Network security is a discipline that focuses on securing networks from unauthorized access. Given the Escalating threats of malicious cyber attacks, modern enterprises employ multiple lines of defense. A comprehensive defense strategy against such attacks should include (I) an attack detection component that deter- mines the fact that a program is compromised, (2) an attack identification and prevention component that identifies attack packets so that one can block such packets in the future and prevents the attack from further propagation. Over the last decade, a significant amount of research has been vested in the systems that can detect cyber attacks either statically at compile time or dynamically at run time, However, not much effort is spent on automated attack packet identification or attack prevention. In this paper we present a unified solution to the problems mentioned above. We implemented ...
As network bandwidth continues to grow and longer paths are used to exchange large scientific data between storage systems and GRID computation, it has become increasingly obvious that there is a need to deploy a packet drop avoidance mechanism into network transmission protocols. Current end-to-end congestion avoidance mechanisms used in Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) have worked well on low bandwidth delay product networks, but with newer high-bandwidth delay networks they have shown to be inefficient and prone to unstable. This is largely due to increased network bandwidth coupled with changes in internet traffic patterns. These changes come from a variety of new network applications that are being developed to take advantage of the increased network bandwidth. This paper will examine the end-to-end congestion avoidance mechanism and perform a step-by-step analysis of its theory. In addition we will propose an alternative approach developed as part of a new ...
Physical-layer network coding (PNC) is a promising approach for wireless networks. It allows nodes to transmit simultaneously. Due to the difficulties of scheduling simultaneous transmissions, existing works on PNC are based on simplified medium access control (MAC) protocols, which are not applicable to general multi-hop wireless networks, to the best of our knowledge. In this paper, we propose a distributed MAC protocol that supports PNC in multi-hop wireless networks. The proposed MAC protocol is based on the carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) strategy and can be regarded as an extension to the IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol. In the proposed protocol, each node collects information on the queue status of its neighboring nodes. When a node finds that there is an opportunity for some of its neighbors to perform PNC, it notifies its corresponding neighboring nodes and initiates the process of packet exchange using PNC, with the node itself as a ...
We investigate optimal resource allocation for delay-limited cooperative communication in time varying wireless networks. Motivated by real-time applications that have stringent delay constraints, we develop a dynamic cooperation strategy that makes optimal use of network resources to achieve a target outage probability (reliability) for each user subject to average power constraints. Using the technique of Lyapunov optimization, we first present a general framework to solve this problem and then derive quasi-closed form solutions for several cooperative protocols proposed in the literature. Unlike earlier works, our scheme does not require prior knowledge of the statistical description of the packet arrival, channel state and node mobility processes and can be implemented in an online fashion.
Identifying gear damage categories, especially for early faults and combined faults, is a challenging task in gear fault diagnosis. This paper proposes a new multidimensional hybrid intelligent diagnosis method to identify different categories and levels of gear damage automatically. In this method, Hilbert transform, wavelet packet transform (WPT) and empirical mode decomposition (EMD) are performed on gear vibration signals to extract additional fault characteristic information. Then, multidimensional feature sets including time-domain, frequency-domain and time-frequency-domain features are generated to reveal gear health conditions. Multiple classifiers based on several classification algorithms and input features are combined with genetic algorithm (GA). Because of the use of multidim...
Denial of service attacks (DoS) can cause significant financial damages. Flooding and Malicious packets are two kinds of DoS attacks. This paper presents a new security approach which stops malicious packets and prevents flooding in the critical systems. New concepts of packet stamp a dynamic-multi-communication-point mechanism has been identified for this proposed approach to make the prevention of flooding attacks easier and the performing of malicious packet attacks harder. In addition, dynamic key encryption technique has been adapted as a part of the proposed approach to enhance its functionality.
A synthetic strategy for constructing ionic hydrogen-bonded materials by combining perhalometallate anions with cations able to serve as hydrogen bond donors is presented. The approach is based on identification...Full Text Available
Network tomography aims at inferring internal network characteristics based on measurements at the edge of the network. In loss tomography, in particular, the characteristic of interest is the loss rate of individual links. There is a significant body of work dedicated to this problem using multicast and/or unicast end-to-end probes. Independently, recent advances in network coding have shown that there are several advantages from allowing intermediate nodes to process and combine, in addition to just forward, packets. In this paper, we pose the problem of loss tomography in networks that have network coding capabilities. We design a framework for estimating link loss rates, which leverages network coding capabilities and we show that it improves several aspects of tomography, including the identifiability of links, the tradeoff between estimation accuracy and bandwidth efficiency, and the complexity of probe path selection. We discuss the ...
Recently the troubles related to the network security have often occurred at KEK. According to their security policy, the authors have started the strategy against the daily attacks. It consists of two fundamental things; the monitoring and the access control. To monitor the network, the authors have installed the intrusion detection system and have managed it since 1998. For the second thing, the authors arranged three categories to classify all hosts (about 5000 hosts) at KEK according to their security level. To realize these three categories, the authors filter the incoming packet from outside KEK whether it has a SYN flag or not. The network monitoring and the access control produced good effects in keeping the security level high. Since 2000 the authors have started the transition of LAN from shared-media network to switched network. Now almost part of LAN was re-configured and in this new LAN 10 Mbps 100 Mbps/1Gbps Ethernet are ...
Multi-fiber WDM networks are becoming the major telecommunication platforms for transmitting exponentially increasing data traffic. While today's networks are mainly providing circuit-switched connections, optical packet-switching technologies have been investigated for years, aiming at achieving more efficient utilizations of network resources. In this paper, we have evaluated, for the first time, the packet-loss performance of multi-fiber optical packet switches (MOPS). Our main contributions are threefold. Firstly, we have proposed simple and accurate analytical models for analyzing packet-loss performance of (i) the most fundamental MOPS configuration, (ii) MOPS equipped with fiber delay lines (FDLs) and (iii) shared wavelength converters (SWCs). Secondly, we have shown that the MOPS n...
Abstract In this paper, a Cognitive Radio Based Medium Access Control (CR-MAC) protocol for Wireless Sensor Body Area Networks (WSBAN) that utilizes cognitive radio transmission is proposed. In this proposal, the sensor nodes are classified into nodes of life-critical health information and nodes of non-critical health information. The CR-MAC protocol prioritizes the critical packets access to the transmission medium by transmitting them with higher power while transmitting lower priority packets using lower transmission power. At the receiver, a higher priority packet experiences collision only when there are more than one critical packet transmission at the same transmission slot while non critical packets experience collision when there are more than one transmission at the same transmi...
Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) is an effective technique for reliable transmission of packets in wireless networks. In ARQ, however, only a few erroneous bits in a packet will cause the entire packet to be discarded at the receiver. In this case, it's wasteful to retransmit the correct bit in the received packet. The partial packet recovery only retransmits the unreliable decoded bits in order to increase the throughput of network. In addition, the cooperative transmission based on Interleave-division multiple-access (IDMA) can obtain diversity gains with multiple relays with different locations for multiple sources simultaneously. By exploring the diversity from the channel between relay and destination, we propose a relay-assisted partial packet recovery in CDMA wireless network to improve the performance of throughput. In the proposed scheme, asynchronous ...
This final report of the Manitoba Round Table on Environment and Economy (MRTEE) chronicles its history, objectives, accomplishments and ongoing challenges from 1988-1997. MRTEE`s mandate was to promote environmentally sustainable economic development in Manitoba through policies and programs that combine environmental concerns with economic decisions. The seven main objectives of the MRTEE were: (1) the implementation of a sustainable development strategy for Manitoba, (2) the design of a communications program on environment-economy integration and an action plan to upgrade environmental education, (3) implementation of market-driven and incentive programs to promote environmental protection by business, agriculture and resource users, (4) implementation of sustainable development within the public sector, (5) encouragement of individual businesses, farms and resource users to adopt codes of environmental practice, (6) encouragement of ...
Strategies to combine aspirated marrow cells with scaffolds to treat connective tissue defects are gaining increasing clinical attention and use. In situations such as large defects where initial...Full Text Available
BackgroundStable transgenesis is an undeniable key to understanding any genetic system. Retrovirus-based insertional strategies, which feature several technical challenges when they...Full Text Available
Transthyretin aggregation-associated proteotoxicity appears to cause several human amyloid diseases. Rate-limiting tetramer dissociation and monomer misfolding of transthyretin (TTR) occur before...Full Text Available
This paper presents part-load evaluation of a natural gas-fired chemical looping combustion (CLC) combined cycle with CO2 capture. The novel combined cycle employs an air-based gas turbine, a CO2-turbine and a steam turbine cycle. In this combined cycle, the CLC reactors replace combustion chamber of the gas turbine. The proposed combined cycle has a net plant efficiency of about 52.2% at full-load, including CO2 compression to 200 bar. The part-load evaluation shows that reducing the load down to 60% results in an efficiency drop of 2.6%-points. However, the plant shows better relative part-load efficiency compared to conventional combined cycles. The pressure in CLC-reduction and -oxidation reactors is balanced by airflow control, using a compressor equipped with variable guide vanes. A combination of control strategies is discussed for ...
Many mobile ad hoc network protocols use simple flooding, in order to adapt to changes in time varying network topology. Most of the times, a network-wide flood results in redundant packets and increases network congestion, probability of packet collision, low utilization of available bandwidth, and most important, higher power consumption. In this paper, we propose a new cross-layer broadcast scheme to minimize broadcast traffic in mobile ad hoc networks. Our scheme is based on use of received signal strength indicator, RSSI, value to reduce the number of broadcast packets. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is verified using simulations.
This report deals with the selection of a data communication system for a remote metering system. It covers the following three types of systems: fiber optic, telephone line, and radio packet. It provides a methodology for selecting a communication system for a given remote metering system and a method for comparing costs.
We present a method for the analysis of singularities of Feynman amplitudes based on the Speer sector decomposition of the Schwinger parametric integrals combined with the Mellin-Barnes transform. The sector decomposition method is described in some details. We suggest the idea of applying the method to the analysis of collinear singularities in inclusive QCD cross sections in the mass-less limit regularizing the forward amplitudes by an off-shell choice of the initial particle momenta. It is shown how the suggested strategy works in the well known case of the one loop corrections to Deep Inelastic Scattering.
This brochure describes the strategy employed by the administration of Malaspina University--College in Nanaimo, British Columbia, to implement energy-efficient plans and integrating systems and plans that would allow the institution to consume less energy, fewer resources and improve the health and well-being of its students and staff. An assessment study to identify the most problematic areas, and to develop a prioritizing strategy for their replacement was the first step, followed by rigorous adherence to a 10- year cyclical replacement schedule. The program includes replacement of rooftop ventilation units, installation of high-performance glazing units to replace single-glazed windows, implementation of an Energy Management System to monitor heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, and a Power Smart New Building Design and Building Improvements Program. The combined cost avoidance associated with these ...
Background and aims. The multiplicity of vaccine injections during childhood leads to iterative painful and stressful experiences which may lead in turn to anticipated pain and then possibly to a true needle phobia. We aimed at evaluating a multifactorial strategy of pain management combining pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches during vaccination, as compared to usual care, in 4- to 12-year-old children. Methods. In all, 239 children were enroled by 25 family practitioners in an open-label study. After a pseudo-randomization, usual pain management (n = 132) was compared to a multifactorial strategy (n = 107) associating preliminary application of an anesthesic patch, preferential use of specified vaccines, child education by the parents and the doctor, parental accompaniment...
During the last 15 years cycles with CO{sub 2} capture have been in focus, due to the growing concern over our climate. Often, a natural gas fired combined cycle with a chemical absorption plant for CO{sub 2} capture from the flue gases have been used as a reference in comparisons between cycles. Neither the integration of the steam production for regeneration of amines in the combined cycle nor the off-design behaviour of such a plant has been extensively studied before. In this paper, the integration of steam production for regeneration of the amines is modelled at design load and studied in off-design conditions for a combined cycle. Different ambient conditions and part-load strategies and their influence on the cycle performance are also examined. Of particular interest is a novel strategy with the possibility of longer life of gas turbine blading, with marginal loss in ...
Technology Strategy Board Driving Innovation ...Technology Strategy 2009-2012 ... The vision of the Technology Strategy Board is for the UK to be a global leader in innovation
We propose a combined migration velocity analysis and imaging method based on Kirchhoff integral migration and reverse time migration, using the residual curvature analysis and layer stripping strategy to build the velocity model. This method improves the image resolution of Kirchhoff integral migration and reduces the computations of the reverse time migration. It combines the advantages of efficiency and accuracy of the two migration methods. Its application in tunnel seismic prediction shows good results. Numerical experiments show that the imaging results of reverse time migration are better than the imaging results of Kirchhoff integral migration in many aspects of tunnel prediction. Field data show that this method has efficient computations and can establish a reasonable velocity model and a high quality imaging section. Combination with geological information can make an accurate prediction of ...
... The male GM mosquitoes mate with normal females to produce larvae that die unless the antibiotic tetracycline is present. In tetracycline's absence an enzyme accumulates to a toxic level, killing the larvae. The developers hope the strategy could be combined with other mosquito control methods to reduce transmission in dengue-prone areas. Ricarda Steinbrecher, a geneticist and co-director of EcoNexus -a UK-based non-profit research organisation -expressed surprise ...
... The male GM mosquitoes mate with normal females to produce larvae that die unless the antibiotic tetracycline is present. In tetracycline's absence an enzyme accumulates to a toxic level, killing the larvae. The developers hope the strategy could be combined with other mosquito control methods to reduce transmission in dengue-prone areas. Ricarda Steinbrecher, a geneticist and co-director of EcoNexus - a UK-based non-profit research organization - ...
We prove that Formula Not Shown surface diffeomorphisms have symbolic extensions, i.e. topological extensions which are subshifts over a finite alphabet. Following the strategy of Downarowicz and Maass (Invent. Math. 176:617?636, 2009) we bound the local entropy of ergodic measures in terms of Lyapunov exponents. This is done by reparametrizing Bowen balls by contracting maps in a approach combining hyperbolic theory and Yomdin?s theory.
Nature-inspired algorithms such as Particle Swarm Optimization and Firefly Algorithm are among the most powerful algorithms for optimization. In this paper, we intend to formulate a new metaheuristic algorithm by combining Levy flights with the search strategy via the Firefly Algorithm. Numerical studies and results suggest that the proposed Levy-flight firefly algorithm is superior to existing metaheuristic algorithms. Finally implications for further research and wider applications will be discussed.
A heuristic algorithm that employs fuzzy logic is proposed to the power system transmission expansion planning problem. The algorithm is based on the divide to conquer strategy, which is controlled by the fuzzy system. The algorithm provides high quality solutions with the use of fuzzy decision making, which is based on nondeterministic criteria to guide the search. The fuzzy system provides a self-adjusting mechanism that eliminates the manual adjustment of parameters to each system being solved. (author)
Based on the exact results obtained by Bethe ansatz, we demonstrate the existence of stable bound pair (BP) wave packet in Bose Hubbard model with arbitrary on-site interaction U. In large-U regime, it is found that an incoming single-particle (SP) can coherently pass through a BP wave packet and leave a coherent shift in the position of it. This suggests a simple scheme for constructing a BP charge qubit to realize a quantum switch, which is capable of controlling the coherent transport of one and only one photon in a one-dimensional waveguide.
Data communication in a computer network environment is facing serious security threats from numerous sources such as viruses, worms, Zombies etc. These threats can be broadly characterized as internal or external security threats. Internal threats are mainly attributed to sneaker-nets, utility modems and unauthorized users, which can be minimized by skillful network administration, password management and optimum usage policy definition. The external threats need more serious attention as these attacks are mostly coming from public networks such as Internet. Frequency and complexity of such attacks is much higher as compared to internal attacks. This paper presents a host based network layer screening of external and internal IP packets for logging, analyzing and real-time detection of possible IP spoofing and Denial of Service attacks. This work can also be used in tuning security rules definition for gateway firewalls. Software has been developed which ...
Digital libraries need more than just a retrieval based on keywords, which can be inefficient for some applications. Thus, a document retrieval based on content of the digitized image version of the document can be a more appropriated approach. This paper discusses the retrieval of document images by means of identifying a variety of elements present in the document's image body. We propose a new strategy to identify and combine features extracted from a document image. We also consider the task of constructing an optimized feature set to improve the retrieval performance and to validate our experiments on an assorted database. Experimental results show that the proposed segmentation together with a wisely feature combination increase the overall retrieval performance. Moreover the retrieved images demonstrate the generality and effectiveness of our approach for an efficient segmentation and classification of document ...
A general method for stable-isotope labeling of large proteins is introduced and applied for studies of the E. coli GroE chaperone proteins by solution NMR. In addition to enabling the residue-specific {sup 15}N-labeling of proteins on a highly deuterated background, it is also an efficient approach for uniform labeling. The method meets the requirements of high-level deuteration, minimal cross-labeling and high protein yield, which are crucial for NMR studies of structures with sizes above 150 kDa. The results obtained with the new protocol are compared to other strategies for protein labeling, and evaluated with regard to the influence of external factors on the resulting isotope labeling patterns. Applications with the GroE system show that these strategies are efficient tools for studies of structure, dynamics and intermolecular interactions in large supramolecular complexes, when combined with TROSY- and CRINEPT-based ...
Theoretical models of the decontamination process are developed and combined with an existing model of "6"0Co production in CANDU PHW reactors to predict the effects of decontamination on long term "6"0Co build-up in reactor primary heat transport systems. The effects of decontamination interval, decontamination factor, and post-decontamination corrosion release are calculated. An optimum decontamination strategy for a Pickering G.S. type reactor is developed on the basis of a cost-benefit analysis. This study indicates that the optimum decontamination interval is approximately six years. This optimum interval is relatively insensitive to variations in the costs of personnel exposure, the cost of a decontamination, the decontamination factor, and the post-decontamination corrosion model used. (author).
Cytoreductive conditioning regimes designed to allow for successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) paradoxically are also detrimental to recovery of the immune system in general but lymphopoiesis in particular. Post-transplant immune depletion is particularly striking within the T cell compartment which is exquisitely sensitive to negative regulation, evidenced by the profound decline in thymic function with age. As a consequence, regeneration of the immune system remains a significant unmet clinical need. Over the past decade studies have revealed several promising therapeutic strategies to address ineffective lymphopoiesis and post-transplant immune deficiency. These include the use of cytokines such as IL-7, IL-12 and IL-15; growth factors and hormones li...
The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Germany's national metrology institute, developed an alignment strategy to specify elemental depth profiling in vertical sidewall layers on structured wafers. For this purpose, PTB's irradiation chamber for 200?mm and 300?mm silicon wafers was used to combine total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) and grazing incidence XRF (GIXRF) techniques by employing monochromatized undulator radiation of the BESSY II electron storage ring. 3-D test structures were fabricated to develop an optimal alignment strategy allowing for depth profiling in such nanolayers. The test structures consisted of silicon bars with widths/spacings either in the ?m or in the nm range. In order to be able to differentiate the sidewalls more easily from the remainder of ...
Abstract The baobab tree, with more than 300 uses and commercial value in EU and United States, has been identified as one of the most important trees to be conserved and domesticated in Africa. A decline in baobab populations because of changes in climate could have a negative effect on African livelihoods. Therefore, it is important to study the potential future distribution of this species and determine strategies for conservation. We used Maxent, 480 geo-referenced records, present and future climatic and soil layers. Different general circulation models and scenarios were selected. Models were simulated for (i) All records, (ii) East Africa and (iii) West Africa species records. For each combination, the proportion of the present habitat that might remain suitable in the future was de...
The Risk Evaluation System (RES) is an integrated approach to determining safeguards and security effectiveness and risk. RES combines the planning and technical analysis into a format that promotes an orderly development of protection strategies, planning assumptions, facility targets, vulnerability and risk determination, enhancement planning, and implementation. In addition, the RES computer database program enhances the capability of the analyst to perform a risk evaluation of the facility. The computer database is menu driven using data input screens and contains an algorithm for determining the probability of adversary defeat and risk. Also, base case and adjusted risk data records can be maintained and accessed easily.
A software called KEPCO RCM workstation (KRCM) has been developed to optimize the maintenance strategies of Korean nuclear power plants. The program modules of the KRCM were designed in a manner that combines EPRI methodologies and KEPRI analysis technique. The KRCM is being applied to the three pilot system, chemical and volume control system, main steam system, and compressed air system of Yonggwang Units 1 and 2. In addition, the KRCM can be utilized as a tool to meet a part of the requirements of maintenance rule (MR) imposed by U.S. NRC. 3 refs., 4 figs. (Author)
The results of a study assessing natural-gas-fired combined-cycle (GFCC) power generation in the electric-utility sector are presented. This study quantified the economic benefits attributable to GFCC generation and examined the characteristics of GFCC technology that produce these benefits and the ways that these benefits vary among regions in the country. The impacts of changes in important economic parameters (capital cost, fuel price, etc.) as well as the impact of advances in GFCC technology were considered. Use of GFCC technology in the electric-utility sector could play an important role in a least-cost planning strategy and thereby provide significant benefits to the utilities and their customers. Potential benefits include reduced capital and operating costs, more effective matching of load growth and capacity additions, and greater system reliability. 8 refs., 3 tabs.
The general objective of the presented work is process intensification by means of reduced furnace chamber volumes in combination with the use of low-NOx burner technologies. Fundamental experimental investigations of the reaction zone of different burner types were made. For the development of new burner designs the CFD code FLUENT was used. Throughout the investigations it was possible to increase the furnace heating density from 62 kW/m3 up to 1133 kW/m3. To demonstrate possible technical applications two simulated industrial furnaces designs have been investigated. One main conclusion the work gave is that process intensification without an increase of pollutant emissions is possible by optimizing furnace and burner design and also position and geometry of the furnace load in a combinedstrategy. (author)
The general objective of the presented work is process intensification by means of reduced furnace chamber volumes in combination with the use of low-NOx burner technologies. Fundamental experimental investigations of the reaction zone of different burner types were made. For the development of new burner designs the CFD code FLUENT was used. Throughout the investigations it was possible to increase the furnace heating density from 62 kW/m3 up to 1133 kW/m3. To demonstrate possible technical applications two simulated industrial furnaces designs have been investigated. One main conclusion the work gave is that process intensification without an increase of pollutant emissions is possible by optimizing furnace and burner design and also position and geometry of the furnace load in a combinedstrategy. (author)
In this paper, we show how to improve and extend the integration by fractional expansion technique (IBFE) by applying it to certain families of scalar massive Feynman diagrams. The strategy is based on combining this method together with the integration by parts technique. In particular, we want to calculate certain Feynman diagrams which have a triangle loop as a subgraph. The main idea is to use the integration by parts technique in this subgraph in order to simplify the topology of the original diagram in which it is immersed, using then, in a second step, the IBFE technique. The result we have obtained, after the application of both techniques, represents a simplification in the complexity of the solution, compared with having used only the IBFE technique.
Current Intrusion Detection System (IDS) technology is not suited to be widely deployed inside a Supervisory, Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) environment. Anomaly- and signature-based IDS technologies have developed methods to cover information technology-based networks activity and protocols effectively. However, these IDS technologies do not include the fine protocol granularity required to ensure network security inside an environment with weak protocols lacking authentication and encryption. By implementing a more specific and more intelligent packet inspection mechanism, tailored traffic flow analysis, and unique packet tampering detection, IDS technology developed specifically for SCADA environments can be deployed with confidence in detecting malicious activity.
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) provides mechanisms for reliable data communications. Although it works well in wired networks, it fails to offer satisfactory performance in lossy and wireless environments. And in the multi-hop wireless infrastructure, packet delivery suffers high cumulative loss rate if traveling over multiple wireless hops. The Selective acknowledgment (SACK) is one header option that might be used to combat segment corruptions in air channels. In this paper, an alternative set of flow control mechanisms is proposed to handle high packet loss rate in a wireless medium. Using a measurement-based mechanism, sustainable segment delivery is achievable through a novel size-reduction method. Multiple segment retransmission mechanisms are introduced to reduce successive tim...
The scattering of atoms by a resonance standing light wave is considered under conditions when the lower of two resonance levels is metastable, while the upper level rapidly decays due to mainly spontaneous radiative transitions to the nonresonance levels of an atom. The diffraction scattering regime is studied, when the Rabi frequency is sufficiently high and many diffraction maxima are formed due to scattering. The dynamics of spontaneous radiation of an atom is investigated. It is shown that scattering slows down substantially the radiative decay of the atom. The regions and characteristics of the power and exponential decay are determined. The adiabatic and nonadiabatic scattering regimes are studied. It is shown that the wave packets of atoms in the metastable and resonance excited states narrow down during scattering. A limiting (minimal) size of the wave packets is found, which is achieved upon nonadiabatic scattering in the case of a ...
This dissertation deals with the control of active power flow, or load flow in electric power systems. During the last few years, interest in the possibilities to control the active power flows in transmission systems has increased significantly. There is a number of reasons for this, coming both from the application side - that is, from power system operations - and from the technological side. where advances in power electronics and related technologies have made new system components available. Load flow control is by nature a multi-input multi-output problem, since any change of load flow in one line will be complemented by changes in other lines. Strong cross-coupling between controllable components is to be expected, and the possibility of adverse interactions between these components cannot be rejected straightaway. Interactions with dynamic phenomena in the power system are also a source of concern. Three controllable components are investigated in this thesis, namely the ...
Dynamic Flowgraph Methodology (DFM) is a methodological approach to modeling and analyzing the behavior of software-driven embedded systems for the purpose of reliability/safety assessment and verification. The methodology has two fundamental goals: (a) to identify how certain postulated events may occur in a system and (b) to identify an appropriate testing strategy based on an analysis of system functional behavior. To achieve these goals, the methodology employs a modeling framework in which system models are developed in terms of causal relationships between physical variables and temporal characteristics of the execution of software modules. These models are then analyzed to determine how a certain state (desirable or undesirable) can be reached. This is done by developing timed fault trees, which take the form of logical combinations of static trees relating system parameters at different points in time. The prime implicants (multistate ...
The propagation of bradyon and tachyon wave functions can be compared by considering them as cases of normal and anomalous dispersion and using the ideas of Brillouin which where developed in order to describe the propagation of light in a transparent medium near an adsorption line. It is found that if a wave packet, or pulse, is formed using a superposition of waves moving only in the positive x direction, including both positive energies, it will propagate superluminally for both bradyons and tachyons. If non-physical states, imaginary moments and energies, are included in the superposition, both types of waves will propagate subluminally and remain within the light cone. This last result has also been obtained by Fox, Kuper and Lipson and Strnad and Kodre for tachyons when they included imaginary energies in their superposition. However, these approaches allow the tachyon to be localizable in space and can lead to divergences in the wave ...
This document defines the requirements for the GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) infrastructure as part of the Dutch Smart Meter Specification. In this document all requirements originating from the NTA 8130, or additionally surveyed by a delegation of the Dutch grid operators, are presented in tables. Each requirement is tightly connected to one or more business use cases presented in the document. The ultimate goal of this procedure is to reduce ambiguity of the requirements due to a better understanding of the requirements.
This exploratory research paper investigated the coping strategies of families of hospitalized psychiatric patients and identified their positive and negative coping strategies. In this paper, the coping...Full Text Available
In many applications, the experimenter has limited options about what factor combinations can be chosen for a designed study. Consider a screening study for a production process involving five input factors whose levels have been previously established. The goal of the study is to understand the effect of each factor on the response, a variable that is expensive to measure and results in destruction of the part. From an inventory of available parts with known factor values, we wish to identify a best collection of factor combinations with which to estimate the factor effects. Though the observational nature of the study cannot establish a causal relationship involving the response and the factors, the study can increase understanding of the underlying process. The study can also help determine where investment should be made to control input factors during production that will maximally influence the response. Because the factor ...
The UK government's economy-wide 60% carbon dioxide reduction target by 2050 requires a paradigm shift in the whole energy system. Numerous analytical studies have concluded that the power sector is a critical contributor to a low carbon energy system, and electricity generation has dominated the policy discussion on UK decarbonisation scenarios. However, range of technical, social and market challenges, combined with alternate market investment strategies mean that large scale deployment of key classes of low carbon electricity technologies is fraught with uncertainty. The UK MARKAL energy systems model has been used to investigate these long-term uncertainties in key electricity generation options. A range of power sector specific parametric sensitivities have been performed under a 'what-if' framework to provide a systematic exploration of least-cost energy system configurations under a broad, integrated set of ...
The UK government's economy-wide 60% carbon dioxide reduction target by 2050 requires a paradigm shift in the whole energy system. Numerous analytical studies have concluded that the power sector is a critical contributor to a low carbon energy system, and electricity generation has dominated the policy discussion on UK decarbonisation scenarios. However, range of technical, social and market challenges, combined with alternate market investment strategies mean that large scale deployment of key classes of low carbon electricity technologies is fraught with uncertainty. The UK MARKAL energy systems model has been used to investigate these long-term uncertainties in key electricity generation options. A range of power sector specific parametric sensitivities have been performed under a 'what-if' framework to provide a systematic exploration of least-cost energy system configurations under a broad, integrated set of input assumptions. In this ...
This paper outlines an approach to develop estimates of individual customer contestability using a combined statistical and engineering analysis. The approach is targeted for use for mid-size commercial and industrial customers who are not being considered for individual flexible pricing contracts. Contestability is defined as the potential lost revenue associated with customers leaving the utility or significantly reducing electricity purchases. Contestability is modeled from the customer`s perspective using a two-stage decision process. In the first stage, the customer decides if he will continue to purchase electricity from the utility (referred to as customer retention), and in the second stage, the customer determines the amount of electricity purchased (referred to as load retention). Measures of individual customer contestability will be key factors in developing market segments and new rate offerings in future energy markets.
The two most important issues in designing future gravitational wave interferometric detectors are, in our opinion, thermal and optical noise. In this paper we discuss some approaches for reducing these noises. About thermal noise we show a possible cryogenic solution. About optical noise (namely, the combined effect of shot noise and radiation pressure noise) we show that it is possible to apply a recently proposed reduction strategy based on a 'quantum feedback' (Courty et al 2003 Phys. Rev. Lett. 90 083601; Courty et al 2003 Preprint gr-qc/0301068) to a full Fabry-Perot cavity. This can be seen as a further step towards the practical realization of a detector which is able to evade the standard quantum limit.
Many new technologies and approaches to the provision of comfort inside buildings such as displacement ventilation, mixed-mode strategies, personally controllable (task-ambient) designs, chilled beams as well as some old but recently fashionable ones such as natural ventilation are prompting a rethink of the accepted comfort wisdom. How can a single combination of thermal environmental parameters be deemed unacceptable in a conventional heating ventilation and air-conditioning setting, and yet be regarded as acceptable, or even pleasant, in a naturally ventilated or mixed-mode setting? Why do current comfort standards prescribe static and isothermal conditions for comfort in one building, and dynamic and spatially variable indoor climates for comfort in another? The phenomenon of alliesthe...
Abstract: The current financial crisis has now led most major central banks to rely on quantitative easing. The unique Japanese experience of quantitative easing is the only experience which enables us to judge this therapy's effectiveness and the timing of the exit strategy. In this paper, we provide a new empirical framework to examine the effectiveness of Japanese monetary policy during the ''lost'' decade and quantify the effect of quantitative easing on Japan's activity and prices. We combine advantages of Markov-switching VAR methodology with those of factor analysis to establish two major findings. First, we show that the decisive change in regime occurred in two steps: it crept out from late 1995 and established itself durably in February 1999. Second, we show for the first time th...
Protective goals set the line of orientation of tasks and activities in the field of accident prevention. They have to be based on safety-science methods in order to develop from the conceptual idea to the practically feasible solution, while using the scientific methods to take into account the facts and the capabilities of a situation and, proceeding from them, finding an efficient and rational, optimal pragmatic approach by way of various strategies or tactics. In this process, the activities of defining, informing, thinking and developing need the proper terminology. Safety is absence of danger, protection is limitation of danger and prevention of damage. So it is protection what is needed with danger being given, and risks have to be minimized. Riskology is a novel method of safety science, combining risk analysis and risk control into a systematic concept which is practice-oriented. Applying this to the field of nuclear engineering, the ...
Combined gas and steam turbine processes based on direct coal firing show a high thermal efficiency. At RWTH Aachen, University of Technology, an experimental test furnace has been built to investigate the pressurized pulverized coal combustion (PPCC). The PPCC-facility has been constructed as a slag tap furnace. Particles hitting the walls at temperatures above the melting point cause slagging depositions and create a film flowing down the reactor walls. As a part of the PPCC-program different mathematical models have been developed and implemented into the CFD-code FLUENT to predict the behavior of slag films at the furnace walls. Numerical strategies and the mathematical models used are described in detail. 12 refs., 9 figs.
This study characterized selected commercial volume reduction technologies as to performance and associated costs. VR facility designs were developed for each of the reference VR technologies. Associated on-site storage requirements and cost were also determined. Eight VR technologies were selected for consideration: improved compactor; high pressure compactor (supercompactor); incinerator; fluid bed dryer and incinerator; evaporator crystallizer; evaporator extruder; mobile incinerator; and mobile thin-film evaporator. A representative facility design was developed for each VR technology and for several combinations of technologies. Thirteen separate cases are noted in the following table when retrofit and new facilities are considered.
Objective This report investigates epidemiologically whether exposure to silica is associated with lung cancer risks in individuals without silicosis. Methods We searched the PubMed reference data base from 1966 through 1/2007 for reports of lung cancer in silica-exposed persons without and with silicosis. To explore heterogeneity between studies, a multi-stage strategy was employed. First, fixed-effect summaries (FES) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for various combinations of studies were calculated, weighting individual results by their precision. The homogeneity of the contributing results was examined using ?2 statistics. Where there was evidence of substantial heterogeneity, the CI around the FES was increased to take account of the between-study variability. Random-e...
Encouragement and incentives ar being given in many counties to the electricity industry and private sector to install, own and operate renewable energy systems. The impact of renewable energy installations connected to the grid or operating independently is an important issue concerning the technical and economic viability of harnessing these emerging energy sources. This paper brings out the need for developing and implementing a strategy for comprehensive and accurate protection and control systems for these dispersed generator installations. It appears that a combination of discrete and fuzzy logic devices on an integrated platform will be a novel technique for the protection and control schemes. This development has the potential to be cost effective and suits the requirements for operating renewable energy systems safety. (author). 2 figs., 16 refs.
The aim of this study is to compare, from an environmental point of view, different alternatives for the management of municipal solid waste generated in the town of Castellon de la Plana (Spain). This town currently produces 207ton of waste per day and the waste management system employed today involves the collection of paper/cardboard, glass and light packaging from materials banks and of rest waste at street-side containers. The proposed alternative scenarios were based on a combination of the following elements: selective collection targets to be accomplished by the year 2015 as specified in the Spanish National Waste Plan (assuming they are reached to an extent of 50% and 100%), different collection models implemented nationally, and diverse treatments of both the separated biodegrad...
Luminescent materials are widely used for imaging and sensing owing to their high sensitivity, rapid response and facile detection by many optical technologies. Typically materials must be chemically tailored to achieve intense, photostable fluorescence, oxygen-sensitive phosphorescence or dual emission for ratiometric sensing, often by blending two dyes in a matrix. Dual-emissive materials combining all of these features in one easily tunable molecular platform are desirable, but when fluorescence and phosphorescence originate from the same dye, it can be challenging to vary relative fluorescence/phosphorescence intensities for practical sensing applications. Heavy-atom substitution alone increases phosphorescence by a given, not variable amount. Here, we report a strategy for modulating ...
This paper discusses a new control strategy for photovoltaic power generation systems with consideration of dynamic characteristics of the photovoltaic cells. The controller estimates internal currents of an equivalent circuit for the cells. This estimated, or the virtual current and the actual voltage of the cells are fed to a conventional Maximum-Power-Point-Tracking (MPPT) controller. Consequently, this MPPT controller still tracks the optimum point even though it is so designed that the seeking speed of the operating point is extremely high. This system may suit for applications, which are installed in rapidly changeable insolation and temperature-conditions e.g. automobiles, trains, and airplanes. The proposed method is verified by experiment with a combination of this estimating function and the modified Boehringer's MPPT algorithm.
Energy conservative building design has triggered greater interests in developing flexible and sophisticated air conditioning systems capable of achieving enhanced energy-savings potential without sacrificing the desired thermal comfort and indoor air quality (IAQ). This research work greatly aimed at achieving enhanced energy conservation, good thermal comfort and better IAQ for space conditioning with the application of combined variable refrigerant volume (VRV) and variable air volume (VAV) air conditioning (A/C) systems. Experimental investigation on the proposed combined air conditioning system with the application of intelligent fuzzy logic controller was performed for summer and winter climatic conditions to substantiate the energy-savings capability. The proposed system experimentally analyzed under fixed ventilation, demand controlled ventilation (DCV) and combined DCV and economizer cycle (EC) ventilation ...
In pursuing its mission of helping U.S. independent oil and gas producers make timely, informed technology decisions, the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC) functions as a cohesive national organization that implements industry's directives through active regional programs. The role of the national headquarters (HQ) organization includes planning and managing the PTTC program, conducting nation-wide technology transfer activities, and implementing a comprehensive communications effort. PTTC relies on 10 Regional Lead Organizations (RLOs) as its main program delivery mechanism to industry. Through its regions, PTTC connects with independent oil and gas producers--through technology workshops, resources centers, websites, newsletters, and other outreach efforts. The organization effectively combines federal, state, and industry funding to achieve important goals for all of these sectors. This integrated funding base, combined ...
Use of gas-fired combined-cycle technology (GFCC) in the electric-utility sector could play an important role in a least-cost planning strategy and thereby provide significant benefits to the utilities and their customers. Potential benefits include reduced capital and operating costs, more-effective matching of load growth and capacity additions, greater system reliability, and reduced environmental emissions. GFCC technology was examined in eight utility systems in six geographic regions to estimate the potential benefits of its use. In all systems, GFCC technology was shown to have the potential to reduce the cumulative capital costs for adding new capacity. The overall conclusion of the study is that GFCC technology offers the potential for significant savings in many regions of the United States and that these benefits would appear over a wide range of economic conditions. The study provides insight into the important technological and ...
Current regulations guiding technical aspects of natural resource damage assessments combine source, exposure pathway, resource injury, and monetary damage components. In order to associate any observed injury to the uncontrolled release of chemicals (e.g. oil spills, contaminated sediments, in-place toxics, etc.), it is important to link the chemical ''release'' to the injured resource. In complex environmental settings where multiple sources of similar chemicals are combined, multicomponent chemical methods must be used to link the release to the environmental distribution of chemicals. Three examples of the utility of multicomponent organic chemical analyses linked to comprehensive and representative sampling strategies will be discussed--the Shell Martinez Refinery oil spill, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and a contaminated sediment assessment. These NRDA-based source identifications are based on use of polycyclic ...
Anaerobic digestion of slurry represents an environmental opportunity for both slurry management and renewable energy production in countries with high animal density. This study evaluated the environmental impacts of 4 biogas production alternatives in which slurry was the only input in the process, without supplementary addition of easily degradable carbon. This was achieved by exposing the slurry to different separation technologies. The biomass mixture input for biogas production included solid fraction from slurry separation as well as raw slurry, proportioned in order to achieve economical methane yield. The separation processes considered in this study were mechanical separation; mechanical separation combined with the addition of flocculants; and mechanical separation combined with a thermal treatment. Four biogas alternatives were compared to a reference slurry management scenario, notably to use the slurry as a fertilizer without ...
A few papers have been interested by the fixed switching frequency direct torque control fed by direct matrix converters, where we can find just the use of direct torque controlled space vector modulated method. In this present paper, we present an improved method used for a fixed switching frequency direct torque control (DTC) using a direct matrix converter (DMC). This method is characterized by a simple structure, a fixed switching frequency which causes minimal torque ripple and a unity input power factor. Using this strategy, we combine the direct matrix converters advantages with those of direct torque control (DTC) schemes. The used technique for constant frequency is combined with the input current space vector to create the switching table of direct matrix converter (DMC). Simulation results clearly demonstrate a better dynamic and steady state performances of the proposed method.
Geologically estimated natural gas resources are 500 Tcm. With the advance in geological science increase of estimated resources is expected. Natural gas reserves in 2000 have been proved to be around 165 Tcm. As it is known the reserves are subject to two constraints, namely: capital invested in the exploration and drilling technologies used to discover new reserves. The natural gas scarcity factor, i.e. ratio between available reserves and natural gas consumption, is around 300 years for the last 50 years. The new discovery of natural gas reserves has given rise to a new energy strategy based on natural gas. Natural gas utilization is constantly increasing in the last 50 years. With new technologies for deep drilling, we have come to know that there are enormous gas resources available at relatively low price. These new discoveries together wth high demand for the environment saving have introduced a new energy strategy on the world scale. ...
Geologically estimated natural gas resources are 500 Tcm. With the advance in geological science increase of estimated resources is expected. Natural gas reserves in 2000 have been proved to be around 165 Tcm. As it is known the reserves are subject to two constraints, namely: capital invested in the exploration and drilling technologies used to discover new reserves. The natural gas scarcity factor, i.e. ratio between available reserves and natural gas consumption, is around 300 years for the last 50 years. The new discovery of natural gas reserves has given rise to a new energy strategy based on natural gas. Natural gas utilization is constantly increasing in the last 50 years. With new technologies for deep drilling, we have come to know that there are enormous gas resources available at relatively low price. These new discoveries together with high demand for the environment saving have introduced a new energy strategy on the world scale. ...
Vehicle heating requires a substantial amount of energy. Engines in conventional cars produce enough waste heat to provide comfort heating and defogging/defrosting, even under very extreme conditions. Electric vehicles (EVs), however, generate little waste heat. Using battery energy for heating may consume a substantial fraction of the energy storage capacity, reducing the vehicle range, which is one of the most important parameters in determining EV acceptability. Water vapor generated by the vehicle passengers is in large part responsible for the high heating loads existing in vehicles. In cold climates, the generation of water vapor inside the car may result in water condensation on the windows, diminishing visibility. Two strategies are commonly used to avoid condensation on windows: windows are kept warm, and a large amount of ambient air is introduced in the vehicle. Either strategy results in a substantial heating load. These ...
When quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) is applied to the nuclear reactions in theory of relativity region, a number of problems arise, and in order to solve them, the prescription of the extension of ordinary nonrelativistic QMD is introduced, and the analysis of proton incidence reaction by using it is shown. By introducing the interaction corresponding to Lorentz transformation, the problems were solved. QMD is the semiclassical simulation that treats the motion of nucleons represented by Gauss wave packet. The motion of wave packet center is expressed by Newton equations and two-nucleon collision. The introduction of the interaction corresponding to Lorentz transformation is explained. As the result of the introduction, through the relative distance of two particles, the interaction becomes to depend on momentum. The phase distribution function of one body corresponding to Lorentz transformation is used for calculating the final state Pauli ...
Probabilistic broadcast has been widely used as a flooding optimization mechanism to alleviate the effect of broadcast storm problem (BSP) in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). Many research studies have been carried-out to develop and evaluate the performance of this mechanism in an error-free (noiseless) environment. In reality, wireless communication channels in MANETs are an error-prone and suffer from high packet-loss due to presence of noise, i.e., noisy environment. In this paper, we propose a simulation model that can be used to evaluate the performance of probabilistic broadcast for flooding in noisy environment. In the proposed model, the noise-level is represented by a generic name, probability of reception (pc) (0<=pc<=1), where pc=1 for noiseless and <1 for noisy environment. The effect of noise is determined randomly by generating a random number \\zeta (0<=\\zeta<1); if \\zeta<=pc means the packet is successfully ...
The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Germany's national metrology institute, developed an alignment strategy to specify elemental depth profiling in vertical sidewall layers on structured wafers. For this purpose, PTB's irradiation chamber for 200 mm and 300 mm silicon wafers was used to combine total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) and grazing incidence XRF (GIXRF) techniques by employing monochromatized undulator radiation of the BESSY II electron storage ring. 3-D test structures were fabricated to develop an optimal alignment strategy allowing for depth profiling in such nanolayers. The test structures consisted of silicon bars with widths/spacings either in the {mu}m or in the nm range. In order to be able to differentiate the sidewalls more easily from the remainder of the structures, they were provided with an additional silicon nitride layer. Four structure types of different bar ...
The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Germany's national metrology institute, developed an alignment strategy to specify elemental depth profiling in vertical sidewall layers on structured wafers. For this purpose, PTB's irradiation chamber for 200 mm and 300 mm silicon wafers was used to combine total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) and grazing incidence XRF (GIXRF) techniques by employing monochromatized undulator radiation of the BESSY II electron storage ring. 3-D test structures were fabricated to develop an optimal alignment strategy allowing for depth profiling in such nanolayers. The test structures consisted of silicon bars with widths/spacings either in the ?m or in the nm range. In order to be able to differentiate the sidewalls more easily from the remainder of the structures, they were provided with an additional silicon nitride layer. Four structure types of different bar width and density ...
The advantages offered by green roofs range from improvement in architectural and landscape aesthetics to reductions in building energy costs. Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is encouraging sustainable community development through new policies and regulations that promote green roof installation on public and commercial rooftops in Seattle's urban center. An understanding of climate-specific green roof performance is required in order to develop an accurate representation of the stormwater benefits of green roofs. This paper explored the relative importance of green roofs in storm water management and low impact development (LID) in various areas of Seattle. It also examined the relative effectiveness and applicability of green roofs under various conditions and in various parts of the city compared to other LID strategies such as Seattle's natural drainage systems (NDS) designs, swales and ponds, rain gardens, rainwater harvesting, and porous ...
The study described in this report is part of a project sponsored by the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, performed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, to assess the potential role of surface property modifications on energy, meteorology, and air quality in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Canada. Numerical models were used to establish the possible meteorological and ozone air-quality impacts of increased urban albedo and vegetative fraction, i.e., ''cool-city'' strategies that can mitigate the urban heat island (UHI), significantly reduce urban energy consumption, and improve thermal comfort, particularly during periods of hot weather in summer. Mitigation is even more important during critical heat wave periods with possible increased heat-related hospitalization and mortality. The evidence suggests that on an annual basis cool-city strategies are beneficial, and the implementation of such measures is ...
The transcriptional silencing of some cell cycle inhibitors and tumor suppressors, such as p16 and retinoic acid receptor beta(2), by DNA hypermethylation at CpG islands is commonly found in human oral squamous carcinoma cells. We examined the effects of the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza; 0.25 mg/kg body weight), all-trans retinoic acid (RA; given at 100 microg/kg body weight and 1 mg/kg body weight), and the combination of 5-Aza and the low-dose RA on murine oral cavity carcinogenesis induced by the carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) in a mouse model. All the drug treatments were done for 15 weeks after a 10-week 4-NQO treatment. Mice in all drug treatment groups showed decreases in the average numbers of neoplastic tongue lesions. The combination of 5-Aza and RA effectively attenuated tongue lesion severity. Although all drug treatments limited the increase in the percentage of proliferating cell ...
This dissertation evaluates recent proposals to include tropical deforestation into international climate change mitigation strategies. The research ... ...
In many parts of the world and certainly in Europe large areas exist where the wind resources are good or very good and the grid is relatively weak due to a small population. In the areas the capacity of the grid can very often be a limiting factor for the exploitation of the wind resource. There are two main problems concerned with wind power and weak grids. The first is the steady state voltage level. The other main problem is voltage fluctuations. Some or all the these problems can be avoided if a so-called power control concept is applied together with the wind farm. The idea behind the power control concept is eliminate the violations of the steady state voltage level by buffering the power from the wind turbines in periods where the voltage limits might be violated and combine this ability with smoothing of the power output. The investigations have shown that the power control concept can compete with grid reinforcement and usually the dumping of wind energy ...
Background: EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) inhibitors confer clinical benefit in metastatic colorectal cancer when combined with chemotherapy. An emerging strategy to improve outcomes in rectal cancer is to integrate biologically active, targeted agents as triple therapy into chemoradiation protocols. Material and methods: cetuximab and bevacizumab have now been incorporated into phase I-II studies of preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for rectal cancer. The rationale of these combinations, early efficacy and toxicity data, and possible molecular predictors for tumor response are reviewed. Computerized bibliographic searches of Pubmed were supplemented with hand searches of reference lists and abstracts of ASCO and ASTRO meetings. Results: the combination of cetuximab and CRT can be safely applied without dose compromises of the respective ...
The aim of this work is the evaluation of the quality of a chemistry-transport model, not by a classical comparison with observations, but by the estimation of its uncertainties due to the input data, to the model formulation and to the numerical approximations. The study of these 3 sources of uncertainty is carried out with Monte Carlo simulations, with multi-model simulations and with comparisons between numerical schemes, respectively. A high uncertainty is shown for ozone concentrations. To overcome the uncertainty-related limitations, a strategy consists in using the overall forecasting. By combining several models (up to 48) on the basis of past observations, forecasts can be significantly improved. This work has been also the occasion of developing an innovative modeling system, named Polyphemus. (J.S.)
Our research in the general area of acid catalysis involves the characterization of solid acidity and the corresponding assessment of catalytic performance of acidic materials. Acid characterization studies are required to provide essential information about the type of acid site (i.e., Lewis versus Bronsted), the strength of the sites, and the mobility of molecules adsorbed on the acid sites. An accurate measure of acid strength is given by the heat of adsorption of a basic probe molecule on the acid site. A thermodynamic representation of the mobility of adsorbed species on these sites is given by the entropy of adsorption. Important techniques used in these acid site characterization studies include microcalorimetry, thermogravimetric measurements, temperature programmed desorption, infrared spectroscopy and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance. The combination of these acid site characterization studies with reaction kinetics measurements of selected ...
Summary'THE ROLE OF THE UK PLANNING SYSTEM IN PROTECTING AND ENHANCING SOILS PROJECT REF: UKLQ01 APRIL 2004 INTRODUCTION Soil has long been overlooked in environmental planning. Whilst it has sometimes benefited from indirect protection, until recently its importance and vulnerability have not been reflected in more explicit strategies. This study explored the current and potential role of the planning system in protecting and enhancing soils. Soil is the physical material that covers much o [continued...]DescriptionSNIFFER has commissioned this study on behalf of SEPA, SNH, EHS and the Environment Agency for England and Wales. These UK agencies have an interest in protecting soil quality through a combination of direct regulation of emissions to land, protection of designated sites of special value or sensitivity and engaging other regulatory regimes such as land use planning. All UK environment agencies devote considerable resources to ...
number of technical requirements and performance criteria can drive stellarator costs, e.g., tight tolerances, accurate coil positioning, low aspect ratio (compactness), choice of assembly strategy, metrology, and complexity of the stellarator coil geometry. With the completion of a seven-year design and construction effort of the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) it is useful to interject the NCSX experience along with the collective experiences of the NCSX stellarator community to improving the stellarator configuration. Can improvements in maintenance be achieved by altering the stellarator magnet configuration with changes in the coil shape or with the combination of trim coils? Can a mechanical configuration be identified that incorporates a partial set of shaped fixed stellarator coils along with some removable coil set to enhance the overall machine maintenance? Are there other approaches that will simplify the concepts, ...
A number of technical requirements and performance criteria can drive stellarator costs, e.g., tight tolerances, accurate coil positioning, low aspect ratio (compactness), choice of assembly strategy, metrology, and complexity of the stellarator coil geometry. With the completion of a seven-year design and construction effort of the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) it is useful to interject the NCSX experience along with the collective experiences of the NCSX stellarator community to improving the stellarator configuration. Can improvements in maintenance be achieved by altering the stellarator magnet configuration with changes in the coil shape or with the combination of trim coils? Can a mechanical configuration be identified that incorporates a partial set of shaped fixed stellarator coils along with some removable coil set to enhance the overall machine maintenance? Are there other approaches that will simplify the concepts, ...
After the construction of its wastewater treatment plants, the City of Quebec began to implement overflow control in wet weather to ultimately meet the effluent discharge objectives, i.e. no more than two overflows per summer season in the St. Lawrence River and no more than four in the St-Charles River. After several years of studies to determine which management strategies would best suit the purpose, and to propose optimum solutions, a first project to implement optimal and predictive management in real time, called "Pilot", came to life in 1999. Construction in phases soon followed and the work was completed in the fall of 2009. As a result, requirements with regard to environmental rejects were met in two sectors, namely the St-Charles River and the Jacques-Cartier Beach, and aquatic recreational activities could resume. Meanwhile, the City also worked at giving back access to the water courses to the public by developing sites at the Jacques-Cartier Beach and ...
Large amounts of US public funds are deviated to energy-related R and D conflicts with the country's simultaneous attempts to control inflation and to limit federal government expansion. Congress must concentrate the funds at its disposal upon a manageable number of energy technologies - those most likely to improve the supply side of the domestic energy equation while maintaining an adequate return on investment. An examination of a wide array to technology alternatives concludes that (1) the development of unconventional gas would yield a large return while requiring only limited federal R and D support, (2) combined-cycle coal gasification and the manufacture of low- and medium-Btu gas need relatively little government aid and produce moderate returns, (3) although requiring limited support, energy from municipal solid waste (MSW) yields a small return, and (4) high-Btu coal gasification needs extensive federal funding and produces a relatively small ...
This presentation describes a method for analyzing, quantifying, and minimizing the total cost of fossil, combined cycle, and pumped hydro power plant cycling operation. The method has been developed, refined, and applied during engineering studies at some 160 units in the United States and 8 units at the Irish Electric Supply Board (ESB) generating system. The basic premise of these studies was that utilities are underestimating the cost of cycling operation. The studies showed that the cost of cycling conventional boiler/turbine fossil power plants can range from between $2,500 and $500,000 per start-stop cycle. It was found that utilities typically estimate these costs by factors of 3 to 30 below actual costs and, thus, often significantly underestimate their true cycling costs. Knowledge of the actual, or total, cost of cycling will reduce power production costs by enabling utilities to more accurately dispatch their units to manage unit life expectancies, ...
We describe in a comprehensive fashion the Los Alamos second-generation system for passive and active neutron assays of drum-size containers. The developmental history of this 7-year project is presented with emphasis on the pulsed active neutron technique (differential dieaway), which has achieved milligram levels of assay sensitivity for both plutonium and uranium wastes. We describe in detail the matrix effects for both passive and active neutron assays. We present in a thorough fashion our novel approach to achieving comprehensive corrections for these matrix effects using measurements made during the assays. We develop a matrix correction formalism based on separate neutron absorption and moderator indices determined from these measurements. These are presented as a series of analytic functions fitted to the data. Absolute calibrations and calibration standards are discussed, as is a practical means (pink drum measurements) of achieving routine calibration verification at all ...
The power sector in Thailand is the largest contributor to CO{sub 2} emissions. There is high potential to mitigate CO{sub 2} emission via alternative power generating plants. Alternative plants considered in this study include nuclear plants, integrated gasification combined cycle plants, biomass-based plants and supercritical thermal power plants. The biomass-based plants considered here are fueled with four types of biomass; paddy husk, municipal solid waste (MSW), fuel wood and corncob. The methodology for the optimal expansion plan of the power generating system over the planning horizon is based on the least-cost approach. The results from the least-cost planning analyses show that the nuclear alternative has the highest potential to mitigate not only CO{sub 2} but also other airborne emissions. Moreover, the nuclear option is the most effective abatement strategy for CO{sub 2} reduction due to its negative incremental cost of CO{sub 2} ...
The liberalization of the electricity sector requires utilities to develop sound operation strategies for their power plants. In this paper, attention is focused on the problem of optimizing the management of the thermal power plants belonging to a strategic producer that competes with other strategic companies and a set of smaller non-strategic ones in the day-ahead market. The market model suggested here determines an equilibrium condition over the selected period of analysis, in which no producer can increase profits by changing its supply offers given all rivals' bids. Power plants technical and operating constraints are considered. An iterative procedure, based on the dynamic programming, is used to find the optimum production plans of each producer. Some combinations of power plants and number of producers are analyzed, to simulate for instance the decommissioning of old expensive power plants, the installation of new more efficient ...
After a four-year operation, positive results have been achieved. A community of action has been built that enhances RD and D of fuel cells in the French context. PACo is a light and flexible form of organization that supports the strategy of its members through a shared coherent vision. A right balance between cooperation and competition has been found and cross-sector and public-private synergies have been effectively exploited in its midst. This type of partnership demonstrates that it is on the way of creating value in a cost effective manner combining private and public funds. It should be underlined however that the remaining road to go is long before fuel cells become popular and commercially widespread. The time management will be critical in order to keep the momentum and find a pathway to this goal sustainable in the long run. In this process of radical innovation, PACo as any learning organization is committed to continuously look ...
A linear induction accelerator that produces a beam of energetic heavy ions (T -- 10 GeV, A -- 200 amu) is a prime candidate as a driver for an inertial fusion power plant. Some early perceptions were that heavy-ion drive fusion would not be cost-competitive with other power sources because of the high cost of the accelerators. However, improved understanding of the physics of heavy-ion transport and acceleration (supported by experimental results), combined with advances in accelerator technology, have resulted in accelerator design costs -- 50% of previous estimates. As a result, heavy-ion drive fusion power plants are now projected to be cost-competitive with other conceptual fusion power plants. A brief formulation of transport and acceleration physics is presented here, along with a description of the induction Linac cost optimization code LIACEP. Cost trends are presented and discussed, along with specific cost estimates for several accelerator designs ...
A linear induction accelerator that produces a beam of energetic heavy ions (T #approx =# 10 GeV, A #approx =# 200 am#mu#) is a prime candidate as a driver for an inertial fusion power plant. Some early perceptions were that heavy-ion driven fusion would not be cost-competitive with other power sources because of the high cost of the accelerators. However, improved understanding of the physics of heavy-ion transport and acceleration (supported by experimental results), combined with advances in accelerator technology, have resulted in accelerator design costs -- 50% of previous estimates. As a result, heavy-ion driven fusion power plants conceptual fusion power plants. A brief formulation of transport and acceleration physics is presented here, along with a description of the induction Linac cost optimization code LIACEP. Cost trends are presented and discussed, along with specific cost estimates for several accelerator designs matched to specific inertial fusion ...
Microbial degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons has been studied with the aim of developing applications for the removal of toxic compounds. Efforts have been directed toward the genetic manipulation of mesophilic bacteria to improve their ability to degrade pollutants, even though many pollution problems occur in sea waters and in effluents of industrial processes which are characterized by low temperatures. From these considerations the idea of engineering a psychrophilic microorganism for the oxidation of aromatic compounds was developed.In a previous paper it was demonstrated that the recombinant Antarctic Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis TAC125 (PhTAC/tou) expressing a toluene-o-xylene monooxygenase (ToMO) is able to convert several aromatic compounds into corresponding catechols. In our work we improved the metabolic capability of PhTAC/tou cells by combining action of recombinant ToMO enzyme with that of the endogenous P. haloplanktis TAC125 laccase-like ...
BHP Petroleum (BHPP) has now operated the 164 tonne per day Methanol Research Plant (MRP) located on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia for over one year. This plant was commissioned in 1994 making first methanol on 17th October and has operated since then, selling product by pipeline to two local customers, ICI Adhesives and Borden Australia. The plant is based on the Leading Concept Methanol technology (LCM) licensed from ICI Katalco. Since 1985 BHPP has been involved in the development of Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) technology for the production of oil and gas offshore. In order to utilize the gas associated with oil on remote offshore oil production facilities the combination of gas conversion to methanol and existing FPSO technology is being investigated. The LCM technology being commercialized at the MRP is part of the strategy to demonstrate and develop LCM technology such that it could be located on the deck of ...
Chiral auxiliaries are promising emerging tools for the asymmetric synthesis of octahedral metal complexes. We recently introduced chiral salicyloxazolines as coordinating bidentate chiral ligands which provide excellent control over the metal-centered configuration in the course of ligand substitution reactions and can be removed afterward in an acid-induced fashion under complete retention of configuration (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 9602-9603). Here reported is our detailed investigation of this sequence of reactions, affording virtually enantiopure ruthenium polypyridyl complexes. The control of the metal-centered chirality by the coordinated chiral salicyloxazolinate ligand was evaluated as a function of reaction conditions, the employed bidentate 2,2'-bipyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline ligands, and the substituent at the asymmetric 5-position of the oxazoline heterocycle. Most striking was the strong influence of the reaction solvent, with aprotic solvents of lower polarity ...
Because there are more than 101 million residential households in the United States today, it is not surprising that existing residential buildings represent an extremely large source of potential energy savings. Because thousands of these homes are renovated each year, Building America is investigating the best ways to make existing homes more energy-efficient, based on lessons learned from research in new homes. The Building America program is aiming for a 20%-30% reduction in energy use in existing homes by 2020. The strategy for the existing homes project of Building America is to establish technology pathways that reduce energy consumption cost-effectively in American homes. The existing buildings project focuses on finding ways to adapt the results from the new homes research to retrofit applications in existing homes. Research activities include a combination of computer modeling, field demonstrations, and long-term monitoring to support ...
Greenhouse gas mitigation strategies are generally considered costly with world leaders often engaging in debate concerning the costs of mitigation and the distribution of these costs between different countries. In this paper, the analyses and results of the design of a 100% renewable energy system by the year 2050 are presented for a complete energy system including transport. Two short-term transition target years in the process towards this goal are analysed for 2015 and 2030. The energy systems are analysed and designed with hour-by-hour energy system analyses. The analyses reveal that implementing energy savings, renewable energy and more efficient conversion technologies can have positive socio-economic effects, create employment and potentially lead to large earnings on exports. If externalities such as health effects are included, even more benefits can be expected. 100% Renewable energy systems will be technically possible in the future, and may even be ...
In mobile ad hoc networks (MANET), nodes usually belong to different authorities and pursue different goals. In order to maximize their own performance, nodes in such networks tend to be selfish and are not willing to forward packets for benefit of others. Meanwhile, some nodes may behave maliciously and try to disrupt the network through wasting other nodes resources in a very large scale. In this article, we present a reputation-based attack resistant cooperation stimulation (RACS) system which ensures that damage caused by malicious nodes can be bounded and cooperation among the selfish nodes can be enforced. Mathematical analyses of the system as well as the simulation results have confirmed effectiveness of our proposed system. RACS is completely self-organizing and distributed. It does not require any tamper-proof hardware or central management policy.
An algorithm for creating synthetic telescope images of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) density fields is presented, which utilises the adaptive nature of the SPH formalism in full. The imaging process uses Monte Carlo Radiative Transfer (MCRT) methods to model the scattering and absorption of photon packets in the density field, which then exit the system and are captured on a pixelated image plane, creating a 2D image (or a 3D datacube, if the photons are also binned by their wavelength). The algorithm is implemented on the density field directly: no gridding of the field is required, allowing the density field to be described to an identical level of accuracy as the simulations that generated it. Some applications of the method to star and planet formation simulations are presented to illustrate the advantages of this new technique, and suggestions as to how this framework could support a Radiative Equilibrium algorithm are also given as an indication for ...
The antisymmetric many-body trial state which describes a system of interacting fermions is parametrized in terms of localized wave packets. The equations of motion are derived from the time-dependent quantum variational principle. The resulting fermionic molecular dynamics (FMD) equations include a wide range of semi-quantal to classical physics extending from deformed Hartree-Fock theory to newtonian molecular dynamics. Conservation laws are discussed in connection with the choice of the trial state. The model is applied to heavy-ion collisions with which its basic features are illustrated. The results show a great variety of phenomena including deeply inelastic collisions, fusion, incomplete fusion, fragmentation, neck emission, promptly emitted nucleons and evaporation. ((orig.)).
Recently several investigators reported on various means of generating cold plasma jets at atmospheric pressure. More interestingly, these jets turned out to be not continuous plasmas but trains of small high velocity plasma packets/bullets. However, until now little is known of the nature of these 'bullets'. Here we present experimental insights into the physical and chemical characteristics of bullets. We show that their time of initiation, their velocity and the distance they travel are directly dependent on the value of the applied voltage. We also show that these bullets can be controlled by the application of an external electric field. Using an intensified charge coupled device camera we report on their geometrical shape, which was revealed to be 'donut' shaped, therefore giving an indication that solitary surface ionization waves may be responsible for the creation of these bullets. In addition, using emission spectroscopy, we follow the evolution of ...
A fundamental Doppler-like but asymmetric wave effect that shifts received signals in frequency in proportion to their respective source distances, was recently described as means for a whole new generation of communication technology using angle and distance, potentially replacing TDM, FDM or CDMA, for multiplexing. It is equivalent to wave packet compression by scaling of time at the receiver, converting path-dependent phase into distance-dependent shifts, and can multiply the capacity of physical channels. The effect was hitherto unsuspected in physics, appears to be responsible for both the cosmological acceleration and the Pioneer 10/11 anomaly, and is exhibited in audio data. This paper discusses how it may be exploited for instant, passive ranging of signal sources, for verification, rescue and navigation; incoherent aperture synthesis for smaller, yet more accurate radars; universal immunity to jamming or interference; and precision frequency scaling of ...
Fusion device produces high-level neutrons and #gamma#-rays, which would hazard the safety of the public and workers if the doses would be higher than the regulatory limits because of leakage from the bio-shielding and skyshine. It is essential to monitor the radiation doses in the workshop and the enumerative around fusion devices. A radiation monitoring system (RMS) for full (near and far) areas around a nuclear fusion device has been designed and developed, which can achieve the monitoring and controlling of radiation doses in the workshop area by using the Controller Area Network (CAN), in the institution area by using the Bluetooth Ad hoc network based on a new tree topology formation and routing protocol and in a long range environment by using the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network. (authors)
Wireless mesh networks can provide low-cost solutions for extending the reach of wireless access points by using multi-hop routing over a set of stationary wireless routers. The routing protocol for these networks may need to address quality considerations to meet the requirements of the user. In this paper, we present a quality based routing protocol for wireless mesh networks that tries to maximize the probability of successful transmissions while minimizing the end-to-end delay. The proposed routing protocol uses reactive route discoveries to collect key parameters from candidate routes to estimate the probability of success and delay of data packets transmitted over them. To achieve accurate route quality assessments, a new route quality metric is proposed that uses performance models ...
When gear fault occurs, the vibration signals always display non-stationary behavior. Therefore time-frequency analysis has become the well-accepted technique for vibration-based gear fault diagnosis. This paper presents the application of a new time-frequency signal processing technique, the Hilbert spectrum based on the maximal overlap discrete wavelet packet transform (MODWPT), to the analysis of simulation signals and gear fault vibration signals measured by the acceleration sensor fixed on the bearing house. As long as the decomposition scale and disjoint dyadic decomposition are chosen suitably, the original signal could be decomposed into a set of monocomponent signals whose instantaneous amplitude and instantaneous frequency own physical meaning. After the instantaneous amplitude a...
ObjectiveCOMBINE is the largest study of pharmacotherapy for alcoholism in the United States to date, designed to answer questions about the benefits of combining...Full Text Available
Full text: There are following general tendencies linking to SNF and radioactive waste management (RWM) in the Russian nuclear industry now. The intention to use the closed nuclear fuel cycle based on power water reactors and fast reactor. The intensification of measures aimed at the solution of 'nuclear legacy' from defenses programs of USSR. The intention to improve the existing national RW management infrastructure in the near years by means of the creation of a centralized national system (including managing corporation responsible for operation of long-storage and disposal facilities of conditioned RW). The main aims radioactive waste management (RWM) in nuclear power plants (NPP) for the next 10-15 years are to equip all NPPs with the necessary set of facilities for conditioning of the stored and currently generated RW with packaging the end-product into containers, to build regional NPPs RW repositories and to introduce evaporator bottoms selective purification technology from ...
The Alloy 800 tubes used in CANDU 6 steam generators have not experienced significant corrosion damage to date, which may be attributed to successful water chemistry control strategies. However, it is known that Alloy 800, like other steam generator (SG) tubing materials, is not immune to corrosion, especially pitting, under some plausible but off-specification operating scenarios. Electrochemical measurements provide information on corrosion susceptibility and rate, which are known to be a function of water chemistry. Using laboratory data in combination with chemistry monitoring and diagnostic software it is possible to assess the impact of plant operating conditions on SG tube corrosion for plant life management (PLIM). In this context, this paper discusses the results of electrochemical measurements made to elucidate the corrosion behaviour of Alloy 800 SG tubes under conditions simulating those plausible in SG crevices. In addition to ...
An Eulerian/Langrangian model was developed to study the two-phase flow in a two-dimensional, axisymmetric, direct-injection diesel engine, under motored and firing conditions. The liquid phase was tracked in a Lagrangian sense using discrete droplet packets (DDP). The gaseous phase was solved using an implicit, iterative, finite-difference, scheme of the control volume variety. Gaseous-phase turbulence was modeled using a compressible two-equation k/epsilon model. Turbulence effects on the liquid phase were modeled by superimposing a randomly oriented turbulent eddy velocity proportional to the root of the turbulent kinetic energy, on each packet's mean relative velocity. Droplet-droplet interactions were neglected. The general knowledge obtained during validation studies, was used to simulate the direct-injection two-stroke diesel engine under motored conditions. The simulation showed that by beginning of the injection, (15/sup 0/ ...
Presently, high wind potentials in remote areas may not be utilized for electricity production due to limited grid transmission capacity and/or difficulties in matching the electricity production with the demand. The overall project objective is to help overcome these bottlenecks, i.e. to identify and analyze methods and technologies for making it viable to utilize more of the wind potential in remote areas. The suggestion is to develop a power control concept for wind turbines which will even out the power fluctuations and make it possible to increase the wind energy penetration. The main options are to combine wind power with a pumped hydro power storage or with an AC/DC converter and battery storage. The AC/DC converter can either be an `add-on` type or it can be designed as an integrated part of a variable speed wind turbine. The idea is that combining wind power with the power control concept will make wind power more firm and possible to ...
How do police respond to and manage complaints of stalking? To answer this question, we conducted a 3-phase study. First, we reviewed the literature to identify risk management tactics used to combat stalking. Second, we asked a group of police officers to review those tactics for completeness and group them into categories reflecting more general risk management strategies. The result was 22 categories of strategies. Finally, we used qualitative methods to evaluate the files of 32 cases referred to the specialized anti-stalking unit of a metropolitan police department. We coded specific risk management tactics and strategies used by police. Results indicated that a median number of 19 specific tactics from 7 general strategies were used to manage risk. Also, the implementation of strategi...
In nuclear fuel, in approximately one quarter of the fissions, one of the two formed fission products is gaseous. These are mainly the noble gases xenon and krypton with isotopes of xenon contributing up to 90% of the product gases. These noble fission gases do not combine with other species, and have a low solubility in the normally used uranium oxide matrix. They can be dissolved in the fuel matrix or precipitate in nanometer-sized bubbles within the fuel grain, in micrometer-sized bubbles at the grain boundaries, and a fraction also precipitates in fuel pores, coming from fuel fabrication. A fraction of the gas can also be released into the plenum of the fuel rod. With increasing fission, and therefore burn-up, the ceramic fuel material experiences a transformation of its structure in the 'cooler' rim region of the fuel. A subdivision occurs of the original fuel grains of few microns size into thousands of small grains of sub-micron sizes. ...
BackgroundStrategies to accurately identify the occurrence of specific health care events in administrative data is central to many quality improvement and research efforts. Many...Full Text Available
The energy strategy of the UK Overseas Development Administration is outlined with specific emphasis on energy efficiency and renewable energies. Based on 29 case studies concerning projects and programmes in both developed and developing countries, critical success factors for renewable energy projects are identified. UK)
BackgroundInternet education is increasingly provided to health professionals, but little is known about the most effective strategies for delivering the content. The purpose of...Full Text Available
Israel has faced the challenge presented by epidemic poliomyelitis by using different immunization strategies. In the 1950s, inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) helped to reduce the total burden of...Full Text Available
The DOE strategy recognizes that public perception of low-level waste management practices is not positive. Actions are included that are aimed at opening the system to the public. A better informed public will be able to better assess the performance of the low-level waste management system.
Objective: To further delineate the clinicopathological and radiological features of solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas and summarize the surgical therapy strategy for this tumor. Methods:...Full Text Available
Assessment strategies are an important component in game theoretical models of contests. Strategies can be either based on one’s own abilities (self assessment) or on the relative abilities...Full Text Available
... due to the evolving nature of the Strategy Maps and the changing priority roles, it was decided not to link the SMSP directly with any Strategic Plans. ...
Abstract This study presents a review of distributed model predictive control (DMPC) strategies followed by recent studies conducted by the authors on the robustness of these strategies to model errors and a summary of future challenges in this area. The review identifies three key challenges for the successful application of DMPC: (i) the selection of optimal control structure for DMPC; (ii) the choice of a suitable coordination strategy among the controllers; and (iii) the robustness of DMPC strategies to model errors. Then, the study summarises recent developments related to the robustness of unconstrained and constrained DMPC algorithms. For the unconstrained case, a methodology that is based on the calculation of a performance index is proposed to balance the trade-off between perform...
An energy control strategy (10) for a hybrid electric vehicle that controls an electric motor during bleed and charge modes of operation. The control strategy (10) establishes (12) a value of the power level at which the battery is to be charged. The power level is used to calculate (14) the torque to be commanded to the electric motor. The strategy (10) of the present invention identifies a transition region (22) for the electric motor's operation that is bounded by upper and lower speed limits. According to the present invention, the desired torque is calculated by applying equations to the regions before, during and after the transition region (22), the equations being a function of the power level and the predetermined limits and boundaries.
In this paper we describe the reconstruction strategies, the calibration procedures and the detector performance results from the latest CMS operation.
The research project started in April, 2008 before adoption of the cabinet report of the Federal Government to the German strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change. The German Strategy for Adaptation emphasizes the meaning of information about requirements for adaptation and the active involvement of all social groups in the other process of the strategy. For this the research project has made concrete proposals for the information, communication and participation of social groups. These proposals are based in the essentials on an interest analysis about interviews with stakeholders and the economy to their demands and expectations to the German strategy for Adaptation. Besides we have researched international examples for the adaptation to the climate change for the public relations. For the interactive development of the Internet platform www.anpassung.net concrete proposals were developed. (orig.)
Two dimensional Fourier spectra of near-infrared images of galaxies provide a powerful diagnostic tool for the detection of spiral arm modulation in stellar disks. Spiral arm modulation may be understood in terms of interference patterns of outgoing and incoming density wave packets or modes. The brightness along a spiral arm will be increased where two wave crests meet and constructively interfere, but will be decreased where a wave crest and a wave trough destructively interfere. Spiral arm modulation has hitherto only been detected in grand design spirals (such as Messier 81). Spiral arm amplitude variations have the potential to become a powerful constraint for the study of galactic dynamics. We illustrate our method in two galaxies: NGC 4062 and NGC 5248. In both cases, we have detected trailing and leading m=2 waves with similar pitch angles. This suggests that the amplification mechanism is the WASER type II. In this mechanism, the bulge region reflects ...
Because of the stochastic nature of traffic requirement matrix, it is very difficult to get the optimal traffic distribution to minimize the delay even with adaptive routing protocol in a fixed connection network where capacity already defined for each link. Hence there is a requirement to define such a method, which could generate the optimal solution very quickly and efficiently. This paper presenting a new concept to provide the adaptive optimal traffic distribution for dynamic condition of traffic matrix using nature based intelligence methods. With the defined load and fixed capacity of links, average delay for packet has minimized with various variations of evolutionary programming and particle swarm optimization. Comparative study has given over their performance in terms of converging speed. Universal approximation capability, the key feature of feed forward neural network has applied to predict the flow distribution on each link to minimize the average ...
Multicast transmission has several distinctive traits as opposed to more commonly studied unicast networks. Specially, these include (i) identical packets must be delivered successfully to several nodes, (ii) outage could simultaneously happen at different receivers, and (iii) the multicast rate is dominated by the receiver with the weakest link in order to minimize outage and retransmission. To capture these key traits, we utilize a Poisson cluster process consisting of a distinct Poisson point process (PPP) for the transmitters and receivers, and then define the multicast transmission capacity (MTC) as the maximum achievable multicast rate times the number of multicast clusters per unit volume, accounting for outages and retransmissions. Our main result shows that if $\\tau$ transmission attempts are allowed in a multicast cluster, the MTC is $\\Theta\\left(\\rho k^{x}\\log(k)\\right)$ where $\\rho$ and $x$ are functions of $\\tau$ depending on the network size ...
We will report on a new type of tunable semiconductor laser, which is based on the electronic selection of one Bragg grating among an array of such gratings in silica. The device that we have built operates at 120 Mb/s but extension to 1 Gb/s for Gigabit-Ethernet applications would be straightforward. In comparison with tunable semiconductor lasers using gratings in the III-V materials, silica gratings offer two significant advantages: 1-wavelength stability and predictability, 2-the ability to phusically overlap many gratings in a compact space in order to enable the selection of a large number of wavelengths for wavelength division multiplexed communications systems. The time required to chagne the wavelength in our laser has not been measured for lack of the necessary electronics but it is expected to be in the microsecond range on the basis of a straightforward calculation. The robust all solid-state nature of our device and its expected microsecond random-access tuning capability ...
The SCILS program investigates and demonstrates concepts of operation for dispersed theater forces C3. The dispersal concept would increase the number of potential targets for nuclear strike, make these targets smaller, more highly mobile and harder to find, and introduce functional redundancy. The SCILS system is a microcomputer-based approach to preserving and enhancing the effectiveness of C3 operation in a dispersed configuration. In this program, the system was implemented for testing for the 9th Infantry Division in coordination with the Army's Distributed Command and Control System. Technical highlights of the system include a distributed, replicated data base, a video map/graphics-oriented Commander's Decision Display System, a packet switched Multi-Media Network that operates with deployed field communication systems, and a Voice/Data Conferencing System that supports remote coordination/briefing in a dispersed configuration. The program ...
An attempt is made to generalize the spaces of numbers and functions in order to consider certain problems in quantum mechanics, especially in the cases, where wave functions appear which do not belong to the Hilbert space L"2. Often the Soboljev - Schwartz distributions are used but they are not always the appropriate tool because they cannot be multiplied. A modification of the definition of generalized functions PSI(x vector) is proposed by particular conditions. Such conditions imposed on the wave function of a free particle seems to be the most natural by means of physics. It appears, however, that for all spaces with a real norm these conditions are contradictory. This implies together with the extension of the space of functions, an extension of the space of numbers with so called asymptotic numbers A. The four algebraic operations - addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are defined in the set A. To avoid the contradictions between the conditions it is necessary to ...
Although the current Internet Protocol known as IPv4 has served its purpose for over 20 years, its days are numbered. With IPv6 reaching a mature enough level, there is a need to evaluate the performance benefits or drawbacks that the new IPv6 protocol will have in comparison to the well established IPv4 protocol. Theoretically, the overhead between the two different protocols should be directly proportional to the difference in the packet's header size, however according to our findings, the empirical performance difference between IPv4 and IPv6, especially when the transition mechanisms are taken into consideration, is much larger than anticipated. We first examine the performance of each protocol independently. We then examined two transition mechanisms which perform the encapsulation at various points in the network: host-to-host and router-to-router (tunneling). Our experiments were conducted using two dual stack (IPv4/IPv6) routers using end nodes running ...
This paper presents a study of feasibility of different existing methodologies linked to field's data acquisition from remote meteorological stations. The data transmission serves to collect field's meteorological information, such as temperature, humidity and radiation. In our study the experimental data is registered in a weather station located about 100 km from University of Almeria. Various existing techniques are studied, especially Radio, GSM (global system of mobile communication) and GPRS (general packet radio service). In the result of these studies has been designed a system of field's data acquisition (herein referred as Meteologger) which we are going to present in this paper. The system is based on an ATmega 16 microcontroller, which scans 8 sensors together at any programmable intervals. This paper presents the study of the mentioned project, application and some main characteristics of the prototype system and its program. We attempt to implement ...
Positron emission tomography (PET) is a fully quantitative technology for imaging metabolic pathways and dynamic processes in vivo. Attenuation correction of raw PET data is a prerequisite for quantification and is typically based on separate transmission measurements. In PET/CT attenuation correction, however, is performed routinely based on the available CT transmission data. Recently, combined PET/magnetic resonance (MR) has been proposed as a viable alternative to PET/CT. Current concepts of PET/MRI do not include CT-like transmission sources and, therefore, alternative methods of PET attenuation correction must be found. This article reviews existing approaches to MR-based attenuation correction (MR-AC). Most groups have proposed MR-AC algorithms for brain PET studies and more recently also for torso PET/MR imaging. Most MR-AC strategies require the use of complementary MR and transmission images, or morphology templates generated from ...
A spreadsheet-based decision support system has been developed that allows easy evaluation of integrated biomass to electricity and biomass to ethanol systems. The Bioenergy Assessment Model (BEAM) has been developed to allow the techno-economic assessment of biomass to electricity and biomass to ethanol schemes, including investigation of the interfacing issues. Technical and economic parameters can be assessed for a variety of feedstocks, conversion technologies and generating cycles. Production modules are currently available for biomass supply from short rotation coppice and conventional forestry relevant to conditions and practices in NW Europe. The biomass conversion modules include pre-treatment (reception, storage, handling, comminution, screening and drying); atmospheric gasification (generic gasifier, wet gas scrubbing, dual fuel engine); pressure gasification (generic gasifier, hot gas filtration, gas turbine combined cycle); fast pyrolysis for liquid ...
Increased nitrogen levels have been correlated with decreased ductility and elevated ductile-to-brittle transition temperature in pressure vessel steels [1]. However, the exact role played by nitrogen in the embrittlement of steels remains unclear. Miller and Burke have reported atom probe ion microscopy findings from neutron-irradiated low-alloy pressure vessel steel showing the presence of a 1 to 2 ruonolayer thick film of Mo, N, and C at prior austenitic grain boundaries (GB's) [2], suggesting a role for nitrogen as an intergranular embrittler. It is of interest for the development of mitigation strategies whether nitrogen must combine with other impurities to form nitride precipitates in order to exert an embrittling effect. Briant et al [1] have associated the embrittling effect of N in steels exclusively with intergranular nitride formation. This association suggests that high nitrogen levels may be acceptable if nitride ...
This paper is a progress report on the role of radiation therapy (RT) in local tumor control and the decreased incidence of pulmonary metastasis in 251 patients entered in the Intergroup Ewing's Sarcoma Study. All were followed for more that 1 year, and their RT records were reviewed. Doses to the primary tumor in the range of 4,500--6,500 rad were administered over approximately 5 to 6 weeks in combination with 4 drugs, i.e., vincristine (VCR), dactinomycin (DAC), cyclophosphamide (CY), and adriamycin, or only the first 3. One group of patients received the 3 drugs and bilateral pulmonary irradiation (approximately 1,500 rad in 2 wk). Preliminary analysis showed a local primary tumor control of approximately 90%. Patients with lesions in the pelvis and humerus had local failure rates of 13% (7 of 54) and 21.4% (6 of 28), respectively. The treatment groups differed significantly in the incidence of pulmonary metastasis. Patients treated with the 4 drugs (regimen 1) ...
A gene designated BRCA1, implicated in the susceptibility to early-onset familial breast cancer, has recently been localized to chromosome 17q12-q21. To date, the order of DNA markers mapped within this region has been based on genetic linkage analysis. The authors report the use of multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization to establish a physically based map of five polymorphic DNA markers and 10 cloned genes spanning this region. Three cosmid clones and Alu-PCR-Generated products derived from 12 yeast artificial chromosome clones representing each of these markers were used in two-color mapping experiments to determine an initial proximity of markers relative to each other on metaphase chromosomes. Interphase mapping was then employed to determine the order and orientation of closely spaced loci by direct visualization of fluorescent signals following hybridization of three probes, each detected in a different color. Statistical analysis of the combined data ...
The author blows the whistle about what he considers as a worldwide environmental crisis. He brings a fresh outlook to the crises of destabilizing climate change and rising competition for energy - both of which could poison our world if we do not act quickly and collectively. His argument speaks to all of us who are concerned about the state of America in the global future. The author proposes that an ambitious national strategy - which he calls 'Geo-Greenism' - is not only what we need to save the planet from overheating; it is what we need to make America healthier, richer, more innovative, more productive, and more secure. He explains a new era - the Energy-Climate era - through an illuminating account of recent events. He shows how 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the flattening of the world by the Internet (which brought 3 billion new consumers onto the world stage) have combined to bring climate and energy issues to Main Street. But they ...
Rice is a very important food staple that feeds more than half the world's population. Two major Asian cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.) subspecies, japonica and indica, show significant phenotypic variation in their stress responses. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenotypic variation are still largely unknown. A common link among different stresses is that they produce an oxidative burst and result in an increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, methyl viologen (MV) as a ROS agent was applied to investigate the rice oxidative stress response. We observed that 93-11 (indica) seedlings exhibited leaf senescence with severe lesions under MV treatment compared to Nipponbare (japonica). Whole-genome microarray experiments were conducted, and 1,062 probe sets were identified with gene expression level polymorphisms between the two rice cultivars in addition to differential expression under MV treatment, which were assigned as Core Intersectional Probesets ...
The needs of large industrial, commercial, and institutional energy consumers are more closely connected with the needs of power utilities and energy services companies, a result of the evolving global energy environment. Consumer choice, competition amongst energy suppliers, and increased demand are brought about in some regions by deregulation. Increasingly, large energy consumers expect high levels of quality and reliability from the energy delivered. As a result, management of the cost and the quality of the energy product and the energy assets that produce, deliver, control and consume it requires different strategies. Three major challenges must be overcome: (1) requirement to support economic and efficient delivery, purchasing and use of energy, (2) requirement to guarantee higher levels of power quality and reliability, and (3) requirement to supply the growing demand for energy while establishing a market-based pricing system. The solution is the ...
Purpose: Extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is a rare malignancy. Despite radical resection, survival remains poor, with high rates of local and distant failure. To clarify the role of radiotherapy with chemotherapy, we performed a retrospective analysis of resected patients who had undergone chemoradiotherapy. Methods and Materials: A total of 45 patients (13 with proximal and 32 with distal disease) underwent resection plus radiotherapy (median dose, 50.4 Gy). All but 1 patient received concurrent fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy. The median follow-up was 30 months for all patients and 40 months for survivors. Results: Of the 45 patients, 33 underwent adjuvant radiotherapy, and 12 were treated neoadjuvantly. The 5-year actuarial overall survival, disease-free survival, metastasis-free survival, and locoregional control rates were 33%, 37%, 42%, and 78%, respectively. The median survival was 34 months. No patient died perioperatively. Patient age #<=#60 years and perineural ...
The Chinese government has enacted policies to promote alternative vehicle fuels (AVFs) and alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), including city bus fleets. The life cycle (LC), energy savings (ES) and GHG reduction (GR) profiles of AVFs/AFVs are critical to those policy decisions. The well-to-wheels module of the Tsinghua-CA3EM model is employed to investigate actual performance data. Compared with conventional buses, AFVs offer differences in performance in terms of both ES and GR. Only half of the AFVs analyzed demonstrate dual benefits. However, all non-oil/gas pathways can substitute oil/gas with coal. Current policies seek to promote technology improvements and market creation initiatives within the guiding framework of national-level diversification and district-level uniformity. Combined with their actual LC behavior and in keeping with near- and long-term strategies, integrated policies should seek to (1) apply hybrid electric technology ...
A new area-wide pest control strategy using the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), genetically transformed with a conditionally lethal gene, is under development. Conditional lethality of several transgenic pink bollworm strains was demonstrated in a series of laboratory rearing experiments. Pink bollworms were transformed with genetic constructs using the RIDL technology (Release of Insects with a Dominant Lethal gene) for development of an autocidal biological control system for possible supplement or replacement of radiation based sterile insect release. LA1124 is a lethal construct controlled by a tetracycline repressible transactivator protein (tTA), in which binding of tTA to its specific target sequence tetO drives production of more tTA. In the absence of tetracycline, this leads to lethality by high expression of tTA. When tetracycline is present, tTA does not bind tetO, and so the positive feedback cycle is not ...
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common problem in the female population. Women with diabetes mellitus are possibly at a higher risk. The usual medical therapy for UTI is antibiotic treatment. The aim of this study is to explore strategies employed by diabetic women for prevention and self-treatment of UTI. Forty-two women with diabetes mellitus who had experienced at least one episode of UTI in the last six months were included. Data collection included background information, questions about prevention and self-treatment strategies and a clinical examination to measure maximal urine flow, residual urine, a blood test evaluating diabetic control (HbA1c) and a urine test strip for determination of glucose, leucocytes, nitrite, blood, protein and pH. Thirty-five participants (83.3%) reported changes in daily routines like 'always keeping warm', 'increased fluid intake', 'good personal hygiene' as prevention strategies. ...
This article deals with the need for control strategies and control systems in buildings with hybrid ventilation. In this respect, control strategies are methods of keeping certain parameters like temperature, air quality etc within specified limits. A control system is automatic and includes sensors, motors, dampers etc. The article also discusses consequences with respect to thermal comfort, air quality and energy use following selection of control parameters for controlling air masses.
With increasing liberalization of the energy sector, German suppliers of line-transmitted energy find themselves in an utterly changed sales environment, forcing companies and utilities to elaborate for the first time management policies and strategies that will ensure loyalty of their present customers, and help to solicit new customers. The article here explains some major terms and instruments used in designing key-account management strategies, as well as general procedures for suitability assessment. (orig/CB)
Ensuring security of e-government applications and infrastructures is crucial to maintain trust among stakeholders to store, process and exchange information over the e-government systems. Due to dynamic and continuous threats on e-government information security, policy makers need to perform evaluation on existing information security strategy as to deliver trusted e-government services. This paper presents an information security evaluation framework based on new fuzzy multi criteria decision making (MCDM) to help policy makers conduct comprehensive assessment of e-government security strategy.
... that operated in Pakistan, Dubai, and throughout the Middle East ... identifies 'funds' as one of eight major terrorist ... techniques, and procedures (TTP). ...
... development of SC policy within DOD, because it describes the necessary link between DOD ... strategy convolutes USG efforts to develop SC policy. ...
The ras oncogenes function by indirectly controlling expression of a subset of yet-undefined genes that are crucial for cell growth and differentiation. In a differential display strategy, numerous...Full Text Available
Structured abstractObjectiveAlthough most reviews of Pseudomonas aeruginosa therapeutics focus on antibiotics currently in use or...Full Text Available
The early and precise diagnosis, the prognosis, and the clinical management of multiple sclerosis, remain a considerable challenge. In recent years, the development of novel and powerful proteomic...Full Text Available
There is an urgent need in aquaculture to develop microbial control strategies, since disease outbreaks are recognized as important constraints to aquaculture production and trade and since the development...Full Text Available
Many real-world text classification tasks involve imbalanced training examples. The strategies proposed to address the imbalanced classification (e.g., resampling, instance weighting), however, have not been systematically evaluated in the text domain. In this paper, we conduct a comparative study on the effectiveness of these strategies in the context of imbalanced text classification using Support Vector Machines (SVM) classifier. SVM is the interest in this study for its good classification accuracy reported in many text classification tasks. We propose a taxonomy to organize all proposed strategies following the training and the test phases in text classification tasks. Based on the taxonomy, we survey the methods proposed to address the imbalanced classification. Among them, 10 common...
Strategies are needed for assessing the risks of exposures to airborne toxicants that vary over concentrations and durations. The goal of this project was to describe the relationship between the concentration...Full Text Available
... and regional land, sea, air, and space-based systems, and ... means of delivery of weapons where such ... a separable and divisible part of the weapon. ...
strives to reduce our "environmental footprint" in the following areas: EPA Facilities Energy Conservation Requirements | Goals and Strategies | Results | Reports Green Power...
The following topics are discussed: program goal and objectives, program organization, and program status. Current program projects are described. (MHR)
... teaching and learning; Creating learning materials and teaching strategies; Developing faculty ... achieve educational innovations. Educational Materials Development (EMD): A project under the former ...
Introduction: Generally agreed outcome criteria in psychosis are required to evaluate the effectiveness of new treatment strategies. The aim of this study is to explore clinical recovery...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVES:To investigate the effect of opioid receptor blockade on the myocardial protection conferred by chronic exercise and to compare exercise training with different strategies...Full Text Available
Poplar breeding in Europe is in a more advanced state than breeding programmes of other species. In Europe, poplars are part of the scenery and are integrated in the economy. Traditionally poplar stands are established in lowland areas. But an increasing interest in their use moved them to upland sites. Poplar uses are multiple: lumber, industrial wood, wind-breaks and landscape plantations, etc. Selection characteristics are classified in different groups: vegetative propagation ability, vigor, adaptation to sites and climate, resistance to diseases and insect pests, wood quality, and coppicing ability. Strategies have improved with time. The most efficient strategies for the long term involve constitution of base populations, selection of parents for intra- and interspecific hybridizations, selection within the progenies, and vegetative propagation. Short term strategies are also applied simultaneously. Advanced breeding ...
This paper summarizes the findings from an exploratory definition of a usage strategy for multiple control centre wall displays in CANDU nuclear power plants. Wall displays are defined as large sized, vertically oriented display surfaces that may be positioned in various locations about a control room to support user information needs. The paper begins by discussing the need for a usage strategy for all control room information resources, and then reviews the history in wall display implementation and usage in nuclear power plant control rooms. The balance of the paper discusses the approach used in characterization and review of control room task information needs and definition of a wall display usage strategy. The paper concludes by outlining some of the possible impacts on future control room design and operations that the introduction of wall displays may imply. (author)
... 1. Major Grover E. Myers, Aerospace Power: The Case for Indivisible ... 19. Admiral James D. Watkins, The Maritime Strategy (Annapolis: US Naval ...
Utah oil fields have produced over 1.2 billion barrels (191 million m{sup 3}). However, the 13.7 million barrels (2.2 million m{sup 3}) of production in 2002 was the lowest level in over 40 years and continued the steady decline that began in the mid-1980s. The Utah Geological Survey believes this trend can be reversed by providing play portfolios for the major oil-producing provinces (Paradox Basin, Uinta Basin, and thrust belt) in Utah and adjacent areas in Colorado and Wyoming. Oil plays are geographic areas with petroleum potential caused by favorable combinations of source rock, migration paths, reservoir rock characteristics, and other factors. The play portfolios will include: descriptions and maps of the major oil plays by reservoir; production and reservoir data; case-study field evaluations; summaries of the state-of-the-art drilling, completion, and secondary/tertiary techniques for each play; locations of major oil pipelines; descriptions of reservoir ...
The groundwater flow and transport model of the Faultless underground nuclear test conducted at the Central Nevada Test Area (CNTA) was accepted by the state regulator and the environmental remediation efforts at the site have progressed to the stages of model validation and long-term monitoring design. This report discusses the long-term monitoring strategy developed for CNTA. Subsurface monitoring is an expensive and time-consuming process, and the design approach should be based on a solid foundation. As such, a thorough literature review of monitoring network design is first presented. Monitoring well networks can be designed for a number of objectives including aquifer characterization, parameter estimation, compliance monitoring, detection monitoring, ambient monitoring, and research monitoring, to name a few. Design methodologies also range from simple hydrogeologic intuition-based tools to sophisticated statistical- and optimization-based tools. When ...
The risk perception of the public consists of two components: the objectively factual component and the subjectively irrational component. The two strategies adopted by the German gas supply industry are the internal and the external communication strategy. Concepts and measures of accident precaution, registration and analysis of accident data (installation and operating errors, defects on flue systems, pipelines and valves, subsequent installation of gas appliances) are discussed. (R.P.)
Following a referendum in Italy in 1987, the four Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) owned and operated by the state utility ENEL were closed. After closing the NPPs, ENEL selected a ''safestore'' decommissioning strategy; anticipating a safestore period of some 40-50 years. This approach was consistent with the funds collected during plant operation, and was reinforced by the lack of both a waste repository and a set of national free release limits for contaminated materials in Italy. During 1999, twin decisions were made to privatize ENEL and to transform the nuclear division into a separate subsidiary of the ENEL group. This group was renamed Sogin and during the following year, ownership of the company was transferred to the Italian Treasury. On formation, Sogin was asked by the Italian government to review the national decommissioning strategy. The objective of the review was to move from a safestore ...
This document describes the proposed strategy for disposal of spent and failed melters from the tank waste treatment plant to be built by the Office of River Protection at the Hanford site in Washington. It describes program management activities, disposal and transportation systems, leachate management, permitting, and safety authorization basis approvals needed to execute the strategy.
EREC, the international umbrella organization, published last year a study on export strategies for renewable energy technologies. The 150-page document provides valuable information on key export markets and financial institutions, and presents the various branches' perspectives for the future. The following excerpts will whet your appetite for more. The complete study is available for download: www.erec-renewables.org (Eurees). (orig.)
The objective of SCK-CEN's R and D programme on decision strategy research are (1) to support and advise the Belgian authorities on specific problems concerning existing and potential hazards from exposure to ionising radiation, both in normal and emergency situations; (2) to perform research on relevant topics that might have an important impact on decision making related to nuclear applications, including social and economic sciences. Main achievements in this area in 1999 are described.
The report examines common ventilation and air conditioning systems and strategies for both domestic and commercial buildings; and covers issues such as energy conservation, indoor air quality and occupant comfort. Drawing data from many countries in Europe and the United States of America, various natural, mechanical and air conditioning systems were compared using criteria such as climate, level of occupant interaction, and level of system comfort. This classification system is evaluated and seen as a valuable framework for further research. (U.K.)
BackgroundTo compare two strategies of dynamic intensity modulated radiation therapy (dIMRT) with 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) in the setting of hypofractionated...Full Text Available
This report describes the data, assumptions, and methodology used in the air quality analysis for the 1984 High Altitude Report to Congress. Detailed descriptions of the strategies examined and the mobile source emission factors associated with each strategy are included in this report only by reference.
This paper proposes a novel control strategy for tracking peak power in a wind or wave energy system using a squirrel cage induction generator. It eliminates wind speed measurement or estimation and uses a simple scalar technique by exploiting the cubic nature of the power curve. The method works even when air velocity is varying dynamically. (author)
Role-limiting approaches support knowledge acquisition (KA) by centering knowledge base construction on common types of tasks or domain-independent problem-solving strategies. Within a particular problem-solving strategy, domain-dependent knowledge plays specific roles. A KA tool then helps a user to fill these roles. Although role-limiting approaches are useful for guiding KA, they are limited because they only support users in filling knowledge roles that have been built in by the designers of the KA system. EXPECT takes a different approach to KA by representing problem-solving knowledge explicitly, and deriving from the current knowledge base the knowledge gaps that must be resolved by the user during KA. This paper contrasts role-limiting approaches and EXPECT`s approach, using the propose-and-revise strategy as an example. EXPECT not only supports users in filling knowledge roles, but also provides support in making ...
The highly variable and intermittent pollutant concentrations and flowrates associated with wet-weather events in combined sewersheds necessitates the use of storage-treatment systems to control pollution.An optimized combined-sewer-overflow (CSO) control system requires a manage...
BackgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate the anticancer activity and mechanism of action of Noscapine alone and in combination with Doxorubicin against triple negative...Full Text Available
Two different approaches can be used in phylogenomics: combined or separate analysis. In the first approach, different datasets are combined in a concatenated supermatrix. In the second, datasets are...Full Text Available
How should lightweight electric-powered vehicles be promoted, after the large-scale fleet test being conducted at Mendrisio (southern Switzerland) is completed in 2001, and are there reasons to put question marks behind the current approach? The demand for electric vehicles, and particularly the one in the automobile category, has remained at a persistently low level. As it proved, any appreciable improvement of this situation is almost impossible, even with substantial financial incentives. However, the unsatisfactory sales figures have little to do with the nature of the fleet test itself or with the specific conditions at Mendrisio. The problem is rather of structural nature. For (battery-operated) electric cars the main problem at present is the lack of an expanding market which could become self-supporting with only a few additional incentives. Various strategies have been evaluated. Two alternatives were considered in particular: a ...
The WAND (Waste Assay for Nonradioactive Disposal) system can scan thought-to-be-clean, low-density waste (mostly paper and plastics) to determine whether the levels of any contaminant radioactivity are low enough to justify their disposal in normal public landfills or similar facilities. Such a screening would allow probably at least half of the large volume of low-density waste now buried at high cost in LANL`s Rad Waste Landfill (Area G at Technical Area 54) to be disposed of elsewhere at a much lower cost. The WAND System consists of a well-shielded bank of six 5-in.-diam. phoswich scintillation detectors; a mechanical conveyor system that carries a 12-in.-wide layer of either shredded material or packets of paper sheets beneath the bank of detectors; the electronics needed to process the outputs of the detectors; and a small computer to control the whole system and to perform the data analysis. WAND system minimum detectable activities (MDAs) for point sources ...
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a unique facility covering over 43 square miles. The Emergency Management and Response Office (EM&R) is required to respond, provide Incident Command (IC), and coordination for all Laboratory emergencies. This requires IC`s and support staff to respond to the actual scene of the incident. Since the IC is under numerous constraints and stress, the office wanted the capability of locating the EM&R vehicles on an electronic map. An automated vehicle location (AVL) system was required for the additional safety of the emergency response personal. The requirements for the AVL system include total automatic tracking and low cost. After careful consideration, it was determined that the most efficient and cost effective system would be based on packet radio technology as the transmission media. The location is determined by the Department of Defense Global Positioning System (GPS). The system that was designed and constructed ...
The environment - external or internal degrees of freedom coupled to the object of interest - can, in effect, monitor some of its observables. As a result, the eigenstates of these observables decohere and behave like classical states. Continuous destruction of superpositions leads to the effective environment-induced superselection (einselection), which is beginning to be recognized as a key step in the transition from quantum to classical. We investigate it here in the context of quantum chaos. I show that the evolution of a chaotic macroscopic system is not just difficult to predict (requiring accuracy exponentially increasing with time) but quickly ceases to be deterministic in principle as a result of the Heisenberg uncertainty (which limits the available resolution). This happens after a time t{sub {Dirac_h}} which is only logarithmic in the Planck constant. For example, various components of the solar system are chaotic, with the Lyapunov timescales ranging from a bit more then ...
In this work dosimetric analysis using thermoluminescence technique to study the beams characteristics of x-rays employed in dental radiology has been carried out. The obtained results with CaSO{sub 4}:Dy thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) were compared to the doses obtained with parallel-plates ionization chamber. Dosimetric evaluations were also done using radiographic films of large dimensions. The x-rays equipments analyzed were installed in the radiological services of Odontology Department of Sergipe Federal University (U.F.S.). Depending on the anatomical region to be examined the proper exposure time was select, for a fix voltage of 70 kV. The results with TLD and ionization chamber have been determined to female and male individuals. The intraoral regions analysed were the peri apical of the incisors, molar and pre-molar teeth and the occlusive region. These regions were simulated using acrylic plates absorbers installed on the film packet holder. The ...
We study the consumption-portfolio problem in a setting with capital gain taxes and multiple risky stocks to understand how short selling influences portfolio choice with a shorting-the-box restriction. Our analysis uncovers a novel trading flexibility strategy whereby, to minimize future tax-induced trading costs, the investor optimally shorts one of the stocks (or equivalently, buys put options) even when no stock has an embedded gain. Alternatively, an imperfect form of shorting the box can reduce aggregate equity exposure ex post. Given these two short selling strategies, it is common for an unconstrained investor to short some equity while a constrained investor holds a positive investment in all stocks. With no shorting, the benefit of trading separately in multiple stocks is not eco...
In the framework of the renewable energies development policy and the energy mastership wanted by the Government, a document has been asked by the Prime Minister. It evaluates the development prospects at long and medium dated, of the main chains of renewable energies production taking into account the national developable deposits size, the technologies assessment, the environmental impacts and the competition facing the traditional energies. It evaluates the measures leading to an increasing efficiency. Measures concerning the regulations, the budget, and the fiscality are also discussed. From these analysis, a national strategy for actions in favor the renewable energies, are proposed. (A.L.B.)
Studies have suggested that skill-building through hands-on cooking as a nutrition education strategy, is effective to improve overall dietary quality among participants. FamilyCook Productions' ''Diet for a Healthy Planet with Teen Battle Chefs(TM)'' curriculum using this approach, was piloted in 2008 in a Brooklyn public high school resulting in a statistically significant improvements in dietary quality as well as attitudinal improvements and efforts by students to support changes in school food service. Program evaluation used the RE-AIM framework and employed both quantitative and qualitative strategies including pre and post program surveys, focus groups, and weekly electronic teacher feedback. The program has since grown to over 85 high schools in 16 states.
The management programs for invasive species have been proposed and implemented in many regions of the world. However, practitioners and scientists have not reached a consensus on how to control them yet. One reason is the presence of various uncertainties associated with the management. To give some guidance on this issue, we characterize the optimal strategy by developing a dynamic model of invasive species management under uncertainties. In particular, focusing on (i) growth uncertainty and (ii) measurement uncertainty, we identify how these uncertainties affect optimal strategies and value functions. Our results suggest that a rise in growth uncertainty causes the optimal strategy to involve more restrained removals and the corresponding value function to shift up. Furthermore, we also...
Finding interesting rule in the sixth strategy step about threshold control on generalized relations in attribute oriented induction, there is possibility to select candidate attribute for further generalization and merging of identical tuples until the number of tuples is no greater than the threshold value, as implemented in basic attribute oriented induction algorithm. At this strategy step there is possibility the number of tuples in final generalization result still greater than threshold value. In order to get the final generalization result which only small number of tuples and can be easy to transfer into simple logical formula, the seventh strategy step about rule transformation is evolved where there will be simplification by unioning or grouping the identical attribute. Our approach to measure interesting rule is opposite with heuristic measurement approach by Fudger and Hamilton where the more complex concept ...
The known biological functions of RNA have expanded in recent years and now include gene regulation, maintenance of sub-cellular structure, and catalysis, in addition to propagation of genetic information. As for proteins, RNA function is tightly correlated with structure. Unlike proteins, structural information for larger, biologically functional RNAs is relatively limited. NMR signal degeneracy, relaxation problems, and a paucity of long-range {sup 1}H-{sup 1}H dipolar contacts have limited the utility of traditional NMR approaches. Selective isotope labeling, including nucleotide-specific and segmental labeling strategies, may provide the best opportunities for obtaining structural information by NMR. Here we review methods that have been developed for preparing and purifying isotopically labeled RNAs, as well as NMR strategies that have been employed for signal assignment and structure determination.
Clin. Otolaryngol. 2009, 34, 438-446. Objective: To determine whether economic costs associated with a conservative management strategy for unilateral acoustic neuroma offer an economic advantage over active management options. Design: Cost and sensitivity analysis on a prospective cohort. Setting: Single centre study within a tertiary referral centre in Toronto, Canada. Participants: 72 patients (32 males, 40 females) aged 36 to 78 years with unilateral acoustic neuroma were assigned initially to a conservative management strategy. Entry criteria were small tumour size (less than 15mm in the cerebellopontine angle), patient preference and/or significant co-morbidity. Interventions: MRI scanning was performed every 6 months for the first year, annually subsequently and then every 2-3 years...
Many hoarding rodents use burrows not only for dwelling and protection from natural enemies, but also for food storage. However, little is known how burrows used by scatter-hoarding animals influence their foraging behaviors. In addition, handling time for a given food item has a fundamental impact on hoarding strategies of these hoarding animals: food items with longer handling time are more likely to be hoarded due to increasing predation risk because the animals spend more time outside their burrows if they consumed such food. By providing with two types of artificial burrows (aboveground vs. underground) and two types of food items (i.e. seeds) with contrasting handling times, we investigated how burrow condition and handling time co-influence hoarding strategies of a key scatter-hoard...
Orientation in the environment can draw on a variety of cognitive strategies. We asked 634 healthy volunteers to perform a comprehensive battery administered through an internet website (www.gettinglost.ca), testing different orientation strategies in virtual environments to determine the effect of age and gender upon these skills. Older participants (46-67years of age) performed worse than younger participants (18-30 or 31-45years of age) in all orientation skills assessed, including landmark recognition, integration of body-centered information, forming association between landmarks and body turns, and the formation and use of a cognitive map. Among all tests, however, the ability to form cognitive maps resulted to be the significant factor best at predicting the individuals' age group. ...
This paper focuses on a factorial-based design strategy. The approach provides an efficient and statistically reliable means for assessing the influence of multivariable effects. It is applied to the detection and evaluation of damage in impacted composite sandwich panels. The experimental results obtained from this test strategy are utilized to form an empirical response function. The resulting polynomial relates damage area to residual compression strength at values of independent variables for which testing did not occur. The response function also identifies nonlinear interaction effects of key variabes that cannot be easily ascertained by traditional single-variable test strategies. Independent variables evaluated include core thickness, number of face sheet plys and impact energy. The methodology presented allows the designer to predict with more confidence the damage tolerance of a composite material component, and ...
A robust fusion of the agricultural, industrial biotechnology, and energy industries can create a new strategic national capability for energy independence and climate protection. In his State of the Union Address (Bush 2006), President George W. Bush outlined the Advanced Energy Initiative, which seeks to reduce our national dependence on imported oil by accelerating the development of domestic, renewable alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuels. The president has set a national goal of developing cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable alternative energy sources to substantially replace oil imports in the coming years. Fuels derived from cellulosic biomass - the fibrous, woody, and generally inedible portions of plant matter - offer one such alternative to conventional energy sources that can dramatically impact national economic growth, national energy security, and environmental goals. Cellulosic biomass is an attractive energy feedstock because it is an abundant, domestic, renewable ...
The design characteristic of the autocontrol technique of the combined centrifuge is introduced. Digital technique, vary structure control and interface technique, graphical display techniques, digital communication technique as well as electronic technique are applied in the course of research. Automation in the operation of large scale combined centrifuges and the course of combined test has been realized and it can coordinate with other systems of status monitoring, data collecting and centrifugal force-aerodynamic force matched load automatically
Social learning (learning through observation or interaction with other individuals) is widespread in nature and is central to the remarkable success of humanity, yet it remains unclear why...Full Text Available
BackgroundEpilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent electrophysiological activities, known as seizures. Without the appropriate detection strategies,...Full Text Available
The study examines the question of whether or not civilian marketing practices and principles can be applied in the military care setting. Using the NRMC Great Lakes as a basis, the answer is yes--consumers of military medical care are ready to be the rec...
In developing severe accident management strategies, an engineering decision would be made based on the available data and information that are vague, imprecise and uncertain by nature. These sorts of vagueness and uncertainty are due to lack of knowledge for the severe accident sequences of interest. The fuzzy set theory offers a possibility of handling these sorts of data and information. In this paper, the possibility to apply the decision-making method based on fuzzy set theory to the evaluation of the accident management strategies at a nuclear power plant is scrutinized. The fuzzy decision-making method uses linguistic variables and fuzzy numbers to represent the decision-maker's subjective assessments for the decision alternatives according to the decision criteria. The fuzzy mean operator is used to aggregate the decision-maker's subjective assessments, while the total integral value method is used to rank the decision ...
Personal Health Records (PHRs) are increasingly recognized as a strategy to improve patient-provider communication, availability of health information, and quality of care, by making the delivery of...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo estimate which strategy is the most cost-effective for prevention of preterm birth and associated morbidity.Study DesignFull Text Available
... NE Mall Room B-607, EPA Headquarters, 401 M ... formally adopted and initiated a joint strategy for ... CLI kick-off Partner and Task Force meeting. ...
Borna disease virus (BDV) uses a unique strategy of replication and transcription which takes place in the nucleus, unlike other known, nonsegmented, negative-stranded RNA viruses of animal origin....Full Text Available
Devastating central nervous system injuries and diseases continue to occur in spite of the tremendous efforts of various prevention programs. The enormity of and annual escalation of healthcare...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVES: Personal and equipment assistance are common strategies to reduce disability. This study sought to determine how often assistance reduces or even completely resolves health-related difficulties...Full Text Available
The paper presents the progress of the Radioactive Waste Management Plan which accompanies the Decommissioning Plan for research reactor WWR-S located in Magurele, Ilfov, near Bucharest, Romania. The new variant of the Decommissioning Plan was elaborated taking into account the IAEA recommendation concerning radioactive waste management. A new feasibility study for WWR-S decommissioning was also developed. The preferred safe management strategy for radioactive wastes produced by reactor decommissioning is outlined. The strategy must account for reactor decommissioning, as well as rehabilitation of the existing Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant and the upgrade of the Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility at Baita-Bihor. Furthermore, the final rehabilitation of the laboratories and reusing of cleaned reactor building is envisaged. An inventory of each type of radioactive waste is presented. The proposed waste management ...
BackgroundIn 1998, the U.K. National Health Service Information for Health Strategy proposed the implementation of a National electronic Library for Health...Full Text Available
...challenges faced by the industrial sector by implementing a Research Agenda for Embedded Computing Systems. The Artemis JU will manage and co-ordinate open ...5 billion research programme on Embedded Computing Systems. The programme is open to organisations within the EU Member States as well as Associated ...
The development of new methods for gene addition to mammalian genomes is necessary to overcome the limitations of conventional genetic engineering strategies. Although a variety of DNA-modifying enzymes...Full Text Available
Understanding the mechanisms whereby information encoded within patterns of action potentials is deciphered by neurons is central to cognitive psychology. The multiprotein complexes formed by...Full Text Available
Oxidative stress contributes to the pathophysiology of exposure to heavy metals/metalloid. Beneficial renal effects of some medications, such as chelation therapy depend at least partially on the ability...Full Text Available
The homologous sequences observed for many calcium binding proteins such as parvalbumin, troponin C, the myosin light chains, and calmodulin has lead to the hypothesis that these proteins have homologous...Full Text Available
Genetically identical rhesus monkeys would have tremendous utility as models for the study of human disease and would be particularly valuable for vaccine trials and tissue transplantation studies where...Full Text Available
High blood pressure (BP) is a major public health problem in India and its prevalence is rapidly increasing among urban and rural populations. Reducing systolic and diastolic BP can decrease cardiovascular...Full Text Available
Sperm competition occurs when 2 or more males copulate with a particular female during the same reproductive cycle, and their sperm compete to fertilize the female's available eggs. One strategy that...Full Text Available
Background:Smoking cessation is an important strategy for reducing the harmful effects of tobacco, particularly in the prevention of lung cancer; however, prospective data on the...Full Text Available
This study investigated the feasibility of a slow-release inoculation approach as a bioaugmentation strategy for the degradation of lindane (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane [γ-HCH]). Slow-release...Full Text Available
Experienced users of the Clarion cochlear implant were tested acutely with the HiResolution (HiRes) and HiRes Fidelity120 (F120) processing strategies. Three psychophysically-based tests were...Full Text Available
A protein evolution strategy is described by which double-stranded DNA fragments encoding defined E. coli protein secondary structural elements (α-helices, β-strands...Full Text Available
Destress blasting is commonly used as a stress control technique at the Galena Mine, Wallace, Idaho, where the U.S. Bureau of Mines maintains a cooperative research program with the mine operators (ASARCO). A digital seismic array and an array of borehole...
BackgroundNew Zealand's Primary Health Care Strategy (NZPHCS) was introduced in 2002. Its features are substantial increases in government funding delivered as capitation payments,...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe circadian rhythm in mammals is orchestrated by a central pacemaker in the brain, but most peripheral tissues contain their own intrinsic circadian oscillators. The...Full Text Available
Current adherence assessments typically detect missed doses long after they occur. Real-time, wireless monitoring strategies for antiretroviral therapy may provide novel opportunities to proactively...Full Text Available
BackgroundSubjects with a ring scotoma can use two retinal loci, a foveal and a peripheral, for reading. Our aim was to investigate the relative use of both retinal loci as a function...Full Text Available
Deforestation is rapidly transforming primary forests across the tropics into human-dominated landscapes. Consequently, conservationists need to understand how different taxa respond and adapt to these...Full Text Available
A new strategy is presented for the synthesis of graft copolymers using only the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). From a ROMP-derived main chain, pendant maleimide functional groups...Full Text Available
BackgroundRapid and correct diagnosis of malaria is considered an important strategy in the control of the disease. However, it remains to be determined how well these tests can...Full Text Available
Plantago media L. and Plantago maritima L. differ in their strategy toward salt stress, a major difference being the uptake and distribution of ions. Patch clamp techniques...Full Text Available
The analysis of individual molecules is evolving into an important tool for biological research, and presents conceptually new ways of approaching experimental design strategies. However, more...Full Text Available
BackgroundSeasonal influenza A infection affects a significant cohort of the global population annually, resulting in considerable morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic strategies...Full Text Available
Hospitals as research environments are crucial in advancing evidence-based practice and translational research. The authors discuss issues related to hospital-based nursing research such as...Full Text Available
BackgroundStem cell characteristics are an important feature of human cancer cells and play a major role in the therapy resistance of tumours. Strategies to target cancer stem cells...Full Text Available
In this paper the problem of developing optimal bidding strategies for the participants of oligopolistic energy markets is studied. Special attention is given to the impacts of suppliers' emission of pollutants on their bidding strategies. The proposed methodology employs supply function equilibrium (SFE) model to represent the strategic behavior of each supplier and locational marginal pricing mechanism for the market clearing. The optimal bidding strategies are developed mathematically using a bilevel optimization problem where the upper-level subproblem maximizes individual supplier payoff and the lower-level subproblem solves the Independent System Operator's market clearing problem. In order to solve market clearing mechanism the multiobjective optimal power flow is used with supplier emission of pollutants, as an extra objective, subject to the supplier physical constraints. This paper uses normal ...
Species that depend on ephemeral habitat often evolve distinct dispersal strategies in which the propensity to disperse is closely integrated with a suite of morphological, behavioural and physiological...Full Text Available
BackgroundMass treatment to trachoma endemic communities is a critical part of the World Health Organization SAFE strategy. However, non-participation may not be at random, affecting...Full Text Available
BackgroundPrevious research has shown that internet education can lead to short-term improvements in clinicians' knowledge, confidence and communication practices. We wished to better...Full Text Available
BackgroundLarviciding is a key strategy used in many vector control programmes around the world. Costs could be reduced if larvicides could be manufactured locally. The potential...Full Text Available
BackgroundImproving the understanding of childhood malarial anaemia may help in the design of appropriate management strategies.MethodsA...Full Text Available
During the past decade idiopathic venous thromboembolism has become a separate entity, a chronic illness which has required prolonged anticoagulation and other prevention strategies to avoid recurrences....Full Text Available
We have developed a new strategy for immunization of wild rabbit populations against myxomatosis and rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) that uses recombinant viruses based on a naturally attenuated field...Full Text Available
Objectives:The human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) epidemic is in its third decade and has reached to alarming proportions worldwide....Full Text Available
... As noted by Emma Rothschild: ... 24. Emma Rothschild, "Food Politics," Foreign Affairs, 54 (January 1976),285·86. 25. Forecast 90, pp. I1·31, 32. 26. ...
The purpose of this work is to develop a novel feature-based registration strategy to automatically map the rectal contours from planning computed tomography (CT) (pCT) to cone beam CT (CBCT). The rectal...Full Text Available
Epidemiologic research concerning electric and magnetic fields in relation to cancer has focused on the potential etiologic roles of residential exposure on childhood cancer and occupational exposure...Full Text Available
This purpose of this paper is to describe the optimizing Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) insertion, revising data collection strategies, estimating workloads, and calculating the financial savings generated by the vascular access nurse (VAN)...
Esophageal perforation is associated with a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. We report herein a case of lye-induced esophageal perforation managed successfully by employing endoscopic T-tube...Full Text Available
BackgroundAntigen sparing and cross-protective immunity are regarded as crucial in pandemic influenza vaccine development. Both targets can be achieved by adjuvantation strategy...Full Text Available
Zebrafish transgenesis is a powerful and increasingly common strategy to assay vertebrate transcriptional regulatory control. Several challenges remain, however, to the broader application of...Full Text Available
Chemoprevention strategies to prevent the development of lung cancer in at-risk individuals are a key component in disease management. In addition to being highly effective, an ideal chemopreventive...Full Text Available
Antivenoms are the currently available agents for treatment of snake venom intoxication in humans. The development of therapeutic strategies employing more generally available drugs could improve treatment of invenomation by reducing hypersensitive reacti...
Short-hairpin RNA (shRNA)–mediated gene knockdown is a powerful tool for targeted gene silencing and an emerging novel therapeutic strategy. Recent publications, however, reported unexpected...Full Text Available
Spatial abilities have been associated with many ecologically-relevant behaviors such as territoriality, mate choice, navigation and acquisition of food resources. Differential demands on spatial...Full Text Available
The temporal fine structure (TFS) of sound contributes significantly to the perception of music and speech in noise. The evaluation of new strategies to improve TFS delivery in cochlear implants (CIs)...Full Text Available
The study of the Military Strategic and Tactical Relay (MILSTAR) program focuses on the role of the program manager and contracting officer in developing the acquisition strategy.
The results of clinical trials conducted in Europe and North America have been incorporated into treatment strategies for breast cancer in Japan. Despite the use of similar treatment regimens, why has...Full Text Available
Intestinal parasitic infections have been perceived as a public health problem in Seychelles for decades. A comprehensive strategy to reduce morbidity and, in the long term, transmission of intestinal...Full Text Available
BackgroundSelf-administered computer-assisted blood donor screening strategies may elicit more accurate responses and improve the screening process.MethodsRandomized...Full Text Available
Program plans of the Office of Coal Technology in coal liquefaction are presented. Technology description, status, market applications, program strategy and program management descriptions are included. 2 figs. (CBS)
Urethral and endocervical swabs and self-collected vaginal swabs (SCVSs) and urine specimens are all used as samples for diagnosis of urogenital infection with Chlamydia trachomatis....Full Text Available
Top quark is extremely sensitive to non-standard CP violating phases. General strategies for exposing different types of phases at the NLC are outlined. SUSY phase(s) cause PRA in $t\\to Wb$. The transverse polarization of the $\\tau$ in the reaction $t\\to b\\tau\
to Protect Workers' Rights); 2/28/07 [PDF - 1,030 KB] Submission to the docket from Eninger (private person); 3/1/07 [PDF - 174 KB] Submission to the docket from Farber (private...
The German state of Sachsen is a synonym for brown coal production. The elections to the state parliament will decide the future of this echnology and of climate protection strategies like renewable energy sources. A renewables fraction of 82 percent of renewables-derived electric power may be possible by 2020. (orig.)
Anemia commonly affects critically ill patients. The causes are multifactorial and include acute blood loss, blood loss from diagnostic testing and blunted red blood cell production. Blood transfusions...Full Text Available
The biomechanical nature of the arterial system and its major disease states provides a series of challenges to treatment strategies. Endovascular device design objectives have mostly centered on short-term...Full Text Available
Bacterial pathogens use virulence strategies to invade epithelial barriers, but active processes of epithelial cells may also contribute to the endocytosis of microbial particles. To focus on the latter,...Full Text Available
AimsA better understanding of the ionic mechanisms for cardiac automaticity can lead to better strategies for engineering bio-artificial pacemakers. Here, we attempted to better...Full Text Available
...research strategy and plans Aquatic resource monitoring research programs, EMAP and STAR grants Go To EMAP homepage Go To Top Bibliography References for survey designs, statistical analyses , program documentation, and monitoring reports. Reports, abstracts and links to electronic versions Go To Top Frequently Asked Questions ...
This joint statement was developed by the CMA and the Canadian Pharmaceutical Association, a national association of pharmacists, and includes the goal of drug therapy, strategies for collaboration...Full Text Available
A goal of our research is to identify biochemical factors that underlie the susceptibility of bone marrow cell populations to benzene metabolites so as to develop a mechanistically based chemoprotective...Full Text Available
Since the establishment of the National Toxicology Program (NTP), there have been gradual changes in strategies to evaluate the overall toxicity of chemicals as well as their carcinogenic potential....Full Text Available
BackgroundGenomics has substantially changed our approach to cancer research. Gene expression profiling, for example, has been utilized to delineate subtypes of cancer, and facilitated...Full Text Available
The state of chromatin (the packaging of DNA in eukaryotes) has long been recognized to have major effects on levels of gene expression, and numerous chromatin-altering strategies—including...Full Text Available
The accumulation of α-1,4-polyglucans is an important strategy to cope with transient starvation conditions in the environment. In bacteria and plants, the synthesis of glycogen and starch occurs...Full Text Available
The extreme strength and elasticity of spider silks originate from the modular nature of their repetitive proteins. To exploit such materials and mimic spider silks, comprehensive strategies...Full Text Available
The function of the hyolingual complex in three odontocete species was investigated to compare adaptations of divergent feeding strategies, suction and ram feeding. Pygmy and dwarf sperm whales, members...Full Text Available
The offline adaptive radiotherapy (ART) has been used to effectively correct and compensate the prostate motion and reduce the required margin. The efficacy depends on the characteristics of...Full Text Available
On the basis of literary sources and experimental data, the advantages of a monogamous reproductive strategy are analyzed. Monogamous species of Lepidoptera have no postcopulative mechanisms of control over the success of reproductive sperm competition, cryptic female choice, and, probably, the male?s nuptial gift. Selection of the sex partner and of the quality of the future generation is determined by the precopulative and copulative mechanisms of the reproductive behavior, which include chemocommunication and a ?lock-and-key? mechanism. In an experiment with one male and one female, the quota of successful mating can depend on the morphological complication of the genital apparatus of males. Cases are considered of repeated mating for some, usually monogamous, species. In comparison wit...
This article discusses the Daya Bay nuclear power plant in-core flux thimble tube in-service inspection method and strategy. High light of the multiple frequency eddy current technology adopted including frequency and probe choice, standard design, data acquisition process are involved. The wear defect-growing trends are studied on base of the history data, which contribute to the in-service inspection strategy decision. (authors)
In the framework of the carbon storage two forestry methods are analyzed by the author: the standing capitalization (slowing of the crops) and the spices substitution (slow growing species by fast growing species). The construction of a model taking into account the all stage of the carbon implication (biomass, soil, forest products) offers simulation and quantitative results on these methods. (A.L.B.)
... Bednarek & Rowena A. Pecchenino & Sally C. Stearns [Downloadable! (restricted)] 317-327 On the Existence and Uniqueness of Pure-Strategy Nash Equilibrium in Asymmetric Rent-Seeking Contests by Takeshi Yamazaki [Downloadable! (restricted)] 2008, Volume 10, Issue 1 1-5 The Journal of Public Economic Theory at Ten Years Old by John P. Conley & Myrna Wooders [Downloadable! (restricted)] 7-26 Strategy-Proofness and the Tops-Only Property by John A. Weymark [Downloadable! (restricted)]...
Hope is an essential dimension of life. Hope, according to Marcel?s thinking, is the act by which the temptation to despair is actively overcome. Hope comes alive when confronting life?s trials, darkness, illness and separation. Marcel differentiates ?I hope? from ?I hope that?. Hope as a central construct for nursing has been analysed, defined, and studied by the nursing theorist Jean Watson in her Theory of Human Caring, and Kaye Herth with her strategies (Herth Hope Index). These strategies are based on Marcel?s existential notion that human beings have an endless possibility of improving their own being.
Italian district small and medium enterprises (SMEs) developed aggressive strategies to extend their sales networks and supply chains abroad. Literature on districts offered alternative explanations about the impacts of internationalization on local manufacturing systems. The authors consider the evolution of Italian districts in the framework of global value chain approach, focusing on the role of leading firms. Based on a survey of 650 Italian SMEs and financial indicators, the paper describes the rise of a new district firm model, the open network, which becomes a key node of global value chains. The paper also analyses the relationships among internationalization, innovation strategies and performance of SMEs.
Access for independents to retail gas markets was a central concern in European policy reform efforts in the 1990s. Upstream oil and gas companies reacted with strategic intentions of forward integration. By late 2004, forward integration was still weak, however. An important explanation of the gap between announced strategic re-orientation and actual strategy implementation lies in the political failure of EU member states to dismantle market barriers to entry for independents. Variations between companies in downstream strategy implementation are explained by variations in business opportunities and internal company factors.
This document presents a detailed schedule for the implementation of the strategy for managing defense remote-handled (RH) transuranic (TRU) waste. The baseline management strategy was defined in the Defense Remote-Handled Transuranic Waste Cost/Schedule Optimization Study and is summarized in this document. Also included are revised RH TRU waste inventory projections, current site management plans, a list of key decision points and milestones, and a discussion of uncertainties associated with management of RH TRU waste. The plans are summarized in a detailed schedule diagram and in an RH TRU waste work off diagram. 9 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs.
The justification, strategies, and technology options for implementing advanced district heating and cooling systems in the United States are presented. The need for such systems is discussed in terms of global warming, ozone depletion, and the need for a sustainable energy policy. Strategies for implementation are presented in the context of the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act and proposed new institutional arrangements. Technology opportunities are highlighted in the areas of advanced block-scale cogeneration, CFC-free chiller technologies, and renewable sources of heating and cooling that are particularly applicable to district systems.
Many non-domestic buildings, built recently in the UK, use natural means to provide ventilation for indoor air quality and thermal comfort. This paper presents monitoring results obtained from such a purpose built naturally ventilated educational building. Its performance during the summer is discussed based on monitored results. Using thermal and ventilation modelling, the paper also discusses the optimisation of the building's summer performance. Recommendations on the selection of appropriate ventilation strategies in relation to the prevailing external conditions are derived and the appropriateness of the control methods is discussed. (author)
The goal of this project is to provide materials engineers, chemical engineers and plant operators with a software tool that will enable them to predict localized corrosion of process equipment including fabricated components as well as base alloys. For design and revamp purposes, the software predicts the occurrence of localized corrosion as a function of environment chemistry and assists the user in selecting the optimum alloy for a given environment. For the operation of existing plants, the software enables the users to predict the remaining life of equipment and help in scheduling maintenance activities. This project combined fundamental understanding of mechanisms of corrosion with focused experimental results to predict the corrosion of advanced, base or fabricated, alloys in real-world environments encountered in the chemical industry. At the heart of this approach is the development of models that predict the fundamental parameters that control the ...
Concepts involving combined gas-turbine/steam-turbine power-generation plants, in which the fuel gas for the gas turbine is produced via the gasification of coal, are now extremely advanced. This technology already permits efficiencies of around 50% current development targets view 65% as achievable. In conventional technology, efficiencies are tied to conditions, such as air and cooling-water temperatures, at the particular location. In combined-cycle power plants, the properties of the fuel coal also play an important part. There are, in face, coals which can be more advantageously used in a combined-cycle power plant than in a conventional one. These differences, combined with advantageous concepts for coal-fired combined-cycle power-generating plants, are presented and analyzed. Particular attention is devoted to individual losses occurring at coal conversion, thermodynamic ...
Treatment with sorafenib prolongs both the median survival and time to progression by nearly 3 months in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the effects of combining sorafenib...Full Text Available
1. The antihypertensive efficacy and tolerability of a low dose combination of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor ramipril (2.5 mg) and the extended release formulation of the dihydropyridine...Full Text Available
This report presents by state the status of awarded grants, requested grants, and the estimated time required to achieve required control of combined sewer overflow pollution. It also compares discharges of pollutants from treated municipal effluent with ...
The present article describes the features of the fully-fired combined cycles and the outline of the plant. Hitachi has optimized fully-fired combined cycle systems by executing a heat recovery type combined cycle. For the fully-fired combined cycles, it is possible to raise plant efficiency through the selection of adequate gas turbine types and cycles. It is possible to apply existing boiler facilities, fuel combustion systems, and stacks. It is possible to execute civil and architectural works on existing plants in-service as well as modification works during routine inspections. The NOx increment by gas turbine unit installations can be reduced by denitration plant modifications. Examples of the fully-fired combined cycles under planning are also introduced. Furthermore, the relational technique and operational characteristics are mentioned, as for combustion characteristics ...
Ethidium bromide (EB) and ultraviolet light (UV) in combination are known to produce a synergistic induction of 'petite' mutants in yeast. Two other agents were combined with EB, 3-Carbethoxypsoralene (3 CPs) activated by 365 nm light or #gamma# rays. EB in combination with 3 CPs also resulted in an enhanced production of 'petite' mutants. After the photoaddition of 3 CPs in exponential phase cells, recovery of the 'petite' mutation during dark liquid holding was inhibited by the presence of EB producing an enhanced number of 'petite' mutants. The behavior of mitochondrial antibiotic resistance markers after individual and combined treatments with EB and 3 CPs indicates a random loss of markers after EB and a preferential loss of a certain region for the 3 CPs photoaddition. The combination of the two agents leads to an additivity of total drug marker losses rather than a ...
ER niacin combined with simvastatin provides an additional option for achieving LDL-C and non-HDL-C goals for cardiovascular prevention, with greater efficacy in those with triglyceride levels >200...Full Text Available
This manual provides information to assist in selection and designing control measures for reducing pollutant discharges from combined sewer overflows (CSOs). he manual will be useful for municipal public works staff, design engineers, and regulatory agency staff tasked with the ...
Wet-weather flow (WWF), including combined-sewer overflow (CSO, sanitary-sewer overflow, and stormwater (SW), is a significant contributor of microbial contamination to surface water and ground water. By using effective wastewater or SW disinfection, introduction of pathogen con...
The objectives of this study were to investigate the flocculation/flotation characteristics of combined sewer overflow through laboratory and field testing. The concept involves the introduction of chemicals and buoyant flotation aids into the overflow and the subsequent cofloccu...
The efficacy of beta-lactam antibiotics and amikacin alone and in various combinations against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was studied in a rabbit model simulating a closed-space infection in a locally neutropenic...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo report the efficacy and safety of combined photodynamic therapy (PDT) and intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection in the treatment of idiopathic polypoidal choroidal...Full Text Available
Remote sensing data over North America document the ubiquity of secondary aerosols resulting from a combination of primary biogenic and anthropogenic emissions. The spatial and temporal distribution...Full Text Available
The problem of optimizing a horn radiator of electromagnetic waves for the reflection coefficient and the coefficient of transformation of the fundamental mode into higher order modes is solved. Optimization is performed by means of selecting a combined shape of the radiator generatrices.
The combination of wood gasification and high temperature fuel cells like solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) is an interesting approach to achieve high electrical efficiencies (40%) in small scale combined heat and power plants. This combination is called 'Biomass - Integrated Gasification Fuel Cell System' (B-IGFC). The main challenge is the adjustment of the three main components gasification, gas cleaning and fuel cell. In this technology, the first proof of principle by combining a gasifier with a SOFC in a laboratory scale for more than 100 hours was achieved. During this period, no deactivation of the system was found. (author)
Development of a Comprehensive Decontamination Database and an Absorption-Electrochemical Metal Surface Decontamination Technique Combining Chemical and Electrochemical Process
The strategy for management of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory`s (ORNL) radioactively contaminated liquid waste was reviewed in 1991. The latest information available through the end of 1990 on waste characterization, regulations, US Department of Energy (DOE) budget guidance, and research and development programs was evaluated to determine how the strategy should be revised. Few changes are needed to update the strategy to reflect new waste characterization, research, and regulatory information. However, recent budget guidance from DOE indicates that minimum funding will not be sufficient to accomplish original objectives to upgrade the liquid low-level waste (LLLW) system to comply with the Federal Facilities Agreement, provide long-term LLLW treatment capability, and minimize environmental, safety, and health risks. Options are presented that might allow the ORNL LLLW system to continue operations temporarily, but they ...
A super-hydrophobic coating was prepared by combining a rigid base film with crater-like hemispherical holes and acicular nanoparticles. The acicular boehmite powder provides a high contact angle on the film surface. The rigid base film with crater-like hemispherical holes inhibits the rapid decrease of contact angle by surface rubbing. The combination of different roughness is an effective method for improving the abrasion resistance of super-hydrophobic films.
An increase in the stability and reliability of a combined power system (OES) is achieved through using a control panel (PA) and regulation systems. A substantial part of the works published in this collection of works is used in the combined power systems of the Urals, the Northwest and Central Asia.
The aim of this study was to compare the results of different treatment strategies for osteochondral defects (OCD) of the talus. Electronic databases from 1966 to June 2000 were systematically screened. Thirty-nine studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria. No randomized clinical trials could be identified. The results of nonoperative treatment were described in 14 studies, of excision alone in 4, of excision and curettage in 10, of excision, curettage and drilling in 21, of cancellous bone grafting in 2, of fixation in 3, and of osteochondral transplantation in 1. Good or excellent results were found in 45% of the cases. Comparison of different surgical procedures showed that excision, curettage and drilling resulted in the highest mean success rate (86%), followed by excision and curettage (76%) and excision alone (38%). From the results of this systematic review we conclude that nonoperative treatment and excision alone are not to be recommended for treatment of ...
An initial draft of an environmental and natural resource strategy for the Asia Near/East region in the 1990's is presented. The report contains five chapters. Chapter I provides an analytic framework that links natural resources, their extent, quality, and management with economic growth in the region. Chapter II contains a more detailed description and analysis of key resource problems that are restricting economic growth and have a severe negative impact on standard of living and quality of life. The most serious of these are soil and water degradation; destruction of natural forests, wetlands, and coastal zones; inefficient energy use and industrial pollution; and lack of environmental services. Chapters III and IV describe 20 specific opportunities for working toward sustainable economic growth through protection and enhancement of the natural resource base. Opportunities for action were chosen on the basis of the urgency and importance of the ...
The European Commission recently has adopted a new European Strategy for Environment and Health focusing on the growing concern over the adverse health effects caused by environmental pollution. Based on the results of various studies carried out in recent years polychlorinated dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) and PCBs are playing an important role in this strategy. In view of the enlargement of the European Union (EU) to include Candidate Countries (CCs) the Commission stressed the need to involve the Candidate Countries from an early stage on in the development of such a strategy. Thus two studies have been commissioned which are particularly directed to provide a) an overview on environmental levels and human exposure of dioxins and PCBs and b) an harmonised PCDD/F emission inventory for the target matrices air, water and land The latter study, entitled ''Dioxin Emissions in Candidate ...
Consideration of the technical feasibility of Yucca Mountain in Nevada as the site for a high-level nuclear waste repository has led to an intense debate regarding the economic, social, and political impacts of the repository. Impediments to the siting process mean that the nuclear waste problem is being resolved by adhering to the status quo, in which nuclear waste is stored at scattered sites near major population centers. To assess the merits of alternative siting strategies--including both the permanent repository and the status quo- we consider the variables that would be included in a model designed to select (1) the optimal number of disposal facilities, (2) the types of facilities (e.g., permanent repository or monitored retrievable facility), and (3) the geographic location of storage sites. The objective function in the model is an all-inclusive measure of social cost. The intent of the exercise is not to demonstrate the superiority of any single disposal ...
European research in green energy production from crops has resulted in the development of full scale bioreactors that use energy crops as feedstock. Switchgrass has been touted as one of the most promising crops for energy production among several perennial grass species grown under moderate to hot climates. However, few studies have been conducted in colder climate conditions. This study examined the mesophilic methane yield of switchgrass grown under the cooler growing conditions that exist in northeastern North America. In 2007, switchgrass was harvested in late July, August and September and conserved as silage. The regrowth of plots harvested in late July was also harvested in late September as a two-cut strategy. A 30 L small-scale laboratory digester was used to anaerobically digest the switchgrass silage samples. Specific methane yield decreased considerably with advancing plant development, but was similar between the first harvest in late July and the ...
OBJECTIVES: The authors examine the rationale and efficacy of pre-travel hepatitis B immunization strategies based on itinerary and presumed on-travel risk behaviour. METHODS: A large survey among 26,640 Danes survey provided data on journey lengths and destinations, immunization coverage, risk behaviour and knowledge. RESULTS: The estimated cumulative lifetime stay in endemic areas outside Europe is 4.3 months. The majority of risk situations are involuntary and unforeseeable. The majority of risk situations occur on short-term journeys. 5% nonimmune and 5% short-term travellers experienced at least one risk situation such as injections/operations/tattoos on their journey. The level of knowledge of hepatitis A and B is low. CONCLUSIONS: The rationale and efficacy of current immunization strategies are challenged. Based on the results presented here and the availability of vaccines with long-lasting coverage, the authors find that ...
US Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1 requires the preparation of environmental monitoring plans and implementation of environmental monitoring programs for all DOE facilities. The order identifies two distinct components of environmental monitoring, namely effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance. In general, effluent monitoring has the objectives of characterizing contaminants and demonstrating compliance with applicable standards and permit requirements, whereas environmental surveillance has the broader objective of monitoring the effects of DOE activities on on- and off-site environmental and natural resources. The purpose of this document is to support the Environmental Monitoring Plan for the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) by describing the groundwater component of the environmental surveillance program for the DOE facilities on the ORR. The distinctions between groundwater effluent monitoring and groundwater surveillance have been defined in the Martin Marietta ...
This article describes a methodology to determine the best strategy in an open bid, where oil and gas fields are the targets for exploration. Based upon the previous bid rounds for a given specific area - the Campos Basin, for that matter -, the data were statistically treated to fit a probability density function, modelling the value of bids offered by the competing companies. By means of techniques and concepts pertaining to Game Theory a balance matrix was built for values of bids made by companies as a function of the company alone in assumed bid rounds. At the end of each british auction, participants of this simultaneous game, using the rationality principle, aimed at winning the tender on the oil field aimed for, through the use of better answers with respect to its rival competitor. The game goal was maximize return on investment purchase in the decisions of lease blocks purchases in the auctions, or to try minimize its opponents gains. Proceeding with the ...
A first-principles task-based approach to the design of medical ultrasonic imaging systems for breast lesion discrimination is described. This study explores a new approximation to the ideal Bayesian observer strategy that allows for object heterogeneity. The new method, called iterative Wiener filtering, is implemented using echo data simulations and a phantom study. We studied five lesion features closely associated with visual discrimination for clinical diagnosis. A series of human observer measurements for the same image data allowed us to quantitatively compare alternative beamforming strategies through measurements of visual discrimination efficiency. Employing the Smith-Wagner model observer, we were able to breakdown efficiency estimates and identify the processing stage at which performance losses occur. The methods were implemented using a commercial scanner and a cyst phantom to explore development of spatial filters for systems ...
In this work, we have investigated the capability of different bimetallic nanoparticle alloy combinations to be used in fibre optic sensors based on the technique of surface plasmon resonance. The metals considered for this analysis are silver, gold, copper and aluminium. The performance of the sensor with different bimetallic nanoparticle alloy combinations is evaluated and compared numerically. The performance is analysed in terms of three parameters: sensitivity, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and operating range for the sensing layer refractive index values. On the basis of the comparison and some logistic criteria, the best possible bimetallic alloy combinations along with a requisite alloy composition ratio are predicted. The bimetallic nanoparticle alloy combination is capable of simultaneously providing larger values of sensitivity, SNR and operating range, which is not possible with any single ...
The purpose of this paper is to establish probabilistic models for still-water loads, based on design data, and the combined still-water and wave load effects for semi-probabilistic and probabilistic design of floating production, storage and offloading vessels (FPSO). A new still-water load model for FPSOs is proposed, based on a Poisson square-wave model, with a modified Weibull distribution for load intensity, which accounts for load control during operation. The long-term variation of wave-induced load effects is modelled by a Poisson square-wave process. A new solution for the combined effect is derived. A procedure for determining characteristic extreme values for individual and combined load effects, and load combination factors, is established. The methodology is used to illustrate...
ObjectivesProject VOLCANOSCOPE will evaluate strategies (1) for applying existing and new forecasting models to volcanic eruptions, and (2) for identifying methods to improve how forecasts are communicated effectively to vulnerable communities. To link forecasting and communication, the interdisciplinary study will assess how to engage all stakeholders - from monitoring scientists, through emergency agencies, to vulnerable communities - to optimize the understanding of forecasts among different end users. [continued...]DescriptionProject VOLCANOSCOPE will evaluate strategies (1) for applying existing and new forecasting models to volcanic eruptions, and (2) for identifying methods to improve how forecasts are communicated effectively to vulnerable communities. To link forecasting and communication, the interdisciplinary study will assess how to engage all stakeholders - from monitoring scientists, through emergency agencies, to vulnerable ...
In addition to the ability to solve the static transport equation, we have also incorporated time dependence into our parallel 3-D S{sub {ital N}} code DANTSYS/MPI. Using a semi-implicit scheme, DANTSYS/MPI is capable of performing time-dependent calculations for both fissioning and pure source driven problems. We have applied this to various types of problems such as nuclear well logging and prompt fission experiments. This paper describes the form of the time- dependent equations implemented, their solution strategies in DANTSYS/MPI including iteration acceleration, and the strategies used for time-step control. Results are presented for a model nuclear well logging calculation.
This paper presents a prescriptive account of diagnostic problem solving, or diagnosis, in quality and process control. This paper identifies a general strategy, named branch-and-prune, whose manifestations can be found in disciplines such as medical diagnosis, troubleshooting of devices, and model-based diagnosis in artificial intelligence. The work aims to offer a clear conceptualization of this strategy, based on the notions of structures for the search space, and constraints to the cause's nature.The idea is to treat the search space of candidate explanations as a tree structure, in which general and high-level causal directions are branched into more specific and detailed explanations. Constraints eliminate all but a few branches (pruning), which are explored in more detail. We enumer...
This work is focused on effect of various cooling strategies on surface roughness and tool wear during computer aided milling of soft workpiece materials. These milling operations were selected as dry milling, cool air cooling milling and fluid cooling milling. A cool air cooling system was designed and produced to cool end milling tools. Cool air was produced by a vortex tube. Annealed AISI 1050 was used as the workpiece material and cutting tool material was selected as HSS-Co8 DIN 844/BN. Optimal cutting parameters were selected according to workpiece hardness from reference catalog and kept for all tests. Tool wear and surface quality were measured for three different cooling types changing from ten minute machining time to thirty minute machining time. As a result, the surface roughne...
Before expanding on the development of the Terra Nova oilfield, the author discussed the overall business strategy of Petro-Canada and identified where the Terra Nova and offshore Newfoundland oil have their place within this strategy. The principal basins and oilfields offshore Newfoundland were reviewed, then the emphasis shifted to rest on the Terra Nova development project. A whole range of topics were brought up, including the Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility, the modules layout, the FPSO located at Bull Arm, and the floating production systems. The physical environment of the Grand Banks was highlighted, and the next few sections were devoted to the Terra Nova FPSO, FPSO and drill centres, the Turret General Arrangement, and Spider buoy including the disconnect/reconnect. The last four sections dealt with the animation of riser movement, the wellhead protection animation, Henry Goodrich, and operations ...
The objective of this research was to convert coal into a soluble substance under mild conditions. The strategy involved two steps, first to breakdown the macromolecular network of coal, and second to add hydrogen catalytically. We investigated different basic reagents that could, in priciple, break down coal's structure and alkylation strategies that might enhance its solubility. We examined O- and C-alkylation, the importance of the strength of the base, the character of the added alkyl groups and other reaction parameters. This work provided new information concerning the way in which hydrogen bonding, polarization interactions between aromatic structures and covalent bonding could be disrupted and solubility enhanced. The objective of our research was to explore new organochromium chemistry that might be feasible for the hydrogenation of coal under mild conditions.
Development of a strategy for forecasting river ice breakup and jamming on the Saint John River in New Brunswick was described. Methods used to identify ice jam-prone areas by simple temperature-based methods to fairly complex computer models using site specific data, were summarized. Recent technological advances in developing forecasts, including the NWRI probe for remotely measuring ice jam thickness, the RIVJAM model for determining stages upstream of an ice jam, and computational procedures for estimating the thrust exerted by ice jams against bridges, were also reviewed. Criteria and recommendations for river ice breakup and ice jamming for the Saint John River were provided. (Abstract only).
The most advanced frontier of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is represented by the use of an HLA-partially matched relative as donor. In this type of transplantation, donor-derived natural killer (NK) cells, which are alloreactive towardtoward recipient cells, significantly contribute to the eradication of leukemia blasts. Alloreactive NK cells may also kill host dendritic cells and T lymphocytes, thus preventing graft-versus-host disease and graft rejection, respectively. Sophisticated strategies of adoptive infusion of T-cell lines/clones specific for the most life-threatening pathogens (namely cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, Aspergillus and Adenovirus) have been envisaged, and successfully tested in a few pilot trials, to protect the recipient in the...
In the last decade, directed evolution has become a routine approach for engineering proteins with novel or altered properties. Concurrently, a trend away from purely 'blind' randomization strategies and towards more 'semi-rational' approaches has also become apparent. In this review, we discuss ways in which structural information and predictive computational tools are playing an increasingly important role in guiding the design of randomized libraries: web servers such as ConSurf-HSSP and SCHEMA allow the prediction of sites to target for producing functional variants, while algorithms such as GLUE, PEDEL and DRIVeR are useful for estimating library completeness and diversity. In addition, we review recent methodological developments that facilitate the construction of unbiased libraries, which are inherently more diverse than biased libraries and therefore more likely to yield improved variants. PMID:16095966
The first year of this effort was focussed on the following broad objectives: (1) Analyze the molecular types present in shale oil (as a function of molecular weight distribution); (2) Determine the behavior of these molecular types in liquid-liquid extraction; (3) Develop the analytical tools needed to systematize the process development; (4) Survey the markets to assure that these have high value uses for the types found in shale oil; (5) Explore selective process means for extracting/converting shale oil components into concentrates of potentially marketable components; (6) Compile overview of the venture development strategy and begin implementation of that strategy. Each of these tasks has been completed in sufficient detail that we can now focus on filling in the knowledge gaps evident from the overview.
From its inception in 1977, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been responsible for maintaining the nations nuclear stockpile, leading the country in terms of basic research, setting national energy goals, and managing thousands of individual programs. Despite these gains, however, the DOE research and development (R&D) model does not appear to offer the nation an optimal strategy for assessing long-term energy challenges. American energy policy continues to face constraints related to three "Is": inconsistency, incrementalism, and inadequacy. An overly rigid management structure and loss of mission within the DOE continues to plague its programs and create inconsistencies in terms of a national energy policy. Various layers of stove-piping within and between the DOE and national labo...
The strategy for the Korean nuclear power plant lifetime management (PLIM) program, which has been developed over the last 3 years, is introduced, together with descriptions of recent events and related maintenance activities. This leading Korean PLIM project has been focused on such areas as a plant data survey, screening and prioritization of systems, structures and components (SSCs), aging evaluation of major components, economic analysis and regulatory issues. The current status is outlined in terms of major tasks including aging evaluation of 13 major components. The future long-term plan which eventually aims at maximizing the economic benefit for both the utility and its customers is presented. Also described is the technical development required for plant life extension. (orig.).
Researchers have identified as effective and worthy of broader dissemination a variety of intervention strategies to promote physical activity among older adults. This paper reports results of a community-organizing approach to disseminating evidence-based interventions in a sustainable way: The Southeast Seattle Senior Physical Activity Network (SESPAN). SESPAN was implemented in Southeast Seattle, a group of multicultural neighborhoods extending 8?miles southeast of downtown Seattle, with a population of 56,469 in 2000, with 12% (7,041) aged 65 and older. The SESPAN organizing strategy involved networking to: (1) make connections between two or more community organizations to create new senior physical activity programs; and (2) build coalitions of community groups and organizations to a...
Abstract Evaluation of pharmaceutical agents in children is now conducted earlier in the drug development process. An important consideration for this pediatric use is how to assess and support its safety. This article is a collaborative effort of industry toxicologists to review strategies, challenges, and current practice regarding preclinical safety evaluations supporting pediatric drug development with biopharmaceuticals. Biopharmaceuticals include a diverse group of molecular, cell-based or gene therapeutics derived from biological sources or complex biotechnological processes. The principles of preclinical support of pediatric drug development for biopharmaceuticals are similar to those for small molecule pharmaceuticals and in general follow the same regulatory guidances outlined by...
This paper describes new strategies for the brain-specific delivery of radionuclides that can be used to evaluate regional cerebral perfusion by single photon imaging techniques. A description of several examples of interesting new strategies that have recently been reported is presented. A new approach at this institution for the brain-specific delivery of radioiodinated iodophenylalkyl-substituted dihyronicotinamide systems is described which shows good brain uptake and retention in preliminary studies in rats. Following transport into the brain these agents appear to undergo facile intracerebral oxidation to the quaternized analogues which do not recross the intact blood-brain barrier and so are effectively trapped in the brain. 49 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.
The goals of this paper are to describe new strategies being pursued at several institutions for the brain-specific delivery of radionuclides that can be used to evaluate regional cerebral perfusion by single photon imaging techniques. A comprehensive review of the literature is beyond the scope of these proceedings and our goal is to, therefore, present a description of several examples of interesting new strategies that have recently been reported. In addition, the authors also describe a new approach being pursued at their institution for the brain-specific delivery of radioiodinated iodophenylaklyl-substituted dihydronicotiamide systems which shows good brain uptake and retention in preliminary studies in rats. Following transport into the brain these agents appear to undergo facile intracerebral oxidation to the quaternized analogues which do not cross the intact blood-brain-barrier and are effectively trapped in the brain.
Environmental pollution has become a bottleneck for the sustainable economic development of China. A 'business-as-usual' energy system in Chian is not suitable for meeting sustainability needs. It is well known that China has to use coal as the main primary energy source over the long term. Under such special conditions, to plan and construct an integrated sustainable energy system with optimal benefits in resource and energy utilization and environmental emissions is urgent. By introducing international studies and new developments in sustainable energy systems, this paper puts forward the concept that a polygeneration strategy based on coal gasification is the trend for future development of China's domestic energy industry. The framework of a polygeneration system based on oxygen-blown gasification is described and its benefits are analyzed. Finally, the starting procedure, government role, and policies for implementation ...
In 2009, following approval of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EC), the European Commission (EC) created task groups to develop guidance for eleven quality descriptors that form the basis for evaluating ecosystem function. The objective was to provide European countries with practical guidelines for implementing the MSFD, and to produce a Commission Decision that encapsulated key points of the work in a legal framework. This paper presents a review of work carried out by the eutrophication task group, and reports our main findings to the scientific community. On the basis of an operational, management-oriented definition, we discuss the main methodologies that could be used for coastal and marine eutrophication assessment. Emphasis is placed on integrated ap...
In today's maturing consumer markets, emphasis is shifting from straightforward sales to a more holistic approach to customer life cycle management, with a stronger emphasis on how sales are generated and service provided all along the customer journey. Effectively managing these different marketing, sales and service channels poses a significant challenge. Companies need new strategies, structures, processes and tools to deliver customer value across all channels. A multi-channel, integrative customer model that delivers customer value and significant return on investment (ROI) requires both a strong understanding of customer preferences and behaviours and a robust IT architecture that supports the overarching customer relationship management (CRM) strategy. Even those organizations that ...
Better quality of thermal comfort as well as reduced heat energy demand and accordingly CO{sub 2} emission can be achieved by better heating and ventilation strategies in private buildings. The paper deals with a novel model-based measurement and automation system. It describes the implementation of better strategies under given technical circumstances. (orig.) [German] Durch Verbesserung der Heizungs- und Lueftungsstrategien im privaten Lebensbereich kann sowohl Heizenergie eingespart und damit die CO{sub 2}-Emission verringert, als auch die Raumbehaglichkeit verbessert werden. Der Beitrag behandelt ein modellgestuetztes Mess- und Automatisierungssystem, mit dem die Realisierung der verbesserten Strategien unter gegebenen technischen Randbedingungen praktisch erst moeglich wird. (orig.)
The report presents an overview of A.I.D. efforts, which encompass a wide range of environmental issues and support environmental training, research, and institutional development. The report's opening section details A.I.D.'s efforts to enlist host-country support for environmental programs, with specific emphasis on improving natural resource management (especially in Africa), encouraging policy change, strengthening the private sector's environmental role, and preparing environmental profiles of host countries and helping them develop conservation strategies. The ensuing sections recount A.I.D. efforts in particular topics of environmental concern (biological diversity and environmental health and safety), critical ecological areas (coastal areas and forests and fragile lands), and specific country programs (reforestation in Haiti). A brief history of the evolution of the Agency's environmental strategy ...
The paper describes the latest developments in STRASSY (Strategy Assistance System), the strategy assistance system for the inspection of nuclear materials. The user can now select the fuel cycle he wishes to investigate from an initial range of 19 facilities. An inspection interface has been developed to enable the details and dates of inspections to be modified. One of the special features of the application of STRASSY in international safeguards is the taking into account of timeliness of detection; certain aspects of the time manager algorithms are presented and analysed, including the guaranteed existence of a solution. The results of a study of diversion paths in a simplified cycle consisting of our facilities are presented. Finally, the modifications necessary to enable STRASSY to be used for a posterior analysis of inspection results are discussed. (authors). 7 refs., 3 figs.
Currently, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-mismatched/haploidentical allografts have been validated as an alternative stem cell source for patients who have no immediate access to an HLA-matched related or unrelated donor. However, relapse remains a challenge after HLA-mismatched/haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) that is employed in the treatment of patients with hematological malignancies. In recent years, newly developed immunomodulatory strategies, which include prophylactic and therapeutic donor lymphocyte/natural killer (NK) cell infusion, donor selection based on NK alloreactivity/non-inherited maternal antigen (NIMA), immune reconstitution promotion, and application of exogenous cytokines, have made it possible to decrease the relapse rate and improve outco...
This study assessed the impact of the results of genetic testing for hereditary cancer from a multifactorial health psychology perspective, considering that emotional expression plays a key role in psychological adjustment. Measures of dispositional and transactional coping strategies, anxiety and alexithymia were filled out by 77 participants in a longitudinal study design. Statistical analyses were performed using general linear models and partial least squares path modelling, low-constraint methods that are particularly useful in the behavioural sciences. While anxiety levels prior to the result announcement were predictive of the distress experienced by noncarriers, considerable variability was observed for mutation carriers. Some subjects who had lower anxiety levels before the test d...
The article examines the limits and challenges small powers face when they adjust to systemic changes. Specifically, this article discusses the Philippines' conduct of a diplomatic strategy of equi balancing between the USA and China. In this strategy, the Philippines enhances and deepens its security relations with its strategic ally, the USA and at the same time, obtains economic assistance and politico diplomatic concessions from East Asia's emergent power, China. The Philippines' diplomatic gambit, however, is restrained by its formal alliance with the USA and its chronic territorial dispute with China over the Spratly Islands. At present, several developments are undermining Manila's efforts in playing this balancing game with Washington and Beijing. These are: the Philippines' passiv...
Abstract Therapeutic proteins are exposed to various potential contact surfaces, particles, and leachables during manufacturing, shipping, storage, and delivery. In this review, we present published examples of interfacial- or leachable-induced aggregation or particle formation, and discuss the mitigation strategies that were successfully utilized. Adsorption to interfaces or interactions with leachables and/or particles in some cases has been reported to cause protein aggregation or particle formation. Identification of the cause(s) of particle formation involving minute amounts of protein over extended periods of time can be challenging. Various formulation strategies such as addition of a nonionic surfactant (e.g., polysorbate) have been demonstrated to effectively mitigate adsorption-i...
The approval (2003) and enforcement (2005) of a smoking ban in Italy have been viewed by many as an unexpectedly successful example of policy change. The present paper, by applying a processualist approach, concentrates on two policy cycles between 2000 and 2005. These had opposing outcomes: an incomplete decisional stage and an authoritative decision, enforced two years later. Through the analysis of the different phases of agenda setting, alternative specification and decision making, we have compared the quality of participation of policy entrepreneurs in the two cycles, their political strategies and, in these, the relevance of issue image. The case allows us to direct the attention of scholars and practitioners to an early phase of the policy implementation process - which we have nam...
A three-component seismic line acquired over the Zamora gas field, northern Sacramento Valley, California, displays conventional (P-P) and converted-wave (P-SV) seismic anomalies. Well log and seismic modeling results indicate that bright-spot reflection strengths are related to variations in fluid saturation and lithology. The P-SV reflection strengths and interval velocities provide valuable information that complements more conventional strategies such as amplitude with offset and polarity analysis. This integrated strategy can improve risk evaluation and well-site selection in areas where rapid changes in reservoir quality impact resource evaluation.
A three-component seismic line acquired over the Zamora gas field, northern Sacramento Valley, California, displays conventional (P-P) and converted-wave (P-SV) seismic anomalies. Well log and seismic modeling results indicate that bright-spot reflection strengths are related to variations in fluid saturation and lithology. The converted-wave reflection strengths and interval velocities provide valuable information that compliments more conventional strategies such as amplitude with offset and polarity analysis. This integrated strategy can improve risk evaluation and well site selection in areas where rapid changes in reservoir quality impact resource evaluation.
Abstract In many places in the world the effects of common floods are increased by climate change. In the area around the Indonesian city of Semarang, the number and effects of tidal flooding are becoming more and more severe. We found that the inhabitants used different strategies against the impact of flooding. In both the existing and the predicted flood prone areas, most people appear not to intend to leave the area, even when the floods become everyday routine. People are connected to their dwellings in a way that abandoning is not a realistic scenario. This study provides relevant information about the way people in the affected areas perceive flood risks and adaptation opportunities. Governmental policy-makers and urban planners could base their strategies and actions on this inform...
In this paper, the question of whether the new distribution system for the electricity supply industry can deliver a better service to customers, is discussed. In particular it discusses the requirement of customers for low cost and efficiency, with particular reference to Victoria in general and Solaris in particular. Solaris comprises the amalgamation of five ex-Municipal Electricity Undertakings and one distribution part of the former State Electricity Commission. Despite not having a set of objectives, a strategy, a common culture, appropriate processes or systems, key account management skills, marketing and customer service expertise, commercial financial expertise, commercial treasury expertise and strategic skill, it has been able to develop a business plan and strategy to satisfy the shareholder (the government), improve customer communication facilities, set up human resource management mechanisms and liaison with the community. The ...
The marketing strategy developed for use in international markets by the S. M. Group International of Longueuil, Quebec, a company with interest and well-developed expertise in the environmental and energy sector, was described. The strategy is designed to aid in the selection of countries or regions of interest, in determining the sector of activity to be emphasized, in selecting a local partner or local business representatives, and in making contact locally with the people responsible for the development banks in the target countries in an effort to create awareness of the company. The company also tries, wherever possible, to promote its services to local governmental agencies through the industrial cooperation program of CIDA. Since development banks have a very conservative behaviour, past performances and constant provision of high quality services are of prime importance.
This paper develops optimal bidding strategies for a pumped-storage plant in a pool-based electricity market. In the competitive regime, when compared to simple hydroelectric generator, profit of the pumped-storage plant is maximized by operating it as a generator when market clearing price is high and as a pump when the price is low. Based on forecasted hourly market clearing price, a multistage looping algorithm to maximize the profit of a pumped-storage plant is developed, considering both the spinning and non-spinning reserve bids and meeting the technical operating constraints of the plant. The proposed model is adaptive for the nonlinear three-dimensional relationship between the power produced, the energy stored, and the head of the associated reservoir. Different operating cycles for a realistic pumped-storage plant are considered and simulation results are reported and compared. (author)
In case of a severe nuclear accident at a PWR plant, countermeasures will be initiated in the short term by authorities to reduce the consequences of the atmospheric radioactive releases on the neighbouring population. Various factors influence the level of protection afforded by countermeasures. For instance, a too late intervention would lead to a Jack of efficiency in terms of dose reduction if the actual evolution of the accident is not considered. Thus, implementation of countermeasures should be optimized. In general, the projected doses (those without countermeasure) are compared with those expected when a particular countermeasure or strategy is implemented. In this paper, an in-depth analysis associates the kinetics of the release with the corresponding evolution of the dosimetric efficiency of countermeasures. This is done at different times in the short term of the accident and for various distances from the plant. Results are presented for different ...
An adaptive power system stabilizer (APSS) employing a new self-optimizing pole shifting control strategy and its application to a power system are described in this paper. Based on an identified model of the system, the control is computed by an algorithm which shifts the closed-loop poles of the system to some optimal locations inside the unit circle in the z-domain to minimize a given performance criterion. With the self-optimization property, outside intervention in the controller design procedure is minimized, thus simplifying the tuning procedure during commissioning. Also, a new method of calculating the variable forgetting factor in real-time parameter identification is discussed. Studies show that the proposed APSS can provide good damping of the power system over a wide operating range and significantly improve the dynamic performance of the system.
Biostimulation by nutrient application is a viable technology for restoring oil-contaminated beaches. Maximizing the nutrient residence time is key for achieving a rapid cost-effective cleanup. We considered the nutrient injection strategy through a perforated pipe at the high tide line and we simulated numerically beach hydraulics, which allowed us to estimate the optimal injection flow rate of nutrient solution. Our results indicate that the optimal application is one that starts following the falling high tide and lasts for half tidal cycle. The saturated wet-front of the nutrient solution on the beach surface would move seaward with the same speed of the falling tide keeping a constant distance with the tide line. The numerical results were generalized to beaches of wide ranges of hydr...
Greening is a useful mitigation strategy for planners mainly from a visual perspective. For high-density urban living environment such as Hong Kong, urban greening helps cooling the air and providing shade; it also helps lowering building energy consumption by providing a better outdoor boundary condition. Many researchers have also suggested that greening may be employed as a strategy for combating the ill effects of urban Heat Island (UHI). Working towards a set of better greening guidelines for urban planners, the current paper first provides a comprehensive review of planning with urban greening. It then describes parametric studies that have been conducted to investigate the preferred location, amount, and types of vegetation for urban planning. The parametric studies employed the num...
To develop the advanced subchannel analysis code, the dominant factors that influence the boiling transitional process must be taken into account in the mechanistic constitutive equations based on the flow geometries and the fluid properties. The dominant factors that influence the boiling transitional processes are (1) the gas-liquid re-distribution by cross flow, (2) the liquid film dryout, (3) the two-phase flow regime transition, (4) the droplet deposition, and (5) the spacer-droplet interaction. At first, we indicated the strategy for the development of the constitutive equations for the five dominant factors based on the experimental database by the latest measurement technique and the latest computational fluid dynamics method. Then, the problems of the present constitutive equations and the improvement plan of the constitutive equations were indicated. Finally, the layered structure for the two-phase/three-field subchannel code including the new ...
Motion Camouflage (MC) is illuminated as a novel strategy in counterattacking anti-satellite by way of stealth trajectory scheduling. The dynamics model of MC in space is developed and a quadratic function with three boundary constraints is employed for trajectory determination. Based on the model a scenario is set to run the simulation. The results indicate given the designed acceleration input, the predator will be moved following a prescribed route, which precisely locates the predator between two objects at each time instant. In the last approaching phase, the motion is achieved with a big bumping rate which guarantees the power of this striking. Methods for deriving minimum fuel cost in the fixed approaching duration and the minimum approaching duration in limited acceleration input are proposed and are verified in the simulation. At last, camouflage is recognized as a multi-faceted affair, in which stealth trajectory design is considered an effective ...
Papers presented at the workshop include: the longterm viability of mined land in Queensland; the determination and achievement of rehabilitation objectives: a state government objective; monitoring native vegetation in regenerated bauxite mines at Weipa: a belt transect method; rehabilitation strategies at the Collinsville open cut coal mine; the alteration of the environment by the construction and operation of the coal export facility at Abbot Point; some aspects of the premining environment at Collinsville; the prospects for long term revegetation of acid coal mine spoil and reject materials; recovery and stability in disturbed and artificially revegetated plant communities: a theoretical viewpoint; revegetation in the arid tropics: Mount Isa Mines' experience; Nabralek and its rehabilitation; rehabilitation and management strategies for acid mine wastes; the purpose and design of water quality monitoring networks at mine sites; ...
In the context of safety assessment of radioactive waste repositories, complex radionuclide transport models covering key safety-relevant processes play a major role. In recent Swiss safety assessments, such as Kristallin-I, an important drawback was the limitation in geosphere modelling capability to account for geosphere heterogeneities. In marked contrast to this limitation in modelling capabilities, great effort has been put into investigating the heterogeneity of the geosphere as it impacts on hydrology. Structural geological methods have been used to look at the geometry of the flow paths on a small scale and the diffusion and sorption properties of different rock materials have been investigated. This huge amount of information could however be only partially applied in geosphere transport modelling. To make use of these investigations the 'PICNIC project' was established as a joint cooperation of PSI/Nagra and QuantiSci to provide a new geosphere transport ...
The objective of this research project is to demonstrate sensing, communication, information and control technologies to achieve a seamless integration of multivendor distributed energy resource (DER) units at aggregation levels that meet individual user requirements for facility operations (residential, commercial, industrial, manufacturing, etc.) and further serve as resource options for electric and natural gas utilities. The fully demonstrated DER aggregation system with embodiment of communication and control technologies will lead to real-time, interactive, customer-managed service networks to achieve greater customer value. Work on this Advanced Communication and Control Project (ACCP) consists of a two-phase approach for an integrated demonstration of communication and control technologies to achieve a seamless integration of DER units to reach progressive levels of aggregated power output. Phase I involved design and proof-of-design, and Phase II involves real-world ...
It is often advantageous to generate power with combinations of wind and ocean waves. In fact ocean waves, their generation, propagation, dissipation are directly related to wind velocity and its duration oven the sea. In this paper an attempt has been made to demonstrate statistically to present some advantages with combined wind and ocean wave power generation. Even though many conceptual techniques and methods are possible to harness combined power generation, it is important to test feasibility of combined output as well as individual outputs mathematically. One of the major advantages of combined wind and wave power generation is to improve probability of continuous power supply (it minimises the interruptions and compensates power fluctuations with one another). Some of the major wave characteristics like wave Height (H), Time period (T), Wave length (L) significantly ...
Background: Little is known about the effectiveness of behavioral strategies to prevent long-term weight gain among adolescents and young adults.Objective: The objective...Full Text Available
DescriptionThis new research programme activity on Urban Atmospheric Science will deliver aspects of the NERC strategy: Next Generation Science for Planet Earth. It has been developed as part of the Environment, Pollution & Human Health theme. Research in the Environment, Pollution & Human Health theme is directed at elucidating key environmental processes that form part of a causal pathway between an environmental hazard and disease outcome, and providing a predictive capability of the risk to human heal [continued...
Presents a summary of research on key aspects of the indirect effects of expanding education from grade six through grade nine, followed by a comprehensive analysis of social rates of return to investment in all levels of education in Indonesia and underemployment in urban and rural areas. (three figures, nine tables, 33 references) (MLF)
This presentation outlined the energy policy in the United States and its impact on frontier development in Alaska, deepwater offshore fields and in the western oil shale resources. The energy strategy focuses on technologies that increase domestic production from existing resources as well as technologies that create new sources of energy. In addition to emphasizing the cooperation between Canada and the United States in ensuring energy supply security and stability, this paper discussed the importance of overall bilateral trade between the 2 countries. It was noted that Canada is the United State's most secure and reliable energy partner and is the number 1 supplier of imported oil, natural gas, electricity and uranium. The Bush administration's energy policy is based on the mandate to supply stable, reliable, secure, affordable and environmentally sound energy for the country's growing economy. The energy strategy ...
The Danish Ministry of Transportation has prepared a national plan of transportation, for the years until 2005. Official policy concerning land, maritime and air transport, personal and cargo transportation, investments and expenditures is outlined. Environmental impacts of energy consumption and air pollution abatement measures are considered. (EG)
More data about TACE and pTACE seem necessary to better define the global treatment strategy for HCC. Aim of our analysis was to evaluate the role of TACE, either with lipiodol (traditional) or drug-eluting...Full Text Available
Multiple memory systems are involved in parallel processing of spatial information during navigation. A series of studies have distinguished between hippocampus-dependent ‘spatial’ navigation,...Full Text Available
... Carbon capture and storage Waste Prevention and Recycling EU clean air strategy Environmental liability: Applying the 'polluter pays' principle What goes around ...comes around: Recycling and climate change Behind closed doors: Air quality in buildings Keeping cool with refrigerants: The F-gas review Regions fighting climate ...
The strategy for management of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory`s (ORNL`s) radioactively contaminated liquid waste was reviewed. The latest information on waste characterization, regulations, US Department of Energy (DOE) budget guidance, and research and development programs was evaluated to determine how the strategy should be revised. Few changes are needed to update the strategy to reflect new waste characterization, research, and regulatory information. However, recent budget guidance from DOE indicates that minimum funding will not be sufficient to accomplish original objectives to upgrade the liquid low-level waste (LLLW) system to be in compliance with the Federal Facilities Agreement compliance, provide long-term LLLW treatment capability, and minimize Environmental Safety & Health risks. Options are presented that might allow the ORNL LLLW system to continue operations temporarily but significantly reduce its ...
This report discusses the following: (1) improving models of vapor-dominated geothermal fields: the effects of adsorption; (2) adsorption characteristics of rocks from vapor-dominated geothermal reservoir at the Geysers, CA; (3) optimizing reinjection strategy at Palinpinon, Philippines based on chloride data; (4) optimization of water injection into vapor-dominated geothermal reservoirs; and (5) steam-water relative permeability.
This book examines the Soviet military space effort from its infancy in the 1950s to the spy craft and anti-satellite systems of today. It describes in detail the Soviet equivalents of the U.S. Star Wars program and explains technical and political issues in laymen's terms. A full text of major arms control agreements completes the volume.
A summary of the latest results of Standard Model Higgs boson searches from CDF and D0 presented at the DIS 2007 conference is reported in this paper. All analyses presented use 1 fb{sup -1} of Tevatron data. The strategy of the different analyses is determined by the Higgs production mechanism and decay channel.
A summary of the latest results of Standard Model Higgs boson searches from CDF and D0 presented at the DIS 2007 conference is reported in this paper. All analyses presented use 1 fb{sup -1} of Tevatron data. The strategy of the different analyses is determined by the Higgs production mechanism and decay channel.
Based on BACODINE network notification the Whipple Observatory gamma-ray telescope has been used to search for the delayed TeV counterpart to BATSE-detected gamma-ray bursts. In the fast slew mode, any point in the sky can be reached within two minutes of the burst notification. The search strategy, necessary because of the uncertainty in burst position and limited FOV of the camera, is described.
A research program has been undertaken to characterize oil sand deposits. Studies include delination of reservoir architecture; petrophysical attributes; and petrography and core analysis.
Soil placed over any sealant/barrier system can provide a protective mantle if the soil is not lost by erosion. Vegetation is an attractive choice for controlling erosion because it can provide an economical self-renewing cover that serves to reduce erosion by both wind and water. The objective of this research and development effort is to select and test vegetation strategies, including the choice of species and methods for revegetation that are compatible with sealant/barrier systems and are suited to soils and climates at inactive uranium mill tailings sites.
This short article describes the strategies taken into consideration by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy for the promotion of renewable forms of energy in Switzerland. Two basic models are considered and the parts to be played by the Swiss Confederation, the Swiss Cantons, Energy Agencies and professional organisations are discussed. The importance of the activities of partner organisations and actor-networks in various areas such as solar, small hydro, geothermal and wind energy are discussed, as are models for financing the necessary promotion and marketing efforts
In this article, the authors recall the factors apt to influence image quality in NMR Imaging and present the european works that have been developed in MRIQA to set 5 quality assurance tests: EUROSPIN 1 to 5.
High energy muon colliders, such as the TeV-scale conceptual designs now being considered, are found to produce enough high energy neutrinos to constitute a potentially serious off-site radiation hazard in the neighbourhood of the accelerator site. A general characterization of this radiation hazard is given, followed by an order-of-magnitude calculation for the off-site annual radiation dose and a discussion of accelerator design and site selection strategies to minimize the radiation hazard.
Based upon these processes-phytoextraction, phytovolatization and phytostabilization-a plant management remediation strategy for selenium (Se) has been developed for the Westside of Central California. Multi-year field phytoremediation studies were conducted between 2002-2007 on Se-tainted field si...
...) Abstract: Fluorescence microscopic imaging is widely used in biomedical research to study molecular and cellular processes in cell culture or tissue samples. This is motivated by the high inherent sensitivity of fluorescence techniques, the spatial resolution that compares favorably with cellular dimensions, the stability of the fluorescent labels used and the sophisticated strategies that have been developed for selectively labeling target molecules. More recently, two and ...
A procedure is described for modeling the choices made in urban American households among personal vehicles on the bases of cost, passenger capacity, and engine technology, and it projects those preferences to the year 1990 and 2000. The results of this disaggregate technique are used by the other predictive research tasks undertaken by Argonne National Laboratory in a project entitled Technology Assessment of Productive Conservation in Urban Transportation (TAPCUT). The vehicle preferences reported here furnish data for the overall TAPCUT objective of forecasting the probable effects of energy conservation policies in transportation. In our projections, vehicles with standard spark-ignition (Otto-cycle) engines continue to dominate automobile holdings and new car purchases in either of two socioeconomic scenarios under any of three settings (an existing policy set and two alternative conservation strategies). From 1990, small cars (seating four or fewer ...
SummaryBackgroundInnovative prevention strategies for HIV-1 transmission are urgently needed. PRO2000 vaginal gel was efficacious against HIV-1 transmission in studies...Full Text Available
Vietnam is beginning its industrialization process, and it currently lacks the capital necessary for expensive pollution control and treatment systems. Pollution strategies are critical for the country. This study evaluates the present status of industry and the pollution problems associated with industrial development in Vietnam. The purpose of the study is to identify sectors that may have potential for promoting cleaner production practices. 4 refs.
This comprehensive, critical review summarizes the use of nanoparticles in enhanced and amplified chemiluminescence detection, illustrated by different reaction strategies, electrogenerated chemiluminescence sensors, immunoassay or hybridization labels and electrogenerated chemiluminescence immunoassay or hybridization sensors. We discuss the analytical applications on the basis of validity, range and sensitivity, and draw some useful conclusions about the most sensitive approach in each type of application.
The NSABP B-32 trial is examining whether patients with initially negative sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) who have occult metastases detected on deeper levels and cytokeratin immunohistochemistry...Full Text Available
In this Communication, we report the fabrication of well-crystallized rutile-phase TiO2 hollow spheres using potassium titanium oxalate as the precursor. The spheres exhibited unique three-dimensional hierarchical architectures and demonstrated a significantly improved photocatalytic performance. The synthetic strategy used in this process represents a general approach and therefore may contribute to the formation mechanisms of hollow nanostructures. PMID:16634578
BackgroundIntermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) is a key intervention in the national strategy for malaria control in Tanzania. SP, the current drug...Full Text Available
Leukocyte infiltration across an activated brain endothelium contributes to the neuroinflammation seen in many neurological disorders. Recent evidence shows that IL-17-producing T-lymphocytes (e.g.,...Full Text Available
The phytomanagement of Se-polluted soil and water is one strategy that may be environmentally sustainable and cost-effective for soils and waters enriched with natural-occurring Se. Several plant species, including Indian mustard (Brassica juncea), pickleweed (Salicornia bigelovii), and other salt/S...
This statement summarizes Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory`s committment to making important scientific, technological, and business contributions to global sustainability. The quest has many aspects, some socio-political or economic and some technological, and some in which the soft and hard sciences become indistinguishable, as in visionary national strategies, like Holland`s, and futuristic regional and city development plans, like those of Kagoshima and Chattanooga.
The authors report an extension of the source imaging method for analyzing three-dimensional sources from three-dimensional correlations. The technique consists of expanding the correlation data and the underlying source function in spherical harmonics and inverting the resulting system of one-dimensional integral equations. With this strategy, they can image the source function quickly, even with the extremely large data sets common in three-dimensional analyses.
DescriptionThe initiative on risk assessment and toxicology arose in 1995 when the limitations of current methods of risk assessment and the possibilities offered by new options were identified. Government Departments agreed to explore with the Research Councils how a joint strategy could be focused on the Departments' policy needs. In October 2002 the Steering Committee reviewed the work of IGHRC and recommended that the Initiative should continue for a further three years (October 2003 - September 2006 [continued...
The workshop focused on strategies for promoting and developing engineering level transonic flutter prediction techniques. The technology of transonic aerodynamics is currently undergoing rapid development. Significant progress is being made to solve the inherently nonlinear equations describing unsteady motions of wings in transonic flow, while the availability of reliable and efficient computational methods will greatly enhance the ability to predict the aeroelastic behavior of modern aircraft operating under transonic flow conditions.
Solar cookers offer a viable alternative to conventional cooking methods in many areas, and can be an effective tool in the fight against the deforestation and desertification that plague many developing countries. However, there have been numerous obstacles to the successful dissemination of solar cookers in the past. The purpose of this paper is to identify opportunities, review constraints and develop a marketing strategy to disseminate the Sundyne Solar Cooker (SSC) in developing countries.
The history of explosives vapor detection includes almost every detection strategy known to man. Initial attempts to utilize these techniques were dismal failures. However, with the development of the Electron Capture Detector (ECD), the first promising detection of explosives vapors became possible. The present commercial explosives detectors detect the higher vapor pressure materials but not the whole spectrum. This paper describes the basic properties of explosives molecules and our research to utilize these properties for increased detection sensitivity.
Background:Timely access to publicly funded health services is a priority issue across the healthcare continuum in Canada. The purpose of this study was to examine wait list management...Full Text Available
DescriptionThe plant enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO) has been demonstrated to reduce both proteolysis and lipolysis during the ensiling of red clover. The purpose of this work is to explore the potential for exploiting this beneficial trait in other dietary regimes for grazing ruminants. These studies will focus on the development of new strategies for forage management and livestock feeding by increasing the efficiency of feed protein-N utilisation and reducing saturated fatty acid production by ruminan [continued...
The implementation of information technology will continue to have important effects on the practice of emergency medicine. Patient registration and tracking systems, telemedicine electronic order entry systems, and the advent of electronic health records are some examples of applications that influence patient care in emergency departments. We review the literature regarding information technology advances in emergency medicine and outline the important role that emergency physicians play in developing and implementing a national health information technology strategy. PMID:16712540
The present report outlines the background and issues supporting the national strategy which was developed to deploy U.S. Government resources most effectively to increase environmental technologies exports and to enhance the trade competitiveness of the U.S. environmental technologies sector. The document is a supplement to the strategic framework.
Past "elitist" development efforts modeled on Western academic education have failed to meet manpower needs but resist change due to popular preference for "modern" occupations. A new development strategy providing universal basic education and improved general living standards is needed. (Part of a theme issue on Third World educational development.) (SJL)
Toxin-secreting “killer” yeasts were initially identified >40 years ago in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains infected with a double-stranded RNA “killer”...Full Text Available
Several different approaches exist to generate expressed RNA interference (RNAi) precursors for multiple target inhibition, a strategy referred to as combinatorial (co)RNAi. One such approach makes...Full Text Available
In the positive column of a neon glow discharge, two different types of ionization waves occur simultaneously. The low-dimensional chaos arising from the nonlinear interaction between the two waves is controlled by a continuous feedback technique. The control strategy is derived from the time-delayed autosynchronization method. Two spatially displaced points of observation are used to obtain the control information, using the propagation characteristics of the chaotic wave.
BackgroundMen who have sex with men (MSM) remain the group most at risk of acquiring HIV in the UK and new HIV prevention strategies are needed. In this paper, we examine what contact...Full Text Available
AGROSTER Co irradiates food packaging material and some types of spices for the meat industry. The step by step strategy of AGROSTER has been very successful. In the last year, its gamma facility was used as much as possible to irradiate food items. The government of Hungary has recognized the benefit of this technology and has given financial assistance to establish a large commercial gamma irradiator in Budapest.
Power devices such as MOSFETSs and IGBTs, include parasitic structures that can give rise to destructive failures such as breakdown and latch-up. To determine a suitable strategy for device radiation hardening, simulation software like MEDICI-2D can be used to model the effects of technological modifications and device parameters that are difficult to measure experimentally. (authors).
We propose a basic strategy to obtain a consistent on-shell effective action of open-string tachyons, on the background where closed-string tachyons are already condensed. We use sigma-model approach, basically. We regard D-instanton-like objects with appropriate weight as closed-string tachyon tadpoles, and we insert them into worldsheets to analyze the effect of closed-string tachyons.
It is formulated Witten's proposal of a covariant open-string theory in terms of oscillator modes and shown that some basic axioms for the noncommutative geometry are obeyed as algebraic operations, which were defined previously from a geometrical point of view. Our strategy is based on the proper bosonization of the conformal ghost fields.
DescriptionRemote sensing of the sea surface from satellites in near-polar orbits has contributed greatly to our understanding of the links between physical and biological processes in marine systems. However most of this progress has been made in open oceanic waters or major upwelling areas, and many unresolved problems are encountered in coastal regions and shelf seas. In these optically complex waters, quantitative remote sensing requires a more sophisticated interpretation strategy than that implemente [continued...
Abstract in english This paper presents an HP-Adaptive Procedure with Hierarchical formulation for the Boundary Element Method in 2-D Elasticity problems. Firstly, H, P and HP formulations are defined. Then, the hierarchical concept, which allows a substantial reduction in the dimension of equation system, is introduced. The error estimator used is based on the residual computation over each node inside an element. Finally, the HP strategy is defined and applied to two examples.
The behavior of air flows in complex heat exchanger passages is reviewed with a focus on the heat transfer effects of boundary-layer development, turbulence, spanwise and streamwise vortices, and wake management. Each of these flow features is discussed for the plain, wavy, and interrupted passages found in contemporary compact heat exchanger designs. Results from the literature are used to help explain the role of these mechanisms in heat transfer enhancement strategies.
Leveraging the potential power of even small handheld devices able to communicate wirelessly requires dedicated support. In particular, collaborative applications need sophisticated assistance in terms of querying and exchanging different kinds of data. Using a concrete example from the domain of mobile learning, the general need for information dissemination is motivated. Subsequently, and driven by infrastructural conditions, realization strategies of an appropriate middleware service are discussed.
18-Months cycle reload design verifications of Daya Bay NPS is briefly described. It was attempted giving the description of analysis scope and key technology for a nuclear power plant which will be changed fuel management strategy from one year to 18-months cycle
Rocket-Based Combined-Cycle (RBCC) engines intended for missiles and/or space launch applications incorporate features of rocket propulsion systems operating in concert with airbreathing engine cycles. Performance evaluation of these types of engines, which are intended to operate from static sea level take-off to supersonic cruise or accerlerate to orbit, requires ground test capabilities which integrate rocket component testing with airbreathing engine testing. A combined cycle engine test facility has been constructed in the General Applied Science Laboratories, Inc. (GASL) Aeropropulsion Test Laboratory to meet this requirement. The facility was designed to support the development of an innovative combined cycle engine concept which features a rocket based ramjet combustor. The test requirements included the ability to conduct tests in which the propulsive force was generated by rocket only, the ramjet only and ...
California utilities have been exploring the use of critical peak prices (CPP) to help reduce needle peaks in customer end-use loads. CPP is a form of price-responsive demand response (DR). Recent experience has shown that customers have limited knowledge of how to operate their facilities in order to reduce their electricity costs under CPP (Quantum 2004). While the lack of knowledge about how to develop and implement DR control strategies is a barrier to participation in DR programs like CPP, another barrier is the lack of automation of DR systems. During 2003 and 2004, the PIER Demand Response Research Center (DRRC) conducted a series of tests of fully automated electric demand response (Auto-DR) at 18 facilities. Overall, the average of the site-specific average coincident demand reductions was 8% from a variety of building types and facilities. Many electricity customers have suggested that automation will help them institutionalize their electric demand ...
This paper describes industrial aspects of combined inventory management and routing in maritime and road-based transportation, and gives a classification and comprehensive literature review of the current state of the research. The literature is contrasted with aspects of industrial applications from a constructive, but critical, viewpoint. Based on the status and trends within the field, future research is suggested with regard to both further development of the research area and industrial needs. By highlighting the industrial aspects, practitioners will hopefully see the benefit of using advanced decision support systems in complex situations related to combined inventory management and routing in their business. In addition, a classification and presentation of the research should hel...
National Power is building its first gas turbine combined cycle power station at Killingholme, situated to the south of the River Humber in the East of England. NEI ABB Gas Turbines Limited was awarded the turnkey contract in July 1990 to build a nominal 650 MW combined cycle power station based around three Asea Brown Boveri GT13E gas turbines. The project is outlined in this article. The plant is due for completion in July 1993. (author)
The orbit response matrix (ORM) method [1] is applied to model the Fermilab Booster with parameters such as the BPM gains and rolls, and parameters in the lattice model, including the gradient errors and magnets rolls. We found that the gradients and rolls of the adjacent combined-function magnets were deeply correlated, preventing full determination of the model parameters. Suitable constraints of the parameters were introduced to guarantee an unique, equivalent solution. Simulations show that such solution preserves proper combinations of the adjacent parameters. The result shows that the gradient errors of combined-function magnets are within design limits.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. has developed a gas turbine combined cycle and cogeneration plant computer aided engineering (CAE) system, which creates cycle heat balance automatically on given configurations of gas turbines, heat recovery boilers, steam turbines and auxiliaries. The system can predict the performance of the plant as a function of control set points, loads, process steam requirements and ambient conditions, which enables accurate and fast design of gas turbine combined cycle and cogeneration plants. (author)
Despite the fact that there is still a potential to improve the efficiency of classic brown coal power plants by various measures from 36% to approx. 40-41%, the essential big increase of the efficiency to values of approx. 46% can only be achieved by the transition to combined gas and steam turbine processes. This means for the solid fuel brown coal that a gasification is integrated into the power plant process. The combined cycle power plant with an integrated brown coal gasification represents this new power plant concept. The applied High Temperature Winkler method (HTW-method) is an advancement of the Winkler method that works at environmental pressure and was developed by the Rheinbraun AG. (orig./DG).
Pitting corrosion can be considered as a combination of two physical processes: the pit generation process and its depth growth process. Both processes are uncertain and can be modeled by stochastic processes. A model that combines two stochastic processes to describe pitting corrosion was developed. In this model, the pit generation process is represented by the Poisson process, and the pit depth growth process is modeled by the Markov process. The probability distribution of corrosion pit depth and the probability of time-to-failure are derived based upon the combined stochastic processes. Examples of the use of this method in dealing with experimental data also were developed.
The applicability of auxiliary functions Qqns and Gq-ns in combined Hartree-Fock-Roothaan theory suggested by one of the authors is demonstrated by calculation of electronic structure of some molecules. As an example of application, the calculations have been performed for the ground states of BH, Bh2, BH3, CH, CH2 and CH3 using minimal basis sets of Slater type orbitals. The results of computer calculations for the orbital and total energies, linear combination coefficients of symmetrized and un symmetrized molecular orbitals, and virial ratios are presented.
Mar 8, 2006 ... Some examples of leave options are annual leave, sick leave, .... (FERS). This three-tier system combines social security, a basic annuity ...
The mixture of 65 mol% capric acid and 35 mol% lauric acid (C-L acid) is a potential latent heat storage material. However, its melting temperature of 18.0 {sup o}C is quite high for low-temperature thermal energy storage. Addition of pentadecane, with a melting point of 9.9 {sup o}C, is proposed. The thermal characteristics of the combination of the C-L acid with pentadecane (CL:P) in different volume ratio are investigated employing the DSC analysis. The actual thermal performance of each CL:P combination is further determined from their radial and axial temperature distribution employing a fabricated thermal storage capsule. The 90:10 CL:P combination manifests an improvement in the melting characteristic of the C-L acid.(author)
Summary: The increasing emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms, especially methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), has resulted in the increased...Full Text Available
Predictions of the combination of our recent model for the formation of planetary nebulae (due to a diverging pulsational instability) together with nuclear-burning shell flashing, with regard to formation of multiple shells, are explored and discussed.
Methylisothiazolinone (MI) used alone is a new preservative causing a high prevalence of contact allergy. The eliciting threshold of MI is unknown. The combination of MI and phenoxyethanol enhances the antimicrobial efficacy of MI.
Report) A Screening Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Mitigation in the Great Lakes and New England Regions (Final Report)...
... Except for isolated radiation accidents over the ensuing years, little practical experience has been gained in the treatment of thermal injuries ...
... with the ability to capture imagery in raw 24-bit format, combined with large memory storage devices enable high resolution imagery to be captured ...