30 CFR 253.13 - How much OSFR must I demonstrate?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...: COF worst case oil-spill discharge volume Applicable amount of OSFR Over 1,000 bbls but not more than... must demonstrate OSFR in accordance with the following table: COF worst case oil-spill discharge volume... applicable table in paragraph (b)(1) or (b)(2) for a facility with a potential worst case oil-spill discharge...

30 CFR 553.14 - How do I determine the worst case oil-spill discharge volume?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false How do I determine the worst case oil-spill... THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL SPILL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OFFSHORE FACILITIES Applicability and Amount of OSFR § 553.14 How do I determine the worst case oil-spill discharge volume? (a) To calculate...

30 CFR 553.14 - How do I determine the worst case oil-spill discharge volume?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false How do I determine the worst case oil-spill... THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL SPILL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OFFSHORE FACILITIES Applicability and Amount of OSFR § 553.14 How do I determine the worst case oil-spill discharge volume? (a) To calculate...

30 CFR 253.14 - How do I determine the worst case oil-spill discharge volume?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false How do I determine the worst case oil-spill... ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL SPILL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OFFSHORE FACILITIES Applicability and Amount of OSFR § 253.14 How do I determine the worst case oil-spill discharge volume? (a) To...

30 CFR 253.14 - How do I determine the worst case oil-spill discharge volume?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How do I determine the worst case oil-spill... INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL SPILL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OFFSHORE FACILITIES Applicability and Amount of OSFR § 253.14 How do I determine the worst case oil-spill discharge volume? (a) To calculate the amount...

Lower bound for LCD image quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, William P.; Balram, Nikhil

1996-03-01

The paper presents an objective lower bound for the discrimination of patterns and fine detail in images on a monochrome LCD. In applications such as medical imaging and military avionics the information of interest is often at the highest frequencies in the image. Since LCDs are sampled data systems, their output modulation is dependent on the phase between the input signal and the sampling points. This phase dependence becomes particularly significant at high spatial frequencies. In order to use an LCD for applications such as those mentioned above it is essential to have a lower (worst case) bound on the performance of the display. We address this problem by providing a mathematical model for the worst case output modulation of an LCD in response to a sine wave input. This function can be interpreted as a worst case modulation transfer function (MTF). The intersection of the worst case MTF with the contrast threshold function (CTF) of the human visual system defines the highest spatial frequency that will always be detectable. In addition to providing the worst case limiting resolution, this MTF is combined with the CTF to produce objective worst case image quality values using the modulation transfer function area (MTFA) metric.

Probabilistic Solar Energetic Particle Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, James H., Jr.; Dietrich, William F.; Xapsos, Michael A.

2011-01-01

To plan and design safe and reliable space missions, it is necessary to take into account the effects of the space radiation environment. This is done by setting the goal of achieving safety and reliability with some desired level of confidence. To achieve this goal, a worst-case space radiation environment at the required confidence level must be obtained. Planning and designing then proceeds, taking into account the effects of this worst-case environment. The result will be a mission that is reliable against the effects of the space radiation environment at the desired confidence level. In this paper we will describe progress toward developing a model that provides worst-case space radiation environments at user-specified confidence levels. We will present a model for worst-case event-integrated solar proton environments that provide the worst-case differential proton spectrum. This model is based on data from IMP-8 and GOES spacecraft that provide a data base extending from 1974 to the present. We will discuss extending this work to create worst-case models for peak flux and mission-integrated fluence for protons. We will also describe plans for similar models for helium and heavier ions.

Assessing the robustness of passive scattering proton therapy with regard to local recurrence in stage III non-small cell lung cancer: a secondary analysis of a phase II trial.

PubMed

Zhu, Zhengfei; Liu, Wei; Gillin, Michael; Gomez, Daniel R; Komaki, Ritsuko; Cox, James D; Mohan, Radhe; Chang, Joe Y

2014-05-06

We assessed the robustness of passive scattering proton therapy (PSPT) plans for patients in a phase II trial of PSPT for stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by using the worst-case scenario method, and compared the worst-case dose distributions with the appearance of locally recurrent lesions. Worst-case dose distributions were generated for each of 9 patients who experienced recurrence after concurrent chemotherapy and PSPT to 74 Gy(RBE) for stage III NSCLC by simulating and incorporating uncertainties associated with set-up, respiration-induced organ motion, and proton range in the planning process. The worst-case CT scans were then fused with the positron emission tomography (PET) scans to locate the recurrence. Although the volumes enclosed by the prescription isodose lines in the worst-case dose distributions were consistently smaller than enclosed volumes in the nominal plans, the target dose coverage was not significantly affected: only one patient had a recurrence outside the prescription isodose lines in the worst-case plan. PSPT is a relatively robust technique. Local recurrence was not associated with target underdosage resulting from estimated uncertainties in 8 of 9 cases.

Predictive sufficiency and the use of stored internal state

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Musliner, David J.; Durfee, Edmund H.; Shin, Kang G.

1994-01-01

In all embedded computing systems, some delay exists between sensing and acting. By choosing an action based on sensed data, a system is essentially predicting that there will be no significant changes in the world during this delay. However, the dynamic and uncertain nature of the real world can make these predictions incorrect, and thus, a system may execute inappropriate actions. Making systems more reactive by decreasing the gap between sensing and action leaves less time for predictions to err, but still provides no principled assurance that they will be correct. Using the concept of predictive sufficiency described in this paper, a system can prove that its predictions are valid, and that it will never execute inappropriate actions. In the context of our CIRCA system, we also show how predictive sufficiency allows a system to guarantee worst-case response times to changes in its environment. Using predictive sufficiency, CIRCA is able to build real-time reactive control plans which provide a sound basis for performance guarantees that are unavailable with other reactive systems.

Generalizing Backtrack-Free Search: A Framework for Search-Free Constraint Satisfaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jonsson, Ari K.; Frank, Jeremy

2000-01-01

Tractable classes of constraint satisfaction problems are of great importance in artificial intelligence. Identifying and taking advantage of such classes can significantly speed up constraint problem solving. In addition, tractable classes are utilized in applications where strict worst-case performance guarantees are required, such as constraint-based plan execution. In this work, we present a formal framework for search-free (backtrack-free) constraint satisfaction. The framework is based on general procedures, rather than specific propagation techniques, and thus generalizes existing techniques in this area. We also relate search-free problem solving to the notion of decision sets and use the result to provide a constructive criterion that is sufficient to guarantee search-free problem solving.

Electrical Evaluation of RCA MWS5001D Random Access Memory, Volume 5, Appendix D

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klute, A.

1979-01-01

The electrical characterization and qualification test results are presented for the RCA MWS 5001D random access memory. The tests included functional tests, AC and DC parametric tests, AC parametric worst-case pattern selection test, determination of worst-case transition for setup and hold times, and a series of schmoo plots. Average input high current, worst case input high current, output low current, and data setup time are some of the results presented.

Worst-Case Flutter Margins from F/A-18 Aircraft Aeroelastic Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lind, Rick; Brenner, Marty

1997-01-01

An approach for computing worst-case flutter margins has been formulated in a robust stability framework. Uncertainty operators are included with a linear model to describe modeling errors and flight variations. The structured singular value, micron, computes a stability margin which directly accounts for these uncertainties. This approach introduces a new method of computing flutter margins and an associated new parameter for describing these margins. The micron margins are robust margins which indicate worst-case stability estimates with respect to the defined uncertainty. Worst-case flutter margins are computed for the F/A-18 SRA using uncertainty sets generated by flight data analysis. The robust margins demonstrate flight conditions for flutter may lie closer to the flight envelope than previously estimated by p-k analysis.

On the estimation of the worst-case implant-induced RF-heating in multi-channel MRI.

PubMed

Córcoles, Juan; Zastrow, Earl; Kuster, Niels

2017-06-21

The increasing use of multiple radiofrequency (RF) transmit channels in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems makes it necessary to rigorously assess the risk of RF-induced heating. This risk is especially aggravated with inclusions of medical implants within the body. The worst-case RF-heating scenario is achieved when the local tissue deposition in the at-risk region (generally in the vicinity of the implant electrodes) reaches its maximum value while MRI exposure is compliant with predefined general specific absorption rate (SAR) limits or power requirements. This work first reviews the common approach to estimate the worst-case RF-induced heating in multi-channel MRI environment, based on the maximization of the ratio of two Hermitian forms by solving a generalized eigenvalue problem. It is then shown that the common approach is not rigorous and may lead to an underestimation of the worst-case RF-heating scenario when there is a large number of RF transmit channels and there exist multiple SAR or power constraints to be satisfied. Finally, this work derives a rigorous SAR-based formulation to estimate a preferable worst-case scenario, which is solved by casting a semidefinite programming relaxation of this original non-convex problem, whose solution closely approximates the true worst-case including all SAR constraints. Numerical results for 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 RF channels in a 3T-MRI volume coil for a patient with a deep-brain stimulator under a head imaging exposure are provided as illustrative examples.

On the estimation of the worst-case implant-induced RF-heating in multi-channel MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Córcoles, Juan; Zastrow, Earl; Kuster, Niels

2017-06-01

The increasing use of multiple radiofrequency (RF) transmit channels in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems makes it necessary to rigorously assess the risk of RF-induced heating. This risk is especially aggravated with inclusions of medical implants within the body. The worst-case RF-heating scenario is achieved when the local tissue deposition in the at-risk region (generally in the vicinity of the implant electrodes) reaches its maximum value while MRI exposure is compliant with predefined general specific absorption rate (SAR) limits or power requirements. This work first reviews the common approach to estimate the worst-case RF-induced heating in multi-channel MRI environment, based on the maximization of the ratio of two Hermitian forms by solving a generalized eigenvalue problem. It is then shown that the common approach is not rigorous and may lead to an underestimation of the worst-case RF-heating scenario when there is a large number of RF transmit channels and there exist multiple SAR or power constraints to be satisfied. Finally, this work derives a rigorous SAR-based formulation to estimate a preferable worst-case scenario, which is solved by casting a semidefinite programming relaxation of this original non-convex problem, whose solution closely approximates the true worst-case including all SAR constraints. Numerical results for 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 RF channels in a 3T-MRI volume coil for a patient with a deep-brain stimulator under a head imaging exposure are provided as illustrative examples.

49 CFR 194.5 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... crosses a major river or other navigable waters, which, because of the velocity of the river flow and vessel traffic on the river, would require a more rapid response in case of a worst case discharge or..., because of its velocity and vessel traffic, would require a more rapid response in case of a worst case...

49 CFR 194.5 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... crosses a major river or other navigable waters, which, because of the velocity of the river flow and vessel traffic on the river, would require a more rapid response in case of a worst case discharge or..., because of its velocity and vessel traffic, would require a more rapid response in case of a worst case...

49 CFR 194.5 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... crosses a major river or other navigable waters, which, because of the velocity of the river flow and vessel traffic on the river, would require a more rapid response in case of a worst case discharge or..., because of its velocity and vessel traffic, would require a more rapid response in case of a worst case...

Selection of Thermal Worst-Case Orbits via Modified Efficient Global Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moeller, Timothy M.; Wilhite, Alan W.; Liles, Kaitlin A.

2014-01-01

Efficient Global Optimization (EGO) was used to select orbits with worst-case hot and cold thermal environments for the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III. The SAGE III system thermal model changed substantially since the previous selection of worst-case orbits (which did not use the EGO method), so the selections were revised to ensure the worst cases are being captured. The EGO method consists of first conducting an initial set of parametric runs, generated with a space-filling Design of Experiments (DoE) method, then fitting a surrogate model to the data and searching for points of maximum Expected Improvement (EI) to conduct additional runs. The general EGO method was modified by using a multi-start optimizer to identify multiple new test points at each iteration. This modification facilitates parallel computing and decreases the burden of user interaction when the optimizer code is not integrated with the model. Thermal worst-case orbits for SAGE III were successfully identified and shown by direct comparison to be more severe than those identified in the previous selection. The EGO method is a useful tool for this application and can result in computational savings if the initial Design of Experiments (DoE) is selected appropriately.

The Worst-Case Weighted Multi-Objective Game with an Application to Supply Chain Competitions.

PubMed

Qu, Shaojian; Ji, Ying

2016-01-01

In this paper, we propose a worst-case weighted approach to the multi-objective n-person non-zero sum game model where each player has more than one competing objective. Our "worst-case weighted multi-objective game" model supposes that each player has a set of weights to its objectives and wishes to minimize its maximum weighted sum objectives where the maximization is with respect to the set of weights. This new model gives rise to a new Pareto Nash equilibrium concept, which we call "robust-weighted Nash equilibrium". We prove that the robust-weighted Nash equilibria are guaranteed to exist even when the weight sets are unbounded. For the worst-case weighted multi-objective game with the weight sets of players all given as polytope, we show that a robust-weighted Nash equilibrium can be obtained by solving a mathematical program with equilibrium constraints (MPEC). For an application, we illustrate the usefulness of the worst-case weighted multi-objective game to a supply chain risk management problem under demand uncertainty. By the comparison with the existed weighted approach, we show that our method is more robust and can be more efficiently used for the real-world applications.

An SEU resistant 256K SOI SRAM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hite, L. R.; Lu, H.; Houston, T. W.; Hurta, D. S.; Bailey, W. E.

1992-12-01

A novel SEU (single event upset) resistant SRAM (static random access memory) cell has been implemented in a 256K SOI (silicon on insulator) SRAM that has attractive performance characteristics over the military temperature range of -55 to +125 C. These include worst-case access time of 40 ns with an active power of only 150 mW at 25 MHz, and a worst-case minimum WRITE pulse width of 20 ns. Measured SEU performance gives an Adams 10 percent worst-case error rate of 3.4 x 10 exp -11 errors/bit-day using the CRUP code with a conservative first-upset LET threshold. Modeling does show that higher bipolar gain than that measured on a sample from the SRAM lot would produce a lower error rate. Measurements show the worst-case supply voltage for SEU to be 5.5 V. Analysis has shown this to be primarily caused by the drain voltage dependence of the beta of the SOI parasitic bipolar transistor. Based on this, SEU experiments with SOI devices should include measurements as a function of supply voltage, rather than the traditional 4.5 V, to determine the worst-case condition.

Efficacy and cost-efficacy of biologic therapies for moderate to severe psoriasis: a meta-analysis and cost-efficacy analysis using the intention-to-treat principle.

PubMed

Chi, Ching-Chi; Wang, Shu-Hui

2014-01-01

Compared to conventional therapies, biologics are more effective but expensive in treating psoriasis. To evaluate the efficacy and cost-efficacy of biologic therapies for psoriasis. We conducted a meta-analysis to calculate the efficacy of etanercept, adalimumab, infliximab, and ustekinumab for at least 75% reduction in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score (PASI 75) and Physician's Global Assessment clear/minimal (PGA 0/1). The cost-efficacy was assessed by calculating the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per subject achieving PASI 75 and PGA 0/1. The incremental efficacy regarding PASI 75 was 55% (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 38%-72%), 63% (95% CI 59%-67%), 71% (95% CI 67%-76%), 67% (95% CI 62%-73%), and 72% (95% CI 68%-75%) for etanercept, adalimumab, infliximab, and ustekinumab 45 mg and 90 mg, respectively. The corresponding 6-month ICER regarding PASI 75 was $32,643 (best case $24,936; worst case $47,246), $21,315 (best case $20,043; worst case $22,760), $27,782 (best case $25,954; worst case $29,440), $25,055 (best case $22,996; worst case $27,075), and $46,630 (best case $44,765; worst case $49,373), respectively. The results regarding PGA 0/1 were similar. Infliximab and ustekinumab 90 mg had the highest efficacy. Meanwhile, adalimumab had the best cost-efficacy, followed by ustekinumab 45 mg and infliximab.

30 CFR 254.47 - Determining the volume of oil of your worst case discharge scenario.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... associated with the facility. In determining the daily discharge rate, you must consider reservoir characteristics, casing/production tubing sizes, and historical production and reservoir pressure data. Your...) For exploratory or development drilling operations, the size of your worst case discharge scenario is...

SU-F-T-192: Study of Robustness Analysis Method of Multiple Field Optimized IMPT Plans for Head & Neck Patients

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

Li, Y; Wang, X; Li, H

Purpose: Proton therapy is more sensitive to uncertainties than photon treatments due to protons’ finite range depending on the tissue density. Worst case scenario (WCS) method originally proposed by Lomax has been adopted in our institute for robustness analysis of IMPT plans. This work demonstrates that WCS method is sufficient enough to take into account of the uncertainties which could be encountered during daily clinical treatment. Methods: A fast and approximate dose calculation method is developed to calculate the dose for the IMPT plan under different setup and range uncertainties. Effects of two factors, inversed square factor and range uncertainty,more » are explored. WCS robustness analysis method was evaluated using this fast dose calculation method. The worst-case dose distribution was generated by shifting isocenter by 3 mm along x,y and z directions and modifying stopping power ratios by ±3.5%. 1000 randomly perturbed cases in proton range and x, yz directions were created and the corresponding dose distributions were calculated using this approximated method. DVH and dosimetric indexes of all 1000 perturbed cases were calculated and compared with the result using worst case scenario method. Results: The distributions of dosimetric indexes of 1000 perturbed cases were generated and compared with the results using worst case scenario. For D95 of CTVs, at least 97% of 1000 perturbed cases show higher values than the one of worst case scenario. For D5 of CTVs, at least 98% of perturbed cases have lower values than worst case scenario. Conclusion: By extensively calculating the dose distributions under random uncertainties, WCS method was verified to be reliable in evaluating the robustness level of MFO IMPT plans of H&N patients. The extensively sampling approach using fast approximated method could be used in evaluating the effects of different factors on the robustness level of IMPT plans in the future.« less

Emergency care. From zero to hero.

PubMed

Bevington, Jay; Halligan, Aidan; Cullen, Ron

2004-07-29

Essex Ambulance Service trust has achieved a rapid transformation, having last year received the country's worst CHI report. The trust transformed itself through new roles, collaborative working and developing its own model for out-of-hours services. Staff have new confidence in the management team, led by young, relatively inexperienced chief executive Anthony Marsh.

Administration: For Laptops and Tablets, Do You Even Need Insurance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Greg

2013-01-01

At best, insurance is a crucial investment that leads to peace of mind after large educational technology expenditures. If something goes wrong, the insurer pays the claim. At worst, insurance premiums siphon money from school budgets while lining the pockets of distant company executives. John Connolly, director of technology at Consolidated High…

Effect of pesticide fate parameters and their uncertainty on the selection of 'worst-case' scenarios of pesticide leaching to groundwater.

PubMed

Vanderborght, Jan; Tiktak, Aaldrik; Boesten, Jos J T I; Vereecken, Harry

2011-03-01

For the registration of pesticides in the European Union, model simulations for worst-case scenarios are used to demonstrate that leaching concentrations to groundwater do not exceed a critical threshold. A worst-case scenario is a combination of soil and climate properties for which predicted leaching concentrations are higher than a certain percentile of the spatial concentration distribution within a region. The derivation of scenarios is complicated by uncertainty about soil and pesticide fate parameters. As the ranking of climate and soil property combinations according to predicted leaching concentrations is different for different pesticides, the worst-case scenario for one pesticide may misrepresent the worst case for another pesticide, which leads to 'scenario uncertainty'. Pesticide fate parameter uncertainty led to higher concentrations in the higher percentiles of spatial concentration distributions, especially for distributions in smaller and more homogeneous regions. The effect of pesticide fate parameter uncertainty on the spatial concentration distribution was small when compared with the uncertainty of local concentration predictions and with the scenario uncertainty. Uncertainty in pesticide fate parameters and scenario uncertainty can be accounted for using higher percentiles of spatial concentration distributions and considering a range of pesticides for the scenario selection. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

The Worst-Case Weighted Multi-Objective Game with an Application to Supply Chain Competitions

PubMed Central

Qu, Shaojian; Ji, Ying

2016-01-01

In this paper, we propose a worst-case weighted approach to the multi-objective n-person non-zero sum game model where each player has more than one competing objective. Our “worst-case weighted multi-objective game” model supposes that each player has a set of weights to its objectives and wishes to minimize its maximum weighted sum objectives where the maximization is with respect to the set of weights. This new model gives rise to a new Pareto Nash equilibrium concept, which we call “robust-weighted Nash equilibrium”. We prove that the robust-weighted Nash equilibria are guaranteed to exist even when the weight sets are unbounded. For the worst-case weighted multi-objective game with the weight sets of players all given as polytope, we show that a robust-weighted Nash equilibrium can be obtained by solving a mathematical program with equilibrium constraints (MPEC). For an application, we illustrate the usefulness of the worst-case weighted multi-objective game to a supply chain risk management problem under demand uncertainty. By the comparison with the existed weighted approach, we show that our method is more robust and can be more efficiently used for the real-world applications. PMID:26820512

30 CFR 254.47 - Determining the volume of oil of your worst case discharge scenario.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the daily discharge rate, you must consider reservoir characteristics, casing/production tubing sizes, and historical production and reservoir pressure data. Your scenario must discuss how to respond to... drilling operations, the size of your worst case discharge scenario is the daily volume possible from an...

Impact of respiratory motion on worst-case scenario optimized intensity modulated proton therapy for lung cancers.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Liao, Zhongxing; Schild, Steven E; Liu, Zhong; Li, Heng; Li, Yupeng; Park, Peter C; Li, Xiaoqiang; Stoker, Joshua; Shen, Jiajian; Keole, Sameer; Anand, Aman; Fatyga, Mirek; Dong, Lei; Sahoo, Narayan; Vora, Sujay; Wong, William; Zhu, X Ronald; Bues, Martin; Mohan, Radhe

2015-01-01

We compared conventionally optimized intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) treatment plans against worst-case scenario optimized treatment plans for lung cancer. The comparison of the 2 IMPT optimization strategies focused on the resulting plans' ability to retain dose objectives under the influence of patient setup, inherent proton range uncertainty, and dose perturbation caused by respiratory motion. For each of the 9 lung cancer cases, 2 treatment plans were created that accounted for treatment uncertainties in 2 different ways. The first used the conventional method: delivery of prescribed dose to the planning target volume that is geometrically expanded from the internal target volume (ITV). The second used a worst-case scenario optimization scheme that addressed setup and range uncertainties through beamlet optimization. The plan optimality and plan robustness were calculated and compared. Furthermore, the effects on dose distributions of changes in patient anatomy attributable to respiratory motion were investigated for both strategies by comparing the corresponding plan evaluation metrics at the end-inspiration and end-expiration phase and absolute differences between these phases. The mean plan evaluation metrics of the 2 groups were compared with 2-sided paired Student t tests. Without respiratory motion considered, we affirmed that worst-case scenario optimization is superior to planning target volume-based conventional optimization in terms of plan robustness and optimality. With respiratory motion considered, worst-case scenario optimization still achieved more robust dose distributions to respiratory motion for targets and comparable or even better plan optimality (D95% ITV, 96.6% vs 96.1% [P = .26]; D5%- D95% ITV, 10.0% vs 12.3% [P = .082]; D1% spinal cord, 31.8% vs 36.5% [P = .035]). Worst-case scenario optimization led to superior solutions for lung IMPT. Despite the fact that worst-case scenario optimization did not explicitly account for respiratory motion, it produced motion-resistant treatment plans. However, further research is needed to incorporate respiratory motion into IMPT robust optimization. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selection of Worst-Case Pesticide Leaching Scenarios for Pesticide Registration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vereecken, H.; Tiktak, A.; Boesten, J.; Vanderborght, J.

2010-12-01

The use of pesticides, fertilizers and manure in intensive agriculture may have a negative impact on the quality of ground- and surface water resources. Legislative action has been undertaken in many countries to protect surface and groundwater resources from contamination by surface applied agrochemicals. Of particular concern are pesticides. The registration procedure plays an important role in the regulation of pesticide use in the European Union. In order to register a certain pesticide use, the notifier needs to prove that the use does not entail a risk of groundwater contamination. Therefore, leaching concentrations of the pesticide need to be assessed using model simulations for so called worst-case scenarios. In the current procedure, a worst-case scenario represents a parameterized pesticide fate model for a certain soil and a certain time series of weather conditions that tries to represent all relevant processes such as transient water flow, root water uptake, pesticide transport, sorption, decay and volatilisation as accurate as possible. Since this model has been parameterized for only one soil and weather time series, it is uncertain whether it represents a worst-case condition for a certain pesticide use. We discuss an alternative approach that uses a simpler model that requires less detailed information about the soil and weather conditions but still represents the effect of soil and climate on pesticide leaching using information that is available for the entire European Union. A comparison between the two approaches demonstrates that the higher precision that the detailed model provides for the prediction of pesticide leaching at a certain site is counteracted by its smaller accuracy to represent a worst case condition. The simpler model predicts leaching concentrations less precise at a certain site but has a complete coverage of the area so that it selects a worst-case condition more accurately.

A Framework to Improve Surgeon Communication in High-Stakes Surgical Decisions: Best Case/Worst Case.

PubMed

Taylor, Lauren J; Nabozny, Michael J; Steffens, Nicole M; Tucholka, Jennifer L; Brasel, Karen J; Johnson, Sara K; Zelenski, Amy; Rathouz, Paul J; Zhao, Qianqian; Kwekkeboom, Kristine L; Campbell, Toby C; Schwarze, Margaret L

2017-06-01

Although many older adults prefer to avoid burdensome interventions with limited ability to preserve their functional status, aggressive treatments, including surgery, are common near the end of life. Shared decision making is critical to achieve value-concordant treatment decisions and minimize unwanted care. However, communication in the acute inpatient setting is challenging. To evaluate the proof of concept of an intervention to teach surgeons to use the Best Case/Worst Case framework as a strategy to change surgeon communication and promote shared decision making during high-stakes surgical decisions. Our prospective pre-post study was conducted from June 2014 to August 2015, and data were analyzed using a mixed methods approach. The data were drawn from decision-making conversations between 32 older inpatients with an acute nonemergent surgical problem, 30 family members, and 25 surgeons at 1 tertiary care hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. A 2-hour training session to teach each study-enrolled surgeon to use the Best Case/Worst Case communication framework. We scored conversation transcripts using OPTION 5, an observer measure of shared decision making, and used qualitative content analysis to characterize patterns in conversation structure, description of outcomes, and deliberation over treatment alternatives. The study participants were patients aged 68 to 95 years (n = 32), 44% of whom had 5 or more comorbid conditions; family members of patients (n = 30); and surgeons (n = 17). The median OPTION 5 score improved from 41 preintervention (interquartile range, 26-66) to 74 after Best Case/Worst Case training (interquartile range, 60-81). Before training, surgeons described the patient's problem in conjunction with an operative solution, directed deliberation over options, listed discrete procedural risks, and did not integrate preferences into a treatment recommendation. After training, surgeons using Best Case/Worst Case clearly presented a choice between treatments, described a range of postoperative trajectories including functional decline, and involved patients and families in deliberation. Using the Best Case/Worst Case framework changed surgeon communication by shifting the focus of decision-making conversations from an isolated surgical problem to a discussion about treatment alternatives and outcomes. This intervention can help surgeons structure challenging conversations to promote shared decision making in the acute setting.

40 CFR 300.324 - Response to worst case discharges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Response to worst case discharges. 300.324 Section 300.324 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES POLLUTION...

40 CFR 300.324 - Response to worst case discharges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Response to worst case discharges. 300.324 Section 300.324 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES POLLUTION...

40 CFR 300.324 - Response to worst case discharges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Response to worst case discharges. 300.324 Section 300.324 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES POLLUTION...

40 CFR 300.324 - Response to worst case discharges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Response to worst case discharges. 300.324 Section 300.324 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES POLLUTION...

Electrical Evaluation of RCA MWS5001D Random Access Memory, Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klute, A.

1979-01-01

Electrical characterization and qualification tests were performed on the RCA MWS5001D, 1024 by 1-bit, CMOS, random access memory. Characterization tests were performed on five devices. The tests included functional tests, AC parametric worst case pattern selection test, determination of worst-case transition for setup and hold times and a series of schmoo plots. The qualification tests were performed on 32 devices and included a 2000 hour burn in with electrical tests performed at 0 hours and after 168, 1000, and 2000 hours of burn in. The tests performed included functional tests and AC and DC parametric tests. All of the tests in the characterization phase, with the exception of the worst-case transition test, were performed at ambient temperatures of 25, -55 and 125 C. The worst-case transition test was performed at 25 C. The preburn in electrical tests were performed at 25, -55, and 125 C. All burn in endpoint tests were performed at 25, -40, -55, 85, and 125 C.

Query Optimization in Distributed Databases.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-01

general, the strategy a31 a11 a 3 is more time comsuming than the strategy a, a, and sually we do not use it. Since the semijoin of R.XJ> RS requires...analytic behavior of those heuristic algorithms. Although some analytic results of worst case and average case analysis are difficult to obtain, some...is the study of the analytic behavior of those heuristic algorithms. Although some analytic results of worst case and average case analysis are

ANOTHER LOOK AT THE FAST ITERATIVE SHRINKAGE/THRESHOLDING ALGORITHM (FISTA)*

PubMed Central

Kim, Donghwan; Fessler, Jeffrey A.

2017-01-01

This paper provides a new way of developing the “Fast Iterative Shrinkage/Thresholding Algorithm (FISTA)” [3] that is widely used for minimizing composite convex functions with a nonsmooth term such as the ℓ1 regularizer. In particular, this paper shows that FISTA corresponds to an optimized approach to accelerating the proximal gradient method with respect to a worst-case bound of the cost function. This paper then proposes a new algorithm that is derived by instead optimizing the step coefficients of the proximal gradient method with respect to a worst-case bound of the composite gradient mapping. The proof is based on the worst-case analysis called Performance Estimation Problem in [11]. PMID:29805242

Conceptual modeling for identification of worst case conditions in environmental risk assessment of nanomaterials using nZVI and C60 as case studies.

PubMed

Grieger, Khara D; Hansen, Steffen F; Sørensen, Peter B; Baun, Anders

2011-09-01

Conducting environmental risk assessment of engineered nanomaterials has been an extremely challenging endeavor thus far. Moreover, recent findings from the nano-risk scientific community indicate that it is unlikely that many of these challenges will be easily resolved in the near future, especially given the vast variety and complexity of nanomaterials and their applications. As an approach to help optimize environmental risk assessments of nanomaterials, we apply the Worst-Case Definition (WCD) model to identify best estimates for worst-case conditions of environmental risks of two case studies which use engineered nanoparticles, namely nZVI in soil and groundwater remediation and C(60) in an engine oil lubricant. Results generated from this analysis may ultimately help prioritize research areas for environmental risk assessments of nZVI and C(60) in these applications as well as demonstrate the use of worst-case conditions to optimize future research efforts for other nanomaterials. Through the application of the WCD model, we find that the most probable worst-case conditions for both case studies include i) active uptake mechanisms, ii) accumulation in organisms, iii) ecotoxicological response mechanisms such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cell membrane damage or disruption, iv) surface properties of nZVI and C(60), and v) acute exposure tolerance of organisms. Additional estimates of worst-case conditions for C(60) also include the physical location of C(60) in the environment from surface run-off, cellular exposure routes for heterotrophic organisms, and the presence of light to amplify adverse effects. Based on results of this analysis, we recommend the prioritization of research for the selected applications within the following areas: organism active uptake ability of nZVI and C(60) and ecotoxicological response end-points and response mechanisms including ROS production and cell membrane damage, full nanomaterial characterization taking into account detailed information on nanomaterial surface properties, and investigations of dose-response relationships for a variety of organisms. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reducing Probabilistic Weather Forecasts to the Worst-Case Scenario: Anchoring Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joslyn, Susan; Savelli, Sonia; Nadav-Greenberg, Limor

2011-01-01

Many weather forecast providers believe that forecast uncertainty in the form of the worst-case scenario would be useful for general public end users. We tested this suggestion in 4 studies using realistic weather-related decision tasks involving high winds and low temperatures. College undergraduates, given the statistical equivalent of the…

30 CFR 553.13 - How much OSFR must I demonstrate?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... OIL SPILL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OFFSHORE FACILITIES Applicability and Amount of OSFR § 553.13... the following table: COF worst case oil-spill discharge volume Applicable amount of OSFR Over 1,000... worst case oil-spill discharge of 1,000 bbls or less if the Director notifies you in writing that the...

30 CFR 553.13 - How much OSFR must I demonstrate?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... OIL SPILL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OFFSHORE FACILITIES Applicability and Amount of OSFR § 553.13... the following table: COF worst case oil-spill discharge volume Applicable amount of OSFR Over 1,000... worst case oil-spill discharge of 1,000 bbls or less if the Director notifies you in writing that the...

30 CFR 553.13 - How much OSFR must I demonstrate?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... OIL SPILL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OFFSHORE FACILITIES Applicability and Amount of OSFR § 553.13... the following table: COF worst case oil-spill discharge volume Applicable amount of OSFR Over 1,000... worst case oil-spill discharge of 1,000 bbls or less if the Director notifies you in writing that the...

Parallel transmission pulse design with explicit control for the specific absorption rate in the presence of radiofrequency errors.

PubMed

Martin, Adrian; Schiavi, Emanuele; Eryaman, Yigitcan; Herraiz, Joaquin L; Gagoski, Borjan; Adalsteinsson, Elfar; Wald, Lawrence L; Guerin, Bastien

2016-06-01

A new framework for the design of parallel transmit (pTx) pulses is presented introducing constraints for local and global specific absorption rate (SAR) in the presence of errors in the radiofrequency (RF) transmit chain. The first step is the design of a pTx RF pulse with explicit constraints for global and local SAR. Then, the worst possible SAR associated with that pulse due to RF transmission errors ("worst-case SAR") is calculated. Finally, this information is used to re-calculate the pulse with lower SAR constraints, iterating this procedure until its worst-case SAR is within safety limits. Analysis of an actual pTx RF transmit chain revealed amplitude errors as high as 8% (20%) and phase errors above 3° (15°) for spokes (spiral) pulses. Simulations show that using the proposed framework, pulses can be designed with controlled "worst-case SAR" in the presence of errors of this magnitude at minor cost of the excitation profile quality. Our worst-case SAR-constrained pTx design strategy yields pulses with local and global SAR within the safety limits even in the presence of RF transmission errors. This strategy is a natural way to incorporate SAR safety factors in the design of pTx pulses. Magn Reson Med 75:2493-2504, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

41 CFR 102-80.150 - What is meant by “reasonable worst case fire scenario”?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false What is meant by âreasonable worst case fire scenarioâ? 102-80.150 Section 102-80.150 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION REAL PROPERTY 80...

40 CFR Appendix D to Part 112 - Determination of a Worst Case Discharge Planning Volume

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Determination of a Worst Case Discharge Planning Volume D Appendix D to Part 112 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION Pt. 112, App. D Appendix D to Part 112—Determination of a...

40 CFR Appendix D to Part 112 - Determination of a Worst Case Discharge Planning Volume

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Determination of a Worst Case Discharge Planning Volume D Appendix D to Part 112 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION Pt. 112, App. D Appendix D to Part 112—Determination of a...

40 CFR Appendix D to Part 112 - Determination of a Worst Case Discharge Planning Volume

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Determination of a Worst Case Discharge Planning Volume D Appendix D to Part 112 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION Pt. 112, App. D Appendix D to Part 112—Determination of a...

40 CFR Appendix D to Part 112 - Determination of a Worst Case Discharge Planning Volume

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Determination of a Worst Case Discharge Planning Volume D Appendix D to Part 112 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION Pt. 112, App. D Appendix D to Part 112—Determination of a...

40 CFR Appendix D to Part 112 - Determination of a Worst Case Discharge Planning Volume

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Determination of a Worst Case Discharge Planning Volume D Appendix D to Part 112 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS OIL POLLUTION PREVENTION Pt. 112, App. D Appendix D to Part 112—Determination of a...

41 CFR 102-80.150 - What is meant by “reasonable worst case fire scenario”?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What is meant by âreasonable worst case fire scenarioâ? 102-80.150 Section 102-80.150 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION REAL PROPERTY 80...

Robust Flutter Margin Analysis that Incorporates Flight Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lind, Rick; Brenner, Martin J.

1998-01-01

An approach for computing worst-case flutter margins has been formulated in a robust stability framework. Uncertainty operators are included with a linear model to describe modeling errors and flight variations. The structured singular value, mu, computes a stability margin that directly accounts for these uncertainties. This approach introduces a new method of computing flutter margins and an associated new parameter for describing these margins. The mu margins are robust margins that indicate worst-case stability estimates with respect to the defined uncertainty. Worst-case flutter margins are computed for the F/A-18 Systems Research Aircraft using uncertainty sets generated by flight data analysis. The robust margins demonstrate flight conditions for flutter may lie closer to the flight envelope than previously estimated by p-k analysis.

The effect of acutely administered MDMA on subjective and BOLD-fMRI responses to favourite and worst autobiographical memories.

PubMed

Carhart-Harris, R L; Wall, M B; Erritzoe, D; Kaelen, M; Ferguson, B; De Meer, I; Tanner, M; Bloomfield, M; Williams, T M; Bolstridge, M; Stewart, L; Morgan, C J; Newbould, R D; Feilding, A; Curran, H V; Nutt, D J

2014-04-01

3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a potent monoamine-releaser that is widely used as a recreational drug. Preliminary work has supported the potential of MDMA in psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The neurobiological mechanisms underlying its putative efficacy are, however, poorly understood. Psychotherapy for PTSD usually requires that patients revisit traumatic memories, and it has been argued that this is easier to do under MDMA. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to investigate the effect of MDMA on recollection of favourite and worst autobiographical memories (AMs). Nineteen participants (five females) with previous experience with MDMA performed a blocked AM recollection (AMR) paradigm after ingestion of 100 mg of MDMA-HCl or ascorbic acid (placebo) in a double-blind, repeated-measures design. Memory cues describing participants' AMs were read by them in the scanner. Favourite memories were rated as significantly more vivid, emotionally intense and positive after MDMA than placebo and worst memories were rated as less negative. Functional MRI data from 17 participants showed robust activations to AMs in regions known to be involved in AMR. There was also a significant effect of memory valence: hippocampal regions showed preferential activations to favourite memories and executive regions to worst memories. MDMA augmented activations to favourite memories in the bilateral fusiform gyrus and somatosensory cortex and attenuated activations to worst memories in the left anterior temporal cortex. These findings are consistent with a positive emotional-bias likely mediated by MDMA's pro-monoaminergic pharmacology.

Less than severe worst case accidents

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

Sanders, G.A.

1996-08-01

Many systems can provide tremendous benefit if operating correctly, produce only an inconvenience if they fail to operate, but have extreme consequences if they are only partially disabled such that they operate erratically or prematurely. In order to assure safety, systems are often tested against the most severe environments and accidents that are considered possible to ensure either safe operation or safe failure. However, it is often the less severe environments which result in the ``worst case accident`` since these are the conditions in which part of the system may be exposed or rendered unpredictable prior to total system failure.more » Some examples of less severe mechanical, thermal, and electrical environments which may actually be worst case are described as cautions for others in industries with high consequence operations or products.« less

Executive functioning of complicated-mild to moderate traumatic brain injury patients with frontal contusions.

PubMed

Ghawami, Heshmatollah; Sadeghi, Sadegh; Raghibi, Mahvash; Rahimi-Movaghar, Vafa

2017-01-01

Executive dysfunctions are among the most prevalent neurobehavioral sequelae of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Using culturally validated tests from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS: Trail Making, Verbal Fluency, Design Fluency, Sorting, Twenty Questions, and Tower) and the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS: Rule Shift Cards, Key Search, and Modified Six Elements), the current study was the first to examine executive functioning in a group of Iranian TBI patients with focal frontal contusions. Compared with a demographically matched normative sample, the frontal contusion patients showed substantial impairments, with very large effect sizes (p ≤ .003, 1.56 < d < 3.12), on all the executive measures. Controlling for respective lower-level/fundamental conditions, the differences on the highest-level executive (cognitive switching) conditions were still significant. The frontal patients also committed more errors. Patients with lateral prefrontal (LPFC) contusions were qualitatively worst. For example, only the LPFC patients committed perseverative repetition errors. Altogether, our results support the notion that the frontal lobes, specifically the lateral prefrontal regions, play a critical role in cognitive executive functioning, over and above the contributions of respective lower-level cognitive abilities. The results provide clinical evidence for validity of the cross-culturally adapted versions of the tests.

The ethics of administrative credentialing.

PubMed

Jones, James W; McCullough, Laurence B; Crigger, Nancy A; Richman, Bruce W

2005-04-01

A vascular surgeon has practiced in the same community for more than 20 years, holding privileges at the two largest local general hospitals. She is widely respected and admired by patients and fellow physicians in all specialties, and her results are consistently good. Recently, the board of directors at the hospital that has been the source of 80% of her case referrals hired a notorious slash-and-burn management firm to improve the balance sheet. The new chief executive officer (CEO) installed an information technology system that can provide management with physician-specific figures on costs and reimbursements. The management consultants identified the 10% of physicians with the worst cost/reimbursement ratios over the preceding 5 years and persuaded the board of directors to order their clinical privileges withdrawn. Our seasoned surgeon learns that she is among the targeted group. Is there an ethical issue here, and, if so, how should she respond?

Sorting on STAR. [CDC computer algorithm timing comparison

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, H. S.

1978-01-01

Timing comparisons are given for three sorting algorithms written for the CDC STAR computer. One algorithm is Hoare's (1962) Quicksort, which is the fastest or nearly the fastest sorting algorithm for most computers. A second algorithm is a vector version of Quicksort that takes advantage of the STAR's vector operations. The third algorithm is an adaptation of Batcher's (1968) sorting algorithm, which makes especially good use of vector operations but has a complexity of N(log N)-squared as compared with a complexity of N log N for the Quicksort algorithms. In spite of its worse complexity, Batcher's sorting algorithm is competitive with the serial version of Quicksort for vectors up to the largest that can be treated by STAR. Vector Quicksort outperforms the other two algorithms and is generally preferred. These results indicate that unusual instruction sets can introduce biases in program execution time that counter results predicted by worst-case asymptotic complexity analysis.

An inference engine for embedded diagnostic systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, Barry R.; Brewster, Larry T.

1987-01-01

The implementation of an inference engine for embedded diagnostic systems is described. The system consists of two distinct parts. The first is an off-line compiler which accepts a propositional logical statement of the relationship between facts and conclusions and produces data structures required by the on-line inference engine. The second part consists of the inference engine and interface routines which accept assertions of fact and return the conclusions which necessarily follow. Given a set of assertions, it will generate exactly the conclusions which logically follow. At the same time, it will detect any inconsistencies which may propagate from an inconsistent set of assertions or a poorly formulated set of rules. The memory requirements are fixed and the worst case execution times are bounded at compile time. The data structures and inference algorithms are very simple and well understood. The data structures and algorithms are described in detail. The system has been implemented on Lisp, Pascal, and Modula-2.

A space-efficient quantum computer simulator suitable for high-speed FPGA implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frank, Michael P.; Oniciuc, Liviu; Meyer-Baese, Uwe H.; Chiorescu, Irinel

2009-05-01

Conventional vector-based simulators for quantum computers are quite limited in the size of the quantum circuits they can handle, due to the worst-case exponential growth of even sparse representations of the full quantum state vector as a function of the number of quantum operations applied. However, this exponential-space requirement can be avoided by using general space-time tradeoffs long known to complexity theorists, which can be appropriately optimized for this particular problem in a way that also illustrates some interesting reformulations of quantum mechanics. In this paper, we describe the design and empirical space/time complexity measurements of a working software prototype of a quantum computer simulator that avoids excessive space requirements. Due to its space-efficiency, this design is well-suited to embedding in single-chip environments, permitting especially fast execution that avoids access latencies to main memory. We plan to prototype our design on a standard FPGA development board.

Integrated Optoelectronic Networks for Application-Driven Multicore Computing

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-08

hybrid photonic torus, the all-optical Corona crossbar, and the hybrid hierarchical Firefly crossbar. • The key challenges for waveguide photonics...improves SXR but with relatively higher EDP overhead. Our evaluation results indicate that the encoding schemes improve worst-case-SXR in Corona and...photonic crossbar architectures ( Corona and Firefly) indicate that our approach improves worst-case signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by up to 51.7

Method of Generating Transient Equivalent Sink and Test Target Temperatures for Swift BAT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Michael K.

2004-01-01

The NASA Swift mission has a 600-km altitude and a 22 degrees maximum inclination. The sun angle varies from 45 degrees to 180 degrees in normal operation. As a result, environmental heat fluxes absorbed by the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) radiator and loop heat pipe (LHP) compensation chambers (CCs) vary transiently. Therefore the equivalent sink temperatures for the radiator and CCs varies transiently. In thermal performance verification testing in vacuum, the radiator and CCs radiated heat to sink targets. This paper presents an analytical technique for generating orbit transient equivalent sink temperatures and a technique for generating transient sink target temperatures for the radiator and LHP CCs. Using these techniques, transient target temperatures for the radiator and LHP CCs were generated for three thermal environmental cases: worst hot case, worst cold case, and cooldown and warmup between worst hot case in sunlight and worst cold case in the eclipse, and three different heat transport values: 128 W, 255 W, and 382 W. The 128 W case assumed that the two LHPs transport 255 W equally to the radiator. The 255 W case assumed that one LHP fails so that the remaining LHP transports all the waste heat from the detector array to the radiator. The 382 W case assumed that one LHP fails so that the remaining LHP transports all the waste heat from the detector array to the radiator, and has a 50% design margin. All these transient target temperatures were successfully implemented in the engineering test unit (ETU) LHP and flight LHP thermal performance verification tests in vacuum.

Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR), Volume 4, Defense Agencies Abstracts of Phase 1 Awards 1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING INTEGRATED OPTICAL DEVICES, NONLINEAR MAGNETIC-OPTIC MATERIALS, HIGH FREQUENCY MODULATORS, COMPUTER-AIDED MODELING AND SOPHISTICATED... HIGH -LEVEL PRESENTATION AND DISTRIBUTED CONTROL MODELS FOR INTEGRATING HETEROGENEOUS MECHANICAL ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS AND TOOLS. THE DESIGN IS FOCUSED...STATISTICALLY ACCURATE WORST CASE DEVICE MODELS FOR CIRCUIT SIMULATION. PRESENT METHODS OF WORST CASE DEVICE DESIGN ARE AD HOC AND DO NOT ALLOW THE

Adverse weather impact on aviation safety, investigation and oversight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, M. J.

1985-01-01

A brief review of the weather factors that effect aviation safety with respect to U.S. Coast Guard operations is presented. Precise meteorological information is an absolute necessity to the Coast Guard which must conduct life saving and rescue operations under the worst of weather conditions. Many times the weather conditions in which they operate are the cause of or a contributing factor to the predicament from which they must execute a rescue operation.

Local measles vaccination gaps in Germany and the role of vaccination providers.

PubMed

Eichner, Linda; Wjst, Stephanie; Brockmann, Stefan O; Wolfers, Kerstin; Eichner, Martin

2017-08-14

Measles elimination in Europe is an urgent public health goal, yet despite the efforts of its member states, vaccination gaps and outbreaks occur. This study explores local vaccination heterogeneity in kindergartens and municipalities of a German county. Data on children from mandatory school enrolment examinations in 2014/15 in Reutlingen county were used. Children with unknown vaccination status were either removed from the analysis (best case) or assumed to be unvaccinated (worst case). Vaccination data were translated into expected outbreak probabilities. Physicians and kindergartens with statistically outstanding numbers of under-vaccinated children were identified. A total of 170 (7.1%) of 2388 children did not provide a vaccination certificate; 88.3% (worst case) or 95.1% (best case) were vaccinated at least once against measles. Based on the worst case vaccination coverage, <10% of municipalities and <20% of kindergartens were sufficiently vaccinated to be protected against outbreaks. Excluding children without a vaccination certificate (best case) leads to over-optimistic views: the overall outbreak probability in case of a measles introduction lies between 39.5% (best case) and 73.0% (worst case). Four paediatricians were identified who accounted for 41 of 109 unvaccinated children and for 47 of 138 incomplete vaccinations; GPs showed significantly higher rates of missing vaccination certificates and unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children than paediatricians. Missing vaccination certificates pose a severe problem regarding the interpretability of vaccination data. Although the coverage for at least one measles vaccination is higher in the studied county than in most South German counties and higher than the European average, many severe and potentially dangerous vaccination gaps occur locally. If other federal German states and EU countries show similar vaccination variability, measles elimination may not succeed in Europe.

Worst case estimation of homology design by convex analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yoshikawa, N.; Elishakoff, Isaac; Nakagiri, S.

1998-01-01

The methodology of homology design is investigated for optimum design of advanced structures. for which the achievement of delicate tasks by the aid of active control system is demanded. The proposed formulation of homology design, based on the finite element sensitivity analysis, necessarily requires the specification of external loadings. The formulation to evaluate the worst case for homology design caused by uncertain fluctuation of loadings is presented by means of the convex model of uncertainty, in which uncertainty variables are assigned to discretized nodal forces and are confined within a conceivable convex hull given as a hyperellipse. The worst case of the distortion from objective homologous deformation is estimated by the Lagrange multiplier method searching the point to maximize the error index on the boundary of the convex hull. The validity of the proposed method is demonstrated in a numerical example using the eleven-bar truss structure.

Biomechanical behavior of a cemented ceramic knee replacement under worst case scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kluess, D.; Mittelmeier, W.; Bader, R.

2009-12-01

In connection with technological advances in the manufacturing of medical ceramics, a newly developed ceramic femoral component was introduced in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The motivation to consider ceramics in TKA is based on the allergological and tribological benefits as proven in total hip arthroplasty. Owing to the brittleness and reduced fracture toughness of ceramic materials, the biomechanical performance has to be examined intensely. Apart from standard testing, we calculated the implant performance under different worst case scenarios including malposition, bone defects and stumbling. A finite-element-model was developed to calculate the implant performance in situ. The worst case conditions revealed principal stresses 12.6 times higher during stumbling than during normal gait. Nevertheless, none of the calculated principal stress amounts were above the critical strength of the ceramic material used. The analysis of malposition showed the necessity of exact alignment of the implant components.

Biomechanical behavior of a cemented ceramic knee replacement under worst case scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kluess, D.; Mittelmeier, W.; Bader, R.

2010-03-01

In connection with technological advances in the manufacturing of medical ceramics, a newly developed ceramic femoral component was introduced in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The motivation to consider ceramics in TKA is based on the allergological and tribological benefits as proven in total hip arthroplasty. Owing to the brittleness and reduced fracture toughness of ceramic materials, the biomechanical performance has to be examined intensely. Apart from standard testing, we calculated the implant performance under different worst case scenarios including malposition, bone defects and stumbling. A finite-element-model was developed to calculate the implant performance in situ. The worst case conditions revealed principal stresses 12.6 times higher during stumbling than during normal gait. Nevertheless, none of the calculated principal stress amounts were above the critical strength of the ceramic material used. The analysis of malposition showed the necessity of exact alignment of the implant components.

Migration of mineral oil from party plates of recycled paperboard into foods: 1. Is recycled paperboard fit for the purpose? 2. Adequate testing procedure.

PubMed

Dima, Giovanna; Verzera, Antonella; Grob, Koni

2011-11-01

Party plates made of recycled paperboard with a polyolefin film on the food contact surface (more often polypropylene than polyethylene) were tested for migration of mineral oil into various foods applying reasonable worst case conditions. The worst case was identified as a slice of fried meat placed onto the plate while hot and allowed to cool for 1 h. As it caused the acceptable daily intake (ADI) specified by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) to be exceeded, it is concluded that recycled paperboard is generally acceptable for party plates only when separated from the food by a functional barrier. Migration data obtained with oil as simulant at 70°C was compared to the migration into foods. A contact time of 30 min was found to reasonably cover the worst case determined in food.

The effect of a loss of model structural detail due to network skeletonization on contamination warning system design: case studies.

PubMed

Davis, Michael J; Janke, Robert

2018-01-04

The effect of limitations in the structural detail available in a network model on contamination warning system (CWS) design was examined in case studies using the original and skeletonized network models for two water distribution systems (WDSs). The skeletonized models were used as proxies for incomplete network models. CWS designs were developed by optimizing sensor placements for worst-case and mean-case contamination events. Designs developed using the skeletonized network models were transplanted into the original network model for evaluation. CWS performance was defined as the number of people who ingest more than some quantity of a contaminant in tap water before the CWS detects the presence of contamination. Lack of structural detail in a network model can result in CWS designs that (1) provide considerably less protection against worst-case contamination events than that obtained when a more complete network model is available and (2) yield substantial underestimates of the consequences associated with a contamination event. Nevertheless, CWSs developed using skeletonized network models can provide useful reductions in consequences for contaminants whose effects are not localized near the injection location. Mean-case designs can yield worst-case performances similar to those for worst-case designs when there is uncertainty in the network model. Improvements in network models for WDSs have the potential to yield significant improvements in CWS designs as well as more realistic evaluations of those designs. Although such improvements would be expected to yield improved CWS performance, the expected improvements in CWS performance have not been quantified previously. The results presented here should be useful to those responsible for the design or implementation of CWSs, particularly managers and engineers in water utilities, and encourage the development of improved network models.

The effect of a loss of model structural detail due to network skeletonization on contamination warning system design: case studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Michael J.; Janke, Robert

2018-05-01

The effect of limitations in the structural detail available in a network model on contamination warning system (CWS) design was examined in case studies using the original and skeletonized network models for two water distribution systems (WDSs). The skeletonized models were used as proxies for incomplete network models. CWS designs were developed by optimizing sensor placements for worst-case and mean-case contamination events. Designs developed using the skeletonized network models were transplanted into the original network model for evaluation. CWS performance was defined as the number of people who ingest more than some quantity of a contaminant in tap water before the CWS detects the presence of contamination. Lack of structural detail in a network model can result in CWS designs that (1) provide considerably less protection against worst-case contamination events than that obtained when a more complete network model is available and (2) yield substantial underestimates of the consequences associated with a contamination event. Nevertheless, CWSs developed using skeletonized network models can provide useful reductions in consequences for contaminants whose effects are not localized near the injection location. Mean-case designs can yield worst-case performances similar to those for worst-case designs when there is uncertainty in the network model. Improvements in network models for WDSs have the potential to yield significant improvements in CWS designs as well as more realistic evaluations of those designs. Although such improvements would be expected to yield improved CWS performance, the expected improvements in CWS performance have not been quantified previously. The results presented here should be useful to those responsible for the design or implementation of CWSs, particularly managers and engineers in water utilities, and encourage the development of improved network models.

Sensitivity of worst-case strom surge considering influence of climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takayabu, Izuru; Hibino, Kenshi; Sasaki, Hidetaka; Shiogama, Hideo; Mori, Nobuhito; Shibutani, Yoko; Takemi, Tetsuya

2016-04-01

There are two standpoints when assessing risk caused by climate change. One is how to prevent disaster. For this purpose, we get probabilistic information of meteorological elements, from enough number of ensemble simulations. Another one is to consider disaster mitigation. For this purpose, we have to use very high resolution sophisticated model to represent a worst case event in detail. If we could use enough computer resources to drive many ensemble runs with very high resolution model, we can handle these all themes in one time. However resources are unfortunately limited in most cases, and we have to select the resolution or the number of simulations if we design the experiment. Applying PGWD (Pseudo Global Warming Downscaling) method is one solution to analyze a worst case event in detail. Here we introduce an example to find climate change influence on the worst case storm-surge, by applying PGWD to a super typhoon Haiyan (Takayabu et al, 2015). 1 km grid WRF model could represent both the intensity and structure of a super typhoon. By adopting PGWD method, we can only estimate the influence of climate change on the development process of the Typhoon. Instead, the changes in genesis could not be estimated. Finally, we drove SU-WAT model (which includes shallow water equation model) to get the signal of storm surge height. The result indicates that the height of the storm surge increased up to 20% owing to these 150 years climate change.

Electrical Evaluation of RCA MWS5001D Random Access Memory, Volume 4, Appendix C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klute, A.

1979-01-01

The electrical characterization and qualification test results are presented for the RCA MWS5001D random access memory. The tests included functional tests, AC and DC parametric tests, AC parametric worst-case pattern selection test, determination of worst-case transition for setup and hold times, and a series of schmoo plots. Statistical analysis data is supplied along with write pulse width, read cycle time, write cycle time, and chip enable time data.

Electrical Evaluation of RCA MWS5501D Random Access Memory, Volume 2, Appendix a

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klute, A.

1979-01-01

The electrical characterization and qualification test results are presented for the RCA MWS5001D random access memory. The tests included functional tests, AC and DC parametric tests, AC parametric worst-case pattern selection test, determination of worst-case transition for setup and hold times, and a series of schmoo plots. The address access time, address readout time, the data hold time, and the data setup time are some of the results surveyed.

Probabilistic Models for Solar Particle Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, James H., Jr.; Dietrich, W. F.; Xapsos, M. A.; Welton, A. M.

2009-01-01

Probabilistic Models of Solar Particle Events (SPEs) are used in space mission design studies to provide a description of the worst-case radiation environment that the mission must be designed to tolerate.The models determine the worst-case environment using a description of the mission and a user-specified confidence level that the provided environment will not be exceeded. This poster will focus on completing the existing suite of models by developing models for peak flux and event-integrated fluence elemental spectra for the Z>2 elements. It will also discuss methods to take into account uncertainties in the data base and the uncertainties resulting from the limited number of solar particle events in the database. These new probabilistic models are based on an extensive survey of SPE measurements of peak and event-integrated elemental differential energy spectra. Attempts are made to fit the measured spectra with eight different published models. The model giving the best fit to each spectrum is chosen and used to represent that spectrum for any energy in the energy range covered by the measurements. The set of all such spectral representations for each element is then used to determine the worst case spectrum as a function of confidence level. The spectral representation that best fits these worst case spectra is found and its dependence on confidence level is parameterized. This procedure creates probabilistic models for the peak and event-integrated spectra.

A Multidimensional Assessment of Children in Conflictual Contexts: The Case of Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okech, Jane E. Atieno

2012-01-01

Children in Kenya's Kisumu District Primary Schools (N = 430) completed three measures of trauma. Respondents completed the "My Worst Experience Scale" (MWES; Hyman and Snook 2002) and its supplement, the "School Alienation and Trauma Survey" (SATS; Hyman and Snook 2002), sharing their worst experiences overall and specifically…

Remotely Piloted Innovation: Terrorism, Drones and Supportive Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

IV Executive Summary In mid-August 2016, the Shiite militant group Hezbollah reportedly dropped two small bombs from what is believed to have been a...Michael Jenkins, The New Age of Terrorism (Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2006), p. 119. 2 For example, see “Iraq Sees Worst Bombing Since...guns and bombs , Jackson and his colleagues also found that UASs did “not appear to have major advantages over other ways of carrying out operations

Worst-error analysis of batch filter and sequential filter in navigation problems. [in spacecraft trajectory estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nishimura, T.

1975-01-01

This paper proposes a worst-error analysis for dealing with problems of estimation of spacecraft trajectories in deep space missions. Navigation filters in use assume either constant or stochastic (Markov) models for their estimated parameters. When the actual behavior of these parameters does not follow the pattern of the assumed model, the filters sometimes result in very poor performance. To prepare for such pathological cases, the worst errors of both batch and sequential filters are investigated based on the incremental sensitivity studies of these filters. By finding critical switching instances of non-gravitational accelerations, intensive tracking can be carried out around those instances. Also the worst errors in the target plane provide a measure in assignment of the propellant budget for trajectory corrections. Thus the worst-error study presents useful information as well as practical criteria in establishing the maneuver and tracking strategy of spacecraft's missions.

Experimental measurement of preferences in health and healthcare using best-worst scaling: an overview.

PubMed

Mühlbacher, Axel C; Kaczynski, Anika; Zweifel, Peter; Johnson, F Reed

2016-12-01

Best-worst scaling (BWS), also known as maximum-difference scaling, is a multiattribute approach to measuring preferences. BWS aims at the analysis of preferences regarding a set of attributes, their levels or alternatives. It is a stated-preference method based on the assumption that respondents are capable of making judgments regarding the best and the worst (or the most and least important, respectively) out of three or more elements of a choice-set. As is true of discrete choice experiments (DCE) generally, BWS avoids the known weaknesses of rating and ranking scales while holding the promise of generating additional information by making respondents choose twice, namely the best as well as the worst criteria. A systematic literature review found 53 BWS applications in health and healthcare. This article expounds possibilities of application, the underlying theoretical concepts and the implementation of BWS in its three variants: 'object case', 'profile case', 'multiprofile case'. This paper contains a survey of BWS methods and revolves around study design, experimental design, and data analysis. Moreover the article discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the three types of BWS distinguished and offered an outlook. A companion paper focuses on special issues of theory and statistical inference confronting BWS in preference measurement.

Effect of Impact Location on the Response of Shuttle Wing Leading Edge Panel 9

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyle, Karen H.; Spellman, Regina L.; Hardy, Robin C.; Fasanella, Edwin L.; Jackson, Karen E.

2005-01-01

The objective of this paper is to compare the results of several simulations performed to determine the worst-case location for a foam impact on the Space Shuttle wing leading edge. The simulations were performed using the commercial non-linear transient dynamic finite element code, LS-DYNA. These simulations represent the first in a series of parametric studies performed to support the selection of the worst-case impact scenario. Panel 9 was selected for this study to enable comparisons with previous simulations performed during the Columbia Accident Investigation. The projectile for this study is a 5.5-in cube of typical external tank foam weighing 0.23 lb. Seven locations spanning the panel surface were impacted with the foam cube. For each of these cases, the foam was traveling at 1000 ft/s directly aft, along the orbiter X-axis. Results compared from the parametric studies included strains, contact forces, and material energies for various simulations. The results show that the worst case impact location was on the top surface, near the apex.

Phylogenetic diversity, functional trait diversity and extinction: avoiding tipping points and worst-case losses

PubMed Central

Faith, Daniel P.

2015-01-01

The phylogenetic diversity measure, (‘PD’), measures the relative feature diversity of different subsets of taxa from a phylogeny. At the level of feature diversity, PD supports the broad goal of biodiversity conservation to maintain living variation and option values. PD calculations at the level of lineages and features include those integrating probabilities of extinction, providing estimates of expected PD. This approach has known advantages over the evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered (EDGE) methods. Expected PD methods also have limitations. An alternative notion of expected diversity, expected functional trait diversity, relies on an alternative non-phylogenetic model and allows inferences of diversity at the level of functional traits. Expected PD also faces challenges in helping to address phylogenetic tipping points and worst-case PD losses. Expected PD may not choose conservation options that best avoid worst-case losses of long branches from the tree of life. We can expand the range of useful calculations based on expected PD, including methods for identifying phylogenetic key biodiversity areas. PMID:25561672

Space Environment Effects: Model for Emission of Solar Protons (ESP): Cumulative and Worst Case Event Fluences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xapsos, M. A.; Barth, J. L.; Stassinopoulos, E. G.; Burke, E. A.; Gee, G. B.

1999-01-01

The effects that solar proton events have on microelectronics and solar arrays are important considerations for spacecraft in geostationary and polar orbits and for interplanetary missions. Designers of spacecraft and mission planners are required to assess the performance of microelectronic systems under a variety of conditions. A number of useful approaches exist for predicting information about solar proton event fluences and, to a lesser extent, peak fluxes. This includes the cumulative fluence over the course of a mission, the fluence of a worst-case event during a mission, the frequency distribution of event fluences, and the frequency distribution of large peak fluxes. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, under the sponsorship of NASA's Space Environments and Effects (SEE) Program, have developed a new model for predicting cumulative solar proton fluences and worst-case solar proton events as functions of mission duration and user confidence level. This model is called the Emission of Solar Protons (ESP) model.

Space Environment Effects: Model for Emission of Solar Protons (ESP)--Cumulative and Worst-Case Event Fluences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xapsos, M. A.; Barth, J. L.; Stassinopoulos, E. G.; Burke, Edward A.; Gee, G. B.

1999-01-01

The effects that solar proton events have on microelectronics and solar arrays are important considerations for spacecraft in geostationary and polar orbits and for interplanetary missions. Designers of spacecraft and mission planners are required to assess the performance of microelectronic systems under a variety of conditions. A number of useful approaches exist for predicting information about solar proton event fluences and, to a lesser extent, peak fluxes. This includes the cumulative fluence over the course of a mission, the fluence of a worst-case event during a mission, the frequency distribution of event fluences, and the frequency distribution of large peak fluxes. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, under the sponsorship of NASA's Space Environments and Effects (SEE) Program, have developed a new model for predicting cumulative solar proton fluences and worst-case solar proton events as functions of mission duration and user confidence level. This model is called the Emission of Solar Protons (ESP) model.

[Brazilian guidelines for the manegement of intracerebral hemorrhage].

PubMed

Pontes-Neto, Octávio M; Oliveira-Filho, Jamary; Valiente, Raul; Friedrich, Maurício; Pedreira, Bruno; Rodrigues, Bruno Castelo Branco; Liberato, Bernardo; Freitas, Gabriel Rodriguez de

2009-09-01

Among the stroke subtypes, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has the worst prognosis and still lacks a specific treatment. The present manuscript contains the Brazilian guidelines for the management of ICH. It was elaborated by the executive committee of the Brazilian Cerebrovascular Diseases Society and was based on a broad review of articles about the theme. The text aims to provide a rational for the management of patients with an acute ICH, with the diagnostic and therapeutic resources that are available in Brazil.

Modal Survey of ETM-3, A 5-Segment Derivative of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nielsen, D.; Townsend, J.; Kappus, K.; Driskill, T.; Torres, I.; Parks, R.

2005-01-01

The complex interactions between internal motor generated pressure oscillations and motor structural vibration modes associated with the static test configuration of a Reusable Solid Rocket Motor have potential to generate significant dynamic thrust loads in the 5-segment configuration (Engineering Test Motor 3). Finite element model load predictions for worst-case conditions were generated based on extrapolation of a previously correlated 4-segment motor model. A modal survey was performed on the largest rocket motor to date, Engineering Test Motor #3 (ETM-3), to provide data for finite element model correlation and validation of model generated design loads. The modal survey preparation included pretest analyses to determine an efficient analysis set selection using the Effective Independence Method and test simulations to assure critical test stand component loads did not exceed design limits. Historical Reusable Solid Rocket Motor modal testing, ETM-3 test analysis model development and pre-test loads analyses, as well as test execution, and a comparison of results to pre-test predictions are discussed.

[Level of implementation of the Program for Safety and Health at Work in Antioquia, Colombia].

PubMed

Vega-Monsalve, Ninfa Del Carmen

2017-07-13

This study describes the level of implementation of the Program for Safety and Health at Work in companies located in the Department of Antioquia, Colombia, and associated factors. A cross-sectional survey included 73 companies with more than 50 workers each and implementation of the program. A total of 65 interviews were held, in addition to 73 checklists and process reviews. The companies showed suboptimal compliance with the management model for workplace safety and health proposed by the International Labor Organization (ILO). The component with the best development was Organization (87%), and the worst was Policy (67%). Company executives contended that the causes of suboptimal implementation were the limited commitment by area directors and scarce budget resources. Risk management mostly aimed to comply with the legal requirements in order to avoid penalties, plus documenting cases. There was little implementation of effective checks and controls to reduce the sources of work accidents. The study concludes that workers' health management lacks effective strategies.

Robust guaranteed-cost adaptive quantum phase estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Shibdas; Berry, Dominic W.; Petersen, Ian R.; Huntington, Elanor H.

2017-05-01

Quantum parameter estimation plays a key role in many fields like quantum computation, communication, and metrology. Optimal estimation allows one to achieve the most precise parameter estimates, but requires accurate knowledge of the model. Any inevitable uncertainty in the model parameters may heavily degrade the quality of the estimate. It is therefore desired to make the estimation process robust to such uncertainties. Robust estimation was previously studied for a varying phase, where the goal was to estimate the phase at some time in the past, using the measurement results from both before and after that time within a fixed time interval up to current time. Here, we consider a robust guaranteed-cost filter yielding robust estimates of a varying phase in real time, where the current phase is estimated using only past measurements. Our filter minimizes the largest (worst-case) variance in the allowable range of the uncertain model parameter(s) and this determines its guaranteed cost. It outperforms in the worst case the optimal Kalman filter designed for the model with no uncertainty, which corresponds to the center of the possible range of the uncertain parameter(s). Moreover, unlike the Kalman filter, our filter in the worst case always performs better than the best achievable variance for heterodyne measurements, which we consider as the tolerable threshold for our system. Furthermore, we consider effective quantum efficiency and effective noise power, and show that our filter provides the best results by these measures in the worst case.

Physical and composition characteristics of clinical secretions compared with test soils used for validation of flexible endoscope cleaning.

PubMed

Alfa, M J; Olson, N

2016-05-01

To determine which simulated-use test soils met the worst-case organic levels and viscosity of clinical secretions, and had the best adhesive characteristics. Levels of protein, carbohydrate and haemoglobin, and vibrational viscosity of clinical endoscope secretions were compared with test soils including ATS, ATS2015, Edinburgh, Edinburgh-M (modified), Miles, 10% serum and coagulated whole blood. ASTM D3359 was used for adhesion testing. Cleaning of a single-channel flexible intubation endoscope was tested after simulated use. The worst-case levels of protein, carbohydrate and haemoglobin, and viscosity of clinical material were 219,828μg/mL, 9296μg/mL, 9562μg/mL and 6cP, respectively. Whole blood, ATS2015 and Edinburgh-M were pipettable with viscosities of 3.4cP, 9.0cP and 11.9cP, respectively. ATS2015 and Edinburgh-M best matched the worst-case clinical parameters, but ATS had the best adhesion with 7% removal (36.7% for Edinburgh-M). Edinburgh-M and ATS2015 showed similar soiling and removal characteristics from the surface and lumen of a flexible intubation endoscope. Of the test soils evaluated, ATS2015 and Edinburgh-M were found to be good choices for the simulated use of endoscopes, as their composition and viscosity most closely matched worst-case clinical material. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 38 (CONCTH00060038) on Town Highway 6, crossing the Moose River, Concord, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, Scott A.

1996-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.1 to 3.1 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the incipient-overtopping discharge. Abutment scour at the left abutment ranged from 10.4 to 12.5 ft with the worst-case occurring at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour at the right abutment ranged from 25.3 to 27.3 ft with the worst-case occurring at the incipient-overtopping discharge. The worst-case total scour also occurred at the incipient-overtopping discharge. The incipient-overtopping discharge was in between the 100- and 500-year discharges. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Scoring best-worst data in unbalanced many-item designs, with applications to crowdsourcing semantic judgments.

PubMed

Hollis, Geoff

2018-04-01

Best-worst scaling is a judgment format in which participants are presented with a set of items and have to choose the superior and inferior items in the set. Best-worst scaling generates a large quantity of information per judgment because each judgment allows for inferences about the rank value of all unjudged items. This property of best-worst scaling makes it a promising judgment format for research in psychology and natural language processing concerned with estimating the semantic properties of tens of thousands of words. A variety of different scoring algorithms have been devised in the previous literature on best-worst scaling. However, due to problems of computational efficiency, these scoring algorithms cannot be applied efficiently to cases in which thousands of items need to be scored. New algorithms are presented here for converting responses from best-worst scaling into item scores for thousands of items (many-item scoring problems). These scoring algorithms are validated through simulation and empirical experiments, and considerations related to noise, the underlying distribution of true values, and trial design are identified that can affect the relative quality of the derived item scores. The newly introduced scoring algorithms consistently outperformed scoring algorithms used in the previous literature on scoring many-item best-worst data.

Coherent detection of frequency-hopped quadrature modulations in the presence of jamming. I - QPSK and QASK modulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, M. K.; Polydoros, A.

1981-01-01

This paper examines the performance of coherent QPSK and QASK systems combined with FH or FH/PN spread spectrum techniques in the presence of partial-band multitone or noise jamming. The worst-case jammer and worst-case performance are determined as functions of the signal-to-background noise ratio (SNR) and signal-to-jammer power ratio (SJR). Asymptotic results for high SNR are shown to have a linear dependence between the jammer's optimal power allocation and the system error probability performance.

Lessons from the conviction of the L'Aquila seven: The standard probabilistic earthquake hazard and risk assessment is ineffective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyss, Max

2013-04-01

An earthquake of M6.3 killed 309 people in L'Aquila, Italy, on 6 April 2011. Subsequently, a judge in L'Aquila convicted seven who had participated in an emergency meeting on March 30, assessing the probability of a major event to follow the ongoing earthquake swarm. The sentence was six years in prison, a combine fine of 2 million Euros, loss of job, loss of retirement rent, and lawyer's costs. The judge followed the prosecution's accusation that the review by the Commission of Great Risks had conveyed a false sense of security to the population, which consequently did not take their usual precautionary measures before the deadly earthquake. He did not consider the facts that (1) one of the convicted was not a member of the commission and had merrily obeyed orders to bring the latest seismological facts to the discussion, (2) another was an engineer who was not required to have any expertise regarding the probability of earthquakes, (3) and two others were seismologists not invited to speak to the public at a TV interview and a press conference. This exaggerated judgment was the consequence of an uproar in the population, who felt misinformed and even mislead. Faced with a population worried by an earthquake swarm, the head of the Italian Civil Defense is on record ordering that the population be calmed, and the vice head executed this order in a TV interview one hour before the meeting of the Commission by stating "the scientific community continues to tell me that the situation is favorable and that there is a discharge of energy." The first lesson to be learned is that communications to the public about earthquake hazard and risk must not be left in the hands of someone who has gross misunderstandings about seismology. They must be carefully prepared by experts. The more significant lesson is that the approach to calm the population and the standard probabilistic hazard and risk assessment, as practiced by GSHAP, are misleading. The later has been criticized as being incorrect for scientific reasons and here I argue that it is also ineffective for psychological reasons. Instead of calming the people or by underestimating the hazard in strongly active areas by the GSHAP approach, they should be told quantitatively the consequences of the reasonably worst case and be motivated to prepare for it, whether or not it may hit the present or the next generation. In a worst case scenario for L'Aquila, the number of expected fatalities and injured should have been calculated for an event in the range of M6.5 to M7, as I did for a civil defense exercise in Umbria, Italy. With the prospect that approximately 500 people may die in an earthquake in the immediate or distant future, some residents might have built themselves an earthquake closet (similar to a simple tornado shelter) in a corner of their apartment, into which they might have dashed to safety at the onset of the P-wave before the destructive S-wave arrived. I conclude that in earthquake prone areas quantitative loss estimates due to a reasonable worst case earthquake should replace probabilistic hazard and risk estimates. This is a service, which experts owe the community. Insurance companies and academics may still find use for probabilistic estimates of losses, especially in areas of low seismic hazard, where the worst case scenario approach is less appropriate.

Optimal Analyses for 3×n AB Games in the Worst Case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Li-Te; Lin, Shun-Shii

The past decades have witnessed a growing interest in research on deductive games such as Mastermind and AB game. Because of the complicated behavior of deductive games, tree-search approaches are often adopted to find their optimal strategies. In this paper, a generalized version of deductive games, called 3×n AB games, is introduced. However, traditional tree-search approaches are not appropriate for solving this problem since it can only solve instances with smaller n. For larger values of n, a systematic approach is necessary. Therefore, intensive analyses of playing 3×n AB games in the worst case optimally are conducted and a sophisticated method, called structural reduction, which aims at explaining the worst situation in this game is developed in the study. Furthermore, a worthwhile formula for calculating the optimal numbers of guesses required for arbitrary values of n is derived and proven to be final.

How can health systems research reach the worst-off? A conceptual exploration.

PubMed

Pratt, Bridget; Hyder, Adnan A

2016-11-15

Health systems research is increasingly being conducted in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Such research should aim to reduce health disparities between and within countries as a matter of global justice. For such research to do so, ethical guidance that is consistent with egalitarian theories of social justice proposes it ought to (amongst other things) focus on worst-off countries and research populations. Yet who constitutes the worst-off is not well-defined. By applying existing work on disadvantage from political philosophy, the paper demonstrates that (at least) two options exist for how to define the worst-off upon whom equity-oriented health systems research should focus: those who are worst-off in terms of health or those who are systematically disadvantaged. The paper describes in detail how both concepts can be understood and what metrics can be relied upon to identify worst-off countries and research populations at the sub-national level (groups, communities). To demonstrate how each can be used, the paper considers two real-world cases of health systems research and whether their choice of country (Uganda, India) and research population in 2011 would have been classified as amongst the worst-off according to the proposed concepts. The two proposed concepts can classify different countries and sub-national populations as worst-off. It is recommended that health researchers (or other actors) should use the concept that best reflects their moral commitments-namely, to perform research focused on reducing health inequalities or systematic disadvantage more broadly. If addressing the latter, it is recommended that they rely on the multidimensional poverty approach rather than the income approach to identify worst-off populations.

Phylogenetic diversity, functional trait diversity and extinction: avoiding tipping points and worst-case losses.

PubMed

Faith, Daniel P

2015-02-19

The phylogenetic diversity measure, ('PD'), measures the relative feature diversity of different subsets of taxa from a phylogeny. At the level of feature diversity, PD supports the broad goal of biodiversity conservation to maintain living variation and option values. PD calculations at the level of lineages and features include those integrating probabilities of extinction, providing estimates of expected PD. This approach has known advantages over the evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered (EDGE) methods. Expected PD methods also have limitations. An alternative notion of expected diversity, expected functional trait diversity, relies on an alternative non-phylogenetic model and allows inferences of diversity at the level of functional traits. Expected PD also faces challenges in helping to address phylogenetic tipping points and worst-case PD losses. Expected PD may not choose conservation options that best avoid worst-case losses of long branches from the tree of life. We can expand the range of useful calculations based on expected PD, including methods for identifying phylogenetic key biodiversity areas. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Optimization of vibratory energy harvesters with stochastic parametric uncertainty: a new perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haji Hosseinloo, Ashkan; Turitsyn, Konstantin

2016-04-01

Vibration energy harvesting has been shown as a promising power source for many small-scale applications mainly because of the considerable reduction in the energy consumption of the electronics and scalability issues of the conventional batteries. However, energy harvesters may not be as robust as the conventional batteries and their performance could drastically deteriorate in the presence of uncertainty in their parameters. Hence, study of uncertainty propagation and optimization under uncertainty is essential for proper and robust performance of harvesters in practice. While all studies have focused on expectation optimization, we propose a new and more practical optimization perspective; optimization for the worst-case (minimum) power. We formulate the problem in a generic fashion and as a simple example apply it to a linear piezoelectric energy harvester. We study the effect of parametric uncertainty in its natural frequency, load resistance, and electromechanical coupling coefficient on its worst-case power and then optimize for it under different confidence levels. The results show that there is a significant improvement in the worst-case power of thus designed harvester compared to that of a naively-optimized (deterministically-optimized) harvester.

Severe anaemia associated with Plasmodium falciparum infection in children: consequences for additional blood sampling for research.

PubMed

Kuijpers, Laura Maria Francisca; Maltha, Jessica; Guiraud, Issa; Kaboré, Bérenger; Lompo, Palpouguini; Devlieger, Hugo; Van Geet, Chris; Tinto, Halidou; Jacobs, Jan

2016-06-02

Plasmodium falciparum infection may cause severe anaemia, particularly in children. When planning a diagnostic study on children suspected of severe malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, it was questioned how much blood could be safely sampled; intended blood volumes (blood cultures and EDTA blood) were 6 mL (children aged <6 years) and 10 mL (6-12 years). A previous review [Bull World Health Organ. 89: 46-53. 2011] recommended not to exceed 3.8 % of total blood volume (TBV). In a simulation exercise using data of children previously enrolled in a study about severe malaria and bacteraemia in Burkina Faso, the impact of this 3.8 % safety guideline was evaluated. For a total of 666 children aged >2 months to <12 years, data of age, weight and haemoglobin value (Hb) were available. For each child, the estimated TBV (TBVe) (mL) was calculated by multiplying the body weight (kg) by the factor 80 (ml/kg). Next, TBVe was corrected for the degree of anaemia to obtain the functional TBV (TBVf). The correction factor consisted of the rate 'Hb of the child divided by the reference Hb'; both the lowest ('best case') and highest ('worst case') reference Hb values were used. Next, the exact volume that a 3.8 % proportion of this TBVf would present was calculated and this volume was compared to the blood volumes that were intended to be sampled. When applied to the Burkina Faso cohort, the simulation exercise pointed out that in 5.3 % (best case) and 11.4 % (worst case) of children the blood volume intended to be sampled would exceed the volume as defined by the 3.8 % safety guideline. Highest proportions would be in the age groups 2-6 months (19.0 %; worst scenario) and 6 months-2 years (15.7 %; worst case scenario). A positive rapid diagnostic test for P. falciparum was associated with an increased risk of violating the safety guideline in the worst case scenario (p = 0.016). Blood sampling in children for research in P. falciparum endemic settings may easily violate the proposed safety guideline when applied to TBVf. Ethical committees and researchers should be wary of this and take appropriate precautions.

Discussions On Worst-Case Test Condition For Single Event Burnout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Sandra; Zafrani, Max; Sherman, Phillip

2011-10-01

This paper discusses the failure characteristics of single- event burnout (SEB) on power MOSFETs based on analyzing the quasi-stationary avalanche simulation curves. The analyses show the worst-case test condition for SEB would be using the ion that has the highest mass that would result in the highest transient current due to charge deposition and displacement damage. The analyses also show it is possible to build power MOSFETs that will not exhibit SEB even when tested with the heaviest ion, which have been verified by heavy ion test data on SEB sensitive and SEB immune devices.

Atmospheric transport of radioactive debris to Norway in case of a hypothetical accident related to the recovery of the Russian submarine K-27.

PubMed

Bartnicki, Jerzy; Amundsen, Ingar; Brown, Justin; Hosseini, Ali; Hov, Øystein; Haakenstad, Hilde; Klein, Heiko; Lind, Ole Christian; Salbu, Brit; Szacinski Wendel, Cato C; Ytre-Eide, Martin Album

2016-01-01

The Russian nuclear submarine K-27 suffered a loss of coolant accident in 1968 and with nuclear fuel in both reactors it was scuttled in 1981 in the outer part of Stepovogo Bay located on the eastern coast of Novaya Zemlya. The inventory of spent nuclear fuel on board the submarine is of concern because it represents a potential source of radioactive contamination of the Kara Sea and a criticality accident with potential for long-range atmospheric transport of radioactive particles cannot be ruled out. To address these concerns and to provide a better basis for evaluating possible radiological impacts of potential releases in case a salvage operation is initiated, we assessed the atmospheric transport of radionuclides and deposition in Norway from a hypothetical criticality accident on board the K-27. To achieve this, a long term (33 years) meteorological database has been prepared and used for selection of the worst case meteorological scenarios for each of three selected locations of the potential accident. Next, the dispersion model SNAP was run with the source term for the worst-case accident scenario and selected meteorological scenarios. The results showed predictions to be very sensitive to the estimation of the source term for the worst-case accident and especially to the sizes and densities of released radioactive particles. The results indicated that a large area of Norway could be affected, but that the deposition in Northern Norway would be considerably higher than in other areas of the country. The simulations showed that deposition from the worst-case scenario of a hypothetical K-27 accident would be at least two orders of magnitude lower than the deposition observed in Norway following the Chernobyl accident. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Finite volume analysis of temperature effects induced by active MRI implants: 2. Defects on active MRI implants causing hot spots.

PubMed

Busch, Martin H J; Vollmann, Wolfgang; Grönemeyer, Dietrich H W

2006-05-26

Active magnetic resonance imaging implants, for example stents, stent grafts or vena cava filters, are constructed as wireless inductively coupled transmit and receive coils. They are built as a resonator tuned to the Larmor frequency of a magnetic resonance system. The resonator can be added to or incorporated within the implant. This technology can counteract the shielding caused by eddy currents inside the metallic implant structure. This may allow getting diagnostic information of the implant lumen (in stent stenosis or thrombosis for example). The electro magnetic rf-pulses during magnetic resonance imaging induce a current in the circuit path of the resonator. A by material fatigue provoked partial rupture of the circuit path or a broken wire with touching surfaces can set up a relatively high resistance on a very short distance, which may behave as a point-like power source, a hot spot, inside the body part the resonator is implanted to. This local power loss inside a small volume can reach (1/4) of the total power loss of the intact resonating circuit, which itself is proportional to the product of the resonator volume and the quality factor and depends as well from the orientation of the resonator with respect to the main magnetic field and the imaging sequence the resonator is exposed to. First an analytical solution of a hot spot for thermal equilibrium is described. This analytical solution with a definite hot spot power loss represents the worst case scenario for thermal equilibrium inside a homogeneous medium without cooling effects. Starting with this worst case assumptions additional conditions are considered in a numerical simulation, which are more realistic and may make the results less critical. The analytical solution as well as the numerical simulations use the experimental experience of the maximum hot spot power loss of implanted resonators with a definite volume during magnetic resonance imaging investigations. The finite volume analysis calculates the time developing temperature maps for the model of a broken linear metallic wire embedded in tissue. Half of the total hot spot power loss is assumed to diffuse into both wire parts at the location of a defect. The energy is distributed from there by heat conduction. Additionally the effect of blood perfusion and blood flow is respected in some simulations because the simultaneous appearance of all worst case conditions, especially the absence of blood perfusion and blood flow near the hot spot, is very unlikely for vessel implants. The analytical solution as worst case scenario as well as the finite volume analysis for near worst case situations show not negligible volumes with critical temperature increases for part of the modeled hot spot situations. MR investigations with a high rf-pulse density lasting below a minute can establish volumes of several cubic millimeters with temperature increases high enough to start cell destruction. Longer exposure times can involve volumes larger than 100 mm3. Even temperature increases in the range of thermal ablation are reached for substantial volumes. MR sequence exposure time and hot spot power loss are the primary factors influencing the volume with critical temperature increases. Wire radius, wire material as well as the physiological parameters blood perfusion and blood flow inside larger vessels reduce the volume with critical temperature increases, but do not exclude a volume with critical tissue heating for resonators with a large product of resonator volume and quality factor. The worst case scenario assumes thermal equilibrium for a hot spot embedded in homogeneous tissue without any cooling due to blood perfusion or flow. The finite volume analysis can calculate the results for near and not close to worst case conditions. For both cases a substantial volume can reach a critical temperature increase in a short time. The analytical solution, as absolute worst case, points out that resonators with a small product of inductance volume and quality factor (Q V(ind) < 2 cm3) are definitely save. Stents for coronary vessels or resonators used as tracking devices for interventional procedures therefore have no risk of high temperature increases. The finite volume analysis shows for sure that also conditions not close to the worst case reach physiologically critical temperature increases for implants with a large product of inductance volume and quality factor (Q V(ind) > 10 cm3). Such resonators exclude patients from exactly the MRI investigation these devices are made for.

Finite volume analysis of temperature effects induced by active MRI implants: 2. Defects on active MRI implants causing hot spots

PubMed Central

Busch, Martin HJ; Vollmann, Wolfgang; Grönemeyer, Dietrich HW

2006-01-01

Background Active magnetic resonance imaging implants, for example stents, stent grafts or vena cava filters, are constructed as wireless inductively coupled transmit and receive coils. They are built as a resonator tuned to the Larmor frequency of a magnetic resonance system. The resonator can be added to or incorporated within the implant. This technology can counteract the shielding caused by eddy currents inside the metallic implant structure. This may allow getting diagnostic information of the implant lumen (in stent stenosis or thrombosis for example). The electro magnetic rf-pulses during magnetic resonance imaging induce a current in the circuit path of the resonator. A by material fatigue provoked partial rupture of the circuit path or a broken wire with touching surfaces can set up a relatively high resistance on a very short distance, which may behave as a point-like power source, a hot spot, inside the body part the resonator is implanted to. This local power loss inside a small volume can reach ¼ of the total power loss of the intact resonating circuit, which itself is proportional to the product of the resonator volume and the quality factor and depends as well from the orientation of the resonator with respect to the main magnetic field and the imaging sequence the resonator is exposed to. Methods First an analytical solution of a hot spot for thermal equilibrium is described. This analytical solution with a definite hot spot power loss represents the worst case scenario for thermal equilibrium inside a homogeneous medium without cooling effects. Starting with this worst case assumptions additional conditions are considered in a numerical simulation, which are more realistic and may make the results less critical. The analytical solution as well as the numerical simulations use the experimental experience of the maximum hot spot power loss of implanted resonators with a definite volume during magnetic resonance imaging investigations. The finite volume analysis calculates the time developing temperature maps for the model of a broken linear metallic wire embedded in tissue. Half of the total hot spot power loss is assumed to diffuse into both wire parts at the location of a defect. The energy is distributed from there by heat conduction. Additionally the effect of blood perfusion and blood flow is respected in some simulations because the simultaneous appearance of all worst case conditions, especially the absence of blood perfusion and blood flow near the hot spot, is very unlikely for vessel implants. Results The analytical solution as worst case scenario as well as the finite volume analysis for near worst case situations show not negligible volumes with critical temperature increases for part of the modeled hot spot situations. MR investigations with a high rf-pulse density lasting below a minute can establish volumes of several cubic millimeters with temperature increases high enough to start cell destruction. Longer exposure times can involve volumes larger than 100 mm3. Even temperature increases in the range of thermal ablation are reached for substantial volumes. MR sequence exposure time and hot spot power loss are the primary factors influencing the volume with critical temperature increases. Wire radius, wire material as well as the physiological parameters blood perfusion and blood flow inside larger vessels reduce the volume with critical temperature increases, but do not exclude a volume with critical tissue heating for resonators with a large product of resonator volume and quality factor. Conclusion The worst case scenario assumes thermal equilibrium for a hot spot embedded in homogeneous tissue without any cooling due to blood perfusion or flow. The finite volume analysis can calculate the results for near and not close to worst case conditions. For both cases a substantial volume can reach a critical temperature increase in a short time. The analytical solution, as absolute worst case, points out that resonators with a small product of inductance volume and quality factor (Q Vind < 2 cm3) are definitely save. Stents for coronary vessels or resonators used as tracking devices for interventional procedures therefore have no risk of high temperature increases. The finite volume analysis shows for sure that also conditions not close to the worst case reach physiologically critical temperature increases for implants with a large product of inductance volume and quality factor (Q Vind > 10 cm3). Such resonators exclude patients from exactly the MRI investigation these devices are made for. PMID:16729878

Geometrical Design of a Scalable Overlapping Planar Spiral Coil Array to Generate a Homogeneous Magnetic Field.

PubMed

Jow, Uei-Ming; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2012-12-21

We present a design methodology for an overlapping hexagonal planar spiral coil (hex-PSC) array, optimized for creation of a homogenous magnetic field for wireless power transmission to randomly moving objects. The modular hex-PSC array has been implemented in the form of three parallel conductive layers, for which an iterative optimization procedure defines the PSC geometries. Since the overlapping hex-PSCs in different layers have different characteristics, the worst case coil-coupling condition should be designed to provide the maximum power transfer efficiency (PTE) in order to minimize the spatial received power fluctuations. In the worst case, the transmitter (Tx) hex-PSC is overlapped by six PSCs and surrounded by six other adjacent PSCs. Using a receiver (Rx) coil, 20 mm in radius, at the coupling distance of 78 mm and maximum lateral misalignment of 49.1 mm (1/√3 of the PSC radius) we can receive power at a PTE of 19.6% from the worst case PSC. Furthermore, we have studied the effects of Rx coil tilting and concluded that the PTE degrades significantly when θ > 60°. Solutions are: 1) activating two adjacent overlapping hex-PSCs simultaneously with out-of-phase excitations to create horizontal magnetic flux and 2) inclusion of a small energy storage element in the Rx module to maintain power in the worst case scenarios. In order to verify the proposed design methodology, we have developed the EnerCage system, which aims to power up biological instruments attached to or implanted in freely behaving small animal subjects' bodies in long-term electrophysiology experiments within large experimental arenas.

Executive Function and Magnitude Skills in Preschool Children

PubMed Central

Prager, Emily O.; Sera, Maria D.; Carlson, Stephanie M.

2016-01-01

Executive Function (EF) has been highlighted as a potentially important factor for mathematical understanding. The relation has been well established in school-aged children but has been less explored at younger ages. The current study investigated the relation between EF and mathematics in preschool aged children. Participants were 142 typically developing 3- and 4-year-olds. Controlling for verbal ability, a significant positive correlation was found between EF and general math abilities in this age group. Importantly, we further examined this relation causally by varying the EF load on a magnitude comparison task. Results suggested a developmental pattern wherein 3-year-olds’ performance on the magnitude comparison task was worst when EF was taxed the most. Conversely, 4-year-olds performed well on the magnitude task despite varying EF demands, suggesting that EF might play a critical role in the development of math concepts. PMID:27082019

Failed State 2030: Nigeria - A Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

disastrous ecological conditions in its Niger Delta region, and is fighting one of the modern world?s worst legacies of political and economic corruption. A ...world’s worst legacies of political and economic corruption. A nation with more than 350 ethnic groups, 250 languages, and three distinct religious...happening in the world. The discus- sion herein is a mix of cultural sociology, political science, econom - ics, military science (sometimes called

JPL Thermal Design Modeling Philosophy and NASA-STD-7009 Standard for Models and Simulations - A Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Avila, Arturo

2011-01-01

The Standard JPL thermal engineering practice prescribes worst-case methodologies for design. In this process, environmental and key uncertain thermal parameters (e.g., thermal blanket performance, interface conductance, optical properties) are stacked in a worst case fashion to yield the most hot- or cold-biased temperature. Thus, these simulations would represent the upper and lower bounds. This, effectively, represents JPL thermal design margin philosophy. Uncertainty in the margins and the absolute temperatures is usually estimated by sensitivity analyses and/or by comparing the worst-case results with "expected" results. Applicability of the analytical model for specific design purposes along with any temperature requirement violations are documented in peer and project design review material. In 2008, NASA released NASA-STD-7009, Standard for Models and Simulations. The scope of this standard covers the development and maintenance of models, the operation of simulations, the analysis of the results, training, recommended practices, the assessment of the Modeling and Simulation (M&S) credibility, and the reporting of the M&S results. The Mars Exploration Rover (MER) project thermal control system M&S activity was chosen as a case study determining whether JPL practice is in line with the standard and to identify areas of non-compliance. This paper summarizes the results and makes recommendations regarding the application of this standard to JPL thermal M&S practices.

Acquisition Management for System-of-Systems: Requirement Evolution and Acquisition Strategy Planning

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-30

DoD SERC Aeronautics & Astronautics 5/16/2012 NPS 9th Annual Acquisition Research Symposium...0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540 600 Pr ob ab ili ty to c om pl et e a m is si on Time (mins) architecture 1 architecture 2...1 6 11 /1 6 12 /1 6 13 /1 6 14 /1 6 15 /1 6 1Pr ob ab ili ty to c om pl et e a m is si on % of system failures worst-case in arch1 worst-case in

Fine-Scale Structure Design for 3D Printing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panetta, Francis Julian

Modern additive fabrication technologies can manufacture shapes whose geometric complexities far exceed what existing computational design tools can analyze or optimize. At the same time, falling costs have placed these fabrication technologies within the average consumer's reach. Especially for inexpert designers, new software tools are needed to take full advantage of 3D printing technology. This thesis develops such tools and demonstrates the exciting possibilities enabled by fine-tuning objects at the small scales achievable by 3D printing. The thesis applies two high-level ideas to invent these tools: two-scale design and worst-case analysis. The two-scale design approach addresses the problem that accurately simulating--let alone optimizing--the full-resolution geometry sent to the printer requires orders of magnitude more computational power than currently available. However, we can decompose the design problem into a small-scale problem (designing tileable structures achieving a particular deformation behavior) and a macro-scale problem (deciding where to place these structures in the larger object). This separation is particularly effective, since structures for every useful behavior can be designed once, stored in a database, then reused for many different macroscale problems. Worst-case analysis refers to determining how likely an object is to fracture by studying the worst possible scenario: the forces most efficiently breaking it. This analysis is needed when the designer has insufficient knowledge or experience to predict what forces an object will undergo, or when the design is intended for use in many different scenarios unknown a priori. The thesis begins by summarizing the physics and mathematics necessary to rigorously approach these design and analysis problems. Specifically, the second chapter introduces linear elasticity and periodic homogenization. The third chapter presents a pipeline to design microstructures achieving a wide range of effective isotropic elastic material properties on a single-material 3D printer. It also proposes a macroscale optimization algorithm placing these microstructures to achieve deformation goals under prescribed loads. The thesis then turns to worst-case analysis, first considering the macroscale problem: given a user's design, the fourth chapter aims to determine the distribution of pressures over the surface creating the highest stress at any point in the shape. Solving this problem exactly is difficult, so we introduce two heuristics: one to focus our efforts on only regions likely to concentrate stresses and another converting the pressure optimization into an efficient linear program. Finally, the fifth chapter introduces worst-case analysis at the microscopic scale, leveraging the insight that the structure of periodic homogenization enables us to solve the problem exactly and efficiently. Then we use this worst-case analysis to guide a shape optimization, designing structures with prescribed deformation behavior that experience minimal stresses in generic use.

Video sensor architecture for surveillance applications.

PubMed

Sánchez, Jordi; Benet, Ginés; Simó, José E

2012-01-01

This paper introduces a flexible hardware and software architecture for a smart video sensor. This sensor has been applied in a video surveillance application where some of these video sensors are deployed, constituting the sensory nodes of a distributed surveillance system. In this system, a video sensor node processes images locally in order to extract objects of interest, and classify them. The sensor node reports the processing results to other nodes in the cloud (a user or higher level software) in the form of an XML description. The hardware architecture of each sensor node has been developed using two DSP processors and an FPGA that controls, in a flexible way, the interconnection among processors and the image data flow. The developed node software is based on pluggable components and runs on a provided execution run-time. Some basic and application-specific software components have been developed, in particular: acquisition, segmentation, labeling, tracking, classification and feature extraction. Preliminary results demonstrate that the system can achieve up to 7.5 frames per second in the worst case, and the true positive rates in the classification of objects are better than 80%.

Video Sensor Architecture for Surveillance Applications

PubMed Central

Sánchez, Jordi; Benet, Ginés; Simó, José E.

2012-01-01

This paper introduces a flexible hardware and software architecture for a smart video sensor. This sensor has been applied in a video surveillance application where some of these video sensors are deployed, constituting the sensory nodes of a distributed surveillance system. In this system, a video sensor node processes images locally in order to extract objects of interest, and classify them. The sensor node reports the processing results to other nodes in the cloud (a user or higher level software) in the form of an XML description. The hardware architecture of each sensor node has been developed using two DSP processors and an FPGA that controls, in a flexible way, the interconnection among processors and the image data flow. The developed node software is based on pluggable components and runs on a provided execution run-time. Some basic and application-specific software components have been developed, in particular: acquisition, segmentation, labeling, tracking, classification and feature extraction. Preliminary results demonstrate that the system can achieve up to 7.5 frames per second in the worst case, and the true positive rates in the classification of objects are better than 80%. PMID:22438723

SU-F-R-39: Effects of Radiation Dose Reduction On Renal Cell Carcinoma Discrimination Using Multi-Phasic CT Imaging

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

Wahi-Anwar, M; Young, S; Lo, P

Purpose: A method to discriminate different types of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) was developed using attenuation values observed in multiphasic contrast-enhanced CT. This work evaluates the sensitivity of this RCC discrimination task at different CT radiation dose levels. Methods: We selected 5 cases of kidney lesion patients who had undergone four-phase CT scans covering the abdomen to the lilac crest. Through an IRB-approved study, the scans were conducted on 64-slice CT scanners (Definition AS/Definition Flash, Siemens Healthcare) using automatic tube-current modulation (TCM). The protocol included an initial baseline unenhanced scan, followed by three post-contrast injection phases. CTDIvol (32 cm phantom)more » measured between 9 to 35 mGy for any given phase. As a preliminary study, we limited the scope to the cortico-medullary phase—shown previously to be the most discriminative phase. A previously validated method was used to simulate a reduced dose acquisition via adding noise to raw CT sinogram data, emulating corresponding images at simulated doses of 50%, 25%, and 10%. To discriminate the lesion subtype, ROIs were placed in the most enhancing region of the lesion. The mean HU value of an ROI was extracted and used to discriminate to the worst-case RCC subtype, ranked in the order of clear cell, papillary, chromophobe and the benign oncocytoma. Results: Two patients exhibited a change of worst case RCC subtype between original and simulated scans, at 25% and 10% doses. In one case, the worst-case RCC subtype changed from oncocytoma to chromophobe at 10% and 25% doses, while the other case changed from oncocytoma to clear cell at 10% dose. Conclusion: Based on preliminary results from an initial cohort of 5 patients, worst-case RCC subtypes remained constant at all simulated dose levels except for 2 patients. Further study conducted on more patients will be needed to confirm our findings. Institutional research agreement, Siemens Healthcare; Past recipient, research grant support, Siemens Healthcare; Consultant, Toshiba America Medical Systems; Consultant, Samsung Electronics; NIH Grant Support from: U01 CA181156.« less

Comparison of linear and nonlinear programming approaches for "worst case dose" and "minmax" robust optimization of intensity-modulated proton therapy dose distributions.

PubMed

Zaghian, Maryam; Cao, Wenhua; Liu, Wei; Kardar, Laleh; Randeniya, Sharmalee; Mohan, Radhe; Lim, Gino

2017-03-01

Robust optimization of intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) takes uncertainties into account during spot weight optimization and leads to dose distributions that are resilient to uncertainties. Previous studies demonstrated benefits of linear programming (LP) for IMPT in terms of delivery efficiency by considerably reducing the number of spots required for the same quality of plans. However, a reduction in the number of spots may lead to loss of robustness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the performance in terms of plan quality and robustness of two robust optimization approaches using LP and nonlinear programming (NLP) models. The so-called "worst case dose" and "minmax" robust optimization approaches and conventional planning target volume (PTV)-based optimization approach were applied to designing IMPT plans for five patients: two with prostate cancer, one with skull-based cancer, and two with head and neck cancer. For each approach, both LP and NLP models were used. Thus, for each case, six sets of IMPT plans were generated and assessed: LP-PTV-based, NLP-PTV-based, LP-worst case dose, NLP-worst case dose, LP-minmax, and NLP-minmax. The four robust optimization methods behaved differently from patient to patient, and no method emerged as superior to the others in terms of nominal plan quality and robustness against uncertainties. The plans generated using LP-based robust optimization were more robust regarding patient setup and range uncertainties than were those generated using NLP-based robust optimization for the prostate cancer patients. However, the robustness of plans generated using NLP-based methods was superior for the skull-based and head and neck cancer patients. Overall, LP-based methods were suitable for the less challenging cancer cases in which all uncertainty scenarios were able to satisfy tight dose constraints, while NLP performed better in more difficult cases in which most uncertainty scenarios were hard to meet tight dose limits. For robust optimization, the worst case dose approach was less sensitive to uncertainties than was the minmax approach for the prostate and skull-based cancer patients, whereas the minmax approach was superior for the head and neck cancer patients. The robustness of the IMPT plans was remarkably better after robust optimization than after PTV-based optimization, and the NLP-PTV-based optimization outperformed the LP-PTV-based optimization regarding robustness of clinical target volume coverage. In addition, plans generated using LP-based methods had notably fewer scanning spots than did those generated using NLP-based methods. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Cost-efficacy of biologic therapies for psoriatic arthritis from the perspective of the Taiwanese healthcare system.

PubMed

Yang, Tsong-Shing; Chi, Ching-Chi; Wang, Shu-Hui; Lin, Jing-Chi; Lin, Ko-Ming

2016-10-01

Biologic therapies are more effective but more costly than conventional therapies in treating psoriatic arthritis. To evaluate the cost-efficacy of etanercept, adalimumab and golimumab therapies in treating active psoriatic arthritis in a Taiwanese setting. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials to calculate the incremental efficacy of etanercept, adalimumab and golimumab, respectively, in achieving Psoriatic Arthritis Response Criteria (PsARC) and a 20% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology score (ACR20). The base, best, and worst case incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for one subject to achieve PsARC and ACR20 were calculated. The annual ICER per PsARC responder were US$27 047 (best scenario US$16 619; worst scenario US$31 350), US$39 339 (best scenario US$31 846; worst scenario US$53 501) and US$27 085 (best scenario US$22 716; worst scenario US$33 534) for etanercept, adalimumab and golimumab, respectively. The annual ICER per ACR20 responder were US$27 588 (best scenario US$20 900; worst scenario US$41 800), US$39 339 (best scenario US$25 236; worst scenario US$83 595) and US$33 534 (best scenario US$27 616; worst scenario US$44 013) for etanercept, adalimumab and golimumab, respectively. In a Taiwanese setting, etanercept had the lowest annual costs per PsARC and ACR20 responder, while adalimumab had the highest annual costs per PsARC and ACR responder. © 2015 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

A Worst-Case Approach for On-Line Flutter Prediction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lind, Rick C.; Brenner, Martin J.

1998-01-01

Worst-case flutter margins may be computed for a linear model with respect to a set of uncertainty operators using the structured singular value. This paper considers an on-line implementation to compute these robust margins in a flight test program. Uncertainty descriptions are updated at test points to account for unmodeled time-varying dynamics of the airplane by ensuring the robust model is not invalidated by measured flight data. Robust margins computed with respect to this uncertainty remain conservative to the changing dynamics throughout the flight. A simulation clearly demonstrates this method can improve the efficiency of flight testing by accurately predicting the flutter margin to improve safety while reducing the necessary flight time.

Minimax Quantum Tomography: Estimators and Relative Entropy Bounds.

PubMed

Ferrie, Christopher; Blume-Kohout, Robin

2016-03-04

A minimax estimator has the minimum possible error ("risk") in the worst case. We construct the first minimax estimators for quantum state tomography with relative entropy risk. The minimax risk of nonadaptive tomography scales as O(1/sqrt[N])-in contrast to that of classical probability estimation, which is O(1/N)-where N is the number of copies of the quantum state used. We trace this deficiency to sampling mismatch: future observations that determine risk may come from a different sample space than the past data that determine the estimate. This makes minimax estimators very biased, and we propose a computationally tractable alternative with similar behavior in the worst case, but superior accuracy on most states.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 120 (LEICUS00070120) on U.S. Route 7, crossing the Leicester River, Leicester, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boehmler, Erick M.; Severance, Timothy

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 3.8 to 6.1 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 4.0 to 6.7 ft. The worst-case abutment scour also occurred at the 500-year discharge. Pier scour ranged from 9.1 to 10.2. The worst-case pier scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 49 (WODSTH00990049) on Town Highway 99, crossing Gulf Brook, Woodstock, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, Scott A.; Hammond, Robert E.

1996-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.9 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour at the left abutment ranged from 3.1 to 10.3 ft. with the worst-case occurring at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour at the right abutment ranged from 6.4 to 10.4 ft. with the worst-case occurring at the 100-year discharge.Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 26 (JAMATH00010026) on Town Highway 1, crossing Ball Mountain Brook, Jamaica, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, Ronda L.; Medalie, Laura

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for the modelled flows ranged from 1.0 to 2.7 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the incipient-overtopping discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 8.4 to 17.6 ft. The worst-case abutment scour for the right abutment occurred at the incipient-overtopping discharge. For the left abutment, the worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 37 (TOWNTH00290037) on Town Highway 29, crossing Mill Brook, Townshend, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, R.L.; Medalie, Laura

1998-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 2.1 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Left abutment scour ranged from 6.7 to 8.7 ft. The worst-case left abutment scour occurred at the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge. Right abutment scour ranged from 7.8 to 9.5 ft. The worst-case right abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A crosssection of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and Davis, 1995, p. 46). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

A semi-quantitative World Health Organization grading scheme evaluating worst tumor differentiation predicts disease-free survival in oral squamous carcinoma patients.

PubMed

Jain, Dhruv; Tikku, Gargi; Bhadana, Pallavi; Dravid, Chandrashekhar; Grover, Rajesh Kumar

2017-08-01

We investigated World Health Organization (WHO) grading and pattern of invasion based histological schemes as independent predictors of disease-free survival, in oral squamous carcinoma patients. Tumor resection slides of eighty-seven oral squamous carcinoma patients [pTNM: I&II/III&IV-32/55] were evaluated. Besides examining various patterns of invasion, invasive front grade, predominant and worst (highest) WHO grade were recorded. For worst WHO grading, poor-undifferentiated component was estimated semi-quantitatively at advancing tumor edge (invasive growth front) in histology sections. Tumor recurrence was observed in 31 (35.6%) cases. The 2-year disease-free survival was 47% [Median: 656; follow-up: 14-1450] days. Using receiver operating characteristic curves, we defined poor-undifferentiated component exceeding 5% of tumor as the cutoff to assign an oral squamous carcinoma as grade-3, when following worst WHO grading. Kaplan-Meier curves for disease-free survival revealed prognostic association with nodal involvement, tumor size, worst WHO grading; most common pattern of invasion and invasive pattern grading score (sum of two most predominant patterns of invasion). In further multivariate analysis, tumor size (>2.5cm) and worst WHO grading (grade-3 tumors) independently predicted reduced disease-free survival [HR, 2.85; P=0.028 and HR, 3.37; P=0.031 respectively]. The inter-observer agreement was moderate for observers who semi-quantitatively estimated percentage of poor-undifferentiated morphology in oral squamous carcinomas. Our results support the value of semi-quantitative method to assign tumors as grade-3 with worst WHO grading for predicting reduced disease-free survival. Despite limitations, of the various histological tumor stratification schemes, WHO grading holds adjunctive value for its prognostic role, ease and universal familiarity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Flawed Execution: A Case Study on Operational Contract Support

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA JOINT APPLIED PROJECT FLAWED EXECUTION: A CASE STUDY ON OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT June 2016...applied project 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE FLAWED EXECUTION: A CASE STUDY ON OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Scott F...unlimited FLAWED EXECUTION: A CASE STUDY ON OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT Scott F. Taggart, Captain, United States Marine Corps Jacob Ledford

Isolator fragmentation and explosive initiation tests

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

Dickson, Peter; Rae, Philip John; Foley, Timothy J.

2016-09-19

Three tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of firing an isolator in proximity to a barrier or explosive charge. The tests with explosive were conducted without a barrier, on the basis that since any barrier will reduce the shock transmitted to the explosive, bare explosive represents the worst-case from an inadvertent initiation perspective. No reaction was observed. The shock caused by the impact of a representative plastic material on both bare and cased PBX 9501 is calculated in the worst-case, 1-D limit, and the known shock response of the HE is used to estimate minimum run-to-detonation lengths. The estimatesmore » demonstrate that even 1-D impacts would not be of concern and that, accordingly, the divergent shocks due to isolator fragment impact are of no concern as initiating stimuli.« less

Isolator fragmentation and explosive initiation tests

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

Dickson, Peter; Rae, Philip John; Foley, Timothy J.

2015-09-30

Three tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of firing an isolator in proximity to a barrier or explosive charge. The tests with explosive were conducted without barrier, on the basis that since any barrier will reduce the shock transmitted to the explosive, bare explosive represents the worst-case from an inadvertent initiation perspective. No reaction was observed. The shock caused by the impact of a representative plastic material on both bare and cased PBX9501 is calculated in the worst-case, 1-D limit, and the known shock response of the HE is used to estimate minimum run-to-detonation lengths. The estimates demonstrate thatmore » even 1-D impacts would not be of concern and that, accordingly, the divergent shocks due to isolator fragment impact are of no concern as initiating stimuli.« less

Conscious worst case definition for risk assessment, part I: a knowledge mapping approach for defining most critical risk factors in integrative risk management of chemicals and nanomaterials.

PubMed

Sørensen, Peter B; Thomsen, Marianne; Assmuth, Timo; Grieger, Khara D; Baun, Anders

2010-08-15

This paper helps bridge the gap between scientists and other stakeholders in the areas of human and environmental risk management of chemicals and engineered nanomaterials. This connection is needed due to the evolution of stakeholder awareness and scientific progress related to human and environmental health which involves complex methodological demands on risk management. At the same time, the available scientific knowledge is also becoming more scattered across multiple scientific disciplines. Hence, the understanding of potentially risky situations is increasingly multifaceted, which again challenges risk assessors in terms of giving the 'right' relative priority to the multitude of contributing risk factors. A critical issue is therefore to develop procedures that can identify and evaluate worst case risk conditions which may be input to risk level predictions. Therefore, this paper suggests a conceptual modelling procedure that is able to define appropriate worst case conditions in complex risk management. The result of the analysis is an assembly of system models, denoted the Worst Case Definition (WCD) model, to set up and evaluate the conditions of multi-dimensional risk identification and risk quantification. The model can help optimize risk assessment planning by initial screening level analyses and guiding quantitative assessment in relation to knowledge needs for better decision support concerning environmental and human health protection or risk reduction. The WCD model facilitates the evaluation of fundamental uncertainty using knowledge mapping principles and techniques in a way that can improve a complete uncertainty analysis. Ultimately, the WCD is applicable for describing risk contributing factors in relation to many different types of risk management problems since it transparently and effectively handles assumptions and definitions and allows the integration of different forms of knowledge, thereby supporting the inclusion of multifaceted risk components in cumulative risk management. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Faster than classical quantum algorithm for dense formulas of exact satisfiability and occupation problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandrà, Salvatore; Giacomo Guerreschi, Gian; Aspuru-Guzik, Alán

2016-07-01

We present an exact quantum algorithm for solving the Exact Satisfiability problem, which belongs to the important NP-complete complexity class. The algorithm is based on an intuitive approach that can be divided into two parts: the first step consists in the identification and efficient characterization of a restricted subspace that contains all the valid assignments of the Exact Satisfiability; while the second part performs a quantum search in such restricted subspace. The quantum algorithm can be used either to find a valid assignment (or to certify that no solution exists) or to count the total number of valid assignments. The query complexities for the worst-case are respectively bounded by O(\\sqrt{{2}n-{M\\prime }}) and O({2}n-{M\\prime }), where n is the number of variables and {M}\\prime the number of linearly independent clauses. Remarkably, the proposed quantum algorithm results to be faster than any known exact classical algorithm to solve dense formulas of Exact Satisfiability. As a concrete application, we provide the worst-case complexity for the Hamiltonian cycle problem obtained after mapping it to a suitable Occupation problem. Specifically, we show that the time complexity for the proposed quantum algorithm is bounded by O({2}n/4) for 3-regular undirected graphs, where n is the number of nodes. The same worst-case complexity holds for (3,3)-regular bipartite graphs. As a reference, the current best classical algorithm has a (worst-case) running time bounded by O({2}31n/96). Finally, when compared to heuristic techniques for Exact Satisfiability problems, the proposed quantum algorithm is faster than the classical WalkSAT and Adiabatic Quantum Optimization for random instances with a density of constraints close to the satisfiability threshold, the regime in which instances are typically the hardest to solve. The proposed quantum algorithm can be straightforwardly extended to the generalized version of the Exact Satisfiability known as Occupation problem. The general version of the algorithm is presented and analyzed.

Managing risk in a challenging financial environment.

PubMed

Kaufman, Kenneth

2008-08-01

Five strategies can help hospital financial leaders balance their organizations' financial and risk positions: Understand the hospital's financial condition; Determine the desired level of risk; Consider total risk; Use a portfolio approach; Explore best-case/worst-case scenarios to measure risk.

Asynchronous Runtimes in Action: An Introspective Framework for a Next Gen Runtime

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

Suetterlein, Joshua D.; Landwehr, Joshua B.; Marquez, Andres

2016-05-23

One of the most critical challenges that new high performance systems face is the lack of system software support for these large scale systems. Investment on system stack components is essential in the development, debugging and optimization of the new emerging programming models. These emerging models have the promise to better utilize the vast hardware resources available in current and future systems. To aid in the development of applications and new system stacks, runtimes, as instances of their respective execution models, need to produce facilities to introspect their inner workings and allow an indepth attribution of performance bottlenecks and computationalmore » patterns. In other words, the runtime systems need to reduce their opacity to observers so that users of a novel program execution model can adapt their designs to fit the intended model usage, regardless of the layer that they are working on. This design/development loop (akin to co-design) enables synergistic opportunities across the entire computational stack. This paper presents the design and implementation of a simple “gray” box performance attribution harness running inside a fine grain runtime system: the Open Community Runtime (OCR). We showcase what such a framework can indicate regarding the runtime behavior while running at scale. To this end, we have designed a set of synthetic scenarios aimed to test the runtime at their best and worst cases. We present an analysis of the most important runtime features, properties and idiosyncrasies that will affect the development of new runtime features, algorithmic selection, and application development.« less

Cognitive flexibility and decision-making in eating disorders and obesity.

PubMed

Perpiñá, Conxa; Segura, Mara; Sánchez-Reales, Sergio

2017-09-01

The aim of the present study was to compare decision-making and cognitive flexibility in patients with disordered eating and weight, ranging from anorexia nervosa to obesity, and a healthy group. Participants were 113 patients (86 with eating disorders and 27 with obesity), and a group of 39 healthy subjects; all completed the Iowa gambling task, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and several clinical self-report measures. Eating disordered and obese patients showed impaired performance on the decision-making task, and the obese group showed the worst performance on the set-shifting task. There were no associations between neuropsychological performance and eating or obsessive symptomatology, although significant associations were found with anxiety and depression measures. Considering the executive functions as a transdiagnostic process in ED and obesity could provide explanations for the inability to regulate food intake, present in both ED and obese patients. Implications of these executive impairments in the development and maintenance of ED and obesity are discussed.

Performance evaluation of firefly algorithm with variation in sorting for non-linear benchmark problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umbarkar, A. J.; Balande, U. T.; Seth, P. D.

2017-06-01

The field of nature inspired computing and optimization techniques have evolved to solve difficult optimization problems in diverse fields of engineering, science and technology. The firefly attraction process is mimicked in the algorithm for solving optimization problems. In Firefly Algorithm (FA) sorting of fireflies is done by using sorting algorithm. The original FA is proposed with bubble sort for ranking the fireflies. In this paper, the quick sort replaces bubble sort to decrease the time complexity of FA. The dataset used is unconstrained benchmark functions from CEC 2005 [22]. The comparison of FA using bubble sort and FA using quick sort is performed with respect to best, worst, mean, standard deviation, number of comparisons and execution time. The experimental result shows that FA using quick sort requires less number of comparisons but requires more execution time. The increased number of fireflies helps to converge into optimal solution whereas by varying dimension for algorithm performed better at a lower dimension than higher dimension.

A Fully Coupled Multi-Rigid-Body Fuel Slosh Dynamics Model Applied to the Triana Stack

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

London, K. W.

2001-01-01

A somewhat general multibody model is presented that accounts for energy dissipation associated with fuel slosh and which unifies some of the existing more specialized representations. This model is used to predict the mutation growth time constant for the Triana Spacecraft, or Stack, consisting of the Triana Observatory mated with the Gyroscopic Upper Stage of GUS (includes the solid rocket motor, SRM, booster). At the nominal spin rate of 60 rpm and with 145 kg of hydrazine propellant on board, a time constant of 116 s is predicted for worst case sloshing of a spherical slug model compared to 1,681 s (nominal), 1,043 s (worst case) for sloshing of a three degree of freedom pendulum model.

SU-E-T-452: Impact of Respiratory Motion On Robustly-Optimized Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy to Treat Lung Cancers

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

Liu, W; Schild, S; Bues, M

Purpose: We compared conventionally optimized intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) treatment plans against the worst-case robustly optimized treatment plans for lung cancer. The comparison of the two IMPT optimization strategies focused on the resulting plans' ability to retain dose objectives under the influence of patient set-up, inherent proton range uncertainty, and dose perturbation caused by respiratory motion. Methods: For each of the 9 lung cancer cases two treatment plans were created accounting for treatment uncertainties in two different ways: the first used the conventional Method: delivery of prescribed dose to the planning target volume (PTV) that is geometrically expanded from themore » internal target volume (ITV). The second employed the worst-case robust optimization scheme that addressed set-up and range uncertainties through beamlet optimization. The plan optimality and plan robustness were calculated and compared. Furthermore, the effects on dose distributions of the changes in patient anatomy due to respiratory motion was investigated for both strategies by comparing the corresponding plan evaluation metrics at the end-inspiration and end-expiration phase and absolute differences between these phases. The mean plan evaluation metrics of the two groups were compared using two-sided paired t-tests. Results: Without respiratory motion considered, we affirmed that worst-case robust optimization is superior to PTV-based conventional optimization in terms of plan robustness and optimality. With respiratory motion considered, robust optimization still leads to more robust dose distributions to respiratory motion for targets and comparable or even better plan optimality [D95% ITV: 96.6% versus 96.1% (p=0.26), D5% - D95% ITV: 10.0% versus 12.3% (p=0.082), D1% spinal cord: 31.8% versus 36.5% (p =0.035)]. Conclusion: Worst-case robust optimization led to superior solutions for lung IMPT. Despite of the fact that robust optimization did not explicitly account for respiratory motion it produced motion-resistant treatment plans. However, further research is needed to incorporate respiratory motion into IMPT robust optimization.« less

Integrated Safety Risk Reduction Approach to Enhancing Human-Rated Spaceflight Safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikula, J. F. Kip

2005-12-01

This paper explores and defines the current accepted concept and philosophy of safety improvement based on a Reliability enhancement (called here Reliability Enhancement Based Safety Theory [REBST]). In this theory a Reliability calculation is used as a measure of the safety achieved on the program. This calculation may be based on a math model or a Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) of the system, or on an Event Tree Analysis (ETA) of the system's operational mission sequence. In each case, the numbers used in this calculation are hardware failure rates gleaned from past similar programs. As part of this paper, a fictional but representative case study is provided that helps to illustrate the problems and inaccuracies of this approach to safety determination. Then a safety determination and enhancement approach based on hazard, worst case analysis, and safety risk determination (called here Worst Case Based Safety Theory [WCBST]) is included. This approach is defined and detailed using the same example case study as shown in the REBST case study. In the end it is concluded that an approach combining the two theories works best to reduce Safety Risk.

Estimated cost of universal public coverage of prescription drugs in Canada

PubMed Central

Morgan, Steven G.; Law, Michael; Daw, Jamie R.; Abraham, Liza; Martin, Danielle

2015-01-01

Background: With the exception of Canada, all countries with universal health insurance systems provide universal coverage of prescription drugs. Progress toward universal public drug coverage in Canada has been slow, in part because of concerns about the potential costs. We sought to estimate the cost of implementing universal public coverage of prescription drugs in Canada. Methods: We used published data on prescribing patterns and costs by drug type, as well as source of funding (i.e., private drug plans, public drug plans and out-of-pocket expenses), in each province to estimate the cost of universal public coverage of prescription drugs from the perspectives of government, private payers and society as a whole. We estimated the cost of universal public drug coverage based on its anticipated effects on the volume of prescriptions filled, products selected and prices paid. We selected these parameters based on current policies and practices seen either in a Canadian province or in an international comparator. Results: Universal public drug coverage would reduce total spending on prescription drugs in Canada by $7.3 billion (worst-case scenario $4.2 billion, best-case scenario $9.4 billion). The private sector would save $8.2 billion (worst-case scenario $6.6 billion, best-case scenario $9.6 billion), whereas costs to government would increase by about $1.0 billion (worst-case scenario $5.4 billion net increase, best-case scenario $2.9 billion net savings). Most of the projected increase in government costs would arise from a small number of drug classes. Interpretation: The long-term barrier to the implementation of universal pharmacare owing to its perceived costs appears to be unjustified. Universal public drug coverage would likely yield substantial savings to the private sector with comparatively little increase in costs to government. PMID:25780047

Estimated cost of universal public coverage of prescription drugs in Canada.

PubMed

Morgan, Steven G; Law, Michael; Daw, Jamie R; Abraham, Liza; Martin, Danielle

2015-04-21

With the exception of Canada, all countries with universal health insurance systems provide universal coverage of prescription drugs. Progress toward universal public drug coverage in Canada has been slow, in part because of concerns about the potential costs. We sought to estimate the cost of implementing universal public coverage of prescription drugs in Canada. We used published data on prescribing patterns and costs by drug type, as well as source of funding (i.e., private drug plans, public drug plans and out-of-pocket expenses), in each province to estimate the cost of universal public coverage of prescription drugs from the perspectives of government, private payers and society as a whole. We estimated the cost of universal public drug coverage based on its anticipated effects on the volume of prescriptions filled, products selected and prices paid. We selected these parameters based on current policies and practices seen either in a Canadian province or in an international comparator. Universal public drug coverage would reduce total spending on prescription drugs in Canada by $7.3 billion (worst-case scenario $4.2 billion, best-case scenario $9.4 billion). The private sector would save $8.2 billion (worst-case scenario $6.6 billion, best-case scenario $9.6 billion), whereas costs to government would increase by about $1.0 billion (worst-case scenario $5.4 billion net increase, best-case scenario $2.9 billion net savings). Most of the projected increase in government costs would arise from a small number of drug classes. The long-term barrier to the implementation of universal pharmacare owing to its perceived costs appears to be unjustified. Universal public drug coverage would likely yield substantial savings to the private sector with comparatively little increase in costs to government. © 2015 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors.

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

Strauss, Henry

This research was mostly concerned with asymmetric vertical displacement event (AVDE) disruptions, which are the worst case scenario for producing a large asymmetric wall force. This is potentially a serious problem in ITER.

Multiple usage of the CD PLUS/UNIX system: performance in practice.

PubMed Central

Volkers, A C; Tjiam, I A; van Laar, A; Bleeker, A

1995-01-01

In August 1994, the CD PLUS/Ovid literature retrieval system based on UNIX was activated for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. There were up to 1,200 potential users. Tests were carried out to determine the extent to which searching for literature was affected by other end users of the system. In the tests, search times and download times were measured in relation to a varying number of continuously active workstations. Results indicated a linear relationship between search times and the number of active workstations. In the "worst case" situation with sixteen active workstations, the time required for record retrieval increased by a factor of sixteen and downloading time by a factor of sixteen over the "best case" of no other active stations. However, because the worst case seldom, if ever, happens in real life, these results are considered acceptable. PMID:8547902

Multiple usage of the CD PLUS/UNIX system: performance in practice.

PubMed

Volkers, A C; Tjiam, I A; van Laar, A; Bleeker, A

1995-10-01

In August 1994, the CD PLUS/Ovid literature retrieval system based on UNIX was activated for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. There were up to 1,200 potential users. Tests were carried out to determine the extent to which searching for literature was affected by other end users of the system. In the tests, search times and download times were measured in relation to a varying number of continuously active workstations. Results indicated a linear relationship between search times and the number of active workstations. In the "worst case" situation with sixteen active workstations, the time required for record retrieval increased by a factor of sixteen and downloading time by a factor of sixteen over the "best case" of no other active stations. However, because the worst case seldom, if ever, happens in real life, these results are considered acceptable.

40 CFR 90.119 - Certification procedure-testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... must select the duty cycle that will result in worst-case emission results for certification. For any... facility, in which case instrumentation and equipment specified by the Administrator must be made available... manufacturers may not use any equipment, instruments, or tools to identify malfunctioning, maladjusted, or...

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 81 (MARSUS00020081) on U.S. Highway 2, crossing the Winooski River, Marshfield, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ivanoff, Michael A.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 2.1 to 4.2 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Left abutment scour ranged from 14.3 to 14.4 ft. The worst-case left abutment scour occurred at the incipient roadwayovertopping and 500-year discharge. Right abutment scour ranged from 15.3 to 18.5 ft. The worst-case right abutment scour occurred at the 100-year and the incipient roadwayovertopping discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) give “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

In situ LTE exposure of the general public: Characterization and extrapolation.

PubMed

Joseph, Wout; Verloock, Leen; Goeminne, Francis; Vermeeren, Günter; Martens, Luc

2012-09-01

In situ radiofrequency (RF) exposure of the different RF sources is characterized in Reading, United Kingdom, and an extrapolation method to estimate worst-case long-term evolution (LTE) exposure is proposed. All electric field levels satisfy the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) reference levels with a maximal total electric field value of 4.5 V/m. The total values are dominated by frequency modulation (FM). Exposure levels for LTE of 0.2 V/m on average and 0.5 V/m maximally are obtained. Contributions of LTE to the total exposure are limited to 0.4% on average. Exposure ratios from 0.8% (LTE) to 12.5% (FM) are obtained. An extrapolation method is proposed and validated to assess the worst-case LTE exposure. For this method, the reference signal (RS) and secondary synchronization signal (S-SYNC) are measured and extrapolated to the worst-case value using an extrapolation factor. The influence of the traffic load and output power of the base station on in situ RS and S-SYNC signals are lower than 1 dB for all power and traffic load settings, showing that these signals can be used for the extrapolation method. The maximal extrapolated field value for LTE exposure equals 1.9 V/m, which is 32 times below the ICNIRP reference levels for electric fields. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Worst-Case Energy Efficiency Maximization in a 5G Massive MIMO-NOMA System.

PubMed

Chinnadurai, Sunil; Selvaprabhu, Poongundran; Jeong, Yongchae; Jiang, Xueqin; Lee, Moon Ho

2017-09-18

In this paper, we examine the robust beamforming design to tackle the energy efficiency (EE) maximization problem in a 5G massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO)-non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) downlink system with imperfect channel state information (CSI) at the base station. A novel joint user pairing and dynamic power allocation (JUPDPA) algorithm is proposed to minimize the inter user interference and also to enhance the fairness between the users. This work assumes imperfect CSI by adding uncertainties to channel matrices with worst-case model, i.e., ellipsoidal uncertainty model (EUM). A fractional non-convex optimization problem is formulated to maximize the EE subject to the transmit power constraints and the minimum rate requirement for the cell edge user. The designed problem is difficult to solve due to its nonlinear fractional objective function. We firstly employ the properties of fractional programming to transform the non-convex problem into its equivalent parametric form. Then, an efficient iterative algorithm is proposed established on the constrained concave-convex procedure (CCCP) that solves and achieves convergence to a stationary point of the above problem. Finally, Dinkelbach's algorithm is employed to determine the maximum energy efficiency. Comprehensive numerical results illustrate that the proposed scheme attains higher worst-case energy efficiency as compared with the existing NOMA schemes and the conventional orthogonal multiple access (OMA) scheme.

MP3 player listening sound pressure levels among 10 to 17 year old students.

PubMed

Keith, Stephen E; Michaud, David S; Feder, Katya; Haider, Ifaz; Marro, Leonora; Thompson, Emma; Marcoux, Andre M

2011-11-01

Using a manikin, equivalent free-field sound pressure level measurements were made from the portable digital audio players of 219 subjects, aged 10 to 17 years (93 males) at their typical and "worst-case" volume levels. Measurements were made in different classrooms with background sound pressure levels between 40 and 52 dBA. After correction for the transfer function of the ear, the median equivalent free field sound pressure levels and interquartile ranges (IQR) at typical and worst-case volume settings were 68 dBA (IQR = 15) and 76 dBA (IQR = 19), respectively. Self-reported mean daily use ranged from 0.014 to 12 h. When typical sound pressure levels were considered in combination with the average daily duration of use, the median noise exposure level, Lex, was 56 dBA (IQR = 18) and 3.2% of subjects were estimated to exceed the most protective occupational noise exposure level limit in Canada, i.e., 85 dBA Lex. Under worst-case listening conditions, 77.6% of the sample was estimated to listen to their device at combinations of sound pressure levels and average daily durations for which there is no known risk of permanent noise-induced hearing loss, i.e., ≤  75 dBA Lex. Sources and magnitudes of measurement uncertainties are also discussed.

Worst-Case Energy Efficiency Maximization in a 5G Massive MIMO-NOMA System

PubMed Central

Jeong, Yongchae; Jiang, Xueqin; Lee, Moon Ho

2017-01-01

In this paper, we examine the robust beamforming design to tackle the energy efficiency (EE) maximization problem in a 5G massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO)-non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) downlink system with imperfect channel state information (CSI) at the base station. A novel joint user pairing and dynamic power allocation (JUPDPA) algorithm is proposed to minimize the inter user interference and also to enhance the fairness between the users. This work assumes imperfect CSI by adding uncertainties to channel matrices with worst-case model, i.e., ellipsoidal uncertainty model (EUM). A fractional non-convex optimization problem is formulated to maximize the EE subject to the transmit power constraints and the minimum rate requirement for the cell edge user. The designed problem is difficult to solve due to its nonlinear fractional objective function. We firstly employ the properties of fractional programming to transform the non-convex problem into its equivalent parametric form. Then, an efficient iterative algorithm is proposed established on the constrained concave-convex procedure (CCCP) that solves and achieves convergence to a stationary point of the above problem. Finally, Dinkelbach’s algorithm is employed to determine the maximum energy efficiency. Comprehensive numerical results illustrate that the proposed scheme attains higher worst-case energy efficiency as compared with the existing NOMA schemes and the conventional orthogonal multiple access (OMA) scheme. PMID:28927019

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 7 (CHARTH00010007) on Town Highway 1, crossing Mad Brook, Charleston, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boehmler, Erick M.; Weber, Matthew A.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.3 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the incipient overtopping discharge, which was less than the 100-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 6.2 to 9.4 ft. The worst-case abutment scour for the right abutment was 9.4 feet at the 100-year discharge. The worst-case abutment scour for the left abutment was 8.6 feet at the incipient overtopping discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 16, (NEWBTH00500016) on Town Highway 50, crossing Halls Brook, Newbury, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, Ronda L.; Degnan, James R.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 2.6 to 4.6 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge. The left abutment scour ranged from 11.6 to 12.1 ft. The worst-case left abutment scour occurred at the incipient road-overtopping discharge. The right abutment scour ranged from 13.6 to 17.9 ft. The worst-case right abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in Tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in Figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 46). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Adhesive strength of total knee endoprostheses to bone cement - analysis of metallic and ceramic femoral components under worst-case conditions.

PubMed

Bergschmidt, Philipp; Dammer, Rebecca; Zietz, Carmen; Finze, Susanne; Mittelmeier, Wolfram; Bader, Rainer

2016-06-01

Evaluation of the adhesive strength of femoral components to the bone cement is a relevant parameter for predicting implant safety. In the present experimental study, three types of cemented femoral components (metallic, ceramic and silica/silane-layered ceramic) of the bicondylar Multigen Plus knee system, implanted on composite femora were analysed. A pull-off test with the femoral components was performed after different load and several cementing conditions (four groups and n=3 components of each metallic, ceramic and silica/silane-layered ceramic in each group). Pull-off forces were comparable for the metallic and the silica/silane-layered ceramic femoral components (mean 4769 N and 4298 N) under standard test condition, whereas uncoated ceramic femoral components showed reduced pull-off forces (mean 2322 N). Loading under worst-case conditions led to decreased adhesive strength by loosening of the interface implant and bone cement using uncoated metallic and ceramic femoral components, respectively. Silica/silane-coated ceramic components were stably fixed even under worst-case conditions. Loading under high flexion angles can induce interfacial tensile stress, which could promote early implant loosening. In conclusion, a silica/silane-coating layer on the femoral component increased their adhesive strength to bone cement. Thicker cement mantles (>2 mm) reduce adhesive strength of the femoral component and can increase the risk of cement break-off.

Validation of a contemporary prostate cancer grading system using prostate cancer death as outcome.

PubMed

Berney, Daniel M; Beltran, Luis; Fisher, Gabrielle; North, Bernard V; Greenberg, David; Møller, Henrik; Soosay, Geraldine; Scardino, Peter; Cuzick, Jack

2016-05-10

Gleason scoring (GS) has major deficiencies and a novel system of five grade groups (GS⩽6; 3+4; 4+3; 8; ⩾9) has been recently agreed and included in the WHO 2016 classification. Although verified in radical prostatectomies using PSA relapse for outcome, it has not been validated using prostate cancer death as an outcome in biopsy series. There is debate whether an 'overall' or 'worst' GS in biopsies series should be used. Nine hundred and eighty-eight prostate cancer biopsy cases were identified between 1990 and 2003, and treated conservatively. Diagnosis and grade was assigned to each core as well as an overall grade. Follow-up for prostate cancer death was until 31 December 2012. A log-rank test assessed univariable differences between the five grade groups based on overall and worst grade seen, and using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards. Regression was used to quantify differences in outcome. Using both 'worst' and 'overall' GS yielded highly significant results on univariate and multivariate analysis with overall GS slightly but insignificantly outperforming worst GS. There was a strong correlation with the five grade groups and prostate cancer death. This is the largest conservatively treated prostate cancer cohort with long-term follow-up and contemporary assessment of grade. It validates the formation of five grade groups and suggests that the 'worst' grade is a valid prognostic measure.

Software designs of image processing tasks with incremental refinement of computation.

PubMed

Anastasia, Davide; Andreopoulos, Yiannis

2010-08-01

Software realizations of computationally-demanding image processing tasks (e.g., image transforms and convolution) do not currently provide graceful degradation when their clock-cycles budgets are reduced, e.g., when delay deadlines are imposed in a multitasking environment to meet throughput requirements. This is an important obstacle in the quest for full utilization of modern programmable platforms' capabilities since worst-case considerations must be in place for reasonable quality of results. In this paper, we propose (and make available online) platform-independent software designs performing bitplane-based computation combined with an incremental packing framework in order to realize block transforms, 2-D convolution and frame-by-frame block matching. The proposed framework realizes incremental computation: progressive processing of input-source increments improves the output quality monotonically. Comparisons with the equivalent nonincremental software realization of each algorithm reveal that, for the same precision of the result, the proposed approach can lead to comparable or faster execution, while it can be arbitrarily terminated and provide the result up to the computed precision. Application examples with region-of-interest based incremental computation, task scheduling per frame, and energy-distortion scalability verify that our proposal provides significant performance scalability with graceful degradation.

Ground Plane and Near-Surface Thermal Analysis for NASA's Constellation Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gasbarre, Joseph F.; Amundsen, Ruth M.; Scola, Salvatore; Leahy, Frank F.; Sharp, John R.

2008-01-01

Most spacecraft thermal analysis tools assume that the spacecraft is in orbit around a planet and are designed to calculate solar and planetary fluxes, as well as radiation to space. On NASA Constellation projects, thermal analysts are also building models of vehicles in their pre-launch condition on the surface of a planet. This process entails making some modifications in the building and execution of a thermal model such that the radiation from the planet, both reflected albedo and infrared, is calculated correctly. Also important in the calculation of pre-launch vehicle temperatures are the natural environments at the vehicle site, including air and ground temperatures, sky radiative background temperature, solar flux, and optical properties of the ground around the vehicle. A group of Constellation projects have collaborated on developing a cohesive, integrated set of natural environments that accurately capture worst-case thermal scenarios for the pre-launch and launch phases of these vehicles. The paper will discuss the standardization of methods for local planet modeling across Constellation projects, as well as the collection and consolidation of natural environments for launch sites. Methods for Earth as well as lunar sites will be discussed.

Stochastic Robust Mathematical Programming Model for Power System Optimization

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

Liu, Cong; Changhyeok, Lee; Haoyong, Chen

2016-01-01

This paper presents a stochastic robust framework for two-stage power system optimization problems with uncertainty. The model optimizes the probabilistic expectation of different worst-case scenarios with ifferent uncertainty sets. A case study of unit commitment shows the effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithms.

Minimax Quantum Tomography: Estimators and Relative Entropy Bounds

DOE PAGES

Ferrie, Christopher; Blume-Kohout, Robin

2016-03-04

A minimax estimator has the minimum possible error (“risk”) in the worst case. Here we construct the first minimax estimators for quantum state tomography with relative entropy risk. The minimax risk of nonadaptive tomography scales as O (1/more » $$\\sqrt{N}$$ ) —in contrast to that of classical probability estimation, which is O (1/N) —where N is the number of copies of the quantum state used. We trace this deficiency to sampling mismatch: future observations that determine risk may come from a different sample space than the past data that determine the estimate. Lastly, this makes minimax estimators very biased, and we propose a computationally tractable alternative with similar behavior in the worst case, but superior accuracy on most states.« less

Charging and discharging characteristics of dielectric materials exposed to low- and mid-energy electrons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coakley, P.; Kitterer, B.; Treadaway, M.

1982-01-01

Charging and discharging characteristics of dielectric samples exposed to 1-25 keV and 25-100 keV electrons in a laboratory environment are reported. The materials examined comprised OSR, Mylar, Kapton, perforated Kapton, and Alphaquartz, serving as models for materials employed on spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit. The tests were performed in a vacuum chamber with electron guns whose beams were rastered over the entire surface of the planar samples. The specimens were examined in low-impedance-grounded, high-impedance-grounded, and isolated configurations. The worst-case and average peak discharge currents were observed to be independent of the incident electron energy, the time-dependent changes in the worst case discharge peak current were independent of the energy, and predischarge surface potentials are negligibly dependent on incident monoenergetic electrons.

Worst-case space radiation environments for geocentric missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stassinopoulos, E. G.; Seltzer, S. M.

1976-01-01

Worst-case possible annual radiation fluences of energetic charged particles in the terrestrial space environment, and the resultant depth-dose distributions in aluminum, were calculated in order to establish absolute upper limits to the radiation exposure of spacecraft in geocentric orbits. The results are a concise set of data intended to aid in the determination of the feasibility of a particular mission. The data may further serve as guidelines in the evaluation of standard spacecraft components. Calculations were performed for each significant particle species populating or visiting the magnetosphere, on the basis of volume occupied by or accessible to the respective species. Thus, magnetospheric space was divided into five distinct regions using the magnetic shell parameter L, which gives the approximate geocentric distance (in earth radii) of a field line's equatorial intersect.

Hepatitis Aand E Co-Infection with Worst Outcome.

PubMed

Saeed, Anjum; Cheema, Huma Arshad; Assiri, Asaad

2016-06-01

Infections are still a major problem in the developing countries like Pakistan because of poor sewage disposal and economic restraints. Acute viral hepatitis like Aand E are not uncommon in pediatric age group because of unhygienic food handling and poor sewage disposal, but majority recovers well without any complications. Co-infections are rare occurrences and physicians need to be well aware while managing such conditions to avoid worst outcome. Co-infection with hepatitis Aand E is reported occasionally in the literature, however, other concurrent infections such as hepatitis A with Salmonellaand hepatotropic viruses like viral hepatitis B and C are present in the literature. Co-infections should be kept in consideration when someone presents with atypical symptoms or unusual disease course like this presented case. We report here a girl child who had acute hepatitis A and E concurrent infections and presented with hepatic encephalopathy and had worst outcome, despite all the supportive measures being taken.

Implementation of School Health Promotion: Consequences for Professional Assistance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boot, N. M. W. M.; de Vries, N. K.

2012-01-01

Purpose: This case study aimed to examine the factors influencing the implementation of health promotion (HP) policies and programs in secondary schools and the consequences for professional assistance. Design/methodology/approach: Group interviews were held in two schools that represented the best and worst case of implementation of a health…

Compression in the Superintendent Ranks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saron, Bradford G.; Birchbauer, Louis J.

2011-01-01

Sadly, the fiscal condition of school systems now not only is troublesome, but in some cases has surpassed all expectations for the worst-case scenario. Among the states, one common response is to drop funding for public education to inadequate levels, leading to permanent program cuts, school closures, staff layoffs, district dissolutions and…

Gross violation of human rights and inequality in city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Ruotti, Caren; Freitas, Taís Viudes de; Almeida, Juliana Feliciano de; Peres, Maria Fernanda Tourinho

2009-06-01

To analyze the profile of gross human rights violations, and the relationship between these violations and socioeconomic and demographic indicators. Cross-sectional ecological study of 96 census districts of the city of São Paulo (Southeastern Brazil) in the year 2000. The data used came from the gross human rights violations database maintained by the Núcleo de Estudos de Violência (Center for the Study of Violence) at the Universidade de São Paulo. This database contains information on all the cases of summary executions, lynching and police violence reported on the written press. Socioeconomic and demographic data were obtained from the 2000 Census carried out by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics). A descriptive analysis of the data was carried out, and the association between the dependent variable - gross human rights violations (number of police violence victims, lynching episodes and summary executions) -, and different socioeconomic and demographic variables was tested. In order to test this association the Spearman's correlation test was used. The correlations between gross human rights violations and the socioeconomic and demographic indicators were statistically significant, except for the urbanization rate and the hospital beds per 1000 inhabitants. The strongest correlations were found between the dependent variable and the following variables: size of the resident population (r=0,693), proportion of youths aged from 15 to 24 years (r=0,621), and proportion of household heads with no education or with up to three years of schooling (r=0,590). Gross human rights violations more markedly occur in the population with the worst living conditions. Therefore, in a scenario in which inequality in attaining social and economic rights is directly superposed to the violation of civil rights, the violence cycle is intensified and perpetuated.

40 CFR 85.2115 - Notification of intent to certify.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... testing and durability demonstration represent worst case with respect to emissions of all those... submitted by the aftermarket manufacturer to: Mod Director, MOD (EN-340F), Attention: Aftermarket Parts, 401...

40 CFR 85.2115 - Notification of intent to certify.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... testing and durability demonstration represent worst case with respect to emissions of all those... submitted by the aftermarket manufacturer to: Mod Director, MOD (EN-340F), Attention: Aftermarket Parts, 401...

40 CFR 85.2115 - Notification of intent to certify.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... testing and durability demonstration represent worst case with respect to emissions of all those... submitted by the aftermarket manufacturer to: Mod Director, MOD (EN-340F), Attention: Aftermarket Parts, 401...

10 CFR 434.501 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... size and type will vary only with climate, the number of stories, and the choice of simulation tool... practice for some climates or buildings, but represent a reasonable worst case of energy cost resulting...

10 CFR 434.501 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... size and type will vary only with climate, the number of stories, and the choice of simulation tool... practice for some climates or buildings, but represent a reasonable worst case of energy cost resulting...

10 CFR 434.501 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... size and type will vary only with climate, the number of stories, and the choice of simulation tool... practice for some climates or buildings, but represent a reasonable worst case of energy cost resulting...

10 CFR 434.501 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... size and type will vary only with climate, the number of stories, and the choice of simulation tool... practice for some climates or buildings, but represent a reasonable worst case of energy cost resulting...

10 CFR 434.501 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... size and type will vary only with climate, the number of stories, and the choice of simulation tool... practice for some climates or buildings, but represent a reasonable worst case of energy cost resulting...

A comprehensive approach to address the prescription opioid epidemic in Washington State: milestones and lessons learned.

PubMed

Franklin, Gary; Sabel, Jennifer; Jones, Christopher M; Mai, Jaymie; Baumgartner, Chris; Banta-Green, Caleb J; Neven, Darin; Tauben, David J

2015-03-01

An epidemic of morbidity and mortality has swept across the United States related to the use of prescription opioids for chronic noncancer pain. More than 100,000 people have died from unintentional overdose, making this one of the worst manmade epidemics in history. Much of health care delivery in the United States is regulated at the state level; therefore, both the cause and much of the cure for the opioid epidemic will come from state action. We detail the strong collaborations across executive health care agencies, and between those public agencies and practicing leaders in the pain field that have led to a substantial reversal of the epidemic in Washington State.

Adaptive Attitude Control of the Crew Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muse, Jonathan

2010-01-01

An H(sub infinity)-NMA architecture for the Crew Launch Vehicle was developed in a state feedback setting. The minimal complexity adaptive law was shown to improve base line performance relative to a performance metric based on Crew Launch Vehicle design requirements for all most all of the Worst-on-Worst dispersion cases. The adaptive law was able to maintain stability for some dispersions that are unstable with the nominal control law. Due to the nature of the H(sub infinity)-NMA architecture, the augmented adaptive control signal has low bandwidth which is a great benefit for a manned launch vehicle.

Validation of a contemporary prostate cancer grading system using prostate cancer death as outcome

PubMed Central

Berney, Daniel M; Beltran, Luis; Fisher, Gabrielle; North, Bernard V; Greenberg, David; Møller, Henrik; Soosay, Geraldine; Scardino, Peter; Cuzick, Jack

2016-01-01

Background: Gleason scoring (GS) has major deficiencies and a novel system of five grade groups (GS⩽6; 3+4; 4+3; 8; ⩾9) has been recently agreed and included in the WHO 2016 classification. Although verified in radical prostatectomies using PSA relapse for outcome, it has not been validated using prostate cancer death as an outcome in biopsy series. There is debate whether an ‘overall' or ‘worst' GS in biopsies series should be used. Methods: Nine hundred and eighty-eight prostate cancer biopsy cases were identified between 1990 and 2003, and treated conservatively. Diagnosis and grade was assigned to each core as well as an overall grade. Follow-up for prostate cancer death was until 31 December 2012. A log-rank test assessed univariable differences between the five grade groups based on overall and worst grade seen, and using univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards. Regression was used to quantify differences in outcome. Results: Using both ‘worst' and ‘overall' GS yielded highly significant results on univariate and multivariate analysis with overall GS slightly but insignificantly outperforming worst GS. There was a strong correlation with the five grade groups and prostate cancer death. Conclusions: This is the largest conservatively treated prostate cancer cohort with long-term follow-up and contemporary assessment of grade. It validates the formation of five grade groups and suggests that the ‘worst' grade is a valid prognostic measure. PMID:27100731

RMP*Comp

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

You can use this free software program to complete the Off-site Consequence Analyses (both worst case scenarios and alternative scenarios) required under the Risk Management Program rule, so that you don't have to do calculations by hand.

49 CFR 194.105 - Worst case discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...: Prevention measure Standard Credit(percent) Secondary containment >100% NFPA 30 50 Built/repaired to API standards API STD 620/650/653 10 Overfill protection standards API RP 2350 5 Testing/cathodic protection API...

49 CFR 194.105 - Worst case discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...: Prevention measure Standard Credit(percent) Secondary containment > 100% NFPA 30 50 Built/repaired to API standards API STD 620/650/653 10 Overfill protection standards API RP 2350 5 Testing/cathodic protection API...

49 CFR 194.105 - Worst case discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...: Prevention measure Standard Credit(percent) Secondary containment >100% NFPA 30 50 Built/repaired to API standards API STD 620/650/653 10 Overfill protection standards API RP 2350 5 Testing/cathodic protection API...

49 CFR 194.105 - Worst case discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...: Prevention measure Standard Credit(percent) Secondary containment > 100% NFPA 30 50 Built/repaired to API standards API STD 620/650/653 10 Overfill protection standards API RP 2350 5 Testing/cathodic protection API...

49 CFR 194.105 - Worst case discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...: Prevention measure Standard Credit(percent) Secondary containment > 100% NFPA 30 50 Built/repaired to API standards API STD 620/650/653 10 Overfill protection standards API RP 2350 5 Testing/cathodic protection API...

Calculations of the skyshine gamma-ray dose rates from independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSI) under worst case accident conditions

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

Pace, J.V. III; Cramer, S.N.; Knight, J.R.

1980-09-01

Calculations of the skyshine gamma-ray dose rates from three spent fuel storage pools under worst case accident conditions have been made using the discrete ordinates code DOT-IV and the Monte Carlo code MORSE and have been compared to those of two previous methods. The DNA 37N-21G group cross-section library was utilized in the calculations, together with the Claiborne-Trubey gamma-ray dose factors taken from the same library. Plots of all results are presented. It was found that the dose was a strong function of the iron thickness over the fuel assemblies, the initial angular distribution of the emitted radiation, and themore » photon source near the top of the assemblies. 16 refs., 11 figs., 7 tabs.« less

Most Probable Fire Scenarios in Spacecraft and Extraterrestrial Habitats: Why NASA's Current Test 1 Might Not Always be Conservative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olson, S. L.

2004-01-01

NASA's current method of material screening determines fire resistance under conditions representing a worst-case for normal gravity flammability - the Upward Flame Propagation Test (Test 1). Its simple pass-fail criteria eliminates materials that burn for more than 12 inches from a standardized ignition source. In addition, if a material drips burning pieces that ignite a flammable fabric below, it fails. The applicability of Test 1 to fires in microgravity and extraterrestrial environments, however, is uncertain because the relationship between this buoyancy-dominated test and actual extraterrestrial fire hazards is not understood. There is compelling evidence that the Test 1 may not be the worst case for spacecraft fires, and we don t have enough information to assess if it is adequate at Lunar or Martian gravity levels.

Most Probable Fire Scenarios in Spacecraft and Extraterrestrial Habitats: Why NASA's Current Test 1 Might Not Always Be Conservative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olson, S. L.

2004-01-01

NASA s current method of material screening determines fire resistance under conditions representing a worst-case for normal gravity flammability - the Upward Flame Propagation Test (Test 1[1]). Its simple pass-fail criteria eliminates materials that burn for more than 12 inches from a standardized ignition source. In addition, if a material drips burning pieces that ignite a flammable fabric below, it fails. The applicability of Test 1 to fires in microgravity and extraterrestrial environments, however, is uncertain because the relationship between this buoyancy-dominated test and actual extraterrestrial fire hazards is not understood. There is compelling evidence that the Test 1 may not be the worst case for spacecraft fires, and we don t have enough information to assess if it is adequate at Lunar or Martian gravity levels.

LANDSAT-D MSS/TM tuned orbital jitter analysis model LDS900

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pollak, T. E.

1981-01-01

The final LANDSAT-D orbital dynamic math model (LSD900), comprised of all test validated substructures, was used to evaluate the jitter response of the MSS/TM experiments. A dynamic forced response analysis was performed at both the MSS and TM locations on all structural modes considered (thru 200 Hz). The analysis determined the roll angular response of the MSS/TM experiments to improve excitation generated by component operation. Cross axis and cross experiment responses were also calculated. The excitations were analytically represented by seven and nine term Fourier series approximations, for the MSS and TM experiment respectively, which enabled linear harmonic solution techniques to be applied to response calculations. Single worst case jitter was estimated by variations of the eigenvalue spectrum of model LSD 900. The probability of any worst case mode occurrence was investigated.

An Alaskan Theater Airlift Model.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-19

overt attack on American soil . In any case, such a reaotion represents the worst-case scenario In that theater forces would be denied the advantages of...NNSETNTAFE,SS(l06), USL (100), 7 TNET,THOV,1X(100) REAL A,CHKTIN INTEGER ORIC,DEST,ISCTMP,WXFLG,ALLW,T(RT,ZPTR,ZONE, * FTNFLG.WX,ZONLST(150) DATA ZNSI

78 FR 49831 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-15

... Service (NPS) for the Florida leafwing and the pine rockland ecosystem, in general. Sea Level Rise... habitat. In the best case scenario, which assumes low sea level rise, high financial resources, proactive... human population. In the worst case scenario, which assumes high sea level rise, low financial resources...

A Different Call to Arms: Women in the Core of the Communications Revolution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rush, Ramona R.

A "best case" model for the role of women in the postindustrial communications era predicts positive leadership roles based on the preindustrial work characteristics of cooperation and consensus. A "worst case" model finds women entrepreneurs succumbing to the competitive male ethos and extracting the maximum amount of work…

Preschool Executive Functions, Single-Parent Status, and School Quality Predict Diverging Trajectories of Classroom Inattention in Elementary School

PubMed Central

Sasser, Tyler R.; Beekman, Charles R.; Bierman, Karen L.

2016-01-01

A sample of 356 children recruited from Head Start (58% European American, 25% African American, and 17% Hispanic; 54% girls; Mage ¼ 4.59 years) were followed longitudinally from prekindergarten through fifth grade. Latent profile analyses of teacher-rated inattention from kindergarten through third grade identified four developmental trajectories: stable low (53% of the sample), stable high (11.3%), rising over time (16.4%), and declining over time (19.3%). Children with stable low inattention had the best academic outcomes in fifth grade, and children exhibiting stable high inattention had the worst, with the others in between. Self-regulation difficulties in preschool (poor executive function skills and elevated opposition–aggression) differentiated children with rising versus stable low inattention. Elementary schools characterized by higher achievement differentiated children with declining versus stable high inattention. Boys and children from single-parent families were more likely to remain high or rise in inattention, whereas girls and children from dual-parent families were more likely to remain low or decline in inattention. PMID:25200465

Preschool executive functions, single-parent status, and school quality predict diverging trajectories of classroom inattention in elementary school.

PubMed

Sasser, Tyler R; Beekman, Charles R; Bierman, Karen L

2015-08-01

A sample of 356 children recruited from Head Start (58% European American, 25% African American, and 17% Hispanic; 54% girls; M age = 4.59 years) were followed longitudinally from prekindergarten through fifth grade. Latent profile analyses of teacher-rated inattention from kindergarten through third grade identified four developmental trajectories: stable low (53% of the sample), stable high (11.3%), rising over time (16.4%), and declining over time (19.3%). Children with stable low inattention had the best academic outcomes in fifth grade, and children exhibiting stable high inattention had the worst, with the others in between. Self-regulation difficulties in preschool (poor executive function skills and elevated opposition-aggression) differentiated children with rising versus stable low inattention. Elementary schools characterized by higher achievement differentiated children with declining versus stable high inattention. Boys and children from single-parent families were more likely to remain high or rise in inattention, whereas girls and children from dual-parent families were more likely to remain low or decline in inattention.

RMP Guidance for Offsite Consequence Analysis

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Offsite consequence analysis (OCA) consists of a worst-case release scenario and alternative release scenarios. OCA is required from facilities with chemicals above threshold quantities. RMP*Comp software can be used to perform calculations described here.

Economic losses to buildings due to tsunami impact: the case of Rhodes city, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Triantafyllou, Ioanna; Novikova, Tatyana; Papadopoulos, Gerassimos

2017-04-01

The expected economic losses to buildings due to the tsunami impact is of particular importance for the tsunami risk management. However, only few efforts can be found in this direction. In this study we approached this issue selecting the city of Rhodes Isl., Greece, as a test-site. The methodological steps followed include (a) selection of worst case scenario in the study area based on the tsunami history of the area which includes several powerful events, e.g. 142 AD, 1303, 1481, 1609, 1741, (b) numerical simulation of the tsunami and determination of the inundation zone, (c) application of the DAMASCHE empirical tool, produced by the SCHEMA EU-FP6 project, for the calculation of the damage level expected at each one of the buildings as a function of the water depth in the inundation area, (d) calculation of the buildings that would need reparation after partial damage and of those that would need reconstruction after total destruction, (e) calculation of the cost implied for both reparation and reconstruction. The several data sets which are needed for the execution of these steps, are susceptible to uncertainties and, therefore, the final results are quite sensitive to changes of the data sets. Alternative costs were calculated by taking into account the several uncertainties involved. This research is a contribution to the EU-FP7 tsunami research project ASTARTE (Assessment, Strategy And Risk Reduction for Tsunamis in Europe), grant agreement no: 603839, 2013-10-30.

Fast Risk Assessment Software For Natural Hazard Phenomena Using Georeference Population And Infrastructure Data Bases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marrero, J. M.; Pastor Paz, J. E.; Erazo, C.; Marrero, M.; Aguilar, J.; Yepes, H. A.; Estrella, C. M.; Mothes, P. A.

2015-12-01

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) requires an integrated multi-hazard assessment approach towards natural hazard mitigation. In the case of volcanic risk, long term hazard maps are generally developed on a basis of the most probable scenarios (likelihood of occurrence) or worst cases. However, in the short-term, expected scenarios may vary substantially depending on the monitoring data or new knowledge. In this context, the time required to obtain and process data is critical for optimum decision making. Availability of up-to-date volcanic scenarios is as crucial as it is to have this data accompanied by efficient estimations of their impact among populations and infrastructure. To address this impact estimation during volcanic crises, or other natural hazards, a web interface has been developed to execute an ANSI C application. This application allows one to compute - in a matter of seconds - the demographic and infrastructure impact that any natural hazard may cause employing an overlay-layer approach. The web interface is tailored to users involved in the volcanic crises management of Cotopaxi volcano (Ecuador). The population data base and the cartographic basis used are of public domain, published by the National Office of Statistics of Ecuador (INEC, by its Spanish acronym). To run the application and obtain results the user is expected to upload a raster file containing information related to the volcanic hazard or any other natural hazard, and determine categories to group population or infrastructure potentially affected. The results are displayed in a user-friendly report.

Drifting from slow to "D'oh!": working memory capacity and mind wandering predict extreme reaction times and executive control errors.

PubMed

McVay, Jennifer C; Kane, Michael J

2012-05-01

A combined experimental, individual-differences, and thought-sampling study tested the predictions of executive attention (e.g., Engle & Kane, 2004) and coordinative binding (e.g., Oberauer, Süβ, Wilhelm, & Sander, 2007) theories of working memory capacity (WMC). We assessed 288 subjects' WMC and their performance and mind-wandering rates during a sustained-attention task; subjects completed either a go/no-go version requiring executive control over habit or a vigilance version that did not. We further combined the data with those from McVay and Kane (2009) to (1) gauge the contributions of WMC and attentional lapses to the worst performance rule and the tail, or τ parameter, of reaction time (RT) distributions; (2) assess which parameters from a quantitative evidence-accumulation RT model were predicted by WMC and mind-wandering reports; and (3) consider intrasubject RT patterns--particularly, speeding--as potential objective markers of mind wandering. We found that WMC predicted action and thought control in only some conditions, that attentional lapses (indicated by task-unrelated-thought reports and drift-rate variability in evidence accumulation) contributed to τ, performance accuracy, and WMC's association with them and that mind-wandering experiences were not predicted by trial-to-trial RT changes, and so they cannot always be inferred from objective performance measures. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Drifting from Slow to “D’oh!” Working Memory Capacity and Mind Wandering Predict Extreme Reaction Times and Executive-Control Errors

PubMed Central

McVay, Jennifer C.; Kane, Michael J.

2012-01-01

A combined experimental, individual-differences, and thought-sampling study tested the predictions of executive attention (e.g., Engle & Kane, 2004) and coordinative binding (e.g., Oberauer, Süß, Wilhelm, & Sander, 2007) theories of working memory capacity (WMC). We assessed 288 subjects’ WMC and their performance and mind-wandering rates during a sustained-attention task; subjects completed either a go/no-go version requiring executive control over habit, or a vigilance version that did not. We further combined the data with those from McVay and Kane (2009) to: (1) gauge the contributions of WMC and attentional lapses to the worst-performance rule and the tail, or τ parameter, of response time (RT) distributions; (2) assess which parameters from a quantitative evidence-accumulation RT model were predicted by WMC and mind-wandering reports, and (3) consider intra-subject RT patterns – particularly, speeding – as potential objective markers of mind wandering. We found that WMC predicted action and thought control in only some conditions, that attentional lapses (indicated by TUT reports and drift-rate variability in evidence accumulation) contributed to τ, performance accuracy, and WMC’s association with them, and that mind-wandering experiences were not predicted by trial-to-trial RT changes, and so they cannot always be inferred from objective performance measures. PMID:22004270

Planning Education for Regional Economic Integration: The Case of Paraguay and MERCOSUR.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGinn, Noel

This paper examines the possible impact of MERCOSUR on Paraguay's economic and educational systems. MERCOSUR is a trade agreement among Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, under which terms all import tariffs among the countries will be eliminated by 1994. The countries will enter into a common economic market. The worst-case scenario…

Asteroid Bennu Temperature Maps for OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft and Instrument Thermal Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Michael K.; Emery, Josh; Delbo, Marco

2014-01-01

A thermophysical model has been developed to generate asteroid Bennu surface temperature maps for OSIRIS-REx spacecraft and instrument thermal design and analyses at the Critical Design Review (CDR). Two-dimensional temperature maps for worst hot and worst cold cases are used in Thermal Desktop to assure adequate thermal design margins. To minimize the complexity of the Bennu geometry in Thermal Desktop, it is modeled as a sphere instead of the radar shape. The post-CDR updated thermal inertia and a modified approach show that the new surface temperature predictions are more benign. Therefore the CDR Bennu surface temperature predictions are conservative.

Availability Simulation of AGT Systems

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-02-01

The report discusses the analytical and simulation procedures that were used to evaluate the effects of failure in a complex dual mode transportation system based on a worst case study-state condition. The computed results are an availability figure ...

Carbon monoxide screen for signalized intersections COSIM, version 3.0 : technical documentation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-07-01

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) currently uses the computer screening model Illinois : CO Screen for Intersection Modeling (COSIM) to estimate worst-case CO concentrations for proposed roadway : projects affecting signalized intersec...

40 CFR 68.25 - Worst-case release scenario analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... used is based on TNT equivalent methods. (1) For regulated flammable substances that are normally gases... shall be used to determine the distance to the explosion endpoint if the model used is based on TNT...

40 CFR 68.25 - Worst-case release scenario analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... used is based on TNT equivalent methods. (1) For regulated flammable substances that are normally gases... shall be used to determine the distance to the explosion endpoint if the model used is based on TNT...

40 CFR 68.25 - Worst-case release scenario analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... used is based on TNT equivalent methods. (1) For regulated flammable substances that are normally gases... shall be used to determine the distance to the explosion endpoint if the model used is based on TNT...

40 CFR 68.25 - Worst-case release scenario analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... used is based on TNT equivalent methods. (1) For regulated flammable substances that are normally gases... shall be used to determine the distance to the explosion endpoint if the model used is based on TNT...

40 CFR 68.25 - Worst-case release scenario analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... used is based on TNT equivalent methods. (1) For regulated flammable substances that are normally gases... shall be used to determine the distance to the explosion endpoint if the model used is based on TNT...

RMP Guidance for Warehouses - Chapter 4: Offsite Consequence Analysis

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Offsite consequence analysis (OCA) informs government and the public about potential consequences of an accidental toxic or flammable chemical release at your facility, and consists of a worst-case release scenario and alternative release scenarios.

RMP Guidance for Chemical Distributors - Chapter 4: Offsite Consequence Analysis

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

How to perform the OCA for regulated substances, informing the government and the public about potential consequences of an accidental chemical release at your facility. Includes calculations for worst-case scenario, alternative scenarios, and endpoints.

Gum Disease

MedlinePlus

... damage to the tissue and bone supporting the teeth. In the worst cases, you can lose teeth. In gingivitis, the gums become red and swollen. ... flossing and regular cleanings by a dentist or dental hygienist. Untreated gingivitis can lead to periodontitis. If ...

The Effect of Reaction Control System Thruster Plume Impingement on Orion Service Module Solar Array Power Production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bury, Kristen M.; Kerslake, Thomas W.

2008-01-01

NASA's new Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle has geometry that orients the reaction control system (RCS) thrusters such that they can impinge upon the surface of Orion's solar array wings (SAW). Plume impingement can cause Paschen discharge, chemical contamination, thermal loading, erosion, and force loading on the SAW surface, especially when the SAWs are in a worst-case orientation (pointed 45 towards the aft end of the vehicle). Preliminary plume impingement assessment methods were needed to determine whether in-depth, timeconsuming calculations were required to assess power loss. Simple methods for assessing power loss as a result of these anomalies were developed to determine whether plume impingement induced power losses were below the assumed contamination loss budget of 2 percent. This paper details the methods that were developed and applies them to Orion's worst-case orientation.

Response of the North American corn belt to climate warming, CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1983-08-01

The climate of the North American corn belt was characterized to estimate the effects of climatic change on that agricultural region. Heat and moisture characteristics of the current corn belt were identified and mapped based on a simulated climate for a doubling of atmospheric CO2 concentrations. The result was a map of the projected corn belt corresponding to the simulated climatic change. Such projections were made with and without an allowance for earlier planting dates that could occur under a CO2-induced climatic warming. Because the direct effects of CO2 increases on plants, improvements in farm technology, and plant breeding are not considered, the resulting projections represent an extreme or worst case. The results indicate that even for such a worst case, climatic conditions favoring corn production would not extend very far into Canada. Climatic buffering effects of the Great Lakes would apparently retard northeastward shifts in corn-belt location.

Performance of a normalized energy metric without jammer state information for an FH/MFSK system in worst case partial band jamming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, P. J.

1985-01-01

For a frequency-hopped noncoherent MFSK communication system without jammer state information (JSI) in a worst case partial band jamming environment, it is well known that the use of a conventional unquantized metric results in very poor performance. In this paper, a 'normalized' unquantized energy metric is suggested for such a system. It is shown that with this metric, one can save 2-3 dB in required signal energy over the system with hard decision metric without JSI for the same desired performance. When this very robust metric is compared to the conventional unquantized energy metric with JSI, the loss in required signal energy is shown to be small. Thus, the use of this normalized metric provides performance comparable to systems for which JSI is known. Cutoff rate and bit error rate with dual-k coding are used for the performance measures.

Centaur Propellant Thermal Conditioning Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blatt, M. H.; Pleasant, R. L.; Erickson, R. C.

1976-01-01

A wicking investigation revealed that passive thermal conditioning was feasible and provided considerable weight advantage over active systems using throttled vent fluid in a Centaur D-1s launch vehicle. Experimental wicking correlations were obtained using empirical revisions to the analytical flow model. Thermal subcoolers were evaluated parametrically as a function of tank pressure and NPSP. Results showed that the RL10 category I engine was the best candidate for boost pump replacement and the option showing the lowest weight penalty employed passively cooled acquisition devices, thermal subcoolers, dry ducts between burns and pumping of subcooler coolant back into the tank. A mixing correlation was identified for sizing the thermodynamic vent system mixer. Worst case mixing requirements were determined by surveying Centaur D-1T, D-1S, IUS, and space tug vehicles. Vent system sizing was based upon worst case requirements. Thermodynamic vent system/mixer weights were determined for each vehicle.

Updated model assessment of pollution at major U. S. airports

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

Yamartino, R.J.; Rote, D.M.

1979-02-01

The air quality impact of aircraft at and around Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was simulated for hours of peak aircraft operation and 'worst case' pollutant dispersion conditions by using an updated version of the Argonne Airport Vicinity Air Pollution model; field programs at LAX, O'Hara, and John F. Kennedy International Airports determined the 'worst case' conditions. Maximum carbon monoxide concentrations at LAX were low relative to National Ambient Air Quality Standards; relatively high and widespread hydrocarbon concentrations indicated that aircraft emissions may aggravate oxidant problems near the airport; nitrogen oxide concentrations were close to the levels set in proposedmore » standards. Data on typical time-in-mode for departing and arriving aircraft, the 8/4/77 diurnal variation in airport activity, and carbon monoxide concentration isopleths are given, and the update factors in the model are discussed.« less

Bristol Ridge: A 28-nm $$\\times$$ 86 Performance-Enhanced Microprocessor Through System Power Management

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

Sundaram, Sriram; Grenat, Aaron; Naffziger, Samuel

Power management techniques can be effective at extracting more performance and energy efficiency out of mature systems on chip (SoCs). For instance, the peak performance of microprocessors is often limited by worst case technology (Vmax), infrastructure (thermal/electrical), and microprocessor usage assumptions. Performance/watt of microprocessors also typically suffers from guard bands associated with the test and binning processes as well as worst case aging/lifetime degradation. Similarly, on multicore processors, shared voltage rails tend to limit the peak performance achievable in low thread count workloads. In this paper, we describe five power management techniques that maximize the per-part performance under the before-mentionedmore » constraints. Using these techniques, we demonstrate a net performance increase of up to 15% depending on the application and TDP of the SoC, implemented on 'Bristol Ridge,' a 28-nm CMOS, dual-core x 86 accelerated processing unit.« less

VEGA Launch Vehicle Dynamic Environment: Flight Experience and Qualification Status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Trapani, C.; Fotino, D.; Mastrella, E.; Bartoccini, D.; Bonnet, M.

2014-06-01

VEGA Launch Vehicle (LV) during flight is equipped with more than 400 sensors (pressure transducers, accelerometers, microphones, strain gauges...) aimed to catch the physical phenomena occurring during the mission. Main objective of these sensors is to verify that the flight conditions are compliant with the launch vehicle and satellite qualification status and to characterize the phenomena that occur during flight. During VEGA development, several test campaigns have been performed in order to characterize its dynamic environment and identify the worst case conditions, but only with the flight data analysis is possible to confirm the worst cases identified and check the compliance of the operative life conditions with the components qualification status.Scope of the present paper is to show a comparison of the sinusoidal dynamic phenomena that occurred during VEGA first and second flight and give a summary of the launch vehicle qualification status.

The Effect of Reaction Control System Thruster Plume Impingement on Orion Service Module Solar Array Power Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bury, Kristen M.; Kerslake, Thomas W.

2008-06-01

NASA's new Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle has geometry that orients the reaction control system (RCS) thrusters such that they can impinge upon the surface of Orion's solar array wings (SAW). Plume impingement can cause Paschen discharge, chemical contamination, thermal loading, erosion, and force loading on the SAW surface, especially when the SAWs are in a worst-case orientation (pointed 45 towards the aft end of the vehicle). Preliminary plume impingement assessment methods were needed to determine whether in-depth, timeconsuming calculations were required to assess power loss. Simple methods for assessing power loss as a result of these anomalies were developed to determine whether plume impingement induced power losses were below the assumed contamination loss budget of 2 percent. This paper details the methods that were developed and applies them to Orion's worst-case orientation.

An interior-point method-based solver for simulation of aircraft parts riveting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanova, Maria; Yakunin, Sergey; Petukhova, Margarita; Lupuleac, Sergey; Kokkolaras, Michael

2018-05-01

The particularities of the aircraft parts riveting process simulation necessitate the solution of a large amount of contact problems. A primal-dual interior-point method-based solver is proposed for solving such problems efficiently. The proposed method features a worst case polynomial complexity bound ? on the number of iterations, where n is the dimension of the problem and ε is a threshold related to desired accuracy. In practice, the convergence is often faster than this worst case bound, which makes the method applicable to large-scale problems. The computational challenge is solving the system of linear equations because the associated matrix is ill conditioned. To that end, the authors introduce a preconditioner and a strategy for determining effective initial guesses based on the physics of the problem. Numerical results are compared with ones obtained using the Goldfarb-Idnani algorithm. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method.

Statistical analysis of QC data and estimation of fuel rod behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heins, L.; Groβ, H.; Nissen, K.; Wunderlich, F.

1991-02-01

The behaviour of fuel rods while in reactor is influenced by many parameters. As far as fabrication is concerned, fuel pellet diameter and density, and inner cladding diameter are important examples. Statistical analyses of quality control data show a scatter of these parameters within the specified tolerances. At present it is common practice to use a combination of superimposed unfavorable tolerance limits (worst case dataset) in fuel rod design calculations. Distributions are not considered. The results obtained in this way are very conservative but the degree of conservatism is difficult to quantify. Probabilistic calculations based on distributions allow the replacement of the worst case dataset by a dataset leading to results with known, defined conservatism. This is achieved by response surface methods and Monte Carlo calculations on the basis of statistical distributions of the important input parameters. The procedure is illustrated by means of two examples.

A Graph Based Backtracking Algorithm for Solving General CSPs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pang, Wanlin; Goodwin, Scott D.

2003-01-01

Many AI tasks can be formalized as constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs), which involve finding values for variables subject to constraints. While solving a CSP is an NP-complete task in general, tractable classes of CSPs have been identified based on the structure of the underlying constraint graphs. Much effort has been spent on exploiting structural properties of the constraint graph to improve the efficiency of finding a solution. These efforts contributed to development of a class of CSP solving algorithms called decomposition algorithms. The strength of CSP decomposition is that its worst-case complexity depends on the structural properties of the constraint graph and is usually better than the worst-case complexity of search methods. Its practical application is limited, however, since it cannot be applied if the CSP is not decomposable. In this paper, we propose a graph based backtracking algorithm called omega-CDBT, which shares merits and overcomes the weaknesses of both decomposition and search approaches.

ASTM F1717 standard for the preclinical evaluation of posterior spinal fixators: can we improve it?

PubMed

La Barbera, Luigi; Galbusera, Fabio; Villa, Tomaso; Costa, Francesco; Wilke, Hans-Joachim

2014-10-01

Preclinical evaluation of spinal implants is a necessary step to ensure their reliability and safety before implantation. The American Society for Testing and Materials reapproved F1717 standard for the assessment of mechanical properties of posterior spinal fixators, which simulates a vertebrectomy model and recommends mimicking vertebral bodies using polyethylene blocks. This set-up should represent the clinical use, but available data in the literature are few. Anatomical parameters depending on the spinal level were compared to published data or measurements on biplanar stereoradiography on 13 patients. Other mechanical variables, describing implant design were considered, and all parameters were investigated using a numerical parametric finite element model. Stress values were calculated by considering either the combination of the average values for each parameter or their worst-case combination depending on the spinal level. The standard set-up represents quite well the anatomy of an instrumented average thoracolumbar segment. The stress on the pedicular screw is significantly influenced by the lever arm of the applied load, the unsupported screw length, the position of the centre of rotation of the functional spine unit and the pedicular inclination with respect to the sagittal plane. The worst-case combination of parameters demonstrates that devices implanted below T5 could potentially undergo higher stresses than those described in the standard suggestions (maximum increase of 22.2% at L1). We propose to revise F1717 in order to describe the anatomical worst case condition we found at L1 level: this will guarantee higher safety of the implant for a wider population of patients. © IMechE 2014.

A Comprehensive Approach to Address the Prescription Opioid Epidemic in Washington State: Milestones and Lessons Learned

PubMed Central

Sabel, Jennifer; Jones, Christopher M.; Mai, Jaymie; Baumgartner, Chris; Banta-Green, Caleb J.; Neven, Darin; Tauben, David J.

2015-01-01

An epidemic of morbidity and mortality has swept across the United States related to the use of prescription opioids for chronic noncancer pain. More than 100 000 people have died from unintentional overdose, making this one of the worst manmade epidemics in history. Much of health care delivery in the United States is regulated at the state level; therefore, both the cause and much of the cure for the opioid epidemic will come from state action. We detail the strong collaborations across executive health care agencies, and between those public agencies and practicing leaders in the pain field that have led to a substantial reversal of the epidemic in Washington State. PMID:25602880

Burn Delay Analysis of the Lunar Orbit Insertion for Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Jonghee; Song, Young-Joo; Kim, Young-Rok; Kim, Bangyeop

2017-12-01

The first Korea lunar orbiter, Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), has been in development since 2016. After launch, the KPLO will execute several maneuvers to enter into the lunar mission orbit, and will then perform lunar science missions for one year. Among these maneuvers, the lunar orbit insertion (LOI) is the most critical maneuver because the KPLO will experience an extreme velocity change in the presence of the Moon’s gravitational pull. However, the lunar orbiter may have a delayed LOI burn during operation due to hardware limitations and telemetry delays. This delayed burn could occur in different captured lunar orbits; in the worst case, the KPLO could fly away from the Moon. Therefore, in this study, the burn delay for the first LOI maneuver is analyzed to successfully enter the desired lunar orbit. Numerical simulations are performed to evaluate the difference between the desired and delayed lunar orbits due to a burn delay in the LOI maneuver. Based on this analysis, critical factors in the LOI maneuver, the periselene altitude and orbit period, are significantly changed and an additional delta-V in the second LOI maneuver is required as the delay burn interval increases to 10 min from the planned maneuver epoch.

An on-time power-aware scheduling scheme for medical sensor SoC-based WBAN systems.

PubMed

Hwang, Tae-Ho; Kim, Dong-Sun; Kim, Jung-Guk

2012-12-27

The focus of many leading technologies in the field of medical sensor systems is on low power consumption and robust data transmission. For example, the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), which is used to maintain the heart in a healthy state, requires a reliable wireless communication scheme with an extremely low duty-cycle, high bit rate, and energy-efficient media access protocols. Because such devices must be sustained for over 5 years without access to battery replacement, they must be designed to have extremely low power consumption in sleep mode. Here, an on-time, energy-efficient scheduling scheme is proposed that performs power adjustments to minimize the sleep-mode current. The novelty of this scheduler is that it increases the determinacy of power adjustment and the predictability of scheduling by employing non-pre-emptible dual priority scheduling. This predictable scheduling also guarantees the punctuality of important periodic tasks based on their serialization, by using their worst case execution time) and the power consumption optimization. The scheduler was embedded into a system on chip (SoC) developed to support the wireless body area network-a wakeup-radio and wakeup-timer for implantable medical devices. This scheduling system is validated by the experimental results of its performance when used with life-time extensions of ICD devices.

An On-Time Power-Aware Scheduling Scheme for Medical Sensor SoC-Based WBAN Systems

PubMed Central

Hwang, Tae-Ho; Kim, Dong-Sun; Kim, Jung-Guk

2013-01-01

The focus of many leading technologies in the field of medical sensor systems is on low power consumption and robust data transmission. For example, the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), which is used to maintain the heart in a healthy state, requires a reliable wireless communication scheme with an extremely low duty-cycle, high bit rate, and energy-efficient media access protocols. Because such devices must be sustained for over 5 years without access to battery replacement, they must be designed to have extremely low power consumption in sleep mode. Here, an on-time, energy-efficient scheduling scheme is proposed that performs power adjustments to minimize the sleep-mode current. The novelty of this scheduler is that it increases the determinacy of power adjustment and the predictability of scheduling by employing non-pre-emptible dual priority scheduling. This predictable scheduling also guarantees the punctuality of important periodic tasks based on their serialization, by using their worst case execution time) and the power consumption optimization. The scheduler was embedded into a system on chip (SoC) developed to support the wireless body area network—a wakeup-radio and wakeup-timer for implantable medical devices. This scheduling system is validated by the experimental results of its performance when used with life-time extensions of ICD devices. PMID:23271602

Learning Search Control Knowledge for Deep Space Network Scheduling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gratch, Jonathan; Chien, Steve; DeJong, Gerald

1993-01-01

While the general class of most scheduling problems is NP-hard in worst-case complexity, in practice, for specific distributions of problems and constraints, domain-specific solutions have been shown to perform in much better than exponential time.

Availability Analysis of Dual Mode Systems

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-04-01

The analytical procedures presented define a method of evaluating the effects of failures in a complex dual-mode system based on a worst case steady-state analysis. The computed result is an availability figure of merit and not an absolute prediction...

Topical Backgrounder: Evaluating Chemical Hazards in the Community: Using RMP's Offsite Consequence Analysis

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Part of a May 1999 series on the Risk Management Program Rule and issues related to chemical emergency management. Explains hazard versus risk, worst-case and alternative release scenarios, flammable endpoints and toxic endpoints.

General RMP Guidance - Chapter 4: Offsite Consequence Analysis

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This chapter provides basic compliance information, not modeling methodologies, for people who plan to do their own air dispersion modeling. OCA is a required part of the risk management program, and involves worst-case and alternative release scenarios.

INCORPORATING NONCHEMICAL STRESSORS INTO CUMMULATIVE RISK ASSESSMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

The risk assessment paradigm has begun to shift from assessing single chemicals using "reasonable worst case" assumptions for individuals to considering multiple chemicals and community-based models. Inherent in community-based risk assessment is examination of all stressors a...

30 CFR 254.26 - What information must I include in the “Worst case discharge scenario” appendix?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... limits of current technology, for the range of environmental conditions anticipated at your facility; and... Society for Testing of Materials (ASTM) publication F625-94, Standard Practice for Describing...

30 CFR 254.26 - What information must I include in the “Worst case discharge scenario” appendix?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., materials, support vessels, and strategies listed are suitable, within the limits of current technology, for... equipment. Examples of acceptable terms include those defined in American Society for Testing of Materials...

Voltage scheduling for low power/energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzak, Ali

2001-07-01

Power considerations have become an increasingly dominant factor in the design of both portable and desk-top systems. An effective way to reduce power consumption is to lower the supply voltage since voltage is quadratically related to power. This dissertation considers the problem of lowering the supply voltage at (i) the system level and at (ii) the behavioral level. At the system level, the voltage of the variable voltage processor is dynamically changed with the work load. Processors with limited sized buffers as well as those with very large buffers are considered. Given the task arrival times, deadline times, execution times, periods and switching activities, task scheduling algorithms that minimize energy or peak power are developed for the processors equipped with very large buffers. A relation between the operating voltages of the tasks for minimum energy/power is determined using the Lagrange multiplier method, and an iterative algorithm that utilizes this relation is developed. Experimental results show that the voltage assignment obtained by the proposed algorithm is very close (0.1% error) to that of the optimal energy assignment and the optimal peak power (1% error) assignment. Next, on-line and off-fine minimum energy task scheduling algorithms are developed for processors with limited sized buffers. These algorithms have polynomial time complexity and present optimal (off-line) and close-to-optimal (on-line) solutions. A procedure to calculate the minimum buffer size given information about the size of the task (maximum, minimum), execution time (best case, worst case) and deadlines is also presented. At the behavioral level, resources operating at multiple voltages are used to minimize power while maintaining the throughput. Such a scheme has the advantage of allowing modules on the critical paths to be assigned to the highest voltage levels (thus meeting the required timing constraints) while allowing modules on non-critical paths to be assigned to lower voltage levels (thus reducing the power consumption). A polynomial time resource and latency constrained scheduling algorithm is developed to distribute the available slack among the nodes such that power consumption is minimum. The algorithm is iterative and utilizes the slack based on the Lagrange multiplier method.

Questionnaire-based assessment of executive functioning: Case studies.

PubMed

Kronenberger, William G; Castellanos, Irina; Pisoni, David B

2018-01-01

Delays in the development of executive functioning skills are frequently observed in pediatric neuropsychology populations and can have a broad and significant impact on quality of life. As a result, assessment of executive functioning is often relevant for the development of formulations and recommendations in pediatric neuropsychology clinical work. Questionnaire-based measures of executive functioning behaviors in everyday life have unique advantages and complement traditional neuropsychological measures of executive functioning. Two case studies of children with spina bifida are presented to illustrate the clinical use of a new questionnaire measure of executive and learning-related functioning, the Learning, Executive, and Attention Functioning Scale (LEAF). The LEAF emphasizes clinical utility in assessment by incorporating four characteristics: brevity in administration, breadth of additional relevant content, efficiency of scoring and interpretation, and ease of availability for use. LEAF results were consistent with another executive functioning checklist in documenting everyday behavior problems related to working memory, planning, and organization while offering additional breadth of assessment of domains such as attention, processing speed, and novel problem-solving. These case study results demonstrate the clinical utility of questionnaire-based measurement of executive functioning in pediatric neuropsychology and provide a new measure for accomplishing this goal.

Characteristics of worst hour rainfall rate for radio wave propagation modelling in Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osita, Ibe; Nymphas, E. F.

2017-10-01

Radio waves especially at the millimeter-wave band are known to be attenuated by rain. Radio engineers and designers need to be able to predict the time of the day when radio signal will be attenuated so as to provide measures to mitigate this effect. This is achieved by characterizing the rainfall intensity for a particular region of interest into worst month and worst hour of the day. This paper characterized rainfall in Nigeria into worst year, worst month, and worst hour. It is shown that for the period of study, 2008 and 2009 are the worst years, while September is the most frequent worst month in most of the stations. The evening time (LT) is the worst hours of the day in virtually all the stations.

Stressful life events and catechol-O-methyl-transferase (COMT) gene in bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Hosang, Georgina M; Fisher, Helen L; Cohen-Woods, Sarah; McGuffin, Peter; Farmer, Anne E

2017-05-01

A small body of research suggests that gene-environment interactions play an important role in the development of bipolar disorder. The aim of the present study is to contribute to this work by exploring the relationship between stressful life events and the catechol-O-methyl-transferase (COMT) Val 158 Met polymorphism in bipolar disorder. Four hundred eighty-two bipolar cases and 205 psychiatrically healthy controls completed the List of Threatening Experiences Questionnaire. Bipolar cases reported the events experienced 6 months before their worst depressive and manic episodes; controls reported those events experienced 6 months prior to their interview. The genotypic information for the COMT Val 158 Met variant (rs4680) was extracted from GWAS analysis of the sample. The impact of stressful life events was moderated by the COMT genotype for the worst depressive episode using a Val dominant model (adjusted risk difference = 0.09, 95% confidence intervals = 0.003-0.18, P = .04). For the worst manic episodes no significant interactions between COMT and stressful life events were detected. This is the first study to explore the relationship between stressful life events and the COMT Val 158 Met polymorphism focusing solely on bipolar disorder. The results of this study highlight the importance of the interplay between genetic and environmental factors for bipolar depression. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

"Just Let the Worst Students Go": A Critical Case Analysis of Public Discourse about Race, Merit, and Worth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zirkel, Sabrina; Pollack, Terry M.

2016-01-01

We present a case analysis of the controversy and public debate generated from a school district's efforts to address racial inequities in educational outcomes by diverting special funds from the highest performing students seeking elite college admissions to the lowest performing students who were struggling to graduate from high school.…

Beyond the Moscow Treaty: Alternative Perspectives on the Future Roles and Utility of Nuclear Weapons

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

Adversarial Tripolarity ................................................................................... VII-1 VIII. Fallen Nuclear Dominoes...power dimension, it is possible to imagine a best case (deep concert) and a worst case (adversarial tripolarity ) and some less extreme outcomes, one...vanquished and the sub-regions have settled into relative stability). 5. Adversarial U.S.-Russia-China tripolarity : In this world, the regional

The Best of Times and the Worst of Times: Research Managed as a Performance Economy--The Australian Case. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marginson, Simon

This study examined the character of the emerging systems of corporate management in Australian universities and their effects on academic and administrative practices, focusing on relations of power. Case studies were conducted at 17 individual universities of various types. In each institution, interviews were conducted with senior…

Elementary Social Studies in 2005: Danger or Opportunity?--A Response to Jeff Passe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Libresco, Andrea S.

2006-01-01

From the emphasis on lower-level test-prep materials to the disappearance of the subject altogether, elementary social studies is, in the best case scenario, being tested and, thus, taught with a heavy emphasis on recall; and, in the worst-case scenario, not being taught at all. In this article, the author responds to Jeff Passe's views on…

Thermal Analysis of a Metallic Wing Glove for a Mach-8 Boundary-Layer Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gong, Leslie; Richards, W. Lance

1998-01-01

A metallic 'glove' structure has been built and attached to the wing of the Pegasus(trademark) space booster. An experiment on the upper surface of the glove has been designed to help validate boundary-layer stability codes in a free-flight environment. Three-dimensional thermal analyses have been performed to ensure that the glove structure design would be within allowable temperature limits in the experiment test section of the upper skin of the glove. Temperature results obtained from the design-case analysis show a peak temperature at the leading edge of 490 F. For the upper surface of the glove, approximately 3 in. back from the leading edge, temperature calculations indicate transition occurs at approximately 45 sec into the flight profile. A worst-case heating analysis has also been performed to ensure that the glove structure would not have any detrimental effects on the primary objective of the Pegasus a launch. A peak temperature of 805 F has been calculated on the leading edge of the glove structure. The temperatures predicted from the design case are well within the temperature limits of the glove structure, and the worst-case heating analysis temperature results are acceptable for the mission objectives.

Extrapolating target tracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Zandt, James R.

2012-05-01

Steady-state performance of a tracking filter is traditionally evaluated immediately after a track update. However, there is commonly a further delay (e.g., processing and communications latency) before the tracks can actually be used. We analyze the accuracy of extrapolated target tracks for four tracking filters: Kalman filter with the Singer maneuver model and worst-case correlation time, with piecewise constant white acceleration, and with continuous white acceleration, and the reduced state filter proposed by Mookerjee and Reifler.1, 2 Performance evaluation of a tracking filter is significantly simplified by appropriate normalization. For the Kalman filter with the Singer maneuver model, the steady-state RMS error immediately after an update depends on only two dimensionless parameters.3 By assuming a worst case value of target acceleration correlation time, we reduce this to a single parameter without significantly changing the filter performance (within a few percent for air tracking).4 With this simplification, we find for all four filters that the RMS errors for the extrapolated state are functions of only two dimensionless parameters. We provide simple analytic approximations in each case.

Comprehensive all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the sixth science run LIGO data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Abernathy, M. R.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Ajith, P.; Allen, B.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Arceneaux, C. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Arun, K. G.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barclay, S. E.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Baune, C.; Bavigadda, V.; Bazzan, M.; Bejger, M.; Bell, A. S.; Berger, B. K.; Bergmann, G.; Berry, C. P. L.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Bhagwat, S.; Bhandare, R.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Birch, J.; Birney, R.; Biscans, S.; Bisht, A.; Bitossi, M.; Biwer, C.; Bizouard, M. A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bloemen, S.; Bock, O.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, G.; Bogan, C.; Bohe, A.; Bond, C.; Bondu, F.; Bonnand, R.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bouffanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Briant, T.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brockill, P.; Broida, J. E.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brown, D. D.; Brown, N. M.; Brunett, S.; Buchanan, C. C.; Buikema, A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cabero, M.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cahillane, C.; Calderón Bustillo, J.; Callister, T.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Capocasa, E.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Casanueva Diaz, J.; Casentini, C.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C. B.; Cerboni Baiardi, L.; Cerretani, G.; Cesarini, E.; Chan, M.; Chao, S.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Cheeseboro, B. D.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, C.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Cho, H. S.; Cho, M.; Chow, J. H.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, S.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Cleva, F.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Colla, A.; Collette, C. G.; Cominsky, L.; Constancio, M.; Conte, A.; Conti, L.; Cook, D.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S. B.; Coulon, J.-P.; Countryman, S. T.; Couvares, P.; Cowan, E. E.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Craig, K.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T.; Cripe, J.; Crowder, S. G.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Dal Canton, T.; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Darman, N. S.; Dasgupta, A.; Da Silva Costa, C. F.; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davies, G. S.; Daw, E. J.; Day, R.; De, S.; DeBra, D.; Debreczeni, G.; Degallaix, J.; De Laurentis, M.; Deléglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; Dergachev, V.; De Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; DeSalvo, R.; Devine, R. C.; Dhurandhar, S.; Díaz, M. C.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Giovanni, M.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Virgilio, A.; Dolique, V.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Douglas, R.; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Ducrot, M.; Dwyer, S. E.; Edo, T. B.; Edwards, M. C.; Effler, A.; Eggenstein, H.-B.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Engels, W.; Essick, R. C.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Everett, R.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.; Fang, Q.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fehrmann, H.; Fejer, M. M.; Fenyvesi, E.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M.; Fournier, J.-D.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H. A. G.; Gair, J. R.; Gammaitoni, L.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garufi, F.; Gaur, G.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Geng, P.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, K.; Glaefke, A.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gondan, L.; González, G.; Gonzalez Castro, J. M.; Gopakumar, A.; Gordon, N. A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S. E.; Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Graff, P. B.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hacker, J. J.; Hall, B. R.; Hall, E. D.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hannam, M. D.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Hartman, M. T.; Haster, C.-J.; Haughian, K.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennig, J.; Henry, J.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howell, E. J.; Hu, Y. M.; Huang, S.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J.-M.; Isi, M.; Isogai, T.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacqmin, T.; Jang, H.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jian, L.; Jiménez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Haris, K.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Kapadia, S. J.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kaur, T.; Kawabe, K.; Kéfélian, F.; Kehl, M. S.; Keitel, D.; Kelley, D. B.; Kells, W.; Kennedy, R.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, I.; Khan, S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chi-Woong; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J.; Kim, K.; Kim, N.; Kim, W.; Kim, Y.-M.; Kimbrell, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kissel, J. S.; Klein, B.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Krueger, C.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Lackey, B. D.; Landry, M.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lebigot, E. O.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, K.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leong, J. R.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Lewis, J. B.; Li, T. G. F.; Libson, A.; Littenberg, T. B.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Lombardi, A. L.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lück, H.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magaña-Sandoval, F.; Magaña Zertuche, L.; Magee, R. M.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Malvezzi, V.; Man, N.; Mandel, I.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markosyan, A. S.; Maros, E.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martynov, D. V.; Marx, J. N.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Meidam, J.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Mezzani, F.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, A.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mirshekari, S.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moggi, A.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, B. C.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mossavi, K.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Murphy, D. J.; Murray, P. G.; Mytidis, A.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nayak, R. K.; Nedkova, K.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Neri, M.; Neunzert, A.; Newton, G.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Normandin, M. E. N.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; Ochsner, E.; O'Dell, J.; Oelker, E.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Paris, H. R.; Parker, W.; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patricelli, B.; Patrick, Z.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Poe, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Price, L. R.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Pürrer, M.; Qi, H.; Qin, J.; Qiu, S.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rakhmanov, M.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Re, V.; Read, J.; Reed, C. M.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Rew, H.; Reyes, S. D.; Ricci, F.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, J. D.; Romano, R.; Romanov, G.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Ryan, K.; Sachdev, S.; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sandberg, V.; Sandeen, B.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, O. E. S.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Schilling, R.; Schmidt, J.; Schmidt, P.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schönbeck, A.; Schreiber, E.; Schuette, D.; Schutz, B. F.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Setyawati, Y.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shaltev, M.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, A. D.; Singer, A.; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singh, R.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, N. D.; Smith, R. J. E.; Son, E. J.; Sorazu, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stephens, B. C.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Straniero, N.; Stratta, G.; Strauss, N. A.; Strigin, S.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, L.; Sunil, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepańczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tápai, M.; Tarabrin, S. P.; Taracchini, A.; Taylor, R.; Theeg, T.; Thirugnanasambandam, M. P.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thrane, E.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tomlinson, C.; Tonelli, M.; Tornasi, Z.; Torres, C. V.; Torrie, C. I.; Töyrä, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trifirò, D.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozzo, L.; Tse, M.; Turconi, M.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; van Bakel, N.; van Beuzekom, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; van Heijningen, J. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Vass, S.; Vasúth, M.; Vaulin, R.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Voss, D. V.; Vousden, W. D.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; Wade, L. E.; Wade, M.; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Wang, G.; Wang, H.; Wang, M.; Wang, X.; Wang, Y.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Was, M.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L.-W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Weßels, P.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Williams, R. D.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Worden, J.; Wright, J. L.; Wu, D. S.; Wu, G.; Yablon, J.; Yam, W.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yu, H.; Yvert, M.; ZadroŻny, A.; Zangrando, L.; Zanolin, M.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, Y.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, X. J.; Zucker, M. E.; Zuraw, S. E.; Zweizig, J.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

2016-08-01

We report on a comprehensive all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the frequency band 100-1500 Hz and with a frequency time derivative in the range of [-1.18 ,+1.00 ] ×1 0-8 Hz /s . Such a signal could be produced by a nearby spinning and slightly nonaxisymmetric isolated neutron star in our galaxy. This search uses the data from the initial LIGO sixth science run and covers a larger parameter space with respect to any past search. A Loosely Coherent detection pipeline was applied to follow up weak outliers in both Gaussian (95% recovery rate) and non-Gaussian (75% recovery rate) bands. No gravitational wave signals were observed, and upper limits were placed on their strength. Our smallest upper limit on worst-case (linearly polarized) strain amplitude h0 is 9.7 ×1 0-25 near 169 Hz, while at the high end of our frequency range we achieve a worst-case upper limit of 5.5 ×1 0-24 . Both cases refer to all sky locations and entire range of frequency derivative values.

Zika virus in French Polynesia 2013-14: anatomy of a completed outbreak.

PubMed

Musso, Didier; Bossin, Hervé; Mallet, Henri Pierre; Besnard, Marianne; Broult, Julien; Baudouin, Laure; Levi, José Eduardo; Sabino, Ester C; Ghawche, Frederic; Lanteri, Marion C; Baud, David

2018-05-01

The Zika virus crisis exemplified the risk associated with emerging pathogens and was a reminder that preparedness for the worst-case scenario, although challenging, is needed. Herein, we review all data reported during the unexpected emergence of Zika virus in French Polynesia in late 2013. We focus on the new findings reported during this outbreak, especially the first description of severe neurological complications in adults and the retrospective description of CNS malformations in neonates, the isolation of Zika virus in semen, the potential for blood-transfusion transmission, mother-to-child transmission, and the development of new diagnostic assays. We describe the effect of this outbreak on health systems, the implementation of vector-borne control strategies, and the line of communication used to alert the international community of the new risk associated with Zika virus. This outbreak highlighted the need for careful monitoring of all unexpected events that occur during an emergence, to implement surveillance and research programmes in parallel to management of cases, and to be prepared to the worst-case scenario. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Probability Quantization for Multiplication-Free Binary Arithmetic Coding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheung, K. -M.

1995-01-01

A method has been developed to improve on Witten's binary arithmetic coding procedure of tracking a high value and a low value. The new method approximates the probability of the less probable symbol, which improves the worst-case coding efficiency.

Carbon monoxide screen for signalized intersections : COSIM, version 4.0 - technical documentation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

Illinois Carbon Monoxide Screen for Intersection Modeling (COSIM) Version 3.0 is a Windows-based computer : program currently used by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to estimate worst-case carbon : monoxide (CO) concentrations near s...

Global climate change: The quantifiable sustainability challenge

EPA Science Inventory

Population growth and the pressures spawned by increasing demands for energy and resource-intensive goods, foods and services are driving unsustainable growth in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Recent GHG emission trends are consistent with worst-case scenarios of the previous de...

A Case Study Understanding Employability through the Lens of Human Resource Executives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stokes, Carmeda L.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to examine HR executives' perspectives on employability enhancement for employees and how it is operationalized in their workplace. The exploratory questions that guided the study were, What are the perspectives of HR executives regarding employability enhancement for employees, and In what…

Managing and Securing Critical Infrastructure - A Semantic Policy and Trust Driven Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

enviromental factors, then it is very likely that the corresponding device has been compromised and controlled by an adversary. In this case, the report... Enviromental Factors in Faulty Case (b) Result of Policy Execution in Faulty Case Figure 7: Policy Execution in Faulty Case (a) Enviromental Factors

Programmable Logic Application Notes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, Richard

2000-01-01

This column will be provided each quarter as a source for reliability, radiation results, NASA capabilities, and other information on programmable logic devices and related applications. This quarter will start a series of notes concentrating on analysis techniques with this issues section discussing worst-case analysis requirements.

Reducing the Use of Force: De-Escalation Training for Police Officers

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

19641398. 152 Christine Nixon and David Bradley, “Policing Us More Gently: An Australian Case Study on the Police Use of Force,” Police Executive...Us More Gently: An Australian Case Study on the Police Use of Force,” Police Executive Research Forum (April 2007): 95, http://www.policeforum.org...Christine, and David Bradley. “Policing Us More Gently: An Australian Case Study on the Police Use of Force.” Police Executive Research Forum, April 2007

Selective robust optimization: A new intensity-modulated proton therapy optimization strategy

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

Li, Yupeng; Niemela, Perttu; Siljamaki, Sami

2015-08-15

Purpose: To develop a new robust optimization strategy for intensity-modulated proton therapy as an important step in translating robust proton treatment planning from research to clinical applications. Methods: In selective robust optimization, a worst-case-based robust optimization algorithm is extended, and terms of the objective function are selectively computed from either the worst-case dose or the nominal dose. Two lung cancer cases and one head and neck cancer case were used to demonstrate the practical significance of the proposed robust planning strategy. The lung cancer cases had minimal tumor motion less than 5 mm, and, for the demonstration of the methodology,more » are assumed to be static. Results: Selective robust optimization achieved robust clinical target volume (CTV) coverage and at the same time increased nominal planning target volume coverage to 95.8%, compared to the 84.6% coverage achieved with CTV-based robust optimization in one of the lung cases. In the other lung case, the maximum dose in selective robust optimization was lowered from a dose of 131.3% in the CTV-based robust optimization to 113.6%. Selective robust optimization provided robust CTV coverage in the head and neck case, and at the same time improved controls over isodose distribution so that clinical requirements may be readily met. Conclusions: Selective robust optimization may provide the flexibility and capability necessary for meeting various clinical requirements in addition to achieving the required plan robustness in practical proton treatment planning settings.« less

EPHECT I: European household survey on domestic use of consumer products and development of worst-case scenarios for daily use.

PubMed

Dimitroulopoulou, C; Lucica, E; Johnson, A; Ashmore, M R; Sakellaris, I; Stranger, M; Goelen, E

2015-12-01

Consumer products are frequently and regularly used in the domestic environment. Realistic estimates for product use are required for exposure modelling and health risk assessment. This paper provides significant data that can be used as input for such modelling studies. A European survey was conducted, within the framework of the DG Sanco-funded EPHECT project, on the household use of 15 consumer products. These products are all-purpose cleaners, kitchen cleaners, floor cleaners, glass and window cleaners, bathroom cleaners, furniture and floor polish products, combustible air fresheners, spray air fresheners, electric air fresheners, passive air fresheners, coating products for leather and textiles, hair styling products, spray deodorants and perfumes. The analysis of the results from the household survey (1st phase) focused on identifying consumer behaviour patterns (selection criteria, frequency of use, quantities, period of use and ventilation conditions during product use). This can provide valuable input to modelling studies, as this information is not reported in the open literature. The above results were further analysed (2nd phase), to provide the basis for the development of 'most representative worst-case scenarios' regarding the use of the 15 products by home-based population groups (housekeepers and retired people), in four geographical regions in Europe. These scenarios will be used for the exposure and health risk assessment within the EPHECT project. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that daily worst-case scenarios are presented in the scientific published literature concerning the use of a wide range of 15 consumer products across Europe. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Separation Corridors for Visiting Vehicles from the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaczek, Mariusz P.; Schrock, Rita R.; Schrock, Mark B.; Lowman, Bryan C.

2011-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is a very dynamic vehicle with many operational constraints that affect its performance, operations, and vehicle lifetime. Most constraints are designed to alleviate various safety concerns that are a result of dynamic activities between the ISS and various Visiting Vehicles (VVs). One such constraint that has been in place for Russian Vehicle (RV) operations is the limitation placed on Solar Array (SA) positioning in order to prevent collisions during separation and subsequent relative motion of VVs. An unintended consequence of the SA constraint has been the impacts to the operational flexibility of the ISS resulting from the reduced power generation capability as well as from a reduction in the operational lifetime of various SA components. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the technique and the analysis that were applied in order to relax the SA constraints for RV undockings, thereby improving both the ISS operational flexibility and extending its lifetime for many years to come. This analysis focused on the effects of the dynamic motion that occur both prior to and following RV separations. The analysis involved a parametric approach in the conservative application of various initial conditions and assumptions. These included the use of the worst case minimum and maximum vehicle configurations, worst case initial attitudes and attitude rates, and the worst case docking port separation dynamics. Separations were calculated for multiple ISS docking ports, at varied deviations from the nominal undocking attitudes and included the use of two separate attitude control schemes: continuous free-drift and a post separation attitude hold. The analysis required numerical propagation of both the separation motion and the vehicle attitudes using 3-degree-of-freedom (DOF) relative motion equations coupled with rigid body rotational dynamics to generate a large set of separation trajectories.

A structured framework for assessing sensitivity to missing data assumptions in longitudinal clinical trials.

PubMed

Mallinckrodt, C H; Lin, Q; Molenberghs, M

2013-01-01

The objective of this research was to demonstrate a framework for drawing inference from sensitivity analyses of incomplete longitudinal clinical trial data via a re-analysis of data from a confirmatory clinical trial in depression. A likelihood-based approach that assumed missing at random (MAR) was the primary analysis. Robustness to departure from MAR was assessed by comparing the primary result to those from a series of analyses that employed varying missing not at random (MNAR) assumptions (selection models, pattern mixture models and shared parameter models) and to MAR methods that used inclusive models. The key sensitivity analysis used multiple imputation assuming that after dropout the trajectory of drug-treated patients was that of placebo treated patients with a similar outcome history (placebo multiple imputation). This result was used as the worst reasonable case to define the lower limit of plausible values for the treatment contrast. The endpoint contrast from the primary analysis was - 2.79 (p = .013). In placebo multiple imputation, the result was - 2.17. Results from the other sensitivity analyses ranged from - 2.21 to - 3.87 and were symmetrically distributed around the primary result. Hence, no clear evidence of bias from missing not at random data was found. In the worst reasonable case scenario, the treatment effect was 80% of the magnitude of the primary result. Therefore, it was concluded that a treatment effect existed. The structured sensitivity framework of using a worst reasonable case result based on a controlled imputation approach with transparent and debatable assumptions supplemented a series of plausible alternative models under varying assumptions was useful in this specific situation and holds promise as a generally useful framework. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ecological risk estimation of organophosphorus pesticides in riverine ecosystems.

PubMed

Wee, Sze Yee; Aris, Ahmad Zaharin

2017-12-01

Pesticides are of great concern because of their existence in ecosystems at trace concentrations. Worldwide pesticide use and its ecological impacts (i.e., altered environmental distribution and toxicity of pesticides) have increased over time. Exposure and toxicity studies are vital for reducing the extent of pesticide exposure and risk to the environment and humans. Regional regulatory actions may be less relevant in some regions because the contamination and distribution of pesticides vary across regions and countries. The risk quotient (RQ) method was applied to assess the potential risk of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs), primarily focusing on riverine ecosystems. Using the available ecotoxicity data, aquatic risks from OPPs (diazinon and chlorpyrifos) in the surface water of the Langat River, Selangor, Malaysia were evaluated based on general (RQ m ) and worst-case (RQ ex ) scenarios. Since the ecotoxicity of quinalphos has not been well established, quinalphos was excluded from the risk assessment. The calculated RQs indicate medium risk (RQ m  = 0.17 and RQ ex  = 0.66; 0.1 ≤ RQ < 1) of overall diazinon. The overall chlorpyrifos exposure was observed at high risk (RQ ≥ 1) based on RQ m and RQ ex at 1.44 and 4.83, respectively. A contradictory trend of RQs > 1 (high risk) was observed for both the general and worst cases of chlorpyrifos, but only for the worst cases of diazinon at all sites from downstream to upstream regions. Thus, chlorpyrifos posed a higher risk than diazinon along the Langat River, suggesting that organisms and humans could be exposed to potentially high levels of OPPs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reducing the worst case running times of a family of RNA and CFG problems, using Valiant's approach.

PubMed

Zakov, Shay; Tsur, Dekel; Ziv-Ukelson, Michal

2011-08-18

RNA secondary structure prediction is a mainstream bioinformatic domain, and is key to computational analysis of functional RNA. In more than 30 years, much research has been devoted to defining different variants of RNA structure prediction problems, and to developing techniques for improving prediction quality. Nevertheless, most of the algorithms in this field follow a similar dynamic programming approach as that presented by Nussinov and Jacobson in the late 70's, which typically yields cubic worst case running time algorithms. Recently, some algorithmic approaches were applied to improve the complexity of these algorithms, motivated by new discoveries in the RNA domain and by the need to efficiently analyze the increasing amount of accumulated genome-wide data. We study Valiant's classical algorithm for Context Free Grammar recognition in sub-cubic time, and extract features that are common to problems on which Valiant's approach can be applied. Based on this, we describe several problem templates, and formulate generic algorithms that use Valiant's technique and can be applied to all problems which abide by these templates, including many problems within the world of RNA Secondary Structures and Context Free Grammars. The algorithms presented in this paper improve the theoretical asymptotic worst case running time bounds for a large family of important problems. It is also possible that the suggested techniques could be applied to yield a practical speedup for these problems. For some of the problems (such as computing the RNA partition function and base-pair binding probabilities), the presented techniques are the only ones which are currently known for reducing the asymptotic running time bounds of the standard algorithms.

Reliability evaluation of high-performance, low-power FinFET standard cells based on mixed RBB/FBB technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tian; Cui, Xiaoxin; Ni, Yewen; Liao, Kai; Liao, Nan; Yu, Dunshan; Cui, Xiaole

2017-04-01

With shrinking transistor feature size, the fin-type field-effect transistor (FinFET) has become the most promising option in low-power circuit design due to its superior capability to suppress leakage. To support the VLSI digital system flow based on logic synthesis, we have designed an optimized high-performance low-power FinFET standard cell library based on employing the mixed FBB/RBB technique in the existing stacked structure of each cell. This paper presents the reliability evaluation of the optimized cells under process and operating environment variations based on Monte Carlo analysis. The variations are modelled with Gaussian distribution of the device parameters and 10000 sweeps are conducted in the simulation to obtain the statistical properties of the worst-case delay and input-dependent leakage for each cell. For comparison, a set of non-optimal cells that adopt the same topology without employing the mixed biasing technique is also generated. Experimental results show that the optimized cells achieve standard deviation reduction of 39.1% and 30.7% at most in worst-case delay and input-dependent leakage respectively while the normalized deviation shrinking in worst-case delay and input-dependent leakage can be up to 98.37% and 24.13%, respectively, which demonstrates that our optimized cells are less sensitive to variability and exhibit more reliability. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61306040), the State Key Development Program for Basic Research of China (No. 2015CB057201), the Beijing Natural Science Foundation (No. 4152020), and Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China (No. 2015A030313147).

Reducing the worst case running times of a family of RNA and CFG problems, using Valiant's approach

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background RNA secondary structure prediction is a mainstream bioinformatic domain, and is key to computational analysis of functional RNA. In more than 30 years, much research has been devoted to defining different variants of RNA structure prediction problems, and to developing techniques for improving prediction quality. Nevertheless, most of the algorithms in this field follow a similar dynamic programming approach as that presented by Nussinov and Jacobson in the late 70's, which typically yields cubic worst case running time algorithms. Recently, some algorithmic approaches were applied to improve the complexity of these algorithms, motivated by new discoveries in the RNA domain and by the need to efficiently analyze the increasing amount of accumulated genome-wide data. Results We study Valiant's classical algorithm for Context Free Grammar recognition in sub-cubic time, and extract features that are common to problems on which Valiant's approach can be applied. Based on this, we describe several problem templates, and formulate generic algorithms that use Valiant's technique and can be applied to all problems which abide by these templates, including many problems within the world of RNA Secondary Structures and Context Free Grammars. Conclusions The algorithms presented in this paper improve the theoretical asymptotic worst case running time bounds for a large family of important problems. It is also possible that the suggested techniques could be applied to yield a practical speedup for these problems. For some of the problems (such as computing the RNA partition function and base-pair binding probabilities), the presented techniques are the only ones which are currently known for reducing the asymptotic running time bounds of the standard algorithms. PMID:21851589

Indoor exposure to toluene from printed matter matters: complementary views from life cycle assessment and risk assessment.

PubMed

Walser, Tobias; Juraske, Ronnie; Demou, Evangelia; Hellweg, Stefanie

2014-01-01

A pronounced presence of toluene from rotogravure printed matter has been frequently observed indoors. However, its consequences to human health in the life cycle of magazines are poorly known. Therefore, we quantified human-health risks in indoor environments with Risk Assessment (RA) and impacts relative to the total impact of toxic releases occurring in the life cycle of a magazine with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). We used a one-box indoor model to estimate toluene concentrations in printing facilities, newsstands, and residences in a best, average, and worst-case scenario. The modeled concentrations are in the range of the values measured in on-site campaigns. Toluene concentrations can be close or even surpass the occupational legal thresholds in printing facilities in realistic worst-case scenarios. The concentrations in homes can surpass the US EPA reference dose (69 μg/kg/day) in worst-case scenarios, but are still at least 1 order of magnitude lower than in press rooms or newsstands. However, toluene inhaled at home becomes the dominant contribution to the total potential human toxicity impacts of toluene from printed matter when assessed with LCA, using the USEtox method complemented with indoor characterization factors for toluene. The significant contribution (44%) of toluene exposure in production, retail, and use in households, to the total life cycle impact of a magazine in the category of human toxicity, demonstrates that the indoor compartment requires particular attention in LCA. While RA works with threshold levels, LCA assumes that every toxic emission causes an incremental change to the total impact. Here, the combination of the two paradigms provides valuable information on the life cycle stages of printed matter.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 21 (MIDBTH00230021) on Town Highway 23, crossing the Middlebury River, Middlebury, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boehmler, Erick M.; Degnan, James R.

1997-01-01

year discharges. In addition, the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge is determined and analyzed as another potential worst-case scour scenario. Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 1.2 to 1.8 feet. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the incipient overtopping discharge, which is less than the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 17.7 to 23.7 feet. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

8 CFR 1003.18 - Scheduling of cases.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

....18 Aliens and Nationality EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR IMMIGRATION REVIEW, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE GENERAL PROVISIONS EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR IMMIGRATION REVIEW Immigration Court-Rules of Procedure § 1003.18 Scheduling of cases. (a) The Immigration Court shall be responsible for scheduling cases and providing notice to...

17 CFR 232.106 - Prohibition against electronic submissions containing executable code.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... executable code will be suspended, unless the executable code is contained only in one or more PDF documents, in which case the submission will be accepted but the PDF document(s) containing executable code will...

Poison ivy - oak - sumac rash

MedlinePlus

... reaction can vary from mild to severe. In rare cases, the person with the rash needs to be treated in the hospital. The worst symptoms are often seen during days 4 to 7 after coming in contact with the plant. The rash may last for 1 to 3 ...

Closed Environment Module - Modularization and extension of the Virtual Habitat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plötner, Peter; Czupalla, Markus; Zhukov, Anton

2013-12-01

The Virtual Habitat (V-HAB), is a Life Support System (LSS) simulation, created to perform dynamic simulation of LSS's for future human spaceflight missions. It allows the testing of LSS robustness by means of computer simulations, e.g. of worst case scenarios.

49 CFR 238.431 - Brake system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... train is operating under worst-case adhesion conditions. (b) The brake system shall be designed to allow... a brake rate consistent with prevailing adhesion, passenger safety, and brake system thermal... adhesion control system designed to automatically adjust the braking force on each wheel to prevent sliding...

40 CFR 300.135 - Response operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES POLLUTION CONTINGENCY... discharge is a worst case discharge as discussed in § 300.324; the pathways to human and environmental exposure; the potential impact on human health, welfare, and safety and the environment; whether the...

Management of reliability and maintainability; a disciplined approach to fleet readiness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willoughby, W. J., Jr.

1981-01-01

Material acquisition fundamentals were reviewed and include: mission profile definition, stress analysis, derating criteria, circuit reliability, failure modes, and worst case analysis. Military system reliability was examined with emphasis on the sparing of equipment. The Navy's organizational strategy for 1980 is presented.

Empirical Modeling Of Single-Event Upset

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zoutendyk, John A.; Smith, Lawrence S.; Soli, George A.; Thieberger, Peter; Smith, Stephen L.; Atwood, Gregory E.

1988-01-01

Experimental study presents examples of empirical modeling of single-event upset in negatively-doped-source/drain metal-oxide-semiconductor static random-access memory cells. Data supports adoption of simplified worst-case model in which cross sectionof SEU by ion above threshold energy equals area of memory cell.

A General Safety Assessment for Purified Food Ingredients Derived From Biotechnology Crops: Case Study of Brazilian Sugar and Beverages Produced From Insect-Protected Sugarcane.

PubMed

Kennedy, Reese D; Cheavegatti-Gianotto, Adriana; de Oliveira, Wladecir S; Lirette, Ronald P; Hjelle, Jerry J

2018-01-01

Insect-protected sugarcane that expresses Cry1Ab has been developed in Brazil. Analysis of trade information has shown that effectively all the sugarcane-derived Brazilian exports are raw or refined sugar and ethanol. The fact that raw and refined sugar are highly purified food ingredients, with no detectable transgenic protein, provides an interesting case study of a generalized safety assessment approach. In this study, both the theoretical protein intakes and safety assessments of Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, NPTII, and Bar proteins used in insect-protected biotechnology crops were examined. The potential consumption of these proteins was examined using local market research data of average added sugar intakes in eight diverse and representative Brazilian raw and refined sugar export markets (Brazil, Canada, China, Indonesia, India, Japan, Russia, and the USA). The average sugar intakes, which ranged from 5.1 g of added sugar/person/day (India) to 126 g sugar/p/day (USA) were used to calculated possible human exposure. The theoretical protein intake estimates were carried out in the "Worst-case" scenario, assumed that 1 μg of newly-expressed protein is detected/g of raw or refined sugar; and the "Reasonable-case" scenario assumed 1 ng protein/g sugar. The "Worst-case" scenario was based on results of detailed studies of sugarcane processing in Brazil that showed that refined sugar contains less than 1 μg of total plant protein /g refined sugar. The "Reasonable-case" scenario was based on assumption that the expression levels in stalk of newly-expressed proteins were less than 0.1% of total stalk protein. Using these calculated protein intake values from the consumption of sugar, along with the accepted NOAEL levels of the four representative proteins we concluded that safety margins for the "Worst-case" scenario ranged from 6.9 × 10 5 to 5.9 × 10 7 and for the "Reasonable-case" scenario ranged from 6.9 × 10 8 to 5.9 × 10 10 . These safety margins are very high due to the extremely low possible exposures and the high NOAELs for these non-toxic proteins. This generalized approach to the safety assessment of highly purified food ingredients like sugar illustrates that sugar processed from Brazilian GM varieties are safe for consumption in representative markets globally.

Vapor Hydrogen Peroxide as Alternative to Dry Heat Microbial Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cash, Howard A.; Kern, Roger G.; Chung, Shirley Y.; Koukol, Robert C.; Barengoltz, Jack B.

2006-01-01

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in conjunction with the NASA Planetary Protection Officer, has selected vapor phase hydrogen peroxide (VHP) sterilization process for continued development as a NASA approved sterilization technique for spacecraft subsystems and systems. The goal is to include this technique, with appropriate specification, in NPG8020.12C as a low temperature complementary technique to the dry heat sterilization process. A series of experiments were conducted in vacuum to determine VHP process parameters that provided significant reductions in spore viability while allowing survival of sufficient spores for statistically significant enumeration. With this knowledge of D values, sensible margins can be applied in a planetary protection specification. The outcome of this study provided an optimization of test sterilizer process conditions: VHP concentration, process duration, a process temperature range for which the worst case D value may be imposed, a process humidity range for which the worst case D value may be imposed, and robustness to selected spacecraft material substrates.

Comparison of temporal realistic telecommunication base station exposure with worst-case estimation in two countries.

PubMed

Mahfouz, Zaher; Verloock, Leen; Joseph, Wout; Tanghe, Emmeric; Gati, Azeddine; Wiart, Joe; Lautru, David; Hanna, Victor Fouad; Martens, Luc

2013-12-01

The influence of temporal daily exposure to global system for mobile communications (GSM) and universal mobile telecommunications systems and high speed downlink packet access (UMTS-HSDPA) is investigated using spectrum analyser measurements in two countries, France and Belgium. Temporal variations and traffic distributions are investigated. Three different methods to estimate maximal electric-field exposure are compared. The maximal realistic (99 %) and the maximal theoretical extrapolation factor used to extrapolate the measured broadcast control channel (BCCH) for GSM and the common pilot channel (CPICH) for UMTS are presented and compared for the first time in the two countries. Similar conclusions are found in the two countries for both urban and rural areas: worst-case exposure assessment overestimates realistic maximal exposure up to 5.7 dB for the considered example. In France, the values are the highest, because of the higher population density. The results for the maximal realistic extrapolation factor at the weekdays are similar to those from weekend days.

Full band all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the O1 LIGO data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Afrough, M.; Agarwal, B.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Allen, B.; Allen, G.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Amato, A.; Ananyeva, A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Angelova, S. V.; Antier, S.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Atallah, D. V.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; AultONeal, K.; Austin, C.; Avila-Alvarez, A.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Bae, S.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Banagiri, S.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barclay, S. E.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barkett, K.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Bawaj, M.; Bayley, J. C.; Bazzan, M.; Bécsy, B.; Beer, C.; Bejger, M.; Belahcene, I.; Bell, A. S.; Berger, B. K.; Bergmann, G.; Bero, J. J.; Berry, C. P. L.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Bhagwat, S.; Bhandare, R.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Billman, C. R.; Birch, J.; Birney, R.; Birnholtz, O.; Biscans, S.; Biscoveanu, S.; Bisht, A.; Bitossi, M.; Biwer, C.; Bizouard, M. A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackman, J.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bloemen, S.; Bock, O.; Bode, N.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, G.; Bohe, A.; Bondu, F.; Bonilla, E.; Bonnand, R.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bossie, K.; Bouffanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Briant, T.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brockill, P.; Broida, J. E.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brown, D. D.; Brunett, S.; Buchanan, C. C.; Buikema, A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cabero, M.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cahillane, C.; Bustillo, J. Calderón; Callister, T. A.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Canepa, M.; Canizares, P.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, H.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Capocasa, E.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Carney, M. F.; Casanueva Diaz, J.; Casentini, C.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C. B.; Cerdá-Durán, P.; Cerretani, G.; Cesarini, E.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chan, M.; Chao, S.; Charlton, P.; Chase, E.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chatterjee, D.; Cheeseboro, B. D.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, X.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, H.-P.; Chia, H. Y.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Chmiel, T.; Cho, H. S.; Cho, M.; Chow, J. H.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, A. J. K.; Chua, S.; Chung, A. K. W.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Ciecielag, P.; Ciolfi, R.; Cirelli, C. E.; Cirone, A.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Clearwater, P.; Cleva, F.; Cocchieri, C.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Cohen, D.; Colla, A.; Collette, C. G.; Cominsky, L. R.; Constancio, M.; Conti, L.; Cooper, S. J.; Corban, P.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cordero-Carrión, I.; Corley, K. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, E. T.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S. B.; Coulon, J.-P.; Countryman, S. T.; Couvares, P.; Covas, P. B.; Cowan, E. E.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cripe, J.; Crowder, S. G.; Cullen, T. J.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Dal Canton, T.; Dálya, G.; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dasgupta, A.; Da Silva Costa, C. F.; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davis, D.; Daw, E. J.; Day, B.; De, S.; DeBra, D.; Degallaix, J.; De Laurentis, M.; Deléglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Demos, N.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; De Pietri, R.; Dergachev, V.; De Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; De Rossi, C.; DeSalvo, R.; de Varona, O.; Devenson, J.; Dhurandhar, S.; Díaz, M. C.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Giovanni, M.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Renzo, F.; Doctor, Z.; Dolique, V.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dorosh, O.; Dorrington, I.; Douglas, R.; Dovale Álvarez, M.; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Dreissigacker, C.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Ducrot, M.; Dupej, P.; Dwyer, S. E.; Edo, T. B.; Edwards, M. C.; Effler, A.; Eggenstein, H.-B.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Eisenstein, R. A.; Essick, R. C.; Estevez, D.; Etienne, Z. B.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Fauchon-Jones, E. J.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fee, C.; Fehrmann, H.; Feicht, J.; Fejer, M. M.; Fernandez-Galiana, A.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Finstad, D.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fishbach, M.; Fisher, R. P.; Fitz-Axen, M.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M.; Fong, H.; Font, J. A.; Forsyth, P. W. F.; Forsyth, S. S.; Fournier, J.-D.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fries, E. M.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H.; Gadre, B. U.; Gaebel, S. M.; Gair, J. R.; Gammaitoni, L.; Ganija, M. R.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garcia-Quiros, C.; Garufi, F.; Gateley, B.; Gaudio, S.; Gaur, G.; Gayathri, V.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, D.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghonge, S.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, K.; Glover, L.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gomes, S.; Goncharov, B.; González, G.; Gonzalez Castro, J. M.; Gopakumar, A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S. E.; Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Gretarsson, E. M.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Gruning, P.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Halim, O.; Hall, B. R.; Hall, E. D.; Hamilton, E. Z.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hannam, M. D.; Hannuksela, O. A.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Haster, C.-J.; Haughian, K.; Healy, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennig, J.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hinderer, T.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Horst, C.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howell, E. J.; Hreibi, A.; Hu, Y. M.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Inta, R.; Intini, G.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J.-M.; Isi, M.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacqmin, T.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jiménez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Junker, J.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kamai, B.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Kapadia, S. J.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katolik, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kawabe, K.; Kéfélian, F.; Keitel, D.; Kemball, A. J.; Kennedy, R.; Kent, C.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, I.; Khan, S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J. C.; Kim, K.; Kim, W.; Kim, W. S.; Kim, Y.-M.; Kimbrell, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kinley-Hanlon, M.; Kirchhoff, R.; Kissel, J. S.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Knowles, T. D.; Koch, P.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Krämer, C.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kumar, S.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Kwang, S.; Lackey, B. D.; Lai, K. H.; Landry, M.; Lang, R. N.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lanza, R. K.; Lartaux-Vollard, A.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, H. W.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Li, T. G. F.; Linker, S. D.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Lo, R. K. L.; Lockerbie, N. A.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lovelace, G.; Lück, H.; Lumaca, D.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macas, R.; Macfoy, S.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magaña Hernandez, I.; Magaña-Sandoval, F.; Magaña Zertuche, L.; Magee, R. M.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markakis, C.; Markosyan, A. S.; Markowitz, A.; Maros, E.; Marquina, A.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martin, R. M.; Martynov, D. V.; Mason, K.; Massera, E.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matas, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McCuller, L.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McNeill, L.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Mehmet, M.; Meidam, J.; Mejuto-Villa, E.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Milovich-Goff, M. C.; Minazzoli, O.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moffa, D.; Moggi, A.; Mogushi, K.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muñiz, E. A.; Muratore, M.; Murray, P. G.; Napier, K.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nayak, R. K.; Neilson, J.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Nery, M.; Neunzert, A.; Nevin, L.; Newport, J. M.; Newton, G.; Ng, K. Y.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nichols, D.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Noack, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; North, C.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; O'Dea, G. D.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Okada, M. A.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; Ormiston, R.; Ortega, L. F.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ossokine, S.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pace, A. E.; Page, J.; Page, M. A.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, Howard; Pan, Huang-Wei; Pang, B.; Pang, P. T. H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Parida, A.; Parker, W.; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patil, M.; Patricelli, B.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perez, C. J.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pirello, M.; Pisarski, A.; Pitkin, M.; Poe, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Porter, E. K.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Pratt, J. W. W.; Pratten, G.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Pürrer, M.; Qi, H.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rajbhandari, B.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramirez, K. E.; Ramos-Buades, A.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Read, J.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Ren, W.; Reyes, S. D.; Ricci, F.; Ricker, P. M.; Rieger, S.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, R.; Romel, C. L.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Ross, M. P.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Rutins, G.; Ryan, K.; Sachdev, S.; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sampson, L. M.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sanchez, L. E.; Sanchis-Gual, N.; Sandberg, V.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, O.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Scheel, M.; Scheuer, J.; Schmidt, J.; Schmidt, P.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schönbeck, A.; Schreiber, E.; Schuette, D.; Schulte, B. W.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwalbe, S. G.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Seidel, E.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shah, A. A.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shaner, M. B.; Shao, L.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, A. D.; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, B.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, R. J. E.; Somala, S.; Son, E. J.; Sonnenberg, J. A.; Sorazu, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Spencer, A. P.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staats, K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stevenson, S. P.; Stone, R.; Stops, D. J.; Strain, K. A.; Stratta, G.; Strigin, S. E.; Strunk, A.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, L.; Sunil, S.; Suresh, J.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepańczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.; Tait, S. C.; Talbot, C.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tao, D.; Tápai, M.; Taracchini, A.; Tasson, J. D.; Taylor, J. A.; Taylor, R.; Tewari, S. V.; Theeg, T.; Thies, F.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thrane, E.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tonelli, M.; Tornasi, Z.; Torres-Forné, A.; Torrie, C. I.; Töyrä, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trinastic, J.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozzo, L.; Tsang, K. W.; Tse, M.; Tso, R.; Tsukada, L.; Tsuna, D.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ueno, K.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; van Bakel, N.; van Beuzekom, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; van Heijningen, J. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Varma, V.; Vass, S.; Vasúth, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Venugopalan, G.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Viets, A. D.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; Wade, L. E.; Wade, M.; Walet, R.; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Wang, G.; Wang, H.; Wang, J. Z.; Wang, W. H.; Wang, Y. F.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Was, M.; Watchi, J.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L.-W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Wessel, E. K.; Weßels, P.; Westerweck, J.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Whittle, C.; Wilken, D.; Williams, D.; Williams, R. D.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Wofford, J.; Wong, W. K.; Worden, J.; Wright, J. L.; Wu, D. S.; Wysocki, D. M.; Xiao, S.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yang, L.; Yap, M. J.; Yazback, M.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M.; Zadroźny, A.; Zanolin, M.; Zelenova, T.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, Y.-H.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, S. J.; Zhu, X. J.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

2018-05-01

We report on a new all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the frequency band 475-2000 Hz and with a frequency time derivative in the range of [-1.0 ,+0.1 ] ×1 0-8 Hz /s . Potential signals could be produced by a nearby spinning and slightly nonaxisymmetric isolated neutron star in our Galaxy. This search uses the data from Advanced LIGO's first observational run O1. No gravitational-wave signals were observed, and upper limits were placed on their strengths. For completeness, results from the separately published low-frequency search 20-475 Hz are included as well. Our lowest upper limit on worst-case (linearly polarized) strain amplitude h0 is ˜4 ×1 0-25 near 170 Hz, while at the high end of our frequency range, we achieve a worst-case upper limit of 1.3 ×1 0-24. For a circularly polarized source (most favorable orientation), the smallest upper limit obtained is ˜1.5 ×1 0-25.

Quantum systems as embarrassed colleagues: what do tax evasion and state tomography have in common?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrie, Chris; Blume-Kohout, Robin

2011-03-01

Quantum state estimation (a.k.a. ``tomography'') plays a key role in designing quantum information processors. As a problem, it resembles probability estimation - e.g. for classical coins or dice - but with some subtle and important discrepancies. We demonstrate an improved classical analogue that captures many of these differences: the ``noisy coin.'' Observations on noisy coins are unreliable - much like soliciting sensitive information such as ones tax preparation habits. So, like a quantum system, it cannot be sampled directly. Unlike standard coins or dice, whose worst-case estimation risk scales as 1 / N for all states, noisy coins (and quantum states) have a worst-case risk that scales as 1 /√{ N } and is overwhelmingly dominated by nearly-pure states. The resulting optimal estimation strategies for noisy coins are surprising and counterintuitive. We demonstrate some important consequences for quantum state estimation - in particular, that adaptive tomography can recover the 1 / N risk scaling of classical probability estimation.

Derivation and experimental verification of clock synchronization theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palumbo, Daniel L.

1994-01-01

The objective of this work is to validate mathematically derived clock synchronization theories and their associated algorithms through experiment. Two theories are considered, the Interactive Convergence Clock Synchronization Algorithm and the Mid-Point Algorithm. Special clock circuitry was designed and built so that several operating conditions and failure modes (including malicious failures) could be tested. Both theories are shown to predict conservative upper bounds (i.e., measured values of clock skew were always less than the theory prediction). Insight gained during experimentation led to alternative derivations of the theories. These new theories accurately predict the clock system's behavior. It is found that a 100% penalty is paid to tolerate worst case failures. It is also shown that under optimal conditions (with minimum error and no failures) the clock skew can be as much as 3 clock ticks. Clock skew grows to 6 clock ticks when failures are present. Finally, it is concluded that one cannot rely solely on test procedures or theoretical analysis to predict worst case conditions. conditions.

Experimental validation of clock synchronization algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palumbo, Daniel L.; Graham, R. Lynn

1992-01-01

The objective of this work is to validate mathematically derived clock synchronization theories and their associated algorithms through experiment. Two theories are considered, the Interactive Convergence Clock Synchronization Algorithm and the Midpoint Algorithm. Special clock circuitry was designed and built so that several operating conditions and failure modes (including malicious failures) could be tested. Both theories are shown to predict conservative upper bounds (i.e., measured values of clock skew were always less than the theory prediction). Insight gained during experimentation led to alternative derivations of the theories. These new theories accurately predict the behavior of the clock system. It is found that a 100 percent penalty is paid to tolerate worst-case failures. It is also shown that under optimal conditions (with minimum error and no failures) the clock skew can be as much as three clock ticks. Clock skew grows to six clock ticks when failures are present. Finally, it is concluded that one cannot rely solely on test procedures or theoretical analysis to predict worst-case conditions.

Direct simulation Monte Carlo prediction of on-orbit contaminant deposit levels for HALOE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woronowicz, Michael S.; Rault, Didier F. G.

1994-01-01

A three-dimensional version of the direct simulation Monte Carlo method is adapted to assess the contamination environment surrounding a highly detailed model of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite. Emphasis is placed on simulating a realistic, worst-case set of flow field and surface conditions and geometric orientations for the satellite in order to estimate an upper limit for the cumulative level of volatile organic molecular deposits at the aperture of the Halogen Occultation Experiment. A detailed description of the adaptation of this solution method to the study of the satellite's environment is also presented. Results pertaining to the satellite's environment are presented regarding contaminant cloud structure, cloud composition, and statistics of simulated molecules impinging on the target surface, along with data related to code performance. Using procedures developed in standard contamination analyses, along with many worst-case assumptions, the cumulative upper-limit level of volatile organic deposits on HALOE's aperture over the instrument's 35-month nominal data collection period is estimated at about 13,350 A.

Correct consideration of the index of refraction using blackbody radiation.

PubMed

Hartmann, Jurgen

2006-09-04

The correct consideration of the index of refraction when using blackbody radiators as standard sources for optical radiation is derived and discussed. It is shown that simply using the index of refraction of air at laboratory conditions is not sufficient. A combination of the index of refraction of the media used inside the blackbody radiator and for the optical path between blackbody and detector has to be used instead. A worst case approximation for the introduced error when neglecting these effects is presented, showing that the error is below 0.1 % for wavelengths above 200 nm. Nevertheless, for the determination of the spectral radiance for the purpose of radiation temperature measurements the correct consideration of the refractive index is mandatory. The worst case estimation reveals that the introduced error in temperature at a blackbody temperature of 3000 degrees C can be as high as 400 mk at a wavelength of 650 nm and even higher at longer wavelengths.

Thermal-hydraulic analysis of N Reactor graphite and shield cooling system performance

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

Low, J.O.; Schmitt, B.E.

1988-02-01

A series of bounding (worst-case) calculations were performed using a detailed hydrodynamic RELAP5 model of the N Reactor graphite and shield cooling system (GSCS). These calculations were specifically aimed to answer issues raised by the Westinghouse Independent Safety Review (WISR) committee. These questions address the operability of the GSCS during a worst-case degraded-core accident that requires the GDCS to mitigate the consequences of the accident. An accident scenario previously developed was designed as the hydrogen-mitigation design-basis accident (HMDBA). Previous HMDBA heat transfer analysis,, using the TRUMP-BD code, was used to define the thermal boundary conditions that the GSDS may bemore » exposed to. These TRUMP/HMDBA analysis results were used to define the bounding operating conditions of the GSCS during the course of an HMDBA transient. Nominal and degraded GSCS scenarios were investigated using RELAP5 within or at the bounds of the HMDBA transient. 10 refs., 42 figs., 10 tabs.« less

Zero-moment point determination of worst-case manoeuvres leading to vehicle wheel lift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapapong, S.; Brown, A. A.; Swanson, K. S.; Brennan, S. N.

2012-01-01

This paper proposes a method to evaluate vehicle rollover propensity based on a frequency-domain representation of the zero-moment point (ZMP). Unlike other rollover metrics such as the static stability factor, which is based on the steady-state behaviour, and the load transfer ratio, which requires the calculation of tyre forces, the ZMP is based on a simplified kinematic model of the vehicle and the analysis of the contact point of the vehicle relative to the edge of the support polygon. Previous work has validated the use of the ZMP experimentally in its ability to predict wheel lift in the time domain. This work explores the use of the ZMP in the frequency domain to allow a chassis designer to understand how operating conditions and vehicle parameters affect rollover propensity. The ZMP analysis is then extended to calculate worst-case sinusoidal manoeuvres that lead to untripped wheel lift, and the analysis is tested across several vehicle configurations and compared with that of the standard Toyota J manoeuvre.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 37, (BRNETH00740037) on Town Highway 74, crossing South Peacham Brook, Barnet, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, Ronda L.; Severance, Timothy

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 15.8 to 22.5 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 6.7 to 11.1 ft. The worst-case abutment scour also occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in Tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in Figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

DCT-based iris recognition.

PubMed

Monro, Donald M; Rakshit, Soumyadip; Zhang, Dexin

2007-04-01

This paper presents a novel iris coding method based on differences of discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients of overlapped angular patches from normalized iris images. The feature extraction capabilities of the DCT are optimized on the two largest publicly available iris image data sets, 2,156 images of 308 eyes from the CASIA database and 2,955 images of 150 eyes from the Bath database. On this data, we achieve 100 percent Correct Recognition Rate (CRR) and perfect Receiver-Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curves with no registered false accepts or rejects. Individual feature bit and patch position parameters are optimized for matching through a product-of-sum approach to Hamming distance calculation. For verification, a variable threshold is applied to the distance metric and the False Acceptance Rate (FAR) and False Rejection Rate (FRR) are recorded. A new worst-case metric is proposed for predicting practical system performance in the absence of matching failures, and the worst case theoretical Equal Error Rate (EER) is predicted to be as low as 2.59 x 10(-4) on the available data sets.

A CMOS matrix for extracting MOSFET parameters before and after irradiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blaes, B. R.; Buehler, M. G.; Lin, Y.-S.; Hicks, K. A.

1988-01-01

An addressable matrix of 16 n- and 16 p-MOSFETs was designed to extract the dc MOSFET parameters for all dc gate bias conditions before and after irradiation. The matrix contains four sets of MOSFETs, each with four different geometries that can be biased independently. Thus the worst-case bias scenarios can be determined. The MOSFET matrix was fabricated at a silicon foundry using a radiation-soft CMOS p-well LOCOS process. Co-60 irradiation results for the n-MOSFETs showed a threshold-voltage shift of -3 mV/krad(Si), whereas the p-MOSFETs showed a shift of 21 mV/krad(Si). The worst-case threshold-voltage shift occurred for the n-MOSFETs, with a gate bias of 5 V during the anneal. For the p-MOSFETs, biasing did not affect the shift in the threshold voltage. A parasitic MOSFET dominated the leakage of the n-MOSFET biased with 5 V on the gate during irradiation. Co-60 test results for other parameters are also presented.

Mad cows and computer models: the U.S. response to BSE.

PubMed

Ackerman, Frank; Johnecheck, Wendy A

2008-01-01

The proportion of slaughtered cattle tested for BSE is much smaller in the U.S. than in Europe and Japan, leaving the U.S. heavily dependent on statistical models to estimate both the current prevalence and the spread of BSE. We examine the models relied on by USDA, finding that the prevalence model provides only a rough estimate, due to limited data availability. Reassuring forecasts from the model of the spread of BSE depend on the arbitrary constraint that worst-case values are assumed by only one of 17 key parameters at a time. In three of the six published scenarios with multiple worst-case parameter values, there is at least a 25% probability that BSE will spread rapidly. In public policy terms, reliance on potentially flawed models can be seen as a gamble that no serious BSE outbreak will occur. Statistical modeling at this level of abstraction, with its myriad, compound uncertainties, is no substitute for precautionary policies to protect public health against the threat of epidemics such as BSE.

Modelling the long-term evolution of worst-case Arctic oil spills.

PubMed

Blanken, Hauke; Tremblay, Louis Bruno; Gaskin, Susan; Slavin, Alexander

2017-03-15

We present worst-case assessments of contamination in sea ice and surface waters resulting from hypothetical well blowout oil spills at ten sites in the Arctic Ocean basin. Spill extents are estimated by considering Eulerian passive tracers in the surface ocean of the MITgcm (a hydrostatic, coupled ice-ocean model). Oil in sea ice, and contamination resulting from melting of oiled ice, is tracked using an offline Lagrangian scheme. Spills are initialized on November 1st 1980-2010 and tracked for one year. An average spill was transported 1100km and potentially affected 1.1 million km 2 . The direction and magnitude of simulated oil trajectories are consistent with known large-scale current and sea ice circulation patterns, and trajectories frequently cross international boundaries. The simulated trajectories of oil in sea ice match observed ice drift trajectories well. During the winter oil transport by drifting sea ice is more significant than transport with surface currents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pragmatic and executive functions in traumatic brain injury and right brain damage: An exploratory comparative study

PubMed Central

Zimmermann, Nicolle; Gindri, Gigiane; de Oliveira, Camila Rosa; Fonseca, Rochele Paz

2011-01-01

Objective To describe the frequency of pragmatic and executive deficits in right brain damaged (RBD) and in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients, and to verify possible dissociations between pragmatic and executive functions in these two groups. Methods The sample comprised 7 cases of TBI and 7 cases of RBD. All participants were assessed by means of tasks from the Montreal Communication Evaluation Battery and executive functions tests including the Trail Making Test, Hayling Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, semantic and phonemic verbal fluency tasks, and working memory tasks from the Brazilian Brief Neuropsychological Assessment Battery NEUPSILIN. Z-score was calculated and a descriptive analysis of frequency of deficits (Z< -1.5) was carried out. Results RBD patients presented with deficits predominantly on conversational and narrative discursive tasks, while TBI patients showed a wider spread pattern of pragmatic deficits. Regarding EF, RBD deficits included predominantly working memory and verbal initiation impairment. On the other hand, TBI individuals again exhibited a general profile of executive dysfunction, affecting mainly working memory, initiation, inhibition, planning and switching. Pragmatic and executive deficits were generally associated upon comparisons of RBD patients and TBI cases, except for two simple dissociations: two post-TBI cases showed executive deficits in the absence of pragmatic deficits. Discussion Pragmatic and executive deficits can be very frequent following TBI or vascular RBD. There seems to be an association between these abilities, indicating that although they can co-occur, a cause-consequence relationship cannot be the only hypothesis. PMID:29213762

Executive Headteachers: What's in a Name? Case Study Compendium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wespieser, Karen, Ed.

2016-01-01

This Case Study Compendium provides an overview of the 12 cases that were investigated as part of the study "Executive Headteachers: What's in a Name?'" (Lord et al., 2016). The case study overviews are based on in-depth analysis and research as described in the full report (ibid) and the Technical Appendix (Harland and Bernardinelli,…

Investigation of the Human Response to Upper Torso Retraction with Weighted Helmets

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

coverage of each test. The Kodak system is capable of recording high-speed motion up to a rate of 1000 frames per second. For this study , the video...the measured center-of-gravity (CG) of the worst- case test helmet fell outside the current limits and no injuries were observed, it can be stated...8 Figure 7. T-test Cases 1-9 (0 lb Added Helmet Weight

Walsh Preprocessor.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-08-01

tile se(q uenw threshold does not utilize thle D)C level inlforiat ion and the time thlresliolditig adaptively adjusts for DC lvel . 𔃻This characteristic...lowest 256/8 = 32 elements. The above observation can be mathematically proven to also relate the fact that the lowest (NT/W) elements can, at worst case

When Food Is a Foe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Patricia L.

1998-01-01

Although only 5% of the population has severe food allergies, school business officials must be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Banning foods and segregating allergic children are harmful practices. Education and sensible behavior are the best medicine when food allergies and intolerances are involved. Resources are listed. (MLH)

Shuttle ECLSS ammonia delivery capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The possible effects of excessive requirements on ammonia flow rates required for entry cooling, due to extreme temperatures, on mission plans for the space shuttles, were investigated. An analysis of worst case conditions was performed, and indicates that adequate flow rates are available. No mission impact is therefore anticipated.

41 CFR 102-80.145 - What is meant by “flashover”?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...”? Flashover means fire conditions in a confined area where the upper gas layer temperature reaches 600 °C (1100 °F) and the heat flux at floor level exceeds 20 kW/m2 (1.8 Btu/ft2/sec). Reasonable Worst Case...

41 CFR 102-80.145 - What is meant by “flashover”?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...”? Flashover means fire conditions in a confined area where the upper gas layer temperature reaches 600 °C (1100 °F) and the heat flux at floor level exceeds 20 kW/m2 (1.8 Btu/ft2/sec). Reasonable Worst Case...

40 CFR 266.106 - Standards to control metals emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITIES Hazardous Waste Burned in Boilers and Industrial Furnaces § 266.106... implemented by limiting feed rates of the individual metals to levels during the trial burn (for new... screening limit for the worst-case stack. (d) Tier III and Adjusted Tier I site-specific risk assessment...

40 CFR 266.106 - Standards to control metals emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITIES Hazardous Waste Burned in Boilers and Industrial Furnaces § 266.106... implemented by limiting feed rates of the individual metals to levels during the trial burn (for new... screening limit for the worst-case stack. (d) Tier III and Adjusted Tier I site-specific risk assessment...

49 CFR 238.431 - Brake system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Brake system. 238.431 Section 238.431... Equipment § 238.431 Brake system. (a) A passenger train's brake system shall be capable of stopping the... train is operating under worst-case adhesion conditions. (b) The brake system shall be designed to allow...

Assessment of the Incentives Created by Public Disclosure of Off-Site Consequence Analysis Information for Reduction in the Risk of Accidental Releases

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The off-site consequence analysis (OCA) evaluates the potential for worst-case and alternative accidental release scenarios to harm the public and environment around the facility. Public disclosure would likely reduce the number/severity of incidents.

33 CFR 155.1230 - Response plan development and evaluation criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... VESSELS Response plan requirements for vessels carrying animal fats and vegetable oils as a primary cargo... carry animal fats or vegetable oils as a primary cargo must provide information in their plan that identifies— (1) Procedures and strategies for responding to a worst case discharge of animal fats or...

33 CFR 155.1230 - Response plan development and evaluation criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... VESSELS Response plan requirements for vessels carrying animal fats and vegetable oils as a primary cargo... carry animal fats or vegetable oils as a primary cargo must provide information in their plan that identifies— (1) Procedures and strategies for responding to a worst case discharge of animal fats or...

33 CFR 154.1029 - Worst case discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... facility. The discharge from each pipe is calculated as follows: The maximum time to discover the release from the pipe in hours, plus the maximum time to shut down flow from the pipe in hours (based on... vessel regardless of the presence of secondary containment; plus (2) The discharge from all piping...

33 CFR 154.1029 - Worst case discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... facility. The discharge from each pipe is calculated as follows: The maximum time to discover the release from the pipe in hours, plus the maximum time to shut down flow from the pipe in hours (based on... vessel regardless of the presence of secondary containment; plus (2) The discharge from all piping...

33 CFR 154.1029 - Worst case discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... facility. The discharge from each pipe is calculated as follows: The maximum time to discover the release from the pipe in hours, plus the maximum time to shut down flow from the pipe in hours (based on... vessel regardless of the presence of secondary containment; plus (2) The discharge from all piping...

33 CFR 154.1029 - Worst case discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... facility. The discharge from each pipe is calculated as follows: The maximum time to discover the release from the pipe in hours, plus the maximum time to shut down flow from the pipe in hours (based on... vessel regardless of the presence of secondary containment; plus (2) The discharge from all piping...

33 CFR 154.1029 - Worst case discharge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... facility. The discharge from each pipe is calculated as follows: The maximum time to discover the release from the pipe in hours, plus the maximum time to shut down flow from the pipe in hours (based on... vessel regardless of the presence of secondary containment; plus (2) The discharge from all piping...

33 CFR 155.1230 - Response plan development and evaluation criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... VESSELS Response plan requirements for vessels carrying animal fats and vegetable oils as a primary cargo... carry animal fats or vegetable oils as a primary cargo must provide information in their plan that identifies— (1) Procedures and strategies for responding to a worst case discharge of animal fats or...

33 CFR 155.1230 - Response plan development and evaluation criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... VESSELS Response plan requirements for vessels carrying animal fats and vegetable oils as a primary cargo... carry animal fats or vegetable oils as a primary cargo must provide information in their plan that identifies— (1) Procedures and strategies for responding to a worst case discharge of animal fats or...

33 CFR 155.1230 - Response plan development and evaluation criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... VESSELS Response plan requirements for vessels carrying animal fats and vegetable oils as a primary cargo... carry animal fats or vegetable oils as a primary cargo must provide information in their plan that identifies— (1) Procedures and strategies for responding to a worst case discharge of animal fats or...

Competitive Strategies and Financial Performance of Small Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barron, Thomas A., Jr.

2017-01-01

Many institutions of higher education are facing significant financial challenges, resulting in diminished economic viability and, in the worst cases, the threat of closure (Moody's Investor Services, 2015). The study was designed to explore the effectiveness of competitive strategies for small colleges in terms of financial performance. Five…

40 CFR 63.11980 - What are the test methods and calculation procedures for process wastewater?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... calculation procedures for process wastewater? 63.11980 Section 63.11980 Protection of Environment... § 63.11980 What are the test methods and calculation procedures for process wastewater? (a) Performance... performance tests during worst-case operating conditions for the PVCPU when the process wastewater treatment...

40 CFR 63.11980 - What are the test methods and calculation procedures for process wastewater?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... calculation procedures for process wastewater? 63.11980 Section 63.11980 Protection of Environment... § 63.11980 What are the test methods and calculation procedures for process wastewater? (a) Performance... performance tests during worst-case operating conditions for the PVCPU when the process wastewater treatment...

40 CFR 63.11980 - What are the test methods and calculation procedures for process wastewater?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... calculation procedures for process wastewater? 63.11980 Section 63.11980 Protection of Environment... § 63.11980 What are the test methods and calculation procedures for process wastewater? (a) Performance... performance tests during worst-case operating conditions for the PVCPU when the process wastewater treatment...

30 CFR 254.21 - How must I format my response plan?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... divide your response plan for OCS facilities into the sections specified in paragraph (b) and explained in the other sections of this subpart. The plan must have an easily found marker identifying each.... (ii) Contractual agreements. (iii) Worst case discharge scenario. (iv) Dispersant use plan. (v) In...

Safety in the Chemical Laboratory: Laboratory Air Quality: Part I. A Concentration Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butcher, Samuel S.; And Others

1985-01-01

Offers a simple model for estimating vapor concentrations in instructional laboratories. Three methods are described for measuring ventilation rates, and the results of measurements in six laboratories are presented. The model should provide a simple screening tool for evaluating worst-case personal exposures. (JN)

A Didactic Analysis of Functional Queues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rinderknecht, Christian

2011-01-01

When first introduced to the analysis of algorithms, students are taught how to assess the best and worst cases, whereas the mean and amortized costs are considered advanced topics, usually saved for graduates. When presenting the latter, aggregate analysis is explained first because it is the most intuitive kind of amortized analysis, often…

Genetically modified crops and aquatic ecosystems: considerations for environmental risk assessment and non-target organism testing.

PubMed

Carstens, Keri; Anderson, Jennifer; Bachman, Pamela; De Schrijver, Adinda; Dively, Galen; Federici, Brian; Hamer, Mick; Gielkens, Marco; Jensen, Peter; Lamp, William; Rauschen, Stefan; Ridley, Geoff; Romeis, Jörg; Waggoner, Annabel

2012-08-01

Environmental risk assessments (ERA) support regulatory decisions for the commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops. The ERA for terrestrial agroecosystems is well-developed, whereas guidance for ERA of GM crops in aquatic ecosystems is not as well-defined. The purpose of this document is to demonstrate how comprehensive problem formulation can be used to develop a conceptual model and to identify potential exposure pathways, using Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize as a case study. Within problem formulation, the insecticidal trait, the crop, the receiving environment, and protection goals were characterized, and a conceptual model was developed to identify routes through which aquatic organisms may be exposed to insecticidal proteins in maize tissue. Following a tiered approach for exposure assessment, worst-case exposures were estimated using standardized models, and factors mitigating exposure were described. Based on exposure estimates, shredders were identified as the functional group most likely to be exposed to insecticidal proteins. However, even using worst-case assumptions, the exposure of shredders to Bt maize was low and studies supporting the current risk assessments were deemed adequate. Determining if early tier toxicity studies are necessary to inform the risk assessment for a specific GM crop should be done on a case by case basis, and should be guided by thorough problem formulation and exposure assessment. The processes used to develop the Bt maize case study are intended to serve as a model for performing risk assessments on future traits and crops.

Executive Development: Meeting the Needs of Top Teams and Boards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Sheila; Farndale, Elaine; Kakabadse, Andrew

2003-01-01

A literature review and six case studies examined the roles and responsibilities of the chief executive officers and board chairs, the capabilities required for success, and related executive development activity. Findings include the importance of focusing executive development on capability enhancement to ensure that it supports organizational…

Tissue Engineering Initiative

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-08-01

forefoot with the foot in the neutral position, and (b) similar to (a) but with heel landing. Although the authors reported no absolute strain values...diameter of sensors (or, in the case of a rectangular sensor, width as measured along pin axis). Worst case : Strike line from inside edges of sensors...potoroo it is just prior to "toe strike ". The locomotion of the potoroo is described as digitigrade, unlike humans, who walk in a plantigrade manner

Space Based Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Contribution to Global Strike in 2035

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-15

include using high altitude air platforms and airships as a short-term solution, and small satellites with an Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) launch...irreversible threats, along with a worst case scenario. Section IV provides greater detail of the high altitude air platform, airship , and commercial space...Resultantly, the U.S. could use high altitude air platforms, airships , and cyber to complement its space systems in case of denial, degradation, or

Managing in a New Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Philip J.

2009-01-01

The phrase "worst since the Great Depression" has seemingly punctuated every economic report. The United States is experiencing the worst housing market, the worst unemployment level, and the worst drop in gross domestic product since the Great Depression. Although the steady drumbeat of bad news may have made everyone nearly numb, one…

The lionfish Pterois sp. invasion: Has the worst-case scenario come to pass?

PubMed

Côté, I M; Smith, N S

2018-03-01

This review revisits the traits thought to have contributed to the success of Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois sp. as an invader in the western Atlantic Ocean and the worst-case scenario about their potential ecological effects in light of the more than 150 studies conducted in the past 5 years. Fast somatic growth, resistance to parasites, effective anti-predator defences and an ability to circumvent predator recognition mechanisms by prey have probably contributed to rapid population increases of lionfish in the invaded range. However, evidence that lionfish are strong competitors is still ambiguous, in part because demonstrating competition is challenging. Geographic spread has likely been facilitated by the remarkable capacity of lionfish for prolonged fasting in combination with other broad physiological tolerances. Lionfish have had a large detrimental effect on native reef-fish populations in the northern part of the invaded range, but similar effects have yet to be seen in the southern Caribbean. Most other envisaged direct and indirect consequences of lionfish predation and competition, even those that might have been expected to occur rapidly, such as shifts in benthic composition, have yet to be realized. Lionfish populations in some of the first areas invaded have started to decline, perhaps as a result of resource depletion or ongoing fishing and culling, so there is hope that these areas have already experienced the worst of the invasion. In closing, we place lionfish in a broader context and argue that it can serve as a new model to test some fundamental questions in invasion ecology. © 2018 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Costs and cost-effectiveness of 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in two East African countries.

PubMed

Kiatpongsan, Sorapop; Kim, Jane J

2014-01-01

Current prophylactic vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) target two of the most oncogenic types, HPV-16 and -18, which contribute to roughly 70% of cervical cancers worldwide. Second-generation HPV vaccines include a 9-valent vaccine, which targets five additional oncogenic HPV types (i.e., 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58) that contribute to another 15-30% of cervical cancer cases. The objective of this study was to determine a range of vaccine costs for which the 9-valent vaccine would be cost-effective in comparison to the current vaccines in two less developed countries (i.e., Kenya and Uganda). The analysis was performed using a natural history disease simulation model of HPV and cervical cancer. The mathematical model simulates individual women from an early age and tracks health events and resource use as they transition through clinically-relevant health states over their lifetime. Epidemiological data on HPV prevalence and cancer incidence were used to adapt the model to Kenya and Uganda. Health benefit, or effectiveness, from HPV vaccination was measured in terms of life expectancy, and costs were measured in international dollars (I$). The incremental cost of the 9-valent vaccine included the added cost of the vaccine counterbalanced by costs averted from additional cancer cases prevented. All future costs and health benefits were discounted at an annual rate of 3% in the base case analysis. We conducted sensitivity analyses to investigate how infection with multiple HPV types, unidentifiable HPV types in cancer cases, and cross-protection against non-vaccine types could affect the potential cost range of the 9-valent vaccine. In the base case analysis in Kenya, we found that vaccination with the 9-valent vaccine was very cost-effective (i.e., had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio below per-capita GDP), compared to the current vaccines provided the added cost of the 9-valent vaccine did not exceed I$9.7 per vaccinated girl. To be considered very cost-effective, the added cost per vaccinated girl could go up to I$5.2 and I$16.2 in the worst-case and best-case scenarios, respectively. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of three times per-capita GDP where the 9-valent vaccine would be considered cost-effective, the thresholds of added costs associated with the 9-valent vaccine were I$27.3, I$14.5 and I$45.3 per vaccinated girl for the base case, worst-case and best-case scenarios, respectively. In Uganda, vaccination with the 9-valent vaccine was very cost-effective when the added cost of the 9-valent vaccine did not exceed I$8.3 per vaccinated girl. To be considered very cost-effective, the added cost per vaccinated girl could go up to I$4.5 and I$13.7 in the worst-case and best-case scenarios, respectively. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of three times per-capita GDP, the thresholds of added costs associated with the 9-valent vaccine were I$23.4, I$12.6 and I$38.4 per vaccinated girl for the base case, worst-case and best-case scenarios, respectively. This study provides a threshold range of incremental costs associated with the 9-valent HPV vaccine that would make it a cost-effective intervention in comparison to currently available HPV vaccines in Kenya and Uganda. These prices represent a 71% and 61% increase over the price offered to the GAVI Alliance ($5 per dose) for the currently available 2- and 4-valent vaccines in Kenya and Uganda, respectively. Despite evidence of cost-effectiveness, critical challenges around affordability and feasibility of HPV vaccination and other competing needs in low-resource settings such as Kenya and Uganda remain.

Costs and Cost-Effectiveness of 9-Valent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination in Two East African Countries

PubMed Central

Kiatpongsan, Sorapop; Kim, Jane J.

2014-01-01

Background Current prophylactic vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) target two of the most oncogenic types, HPV-16 and -18, which contribute to roughly 70% of cervical cancers worldwide. Second-generation HPV vaccines include a 9-valent vaccine, which targets five additional oncogenic HPV types (i.e., 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58) that contribute to another 15–30% of cervical cancer cases. The objective of this study was to determine a range of vaccine costs for which the 9-valent vaccine would be cost-effective in comparison to the current vaccines in two less developed countries (i.e., Kenya and Uganda). Methods and Findings The analysis was performed using a natural history disease simulation model of HPV and cervical cancer. The mathematical model simulates individual women from an early age and tracks health events and resource use as they transition through clinically-relevant health states over their lifetime. Epidemiological data on HPV prevalence and cancer incidence were used to adapt the model to Kenya and Uganda. Health benefit, or effectiveness, from HPV vaccination was measured in terms of life expectancy, and costs were measured in international dollars (I$). The incremental cost of the 9-valent vaccine included the added cost of the vaccine counterbalanced by costs averted from additional cancer cases prevented. All future costs and health benefits were discounted at an annual rate of 3% in the base case analysis. We conducted sensitivity analyses to investigate how infection with multiple HPV types, unidentifiable HPV types in cancer cases, and cross-protection against non-vaccine types could affect the potential cost range of the 9-valent vaccine. In the base case analysis in Kenya, we found that vaccination with the 9-valent vaccine was very cost-effective (i.e., had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio below per-capita GDP), compared to the current vaccines provided the added cost of the 9-valent vaccine did not exceed I$9.7 per vaccinated girl. To be considered very cost-effective, the added cost per vaccinated girl could go up to I$5.2 and I$16.2 in the worst-case and best-case scenarios, respectively. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of three times per-capita GDP where the 9-valent vaccine would be considered cost-effective, the thresholds of added costs associated with the 9-valent vaccine were I$27.3, I$14.5 and I$45.3 per vaccinated girl for the base case, worst-case and best-case scenarios, respectively. In Uganda, vaccination with the 9-valent vaccine was very cost-effective when the added cost of the 9-valent vaccine did not exceed I$8.3 per vaccinated girl. To be considered very cost-effective, the added cost per vaccinated girl could go up to I$4.5 and I$13.7 in the worst-case and best-case scenarios, respectively. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of three times per-capita GDP, the thresholds of added costs associated with the 9-valent vaccine were I$23.4, I$12.6 and I$38.4 per vaccinated girl for the base case, worst-case and best-case scenarios, respectively. Conclusions This study provides a threshold range of incremental costs associated with the 9-valent HPV vaccine that would make it a cost-effective intervention in comparison to currently available HPV vaccines in Kenya and Uganda. These prices represent a 71% and 61% increase over the price offered to the GAVI Alliance ($5 per dose) for the currently available 2- and 4-valent vaccines in Kenya and Uganda, respectively. Despite evidence of cost-effectiveness, critical challenges around affordability and feasibility of HPV vaccination and other competing needs in low-resource settings such as Kenya and Uganda remain. PMID:25198104

A Systematic Review Comparing the Acceptability, Validity and Concordance of Discrete Choice Experiments and Best-Worst Scaling for Eliciting Preferences in Healthcare.

PubMed

Whitty, Jennifer A; Oliveira Gonçalves, Ana Sofia

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare the acceptability, validity and concordance of discrete choice experiment (DCE) and best-worst scaling (BWS) stated preference approaches in health. A systematic search of EMBASE, Medline, AMED, PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and EconLit databases was undertaken in October to December 2016 without date restriction. Studies were included if they were published in English, presented empirical data related to the administration or findings of traditional format DCE and object-, profile- or multiprofile-case BWS, and were related to health. Study quality was assessed using the PREFS checklist. Fourteen articles describing 12 studies were included, comparing DCE with profile-case BWS (9 studies), DCE and multiprofile-case BWS (1 study), and profile- and multiprofile-case BWS (2 studies). Although limited and inconsistent, the balance of evidence suggests that preferences derived from DCE and profile-case BWS may not be concordant, regardless of the decision context. Preferences estimated from DCE and multiprofile-case BWS may be concordant (single study). Profile- and multiprofile-case BWS appear more statistically efficient than DCE, but no evidence is available to suggest they have a greater response efficiency. Little evidence suggests superior validity for one format over another. Participant acceptability may favour DCE, which had a lower self-reported task difficulty and was preferred over profile-case BWS in a priority setting but not necessarily in other decision contexts. DCE and profile-case BWS may be of equal validity but give different preference estimates regardless of the health context; thus, they may be measuring different constructs. Therefore, choice between methods is likely to be based on normative considerations related to coherence with theoretical frameworks and on pragmatic considerations related to ease of data collection.

78 FR 53494 - Dam Safety Modifications at Cherokee, Fort Loudoun, Tellico, and Watts Bar Dams

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-29

... fundamental part of this mission was the construction and operation of an integrated system of dams and... by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, TVA prepares for the worst case flooding event in order... appropriate best management practices during all phases of construction and maintenance associated with the...

Task 1, Design Analysis Report: Pulsed plasma solid propellant microthruster for the synchronous meteorological satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guman, W. J. (Editor)

1971-01-01

Thermal vacuum design supporting thruster tests indicate no problems under the worst case conditions of sink temperature and spin rate. The reliability of the system was calculated to be 0.92 for a five-year mission. Minus the main energy storage capacitor it is 0.98.

40 CFR 300.320 - General pattern of response.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...., substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the United States, worst case discharge) of the... private party efforts, and where the discharge does not pose a substantial threat to the public health or... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false General pattern of response. 300.320...

Small Wars 2.0: A Working Paper on Land Force Planning After Iraq and Afghanistan

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

official examination of future ground combat demands that look genetically distinct from those undertaken in the name of the WoT. The concept of...under the worst-case rubric but for very different reasons. The latter are small wars. However, that by no means aptly describes their size

The +vbar breakout during approach to Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunham, Scott D.

1993-01-01

A set of burn profiles was developed to provide bounding jet firing histories for a +vbar breakout during approaches to Space Station Freedom. The delta-v sequences were designed to place the Orbiter on a safe trajectory under worst case conditions and to try to minimize plume impingement on Space Station Freedom structure.

A Comparison of Learning Technologies for Teaching Spacecraft Software Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Straub, Jeremy

2014-01-01

The development of software for spacecraft represents a particular challenge and is, in many ways, a worst case scenario from a design perspective. Spacecraft software must be "bulletproof" and operate for extended periods of time without user intervention. If the software fails, it cannot be manually serviced. Software failure may…

Providing Exemplars in the Learning Environment: The Case For and Against

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newlyn, David

2013-01-01

Contemporary education has moved towards the requirement of express articulation of assessment criteria and standards in an attempt to provide legitimacy in the measurement of student performance/achievement. Exemplars are provided examples of best or worst practice in the educational environment, which are designed to assist students to increase…

Ageing of Insensitive DNAN Based Melt-Cast Explosives

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

diurnal cycle (representative of the MEAO climate). Analysis of the ingredient composition, sensitiveness, mechanical and thermal properties was...first test condition was chosen to provide a worst-case scenario. Analysis of the ingredient composition, theoretical maximum density, sensitiveness...5 4.1.1 ARX-4027 Ingredient Analysis .............................................................. 5 4.1.2 ARX-4028 Ingredient Analysis

Power Analysis for Anticipated Non-Response in Randomized Block Designs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pustejovsky, James E.

2011-01-01

Recent guidance on the treatment of missing data in experiments advocates the use of sensitivity analysis and worst-case bounds analysis for addressing non-ignorable missing data mechanisms; moreover, plans for the analysis of missing data should be specified prior to data collection (Puma et al., 2009). While these authors recommend only that…

33 CFR 154.1120 - Operating restrictions and interim operating authorization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Facility Operating in Prince William Sound, Alaska § 154.1120 Operating restrictions and interim operating authorization. (a) The owner or operator of a TAPAA facility may not operate in Prince William Sound, Alaska... practicable, a worst case discharge or a discharge of 200,000 barrels of oil, whichever is grater, in Prince...

Facilitating Interdisciplinary Work: Using Quality Assessment to Create Common Ground

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberg, Gunilla

2009-01-01

Newcomers often underestimate the challenges of interdisciplinary work and, as a rule, do not spend sufficient time to allow them to overcome differences and create common ground, which in turn leads to frustration, unresolved conflicts, and, in the worst case scenario, discontinued work. The key to successful collaboration is to facilitate the…

76 FR 34799 - Permanent Dam Safety Modification at Cherokee, Fort Loudoun, Tellico, and Watts Bar Dams, TN

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-14

... notice is provided in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality's regulations (40 CFR parts... interconnected, fabric-lined, sand-filled HESCO containers in order to safely pass predicted worst-case..., but will not necessarily be limited to, the potential impacts on water quality, aquatic and...

Mixed-Age Grouping in Kindergarten: A Best Case Example of Developmentally Appropriate Practice or Horace Mann's Worst Nightmare?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tercek, Patricia M.

This practicum study examined kindergarten teachers' perspectives regarding mixed-age groupings that included kindergarten students. The study focused on pedagogical reasons for using mixed-age grouping, ingredients necessary for successful implementation of a multiage program that includes kindergartners, and the perceived effects of a multiage…

Case Study: POLYTECH High School, Woodside, Delaware.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern Regional Education Board, Atlanta, GA.

POLYTECH High School in Woodside, Delaware, has gone from being among the worst schools in the High Schools That Work (HSTW) network to among the best. Polytech, which is now a full-time technical high school, has improved its programs and outcomes by implementing a series of organizational, curriculum, teaching, guidance, and leadership changes,…

Guide for Oxygen Component Qualification Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bamford, Larry J.; Rucker, Michelle A.; Dobbin, Douglas

1996-01-01

Although oxygen is a chemically stable element, it is not shock sensitive, will not decompose, and is not flammable. Oxygen use therefore carries a risk that should never be overlooked, because oxygen is a strong oxidizer that vigorously supports combustion. Safety is of primary concern in oxygen service. To promote safety in oxygen systems, the flammability of materials used in them should be analyzed. At the NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF), we have performed configurational tests of components specifically engineered for oxygen service. These tests follow a detailed WSTF oxygen hazards analysis. The stated objective of the tests was to provide performance test data for customer use as part of a qualification plan for a particular component in a particular configuration, and under worst-case conditions. In this document - the 'Guide for Oxygen Component Qualification Tests' - we outline recommended test systems, and cleaning, handling, and test procedures that address worst-case conditions. It should be noted that test results apply specifically to: manual valves, remotely operated valves, check valves, relief valves, filters, regulators, flexible hoses, and intensifiers. Component systems are not covered.

The impact of the fast ion fluxes and thermal plasma loads on the design of the ITER fast ion loss detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kocan, M.; Garcia-Munoz, M.; Ayllon-Guerola, J.; Bertalot, L.; Bonnet, Y.; Casal, N.; Galdon, J.; Garcia-Lopez, J.; Giacomin, T.; Gonzalez-Martin, J.; Gunn, J. P.; Rodriguez-Ramos, M.; Reichle, R.; Rivero-Rodriguez, J. F.; Sanchis-Sanchez, L.; Vayakis, G.; Veshchev, E.; Vorpahl, C.; Walsh, M.; Walton, R.

2017-12-01

Thermal plasma loads to the ITER Fast Ion Loss Detector are studied for QDT = 10 burning plasma equilibrium using the 3D field line tracing. The simulations are performed for a FILD insertion 9-13 cm past the port plasma facing surface, optimized for fast ion measurements, and include the worst-case perturbation of the plasma boundary and the error in the magnetic reconstruction. The FILD head is exposed to superimposed time-averaged ELM heat load, static inter-ELM heat flux and plasma radiation. The study includes the estimate of the instantaneous temperature rise due to individual 0.6 MJ controlled ELMs. The maximum time-averaged surface heat load is lesssim 12 MW/m2 and will lead to increase of the FILD surface temperature well below the melting temperature of the materials considered here, for the FILD insertion time of 0.2 s. The worst-case instantaneous temperature rise during controlled 0.6 MJ ELMs is also significantly smaller than the melting temperature of e.g. Tungsten or Molybdenum, foreseen for the FILD housing.

Virtual sensors for active noise control in acoustic-structural coupled enclosures using structural sensing: robust virtual sensor design.

PubMed

Halim, Dunant; Cheng, Li; Su, Zhongqing

2011-03-01

The work was aimed to develop a robust virtual sensing design methodology for sensing and active control applications of vibro-acoustic systems. The proposed virtual sensor was designed to estimate a broadband acoustic interior sound pressure using structural sensors, with robustness against certain dynamic uncertainties occurring in an acoustic-structural coupled enclosure. A convex combination of Kalman sub-filters was used during the design, accommodating different sets of perturbed dynamic model of the vibro-acoustic enclosure. A minimax optimization problem was set up to determine an optimal convex combination of Kalman sub-filters, ensuring an optimal worst-case virtual sensing performance. The virtual sensing and active noise control performance was numerically investigated on a rectangular panel-cavity system. It was demonstrated that the proposed virtual sensor could accurately estimate the interior sound pressure, particularly the one dominated by cavity-controlled modes, by using a structural sensor. With such a virtual sensing technique, effective active noise control performance was also obtained even for the worst-case dynamics. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

Evaluating predictors of lead exposure for activities disturbing materials painted with or containing lead using historic published data from U.S. workplaces.

PubMed

Locke, Sarah J; Deziel, Nicole C; Koh, Dong-Hee; Graubard, Barry I; Purdue, Mark P; Friesen, Melissa C

2017-02-01

We evaluated predictors of differences in published occupational lead concentrations for activities disturbing material painted with or containing lead in U.S. workplaces to aid historical exposure reconstruction. For the aforementioned tasks, 221 air and 113 blood lead summary results (1960-2010) were extracted from a previously developed database. Differences in the natural log-transformed geometric mean (GM) for year, industry, job, and other ancillary variables were evaluated in meta-regression models that weighted each summary result by its inverse variance and sample size. Air and blood lead GMs declined 5%/year and 6%/year, respectively, in most industries. Exposure contrast in the GMs across the nine jobs and five industries was higher based on air versus blood concentrations. For welding activities, blood lead GMs were 1.7 times higher in worst-case versus non-worst case scenarios. Job, industry, and time-specific exposure differences were identified; other determinants were too sparse or collinear to characterize. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:189-197, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A radiation briefer's guide to the PIKE Model

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

Steadman, Jr, C R

1990-03-01

Gamma-radiation-exposure estimates to populations living immediately downwind from the Nevada Test Site have been required for many years by the US Department of Energy (DOE) before each containment-designed nuclear detonation. A highly unlikely worst-case'' scenario is utilized which assumes that there will be an accidental massive venting of radioactive debris into the atmosphere shortly after detonation. The Weather Service Nuclear Support Office (WSNSO) has supplied DOE with such estimates for the last 25 years using the WSNSO Fallout Scaling Technique (FOST), which employs a worst-case analog event that actually occurred in the past. The PIKE Model'' is the application ofmore » the FOST using the PIKE nuclear event as the analog. This report, which is primarily intended for WSNSO meteorologists who derive radiation estimates, gives a brief history of the model,'' presents the mathematical, radiological, and meteorological concepts upon which it is based, states its limitations, explains it apparent advantages over more sophisticated models, and details how it is used operationally. 10 refs., 31 figs., 7 tabs.« less

Housing for the "Worst of the Worst" Inmates: Public Support for Supermax Prisons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mears, Daniel P.; Mancini, Christina; Beaver, Kevin M.; Gertz, Marc

2013-01-01

Despite concerns whether supermaximum security prisons violate human rights or prove effective, these facilities have proliferated in America over the past 25 years. This punishment--aimed at the "worst of the worst" inmates and involving 23-hr-per-day single-cell confinement with few privileges or services--has emerged despite little…

Hydraulic Fracturing of Soils; A Literature Review.

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-03-01

best case, or worst case. The study reported herein is an overview of one such test or technique, hydraulic fracturing , which is defined as the...formation of cracks, in soil by the application of hydraulic pressure greater than the minor principal stress at that point. Hydraulic fracturing , as a... hydraulic fracturing as a means for determination of lateral stresses, the technique can still be used for determining in situ total stress and permeability at a point in a cohesive soil.

Health risk impacts analysis of fugitive aromatic compounds emissions from the working face of a municipal solid waste landfill in China.

PubMed

Liu, Yanjun; Liu, Yanting; Li, Hao; Fu, Xindi; Guo, Hanwen; Meng, Ruihong; Lu, Wenjing; Zhao, Ming; Wang, Hongtao

2016-12-01

Aromatic compounds (ACs) emitted from landfills have attracted a lot of attention of the public due to their adverse impacts on the environment and human health. This study assessed the health risk impacts of the fugitive ACs emitted from the working face of a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in China. The emission data was acquired by long-term in-situ samplings using a modified wind tunnel system. The uncertainty of aromatic emissions is determined by means of statistics and the emission factors were thus developed. Two scenarios, i.e. 'normal-case' and 'worst-case', were presented to evaluate the potential health risk in different weather conditions. For this typical large anaerobic landfill, toluene was the dominant species owing to its highest releasing rate (3.40±3.79g·m -2 ·d -1 ). Despite being of negligible non-carcinogenic risk, the ACs might bring carcinogenic risks to human in the nearby area. Ethylbenzene was the major health threat substance. The cumulative carcinogenic risk impact area is as far as ~1.5km at downwind direction for the normal-case scenario, and even nearly 4km for the worst-case scenario. Health risks of fugitive ACs emissions from active landfills should be concerned, especially for landfills which still receiving mixed MSW. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"Best Case/Worst Case": Qualitative Evaluation of a Novel Communication Tool for Difficult in-the-Moment Surgical Decisions.

PubMed

Kruser, Jacqueline M; Nabozny, Michael J; Steffens, Nicole M; Brasel, Karen J; Campbell, Toby C; Gaines, Martha E; Schwarze, Margaret L

2015-09-01

To evaluate a communication tool called "Best Case/Worst Case" (BC/WC) based on an established conceptual model of shared decision-making. Focus group study. Older adults (four focus groups) and surgeons (two focus groups) using modified questions from the Decision Aid Acceptability Scale and the Decisional Conflict Scale to evaluate and revise the communication tool. Individuals aged 60 and older recruited from senior centers (n = 37) and surgeons from academic and private practices in Wisconsin (n = 17). Qualitative content analysis was used to explore themes and concepts that focus group respondents identified. Seniors and surgeons praised the tool for the unambiguous illustration of multiple treatment options and the clarity gained from presentation of an array of treatment outcomes. Participants noted that the tool provides an opportunity for in-the-moment, preference-based deliberation about options and a platform for further discussion with other clinicians and loved ones. Older adults worried that the format of the tool was not universally accessible for people with different educational backgrounds, and surgeons had concerns that the tool was vulnerable to physicians' subjective biases. The BC/WC tool is a novel decision support intervention that may help facilitate difficult decision-making for older adults and their physicians when considering invasive, acute medical treatments such as surgery. © 2015, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2015, The American Geriatrics Society.

Lunar base thermal management/power system analysis and design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcghee, Jerry R.

1992-01-01

A compilation of several lunar surface thermal management and power system studies completed under contract and IR&D is presented. The work includes analysis and preliminary design of all major components of an integrated thermal management system, including loads determination, active internal acquisition and transport equipment, external transport systems (active and passive), passive insulation, solar shielding, and a range of lunar surface radiator concepts. Several computer codes were utilized in support of this study, including RADSIM to calculate radiation exchange factors and view factors, RADIATOR (developed in-house) for heat rejection system sizing and performance analysis over a lunar day, SURPWER for power system sizing, and CRYSTORE for cryogenic system performance predictions. Although much of the work was performed in support of lunar rover studies, any or all of the results can be applied to a range of surface applications. Output data include thermal loads summaries, subsystem performance data, mass, and volume estimates (where applicable), integrated and worst-case lunar day radiator size/mass and effective sink temperatures for several concepts (shielded and unshielded), and external transport system performance estimates for both single and two-phase (heat pumped) transport loops. Several advanced radiator concepts are presented, along with brief assessments of possible system benefits and potential drawbacks. System point designs are presented for several cases, executed in support of the contract and IR&D studies, although the parametric nature of the analysis is stressed to illustrate applicability of the analysis procedure to a wide variety of lunar surface systems. The reference configuration(s) derived from the various studies will be presented along with supporting criteria. A preliminary design will also be presented for the reference basing scenario, including qualitative data regarding TPS concerns and issues.

Primary Spinal Cord Melanoma: A Case Report and a Systemic Review of Overall Survival.

PubMed

Zhang, Mingzhe; Liu, Raynald; Xiang, Yi; Mao, Jianhui; Li, Guangjie; Ma, Ronghua; Sun, Zhaosheng

2018-06-01

The incidence of primary spinal cord melanoma (PSCM) is rare. Several case series and case reports have been published in the literature. However, the predictive factors of PSCM survival and management options are not discussed in detail. We present a case of PSCM; total resection was achieved and chemotherapy was given postoperatively. A comprehensive search was performed on PubMed's electronic database using the words "primary spinal cord melanoma." Survival rates with various gender, location, treatment, and metastasis condition were collected from the published articles and analyzed. Fifty nine cases were eligible for the survival analysis; 54% were male and 46% were female. Patient sex did not influence overall survival. The most common location was the thorax. Patient sex and tumor location did not influence overall survival. The major presenting symptoms were weakness and paresthesia of the extremities. Metastasis or dissemination was noted in 45.16% of 31 patients. In the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, patients who had metastasis had the worst prognosis. Extent of resection was not related to mortality. Patients who received surgery and surgery with adjuvant therapy had a better median survival than did those who had adjuvant therapy alone. Prognosis was worst in those patients who underwent only adjuvant therapy without surgery (5 months). Surgery is the first treatment of choice in treating PSCM. The goal of tumor resection is to reduce symptoms. Adjuvant therapy after surgery had a beneficial effect on limiting the metastasis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimated intake of the artificial sweeteners acesulfame-K, aspartame, cyclamate and saccharin in a group of Swedish diabetics.

PubMed

Ilbäck, N-G; Alzin, M; Jahrl, S; Enghardt-Barbieri, H; Busk, L

2003-02-01

Few sweetener intake studies have been performed on the general population and only one study has been specifically designed to investigate diabetics and children. This report describes a Swedish study on the estimated intake of the artificial sweeteners acesulfame-K, aspartame, cyclamate and saccharin by children (0-15 years) and adult male and female diabetics (types I and II) of various ages (16-90 years). Altogether, 1120 participants were asked to complete a questionnaire about their sweetener intake. The response rate (71%, range 59-78%) was comparable across age and gender groups. The most consumed 'light' foodstuffs were diet soda, cider, fruit syrup, table powder, table tablets, table drops, ice cream, chewing gum, throat lozenges, sweets, yoghurt and vitamin C. The major sources of sweetener intake were beverages and table powder. About 70% of the participants, equally distributed across all age groups, read the manufacturer's specifications of the food products' content. The estimated intakes showed that neither men nor women exceeded the ADI for acesulfame-K; however, using worst-case calculations, high intakes were found in young children (169% of ADI). In general, the aspartame intake was low. Children had the highest estimated (worst case) intake of cyclamate (317% of ADI). Children's estimated intake of saccharin only slightly exceeded the ADI at the 5% level for fruit syrup. Children had an unexpected high intake of tabletop sweeteners, which, in Sweden, is normally based on cyclamate. The study was performed during two winter months when it can be assumed that the intake of sweeteners was lower as compared with during warm, summer months. Thus, the present study probably underestimates the average intake on a yearly basis. However, our worst-case calculations based on maximum permitted levels were performed on each individual sweetener, although exposure is probably relatively evenly distributed among all sweeteners, except for cyclamate containing table sweeteners.

Dispelling urban myths about default uncertainty factors in chemical risk assessment – sufficient protection against mixture effects?

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Assessing the detrimental health effects of chemicals requires the extrapolation of experimental data in animals to human populations. This is achieved by applying a default uncertainty factor of 100 to doses not found to be associated with observable effects in laboratory animals. It is commonly assumed that the toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic sub-components of this default uncertainty factor represent worst-case scenarios and that the multiplication of those components yields conservative estimates of safe levels for humans. It is sometimes claimed that this conservatism also offers adequate protection from mixture effects. By analysing the evolution of uncertainty factors from a historical perspective, we expose that the default factor and its sub-components are intended to represent adequate rather than worst-case scenarios. The intention of using assessment factors for mixture effects was abandoned thirty years ago. It is also often ignored that the conservatism (or otherwise) of uncertainty factors can only be considered in relation to a defined level of protection. A protection equivalent to an effect magnitude of 0.001-0.0001% over background incidence is generally considered acceptable. However, it is impossible to say whether this level of protection is in fact realised with the tolerable doses that are derived by employing uncertainty factors. Accordingly, it is difficult to assess whether uncertainty factors overestimate or underestimate the sensitivity differences in human populations. It is also often not appreciated that the outcome of probabilistic approaches to the multiplication of sub-factors is dependent on the choice of probability distributions. Therefore, the idea that default uncertainty factors are overly conservative worst-case scenarios which can account both for the lack of statistical power in animal experiments and protect against potential mixture effects is ill-founded. We contend that precautionary regulation should provide an incentive to generate better data and recommend adopting a pragmatic, but scientifically better founded approach to mixture risk assessment. PMID:23816180

Dispelling urban myths about default uncertainty factors in chemical risk assessment--sufficient protection against mixture effects?

PubMed

Martin, Olwenn V; Martin, Scholze; Kortenkamp, Andreas

2013-07-01

Assessing the detrimental health effects of chemicals requires the extrapolation of experimental data in animals to human populations. This is achieved by applying a default uncertainty factor of 100 to doses not found to be associated with observable effects in laboratory animals. It is commonly assumed that the toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic sub-components of this default uncertainty factor represent worst-case scenarios and that the multiplication of those components yields conservative estimates of safe levels for humans. It is sometimes claimed that this conservatism also offers adequate protection from mixture effects. By analysing the evolution of uncertainty factors from a historical perspective, we expose that the default factor and its sub-components are intended to represent adequate rather than worst-case scenarios. The intention of using assessment factors for mixture effects was abandoned thirty years ago. It is also often ignored that the conservatism (or otherwise) of uncertainty factors can only be considered in relation to a defined level of protection. A protection equivalent to an effect magnitude of 0.001-0.0001% over background incidence is generally considered acceptable. However, it is impossible to say whether this level of protection is in fact realised with the tolerable doses that are derived by employing uncertainty factors. Accordingly, it is difficult to assess whether uncertainty factors overestimate or underestimate the sensitivity differences in human populations. It is also often not appreciated that the outcome of probabilistic approaches to the multiplication of sub-factors is dependent on the choice of probability distributions. Therefore, the idea that default uncertainty factors are overly conservative worst-case scenarios which can account both for the lack of statistical power in animal experiments and protect against potential mixture effects is ill-founded. We contend that precautionary regulation should provide an incentive to generate better data and recommend adopting a pragmatic, but scientifically better founded approach to mixture risk assessment.

Assessing oral bioaccessibility of trace elements in soils under worst-case scenarios by automated in-line dynamic extraction as a front end to inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

PubMed

Rosende, María; Magalhães, Luis M; Segundo, Marcela A; Miró, Manuel

2014-09-09

A novel biomimetic extraction procedure that allows for the in-line handing of ≥400 mg solid substrates is herein proposed for automatic ascertainment of trace element (TE) bioaccessibility in soils under worst-case conditions as per recommendations of ISO norms. A unified bioaccessibility/BARGE method (UBM)-like physiological-based extraction test is evaluated for the first time in a dynamic format for accurate assessment of in-vitro bioaccessibility of Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in forest and residential-garden soils by on-line coupling of a hybrid flow set-up to inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Three biologically relevant operational extraction modes mimicking: (i) gastric juice extraction alone; (ii) saliva and gastric juice composite in unidirectional flow extraction format and (iii) saliva and gastric juice composite in a recirculation mode were thoroughly investigated. The extraction profiles of the three configurations using digestive fluids were proven to fit a first order reaction kinetic model for estimating the maximum TE bioaccessibility, that is, the actual worst-case scenario in human risk assessment protocols. A full factorial design, in which the sample amount (400-800 mg), the extractant flow rate (0.5-1.5 mL min(-1)) and the extraction temperature (27-37°C) were selected as variables for the multivariate optimization studies in order to obtain the maximum TE extractability. Two soils of varied physicochemical properties were analysed and no significant differences were found at the 0.05 significance level between the summation of leached concentrations of TE in gastric juice plus the residual fraction and the total concentration of the overall assayed metals determined by microwave digestion. These results showed the reliability and lack of bias (trueness) of the automatic biomimetic extraction approach using digestive juices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relaxing USOS Solar Array Constraints for Russian Vehicle Undocking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menkin, Evgeny; Schrock, Mariusz; Schrock, Rita; Zaczek, Mariusz; Gomez, Susan; Lee, Roscoe; Bennet, George

2011-01-01

With the retirement of Space Shuttle cargo delivery capability and the ten year life extension of the International Space Station (ISS) more emphasis is being put on preservation of the service life of ISS critical components. Current restrictions on the United States Orbital Segment (USOS) Solar Array (SA) positioning during Russian Vehicle (RV) departure from ISS nadir and zenith ports cause SA to be positioned in the plume field of Service Module thrusters and lead to degradation of SAs as well as potential damage to Sun tracking Beta Gimbal Assemblies (BGA). These restrictions are imposed because of the single fault tolerant RV Motion Control System (MCS), which does not meet ISS Safety requirements for catastrophic hazards and dictates 16 degree Solar Array Rotary Joint position, which ensures that ISS and RV relative motion post separation, does lead to collision. The purpose of this paper is to describe a methodology and the analysis that was performed to determine relative motion trajectories of the ISS and separating RV for nominal and contingency cases. Analysis was performed in three phases that included ISS free drift prior to Visiting Vehicle separation, ISS and Visiting Vehicle relative motion analysis and clearance analysis. First, the ISS free drift analysis determined the worst case attitude and attitude rate excursions prior to RV separation based on a series of different configurations and mass properties. Next, the relative motion analysis calculated the separation trajectories while varying the initial conditions, such as docking mechanism performance, Visiting Vehicle MCS failure, departure port location, ISS attitude and attitude rates at the time of separation, etc. The analysis employed both orbital mechanics and rigid body rotation calculations while accounting for various atmospheric conditions and gravity gradient effects. The resulting relative motion trajectories were then used to determine the worst case separation envelopes during the clearance analysis. Analytical models were developed individually for each stage and the results were used to build initial conditions for the following stages. In addition to the analysis approach, this paper also discusses the analysis results, showing worst case relative motion envelopes, the recommendations for ISS appendage positioning and the suggested approach for future analyses.

Modelling Long Term Disability following Injury: Comparison of Three Approaches for Handling Multiple Injuries

PubMed Central

Gabbe, Belinda J.; Harrison, James E.; Lyons, Ronan A.; Jolley, Damien

2011-01-01

Background Injury is a leading cause of the global burden of disease (GBD). Estimates of non-fatal injury burden have been limited by a paucity of empirical outcomes data. This study aimed to (i) establish the 12-month disability associated with each GBD 2010 injury health state, and (ii) compare approaches to modelling the impact of multiple injury health states on disability as measured by the Glasgow Outcome Scale – Extended (GOS-E). Methods 12-month functional outcomes for 11,337 survivors to hospital discharge were drawn from the Victorian State Trauma Registry and the Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry. ICD-10 diagnosis codes were mapped to the GBD 2010 injury health states. Cases with a GOS-E score >6 were defined as “recovered.” A split dataset approach was used. Cases were randomly assigned to development or test datasets. Probability of recovery for each health state was calculated using the development dataset. Three logistic regression models were evaluated: a) additive, multivariable; b) “worst injury;” and c) multiplicative. Models were adjusted for age and comorbidity and investigated for discrimination and calibration. Findings A single injury health state was recorded for 46% of cases (1–16 health states per case). The additive (C-statistic 0.70, 95% CI: 0.69, 0.71) and “worst injury” (C-statistic 0.70; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.71) models demonstrated higher discrimination than the multiplicative (C-statistic 0.68; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.70) model. The additive and “worst injury” models demonstrated acceptable calibration. Conclusions The majority of patients survived with persisting disability at 12-months, highlighting the importance of improving estimates of non-fatal injury burden. Additive and “worst” injury models performed similarly. GBD 2010 injury states were moderately predictive of recovery 1-year post-injury. Further evaluation using additional measures of health status and functioning and comparison with the GBD 2010 disability weights will be needed to optimise injury states for future GBD studies. PMID:21984951

Tail mean and related robust solution concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogryczak, Włodzimierz

2014-01-01

Robust optimisation might be viewed as a multicriteria optimisation problem where objectives correspond to the scenarios although their probabilities are unknown or imprecise. The simplest robust solution concept represents a conservative approach focused on the worst-case scenario results optimisation. A softer concept allows one to optimise the tail mean thus combining performances under multiple worst scenarios. We show that while considering robust models allowing the probabilities to vary only within given intervals, the tail mean represents the robust solution for only upper bounded probabilities. For any arbitrary intervals of probabilities the corresponding robust solution may be expressed by the optimisation of appropriately combined mean and tail mean criteria thus remaining easily implementable with auxiliary linear inequalities. Moreover, we use the tail mean concept to develope linear programming implementable robust solution concepts related to risk averse optimisation criteria.

Cyber-security Considerations for Real-Time Physiological Status Monitoring: Threats, Goals, and Use Cases

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-01

low- power RF transmissions used by the OBAN system. B. Threat Analysis Methodology To analyze the risk presented by a particular threat we use a... power efficiency5 and in the absolute worst case a compromise of the wireless channel could result in death. Fitness trackers on the other hand are...analysis is intended to inform the development of secure RT-PSM architectures. I. INTRODUCTION The development of very low- power computing devices and

Considering the worst-case metabolic scenario, but training to the typical-case competitive scenario: response to Amtmann (2012).

PubMed

Del Vecchio, Fabrício Boscolo; Franchini, Emerson

2013-08-01

This response to Amtmann's letter emphasizes that the knowledge of the typical time structure, as well as its variation, together with the main goal of the mixed martial arts athletes--to win by knock out or submission--need to be properly considered during the training sessions. Example with other combat sports are given and discussed, especially concerning the importance of adapting the physical conditioning workouts to the technical-tactical profile of the athlete and not the opposite.

The reduction of a ""safety catastrophic'' potential hazard: A case history

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, J. P.

1971-01-01

A worst case analysis is reported on the safety of time watch movements for triggering explosive packages on the lunar surface in an experiment to investigate physical lunar structural characteristics through induced seismic energy waves. Considered are the combined effects of low pressure, low temperature, lunar gravity, gear train error, and position. Control measures constitute a seal control cavity and design requirements to prevent overbanking in the mainspring torque curve. Thus, the potential hazard is reduced to safety negligible.

A Case Study in Design Thinking Applied Through Aviation Mission Support Tactical Advancements for the Next Generation (TANG)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

This is an examination of the research, execution, and follow- on developments supporting the Design Thinking event explored through Case Study ...research, execution, and follow- on developments supporting the Design Thinking event explored through case study methods. Additionally, the lenses of...total there have been two Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) case study theses on U.S. Navy innovation events as well as other works examining the

33 CFR 154.1035 - Specific requirements for facilities that could reasonably be expected to cause significant and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... spill mitigation procedures. (i) This subsection must describe the volume(s) and oil groups that would... applicable, the worst case discharge from the non-transportation-related facility. This must be the same volume provided in the response plan for the non-transportation-related facility. (ii) This subsection...

Effects of forcing uncertainties in the improvement skills of assimilating satellite soil moisture retrievals into flood forecasting models

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Floods have negative impacts on society, causing damages in infrastructures and industry, and in the worst cases, causing loss of human lives. Thus early and accurate warning is crucial to significantly reduce the impacts on public safety and economy. Reliable flood warning can be generated using ...

Evaluation of Bias Correction Methods for "Worst-case" Selective Non-participation in NAEP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Don; Gallagher, Larry; Stancavage, Fran

2004-01-01

With the advent of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the context for NAEP participation is changing. Whereas in the past participation in NAEP has always been voluntary, participation is now mandatory for some grade and subjects among schools receiving Title I funds. While this will certainly raise school-level participation rates in the mandated…

30 CFR 254.26 - What information must I include in the “Worst case discharge scenario” appendix?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL-SPILL RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS FOR FACILITIES LOCATED SEAWARD OF THE COAST LINE Oil-Spill Response Plans for Outer Continental Shelf Facilities § 254.26... the facility that oil could move in a time period that it reasonably could be expected to persist in...

30 CFR 254.26 - What information must I include in the “Worst case discharge scenario” appendix?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL-SPILL RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS FOR FACILITIES LOCATED SEAWARD OF THE COAST LINE Oil-Spill Response Plans for Outer Continental Shelf Facilities § 254.26... the facility that oil could move in a time period that it reasonably could be expected to persist in...

30 CFR 254.26 - What information must I include in the “Worst case discharge scenario” appendix?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL-SPILL RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS FOR FACILITIES LOCATED SEAWARD OF THE COAST LINE Oil-Spill Response Plans for Outer Continental Shelf Facilities § 254.26... the facility that oil could move in a time period that it reasonably could be expected to persist in...

40 CFR 57.405 - Formulation, approval, and implementation of requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... study shall be submitted after the end of the worst case three-month period as a part of the next semi... study demonstrating that the SCS will prevent violations of the NAAQS in the smelter's DLA at all times. The reliability study shall include a comprehensive analysis of the system's operation during one or...

Algorithm Diversity for Resilent Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-27

data structures. 15. SUBJECT TERMS computer security, software diversity, program transformation 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF 18...systematic method for transforming Datalog rules with general universal and existential quantification into efficient algorithms with precise complexity...worst case in the size of the ground rules. There are numerous choices during the transformation that lead to diverse algorithms and different

CTE Delivers Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magnuson, Peter

2013-01-01

Imagine a football team without a quarterback. Imagine a ship without a captain. Imagine a kitchen without a chef. Right now, you are probably running a number of worst-case scenarios through your head: a losing season; a ship adrift; some not-so-tasty cookies. The reason your mind has conjured up these end results is because in each of these…

The Mayors' Charter Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magee, Michael

2014-01-01

In 2007, the case could be made that Rhode Island had, dollar for dollar, the worst-performing public education system in the United States. Despite per-pupil expenditures ranking in the top 10 nationally, the state's 8th graders fared no better than 40th in reading and 33rd in math on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Only…

Improved Multiple-Species Cyclotron Ion Source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soli, George A.; Nichols, Donald K.

1990-01-01

Use of pure isotope 86Kr instead of natural krypton in multiple-species ion source enables source to produce krypton ions separated from argon ions by tuning cylcotron with which source used. Addition of capability to produce and separate krypton ions at kinetic energies of 150 to 400 MeV necessary for simulation of worst-case ions occurring in outer space.

States' Fiscal Woes Raise Anxiety Level on School Budgets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zehr, Mary Ann

2007-01-01

A long-projected revenue chill is beginning to bite in a number of states, putting pressure on education policymakers to defend existing programs--and, in some cases, forcing them to prepare for the worst if budget cuts become a reality. The causes vary, from slack property-tax receipts in Florida to a chronically sluggish economy in Michigan. But…

Variation tolerant SoC design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozhikkottu, Vivek J.

The scaling of integrated circuits into the nanometer regime has led to variations emerging as a primary concern for designers of integrated circuits. Variations are an inevitable consequence of the semiconductor manufacturing process, and also arise due to the side-effects of operation of integrated circuits (voltage, temperature, and aging). Conventional design approaches, which are based on design corners or worst-case scenarios, leave designers with an undesirable choice between the considerable overheads associated with over-design and significantly reduced manufacturing yield. Techniques for variation-tolerant design at the logic, circuit and layout levels of the design process have been developed and are in commercial use. However, with the incessant increase in variations due to technology scaling and design trends such as near-threshold computing, these techniques are no longer sufficient to contain the effects of variations, and there is a need to address variations at all stages of design. This thesis addresses the problem of variation-tolerant design at the earliest stages of the design process, where the system-level design decisions that are made can have a very significant impact. There are two key aspects to making system-level design variation-aware. First, analysis techniques must be developed to project the impact of variations on system-level metrics such as application performance and energy. Second, variation-tolerant design techniques need to be developed to absorb the residual impact of variations (that cannot be contained through lower-level techniques). In this thesis, we address both these facets by developing robust and scalable variation-aware analysis and variation mitigation techniques at the system level. The first contribution of this thesis is a variation-aware system-level performance analysis framework. We address the key challenge of translating the per-component clock frequency distributions into a system-level application performance distribution. This task is particularly complex and challenging due to the inter-dependencies between components' execution, indirect effects of shared resources, and interactions between multiple system-level "execution paths". We argue that accurate variation-aware performance analysis requires Monte-Carlo based repeated system execution. Our proposed analysis framework leverages emulation to significantly speedup performance analysis without sacrificing the generality and accuracy achieved by Monte-Carlo based simulations. Our experiments show performance improvements of around 60x compared to state-of-the-art hardware-software co-simulation tools and also underscore the framework's potential to enable variation-aware design and exploration at the system level. Our second contribution addresses the problem of designing variation-tolerant SoCs using recovery based design, a popular circuit design paradigm that addresses variations by eliminating guard-bands and operating circuits at close to "zero margins" while detecting and recovering from timing errors. While previous efforts have demonstrated the potential benefits of recovery based design, we identify several challenges that need to be addressed in order to apply this technique to SoCs. We present a systematic design framework to apply recovery based design at the system level. We propose to partition SoCs into "recovery islands", wherein each recovery island consists of one or more SoC components that can recover independent of the rest of the SoC. We present a variation-aware design methodology that partitions a given SoC into recovery islands and computes the optimal operating points for each island, taking into account the various trade-offs involved. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed design framework achieves an average of 32% energy savings over conventional worst-case designs, with negligible losses in performance. The third contribution of this thesis introduces disproportionate allocation of shared system resources as a means to combat the adverse impact of within-die variations on multi-core platforms. For multi-threaded programs executing on variation-impacted multi-cores platforms, we make the key observation that thread performance is not only a function of the frequency of the core on which it is executing on, but also depends upon the amount of shared system resources allocated to it. We utilize this insight to design a variation-aware runtime scheme which allocates the ways of a last-level shared L2 cache amongst the different cores/threads of a multi-core platform taking into account both application characteristics as well as chip specific variation profiles. Our experiments on 100 quad-core chips, each with a distinct variation profile, shows on an average 15% performance improvements for a suite of multi-threaded benchmarks. Our final contribution investigates the variation-tolerant design of domain-specific accelerators and demonstrates how the unique architectural properties of these accelerators can be leveraged to create highly effective variation tolerance mechanisms. We explore this concept through the variation-tolerant design of a vector processor that efficiently executes applications from the domains of recognition, mining and synthesis (RMS). We develop a novel design approach for variation tolerance, which leverages the unique nature of the vector reduction operations performed by this processor to effectively predict and preempt the occurrence of timing errors under variations and subsequently restore the correct output at the end of each vector reduction operation. We implement the above predict, preempt and restore operations by suitably enhancing the processor hardware and the application software and demonstrate considerable energy benefits (on an average 32%) across six applications from the domains of RMS. In conclusion, our work provides system designers with powerful tools and mechanisms in their efforts to combat variations, resulting in improved designer productivity and variation-tolerant systems.

The role of responsibility and fear of guilt in hypothesis-testing.

PubMed

Mancini, Francesco; Gangemi, Amelia

2006-12-01

Recent theories argue that both perceived responsibility and fear of guilt increase obsessive-like behaviours. We propose that hypothesis-testing might account for this effect. Both perceived responsibility and fear of guilt would influence subjects' hypothesis-testing, by inducing a prudential style. This style implies focusing on and confirming the worst hypothesis, and reiterating the testing process. In our experiment, we manipulated the responsibility and fear of guilt of 236 normal volunteers who executed a deductive task. The results show that perceived responsibility is the main factor that influenced individuals' hypothesis-testing. Fear of guilt has however a significant additive effect. Guilt-fearing participants preferred to carry on with the diagnostic process, even when faced with initial favourable evidence, whereas participants in the responsibility condition only did so when confronted with an unfavourable evidence. Implications for the understanding of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are discussed.

Robust Identification of Alzheimer's Disease subtypes based on cortical atrophy patterns.

PubMed

Park, Jong-Yun; Na, Han Kyu; Kim, Sungsoo; Kim, Hyunwook; Kim, Hee Jin; Seo, Sang Won; Na, Duk L; Han, Cheol E; Seong, Joon-Kyung

2017-03-09

Accumulating evidence suggests that Alzheimer's disease (AD) is heterogenous and can be classified into several subtypes. Here, we propose a robust subtyping method for AD based on cortical atrophy patterns and graph theory. We calculated similarities between subjects in their atrophy patterns throughout the whole brain, and clustered subjects with similar atrophy patterns using the Louvain method for modular organization extraction. We applied our method to AD patients recruited at Samsung Medical Center and externally validated our method by using the AD Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset. Our method categorized very mild AD into three clinically distinct subtypes with high reproducibility (>90%); the parietal-predominant (P), medial temporal-predominant (MT), and diffuse (D) atrophy subtype. The P subtype showed the worst clinical presentation throughout the cognitive domains, while the MT and D subtypes exhibited relatively mild presentation. The MT subtype revealed more impaired language and executive function compared to the D subtype.

Robust Identification of Alzheimer’s Disease subtypes based on cortical atrophy patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jong-Yun; Na, Han Kyu; Kim, Sungsoo; Kim, Hyunwook; Kim, Hee Jin; Seo, Sang Won; Na, Duk L.; Han, Cheol E.; Seong, Joon-Kyung; Weiner, Michael; Aisen, Paul; Petersen, Ronald; Jack, Clifford R.; Jagust, William; Trojanowki, John Q.; Toga, Arthur W.; Beckett, Laurel; Green, Robert C.; Saykin, Andrew J.; Morris, John; Shaw, Leslie M.; Liu, Enchi; Montine, Tom; Thomas, Ronald G.; Donohue, Michael; Walter, Sarah; Gessert, Devon; Sather, Tamie; Jiminez, Gus; Harvey, Danielle; Bernstein, Matthew; Fox, Nick; Thompson, Paul; Schuff, Norbert; Decarli, Charles; Borowski, Bret; Gunter, Jeff; Senjem, Matt; Vemuri, Prashanthi; Jones, David; Kantarci, Kejal; Ward, Chad; Koeppe, Robert A.; Foster, Norm; Reiman, Eric M.; Chen, Kewei; Mathis, Chet; Landau, Susan; Cairns, Nigel J.; Householder, Erin; Taylor Reinwald, Lisa; Lee, Virginia; Korecka, Magdalena; Figurski, Michal; Crawford, Karen; Neu, Scott; Foroud, Tatiana M.; Potkin, Steven G.; Shen, Li; Kelley, Faber; Kim, Sungeun; Nho, Kwangsik; Kachaturian, Zaven; Frank, Richard; Snyder, Peter J.; Molchan, Susan; Kaye, Jeffrey; Quinn, Joseph; Lind, Betty; Carter, Raina; Dolen, Sara; Schneider, Lon S.; Pawluczyk, Sonia; Beccera, Mauricio; Teodoro, Liberty; Spann, Bryan M.; Brewer, James; Vanderswag, Helen; Fleisher, Adam; Heidebrink, Judith L.; Lord, Joanne L.; Mason, Sara S.; Albers, Colleen S.; Knopman, David; Johnson, Kris; Doody, Rachelle S.; Villanueva Meyer, Javier; Chowdhury, Munir; Rountree, Susan; Dang, Mimi; Stern, Yaakov; Honig, Lawrence S.; Bell, Karen L.; Ances, Beau; Carroll, Maria; Leon, Sue; Mintun, Mark A.; Schneider, Stacy; Oliver, Angela; Marson, Daniel; Griffith, Randall; Clark, David; Geldmacher, David; Brockington, John; Roberson, Erik; Grossman, Hillel; Mitsis, Effie; de Toledo-Morrell, Leyla; Shah, Raj C.; Duara, Ranjan; Varon, Daniel; Greig, Maria T.; Roberts, Peggy; Albert, Marilyn; Onyike, Chiadi; D'Agostino, Daniel, II; Kielb, Stephanie; Galvin, James E.; Pogorelec, Dana M.; Cerbone, Brittany; Michel, Christina A.; Rusinek, Henry; de Leon, Mony J.; Glodzik, Lidia; de Santi, Susan; Doraiswamy, P. Murali; Petrella, Jeffrey R.; Wong, Terence Z.; Arnold, Steven E.; Karlawish, Jason H.; Wolk, David; Smith, Charles D.; Jicha, Greg; Hardy, Peter; Sinha, Partha; Oates, Elizabeth; Conrad, Gary; Lopez, Oscar L.; Oakley, Maryann; Simpson, Donna M.; Porsteinsson, Anton P.; Goldstein, Bonnie S.; Martin, Kim; Makino, Kelly M.; Ismail, M. Saleem; Brand, Connie; Mulnard, Ruth A.; Thai, Gaby; Mc Adams Ortiz, Catherine; Womack, Kyle; Mathews, Dana; Quiceno, Mary; Diaz Arrastia, Ramon; King, Richard; Weiner, Myron; Martin Cook, Kristen; Devous, Michael; Levey, Allan I.; Lah, James J.; Cellar, Janet S.; Burns, Jeffrey M.; Anderson, Heather S.; Swerdlow, Russell H.; Apostolova, Liana; Tingus, Kathleen; Woo, Ellen; Silverman, Daniel H. S.; Lu, Po H.; Bartzokis, George; Graff Radford, Neill R.; Parfitt, Francine; Kendall, Tracy; Johnson, Heather; Farlow, Martin R.; Marie Hake, Ann; Matthews, Brandy R.; Herring, Scott; Hunt, Cynthia; van Dyck, Christopher H.; Carson, Richard E.; Macavoy, Martha G.; Chertkow, Howard; Bergman, Howard; Hosein, Chris; Black, Sandra; Stefanovic, Bojana; Caldwell, Curtis; Robin Hsiung, Ging Yuek; Feldman, Howard; Mudge, Benita; Assaly, Michele; Trost, Dick; Bernick, Charles; Munic, Donna; Kerwin, Diana; Marsel Mesulam, Marek; Lipowski, Kristine; Kuo Wu, Chuang; Johnson, Nancy; Sadowsky, Carl; Martinez, Walter; Villena, Teresa; Scott Turner, Raymond; Johnson, Kathleen; Reynolds, Brigid; Sperling, Reisa A.; Johnson, Keith A.; Marshall, Gad; Frey, Meghan; Yesavage, Jerome; Taylor, Joy L.; Lane, Barton; Rosen, Allyson; Tinklenberg, Jared; Sabbagh, Marwan N.; Belden, Christine M.; Jacobson, Sandra A.; Sirrel, Sherye A.; Kowall, Neil; Killiany, Ronald; Budson, Andrew E.; Norbash, Alexander; Lynn Johnson, Patricia; Obisesan, Thomas O.; Wolday, Saba; Allard, Joanne; Lerner, Alan; Ogrocki, Paula; Hudson, Leon; Fletcher, Evan; Carmichael, Owen; Olichney, John; Kittur, Smita; Borrie, Michael; Lee, T. Y.; Bartha, Rob; Johnson, Sterling; Asthana, Sanjay; Carlsson, Cynthia M.; Preda, Adrian; Nguyen, Dana; Tariot, Pierre; Reeder, Stephanie; Bates, Vernice; Capote, Horacio; Rainka, Michelle; Scharre, Douglas W.; Kataki, Maria; Adeli, Anahita; Zimmerman, Earl A.; Celmins, Dzintra; Brown, Alice D.; Pearlson, Godfrey D.; Blank, Karen; Anderson, Karen; Santulli, Robert B.; Kitzmiller, Tamar J.; Schwartz, Eben S.; Sink, Kaycee M.; Williamson, Jeff D.; Garg, Pradeep; Watkins, Franklin; Ott, Brian R.; Querfurth, Henry; Tremont, Geoffrey; Salloway, Stephen; Malloy, Paul; Correia, Stephen; Rosen, Howard J.; Miller, Bruce L.; Mintzer, Jacobo; Spicer, Kenneth; Bachman, David; Finger, Elizabether; Pasternak, Stephen; Rachinsky, Irina; Rogers, John; Kertesz, Andrew; Pomara, Nunzio; Hernando, Raymundo; Sarrael, Antero; Schultz, Susan K.; Boles Ponto, Laura L.; Shim, Hyungsub; Smith, Karen Elizabeth; Relkin, Norman; Chaing, Gloria; Raudin, Lisa; Smith, Amanda; Fargher, Kristin; Raj, Balebail Ashok

2017-03-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is heterogenous and can be classified into several subtypes. Here, we propose a robust subtyping method for AD based on cortical atrophy patterns and graph theory. We calculated similarities between subjects in their atrophy patterns throughout the whole brain, and clustered subjects with similar atrophy patterns using the Louvain method for modular organization extraction. We applied our method to AD patients recruited at Samsung Medical Center and externally validated our method by using the AD Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset. Our method categorized very mild AD into three clinically distinct subtypes with high reproducibility (>90%) the parietal-predominant (P), medial temporal-predominant (MT), and diffuse (D) atrophy subtype. The P subtype showed the worst clinical presentation throughout the cognitive domains, while the MT and D subtypes exhibited relatively mild presentation. The MT subtype revealed more impaired language and executive function compared to the D subtype.

Estimation of human damage and economic loss of buildings for the worst-credible scenario of tsunami inundation in the city of Augusta, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagnoni, Gianluca; Tinti, Stefano

2017-04-01

The city of Augusta is located in the southern part of the eastern coast of Sicily. Italian tsunami catalogue and paleo-tsunami surveys indicate that at least 7 events of tsunami affected the bay of Augusta in the last 4,000 years, two of which are associated with earthquakes (1169 and 1693) that destroyed the city. For these reasons Augusta has been chosen in the project ASTARTE as a test site for the study of issues related to tsunami hazard and risk. In last two years we studied hazard through the approach of the worst-case credible scenario and carried out vulnerability and damage analysis for buildings. In this work, we integrate that research, and estimate the damage to people and the economic loss of buildings due to structural damage. As regards inundation, we assume both uniform inundation levels (bath-tub hypothesis) and inundation data resulting from the worst-case scenario elaborated for the area by Armigliato et al. (2015). Human damage is calculated in three steps using the method introduced by Pagnoni et al. (2016) following the work by Terrier et al. (2012) and by Koshimura et al. (2009). First, we use census data to estimate the number of people present in each residential building affected by inundation; second, based on water column depth and building type, we evaluate the level of damage to people; third, we provide an estimate of fatalities. The economic loss is computed for two types of buildings (residential and trade-industrial) by using data on inundation and data from the real estate market. This study was funded by the EU Project ASTARTE - "Assessment, STrategy And Risk Reduction for Tsunamis in Europe", Grant 603839, 7th FP (ENV.2013.6.4-3)

Best-worst scaling to assess the most important barriers and facilitators for the use of health technology assessment in Austria.

PubMed

Feig, Chiara; Cheung, Kei Long; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Evers, Silvia M A A; Simon, Judit; Mayer, Susanne

2018-04-01

Although Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is increasingly used to support evidence-based decision-making in health care, several barriers and facilitators for the use of HTA have been identified. This best-worst scaling (BWS) study aims to assess the relative importance of selected barriers and facilitators of the uptake of HTA studies in Austria. A BWS object case survey was conducted among 37 experts in Austria to assess the relative importance of HTA barriers and facilitators. Hierarchical Bayes estimation was applied, with the best-worst count analysis as sensitivity analysis. Subgroup analyses were also performed on professional role and HTA experience. The most important barriers were 'lack of transparency in the decision-making process', 'fragmentation', 'absence of appropriate incentives', 'no explicit framework for decision-making process', and 'insufficient legal support'. The most important facilitators were 'transparency in the decision-making process', 'availability of relevant HTA research for policy makers', 'availability of explicit framework for decision-making process', 'sufficient legal support', and 'appropriate incentives'. This study suggests that HTA barriers and facilitators related to the context of decision makers, especially 'policy characteristics' and 'organization and resources' are the most important in Austria. A transparent and participatory decision-making process could improve the adoption of HTA evidence.

12 CFR 701.14 - Change in official or senior executive officer in credit unions that are newly chartered or are...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Change in official or senior executive officer... OPERATION OF FEDERAL CREDIT UNIONS § 701.14 Change in official or senior executive officer in credit unions... senior executive staff. The regulation only applies in cases of newly chartered credit unions and credit...

Use of Medicare claims to rank hospitals by surgical site infection risk following coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

PubMed

Huang, Susan S; Placzek, Hilary; Livingston, James; Ma, Allen; Onufrak, Fallon; Lankiewicz, Julie; Kleinman, Ken; Bratzler, Dale; Olsen, Margaret A; Lyles, Rosie; Khan, Yosef; Wright, Paula; Yokoe, Deborah S; Fraser, Victoria J; Weinstein, Robert A; Stevenson, Kurt; Hooper, David; Vostok, Johanna; Datta, Rupak; Nsa, Wato; Platt, Richard

2011-08-01

To evaluate whether longitudinal insurer claims data allow reliable identification of elevated hospital surgical site infection (SSI) rates. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in US hospitals performing at least 80 procedures in 2005. Hospitals were assigned to deciles by using case mix-adjusted probabilities of having an SSI-related inpatient or outpatient claim code within 60 days of surgery. We then reviewed medical records of randomly selected patients to assess whether chart-confirmed SSI risk was higher in hospitals in the worst deciles compared with the best deciles. Fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who underwent CABG in these hospitals in 2005. We evaluated 114,673 patients who underwent CABG in 671 hospitals. In the best decile, 7.8% (958/12,307) of patients had an SSI-related code, compared with 24.8% (2,747/11,068) in the worst decile ([Formula: see text]). Medical record review confirmed SSI in 40% (388/980) of those with SSI-related codes. In the best decile, the chart-confirmed annual SSI rate was 3.2%, compared with 9.4% in the worst decile, with an adjusted odds ratio of SSI of 2.7 (confidence interval, 2.2-3.3; [Formula: see text]) for CABG performed in a worst-decile hospital compared with a best-decile hospital. Claims data can identify groups of hospitals with unusually high or low post-CABG SSI rates. Assessment of claims is more reproducible and efficient than current surveillance methods. This example of secondary use of routinely recorded electronic health information to assess quality of care can identify hospitals that may benefit from prevention programs.

Executive Control Deficits as a Prodrome to Falls in Healthy Older Adults: A Prospective Study Linking Thinking, Walking, and Falling

PubMed Central

Herman, Talia; Mirelman, Anat; Giladi, Nir; Schweiger, Avraham

2010-01-01

Background. Executive function (EF) deficits may increase fall risk, even among older adults with no overt cognitive impairment. Indeed, the effects of dual tasking (DT) on gait, a challenge to executive control, are more exaggerated in persons with a history of falls. Prospective evidence is, however, lacking. Methods. We prospectively evaluated whether EF predicts falls over a 2-year period among 262 community-living, healthy, and well-functioning older adults, focusing on the 201 who reported no falls during the previous year. At baseline, participants completed a computerized cognitive battery that generated an index of EF and other cognitive domains. Gait was assessed using performance-based tests and by quantifying walking during single- and dual-task conditions. Results. The 262 participants (mean age: 76.3 ± 4.3 years, 60.3% women) had intact cognitive function on testing, a low comorbidity index, and good mobility. The EF index predicted future falls. Among those who reported no previous falls, participants in the worst EF quartile were three times more likely to fall during the 2 years of follow-up, and they were more likely to transition from nonfaller to faller sooner. DT gait variability also predicted future falls and multiple falls, whereas other measures of cognitive function, gait, and mobility did not. Conclusions. Among healthy older adults, individuals with poorer EF are more prone to falls. Higher-level cognitive functions such as those regulated by the frontal lobes are apparently needed for safe everyday navigation that demands multitasking. Optimal screening, early detection, and treatment of falls should, apparently, also target this cognitive domain. PMID:20484336

Competing with giants. Survival strategies for local companies in emerging markets.

PubMed

Dawar, N; Frost, T

1999-01-01

The arrival of a multinational corporation often looks like a death sentence to local companies in an emerging market. After all, how can they compete in the face of the vast financial and technological resources, the seasoned management, and the powerful brands of, say, a Compaq or a Johnson & Johnson? But local companies often have more options than they might think, say the authors. Those options vary, depending on the strength of globalization pressures in an industry and the nature of a company's competitive assets. In the worst case, when globalization pressures are strong and a company has no competitive assets that it can transfer to other countries, it needs to retreat to a locally oriented link within the value chain. But if globalization pressures are weak, the company may be able to defend its market share by leveraging the advantages it enjoys in its home market. Many companies in emerging markets have assets that can work well in other countries. Those that operate in industries where the pressures to globalize are weak may be able to extend their success to a limited number of other markets that are similar to their home base. And those operating in global markets may be able to contend head-on with multinational rivals. By better understanding the relationship between their company's assets and the industry they operate in, executives from emerging markets can gain a clearer picture of the options they really have when multinationals come to stay.

Access to Presidential Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, John Edward

The Supreme Court's decision regarding executive privilege in the case of the United States v. Richard Nixon focused on specifics and left the greater issues of executive privilege untouched. This report summarizes the events leading up to Nixon's confrontation with the Supreme Court and examines the future of executive privilege. Questions raised…

Case series: Two cases of eyeball tattoos with short-term complications.

PubMed

Duarte, Gonzalo; Cheja, Rashel; Pachón, Diana; Ramírez, Carolina; Arellanes, Lourdes

2017-04-01

To report two cases of eyeball tattoos with short-term post procedural complications. Case 1 is a 26-year-old Mexican man that developed orbital cellulitis and posterior scleritis 2 h after an eyeball tattoo. Patient responded satisfactorily to systemic antibiotic and corticosteroid treatment. Case 2 is a 17-year-old Mexican man that developed two sub-episcleral nodules in the ink injection sites immediately after the procedure. Eyeball tattoos are performed by non-ophthalmic trained personnel. There are a substantial number of short-term risks associated with this procedure. Long-term effects on the eyes and vision are still unknown, but in a worst case scenario could include loss of vision or permanent damage to the eyes.

Modelling of occupational respirable crystalline silica exposure for quantitative exposure assessment in community-based case-control studies.

PubMed

Peters, Susan; Vermeulen, Roel; Portengen, Lützen; Olsson, Ann; Kendzia, Benjamin; Vincent, Raymond; Savary, Barbara; Lavoué, Jérôme; Cavallo, Domenico; Cattaneo, Andrea; Mirabelli, Dario; Plato, Nils; Fevotte, Joelle; Pesch, Beate; Brüning, Thomas; Straif, Kurt; Kromhout, Hans

2011-11-01

We describe an empirical model for exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) to create a quantitative job-exposure matrix (JEM) for community-based studies. Personal measurements of exposure to RCS from Europe and Canada were obtained for exposure modelling. A mixed-effects model was elaborated, with region/country and job titles as random effect terms. The fixed effect terms included year of measurement, measurement strategy (representative or worst-case), sampling duration (minutes) and a priori exposure intensity rating for each job from an independently developed JEM (none, low, high). 23,640 personal RCS exposure measurements, covering a time period from 1976 to 2009, were available for modelling. The model indicated an overall downward time trend in RCS exposure levels of -6% per year. Exposure levels were higher in the UK and Canada, and lower in Northern Europe and Germany. Worst-case sampling was associated with higher reported exposure levels and an increase in sampling duration was associated with lower reported exposure levels. Highest predicted RCS exposure levels in the reference year (1998) were for chimney bricklayers (geometric mean 0.11 mg m(-3)), monument carvers and other stone cutters and carvers (0.10 mg m(-3)). The resulting model enables us to predict time-, job-, and region/country-specific exposure levels of RCS. These predictions will be used in the SYNERGY study, an ongoing pooled multinational community-based case-control study on lung cancer.

A randomised controlled trial of three or one breathing technique training sessions for breathlessness in people with malignant lung disease.

PubMed

Johnson, Miriam J; Kanaan, Mona; Richardson, Gerry; Nabb, Samantha; Torgerson, David; English, Anne; Barton, Rachael; Booth, Sara

2015-09-07

About 90 % of patients with intra-thoracic malignancy experience breathlessness. Breathing training is helpful, but it is unknown whether repeated sessions are needed. The present study aims to test whether three sessions are better than one for breathlessness in this population. This is a multi-centre randomised controlled non-blinded parallel arm trial. Participants were allocated to three sessions or single (1:2 ratio) using central computer-generated block randomisation by an independent Trials Unit and stratified for centre. The setting was respiratory, oncology or palliative care clinics at eight UK centres. Inclusion criteria were people with intrathoracic cancer and refractory breathlessness, expected prognosis ≥3 months, and no prior experience of breathing training. The trial intervention was a complex breathlessness intervention (breathing training, anxiety management, relaxation, pacing, and prioritisation) delivered over three hour-long sessions at weekly intervals, or during a single hour-long session. The main primary outcome was worst breathlessness over the previous 24 hours ('worst'), by numerical rating scale (0 = none; 10 = worst imaginable). Our primary analysis was area under the curve (AUC) 'worst' from baseline to 4 weeks. All analyses were by intention to treat. Between April 2011 and October 2013, 156 consenting participants were randomised (52 three; 104 single). Overall, the 'worst' score reduced from 6.81 (SD, 1.89) to 5.84 (2.39). Primary analysis [n = 124 (79 %)], showed no between-arm difference in the AUC: three sessions 22.86 (7.12) vs single session 22.58 (7.10); P value = 0.83); mean difference 0.2, 95 % CIs (-2.31 to 2.97). Complete case analysis showed a non-significant reduction in QALYs with three sessions (mean difference -0.006, 95 % CIs -0.018 to 0.006). Sensitivity analyses found similar results. The probability of the single session being cost-effective (threshold value of £20,000 per QALY) was over 80 %. There was no evidence that three sessions conferred additional benefits, including cost-effectiveness, over one. A single session of breathing training seems appropriate and minimises patient burden. Registry: ISRCTN; ISRCTN49387307; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN49387307 ; registration date: 25/01/2011.

Scalable asynchronous execution of cellular automata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Folino, Gianluigi; Giordano, Andrea; Mastroianni, Carlo

2016-10-01

The performance and scalability of cellular automata, when executed on parallel/distributed machines, are limited by the necessity of synchronizing all the nodes at each time step, i.e., a node can execute only after the execution of the previous step at all the other nodes. However, these synchronization requirements can be relaxed: a node can execute one step after synchronizing only with the adjacent nodes. In this fashion, different nodes can execute different time steps. This can be a notable advantageous in many novel and increasingly popular applications of cellular automata, such as smart city applications, simulation of natural phenomena, etc., in which the execution times can be different and variable, due to the heterogeneity of machines and/or data and/or executed functions. Indeed, a longer execution time at a node does not slow down the execution at all the other nodes but only at the neighboring nodes. This is particularly advantageous when the nodes that act as bottlenecks vary during the application execution. The goal of the paper is to analyze the benefits that can be achieved with the described asynchronous implementation of cellular automata, when compared to the classical all-to-all synchronization pattern. The performance and scalability have been evaluated through a Petri net model, as this model is very useful to represent the synchronization barrier among nodes. We examined the usual case in which the territory is partitioned into a number of regions, and the computation associated with a region is assigned to a computing node. We considered both the cases of mono-dimensional and two-dimensional partitioning. The results show that the advantage obtained through the asynchronous execution, when compared to the all-to-all synchronous approach is notable, and it can be as large as 90% in terms of speedup.

Contrasting SWAT predictions of watershed-level streamflow and nutrient loss resulting from static versus dynamic atmospheric CO2 inputs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Past climate observations have indicated a rapid increase in global atmospheric CO2 concentration during late 20th century (13 ppm/decade), and models project further rise throughout the 21st century (24 ppm/decade and 69 ppm/decade in the best and worst case scenario, respectively). We modified SWA...

Emergency Management Span of Control: Optimizing Organizational Structures to Better Prepare Vermont for the Next Major or Catastrophic Disaster

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

full glare of media and public scrutiny, they are expected to perform flawlessly like a goalie in hockey or soccer, or a conversion kicker in...among all levels of government, not a plan that is pulled off the shelf only during worst- case disasters. The lifecycle of disasters entails a

Sports Competition--Integrated or Segregated? Which Is Better for Your Child?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grosse, Susan J.

2008-01-01

Selecting competitive sports opportunities for a child is a challenging process. Parents have to make the right choices so that their young athletes will have many years of healthy, happy, active experiences. If parents make the wrong choices, their son or daughter will have, at the very least, a few unhappy hours, and worst-case scenario, could…

Responding to Disaster with a Service Learning Project for Honors Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoder, Stephen A.

2013-01-01

On Thursday, April 27, 2011, one of the worst natural disasters in the history of Alabama struck in the form of ferocious tornadoes touching down in various parts of the state. The dollar amount of the property damage was in the billions. Lives were lost and thousands of survivors' lives were seriously and in many cases forever disrupted. A few…

Modelling the Growth of Swine Flu

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomson, Ian

2010-01-01

The spread of swine flu has been a cause of great concern globally. With no vaccine developed as yet, (at time of writing in July 2009) and given the fact that modern-day humans can travel speedily across the world, there are fears that this disease may spread out of control. The worst-case scenario would be one of unfettered exponential growth.…

Between the Under-Labourer and the Master-Builder: Observations on Bunge's Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agassi, Joseph

2012-01-01

Mario Bunge has repeatedly discussed contributions to philosophy and to science that are worthless at best and dangerous at worst, especially cases of pseudo-science. He clearly gives his reason in his latest essay on this matter: "The fact that science can be faked to the point of deceiving science lovers suggests the need for a rigorous sifting…

Technology, design, simulation, and evaluation for SEP-hardened circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, J. R.; Allred, D.; Barry, M.; Rudeck, P.; Woodruff, R.; Hoekstra, J.; Gardner, H.

1991-01-01

This paper describes the technology, design, simulation, and evaluation for improvement of the Single Event Phenomena (SEP) hardness of gate-array and SRAM cells. Through the use of design and processing techniques, it is possible to achieve an SEP error rate less than 1.0 x 10(exp -10) errors/bit-day for a 9O percent worst-case geosynchronous orbit environment.

33 CFR 154.1047 - Response plan development and evaluation criteria for facilities that handle, store, or transport...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... evaluation criteria for facilities that handle, store, or transport Group V petroleum oils. 154.1047 Section... Group V petroleum oils. (a) An owner or operator of a facility that handles, stores, or transports Group...) Procedures and strategies for responding to a worst case discharge of Group V petroleum oils to the maximum...

33 CFR 154.1047 - Response plan development and evaluation criteria for facilities that handle, store, or transport...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... evaluation criteria for facilities that handle, store, or transport Group V petroleum oils. 154.1047 Section... Group V petroleum oils. (a) An owner or operator of a facility that handles, stores, or transports Group...) Procedures and strategies for responding to a worst case discharge of Group V petroleum oils to the maximum...

33 CFR 154.1047 - Response plan development and evaluation criteria for facilities that handle, store, or transport...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... evaluation criteria for facilities that handle, store, or transport Group V petroleum oils. 154.1047 Section... Group V petroleum oils. (a) An owner or operator of a facility that handles, stores, or transports Group...) Procedures and strategies for responding to a worst case discharge of Group V petroleum oils to the maximum...

33 CFR 154.1047 - Response plan development and evaluation criteria for facilities that handle, store, or transport...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... evaluation criteria for facilities that handle, store, or transport Group V petroleum oils. 154.1047 Section... Group V petroleum oils. (a) An owner or operator of a facility that handles, stores, or transports Group...) Procedures and strategies for responding to a worst case discharge of Group V petroleum oils to the maximum...

33 CFR 154.1047 - Response plan development and evaluation criteria for facilities that handle, store, or transport...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... evaluation criteria for facilities that handle, store, or transport Group V petroleum oils. 154.1047 Section... Group V petroleum oils. (a) An owner or operator of a facility that handles, stores, or transports Group...) Procedures and strategies for responding to a worst case discharge of Group V petroleum oils to the maximum...

40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart Ddddd... - Methodology and Criteria for Demonstrating Eligibility for the Health-Based Compliance Alternatives

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... rate, type of control devices, process parameters (e.g., maximum heat input), and non-process... control systems (if applicable) and explain why the conditions are worst-case. (c) Number of test runs... located at the outlet of the control device and prior to any releases to the atmosphere. (e) Collection of...

40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart Ddddd... - Methodology and Criteria for Demonstrating Eligibility for the Health-Based Compliance Alternatives

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... rate, type of control devices, process parameters (e.g., maximum heat input), and non-process... control systems (if applicable) and explain why the conditions are worst-case. (c) Number of test runs... located at the outlet of the control device and prior to any releases to the atmosphere. (e) Collection of...

40 CFR Appendix A to Subpart Ddddd... - Methodology and Criteria for Demonstrating Eligibility for the Health-Based Compliance Alternatives

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... rate, type of control devices, process parameters (e.g., maximum heat input), and non-process... control systems (if applicable) and explain why the conditions are worst-case. (c) Number of test runs... located at the outlet of the control device and prior to any releases to the atmosphere. (e) Collection of...

The conservation of diversity in forest trees

Treesearch

F. Thomas Ledig

1988-01-01

Deforestation, pollution, and climatic change threaten forest diversity all over the world. And because forests are the habitats for diverse organisms, the threat is extended to all the flora and fauna associated with forests, not only forest trees. In a worst case scenario, if the tropical forest in Latin America was reduced to the areas now set aside in parks and...

Management adaptation to fires in the wildland-urban risk areas in Spain

Treesearch

Gema Herrero-Corral

2013-01-01

Forest fires not only cause damage to ecosystems but also result in major socio-economic losses and in the worst cases loss of human life. Specifically, the incidence of fires in the overlapping areas between building structures and forest vegetation (wildland-urban interface, WUI) generates highly-complex emergencies due to the presence of people and goods....

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 38 (RANDTH00640038) on Town Highway 64, crossing the Second Branch of the White River, Randolph, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, Scott A.

1996-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 1.7 to 2.6 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 7.2 to 24.2 ft. The worst-case abutment scour also occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Thermal Performance of LANDSAT-7 ETM+ Instruments During First Year in Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Michael K.

2000-01-01

Landsat-7 was successfully launched into orbit on April 15, 1999. After devoting three months to the t bakeout and cool-down of the radiative cooler, and on- t orbit checkout, the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) began the normal imaging phase of the mission in mid-July 1999. This paper presents the thermal performance of the ETM+ from mid-July 1999 to mid-May 2000. The flight temperatures are compared to the yellow temperature limits, and worst cold case and worst hot case flight temperature predictions in the 15-orbit mission design profile. The flight temperature predictions were generated by a thermal model, which was correlated to the observatory thermal balance test data. The yellow temperature limits were derived from the flight temperature predictions, plus some margins. The yellow limits work well in flight, so that only several minor changes to them were needed. Overall, the flight temperatures and flight temperature predictions have good agreement. Based on the ETM+ thermal vacuum qualification test, new limits on the imaging time are proposed to increase the average duty cycle, and to resolve the problems experienced by the Mission Operation Team.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 36 (RANDTH00480036) on Town Highway 48, crossing Snows Brook, Randolph, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, Scott A.

1996-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.8 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 6.1 to 11.6 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the incipient-overtopping discharge, which was 50 cfs lower than the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scouredstreambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particlesize distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Dynamic safety assessment of natural gas stations using Bayesian network.

PubMed

Zarei, Esmaeil; Azadeh, Ali; Khakzad, Nima; Aliabadi, Mostafa Mirzaei; Mohammadfam, Iraj

2017-01-05

Pipelines are one of the most popular and effective ways of transporting hazardous materials, especially natural gas. However, the rapid development of gas pipelines and stations in urban areas has introduced a serious threat to public safety and assets. Although different methods have been developed for risk analysis of gas transportation systems, a comprehensive methodology for risk analysis is still lacking, especially in natural gas stations. The present work is aimed at developing a dynamic and comprehensive quantitative risk analysis (DCQRA) approach for accident scenario and risk modeling of natural gas stations. In this approach, a FMEA is used for hazard analysis while a Bow-tie diagram and Bayesian network are employed to model the worst-case accident scenario and to assess the risks. The results have indicated that the failure of the regulator system was the worst-case accident scenario with the human error as the most contributing factor. Thus, in risk management plan of natural gas stations, priority should be given to the most probable root events and main contribution factors, which have identified in the present study, in order to reduce the occurrence probability of the accident scenarios and thus alleviate the risks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 42 (BENNCYSCHL0042) on School Street, crossing Walloomsac River, Bennington, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, Scott A.; Degnan, James R.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour computed for all modelled flows was 0.0 ft. Computed left abutment scour ranged from 9.4 to 10.2 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the 500-year discharge. Computed right abutment scour ranged from 2.7 to 5.7 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 46 (ENOSVT01080046) on State Route 108, crossing an Unnamed "The Branch" Tributary, Enosburg, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boehmler, Erick M.; Medalie, Laura

1996-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.3 to 0.5 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 4.0 to 8.0 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 30 (BRNATH00470030) on Town Highway 47, crossing Locust Creek, Barnard, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boehmler, Erick M.; Song, Donald L.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 1.4 feet. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 2.3 to 8.9 feet. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 100-year discharge at the right abutment. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

A Minimax Network Flow Model for Characterizing the Impact of Slot Restrictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Douglas W.; Patek, Stephen D.; Alexandrov, Natalia; Bass, Ellen J.; Kincaid, Rex K.

2010-01-01

This paper proposes a model for evaluating long-term measures to reduce congestion at airports in the National Airspace System (NAS). This model is constructed with the goal of assessing the global impacts of congestion management strategies, specifically slot restrictions. We develop the Minimax Node Throughput Problem (MINNTHRU), a multicommodity network flow model that provides insight into air traffic patterns when one minimizes the worst-case operation across all airports in a given network. MINNTHRU is thus formulated as a model where congestion arises from network topology. It reflects not market-driven airline objectives, but those of a regulatory authority seeking a distribution of air traffic beneficial to all airports, in response to congestion management measures. After discussing an algorithm for solving MINNTHRU for moderate-sized (30 nodes) and larger networks, we use this model to study the impacts of slot restrictions on the operation of an entire hub-spoke airport network. For both a small example network and a medium-sized network based on 30 airports in the NAS, we use MINNTHRU to demonstrate that increasing the severity of slot restrictions increases the traffic around unconstrained hub airports as well as the worst-case level of operation over all airports.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 25 (DANVTH00610025) on Town Highway 61, crossing Water Andric Brook, Danville, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flynn, Robert H.; Severance, Timothy

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.7 to 1.3 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 9.1 to 12.5 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 8 (WELLTH00020008) on Town Highway 2, crossing Wells Brook, Wells, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Striker, Lora K.; Ivanoff, Michael A.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.8 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge, which was less than the 100-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 5.6 to 10.0 ft at the left abutment and from 3.1 to 4.2 ft at the right abutment. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge at the left abutment. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 39 (TOPSTH00510039) on Town Highway 51, crossing Tabor Branch Waits River, Topsham, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Striker, Lora K.; Severance, Tim

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.4 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the maximum free surface flow discharge, which was less than the 100-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 4.8 to 8.0 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A crosssection of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 145 (HANCVT01000145) on Vermont Highway 100, crossing the Hancock Branch of the White River, Hancock, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ivanoff, Michael A.; Hammond, Robert E.

1996-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 3.4 to 4.3 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 8.2 to 11.1 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 100-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

How safe is safe enough. The relation of environmental characteristics and economic competitiveness in fusion-reactor design

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

Holdren, J.P.

The need for fusion energy depends strongly on fusion's potential to achieve ambitious safety goals more completely or more economically than fission can. The history and present complexion of public opinion about environment and safety gives little basis for expecting either that these concerns will prove to be a passing fad or that the public will make demands for zero risk that no energy source can meet. Hazard indices based on ''worst case'' accidents and exposures should be used as design tools to promote combinations of fusion-reactor materials and configurations that bring the worst cases down to levels small comparedmore » to the hazards people tolerate from electricity at the point of end use. It may well be possible, by building such safety into fusion from the ground up, to accomplish this goal at costs competitive with other inexhaustible electricity sources. Indeed, the still rising and ultimately indeterminate costs of meeting safety and environmental requirements in nonbreeder fission reactors and coal-burning power plants mean that fusion reactors meeting ambitious safety goals may be able to compete economically with these ''interim'' electricity sources as well.« less

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 5 (MORRTH00060005) on Town Highway 6, crossing Bedell Brook, Morristown, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boehmler, Erick M.; Degnan, James R.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 1.1 to 2.0 feet. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 3.9 to 8.6 feet. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year event. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Dermal uptake and percutaneous penetration of ten flame retardants in a human skin ex vivo model.

PubMed

Frederiksen, Marie; Vorkamp, Katrin; Jensen, Niels Martin; Sørensen, Jens Ahm; Knudsen, Lisbeth E; Sørensen, Lars S; Webster, Thomas F; Nielsen, Jesper B

2016-11-01

The dermal uptake and percutaneous penetration of ten organic flame retardants was measured using an ex vivo human skin model. The studied compounds were DBDPE, BTBPE, TBP-DBPE, EH-TBB, BEH-TEBP, α, β and γ-HBCDD as well as syn- and anti-DDC-CO. Little or none of the applied flame retardants was recovered in either type of the receptor fluids used (physiological and worst-case). However, significant fractions were recovered in the skin depot, particularly in the upper skin layers. The primary effect of the worst-case receptor fluid was deeper penetration into the skin. The recovered mass was used to calculate lower- and upper-bound permeability coefficients kp. Despite large structural variation between the studied compounds, a clear, significant decreasing trend of kp was observed with increasing log Kow. The results indicate that the dermis may provide a significant barrier for these highly lipophilic compounds. However, based on our results, dermal uptake should be considered in exposure assessments, though it may proceed in a time-lagged manner compared to less hydrophobic compounds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 25 (CLARTH00100025) on Town Highway 10, crossing the Clarendon River, Clarendon, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ayotte, Joseph D.

1996-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.8 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 5.7 to 10.6 ft. The worst-case abutment scour also occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for brigde 5 (STOCTH00360005) on Town Highway 36, crossing Stony Brook, Stockridge, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Striker, Lora K.; Weber, Matthew A.

1998-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 2.0 to 3.2 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 9.7 to 22.2 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and Davis, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

New Algorithms and Lower Bounds for Sequential-Access Data Compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gagie, Travis

2009-02-01

This thesis concerns sequential-access data compression, i.e., by algorithms that read the input one or more times from beginning to end. In one chapter we consider adaptive prefix coding, for which we must read the input character by character, outputting each character's self-delimiting codeword before reading the next one. We show how to encode and decode each character in constant worst-case time while producing an encoding whose length is worst-case optimal. In another chapter we consider one-pass compression with memory bounded in terms of the alphabet size and context length, and prove a nearly tight tradeoff between the amount of memory we can use and the quality of the compression we can achieve. In a third chapter we consider compression in the read/write streams model, which allows us passes and memory both polylogarithmic in the size of the input. We first show how to achieve universal compression using only one pass over one stream. We then show that one stream is not sufficient for achieving good grammar-based compression. Finally, we show that two streams are necessary and sufficient for achieving entropy-only bounds.

On the Convergence Analysis of the Optimized Gradient Method.

PubMed

Kim, Donghwan; Fessler, Jeffrey A

2017-01-01

This paper considers the problem of unconstrained minimization of smooth convex functions having Lipschitz continuous gradients with known Lipschitz constant. We recently proposed the optimized gradient method for this problem and showed that it has a worst-case convergence bound for the cost function decrease that is twice as small as that of Nesterov's fast gradient method, yet has a similarly efficient practical implementation. Drori showed recently that the optimized gradient method has optimal complexity for the cost function decrease over the general class of first-order methods. This optimality makes it important to study fully the convergence properties of the optimized gradient method. The previous worst-case convergence bound for the optimized gradient method was derived for only the last iterate of a secondary sequence. This paper provides an analytic convergence bound for the primary sequence generated by the optimized gradient method. We then discuss additional convergence properties of the optimized gradient method, including the interesting fact that the optimized gradient method has two types of worstcase functions: a piecewise affine-quadratic function and a quadratic function. These results help complete the theory of an optimal first-order method for smooth convex minimization.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 17 (POMFTH00010017) on Town Highway 1 (FAS 166) crossing Mill Brook, Pomfret, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boehmler, Erick M.; Hammond, Robert E.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.9 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 3.6 to 7.1 ft. The worst-case abutment scour also occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Hurricane Rita and the destruction of Holly Beach, Louisiana: Why the chenier plain is vulnerable to storms

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sallenger, A.H.; Wright, C.W.; Doran, K.; Guy, K.; Morgan, K.

2009-01-01

Hurricane Rita devastated gulf-front communities along the western Louisiana coast in 2005. LIDAR (light detection and ranging) topographic surveys and aerial photography collected before and after the storm showed the loss of every structure within the community of Holly Beach. Average shoreline change along western Louisiana's 140-km-long impacted shore was -23.3 ?? 30.1 m of erosion, although shoreline change in Holly Beach was substantially less, and erosion was not pervasive where the structures were lost. Before the storm, peak elevations of the dunes, or berms in the absence of dunes, along the impacted shore averaged 1.6 m. The storm surge, which reached 3.5 m just east of Holly Beach, completely inundated the beach systems along the impacted western Louisiana shore. The high surge potential and low land elevations make this coast extremely vulnerable to hurricanes. In fact, most of the western Louisiana shore impacted by Rita will be completely inundated by the storm surge of a worst-case Saffi r-Simpson category 1 hurricane. All of this shore will be inundated by worst-case category 2-5 storms. ?? 2009 The Geological Society of America.

Quantum Discord Determines the Interferometric Power of Quantum States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girolami, Davide; Souza, Alexandre M.; Giovannetti, Vittorio; Tufarelli, Tommaso; Filgueiras, Jefferson G.; Sarthour, Roberto S.; Soares-Pinto, Diogo O.; Oliveira, Ivan S.; Adesso, Gerardo

2014-05-01

Quantum metrology exploits quantum mechanical laws to improve the precision in estimating technologically relevant parameters such as phase, frequency, or magnetic fields. Probe states are usually tailored to the particular dynamics whose parameters are being estimated. Here we consider a novel framework where quantum estimation is performed in an interferometric configuration, using bipartite probe states prepared when only the spectrum of the generating Hamiltonian is known. We introduce a figure of merit for the scheme, given by the worst-case precision over all suitable Hamiltonians, and prove that it amounts exactly to a computable measure of discord-type quantum correlations for the input probe. We complement our theoretical results with a metrology experiment, realized in a highly controllable room-temperature nuclear magnetic resonance setup, which provides a proof-of-concept demonstration for the usefulness of discord in sensing applications. Discordant probes are shown to guarantee a nonzero phase sensitivity for all the chosen generating Hamiltonians, while classically correlated probes are unable to accomplish the estimation in a worst-case setting. This work establishes a rigorous and direct operational interpretation for general quantum correlations, shedding light on their potential for quantum technology.

On the Convergence Analysis of the Optimized Gradient Method

PubMed Central

Kim, Donghwan; Fessler, Jeffrey A.

2016-01-01

This paper considers the problem of unconstrained minimization of smooth convex functions having Lipschitz continuous gradients with known Lipschitz constant. We recently proposed the optimized gradient method for this problem and showed that it has a worst-case convergence bound for the cost function decrease that is twice as small as that of Nesterov’s fast gradient method, yet has a similarly efficient practical implementation. Drori showed recently that the optimized gradient method has optimal complexity for the cost function decrease over the general class of first-order methods. This optimality makes it important to study fully the convergence properties of the optimized gradient method. The previous worst-case convergence bound for the optimized gradient method was derived for only the last iterate of a secondary sequence. This paper provides an analytic convergence bound for the primary sequence generated by the optimized gradient method. We then discuss additional convergence properties of the optimized gradient method, including the interesting fact that the optimized gradient method has two types of worstcase functions: a piecewise affine-quadratic function and a quadratic function. These results help complete the theory of an optimal first-order method for smooth convex minimization. PMID:28461707

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 6 (VICTTH000110006) on Town Highway 1, crossing the Moose River, Victory, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, Scott A.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.2 to 0.4 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 7.3 to 8.2 ft. The worst-case abutment scour also occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 8, (MANCTH00060008) on Town Highway 6, crossing Bourn Brook, Manchester, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, Ronda L.; Hammond, Robert E.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows was zero ft. The left abutment scour ranged from 3.6 to 9.2 ft. The worst-case left abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. The right abutment scour ranged from 9.8 to 12.6 ft. The worst case right abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 36 (ANDOVT00110036) on VT 11, crossing Middle Branch Williams River, Andover, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Striker, Lora K.; Burns, Rhonda L.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 2.8 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 9.5 to 13.7 ft. The worst-case abutment scour also occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 6 (BRISVT01160006) on State Highway 116, crossing Little Notch Brook, Bristol, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boehmler, Erick M.; Burns, Ronda L.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 3.2 to 4.3 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 6.0 to 10.0 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 92 (WSTOVT01000092) on State Highway 100, crossing the West River, Weston, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flynn, Robert H.; Burns, Ronda L.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.4 to 2.1 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 8.4 to 30.7 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge along the left abutment. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 50 (STARTH00250050) on Town Highway 25, crossing Lewis Creek, Starksboro, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, Ronda L.; Boehmler, Erick M.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 5.2 to 9.1 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 13.1 to 18.2 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 4 (RYEGTH00050004) on Town Highway 5, crossing the Wells River, Ryegate, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ivanoff, Michael A.; Hammond, Robert E.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 1.8 to 2.6 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 10.2 to 22.6 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 46 (BRNETH00610046) on Town Highway 61, crossing East Peacham Brook, Barnet, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ivanoff, Michael A.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0 to 1.2 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 10.4 to 13.9 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 45 (NFIETH00250045) on Town Highway 25, crossing Union Brook, Northfield, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, Ronda L.; Ivanoff, Michael A.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.4 to 0.9 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 4.5 to 9.1 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 21 (WALDTH00450021) on Town Highway 45, crossing Joes Brook, Walden, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ivanoff, Michael A.; Medalie, Laura

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 1.5 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge, which was less than the 100-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 12.4 to 24.4 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scouredstreambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particlesize distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 81 (NFIETH00PL0081) on Pleasant Street, crossing Union Brook, Northfield, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, Ronda L.; Medalie, Laura

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.5 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 4.2 to 13.3 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 9 (JAYVT02420009) on Vermont Highway 242, crossing the Jay Branch of the Missisquoi River, Jay, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flynn, Robert H.; Ivanoff, Michael A.

1996-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 0.6 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 100-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 0.8 to 5.6 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

The Executive Process, Grade Eight. Resource Unit (Unit III).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis. Project Social Studies Curriculum Center.

This resource unit, developed by the University of Minnesota's Project Social Studies, introduces eighth graders to the executive process. The unit uses case studies of presidential decision making such as the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, the Cuba Bay of Pigs and quarantine decisions, and the Little Rock decision. A case study of…

28 CFR 26.3 - Date, time, place, and method of execution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... intravenous injection of a lethal substance or substances in a quantity sufficient to cause death, such... execution. 26.3 Section 26.3 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DEATH SENTENCES PROCEDURES Implementation of Death Sentences in Federal Cases § 26.3 Date, time, place, and method of execution. (a) Except...

Mobile Innovations, Executive Functions, and Educational Developments in Conflict Zones: A Case Study from Palestine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckner, Elizabeth; Kim, Paul

2012-01-01

Prior research suggests that exposure to conflict can negatively impact the development of executive functioning, which in turn can affect academic performance. Recognizing the need to better understand the potentially widespread executive function deficiencies among Palestinian students and to help develop educational resources targeted to youth…

A case-control, mono-center, open-label, pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of therapeutic touch in preventing radiation dermatitis in women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant radiation therapy.

PubMed

Younus, Jawaid; Lock, Michael; Vujovic, Olga; Yu, Edward; Malec, Jitka; D'Souza, David; Stitt, Larry

2015-08-01

Therapeutic touch (TT) is a non-invasive commonly used complementary therapy. TT is based on the use of hand movements and detection of energy field congestion to correct imbalances. Improvement in subjective symptoms in a variety of clinical trials has been seen with TT. The effect of TT during radiotherapy for breast cancer is unknown. Women undergoing adjuvant radiation for Stage I/II breast cancer post conservative surgery were recruited for this cohort study. TT treatments were administered three times per week following radiation therapy. Feasibility was defined as an a priori threshold of 15 of 17 patients completing all TT treatments. The preventive effectiveness of TT was evaluated by documenting the 'time to develop' and the 'worst grade of radiation' dermatitis. Toxicity was assessed using NCIC CTC V3 dermatitis scale. Cosmetic rating was performed using the EORTC Breast Cosmetic Rating. The quality of life, mood and energy, and fatigue were assessed by EORTC QLQ C30, POMS, and BFI, respectively. The parameters were assessed at baseline, and serially during treatment. A total of 49 patients entered the study (17 in the TT Cohort and 32 in the Control Cohort). Median age in TT arm was 63 years and in control arm was 59 years. TT was considered feasible as all 17 patients screened completed TT treatment. There were no side effects observed with the TT treatments. In the TT Cohort, the worst grade of radiation dermatitis was grade II in nine patients (53%). Median time to develop the worst grade was 22 days. In the Control Cohort, the worst grade of radiation dermatitis was grade III in 1 patient. However, the most common toxicity grade was II in 15 patients (47%). Three patients did not develop any dermatitis. Median time to develop the worst grade in the control group was 31 days. There was no difference between cohorts for the overall EORTC cosmetic score and there was no significant difference in before and after study levels in quality of life, mood and fatigue. This study is the first evaluation of TT in patients with breast cancer using objective measures. Although TT is feasible for the management of radiation induced dermatitis, we were not able to detect a significant benefit of TT on NCIC toxicity grade or time to develop the worst grade for radiation dermatitis. In addition, TT did not improve quality of life, mood, fatigue and overall cosmetic outcome. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Climate Change Impacts on the Tree of Life: Changes in Phylogenetic Diversity Illustrated for Acropora Corals

PubMed Central

Faith, Daniel P.; Richards, Zoe T.

2012-01-01

The possible loss of whole branches from the tree of life is a dramatic, but under-studied, biological implication of climate change. The tree of life represents an evolutionary heritage providing both present and future benefits to humanity, often in unanticipated ways. Losses in this evolutionary (evo) life-support system represent losses in “evosystem” services, and are quantified using the phylogenetic diversity (PD) measure. High species-level biodiversity losses may or may not correspond to high PD losses. If climate change impacts are clumped on the phylogeny, then loss of deeper phylogenetic branches can mean disproportionately large PD loss for a given degree of species loss. Over time, successive species extinctions within a clade each may imply only a moderate loss of PD, until the last species within that clade goes extinct, and PD drops precipitously. Emerging methods of “phylogenetic risk analysis” address such phylogenetic tipping points by adjusting conservation priorities to better reflect risk of such worst-case losses. We have further developed and explored this approach for one of the most threatened taxonomic groups, corals. Based on a phylogenetic tree for the corals genus Acropora, we identify cases where worst-case PD losses may be avoided by designing risk-averse conservation priorities. We also propose spatial heterogeneity measures changes to assess possible changes in the geographic distribution of corals PD. PMID:24832524

A STRICTLY CONTRACTIVE PEACEMAN-RACHFORD SPLITTING METHOD FOR CONVEX PROGRAMMING.

PubMed

Bingsheng, He; Liu, Han; Wang, Zhaoran; Yuan, Xiaoming

2014-07-01

In this paper, we focus on the application of the Peaceman-Rachford splitting method (PRSM) to a convex minimization model with linear constraints and a separable objective function. Compared to the Douglas-Rachford splitting method (DRSM), another splitting method from which the alternating direction method of multipliers originates, PRSM requires more restrictive assumptions to ensure its convergence, while it is always faster whenever it is convergent. We first illustrate that the reason for this difference is that the iterative sequence generated by DRSM is strictly contractive, while that generated by PRSM is only contractive with respect to the solution set of the model. With only the convexity assumption on the objective function of the model under consideration, the convergence of PRSM is not guaranteed. But for this case, we show that the first t iterations of PRSM still enable us to find an approximate solution with an accuracy of O (1/ t ). A worst-case O (1/ t ) convergence rate of PRSM in the ergodic sense is thus established under mild assumptions. After that, we suggest attaching an underdetermined relaxation factor with PRSM to guarantee the strict contraction of its iterative sequence and thus propose a strictly contractive PRSM. A worst-case O (1/ t ) convergence rate of this strictly contractive PRSM in a nonergodic sense is established. We show the numerical efficiency of the strictly contractive PRSM by some applications in statistical learning and image processing.

Specific exercises reduce brace prescription in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a prospective controlled cohort study with worst-case analysis.

PubMed

Negrini, Stefano; Zaina, Fabio; Romano, Michele; Negrini, Alessandra; Parzini, Silvana

2008-06-01

To compare the effect of Scientific Exercises Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS) exercises with "usual care" rehabilitation programmes in terms of the avoidance of brace prescription and prevention of curve progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Prospective controlled cohort observational study. Seventy-four consecutive outpatients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, mean 15 degrees (standard deviation 6) Cobb angle, 12.4 (standard deviation 2.2) years old, at risk of bracing who had not been treated previously. Thirty-five patients were included in the SEAS exercises group and 39 in the usual physiotherapy group. The primary outcome included the number of braced patients, Cobb angle and the angle of trunk rotation. There were 6.1% braced patients in the SEAS exercises group vs 25.0% in the usual physiotherapy group. Failures of treatment in the worst-case analysis were 11.5% and 30.8%, respectively. In both cases the differences were statistically significant. Cobb angle improved in the SEAS exercises group, but worsened in the usual physiotherapy group. In the SEAS exercises group, 23.5% of patients improved and 11.8% worsened, while in the usual physiotherapy group 11.1% improved and 13.9% worsened. These data confirm the effectiveness of exercises in patients with scoliosis who are at high risk of progression. Compared with non-adapted exercises, a specific and personalized treatment (SEAS) appears to be more effective.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 23 (CRAFTH00390023) on Town Highway 39, crossing the Black River, Craftsbury, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boehmler, Erick M.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 20.1 to 25.2 and the worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Although this bridge has two piers, the flow through the spans between each abutment and pier is assumed to be negligible. Hence, abutment scour was computed assuming the forces contributing to scour actually occur on the main-span sides of each pier in this case. Abutment scour ranged from 8.8 to 10.6 and the worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Scour depths and depths to armoring are summarized on p. 14 in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scour elevations, based on the calculated depths are presented in tables 1 and 2. A graph of the scour elevations is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

A case-comparison study of executive functions in alcohol-dependent adults with maternal history of alcoholism.

PubMed

Cottencin, Olivier; Nandrino, Jean-Louis; Karila, Laurent; Mezerette, Caroline; Danel, Thierry

2009-04-01

As executive dysfunctions frequently accompany alcohol dependence, we suggest that reports of executive dysfunction in alcoholics are actually due, in some case to a maternal history of alcohol misuse (MHA+). A history of maternal alcohol dependence increases the risk for prenatal alcohol exposure to unborn children. These exposures likely contribute to executive dysfunction in adult alcoholics. To assess this problem, we propose a case-comparison study of alcohol-dependent subjects with and without a MHA. Ten alcohol-dependent subjects, with a maternal history of alcoholism (MHA) and paternal history of alcoholism (PHA), were matched with 10 alcohol-dependent people with only a paternal history of alcoholism (PHA). Executive functions (cancellation, Stroop, and trail-making A and B tests) and the presence of a history of three mental disorders (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, violent behavior while intoxicated, and suicidal behavior) were evaluated in both populations. Alcohol-dependent subjects with MHA showed a significant alteration in executive functions and significantly more disorders related to these functions than PHA subjects. The major measures of executive functioning deficit are duration on task accomplishment in all tests. Rates of ADHD and suicidality were found to be higher in MHA patients compared to the controls. A history of MHA, because of the high risk of PAE (in spite of the potential confounding factors such as environment) must be scrupulously documented when evaluating mental and cognitive disorders in a general population of alcoholics to ensure a better identification of these disorders. It would be helpful to replicate the study with more subjects.

International Neural Network Society Annual Meeting (1994) Held in San Diego, California on 5-9 June 1994. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-09

following dominating factor. A(L) - I r- (17) where sat(x)X i ox1. Then the above description can be expressed as the following equation: where uw is the...Electrical & Computer Engineering University of Wisconsin- Madison 1415 Johnson Drive Madison , WI 53706-1691 USA Abstract - Iterative least-mean square...u, = u:,. for all k. The worst-case relative mismatch for the case considered is then given by - ut,, . . = 28 (22) UW - 1+8., where 6 = Ao / o. For

EVA Suit Microbial Leakage Investigation Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falker, Jay; Baker, Christopher; Clayton, Ronald; Rucker, Michelle

2016-01-01

The objective of this project is to collect microbial samples from various EVA suits to determine how much microbial contamination is typically released during simulated planetary exploration activities. Data will be released to the planetary protection and science communities, and advanced EVA system designers. In the best case scenario, we will discover that very little microbial contamination leaks from our current or prototype suit designs, in the worst case scenario, we will identify leak paths, learn more about what affects leakage--and we'll have a new, flight-certified swab tool for our EVA toolbox.

Development and Execution of the RUNSAFE Runway Safety Bayesian Belief Network Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, Lawrence L.

2015-01-01

One focus area of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is to improve aviation safety. Runway safety is one such thrust of investigation and research. The two primary components of this runway safety research are in runway incursion (RI) and runway excursion (RE) events. These are adverse ground-based aviation incidents that endanger crew, passengers, aircraft and perhaps other nearby people or property. A runway incursion is the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and take-off of aircraft; one class of RI events simultaneously involves two aircraft, such as one aircraft incorrectly landing on a runway while another aircraft is taking off from the same runway. A runway excursion is an incident involving only a single aircraft defined as a veer-off or overrun off the runway surface. Within the scope of this effort at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), generic RI, RE and combined (RI plus RE, or RUNSAFE) event models have each been developed and implemented as a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN). Descriptions of runway safety issues from the literature searches have been used to develop the BBN models. Numerous considerations surrounding the process of developing the event models have been documented in this report. The event models were then thoroughly reviewed by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel through multiple knowledge elicitation sessions. Numerous improvements to the model structure (definitions, node names, node states and the connecting link topology) were made by the SME panel. Sample executions of the final RUNSAFE model have been presented herein for baseline and worst-case scenarios. Finally, a parameter sensitivity analysis for a given scenario was performed to show the risk drivers. The NASA and LaRC research in runway safety event modeling through the use of BBN technology is important for several reasons. These include: 1) providing a means to clearly understand the cause and effect patterns leading to safety issues, incidents and accidents, 2) enabling the prioritization of specialty areas needing more attention to improve aviation safety, and 3) enabling the identification of gaps within NASA's Aviation Safety funding portfolio

The Power of ROFO Principle Together with Companywide Training in Executing Lean Production Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goh, Ah Bee; Chakpitak, Nopasit; Sureephong, Pradorn

2015-01-01

This paper reports the findings of the case study conducted at Schaffner Thailand (ST) factory regarding the application of the ROFO principle coupled with companywide training on the execution of Lean Production (LP) strategy. The case study was motivated by 3 main objectives: 1) to examine the effectiveness of the ROFO principle and companywide…

Biomedical engineers and participation in judicial executions: capital punishment as a technical problem.

PubMed

Doyle, John

2007-01-01

This paper discusses the topic of judicial execution from the perspective of the intersection of the technological issues and the professional ethics issues. Although physicians are generally ethically forbidden from any involvement in the judicial execution process, this does not appear to be the case for engineering professionals. This creates an interesting but controversial opportunity for the engineering community (especially biomedical engineers) to improve the humaneness and reliability of the judicial execution process.

Worst theft losses are for Mercedes model; 2 of 3 worst are for acura

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-05-13

The Highway Loss Data Institute's annual list of vehicles with worst theft losses has Mercedes S class heading the list of passenger vehicles with the highest insurance losses for theft. Overall losses for this car are 10 times higher than the averag...

Extensions of the Einstein-Schrodinger non-symmetric theory of gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shifflett, James A.

We modify the Einstein-Schrödinger theory to include a cosmological constant L z which multiplies the symmetric metric. The cosmological constant L z is assumed to be nearly cancelled by Schrödinger's cosmological constant L b which multiplies the nonsymmetric fundamental tensor, such that the total L = L z + L b matches measurement. The resulting theory becomes exactly Einstein-Maxwell theory in the limit as |L z | [arrow right] oo. For |L z | ~ 1/(Planck length) 2 the field equations match the ordinary Einstein and Maxwell equations except for extra terms which are < 10 -16 of the usual terms for worst-case field strengths and rates-of-change accessible to measurement. Additional fields can be included in the Lagrangian, and these fields may couple to the symmetric metric and the electromagnetic vector potential, just as in Einstein-Maxwell theory. The ordinary Lorentz force equation is obtained by taking the divergence of the Einstein equations when sources are included. The Einstein- Infeld-Hoffmann (EIH) equations of motion match the equations of motion for Einstein-Maxwell theory to Newtonian/Coulombian order, which proves the existence of a Lorentz force without requiring sources. An exact charged solution matches the Reissner-Nordström solution except for additional terms which are ~ 10 -66 of the usual terms for worst-case radii accessible to measurement. An exact electromagnetic plane-wave solution is identical to its counterpart in Einstein-Maxwell theory. Peri-center advance, deflection of light and time delay of light have a fractional difference of < 10 -56 compared to Einstein-Maxwell theory for worst-case parameters. When a spin-1/2 field is included in the Lagrangian, the theory gives the ordinary Dirac equation, and the charged solution results in fractional shifts of < 10 -50 in Hydrogen atom energy levels. Newman-Penrose methods are used to derive an exact solution of the connection equations, and to show that the charged solution is Petrov type- D like the Reissner-Nordström solution. The Newman-Penrose asymptotically flat [Special characters omitted.] (1/ r 2 ) expansion of the field equations is shown to match Einstein-Maxwell theory. Finally we generalize the theory to non-Abelian fields, and show that a special case of the resulting theory closely approximates Einstein-Weinberg-Salam theory.

Impacts of fertilizer additions on water quality of a drained pine plantation in North Carolina. A worst case scenario.

Treesearch

Bray J. Beltran; Devendra M. Amatya; Martin Jones; R. Wayne Skaggs; William Neal P.E. Reynolds; Timothy J. Callahan; Jami E. Nettles

2008-01-01

Intensive plantation forestry will be increasingly important in the next 50 years to meet the high demand for domestic wood in the US. However, forestry management practices can substantially influence downstream water quality and ecology. In this study, the effect of fertilization on drainage water quality of a coastal pine plantation located in Carteret County, NC...

Impacts of fertilizer additions on water quality of a drained pine plantation in North Carolina. A worst case scenario.

Treesearch

Bray J. Beltran; Devendra M. Amatya; Martin Jones; R. Wayne Skaggs; William Neal Reynolds; Timothy J. Callahan; Jami E. Nettles

2008-01-01

Abstract. Intensive plantation forestry will be increasingly important in the next 50 years to meet the high demand for domestic wood in the US. However, forestry management practices can substantially influence downstream water quality and ecology. In this study, the effect of fertilization on drainage water quality of a coastal pine plantation located in Carteret...

Do Pupils with Differing Cognitive Abilities Benefit Similarly from a Self-Regulated Learning Training Program?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoeger, Heidrun; Ziegler, Albert

2010-01-01

The inclusive education of the gifted is often met with skepticism. For example, it might be that gifted pupils are either under-challenged or excessive demands are placed on pupils with average abilities--and in the worst case, both. An alternative to handling this problem is presented by self-regulated learning which allows all students in the…

Preparing for the Worst-Case Scenario--Planning Pays Off with First-Ever Stadium Evacuation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Carol C.

2012-01-01

It's Saturday, September 3, Notre Dame vs. South Florida--the first home game of the season--and nearing halftime. The only person feeling more pressure than Head Coach Brian Kelly is Mike Seamon, associate vice president for campus safety and director of game day operations. Bad weather is on the way, and he's about to make the call to evacuate…

Ways through Which Principals Acquire the Leadership Competencies Required for Effective Management of Secondary Schools in Nairobi County, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Githiari, Florence W.

2017-01-01

The last two decades have seen principals in Kenya come under heavy criticism over some serious cases of mismanagement that resulted in some of the worst institutional accidents, disasters/tragedies, unrests and even social and economic crimes that Kenya has witnessed. This study sought to find out ways that principals acquire the leadership…

E-Learning, Resilience and Change in Higher Education: Helping a University Cope after a Natural Disaster

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayebi-Arthur, Kofi

2017-01-01

This paper presents a case study of one College of Business (College of Business and Law from 2013) impacted in 2011 by earthquakes in New Zealand. Analyses from interviews of nine staff and documents were used to describe processes of increasing resilience with e-learning over the worst seismic events. Increasing deployment of the University's…

Cultivating Engineering Ethics and Critical Thinking: A Systematic and Cross-Cultural Education Approach Using Problem-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Pei-Fen; Wang, Dau-Chung

2011-01-01

In May 2008, the worst earthquake in more than three decades struck southwest China, killing more than 80,000 people. The complexity of this earthquake makes it an ideal case study to clarify the intertwined issues of ethics in engineering and to help cultivate critical thinking skills. This paper first explores the need to encourage engineering…

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 49 (BENNCYHUNT0049) on Hunt Street, crossing the Walloomsac River, Bennington, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, Scott A.; Medalie, Laura

1997-01-01

2 stone fill also protects the channel banks upstream and downstream of the bridge for a minimum distance of 17 feet from the respective bridge faces. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and Appendices D and E. Scour depths and recommended rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and others, 1995). Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour computed for all modelled flows ranged from 0.9 to 5.0 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Computed left abutment scour ranged from 15.3 to 16.5 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge. Computed right abutment scour ranged from 6.0 to 8.7 ft. with the worst-case scour occurring at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

A Case Study for Executive Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Phyllis J.

1975-01-01

A newly appointed woman dean discusses the value of a management development program involving a process of self-analysis and self-determination of leadership style and effectiveness (the University of Illinois "Executive Leadership Seminar"). (JT)

PRENATAL INFECTION AND EXECUTIVE DYSFUNCTION IN ADULT SCHIZOPHRENIA

PubMed Central

Brown, Alan S.; Vinogradov, Sophia; Kremen, William S.; Poole, John H.; Deicken, Raymond F.; Penner, Justin D.; McKeague, Ian W.; Kochetkova, Anna; Kern, David; Schaefer, Catherine A.

2010-01-01

Objective Executive dysfunction is one of the most prominent and functionally important cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Although strong associations have been identified between executive impairments and structural and functional prefrontal cortical deficits, the etiological factors that contribute to disruption of this important cognitive domain remain unclear. Increasing evidence suggests that schizophrenia has a neurodevelopmental etiology, and several prenatal infections have been associated with risk of this disorder. To date, however, no previous study has examined whether in utero infection is associated with executive dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia. Method In the present study, we assessed the relationship between serologically documented prenatal exposure to influenza and toxoplasmosis and performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and the Trail Making Test, part B (Trails B), as well as other measures of executive function, in 26 patients with schizophrenia from a large and well-characterized birth cohort. Results Cases who were exposed in utero to infection committed significantly more total errors on the WCST and took significantly more time to complete the Trails B than unexposed cases. Exposed cases also exhibited deficits on figural fluency, letter-number sequencing, and backward digit span. Conclusion Prenatal infections previously associated with schizophrenia are related to impaired performance on the WCST and Trails B. The pattern of results suggests that cognitive set-shifting ability may be particularly vulnerable to this gestational exposure. Further work is necessary to elucidate the specificity of prenatal infection to these executive function measures and examine correlates with neuroanatomic and neurophysiologic anomalies. PMID:19369317

15 CFR 335.3 - Applications to receive allocation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... cut and sewed in the United States all three of the following apparel products: Worsted Wool Suits, Worsted Wool Suit-Type Jackets, and Worsted Wool Trousers. The applicant may either have cut and sewn... average fiber diameters of 18.5 microns or less, suitable for use in making suits, suit-type jackets, and...

15 CFR 335.3 - Applications to receive allocation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... cut and sewed in the United States all three of the following apparel products: Worsted Wool Suits, Worsted Wool Suit-Type Jackets, and Worsted Wool Trousers. The applicant may either have cut and sewn... average fiber diameters of 18.5 microns or less, suitable for use in making suits, suit-type jackets, and...

15 CFR 335.3 - Applications to receive allocation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... cut and sewed in the United States all three of the following apparel products: Worsted Wool Suits, Worsted Wool Suit-Type Jackets, and Worsted Wool Trousers. The applicant may either have cut and sewn... average fiber diameters of 18.5 microns or less, suitable for use in making suits, suit-type jackets, and...

15 CFR 335.3 - Applications to receive allocation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... cut and sewed in the United States all three of the following apparel products: Worsted Wool Suits, Worsted Wool Suit-Type Jackets, and Worsted Wool Trousers. The applicant may either have cut and sewn... average fiber diameters of 18.5 microns or less, suitable for use in making suits, suit-type jackets, and...

15 CFR 335.3 - Applications to receive allocation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... cut and sewed in the United States all three of the following apparel products: Worsted Wool Suits, Worsted Wool Suit-Type Jackets, and Worsted Wool Trousers. The applicant may either have cut and sewn... average fiber diameters of 18.5 microns or less, suitable for use in making suits, suit-type jackets, and...

When is best-worst best? A comparison of best-worst scaling, numeric estimation, and rating scales for collection of semantic norms.

PubMed

Hollis, Geoff; Westbury, Chris

2018-02-01

Large-scale semantic norms have become both prevalent and influential in recent psycholinguistic research. However, little attention has been directed towards understanding the methodological best practices of such norm collection efforts. We compared the quality of semantic norms obtained through rating scales, numeric estimation, and a less commonly used judgment format called best-worst scaling. We found that best-worst scaling usually produces norms with higher predictive validities than other response formats, and does so requiring less data to be collected overall. We also found evidence that the various response formats may be producing qualitatively, rather than just quantitatively, different data. This raises the issue of potential response format bias, which has not been addressed by previous efforts to collect semantic norms, likely because of previous reliance on a single type of response format for a single type of semantic judgment. We have made available software for creating best-worst stimuli and scoring best-worst data. We also made available new norms for age of acquisition, valence, arousal, and concreteness collected using best-worst scaling. These norms include entries for 1,040 words, of which 1,034 are also contained in the ANEW norms (Bradley & Lang, Affective norms for English words (ANEW): Instruction manual and affective ratings (pp. 1-45). Technical report C-1, the center for research in psychophysiology, University of Florida, 1999).

77 FR 70473 - Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Forced or Indentured Child Labor in the Production of Goods in...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-26

... Production of Goods in Foreign Countries and Efforts by Certain Countries To Eliminate the Worst Forms of...'s individual advancement toward eliminating the worst forms of child labor during the current... beneficiary country's implementation of its international commitments to eliminate the worst forms of child...

The Development of Metaphor Comprehension and Its Relationship with Relational Verbal Reasoning and Executive Function.

PubMed

Carriedo, Nuria; Corral, Antonio; Montoro, Pedro R; Herrero, Laura; Ballestrino, Patricia; Sebastián, Iraia

2016-01-01

Our main objective was to analyse the different contributions of relational verbal reasoning (analogical and class inclusion) and executive functioning to metaphor comprehension across development. We postulated that both relational reasoning and executive functioning should predict individual and developmental differences. However, executive functioning would become increasingly involved when metaphor comprehension is highly demanding, either because of the metaphors' high difficulty (relatively novel metaphors in the absence of a context) or because of the individual's special processing difficulties, such as low levels of reading experience or low semantic knowledge. Three groups of participants, 11-year-olds, 15-year-olds and young adults, were assessed in different relational verbal reasoning tasks-analogical and class-inclusion-and in executive functioning tasks-updating information in working memory, inhibition, and shifting. The results revealed clear progress in metaphor comprehension between ages 11 and 15 and between ages 15 and 21. However, the importance of executive function in metaphor comprehension was evident by age 15 and was restricted to updating information in working memory and cognitive inhibition. Participants seemed to use two different strategies to interpret metaphors: relational verbal reasoning and executive functioning. This was clearly shown when comparing the performance of the "more efficient" participants in metaphor interpretation with that of the "less efficient" ones. Whereas in the first case none of the executive variables or those associated with relational verbal reasoning were significantly related to metaphor comprehension, in the latter case, both groups of variables had a clear predictor effect.

Reliability Practice at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pruessner, Paula S.; Li, Ming

2008-01-01

This paper describes in brief the Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) Programs performed directly by the reliability branch at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The mission assurance requirements flow down is explained. GSFC practices for PRA, reliability prediction/fault tree analysis/reliability block diagram, FMEA, part stress and derating analysis, worst case analysis, trend analysis, limit life items are presented. Lessons learned are summarized and recommendations on improvement are identified.

Natural Hazards Observer. Volume 32, Number 2, November 2007

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

global warming plan that proposed an obligatory, market -based, cap-and-trade pro- gram that would reverse the worst-case effects of climate change by... market penetration for flood insurance, building Report (under Goal 4: "Lofty Targets"). and elevation requirements, hazard mitigation grants, The Report...reinsurance markets in subsequent years. With an unbiased perspective of all catastrophe model- 8th Pacific Conference on Earthquake Engineering-Sin- ing

Preparing for the Worst: Psychological Excellence of First Responders - A Katrina Lessons Learned Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

cases on human cognition and performance. For instance, when you learn to fly an airplane, you will be instructed to use a simple rule to avoid...Existing Training Technologies; First Responders; Katrina; Lesson Learned 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18. NUMBER... student . Based in Maryland, the training institute prepares first responders using online learning courses or training exercises. Such topics

A Roadmap for Future Security in the Western Balkans

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

and a specific cultural ambience.”5 In its historical background, the Balkan region was full of lasting frictions and security dilemmas. Probably...full moral , political, and diplomatic authority in a coherent and consistent way.”45 Although the EU has made a lot of organizational and... moral and pragmatic reasons toward the Western Balkan crisis in order to prevent the worst case scenario: escalating conflicts in Europe, and the

Draft Environmental Impact Statement-Consolidated Space Operations Center.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

about 10 in the human resonance (worst case) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The USAF has a significant Radiofrequency Radiation (RFR...accessis necessary. I 3. Restrict all air traffic within 1000 feet of the antenna - field to avoid possible exposure of electroexplosive de- vices to...Permissible Exposure Level (MPEL) for occupational personnel is 10 mw/cm 2 and is based on past knowledge of radiofrequency radiation effects (Ref

TID and SEE Response of an Advanced Samsung 4G NAND Flash Memory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oldham, Timothy R.; Friendlich, M.; Howard, J. W.; Berg, M. D.; Kim, H. S.; Irwin, T. L.; LaBel, K. A.

2007-01-01

Initial total ionizing dose (TID) and single event heavy ion test results are presented for an unhardened commercial flash memory, fabricated with 63 nm technology. Results are that the parts survive to a TID of nearly 200 krad (SiO2), with a tractable soft error rate of about 10(exp -l2) errors/bit-day, for the Adams Ten Percent Worst Case Environment.

A Risk-Based Approach to Variable Load Configuration Validation in Steam Sterilization: Application of PDA Technical Report 1 Load Equivalence Topic.

PubMed

Pavell, Anthony; Hughes, Keith A

2010-01-01

This article describes a method for achieving the load equivalence model, described in Parenteral Drug Association Technical Report 1, using a mass-based approach. The item and load bracketing approach allows for mixed equipment load size variation for operational flexibility along with decreased time to introduce new items to the operation. The article discusses the utilization of approximately 67 items/components (Table IV) identified for routine sterilization with varying quantities required weekly. The items were assessed for worst-case identification using four temperature-related criteria. The criteria were used to provide a data-based identification of worst-case items, and/or item equivalence, to carry forward into cycle validation using a variable load pattern. The mass approach to maximum load determination was used to bracket routine production use and allows for variable loading patterns. The result of the item mapping and load bracketing data is "a proven acceptable range" of sterilizing conditions including loading configuration and location. The application of these approaches, while initially more time/test-intensive than alternate approaches, provides a method of cycle validation with long-term benefit of ease of ongoing qualification, minimizing time and requirements for new equipment qualification for similar loads/use, and for rapid and rigorous assessment of new items for sterilization.

Climate change and Australian agriculture: a review of the threats facing rural communities and the health policy landscape.

PubMed

Hanna, Elizabeth G; Bell, Erica; King, Debra; Woodruff, Rosalie

2011-03-01

Population health is a function of social and environmental health determinants. Climate change is predicted to bring significant alterations to ecological systems on which human health and livelihoods depend; the air, water, plant, and animal health. Agricultural systems are intrinsically linked with environmental conditions, which are already under threat in much of southern Australian because of rising heat and protracted drying. The direct impact of increasing heat waves on human physiology and survival has recently been well studied. More diffusely, increasing drought periods may challenge the viability of agriculture in some regions, and hence those communities that depend on primary production. A worst case scenario may herald the collapse of some communities. Human health impacts arising from such transition would be profound. This article summarizes existing rural health challenges and presents the current evidence plus future predictions of climate change impacts on Australian agriculture to argue the need for significant augmentation of public health and existing health policy frameworks. The article concludes by suggesting that adaptation to climate change requires planning for worst case scenario outcomes to avert catastrophic impacts on rural communities. This will involve national policy planning as much as regional-level leadership for rapid development of adaptive strategies in agriculture and other key areas of rural communities.

Systems and methods for circuit lifetime evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heaps, Timothy L. (Inventor); Sheldon, Douglas J. (Inventor); Bowerman, Paul N. (Inventor); Everline, Chester J. (Inventor); Shalom, Eddy (Inventor); Rasmussen, Robert D. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

Systems and methods for estimating the lifetime of an electrical system in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment of the invention includes iteratively performing Worst Case Analysis (WCA) on a system design with respect to different system lifetimes using a computer to determine the lifetime at which the worst case performance of the system indicates the system will pass with zero margin or fail within a predetermined margin for error given the environment experienced by the system during its lifetime. In addition, performing WCA on a system with respect to a specific system lifetime includes identifying subcircuits within the system, performing Extreme Value Analysis (EVA) with respect to each subcircuit to determine whether the subcircuit fails EVA for the specific system lifetime, when the subcircuit passes EVA, determining that the subcircuit does not fail WCA for the specified system lifetime, when a subcircuit fails EVA performing at least one additional WCA process that provides a tighter bound on the WCA than EVA to determine whether the subcircuit fails WCA for the specified system lifetime, determining that the system passes WCA with respect to the specific system lifetime when all subcircuits pass WCA, and determining that the system fails WCA when at least one subcircuit fails WCA.

How important is drinking water exposure for the risks of engineered nanoparticles to consumers?

PubMed

Tiede, Karen; Hanssen, Steffen Foss; Westerhoff, Paul; Fern, Gordon J; Hankin, Steven M; Aitken, Robert J; Chaudhry, Qasim; Boxall, Alistair B A

2016-01-01

This study explored the potential for engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) to contaminate the UK drinking water supplies and established the significance of the drinking water exposure route compared to other routes of human exposure. A review of the occurrence and quantities of ENPs in different product types on the UK market as well as release scenarios, their possible fate and behaviour in raw water and during drinking water treatment was performed. Based on the available data, all the ENPs which are likely to reach water sources were identified and categorized. Worst case concentrations of ENPs in raw water and treated drinking water, using a simple exposure model, were estimated and then qualitatively compared to available estimates for human exposure through other routes. A range of metal, metal oxide and organic-based ENPs were identified that have the potential to contaminate drinking waters. Worst case predicted concentrations in drinking waters were in the low- to sub-µg/l range and more realistic estimates were tens of ng/l or less. For the majority of product types, human exposure via drinking water was predicted to be less important than exposure via other routes. The exceptions were some clothing materials, paints and coatings and cleaning products containing Ag, Al, TiO2, Fe2O3 ENPs and carbon-based materials.

Monte Carlo simulation of the risk of contamination of apples with Escherichia coli O157:H7.

PubMed

Duffy, Siobain; Schaffner, Donald W

2002-10-25

Quantitative descriptions of the frequency and extent of contamination of apple cider with pathogenic bacteria were obtained using literature data and computer simulation. Probability distributions were chosen to describe the risk of apple contamination by each suspected pathway. Tree-picked apples may be contaminated by birds infected with Escherichia coli O157:H7 when orchards were located near a sewage source (ocean or landfill). Dropped apples could become contaminated from either infected animal droppings or from contaminated manure if used as fertilizer. A risk assessment model was created in Analytica. The results of worst-case simulations revealed that 6-9 log CFU E. coli O157:H7 might be found on a harvest of 1000 dropped apples, while 3-4 log CFU contamination could be present on 1000 tree-picked apples. This model confirms that practices such as using dropped apples and using animal waste as fertilizer increase risk in the production of apple cider, and that pasteurization may not eliminate all contamination in juice from heavily contaminated fruit. Recently published FDA regulations for juices requiring a 5-log CFU/ml reduction of pathogenic bacteria in fresh juices should be a fail-safe measure for apples harvested in all but the worst-case scenarios.

Statistical analysis of environmental monitoring data: does a worst case time for monitoring clean rooms exist?

PubMed

Cundell, A M; Bean, R; Massimore, L; Maier, C

1998-01-01

To determine the relationship between the sampling time of the environmental monitoring, i.e., viable counts, in aseptic filling areas and the microbial count and frequency of alerts for air, surface and personnel microbial monitoring, statistical analyses were conducted on 1) the frequency of alerts versus the time of day for routine environmental sampling conducted in calendar year 1994, and 2) environmental monitoring data collected at 30-minute intervals during routine aseptic filling operations over two separate days in four different clean rooms with multiple shifts and equipment set-ups at a parenteral manufacturing facility. Statistical analyses showed, except for one floor location that had significantly higher number of counts but no alert or action level samplings in the first two hours of operation, there was no relationship between the number of counts and the time of sampling. Further studies over a 30-day period at the floor location showed no relationship between time of sampling and microbial counts. The conclusion reached in the study was that there is no worst case time for environmental monitoring at that facility and that sampling any time during the aseptic filling operation will give a satisfactory measure of the microbial cleanliness in the clean room during the set-up and aseptic filling operation.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 49 (FFIETH00290049) on Town Highway29, crossing Black Creek, Fairfield, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, Scott A.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 4.4 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 7.5 to 14.3 ft and 12.2 to 16.3 ft on the left and right abutments respectively. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scouredstreambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particlesize distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Phase Noise Influence in Long-range Coherent Optical OFDM Systems with Delay Detection, IFFT Multiplexing and FFT Demodulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobsen, Gunnar; Xu, Tianhua; Popov, Sergei; Sergeyev, Sergey; Zhang, Yimo

2012-12-01

We present a study of the influence of dispersion induced phase noise for CO-OFDM systems using FFT multiplexing/IFFT demultiplexing techniques (software based). The software based system provides a method for a rigorous evaluation of the phase noise variance caused by Common Phase Error (CPE) and Inter-Carrier Interference (ICI) including - for the first time to our knowledge - in explicit form the effect of equalization enhanced phase noise (EEPN). This, in turns, leads to an analytic BER specification. Numerical results focus on a CO-OFDM system with 10-25 GS/s QPSK channel modulation. A worst case constellation configuration is identified for the phase noise influence and the resulting BER is compared to the BER of a conventional single channel QPSK system with the same capacity as the CO-OFDM implementation. Results are evaluated as a function of transmission distance. For both types of systems, the phase noise variance increases significantly with increasing transmission distance. For a total capacity of 400 (1000) Gbit/s, the transmission distance to have the BER < 10-2 for the worst case CO-OFDM design is less than 800 and 460 km, respectively, whereas for a single channel QPSK system it is less than 1400 and 560 km.

Friction Stir Weld Restart+Reweld Repair Allowables

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clifton, Andrew

2008-01-01

A friction stir weld (FSW) repair method has been developed and successfully implemented on Al 2195 plate material for the Space Shuttle External Fuel Tank (ET). The method includes restarting the friction stir weld in the termination hole of the original weld followed by two reweld passes. Room temperature and cryogenic temperature mechanical properties exceeded minimum FSW design strength and compared well with the development data. Simulated service test results also compared closely to historical data for initial FSW, confirming no change to the critical flaw size or inspection requirements for the repaired weld. Testing of VPPA fusion/FSW intersection weld specimens exhibited acceptable strength and exceeded the minimum design value. Porosity, when present at the intersection was on the root side toe of the fusion weld, the "worst case" being 0.7 inch long. While such porosity may be removed by sanding, this "worst case" porosity condition was tested "as is" and demonstrated that porosity did not negatively affect the strength of the intersection weld. Large, 15-inch "wide panels" FSW repair welds were tested to demonstrate strength and evaluate residual stresses using photo stress analysis. All results exceeded design minimums, and photo stress analysis showed no significant stress gradients due to the presence of the restart and multi-pass FSW repair weld.

MP3 player listening habits of 17 to 23 year old university students.

PubMed

McNeill, Kylie; Keith, Stephen E; Feder, Katya; Konkle, Anne T M; Michaud, David S

2010-08-01

This study evaluated the potential risk to hearing associated with the use of portable digital audio players. Twenty-eight university students (12 males, 16 females; aged 17-23) completed a 49-item questionnaire assessing user listening habits and subjective measures of hearing health. Sound level measurements of participants' self-identified typical and 'worst case' volume levels were taken in different classrooms with background sound levels between 43 and 52 dBA. The median frequency and duration of use was 2 h per day, 6.5 days a week. The median sound levels and interquartile ranges (IQR) at typical and 'worst case' volume settings were 71 dBA (IQR=12) and 79 dBA (IQR=9), respectively. When typical sound levels were considered with self-reported duration of daily use, none of the participants surpassed Leq(8) 85 dBA. On the questionnaire, 19 students reported experiencing at least one symptom of possible noise-induced hearing loss. Significant differences in MP3 user listening patterns were found between respondents who had experienced tinnitus and those who had not. The findings add to a growing body of literature that collectively supports a need for further research investigating MP3 player user listening habits in order to assess their potential risk to hearing health.

Level II scour analysis for Bridge 25 (ROYATH00550025) on Town Highway 55, crossing Broad Brook, Royalton, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, Ronda L.; Weber, Matthew A.

1997-01-01

Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.6 to 1.5 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the incipient-overtopping discharge which was less than the 100-year discharge. Abutment scour ranged from 3.5 to 8.9 ft. The worst-case abutment scour occurred at the incipient road-overtopping discharge for the left abutment and at the 100-year discharge for the right abutment. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A crosssection of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

Oil spill vulnerability assessment integrating physical, biological and socio-economical aspects: application to the Cantabrian coast (Bay of Biscay, Spain).

PubMed

Castanedo, S; Juanes, J A; Medina, R; Puente, A; Fernandez, F; Olabarrieta, M; Pombo, C

2009-10-01

A methodology has been developed to carry out an integrated oil spill vulnerability index, V, for coastal environments. This index takes into account the main physical, biological and socio-economical characteristics by means of three intermediate indexes. Three different integration methods (worst-case, average and survey-based) along with ESI-based vulnerability scores, V(ESI), proposed for the Cantabrian coast during the Prestige oil spill, have been analyzed and compared in terms of agreement between the classifications obtained with each one for this coastal area. Results of this study indicate that the use of the worst-case index, V(R), leads to a conservative ranking, with a very poor discrimination which is not helpful in coastal oil spill risk management. Due to the homogeneity of this coastal stretch, the rest of the methods, V(I), V(M) and V(ESI), provide similar classifications. However, V(M) and V(I) give more flexibility allowing three indexes for each coastal segment and including socio-economic aspects. Finally, the V(I) procedure is proposed here as the more advisable as using this index promotes the public participation that is a key element in the implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IZCM).

Probabilistic Fracture Mechanics Analysis of the Orbiter's LH2 Feedline Flowliner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bonacuse, Peter J. (Technical Monitor); Hudak, Stephen J., Jr.; Huyse, Luc; Chell, Graham; Lee, Yi-Der; Riha, David S.; Thacker, Ben; McClung, Craig; Gardner, Brian; Leverant, Gerald R.;