-01

In this study, the application potential of computer vision in on-line determination of CIE L*a*b* and content of intramuscular fat (IMF) of pork was evaluated. Images of pork chop from 211 pig carcasses were captured while samples were on a conveyor belt at the speed of 0.25 m•s-1 to simulate the on-line environment. CIE L*a*b* and IMF content were measured with colorimeter and chemical extractor as reference. The KSW algorithm combined with region selection was employed in eliminating the surrounding fat of longissimus dorsi muscle (MLD). RGB values of the pork were counted and five methods were applied for transforming RGB values to CIE L*a*b* values. The region growing algorithm with multiple seed points was applied to mask out the IMF pixels within the intensity corrected images. The performances of the proposed algorithms were verified by comparing the measured reference values and the quality characteristics obtained by image processing. MLD region of six samples could not be identified using the KSW algorithm. Intensity nonuniformity of pork surface in the image can be eliminated efficiently, and IMF region of three corrected images failed to be extracted. Given considerable variety of color and complexity of the pork surface, CIE L*, a* and b* color of MLD could be predicted with correlation coefficients of 0.84, 0.54 and 0.47 respectively, and IMF content could be determined with a correlation coefficient more than 0.70. The study demonstrated that it is feasible to evaluate CIE L*a*b* values and IMF content on-line using computer vision.

Revision and Validation of a Culturally-Adapted Online Instructional Module Using Edmundson's CAP Model: A DBR Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tapanes, Marie A.

2011-01-01

In the present study, the Cultural Adaptation Process Model was applied to an online module to include adaptations responsive to the online students' culturally-influenced learning styles and preferences. The purpose was to provide the online learners with a variety of course material presentations, where the e-learners had the opportunity to…

How Do We Know What Is Happening Online?: A Mixed Methods Approach to Analysing Online Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charalampidi, Marina; Hammond, Michael

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the process of analysing online discussion and argue for the merits of mixed methods. Much research of online participation and e-learning has been either message-focused or person-focused. The former covers methodologies such as content and discourse analysis, the latter interviewing and surveys.…

Creating a Community of Inquiry in Large-Enrollment Online Courses: An Exploratory Study on the Effect of Protocols within Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Baiyun; deNoyelles, Aimee; Patton, Kerry; Zydney, Janet

2017-01-01

It can be difficult to foster focused and effective communication in online discussions within large classes. Implementing protocols is a strategy that may help students communicate more effectively, facilitate their learning process, and improve the quality of their work within online discussions. In this exploratory research study, a protocol…

Spacecraft attitude determination using a second-order nonlinear filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vathsal, S.

1987-01-01

The stringent attitude determination accuracy and faster slew maneuver requirements demanded by present-day spacecraft control systems motivate the development of recursive nonlinear filters for attitude estimation. This paper presents the second-order filter development for the estimation of attitude quaternion using three-axis gyro and star tracker measurement data. Performance comparisons have been made by computer simulation of system models and filter mechanization. It is shown that the second-order filter consistently performs better than the extended Kalman filter when the performance index of the root sum square estimation error of the quaternion vector is compared. The second-order filter identifies the gyro drift rates faster than the extended Kalman filter. The uniqueness of this algorithm is the online generation of the time-varying process and measurement noise covariance matrices, derived as a function or the process and measurement nonlinearity, respectively.

Design for success: Identifying a process for transitioning to an intensive online course delivery model in health professions education.

PubMed

McDonald, Paige L; Harwood, Kenneth J; Butler, Joan T; Schlumpf, Karen S; Eschmann, Carson W; Drago, Daniela

2018-12-01

Intensive courses (ICs), or accelerated courses, are gaining popularity in medical and health professions education, particularly as programs adopt e-learning models to negotiate challenges of flexibility, space, cost, and time. In 2014, the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership (CRL) at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences began the process of transitioning two online 15-week graduate programs to an IC model. Within a year, a third program also transitioned to this model. A literature review yielded little guidance on the process of transitioning from 15-week, traditional models of delivery to IC models, particularly in online learning environments. Correspondingly, this paper describes the process by which CRL transitioned three online graduate programs to an IC model and details best practices for course design and facilitation resulting from our iterative redesign process. Finally, we present lessons-learned for the benefit of other medical and health professions' programs contemplating similar transitions. CRL: Department of Clinical Research and Leadership; HSCI: Health Sciences; IC: Intensive course; PD: Program director; QM: Quality Matters.

Design for success: Identifying a process for transitioning to an intensive online course delivery model in health professions education

PubMed Central

McDonald, Paige L.; Harwood, Kenneth J.; Butler, Joan T.; Schlumpf, Karen S.; Eschmann, Carson W.; Drago, Daniela

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Intensive courses (ICs), or accelerated courses, are gaining popularity in medical and health professions education, particularly as programs adopt e-learning models to negotiate challenges of flexibility, space, cost, and time. In 2014, the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership (CRL) at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences began the process of transitioning two online 15-week graduate programs to an IC model. Within a year, a third program also transitioned to this model. A literature review yielded little guidance on the process of transitioning from 15-week, traditional models of delivery to IC models, particularly in online learning environments. Correspondingly, this paper describes the process by which CRL transitioned three online graduate programs to an IC model and details best practices for course design and facilitation resulting from our iterative redesign process. Finally, we present lessons-learned for the benefit of other medical and health professionsʼ programs contemplating similar transitions. Abbreviations: CRL: Department of Clinical Research and Leadership; HSCI: Health Sciences; IC: Intensive course; PD: Program director; QM: Quality Matters PMID:29277143

NASA Earth Sciences Data Support System and Services for the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leptoukh, Gregory

2005-01-01

The presentation describes data management of NASA remote sensing data for Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI). Many types of ground and integrative (e.g., satellite, GIs) data will be needed and many models must be applied, adapted or developed for properly understanding the functioning of Northern Eurasia cold and diverse regional system. Mechanisms for obtaining the requisite data sets and models and sharing them among the participating scientists are essential. The proposed project targets integration of remote sensing data from AVHRR, MODIS, and other NASA instruments on board US- satellites (with potential expansion to data from non-US satellites), customized data products from climatology data sets (e.g., ISCCP, ISLSCP) and model data (e.g., NCEPNCAR) into a single, well-architected data management system. It will utilize two existing components developed by the Goddard Earth Sciences Data & Information Services Center (GES DISC) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: (1) online archiving and distribution system, that allows collection, processing and ingest of data from various sources into the online archive, and (2) user-friendly intelligent web-based online visualization and analysis system, also known as Giovanni. The former includes various kinds of data preparation for seamless interoperability between measurements by different instruments. The latter provides convenient access to various geophysical parameters measured in the Northern Eurasia region without any need to learn complicated remote sensing data formats, or retrieve and process large volumes of NASA data. Initial implementation of this data management system will concentrate on atmospheric data and surface data aggregated to coarse resolution to support collaborative environment and climate change studies and modeling, while at later stages, data from NASA and non-NASA satellites at higher resolution will be integrated into the system.

Nursing Faculty and Academic Integrity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Cecilia E.

2013-01-01

Insufficient information exists regarding the process influencing faculty decisions, specifically in the area of maintaining academic integrity in an online environment. The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences and decision-making process of nursing faculty related to maintaining academic integrity in an online environment. The…

Use of an Online Clinical Process Support System as an Aid to Identification and Management of Developmental and Mental Health Problems.

PubMed

Howard, Barbara J; Sturner, Raymond

2017-12-01

To describe benefits and problems with screening and addressing developmental and behavioral problems in primary care and using an online clinical process support system as a solution. Screening has been found to have various implementation barriers including time costs, accuracy, workflow and knowledge of tools. In addition, training of clinicians in dealing with identified issues is lacking. Patients disclose more to and prefer computerized screening. An online clinical process support system (CHADIS) shows promise in addressing these issues. Use of a comprehensive panel of online pre-visit screens; linked decision support to provide moment-of-care training; and post-visit activities and resources for patient-specific education, monitoring and care coordination is an efficient way to make the entire process of screening and follow up care feasible in primary care. CHADIS fulfills these requirements and provides Maintenance of Certification credit to physicians as well as added income for screening efforts.

Research on the Influence of Perceived Risk in Consumer On-line Purchasing Decision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Zhao; Yi, Li

Perceived risk is an important factor that affects consumer's on-line shopping purchasing decision, through the perceived theories the consumer can know clearly which step owns higher risk in the whole shopping process, then learn how to prevent it, this process also strengthen the consumer confidence, thus lowering to know that the risk adjudicate to the feeling, so the essay has important and realistic meaning for further expand the electronic commerce. At first, investigate, collect, tidy up, analyze the questionnaire information, and thus get the primary data. Finally try to find out the influence of perceived risk to each stage of purchasing decision during consumer on-line shopping process with data and personal analytical. The paper is a complement to the local and existing perceived theories. The result of the study manifests that, the order of main perceived risks which felt by consumer during on-line shopping process are as follow: financial risk, the performance risk and service risk.

Scientific Inquiry: A Model for Online Searching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harter, Stephen P.

1984-01-01

Explores scientific inquiry as philosophical and behavioral model for online search specialist and information retrieval process. Nature of scientific research is described and online analogs to research concepts of variable, hypothesis formulation and testing, operational definition, validity, reliability, assumption, and cyclical nature of…