Many customer services are already available at Social Network Sites (SNSs), including user recommendation and media interaction, to name a few. There are strong desires to provide online users more dedicated and personalized services that fit into individual's need, usually strongly depending on the inner personalities of the user. However, little has been done to conduct proper psychological analysis, crucial for explaining the user's outer behaviors from their inner personality. In this paper, we propose an approach that intends to facilitate this line of research by directly predicting the so called Big-Five Personality from user's SNS behaviors. Comparing to the conventional inventory-based psychological analysis, we demonstrate via experimental studies that users' personalities can be predicted with reasonable precision based on their online behaviors. Except for proving some former behavior-personality correlation results, our experiments show that extraversion is positively related to one's status rep...

Comparing performance profiles from two runs is an essential performance analysis step that users routinely perform. In this work we present eGprof, a tool that facilitates these comparisons through differential profiling inside gprof. We chose this approach, rather than designing a new tool, since gprof is one of the few performance analysis tools accepted and used by a large community of users. eGprof allows users to 'subtract' two performance profiles directly. It also includes callgraph visualization to highlight the differences in graphical form. Along with the design of this tool, we present several case studies that show how eGprof can be used to find and to study the differences of two application executions quickly and hence can aid the user in this most common step in performance analysis. We do this without requiring major changes on the side of the user, the most important factor in guaranteeing the adoption of our tool by code teams.

This Measurement Good Practice Guide is intended to help a user to perform resonance spectra measurements on piezoelectric ceramics. The phenomenon of resonance is introduced and linked to the evaluation of the piezoelectric matrix by appropriate choice of sample geometry, and data analysis method. The IEEE method and complex coefficient method is explained and compared with a worked example helping the user to understand the stages of measurement and analysis. (author)

The use of androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) has increased significantly among athletes in Brazil and other countries. These drugs alter the physiological behavior of bone and muscles, also affecting these structures in masticatory system. This paper aims to evaluate bone and dental changes in users of AAS, as well as the incidence of temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD), compared to athletes not using AAS. Eight athletes were equally divided in two groups, AAS users and non-users. The groups were evaluated using Helkimo index, McNamara cephalometric tracing and cast analysis. The AAS users presented more intense TMD signs and symptoms (Di total value, P = 0.096, Mann-Whitney test), increased cephalometric measures (Co-A, P = 0.020, Mann-Whitney test) and Angle Class II malocclusion, compared to the non-users. These results suggested that the use of AAS alters masticatory structures and increases the incidence of TMD. (J. Oral Sci. 50, 19-24, 2008)   

Online social network services (SNS) provide an unprecedented rich source of information about millions of users worldwide. However, most existing studies of this emerging phenomenon are limited to relatively small data samples, with an emphasis on mostly ?western? online communities (such as Facebook and MySpace users in Western countries). To understand the cultural characteristics of users of online social networks, this paper explores the behavioral patterns of more than 16 million users of a popular social network in the Russian segment of the Internet, namely, My.Mail.Ru (also known as ?My World? or ?Moj Mir? in Russian). Our main goal is to study the self-disclosure patterns of the site users as a function of their age and gender. We compare the findings of our analysis to the previ...

This paper questions the ideal of comparability, which is often mobilized by standard setters when justifying new - or 'improvement' to existing - accounting standards. The target of our analysis is constituted by the thoughts of sophisticated users of financial statements when reflecting about International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) implementation in Europe. Drawing on the work of Mary Douglas on purity and Michel Foucault on docility, it is argued and shown that sophisticated users tend to interpret aberrations - that is to say indications of incomparability which confront users in the flow of their professional lives - in ways that allow the ideal of comparability to be preserved. Important consequences ensuing from the docility of users in purifying aberrations are discussed...

Based on the analysis of the feature of cognitive radio networks, a relevant interference model was built. Cognitive users should consider especially the problem of interference with licensed users and satisfy the signal-to-interference noise ratio (SINR) requirement at the same time. According to different power thresholds, an approach was given to solve the problem of coexistence between licensed user and cognitive user in cognitive system. Then, an uplink distributed power control algorithm based on traditional iterative model was proposed. Convergence analysis of the algorithm in case of feasible systems was provided. Simulations show that this method can provide substantial power savings as compared with the power balancing algorithm while reducing the achieved SINR only slightly, sin...

Comparative genome analysis is critical for the effectiveexploration of a rapidly growing number of complete and draft sequencesfor microbial genomes. The Integrated Microbial Genomes (IMG) system(img.jgi.doe.gov) has been developed as a community resource thatprovides support for comparative analysis of microbial genomes in anintegrated context. IMG allows users to navigate the multidimensionalmicrobial genome data space and focus their analysis on a subset ofgenes, genomes, and functions of interest. IMG provides graphicalviewers, summaries and occurrence profile tools for comparing genes,pathways and functions (terms) across specific genomes. Genes can befurther examined using gene neighborhoods and compared with sequencealignment tools.

Introduction: Post-marketing data on weight-loss medications in free living population are a necessary adjunct to data from clinical trials. Materials and methods: We conducted a population-based analysis of first-time medication users based on HMO pharmacy purchasing data serving>one million adults. Results: During 5 years, usage of orlistat and sibutramine more than doubled and rates were higher during the months May-Aug. As compared to non-users (n=1,038,828), annual weight-loss drug users (n=7175) had higher women proportion, body-mass-index (BMI), bariatric surgery history, and usage of diabetes, depression, and cardiovascular medications (p<0.001 for all). Among users, men had higher BMI (34.4kg/m^2 vs. 32.5kg/m^2), prevalence of diabetes (25.4% vs. 10.7%) and heart disease (14.2% vs...

Manual wheelchair users have a high risk of injuries to the upper extremities due to the mechanical inefficiency of wheelchair propulsion motion. The kinetic analysis of the upper extremities during manual wheelchair propulsion in various conditions needed to be investigated. We developed and calibrated a wheelchair dynamometer for measuring kinetic parameters during wheelchair propulsion. We utilized the dynamometer to investigate and compare the propulsion torque and power of skilled and unskilled users under four different conditions. Skilled manual wheelchair users generated smaller torques with larger power than unskilled users and reacted alertly and sensitively to changing conditions. We expect that the results of this study may help to quantitatively evaluate the mechanical efficiency of manual wheelchair propulsion.   

Space time cube representation is an information visualization technique where spatiotemporal data points are mapped into a cube. Fast and correct analysis of such information is important in for instance geospatial and social visualization applications. Information visualization researchers have previously argued that space time cube representation is beneficial in revealing complex spatiotemporal patterns in a dataset to users. The argument is based on the fact that both time and spatial information are displayed simultaneously to users, an effect difficult to achieve in other representations. However, to our knowledge the actual usefulness of space time cube representation in conveying complex spatiotemporal patterns to users has not been empirically validated. To fill this gap we report on a between-subjects experiment comparing novice users error rates and response times when answering a set of questions using either space time cube or a baseline 2D representation. For some simple questions the error rat...

This paper provides a comparative analysis of statistical methods to evaluate the consumer perception about the quality of Services of General Interest. The evaluation of the service quality perceived by users is usually based on Customer Satisfaction Survey data and an ex-post evaluation is then pe...

This paper considers broadcast channels with L antennas at the base station and m single-antenna users, where each user has perfect channel knowledge and the base station obtains channel information through a finite rate feedback. The key observation of this paper is that the optimal number of on-users (users turned on), say s, is a function of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and other system parameters. Towards this observation, we use asymptotic analysis to guide the design of feedback and transmission strategies. As L, m and the feedback rates approach infinity linearly, we derive the asymptotic optimal feedback strategy and a realistic criterion to decide which users should be turned on. Define the corresponding asymptotic throughput per antenna as the spatial efficiency. It is a function of the number of on-users s, and therefore, s should be appropriately chosen. Based on the above asymptotic results, we also develop a scheme for a system with finite many antennas and users. Compared with other works where ...

Abstract in portuguese OBJETIVO: Comparar uma amostra de usuários de cocaína injetável e usuários de crack avaliando comportamento sexual, risco para contaminação pelo HIV e sua soroprevalência. MÉTODO: Avaliou-se 109 usuários de cocaína injetável e 132 usuários de crack, utilizando o questionário da Organização Mundial de Saúde para o "Estudo Multicêntrico de Comportamentos e Soroprevalência de HIV entre Usuários de Droga Injetável" ampliado e sorologia para o HIV. Os dados (more) foram avaliados pela Análise de Correspondências Múltiplas. RESULTADOS: Os usuários de crack apresentaram menor tempo gasto no consumo de drogas quando comparados com os usuários de cocaína injetável. Apesar disso, tiveram maiores taxas de atividade sexual de risco, diferenças no consumo de múltiplas drogas e maiores taxas de problemas com a justiça. A soroprevalência do HIV entre os usuários de crack, embora inferior aos usuários de cocaína injetável (7% x 33%), é elevada quando comparada à população geral nesta faixa etária. CONCLUSÕES: O comportamento sexual dos usuários de crack da amostra estudada pode ser considerado fator de risco para a contaminação pelo HIV. Os usuários de crack têm acesso à informações sobre HIV/AIDS, porém, não as utilizam para modificar comportamentos de risco que os expõem à possibilidade de contaminação e disseminação do HIV. A soroprevalência do HIV entre eles (7%) é um dado preocupante, o que torna necessário criar estratégias preventivas de contaminação e disseminação do HIV especificamente direcionadas a esta população. Abstract in english OBJECTIVE: To compare a sample of injecting cocaine users and crack users, assessing sexual behavior, risk for infection by HIV and its seroprevalence. METHOD: 109 injecting cocaine users and 132 crack users were assessed, using the World Health Organization questionnaire from the expanded "Cross-Site Study of Behaviors and HIV Seroprevalence among Injecting Drug Users" and HIV serology. Data were assessed by Multiple Correspondences Analysis. RESULTS: Crack users showed (more) less time of drug consumption when compared to the injecting cocaine users. Despite this fact, they had higher rates of risky sexual activity, differences in poli-consumption of drugs, and higher rates of involvement in illegal issues. HIV seroprevalence among crack users, although lower than for injecting cocaine users (7% vs. 33%) is high when compared to the general population at the same age. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual behavior of crack users in the studied sample may be considered a risk factor for HIV infection. Crack users have access to information on HIV/ AIDS, but do not make use of it to change risk behaviors that may expose them to HIV infection and dissemination. HIV seroprevalence among crack users (7%) is concerning, which makes it necessary to create preventive strategies for HIV infection and dissemination that are specifically directed toward this population.

SRM can be used to quickly compare relative values relating to risk for many environmental management activities or alternatives at US DOE sites. Purpose of this guide is to provide the user with the essential values and decision points for each model variable. The numerical results are useful for ranking and screening purposes and should not be compared directly against absolute risk numerical results such as in CERCLA baseline risk assessments or Safety Analysis Reports. Implementing the SRM entails performing several preliminary steps, selecting values of the risk elements, calculating the risk equations, and checking the results. SRM considers two types of waste management states: inactive (rest) and active (transition). SRM considers risk from exposures to radionuclides and hazardous chemicals, as well as industrial hazards; however this user`s guide does not cover risk from industrial hazards (Section 10 of Eide et al. (1996) must be consulted).

Within the framework of the German Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (GAVO), we provide synthetic spectra, simulation software for the calculation of NLTE model atmospheres, as well as necessary atomic data. This will enable a VO user to directly compare observation and model-atmosphere spectra on three levels: The easiest and fastest way is the use of our pre-calculated flux-table grid in which one may inter- and extrapolate. For a more precise analysis of an abservation, the VO user may improve the fit to the observation by the calculation of individual model atmospheres with fine-tuned photospheric parameters via the WWW interface TMAW. The more experienced VO user may create own atomic-data files for a more detailed analysis and calculate model atmosphere and flux tables with these.

This paper describes the design of a prototype computer misuse detection system for the Los Alamos Notional Laboratory's Integrated Computing Network (ICN). This automated expert system, the Network Anomaly Detection and Intrusion Reporter (NADIR), streamlines and supplements the manual audit record review traditionally performed by security auditors. NADIR compares network activity, as summarized in weekly profiles of individual users and the ICN as a whole, against expert rules that define security policy, improper or suspicious behavior, and normal user activity. NADIR reports suspicious behavior to security auditors and provides tools to aid in follow-up investigations. This paper describes analysis by NADIR of two types of ICN activity: user authentication and access control, and mass file storage. It highlights system design issues of data handling, exploiting existing auditing systems, and performing audit analysis at the network level.

In this paper we provide a preliminary analysis of Google+ privacy. We identified that Google+ shares photo metadata with users who can access the photograph and discuss its potential impact on privacy. We also identified that Google+ encourages the provision of other names including maiden name, which may help criminals performing identity theft. We show that Facebook lists are a superset of Google+ circles, both functionally and logically, even though Google+ provides a better user interface. Finally we compare the use of encryption and depth of privacy control in Google+ versus in Facebook.

This paper considers broadcast channels with L antennas at the base station and m single-antenna users, where L and m are typically of the same order. We assume that only partial channel state information is available at the base station through a finite rate feedback. Our key observation is that the optimal number of on-users (users turned on), say s, is a function of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and feedback rate. In support of this, an asymptotic analysis is employed where L, m and the feedback rate approach infinity linearly. We derive the asymptotic optimal feedback strategy as well as a realistic criterion to decide which users should be turned on. The corresponding asymptotic throughput per antenna, which we define as the spatial efficiency, turns out to be a function of the number of on-users s, and therefore s must be chosen appropriately. Based on the asymptotics, a scheme is developed for systems with finite many antennas and users. Compared with other studies in which s is presumed constant, our sc...

Abstract Objective: Preliminary results indicated effectiveness of the online weight reduction program KiloCoach. The current study presents a large collection of user data and compares KiloCoach with other evaluated commercial weight loss programs. Furthermore, potential factors influencing the effectiveness of internet weight loss programs should be identified. Method: 4,310 data sets of KiloCoach users were available, 3,150 of them were suitable for further analysis. 946 program users were considered completers (at least 60 days of continuous protocol). For comparison with other programs, different subsamples were drawn that matched to the inclusion criteria of reference studies. Results: On average, KiloCoach overweight and obese completers lost 4.5 % of initial body weight. KiloCoach ...

This paper proposes to extend the discrete Verhulst power equilibrium approach, previously suggested in [1], to the power-rate optimal allocation problem. Multirate users associated to different types of traffic are aggregated to distinct user' classes, with the assurance of minimum rate allocation per user and QoS. Herein, Verhulst power allocation algorithm was adapted to the single-input-single-output DS/CDMA jointly power-rate control problem. The analysis was carried out taking into account the convergence time, quality of solution, in terms of the normalized squared error (NSE), when compared with the analytical solution based on interference matrix inverse, and computational complexity. Numerical results demonstrate the validity of the proposed resource allocation methodology.

This qualitative study aimed to understand the meaning of drug consumption from the view of users who receive care in an outpatient clinic of a Mental Health Service on an island of the Cape Verde archipelago. The methodological framework was based on the Data-founded Theory, in the light of Symbolic Interactionism. Participants were nine drug users from the mentioned outpatient clinic. Recorded interviews and observation were the strategies for data collection. The comparative data analysis resulted in the central phenomenon An attractive force, which expresses the great difficult users have to stop the abusive consumption of psychoactive substances, knowing that all problems faced in the personal, familiar and social areas come from drug habituation. Thus, this study permitted the identification of vulnerable points for possible action by the health team, aiming for the prevention of drug abuse. PMID:20694429

Nowadays, web collaborative tagging systems which allow users to upload, comment on and recommend contents, are growing. Such systems can be represented as graphs where nodes correspond to users and tagged-links to recommendations. In this paper we analyze the problem of computing a ranking of users with respect to a facet described as a set of tags. A straightforward solution is to compute a PageRank-like algorithm on a facet-related graph, but it is not feasible for online computation. We propose an alternative: (i) a ranking for each tag is computed offline on the basis of tag-related subgraphs; (ii) a faceted order is generated online by merging rankings corresponding to all the tags in the facet. Based on the graph analysis of YouTube and Flickr, we show that step (i) is scalable. We also present efficient algorithms for step (ii), which are evaluated by comparing their results with two gold standards.

The Real Time Solar Magnetograph (RTSM) Operation system software design on PDP11/23+ is presented along with the User's Guide. The RTSM operation software is for real time instrumentation control, data collection and data management. The data is used for vector analysis, plotting or graphics display. The processed data is then easily compared with solar data from other sources, such as the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM).

Multi-cell resource allocation under minimum rate request for each user in OFDMA networks is addressed in this paper. Based on Lagrange dual decomposition theory, the joint multi-cell resource allocation problem is decomposed and modeled as a limited-cooperative game, and a distributed multi-cell resource allocation algorithm is thus proposed. Analysis and simulation results show that, compared with non-cooperative iterative water-filling algorithm, the proposed algorithm can remarkably reduce the ICI level and improve overall system performances.   

This study aimed to examine the change in antidiabetic medication prescribing trends and predictors of thiazolidinedione (TZD) discontinuation six months after the 2007 rosiglitazone safety alert. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis. Patients with two prescriptions for a TZD between 1 January and 21 May 2007, including one covering 21 May 2007, and continuous enrolment during 2006-2007 were identified from the MarketScan database. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to compare characteristics between patients who continued and discontinued each TZD. We identified 40,836 and 37,183 individuals with a current prescription for rosiglitazone and pioglitazone, respectively. Significantly more rosiglitazone (53.5%) compared to pioglitazone users (21.4%) discontinued initi...

Interactive Stiffened Panel Analysis (ISPAN) modules, written in FORTRAN, were developed to provide an easy to use tool for creating finite element models of composite material stiffened panels. The modules allow the user to interactively construct, solve and post-process finite element models of four general types of structural panel configurations using only the panel dimensions and properties as input data. Linear, buckling and post-buckling solution capability is provided. This interactive input allows rapid model generation and solution by non finite element users. The results of a parametric study of a blade stiffened panel are presented to demonstrate the usefulness of the ISPAN modules. Also, a non-linear analysis of a test panel was conducted and the results compared to measured data and previous correlation analysis.

In the past, economic analysis of innovative building design options has not included considerations of the tax environments appropriate for different decision makers, the possible existence of innovative utility rate structures including such things as time-of-day rates, the possibilities for sale and resale of power, and multiple decision criteria for comparing alternative building investments. A Building Innovations Economic Analysis code (BIEA) is described, which satisfies these and other objectives as well. The code is designed in stand-alone form, to interface with a load simulation program or alternative building performance data development device of the user's choosing. To facilitate the interface, a user-friendly preprocessor for input data management and modification is described. The code is currently being employed in commercial sector work for the development of recommendations for ASHRAE standard revisions and in the residential sector for analysis of conservation and renewable energy options to new single-family house designs.

Objective To evaluate the association between use of benzodiazepines and incident dementia. Design Prospective, population based study. Setting PAQUID study, France. Participants 1063 men and women (mean age 78.2 years) who were free of dementia and did not start taking benzodiazepines until at least the third year of follow-up. Main outcome measures Incident dementia, confirmed by a neurologist. Results During a 15 year follow-up, 253 incident cases of dementia were confirmed. New use of benzodiazepines was associated with an increased risk of dementia (multivariable adjusted hazard ratio 1.60, 95% confidence interval 1.08 to 2.38). Sensitivity analysis considering the existence of depressive symptoms showed a similar association (hazard ratio 1.62, 1.08 to 2.43). A secondary analysis pooled cohorts of participants who started benzodiazepines during follow-up and evaluated the association with incident dementia. The pooled hazard ratio across the five cohorts of new benzodiazepine users was 1.46 (1.10 to 1.94). Results of a complementary nested case-control study showed that ever use of benzodiazepines was associated with an approximately 50% increase in the risk of dementia (adjusted odds ratio 1.55, 1.24 to 1.95) compared with never users. The results were similar in past users (odds ratio 1.56, 1.23 to 1.98) and recent users (1.48, 0.83 to 2.63) but reached significance only for past users. Conclusions In this prospective population based study, new use of benzodiazepines was associated with increased risk of dementia. The result was robust in pooled analyses across cohorts of new users of benzodiazepines throughout the study and in a complementary case-control study. Considering the extent to which benzodiazepines are prescribed and the number of potential adverse effects of this drug class in the general population, indiscriminate widespread use should be cautioned against. PMID:18566319

Background. Chinese medicine (CM) has been used to relieve symptoms relevant to uterine fibroids. Objective. This study investigated the association between the use of CM and the incidence of uterine surgery in women with uterine fibroids. Subjects and Methods. This retrospective cohort study extracted records for 16,690 subjects diagnosed with a uterine fibroid between 2000 and 2003 from the National Health Insurance reimbursement database. The risk factors for surgery were examined via Cox proportional hazard analysis, and the difference in incidence of surgery between CM users and nonusers was compared using incidence rate ratios (IRRs) derived from Poisson's models. Results. After an average follow-up period of 4.5 years, the cumulative incidence of uterine surgery was significantly lower in CM users than CM nonusers (P < 0.0001). Compared to CM nonusers, CM users were more unlikely to undergo uterine surgery (adjusted hazard ratio =?0.18, 95% confidence interval (CI)?=?0.17, 0.19). The incidence of surgery in CM users was dramatically different from that for CM nonusers (IRR?=?0.17, 95% CI?=?0.16, 0.18). Conclusion. The risk of uterine surgery among fibroid patients who used CM was significantly decreased, implying an effective treatment of fibroid-related symptoms provided by CM. PMID:23118794

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is coordinating efforts to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems, or GEOSS. As part of a strategy to increase the involvement of the science and technology community in GEOSS, both as users and developers of GEOSS itself, GEO decided to develop a GEO label concept related to the scientific relevance, quality, acceptance and societal needs for services and data sets of GEOSS. The development of a GEO label is included in the GEO work plan and several projects address the challenges of developing a GEO label concept. Within the different projects developing the GEO label, various perspectives and approaches are being applied. In order to arrive at a generally accepted GEO label concept, a common understanding and basic knowledge of labeling is necessary. Assessment of quality of internationally standardized Earth observation data products implies possible certification. A general understanding of the framework for international standards and certification will also contribute to a more coherent discussion and more efficient development of a GEO label. We will describe the general labeling and certification framework emphasizing the relation to the three elements of the GEO label: quality, user acceptance and relevance. Based on a survey of international labels done by the EGIDA project, we have analyzed the legal framework and organization of labels and certification. We will discuss the frameworks for certification, user ratings, registration and analysis of user requirements. Quality assessment is a particular focus of the analysis and is based on the work done by the GeoViQua project. A GEO label will function both as a data distribution strategy and as a general management system for data. Through a label users can compare different data sets and get access to more information about the relevant data, including quality. A label will provide traceability of data both in the interest of users as well as data providers; it will create trustworthiness; and it will stimulate increased production and sharing of data and services. The survey of labeling and analysis with respect to certification, user ratings and user requirements management constitutes a useful input to the general discussion on data distribution and management of data.

Aims: To identify subtypes of nonmedical opioid users, gender variations in psychiatric disorders, and quality of life in a representative sample of adults. Methods: Analyses of data from the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (N=43,093). Latent class analysis (LCA) and multinomial logistic regression procedures examined subtypes of nonmedical opioid users. Results: Approximately 5% (n=1815) of adults used nonmedical opioids. LCA identified four subtypes: opioid-marijuana users (33%), opioid-other prescription drug users (9%), opioid-marijuana-hallucinogen users (28%), and opioid-polydrug users (30%). Subtypes were distinguished by race/ethnicity, gender, familial substance abuse, personal history of substance abuse treatment, and patterns of psychiat...

Service user forums have the potential for improving awareness of services, empowering service users and strengthening community partnerships within an inclusive treatment and rehabilitation framework. The research aimed to investigate perspectives about service user involvement in order to inform the development of effective service user forum(s) in west Ireland. A total of 30 interviews with key service providers and 12 interviews with service users were conducted, with interview questions focusing on: (1) awareness of the Service User Support Team and (2) barriers to service user involvement and the development of service user forums in the region. An integrated data collection and thematic analysis was undertaken. Current levels of service user involvement were low, restricted by one-w...

In a collaboration of the German Astrophysical Virtual Observatory (GAVO) and AstroGrid-D, the German Astronomy Community Grid (GACG), we provide a VO service for the access and the calculation of stellar synthetic energy distributions (SEDs) based on static as well as expanding non-LTE model atmospheres. At three levels, a VO user may directly compare observed and theoretical SEDs: The easiest and fastest way is to use pre-calculated SEDs from the GAVO database. For individual objects, grids of model atmospheres and SEDs can be calculated on the compute resources of AstroGrid-D within reasonable wallclock time. Experienced VO users may even create own atomic-data files for a more detailed analysis. This VO service opens also the perspective for a new approach to an automated spectral analysis of a large number of observations, e.g. provided by multi-object spectrographs.

In this work we describe an approach to indoor user localisation by combining image-based and RF-based methods and compare this new approach to prior work. This paper details a new algorithm for indoor user localisation, demonstrating more effective user localisation than prior approaches and theref...

While existing studies on YouTube's massive user-generated video content have mostly focused on the analysis of videos, their characteristics, and network properties, little attention has been paid to the analysis of users' long-term behavior as it relates to the roles they self-define and (explicitly or not) play in the site. In this chapter, we present a statistical analysis of aggregated user behavior in YouTube from the perspective of user categories, a feature that allows people to ascribe to popular roles and to potentially reach certain communities. Using a sample of 270,000 users, we found that a high level of interaction and participation is concentrated on a relatively small, yet significant, group of users, following recognizable patterns of personal and social involvement. Based on our analysis, we also show that by using simple behavioral features from user profiles, people can be automatically classified according to their category with accuracy rates of up to 73%.

This work compares three different global sensitivity analysis techniques, namely the state-dependent parameter (SDP) modelling, the random balance designs, and the improved formulas of the Sobol' sensitivity indices. These techniques are not yet commonly known in the literature. Strengths and weaknesses of each technique in terms of efficiency and computational cost are highlighted, thus enabling the user to choose the more suitable method depending on the computational model analysed. Two test functions proposed in the literature are considered. Computational costs and convergence rates for each function are compared and discussed.

This article presented Pandell's EANexus v.2.5 software which includes an economic analysis case wizard to help junior and intermediate oil producers acquire and evaluate basic economic information about their assets. The software helps guide engineers and geologists through the development of well cases and comprehensive economic analysis. The software is particularly useful given the changes to the royalty regime in Alberta. The EANexus is an economic, budgeting and reserve reporting software that features automatic price deck updates and a built-in case wizard that prompts users with questions. Separate reports can be generated by analyzing well cases in various provinces and comparing results. 1 ref., 1 fig.

Comparison of DNA sequences from different species is a fundamental method for identifying functional elements in genomes. Here we describe the VISTA family of tools created to assist biologists in carrying out this task. Our first VISTA server at http://www-gsd.lbl.gov/VISTA/ was launched in the summer of 2000 and was designed to align long genomic sequences and visualize these alignments with associated functional annotations. Currently the VISTA site includes multiple comparative genomics tools and provides users with rich capabilities to browse pre-computed whole-genome alignments of large vertebrate genomes and other groups of organisms with VISTA Browser, submit their own sequences of interest to several VISTA servers for various types of comparative analysis, and obtain detailed comparative analysis results for a set of cardiovascular genes. We illustrate capabilities of the VISTA site by the analysis of a 180 kilobase (kb) interval on human chromosome 5 that encodes for the kinesin family member3A (KIF3A) protein.

Random community genomes (metagenomes) are now commonly used to study microbes in different environments. Over the past few years, the major challenge associated with metagenomics shifted from generating to analyzing sequences. High-throughput, low-cost next-generation sequencing has provided access to metagenomics to a wide range of researchers. A high-throughput pipeline has been constructed to provide high-performance computing to all researchers interested in using metagenomics. The pipeline produces automated functional assignments of sequences in the metagenome by comparing both protein and nucleotide databases. phylogenetic and functional summaries of the metagenomes are generated, and tools for comparative metagenomics are incorporated into the standard views. user access is controlled to ensure data privacy, but the collaborative environment underpinning the service provides a framework for sharing databasets between multiple users. In the metagenomics RAST, all users retain full control of their data, and everything is available for download in a variety of formats. The open-source metagenomics RAST service provides a new paradigm for the annotation and analysis of metagenomes. With built-in support for multiple data sources and a back end that houses abstract data types, the metagenomics RAST is stable, extensible, and freely available to all researchers. This service has removed one of the primary bottlenecks in metagenome sequence analysis--the available of high-performance computing for annotating the data.

We investigated sexually transmissable infection (STI) prevalence in 407 drug users in three drug treatment programmes in two Texan cities and associated demographic and sexual behaviours. Data analysis focused on differences between those for whom crack cocaine was the drug of preference compared with other drugs, since crack is associated with sexual arousal and a sex for drugs economy. Data indicate that having crack as a drug of preference is significantly associated with increased levels of previous STIs, previous drug treatment, African-American race, selling or buying sex for drugs or money, and increased infection markers for syphilis, chlamydia and herpes simplex-2. Crack preference was also significantly associated with lower rates of injecting drugs or sharing injection equipment and hepatitis C infection markers. Crack preference in heterosexual respondents was significantly associated with increased partner numbers in the past four weeks, more female partners for men and more vaginal sex contacts for men. Analysis of sex differences comparing those for whom crack was the preferred versus nonpreferred drug indicated that female crack users were significantly more likely to engage in oral sex. This supports previous ethnographic data suggesting that oral sex is a common mode of sex for drugs exchange in crack houses. In 7.4% of the total sample (14.4% of the crack-preferring sample), treatable STIs were detected. These data suggest that drug users generally, and crack-using populations in particular, in drug treatment programmes should be routinely screened for STIs as an integral part of drug treatment. PMID:12437898

This paper presents an analysis of factors that impact user flight schedules during air traffic congestion. In pre-departure flight planning, users file one route per flight, which often leads to increased delays, inefficient airspace utilization, and exclusion of user flight preferences. In this paper, first the idea of filing alternate routes and providing priorities on each of those routes is introduced. Then, the impact of varying planning interval and system imposed departure delay increment is discussed. The metrics of total delay and equity are used for analyzing the impact of these factors on increased traffic and on different users. The results are shown for four cases, with and without the optional routes and priority assignments. Results demonstrate that adding priorities to optional routes further improves system performance compared to filing one route per flight and using first-come first-served scheme. It was also observed that a two-hour planning interval with a five-minute system imposed departure delay increment results in highest delay reduction. The trend holds for a scenario with increased traffic.

This paper describes research carried out at Loughborough University in the UK into the areas of 'design for all' and accessible transport. The research addresses two common needs for designers and ergonomists working towards developing more inclusive products and environments, namely data on users that is accessible, valid, and applicable and a means of utilising the data to assess the accessibility of designs during the early stages of development. HADRIAN is a computer-based inclusive design tool that has been developed to support designers in their efforts to develop products that meet the needs of a broader range of users. Currently HADRIAN is being expanded to support transport design. This includes data on an individual's ability to undertake a variety of transport-related tasks, such as vehicle ingress/egress, coping with uneven surfaces, steps, street furniture and complex pedestrian environments. The subsequent use of this data will be supported either through a task analysis system that will allow a designer to evaluate a design for a part of the transport infrastructure (ticket barrier, train carriage etc.), or alternatively allow the designer or an end user to evaluate a whole journey. The 'journey planner' feature of the HADRIAN tool will compare an individual's physical, cognitive and emotional abilities with the demands placed upon that individual by the mode(s) of transport available and the route options selected. It is envisaged that these developments will prove extremely useful to users, designers, planners and all those involved with transport use and implementation. PMID:19759432

Abstract—This paper addresses a method to estimate the multi user channel quality indicator (CQI) from the reported rank 1 single user CQI in LTE systems. We investigate the relationship between the multi user CQI and the channel condition. Based on that, we propose an updating mechanism where the estimated multi user CQI is varied according to the reported channel condition i.e. the rank 1 single user CQI. System performance of the proposed scheme is compared with the conventional fixed offset single user CQI estimation. System level simulation results show the efficiency of our proposed scheme with respect to both the enhancement in the system level performance and uplink overhead reduction. Using the statistic metrics derived from the system level simulation, we highlight the importance of having an accurate multi user CQI estimation. The results illustrate how the multi user CQI information influence the packet scheduling and link adaptation decisions and ultimately the overall system performance.

This user`s manual is an introduction to the use of the Decision Analysis for Remediation Technology (DART) Report Generator. DART provides a user interface to a database containing site data (e.g., contaminants, waste depth, area) for sites within the Subsurface Contaminant Focus Area (SCFA). The database also contains SCFA requirements, needs, and technology information. The manual is arranged in two major sections. The first section describes loading DART onto a user system. The second section describes DART operation. DART operation is organized into sections by the user interface forms. For each form, user input, both optional and required, DART capabilities, and the result of user selections will be covered in sufficient detail to enable the user to understand DART, capabilities and determine how to use DART to meet specific needs.

This PhD thesis focuses on system level analysis of Multi-Component Carrier (CC) management for Long Term Evolution (LTE)-Advanced. Cases where multiple CCs are aggregated to form a larger bandwidth are studied. The analysis is performed for both local area and wide area networks. In local area, Time Division Duplexing (TDD) is chosen as the duplexing mode in this study. The performance with different network time synchronization levels is compared, and it is observed that achieving time synchronization significantly improves the uplink performance without penalizing much of the downlink transmission. Next the technique of frequency reuse is investigated. As compared to reuse-1, using different frequency channels in neighboring cells reduces the interference to offer large performance gain. To avoid the frequency planning, several decentralized algorithms are developed for interference reduction. Compared to the case of reuse-1, they achieve a gain of 50?500% in cell edge user throughput, with small or no loss in average cell throughput. For the wide area network, effort is devoted to the downlink of LTE-Advanced. Such a system is assumed to be backwards compatible to LTE release 8, i.e., some users can access all CCs (LTE-Advanced users), whereas some are restricted to operate within a single CC (release 8 users). First, load balancing across the multiple CCs is analyzed. Several known approaches are studied and the best one is identified. A cross-CC packet scheduler is afterwards proposed. It improves the cell edge user throughput by up to 90% over the independent scheduling with full buffer transmission and 40% with finite buffer transmission, depending primarily on the ratio of LTE-Advanced users. Meanwhile, there is no loss in the average cell throughput. The channel aware packet scheduling and link adaptation require feedback of Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) and acknowledgement of packet receptions (ACK/NACKs) across the CCs. This gives rise to potentially high uplink overhead. Reduction of thefeedback overhead is therefore investigated. A load adaptive CQI reduction scheme is recommended. It reduces the CQI by 94% at low load, and 79?93% at medium to high load, with reasonable loss in downlink performance. To reduce the ACK/NACK feedback, multiple ACK/NACKs can be bundled, with slightly degraded downlink throughput.

Gene Ontology (GO), the de facto standard in gene functionality description, is used widely in functional annotation and enrichment analysis. Here, we introduce agriGO, an integrated web-based GO analysis toolkit for the agricultural community, using the advantages of our previous GO enrichment tool (EasyGO), to meet analysis demands from new technologies and research objectives. EasyGO is valuable for its proficiency, and has proved useful in uncovering biological knowledge in massive data sets from high-throughput experiments. For agriGO, the system architecture and website interface were redesigned to improve performance and accessibility. The supported organisms and gene identifiers were substantially expanded (including 38 agricultural species composed of 274 data types). The requirement on user input is more flexible, in that user-defined reference and annotation are accepted. Moreover, a new analysis approach using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis strategy and customizable features is provided. Four tools, SEA (Singular enrichment analysis), PAGE (Parametric Analysis of Gene set Enrichment), BLAST4ID (Transfer IDs by BLAST) and SEACOMPARE (Cross comparison of SEA), are integrated as a toolkit to meet different demands. We also provide a cross-comparison service so that different data sets can be compared and explored in a visualized way. Lastly, agriGO functions as a GO data repository with search and download functions; agriGO is publicly accessible at http://bioinfo.cau.edu.cn/agriGO/. PMID:20435677

Abstract Aims- This study conducted a secondary analysis to examine injection cessation and decreasing frequency of injection during a multi-site randomized controlled HIV prevention intervention trial that sought to reduce sexual and injection risk behavior among young injection drug users. Design and Setting- A six-session, cognitive-behavioral skills-building intervention in which participants were taught peer education skills [peer education intervention (PEI)] was compared with a time-equivalent attention control. Follow-up interviews were conducted at 3 and 6 months post-baseline. Participants- Trial participants were HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody-negative injection drug users aged 15-30 years. Participants who had at least one follow-up interview and reported injecting dr...

Introduction: The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act provides an unprecedented opportunity to regulate tobacco in the United States. However, restrictions on little cigars, cigarillos, and large cigars are notably absent from the Act, which may create a favorable environment for increased dual usage of cigars. The purpose of this study is to examine demographic profiles and tobacco use behaviors of dual, as opposed to primary, users of cigarettes and cigars. Methods: This study used data from a cross-sectional nationally representative survey of 2,649 adult smokers and nonsmokers. Multivariable regression analysis was used to compare the demographic characteristics and tobacco use behaviors of dual users versus cigarette-only smokers. Results: Data indicate that 12.5% of cig...

Spectrum sensing, i.e., detecting the presence of primary users in a licensed spectrum, is a fundamental problem in cognitive radio. Since the statistical covariances of received signal and noise are usually different, they can be used to differentiate the case where the primary user's signal is present from the case where there is only noise. In this paper, spectrum sensing algorithms are proposed based on the sample covariance matrix calculated from a limited number of received signal samples. Two test statistics are then extracted from the sample covariance matrix. A decision on the signal presence is made by comparing the two test statistics. Theoretical analysis for the proposed algorithms is given. Detection probability and associated threshold are found based on statistical theory. The methods do not need any information of the signal, the channel and noise power a priori. Also, no synchronization is needed. Simulations based on narrowband signals, captured digital television (DTV) signals and multiple...

Many factors are considered during ballistic helmet design, including comfort, weight, fit, and maintainability. These factors affect soldiers' decisions about helmet use; therefore, rigorous research about soldiers' real-life experiences with helmets is critical to assessing a helmet's overall protective efficacy. This study compared soldiers' satisfaction and problem experience with the advanced combat helmet (ACH) and the personal armor system for ground troops (PASGT) helmet. Data were obtained from surveys of soldiers at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Ninety percent of ACH users were satisfied overall with their helmet, but only 9.5% of PASGT users were satisfied (p < 0.001). The most frequently reported problems for the ACH involved malfunctioning helmet parts. The most frequently reported problems for the PASGT involved discomfort. This analysis indicated that there was a strong soldier preference for the ACH over the PASGT, which could enhance its already superior protective qualities. It also demonstrated the usefulness of soldiers' assessments of protective equipment. PMID:17615837

MOTIVATION: The Brassicaceae family includes the most important plant model Arabidopsis thaliana and many cruciferous vegetable crops. A number of close relatives of Arabidopsis and economically important Brassica species are being sequenced with whole-genome shotgun sequencing technologies. However, de novo assembly of full chromosomes is difficult, since many non-model Brassicaceae species are lacking genetic and/or physical maps. As a unique feature for Brassicaceae, the genome of each member is composed of 24 conserved chromosomal blocks and the arrangement of the 24 blocks can be obtained from karyotype analysis via comparative chromosome painting (CCP) experiments. Taking this advantage, we developed a bioinformatic tool, named KGBassembler, to automatically finalize assembly of full chromosomes from contigs and/or scaffolds based on available karyotypes of Brassicaceae species. AVAILABILITY: KGBassembler was implemented in C(++) with a graphical user interface (GUI). It is freely available to academic users at http://www.cmbb.arizona.edu/KGBassembler/. CONTACT: xwang1@cals.arizona.edu. PMID:23044544

The purpose of this study was to explore the types of social support messages YouTube users posted on medical videos. Specifically, the study compared messages posted on inflammatory bowel disease-related videos and ostomy-related videos. Additionally, the study analyzed the differences in social support messages posted on lay-created videos and professionally-created videos. Conducting a content analysis, the researchers unitized the comments on each video; the total number of thought units amounted to 5,960. Researchers coded each thought unit through the use of a coding scheme modified from a previous study. YouTube users posted informational support messages most frequently (65.1%), followed by emotional support messages (18.3%), and finally, instrumental support messages (8.2%). PMID:21962112

In this paper, a user-friendly software, CASAC-ANA, for material data analysis and property prediction is presented. In CASAC-ANA, there are seven methods: Nonlinear Mapping (NLM), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Stepwise Discriminant Analysis (SDA), Discriminant Analysis with Constellation Graph (DACG), Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA), Stepwise Multiple Linear Regression (SMLR), and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). The software has some noteworthy features: (1) only one input file is needed and multipath output is produced; (2) both quantitative and qualitative data of dependent variables are accepted; and (3) it is easy to link with materials property databases. As a generalized modeling tool, CASAC-ANA can be used to treat material data concerning composition, technological processes, properties, and to predict properties of materials. The validity of the CASAC-ANA software has been tested successfully with three typical case studies concerning structural alloy steels, nickel-base superalloys, and continuously cast copper alloys. These CASAC-ANA methods have been compared and discussed.

Abstract Since Internet surfing became a daily activity, people have changed their behavior. This research analyzes the causes of problematic Internet use through an online survey, where 1,094 samples were collected. Based on the results of structural equation modeling analysis, the following conclusions are reached: First, novelty, security, and efficiency increase users' online trust. Second, information and efficiency enhance users' sharing and anonymity online. Third, greater trust in Internet environments leads to an increase in a user's cognitive bias toward online behavioral responsibility and Internet addiction. Fourth, a user's attitude toward online sharing further increases the cognitive bias toward online copyright. Fifth, a user's attitude toward anonymity increases cognitive ...

Abstract Given to the remarkable profitability of digital items in social virtual worlds (SVWs), such as SecondLife, Cyworld, and Habbo Hotel, it has become crucial to understand SVW users' postadoption behaviors toward digital items. This study develops a theoretical framework to examine key antecedents of users' intentions to repurchase and recommend digital items. Data collected from 256 users of digital items were empirically tested against the research model. The analysis results indicate that both user satisfaction and a perceived value play an important role in establishing users' postadoption intentions about digital items. Moreover, the results clearly show what roles perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, and perceived fee play in SVW environments.

While massively multiplayer online role-playing games like World of Warcraft are often accused of leading to excessive and harmful playing, the only gaming activity that is internationally recognized as a pathological disorder is excessive gambling. The present article seeks to establish empirical data on potential harmful online gaming through a comparative structural analysis of massively multiplayer online games and gambling games. The analysis focuses on some of the psycho-structural elements that contribute to excessive gambling, with a special emphasis on the phenomena known as entrapment and near miss. The analysis is based on interviews with twelve heavy users of World of Warcraft and ethnographical observations from the game. The findings suggest that entrapment and near miss are present in World of Warcraft, but with a comparatively weaker impact, and influenced by other elements more typical of this genre, including social engagement and competition. These elements might overall have a stronger effect on the dedication to play excessively.

The energy absorbed from the radio-frequency fields of mobile telephones depends strongly on distance from the source. The authors' objective in this study was to evaluate whether gliomas occur preferentially in the areas of the brain having the highest radio-frequency exposure. The authors used 2 approaches: In a case-case analysis, tumor locations were compared with varying exposure levels; in a case-specular analysis, a hypothetical reference location was assigned for each glioma, and the distances from the actual and specular locations to the handset were compared. The study included 888 gliomas from 7 European countries (2000-2004), with tumor midpoints defined on a 3-dimensional grid based on radiologic images. The case-case analyses were carried out using unconditional logistic regression, whereas in the case-specular analysis, conditional logistic regression was used. In the case-case analyses, tumors were located closest to the source of exposure among never-regular and contralateral users, but not statistically significantly. In the case-specular analysis, the mean distances between exposure source and location were similar for cases and speculars. These results do not suggest that gliomas in mobile phone users are preferentially located in the parts of the brain with the highest radio-frequency fields from mobile phones.

We propose a personalized re-ranking algorithm through mining user dwell times derived from a user's previously online reading or browsing activities. We acquire document level user dwell times via a customized web browser, from which we then infer conceptword level user dwell times in order to understand a user's personal interest. According to the estimated concept word level user dwell times, our algorithm can estimate a user's potential dwell time over a new document, based on which personalized webpage re-ranking can be carried out. We compare the rankings produced by our algorithm with rankings generated by popular commercial search engines and a recently proposed personalized ranking algorithm. The results clearly show the superiority of our method. In this paper, we propose a new personalized webpage ranking algorithmthrough mining dwell times of a user. We introduce a quantitative model to derive concept word level user dwell times from the observed document level user dwell times. Once we have inferred a user's interest over the set of concept words the user has encountered in previous readings, we can then predict the user's potential dwell time over a new document. Such predicted user dwell time allows us to carry out personalized webpage re-ranking. To explore the effectiveness of our algorithm, we measured the performance of our algorithm under two conditions - one with a relatively limited amount of user dwell time data and the other with a doubled amount. Both evaluation cases put our algorithm for generating personalized webpage rankings to satisfy a user's personal preference ahead of those by Google, Yahoo!, and Bing, as well as a recent personalized webpage ranking algorithm.

The objective of this study is to examine the usefulness and effectiveness of currently existing models that simulate the release of uranium hexafluoride from UF{sub 6}-handling facilities, subsequent reactions of UF{sub 6} with atmospheric moisture, and the dispersion of UF{sub 6} and reaction products in the atmosphere. The study evaluates screening-level and detailed public-domain models that were specifically developed for UF{sub 6} and models that were originally developed for the treatment of dense gases but are applicable to UF{sub 6} release, reaction, and dispersion. The model evaluation process is divided into three specific tasks: model-component evaluation; applicability evaluation; and user interface and quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) evaluation. Within the model-component evaluation process, a model`s treatment of source term, thermodynamics, and atmospheric dispersion are considered and model predictions are compared with actual observations. Within the applicability evaluation process, a model`s applicability to Integrated Safety Analysis, Emergency Response Planning, and Post-Accident Analysis, and to site-specific considerations are assessed. Finally, within the user interface and QA/QC evaluation process, a model`s user-friendliness, presence and clarity of documentation, ease of use, etc. are assessed, along with its handling of QA/QC. This document presents the complete methodology used in the evaluation process.

We present the User Need Analysis process for the Integrated Care Coordination Information System (ICCIS) research project at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). The primary goal of the process was to select a mix of methodologies to perform user need analysis which would lead to generation o...

Methods for Web link analysis and authority ranking such as PageRank are based on the assumption that a user endorses a Web page when creating a hyperlink to this page. There is a wealth of additional user-behavior information that could be considered for improving authority analysis, for example, t...

The Kruskal-Wallis (KW) nonparametric analysis of variance is often used instead of a standard one-way ANOVA when data are from a suspected non-normal population. The KW omnibus procedure tests for some differences between groups, but provides no specific post hoc pair wise comparisons. This paper provides a SAS(®) macro implementation of a multiple comparison test based on significant Kruskal-Wallis results from the SAS NPAR1WAY procedure. The implementation is designed for up to 20 groups at a user-specified alpha significance level. A Monte-Carlo simulation compared this nonparametric procedure to commonly used parametric multiple comparison tests. PMID:21146248

With the advent of rapidly emerging technologies, researchers need to be cognizant of developments and applications in the area of social media as a topic of investigatory interest. To date, scholarly research on the topic of Facebook, a ubiquitous social media site, is rather extensive. This study on Facebook, using a bibliographic content analysis methodology of PsycINFO, found that instructional applications, user characteristics, health management, and social dynamics were emphasized by researchers. Interestingly, topics of high visibility in the mass media (e.g., privacy, self-disclosure, legal issues) are not areas of focus in scholarly investigations. Future studies should examine comparative analyses across interdisciplinary database files. (Contains 1 table.)

Available professionally designed systems for recording, storing, retrieving, and analyzing patient data (such as treatments delivered, laboratory and pulmonary function test results, ventilator settings, and patient assessments) are prohibitively expensive to many hospitals and clinics. At Tufts-New England Medical Center we designed and implemented a computerized patient data management system that uses relatively inexpensive "personal digital assistants" and inexpensive, commonly-available software. Compared to the pen-and-paper flow sheet system we previously used, our computerized system saves time and money, is accurate and user-friendly, and allows data retrieval and analysis that can improve clinical practice and efficiency. We believe our experience could benefit other institutions. PMID:12556254

In this letter, we propose and analyze a cooperative transmission scheme (CTS) that uses transmission timing control for LTE enterprise femtocells. In our scheme, the user equipment (UE) can receive the desired signal from an adjacent ƒBS as well as its serving femtocell BS (ƒBS). Thus, UE achieves an improved signal to interference ratio (SIR) due to the synchronization of the two signals. Analysis and simulation results show that the proposed scheme can reduce the outage probability for enterprise femtocells compared to the conventional system. In particular, a significant performance improvement can be achieved for UEs located at cell edges.   

The DOE-JGI Microbial Annotation Pipeline (DOE-JGI MAP) supports gene prediction and/or functional annotation of microbial genomes towards comparative analysis with the Integrated Microbial Genome (IMG) system. DOE-JGI MAP annotation is applied on nucleotide sequence datasets included in the IMG-ER (Expert Review) version of IMG via the IMG ER submission site. Users can submit the sequence datasets consisting of one or more contigs in a multi-fasta file. DOE-JGI MAP annotation includes prediction of protein coding and RNA genes, as well as repeats and assignment of product names to these genes.

Actuators are important work performing devices, incorporated within many engineering systems. There is a small core of actuator technologies that are frequently used by designers when in fact a wide range of possible solutions exist. Attempts have been made to categorise and compare actuators based on material performance, when in fact stimulus generation and actuator configuration are much more effective and practical criteria. Performance based figures of merit and user requirements analysis are further augmentations of the actuator selection methodology presented, useful to designers when choosing actuation solutions from existing as well as emerging technologies early in the design process. Three case studies in actuator selection are presented to demonstrate the approach.

MANET, due to the nature of wireless transmission, has more security issues compared to wired environments. A specific type of attack, the Wormhole attack does not require exploiting any nodes in the network and can interfere with the route establishment process. Instead of detecting wormholes from the role of administrators as in previous methods, we implement a new protocol, MHA, using a hop-count analysis from the viewpoint of users without any special environment assumptions. We also discuss previous works which require the role of administrator and their reliance on impractical assumptions, thus showing the advantages of MHA.

Facades should meet the users’ needs, assuring a good global performance during their service life. Proactive maintenance is becoming increasingly crucial to the rational management of buildings and to reducing global expenses. It offers clear advantages over reactive maintenance, that is interventions which take place after several complaints or in emergencies. Proactive maintenance of building elements helps to create mechanisms to prevent and/or control their deterioration, through the implementation of maintenance actions that are both reliable and economic. This paper discusses a technical and economic analysis that compares three proactive strategies (preventive, predictive and improvement) for two types of coatings typically used in maintenance interventions of facades of soci...

Presented are a methodology and a DFII-based tool for AC-stability analysis of a wide variety of closed-loop continuous-time (operational amplifiers and other linear circuits). The methodology used allows for easy identification and diagnostics of ac-stability problems including not only main-loop effects but also local-instability loops in current mirrors, bias circuits and emitter or source followers without breaking the loop. The results of the analysis are easy to interpret. Estimated phase margin is readily available. Instability nodes and loops along with their respective oscillation frequencies are immediately identified and mapped to the existing circuit nodes thus offering significant advantages compared to traditional "black-box" methods of stability analysis (Transient Overshoot, Bode and Phase margin plots etc.). The tool for AC-Stability analysis is written in SKILL? and is fully integrated in DFII? environment. Its "push-button" graphical user interface (GUI) is easy to use and understand. The t...

The article reviews research that has examined scholarly users and institutional repository interaction within the wider scholarly communications environment. The focus is on research users as repository content creators and as eventual content users. The text explores how institutional motivations for implementing repositories match against user needs, and how consultation with users might be conducted. Some examples of innovative tailored services resulting from user needs analysis are described. The benefits of early consultation are highlighted, as well as the importance of tailoring advocacy to the needs of specific scholarly subject contexts. Understanding and engaging users mean that the benefits of repositories are more likely to be more fully realized. The article then sets out so...

Easy associations with wireless access points (APs) give users temporal and quick access to the Internet. It needs only a few seconds to take their machines to hotspots and do a little configuration in order to have Internet access. However, this portability becomes a double-edged sword for ignorant network users. Network protocol analyzers are typically developed for network performance analysis. Nonetheless, they can also be used to reveal user's privacy by classifying network traffic. Some characteristics in IEEE 802.11 traffic particularly help identify users. Like actual human fingerprints, there are also unique traffic characteristics for each network user. They are called network user fingerprints, by tracking which more than half of network users can be connected to their traffic e...

User-behaviour analysis has only recently been adapted to the context of the virtual world domain and remains limited in its application. Behaviour analysis is based on instrumentation data, automated, detailed, quantitative information about user behaviour within the virtual environment (VE) of digital games. A key advantage of the method in comparison with existing user-research methods, such as usability- and playability-testing is that it permits very large sample sizes. Furthermore, games are in the vast majority of cases based on spatial, VEs within which the players operate and through which they experience the games. Therefore, spatial behaviour analyses are useful to game research and design. In this paper, spatial analysis methods are introduced and arguments posed for their use in user-behaviour analysis. Case studies involving data from thousands of players are used to exemplify the application of instrumentation data to the analysis of spatial patterns of user behaviour.

The life history calendar is a data-collection tool for obtaining reliable retrospective data about life events. To illustrate the analysis of such data, we compare the model-based probabilistic event history analysis and the model-free data mining method, sequence analysis. In event history analysis, we estimate instead of transition hazards the cumulative prediction probabilities of life events in the entire trajectory. In sequence analysis, we compare several dissimilarity metrics and contrast data-driven and user-defined substitution costs. As an example, we study young adults' transition to adulthood as a sequence of events in three life domains. The events define the multistate event history model and the parallel life domains in multidimensional sequence analysis. The relationship between life trajectories and excess depressive symptoms in middle age is further studied by their joint prediction in the multistate model and by regressing the symptom scores on individual-specific cluster indices. The two approaches complement each other in life course analysis; sequence analysis can effectively find typical and atypical life patterns while event history analysis is needed for causal inquiries. PMID:23117406

Dirty paper coding (DPC) is a strategy to achieve the region capacity of multiple input multiple output (MIMO) downlink channels and a DPC scheduler is throughput optimal if users are selected according to their queue states and current rates. However, DPC is difficult to implement in practical systems. One solution, zero-forcing beamforming (ZFBF) strategy has been proposed to achieve the same asymptotic sum rate capacity as that of DPC with an exhaustive search over the entire user set. Some suboptimal user group selection schedulers with reduced complexity based on ZFBF strategy (ZFBF-SUS) and proportional fair (PF) scheduling algorithm (PF-ZFBF) have also been proposed to enhance the throughput and fairness among the users, respectively. However, they are not throughput optimal, fairness and throughput decrease if each user queue length is different due to different users channel quality. Therefore, we propose two different scheduling algorithms: a throughput optimal scheduling algorithm (ZFBF-TO) and a reduced complexity scheduling algorithm (ZFBF-RC). Both are based on ZFBF strategy and, at every time slot, the scheduling algorithms have to select some users based on user channel quality, user queue length and orthogonality among users. Moreover, the proposed algorithms have to produce the rate allocation and power allocation for the selected users based on a modified water filling method. We analyze the schedulers complexity and numerical results show that ZFBF-RC provides throughput and fairness improvements compared to the ZFBF-SUS and PF-ZFBF scheduling algorithms.   

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BENDER is the PYTHON based physics analysis application for LHCb. It combines the best features of the underlying GAUDI software architecture with the flexibility of the PYTHON scripting language and provides end-users with a friendly physics analysis oriented environment.

A new generation of "behavior-aware" delay tolerant networks is emerging in what may define future mobile social networks. With the introduction of novel behavior-aware protocols, services and architectures, there is a pressing need to understand and realistically model mobile users behavioral characteristics, their similarity and clustering. Such models are essential for the analysis, performance evaluation, and simulation of future DTNs. This paper addresses issues related to mobile user similarity, its definition, analysis and modeling. To define similarity, we adopt a behavioral-profile based on users location preferences using their on-line association matrix and its SVD, then calculate the behavioral distance to capture user similarity. This measures the difference of the major spatio-temporal behavioral trends and can be used to cluster users into similarity groups or communities. We then analyze and contrast similarity distributions of mobile user populations in two settings: (i) based on real measure...

A graphical user interface (GUI, UI) is an important part of an application, with which users interact directly. It should be implemented in the best way with respect to understandability. If a user does not understand the terms in the UI, he or she cannot work with it; then the whole system is worthless. In order to serve well the UI should contain domain-specific terms and describe domain-specific processes. It is the primary source for domain analysis right after domain users and experts. Our general goal is to propose a method for an automatic domain analysis of user interfaces. First, however, the basic principles and stereotypes must be defined that are used when creating user interfaces and rules must be derived for creating an information extracting algorithm. In this paper these s...

We describe an interactive toolkit used to perform comparative analysis of two or more data sets arising from numerical simulations. Several techniques have been incorporated into this toolkit, including (1) successive visualization of individual data sets, (2) data comparison techniques such as computation and visualization of the differences between data sets, and (3) image comparison methods such as scalar field height profiles plotted in a common coordinate system. We describe each technique in detail and show example usage in an industrial application aimed at designing an efficient, low-NOX burner for industrial furnaces. Critical insights are obtained by interactively adjusted color maps, data culling, and data manipulation. New paradigms for scaling small values in the data comparison technique are described. The display device used for this application was the CAVE virtual reality theater, and we describe the user interface to the visualization toolkit and the benefits of immersive 3D visualization for comparative analysis.

EASYQAD had been previously developed by using MATLAB GUI (Graphical User Interface) in order to perform conveniently gamma and neutron shielding calculations at Hanyang University. It had been completed as version {alpha} of radiation shielding analysis code. In this study, EASYQAD was upgraded to version {beta} with many additional functions and more user-friendly graphical interfaces. For general users to run it on Windows XP environment without any MATLAB installation, this version was developed into a standalone code system.

A new software package called Higher Order Theory-Structural/Micro Analysis Code (HOT-SMAC) has been developed as an effective alternative to the finite element approach for Functionally Graded Material (FGM) modeling. HOT-SMAC is a self-contained package including pre- and post-processing through an intuitive graphical user interface, along with the well-established Higher Order Theory for Functionally Graded Materials (HOTFGM) thermomechanical analysis engine. This document represents a Getting Started/User's Manual for HOT-SMAC and a final report for its development. First, the features of the software are presented in a simple step-by-step example where a HOT-SMAC model representing a functionally graded material is created, mechanical and thermal boundary conditions are applied, the model is analyzed and results are reviewed. In a second step-by-step example, a HOT-SMAC model of an actively cooled metallic channel with ceramic thermal barrier coating is built and analyzed. HOT-SMAC results from this model are compared to recently published results (NASA/TM-2001-210702) for two grid densities. Finally, a prototype integration of HOTSMAC with the commercially available HyperSizer(R) structural analysis and sizing software is presented. In this integration, local strain results from HyperSizer's structural analysis are fed to a detailed HOT-SMAC model of the flange-to-facesheet bond region of a stiffened panel. HOT-SMAC is then used to determine the peak shear and peel (normal) stresses between the facesheet and bonded flange of the panel and determine the "free edge" effects.

This study assesses the attitudes of Canadian homeowners towards heat pumps as an alternative to conventional heating systems. A pilot survey of heat pump users and prospective users was carried out in four major urban areas and drew upon a non-random sample of households using heat pumps and households without heat pumps. The pilot survey was thus used to develop a database on consumer heating practices, awareness and knowledge of heat pumps, conservation intentions, and other information related to consumer decision-making with respect to heating system modifications. This report presents and analyzes the results of the pilot survey, with the objectives of providing a statistical profile of heat pump users and homeowners without heat pumps, and of identifying their attitudes and decision-making parameters with respect to heating system modifications. The report is structured to present the general survey response, a comparative analysis of households with and without heat pumps, an assessment of regional differences, and statistical distributions on heat pump use and performance. Results show, among other things, that heat pumps were owned by 38% of respondents, that those heat pumps in service were working well and inexpensive to maintain, and that 94% of heat pump owners indicated a decrease in their heating costs. 15 figs., 17 tabs.

Liver resection and transplantation surgeries require careful planning and accurate knowledge of the vascular and gross anatomy of the liver. This study aims to create a semi-automatic method for segmenting the liver, along with its entire venous vessel tree from multi-detector computed tomograms. Using fast marching and region-growth techniques along with morphological operations, we have developed a software package which can isolate the liver and the hepatic venous network from a user-selected seed point. The user is then presented with volumetric analysis of the liver and a 3-Dimensional surface rendering. Software tools allow the user to then analyze the lobes of the liver based upon venous anatomy, as defined by Couinaud. The software package also has utilities for data management, key image specification, commenting, and reporting. Seven patients were scanned with contrast on the Mx8000 CT scanner (Philips Medical Systems), the data was analyzed using our method and compared with results found using a manual method. The results show that the semi-automated method utilizes less time than manual methods, with results that are consistent and similar. Also, display of the venous network along with the entire liver in three dimensions is a unique feature of this software.

We propose a new framework for cooperative spectrum sensing in cognitive radio networks, that is based on a novel class of non-uniform samplers, called the event-triggered samplers, and sequential detection. In the proposed scheme, each secondary user computes its local sensing decision statistic based on its own channel output; and whenever such decision statistic crosses certain predefined threshold values, the secondary user will send one (or several) bit of information to the fusion center. The fusion center asynchronously receives the bits from different secondary users and updates the global sensing decision statistic to perform a sequential probability ratio test (SPRT), to reach a sensing decision. We provide an asymptotic analysis for the above scheme, and under different conditions, we compare it against the cooperative sensing scheme that is based on traditional uniform sampling and sequential detection. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme, using even 1 bit, can outperform its uniform sampling counterpart that uses infinite number of bits under changing target error probabilities, SNR values, and number of SUs.

User involvement in the innovation process is not a new phenomenon. However, combined with the growing individualisation of demand and with highly competitive and dynamic environments, user involvement in the innovation process and thereby in the design, development, and manufacturing process, can nevertheless provide a competitive advantage. This is the case as an intensified user involvement in the innovation process potentially results in a more comprehensive understanding of the user needs and requirements and the context within which these are required, and thereby provides the possibility of developing better and more suitable products. The theoretical framework of this thesis is based on user involvement in the innovation process and how user involvement in the innovation process can be deployed in relation to deriving and colleting user needs and requirements, and thereby serves as a foundation for developing better and more supportive service and application concepts within the information and communication technology domain. Three interrelated research areas are deployed within the theoretical framework, which combined constitute and highlight the intertwined and complex interaction of people and their use of information and communication technologies: mobile system requirements, mobility, and the concept of Personal Networks. The mobile system requirement perspective is related to providing a more user oriented research approach, which historically has not been the case. The mobility perspective is related to categorising and conceptualising the term mobility in a combined user need and requirement perspective and service and application development perspective. The Personal Network concept perspective is seen in relation to the introduction of new information and communication technologies, and in particular in relation to derive and collect user needs and requirements. Within the theoretical framework of user involvement in the innovation process the concepts of lead users, sticky information, and toolkits, and the usages and perspectives of these rooted in a method development and testing perspective, have been deployed to derive user needs and requirements within two case studies: a diabetes case and a journalist case. The diabetes case has been conducted in collaboration with a diabetes treatment centre and diabetics and the journalist case in collaboration with the sports department at a large Danish broadcasting company, both with the main objective of deriving and collecting real user needs and requirements and based on these to develop service and application concepts which support diabetics and journalists in their activities and tasks. The lead user theory has been deployed as it indicates that users residing on the leading edge of any given market, technology, etc. are more likely to develop innovations compared to more ordinary users as the lead users will be experiencing needs and requirements presently, which the ordinary users will not experience until later. Sticky information denotes the transferability of a given unit of information, which in this context is related to the transferability of user needs and requirements. The deployment of different toolkits has been related to transferring sticky information (user needs and requirements) into less sticky information and thereby shifting the deriving and collecting of user needs and requirements into the user domain. This thesis shows how the deployment of the lead user, sticky information, and toolkit methods combined with some more traditional approaches and in relation to the two case studies have proven to provide a more detailed and context related understanding of the user needs and requirements within the two case segments. Furthermore the mobility and context related aspects of user needs and requirements have been deployed and incorporated into the gathering and colleting process, and have provided valuable insights in relation to the developed future service and application concepts, which are based on real user needs, requirements, mobility, and contexts. All with the purpose of deriving user needs and requirements and thereby develop and describe the concepts for future services and applications, which support these users in their everyday life, tasks, and contexts – value innovation.

ABSTRACT Background and objectives It has been suggested that taking oral contraceptives (OCs) may increase breast cancer incidence. However, data in this regard are inconsistent. We performed this meta-analysis to estimate the association between OC use and breast cancer risk. Methods Prospective cohort studies on OC use and breast cancer risk were identified by searching databases from the period 1960 to 2012. Results from individual studies were synthetically combined using STATA 11 software. Results A total of 13 prospective cohort studies were included in our meta-analysis, involving 11,722 cases and 859,894 participants. The combined relative risk (RR) of breast cancer for ever- compared with never-OC users was 1.08 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99-1.17). Dose-response analysis ba...

Mobile phone datasets allow for the analysis of human behavior on an unprecedented scale. The social network, temporal dynamics and mobile behavior of mobile phone users have often been analyzed independently from each other using mobile phone datasets. In this article, we explore the connections between various features of human behavior extracted from a large mobile phone dataset. Our observations are based on the analysis of communication data of 100000 anonymized and randomly chosen individuals in a dataset of communications in Portugal. We show that clustering and principal component analysis allow for a significant dimension reduction with limited loss of information. The most important features are related to geographical location. In particular, we observe that most people spend most of their time at only a few locations. With the help of clustering methods, we then robustly identify home and office locations and compare the results with official census data. Finally, we analyze the geographic spread ...

An accurate quantification of bilirubin in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) will provide a simple, sensitive and rapid mechanism for detecting subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and for its differentiation from a traumatic spinal tap. Derivative analysis of the spectrophotometric data provides a model for determining bilirubin in CSF where the primary contaminant is Methemoglobin. Bilirubin values are determined in the range 0-9mg/dl within a methemoglobin concentration of 4.6g/dl using the derivative analysis method. The algorithm is also implemented on test samples in which the bilirubin value is constant (4.6mg/dl) and the methemoglobin varies between 0-9g/dl. The performance of the derivative analysis method is compared to the modified minimum distance method developed in reference one. We suggest a combination of these methods for accurate bilirubin estimation in CSF/hemoglobin. This will provide the foundation for the development of a portable user friendly device for diagnosis of SAH.

While massively multiplayer online role-playing games like World of Warcraft are often accused of leading to excessive and harmful playing, the only gaming activity that is internationally recognized as a pathological disorder is excessive gambling. The present article seeks to establish empirical data on potential harmful online gaming through a comparative structural analysis of massively multiplayer online games and gambling games. The analysis focuses on some of the psycho-structural elements that contribute to excessive gambling, with a special emphasis on the phenomena known as entrapment and near miss. The analysis is based on interviews with twelve heavy users of World of Warcraft and ethnographical observations from the game. The findings suggest that entrapment and near miss are ...

Users have adopted a wide range of digital technologies into their communication repertoire. It remains unclear why they adopt multiple forms of communication instead of substituting one medium for another. It also raises the question: What type of need does each of these media fulfill? In the present article, the authors conduct comparative work that examines the gratifications obtained from Facebook with those from instant messaging. This comparison between media allows one to draw conclusions about how different social media fulfill user needs. Data were collected from undergraduate students through a multimethod study based on 77 surveys and 21 interviews. A factor analysis of gratifications obtained from Facebook revealed six key dimensions: pastime, affection, fashion, share problems, sociability, and social information. Comparative analysis showed that Facebook is about having fun and knowing about the social activities occurring in one's social network, whereas instant messaging is geared more toward relationship maintenance and development. The authors discuss differences in the two technologies and outline a framework based on uses and gratifications theory as to why young people integrate numerous media into their communication habits. (Contains 3 tables.)

When it comes to conserving electricity, it is crucial for users to know how much energy is consumed by individual appliances. However, the technical feedback provided by existing energy consumption feedback systems in the form of dry numbers and intangible units is not appropriate for most users. To address this shortcoming, we developed PowerPedia, a system that provides behavior-influencing feedback over and above pure consumption values. By integrating a community platform?a Wikipedia for electrical appliances?PowerPedia enables users to identify and compare the consumption of their domestic appliances with that of others. It thus helps users to better understand their electricity consumption and take effective action to save electricity.

Subjects who have used only cannabis were compared with those who have used cannabis along with other drugs, and with a control sample on whom no drug-using information was available. Results indicate that cannabis-only users are more effective than users...

This paper describes two user subroutines developed within ABAQUS to simulate coupled hydrogen transport equations. Developed user subroutines incorporate two key features in coupled hydrogen transport equations, such as the hydrostatic stress and plastic strain effects on hydrogen transport, and hydrogen-induced dilatational deformation rate. To validate developed subroutines, present simulation results are compared with published results, showing good agreements for all cases considered.   

We hypothesize that crack cocaine is independently associated with smear-positive tuberculosis (TB). In a case-control study of TB in London, 19 (86%) of 22 crack cocaine users with pulmonary TB were smear positive compared with 302 (36%) of 833 non-drug users. Respiratory damage caused by crack coc...

In this paper the cognitive and motivational perceptual structure of sustainability of light users of sustainable products are empirically compared to the Brundlandt definition and the Triple-P-Baseline definition of sustainability. Results show that light users cognitively can distinguish between t...

Abstract in portuguese Este trabalho discute os limites dados para a velocidade do ar pelas normas ASHRAE 55 (2004) e ISO 7730 (2005). Para tal, realizou-se uma análise comparativa entre os valores-limite para a velocidade do ar definidos por essas normas e as respostas dos usuários em relação à preferência e aceitabilidade do movimento do ar obtidas em experimentos de campo realizados em Maceió/AL. Resultados indicam que ambas as normas especificam valores para a velocidade do ar inferi (more) ores aos desejados pelos usuários. Os resultados da preferência do movimento do ar indicam que significativa percentagem dos usuários demanda "maior movimento do ar". Quando associada às respostas da aceitabilidade do movimento do ar, a insatisfação dos usuários ficou mais evidente, assim como a demanda por maior velocidade do ar. O mesmo movimento de ar, considerado como inaceitável em climas frios e temperados, é desejado pelos usuários em climas úmidos. Nesse contexto, a aplicabilidade de limites máximos para a velocidade do ar provenientes de estudos com características climáticas diferentes deve ser evitada. Tais limites devem vir de resultados de experimentos de campo em ambientes naturalmente ventilados, onde os usuários possam utilizar de oportunidades adaptativas para reestabelecer o conforto térmico. Futuras normas brasileiras devem focar em tais questões, visando limites de velocidade que correspondam à expectativa dos usuários em climas quentes e úmidos. Abstract in english This article discusses the air velocity limits established by ASHRAE 55 (2004) and ISO 7730 (2005). A comparative analysis was developed between those air velocity limits and users' answers for air movement preferences and acceptability, obtained in field experiments carried out in the city of Maceio, Alagoas, Brazil. The results suggest that the air velocity limits specified by those standards are lower than those required by users. The results indicate that a significan (more) t percentage of users demand "more air movement". When those results were combined with the answers on air movement acceptability, the number of unsatisfied users increased, as well as the demand for higher air velocity levels. The same air movement that is considered unacceptable in cold or temperate climates is desirable in hot-humid climates. Therefore the application of maximum air velocity limits from studies carried out in a climate that has different characteristics should be avoided. Air velocity limits should be defined based on field experiments in naturally ventilated indoor environments where adaptive opportunities are available in order to re-establish users' thermal comfort. Future standards in Brazil should consider these issues, in order to establish air velocity limits that can meet users expectations in hot-humid climates.

The objective of this survey was to obtain user feedback to, among other things, determine how to organize the exponentially growing data within the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility, and identify users’ preferred data analysis system. The survey findings appear to have met this objective, having received approximately 300 responses that give insight into the type of work users perform, usage of the data, percentage of data analysis users might perform on an ARM-hosted computing resource, downloading volume level where users begin having reservations, opinion about usage if given more powerful computing resources (including ability to manipulate data), types of tools that would be most beneficial to them, preferred programming language and data analysis system, level of importance for certain types of capabilities, and finally, level of interest in participating in a code-sharing community.

An engineering approach to predict the fatigue life and progressive failure of multilayered composite and textile laminates is presented. Analytical models which account for matrix cracking, statistical fiber failures and nonlinear stress-strain behavior have been developed for both composites and textiles. The analysis method is based on a combined micromechanics, fracture mechanics and failure statistics analysis. Experimentally derived empirical coefficients are used to account for the interface of fiber and matrix, fiber strength, and fiber-matrix stiffness reductions. Similar approaches were applied to textiles using Repeating Unit Cells. In composite fatigue analysis, Walker's equation is applied for matrix fatigue cracking and Heywood's formulation is used for fiber strength fatigue degradation. The analysis has been compared with experiment with good agreement. Comparisons were made with Graphite-Epoxy, C/SiC and Nicalon/CAS composite materials. For textile materials, comparisons were made with triaxial braided and plain weave materials under biaxial or uniaxial tension. Fatigue predictions were compared with test data obtained from plain weave C/SiC materials tested at AS&M. Computer codes were developed to perform the analysis. Composite Progressive Failure Analysis for Laminates is contained in the code CPFail. Micromechanics Analysis for Textile Composites is contained in the code MicroTex. Both codes were adapted to run as subroutines for the finite element code ABAQUS and CPFail-ABAQUS and MicroTex-ABAQUS. Graphic user interface (GUI) was developed to connect CPFail and MicroTex with ABAQUS.

Scientific digital content, including Earth Science observations and model output, has become more heterogeneous in format and more distributed across the Internet. In addition, data and metadata are becoming necessarily linked internally and externally on the Web. As a result, such content has become more difficult for providers to manage and preserve and for users to locate, understand, and consume. Specifically, it is increasingly harder to deliver relevant metadata and data processing lineage information along with the actual content consistently. Readme files, data quality information, production provenance, and other descriptive metadata are often separated in the storage level as well as in the data search and retrieval interfaces available to a user. Critical archival metadata, such as auditing trails and integrity checks, are often even more difficult for users to access, if they exist at all. We investigate the use of several open-source software frameworks to address these challenges. We use Fedora Commons Framework and its digital object abstraction as the repository, Drupal CMS as the user-interface, and the Islandora module as the connector from Drupal to Fedora Repository. With the digital object model, metadata of data description and data provenance can be associated with data content in a formal manner, so are external references and other arbitrary auxiliary information. Changes are formally audited on an object, and digital contents are versioned and have checksums automatically computed. Further, relationships among objects are formally expressed with RDF triples. Data replication, recovery, metadata export are supported with standard protocols, such as OAI-PMH. We provide a tentative comparative analysis of the chosen software stack with the Open Archival Information System (OAIS) reference model, along with our initial results with the existing terrestrial ecology data collections at NASA’s ORNL Distributed Active Archive Center for Biogeochemical Dynamics (ORNL DAAC).

The world wide web is growing continuously and rapidly; it is quickly facilitating the migration of tasks of the daily life into web-based. This trend shows time will come when everyone is forced to use the web for daily activities. Naive users arc the major concern of such a shift; so, it is necessary to have the web ready to serve them. We argue that this requires well optimized websites for users to quickly locate the information they arc looking for. This, on the other hand, becomes more and more important due to the widespread reliance on the many services available on the Internet nowadays. It is true that search engines can facilitate the task of finding the information one is looking for. However, search engines will never replace but do complement the optimization of a website's internal structure based on previously recorded user behavior. In this chapter, wc will present a novel approach for identifying problematic structures in websites. This method consists of two phases. The first phase compares user behavior, derived via web log mining techniques, to a combined analysis of the website's link structure obtained by applying three methods leading to more robust framework and hence strong and consistent outcome: (1) constructing and analyzing a social network of the pages constituting the website by considering both the structure and the usage information; (2) applying the Weighted PageRank algorithm; and (3) applying the Hypertext Induced Topic Selection (HITS) method. In the second phase, we use the term frequency-inverse document frequency (TFIDF) measure to investigate further the correlation between the page that contains the link and the linked to pages in order to further support the findings of the first phase of our approach. We will then show how to use these intermediate results in order to point out problematic website structures to the website owner.

Good user interface design isn’t just about aesthetics or using the latest technology. Designers also need to ensure their product is offering an optimal user experience. This requires user needs analysis, usability testing, persona creation, prototyping, design sketching, and evaluation through-out the design and development process. User Experience Re-Mastered takes tried and tested material from best-selling books in Morgan Kaufmann’s Series in Interactive Technologies and presents it in typical project framework. Chauncey Wilson guides the reader through each chapter, introducing each stag

This interactive tutorial provides practice in using dimensional analysis to do metric conversions and validate the conversion factors in equations. Users are first guided through two example problems, then progress to exercises requiring self-solving. Users may click to add conversion factors or select units from a drop-down menu. Helpful tools include a "Pencil and Eraser" that allows users to draw lines for cancellation of units, and a "Balance" tool that tells the users whether their conversion factors are valid. This resource is appropriate for students of introductory physics.

This paper describes a new computerized Subdivision Energy Analysis Tool being developed to allow users to interactively design subdivision street layouts while receiving feedback about energy impacts based on user-specified building design variants and availability of roof surfaces for photovoltaic and solar water heating systems.

SWAT is an integrated burnup code system developed for analysis of post irradiation examination, transmutation of radioactive waste, and burnup credit problem. This report shows an outline and a user's manual of revised SWAT. This revised SWAT includes expansion of functions, increasing supported machines, and correction of several bugs reported from users of previous SWAT. (author)

JAGUAR (JAva GUi for Applied Research) is a Java software tool providing an advanced text editor and graphical user interface (GUI) to manipulate DAKOTA (Design Analysis Kit for Optimization and Terascale Applications) input specifications. This document focuses on the features necessary for a user to use JAGUAR.

This paper presents a driver simulator, which takes into account the information about the user's state of mind (level of attention, fatigue state, stress state). The user's state of mind analysis is based on video data and biological signals. Facial movements such as eyes blinking, yawning, head ro...

Jun 15, 2010 ... Visualization Wall in the Data Exploration Theater .... Two fixed and three mobile Scientific Analysis Workstations ... Users will be able to search the built-in knowledge base for solutions to common problems. ... Integrated Rule Oriented Data System; Rule Engine applies user-defined Rules and Services ...

We compared three common user involvement methods in revealing barriers and facilitators from intended users that might influence their use of a new genetic test. The study was part of the development of a new genetic test on the susceptibility to hand eczema for nurses. Eighty student nurses participated in five focus groups (n?=?33), 15 interviews (n?=?15) or questionnaires (n?=?32). For each method, data were collected until saturation. We compared the mean number of items and relevant remarks that could influence the use of the genetic test obtained per method, divided by the number of participants in that method. Thematic content analysis was performed using MAXQDA software. The focus groups revealed 30 unique items compared to 29 in the interviews and 21 in the questionnaires. The interviews produced more items and relevant remarks per participant (1.9 and 8.4 pp) than focus groups (0.9 and 4.8 pp) or questionnaires (0.7 and 2.3 pp). All three involvement methods revealed relevant barriers and facilitators to use a new genetic test. Focus groups and interviews revealed substantially more items than questionnaires. Furthermore, this study suggests a preference for the use of interviews because the number of items per participant was higher than for focus groups and questionnaires. This conclusion may be valid for other genetic tests as well. PMID:22318407

There is evidence that the user-centered development can increase the user-friendliness of resulting products and thus the distinguishing features compared to products of competitors. The user-centered development, however, requires comprehensive software and usability engineering skills to keep the process both cost-effective and time-effective. In this paper we cover that problem and provide insights in so-called user-centered prototyping (UCP) tools which support the production of prototypes as well as their evaluation with end-users. In particular, we introduce our UCP tool called MoPeDT (Pervasive Interface Development Toolkit for Mobile Phones) that provides assistance to interface developers of applications where mobile phones are used as interaction devices to a user’s everyday pervasive environment. Based on found tool features for UCP tools, a feature study is described between related tools and MoPeDT as well as a comparative user study between our tool and a traditional approach. A further focus of our paper is the tool-supported execution of empiric evaluations. Most tools either support empiric user evaluations in the field or real world simulations in a laboratory. We cover both types of empiric evaluations as well as the hybrid simulation as a novel kind of empiric evaluation.

Interactions between users in cyberspace may lead to phenomena different from those observed in common social networks. Here we analyse large data sets about users and Blogs which they write and comment, mapped onto a bipartite graph. In such enlarged Blog space we trace user activity over time, which results in robust temporal patterns of user-Blog behavior and the emergence of communities. With the spectral methods applied to the projection on weighted user network we detect clusters of users related to their common interests and habits. Our results suggest that different mechanisms may play the role in the case of very popular Blogs. Our analysis makes a suitable basis for theoretical modeling of the evolution of cyber communities and for practical study of the data, in particular for a...

The Radiological Safety Analysis Computer Program (RSAC-5) calculates the consequences of the release of radionuclides to the atmosphere. Using a personal computer, a user can generate a fission product inventory from either reactor operating history or nuclear criticalities. RSAC-5 models the effects of high-efficiency particulate air filters or other cleanup systems and calculates decay and ingrowth during transport through processes, facilities, and the environment. Doses are calculated through the inhalation, immersion, ground surface, and ingestion pathways. RSAC+, a menu-driven companion program to RSAC-5, assists users in creating and running RSAC-5 input files. This user`s manual contains the mathematical models and operating instructions for RSAC-5 and RSAC+. Instructions, screens, and examples are provided to guide the user through the functions provided by RSAC-5 and RSAC+. These programs are designed for users who are familiar with radiological dose assessment methods.

In this paper a software package for design of bulk wave acousto-optical (AO) spatial light deflectors is reported. This package consists of a main program and the following modules: a database of acousto-optic materials, a program for coordinate transformation, a multi-layer transducer analysis program with the capability of matching layer, and matching circuit design, an acousto-optic interaction analysis program, and a user friendly interface. The heart of the package is the acousto-optic interaction program based on rigorous coupled wave analysis in anisotropic media. The polarization of input optical beam can be TE, TM, or mixed. The beam can have either uniform or Gaussian intensity profile. The user chooses the bandwidth, central frequency, the laser wavelength and polarization, the preferred AO material, and then the program provides all the geometrical parameters of design and plots the results of its simulation. The program accepts constraints on spatial resolution and transit time, as well. Several examples, both single and multi-frequency problems have been done using this package. An example comparing a result of this package with a previously reported one will be addressed in this paper. At present this package is restricted to single element transducer designs.

INTRODUCTION: The development and use of web tools in chemistry has accumulated more than 15 years of history already. Powered by the advances in the Internet technologies, the current generation of web systems are starting to expand into areas, traditional for desktop applications. The web platforms integrate data storage, cheminformatics and data analysis tools. The ease of use and the collaborative potential of the web is compelling, despite the challenges. AREAS COVERED: The topic of this review is a set of recently published web tools that facilitate predictive toxicology model building. The focus is on software platforms, offering web access to chemical structure-based methods, although some of the frameworks could also provide bioinformatics or hybrid data analysis functionalities. A number of historical and current developments are cited. In order to provide comparable assessment, the following characteristics are considered: support for workflows, descriptor calculations, visualization, modeling algorithms, data management and data sharing capabilities, availability of GUI or programmatic access and implementation details. EXPERT OPINION: The success of the Web is largely due to its highly decentralized, yet sufficiently interoperable model for information access. The expected future convergence between cheminformatics and bioinformatics databases provides new challenges toward management and analysis of large data sets. The web tools in predictive toxicology will likely continue to evolve toward the right mix of flexibility, performance, scalability, interoperability, sets of unique features offered, friendly user interfaces, programmatic access for advanced users, platform independence, results reproducibility, curation and crowdsourcing utilities, collaborative sharing and secure access. PMID:22577953

The authors are presently sequencing the entire genome of Mycoplasma capricolum, one of the smallest of free living organisms by a Multiplex Genomic Walking strategy. This technique involves the repetitive hybridization of sequencing membranes with oligonucleotide probes to acquire sequence data in discrete steps along the genome. The technique allows one to walk a genome in a directed manner eliminating the problems associated with random shotgun assembly. Furthermore, the repetitive stripping and hybridization process is relatively simple to reproduce and has the potential to be easily automated. The Genetic Data Environment (GDE), an X Windows based Graphic User Interface has allowed the seamless integration of a core multiple sequence editor with pre-existing external sequence analysis programs and internally developed programs into a single prototypic environment. This system has facilitated linkage of the 9 Harvard Genome Lab`s internal database and automated data control systems into one Graphic User Interface which can handle the archiving and analysis of both random fluorescent sequencing data and genomic walking data from the Mycoplasma project. Finally, it has facilitated the integration of the Genomic sequence data into a PROLOG database environment for the comparative analysis of Mycoplasma capricolum and other organisms.

Despite the General Medical Council emphasising the value of service users to medical students' education, there is scant literature about service user involvement in medical education. Although some research has outlined the effectiveness of service users as teachers, none has explored social issues surrounding how medical students learn "with" rather than just "about" service users. Incorporating insights from contemporary socio-cultural learning theory, this study examines the views and experiences of 47 stakeholders (comprising 19 service users, 13 medical students and 15 medical educators) concerning service user involvement in medical education. Eight audiotaped focus group discussions were convened and the audiotapes were transcribed. The transcripts and audiotapes were independently analysed by multiple researchers using Framework analysis. Seven content- and five process-orientated themes emerged from the analysis. Content-related themes included the costs and benefits of service user involvement in medical education and process-related themes included the use and function of humour and metaphor. In this paper, we focus primarily on the content-related themes. We discuss these findings in light of the existing service user involvement literature and contemporary socio-cultural learning theory and provide implications for further research and educational practice. We encourage educators to involve service users in medical education but only in a considered way.

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is implementing the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) as a user-driven service infrastructure responding to the needs of users in nine interdependent Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs) of Earth observations (EOs). GEOSS applies an interdisciplinary scientific approach integrating observations, research, and knowledge in these SBAs in order to enable scientific interpretation of the collected observations and the extraction of actionable information. Using EOs to actually produce these societal benefits means getting the data and information to users, i.e., decision-makers. Thus, GEO needs to know what the users need and how they would use the information. The GEOSS User Requirements Registry (URR) is developed as a service-oriented infrastructure enabling a wide range of users, including science and technology (S&T) users, to express their needs in terms of EOs and to understand the benefits of GEOSS for their fields. S&T communities need to be involved in both the development and the use of GEOSS, and the development of the URR accounts for the special needs of these communities. The GEOSS Common Infrastructure (GCI) at the core of GEOSS includes system-oriented registries enabling users to discover, access, and use EOs and derived products and services available through GEOSS. In addition, the user-oriented URR is a place for the collection, sharing, and analysis of user needs and EO requirements, and it provides means for an efficient dialog between users and providers. The URR is a community-based infrastructure for the publishing, viewing, and analyzing of user-need related information. The data model of the URR has a core of seven relations for User Types, Applications, Requirements, Research Needs, Infrastructure Needs, Technology Needs, and Capacity Building Needs. The URR also includes a Lexicon, a number of controlled vocabularies, and

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of atypical and conventional antipsychotics with the risk of hospitalization for acute pancreatitis. DESIGN: Population-based, case-control study. DATA SOURCE: Health care databases of Northern Denmark. PATIENTS: A total of 3083 adults hospitalized with acute pancreatitis (case patients) and 30,830 control subjects. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Controls were selected from the general population by using risk-set sampling and were matched to case patients by age and sex. The date of the case patients' admission for acute pancreatitis was used as the index date for the matched control subjects. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to estimate rate ratios (RRs) for hospitalization due to acute pancreatitis in current users (0-90 days before admission or index date) and former users (> 90 days before admission or index date) of atypical and conventional antipsychotics compared with nonusers of the respective antipsychotics, while controlling for covariates and stratifying by age. Fifteen case patients (0.5%) were current users of atypical antipsychotics, and 128 case patients (4.2%) were current users of conventional antipsychotics. Adjusted RRs for current use and former use of atypical antipsychotics were 0.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3-1.1) and 0.3 (95% CI 0.1-0.9), respectively. A trend was noted for increasing risk of hospitalization due to acute pancreatitis with decreasing potency of conventional antipsychotics, with adjusted RRs of 1.2 (95% CI 0.7-2.0) for high-potency, 1.5 (95% CI 1.0-2.2) for intermediate-potency, and 2.8 (95% CI 2.0-3.8) for low-potency conventional antipsychotics, which was largely age-modified with an adjusted RR of 5.2 (95% CI 3.2-8.5) in patients younger than 60 years, compared with an adjusted RR of 1.5 (95% CI 0.9-2.5) in older users. Former use of conventional antipsychotics of any kind was associated with an adjusted RR of 1.6 (95% CI 1.4-1.9). CONCLUSIONS: Current use of low-potency conventional, but not atypical, antipsychotics was associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for acute pancreatitis

Each user in the uplink of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) system may experience a different carrier frequency offset (CFO). These uncorrected CFOs destroy the orthogonality among subcarriers, causing inter-carrier interference and multi-user interference, which degrade the system performance severely. In this paper, novel time-domain multi-user interference cancellation schemes for OFDMA uplink are proposed. They employ an architecture with multiple and numerical evaluations show that the proposed schemes achieve a significant performance gain compared to the conventional receiver and a reference frequency-domain multi-user interference cancellation scheme. In a particular scenario, a maximum CFO of up to 40% of the subcarrier spacing can be tolerated, and the CFO-free performance is maintained in the OFDMA uplink. The proposed schemes outperform the multi-user interference cancellation techniques for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) available in literature with comparable or lower complexity.

Banerjea R, Sambamoorthi U, Weaver F, Maney M, Pogach LM, Findley T. Risk of stroke, heart attack, and diabetes complications among veterans with spinal cord injury.ObjectivesTo compare the rates of diabetes and macrovascular conditions in veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI) and to examine variations by patient-level demographic, socioeconomic, access, and health status factors.DesignA retrospective analysis. Diabetes status was classified by merging with diabetes epidemiology cohort using a validated algorithm. Chi-square tests and logistic regressions used to compare rates in macro- and microvascular conditions in veterans with and without diabetes.SettingVeteran Health Administration clinic users in fiscal year (FY) 1999 to FY 2001.ParticipantsSCI patients (N=8769) with diabetes (n=1...

Background: There is limited information in the literature regarding the risk of severe hypersensitivity reactions due to different @b-blocking agents. Most of the available information addresses the potential for increased severity of anaphylaxis or poor response to treatments among patients receiving @b-blocking agents. Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the incidence rates of severe hypersensitivity reactions (angioedema and anaphylactic reactions) for various @b-blockers and to examine the risk of severe hypersensitivity reactions in patients exposed to carvedilol extended-release compared with carvedilol and compared with other @b-blockers. Methods: A case-control analysis nested within a cohort of @b-blocker users in the LabRx Database was conducted. A case was de...

The current paper presents the development of an 8 Pin RIC (Receiver in the canal) Socket for hearing instruments within the framework of the COTECH project. There are 8 industrial demonstrators developed in COTECH based on the converged product and process design. Sonion’s 8 Pin RIC Socket is one of them. 8 Pin RIC Socket is a functionally versatile product which can combine many different functions and presents many advantages compared with the previous 3 Pin RIC Socket. For the demonstrator production of the new Socket, two different production concepts were chosen- one based on semi-automated process and the other one is fully automated process. This paper presents the entire process chain for both the concepts and makes a comparative analysis based on the experimental investigation and validation. The work presented here can be a source of valuable information for industrial users and researchers working with micro production of metal-plastic hybrid components.

Objective: Pedestrian crashes present a growing challenge for public health trauma and road safety researchers around the world. They are associated with substantial morbidity, mortality, and cost, yet there is an international lack of published work on the topic, especially when compared with vehicle occupant safety studies. Our review attempts to quantify the risk of fatal injury among vulnerable road users. The specific objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to quantify and compare the impact of light truck vehicles (LTVs) versus conventional cars on pedestrian fatal injury. Methods: A protocol was developed using methods of the Cochrane Collaboration. We conducted a search for the studies in bibliographic databases that included ATI (Australian Transport Index); Cochr...

Background/Aims Despite the problem of misclassification, many studies of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) rely on administrative data rather than events validated by medical record review. We evaluated the new ICD-9 code for rhabdomyolysis (728.88) and natural language processing (NLP) as methods to identify cases of statin-related rhabdomyolysis, and estimated the incidence with various statins and doses. Methods We conducted a population-based study of statin users in Group Health Cooperative from 2006–2010. Person-years of statin use among all enrollees by statin and dose were estimated using computerized pharmacy records. Trained abstractors reviewed the medical records of selected statin users to identify cases of statin-related rhabdomyolysis and myopathy, defined as muscle injury with a peak creatine kinase level = 10x and 5–10x the upper limit of normal, in the absence of other likely etiologies. Results Review of medical records for 361 statin users with a qualifying administrative code yielded 24 cases of statin-related rhabdomyolysis and 12 of myopathy. The positive predictive value of the rhabdomyolysis ICD-9 code was only 7.5% (22/292). NLP methods identified another 5 cases of rhabdomyolysis and 6 of myopathy. Using validated cases, the rhabdomyolysis incidence rate (IR) per 100,000 person-years of statin use was 13.2 for simvastatin compared with 5.2 for users of other statins (IRR 2.61; 95% CI, 1.03–7.84), and 64.8 for the 80 mg/day dose of simvastatin compared with 5.3 for the 20 mg/day dose (IRR 12.2; 95% CI, 3.6–52.3). In an analysis using only the ICD-9 code for rhabdomyolysis, the IRR for simvastatin compared with other statins was 1.03 (95% CI 0.80–1.34), and for 80 mg/day dose of simvastatin compared with 20 mg/day it was 1.77 (95% CI 1.05–2.88). Discussion Use of the administrative diagnostic code for rhabdomyolysis was highly nonspecific for this ADR and resulted in weaker associations than methods that verified ADRs with medical record review. The use of administrative data alone in surveillance studies of other medication ADRs with multiples causes, such as drug-induced liver injury, may fail to detect actionable and clinically important harms.

A general purpose multi-dimensional two phase thermal hydraulic analysis code, MEDUSA has been developed utilizing two fluid three field governing equations. The flexible noding system of MEDUSA allows users to model the wide variety of geometry encountered in nuclear reactor system. The specific models of reactor kinetics, pump, valves, and separators has been also developed to simulate the core power and various hydraulic components of primary or secondary systems of nuclear power plant. In this paper, the main feature of the MEDUSA code is briefly described, and its application results to feed line break(FLB) accident of Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plant(KSNP) are compared with those of the licensing analysis code, CESEC-III.

This paper deals with a stochastic simulation. Snow cover, representing a regionalized variable, was studied and used as an input parameter for a stochastic simulation. The first step included basic statistical analysis of individual parameters of snow, e.g. snow height. In the next step, an analysis of relationships between the snow and the geomorphological parameters (altitude, slope and aspect) was conducted. The most current methods of spatial interpolation and multifactor evaluation are based on weighted regression relationships. Primarily, the use of conditional stochastic simulation was tested in a variety of software. The main aim of this investigation is to compare selected interpolation methods with stochastic simulation, based on the development of the values and on the evaluation of the incidence of extreme events. The study shall provide users with recommendations for selecting the optimal interpolation method and its application to real data.

Appropriate water resource allocation in dry land area is very important for farm management. Although very few systems for water distribution have efficient pricing, water resources should be allocated so that the marginal cost equals the marginal value product of water for all uses and users. When the marginal values are not equal, it is always possible to find a reallocation of water that increases net social benefits. Microeconomic techniques used for estimating the value of water and determining farmers? willingness to pay include: net-back analysis, hedonic models, and optimization models. The main objective of this study was to compare marginal value product of irrigation water applied to grow the selected crops in the southern Iran. We used net-back analysis to evaluate agricultura...

A reliable and accurate measurement of particle size and particle size distribution (PSD) is central to characterization of particulate minerals. Using mineral celestite (SrSO4) as the test material, an inexpensive machine vision approach as an alternative to standard mechanical sieving was proposed and results were compared. The machine vision approach used a user-coded ImageJ plugin that processed the digital image in a sieveless manner and automated the PSD analysis. A new approach of employing sum of volumes (Volume) as weighting factor was developed and utilized in the ASABE standard PSD analysis. The plugin also evaluated 22 significant dimensions characterizing samples and 21 PSD parameters. According to Folk and Ward's classification, the PSD of ball-milled celestite was ''very fin...

The 2002 Winter Olympics women's figure skating competition is used as a case study to illustrate some of the limitations, pitfalls, and practical difficulties of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). The paper compares several widely used models for synthesizing the multiple attributes into a single aggregate value. The various MCDA models can provide conflicting rankings of the alternatives for a common set of information even under states of certainty. Analysts involved in MCDA need to deal with the following challenging tasks: (1) selecting an appropriate analysis method, and (2) properly interpreting the results. An additional trap is the availability of software tools that implement specific MCDA models that can beguile the user with quantitative scores. These conclusions are independent of the decision domain and they should help foster better MCDA practices in many fields including systems engineering trade studies.

This study tests hypotheses regarding differences in brand-related user-generated content (UGC) between Twitter (a microblogging site), Facebook (a social network) and YouTube (a content community). It tests them using data from a content analysis of 600 UGC posts for two retail-apparel brands (Lululemon and American Apparel), which differ in the extent to which they manage social media proactively. Comparisons are drawn across six dimensions of UGC; the dimensions were drawn from a priori reading and an inductive analysis of brand-related UGC. This research provides a general framework for comparing brand-related UGC, and helps us to better understand how particular social media channels and marketing strategies may influence consumer-produced brand communications.

In this paper the feasibility of adopting Graphic Processor Units towards real-time emotion aware computing is investigated for boosting the time consuming computations employed in such applications. The proposed methodology was employed in analysis of encephalographic and electrodermal data gathered when participants passively viewed emotional evocative stimuli. The GPU effectiveness when processing electroencephalographic and electrodermal recordings is demonstrated by comparing the execution time of chaos/complexity analysis through nonlinear dynamics (multi-channel correlation dimension/D2) and signal processing algorithms (computation of skin conductance level/SCL) into various popular programming environments. Apart from the beneficial role of parallel programming, the adoption of special design techniques regarding memory management may further enhance the time minimization which approximates a factor of 30 in comparison with ANSI C language (single-core sequential execution). Therefore, the use of GPU parallel capabilities offers a reliable and robust solution for real-time sensing the user's affective state. PMID:22520825

Bringing robots as collaborative partners into homes presents various challenges to human-robot interaction. Robots will need to interact with untrained users in environments that are originally designed for humans. Compared to their industrial homologous form, humanoid robots ca...

Based on a project about user driven innovation and embedded technology in construction (BIIB), the paper discusses methodological issues on user involvement. In the paper especially focus is on the experiences on involving users in collaborative development of scenarios, in the validation of scenarios and in developing innovative solutions on a conceptual level. The project discusses 1) concepts of users and 2) methods for collaborative involvement. The first discussion involves presentation of an extended user concept and a discussion of differences between lead users and need-advanced users. The second discussion on collaborative involvement, discuss experiences with methods for communication across cultural and professional competences with reference to boundary objects, tangible systems and visualization. In the project four segments of situations for use of embedded technology in construction is analysed: the building process, professional operation and maintaining of buildings, tenants in social housing - and occupants/owners in detached houses. In the article the different methods for involving users are compared across these types of users.

A fundamental concern of any secure group communication system is that of key management. Wireless environments create new key management problems and requirements to solve these problems. One such core requirement in these emerging networks is that of self-healing. In systems where users can be offline and miss updates self healing allows a user to recover lost keys and get back into the secure communication without putting extra burden on the group manager. Clearly self healing must be only available to authorized users and this creates more challenges in that we must ensure unauthorized or revoked users cannot, themselves or by means of collusion, avail of self healing. To this end we enhance the one-way key chain based self-healing key distribution of Dutta et al. by introducing a collusion resistance property between the revoked users and the newly joined users. Our scheme is based on the concept of access polynomials. These can be loosely thought of as white lists of authorized users as opposed to the more widely used revocation polynomials or black lists of revoked users. We also allow each user a pre-arranged life cycle distributed by the group manager. Our scheme provides better efficiency in terms of storage, and the communication and computation costs do not increase as the number of sessions grows as compared to most current schemes. We analyze our scheme in an appropriate security model and prove that the proposed scheme is computationally secure and not only achieving forward and backward secrecy, but also resisting collusion between the new joined users and the revoked users. Unlike most existing schemes the new scheme allows temporary revocation. Also unlike existing schemes, our construction does not collapse if the number of revoked users crosses a threshold value. This feature increases resilience against revocation based denial of service (DOS) attacks and thus improves availability of communication channel.

Service user involvement (SUI) is a principal and a guideline in social and health care and also in mental health and substance abuse work. In practice, however, there are indicators of SUI remaining rhetoric rather than reality. The purpose of this study was to analyse and describe service users' conceptions of SUI in mental health and substance abuse work. The following study question was addressed: what are service users' conceptions of service user involvement in mental health and substance abuse work? In total, 27 users of services participated in the study, and the data was gathered by means of interviews. A phenomenographic approach was applied in order to explore the qualitative variations in participants' conceptions of SUI. As a result of the data analysis, four main categories of description representing service users' conceptions of service user involvement were formed: service users have the best expertise, opinions are not heard, systems make the rules, and courage and readiness to participate. In mental health and substance abuse work, SUI is still insufficiently achieved and there are obstacles to be taken into consideration. Nurses are in a key position to promote and encourage service user involvement. PMID:21994839

Accurate and up-to-date global land cover data sets are necessary for various global change research studies including climate change, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem assessment, and environmental modeling. In recent years, substantial advancement has been achieved in generating such data products. Yet, we are far from producing geospatially consistent high-quality data at an operational level. We compared the recently available Global Land Cover 2000 (GLC-2000) and MODerate resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) global land cover data to evaluate the similarities and differences in methodologies and results, and to identify areas of spatial agreement and disagreement. These two global land cover data sets were prepared using different data sources, classification systems, and methodologies, but using the same spatial resolution (i.e., 1 km) satellite data. Our analysis shows a general agreement at the class aggregate level except for savannas/shrublands, and wetlands. The disagreement, however, increases when comparing detailed land cover classes. Similarly, percent agreement between the two data sets was found to be highly variable among biomes. The identified areas of spatial agreement and disagreement will be useful for both data producers and users. Data producers may use the areas of spatial agreement for training area selection and pay special attention to areas of disagreement for further improvement in future land cover characterization and mapping. Users can conveniently use the findings in the areas of agreement, whereas users might need to verify the informaiton in the areas of disagreement with the help of secondary information. Learning from past experience and building on the existing infrastructure (e.g., regional networks), further research is necessary to (1) reduce ambiguity in land cover definitions, (2) increase availability of improved spatial, spectral, radiometric, and geometric resolution satellite data, and (3) develop advanced classification algorithms. ?? 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to compare the efficacy and acceptability of two Internet-supported fertility-awareness-based methods of family planning. STUDY DESIGN: Six hundred and sixty-seven women and their male partners were randomized into either an electronic hormonal fertility monitor (EHFM) group or a cervical mucus monitoring (CMM) group. Both groups utilized a Web site with instructions, charts and support. Acceptability was assessed online at 1, 3 and 6 months. Pregnancy rates were determined by survival analysis. RESULTS: The EHFM participants (N=197) had a total pregnancy rate of 7 per 100 users over 12 months of use compared with 18.5 for the CMM group (N=164). The log rank survival test showed a significant difference (p<.01) in survival functions. Mean acceptability for both groups increased significantly over time (p<.0001). Continuation rates at 12 months were 40.6% for the monitor group and 36.6% for the mucus group. CONCLUSION: In comparison with the CMM, the EHFM method of family planning was more effective. All users had an increase in acceptability over time. Results are tempered by the high dropout rate. PMID:23153900

Abstract Objective: To determine the association between ICS use and the risk of pneumonia among Medicare patients with COPD. Methods: A nested case control analysis was performed to study the relationship between ICS use and pneumonia risk in a cohort of Medicare Advantage members with COPD. Patients were identified through a medical and pharmacy claims database. A case was designated as patient's first inpatient or outpatient pneumonia episode. Cases were matched to controls who entered the COPD cohort at the same time, but had not yet developed pneumonia by the case's index date. The association between ICS use and pneumonia was estimated using logistic regression. Adjusted models controlled for age, sex, race, use of other COPD medications, markers of COPD severity, receipt of the pneumococcal vaccine, and comorbidities. Analyses were also stratified by current or past ICS use, as well as dosage (low, medium, or high). Results: Out of a COPD cohort of 83,455 members, 13,778 pneumonia episodes were identified; these cases were matched to 36,767 controls. Adjusting for covariates, having used any ICS during the past year was associated with increased risk of a pneumonia episode (OR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.05-1.18). Pneumonia risk was highest for current ICS users (OR 1.26, 95% CI: 1.16-1.36) and current high-dose users (OR 1.55, 95% CI: 1.25-1.92), compared to non-users. Conclusion: As a retrospective claims analysis, this study had inherent limitations. The pneumonia diagnosis could not be confirmed, smoking history and other health confounders were not included. However, given the large study sample size and extensive number of available controls, the results remain persuasive and confirm previous studies' findings that ICS use, particularly current use and high-dose use, is associated with increased pneumonia risk. PMID:23098081

The power of multi-sequence comparison for biological discovery is well established. The need for new capabilities to visualize and compare cross-species alignment data is intensified by the growing number of genomic sequence datasets being generated for an ever-increasing number of organisms. To be efficient these visualization algorithms must support the ability to accommodate consistently a wide range of evolutionary distances in a comparison framework based upon phylogenetic relationships. We have developed Phylo-VISTA, an interactive tool for analyzing multiple alignments by visualizing a similarity measure for multiple DNA sequences. The complexity of visual presentation is effectively organized using a framework based upon interspecies phylogenetic relationships. The phylogenetic organization supports rapid, user-guided interspecies comparison. To aid in navigation through large sequence datasets, Phylo-VISTA leverages concepts from VISTA that provide a user with the ability to select and view data at varying resolutions. The combination of multiresolution data visualization and analysis, combined with the phylogenetic framework for interspecies comparison, produces a highly flexible and powerful tool for visual data analysis of multiple sequence alignments. Phylo-VISTA is available at http://www-gsd.lbl.gov/phylovista. It requires an Internet browser with Java Plugin 1.4.2 and it is integrated into the global alignment program LAGAN at http://lagan.stanford.edu/.

Abstract in portuguese O presente trabalho é um estudo exploratório sobre a produção científica publicada pelo Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC) no período 1900-17. Busca-se caracterizar a produção inicial do instituto e o desempenho de seus cientistas no aspecto informacional. Para caracterizar essa produção são utilizados dados de publicação e emprega-se a análise de citação como indicativo de uso. Por meio da comparação entre os dados de publicação e os de citação, avalia-se (more) , ainda que parcialmente, o comportamento dos cientistas do IOC na qualidade de produtores e usuários da informação. Forma-se, então, um quadro geral das áreas de atuação e de interesse dos cientistas do instituto, no período 1900-17, caracterizando assim parte de seu comportamento informacional. Abstract in english The present article is an exploratory study on the scientific material published by Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC) from 1900 to 1917. It aims at characterizing the initial production of the institute and its scientists' concern with information. In order to characterize such production, publication data and citation analysis have been used. Through a comparative analysis of publication data and their citations by other scientists, the author evaluates part of IOC scientists (more) ' behavior towards the quality of products and as information users. The present study builds up a general view of those scientists' areas of activities and interests in the period 1900-1917 and characterizes part of their role as information producers and users.

Today most software applications, also in the nuclear field, come with a graphical user interface. The first graphical user interface for the RELAP5 thermal-hydraulic computer code was called the Nuclear Plant Analyzer (NPA). Later, Symbolic Nuclear Analysis Package (SNAP) was developed. The purpose of the present study was to develop SNAP animation model of Krsko nuclear power plant (NPP) for RELAP5 calculations with the aim to help analyze the results. In addition, the reference calculations for Krsko full scope simulator validation were performed with the latest RELAP5/MOD3.3 Patch 03 code and compared to previous RELAP5 versions to provide verified source data, needed to demonstrate animation model. In total six scenarios were analyzed: two scenarios of the small-break loss-of-coolant accident, two scenarios of the loss of main feedwater, a scenario of the anticipated transient without scram, and a scenario of the steam generator tube rupture. The use of SNAP for animation of Krsko nuclear power plant analyses showed several benefits, especially better understanding of the calculated physical phenomena and processes. It can be concluded that an animation tool was created, which enables to analyze very complex accident scenarios. The graphical surface helps keeping the overview and focusing on the main influences. Also, the use of such support tools to system codes may significantly contribute to better quality of safety analysis.

A subchannel analysis code MATRA-{alpha}, an interim version of MATRA, has been developed to be run on an IBM PC or HP WS based on the existing CDC CYBER mainframe version of COBRA-IV-I. This MATRA code is a thermal-hydraulic analysis code based on the subchannel approach for calculating the enthalpy and flow distribution in fuel assemblies and reactor cores for both steady-state and transient conditions. MATRA-{alpha} has been provided with an improved structure, various functions, and models to give the more convenient user environment and to increase the code accuracy, various functions, and models to give the more convenient user environment and to increase the code accuracy. Among them, the pressure drop model has been improved to be applied to non-square-lattice rod arrays, and the lateral transport models between adjacent subchannels have been improved to increase the accuracy in predicting two-phase flow phenomena. Also included in this report are the detailed instructions for input data preparation and for auxiliary pre-processors to serve as a guide to those who want to use MATRA-{alpha}. In addition, we compared the predictions of MATRA-{alpha} with the experimental data on the flow and enthalpy distribution in three sample rod-bundle cases to evaluate the performance of MATRA-{alpha}. All the results revealed that the prediction of MATRA-{alpha} were better than those of COBRA-IV-I. (author). 16 refs., 1 tab., 13 figs.

Mar 26, 1993 ... The International GPS Service for Geodynarnics: An Introduction . ...... standard reporting format for network/station health and analysis status. Interface with ..... Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. .... points easily accessible to users.

(e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems .... Weighted User. Requirements. Project. Analysis. Statement. Design Project. Proposal. Project. Plan ..... Even if there is no financial commitment, each project should have a ...

research-quality assimilated global data sets from multiple satellites for climate analysis and ... 125 TB of data per year, which includes both primary and secondary copies of user data. .... Using the SAM migration toolkit, a set of libraries was ...

The distributed test runs of the software system produce vast amounts of data ... analysis and visualization is controlled via a Matlab graphical user interface. ... oriented approach and automatic code generation to facilitate the construction of ...

analyzed separately in the AOPA accident analysis. Therefore the incidence of GA accidents attributed .... user that is reliable and temporally and spatially relevant to the decisions ...... to develop a spatio-temporal representation of this verbal, ...

of the analysis, modeling assumptions, numerical solution procedure, etc. ... A tutorial, especially for large and/or complex programs, that guides an inexperienced user ... 1For the NASTD/NPARC/NXAIR merger, input and output files for the ...

A Perspective on Computational. Human Performance ... a combination of model- based analysis and empirical testing ... Than One: Combining user study with cognitive modeling. Proc. CHI 2007, ACM .... •Situation awareness. •Workload ...

The Energy Finite Element Analysis (EFEA) has been utilized successfully for ... on the CTC and measurements are collected using a laser vibrometer at twelve bays ..... MSC Software Corporation, “MD Nastran 2010, EFEA User Guide,” 2010 .

The purpose of this modification to the Optical Surface Analysis Code (OSAC) is to upgrade the PSF program to allow the user to get proper diffracted energy normalization even when deliberately obscuring rays with internal obscurations.

the verifiability and repeatability of log analysis experiments very limited. A first attempt in this direction has been made within the Cross-Language Evaluation Forum in 2009 in a track named LogCLEF which aims to stimulate research on user...

OF. ENGINE. BLADES. (T/STAEBL). USER'S. MANUAL. Final. Report. (PWA) ...... of protective coating. 4.1.23 Block 0504 - Network Analysis Post-Processing ...... 252. 253. 254. 255. 256. 257. 258. 259. 260. 261. -1. 501. 501. 602. 602. 602 ...

Simulation and analysis of vehicle performance is essential for design of a new launch vehicle system. It is more and more demand to have an integrated, highly efficient, robust simulation tool with graphical user interface (GUI) for vehicle performance a...

A comprehensive, user-friendly geostatistical software system called GEOPACk has been developed. The purpose of this software is to make available the programs necessary to undertake a geostatistical analysis of spatially correlated data. The programs were written so that they ...

to tension load, using a three-dimensional finite element analysis. For the e .,15 degree case, the matrix cracking .... and elastic-plastic bodies. ... fields. To implement the EDI method, element numbers are input within the user ..... in a Tapered ...

Abstract Background. New studies about the influence of hormonal contraception on the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) have been published. Aim. To evaluate new epidemiological data and to propose clinical consequences. Design. A literature survey. Methods. Studies assessing the risk of specific types of hormonal contraception were evaluated, compared and set into a clinical perspective. Results. The majority of newer studies have demonstrated a threefold increased risk of VTE in current users of medium- and low-dose combined oral contraceptives (COCs) with norethisterone, levonorgestrel (LNG) or norgestimate compared with non-users. The same studies have demonstrated a sixfold increased risk of VTE in users of combined pills with desogestrel, gestodene, drospirenone or cyproteroneacet...

Solar energetic particle (SEP) events are a key ingredient of solar-terrestrial physics both for fundamental research and space weather applications. Multi-satellite observations are an important and incompletely exploited tool for studying the acceleration and the coronal and interplanetary propagation of the particles. While STEREO uses for this diagnostic two identical sets of instrumentation, there are many earlier observations carried out with different spacecraft. It is the aim of the SEPServer project to make these data and analysis tools available to a broad user community. The consortium will carry out data-driven analysis and simulation-based data analysis capable of deconvolving the effects of interplanetary transport and solar injection from SEP observations, and will compare the results with the electromagnetic signatures. The tools and results will be provided on the web server of the project in order to facilitate further analysis by the research community. This paper describes the data products and analysis strategies with one specific event, the case study of 13 July 2005. The release time of protons and electrons are derived using data-driven and simulation-based analyses, and compared with hard X-ray and radio signatures. The interconnection of the experimental and the simulation-based results are discussed in detail.

The Jupiter Environment Tool (JET) is a custom UI plug-in for STK that provides an interface to Jupiter environment models for visualization and analysis. Users can visualize the different magnetic field models of Jupiter through various rendering methods, which are fully integrated within STK s 3D Window. This allows users to take snapshots and make animations of their scenarios with magnetic field visualizations. Analytical data can be accessed in the form of custom vectors. Given these custom vectors, users have access to magnetic field data in custom reports, graphs, access constraints, coverage analysis, and anywhere else vectors are used within STK.

Cosmic Ray Analysis Environment (CRAnE) is a software tool designed to collect and plot data from a cosmic ray telescope (CRT) connected to a computer serial port. As a plug-in to Java Analysis Studio (JAS), CRAnE provides visual displays of incoming cosmic ray rates as they are detected. In an effort to make the program user-friendly, it operates through a graphical user interface. This paper describes the features of CRAnE and includes installation and operation instructions in the appended user's manual.

A software program has been developed that enables the user to quickly and simply perform ballistic limit calculations for common spacecraft structures that are subject to hypervelocity impact of micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) projectiles. This analysis program consists of two core modules: design, and; performance. The design module enables a user to calculate preliminary dimensions of a shield configuration (e.g., thicknesses/areal densities, spacing, etc.) for a ?design? particle (diameter, density, impact velocity, incidence). The performance module enables a more detailed shielding analysis, providing the performance of a user-defined shielding configuration over the range of relevant in-orbit impact conditions.