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Sample records for comprehensive approach yields

  1. A Comparison of Machine Learning Approaches for Corn Yield Estimation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, N.; Lee, Y. W.

    2017-12-01

    Machine learning is an efficient empirical method for classification and prediction, and it is another approach to crop yield estimation. The objective of this study is to estimate corn yield in the Midwestern United States by employing the machine learning approaches such as the support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and deep neural networks (DNN), and to perform the comprehensive comparison for their results. We constructed the database using satellite images from MODIS, the climate data of PRISM climate group, and GLDAS soil moisture data. In addition, to examine the seasonal sensitivities of corn yields, two period groups were set up: May to September (MJJAS) and July and August (JA). In overall, the DNN showed the highest accuracies in term of the correlation coefficient for the two period groups. The differences between our predictions and USDA yield statistics were about 10-11 %.

  2. NEST: a comprehensive model for scintillation yield in liquid xenon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Szydagis, M; Barry, N; Mock, J; Stolp, D; Sweany, M; Tripathi, M; Uvarov, S; Walsh, N; Woods, M [University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Kazkaz, K, E-mail: mmszydagis@ucdavis.edu [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave., Livermore, CA 94550 (United States)

    2011-10-15

    A comprehensive model for explaining scintillation yield in liquid xenon is introduced. We unify various definitions of work function which abound in the literature and incorporate all available data on electron recoil scintillation yield. This results in a better understanding of electron recoil, and facilitates an improved description of nuclear recoil. An incident gamma energy range of O(1 keV) to O(1 MeV) and electric fields between 0 and O(10 kV/cm) are incorporated into this heuristic model. We show results from a Geant4 implementation, but because the model has a few free parameters, implementation in any simulation package should be simple. We use a quasi-empirical approach with an objective of improving detector calibrations and performance verification. The model will aid in the design and optimization of future detectors. This model is also easy to extend to other noble elements. In this paper we lay the foundation for an exhaustive simulation code which we call NEST (Noble Element Simulation Technique).

  3. NEST: a comprehensive model for scintillation yield in liquid xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szydagis, M; Barry, N; Mock, J; Stolp, D; Sweany, M; Tripathi, M; Uvarov, S; Walsh, N; Woods, M; Kazkaz, K

    2011-01-01

    A comprehensive model for explaining scintillation yield in liquid xenon is introduced. We unify various definitions of work function which abound in the literature and incorporate all available data on electron recoil scintillation yield. This results in a better understanding of electron recoil, and facilitates an improved description of nuclear recoil. An incident gamma energy range of O(1 keV) to O(1 MeV) and electric fields between 0 and O(10 kV/cm) are incorporated into this heuristic model. We show results from a Geant4 implementation, but because the model has a few free parameters, implementation in any simulation package should be simple. We use a quasi-empirical approach with an objective of improving detector calibrations and performance verification. The model will aid in the design and optimization of future detectors. This model is also easy to extend to other noble elements. In this paper we lay the foundation for an exhaustive simulation code which we call NEST (Noble Element Simulation Technique).

  4. Comprehensive Aspectual UML Approach to Support AspectJ

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aws Magableh

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Unified Modeling Language is the most popular and widely used Object-Oriented modelling language in the IT industry. This study focuses on investigating the ability to expand UML to some extent to model crosscutting concerns (Aspects to support AspectJ. Through a comprehensive literature review, we identify and extensively examine all the available Aspect-Oriented UML modelling approaches and find that the existing Aspect-Oriented Design Modelling approaches using UML cannot be considered to provide a framework for a comprehensive Aspectual UML modelling approach and also that there is a lack of adequate Aspect-Oriented tool support. This study also proposes a set of Aspectual UML semantic rules and attempts to generate AspectJ pseudocode from UML diagrams. The proposed Aspectual UML modelling approach is formally evaluated using a focus group to test six hypotheses regarding performance; a “good design” criteria-based evaluation to assess the quality of the design; and an AspectJ-based evaluation as a reference measurement-based evaluation. The results of the focus group evaluation confirm all the hypotheses put forward regarding the proposed approach. The proposed approach provides a comprehensive set of Aspectual UML structural and behavioral diagrams, which are designed and implemented based on a comprehensive and detailed set of AspectJ programming constructs.

  5. Comprehensive Aspectual UML approach to support AspectJ.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magableh, Aws; Shukur, Zarina; Ali, Noorazean Mohd

    2014-01-01

    Unified Modeling Language is the most popular and widely used Object-Oriented modelling language in the IT industry. This study focuses on investigating the ability to expand UML to some extent to model crosscutting concerns (Aspects) to support AspectJ. Through a comprehensive literature review, we identify and extensively examine all the available Aspect-Oriented UML modelling approaches and find that the existing Aspect-Oriented Design Modelling approaches using UML cannot be considered to provide a framework for a comprehensive Aspectual UML modelling approach and also that there is a lack of adequate Aspect-Oriented tool support. This study also proposes a set of Aspectual UML semantic rules and attempts to generate AspectJ pseudocode from UML diagrams. The proposed Aspectual UML modelling approach is formally evaluated using a focus group to test six hypotheses regarding performance; a "good design" criteria-based evaluation to assess the quality of the design; and an AspectJ-based evaluation as a reference measurement-based evaluation. The results of the focus group evaluation confirm all the hypotheses put forward regarding the proposed approach. The proposed approach provides a comprehensive set of Aspectual UML structural and behavioral diagrams, which are designed and implemented based on a comprehensive and detailed set of AspectJ programming constructs.

  6. Building Effective Collaboration in a Comprehensive Approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Essens, P.J.M.D.; Thompson, M.T.; Karrasch, A.; Jermalavičius, J.

    2016-01-01

    The Comprehensive Approach (CA) to crisis management operations is an essential element in NATO’s transformation in modern operations. At the Bucharest Summit in April 2008, Allied leaders endorsed an Action Plan for the development and implementation of NATO’s contribution to a Comprehensive

  7. Listening Comprehension: Approach, Design, Procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richards, Jack C.

    1983-01-01

    Three dimensions in the teaching of listening comprehension are outlined: (1) a theory is presented that takes account of the cognitive processes used (approach); (2) listeners' needs are analyzed and a taxonomy of microskills and objectives for teaching them are proposed (design); and (3) classroom exercises and activities are suggested…

  8. Improving Listening Comprehension through a Whole-Schema Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellermeyer, Deborah

    1993-01-01

    Examines the development of the schema, or cognitive structure, theory of reading comprehension. Advances a model for improving listening comprehension within the classroom through a teacher-facilitated approach which leads students to selecting and utilizing existing schema within a whole-language environment. (MDM)

  9. Europeanisation and the EU's comprehensive approach to crisis management in Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olsen, Gorm Rye; Furness, Mark

    2016-01-01

    This article asks to what extent the European Union (EU) and its member states actually pursued and implemented comprehensive approaches in relation to crisis management in Africa. It also asks what can explain the lack of full implementation of the comprehensive approach in the cases of South...... may follow policy declarations more closely. The comprehensive approach nevertheless indicates an emerging Europeanisation norm influencing policy approaches to the sensitive nexuses that link security, development and crisis response. Evidence from country-level interventions reveals that this norm...

  10. Perspectives on Counterterrorism: From Stovepipes to a Comprehensive Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ronald Crelinsten

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available This article moves beyond the boundaries that limit counterterrorism discourse and practice to present a more comprehensive approach. In a world where distinctions are blurring between internal and external security, international and domestic jurisdictions, and state and non-state actors, it is important to cast our eyes wide in developing an effective approach to counterterrorism that can apply across a broad variety of policy domains and can outlive the electoral horizon of individual governments. A discussion of five approaches to counterterrorism leads to the identification of thirteen different models which, taken together, can point the way towards a comprehensive approach.

  11. A Comprehensive Approach to Climate Change: Options and Obstacles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fuglestvedt, J.S.; Skodvin, T.

    1996-06-01

    The main topics of this report are: (1) key elements in the development of a formula for a comprehensive approach to climate change, (2) relations between gases due to atmospheric chemistry interactions and common emission sources, (3) climate effects of existing international agreements on atmospheric emissions, and (4) methods for comparing gases. Building on the text of the climate convention itself, the authors develop an operational definition of a comprehensive approach and list 13 gases which should be included. There are not many adequate methods of comparing gases with different properties. At present the best choice is the Global Warming Potentials method (GWP), although it leaves the environmentally and politically important issue of the time horizon unresolved. An appendix comments on difficulties of including NOx emitted from surface sources in a comprehensive approach under the FCCC (UN`s Framework Convention on Climate Change). 73 refs., 20 figs., 13 tabs.

  12. The signal and comprehension approach: decoding and meaning building

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajaa Aquil

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses Egyptian colloquial Arabic connected speech as a listening problem. The paper proposes a modified approach for teaching listening: The Signal and Comprehension Approach. It is an approach that enhances listening as a skill to attain comprehension in any listening task. The approach focuses on signals laden with linguistic phonological changes that make deciphering connected speech very difficult. By adopting the proposed approach, learners can develop not only their listening skills but also their listening strategies and meaning building. It trains the language learner to crack the code in order to construct meaning. The approach includes pedagogical listening tasks that are based on topdown or world knowledge as well as bottom-up or data driven processes. The discussed tasks use songs as a venue of connected speech. These tasks come from an online course offered through the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech that uses songs to teach Arabic language, culture and history.

  13. The Comprehensive Approach Initiative: Future Options for NATO

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Petersen, Friis A; Binnendijk, Hans

    2007-01-01

    ...) should adopt a Comprehensive Approach that would enable the collaborative engagement of all requisite civil and military elements of international power to end hostilities, restore order, commence...

  14. The Comprehensive Approach Concept in Multinational Operations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neag Mihai-Marcel

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The planning of operations is regulated by documents covering the participation of forces in military actions in a national and multinational context. The process of planning the operations has been adapted to conceptual planning progress. The concept of allied effect-based operations, which was an alternative to old national concepts, has undergone transformations, so the process of planning operations at allied level is currently based on the concept of a comprehensive approach, which is a strategic concept, do not give up effects. The term action-based operations has been replaced by the term “thought-based thinking” and belongs to the general concept of comprehensive approach. If the planning process meant the effects, so the main planning objectives were the effects, then the planning was based on concrete objectives, the effects being maintained for the economy of effort and maximizing efficiency, the main purpose of the effects being the evaluation of the operations. From this point of view, we consider that the concept has not been abandoned, what has changed, it was just the working method, the subject being still topical.

  15. Reading Approach Use Effectiveness And EFL Reading Comprehension In University Muhammadiyah Of Parepare

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baharuddin

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated Indonesian EFL learners approach of two reading approaches cognitive and metacognitive their perceived contact on effectiveness and the association between reading approach and effectiveness on their English reading comprehension. Fifty-Three English-major freshmen from University Muhammadiyah of Parepare participated in these lessons. Two principal questions were addressed 1 what is the most frequent use of reading approach reported by individual students 2 Is there any significant association between reading approach and effectiveness on their English reading comprehension To examine the effects of approach instruction on students reading performance a qualitative interview technique and quantitative research methods including a paired-sample t-test and Person Product Moment Correlation were used to estimate the relationship between reading approach use and effectiveness on students reading accomplishment. Significance showed that the most frequent use of reading approach was found to be metacognitive approach followed by the cognitive approach. In addition there was a significant positive connection between reading approach and effectiveness on their English reading comprehension. Reading approach on the other hand was unrelated to reading achievement. Results of interview findings were analyzed to explore in-depth in sequence about the condition of approach used. The implications of these findings for implementing effective reading strategy instruction are discussed.

  16. Ethiopian Wheat Yield and Yield Gap Estimation: A Spatial Small Area Integrated Data Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mann, M.; Warner, J.

    2015-12-01

    Despite the collection of routine annual agricultural surveys and significant advances in GIS and remote sensing products, little econometric research has been undertaken in predicting developing nation's agricultural yields. In this paper, we explore the determinants of wheat output per hectare in Ethiopia during the 2011-2013 Meher crop seasons aggregated to the woreda administrative area. Using a panel data approach, combining national agricultural field surveys with relevant GIS and remote sensing products, the model explains nearly 40% of the total variation in wheat output per hectare across the country. The model also identifies specific contributors to wheat yields that include farm management techniques (eg. area planted, improved seed, fertilizer, irrigation), weather (eg. rainfall), water availability (vegetation and moisture deficit indexes) and policy intervention. Our findings suggest that woredas produce between 9.8 and 86.5% of their potential wheat output per hectare given their altitude, weather conditions, terrain, and plant health. At the median, Amhara, Oromiya, SNNP, and Tigray produce 48.6, 51.5, 49.7, and 61.3% of their local attainable yields, respectively. This research has a broad range of applications, especially from a public policy perspective: identifying causes of yield fluctuations, remotely evaluating larger agricultural intervention packages, and analyzing relative yield potential. Overall, the combination of field surveys with spatial data can be used to identify management priorities for improving production at a variety of administrative levels.

  17. A Narrative-Expectation-Based Approach to Temporal Update in Discourse Comprehension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dery, Jeruen E.; Koenig, Jean-Pierre

    2015-01-01

    This study concerns the mechanisms involving temporal update in discourse comprehension, comparing traditional approaches based on "Aktionsart" and Iconicity against an approach based on narrative expectations. Our experiments suggest that readers pay more attention to fine-grained discourse properties (such as salient temporal…

  18. [A comprehensive approach to designing of magnetotherapy techniques based on the Atos device].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raĭgorodskiĭ, Iu M; Semiachkin, G P; Tatarenko, D A

    1995-01-01

    The paper determines how to apply a comprehensive approach to designing magnetic therapeutical techniques based on concomitant exposures to two or more physical factors. It shows the advantages of the running pattern of a magnetic field and photostimuli in terms of optimization of physiotherapeutical exposures. An Atos apparatus with an Amblio-1 attachment is used as an example to demonstrate how to apply the comprehensive approach for ophthalmology.

  19. A Comprehensive Approach for Pectin Chemical and Functional Characterization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    de Sousa, António Felipe Gomes Teixeira

    In this work, a comprehensive approach for the chemical and functional analysis of pectin was used in order to relate the different extraction conditions used to the polymer structure and the final functional (mainly gelling) properties. A wide range of methods were utilized including chemical an...

  20. A comprehensive approach to benefit-risk assessment in drug development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sarac, Sinan B; Rasmussen, Christian H; Rasmussen, Morten A.

    2012-01-01

    Major regulatory agencies, for example, FDA and EMA, have started to request comprehensive benefit-risk analyses of pharmaceutical products prior to approval or labelling expansion. The purpose of this study is to develop a generally applicable and reliable data-driven benefit-risk assessment......) discussion and formulation of an overall conclusion. To reduce the impact of subjective judgements, scores are assigned to each criterion on the basis of objective information (data) wherever possible. The proposed benefit-risk evaluation approach offers comprehensive, data-driven assessments that can...... method, where two or more drugs/doses can be compared. Our aim is to formulate an approach that is simple to apply, allows direct comparison of different types of risks and benefits, and is tailored for application in different disease areas both during clinical development and in the marketing approval...

  1. Novel approach to parental permission and child assent for research: improving comprehension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Lonergan, Theresa A; Forster-Harwood, Jeri E

    2011-05-01

    The aim of this research was to test a multimedia permission/assent (P/A) process. The overall hypothesis was that children and their parents exposed to a multimedia P/A process would have better comprehension compared with those exposed to a text-based process. Traditional and multimedia P/A processes were created by using an innovative learning-objective approach. A total of 194 parent-child dyads (children aged 11-14 years) were enrolled: 24 dyads in a prestudy testing P/A components for preference and effect on comprehension and 170 dyads in a randomized trial of a multimedia or paper P/A process for a hypothetical study. Participants were predominantly white and were from a metropolitan area served by a tertiary care pediatric hospital and outpatient facility. Comprehension of 8 essential elements of the P/A process was assessed. The majority of prestudy subjects preferred the video version of the dual-energy radiograph absorptiometry description over the animated and paper versions combined (41 of 48 [85%]; P better overall comprehension compared with the paper P/A process (P = .0009), and there were highly significant differences in understanding of study procedures (P = .0002) and risks (P multimedia group had significantly better overall comprehension (P = .03). Multimedia approaches to the research P/A process may improve overall understanding of research participation for children and parents. Improved understanding of study-specific research components (rather than research rights) may improve overall comprehension.

  2. Comprehensive change management concepts. Development of a participatory approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zink, Klaus J; Steimle, Ulrich; Schröder, Delia

    2008-07-01

    During the last years, many change projects in organizations did not have the planned success. Therefore at first, the causes for these failures and the success factors contributing to organizational change have to be discussed. To get better results, a comprehensive change management concept has been developed and tested in an ongoing research project. By using concepts for an integrated assessment and design of organizations, an approach for analyzing the current situation has been elaborated to identify "lack of integration" in the change initiatives of a company. To realize an integrated overall approach of modernization by harmonizing different methods and concepts, first, one has to prove their relationship to policy and strategy (vertical harmonization). The second step is to take into account the fact that there has to be a logical fit between the single concepts (horizontal harmonization). But even if all elements are logically coherent, that does not mean that the people working in the company also see this coherence. Therefore, in addition to the "logical fit", one has to examine the "psychological fit". In the end, a concept for analyzing the status quo in an organization as a result of "objective data" and "subjective data" originated. Subsequently, instruments for harmonizing different modernizing concepts have been applied. As part of the comprehensive change management concept participatory ergonomic approaches have been used during the project. The present study shows this approach in the case of one company.

  3. An alternative approach for modeling strength differential effect in sheet metals with symmetric yield functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurukuri, Srihari; Worswick, Michael J.

    2013-12-01

    An alternative approach is proposed to utilize symmetric yield functions for modeling the tension-compression asymmetry commonly observed in hcp materials. In this work, the strength differential (SD) effect is modeled by choosing separate symmetric plane stress yield functions (for example, Barlat Yld 2000-2d) for the tension i.e., in the first quadrant of principal stress space, and compression i.e., third quadrant of principal stress space. In the second and fourth quadrants, the yield locus is constructed by adopting interpolating functions between uniaxial tensile and compressive stress states. In this work, different interpolating functions are chosen and the predictive capability of each approach is discussed. The main advantage of this proposed approach is that the yield locus parameters are deterministic and relatively easy to identify when compared to the Cazacu family of yield functions commonly used for modeling SD effect observed in hcp materials.

  4. Determinants of sovereign debt yield spreads under EMU: Pairwise approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fazlioglu, S.

    2013-01-01

    This study aims at providing an empirical analysis of long-term determinants of sovereign debt yield spreads under European EMU (Economic and Monetary Union) through pairwise approach within panel framework. Panel gravity models are increasingly used in the cross-market correlation literature while

  5. The evolution of NATO’s comprehensive approach to crisis management operations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guillem Colom Piella

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available The crisis management operations, post-war stabilisation and nation-building that has taken place since the end of the Cold War has all highlighted the extreme need to harmonise multinational and inter-agency cooperation in order to increase the coherence and effectiveness of the operation. That is the basic principle of Comprehensive Approach, which is defined as the coordination of strategies and actions of the participating actors in crisis management and at all levels, stages and planes of same. The NATO has also incorporated these advances into the area of crisis management, as a result of which, since 2006, it has been defining its own concept of Comprehensive Approach for non-Article 5 missions, and as a central theme in its political-military strategy for the present and immediate future.

  6. Key observations from a comprehensive FCC study on Canadian heavy gas oils from various origins: 1. Yield profiles in batch reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ng, Siauw H.; Nakajima, Nobumasa [National Centre for Upgrading Technology, 1 Oil Patch Drive, Suite A202, Devon, Alberta (Canada T9G 1A8); Zhu, Yuxia [Research Institute of Petroleum Processing, 18 Xue Yuen Road, P.O. Box 914, Beijing 100083 (China); Humphries, Adrian [Albemarle Catalysts Company LP, 2625 Bay Area Blvd., Suite 250, Houston, TX 77058 (United States); Tsai, Thomas Y.R. [National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 974, Taiwan (ROC); Ding, Fuchen [Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology, Daxing, Beijing 102600 (China); Ling, Hao [East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); Yui, Sok [Syncrude Research Centre, 9421-17 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada T6N 1H4)

    2006-06-15

    A series of cracking tests in a comprehensive study were conducted on separate occasions involving all or parts of 10 Canadian vacuum gas oil (VGO) feeds and a catalyst. VGOs were cracked in fixed- and fluid-bed microactivity test (MAT) units, the Advanced Cracking Evaluation (ACE) unit, and a modified ARCO riser reactor. Several important observations from this study were reported, including the effects of gasoline precursors on the maximum gasoline yields and aromatics in feeds on the conversion levels at which the maximum gasoline yields occurred. Yield profiles were found to be similar in shapes and relative positions between H{sub 2}S-free dry gas and catalytic coke for all but one of the feeds. Conversion and yield data obtained from the three batch reactors were compared and discussed. At a given conversion, correlations existed among the fixed- and fluid-bed MAT units, and the ACE for each product yield. A method to check the qualities of MAT and riser data was demonstrated by plotting the coke or total gas selectivity versus the gasoline selectivity. (author)

  7. Comprehensive Analysis Competence and Innovative Approaches for Sustainable Chemical Production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Appel, Joerg; Colombo, Corrado; Dätwyler, Urs; Chen, Yun; Kerimoglu, Nimet

    2016-01-01

    Humanity currently sees itself facing enormous economic, ecological, and social challenges. Sustainable products and production in specialty chemistry are an important strategic element to address these megatrends. In addition to that, digitalization and global connectivity will create new opportunities for the industry. One aspect is examined in this paper, which shows the development of comprehensive analysis of production networks for a more sustainable production in which the need for innovative solutions arises. Examples from data analysis, advanced process control and automated performance monitoring are shown. These efforts have significant impact on improved yields, reduced energy and water consumption, and better product performance in the application of the products.

  8. Comprehensive Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Comprehensive Care Share this page Facebook Twitter Email Comprehensive Care Understand the importance of comprehensive MS care ... In this article A complex disease requires a comprehensive approach Today multiple sclerosis (MS) is not a ...

  9. Increasing crop diversity mitigates weather variations and improves yield stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaudin, Amélie C M; Tolhurst, Tor N; Ker, Alan P; Janovicek, Ken; Tortora, Cristina; Martin, Ralph C; Deen, William

    2015-01-01

    Cropping sequence diversification provides a systems approach to reduce yield variations and improve resilience to multiple environmental stresses. Yield advantages of more diverse crop rotations and their synergistic effects with reduced tillage are well documented, but few studies have quantified the impact of these management practices on yields and their stability when soil moisture is limiting or in excess. Using yield and weather data obtained from a 31-year long term rotation and tillage trial in Ontario, we tested whether crop rotation diversity is associated with greater yield stability when abnormal weather conditions occur. We used parametric and non-parametric approaches to quantify the impact of rotation diversity (monocrop, 2-crops, 3-crops without or with one or two legume cover crops) and tillage (conventional or reduced tillage) on yield probabilities and the benefits of crop diversity under different soil moisture and temperature scenarios. Although the magnitude of rotation benefits varied with crops, weather patterns and tillage, yield stability significantly increased when corn and soybean were integrated into more diverse rotations. Introducing small grains into short corn-soybean rotation was enough to provide substantial benefits on long-term soybean yields and their stability while the effects on corn were mostly associated with the temporal niche provided by small grains for underseeded red clover or alfalfa. Crop diversification strategies increased the probability of harnessing favorable growing conditions while decreasing the risk of crop failure. In hot and dry years, diversification of corn-soybean rotations and reduced tillage increased yield by 7% and 22% for corn and soybean respectively. Given the additional advantages associated with cropping system diversification, such a strategy provides a more comprehensive approach to lowering yield variability and improving the resilience of cropping systems to multiple environmental

  10. Predicting Text Comprehension, Processing, and Familiarity in Adult Readers: New Approaches to Readability Formulas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crossley, Scott A.; Skalicky, Stephen; Dascalu, Mihai; McNamara, Danielle S.; Kyle, Kristopher

    2017-01-01

    Research has identified a number of linguistic features that influence the reading comprehension of young readers; yet, less is known about whether and how these findings extend to adult readers. This study examines text comprehension, processing, and familiarity judgment provided by adult readers using a number of different approaches (i.e.,…

  11. Approaches to achieve high grain yield and high resource use efficiency in rice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianchang YANG

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This article discusses approaches to simultaneously increase grain yield and resource use efficiency in rice. Breeding nitrogen efficient cultivars without sacrificing rice yield potential, improving grain fill in later-flowering inferior spikelets and enhancing harvest index are three important approaches to achieving the dual goal of high grain yield and high resource use efficiency. Deeper root distribution and higher leaf photosynthetic N use efficiency at lower N rates could be used as selection criteria to develop N-efficient cultivars. Enhancing sink activity through increasing sugar-spikelet ratio at the heading time and enhancing the conversion efficiency from sucrose to starch though increasing the ratio of abscisic acid to ethylene in grains during grain fill could effectively improve grain fill in inferior spikelets. Several practices, such as post-anthesis controlled soil drying, an alternate wetting and moderate soil drying regime during the whole growing season, and non-flooded straw mulching cultivation, could substantially increase grain yield and water use efficiency, mainly via enhanced remobilization of stored carbon from vegetative tissues to grains and improved harvest index. Further research is needed to understand synergistic interaction between water and N on crop and soil and the mechanism underlying high resource use efficiency in high-yielding rice.

  12. A comprehensive inversion approach for feedforward compensation of piezoactuator system at high frequency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Lizhi; Xiong, Zhenhua; Wu, Jianhua; Ding, Han

    2016-09-01

    Motion control of the piezoactuator system over broadband frequencies is limited due to its inherent hysteresis and system dynamics. One of the suggested ways is to use feedforward controller to linearize the input-output relationship of the piezoactuator system. Although there have been many feedforward approaches, it is still a challenge to develop feedforward controller for the piezoactuator system at high frequency. Hence, this paper presents a comprehensive inversion approach in consideration of the coupling of hysteresis and dynamics. In this work, the influence of dynamics compensation on the input-output relationship of the piezoactuator system is investigated first. With system dynamics compensation, the input-output relationship of the piezoactuator system will be further represented as rate-dependent nonlinearity due to the inevitable dynamics compensation error, especially at high frequency. Base on this result, the feedforward controller composed by a cascade of linear dynamics inversion and rate-dependent nonlinearity inversion is developed. Then, the system identification of the comprehensive inversion approach is proposed. Finally, experimental results show that the proposed approach can improve the performance on tracking of both periodic and non-periodic trajectories at medium and high frequency compared with the conventional feedforward approaches.

  13. Key Concept Identification: A Comprehensive Analysis of Frequency and Topical Graph-Based Approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Aman

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Automatic key concept extraction from text is the main challenging task in information extraction, information retrieval and digital libraries, ontology learning, and text analysis. The statistical frequency and topical graph-based ranking are the two kinds of potentially powerful and leading unsupervised approaches in this area, devised to address the problem. To utilize the potential of these approaches and improve key concept identification, a comprehensive performance analysis of these approaches on datasets from different domains is needed. The objective of the study presented in this paper is to perform a comprehensive empirical analysis of selected frequency and topical graph-based algorithms for key concept extraction on three different datasets, to identify the major sources of error in these approaches. For experimental analysis, we have selected TF-IDF, KP-Miner and TopicRank. Three major sources of error, i.e., frequency errors, syntactical errors and semantical errors, and the factors that contribute to these errors are identified. Analysis of the results reveals that performance of the selected approaches is significantly degraded by these errors. These findings can help us develop an intelligent solution for key concept extraction in the future.

  14. The Effect of Integrated Learning-Teaching Approach on Reading Comprehension and Narration Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ergün Hamzadayı

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the effects of integrated learning-teaching approach on reading comprehension and narration skills. Considerations regarding how to overcome difficulties in the teaching of Turkish language through multi-theoretical perspectives have resulted in this approach to come into the existence. For the purpose of forming theoretical foundations of the research, behaviourist, cognitive and constructivist learning theories with their philosophical foundations were introduced, their principals and assumptions with regard to instructional design were compared, and their strengths and weakness were delineated. These considerations were then associated with the components of Turkish language program (content, objectives, teaching strategies and methods, assessment and that paved way for “integrative learning and teaching approach” to come into being. This study aimed to investigate whether there is a significant difference between the performance of the experimental group students who were exposed to integrative learning and teaching approach and that of control group students who were not exposed to integrative learning and teaching approach in terms of reading comprehension and written expression skills in Turkish language

  15. Empirical Approaches to Measuring the Intelligibility of Different Varieties of English in Predicting Listener Comprehension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Okim; Thomson, Ron I.; Moran, Meghan

    2018-01-01

    This study compared five research-based intelligibility measures as they were applied to six varieties of English. The objective was to determine which approach to measuring intelligibility would be most reliable for predicting listener comprehension, as measured through a listening comprehension test similar to the Test of English as a Foreign…

  16. Teaching Listening Comprehension: Bottom-Up Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khuziakhmetov, Anvar N.; Porchesku, Galina V.

    2016-01-01

    Improving listening comprehension skills is one of the urgent contemporary educational problems in the field of second language acquisition. Understanding how L2 listening comprehension works can have a serious influence on language pedagogy. The aim of the paper is to discuss the practical and methodological value of the notion of the perception…

  17. A New Comprehensive Approach for Predicting Injectivity Decline during Waterflooding

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yuan, Hao; Nielsen, Sidsel Marie; Shapiro, Alexander

    Injectivity decline during sea waterflooding or produced water re-injection is widely observed in North Sea, Gulf of Mexico and Campos Basin fields. The formation damage occurs mainly due to the deposition of suspended solids around injectors and the build-up the external filter cakes in the well...... bores. The ability to predict injectivity decline accurately is of great importance for project designs and water management. A comprehensive model that incorporates a variety of factors influencing the process is desirable for the prediction. In this paper, a new comprehensive approach for predicting...... injectivity decline during water flooding is proposed. The deep bed filtration is described by novel stochastic random walk equations. The injectivity decline model takes into account the reservoir heterogeneity and the distribution of solid particles by sizes. It also accounts for the later formation...

  18. Diagnostic yield of the comprehensive assessment of developmental delay/mental retardation in an institute of child neuropsychiatry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battaglia, A; Bianchini, E; Carey, J C

    1999-01-01

    , while confirming the diagnostic utility of cytogenetic/molecular genetic, and neuroimaging studies, suggest the usefulness of accurate electroencephalogram recordings, and stress the importance of a thorough physical examination. Referral to a university child neurology and psychiatry service, where a comprehensive assessment with a selected battery of investigations is possible, yields etiologic findings in a high percentage of DD/MR patients, with important implications for management, prognosis and recurrence risk estimate.

  19. Numerical Approach for Goaf-Side Entry Layout and Yield Pillar Design in Fractured Ground Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Lishuai; Zhang, Peipeng; Chen, Lianjun; Hao, Zhen; Sainoki, Atsushi; Mitri, Hani S.; Wang, Qingbiao

    2017-11-01

    Entry driven along goaf-side (EDG), which is the development of an entry of the next longwall panel along the goaf-side and the isolation of the entry from the goaf with a small-width yield pillar, has been widely employed in China over the past several decades . The width of such a yield pillar has a crucial effect on EDG layout in terms of the ground control, isolation effect and resource recovery rate. Based on a case study, this paper presents an approach for evaluating, designing and optimizing EDG and yield pillar by considering the results from numerical simulations and field practice. To rigorously analyze the ground stability, the numerical study begins with the simulation of goaf-side stress and ground conditions. Four global models with identical conditions, except for the width of the yield pillar, are built, and the effect of pillar width on ground stability is investigated by comparing aspects of stress distribution, failure propagation, and displacement evolution during the entire service life of the entry. Based on simulation results, the isolation effect of the pillar acquired from field practice is also considered. The suggested optimal yield pillar design is validated using a field test in the same mine. Thus, the presented numerical approach provides references and can be utilized for the evaluation, design and optimization of EDG and yield pillars under similar geological and geotechnical circumstances.

  20. The EU Comprehensive Approach on Somali Piracy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela Caramerli

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The Gulf of Aden represents a strategic issue for the international community, as its geographical position is fundamental as the major trade maritime route. About 50 percent of the world container ships pass through the Gulf of Aden each year, 80 percent of those cargos coming from Europe. For this reason, the piracy issue affecting Somalia is a problem affecting EU member states’ security and economy. This paper is focused on the comprehensive approach acted by the European Union, with a special attention on proposing the implementation of programs against illegal fishing and waste dumping in order to fight Somali piracy. The evaluation of the military mission offers an overview on a solution for the near future, while the training missions and the development funds sustain the build-up of national tools and focus on the solving of the roots of the issue.

  1. Comprehensive approach to diabetic nephropathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bancha Satirapoj

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Diabetic nephropathy (DN is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with diabetes. This complication reflects a complex pathophysiology, whereby various genetic and environmental factors determine susceptibility and progression to end-stage renal disease. DN should be considered in patients with type 1 diabetes for at least 10 years who have microalbuminuria and diabetic retinopathy, as well as in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes with macroalbuminuria in whom other causes for proteinuria are absent. DN may also present as a falling estimated glomerular filtration rate with albuminuria as a minor presenting feature, especially in patients taking renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi. The pathological characteristic features of disease are three major lesions: diffuse mesangial expansion, diffuse thickened glomerular basement membrane, and hyalinosis of arterioles. Functionally, however, the pathophysiology is reflected in dysfunction of the mesangium, the glomerular capillary wall, the tubulointerstitium, and the vasculature. For all diabetic patients, a comprehensive approach to management including glycemic and hypertensive control with RAASi combined with lipid control, dietary salt restriction, lowering of protein intake, increased physical activity, weight reduction, and smoking cessation can reduce the rate of progression of nephropathy and minimize the risk for cardiovascular events. This review focuses on the latest published data dealing with the mechanisms, diagnosis, and current treatment of DN.

  2. The effect of font size on reading comprehension on second and fifth grade children: bigger is not always better.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tami Katzir

    Full Text Available Research on reading development has focused on the linguistic, cognitive, and recently, metacognitive skills children must master in order to learn to read. Less focus has been devoted to how the text itself, namely the perceptual features of the words, affects children's learning and comprehension. In this study, we manipulated perceptual properties of text by presenting reading passages in different font sizes, line lengths, and line spacing to 100 children in the second and fifth grades. For second graders (Experiment 1, decreasing font size, as well as increasing line length, yielded significantly lower comprehension scores. Line spacing had no effect on performance. For fifth graders (Experiment 2, decreasing font size yielded higher comprehension scores, yet there were no effects for line length and line spacing. Results are discussed within a "desirable difficulty" approach to reading development.

  3. Yielding physically-interpretable emulators - A Sparse PCA approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galelli, S.; Alsahaf, A.; Giuliani, M.; Castelletti, A.

    2015-12-01

    Projection-based techniques, such as Principal Orthogonal Decomposition (POD), are a common approach to surrogate high-fidelity process-based models by lower order dynamic emulators. With POD, the dimensionality reduction is achieved by using observations, or 'snapshots' - generated with the high-fidelity model -, to project the entire set of input and state variables of this model onto a smaller set of basis functions that account for most of the variability in the data. While reduction efficiency and variance control of POD techniques are usually very high, the resulting emulators are structurally highly complex and can hardly be given a physically meaningful interpretation as each basis is a projection of the entire set of inputs and states. In this work, we propose a novel approach based on Sparse Principal Component Analysis (SPCA) that combines the several assets of POD methods with the potential for ex-post interpretation of the emulator structure. SPCA reduces the number of non-zero coefficients in the basis functions by identifying a sparse matrix of coefficients. While the resulting set of basis functions may retain less variance of the snapshots, the presence of a few non-zero coefficients assists in the interpretation of the underlying physical processes. The SPCA approach is tested on the reduction of a 1D hydro-ecological model (DYRESM-CAEDYM) used to describe the main ecological and hydrodynamic processes in Tono Dam, Japan. An experimental comparison against a standard POD approach shows that SPCA achieves the same accuracy in emulating a given output variable - for the same level of dimensionality reduction - while yielding better insights of the main process dynamics.

  4. The Psychology Department Model Advisement Procedure: A Comprehensive, Systematic Approach to Career Development Advisement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell-Carter, Marya; Nieman-Gonder, Jennifer; Pellegrino, Jennifer; Catapano, Brittani; Hutzel, Kimberly

    2016-01-01

    The MAP (Model Advisement Procedure) is a comprehensive, systematic approach to developmental student advisement. The MAP was implemented to improve advisement consistency, improve student preparation for internships/senior projects, increase career exploration, reduce career uncertainty, and, ultimately, improve student satisfaction with the…

  5. Reading Comprehension Course Through a Genre-Oriented Approach at a School in Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrés Rodríguez Sánchez

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports on an action-research study aimed at identifying the problems and needs of a specific group of tenth graders at a school in Colombia in relation to their reading comprehension in English in order to design, partially implement, and evaluate a genre-oriented syllabus. Findings show that the explicit instruction of metacognitive strategies helped students become more efficient readers, as well as the fact that the exposure and analysis of genres developed a better comprehension of different kinds of texts, making these students aware of the structure and patterns of the texts they were reading as they approached them with reading strategies that were appropriate for each genre and stage.

  6. A new approach to ductile tearing assessment of pipelines under large-scale yielding

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ostby, Erling [SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, N-7465, Trondheim (Norway)]. E-mail: Erling.Obstby@sintef.no; Thaulow, Christian [Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7491, Trondheim (Norway); Nyhus, Bard [SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, N-7465, Trondheim (Norway)

    2007-06-15

    In this paper we focus on the issue of ductile tearing assessment for cases with global plasticity, relevant for example to strain-based design of pipelines. A proposal for a set of simplified strain-based driving force equations is used as a basis for calculation of ductile tearing. We compare the traditional approach using the tangency criterion to predict unstable tearing, with a new alternative approach for ductile tearing calculations. A criterion to determine the CTOD at maximum load carrying capacity in the crack ligament is proposed, and used as the failure criterion in the new approach. Compared to numerical reference simulations, the tangency criterion predicts conservative results with regard to the strain capacity. The new approach yields results in better agreement with the reference numerical simulations.

  7. Individual differences in reading comprehension : A componential approach to eighth graders’ expository text comprehension

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Welie, C.J.M.

    2017-01-01

    Why do secondary school students differ in their text comprehension? This is an important question because many secondary school students are unable to achieve the level of text comprehension required to enable learning from their school book texts. This thesis contributes to answering this question

  8. A Comprehensive Approach to Adaptive Processing Both on Transmit and Receive Including Presence of Waveform Diversity

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Sarkar, Tapan

    2006-01-01

    .... Use of waveform diversity and a comprehensive approach to adaptive processing may not be useful if the sensors deviate from their true positions, due to environmental effects or due to mechanical...

  9. CM5: A pre-Swarm magnetic field model based upon the comprehensive modeling approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sabaka, T.; Olsen, Nils; Tyler, Robert

    2014-01-01

    We have developed a model based upon the very successful Comprehensive Modeling (CM) approach using recent CHAMP, Ørsted, SAC-C and observatory hourly-means data from September 2000 to the end of 2013. This CM, called CM5, was derived from the algorithm that will provide a consistent line of Leve...

  10. Repository documentation rethought. A comprehensive approach from untreated waste to waste packages for final disposal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anthofer, Anton Philipp; Schubert, Johannes [VPC GmbH, Dresden (Germany)

    2017-11-15

    The German Act on Reorganization of Responsibility for Nuclear Disposal (Entsorgungsuebergangsgesetz (EntsorgUebG)) adopted in June 2017 provides the energy utilities with the new option of transferring responsibility for their waste packages to the Federal Government. This is conditional on the waste packages being approved for delivery to the Konrad final repository. A comprehensive approach starts with the dismantling of nuclear facilities and extends from waste disposal and packaging planning to final repository documentation. Waste package quality control measures are planned and implemented as early as in the process qualification stage so that the production of waste packages that are suitable for final deposition can be ensured. Optimization of cask and loading configuration can save container and repository volume. Workflow planning also saves time, expenditure and exposure time for personnel at the facilities. VPC has evaluated this experience and developed it into a comprehensive approach.

  11. A comprehensive approach to age-dependent dosimetric modeling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leggett, R.W.; Cristy, M.; Eckerman, K.F.

    1986-01-01

    In the absence of age-specific biokinetic models, current retention models of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) frequently are used as a point of departure for evaluation of exposures to the general population. These models were designed and intended for estimation of long-term integrated doses to the adult worker. Their format and empirical basis preclude incorporation of much valuable physiological information and physiologically reasonable assumptions that could be used in characterizing the age-specific behavior of radioelements in humans. In this paper we discuss a comprehensive approach to age-dependent dosimetric modeling in which consideration is given not only to changes with age in masses and relative geometries of body organs and tissues but also to best available physiological and radiobiological information relating to the age-specific biobehavior of radionuclides. This approach is useful in obtaining more accurate estimates of long-term dose commitments as a function of age at intake, but it may be particularly valuable in establishing more accurate estimates of dose rate as a function of age. Age-specific dose rates are needed for a proper analysis of the potential effects on estimates or risk of elevated dose rates per unit intake in certain stages of life, elevated response per unit dose received during some stages of life, and age-specific non-radiogenic competing risks

  12. A comprehensive approach to age-dependent dosimetric modeling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leggett, R.W.; Cristy, M.; Eckerman, K.F.

    1987-01-01

    In the absence of age-specific biokinetic models, current retention models of the International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP) frequently are used as a point of departure for evaluation of exposures to the general population. These models were designed and intended for estimation of long-term integrated doses to the adult worker. Their format and empirical basis preclude incorporation of much valuable physiological information and physiologically reasonable assumptions that could be used in characterizing the age-specific behavior of radioelements in humans. In this paper a comprehensive approach to age-dependent dosimetric modeling is discussed in which consideration is given not only to changes with age in masses and relative geometries of body organs and tissues but also to best available physiological and radiobiological information relating to the age-specific biobehavior of radionuclides. This approach is useful in obtaining more accurate estimates of long-term dose commitments as a function of age at intake, but it may be particularly valuable in establishing more accurate estimates of dose rate as a function of age. Age-specific dose rates are needed for a proper analysis of the potential effects on estimates of risk of elevated dose rates per unit intake in certain stages of life, elevated response per unit dose received during some stages of life, and age-specific non-radiogenic competing risks. 16 refs.; 3 figs.; 1 table

  13. Pension Accounting and Reporting with Other Comprehensive Income and Deferred Taxes: A Worksheet Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Robert E.; Sneathen, L. Dwight, Jr.; Veal, Timothy R.

    2012-01-01

    This instructional tool presents pension accounting using a worksheet approach where debits equal credits for both the employer and for the plan. Transactions associated with the initiation of the plan through the end of the second year of the plan are presented, including their impact on accumulated other comprehensive income and deferred taxes.…

  14. Racial Differences by Ischemic Stroke Subtype: A Comprehensive Diagnostic Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Song

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Previous studies have suggested that black populations have more small-vessel and fewer cardioembolic strokes. We sought to analyze racial differences in ischemic stroke subtype employing a comprehensive diagnostic workup with magnetic resonance-imaging-(MRI- based evaluation including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI. Methods. 350 acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to an urban hospital with standardized comprehensive diagnostic evaluations were retrospectively analyzed. Ischemic stroke subtype was determined by three Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST classification systems. Results. We found similar proportions of cardioembolic and lacunar strokes in the black and white cohort. The only subtype category with a significant difference by race was “stroke of other etiology,” more common in whites. Black stroke patients were more likely to have an incomplete evaluation, but this did not reach significance. Conclusions. We found similar proportions by race of cardioembolic and lacunar strokes when employing a full diagnostic evaluation including DWI MRI. The relatively high rate of cardioembolism may have been underappreciated in black stroke patients when employing a CT approach to stroke subtype diagnosis. Further research is required to better understand the racial differences in frequency of “stroke of other etiology” and explore disparities in the extent of diagnostic evaluations.

  15. A crop model-based approach for sunflower yields

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João Guilherme Dal Belo Leite

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Pushed by the Brazilian biodiesel policy, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. production is becoming increasingly regarded as an option to boost farmers' income, particularly under semi-arid conditions. Biodiesel related opportunities increase the demand for decision-making information at different levels, which could be met by simulation models. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the crop model OILCROP-SUN to simulate sunflower development and growth under Brazilian conditions and to explore sunflower water- and nitrogen-limited, water-limited and potential yield and yield variability over an array of sowing dates in the northern region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. For model calibration, an experiment was conducted in which two sunflower genotypes (H358 and E122 were cultivated in a clayey soil. Growth components (leaf area index, above ground biomass, grain yield and development stages (crop phenology were measured. A database composed of 27 sunflower experiments from five Brazilian regions was used for model evaluation. The spatial yield distribution of sunflower was mapped using ordinary kriging in ArcGIS. The model simulated sunflower grain productivity satisfactorily (Root Mean Square Error ≈ 13 %. Simulated yields were relatively high (1,750 to 4,250 kg ha-1 and the sowing window was fairly wide (Oct to Feb for northwestern locations, where sunflower could be cultivated as a second crop (double cropping at the end of the rainy season. The hybrid H358 had higher yields for all simulated sowing dates, growth conditions and selected locations.

  16. Comprehensive Approach for Monitoring and Analyzing the Activity Concentration Level of PET Isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osovizky, A.; Paran, J.; Ankry, N.; Vulasky, E.; Ashkenazi, B.; Tal, N.; Dolev, E.; Gonen, E.

    2004-01-01

    A comprehensive approach for measuring and analyzing low concentration levels of positron emitter isotopes is introduced. The solution is based on a Continuous Air Monitoring Sampler (CAMS), Stack Monitoring System (SMS) and software package. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a major tool for both, biochemical research and non-invasive diagnostics for medicine imaging. The PET method utilizes short half life β + radioisotopes that are produced in cyclotron sites built especially for this purpose. The growing need for β + isotopes brought about a commonly wide use of cyclotrons next to populated areas. Isotopes production involves two possible radiation hazards deriving from the activity concentration; one refers to the nearby population by the activity released through the ventilation system and the other refers to the personnel working in the nuclear facility. A comprehensive system providing solution for both radiation hazards is introduced in this work

  17. A comprehensive approach to managing hazardous materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donovan, A.

    1990-01-01

    An increased emphasis on the need for environmental protection indicates that engineers must now consider the disposition of unused hazardous materials as waste. Before specifying and ordering materials, the engineer must consider the impact of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) Hazard Communication Standard. Many commonly used materials such as paint, solvents, glues, and sealants fall under the requirements of these regulations. This paper presents a plant to manage hazardous materials at the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), which is managed and operated by Westinghouse Electric Corporation. The basic elements of the plan are training, hazard communication, storage and handling, tracking, and disposal. Steps to be taken to develop the plan are outlined, problems and successes are addressed, and interactions among all affected departments are identified. The benefits of an organized and comprehensive approach to managing hazardous materials are decreased worker injuries, reduction of accidental releases, minimization of waste, and compliance with federal, state, and local safety and environmental laws. In summary, the benefits of an organized program for the management of hazardous materials include compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) requirements, demonstration of Westinghouse's role as a responsible corporate entity, and reduction of waste management costs

  18. A comprehensive dynamic modeling approach for giant magnetostrictive material actuators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gu, Guo-Ying; Zhu, Li-Min; Li, Zhi; Su, Chun-Yi

    2013-01-01

    In this paper, a comprehensive modeling approach for a giant magnetostrictive material actuator (GMMA) is proposed based on the description of nonlinear electromagnetic behavior, the magnetostrictive effect and frequency response of the mechanical dynamics. It maps the relationships between current and magnetic flux at the electromagnetic part to force and displacement at the mechanical part in a lumped parameter form. Towards this modeling approach, the nonlinear hysteresis effect of the GMMA appearing only in the electrical part is separated from the linear dynamic plant in the mechanical part. Thus, a two-module dynamic model is developed to completely characterize the hysteresis nonlinearity and the dynamic behaviors of the GMMA. The first module is a static hysteresis model to describe the hysteresis nonlinearity, and the cascaded second module is a linear dynamic plant to represent the dynamic behavior. To validate the proposed dynamic model, an experimental platform is established. Then, the linear dynamic part and the nonlinear hysteresis part of the proposed model are identified in sequence. For the linear part, an approach based on axiomatic design theory is adopted. For the nonlinear part, a Prandtl–Ishlinskii model is introduced to describe the hysteresis nonlinearity and a constrained quadratic optimization method is utilized to identify its coefficients. Finally, experimental tests are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed dynamic model and the corresponding identification method. (paper)

  19. Training Inference Making Skills Using a Situation Model Approach Improves Reading Comprehension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisanne eBos

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to enhance third and fourth graders’ text comprehension at the situation model level. Therefore, we tested a reading strategy training developed to target inference making skills, which are widely considered to be pivotal to situation model construction. The training was grounded in contemporary literature on situation model-based inference making and addressed the source (text-based versus knowledge-based, type (necessary versus unnecessary for (re-establishing coherence, and depth of an inference (making single lexical inferences versus combining multiple lexical inferences, as well as the type of searching strategy (forward versus backward. Results indicated that, compared to a control group (n = 51, children who followed the experimental training (n = 67 improved their inference making skills supportive to situation model construction. Importantly, our training also resulted in increased levels of general reading comprehension and motivation. In sum, this study showed that a ‘level of text representation’-approach can provide a useful framework to teach inference making skills to third and fourth graders.

  20. Prediction of biochar yield from cattle manure pyrolysis via least squares support vector machine intelligent approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Hongliang; Xin, Ya; Yuan, Qiaoxia

    2016-02-01

    To predict conveniently the biochar yield from cattle manure pyrolysis, intelligent modeling approach was introduced in this research. A traditional artificial neural networks (ANN) model and a novel least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) model were developed. For the identification and prediction evaluation of the models, a data set with 33 experimental data was used, which were obtained using a laboratory-scale fixed bed reaction system. The results demonstrated that the intelligent modeling approach is greatly convenient and effective for the prediction of the biochar yield. In particular, the novel LS-SVM model has a more satisfying predicting performance and its robustness is better than the traditional ANN model. The introduction and application of the LS-SVM modeling method gives a successful example, which is a good reference for the modeling study of cattle manure pyrolysis process, even other similar processes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Yield Stability in Winter Wheat Production: A Survey on German Farmers’ and Advisors’ Views

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janna Macholdt

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Most of the available research studies have focused on the production of high grain yields of wheat and have neglected yield stability. However, yield stability is a relevant factor in agronomic practice and, therefore, is the focus of this comprehensive survey. The aim was to first describe the importance of yield stability as well as currently used practical management strategies that ensure yield stability in wheat production and secondly, to obtain potential research areas supporting yield stability in the complex system of agronomy. The target groups were German farmers with experience in wheat production and advisors with expertise in the field of wheat cultivation or research. A sample size of 615 completed questionnaires formed the data basis of this study. The study itself provides evidence that the yield stability of winter wheat is even more important than the amount of yield for a large proportion of farmers (48% and advisors (47%. Furthermore, in the view of the majority of the surveyed farmers and advisors, yield stability is gaining importance in climate change. Data analysis showed that site adapted cultivar choice, favorable crop rotations and integrated plant protection are ranked as three of the most important agronomic management practices to achieve high yield stability of wheat. Soil tillage and fertilization occupied a middle position, whereas sowing date and sowing density were estimated with lower importance. However, yield stability is affected by many environmental, genetic and agronomic factors, which subsequently makes it a complex matter. Hence, yield stability in farming practice must be analyzed and improved in a systems approach.

  2. Influences of nitrogen and potassium top dressing on yield and yield ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2010-05-03

    May 3, 2010 ... (K) top dressing on grain yield and yield components of rice (Oryza sativa cv. Tarrom) and to ... positive reciprocal effect on crops, and was an important approach in ..... dressing fertilization (Figures 2a, b and c), but nitrogen levels of upper fully .... (Brassica napus L.)–rice (Oryza sativa L.) rotation. Plant Soil ...

  3. A Comprehensive Review on Handcrafted and Learning-Based Action Representation Approaches for Human Activity Recognition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Allah Bux Sargano

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Human activity recognition (HAR is an important research area in the fields of human perception and computer vision due to its wide range of applications. These applications include: intelligent video surveillance, ambient assisted living, human computer interaction, human-robot interaction, entertainment, and intelligent driving. Recently, with the emergence and successful deployment of deep learning techniques for image classification, researchers have migrated from traditional handcrafting to deep learning techniques for HAR. However, handcrafted representation-based approaches are still widely used due to some bottlenecks such as computational complexity of deep learning techniques for activity recognition. However, approaches based on handcrafted representation are not able to handle complex scenarios due to their limitations and incapability; therefore, resorting to deep learning-based techniques is a natural option. This review paper presents a comprehensive survey of both handcrafted and learning-based action representations, offering comparison, analysis, and discussions on these approaches. In addition to this, the well-known public datasets available for experimentations and important applications of HAR are also presented to provide further insight into the field. This is the first review paper of its kind which presents all these aspects of HAR in a single review article with comprehensive coverage of each part. Finally, the paper is concluded with important discussions and research directions in the domain of HAR.

  4. New approach to increasing rice lodging resistance and biomass yield through the use of high gibberellin producing varieties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okuno, Ayako; Hirano, Ko; Asano, Kenji; Takase, Wakana; Masuda, Reiko; Morinaka, Yoichi; Ueguchi-Tanaka, Miyako; Kitano, Hidemi; Matsuoka, Makoto

    2014-01-01

    Traditional breeding for high-yielding rice has been dependent on the widespread use of fertilizers and the cultivation of gibberellin (GA)-deficient semi-dwarf varieties. The use of semi-dwarf plants facilitates high grain yield since these varieties possess high levels of lodging resistance, and thus could support the high grain weight. Although this approach has been successful in increasing grain yield, it is desirable to further improve grain production and also to breed for high biomass. In this study, we re-examined the effect of GA on rice lodging resistance and biomass yield using several GA-deficient mutants (e.g. having defects in the biosynthesis or perception of GA), and high-GA producing line or mutant. GA-deficient mutants displayed improved bending-type lodging resistance due to their short stature; however they showed reduced breaking-type lodging resistance and reduced total biomass. In plants producing high amounts of GA, the bending-type lodging resistance was inferior to the original cultivars. The breaking-type lodging resistance was improved due to increased lignin accumulation and/or larger culm diameters. Further, these lines had an increase in total biomass weight. These results show that the use of rice cultivars producing high levels of GA would be a novel approach to create higher lodging resistance and biomass.

  5. Effects of Comprehensive Technologies on the Improvement of Acidified Vineyard Soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Hongguo; Wang, Qiunan; Xu, Feng; Jin, Jun; Wang, Guoyu; Liu, Jianguo

    2018-01-01

    Soil acidification is an important factor that restricts the yield and quality of fruits. In this study, the comprehensive improving technologies were applied on the vineyards in which the soil pH is below 5.5. The technologies include application of soil conditioner, organic fertilizer and bacterial manure, and growth of green manure and natural grass. The results show that the comprehensive improving technologies can raise the pH of 0-15 cm soil layer by 0.5-0.8 unit and the pH of 15-30 cm soil layer by 0.3-0.6 unit. The soil bulk densities are decreased by 0.77-10.42%. The contents of organic matter, total N, available P and K in the soils are all increased. Therefore, the soil fertilities are improved. The yields of grape fruits are increased by 12.77-14.94%, and the contents of soluble solid in the grapes are raised by 7.01-9.55%, by the comprehensive measure of seaweed liquid silicon plus sheep manure plus growth of green manure. The comprehensive measure of soil conditioner Naduoli No. 1 plus bacterial manure plus natural grass increases the yields of grape by 7.67%, raises the content of soluble solid in the grape by 8.6%. But the effect of the comprehensive measure of unslaked lime plus sheep manure plus growth of green manure is not clear.

  6. A Comparative Study of the Effects of Two Approaches of Dynamic Assessment on the Reading Comprehension of Iranian EFL Learners

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jila Naeini

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine and compare the impact of two Dynamic Assessment (DA approaches, that is, Feuerstein’s Mediated Learning Experience (MLE and Brown’s Graduated Prompt (GP on Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension. Therefore, a mixed methods approach consisting of a semi-structured interview, a pretest, an intervention program, a posttest, and a transfer test was applied to assess and compare the efficacy of two DA approaches. One hundred and two EFL learners taking a General English course at Islamic Azad University were assigned to two experimental groups (MLEG and GPG and one comparison group (CG. The participants in the MLEG took part in the MLE, and the participants in the GPG participated in the GP intervention program.  The results of the qualitative as well as the aggregate and disaggregated quantitative data analyses indicated that both intervention approaches of DA were effective in enhancing the learners’ reading comprehension.

  7. A Novel Approach for Forecasting Crop Production and Yield Using Remotely Sensed Satellite Images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, R. K.; Budde, M. E.; Senay, G. B.; Rowland, J.

    2017-12-01

    Forecasting crop production in advance of crop harvest plays a significant role in drought impact management, improved food security, stabilizing food grain market prices, and poverty reduction. This becomes essential, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, where agriculture is a critical source of livelihoods, but lacks good quality agricultural statistical data. With increasing availability of low cost satellite data, faster computing power, and development of modeling algorithms, remotely sensed images are becoming a common source for deriving information for agricultural, drought, and water management. Many researchers have shown that the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), based on red and near-infrared reflectance, can be effectively used for estimating crop production and yield. Similarly, crop production and yield have been closely related to evapotranspiration (ET) also as there are strong linkages between production/yield and transpiration based on plant physiology. Thus, we combined NDVI and ET information from remotely sensed images for estimating total production and crop yield prior to crop harvest for Niger and Burkina Faso in West Africa. We identified the optimum time (dekads 23-29) for cumulating NDVI and ET and developed a new algorithm for estimating crop production and yield. We used the crop data from 2003 to 2008 to calibrate our model and the data from 2009 to 2013 for validation. Our results showed that total crop production can be estimated within 5% of actual production (R2 = 0.98) about 30-45 days before end of the harvest season. This novel approach can be operationalized to provide a valuable tool to decision makers for better drought impact management in drought-prone regions of the world.

  8. Forest Fire Management: A Comprehensive And Operational Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fabrizi, Roberto; Perez, Bruno; Gomez, Antonio

    2013-12-01

    Remote sensing plays an important role in obtaining rapid and complete information on the occurrence and evolution in space and time of forest fires. In this paper, we present a comprehensive study of fire events through Earth Observation data for early warning, crisis monitoring and post-event damage assessment or a synthesis of the fire event, both in a wide spatial range (local to regional) and temporal scale (short to long term). The fire products are stored and distributed by means of a WebGIS and a Geoportal with additional auxiliary geospatial data. These products allow fire managers to perform analysis and decision making in a more comprehensive manner.

  9. A Novel Modelling Approach for Predicting Forest Growth and Yield under Climate Change.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Irfan Ashraf

    Full Text Available Global climate is changing due to increasing anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. Forest managers need growth and yield models that can be used to predict future forest dynamics during the transition period of present-day forests under a changing climatic regime. In this study, we developed a forest growth and yield model that can be used to predict individual-tree growth under current and projected future climatic conditions. The model was constructed by integrating historical tree growth records with predictions from an ecological process-based model using neural networks. The new model predicts basal area (BA and volume growth for individual trees in pure or mixed species forests. For model development, tree-growth data under current climatic conditions were obtained using over 3000 permanent sample plots from the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. Data to reflect tree growth under a changing climatic regime were projected with JABOWA-3 (an ecological process-based model. Model validation with designated data produced model efficiencies of 0.82 and 0.89 in predicting individual-tree BA and volume growth. Model efficiency is a relative index of model performance, where 1 indicates an ideal fit, while values lower than zero means the predictions are no better than the average of the observations. Overall mean prediction error (BIAS of basal area and volume growth predictions was nominal (i.e., for BA: -0.0177 cm(2 5-year(-1 and volume: 0.0008 m(3 5-year(-1. Model variability described by root mean squared error (RMSE in basal area prediction was 40.53 cm(2 5-year(-1 and 0.0393 m(3 5-year(-1 in volume prediction. The new modelling approach has potential to reduce uncertainties in growth and yield predictions under different climate change scenarios. This novel approach provides an avenue for forest managers to generate required information for the management of forests in transitional periods of climate change. Artificial intelligence

  10. New approach to increasing rice lodging resistance and biomass yield through the use of high gibberellin producing varieties.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayako Okuno

    Full Text Available Traditional breeding for high-yielding rice has been dependent on the widespread use of fertilizers and the cultivation of gibberellin (GA-deficient semi-dwarf varieties. The use of semi-dwarf plants facilitates high grain yield since these varieties possess high levels of lodging resistance, and thus could support the high grain weight. Although this approach has been successful in increasing grain yield, it is desirable to further improve grain production and also to breed for high biomass. In this study, we re-examined the effect of GA on rice lodging resistance and biomass yield using several GA-deficient mutants (e.g. having defects in the biosynthesis or perception of GA, and high-GA producing line or mutant. GA-deficient mutants displayed improved bending-type lodging resistance due to their short stature; however they showed reduced breaking-type lodging resistance and reduced total biomass. In plants producing high amounts of GA, the bending-type lodging resistance was inferior to the original cultivars. The breaking-type lodging resistance was improved due to increased lignin accumulation and/or larger culm diameters. Further, these lines had an increase in total biomass weight. These results show that the use of rice cultivars producing high levels of GA would be a novel approach to create higher lodging resistance and biomass.

  11. The role of reading time complexity and reading speed in text comprehension

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wallot, Sebastian; O'Brien, Beth; Haussmann, Anna

    2014-01-01

    results show that recurrence metrics that quantify the degree of temporal structure in reading times yield better prediction of text comprehension compared to reading speed. However, the results for fractal metrics are less clear. Furthermore, prediction of text comprehension is generally strongest...

  12. The Effect of Screen Size on Mobile Phone User Comprehension of Health Information and Application Structure: An Experimental Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Ghamdi, Ebtisam; Yunus, Faisal; Da'ar, Omar; El-Metwally, Ashraf; Khalifa, Mohamed; Aldossari, Bakheet; Househ, Mowafa

    2016-01-01

    This research analyzes the impact of mobile phone screen size on user comprehension of health information and application structure. Applying experimental approach, we asked randomly selected users to read content and conduct tasks on a commonly used diabetes mobile application using three different mobile phone screen sizes. We timed and tracked a number of parameters, including correctness, effectiveness of completing tasks, content ease of reading, clarity of information organization, and comprehension. The impact of screen size on user comprehension/retention, clarity of information organization, and reading time were mixed. It is assumed on first glance that mobile screen size would affect all qualities of information reading and comprehension, including clarity of displayed information organization, reading time and user comprehension/retention of displayed information, but actually the screen size, in this experimental research, did not have significant impact on user comprehension/retention of the content or on understanding the application structure. However, it did have significant impact on clarity of information organization and reading time. Participants with larger screen size took shorter time reading the content with a significant difference in the ease of reading. While there was no significant difference in the comprehension of information or the application structures, there were a higher task completion rate and a lower number of errors with the bigger screen size. Screen size does not directly affect user comprehension of health information. However, it does affect clarity of information organization, reading time and user's ability to recall information.

  13. A network-based approach for semi-quantitative knowledge mining and its application to yield variability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schauberger, Bernhard; Rolinski, Susanne; Müller, Christoph

    2016-12-01

    Variability of crop yields is detrimental for food security. Under climate change its amplitude is likely to increase, thus it is essential to understand the underlying causes and mechanisms. Crop models are the primary tool to project future changes in crop yields under climate change. A systematic overview of drivers and mechanisms of crop yield variability (YV) can thus inform crop model development and facilitate improved understanding of climate change impacts on crop yields. Yet there is a vast body of literature on crop physiology and YV, which makes a prioritization of mechanisms for implementation in models challenging. Therefore this paper takes on a novel approach to systematically mine and organize existing knowledge from the literature. The aim is to identify important mechanisms lacking in models, which can help to set priorities in model improvement. We structure knowledge from the literature in a semi-quantitative network. This network consists of complex interactions between growing conditions, plant physiology and crop yield. We utilize the resulting network structure to assign relative importance to causes of YV and related plant physiological processes. As expected, our findings confirm existing knowledge, in particular on the dominant role of temperature and precipitation, but also highlight other important drivers of YV. More importantly, our method allows for identifying the relevant physiological processes that transmit variability in growing conditions to variability in yield. We can identify explicit targets for the improvement of crop models. The network can additionally guide model development by outlining complex interactions between processes and by easily retrieving quantitative information for each of the 350 interactions. We show the validity of our network method as a structured, consistent and scalable dictionary of literature. The method can easily be applied to many other research fields.

  14. An analysis of clinical reasoning through a recent and comprehensive approach: the dual-process theory

    OpenAIRE

    Pelaccia, Thierry; Tardif, Jacques; Triby, Emmanuel; Charlin, Bernard

    2011-01-01

    Context: Clinical reasoning plays a major role in the ability of doctors to make diagnoses and decisions. It is considered as the physician’s most critical competence, and has been widely studied by physicians, educationalists, psychologists and sociologists. Since the 1970s, many theories about clinical reasoning in medicine have been put forward. Purpose: This paper aims at exploring a comprehensive approach: the ‘‘dual-process theory’’, a model developed by co...

  15. Assessing Viability and Sustainability: a Systems-based Approach for Deriving Comprehensive Indicator Sets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hartmut Bossel

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Performance assessment in holistic approaches such as integrated natural resource management has to deal with a complex set of interacting and self-organizing natural and human systems and agents, all pursuing their own "interests" while also contributing to the development of the total system. Performance indicators must therefore reflect the viability of essential component systems as well as their contributions to the viability and performance of other component systems and the total system under study. A systems-based derivation of a comprehensive set of performance indicators first requires the identification of essential component systems, their mutual (often hierarchical or reciprocal relationships, and their contributions to the performance of other component systems and the total system. The second step consists of identifying the indicators that represent the viability states of the component systems and the contributions of these component systems to the performance of the total system. The search for performance indicators is guided by the realization that essential interests (orientations or orientors of systems and actors are shaped by both their characteristic functions and the fundamental and general properties of their system environments (e.g., normal environmental state, scarcity of resources, variety, variability, change, other coexisting systems. To be viable, a system must devote an essential minimum amount of attention to satisfying the "basic orientors" that respond to the properties of its environment. This fact can be used to define comprehensive and system-specific sets of performance indicators that reflect all important concerns. Often, qualitative indicators and the study of qualitative systems are sufficient for reliable performance assessments. However, this approach can also be formalized for quantitative computer-assisted assessment. Examples are presented of indicator sets for the sustainable development of

  16. Multidisciplinary and comprehensive approaches to optimal management of chronic pressure ulcers in the elderly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaul E

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Efraim Jaul Skilled Geriatric Nursing Department, Herzog Memorial Hospital, Affiliated to the Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel Abstract: The occurrence of pressure ulcers (PUs is common and poses serious problems for the frail elderly, with implications for functional disability and reduced quality of life. PUs are preventable in a majority of cases. The increase in PU occurrence, however, appears regardless of higher awareness in prevention and improvement through utilization of pressure relieving devices. Multiple changes in the elderly body systems occur over time including aging, multiple chronic conditions, and functional impairment, potentially culminating in the final pathways of geriatric syndrome, unless awareness to the development of PUs is reversible and prevented. The assumption is that the development of PUs is based on multifactorial causes (extrinsic and intrinsic factors; thus, the optimal management for elderly patients requires a comprehensive approach in all medical settings (community, hospital, and at the long term care [LTC] level. Comprehensiveness signifies looking beyond the wounds, assisting the patient through both local (wound and systemic (medical condition treatment, using a strategy of prevention and supporting quality of life. Within the multidisciplinary involvement team approach, each professional discipline contributes its own task in coordination with other disciplines to address PU prevention, assessment, and treatment. The entire medical staff and the multidisciplinary team work together and communicate frequently in order to prevent, halt at an early stage, and provide healing in a timely fashion. Limiting the formation of PUs is facilitated through early identification, treating contributing causes, eliminating all unnecessary medications, instituting supportive interventions which include the family. Understanding the relationship between the formation of PUs and the

  17. Developing a More Comprehensive SOA Governance Framework by Using a Comparative Study Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fazilat Hojaji

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Many companies have adopted Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA as an approach to improve agility and increase performance of system development.However, deploying SOA has been encountered to some challenges and problems including difficulties in designing effective decision structures and building a SOA roadmap, lack of service funding and lack of consistent governance processes. Therefore, to address SOA challenges, organizations require a comprehensive and applicable SOA governance framework to implement management and control mechanisms. Study of existing SOA governance frameworks reveals that these frameworks are not expressive enough to cover all important elements of SOA governance and also, the y have very little discussions and clarifications regarding underpinning structures such as SOA processes and activities, governance procedures and measurement metrics. In this paper, in the process of proposing a new SOA governance framework, a set of important elements for a desired SOA governance framework is proposed. Based on these elements, a more comprehensive and expressive framework is developed based on governance structure of COBIT. It focuses on covering SOA governance elements and resolving the shortcomings of the existing frameworks and can delivers an appropriate solution to help enable effective SOA governance.

  18. Developing a Comprehensive Approach Could Help DOD Better Manage National Security Risks in the Supply Chain

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-02-01

    supply chains for rare earths.20 According to Industrial Analysis Center officials, only 10 percent of surveys sent to prime contractors for 79...the Supply Chain Report to Congressional Committees February 2016 GAO-16-161 United States Government Accountability Office United...Developing a Comprehensive Approach Could Help DOD Better Manage National Security Risks in the Supply Chain Why GAO Did This Study DOD depends on

  19. Comprehensive Case Analysis on Participatory Approaches, from Nexus Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masuhara, N.; Baba, K.

    2014-12-01

    According to Messages from the Bonn2011 Conference, involving local communities fully and effectively in the planning and implementation processes related to water, energy and food nexus for local ownership and commitment should be strongly needed. The participatory approaches such as deliberative polling, "joint fact-finding" and so on have been applied so far to resolve various environmental disputes, however the drivers and barriers in such processes have not been necessarily enough analyzed in a comprehensive manner, especially in Japan. Our research aims to explore solutions for conflicts in the context of water-energy-food nexus in local communities. To achieve it, we clarify drivers and barriers of each approaches applied so far in water, energy and food policy, focusing on how to deal with scientific facts. We generate hypotheses primarily that multi-issue solutions through policy integration will be more effective for conflicts in the context of water-energy-food nexus than single issue solutions for each policy. One of the key factors to formulate effective solutions is to integrate "scientific fact (expert knowledge)" and "local knowledge". Given this primary hypothesis, more specifically, we assume that it is effective for building consensus to provide opportunities to resolve the disagreement of "framing" that stakeholders can offer experts the points for providing scientific facts and that experts can get common understanding of scientific facts in the early stage of the process. To verify the hypotheses, we develop a database of the cases which such participatory approaches have been applied so far to resolve various environmental disputes based on literature survey of journal articles and public documents of Japanese cases. At present, our database is constructing. But it's estimated that conditions of framing and providing scientific information are important driving factors for problem solving and consensus building. And it's important to refine

  20. One-Tube-Only Standardized Site-Directed Mutagenesis: An Alternative Approach to Generate Amino Acid Substitution Collections.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janire Mingo

    Full Text Available Site-directed mutagenesis (SDM is a powerful tool to create defined collections of protein variants for experimental and clinical purposes, but effectiveness is compromised when a large number of mutations is required. We present here a one-tube-only standardized SDM approach that generates comprehensive collections of amino acid substitution variants, including scanning- and single site-multiple mutations. The approach combines unified mutagenic primer design with the mixing of multiple distinct primer pairs and/or plasmid templates to increase the yield of a single inverse-PCR mutagenesis reaction. Also, a user-friendly program for automatic design of standardized primers for Ala-scanning mutagenesis is made available. Experimental results were compared with a modeling approach together with stochastic simulation data. For single site-multiple mutagenesis purposes and for simultaneous mutagenesis in different plasmid backgrounds, combination of primer sets and/or plasmid templates in a single reaction tube yielded the distinct mutations in a stochastic fashion. For scanning mutagenesis, we found that a combination of overlapping primer sets in a single PCR reaction allowed the yield of different individual mutations, although this yield did not necessarily follow a stochastic trend. Double mutants were generated when the overlap of primer pairs was below 60%. Our results illustrate that one-tube-only SDM effectively reduces the number of reactions required in large-scale mutagenesis strategies, facilitating the generation of comprehensive collections of protein variants suitable for functional analysis.

  1. Simulation of Sediment Yield in a Semi-Arid River Basin under Changing Land Use: An Integrated Approach of Hydrologic Modelling and Principal Component Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles Gyamfi

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Intensified human activities over the past decades have culminated in the prevalence of dire environmental consequences of sediment yield resulting mainly from land use changes. Understanding the role that land use changes play in the dynamics of sediment yield would greatly enhance decision-making processes related to land use and water resources management. In this study, we investigated the impacts of land use and cover changes on sediment yield dynamics through an integrated approach of hydrologic modelling and principal component analysis (PCA. A three-phase land use scenario (2000, 2007 and 2013 employing the “fix-changing” method was used to simulate the sediment yield of the Olifants Basin. Contributions in the changes in individual land uses to sediment yield were assessed using the component and pattern matrixes of PCA. Our results indicate that sediment yield dynamics in the study area is significantly attributed to the changes in agriculture, urban and forested lands. Changes in agriculture and urban lands were directly proportional to sediment yield dynamics of the Olifants Basin. On the contrary, forested areas had a negative relationship with sediment yield indicating less sediment yield from these areas. The output of this research work provides a simplistic approach of evaluating the impacts of land use changes on sediment yield. The tools and methods used are relevant for policy directions on land and water resources planning and management.

  2. NeuroVRAC--a comprehensive approach to virtual reality-based neurological assessment and treatment systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valvoda, Jakob T; Assenmacher, Ingo; Dohle, Christian; Kuhlen, Torsten; Bischof, Christian

    2003-01-01

    We describe a comprehensive software-oriented approach to virtual reality-based neuroscientific systems in order to establish an easy to use framework for neuroscientific assessment and treatment. We have defined a process model and implemented the NeuroVRAC authoring tool for design and execution of experiments in virtual environments. Our system enables the modeling of virtual world objects and the definition of events, which are used to control the experimental process. We have included the virtual test person concept to enhance the sense of presence during the execution of virtual reality-based neuroscientific experiments.

  3. Multiple flood vulnerability assessment approach based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method and coordinated development degree model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Weichao; Xu, Kui; Lian, Jijian; Bin, Lingling; Ma, Chao

    2018-05-01

    Flood is a serious challenge that increasingly affects the residents as well as policymakers. Flood vulnerability assessment is becoming gradually relevant in the world. The purpose of this study is to develop an approach to reveal the relationship between exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity for better flood vulnerability assessment, based on the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method (FCEM) and coordinated development degree model (CDDM). The approach is organized into three parts: establishment of index system, assessment of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity, and multiple flood vulnerability assessment. Hydrodynamic model and statistical data are employed for the establishment of index system; FCEM is used to evaluate exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity; and CDDM is applied to express the relationship of the three components of vulnerability. Six multiple flood vulnerability types and four levels are proposed to assess flood vulnerability from multiple perspectives. Then the approach is applied to assess the spatiality of flood vulnerability in Hainan's eastern area, China. Based on the results of multiple flood vulnerability, a decision-making process for rational allocation of limited resources is proposed and applied to the study area. The study shows that multiple flood vulnerability assessment can evaluate vulnerability more completely, and help decision makers learn more information about making decisions in a more comprehensive way. In summary, this study provides a new way for flood vulnerability assessment and disaster prevention decision. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Shotgun Approach to Increasing Enzymatic Saccharification Yields of Ammonia Fiber Expansion Pretreated Cellulosic Biomass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chundawat, Shishir P. S.; Uppugundla, Nirmal; Gao, Dahai; Curran, Paul G.; Balan, Venkatesh; Dale, Bruce E.

    2017-01-01

    Most cellulolytic enzyme blends, either procured from a commercial vendor or isolated from a single cellulolytic microbial secretome, do not efficiently hydrolyze ammonia-pretreated (e.g., ammonia fiber expansion, AFEX) lignocellulosic agricultural crop residues like corn stover to fermentable sugars. Typically reported commercial enzyme loading (30–100 mg protein/g glucan) necessary to achieve >90% total hydrolysis yield (to monosaccharides) for AFEX-treated biomass, within a short saccharification time frame (24–48 h), is economically unviable. Unlike acid-based pretreatments, AFEX retains most of the hemicelluloses in the biomass and therefore requires a more complex suite of enzymes for efficient hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose at industrially relevant high solids loadings. One strategy to reduce enzyme dosage while improving cocktail effectiveness for AFEX-treated biomass has been to use individually purified enzymes to determine optimal enzyme combinations to maximize hydrolysis yields. However, this approach is limited by the selection of heterologous enzymes available or the labor required for isolating low-abundance enzymes directly from the microbial secretomes. Here, we show that directly blending crude cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes-rich microbial secretomes can maximize specific activity on AFEX-treated biomass without having to isolate individual enzymes. Fourteen commercially available cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes were procured from leading enzyme companies (Novozymes ® , Genencor ® , and Biocatalysts ® ) and were mixed together to generate several hundred unique cocktail combinations. The mixtures were assayed for activity on AFEX-treated corn stover (AFEX-CS) using a previously established high-throughput methodology. The optimal enzyme blend combinations identified from these screening assays were enriched in various low-abundance hemicellulases and accessory enzymes typically absent in most commercial

  5. Shotgun Approach to Increasing Enzymatic Saccharification Yields of Ammonia Fiber Expansion Pretreated Cellulosic Biomass

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chundawat, Shishir P. S., E-mail: shishir.chundawat@rutgers.edu [Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers-State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ (United States); Uppugundla, Nirmal; Gao, Dahai [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (United States); Curran, Paul G. [Center for Statistical Training and Consulting (CSTAT), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (United States); Balan, Venkatesh; Dale, Bruce E. [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (United States)

    2017-05-10

    Most cellulolytic enzyme blends, either procured from a commercial vendor or isolated from a single cellulolytic microbial secretome, do not efficiently hydrolyze ammonia-pretreated (e.g., ammonia fiber expansion, AFEX) lignocellulosic agricultural crop residues like corn stover to fermentable sugars. Typically reported commercial enzyme loading (30–100 mg protein/g glucan) necessary to achieve >90% total hydrolysis yield (to monosaccharides) for AFEX-treated biomass, within a short saccharification time frame (24–48 h), is economically unviable. Unlike acid-based pretreatments, AFEX retains most of the hemicelluloses in the biomass and therefore requires a more complex suite of enzymes for efficient hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose at industrially relevant high solids loadings. One strategy to reduce enzyme dosage while improving cocktail effectiveness for AFEX-treated biomass has been to use individually purified enzymes to determine optimal enzyme combinations to maximize hydrolysis yields. However, this approach is limited by the selection of heterologous enzymes available or the labor required for isolating low-abundance enzymes directly from the microbial secretomes. Here, we show that directly blending crude cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes-rich microbial secretomes can maximize specific activity on AFEX-treated biomass without having to isolate individual enzymes. Fourteen commercially available cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes were procured from leading enzyme companies (Novozymes{sup ®}, Genencor{sup ®}, and Biocatalysts{sup ®}) and were mixed together to generate several hundred unique cocktail combinations. The mixtures were assayed for activity on AFEX-treated corn stover (AFEX-CS) using a previously established high-throughput methodology. The optimal enzyme blend combinations identified from these screening assays were enriched in various low-abundance hemicellulases and accessory enzymes typically absent in most

  6. Taking a Comprehensive Approach to Common Core Rollout

    Science.gov (United States)

    Illingworth, Amy

    2016-01-01

    One district, South Bay Union School District, devises and executes a comprehensive strategy that includes training for district staff, teachers and coaches, including using PLCs and professional development in the implementation of Common Core English language arts standards.

  7. A nonlinear dynamical system approach for the yielding behaviour of a viscoplastic material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burghelea, Teodor; Moyers-Gonzalez, Miguel; Sainudiin, Raazesh

    2017-03-08

    A nonlinear dynamical system model that approximates a microscopic Gibbs field model for the yielding of a viscoplastic material subjected to varying external stresses recently reported in R. Sainudiin, M. Moyers-Gonzalez and T. Burghelea, Soft Matter, 2015, 11(27), 5531-5545 is presented. The predictions of the model are in fair agreement with microscopic simulations and are in very good agreement with the micro-structural semi-empirical model reported in A. M. V. Putz and T. I. Burghelea, Rheol. Acta, 2009, 48, 673-689. With only two internal parameters, the nonlinear dynamical system model captures several key features of the solid-fluid transition observed in experiments: the effect of the interactions between microscopic constituents on the yield point, the abruptness of solid-fluid transition and the emergence of a hysteresis of the micro-structural states upon increasing/decreasing external forces. The scaling behaviour of the magnitude of the hysteresis with the degree of the steadiness of the flow is consistent with previous experimental observations. Finally, the practical usefulness of the approach is demonstrated by fitting a rheological data set measured with an elasto-viscoplastic material.

  8. A comprehensive approach to quality management of intensive care services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hariharan, Seetharaman; Dey, Prasanta Kumar

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive framework for improving intensive care unit performance. The study introduces a quality management framework by combining cause and effect diagram and logical framework. An intensive care unit was identified for the study on the basis of its performance. The reasons for not achieving the desired performance were identified using a cause and effect diagram with the stakeholder involvement. A logical framework was developed using information from the cause and effect diagram and a detailed project plan was developed. The improvement projects were implemented and evaluated. Stakeholders identified various intensive care unit issues. Managerial performance, organizational processes and insufficient staff were considered major issues. A logical framework was developed to plan an improvement project to resolve issues raised by clinicians and patients. Improved infrastructure, state-of-the-art equipment, well maintained facilities, IT-based communication, motivated doctors, nurses and support staff, improved patient care and improved drug availability were considered the main project outputs for improving performance. The proposed framework is currently being used as a continuous quality improvement tool, providing a planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating framework for the quality improvement measures on a sustainable basis. The combined cause and effect diagram and logical framework analysis is a novel and effective approach to improving intensive care performance. Similar approaches could be adopted in any intensive care unit. The paper focuses on a uniform model that can be applied to most intensive care units.

  9. Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis: Genes, Environment, and a Comprehensive Therapeutic Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cappa, Ryan; Theroux, Liana; Brenton, J Nicholas

    2017-10-01

    Pediatric multiple sclerosis is an increasingly recognized and studied disorder that accounts for 3% to 10% of all patients with multiple sclerosis. The risk for pediatric multiple sclerosis is thought to reflect a complex interplay between environmental and genetic risk factors. Environmental exposures, including sunlight (ultraviolet radiation, vitamin D levels), infections (Epstein-Barr virus), passive smoking, and obesity, have been identified as potential risk factors in youth. Genetic predisposition contributes to the risk of multiple sclerosis, and the major histocompatibility complex on chromosome 6 makes the single largest contribution to susceptibility to multiple sclerosis. With the use of large-scale genome-wide association studies, other non-major histocompatibility complex alleles have been identified as independent risk factors for the disease. The bridge between environment and genes likely lies in the study of epigenetic processes, which are environmentally-influenced mechanisms through which gene expression may be modified. This article will review these topics to provide a framework for discussion of a comprehensive approach to counseling and ultimately treating the pediatric patient with multiple sclerosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. An Approach to Evaluate Comprehensive Plan and Identify Priority Lands for Future Land Use Development to Conserve More Ecological Values

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Long Zhou

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Urbanization has significant impacts on the regional environmental quality through altering natural lands, converting them to urban built-up areas. One common strategy applied by urban planners to manage urbanization and preserve natural resources is to make a comprehensive plan and concentrate future land use in certain areas. However, in practice, planners used to make future land use planning mainly based on their subjective interpretations with limited ecological supporting evidence and analysis. Here, we propose a new approach composed of ecological modelling and land use zoning in the spatial matrix to evaluate the comprehensive plan and identify priority lands for sustainable land use planning. We use the city of Corvallis, OR, as the test bed to demonstrate this new approach. The results indicate that the Corvallis Comprehensive Plan 1998–2020 featured with compact development is not performing efficiently in conserving ecological values, and the land use plan featured with mixed-use spreading development generated by the proposed approach meets the city’s land demands for urban growth, and conserves 103% more ecological value of retaining storm water nitrogen, 270% more ecological value of retaining storm water phosphorus and 19% more ecological value in storing carbon in the whole watershed. This study indicates that if planned with scientific analysis and evidence, spreading urban development does not necessarily result in less sustainable urban environment than the compact development recommended in smart growth.

  11. Comprehensive benchmarking and ensemble approaches for metagenomic classifiers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McIntyre, Alexa B R; Ounit, Rachid; Afshinnekoo, Ebrahim; Prill, Robert J; Hénaff, Elizabeth; Alexander, Noah; Minot, Samuel S; Danko, David; Foox, Jonathan; Ahsanuddin, Sofia; Tighe, Scott; Hasan, Nur A; Subramanian, Poorani; Moffat, Kelly; Levy, Shawn; Lonardi, Stefano; Greenfield, Nick; Colwell, Rita R; Rosen, Gail L; Mason, Christopher E

    2017-09-21

    One of the main challenges in metagenomics is the identification of microorganisms in clinical and environmental samples. While an extensive and heterogeneous set of computational tools is available to classify microorganisms using whole-genome shotgun sequencing data, comprehensive comparisons of these methods are limited. In this study, we use the largest-to-date set of laboratory-generated and simulated controls across 846 species to evaluate the performance of 11 metagenomic classifiers. Tools were characterized on the basis of their ability to identify taxa at the genus, species, and strain levels, quantify relative abundances of taxa, and classify individual reads to the species level. Strikingly, the number of species identified by the 11 tools can differ by over three orders of magnitude on the same datasets. Various strategies can ameliorate taxonomic misclassification, including abundance filtering, ensemble approaches, and tool intersection. Nevertheless, these strategies were often insufficient to completely eliminate false positives from environmental samples, which are especially important where they concern medically relevant species. Overall, pairing tools with different classification strategies (k-mer, alignment, marker) can combine their respective advantages. This study provides positive and negative controls, titrated standards, and a guide for selecting tools for metagenomic analyses by comparing ranges of precision, accuracy, and recall. We show that proper experimental design and analysis parameters can reduce false positives, provide greater resolution of species in complex metagenomic samples, and improve the interpretation of results.

  12. Integrating multiple programme and policy approaches to hepatitis C prevention and care for injection drug users: a comprehensive approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birkhead, Guthrie S; Klein, Susan J; Candelas, Alma R; O'Connell, Daniel A; Rothman, Jeffrey R; Feldman, Ira S; Tsui, Dennis S; Cotroneo, Richard A; Flanigan, Colleen A

    2007-10-01

    New York State is home to an estimated 230,000 individuals chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and roughly 171,500 active injection drug users (IDUs). HCV/HIV co-infection is common and models of service delivery that effectively meet IDUs' needs are required. A HCV strategic plan has stressed integration. HCV prevention and care are integrated within health and human service settings, including HIV/AIDS organisations and drug treatment programmes. Other measures that support comprehensive HCV services for IDUs include reimbursement, clinical guidelines, training and HCV prevention education. Community and provider collaborations inform programme and policy development. IDUs access 5 million syringes annually through harm reduction/syringe exchange programmes (SEPs) and a statewide syringe access programme. Declines in HCV prevalence amongst IDUs in New York City coincided with improved syringe availability. New models of care successfully link IDUs at SEPs and in drug treatment to health care. Over 7000 Medicaid recipients with HCV/HIV co-infection had health care encounters related to their HCV in a 12-month period and 10,547 claims for HCV-related medications were paid. The success rate of transitional case management referrals to drug treatment is over 90%. Training and clinical guidelines promote provider knowledge about HCV and contribute to quality HCV care for IDUs. Chart reviews of 2570 patients with HIV in 2004 documented HCV status 97.4% of the time, overall, in various settings. New HCV surveillance systems are operational. Despite this progress, significant challenges remain. A comprehensive, public health approach, using multiple strategies across systems and mobilizing multiple sectors, can enhance IDUs access to HCV prevention and care. A holisitic approach with integrated services, including for HCV-HIV co-infected IDUs is needed. Leadership, collaboration and resources are essential.

  13. Implementing a cumulative supermatrix approach for a comprehensive phylogenetic study of the Teloschistales (Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gaya, Ester; Högnabba, Filip; Holguin, Ángela

    2012-01-01

    The resolution of the phylogenetic relationships within the order Teloschistales (Ascomycota, lichen-forming-fungi), with nearly 2000 known species and outstanding phenotypic diversity, has been hindered by the limitation in the resolving power that single-locus or two-locus phylogenetic studies...... – the Megalosporaceae – which is sister to the mainly rock-inhabiting, cosmopolitan, and species rich Teloschistaceae, with a diversity of growth habits ranging from crustose to fruticose. Our results confirm the use of a cumulative supermatrix approach as a viable method to generate comprehensive phylogenies...

  14. A new system for seismic yield estimation of underground explosions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murphy, J.R.

    1991-01-01

    Research conducted over the past decade has led to the development of a number of innovative procedures for estimating the yields of underground nuclear explosions based on systematic analyses of digital seismic data recorded from these tests. In addition, a wide variety of new data regarding the geophysical environments at Soviet test locations have now become available as a result of the Joint Verification Experiment (JVE) and associated data exchanges. The system described in this paper represents an attempt to integrate all these new capabilities and data into a comprehensive operational prototype which can be used to obtain optimum seismic estimates of explosion yield together with quantitative measures of the uncertainty in those estimates. The implementation of this system has involved a wide variety of technical tasks, including the development of a comprehensive seismic database and related database access software, formulation of a graphical test site information interface for accessing available information on explosion source conditions, design of an interactive seismic analyst station for use in processing the observed data to extract the required magnitude measures and the incorporation of formal statistical analysis modules for use in yield estimation and assessment

  15. Multi-approach assessment of the spatial distribution of the specific yield: application to the Crau plain aquifer, France

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seraphin, Pierre; Gonçalvès, Julio; Vallet-Coulomb, Christine; Champollion, Cédric

    2018-03-01

    Spatially distributed values of the specific yield, a fundamental parameter for transient groundwater mass balance calculations, were obtained by means of three independent methods for the Crau plain, France. In contrast to its traditional use to assess recharge based on a given specific yield, the water-table fluctuation (WTF) method, applied using major recharging events, gave a first set of reference values. Then, large infiltration processes recorded by monitored boreholes and caused by major precipitation events were interpreted in terms of specific yield by means of a one-dimensional vertical numerical model solving Richards' equations within the unsaturated zone. Finally, two gravity field campaigns, at low and high piezometric levels, were carried out to assess the groundwater mass variation and thus alternative specific yield values. The range obtained by the WTF method for this aquifer made of alluvial detrital material was 2.9- 26%, in line with the scarce data available so far. The average spatial value of specific yield by the WTF method (9.1%) is consistent with the aquifer scale value from the hydro-gravimetric approach. In this investigation, an estimate of the hitherto unknown spatial distribution of the specific yield over the Crau plain was obtained using the most reliable method (the WTF method). A groundwater mass balance calculation over the domain using this distribution yielded similar results to an independent quantification based on a stable isotope-mixing model. This agreement reinforces the relevance of such estimates, which can be used to build a more accurate transient hydrogeological model.

  16. Towards a comprehensive approach for managing transitions of older workers with hearing loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fok, Daniel; Shaw, Lynn; Jennings, Mary Beth; Cheesman, Margaret

    2009-01-01

    Demographic and legislative trends suggest that many older workers may remain at work past the traditional retirement age. This extended work trajectory poses new challenges and opportunities for workers with acquired hearing loss as they age. Workplaces require a new approach to enable transitions of older workers with hearing loss to remain safe and productive. A review of the literature on older workers, those with hearing loss, and strategies used to accommodate them suggests that individualized and piecemeal approaches are predominant. While universal design represents a fresh ideology that may help create more accessible and usable products and environments, its application to improve workplaces for older workers with hearing loss is limited. This paper proposes that occupational science be integrated with knowledge in hearing sciences, accessibility, and usability to assist with the transitions faced by older workers with hearing loss. A more comprehensive approach including the following three key components will be posited to examine the nexus of aging, hearing loss and work: (1) the use of an occupational perspective, along with concepts in hearing sciences to examine hearing demands and improve hearing access; (2) the use of contextual processes to promote physical and social change, and (3) the inclusion of Universal Design for Hearing (UDH) considerations as stakeholders develop more hearing friendly workplaces.

  17. A comprehensive iterative approach is highly effective in diagnosing individuals who are exome negative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shashi, Vandana; Schoch, Kelly; Spillmann, Rebecca; Cope, Heidi; Tan, Queenie K-G; Walley, Nicole; Pena, Loren; McConkie-Rosell, Allyn; Jiang, Yong-Hui; Stong, Nicholas; Need, Anna C; Goldstein, David B

    2018-06-15

    Sixty to seventy-five percent of individuals with rare and undiagnosed phenotypes remain undiagnosed after exome sequencing (ES). With standard ES reanalysis resolving 10-15% of the ES negatives, further approaches are necessary to maximize diagnoses in these individuals. In 38 ES negative patients an individualized genomic-phenotypic approach was employed utilizing (1) phenotyping; (2) reanalyses of FASTQ files, with innovative bioinformatics; (3) targeted molecular testing; (4) genome sequencing (GS); and (5) conferring of clinical diagnoses when pathognomonic clinical findings occurred. Certain and highly likely diagnoses were made in 18/38 (47%) individuals, including identifying two new developmental disorders. The majority of diagnoses (>70%) were due to our bioinformatics, phenotyping, and targeted testing identifying variants that were undetected or not prioritized on prior ES. GS diagnosed 3/18 individuals with structural variants not amenable to ES. Additionally, tentative diagnoses were made in 3 (8%), and in 5 individuals (13%) candidate genes were identified. Overall, diagnoses/potential leads were identified in 26/38 (68%). Our comprehensive approach to ES negatives maximizes the ES and clinical data for both diagnoses and candidate gene identification, without GS in the majority. This iterative approach is cost-effective and is pertinent to the current conundrum of ES negatives.

  18. The use of fed batch approaches to maximise yields in bacterial fermentation and protein expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McLean, A.

    2001-01-01

    A fermentation facility for the scale up of bacterial and yeast fermentations has been set up at the University of Queensland under the auspices of the ARC Special Research Centre for Functional and Applied Genomics. A major application is the production of recombinant proteins for determination of tertiary structures by X-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance. For this purpose, large amounts of protein arc needed and the yield from a single fermentation run is crucial to success within constrained laboratory budgets. To achieve maximal yields we are optimising fed batch approaches in bacterial fermentation. Fed batch offers many advantages over batch cultures. Coupled with the ability to monitor online the internal conditions of the fermentation including pH and dissolved oxygen and stirrer cascading functions it is possible to ensure that the nutritional environment of the microorganism is optimised for its growth and or for optimal protein expression. The poster will describe some of our experience in setting up fed batch fermentations and successful applications of fed batches to increasing protein yield. It will also outline services that are available to academic groups outside the University of Queensland For structure determination and functional studies, the production of radiolabelled proteins can also be an advantage. We will describe initial experiments aimed at coupling the principles of fed batch fermentation to the introduction of carbon or nitrogen isotopes into the recombinant protein

  19. Effect of application approaches of ammonium bicarbonate on yield of spring wheat and nitrogen balance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wen Xianfang; Pan Jiarong; Zheng Xingyun

    1995-01-01

    The results from 15 N-tracing experiment showed that at the same rate of nitrogen application, the nitrogen utilization ammonium bicarbonate was 33.50%, 32.30% and 23.19% respectively and the nitrogen loss rate of ammonium bicarbonate was 22.12%, 26.93% and 45.32% respectively for fertilizer mixed thoroughly with soil before sowing, buried into soil and spread on the surface of soil at both joining stage (1/2N) and booting stage (1/2N) of spring wheat. The nitrogen utilization of ammonium bicarbonate for top-application at both joining (1/2N) and booting stage (1/2N) was significantly lower but nitrogen loss rate was significantly higher than that of either thorough incorporation with soil or deep application at joining and booting stages. Between the latter treatments there was no significantly difference observed. There was no significant difference in biomass and grain yield of spring wheat between the former treatment and either of the latter treatments, indicating that buried into soil or mixed with soil thoroughly as a basal fertilizer was an available approach to increase the nitrogen availability of ammonium bicarbonate and crop yield. It was also shown that no significant difference in biomass and grain yield of spring wheat between deep application of ammonium bicarbonate and top-application of urea at the same rate of N application

  20. New approach for regional crop yield gap analysis in the Borujen ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    enoh

    2012-03-20

    Mar 20, 2012 ... for model calibration and evaluation of WOFOST as a crop growth ... In general, simulated results matched well with the measured ... regional-scale yield prediction and assessment (Jagtap ... the benchmark value and most of the variation in yield ... The model simulates daily crop growth rate, based on.

  1. A Comprehensive Approach to Evaluating Hazards of Microplastics in the Marine Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noble, A. E.; Lewis, A. S.; Butler, C. H.; Lunsman, T. D.; Verslycke, T.

    2016-02-01

    Plastic debris in the environment is a growing global concern, and the past decade has brought particular attention to a small size range of plastic debris, often referred to as microplastics. The potential environmental effects of microplastics are complex and, as yet, poorly understood. Emerging research suggests that specific plastic types pose environmental risks primarily via indirect toxicity caused by hazardous compounds associated with microplastics (e.g., monomers, additives, and sorbed environmental pollutants). However, our understanding of the physicochemical properties that determine the environmental fate and toxicity of microplastics is limited. Some recent regulatory initiatives have been broad, seeking to regulate all solid synthetic polymers ≤5 mm despite the lack of a sound technical basis for using solely a size-based cutoff. Such broad regulation of all solid synthetic polymers may actually discourage the use and innovation of less hazardous synthetic polymers and "greener" substitutes. We propose a polymer-specific approach to evaluating potential hazards of microplastics, informed by the state of the science and current research needs. This approach relies on identifying focused tests and analyses to set criteria for determining the degree to which a solid synthetic polymer is likely to pose environmental risk. Important considerations include degradation, sorptive capacity, and monomer/additive content. Our approach is a first step toward a more comprehensive way to evaluate the environmental hazards and risks of microplastics. Our goals are to develop clearer criteria to assess future solid synthetic polymers of unknown concern, inform microplastics regulation, and drive innovation of greener solutions to this global concern.

  2. Miles-Ezzell's WACC Approach Yields Arbitrage

    OpenAIRE

    Löffler, Andreas

    2002-01-01

    A simple counterexample shows the the widely used WACC approach to value leverage firms developed by Miles and Ezzell can create an arbitrage opportunity. The only consequence to be drawn is that their WACC approach cannot be applied under the circumstances assumed by Miles and Ezzell. We show how the WACC has to be modified in order to obtain proper results. We develop a theory in continuous as well as discrete time. In discrete time it turns out that with a further assumption on the cash fl...

  3. Seeing the whole picture: A comprehensive imaging approach to functional mapping of circuits in behaving zebrafish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feierstein, C E; Portugues, R; Orger, M B

    2015-06-18

    In recent years, the zebrafish has emerged as an appealing model system to tackle questions relating to the neural circuit basis of behavior. This can be attributed not just to the growing use of genetically tractable model organisms, but also in large part to the rapid advances in optical techniques for neuroscience, which are ideally suited for application to the small, transparent brain of the larval fish. Many characteristic features of vertebrate brains, from gross anatomy down to particular circuit motifs and cell-types, as well as conserved behaviors, can be found in zebrafish even just a few days post fertilization, and, at this early stage, the physical size of the brain makes it possible to analyze neural activity in a comprehensive fashion. In a recent study, we used a systematic and unbiased imaging method to record the pattern of activity dynamics throughout the whole brain of larval zebrafish during a simple visual behavior, the optokinetic response (OKR). This approach revealed the broadly distributed network of neurons that were active during the behavior and provided insights into the fine-scale functional architecture in the brain, inter-individual variability, and the spatial distribution of behaviorally relevant signals. Combined with mapping anatomical and functional connectivity, targeted electrophysiological recordings, and genetic labeling of specific populations, this comprehensive approach in zebrafish provides an unparalleled opportunity to study complete circuits in a behaving vertebrate animal. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. NIF total neutron yield diagnostic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cooper, Gary W.; Ruiz, Carlos L.

    2001-01-01

    We have designed a total neutron yield diagnostic for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) which is based on the activation of In and Cu samples. The particular approach that we have chosen is one in which we calibrate the entire counting system and which we call the ''F factor'' method. In this method, In and/or Cu samples are exposed to known sources of DD and DT neutrons. The activated samples are then counted with an appropriate system: a high purity Ge detector for In and a NaI coincidence system for Cu. We can then calculate a calibration factor, which relates measured activity to total neutron yield. The advantage of this approach is that specific knowledge of such quantities as cross sections and detector efficiencies is not needed. Unless the actual scattering environment of the NIF can be mocked up in the calibration experiment, the F factor will have to be modified using the results of a numerical simulation of the NIF scattering environment. In this article, the calibration factor methodology will be discussed and experimental results for the calibration factors will be presented. Total NIF neutron yields of 10 9 --10 19 can be measured with this method assuming a 50 cm stand-off distance can be employed for the lower yields

  5. The Impact on Anxiety and Depression of a Whole School Approach to Health Promotion: Evidence from a Canadian Comprehensive School Health (CSH) Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dassanayake, Wijaya; Springett, Jane; Shewring, Tania

    2017-01-01

    In this paper, we examine the impact of adopting a comprehensive school health (CSH) approach on reducing anxiety and depression of school-age children. We use the data from 245 schools that received government funding support to adopt a CSH approach in order to build health promoting school environments in Alberta. Using a linear multi-level…

  6. A generalized approach to wheat yield forecasting using earth observations: Data considerations, application and relevance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becker-Reshef, Inbal

    In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the demand for timely, comprehensive global agricultural intelligence. The issue of food security has rapidly risen to the top of government agendas around the world as the recent lack of food access led to unprecedented food prices, hunger, poverty, and civil conflict. Timely information on global crop production is indispensable for combating the growing stress on the world's crop production, for stabilizing food prices, developing effective agricultural policies, and for coordinating responses to regional food shortages. Earth Observations (EO) data offer a practical means for generating such information as they provide global, timely, cost-effective, and synoptic information on crop condition and distribution. Their utility for crop production forecasting has long been recognized and demonstrated across a wide range of scales and geographic regions. Nevertheless it is widely acknowledged that EO data could be better utilized within the operational monitoring systems and thus there is a critical need for research focused on developing practical robust methods for agricultural monitoring. Within this context this dissertation focused on advancing EO-based methods for crop yield forecasting and on demonstrating the potential relevance for adopting EO-based crop forecasts for providing timely reliable agricultural intelligence. This thesis made contributions to this field by developing and testing a robust EO-based method for wheat production forecasting at state to national scales using available and easily accessible data. The model was developed in Kansas (KS) using coarse resolution normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time series data in conjunction with out-of-season wheat masks and was directly applied in Ukraine to assess its transferability. The model estimated yields within 7% in KS and 10% in Ukraine of final estimates 6 weeks prior to harvest. The relevance of adopting such methods to

  7. Comprehension Strategy Gloves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newman, Gayle

    2002-01-01

    Describes the idea of creating a glove for each of the comprehension strategies for use with different text structures. Notes that the gloves serve as a multisensory approach by providing visual clues through icons on each finger and the palm. Discusses three different gloves: the prereading glove, the narrative text structure glove, and the…

  8. Review of yield gap explaining factors and opportunities for alternative data collection approaches

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beza, E.A.; Vasco Silva, João; Kooistra, Lammert; Reidsma, Pytrik

    2017-01-01

    Yield gap analysis is gaining increased scientific attention, as estimating and explaining yield gaps shows the potential for sustainable intensification of agricultural systems. Explaining yield gaps requires detailed information about the biophysical environment, crop management as well as

  9. Comprehensive evaluation of coal-fired power plants based on grey relational analysis and analytic hierarchy process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu Gang, E-mail: xg2008@ncepu.edu.c [Key Lab of Condition Monitoring and Control for Power Plant Equipment of Ministry of Education, School of Energy Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206 (China); Yang Yongping, E-mail: yyp@ncepu.edu.c [Key Lab of Condition Monitoring and Control for Power Plant Equipment of Ministry of Education, School of Energy Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206 (China); Lu Shiyuan; Li Le [Key Lab of Condition Monitoring and Control for Power Plant Equipment of Ministry of Education, School of Energy Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206 (China); Song Xiaona [Electromechanical Practice Center, Beijing Information Science and Technology University, Beijing (China)

    2011-05-15

    In China, coal-fired power plants are the main supplier of electricity, as well as the largest consumer of coal and water resources and the biggest emitter of SO{sub x}, NO{sub x}, and greenhouse gases (GHGs). Therefore, it is important to establish a scientific, reasonable, and feasible comprehensive evaluation system for coal-fired power plants to guide them in achieving multi-optimisation of their thermal, environmental, and economic performance. This paper proposes a novel comprehensive evaluation method, which is based on a combination of the grey relational analysis (GRA) and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), to assess the multi-objective performance of power plants. Unlike the traditional evaluation method that uses coal consumption as a basic indicator, the proposed evaluation method also takes water consumption and pollutant emissions as indicators. On the basis of the proposed evaluation method, a case study on typical 600 MW coal-fired power plants is carried out to determine the relevancy rules among factors including the coal consumption, water consumption, pollutant, and GHG emissions of power plants. This research offers new ideas and methods for the comprehensive performance evaluation of complex energy utilisation systems, and is beneficial to the synthesised consideration of resources, economy, and environment factors in system optimising and policy making. - Research highlights: {yields} We proposed a comprehensive evaluation method for coal-fired power plants. {yields} The method is based on the grey relational analysis (GRA). {yields} The method also introduces the idea of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). {yields} The method can assess thermal, economic and environmental performance. {yields} The method can play an active role in guiding power plants' improvements.

  10. Methane Yield Database: Online infrastructure and bioresource for methane yield data and related metadata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murovec, Boštjan; Kolbl, Sabina; Stres, Blaž

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to develop and validate a community supported online infrastructure and bioresource for methane yield data and accompanying metadata collected from published literature. In total, 1164 entries described by 15,749 data points were assembled. Analysis of data collection showed little congruence in reporting of methodological approaches. The largest identifiable source of variation in reported methane yields was represented by authorship (i.e. substrate batches within particular substrate class) within which experimental scales (volumes (0.02-5l), incubation temperature (34-40 °C) and % VS of substrate played an important role (p 63%). This calls for reconsideration of accepted approaches to reporting data in currently published literature to increase capacity to service industrial decision making to a greater extent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. A Media Literacy Education Approach to Teaching Adolescents Comprehensive Sexual Health Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scull, Tracy Marie; Malik, Christina V.; Kupersmidt, Janis Beth

    2014-01-01

    As states are moving toward comprehensive sexual health education, educators require engaging and effective curricula. This pre-post study (N = 64) examined the feasibility of a comprehensive, media literacy education program for influencing adolescents' sexual health and media literacy outcomes. After the program, participants were more likely to…

  12. Modeling the impacts of climate change and technical progress on the wheat yield in inland China: An autoregressive distributed lag approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhai, Shiyan; Song, Genxin; Qin, Yaochen; Ye, Xinyue; Lee, Jay

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to evaluate the impacts of climate change and technical progress on the wheat yield per unit area from 1970 to 2014 in Henan, the largest agricultural province in China, using an autoregressive distributed lag approach. The bounded F-test for cointegration among the model variables yielded evidence of a long-run relationship among climate change, technical progress, and the wheat yield per unit area. In the long run, agricultural machinery and fertilizer use both had significantly positive impacts on the per unit area wheat yield. A 1% increase in the aggregate quantity of fertilizer use increased the wheat yield by 0.19%. Additionally, a 1% increase in machine use increased the wheat yield by 0.21%. In contrast, precipitation during the wheat growth period (from emergence to maturity, consisting of the period from last October to June) led to a decrease in the wheat yield per unit area. In the short run, the coefficient of the aggregate quantity of fertilizer used was negative. Land size had a significantly positive impact on the per unit area wheat yield in the short run. There was no significant short-run or long-run impact of temperature on the wheat yield per unit area in Henan Province. The results of our analysis suggest that climate change had a weak impact on the wheat yield, while technical progress played an important role in increasing the wheat yield per unit area. The results of this study have implications for national and local agriculture policies under climate change. To design well-targeted agriculture adaptation policies for the future and to reduce the adverse effects of climate change on the wheat yield, climate change and technical progress factors should be considered simultaneously. In addition, adaptive measures associated with technical progress should be given more attention.

  13. Modeling the impacts of climate change and technical progress on the wheat yield in inland China: An autoregressive distributed lag approach.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shiyan Zhai

    Full Text Available This study aims to evaluate the impacts of climate change and technical progress on the wheat yield per unit area from 1970 to 2014 in Henan, the largest agricultural province in China, using an autoregressive distributed lag approach. The bounded F-test for cointegration among the model variables yielded evidence of a long-run relationship among climate change, technical progress, and the wheat yield per unit area. In the long run, agricultural machinery and fertilizer use both had significantly positive impacts on the per unit area wheat yield. A 1% increase in the aggregate quantity of fertilizer use increased the wheat yield by 0.19%. Additionally, a 1% increase in machine use increased the wheat yield by 0.21%. In contrast, precipitation during the wheat growth period (from emergence to maturity, consisting of the period from last October to June led to a decrease in the wheat yield per unit area. In the short run, the coefficient of the aggregate quantity of fertilizer used was negative. Land size had a significantly positive impact on the per unit area wheat yield in the short run. There was no significant short-run or long-run impact of temperature on the wheat yield per unit area in Henan Province. The results of our analysis suggest that climate change had a weak impact on the wheat yield, while technical progress played an important role in increasing the wheat yield per unit area. The results of this study have implications for national and local agriculture policies under climate change. To design well-targeted agriculture adaptation policies for the future and to reduce the adverse effects of climate change on the wheat yield, climate change and technical progress factors should be considered simultaneously. In addition, adaptive measures associated with technical progress should be given more attention.

  14. Self and External Monitoring of Reading Comprehension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiu, Ling-po; Chen, Qishan

    2013-01-01

    The present study compared the effectiveness of 2 approaches to remedy the inaccuracy of self-monitoring of reading comprehension. The first approach attempts to enhance self-monitoring by strengthening the cues utilized in monitoring. The second approach replaces self-monitoring with external regulation based on objective evaluative information.…

  15. A comprehensive WSN-based approach to efficiently manage a Smart Grid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez-Sandoval, Ruben; Garcia-Sanchez, Antonio-Javier; Garcia-Sanchez, Felipe; Garcia-Haro, Joan; Flynn, David

    2014-10-10

    The Smart Grid (SG) is conceived as the evolution of the current electrical grid representing a big leap in terms of efficiency, reliability and flexibility compared to today's electrical network. To achieve this goal, the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are considered by the scientific/engineering community to be one of the most suitable technologies to apply SG technology to due to their low-cost, collaborative and long-standing nature. However, the SG has posed significant challenges to utility operators-mainly very harsh radio propagation conditions and the lack of appropriate systems to empower WSN devices-making most of the commercial widespread solutions inadequate. In this context, and as a main contribution, we have designed a comprehensive ad-hoc WSN-based solution for the Smart Grid (SENSED-SG) that focuses on specific implementations of the MAC, the network and the application layers to attain maximum performance and to successfully deal with any arising hurdles. Our approach has been exhaustively evaluated by computer simulations and mathematical analysis, as well as validation within real test-beds deployed in controlled environments. In particular, these test-beds cover two of the main scenarios found in a SG; on one hand, an indoor electrical substation environment, implemented in a High Voltage AC/DC laboratory, and, on the other hand, an outdoor case, deployed in the Transmission and Distribution segment of a power grid. The results obtained show that SENSED-SG performs better and is more suitable for the Smart Grid than the popular ZigBee WSN approach.

  16. Measuring the immune system: a comprehensive approach for the analysis of immune functions in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claus, Maren; Dychus, Nicole; Ebel, Melanie; Damaschke, Jürgen; Maydych, Viktoriya; Wolf, Oliver T; Kleinsorge, Thomas; Watzl, Carsten

    2016-10-01

    The immune system is essential to provide protection from infections and cancer. Disturbances in immune function can therefore directly affect the health of the affected individual. Many extrinsic and intrinsic factors such as exposure to chemicals, stress, nutrition and age have been reported to influence the immune system. These influences can affect various components of the immune system, and we are just beginning to understand the causalities of these changes. To investigate such disturbances, it is therefore essential to analyze the different components of the immune system in a comprehensive fashion. Here, we demonstrate such an approach which provides information about total number of leukocytes, detailed quantitative and qualitative changes in the composition of lymphocyte subsets, cytokine levels in serum and functional properties of T cells, NK cells and monocytes. Using samples from a cohort of 24 healthy volunteers, we demonstrate the feasibility of our approach to detect changes in immune functions.

  17. Dichotic listening performance predicts language comprehension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asbjørnsen, Arve E; Helland, Turid

    2006-05-01

    Dichotic listening performance is considered a reliable and valid procedure for the assessment of language lateralisation in the brain. However, the documentation of a relationship between language functions and dichotic listening performance is sparse, although it is accepted that dichotic listening measures language perception. In particular, language comprehension should show close correspondence to perception of language stimuli. In the present study, we tested samples of reading-impaired and normally achieving children between 10 and 13 years of age with tests of reading skills, language comprehension, and dichotic listening to consonant-vowel (CV) syllables. A high correlation between the language scores and the dichotic listening performance was expected. However, since the left ear score is believed to be an error when assessing language laterality, covariation was expected for the right ear scores only. In addition, directing attention to one ear input was believed to reduce the influence of random factors, and thus show a more concise estimate of left hemisphere language capacity. Thus, a stronger correlation between language comprehension skills and the dichotic listening performance when attending to the right ear was expected. The analyses yielded a positive correlation between the right ear score in DL and language comprehension, an effect that was stronger when attending to the right ear. The present results confirm the assumption that dichotic listening with CV syllables measures an aspect of language perception and language skills that is related to general language comprehension.

  18. Assessing Weather-Yield Relationships in Rice at Local Scale Using Data Mining Approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delerce, Sylvain; Dorado, Hugo; Grillon, Alexandre; Rebolledo, Maria Camila; Prager, Steven D; Patiño, Victor Hugo; Garcés Varón, Gabriel; Jiménez, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    Seasonal and inter-annual climate variability have become important issues for farmers, and climate change has been shown to increase them. Simultaneously farmers and agricultural organizations are increasingly collecting observational data about in situ crop performance. Agriculture thus needs new tools to cope with changing environmental conditions and to take advantage of these data. Data mining techniques make it possible to extract embedded knowledge associated with farmer experiences from these large observational datasets in order to identify best practices for adapting to climate variability. We introduce new approaches through a case study on irrigated and rainfed rice in Colombia. Preexisting observational datasets of commercial harvest records were combined with in situ daily weather series. Using Conditional Inference Forest and clustering techniques, we assessed the relationships between climatic factors and crop yield variability at the local scale for specific cultivars and growth stages. The analysis showed clear relationships in the various location-cultivar combinations, with climatic factors explaining 6 to 46% of spatiotemporal variability in yield, and with crop responses to weather being non-linear and cultivar-specific. Climatic factors affected cultivars differently during each stage of development. For instance, one cultivar was affected by high nighttime temperatures in the reproductive stage but responded positively to accumulated solar radiation during the ripening stage. Another was affected by high nighttime temperatures during both the vegetative and reproductive stages. Clustering of the weather patterns corresponding to individual cropping events revealed different groups of weather patterns for irrigated and rainfed systems with contrasting yield levels. Best-suited cultivars were identified for some weather patterns, making weather-site-specific recommendations possible. This study illustrates the potential of data mining for

  19. Assessing Weather-Yield Relationships in Rice at Local Scale Using Data Mining Approaches.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sylvain Delerce

    Full Text Available Seasonal and inter-annual climate variability have become important issues for farmers, and climate change has been shown to increase them. Simultaneously farmers and agricultural organizations are increasingly collecting observational data about in situ crop performance. Agriculture thus needs new tools to cope with changing environmental conditions and to take advantage of these data. Data mining techniques make it possible to extract embedded knowledge associated with farmer experiences from these large observational datasets in order to identify best practices for adapting to climate variability. We introduce new approaches through a case study on irrigated and rainfed rice in Colombia. Preexisting observational datasets of commercial harvest records were combined with in situ daily weather series. Using Conditional Inference Forest and clustering techniques, we assessed the relationships between climatic factors and crop yield variability at the local scale for specific cultivars and growth stages. The analysis showed clear relationships in the various location-cultivar combinations, with climatic factors explaining 6 to 46% of spatiotemporal variability in yield, and with crop responses to weather being non-linear and cultivar-specific. Climatic factors affected cultivars differently during each stage of development. For instance, one cultivar was affected by high nighttime temperatures in the reproductive stage but responded positively to accumulated solar radiation during the ripening stage. Another was affected by high nighttime temperatures during both the vegetative and reproductive stages. Clustering of the weather patterns corresponding to individual cropping events revealed different groups of weather patterns for irrigated and rainfed systems with contrasting yield levels. Best-suited cultivars were identified for some weather patterns, making weather-site-specific recommendations possible. This study illustrates the potential of

  20. Climate-induced yield variability and yield gaps of maize (Zea mays L.) in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kassie, B.T.; Ittersum, van M.K.; Hengsdijk, H.; Asseng, S.; Wolf, J.; Rotter, R.P.

    2014-01-01

    There is a high demand for quantitative information on impacts of climate on crop yields, yield gaps and their variability in Ethiopia, yet, quantitative studies that include an indication of uncertainties in the estimates are rare. A multi-model crop growth simulation approach using the two crop

  1. Comprehensive techno-economic analysis of wastewater-based algal biofuel production: A case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xin, Chunhua; Addy, Min M; Zhao, Jinyu; Cheng, Yanling; Cheng, Sibo; Mu, Dongyan; Liu, Yuhuan; Ding, Rijia; Chen, Paul; Ruan, Roger

    2016-07-01

    Combining algae cultivation and wastewater treatment for biofuel production is considered the feasible way for resource utilization. An updated comprehensive techno-economic analysis method that integrates resources availability into techno-economic analysis was employed to evaluate the wastewater-based algal biofuel production with the consideration of wastewater treatment improvement, greenhouse gases emissions, biofuel production costs, and coproduct utilization. An innovative approach consisting of microalgae cultivation on centrate wastewater, microalgae harvest through flocculation, solar drying of biomass, pyrolysis of biomass to bio-oil, and utilization of co-products, was analyzed and shown to yield profound positive results in comparison with others. The estimated break even selling price of biofuel ($2.23/gallon) is very close to the acceptable level. The approach would have better overall benefits and the internal rate of return would increase up to 18.7% if three critical components, namely cultivation, harvest, and downstream conversion could achieve breakthroughs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Yield surface evolution for columnar ice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Zhiwei; Ma, Wei; Zhang, Shujuan; Mu, Yanhu; Zhao, Shunpin; Li, Guoyu

    A series of triaxial compression tests, which has capable of measuring the volumetric strain of the sample, were conducted on columnar ice. A new testing approach of probing the experimental yield surface was performed from a single sample in order to investigate yield and hardening behaviors of the columnar ice under complex stress states. Based on the characteristic of the volumetric strain, a new method of defined the multiaxial yield strengths of the columnar ice is proposed. The experimental yield surface remains elliptical shape in the stress space of effective stress versus mean stress. The effect of temperature, loading rate and loading path in the initial yield surface and deformation properties of the columnar ice were also studied. Subsequent yield surfaces of the columnar ice have been explored by using uniaxial and hydrostatic paths. The evolution of the subsequent yield surface exhibits significant path-dependent characteristics. The multiaxial hardening law of the columnar ice was established experimentally. A phenomenological yield criterion was presented for multiaxial yield and hardening behaviors of the columnar ice. The comparisons between the theoretical and measured results indicate that this current model is capable of giving a reasonable prediction for the multiaxial yield and post-yield properties of the columnar ice subjected to different temperature, loading rate and path conditions.

  3. Facilitating programming comprehension for novice learners with multimedia approach: A preliminary investigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annamalai, Subashini; Salam, Sobihatun Nur Abdul

    2017-10-01

    This research paper presents the preliminary investigation on the use of an interactive multimedia courseware named MAFPro, to facilitate C Programming lessons for novice learners. The courseware utilizes the elements of multimedia that focus on enhancing learners' programming comprehension. Among the aspects that were examined were the students' programming comprehension and their perceived motivation of MAFPro. This study was carried out in a survey design method with the participation of 30 undergraduates who are novice learners. The data analysis indicates that the multimedia courseware, MAFPro that has been used in the C programming classroom has a significant difference on the undergraduates' programming comprehension. The students also perceived MAFPro as motivating and engaging.

  4. A comprehensive approach in high-grade glioma management: position statement from the Neuro-Oncology Scientific Club (NOSC), Shiraz, Iran

    OpenAIRE

    Ansari, Mansour; Mosalaei, Ahmad; Ahmadloo, Niloufar; Rasekhi, Alireza; Geramizadeh, Bita; Razmkon, Ali; Anvari, Kazem; Afarid, Mohammad; Dadras, Ali; Nafarieh, Leila; Mohammadianpanah, Mohammad; Nasrolahi, Hamid; Hamedi, Seyed Hasan; Omidvari, Shapour; Nami, Mohammad

    2017-01-01

    Establishing a robust teamwork model in the practice of neuro-oncology requires continued interdisciplinary efforts. The Neuro-Oncology Scientific Club (NOSC) initiative is an interdisciplinary clinical forum promoting the comprehensive approach across involved disciplines in the management of central nervous system (CNS) malignancies. With its provincial founding panels and national steering board, NOSC has been operational in Iran since 2011. This initiative has pursued its mission through ...

  5. Comprehensive Approach to Heart Failure: an Urgent Need

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanier Coll Muñoz

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Heart failure leads to the activation of a neurohormonal response that interacts with the hemodynamic changes, which are joined by functional and structural myocardial abnormalities, that may exist. This paper addresses the role of the renin-angiotensin system in the pathophysiology of heart failure and the use of non-invasive complementary methods that provide additional information necessary for the assessment and comprehensive management of patients, without losing the essential connection between the doctor and the patient.

  6. Comprehensive assessment of energy systems: approach and current results of the Swiss activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirschberg, S.; Dones, R.; Kypreos, S.

    1994-01-01

    This paper provides an overview of the approaches used and results obtained to this date within the Swiss Project GaBE on ''Comprehensive Assessment of Energy Systems''. Based on the ''cradle to grave'' approach detailed environmental inventories for major fuel cycles have been generated. In comparison to earlier studies a very broad spectrum of resources and air and water pollutants has been covered. Also non-energetic resources such as land depreciation have been considered. Numerous examples of evaluations are provided in the paper, including comparisons of greenhouse gas emissions, land use, radiation and wastes, and illustrating the impact of consideration of full energy chains. In the part concerning severe accidents some evaluations based on the database established as the Paul Scherrer Institute are presented as well as the estimated contribution of hypothetical severe accidents to the external costs associated with a specific Swiss nuclear power plant. Results of applications of the large scale energy-economy model MARKAL to the Swiss energy system and greenhouse gas scenarios are described. This includes cost-optimal contributions of different technologies to reduce CO 2 emissions, and trade-offs on the national and international level. Finally, the content of other GaBE activities either being in progress or planned is provided. (orig.)

  7. Comprehensive Measurement of Neutron Yield Produced by 62 MeV Protons on Beryllium Target

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osipenko, M.; Ripani, M.; Ricco, G.; Alba, R.; Schillaci, M.; Cosentino, L.; Del Zoppo, A.; Di Pietro, A.; Figuera, P.; Finocchiaro, P.; Maiolino, C.; Santonocito, D.; Scuderi, V.; Barbagallo, M.; Colonna, N.; Boccaccio, P.; Esposito, J.; Celentano, A.; Viberti, C.M.; Kostyukov, A.

    2013-06-01

    A low-power prototype of neutron amplifier, based on a 70 MeV, high current proton cyclotron being installed at LNL for the SPES RIB facility, was recently proposed within INFN-E project. This prototype uses a thick Beryllium converter to produce a fast neutron spectrum feeding a sub-critical reactor core. To complete the design of such facility the new measurement of neutron yield from a thick Beryllium target was performed at LNS. This measurement used liquid scintillator detectors to identify produced neutrons by Pulse Shape Discrimination and Time of Flight technique to measure neutron energy in the range 0.5-62 MeV. To extend the covered neutron energy range 3 He detector was used to measure neutrons below 0.5 MeV. The obtained yields were normalized to the charge deposited by the proton beam on the metallic Beryllium target. These techniques allowed to achieve a wide angular coverage from 0 to 150 degrees and to explore almost complete neutron energy interval. (authors)

  8. Examining the role of interrogative suggestibility in Miranda rights comprehension in adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McLachlan, Kaitlyn; Roesch, Ronald; Douglas, Kevin S

    2011-06-01

    This study aimed to further clarify the association between interrogative suggestibility and Miranda rights comprehension in adolescents; in particular, we examined whether intellectual ability (IQ) serves as a mediator of this relationship. Participants completed Grisso's Miranda Instruments, the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, and the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale. Many youth demonstrated poor comprehension of their rights, particularly younger and less intellectually capable adolescents. Both yield and shift components of interrogative suggestibility were inversely related to rights comprehension; however, IQ fully mediated these relationships. Neither demographic variables (gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status after controlling for IQ, and English as a second language (ESL) status) nor previous police experience were significantly associated with rights comprehension in the present sample. The implications of these findings are discussed.

  9. Strategy-based listening and pragmatic comprehension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Corsetti, Cristiane Ruzicki

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This article addresses the role of strategy-based listening as an alternative methodological approach to develop pragmatic comprehension in L2 contexts. Pragmatic comprehension refers to the understanding of speech acts and conversational implicatures. Listening comprehension comprises both bottom-up and top-down processes. Strategy-based listening encompasses the activation of pragmatic knowledge through pre-listening activities and the development of specific listening micro-skills. An empirical project which included a classroom project carried out with a group of eight learners preparing for the IELTS examination in 2009 corroborated the following assumptions: in order to achieve listening proficiency, learners need practice in making inferences as semantic and pragmatic inferences are embedded in verbal communication; semantic and pragmatic aspects affecting the meaning of utterances can be highlighted via comprehension activities focusing on specific listening subskills. The results of the classroom project suggested that strategy-based listening is potentially capable of directly enhancing pragmatic comprehension but were inconclusive with regards to pragmatic production

  10. Impact Of Using Joint Productive Activity Approach On Second Language Learners’ Performance In Reading Comprehension At The Basic Education Level In Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HANNA ONYI YUSUF

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the impact of using joint productive activity on the performance of second language learners in reading comprehension at the basic education level in Nigeria. A sample of forty (40 Junior Secondary II students from Kaduna North and South were used for the study. The study was quasi experimental. Government Junior Secondary School Doka was used as the experimental group while Government Junior Secondary School Makera was used as the control group. Both groups were assessed after six weeks of teaching using two reading comprehension tests. T-test was used to test the hypothesis raised in the study. The findings revealed significant differences in the performance of students taught reading comprehension using joint productive activity. Based on the findings teachers are encouraged to use joint productive activities in teaching reading comprehension. This is a positive deviation from the traditional practice in Nigeria where a teacher is regarded as the sole custodian of knowledge and students are empty tabula rasa who should be passive during class teaching. Teachers need to exploit this new approach by designing teaching comprehension activities that will require second language learners’ collaboration and active participation in accomplishing tasks jointly in class with the teacher.

  11. A Fast Track approach to deal with the temporal dimension of crop water footprint

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuninetti, Marta; Tamea, Stefania; Laio, Francesco; Ridolfi, Luca

    2017-07-01

    Population growth, socio-economic development and climate changes are placing increasing pressure on water resources. Crop water footprint is a key indicator in the quantification of such pressure. It is determined by crop evapotranspiration and crop yield, which can be highly variable in space and time. While the spatial variability of crop water footprint has been the objective of several investigations, the temporal variability remains poorly studied. In particular, some studies approached this issue by associating the time variability of crop water footprint only to yield changes, while considering evapotranspiration patterns as marginal. Validation of this Fast Track approach has yet to be provided. In this Letter we demonstrate its feasibility through a comprehensive validation, an assessment of its uncertainty, and an example of application. Our results show that the water footprint changes are mainly driven by yield trends, while evapotranspiration plays a minor role. The error due to considering constant evapotranspiration is three times smaller than the uncertainty of the model used to compute the crop water footprint. These results confirm the suitability of the Fast Track approach and enable a simple, yet appropriate, evaluation of time-varying crop water footprint.

  12. Potential well yields from unconsolidated deposits in the lower Hudson and Delaware River basins, New York

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolcott, Stephen W.

    1987-01-01

    A comprehensive groundwater protection plan, developed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in 1985, identified the need to delineate significant aquifers within the state. A map of the unconsolidated aquifers in the lower Hudson and Delaware River basins was compiled from available data on the surficial geology and well yields. It delineates the significant unconsolidated aquifers and indicates the potential yield of wells that tap these aquifers. The potential well yield is categorized into three ranges: 100 gal/min. No yield range is given for till, but some large diameter or dug wells in till may yield up 10 gal/min. (Lantz-PTT)

  13. Simulating the yield impacts of organ-level quantitative trait loci associated with drought response in maize: a "gene-to-phenotype" modeling approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chenu, Karine; Chapman, Scott C; Tardieu, François; McLean, Greg; Welcker, Claude; Hammer, Graeme L

    2009-12-01

    Under drought, substantial genotype-environment (G x E) interactions impede breeding progress for yield. Identifying genetic controls associated with yield response is confounded by poor genetic correlations across testing environments. Part of this problem is related to our inability to account for the interplay of genetic controls, physiological traits, and environmental conditions throughout the crop cycle. We propose a modeling approach to bridge this "gene-to-phenotype" gap. For maize under drought, we simulated the impact of quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling two key processes (leaf and silk elongation) that influence crop growth, water use, and grain yield. Substantial G x E interaction for yield was simulated for hypothetical recombinant inbred lines (RILs) across different seasonal patterns of drought. QTL that accelerated leaf elongation caused an increase in crop leaf area and yield in well-watered or preflowering water deficit conditions, but a reduction in yield under terminal stresses (as such "leafy" genotypes prematurely exhausted the water supply). The QTL impact on yield was substantially enhanced by including pleiotropic effects of these QTL on silk elongation and on consequent grain set. The simulations obtained illustrated the difficulty of interpreting the genetic control of yield for genotypes influenced only by the additive effects of QTL associated with leaf and silk growth. The results highlight the potential of integrative simulation modeling for gene-to-phenotype prediction and for exploiting G x E interactions for complex traits such as drought tolerance.

  14. Dissecting grain yield pathways and their interactions with grain dry matter content by a two-step correlation approach with maize seedling transcriptome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melchinger Albrecht E

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The importance of maize for human and animal nutrition, but also as a source for bio-energy is rapidly increasing. Maize yield is a quantitative trait controlled by many genes with small effects, spread throughout the genome. The precise location of the genes and the identity of the gene networks underlying maize grain yield is unknown. The objective of our study was to contribute to the knowledge of these genes and gene networks by transcription profiling with microarrays. Results We assessed the grain yield and grain dry matter content (an indicator for early maturity of 98 maize hybrids in multi-environment field trials. The gene expression in seedlings of the parental inbred lines, which have four different genetic backgrounds, was assessed with genome-scale oligonucleotide arrays. We identified genes associated with grain yield and grain dry matter content using a newly developed two-step correlation approach and found overlapping gene networks for both traits. The underlying metabolic pathways and biological processes were elucidated. Genes involved in sucrose degradation and glycolysis, as well as genes involved in cell expansion and endocycle were found to be associated with grain yield. Conclusions Our results indicate that the capability of providing energy and substrates, as well as expanding the cell at the seedling stage, highly influences the grain yield of hybrids. Knowledge of these genes underlying grain yield in maize can contribute to the development of new high yielding varieties.

  15. interrelationships between grain yield and other physiological traits

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Prof. Adipala Ekwamu

    Combined analysis of variance, cluster analysis and genotype-by- ... all phenological and morphological traits, except grain yield and associated yield components. ... egg, and other protein-rich foods (Alghali, 1991). ... systematic modelling approach. ... MD IT98 K -132 – 3 .... traits based on Principal Component axes (PC)1.

  16. Evaluation of indigenous rhizobacterial strains with reduced dose of chemical fertilizer towards growth and yield of mustard (Brassica campestris under old alluvial soil zone of West Bengal, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shampa Dutta

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available A field experiment had been carried out in the Crop Research and Seed Multiplication Farm of The University of Burdwan, West Bengal, India during the two consecutive winter seasons of 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 to study the effect of indigenous rhizospheric bacterial strains on growth, physiology and yield of mustard variety. Pseudomonas putida, Burkholderia cepacia, Burkholderia sp. and their mixture were used as seed inoculants for mustard cultivation. The experiment was laid down in a randomized complete block design (RCBD with three replications. Results revealed that indigenous inoculation (with reduced dose of chemical fertilizer significantly increased (p < 0.05 the yield of mustard as compared to uninoculated control (full recommended dose of NPK fertilizers. A combination treatment of biofertilizer and chemical fertilizer also increased plant height, plant biomass and other yield components compared to control. The comprehensive approach of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR in agriculturally important crops should be carried out to explore the hidden potential of PGPR and to promote the quality and yield of crop under field conditions. Keywords: Indigenous rhizobacteria, Mustard, PGPR, Yield

  17. Yield gap analysis in long-term experiments with intensive rice cultivation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laureles, E.V.; Correa, T. Jr.; Buresh, R.J.

    2007-01-01

    The long-term continuous cropping experiment at IRRI is cultivated with three rice crops in a year, making it the world's most intensively cropped long-term rice experiment. The availability of comprehensive rice production records, compiled weather data, and tested crop models provides a means to evaluate long-term trends in measured and potential yields and yield gaps in this rice production system. Yield trends were assessed using the highest yielding cultivar in each cropping season from 1979 to 2005. Potential yield of the highest yielding cultivar in each season was determined using three rice models (ORYZA, TERM, and CERES) run with the actual transplanting and harvest dates for the cultivar. The yield gap was determined from the difference between the simulated potential grain yield and the measured grain yield. Measured and potential yields and the yield gap varied across seasons and years. Measured yields were higher in the dry season than in the early and late wet seasons. The yield gap tended to be higher in the wet season than in the dry season. Climatic parameters, particularly solar radiation, influenced the performance of rice cultivars. The relatively larger yield gaps in the late wet season than in the dry season were associated with increased spikelet sterility. The cumulative measured yield for the three annual rice crop was near 80 percent of the annual yield potential in years with best practices for fertilizer N and crop management. The long term trends suggest that effective timing and rates of N fertilization and effective control of diseases were critical in achieving 80 percent of the annual yield potential

  18. Children's exposure to harmful elements in toys and low-cost jewelry: Characterizing risks and developing a comprehensive approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guney, Mert; Zagury, Gerald J., E-mail: gerald.zagury@polymtl.ca

    2014-04-01

    Highlights: • Risk for children up to 3 years-old was characterized considering oral exposure. • Saliva mobilization, ingestion of parts and of scraped-off material were considered. • Ingestion of parts caused hazard index (HI) values >>for Cd, Ni, and Pb exposure. • HI were lower (but > for saliva mobilization and <1 for scraped material ingestion. • Comprehensive approach aims to deal with drawbacks of current toy safety approaches. - Abstract: Contamination problem in jewelry and toys and children's exposure possibility have been previously demonstrated. For this study, risk from oral exposure has been characterized for highly contaminated metallic toys and jewelry ((MJ), n = 16) considering three scenarios. Total and bioaccessible concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb were high in selected MJ. First scenario (ingestion of parts or pieces) caused unacceptable risk for eight items for Cd, Ni, and/or Pb (hazard index (HI) > 1, up to 75, 5.8, and 43, respectively). HI for ingestion of scraped-off material scenario was always <1. Finally, saliva mobilization scenario caused HI > 1 in three samples (two for Cd, one for Ni). Risk characterization identified different potentially hazardous items compared to United States, Canadian, and European Union approaches. A comprehensive approach was also developed to deal with complexity and drawbacks caused by various toy/jewelry definitions, test methods, exposure scenarios, and elements considered in different regulatory approaches. It includes bioaccessible limits for eight priority elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Sb). Research is recommended on metals bioaccessibility determination in toys/jewelry, in vitro bioaccessibility test development, estimation of material ingestion rates and frequency, presence of hexavalent Cr and organic Sn, and assessment of prolonged exposure to MJ.

  19. Photonomics: automation approaches yield economic aikido for photonics device manufacture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, Scott

    2002-09-01

    In the glory days of photonics, with exponentiating demand for photonics devices came exponentiating competition, with new ventures commencing deliveries seemingly weekly. Suddenly the industry was faced with a commodity marketplace well before a commodity cost structure was in place. Economic issues like cost, scalability, yield-call it all "Photonomics" -now drive the industry. Automation and throughput-optimization are obvious answers, but until now, suitable modular tools had not been introduced. Available solutions were barely compatible with typical transverse alignment tolerances and could not automate angular alignments of collimated devices and arrays. And settling physics served as the insoluble bottleneck to throughput and resolution advancement in packaging, characterization and fabrication processes. The industry has addressed these needs in several ways, ranging from special configurations of catalog motion devices to integrated microrobots based on a novel mini-hexapod configuration. This intriguing approach allows tip/tilt alignments to be automated about any point in space, such as a beam waist, a focal point, the cleaved face of a fiber, or the optical axis of a waveguide- ideal for MEMS packaging automation and array alignment. Meanwhile, patented new low-cost settling-enhancement technology has been applied in applications ranging from air-bearing long-travel stages to subnanometer-resolution piezo positioners to advance resolution and process cycle-times in sensitive applications such as optical coupling characterization and fiber Bragg grating generation. Background, examples and metrics are discussed, providing an up-to-date industry overview of available solutions.

  20. Transitioning from Targeted to Comprehensive Mass Spectrometry Using Genetic Algorithms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaffe, Jacob D; Feeney, Caitlin M; Patel, Jinal; Lu, Xiaodong; Mani, D R

    2016-11-01

    Targeted proteomic assays are becoming increasingly popular because of their robust quantitative applications enabled by internal standardization, and they can be routinely executed on high performance mass spectrometry instrumentation. However, these assays are typically limited to 100s of analytes per experiment. Considerable time and effort are often expended in obtaining and preparing samples prior to targeted analyses. It would be highly desirable to detect and quantify 1000s of analytes in such samples using comprehensive mass spectrometry techniques (e.g., SWATH and DIA) while retaining a high degree of quantitative rigor for analytes with matched internal standards. Experimentally, it is facile to port a targeted assay to a comprehensive data acquisition technique. However, data analysis challenges arise from this strategy concerning agreement of results from the targeted and comprehensive approaches. Here, we present the use of genetic algorithms to overcome these challenges in order to configure hybrid targeted/comprehensive MS assays. The genetic algorithms are used to select precursor-to-fragment transitions that maximize the agreement in quantification between the targeted and the comprehensive methods. We find that the algorithm we used provided across-the-board improvement in the quantitative agreement between the targeted assay data and the hybrid comprehensive/targeted assay that we developed, as measured by parameters of linear models fitted to the results. We also found that the algorithm could perform at least as well as an independently-trained mass spectrometrist in accomplishing this task. We hope that this approach will be a useful tool in the development of quantitative approaches for comprehensive proteomics techniques. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

  1. Sentence comprehension in aphasia: A noisy channel approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Walsh Dickey

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Probabilistic accounts of language understanding assume that comprehension involves determining the probability of an intended message (m given an input utterance (u (P(m|u; e.g. Gibson et al, 2013a; Levy et al, 2009. One challenge is that communication occurs within a noisy channel; i.e. the comprehender’s representation of u may have been distorted, e.g., by a typo or by impairment associated with aphasia. Bayes’ rule provides a model of how comprehenders can combine the prior probability of m (P(m with the probability that m would have been distorted to u (P(mu to calculate the probability of m given u (P(m|u  P(mP(mu. This formalism can capture the observation that people with aphasia (PWA rely more on semantics than syntax during comprehension (e.g., Caramazza & Zurif, 1976: given the high probability that their representation of the input is unreliable, they weigh message likelihood more heavily. Gibson et al. (2013a showed that unimpaired adults are sensitive to P(m and P(mu: they more often chose interpretations that increased message plausibility or involved distortions requiring fewer changes, and/or deletions instead of insertions (see Figure 1a for examples. Gibson et al. (2013b found PWA were also sensitive to both P(m and P(mu in an act-out task, but relied more heavily than unimpaired controls on P(m. This shows group-level optimization towards the less noisy (semantic channel in PWA. The current experiment (8 PWA; 7 age-matched controls investigated noisy channel optimization at the level of individual PWA. It also included active/passive items with a weaker plausibility manipulation to test whether P(m is higher for implausible than impossible strings. The task was forced-choice sentence-picture matching (Figure 1b. Experimental sentences crossed active versus passive (A-P structures with plausibility (Set 1 or impossibility (Set 2, and prepositional-object versus double-object structures (PO-DO: Set 3 with

  2. A comprehensive approach to identifying repurposed drugs to treat SCN8A epilepsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atkin, Talia A; Maher, Chani M; Gerlach, Aaron C; Gay, Bryant C; Antonio, Brett M; Santos, Sonia C; Padilla, Karen M; Rader, JulieAnn; Krafte, Douglas S; Fox, Matthew A; Stewart, Gregory R; Petrovski, Slavé; Devinsky, Orrin; Might, Matthew; Petrou, Steven; Goldstein, David B

    2018-04-01

    Many previous studies of drug repurposing have relied on literature review followed by evaluation of a limited number of candidate compounds. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of a more comprehensive approach using high-throughput screening to identify inhibitors of a gain-of-function mutation in the SCN8A gene associated with severe pediatric epilepsy. We developed cellular models expressing wild-type or an R1872Q mutation in the Na v 1.6 sodium channel encoded by SCN8A. Voltage clamp experiments in HEK-293 cells expressing the SCN8A R1872Q mutation demonstrated a leftward shift in sodium channel activation as well as delayed inactivation; both changes are consistent with a gain-of-function mutation. We next developed a fluorescence-based, sodium flux assay and used it to assess an extensive library of approved drugs, including a panel of antiepileptic drugs, for inhibitory activity in the mutated cell line. Lead candidates were evaluated in follow-on studies to generate concentration-response curves for inhibiting sodium influx. Select compounds of clinical interest were evaluated by electrophysiology to further characterize drug effects on wild-type and mutant sodium channel functions. The screen identified 90 drugs that significantly inhibited sodium influx in the R1872Q cell line. Four drugs of potential clinical interest-amitriptyline, carvedilol, nilvadipine, and carbamazepine-were further investigated and demonstrated concentration-dependent inhibition of sodium channel currents. A comprehensive drug repurposing screen identified potential new candidates for the treatment of epilepsy caused by the R1872Q mutation in the SCN8A gene. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2018 International League Against Epilepsy.

  3. Simulating potential growth and yield of oil palm with PALMSIM

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoffmann, M.P.; Vera, A.C.; Wijk, van M.T.; Giller, K.E.; Oberthur, R.; Donough, C.; Whitbread, A.M.; Fisher, M.J.

    2014-01-01

    The growing demand for palm oil can be met by reducing the gap between potential yield and actual yield. Simulation models can quantify potential yield, and therefore indicate the scope for intensification. A relatively simple physiological approach was used to develop PALMSIM, which is a model that

  4. Rice Research to Break Yield Barriers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Vivek; Ramamoorthy, Rengasamy; Kohli, Ajay; Kumar, Prakash P.

    2015-10-01

    The world’s population continues to expand and it is expected to cross 9 billion by 2050. This would significantly amplify the demand for food, which will pose serious threats to global food security. Additional challenges are being imposed due to a gradual decrease in the total arable land and global environmental changes. Hence, it is of utmost importance to review and revise the existing food production strategies by incorporating novel biotechnological approaches that can help to break the crop yield barriers in the near future. In this review, we highlight some of the concerns hampering crop yield enhancements. The review also focuses on modern breeding techniques based on genomics as well as proven biotechnological approaches that enable identification and utilization of candidate genes. Another aspect of discussion is the important area of research, namely hormonal regulation of plant development, which is likely to yield valuable regulatory genes for such crop improvement efforts in the future. These strategies can serve as potential tools for developing elite crop varieties for feeding the growing billions.

  5. A mathematical framework for yield (vs. rate) optimization in constraint-based modeling and applications in metabolic engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klamt, Steffen; Müller, Stefan; Regensburger, Georg; Zanghellini, Jürgen

    2018-02-07

    The optimization of metabolic rates (as linear objective functions) represents the methodical core of flux-balance analysis techniques which have become a standard tool for the study of genome-scale metabolic models. Besides (growth and synthesis) rates, metabolic yields are key parameters for the characterization of biochemical transformation processes, especially in the context of biotechnological applications. However, yields are ratios of rates, and hence the optimization of yields (as nonlinear objective functions) under arbitrary linear constraints is not possible with current flux-balance analysis techniques. Despite the fundamental importance of yields in constraint-based modeling, a comprehensive mathematical framework for yield optimization is still missing. We present a mathematical theory that allows one to systematically compute and analyze yield-optimal solutions of metabolic models under arbitrary linear constraints. In particular, we formulate yield optimization as a linear-fractional program. For practical computations, we transform the linear-fractional yield optimization problem to a (higher-dimensional) linear problem. Its solutions determine the solutions of the original problem and can be used to predict yield-optimal flux distributions in genome-scale metabolic models. For the theoretical analysis, we consider the linear-fractional problem directly. Most importantly, we show that the yield-optimal solution set (like the rate-optimal solution set) is determined by (yield-optimal) elementary flux vectors of the underlying metabolic model. However, yield- and rate-optimal solutions may differ from each other, and hence optimal (biomass or product) yields are not necessarily obtained at solutions with optimal (growth or synthesis) rates. Moreover, we discuss phase planes/production envelopes and yield spaces, in particular, we prove that yield spaces are convex and provide algorithms for their computation. We illustrate our findings by a small

  6. Low pressure steam expansion pretreatment as a competitive approach to improve diosgenin yield and the production of fermentable sugar from Dioscorea zingiberensis C.H. Wright.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Mi; Tong, Yao; Wang, Hongbo; Wang, Lihua; Yu, Longjiang

    2016-04-01

    Development of efficient pretreatment methods which can disrupt the peripheral lignocellulose and even the parenchyma cells is of great importance for production of diosgenin from turmeric rhizomes. It was found that low pressure steam expansion pretreatment (LSEP) could improve the diosgenin yield by more than 40% compared with the case without pretreatment, while simultaneously increasing the production of fermentable sugar by 27.37%. Furthermore, little inhibitory compounds were produced in LSEP process which was extremely favorable for the subsequent biotransformation of fermentable sugar to other valuable products such as ethanol. Preliminary study showed that the ethanol yield when using the fermentable sugar as carbon source was comparable to that using glucose. The liquid residue of LSEP treated turmeric tuber after diosgenin production can be utilized as a quality fermentable carbon source. Therefore, LSEP has great potential in industrial application in diosgenin clean production and comprehensive utilization of turmeric tuber. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Manifestation of external size reduction effects on the yield point of nanocrystalline rhodium using nanopillars approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alshehri, Omar; Yavuz, Mustafa; Tsui Ting

    2013-01-01

    In this study, pure rhodium was fabricated and mechanically investigated at the nanoscale for the first time. The nanopillars approach was employed to study the effects of size on the yield point. Nanopillars with different diameters were fabricated using electroplating followed by uniaxial compression tests. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used as a quality control technique by imaging the pillars before and after compression to ensure the absence of cracks, buckling, barrelling or any other problems. Transmission electron microscopy and SEM were used as microstructural characterization techniques. Due to substrate-induced effects, only the plastic region of the stress–strain curves were investigated, and it was revealed that the yield point increases with size reduction up to certain limit, then decreases with further reduction of the nanopillar size (diameter). The later weakening effect is consistent with the literature, which demonstrates the reversed size effect (the failure of the plasticity theory) in nanocrystalline metals, i.e. smaller is weaker. In this study, however, the effect of size reduction is not only weakening, but is strengthening-then-weakening, which the authors believe is the true behavior of nanocrystalline materials.

  8. Smart Strategy to Boost Students' Reading Comprehension

    OpenAIRE

    Sfafi'i, Muhammad Lukman

    2015-01-01

    Reading as one of language skills plays significant roles in the teaching English as a foreign language. Since the teacher still uses the conventional way to teach reading, students‘ ability in reading comprehension seems still unsatisfactory yet. So, teacher should explore and develop new strategies. One of strategies in reading comprehension that can trigger our students to attain that purpose is SMART (Self Monitoring Approach for Reading and Thinking) strategy. ...

  9. A Comprehensive Approach to Post-Conflict Reconstruction: German Experience in Afghanistan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philip Olegovich Trunov

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available As a part of a larger research project on complex linkages between security and development implemented by the Center for Security and Development Studies at the Lomonosov Moscow State University, this paper examines the complex dilemmas of pursuing comprehensive approach to post-conflict reconstruction with an example of Federal Republic of Germany’s experience with the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs in Afghanistan after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The first section depicts the background of deployment of the PRTs on Afghan territory. The second section compares the U.S., British and German models of PRTs and assesses the role of those teams as vehicles of close civil-military, interagency coordination. The third and the fourth sections identify respectively characteristic features of the German PRTs’ activities in Kunduz and Badakhshan provinces and the main obstacles that hindered the achievement of key objectives. The conclusion contains a concise assessment of effectiveness and efficiency of PRTs as a mechanism of addressing complex challenges of post-conflict reconstruction and transition to peaceful development. It also postulates that the PRT model, regardless of some objective difficulties faced by various German agencies, may be very relevant in the future in fulfilling a revised agenda of the German foreign and defense policies in the XXI century.

  10. Calculation of total free energy yield as an alternative approach for predicting the importance of potential chemolithotrophic reactions in geothermal springs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dodsworth, Jeremy A; McDonald, Austin I; Hedlund, Brian P

    2012-08-01

    To inform hypotheses regarding the relative importance of chemolithotrophic metabolisms in geothermal environments, we calculated free energy yields of 26 chemical reactions potentially supporting chemolithotrophy in two US Great Basin hot springs, taking into account the effects of changing reactant and product activities on the Gibbs free energy as each reaction progressed. Results ranged from 1.2 × 10(-5) to 3.6 J kg(-1) spring water, or 3.7 × 10(-5) to 11.5 J s(-1) based on measured flow rates, with aerobic oxidation of CH(4) or NH4 + giving the highest average yields. Energy yields calculated without constraining pH were similar to those at constant pH except for reactions where H(+) was consumed, which often had significantly lower yields when pH was unconstrained. In contrast to the commonly used normalization of reaction chemical affinities per mole of electrons transferred, reaction energy yields for a given oxidant varied by several orders of magnitude and were more sensitive to differences in the activities of products and reactants. The high energy yield of aerobic ammonia oxidation is consistent with previous observations of significant ammonia oxidation rates and abundant ammonia-oxidizing archaea in sediments of these springs. This approach offers an additional lens through which to view the thermodynamic landscape of geothermal springs. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Sustainable Technology and Business Innovation Framework – A Comprehensive Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maja Levi Jakšić

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Despite of the rising awareness of the urgency in finding more efficient and effective ways to achieve sustainable development, comprehensive and consistent meaning is still elusive both in theory and practice. The aim of this paper is to create a more structured theoretical framework related to macro and micro perspectives of sustainable development, relevant also to enhancing sustainable practices. We here propose a comprehensive framework model for structuring multiple sustainability principles and practices, detected in the literature as different sustainability categories related to both macro and micro perspectives of sustainability in the economy and society. The focus is on relevant sustainability principles of technology and business innovation in relation to basic technology and business innovation models as a contribution to less investigated theoretical aspects of sustainable business development. We developed a set of related matrices indicating the relevant roles and relationships between these principles in achieving sustainable business goals related to sustainable economy dimensions. Finally, the paper shows that the proposed Related Matrices Framework fulfils the main objective set in the initial research stages, i.e. to be of both theoretical and practical relevance. As a contribution to the theory it meets the need of building a structured, integrated, comprehensive model that serves the needs of better understanding different sustainability of macro and micro categories, indicating mutual relations and influences. In a practical sense, it can be used as a tool to support the management of change in companies oriented at achieving sustainable business goals based on sustainable technology and business innovation.

  12. [The comprehensive approach to the rehabilitative treatment of junior athletes].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stepanenko, N P; Levitskaya, T E; Tsekhmeistruk, E A; Tren'kaeva, N A; Tyulyupo, S V; Dostovalova, O V; Kremeno, S V; Shakhova, S S; Chekcheeva, V D

    The objective of the present study was the development of the comprehensive program for the medico-psychological follow-up of the male and female junior athletes (rhythmic gymnastics) with the purpose of stabilizing their hormonal and emotional status, as well as improving sport performances based on the use of modern hardware-software technologies. The comprehensive examination of 72 female athletes at the mean age of 11.5±0.6 years attending R. Kuznetsov specialized school of rhythmic gymnastics of the Olympic reserve in the city of Seversk has been undertaken on the basis of Tomsk Research Institute of Balneology and Physiotherapy, the branch of Siberian Federal Research and Clinical Centre. The program of comprehensive medical psychological rehabilitation for the junior athletes of either sex engaged in sportive activities requiring precise technical actions has been elaborated. The method of the combined therapeutic treatment included physical exercises therapy, manual massage, dry carbonic bathtubs, psychological activities with the application of biological feedback trainings and cognitive trainings; it was intended for the correction of the hormonal status and the improvement of the psycho-emotional conditions of the athletes. The combined treatment based on the use of the modern hardware-software technologies was shown to promote the restoration and development of the psychophysical and psychological qualities of the male and female junior athletes indispensable for the maintenance of their high readiness for the efficient sports activities at the subsequent stages of the training cycle. In addition, such treatment enhances the adaptation resources of the athletes.

  13. An in-depth mixed-methods approach to Ryan White HIV/AIDS care program comprehensive needs assessment from the Northeast Georgia Public Health District: the significance of patient privacy, psychological health, and social stigma to care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huff, Amber; Chumbler, Neale; Cherry, Colleen O'Brien; Hill, Miranda; Veguilla, Vic

    2015-04-01

    We apply a social-ecological interpretive framework to understanding relationships among patient privacy, psychological health, social stigma, and continuity in care in the HIV treatment cascade in the rural southeastern US. This research was conducted as part of the 2013 comprehensive needs assessment for the Northeast Georgia Ryan White Consortium using an anthropologically informed mixed-methods design, and a deductive-inductive approach to thematic analysis of qualitative data obtained in interviews and focus groups with service providers and service utilizers. Our comprehensive needs assessment yielded two key components. First, we identified salient phenomena influencing introduction to, retention among, and satisfaction of patients in the Ryan White-coordinated treatment cascade in NE-GA. Second, we formulated actionable recommendations around leverage points identified in the current district-wide system of care. Results highlight spatial, institutional, and interpersonal aspects of the system of care that intersect around issues of patient privacy, psychological health, and social stigma. These intersections constitute pathways by which persons living with HIV are exposed to stigma and other negative social signals regarding their health status without sufficient access to behavioral health services. These negative issues, in turn, can erect significant barriers to long-term continuity in care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Aspects of open-flavour mesons in a comprehensive DSBSE study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hilger, T. [University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Institute of Physics, Graz (Austria); Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute of High Energy Physics, Vienna (Austria); Gomez-Rocha, M. [ECT*, Villazzano (Trento) (Italy); Krassnigg, A. [University of Graz, NAWI Graz, Institute of Physics, Graz (Austria); Lucha, W. [Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute of High Energy Physics, Vienna (Austria)

    2017-10-15

    Open-flavour meson studies are the necessary completion to any comprehensive investigation of quarkonia. We extend recent studies of quarkonia in the Dyson-Schwinger-Bethe-Salpeter equation approach to explore their results for all possible flavour combinations. Within the inherent limitations of the setup, we present the most comprehensive results for meson masses and leptonic decay constants currently available and put them in perspective with respect to experiment and other approaches. (orig.)

  15. Training Comprehensiveness: Construct Development and Relation with Role Behaviour

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, Anugamini Priya; Dhar, Rajib Lochan

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to develop the scale for perception of training comprehensiveness and attempts to examine the influence of perception of training comprehensiveness on role behaviour: teachers' efficacy as a mediator and job autonomy as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach: Through the steps for a generation, refinement, purification…

  16. Soil erosion and sediment yield, a double barrel problem in South Africa's only large river network without a dam

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Roux, Jay

    2016-04-01

    Soil erosion not only involves the loss of fertile topsoil but is also coupled with sedimentation of dams, a double barrel problem in semi-arid regions where water scarcity is frequent. Due to increasing water requirements in South Africa, the Department of Water and Sanitation is planning water resource development in the Mzimvubu River Catchment, which is the only large river network in the country without a dam. Two dams are planned including a large irrigation dam and a hydropower dam. However, previous soil erosion studies indicate that large parts of the catchment is severely eroded. Previous studies, nonetheless, used mapping and modelling techniques that represent only a selection of erosion processes and provide insufficient information about the sediment yield. This study maps and models the sediment yield comprehensively by means of two approaches over a five-year timeframe between 2007 and 2012. Sediment yield contribution from sheet-rill erosion was modelled with ArcSWAT (a graphical user interface for SWAT in a GIS), whereas gully erosion contributions were estimated using time-series mapping with SPOT 5 imagery followed by gully-derived sediment yield modelling in a GIS. Integration of the sheet-rill and gully results produced a total sediment yield map, with an average of 5 300 t km-2 y-1. Importantly, the annual average sediment yield of the areas where the irrigation dam and hydropower dam will be built is around 20 000 t km-2 y-1. Without catchment rehabilitation, the life expectancy of the irrigation dam and hydropower dam could be 50 and 40 years respectively.

  17. Root-yield performance of pre-release sweet potato genotypes in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SARAH

    2013-05-29

    May 29, 2013 ... consideration all yield components which affect the total root yield. Such a focused approach with well- defined selection objectives ensures positive progress early in the breeding program. Interrelationships among yield components have been investigated by Grüneberg et al. (2005) in. Peru and Çalişkan ...

  18. Graphic organizers and their effects on the reading comprehension of students with LD: a synthesis of research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Ae-Hwa; Vaughn, Sharon; Wanzek, Jeanne; Wei, Shangjin

    2004-01-01

    Previous research studies examining the effects of graphic organizers on reading comprehension for students with learning disabilities (LD) are reviewed. An extensive search of the professional literature between 1963 and June 2001 yielded a total of 21 group design intervention studies that met the criteria for inclusion in the synthesis. Using graphic organizers (i.e., semantic organizers, framed outlines, cognitive maps with and without a mnemonic) was associated with improved reading comprehension overall for students with LD. Compared to standardized reading measures, researcher-developed comprehension measures were associated with higher effect sizes. Initial gains demonstrated when using graphic organizers were not revealed during later comprehension tasks or on new comprehension tasks.

  19. Model-based approach for maize yield gap analysis related to climate variability and nitrogen management

    OpenAIRE

    Maria Carolina da Silva Andréa

    2016-01-01

    To achieve food security and meet environmental requirements, the average rates of major crop yields in crops such as maize are expected to increase instead of expansion of cultivated areas. Maize crop has as main factors responsible for the low yields in Brazil the water and nitrogen (N) deficits. The concept of yield gaps is the difference between the maximum yield that can be achieved in a given place, limited by water (Yw) or not (Yp), and the average yields, observed under practical cond...

  20. Nursing supervision for care comprehensiveness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucieli Dias Pedreschi Chaves

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: To reflect on nursing supervision as a management tool for care comprehensiveness by nurses, considering its potential and limits in the current scenario. Method: A reflective study based on discourse about nursing supervision, presenting theoretical and practical concepts and approaches. Results: Limits on the exercise of supervision are related to the organization of healthcare services based on the functional and clinical model of care, in addition to possible gaps in the nurse training process and work overload. Regarding the potential, researchers emphasize that supervision is a tool for coordinating care and management actions, which may favor care comprehensiveness, and stimulate positive attitudes toward cooperation and contribution within teams, co-responsibility, and educational development at work. Final considerations: Nursing supervision may help enhance care comprehensiveness by implying continuous reflection on including the dynamics of the healthcare work process and user needs in care networks.

  1. Spatio-temporal dynamics of maize yield water constraints under climate change in Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrero, Rosana; Lima, Mauricio; Gonzalez-Andujar, Jose Luis

    2014-01-01

    Many studies have analyzed the impact of climate change on crop productivity, but comparing the performance of water management systems has rarely been explored. Because water supply and crop demand in agro-systems may be affected by global climate change in shaping the spatial patterns of agricultural production, we should evaluate how and where irrigation practices are effective in mitigating climate change effects. Here we have constructed simple, general models, based on biological mechanisms and a theoretical framework, which could be useful in explaining and predicting crop productivity dynamics. We have studied maize in irrigated and rain-fed systems at a provincial scale, from 1996 to 2009 in Spain, one of the most prominent "hot-spots" in future climate change projections. Our new approach allowed us to: (1) evaluate new structural properties such as the stability of crop yield dynamics, (2) detect nonlinear responses to climate change (thresholds and discontinuities), challenging the usual linear way of thinking, and (3) examine spatial patterns of yield losses due to water constraints and identify clusters of provinces that have been negatively affected by warming. We have reduced the uncertainty associated with climate change impacts on maize productivity by improving the understanding of the relative contributions of individual factors and providing a better spatial comprehension of the key processes. We have identified water stress and water management systems as being key causes of the yield gap, and detected vulnerable regions where efforts in research and policy should be prioritized in order to increase maize productivity.

  2. Spatio-temporal dynamics of maize yield water constraints under climate change in Spain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosana Ferrero

    Full Text Available Many studies have analyzed the impact of climate change on crop productivity, but comparing the performance of water management systems has rarely been explored. Because water supply and crop demand in agro-systems may be affected by global climate change in shaping the spatial patterns of agricultural production, we should evaluate how and where irrigation practices are effective in mitigating climate change effects. Here we have constructed simple, general models, based on biological mechanisms and a theoretical framework, which could be useful in explaining and predicting crop productivity dynamics. We have studied maize in irrigated and rain-fed systems at a provincial scale, from 1996 to 2009 in Spain, one of the most prominent "hot-spots" in future climate change projections. Our new approach allowed us to: (1 evaluate new structural properties such as the stability of crop yield dynamics, (2 detect nonlinear responses to climate change (thresholds and discontinuities, challenging the usual linear way of thinking, and (3 examine spatial patterns of yield losses due to water constraints and identify clusters of provinces that have been negatively affected by warming. We have reduced the uncertainty associated with climate change impacts on maize productivity by improving the understanding of the relative contributions of individual factors and providing a better spatial comprehension of the key processes. We have identified water stress and water management systems as being key causes of the yield gap, and detected vulnerable regions where efforts in research and policy should be prioritized in order to increase maize productivity.

  3. How reading comprehension is embodied and why that matters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arthur M. GLENBERG

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Reading comprehension, much like comprehension of situations and comprehension of oral language, is embodied. In all cases, comprehension is the ability to take effective action on the basis ofaffordances related to the body, the physical world, and personal goals and cultural norms. In language contexts, action-based comprehension arises from simulating the linguistic content usingneural and bodily systems of perception, action, and emotion. Within this framework, a new approach to teaching reading comprehension is described: Teach children how to simulate while reading. TheMoved by Reading intervention teaches simulation in two stages. In the first stage, physical manipulation, children manipulate toys to simulate the content of what they are reading. After success in physically manipulating the toys, the children are taught to manipulate the toys in imagination. Research demonstrates that both physical and imagined manipulation leads to large gains in memory and comprehension.

  4. How reading comprehension is embodied and why that matters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arthur M. Glenberg

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Reading comprehension, much like comprehension of situations and comprehension of oral language, is embodied. In all cases, comprehension is the ability to take effective action on the basis of affordances related to the body, the physical world, and personal goals and cultural norms. In language contexts, action-based comprehension arises from simulating the linguistic content using neural and bodily systems of perception, action, and emotion. Within this framework, a new approach to teaching reading comprehension is described: Teach children how to simulate while reading. The Moved by Reading intervention teaches simulation in two stages. In the first stage, physical manipulation, children manipulate toys to simulate the content of what they are reading. After success in physically manipulating the toys, the children are taught to manipulate the toys in imagination. Research demonstrates that both physical and imagined manipulation leads to large gains in memory and comprehension.

  5. Vers une Redefinition de la Comprehension Ecrite en Langue Etrangere (Towards a Redefinition of Reading Comprehension in a Foreign Language). Melanges Pedagogiques, 1975.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abe, D.; And Others

    Up to the present, the Centre de Recherches et d'Applications Pedagogiques en Langues has approached the development of reading comprehension skills in English as a second language in terms of morpho-syntactic development. This article proposes to examine difficulties in reading comprehension based not on morpho-syntax but on the textual and…

  6. Determinants of success in native and non-native listening comprehension: an individual differences approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Andringa, S.; Olsthoorn, N.; van Beuningen, C.; Schoonen, R.; Hulstijn, J.

    2012-01-01

    The goal of this study was to explain individual differences in both native and non-native listening comprehension; 121 native and 113 non-native speakers of Dutch were tested on various linguistic and nonlinguistic cognitive skills thought to underlie listening comprehension. Structural equation

  7. Justice foundations for the Comprehensive Law Movement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dewhurst, Dale

    2010-01-01

    Authors examining the developing dispute resolution alternatives to the adversarial system have identified nine converging "vectors" or alternatives in what has been termed the Comprehensive Law Movement. These authors have sought to understand how the developing vectors can remain separate and vibrant movements while sharing common ground. Some analyze these developments as being within law and legal practice, others see them as alternative approaches to law, and still others take a combined approach. It will be impossible to understand how these vectors have meaningful differences from law and legal practice if the search is limited to looking within law and legal practice. It will be impossible to understand how these vectors have meaningful commonalities with law and legal practice if the search is limited to looking external to law and legal practice. Instead of comparing the vectors with the adversarial system, higher order criteria are required. What is needed is a comprehensive and internally consistent super-system of norms; one that can be used to evaluate the adversarial system and the evolving vectors on an equal footing. An Aristotelian natural law virtue theory of justice can: (a) provide a functional guiding definition of justice; (b) serve as a comprehensive and internally consistent super-system of norms; and (c) provide the theoretical and evaluative foundation required to clarify the relationships among the adversarial system and the developing vectors. Finally, it will become clear why the Comprehensive Law Movement might be more appropriately conceptualized as the Comprehensive Justice Movement. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Comprehensive geriatric assessment for older adults admitted to hospital: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

    OpenAIRE

    Ellis, G.; Whitehead, M.A.; Robinson, D.; O'Neill, D.; Langhorne, P.

    2011-01-01

    Objective - To evaluate the effectiveness of comprehensive geriatric assessment in hospital for older adults admitted as an emergency.\\ud \\ud Search strategy - We searched the EPOC Register, Cochrane’s Controlled Trials Register, the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), Medline, Embase, CINAHL, AARP Ageline, and handsearched high yield journals.\\ud \\ud Selection criteria - Randomised controlled trials of comprehensive geriatric assessment (whether by mobile teams or in designat...

  9. Children's exposure to harmful elements in toys and low-cost jewelry: Characterizing risks and developing a comprehensive approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guney, Mert; Zagury, Gerald J.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Risk for children up to 3 years-old was characterized considering oral exposure. • Saliva mobilization, ingestion of parts and of scraped-off material were considered. • Ingestion of parts caused hazard index (HI) values >>for Cd, Ni, and Pb exposure. • HI were lower (but > for saliva mobilization and 1, up to 75, 5.8, and 43, respectively). HI for ingestion of scraped-off material scenario was always 1 in three samples (two for Cd, one for Ni). Risk characterization identified different potentially hazardous items compared to United States, Canadian, and European Union approaches. A comprehensive approach was also developed to deal with complexity and drawbacks caused by various toy/jewelry definitions, test methods, exposure scenarios, and elements considered in different regulatory approaches. It includes bioaccessible limits for eight priority elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Sb). Research is recommended on metals bioaccessibility determination in toys/jewelry, in vitro bioaccessibility test development, estimation of material ingestion rates and frequency, presence of hexavalent Cr and organic Sn, and assessment of prolonged exposure to MJ

  10. Fiber optic yield monitor for a sugarcane chopper harvester

    Science.gov (United States)

    A fiber optic yield monitoring system was developed for a sugarcane chopper harvester that utilizes a duty-cycle type approach with three fiber optic sensors mounted in the elevator floor to estimate cane yield. Field testing of the monitor demonstrated that there was a linear relationship between t...

  11. A Comprehensive Quality Evaluation System for Complex Herbal Medicine Using PacBio Sequencing, PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, and Several Chemical Approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiasheng Zheng

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Herbal medicine is a major component of complementary and alternative medicine, contributing significantly to the health of many people and communities. Quality control of herbal medicine is crucial to ensure that it is safe and sound for use. Here, we investigated a comprehensive quality evaluation system for a classic herbal medicine, Danggui Buxue Formula, by applying genetic-based and analytical chemistry approaches to authenticate and evaluate the quality of its samples. For authenticity, we successfully applied two novel technologies, third-generation sequencing and PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, to analyze the ingredient composition of the tested samples. For quality evaluation, we used high performance liquid chromatography assays to determine the content of chemical markers to help estimate the dosage relationship between its two raw materials, plant roots of Huangqi and Danggui. A series of surveys were then conducted against several exogenous contaminations, aiming to further access the efficacy and safety of the samples. In conclusion, the quality evaluation system demonstrated here can potentially address the authenticity, quality, and safety of herbal medicines, thus providing novel insight for enhancing their overall quality control.Highlight: We established a comprehensive quality evaluation system for herbal medicine, by combining two genetic-based approaches third-generation sequencing and DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis with analytical chemistry approaches to achieve the authentication and quality connotation of the samples.

  12. A Comprehensive Quality Evaluation System for Complex Herbal Medicine Using PacBio Sequencing, PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, and Several Chemical Approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Xiasheng; Zhang, Peng; Liao, Baosheng; Li, Jing; Liu, Xingyun; Shi, Yuhua; Cheng, Jinle; Lai, Zhitian; Xu, Jiang; Chen, Shilin

    2017-01-01

    Herbal medicine is a major component of complementary and alternative medicine, contributing significantly to the health of many people and communities. Quality control of herbal medicine is crucial to ensure that it is safe and sound for use. Here, we investigated a comprehensive quality evaluation system for a classic herbal medicine, Danggui Buxue Formula, by applying genetic-based and analytical chemistry approaches to authenticate and evaluate the quality of its samples. For authenticity, we successfully applied two novel technologies, third-generation sequencing and PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis), to analyze the ingredient composition of the tested samples. For quality evaluation, we used high performance liquid chromatography assays to determine the content of chemical markers to help estimate the dosage relationship between its two raw materials, plant roots of Huangqi and Danggui. A series of surveys were then conducted against several exogenous contaminations, aiming to further access the efficacy and safety of the samples. In conclusion, the quality evaluation system demonstrated here can potentially address the authenticity, quality, and safety of herbal medicines, thus providing novel insight for enhancing their overall quality control. Highlight : We established a comprehensive quality evaluation system for herbal medicine, by combining two genetic-based approaches third-generation sequencing and DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) with analytical chemistry approaches to achieve the authentication and quality connotation of the samples.

  13. A Comprehensive Quality Evaluation System for Complex Herbal Medicine Using PacBio Sequencing, PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, and Several Chemical Approaches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Xiasheng; Zhang, Peng; Liao, Baosheng; Li, Jing; Liu, Xingyun; Shi, Yuhua; Cheng, Jinle; Lai, Zhitian; Xu, Jiang; Chen, Shilin

    2017-01-01

    Herbal medicine is a major component of complementary and alternative medicine, contributing significantly to the health of many people and communities. Quality control of herbal medicine is crucial to ensure that it is safe and sound for use. Here, we investigated a comprehensive quality evaluation system for a classic herbal medicine, Danggui Buxue Formula, by applying genetic-based and analytical chemistry approaches to authenticate and evaluate the quality of its samples. For authenticity, we successfully applied two novel technologies, third-generation sequencing and PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis), to analyze the ingredient composition of the tested samples. For quality evaluation, we used high performance liquid chromatography assays to determine the content of chemical markers to help estimate the dosage relationship between its two raw materials, plant roots of Huangqi and Danggui. A series of surveys were then conducted against several exogenous contaminations, aiming to further access the efficacy and safety of the samples. In conclusion, the quality evaluation system demonstrated here can potentially address the authenticity, quality, and safety of herbal medicines, thus providing novel insight for enhancing their overall quality control. Highlight: We established a comprehensive quality evaluation system for herbal medicine, by combining two genetic-based approaches third-generation sequencing and DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) with analytical chemistry approaches to achieve the authentication and quality connotation of the samples. PMID:28955365

  14. [A comprehensive assessment of ATMP. Difficulties and approaches].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thanner, M; Nagel, E

    2011-07-01

    Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP) are associated with high expectations because they offer new opportunities for the treatment of diseases, e.g., the possibility of regenerating damaged or lost tissue. What the products (gene therapy, somatic cell therapy, and tissue engineered products) have in common is an innovative and complex development process that combines science and engineering. At the same time, this field of research is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary and requires international cooperation. A comprehensive assessment of ATMP has to take these issues into account. The application of Beauchamp and Childress' Four Principles (Principle-Based Ethics) as well as Discourse Ethics as a framework may lead to a broader consideration of medical ethics issues.

  15. Incremental yield of bronchial washing for diagnosing smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alonso Soto

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE To assess the increased diagnostic yield for pulmonary tuberculosis using bronchial washing cultures compared with sputum cultures. METHODS Study conducted with 61 adults in Lima, Peru, from January 2006 to December 2007. The yield of sputum cultures was compared with the yield of acid-fast bacilli smears and cultures of bronchial washing for diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis in suspected cases of clinical tuberculosis with negative acid fast bacilli sputum smears. RESULTS Twenty seven (95%CI 32;58 of the cases were eventually diagnosed with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis. Bronchial washing samples detected 23 (95%CI 72;99 of the smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis cases compared with 15 (95%CI 37;74 for sputum cultures (p = 0.02. The incremental diagnostic yield of acid fast bacilli smear and culture of bronchial washing specimens over sputum culture was 44% (95%CI 25;65. CONCLUSIONS In function of the epidemiological context and the resources available, bronchoscopy should be deployed as part of a comprehensive work up that optimizes smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosis and minimizes risk and costs.

  16. Are GM Crops for Yield and Resilience Possible?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Matthew J; Nuccio, Michael L; Basu, Shib Sankar

    2018-01-01

    Crop yield improvements need to accelerate to avoid future food insecurity. Outside Europe, genetically modified (GM) crops for herbicide- and insect-resistance have been transformative in agriculture; other traits have also come to market. However, GM of yield potential and stress resilience has yet to impact on food security. Genes have been identified for yield such as grain number, size, leaf growth, resource allocation, and signaling for drought tolerance, but there is only one commercialized drought-tolerant GM variety. For GM and genome editing to impact on yield and resilience there is a need to understand yield-determining processes in a cell and developmental context combined with evaluation in the grower environment. We highlight a sugar signaling mechanism as a paradigm for this approach. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. A Comprehensive Approach to Risk Reduction for Asian and Pacific Islander American Women With HIV/AIDS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabato, Todd M

    2014-07-01

    As HIV incidence rises globally, Asian and Pacific Islander communities are increasingly affected. While often overlooked, Asian and Pacific Islander American women have shown the greatest percentage increase in HIV diagnosis rates. The development of a multilevel and multistrategy approach to HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and treatment among Asian and Pacific Islander females requires health care providers to identify personal and cultural barriers to prevention and treatment and implement culturally sensitive and specific measures. The purpose of this article is to illuminate barriers to HIV-related prevention, treatment, and care among Asian and Pacific Islander American females and provide practical application-based suggestions for providers, which may enhance Asian and Pacific Islander female inclusion in comprehensive HIV prevention. © The Author(s) 2014.

  18. Crop yield response to climate change varies with cropping intensity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Challinor, Andrew J; Parkes, Ben; Ramirez-Villegas, Julian

    2015-04-01

    Projections of the response of crop yield to climate change at different spatial scales are known to vary. However, understanding of the causes of systematic differences across scale is limited. Here, we hypothesize that heterogeneous cropping intensity is one source of scale dependency. Analysis of observed global data and regional crop modelling demonstrate that areas of high vs. low cropping intensity can have systematically different yields, in both observations and simulations. Analysis of global crop data suggests that heterogeneity in cropping intensity is a likely source of scale dependency for a number of crops across the globe. Further crop modelling and a meta-analysis of projected tropical maize yields are used to assess the implications for climate change assessments. The results show that scale dependency is a potential source of systematic bias. We conclude that spatially comprehensive assessments of climate impacts based on yield alone, without accounting for cropping intensity, are prone to systematic overestimation of climate impacts. The findings therefore suggest a need for greater attention to crop suitability and land use change when assessing the impacts of climate change. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Water limits to closing yield gaps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Kyle Frankel; Rulli, Maria Cristina; Garrassino, Francesco; Chiarelli, Davide; Seveso, Antonio; D'Odorico, Paolo

    2017-01-01

    Agricultural intensification is often seen as a suitable approach to meet the growing demand for agricultural products and improve food security. It typically entails the use of fertilizers, new cultivars, irrigation, and other modern technology. In regions of the world affected by seasonal or chronic water scarcity, yield gap closure is strongly dependent on irrigation (blue water). Global yield gap assessments have often ignored whether the water required to close the yield gap is locally available. Here we perform a gridded global analysis (10 km resolution) of the blue water consumption that is needed annually to close the yield gap worldwide and evaluate the associated pressure on renewable freshwater resources. We find that, to close the yield gap, human appropriation of freshwater resources for irrigation would have to increase at least by 146%. Most study countries would experience at least a doubling in blue water requirement, with 71% of the additional blue water being required by only four crops - maize, rice, soybeans, and wheat. Further, in some countries (e.g., Algeria, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen) the total volume of blue water required for yield gap closure would exceed sustainable levels of freshwater consumption (i.e., 40% of total renewable surface and groundwater resources).

  20. A Study of Holistic and Subskill Instructional Approaches to Reading Comprehension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vacca, Richard T.

    1980-01-01

    In a six-week study involving seventh- to ninth-grade students in a summer corrective reading program, neither the holistic nor the subskill treatment had a significant advantage in improving student reading comprehension or attitude toward reading. (JT)

  1. Determinants of Success in Native and Non-Native Listening Comprehension: An Individual Differences Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andringa, Sible; Olsthoorn, Nomi; van Beuningen, Catherine; Schoonen, Rob; Hulstijn, Jan

    2012-01-01

    The goal of this study was to explain individual differences in both native and non-native listening comprehension; 121 native and 113 non-native speakers of Dutch were tested on various linguistic and nonlinguistic cognitive skills thought to underlie listening comprehension. Structural equation modeling was used to identify the predictors of…

  2. Geoelectrical parameter-based multivariate regression borehole yield model for predicting aquifer yield in managing groundwater resource sustainability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kehinde Anthony Mogaji

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available This study developed a GIS-based multivariate regression (MVR yield rate prediction model of groundwater resource sustainability in the hard-rock geology terrain of southwestern Nigeria. This model can economically manage the aquifer yield rate potential predictions that are often overlooked in groundwater resources development. The proposed model relates the borehole yield rate inventory of the area to geoelectrically derived parameters. Three sets of borehole yield rate conditioning geoelectrically derived parameters—aquifer unit resistivity (ρ, aquifer unit thickness (D and coefficient of anisotropy (λ—were determined from the acquired and interpreted geophysical data. The extracted borehole yield rate values and the geoelectrically derived parameter values were regressed to develop the MVR relationship model by applying linear regression and GIS techniques. The sensitivity analysis results of the MVR model evaluated at P ⩽ 0.05 for the predictors ρ, D and λ provided values of 2.68 × 10−05, 2 × 10−02 and 2.09 × 10−06, respectively. The accuracy and predictive power tests conducted on the MVR model using the Theil inequality coefficient measurement approach, coupled with the sensitivity analysis results, confirmed the model yield rate estimation and prediction capability. The MVR borehole yield prediction model estimates were processed in a GIS environment to model an aquifer yield potential prediction map of the area. The information on the prediction map can serve as a scientific basis for predicting aquifer yield potential rates relevant in groundwater resources sustainability management. The developed MVR borehole yield rate prediction mode provides a good alternative to other methods used for this purpose.

  3. Using an integrated method to estimate watershed sediment yield during heavy rain period: a case study in Hualien County, Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. M. Hsu

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available A comprehensive approach estimating sediment yield from a watershed is needed to develop better measures for mitigating sediment disasters and assessing downstream impacts. In the present study, an attempt has been made to develop an integrated method, considering sediment supplies associated with soil erosion, shallow landslide and debris flow to estimate sediment yield from a debris-flow-prone watershed on a storm event basis. The integrated method is based on the HSPF and TRIGRS models for predicting soil erosion and shallow landslide sediment yield, and the FLO-2D model for calculating debris flow sediment yield. The proposed method was applied to potential debris-flow watersheds located in the Sioulin Township of Hualien County. The available data such as hourly rainfall data, historical streamflow and sediment records as well as event-based landslide inventory maps have been used for model calibration and validation. Results for simulating sediment yield have been confirmed by comparisons of observed data from several typhoon events. The verified method employed a 24-h design hyetograph with the 100-yr return period to simulate sediment yield within the study area. The results revealed that the influence of shallow landslides on sediment supply as compared with soil erosion was significant. The estimate of landslide transport capacity into a main channel indicated the sediment delivery ratio on a typhoon event basis was approximately 38.4%. In addition, a comparison of sediment yields computed from occurrence and non-occurrence of debris flow scenarios showed that the sediment yield from an occurrence condition was found to be increasing at about 14.2 times more than estimated under a non-occurrence condition. This implied watershed sediment hazard induced by debris flow may cause severe consequences.

  4. The comprehension of mathematic problems in primary school

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karel Pérez Ariza

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The paper describes the result of the research project “A study of causes of difficulties in learning comprehension from an interdisciplinary perspective in Camagüey. The main objective of that study is to propose a methodology for the comprehension of mathematic problems in primary school. In designing the methodology, the characteristics of this text variety, basic principle of the theory of reading comprehension and problem solving were taking into account. In this research work several theoretical methods were used —analysis-synthesis, historical-logical, inductive-deductive— to elaborate the theoretical framework, while modeling and system approach in the methodology construction. Additionally, empirical methods were used in order to assess the knowledge about comprehension of mathematic problems; among them observation and analysis of the activity results.

  5. Process-outcome interrelationship and standard setting in medical education: the need for a comprehensive approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christensen, Leif; Karle, Hans; Nystrup, Jørgen

    2007-09-01

    An outcome-based approach to medical education compared to a process/content orientation is currently being discussed intensively. In this article, the process and outcome interrelationship in medical education is discussed, with specific emphasis on the relation to the definition of standards in basic medical education. Perceptions of outcome have always been an integrated element of curricular planning. The present debate underlines the need for stronger focus on learning objectives and outcome assessment in many medical schools around the world. The need to maintain an integrated approach of process/content and outcome is underlined in this paper. A worry is expressed about the taxonomy of learning in pure outcome-based medical education, in which student assessment can be a major determinant for the learning process, leaving the control of the medical curriculum to medical examiners. Moreover, curricula which favour reductionism by stating everything in terms of instrumental outcomes or competences, do face a risk of lowering quality and do become a prey for political interference. Standards based on outcome alone rise unclarified problems in relationship to licensure requirements of medical doctors. It is argued that the alleged dichotomy between process/content and outcome seems artificial, and that formulation of standards in medical education must follow a comprehensive line in curricular planning.

  6. Analyse Factorielle d'une Batterie de Tests de Comprehension Orale et Ecrite (Factor Analysis of a Battery of Tests of Listening and Reading Comprehension). Melanges Pedagogiques, 1971.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lonchamp, F.

    This is a presentation of the results of a factor analysis of a battery of tests intended to measure listening and reading comprehension in English as a second language. The analysis sought to answer the following questions: (1) whether the factor analysis method yields results when applied to tests which are not specifically designed for this…

  7. A developmental study of proverb comprehension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Resnick, D A

    1982-09-01

    Growth in proverb comprehension was hypothesized to result from the gradual emergence of cognitive abilities reflected in a sequence of increasingly complex abilities: story matching, transfer of relations, desymbolization, proverb matching, and paraphrase. Items for these abilities for each of 10 proverbs of two structural types were administered in three test sessions to 438 students in grades three to seven. An analogy subtest was used to measure general intelligence. ANOVA yielded significant main effects for grade, tasks, and proverbs (all p's less than .01). A significant task x proverb interaction (p less than .01) revealed the difficulty of precise control over the language of the items. Proverb structure had no measurable impact on difficulty. Analogy score was a significant factor in performance (p less than .01) but not as potent as age (p less than .01). The sequential order of abilities received only weak confirmation, though tasks did correlate among themselves with medium strength (r's = .50-.70). Individual interviews added a qualitative dimension to the findings. The suitability of cognitive hierarchical models for proverb comprehension was questioned.

  8. PRISM offers a comprehensive genomic approach to transcription factor function prediction

    KAUST Repository

    Wenger, A. M.; Clarke, S. L.; Guturu, H.; Chen, J.; Schaar, B. T.; McLean, C. Y.; Bejerano, G.

    2013-01-01

    The human genome encodes 1500-2000 different transcription factors (TFs). ChIP-seq is revealing the global binding profiles of a fraction of TFs in a fraction of their biological contexts. These data show that the majority of TFs bind directly next to a large number of context-relevant target genes, that most binding is distal, and that binding is context specific. Because of the effort and cost involved, ChIP-seq is seldom used in search of novel TF function. Such exploration is instead done using expression perturbation and genetic screens. Here we propose a comprehensive computational framework for transcription factor function prediction. We curate 332 high-quality nonredundant TF binding motifs that represent all major DNA binding domains, and improve cross-species conserved binding site prediction to obtain 3.3 million conserved, mostly distal, binding site predictions. We combine these with 2.4 million facts about all human and mouse gene functions, in a novel statistical framework, in search of enrichments of particular motifs next to groups of target genes of particular functions. Rigorous parameter tuning and a harsh null are used to minimize false positives. Our novel PRISM (predicting regulatory information from single motifs) approach obtains 2543 TF function predictions in a large variety of contexts, at a false discovery rate of 16%. The predictions are highly enriched for validated TF roles, and 45 of 67 (67%) tested binding site regions in five different contexts act as enhancers in functionally matched cells.

  9. PRISM offers a comprehensive genomic approach to transcription factor function prediction

    KAUST Repository

    Wenger, A. M.

    2013-02-04

    The human genome encodes 1500-2000 different transcription factors (TFs). ChIP-seq is revealing the global binding profiles of a fraction of TFs in a fraction of their biological contexts. These data show that the majority of TFs bind directly next to a large number of context-relevant target genes, that most binding is distal, and that binding is context specific. Because of the effort and cost involved, ChIP-seq is seldom used in search of novel TF function. Such exploration is instead done using expression perturbation and genetic screens. Here we propose a comprehensive computational framework for transcription factor function prediction. We curate 332 high-quality nonredundant TF binding motifs that represent all major DNA binding domains, and improve cross-species conserved binding site prediction to obtain 3.3 million conserved, mostly distal, binding site predictions. We combine these with 2.4 million facts about all human and mouse gene functions, in a novel statistical framework, in search of enrichments of particular motifs next to groups of target genes of particular functions. Rigorous parameter tuning and a harsh null are used to minimize false positives. Our novel PRISM (predicting regulatory information from single motifs) approach obtains 2543 TF function predictions in a large variety of contexts, at a false discovery rate of 16%. The predictions are highly enriched for validated TF roles, and 45 of 67 (67%) tested binding site regions in five different contexts act as enhancers in functionally matched cells.

  10. Yield enhancement with DFM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paek, Seung Weon; Kang, Jae Hyun; Ha, Naya; Kim, Byung-Moo; Jang, Dae-Hyun; Jeon, Junsu; Kim, DaeWook; Chung, Kun Young; Yu, Sung-eun; Park, Joo Hyun; Bae, SangMin; Song, DongSup; Noh, WooYoung; Kim, YoungDuck; Song, HyunSeok; Choi, HungBok; Kim, Kee Sup; Choi, Kyu-Myung; Choi, Woonhyuk; Jeon, JoongWon; Lee, JinWoo; Kim, Ki-Su; Park, SeongHo; Chung, No-Young; Lee, KangDuck; Hong, YoungKi; Kim, BongSeok

    2012-03-01

    A set of design for manufacturing (DFM) techniques have been developed and applied to 45nm, 32nm and 28nm logic process technologies. A noble technology combined a number of potential confliction of DFM techniques into a comprehensive solution. These techniques work in three phases for design optimization and one phase for silicon diagnostics. In the DFM prevention phase, foundation IP such as standard cells, IO, and memory and P&R tech file are optimized. In the DFM solution phase, which happens during ECO step, auto fixing of process weak patterns and advanced RC extraction are performed. In the DFM polishing phase, post-layout tuning is done to improve manufacturability. DFM analysis enables prioritization of random and systematic failures. The DFM technique presented in this paper has been silicon-proven with three successful tape-outs in Samsung 32nm processes; about 5% improvement in yield was achieved without any notable side effects. Visual inspection of silicon also confirmed the positive effect of the DFM techniques.

  11. Integrated model for predicting rice yield with climate change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jin-Ki; Das, Amrita; Park, Jong-Hwa

    2018-04-01

    Rice is the chief agricultural product and one of the primary food source. For this reason, it is of pivotal importance for worldwide economy and development. Therefore, in a decision-support-system both for the farmers and in the planning and management of the country's economy, forecasting yield is vital. However, crop yield, which is a dependent of the soil-bio-atmospheric system, is difficult to represent in statistical language. This paper describes a novel approach for predicting rice yield using artificial neural network, spatial interpolation, remote sensing and GIS methods. Herein, the variation in the yield is attributed to climatic parameters and crop health, and the normalized difference vegetation index from MODIS is used as an indicator of plant health and growth. Due importance was given to scaling up the input parameters using spatial interpolation and GIS and minimising the sources of error in every step of the modelling. The low percentage error (2.91) and high correlation (0.76) signifies the robust performance of the proposed model. This simple but effective approach is then used to estimate the influence of climate change on South Korean rice production. As proposed in the RCP8.5 scenario, an upswing in temperature may increase the rice yield throughout South Korea.

  12. System dynamics approach for modeling of sugar beet yield considering the effects of climatic variables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pervin, Lia; Islam, Md Saiful

    2015-02-01

    The aim of this study was to develop a system dynamics model for computation of yields and to investigate the dependency of yields on some major climatic parameters, i.e. temperature and rainfall, for Beta vulgaris subsp. (sugar beet crops) under future climate change scenarios. A system dynamics model was developed which takes account of the effects of rainfall and temperature on sugar beet yields under limited irrigation conditions. A relationship was also developed between the seasonal evapotranspiration and seasonal growing degree days for sugar beet crops. The proposed model was set to run for the present time period of 1993-2012 and for the future period 2013-2040 for Lethbridge region (Alberta, Canada). The model provides sugar beet yields on a yearly basis which are comparable to the present field data. It was found that the future average yield will be increased at about 14% with respect to the present average yield. The proposed model can help to improve the understanding of soil water conditions and irrigation water requirements of an area under certain climatic conditions and can be used for future prediction of yields for any crops in any region (with the required information to be provided). The developed system dynamics model can be used as a supporting tool for decision making, for improvement of agricultural management practice of any region. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  13. An analysis of clinical reasoning through a recent and comprehensive approach: the dual-process theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelaccia, Thierry; Tardif, Jacques; Triby, Emmanuel; Charlin, Bernard

    2011-03-14

    Clinical reasoning plays a major role in the ability of doctors to make diagnoses and decisions. It is considered as the physician's most critical competence, and has been widely studied by physicians, educationalists, psychologists and sociologists. Since the 1970s, many theories about clinical reasoning in medicine have been put forward. This paper aims at exploring a comprehensive approach: the "dual-process theory", a model developed by cognitive psychologists over the last few years. After 40 years of sometimes contradictory studies on clinical reasoning, the dual-process theory gives us many answers on how doctors think while making diagnoses and decisions. It highlights the importance of physicians' intuition and the high level of interaction between analytical and non-analytical processes. However, it has not received much attention in the medical education literature. The implications of dual-process models of reasoning in terms of medical education will be discussed.

  14. Comprehensive Essays for World History Finals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feldman, Martha J.

    1997-01-01

    Describes a novel approach to comprehensive questions in world history examinations. Recommends using current events as illustrative reference points for complex subjects such as nationalism, liberalism, and international trade. Students receive information packets on the events for several weeks and must relate the subjects to these events. (MJP)

  15. Plant-based assessment of inherent soil productivity and contributions to China's cereal crop yield increase since 1980.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingsheng Fan

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: China's food production has increased 6-fold during the past half-century, thanks to increased yields resulting from the management intensification, accomplished through greater inputs of fertilizer, water, new crop strains, and other Green Revolution's technologies. Yet, changes in underlying quality of soils and their effects on yield increase remain to be determined. Here, we provide a first attempt to quantify historical changes in inherent soil productivity and their contributions to the increase in yield. METHODS: The assessment was conducted based on data-set derived from 7410 on-farm trials, 8 long-term experiments and an inventory of soil organic matter concentrations of arable land. RESULTS: Results show that even without organic and inorganic fertilizer addition crop yield from on-farm trials conducted in the 2000s was significantly higher compared with those in the 1980s - the increase ranged from 0.73 to 1.76 Mg/ha for China's major irrigated cereal-based cropping systems. The increase in on-farm yield in control plot since 1980s was due primarily to the enhancement of soil-related factors, and reflected inherent soil productivity improvement. The latter led to higher and stable yield with adoption of improved management practices, and contributed 43% to the increase in yield for wheat and 22% for maize in the north China, and, 31%, 35% and 22% for early and late rice in south China and for single rice crop in the Yangtze River Basin since 1980. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, without an improvement in inherent soil productivity, the 'Agricultural Miracle in China' would not have happened. A comprehensive strategy of inherent soil productivity improvement in China, accomplished through combining engineering-based measures with biological-approaches, may be an important lesson for the developing world. We propose that advancing food security in 21st century for both China and other parts of world will depend on continuously improving

  16. Modeling survival, yield, volume partitioning and their response to thinning for longleaf pine plantations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlos A. Gonzalez-Benecke; Salvador A. Gezan; Daniel J. Leduc; Timothy A. Martin; Wendell P. Cropper Jr; Lisa J Samuelson

    2012-01-01

    Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) is an important tree species of the southeast U.S. Currently there is no comprehensive stand-level growth and yield model for the species. The model system described here estimates site index (SI) if dominant height (Hdom) and stand age are known (inversely, the model can project H

  17. Using Low Resolution Satellite Imagery for Yield Prediction and Yield Anomaly Detection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oscar Rojas

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Low resolution satellite imagery has been extensively used for crop monitoring and yield forecasting for over 30 years and plays an important role in a growing number of operational systems. The combination of their high temporal frequency with their extended geographical coverage generally associated with low costs per area unit makes these images a convenient choice at both national and regional scales. Several qualitative and quantitative approaches can be clearly distinguished, going from the use of low resolution satellite imagery as the main predictor of final crop yield to complex crop growth models where remote sensing-derived indicators play different roles, depending on the nature of the model and on the availability of data measured on the ground. Vegetation performance anomaly detection with low resolution images continues to be a fundamental component of early warning and drought monitoring systems at the regional scale. For applications at more detailed scales, the limitations created by the mixed nature of low resolution pixels are being progressively reduced by the higher resolution offered by new sensors, while the continuity of existing systems remains crucial for ensuring the availability of long time series as needed by the majority of the yield prediction methods used today.

  18. From physics to metaphysics. Physical unification and string approach; Von der Physik zur Metaphysik. Physikalische Vereinheitlichung und Stringansatz

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hedrich, R.

    2007-07-01

    In spite the string approach as attempt of a nomologically unified comprehension of all interactions inclusively the gravitation exists already over three decades the physical principles on which it is based are yet completely unclear; and not the most unimportant empirically provable quantitative prediction exists. Without empirical data, which would be incompatible with the stablished theories - quantum-field theoretical standard model anf general relativity - only the conceptual incompatibility of both together with the unification idea yields a motivation for the string approach. By this however physics threatens to exceed under consequent continuation of their hitherto successful strategies the methodological framework of empirical sciences.

  19. 501 reading comprehension questions

    CERN Document Server

    2014-01-01

    This updated edition offers the most extensive and varied practice for all types of questions students might face on standardized and in-class tests. With this guide, students will learn to develop expert reading strategies, understand how to read faster and with greater comprehension, overcome reading anxiety, and increase appreciation of reading for pleasure. This book's step-by-step approach provides graduated coverage that moves from the basics to more advanced reading.

  20. A rational inference approach to group and individual-level sentence comprehension performance in aphasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren, Tessa; Dickey, Michael Walsh; Liburd, Teljer L

    2017-07-01

    The rational inference, or noisy channel, account of language comprehension predicts that comprehenders are sensitive to the probabilities of different interpretations for a given sentence and adapt as these probabilities change (Gibson, Bergen & Piantadosi, 2013). This account provides an important new perspective on aphasic sentence comprehension: aphasia may increase the likelihood of sentence distortion, leading people with aphasia (PWA) to rely more on the prior probability of an interpretation and less on the form or structure of the sentence (Gibson, Sandberg, Fedorenko, Bergen & Kiran, 2015). We report the results of a sentence-picture matching experiment that tested the predictions of the rational inference account and other current models of aphasic sentence comprehension across a variety of sentence structures. Consistent with the rational inference account, PWA showed similar sensitivity to the probability of particular kinds of form distortions as age-matched controls, yet overall their interpretations relied more on prior probability and less on sentence form. As predicted by rational inference, but not by other models of sentence comprehension in aphasia, PWA's interpretations were more faithful to the form for active and passive sentences than for direct object and prepositional object sentences. However contra rational inference, there was no evidence that individual PWA's severity of syntactic or semantic impairment predicted their sensitivity to form versus the prior probability of a sentence, as cued by semantics. These findings confirm and extend previous findings that suggest the rational inference account holds promise for explaining aphasic and neurotypical comprehension, but they also raise new challenges for the account. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Nuclear energy and comprehension of the region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Gyeong Dong; Hong, Du Seung

    1992-12-01

    This book explains the comprehension of nuclear energy with making approaches to social science. So it deals with disposal of radiation active waste as an social issue, recognition to nuclear energy of people and understanding of the region and support for the development of the region. It introduces two Anti-nuclear energy movements happened in Anmyondo and Yeongdeok. It reports these two cases approached with the method of social science.

  2. The Effect of Concept Mapping To Enhance Text Comprehension and Summarization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Kuo-En; Sung, Yao-Ting; Chen, Ine-Dai

    2002-01-01

    Tested the learning effects of a concept-mapping strategy by studying three such approaches (map correction, scaffold fading, and map generation) to determine their effects on students' text comprehension and summarization abilities. Results with 126 fifth graders show that the map correction method enhanced text comprehension and summarization,…

  3. Gender Agreement Attraction in Russian: Production and Comprehension Evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slioussar, Natalia; Malko, Anton

    2016-01-01

    Agreement attraction errors (such as the number error in the example "The key to the cabinets are rusty") have been the object of many studies in the last 20 years. So far, almost all production experiments and all comprehension experiments looked at binary features (primarily at number in Germanic, Romance, and some other languages, in several cases at gender in Romance languages). Among other things, it was noted that both in production and in comprehension, attraction effects are much stronger for some feature combinations than for the others: they can be observed in the sentences with singular heads and plural dependent nouns (e.g.,"The key to the cabinets…"), but not in the sentences with plural heads and singular dependent nouns (e.g., "The keys to the cabinet…"). Almost all proposed explanations of this asymmetry appeal to feature markedness, but existing findings do not allow teasing different approaches to markedness apart. We report the results of four experiments (one on production and three on comprehension) studying subject-verb gender agreement in Russian, a language with three genders. Firstly, we found attraction effects both in production and in comprehension, but, unlike in the case of number agreement, they were not parallel (in production, feminine gender triggered strongest effects, while neuter triggered weakest effects, while in comprehension, masculine triggered weakest effects). Secondly, in the comprehension experiments attraction was observed for all dependent noun genders, but only for a subset of head noun genders. This goes against the traditional assumption that the features of the dependent noun are crucial for attraction, showing the features of the head are more important. We demonstrate that this approach can be extended to previous findings on attraction and that there exists other evidence for it. In total, these findings let us reconsider the question which properties of features are crucial for agreement attraction in

  4. Metabolic enzyme cost explains variable trade-offs between microbial growth rate and yield.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meike T Wortel

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Microbes may maximize the number of daughter cells per time or per amount of nutrients consumed. These two strategies correspond, respectively, to the use of enzyme-efficient or substrate-efficient metabolic pathways. In reality, fast growth is often associated with wasteful, yield-inefficient metabolism, and a general thermodynamic trade-off between growth rate and biomass yield has been proposed to explain this. We studied growth rate/yield trade-offs by using a novel modeling framework, Enzyme-Flux Cost Minimization (EFCM and by assuming that the growth rate depends directly on the enzyme investment per rate of biomass production. In a comprehensive mathematical model of core metabolism in E. coli, we screened all elementary flux modes leading to cell synthesis, characterized them by the growth rates and yields they provide, and studied the shape of the resulting rate/yield Pareto front. By varying the model parameters, we found that the rate/yield trade-off is not universal, but depends on metabolic kinetics and environmental conditions. A prominent trade-off emerges under oxygen-limited growth, where yield-inefficient pathways support a 2-to-3 times higher growth rate than yield-efficient pathways. EFCM can be widely used to predict optimal metabolic states and growth rates under varying nutrient levels, perturbations of enzyme parameters, and single or multiple gene knockouts.

  5. Brazilian Soybean Yields and Yield Gaps Vary with Farm Size

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeffries, G. R.; Cohn, A.; Griffin, T. S.; Bragança, A.

    2017-12-01

    Understanding the farm size-specific characteristics of crop yields and yield gaps may help to improve yields by enabling better targeting of technical assistance and agricultural development programs. Linking remote sensing-based yield estimates with property boundaries provides a novel view of the relationship between farm size and yield structure (yield magnitude, gaps, and stability over time). A growing literature documents variations in yield gaps, but largely ignores the role of farm size as a factor shaping yield structure. Research on the inverse farm size-productivity relationship (IR) theory - that small farms are more productive than large ones all else equal - has documented that yield magnitude may vary by farm size, but has not considered other yield structure characteristics. We examined farm size - yield structure relationships for soybeans in Brazil for years 2001-2015. Using out-of-sample soybean yield predictions from a statistical model, we documented 1) gaps between the 95th percentile of attained yields and mean yields within counties and individual fields, and 2) yield stability defined as the standard deviation of time-detrended yields at given locations. We found a direct relationship between soy yields and farm size at the national level, while the strength and the sign of the relationship varied by region. Soybean yield gaps were found to be inversely related to farm size metrics, even when yields were only compared to farms of similar size. The relationship between farm size and yield stability was nonlinear, with mid-sized farms having the most stable yields. The work suggests that farm size is an important factor in understanding yield structure and that opportunities for improving soy yields in Brazil are greatest among smaller farms.

  6. Integrated remote sensing imagery and two-dimensional hydraulic modeling approach for impact evaluation of flood on crop yields

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Huili; Liang, Zhongyao; Liu, Yong; Liang, Qiuhua; Xie, Shuguang

    2017-10-01

    , with the SCS-CN model as a rainfall-runoff generator and the two-dimensional hydraulic model implementing the routing scheme for surface runoff; and (c) The spatial combination between crop yield losses and flood dynamics on a grid scale can be used to investigate the relationship between the intensity of flood characteristics and associated loss extent. The modeling framework was applied for a 50-year return period flood that occurred in Jilin province, Northeast China, which caused large agricultural losses in August 2013. The modeling results indicated that (a) the flow velocity was the most influential factor that caused spring corn, rice and soybean yield losses from extreme storm event in the mountainous regions; (b) the power function archived the best results that fit the velocity-loss relationship for mountainous areas; and (c) integrated remote sensing imagery and two-dimensional hydraulic modeling approach are helpful for evaluating the influence of historical flood event on crop production and investigating the relationship between flood characteristics and crop yield losses.

  7. Toward a Comprehensive Model of Antisocial Development: A Dynamic Systems Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granic, Isabela; Patterson, Gerald R.

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to develop a preliminary comprehensive model of antisocial development based on dynamic systems principles. The model is built on the foundations of behavioral research on coercion theory. First, the authors focus on the principles of multistability, feedback, and nonlinear causality to reconceptualize real-time…

  8. Evaluation of use of reading comprehension strategies to improve reading comprehension of adult college students with acquired brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffiths, Gina G; Sohlberg, McKay Moore; Kirk, Cecilia; Fickas, Stephen; Biancarosa, Gina

    2016-01-01

    Adults with mild to moderate acquired brain injury (ABI) often pursue post-secondary or professional education after their injuries in order to enter or re-enter the job market. An increasing number of these adults report problems with reading-to-learn. The problem is particularly concerning given the growing population of adult survivors of ABI. Despite the rising need, empirical evaluation of reading comprehension interventions for adults with ABI is scarce. This study used a within-subject design to evaluate whether adult college students with ABI with no more than moderate cognitive impairments benefited from using reading comprehension strategies to improve comprehension of expository text. Integrating empirical support from the cognitive rehabilitation and special education literature, the researchers designed a multi-component reading comprehension strategy package. Participants read chapters from an introductory-level college anthropology textbook in two different conditions: strategy and no-strategy. The results indicated that reading comprehension strategy use was associated with recall of more correct information units in immediate and delayed free recall tasks; more efficient recall in the delayed free recall task; and increased accuracy recognising statements from a sentence verification task designed to reflect the local and global coherence of the text. The findings support further research into using reading comprehension strategies as an intervention approach for the adult ABI population. Future research needs include identifying how to match particular reading comprehension strategies to individuals, examining whether reading comprehension performance improves further through the incorporation of systematic training, and evaluating texts from a range of disciplines and genres.

  9. Do comprehensive schools reduce social mobility?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boliver, Vikki; Swift, Adam

    2011-03-01

    This paper investigates the claim that the shift from a selective to a comprehensive school system had a deleterious effect on social mobility in Great Britain. Using data from the National Child Development Study, we compare the chances, for both class and income mobility, of those who attended different kinds of school. Where media attention focuses exclusively on the chances for upward mobility of those children from lowly origins who were (or would have been) judged worthy of selection into a grammar school, we offer more rounded analyses. We match respondents in a way that helps us to distinguish those inequalities in mobility chances that are due to differences between children from those due to differences between the schools they attended; we look at the effects of the school system on the mobility chances of all children, not merely those from less advantaged origins; and we compare comprehensive- and selective-system schools, not merely comprehensive and grammar schools. After matching, we find, first, that going to a grammar school rather than a comprehensive does not make low-origin children more likely to be upwardly mobile but it helps them move further if they are; second, that grammar schools do not benefit working-class children, in terms of class mobility, more than they benefit service-class children, but, in terms of income mobility, such schools benefit low-income children somewhat more than they benefit higher-income children - that benefit relating only to rather modest and limited movements within the income distribution. Finally, however, the selective system as a whole yields no mobility advantage of any kind to children from any particular origins: any assistance to low-origin children provided by grammar schools is cancelled out by the hindrance suffered by those who attended secondary moderns. Overall, our findings suggest that comprehensive schools were as good for mobility as the selective schools they replaced. © London School of

  10. Probabilistic logic networks a comprehensive framework for uncertain inference

    CERN Document Server

    Goertzel, Ben; Goertzel, Izabela Freire; Heljakka, Ari

    2008-01-01

    This comprehensive book describes Probabilistic Logic Networks (PLN), a novel conceptual, mathematical and computational approach to uncertain inference. A broad scope of reasoning types are considered.

  11. New approach for regional crop yield gap analysis in the Borujen ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In general, simulated results matched well with the measured parameters in the calibration procedure. Calibrated results of WOFOST model are linked to a geographic information system, in order, to get easier their presentation and also to contribute to identification of hotspots for interventions aimed at yield improvements.

  12. Comprehensive adaptive mesh refinement in wrinkling prediction analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Selman, A.; Meinders, Vincent T.; Huetink, Han; van den Boogaard, Antonius H.

    2002-01-01

    Discretisation errors indicator, contact free wrinkling and wrinkling with contact indicators are, in a challenging task, brought together and used in a comprehensive approach to wrinkling prediction analysis in thin sheet metal forming processes.

  13. CEOS Theory: A Comprehensive Approach to Understanding Hard to Maintain Behaviour Change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borland, Ron

    2017-03-01

    This paper provides a brief introduction to CEOS theory, a comprehensive theory for understanding hard to maintain behaviour change. The name CEOS is an acronym for Context, Executive, and Operational Systems theory. Behaviour is theorised to be the result of the moment by moment interaction between internal needs (operational processes) in relation to environmental conditions, and for humans this is augmented by goal-directed, executive action which can transcend immediate contingencies. All behaviour is generated by operational processes. Goal-directed behaviours only triumph over contingency-generated competing behaviours when operational processes have been sufficiently activated to support them. Affective force can be generated around executive system (ES) goals from such things as memories of direct experience, vicarious experience, and emotionally charged communications mediated through stories the person generates. This paper makes some refinements and elaborations of the theory, particularly around the role of feelings, and of the importance of stories and scripts for facilitating executive action. It also sketches out how it reconceptualises a range of issues relevant to behaviour change. CEOS provides a framework for understanding the limitations of both informational and environmental approaches to behaviour change, the need for self-regulatory strategies and for taking into account more basic aspects of human functioning. © 2016 The Authors. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Association of Applied Psychology.

  14. Translating advances in reading comprehension research to educational practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danielle S. McNamara

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available The authors review five major findings in reading comprehension and their implications for educational practice. First, research suggests that comprehension skills are separable from decoding processes and important at early ages, suggesting that comprehension skills should be targeted early, even before the child learns to read. Second, there is an important distinction between reading processes and products, as well as their causal relationship: processes lead to certain products. Hence, instructional approaches and strategies focusing on processes are needed to improve students’ reading performance (i.e., product. Third, inferences are a crucial component of skilled comprehension. Hence, children need scaffolding and remediation to learn to generate inferences, even when they know little about the text topic. Fourth, comprehension depends on a complex interaction between the reader, the characteristics of the text, and the instructional task, highlighting the need for careful selection of instructional materials for individual students and specific groups of students. Finally, educators may benefit from heightened awareness of the limitations and inadequacies of standardized reading comprehension assessments, as well as the multidimensionality of comprehension to better understand their students’ particular strengths and weaknesses.

  15. Translating advances in reading comprehension research to educational practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danielle S. McNAMARA

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available The authors review five major findings in reading comprehension and their implications for educational practice. First, research suggests that comprehension skills are separable from decodingprocesses and important at early ages, suggesting that comprehension skills should be targeted early, even before the child learns to read. Second, there is an important distinction between readingprocesses and products, as well as their causal relationship: processes lead to certain products. Hence, instructional approaches and strategies focusing on processes are needed to improve students’reading performance (i.e., product. Third, inferences are a crucial component of skilled comprehension. Hence, children need scaffolding and remediation to learn to generate inferences, even when they know little about the text topic. Fourth, comprehension depends on a complex interaction between the reader, the characteristics of the text, and the instructional task, highlighting the need for careful selection of instructional materials for individual students and specific groups of students. Finally, educators may benefit from heightened awareness of the limitations and inadequacies of standardized reading comprehension assessments, as well as the multidimensionality of comprehension to better understand their students’ particular strengths and weaknesses.

  16. An analysis of clinical reasoning through a recent and comprehensive approach: the dual-process theory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thierry Pelaccia

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Context. Clinical reasoning plays a major role in the ability of doctors to make diagnoses and decisions. It is considered as the physician's most critical competence, and has been widely studied by physicians, educationalists, psychologists and sociologists. Since the 1970s, many theories about clinical reasoning in medicine have been put forward.Purpose. This paper aims at exploring a comprehensive approach: the “dual-process theory”, a model developed by cognitive psychologists over the last few years.Discussion. After 40 years of sometimes contradictory studies on clinical reasoning, the dual-process theory gives us many answers on how doctors think while making diagnoses and decisions. It highlights the importance of physicians’ intuition and the high level of interaction between analytical and non-analytical processes. However, it has not received much attention in the medical education literature. The implications of dual-process models of reasoning in terms of medical education will be discussed.

  17. The Role of Soil Organic Matter for Maintaining Crop Yields: Evidence for a Renewed Conceptual Basis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schjønning, Per; Jensen, Johannes Lund; Bruun, Sander

    2018-01-01

    Soil organic carbon (SOC) is believed to play a crucial role for many soil functions and ecosystem services. Despite much research, a lower threshold of SOC for sustainable crop production has not been identified across soil types. We addressed a comprehensive dataset with yields of winter wheat...

  18. Assessment of competition and yield advantage in addition series of barley variety mixtures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kari Jokinen

    1991-09-01

    Full Text Available In an addition series experiment the competition between three barley varieties (Agneta, Arra and Porno and the yield performance of mixtures were evaluated. Also two levels of nitrogen fertilization (50 and 100 kgN/ha were applied. Two approaches (the replacement series and the linear regression equation were used to analyse the competitive relationship based on grain yields in two-component mixtures. In three component mixtures the replacement series approach was applied. Both methods showed a similar dominance order of the varieties with Arra always being dominant and Agneta subordinate. The relationship between varieties was independent of the number of varieties in the mixture. Increase in available nitrogen strengthened the competitiveness of Arra especially in the dense, two-variety mixtures. Some mixtures over yielded but the differences were not statistically significant. The yield advantage based on relative yield total or on the ratio of actual and expected yield was greatest when the density and nitrogen fertilization were low and especially when one component in the mixture was a rather low yielding variety (Agneta. The land equivalent ratios (LER (the reference pure culture yield was the maximum yield of each variety were close to one, suggesting that under optimal growing conditions the yield advantage of barley varietal mixtures is marginal.

  19. Addressing water quality issues on a watershed basis: a comprehensive approach for utilizing chapter 20 of the Michigan drain code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCulloch, J.P.

    2002-01-01

    There are five major watersheds in Oakland County. They are the Clinton, Flint, Huron, Rouge and Shiawassee. Included in these watersheds are 61 individual cities, villages and townships. Actions taken by one community within the watershed have a significant impact on other communities in the watershed. Consequently, a multi-community approach needs to be identified and utilized to comprehensively address public health and water quality issues. Some of the issues faced by these communities individually include stormwater management, flooding, drainage, and river and stream management. Failing septic systems, illicit connections causing groundwater contamination, and habitat and wetland degradation are also primary concerns. Finally, wastewater treatment capacity and sanitary sewer service also are regularly dealt with by these communities. Traditionally, short-term solutions to these often urgent problems required the construction of relief sewers or temporary retention structures. Unfortunately, solving the problem in one area often meant the creation of new problems downstream. Coordinating efforts among these 61 individual communities is difficult. These difficult challenges are best met with a coordinated, comprehensive plan. (author)

  20. Estimating Corporate Yield Curves

    OpenAIRE

    Antionio Diaz; Frank Skinner

    2001-01-01

    This paper represents the first study of retail deposit spreads of UK financial institutions using stochastic interest rate modelling and the market comparable approach. By replicating quoted fixed deposit rates using the Black Derman and Toy (1990) stochastic interest rate model, we find that the spread between fixed and variable rates of interest can be modeled (and priced) using an interest rate swap analogy. We also find that we can estimate an individual bank deposit yield curve as a spr...

  1. Decision making in double-pedicled DIEP and SIEA abdominal free flap breast reconstructions: An algorithmic approach and comprehensive classification.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles M Malata

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP free flap is the gold standard for autologous breast reconstruction. However, using a single vascular pedicle may not yield sufficient tissue in patients with midline scars or insufficient lower abdominal pannus. Double-pedicled free flaps overcome this problem using different vascular arrangements to harvest the entire lower abdominal flap. The literature is, however, sparse regarding technique selection. We therefore reviewed our experience in order to formulate an algorithm and comprehensive classification for this purpose. Methods: All patients undergoing unilateral double-pedicled abdominal perforator free flap breast reconstruction (AFFBR by a single surgeon (CMM over 40 months were reviewed from a prospectively collected database. Results: Of the 112 consecutive breast free flaps performed, 25 (22% utilised two vascular pedicles. The mean patient age was 45 years (range=27-54. All flaps but one (which used the thoracodorsal system were anastomosed to the internal mammary vessels using the rib-preservation technique. The surgical duration was 656 minutes (range=468-690 mins. The median flap weight was 618g (range=432-1275g and the mastectomy weight was 445g (range=220-896g. All flaps were successful and only three patients requested minor liposuction to reduce and reshape their reconstructed breasts.Conclusion: Bipedicled free abdominal perforator flaps, employed in a fifth of all our AFFBRs, are a reliable and safe option for unilateral breast reconstruction. They, however, necessitate clear indications to justify the additional technical complexity and surgical duration. Our algorithm and comprehensive classification facilitate technique selection for the anastomotic permutations and successful execution of these operations.

  2. The Effect of Comprehensible Input and Comprehensible Output on the Accuracy and Complexity of Iranian EFL Learners’ Oral Speech

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    omid tabatabaie

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed at investigating the relative impact of comprehensible input and comprehensible output on the development of grammatical accuracy and syntactic complexity of Iranian EFL learners’ oral production. Participants were 60 female EFL learners selected from a whole population pool of 80 based on the standard test of IELTS. To investigate the research questions, the participants were randomly divided into three groups: Input group, output group, and control group. The study involved two phases: the pre-task phase, and the main-task phase. During the pre-task phase, the input group received comprehensible input. In the same phase, the output group was pushed to be engaged in comprehensible output production. The control group neither received input, nor was engaged in output production. In the main-task phase, all subjects performed monologues that were separately recorded, and later transcribed and coded in terms of accuracy and complexity through Bygate's (2001 standard coding system and finally scored. The statistical analysis of the results revealed that while the output group outperformed the input group in grammatical accuracy, the input group proved to be more rigorous and influential in developing speech complexity. The study supports Swain’s (1985 claim that there are roles for comprehensible output that are different from and independent of comprehensible input, and Skehan & Foster's (2001 theory regarding human beings’ limited attentional capacities that can be devoted to one aspect of oral speech at the expense of the other. Generally, it is implied that the most effective way for improving oral speech, based on the literature and the results obtained from this study, is an eclectic approach which conflates both comprehensible input and comprehensible output.

  3. Respiratory consequences of prematurity: evolution of a diagnosis and development of a comprehensive approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maitre, Nathalie L; Ballard, Roberta A; Ellenberg, Jonas H; Davis, Stephanie D; Greenberg, James M; Hamvas, Aaron; Pryhuber, Gloria S

    2015-05-01

    Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common respiratory consequence of premature birth and contributes to significant short- and long-term morbidity, mortality and resource utilization. Initially defined as a radiographic, clinical and histopathological entity, the chronic lung disease known as BPD has evolved as obstetrical and neonatal care have improved the survival of lower gestational age infants. Now, definitions based on the need for supplementary oxygen at 28 days and/or 36 weeks provide a useful reference point in the neonatal intensive-care unit (NICU), but are no longer based on histopathological findings, and are neither designed to predict longer term respiratory consequences nor to study the evolution of a multifactorial disease. The aims of this review are to critically examine the evolution of the diagnosis of BPD and the challenges inherent to current classifications. We found that the increasing use of respiratory support strategies that administer ambient air without supplementary oxygen confounds oxygen-based definitions of BPD. Furthermore, lack of reproducible, genetic, biochemical and physiological biomarkers limits the ability to identify an impending BPD for early intervention, quantify disease severity for standardized classification and approaches and reliably predict the long-term outcomes. More comprehensive, multidisciplinary approaches to overcome these challenges involve longitudinal observation of extremely preterm infants, not only those with BPD, using genetic, environmental, physiological and clinical data as well as large databases of patient samples. The Prematurity and Respiratory Outcomes Program (PROP) will provide such a framework to address these challenges through high-resolution characterization of both NICU and post-NICU discharge outcomes.

  4. Children's exposure to harmful elements in toys and low-cost jewelry: characterizing risks and developing a comprehensive approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guney, Mert; Zagury, Gerald J

    2014-04-30

    Contamination problem in jewelry and toys and children's exposure possibility have been previously demonstrated. For this study, risk from oral exposure has been characterized for highly contaminated metallic toys and jewelry ((MJ), n=16) considering three scenarios. Total and bioaccessible concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb were high in selected MJ. First scenario (ingestion of parts or pieces) caused unacceptable risk for eight items for Cd, Ni, and/or Pb (hazard index (HI)>1, up to 75, 5.8, and 43, respectively). HI for ingestion of scraped-off material scenario was always 1 in three samples (two for Cd, one for Ni). Risk characterization identified different potentially hazardous items compared to United States, Canadian, and European Union approaches. A comprehensive approach was also developed to deal with complexity and drawbacks caused by various toy/jewelry definitions, test methods, exposure scenarios, and elements considered in different regulatory approaches. It includes bioaccessible limits for eight priority elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Sb). Research is recommended on metals bioaccessibility determination in toys/jewelry, in vitro bioaccessibility test development, estimation of material ingestion rates and frequency, presence of hexavalent Cr and organic Sn, and assessment of prolonged exposure to MJ. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Simple, spatial and predictive approach for cereal yield prediction in the semi-arid areas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toumi, Jihad; Khabba, Said; Er-Raki, Salah; Le page, Michel; Chahbi Bellakanji, Aicha; Lili Chabaane, Zohra; Ezzahar, Jamal; Zribi, Mehrez; Jarlan, Lionel

    2016-04-01

    The objective is to develop a simple, spatial and predictive approach of dry matter (DM) and grain yield (GY) of cereal in the semi-arid areas. The proposed method is based on the three efficiencies model of Monteith (1972). This approach summarizes the transformation of solar radiation to the dry matter (DM) by the climate (ɛc), interception (ɛi) and conversion (ɛconv) efficiencies. The method combines the maximum of ɛi and ɛconv (noted ɛimax and ɛconvmax) into a single parameter denoted ɛmax, calculating as a function of cumulating growing degree day (CGDD). Also, the stress coefficient ks, which affects the conversion of solar radiation to the biomass was calculated by the surface temperature or the water balance at the root zone. In addition, the expression of ks has been improved by the consideration of the results achieved by deficit irrigation (AquaCrop and STICS models) which showed that the value of ks from 0.7 to 1 didn't affect significantly the cereal production. For the partitioning of the dry matter developed, between straw and grain, the method proposed calculates a variable Harvest Index coefficient (HI). HI is deducted from CGDD and HI0max (maximal final harvest Index in the region of study). Finally, the approach calculates DM depending Satellite Information (NDVI and surface temperature Ts) and climatic data (solar radiation and air temperature). In the case of no availability of Ts, the amount of irrigation is required to calculate ks. Until now, the developed model has been calibrated and validated on the irrigated area R3, located 40 Km east of Marrakech. The evolutions of DM and GY were reproduced satisfactorily. R2 and RMSE are respectively 0.98 and 0.35 t/ha and 0.98 and 0.19 t/ha, respectively. Currently, additional tests are in progress on data relating to the Kairouan plain of Tunisia.

  6. Comprehensive Family Services and Customer Satisfaction Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huebner, Ruth A.; Jones, Blake L.; Miller, Viola P.; Custer, Melba; Critchfield, Becky

    2006-01-01

    Comprehensive Family Services (CFS) is a strengths-based and partnership-oriented approach to casework implemented through multiple initiatives. This study examines the relationship between the practice of CFS and satisfaction of clients, foster parents, and community partners. CFS indicators are paired with statewide customer satisfaction survey…

  7. Market reactions to the ECB's Comprehensive Assessment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sahin, Cenkhan; de Haan, Jakob

    Using an event study approach, we examine financial markets' reactions to the publication of the ECB's Comprehensive Assessment of banks in the euro area. Our results suggest that banks' stock market prices and CDS spreads generally showed no reaction. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Evaluating Dynamic Analysis Techniques for Program Comprehension

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cornelissen, S.G.M.

    2009-01-01

    Program comprehension is an essential part of software development and software maintenance, as software must be sufficiently understood before it can be properly modified. One of the common approaches in getting to understand a program is the study of its execution, also known as dynamic analysis.

  9. Comprehensive Musicianship and Undergraduate Music Curricula.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willoughby, David

    Comprehensive musicianship is a concept about teaching and learning music. It is an approach that suggests that the source of all musical study is the "literature" of music, and promotes the integration of all aspects of music study. This volume presents a synthesis of the philosophy and practice of 32 experimental programs based on the concept of…

  10. JEFF-3T. Decay data and fission yield libraries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bersillon, O.; Blachot, J.; Dean, C.J.; Mills, R.W.; Nichols, A.L.; Nouri, A.

    2002-01-01

    Comprehensive decay-data and fission-yield libraries provide important input to a wide range of nuclear physics codes for nuclear applications. A new initiative has begun under the auspices of the NEA/OECD to generate improved data sets that will constitute the JEFF-3 libraries in ENDF-6 format, primarily for nuclear power, fuel reprocessing and waste management needs. Various sources of decay data have been accessed in order to assemble these files: NUBASE, ENSDF, UKPADD-6 and UKHEDD-2. Efforts have also focused on the evaluation of decay data for a number of important short-lived fission products, so that artificial adjustments to some of the relevant decay data and fission yields are not required to accommodate a previous lack of such data. Fission yields were adopted from UK evaluations recently undertaken to create the UKFY3 library. Decay-data files for 3 755 nuclides have been prepared, including sets of data for the stable nuclides (i.e. mass, natural abundance, spin and parity). Problems in the assignment of ENDF material numbers were addressed, while format and consistency tests were made using CHECKR and FIZCON, respectively. The assembly processes are discussed and reviewed, and the contents of the JEFF-3T starter libraries are described. (author)

  11. A Comprehensive Rehabilitation Approach in a Patient With Serious Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, Yong Jae; Lee, Yang Gyun; Park, Ji Woong; Ahn, Sung Ho; Kwak, Jin Myoung; Choi, Yoon-Hee

    2016-08-01

    Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) involves the central and peripheral nervous system in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It is essential to specify the problems faced by patients with NPSLE because it causes diverse disabilities and impairs quality of life. After performing a comprehensive evaluation, tailored management should be provided for the patient's specific problems. We report here the case of a 30-year-old female with SLE who experienced serious neuropsychiatric symptoms cerebral infarction followed by posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome and peripheral polyneuropathy. We systemically assessed the patient using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model as a clinical problem-solving tool and provided comprehensive rehabilitation by focusing on her problems.

  12. Effects of Drought Stress on Canola (Brassica napus L. Genotypes Yield and Yield Components

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R Khani

    2018-02-01

    in SAS ver. 9.2 and Minitab ver. 17 to test for normality. Means were separated using Fishers Least Significant Difference (LSD set at a 0.05 significance level. Results and Discussion As expected, canola genotypes showed different responses to availability of water at flowering and pod setting growth stages. Results indicated that drought stress at flowering and pod setting growth stages had severe influence on canola genotypes yield and its components. L72, L146, L183, L210 and Karaj 2 genotypes tend to produce higher yields compared to other genotypes in no-stress conditions. Hence, these genotypes are suitable for planting in irrigated lands or place that enough precipitation downfall especially in their phenological growth stages. In contrast, these genotypes are not suitable for planting in arid or semi-arid regions like Iran, because the yields reduced severely in drought stress conditions. However, KR18, HW101, SW101 and Karaj3 genotypes could not produce as same yield as L72, L146, L183, L210 and Karaj2 genotypes in no-stress condition, they had minimum yield loss in susceptible phenological growth stages especially flowering growth stage compared to other genotypes. L183 genotype could produce yield similar to tolerant genotypes, but its yield loss was high in comparison with no stress condition. Conclusions Based on our findings in this study, KR18, HW101, SW101 and Karaj3 can be considered the best among other 18 genotypes in the selection of genotypes tolerant to drought stress occurring in flowering and pod setting stages. However, this study must be repeated in other climates and different drought stress conditions to acknowledge what we achieved in this research. After that, decision can be made about planting these genotypes tolerant in arid and semi-arid regions. In this regard, we can also do more comprehensive works can be done on breeding of these genotypes, because water crisis will be the future challenge in Iran.

  13. Review of the ideas of the EGRP: comprehensive authorization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osborne, R.V.; Turvey, F.J.

    2004-01-01

    One of the questions addressed in the review of the ideas of the EGRP was whether the process of comprehensive authorization as described in 'The Way Forward: a Contribution to the Evolution of the System of Radiological Protection' would lead to a better system of protection. The process can be seen as a particular application of the general approach taken in assessing and managing health risks of all kinds. Such an approach is to define the problem and put it in context; to analyse the risks; to examine the options for addressing the risk; to decide which option to implement - i.e., the optimum solution; to implement the decision; and to evaluate the results. The EGRP ideas cover the first four steps. In the review we have tested the process of characterisation, screening, and optimisation called here 'comprehensive authorization' - on a variety of sources and exposures, ranging from cosmic ray exposures of the public to radioactive releases from nuclear facilities. Our finding has been that the scores obtained in the characterisation range from less than 35% to more then 65%, the values suggested (see Part 1 of this presentation) as the criteria for excusing from regulatory action and for indicating the need for stakeholder involvement. The comprehensive authorization process would appear to lead to the same general outcomes as does the present system but in a more unified way without some of the confusing terminology. Characterisation looks to be a helpful way of triggering stakeholder involvement, though there may be some difficulty in arriving at a common set of attributes - some 'tuning' is needed. There is still a need for international recommendations on dose constraints and other quantitative guidelines for consideration in the optimisation process. The process of comprehensive authorization appears to be an evolution of the present system, able to take advantage of those parts of the current system that work well. With the comprehensive authorization

  14. Enhancing Listening Comprehension through a Group Work Guessing Game

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sasan Baleghizadeh

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The present paper is an attempt to introduce an innovative technique for a more effective teaching of L2 listening comprehension through a process-oriented approach. Much of what is traditionally known as listening practice is in fact testing material in which students are required to listen to a recording and answer a number of comprehension questions. However, as a preliminary step, teachers should focus on the process of listening comprehension by encouraging students to employ efficient learning strategies during the listening process and cooperatively evaluate them in the class. The suggested technique in this article provides students with appropriate metacognitive strategies, which pave the way for successful L2 listening practice.

  15. Engineering a Synthetic Microbial Consortium for Comprehensive Conversion of Algae Biomass into Terpenes for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Weihua [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States); Wu, Benjamin Chiau-Pin [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States); Davis, Ryan Wesley [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2015-10-01

    Recent strategies for algae-based biofuels have primarily focused on biodiesel production by exploiting high algal lipid yields under nutrient stress conditions. However, under conditions supporting robust algal biomass accumulation, carbohydrate and proteins typically comprise up to ~80% of the ash-free dry weight of algae biomass. Therefore, comprehensive utilization of algal biomass for production of multipurpose intermediate- to high-value bio-based products will promote scale-up of algae production and processing to commodity volumes. Terpenes are hydrocarbon and hydrocarbon-like (C:O>10:1) compounds with high energy density, and are therefore potentially promising candidates for the next generation of value added bio-based chemicals and “drop-in” replacements for petroleum-based fuels. In this study, we demonstrated the feasibility of bioconversion of proteins into sesquiterpene compounds as well as comprehensive bioconversion of algal carbohydrates and proteins into biofuels. To achieve this, the mevalonate pathway was reconstructed into an E. coli chassis with six different terpene synthases (TSs). Strains containing the various TSs produced a spectrum of sesquiterpene compounds in minimal medium containing amino acids as the sole carbon source. The sesquiterpene production was optimized through three different regulation strategies using chamigrene synthase as an example. The highest total terpene titer reached 166 mg/L, and was achieved by applying a strategy to minimize mevalonate accumulation in vivo. The highest yields of total terpene were produced under reduced IPTG induction levels (0.25 mM), reduced induction temperature (25°C), and elevated substrate concentration (20 g/L amino acid mixture). A synthetic bioconversion consortium consisting of two engineering E. coli strains (DH1-TS and YH40-TS) with reconstructed terpene biosynthetic pathways was designed for comprehensive single-pot conversion of algal carbohydrates and proteins to

  16. Improving Crop Yield and Nutrient Use Efficiency via Biofertilization-A Global Meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schütz, Lukas; Gattinger, Andreas; Meier, Matthias; Müller, Adrian; Boller, Thomas; Mäder, Paul; Mathimaran, Natarajan

    2017-01-01

    The application of microbial inoculants (biofertilizers) is a promising technology for future sustainable farming systems in view of rapidly decreasing phosphorus stocks and the need to more efficiently use available nitrogen (N). Various microbial taxa are currently used as biofertilizers, based on their capacity to access nutrients from fertilizers and soil stocks, to fix atmospheric nitrogen, to improve water uptake or to act as biocontrol agents. Despite the existence of a considerable knowledge on effects of specific taxa of biofertilizers, a comprehensive quantitative assessment of the performance of biofertilizers with different traits such as phosphorus solubilization and N fixation applied to various crops at a global scale is missing. We conducted a meta-analysis to quantify benefits of biofertilizers in terms of yield increase, nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency, based on 171 peer reviewed publications that met eligibility criteria. Major findings are: (i) the superiority of biofertilizer performance in dry climates over other climatic regions (yield response: dry climate +20.0 ± 1.7%, tropical climate +14.9 ± 1.2%, oceanic climate +10.0 ± 3.7%, continental climate +8.5 ± 2.4%); (ii) meta-regression analyses revealed that yield response due to biofertilizer application was generally small at low soil P levels; efficacy increased along higher soil P levels in the order arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), P solubilizers, and N fixers; (iii) meta-regressions showed that the success of inoculation with AMF was greater at low organic matter content and at neutral pH. Our comprehensive analysis provides a basis and guidance for proper choice and application of biofertilizers.

  17. A Remote Sensing-Derived Corn Yield Assessment Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrestha, Ranjay Man

    Agricultural studies and food security have become critical research topics due to continuous growth in human population and simultaneous shrinkage in agricultural land. In spite of modern technological advancements to improve agricultural productivity, more studies on crop yield assessments and food productivities are still necessary to fulfill the constantly increasing food demands. Besides human activities, natural disasters such as flood and drought, along with rapid climate changes, also inflect an adverse effect on food productivities. Understanding the impact of these disasters on crop yield and making early impact estimations could help planning for any national or international food crisis. Similarly, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) insurance management utilizes appropriately estimated crop yield and damage assessment information to sustain farmers' practice through timely and proper compensations. Through County Agricultural Production Survey (CAPS), the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) uses traditional methods of field interviews and farmer-reported survey data to perform annual crop condition monitoring and production estimations at the regional and state levels. As these manual approaches of yield estimations are highly inefficient and produce very limited samples to represent the entire area, NASS requires supplemental spatial data that provides continuous and timely information on crop production and annual yield. Compared to traditional methods, remote sensing data and products offer wider spatial extent, more accurate location information, higher temporal resolution and data distribution, and lower data cost--thus providing a complementary option for estimation of crop yield information. Remote sensing derived vegetation indices such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) provide measurable statistics of potential crop growth based on the spectral reflectance and could

  18. A comprehensive, holistic people integration process for mergers and acquisitions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rina P. Steynberg

    2011-03-01

    Research purpose: To develop and validate a comprehensive, holistic model for the people integration process during mergers and acquisitions. Motivation for the study: The literature on a comprehensive, holistic people integration process for mergers and acquisitions is sparse and fragmented. Research design, approach and method: A qualitative approach was adopted consisting of a three step process which solicited the views of seasoned M&A Practioners; these views were compared against the available literature. Finally, practioners were asked to critique the final model from a practice perspective. The utility of the final model was assessed against two mergers and acquisitions case studies. Main findings: A comprehensive, holistic people integration process model for mergers and acquisitions was developed and validated. However, this model will only significantly enhance mergers and acquisitions value realisation if it is applied from the appropriate vantage point. Practical/managerial implications: The proposed approach will increase the probability of a successful M&A people-wise and M&A value realisation. Contribution/value add: Theoretically, the development and validation of a M&A people process integration model; practically, guidelines for successful people integration; organisationally, significantly enhancing the chances of M&A success; and community wise, the reduction of the negative effects of M&A failure on communities.

  19. Closing yield gaps in China by empowering smallholder farmers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Weifeng; Cao, Guoxin; Li, Xiaolin; Zhang, Hongyan; Wang, Chong; Liu, Quanqing; Chen, Xinping; Cui, Zhenling; Shen, Jianbo; Jiang, Rongfeng; Mi, Guohua; Miao, Yuxin; Zhang, Fusuo; Dou, Zhengxia

    2016-09-01

    Sustainably feeding the world’s growing population is a challenge, and closing yield gaps (that is, differences between farmers’ yields and what are attainable for a given region) is a vital strategy to address this challenge. The magnitude of yield gaps is particularly large in developing countries where smallholder farming dominates the agricultural landscape. Many factors and constraints interact to limit yields, and progress in problem-solving to bring about changes at the ground level is rare. Here we present an innovative approach for enabling smallholders to achieve yield and economic gains sustainably via the Science and Technology Backyard (STB) platform. STB involves agricultural scientists living in villages among farmers, advancing participatory innovation and technology transfer, and garnering public and private support. We identified multifaceted yield-limiting factors involving agronomic, infrastructural, and socioeconomic conditions. When these limitations and farmers’ concerns were addressed, the farmers adopted recommended management practices, thereby improving production outcomes. In one region in China, the five-year average yield increased from 67.9% of the attainable level to 97.0% among 71 leading farmers, and from 62.8% to 79.6% countywide (93,074 households); this was accompanied by resource and economic benefits.

  20. Optimizing rice yields while minimizing yield-scaled global warming potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pittelkow, Cameron M; Adviento-Borbe, Maria A; van Kessel, Chris; Hill, James E; Linquist, Bruce A

    2014-05-01

    To meet growing global food demand with limited land and reduced environmental impact, agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are increasingly evaluated with respect to crop productivity, i.e., on a yield-scaled as opposed to area basis. Here, we compiled available field data on CH4 and N2 O emissions from rice production systems to test the hypothesis that in response to fertilizer nitrogen (N) addition, yield-scaled global warming potential (GWP) will be minimized at N rates that maximize yields. Within each study, yield N surplus was calculated to estimate deficit or excess N application rates with respect to the optimal N rate (defined as the N rate at which maximum yield was achieved). Relationships between yield N surplus and GHG emissions were assessed using linear and nonlinear mixed-effects models. Results indicate that yields increased in response to increasing N surplus when moving from deficit to optimal N rates. At N rates contributing to a yield N surplus, N2 O and yield-scaled N2 O emissions increased exponentially. In contrast, CH4 emissions were not impacted by N inputs. Accordingly, yield-scaled CH4 emissions decreased with N addition. Overall, yield-scaled GWP was minimized at optimal N rates, decreasing by 21% compared to treatments without N addition. These results are unique compared to aerobic cropping systems in which N2 O emissions are the primary contributor to GWP, meaning yield-scaled GWP may not necessarily decrease for aerobic crops when yields are optimized by N fertilizer addition. Balancing gains in agricultural productivity with climate change concerns, this work supports the concept that high rice yields can be achieved with minimal yield-scaled GWP through optimal N application rates. Moreover, additional improvements in N use efficiency may further reduce yield-scaled GWP, thereby strengthening the economic and environmental sustainability of rice systems. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Current approach to the diagnosis of IgG4-related disease - Combination of comprehensive diagnostic and organ-specific criteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Umehara, Hisanori; Okazaki, Kazuichi; Nakamura, Takuji; Satoh-Nakamura, Tomomi; Nakajima, Akio; Kawano, Mitsuhiro; Mimori, Tsuneyo; Chiba, Tsutomu

    2017-05-01

    IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a fascinating clinical entity proposed by Japanese investigators, and includes a wide variety of diseases, formerly diagnosed as Mikulicz's disease (MD), autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), interstitial nephritis, prostatitis, retroperitoneal fibrosis, etc. Although all clinicians in every field of medicine may encounter this new disease, a unifying diagnostic criterion has not been established. In 2011, the Japanese IgG4 team, organized by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) of Japan, published comprehensive diagnostic criteria for IgG4-RD. Several problems with these criteria have arisen in clinical practice, however, including the difficulty obtaining biopsy samples from some patients, and the sensitivity and the specificity of techniques used to measure serum IgG4 concentrations. Although serum IgG4 concentration is an important clinical marker for IgG4-RD, its diagnostic utility in differentiating IgG4-RD from other diseases, called IgG4-RD mimickers, remains unclear. This review describes the current optimal approach for the diagnosis of IgG4-RD, based on both comprehensive and organ-specific diagnostic criteria, in patients with diseases such as IgG4-related pancreatitis (AIP), sclerosing cholangitis, and renal, lung and orbital diseases.

  2. INTERTEXTUALITY AND COHERENCE IN A CHRONICLE OF JOÃO UBALDO RIBEIRO: APPROACHES IN READING COMPREHENSION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Alberto Pasero

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to discuss, from an educational point of view, taking as a starting point the analysis of a literary chronicle of an argumentative character in the Portuguese language in its Brazilian variant, the parameters of textuality (BEAUGRANDE; DRESSLER, 1997 as access roads into the text that contribute to the construction of meaning, and the use of some mechanisms of textualization (BRONCKART, 1996, DUARTE, 2003. With few textual organizers or connectors, the coherence (thematic and pragmatic of the chronicle analyzed (“Questões gramaticais”, by João Ubaldo Ribeiro is determined by the shape of the text and its thematic unity, which is generated by a critical discourse based on intertextual and intergender marks which appeal, from a pragmatic consideration, to the encyclopedia of the reader. The objective is to contribute, in the field of the Portuguese language teaching in its mode of reading comprehension, to the development of interactive tasks that allow a dynamic and contextualized approach to the text from the alluded perspective, based on the resources available in the electronic media.

  3. Final report on the comprehensive approach to energy conservation for the Aboriginal community in Ontario

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fox, C.D. [Fort William First Nation, Thunder Bay, ON (Canada)

    2006-03-13

    This report presented a comprehensive approach to energy conservation programming for the Fort William First Nation, located in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The report outlined the historical context of the relationship between the Canadian government and Aboriginal people. The Aboriginal community in Ontario was described with reference to the difference between First Nations population, Metis, and Inuit. Statistics on the Aboriginal population in Ontario was broken down. Different Aboriginal organizations as well as organizations serving Aboriginal peoples were identified and described. The report also described the political process and administrative protocol for energy conservation and energy efficiency. Energy conservation in the Aboriginal community was also explained. Last, the report provided several recommendations related to awareness and education; translation; incentives; delivery mechanisms; and pilot projects. The report concluded with an agreement to hold a provincial conference in Toronto on the issues raised in the report. The report concluded that an Aboriginal unit within the Bureau of Conservation of the Ontario Power Authority was envisioned to plan, develop, implement, manage and monitor the deliverables resulting from the report.

  4. Teaching Reading Skills in the EFL Class. A Practical Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ovidiu Aniculaese

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Teaching reading first requires careful consideration regarding the choice of text that may yield the richest and most relevant exposure to language. Reading is most effective through a top-down approach and students must develop speed and efficiency by avoiding sub-vocalisation, focusing on key words and taking in clusters of meaning at one time. Pre-reading for gist speeds up understanding by discovery of the text’s structure and of the type of paragraph in question. Explanatory paraphrasing and context clues should be sought when difficult vocabulary is encountered. Correct answers to comprehension questions may come from an awareness of the range of distracters possible, the writer’s attitude and the focus of the question.

  5. Response of switchgrass yield to future climate change

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tulbure, Mirela G; Wimberly, Michael C; Owens, Vance N

    2012-01-01

    A climate envelope approach was used to model the response of switchgrass, a model bioenergy species in the United States, to future climate change. The model was built using general additive models (GAMs), and switchgrass yields collected at 45 field trial locations as the response variable. The model incorporated variables previously shown to be the main determinants of switchgrass yield, and utilized current and predicted 1 km climate data from WorldClim. The models were run with current WorldClim data and compared with results of predicted yield obtained using two climate change scenarios across three global change models for three time steps. Results did not predict an increase in maximum switchgrass yield but showed an overall shift in areas of high switchgrass productivity for both cytotypes. For upland cytotypes, the shift in high yields was concentrated in northern and north-eastern areas where there were increases in average growing season temperature, whereas for lowland cultivars the areas where yields were projected to increase were associated with increases in average early growing season precipitation. These results highlight the fact that the influences of climate change on switchgrass yield are spatially heterogeneous and vary depending on cytotype. Knowledge of spatial distribution of suitable areas for switchgrass production under climate change should be incorporated into planning of current and future biofuel production. Understanding how switchgrass yields will be affected by future changes in climate is important for achieving a sustainable biofuels economy. (letter)

  6. Not a simple case - A first comprehensive phylogenetic hypothesis for the Midas cichlid complex in Nicaragua (Teleostei: Cichlidae: Amphilophus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geiger, Matthias F; McCrary, Jeffrey K; Schliewen, Ulrich K

    2010-09-01

    Nicaraguan Midas cichlids from crater lakes have recently attracted attention as potential model systems for speciation research, but no attempt has been made to comprehensively reconstruct phylogenetic relationships of this highly diverse and recently evolved species complex. We present a first AFLP (2793 loci) and mtDNA based phylogenetic hypothesis including all described and several undescribed species from six crater lakes (Apoyeque, Apoyo, Asososca Leon, Masaya, Tiscapa and Xiloá), the two great Lakes Managua and Nicaragua and the San Juan River. Our analyses demonstrate that the relationships between the Midas cichlid members are complex, and that phylogenetic information from different markers and methods do not always yield congruent results. Nevertheless, monophyly support for crater lake assemblages from Lakes Apoyeque, Apoyo, A. Leon is high as compared to those from L. Xiloá indicating occurrence of sympatric speciation. Further, we demonstrate that a 'three species' concept for the Midas cichlid complex is inapplicable and consequently that an individualized and voucher based approach in speciation research of the Midas cichlid complex is necessary at least as long as there is no comprehensive revision of the species complex available. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. A comprehensive approach to addiction medicine as an appropriate response to the HIV epidemic among drug users.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerra, Gilberto

    2013-12-01

    The services for drug-dependence treatment and care, particularly in low-income countries, should not be fragmented and uncoordinated. A basic package of interventions should be provided in the same place and managed by the same team, with a one-stop shop approach. The services for substance use disorders should be appealing, accessible, voluntary-based, and science-based. They should also, like efforts to fight other diseases, be included in the community and the public health systems; that is, those who are affected by drug use and those who serve them should not face discrimination. The first-line assistance and the second-line essential elements of the comprehensive package will be described. The work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and World Health Organization (WHO) to promote science-based and voluntary-based ethical treatment in Asia will be illustrated.

  8. Understanding the Changes in Global Crop Yields Through Changes in Climate and Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Najafi, Ehsan; Devineni, Naresh; Khanbilvardi, Reza M.; Kogan, Felix

    2018-03-01

    During the last few decades, the global agricultural production has risen and technology enhancement is still contributing to yield growth. However, population growth, water crisis, deforestation, and climate change threaten the global food security. An understanding of the variables that caused past changes in crop yields can help improve future crop prediction models. In this article, we present a comprehensive global analysis of the changes in the crop yields and how they relate to different large-scale and regional climate variables, climate change variables and technology in a unified framework. A new multilevel model for yield prediction at the country level is developed and demonstrated. The structural relationships between average yield and climate attributes as well as trends are estimated simultaneously. All countries are modeled in a single multilevel model with partial pooling to automatically group and reduce estimation uncertainties. El Niño-southern oscillation (ENSO), Palmer drought severity index (PDSI), geopotential height anomalies (GPH), historical carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and country-based time series of GDP per capita as an approximation of technology measurement are used as predictors to estimate annual agricultural crop yields for each country from 1961 to 2013. Results indicate that these variables can explain the variability in historical crop yields for most of the countries and the model performs well under out-of-sample verifications. While some countries were not generally affected by climatic factors, PDSI and GPH acted both positively and negatively in different regions for crop yields in many countries.

  9. Augmented Reality Game-Based Learning: Enriching Students' Experience during Reading Comprehension Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tobar-Muñoz, Hendrys; Baldiris, Silvia; Fabregat, Ramon

    2017-01-01

    Program for International Student Assessment results indicate that while reading comprehension needs to be promoted, teachers are struggling to find ways to motivate students to do reading comprehension activities and although technology-enhanced learning approaches are entering the classroom, researchers are still experimenting with them to…

  10. Developing Native-Like Listening Comprehension Materials Perceptions of a Digital Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Herri Mulyono

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper reported the attempt teachers did in developing native-like (NLS listening materials for their EFL learners using a text-to-speech (TTS technology. Observation was carried out to record teachers’ procedures for developing NLS materials. Interview with teachers were undertaken to explore their’ perceptions towards the NLS listening materials and the benefits they gained from developing instructional media using technology. In addition, a questionnaire was distributed to 65 eight-grade pupils to gather information related to their opinions regarding the listening materials developed and used by their teachers. The findings show that teachers and pupils responded positively towards the NLS materials for listening comprehension. In addition, teachers were found to have more confidence in teaching listening skill while using the technology. There are three conditions which endorse this teaching confidence: the suitability of instructional materials used with the learning curriculum and pupils’ level of English proficiency, teachers’ self-efficacy to the teaching task, and the integration of technology in classroom teaching. The study suggests that TTS system can be used as computer assisted language learning (CALL application particularly in the development of listening comprehension materials. The study also confirms earlier studies that teacher professional development can be promoted through integrated training on technology for classroom use.

  11. Changing by Design: A Comprehensive Approach to School Reform. [Booklet with Audiotapes].

    Science.gov (United States)

    North Central Regional Educational Lab., Oak Brook, IL.

    Comprehensive school reform (CSR) focuses on reorganizing and revitalizing entire schools, rather than on implementing individual programs. The idea behind CSR is that schools cannot educate all students to high levels unless all the education system's components work together toward a common goal. Choosing a CSR model can be difficult and…

  12. Comprehensive Stuttering Treatment for Adolescents: A Case Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coleman, Craig E

    2018-01-09

    This article will focus on a hypothetical case study to highlight comprehensive assessment and treatment for adolescent children who stutter. Assessment and treatment are laid out with a literature review utilizing the components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model. Specific assessment and treatment strategies and approaches are discussed. Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model can help guide clinicians through the assessment and treatment process to ensure that all areas of stuttering are considered. Comprehensive assessment and treatment helps clinicians address all relevant elements of a stuttering disorder, rather than focusing exclusively on reducing speech disruptions.

  13. How language production shapes language form and comprehension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryellen C MacDonald

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Language production processes can provide insight into how language comprehension works and language typology—why languages tend to have certain characteristics more often than others. Drawing on work in memory retrieval, motor planning, and serial order in action planning, the Production-Distribution-Comprehension (PDC account links work in the fields of language production, typology, and comprehension: 1 faced with substantial computational burdens of planning and producing utterances, language producers implicitly follow three biases in utterance planning that promote word order choices that reduce these burdens, thereby improving production fluency. 2 These choices, repeated over many utterances and individuals, shape the distributions of utterance forms in language. The claim that language form stems in large degree from producers’ attempts to mitigate utterance planning difficulty is contrasted with alternative accounts in which form is driven by language use more broadly, language acquisition processes, or producers’ attempts to create language forms that are easily understood by comprehenders. 3 Language perceivers implicitly learn the statistical regularities in their linguistic input, and they use this prior experience to guide comprehension of subsequent language. In particular, they learn to predict the sequential structure of linguistic signals, based on the statistics of previously-encountered input. Thus key aspects of comprehension behavior are tied to lexico-syntactic statistics in the language, which in turn derive from utterance planning biases promoting production of comparatively easy utterance forms over more difficult ones. This approach contrasts with classic theories in which comprehension behaviors are attributed to innate design features of the language comprehension system and associated working memory. The PDC instead links basic features of comprehension to a different source: production processes that shape

  14. A comprehensive approach to reablement in dementia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Poulos, Christopher J; Bayer, Antony; Beaupre, Lauren; Clare, Linda; Poulos, Roslyn G; Wang, Rosalie H; Zuidema, Sytse; McGilton, Katherine S

    As society grapples with an aging population and increasing prevalence of disability, "reablement" as a means of maximizing functional ability in older people is emerging as a potential strategy to help promote independence. Reablement offers an approach to mitigate the impact of dementia on

  15. Ecosystem approach to fisheries: Exploring environmental and trophic effects on Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY reference point estimates.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajeev Kumar

    Full Text Available We present a comprehensive analysis of estimation of fisheries Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY reference points using an ecosystem model built for Mille Lacs Lake, the second largest lake within Minnesota, USA. Data from single-species modelling output, extensive annual sampling for species abundances, annual catch-survey, stomach-content analysis for predatory-prey interactions, and expert opinions were brought together within the framework of an Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE ecosystem model. An increase in the lake water temperature was observed in the last few decades; therefore, we also incorporated a temperature forcing function in the EwE model to capture the influences of changing temperature on the species composition and food web. The EwE model was fitted to abundance and catch time-series for the period 1985 to 2006. Using the ecosystem model, we estimated reference points for most of the fished species in the lake at single-species as well as ecosystem levels with and without considering the influence of temperature change; therefore, our analysis investigated the trophic and temperature effects on the reference points. The paper concludes that reference points such as MSY are not stationary, but change when (1 environmental conditions alter species productivity and (2 fishing on predators alters the compensatory response of their prey. Thus, it is necessary for the management to re-estimate or re-evaluate the reference points when changes in environmental conditions and/or major shifts in species abundance or community structure are observed.

  16. Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Yield and Yield ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Declining soil fertility is one of the major problems causing yield reduction of barley ... (VC) with inorganic NP on growth, yield and yield components of food barley. ... The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with ...

  17. Comprehensive molecular sampling yields a robust phylogeny for geometrid moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pasi Sihvonen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The moth family Geometridae (inchworms or loopers, with approximately 23,000 described species, is the second most diverse family of the Lepidoptera. Apart from a few recent attempts based on morphology and molecular studies, the phylogeny of these moths has remained largely uninvestigated. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a rigorous and extensive molecular analysis of eight genes to examine the geometrid affinities in a global context, including a search for its potential sister-taxa. Our maximum likelihood analyses included 164 taxa distributed worldwide, of which 150 belong to the Geometridae. The selected taxa represent all previously recognized subfamilies and nearly 90% of recognized tribes, and originate from all over world. We found the Geometridae to be monophyletic with the Sematuridae+Epicopeiidae clade potentially being its sister-taxon. We found all previously recognized subfamilies to be monophyletic, with a few taxa misplaced, except the Oenochrominae+Desmobathrinae complex that is a polyphyletic assemblage of taxa and the Orthostixinae, which was positioned within the Ennominae. The Sterrhinae and Larentiinae were found to be sister to the remaining taxa, followed by Archiearinae, the polyphyletic assemblage of Oenochrominae+Desmobathrinae moths, Geometrinae and Ennominae. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study provides the first comprehensive phylogeny of the Geometridae in a global context. Our results generally agree with the other, more restricted studies, suggesting that the general phylogenetic patterns of the Geometridae are now well-established. Generally the subfamilies, many tribes, and assemblages of tribes were well supported but their interrelationships were often weakly supported by our data. The Eumeleini were particularly difficult to place in the current system, and several tribes were found to be para- or polyphyletic.

  18. Improving participant comprehension in the informed consent process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohn, Elizabeth; Larson, Elaine

    2007-01-01

    To critically analyze studies published within the past decade about participants' comprehension of informed consent in clinical research and to identify promising intervention strategies. Integrative review of literature. The Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched. Inclusion criteria included studies (a) published between January 1, 1996 and January 1, 2007, (b) designed as descriptive or interventional studies of comprehension of informed consent for clinical research, (c) conducted in nonpsychiatric adult populations who were either patients or volunteer participants, (d) written in English, and (e) published in peer-reviewed journals. Of the 980 studies identified, 319 abstracts were screened, 154 studies were reviewed, and 23 met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen studies (57%) were descriptive, and 10 (43%) were interventional. Interventions tested included simplified written consent documents, multimedia approaches, and the use of a trained professional (consent educator) to assist in the consent process. Collectively, no single intervention strategy was consistently associated with improved comprehension. Studies also varied in regard to the definition of comprehension and the tools used to measure it. Despite increasing regulatory scrutiny, deficiencies still exist in participant comprehension of the research in which they participate, as well as differences in how comprehension is measured and assessed. No single intervention was identified as consistently successful for improving participant comprehension, and results indicated that any successful consent process should at a minimum include various communication modes and is likely to require one-to-one interaction with someone knowledgeable about the study.

  19. Predictions of NO{sub x} formation in an NH{sub 3}-doped syngas flame using CFD combined with a detailed reaction mechanism

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brink, A; Norstroem, T; Kilpinen, P; Hupa, M [Aabo Akademi, Turku (Finland). Combustion Chemistry Research Group

    1998-12-31

    The formation of NO{sub x} in a CO/H{sub 2}/CH{sub 4}/NH{sub 3} jet in a co-flowing air stream was modeled by use of CFD combined with a comprehensive detailed reaction mechanism. The comprehensive mechanism involved 340 reversible elementary reactions between 55 species. Three different approaches to include the detailed reaction mechanism were tested. In approach I, all chemistry was described with the comprehensive mechanism. In approaches IIa and IIb the comprehensive mechanism was used in post-processing calculations of the nitrogen chemistry. In approach IIa, the temperatures of the reacting structures obtained in the main calculations were used, whereas in approach IIb, the inlet temperatures to the reacting structures were taken from the main calculation. In approach IIIa and IIIb, empirical reaction mechanisms describing the nitrogen chemistry were tested. The turbulence-chemistry interaction was accounted for with a new model, which combines the Eddy-Dissipation Concept with a model based on the `Exchange by Interaction with the Mean`. There was a clear difference between the computed results and the measured ones. The use of approach I resulted in an obvious overprediction of the lift-off height. The predicted molar NO{sub x} yield with the approaches IIa and IIb were 89 % and 85 %, respectively, whereas a yield of 23 % had been measured. With the empirical mechanisms used in approach IIIa, a similar NO{sub x} yield was predicted as with approaches IIa and IIb. With IIIb the predicted NO{sub x} yield was 40 %. However, in this case 67 % of the NH{sub 3} remained unreacted. The reason for the large difference between the calculated NO{sub x} yield and the measured one reported in the literature is a poor modeling of the initial part of the fuel jet. A possible reason for this is the coarse grid. (author) 15 refs.

  20. Predictions of NO{sub x} formation in an NH{sub 3}-doped syngas flame using CFD combined with a detailed reaction mechanism

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brink, A.; Norstroem, T.; Kilpinen, P.; Hupa, M. [Aabo Akademi, Turku (Finland). Combustion Chemistry Research Group

    1997-12-31

    The formation of NO{sub x} in a CO/H{sub 2}/CH{sub 4}/NH{sub 3} jet in a co-flowing air stream was modeled by use of CFD combined with a comprehensive detailed reaction mechanism. The comprehensive mechanism involved 340 reversible elementary reactions between 55 species. Three different approaches to include the detailed reaction mechanism were tested. In approach I, all chemistry was described with the comprehensive mechanism. In approaches IIa and IIb the comprehensive mechanism was used in post-processing calculations of the nitrogen chemistry. In approach IIa, the temperatures of the reacting structures obtained in the main calculations were used, whereas in approach IIb, the inlet temperatures to the reacting structures were taken from the main calculation. In approach IIIa and IIIb, empirical reaction mechanisms describing the nitrogen chemistry were tested. The turbulence-chemistry interaction was accounted for with a new model, which combines the Eddy-Dissipation Concept with a model based on the `Exchange by Interaction with the Mean`. There was a clear difference between the computed results and the measured ones. The use of approach I resulted in an obvious overprediction of the lift-off height. The predicted molar NO{sub x} yield with the approaches IIa and IIb were 89 % and 85 %, respectively, whereas a yield of 23 % had been measured. With the empirical mechanisms used in approach IIIa, a similar NO{sub x} yield was predicted as with approaches IIa and IIb. With IIIb the predicted NO{sub x} yield was 40 %. However, in this case 67 % of the NH{sub 3} remained unreacted. The reason for the large difference between the calculated NO{sub x} yield and the measured one reported in the literature is a poor modeling of the initial part of the fuel jet. A possible reason for this is the coarse grid. (author) 15 refs.

  1. Real-time yield estimation based on deep learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahnemoonfar, Maryam; Sheppard, Clay

    2017-05-01

    Crop yield estimation is an important task in product management and marketing. Accurate yield prediction helps farmers to make better decision on cultivation practices, plant disease prevention, and the size of harvest labor force. The current practice of yield estimation based on the manual counting of fruits is very time consuming and expensive process and it is not practical for big fields. Robotic systems including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV), provide an efficient, cost-effective, flexible, and scalable solution for product management and yield prediction. Recently huge data has been gathered from agricultural field, however efficient analysis of those data is still a challenging task. Computer vision approaches currently face diffident challenges in automatic counting of fruits or flowers including occlusion caused by leaves, branches or other fruits, variance in natural illumination, and scale. In this paper a novel deep convolutional network algorithm was developed to facilitate the accurate yield prediction and automatic counting of fruits and vegetables on the images. Our method is robust to occlusion, shadow, uneven illumination and scale. Experimental results in comparison to the state-of-the art show the effectiveness of our algorithm.

  2. Effect of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Growth and Yield of Tef ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    toshiba

    Results showed that tef yield, some yield components and soil chemical properties are ... integrated soil fertility management is an approach that attempts to make the best use of .... organic fertilizers applied were based on the recommended N equivalent rate for the test ..... Science and engineering of composting: Design,.

  3. Yield trends and yield gap analysis of major crops in the world

    OpenAIRE

    Hengsdijk, H.; Langeveld, J.W.A.

    2009-01-01

    This study aims to quantify the gap between current and potential yields of major crops in the world, and the production constraints that contribute to this yield gap. Using an expert-based evaluation of yield gaps and the literature, global and regional yields and yield trends of major crops are quantified, yield gaps evaluated by crop experts, current yield progress by breeding estimated, and different yield projections compared. Results show decreasing yield growth for wheat and rice, but ...

  4. Equity yields

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vrugt, E.; van Binsbergen, J.H.; Koijen, R.S.J.; Hueskes, W.

    2013-01-01

    We study a new data set of dividend futures with maturities up to ten years across three world regions: the US, Europe, and Japan. We use these asset prices to construct equity yields, analogous to bond yields. We decompose the equity yields to obtain a term structure of expected dividend growth

  5. The Forecasting Power of the Yield Curve, a Supervised Factor Model Approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boldrini, Lorenzo; Hillebrand, Eric Tobias

    loadings have the Nelson and Siegel (1987) structure and we consider one forecast target at a time. We compare the forecasting performance of our specification to benchmark models such as principal components regression, partial least squares, and ARMA(p,q) processes. We use the yield curve data from G...

  6. Neurogenetics in Argentina: diagnostic yield in a personalized research based clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Quiroga, Sergio Alejandro; Cordoba, Marta; González-Morón, Dolores; Medina, Nancy; Vega, Patricia; Dusefante, Cecilia Vazquez; Arakaki, Tomoko; Garretto, Nélida Susana; Kauffman, Marcelo Andres

    2015-01-01

    As a whole neurogenetic diseases are a common group of neurological disorders. However, the recognitionand molecular diagnosis of these disorders is not always straightforward. Besides, there is a paucity of informationregarding the diagnostic yield that specialized neurogenetic clinics could obtain. We performed a prospective,observational, analytical study of the patients seen in a neurogenetic clinic at a tertiary medicalcentre to assess the diagnostic yield of a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation that included a personalizedclinical assessment along with traditional and next-generation sequencing diagnostic tests. We included a cohortof 387 patients from May 2008 to June 2014. For sub-group analysis we selected a sample of patientswhose main complaint was the presence of progressive ataxia, to whom we applied a systematic moleculardiagnostic algorithm. Overall, a diagnostic mutation was identified in 27·4% of our cohort. However, if weonly considered those patients where a molecular test could be performed, the success rate rises to 45%. Weobtained diagnostic yields of 23·5 and 57·5% in the global group of ataxic patients and in the subset of ataxicpatients with a positive family history, respectively. Thus, about a third of patients evaluated in a neurogeneticclinic could be successfully diagnosed.

  7. Screening assessment and requirements for a comprehensive assessment: Volume 1, Draft. Columbia River comprehensive impact assessment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-04-01

    To evaluate the impact to the Columbia River from the Hanford Site-derived contaminants, the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Washington State Department of Ecology initiated a study referred to as the Columbia River Comprehensive Impact Assessment (CRCIA). To address concerns about the scope and direction of CRCIA as well as enhance regulator, tribal, stockholder, and public involvement, the CRCIA Management Team was formed in August 1995. The Team agreed to conduct CRCIA using a phased approach. The initial phase, includes two components: 1) a screening assessment to evaluate the potential impact to the river, resulting from current levels of Hanford-derived contaminants in order to support decisions on Interim Remedial Measures, and 2) a definition of the essential work remaining to provide an acceptable comprehensive river impact assessment. The screening assessment is described in Part I of this report. The essential work remaining is Part II of this report. The objective of the screening assessment is to identify areas where the greatest potential exists for adverse effects on humans or the environment. Part I of this report discusses the scope, technical approach, and results of the screening assessment. Part II defines a new paradigm for predecisional participation by those affected by Hanford cleanup decisions.

  8. Screening assessment and requirements for a comprehensive assessment: Volume 1, Draft. Columbia River comprehensive impact assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-04-01

    To evaluate the impact to the Columbia River from the Hanford Site-derived contaminants, the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Washington State Department of Ecology initiated a study referred to as the Columbia River Comprehensive Impact Assessment (CRCIA). To address concerns about the scope and direction of CRCIA as well as enhance regulator, tribal, stockholder, and public involvement, the CRCIA Management Team was formed in August 1995. The Team agreed to conduct CRCIA using a phased approach. The initial phase, includes two components: 1) a screening assessment to evaluate the potential impact to the river, resulting from current levels of Hanford-derived contaminants in order to support decisions on Interim Remedial Measures, and 2) a definition of the essential work remaining to provide an acceptable comprehensive river impact assessment. The screening assessment is described in Part I of this report. The essential work remaining is Part II of this report. The objective of the screening assessment is to identify areas where the greatest potential exists for adverse effects on humans or the environment. Part I of this report discusses the scope, technical approach, and results of the screening assessment. Part II defines a new paradigm for predecisional participation by those affected by Hanford cleanup decisions

  9. Improving Crop Yield and Nutrient Use Efficiency via Biofertilization—A Global Meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schütz, Lukas; Gattinger, Andreas; Meier, Matthias; Müller, Adrian; Boller, Thomas; Mäder, Paul; Mathimaran, Natarajan

    2018-01-01

    The application of microbial inoculants (biofertilizers) is a promising technology for future sustainable farming systems in view of rapidly decreasing phosphorus stocks and the need to more efficiently use available nitrogen (N). Various microbial taxa are currently used as biofertilizers, based on their capacity to access nutrients from fertilizers and soil stocks, to fix atmospheric nitrogen, to improve water uptake or to act as biocontrol agents. Despite the existence of a considerable knowledge on effects of specific taxa of biofertilizers, a comprehensive quantitative assessment of the performance of biofertilizers with different traits such as phosphorus solubilization and N fixation applied to various crops at a global scale is missing. We conducted a meta-analysis to quantify benefits of biofertilizers in terms of yield increase, nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency, based on 171 peer reviewed publications that met eligibility criteria. Major findings are: (i) the superiority of biofertilizer performance in dry climates over other climatic regions (yield response: dry climate +20.0 ± 1.7%, tropical climate +14.9 ± 1.2%, oceanic climate +10.0 ± 3.7%, continental climate +8.5 ± 2.4%); (ii) meta-regression analyses revealed that yield response due to biofertilizer application was generally small at low soil P levels; efficacy increased along higher soil P levels in the order arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), P solubilizers, and N fixers; (iii) meta-regressions showed that the success of inoculation with AMF was greater at low organic matter content and at neutral pH. Our comprehensive analysis provides a basis and guidance for proper choice and application of biofertilizers. PMID:29375594

  10. Improving Crop Yield and Nutrient Use Efficiency via Biofertilization—A Global Meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lukas Schütz

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The application of microbial inoculants (biofertilizers is a promising technology for future sustainable farming systems in view of rapidly decreasing phosphorus stocks and the need to more efficiently use available nitrogen (N. Various microbial taxa are currently used as biofertilizers, based on their capacity to access nutrients from fertilizers and soil stocks, to fix atmospheric nitrogen, to improve water uptake or to act as biocontrol agents. Despite the existence of a considerable knowledge on effects of specific taxa of biofertilizers, a comprehensive quantitative assessment of the performance of biofertilizers with different traits such as phosphorus solubilization and N fixation applied to various crops at a global scale is missing. We conducted a meta-analysis to quantify benefits of biofertilizers in terms of yield increase, nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency, based on 171 peer reviewed publications that met eligibility criteria. Major findings are: (i the superiority of biofertilizer performance in dry climates over other climatic regions (yield response: dry climate +20.0 ± 1.7%, tropical climate +14.9 ± 1.2%, oceanic climate +10.0 ± 3.7%, continental climate +8.5 ± 2.4%; (ii meta-regression analyses revealed that yield response due to biofertilizer application was generally small at low soil P levels; efficacy increased along higher soil P levels in the order arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF, P solubilizers, and N fixers; (iii meta-regressions showed that the success of inoculation with AMF was greater at low organic matter content and at neutral pH. Our comprehensive analysis provides a basis and guidance for proper choice and application of biofertilizers.

  11. Benefits of seasonal forecasts of crop yields

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakurai, G.; Okada, M.; Nishimori, M.; Yokozawa, M.

    2017-12-01

    Major factors behind recent fluctuations in food prices include increased biofuel production and oil price fluctuations. In addition, several extreme climate events that reduced worldwide food production coincided with upward spikes in food prices. The stabilization of crop yields is one of the most important tasks to stabilize food prices and thereby enhance food security. Recent development of technologies related to crop modeling and seasonal weather forecasting has made it possible to forecast future crop yields for maize and soybean. However, the effective use of these technologies remains limited. Here we present the potential benefits of seasonal crop-yield forecasts on a global scale for choice of planting day. For this purpose, we used a model (PRYSBI-2) that can well replicate past crop yields both for maize and soybean. This model system uses a Bayesian statistical approach to estimate the parameters of a basic process-based model of crop growth. The spatial variability of model parameters was considered by estimating the posterior distribution of the parameters from historical yield data by using the Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method with a resolution of 1.125° × 1.125°. The posterior distributions of model parameters were estimated for each spatial grid with 30 000 MCMC steps of 10 chains each. By using this model and the estimated parameter distributions, we were able to estimate not only crop yield but also levels of associated uncertainty. We found that the global average crop yield increased about 30% as the result of the optimal selection of planting day and that the seasonal forecast of crop yield had a large benefit in and near the eastern part of Brazil and India for maize and the northern area of China for soybean. In these countries, the effects of El Niño and Indian Ocean dipole are large. The results highlight the importance of developing a system to forecast global crop yields.

  12. Parents' Attitudes toward Comprehensive and Inclusive Sexuality Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peter, Christina R.; Tasker, Timothy B.; Horn, Stacey S.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: Parents are sometimes perceived as barriers to providing comprehensive and inclusive sexuality education to young people. However, little is known about parents' actual attitudes towards providing such broad information to young people. The purpose of this paper is to examine two different approaches to measuring parents' attitudes…

  13. Maximizing the ExoEarth candidate yield from a future direct imaging mission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stark, Christopher C.; Roberge, Aki; Mandell, Avi; Robinson, Tyler D.

    2014-01-01

    ExoEarth yield is a critical science metric for future exoplanet imaging missions. Here we estimate exoEarth candidate yield using single visit completeness for a variety of mission design and astrophysical parameters. We review the methods used in previous yield calculations and show that the method choice can significantly impact yield estimates as well as how the yield responds to mission parameters. We introduce a method, called Altruistic Yield Optimization, that optimizes the target list and exposure times to maximize mission yield, adapts maximally to changes in mission parameters, and increases exoEarth candidate yield by up to 100% compared to previous methods. We use Altruistic Yield Optimization to estimate exoEarth candidate yield for a large suite of mission and astrophysical parameters using single visit completeness. We find that exoEarth candidate yield is most sensitive to telescope diameter, followed by coronagraph inner working angle, followed by coronagraph contrast, and finally coronagraph contrast noise floor. We find a surprisingly weak dependence of exoEarth candidate yield on exozodi level. Additionally, we provide a quantitative approach to defining a yield goal for future exoEarth-imaging missions.

  14. Crop diversity for yield increase.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chengyun Li

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Traditional farming practices suggest that cultivation of a mixture of crop species in the same field through temporal and spatial management may be advantageous in boosting yields and preventing disease, but evidence from large-scale field testing is limited. Increasing crop diversity through intercropping addresses the problem of increasing land utilization and crop productivity. In collaboration with farmers and extension personnel, we tested intercropping of tobacco, maize, sugarcane, potato, wheat and broad bean--either by relay cropping or by mixing crop species based on differences in their heights, and practiced these patterns on 15,302 hectares in ten counties in Yunnan Province, China. The results of observation plots within these areas showed that some combinations increased crop yields for the same season between 33.2 and 84.7% and reached a land equivalent ratio (LER of between 1.31 and 1.84. This approach can be easily applied in developing countries, which is crucial in face of dwindling arable land and increasing food demand.

  15. THE EFFECT OF A READING COMPREHENSION SOFTWARE PROGRAM ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David E. Proudfoot

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available In an effort to increase student achievement, research was conducted to determine the degree in which a reading comprehension software program effected the reading and math abilities of fourth and fifth grade students. Cognitive and educational studies were examined to select a reading comprehension software program as an intervention that would produce positive results in reading comprehension and possibly transfer positive results to achievement in other academic areas, specifically in math. The effects of the intervention were measured by assigning subjects to an experimental group. The total sample consisted of 39 students who were deficient in reading comprehension, and also exposed a significant weakness with word problem items on mathematical assessments. Four instruments were used to collect data before and after the treatment to measure student achievement. To determine the degree to which the software program effected student achievement, data from the four instruments were analyzed using SPSS software. A paired-samples dependent t test and a Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was computed with ratio level data to test for a correlation between increased math scores and reading comprehension scores. Results yielded statistically significant and positive results in increasing reading comprehension skills that could possibly benefit students in reading and understanding mathematical problems. Results did not conclusively support that the increase of reading-comprehension skills had a collateral effect on students scoring higher with math word problems. The results are conducive to providing insight to educational leaders who plan to implement software as a means for increasing student achievement.

  16. Readers select a comprehension mode independent of pronoun: Evidence from fMRI during narrative comprehension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartung, Franziska; Hagoort, Peter; Willems, Roel M

    2017-07-01

    Perspective is a crucial feature for communicating about events. Yet it is unclear how linguistically encoded perspective relates to cognitive perspective taking. Here, we tested the effect of perspective taking with short literary stories. Participants listened to stories with 1st or 3rd person pronouns referring to the protagonist, while undergoing fMRI. When comparing action events with 1st and 3rd person pronouns, we found no evidence for a neural dissociation depending on the pronoun. A split sample approach based on the self-reported experience of perspective taking revealed 3 comprehension preferences. One group showed a strong 1st person preference, another a strong 3rd person preference, while a third group engaged in 1st and 3rd person perspective taking simultaneously. Comparing brain activations of the groups revealed different neural networks. Our results suggest that comprehension is perspective dependent, but not on the perspective suggested by the text, but on the reader's (situational) preference. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Effects of diurnal temperature range and drought on wheat yield in Spain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernandez-Barrera, S.; Rodriguez-Puebla, C.; Challinor, A. J.

    2017-07-01

    This study aims to provide new insight on the wheat yield historical response to climate processes throughout Spain by using statistical methods. Our data includes observed wheat yield, pseudo-observations E-OBS for the period 1979 to 2014, and outputs of general circulation models in phase 5 of the Coupled Models Inter-comparison Project (CMIP5) for the period 1901 to 2099. In investigating the relationship between climate and wheat variability, we have applied the approach known as the partial least-square regression, which captures the relevant climate drivers accounting for variations in wheat yield. We found that drought occurring in autumn and spring and the diurnal range of temperature experienced during the winter are major processes to characterize the wheat yield variability in Spain. These observable climate processes are used for an empirical model that is utilized in assessing the wheat yield trends in Spain under different climate conditions. To isolate the trend within the wheat time series, we implemented the adaptive approach known as Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition. Wheat yields in the twenty-first century are experiencing a downward trend that we claim is a consequence of widespread drought over the Iberian Peninsula and an increase in the diurnal range of temperature. These results are important to inform about the wheat vulnerability in this region to coming changes and to develop adaptation strategies.

  18. Comprehensive School-Based Physical Activity Promotion: A Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erwin, Heather; Beighle, Aaron; Carson, Russell L.; Castelli, Darla M.

    2013-01-01

    Physical activity (PA) participation levels among youth remain well below national recommendations. Thus, a variety of strategies to promote youth PA have been advocated, including multifaceted, school-based approaches. One identified as having great potential is a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP). The goal of a CSPAP is to…

  19. Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Facts for Families Guide Facts for Families - Vietnamese Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation No. 52; Updated October 2017 Evaluation ... with serious emotional and behavioral problems need a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. Comprehensive psychiatric evaluations usually require a ...

  20. The Relationship between EFL Learners' Self-Regulation and Their Listening Comprehension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Ali Fatemi

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Self-regulated EFL students can comprehend better what they listen. The present study sought to investigate the relationship between EFL learners' listening comprehension and their self-regulation. To achieve the goals of this study, 103 intermediate EFL learners were selected in Torbat-e- Heydarieh, Iran. Two instruments were employed and the participants were to complete; first, Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ to assess their Self-Regulation; and second, Standard Listening Test (SLT to measure their listening comprehension. Results of Pearson Correlation Coefficient indicated a statistically significant correlation. This finding provides pedagogical implications for EFL teachers to use self-regulatory approach when teaching listening comprehension.

  1. Towards a comprehensive understanding of emerging dynamics and function of pancreatic islets: A complex network approach. Comment on "Network science of biological systems at different scales: A review" by Gosak et al.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loppini, Alessandro

    2018-03-01

    Complex network theory represents a comprehensive mathematical framework to investigate biological systems, ranging from sub-cellular and cellular scales up to large-scale networks describing species interactions and ecological systems. In their exhaustive and comprehensive work [1], Gosak et al. discuss several scenarios in which the network approach was able to uncover general properties and underlying mechanisms of cells organization and regulation, tissue functions and cell/tissue failure in pathology, by the study of chemical reaction networks, structural networks and functional connectivities.

  2. SMART STRATEGY TO BOOST STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Lukman Syafi’i

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Reading as one of language skills plays significant roles in the teaching English as a foreign language. Since the teacher still uses the conventional way to teach reading, students‘ ability in reading comprehension seems still unsatisfactory yet. So, teacher should explore and develop new strategies. One of strategies in reading comprehension that can trigger our students to attain that purpose is SMART (Self Monitoring Approach for Reading and Thinking strategy. This study is developing SMART strategy to boost the reading comprehension achievement of the ninth grade students. The research applies a collaborative classroom action research design in which the researcher and the collaborative teacher work together in preparing a suitable procedure of SMART strategy, designing the lesson plan, determining the criteria of success, implementing the action, observing, and doing reflection. The finding indicated that SMART strategy was successful to enhance students‘ motivation to be actively involved in the instructional process. The improvement on the students‘ participation was 75% in Cycle 1 and 87% in Cycle 2.

  3. Effect of Different Sources of Nitrogen and Organic Fertilizers on Yield and Yield Components of Ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    zahra saydi

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi L. is an annual medicinal plant of the family Apiaceae which can reach 30 -100 cm in height. and its growth is highly depended on the availability of mineral nutrients in the soil. But, it has been shown that utilization of chemical fertilizers for growth promotion of Ajown could have negative impacts on environment and ecological systems. Nowadays, sustainable agriculture is the best approach to overcome such problems and prevent the excess accumulation of chemical fertilizers deposited within the soil. Application of bio-fertilizers as an alternative to chemical fertilizers is a new sustainable approach which have been raised in the new era of Agriculture. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the application of various source of biological fertilizers such as Vermicompost, Alkazotplus and Humic Acid in combination with nitrogen fertilizers on growth behavior, yield and yield components of Ajowan under Ahvaz growing condition. Materials and methods This research was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station of Shahid Chamran University in 2014-2015 to determine the effects of different sources of nitrogen and organic fertilizers on the yield and yield components of Ajowan based on two way randomized complete block design with three replications. The first factor of the experiment was Application of four different nitrogen sources including: Urea (U, Sulfur-coated Urea (SCU, %50 Sulfur-coated urea (1/2 SCU + Alkazot Plus biological fertilizer and Control (no nitrogen source used. Organic fertilizers were also applied at four levels, consisting of Humic Acid, Vermicompost, %50 Vermicompost + Humic Acid and Control (no organic Fertilizer as the second factor. After soil preparation, approximately four Kg.ha-1 of the seeds were planted on the rows with 30 cm distance. Plant height, number of sub branches, number of umbels per plant, number of seeds per umbel , 1000 seeds weight, biological

  4. Predicting and understanding comprehensive drug-drug interactions via semi-nonnegative matrix factorization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Hui; Mao, Kui-Tao; Shi, Jian-Yu; Huang, Hua; Chen, Zhi; Dong, Kai; Yiu, Siu-Ming

    2018-04-11

    Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) always cause unexpected and even adverse drug reactions. It is important to identify DDIs before drugs are used in the market. However, preclinical identification of DDIs requires much money and time. Computational approaches have exhibited their abilities to predict potential DDIs on a large scale by utilizing pre-market drug properties (e.g. chemical structure). Nevertheless, none of them can predict two comprehensive types of DDIs, including enhancive and degressive DDIs, which increases and decreases the behaviors of the interacting drugs respectively. There is a lack of systematic analysis on the structural relationship among known DDIs. Revealing such a relationship is very important, because it is able to help understand how DDIs occur. Both the prediction of comprehensive DDIs and the discovery of structural relationship among them play an important guidance when making a co-prescription. In this work, treating a set of comprehensive DDIs as a signed network, we design a novel model (DDINMF) for the prediction of enhancive and degressive DDIs based on semi-nonnegative matrix factorization. Inspiringly, DDINMF achieves the conventional DDI prediction (AUROC = 0.872 and AUPR = 0.605) and the comprehensive DDI prediction (AUROC = 0.796 and AUPR = 0.579). Compared with two state-of-the-art approaches, DDINMF shows it superiority. Finally, representing DDIs as a binary network and a signed network respectively, an analysis based on NMF reveals crucial knowledge hidden among DDIs. Our approach is able to predict not only conventional binary DDIs but also comprehensive DDIs. More importantly, it reveals several key points about the DDI network: (1) both binary and signed networks show fairly clear clusters, in which both drug degree and the difference between positive degree and negative degree show significant distribution; (2) the drugs having large degrees tend to have a larger difference between positive degree

  5. DESIGN MODELING OF A UNIVERSITY’S COMPREHENSIVE-INTEGRATED SECURITY SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina V. Dulyasova

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: the safety of higher education institutions is considered to be of great importance nowadays. Security challenges need to be addressed through a comprehensive and integrative approach. This approach provides neutralisation of various threats systemically, risk prevention, minimisation of the tangible and moral harm. The project concept of “safe university” is proposed and substantiated for the above-mentioned purposes. Materials and Methods: the authors used a special literature survey on the issue, which is divided into three main groups of publications, where the complex security of educational institutions is considered in the context of the general theory of security, in the educational-methodical plan and within the framework of sociological, psychological and pedagogical approaches. The legislative and regulatory sources also indicated, legislative and regulatory legal acts reviews, “Safe City” concept, National standard “Information security technologies: complex and integrated ones. Standard requirements to architecture and technologies of intellectual systems of monitoring for safety of the companies and the territories” (State standard specification P 56875-2016, documents of higher education institutions, media reports. The analysis and generalisation of information was coupled with project modeling of the new comprehensive system of higher education institution security. Results: the authors introduce the concept, architecture and model of the comprehensive integrated higher education institution security, monitoring based on measures and indicators pertaining to implementation of standard requirements and level of satisfaction with safety, evaluation of the taken measures in terms of efficiency. Discussion and Conclusions: the main contours of the model for comprehensive integrated security system in a higher education institution and algorithm of interaction between the subjects are determined. These

  6. Children's hypertext comprehension

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Segers, P.C.J.; Segers, E.; Broek, P. van den

    2017-01-01

    The present chapter gives an overview of the literature on hypertext comprehension, children's hypertext comprehension and individual variation therein, ending with a perspective for future research. Hypertext comprehension requires the reader to make bridging inferences between the different parts

  7. Quartz crystal microbalance-based system for high-sensitivity differential sputter yield measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rubin, B.; Topper, J. L.; Farnell, C. C.; Yalin, A. P.

    2009-01-01

    We present a quartz crystal microbalance-based system for high sensitivity differential sputter yield measurements of different target materials due to ion bombardment. The differential sputter yields can be integrated to find total yields. Possible ion beam conditions include ion energies in the range of 30-350 eV and incidence angles of 0 deg. - 70 deg. from normal. A four-grid ion optics system is used to achieve a collimated ion beam at low energy (<100 eV) and a two-grid ion optics is used for higher energies (up to 750 eV). A complementary weight loss approach is also used to measure total sputter yields. Validation experiments are presented that confirm high sensitivity and accuracy of sputter yield measurements.

  8. Yield, yield components and dry matter digestibility of alfalfa experimental populations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katić Slobodan

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Alfalfa is the most important forage crop grown in the temperate regions. It is cultivated for production of vegetative aerial mass used fresh or as hay, and recently as haylage and silage. In many centres worldwide, efforts are made to breed and create new alfalfa cultivars with both higher yields and of higher nutritional value. The aim of this paper was to determine yield and digestibility of 12 experimental populations of alfalfa, and to compare their results to the yields of well-known domestic alfalfa commercial cultivars. The results show significant differences in yield of green forage and dry matter among alfalfa populations, as well as in yield components, height, proportion of leaves in yield and growth rate (tab. 1, 2 and 3. Differences between in vitro digestible dry matter (% and yields of in vitro digestible dry matter (t ha-1 were also significant (tab. 5 and 6. Yield and quality of experimental populations were at the same level or higher than of control cultivars. Synthetic SINUSA exceeded the control cutivars (NS Mediana ZMS V and Banat VS in yield and quality of dry matter. .

  9. Slope Controls Grain Yield and Climatic Yield in Mountainous Yunnan province, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duan, X.; Rong, L.; Gu, Z.; Feng, D.

    2017-12-01

    Mountainous regions are increasingly vulnerable to food insecurity because of limited arable land, growing population pressure, and climate change. Development of sustainable mountain agriculture will require an increased understanding of the effects of environmental factors on grain and climatic yields. The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between actual grain yield, climatic yield, and environmental factors in a mountainous region in China. We collected data on the average grain yield per unit area in 119 counties in Yunnan province from 1985 to 2012, and chose 17 environmental factors for the same period. Our results showed that actual grain yield ranged from 1.43 to 6.92 t·ha-1, and the climatic yield ranged from -0.15 to -0.01 t·ha-1. Lower climatic yield but higher grain yield was generally found in central areas and at lower slopes and elevations in the western and southwestern counties of Yunnan province. Higher climatic yield but lower grain yield were found in northwestern parts of Yunnan province on steep slopes. Annual precipation and temperature had a weak influence on the climatic yield. Slope explained 44.62 and 26.29% of the variation in grain yield and climatic yield. The effects of topography on grain and climatic yields were greater than climatic factors. Slope was the most important environmental variable for the variability in climatic and grain yields in the mountainous Yunnan province due to the highly heterogeneous topographic conditions. Conversion of slopes to terraces in areas with higher climatic yields is an effective way to maintain grain production in response to climate variability. Additionally, soil amendments and soil and water conservation measures should be considered to maintain soil fertility and aid in sustainable development in central areas, and in counties at lower slopes and elevations in western and southwestern Yunnan province.

  10. Production yield analysis in food processing. Applications in the French-fries and the poultry-processing industries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Somsen, D.J.

    2004-01-01

    Food processors face increasing demands to improve their raw material yield efficiency. To really understand the raw material yield efficiency of food processing, mass losses need to be divided in wanted (desired) and unwanted ones. The basic approach to increase the raw material yield efficiency is

  11. Field Measurements of Black Carbon Yields from Gas Flaring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conrad, Bradley M; Johnson, Matthew R

    2017-02-07

    Black carbon (BC) emissions from gas flaring in the oil and gas industry are postulated to have critical impacts on climate and public health, but actual emission rates remain poorly characterized. This paper presents in situ field measurements of BC emission rates and flare gas volume-specific BC yields for a diverse range of flares. Measurements were performed during a series of field campaigns in Mexico and Ecuador using the sky-LOSA optical measurement technique, in concert with comprehensive Monte Carlo-based uncertainty analyses. Parallel on-site measurements of flare gas flow rate and composition were successfully performed at a subset of locations enabling direct measurements of fuel-specific BC yields from flares under field conditions. Quantified BC emission rates from individual flares spanned more than 4 orders of magnitude (up to 53.7 g/s). In addition, emissions during one notable ∼24-h flaring event (during which the plume transmissivity dropped to zero) would have been even larger than this maximum rate, which was measured as this event was ending. This highlights the likely importance of superemitters to global emission inventories. Flare gas volume-specific BC yields were shown to be strongly correlated with flare gas heating value. A newly derived correlation fitting current field data and previous lab data suggests that, in the context of recent studies investigating transport of flare-generated BC in the Arctic and globally, impacts of flaring in the energy industry may in fact be underestimated.

  12. Yield trends and yield gap analysis of major crops in the world

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hengsdijk, H.; Langeveld, J.W.A.

    2009-01-01

    This study aims to quantify the gap between current and potential yields of major crops in the world, and the production constraints that contribute to this yield gap. Using an expert-based evaluation of yield gaps and the literature, global and regional yields and yield trends of major crops are

  13. Analysis of the {omega} and {phi}{yields}3{pi} Dalitz plot

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Niecknig, Franz; Schneider, Sebastian P.; Kubis, Bastian [Helmholtz-Institut fuer Strahlen- und Kernphysik (Theorie), Nussallee 14-16, D-53115 Bonn (Germany)

    2012-07-01

    The theoretical description of vector meson interactions in hadron physics remains a challenge. With the ongoing experimental interest in {omega}{yields}3{pi} and {phi}{yields}3{pi} decays the need for equally precise theoretical predictions remains. The prevailing treatments all lack a thorough inclusion of final state interactions. In this talk we introduce a dispersive approach to these decays and study how crossed-channel rescattering effects shape the Dalitz plot.

  14. A comprehensive approach to formulation of seaweed-enriched meat products: From technological development to assessment of healthy properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cofrades, S; Benedí, J; Garcimartin, A; Sánchez-Muniz, F J; Jimenez-Colmenero, F

    2017-09-01

    Meat consumption is influenced by various kinds of factors, among them health implications. Different strategies can be effective in developing meat-based functional foods. These basically entail reducing the presence of compounds with negative health implications and enhancing the presence of beneficial compounds. This article reviews a comprehensive model for the development of meat-based functional foods based on a presentation of the research achieved in terms of the design and development of qualitatively and quantitatively modified meat products (frankfurters, patties and restructured steaks). These were reformulated to incorporate nutrients associated with three different seaweeds (wakame-Undaria pinnatifida; nori-Porphyra umbilicalis; and sea spaghetti-Himanthalia elongata) as sources of bioactive substances, while simultaneously reducing sodium and fat and improving fatty acid profiles. Those seaweeds were chosen, because in terms of composition and health implications, abundance on Spanish coasts, relatively widespread consumption, and suitability in terms of flavour and colour they are better suited than others for use as ingredients in new products. It also discusses the consequences of the use of this type of meat-based functional foods (combination of pork meat and 5% of each seaweed with or without hypercholesterolaemic agent included in the diets) on growing animals (Wistar male rats), and their effects on different aspects of lipoprotein metabolism, oxidative stress and liver structure. This article, then, reports a comprehensive approach to the production of seaweed-enriched meat products, considering aspects of technological development aimed at achieving the functional effect. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. A comprehensive approach in high-grade glioma management: position statement from the Neuro-Oncology Scientific Club (NOSC), Shiraz, Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ansari, Mansour; Mosalaei, Ahmad; Ahmadloo, Niloufar; Rasekhi, Alireza; Geramizadeh, Bita; Razmkon, Ali; Anvari, Kazem; Afarid, Mohammad; Dadras, Ali; Nafarieh, Leila; Mohammadianpanah, Mohammad; Nasrolahi, Hamid; Hamedi, Seyed Hasan; Omidvari, Shapour; Nami, Mohammad

    2017-01-01

    Establishing a robust teamwork model in the practice of neuro-oncology requires continued interdisciplinary efforts. The Neuro-Oncology Scientific Club (NOSC) initiative is an interdisciplinary clinical forum promoting the comprehensive approach across involved disciplines in the management of central nervous system (CNS) malignancies. With its provincial founding panels and national steering board, NOSC has been operational in Iran since 2011. This initiative has pursued its mission through interval strategic meetings, tumor boards, case discussions as well as publishing neuro-oncology updates, case study periodicals, and newsletters. A provincial meeting of NOSC in Shiraz put together insights from international practice guidelines, emerging evidence, and expert opinions to draw a position statement on high-grade glioma management in adults. The present report summarizes key highlights from the above clinical forum.

  16. A comprehensive approach in high-grade glioma management: position statement from the Neuro-Oncology Scientific Club (NOSC, Shiraz, Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ansari, Mansour

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Establishing a robust teamwork model in the practice of neuro-oncology requires continued interdisciplinary efforts. The Neuro-Oncology Scientific Club (NOSC initiative is an interdisciplinary clinical forum promoting the comprehensive approach across involved disciplines in the management of central nervous system (CNS malignancies. With its provincial founding panels and national steering board, NOSC has been operational in Iran since 2011. This initiative has pursued its mission through interval strategic meetings, tumor boards, case discussions as well as publishing neuro-oncology updates, case study periodicals, and newsletters. A provincial meeting of NOSC in Shiraz put together insights from international practice guidelines, emerging evidence, and expert opinions to draw a position statement on high-grade glioma management in adults. The present report summarizes key highlights from the above clinical forum.

  17. (Context comprehension in digital social media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alana Kercia Barros Demétrio

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available In this article, we address the reading issue from the point of view of complexity. Understanding, according to Beaugrande (1997, that the text is a communicative event whose configuration involves elements of different nature, including the participants of interaction, we think that traditional approaches to reading, even those which are focused on interaction, do not satisfactorily bolster comprehension of this phenomenon. In order to analyze how aspects that characterize reading as a complex activity show at (context comprehension in digital social media, we leaned on the articles by Pellanda (2005 and by Franco (2011 and we were supported by the autopoietic theory by Maturana and Varela (1995, as well as by the concepts of emergency and incorporation by Hanks (2008. Through the analysis of two examples of interaction conveyed in virtual environment, we observed that reading triggers readers’ autopoiesis as living systems.

  18. The Effect of Different Fertilizer Management on Yield and Yield Components of Black Seed (Nigella sativa L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P rezvani moghaddam

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Given the importance of nitrogen for improving the quantitative and qualitative yield of crops (Rodrigues et al., 2006 and the need for application of chemical fertilizers in intensive agriculture to get the maximum production, nitrogen supply in adequate amounts by ecologically avowed resources is known as one of the main challenges during transition from conventional to organic farming (Rodrigues et al., 2006. Considering the sustainable nitrogen management, reconstruction and rehabilitation of agroecosystems depends on reduction the nitrogen losses due to leaching, soil erosion and volatilization (Kizilkaya, 2008. For this purpose, the use of eco-friendly bio based fertilizers that are derived from natural origin, known as effective and enforceable approaches. In this regards, the proper use of manure and free-living aerobic bacteria of soils, such as Azotobacter and Azospirillum as well as mycorrhizal inoculation which can be used as a biological fertilizers, can particularly be considered (Kizilkaya, 2008. With regard to all mentioned above, the current study was aimed to evaluate the effects of biological, organic and inorganic resources of nitrogen on yield and yield components of black seed (Nigella sativa L.. Materials and methods The field experiment was conducted at Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, in years of 2009-2010. Experimental site was located in a semi-arid region, Khorasan Province, Northeast of Iran. The soil texture was silty loam, pH 8.36, electrical conductivity 3.72 dS.m-1, total N 0.095% and 0.195% organic carbon. The available P and K contents were 5.76 and 0.378 ppm, respectively. Experimental design was arranged by using a completely randomized block design with three replications. Experimental treatments included chemical fertilizer (urea, urea + nitroxin, urea + mycorrhizae, urea + nitroxin + mycorrhizae, urea + biosulfur, manure, manure + nitroxin, manure + mycorrhizae

  19. Breeding high yielding, high protein spring wheats: Problems, progress and approaches to further advances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konzak, C.F.; Rubenthaler, G.L.

    1984-01-01

    Preliminary data offer promise that advances have been made in breeding hard red spring wheat selections with a yielding capacity about equal to current cultivars and with an increased capacity for producing high protein grain. The most promising new selections are derivatives of Magnif 41M1, CI17689, a semi-dwarf mutant of an Argentinian high protein cultivar. Rapid changes in disease and pest problems also required immediate attention and a reorientation of breeding materials and goals. Selection procedures suggested as promising include early generation (F 2 and F 3 ) screening for disease resistance and agronomic type, with screening for protein content delayed until F 4 or F 5 . Cultural conditions conducive for expressing the highest yield capacity are proposed as optimum for identifying those selections also able to produce high protein grain. A goal of routine production of 14.5% (or higher) protein grain is considered necessary and achievable under fertility management conditions required for maximum yield expression of agronomically competitive cultivars. Agronomically improved sources of high protein genes, an increasing number of induced high protein mutants, and numerous high protein crossbred derivatives of T. dicoccoides and Aegilops species have recently become available. These new or improved germplasm sources as well as a considerable reserve of yet untapped germplasm variability in other accessions of wild T. dicoccoides offer increased optimism that further, rapid advances in the breeding of adapted high yielding, high protein wheats are achievable. Improved breeding schemes, using induced male sterility mutants either to aid in crossing or to develop male sterile facilitated recurrent selection (MSFRS) populations, should contribute towards an earlier achievement of the desired goal while providing the basis for buffering against rapid changes in disease and pest problems

  20. Comprehensive model of annual plankton succession based on the whole-plankton time series approach.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Baptiste Romagnan

    Full Text Available Ecological succession provides a widely accepted description of seasonal changes in phytoplankton and mesozooplankton assemblages in the natural environment, but concurrent changes in smaller (i.e. microbes and larger (i.e. macroplankton organisms are not included in the model because plankton ranging from bacteria to jellies are seldom sampled and analyzed simultaneously. Here we studied, for the first time in the aquatic literature, the succession of marine plankton in the whole-plankton assemblage that spanned 5 orders of magnitude in size from microbes to macroplankton predators (not including fish or fish larvae, for which no consistent data were available. Samples were collected in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea (Bay of Villefranche weekly during 10 months. Simultaneously collected samples were analyzed by flow cytometry, inverse microscopy, FlowCam, and ZooScan. The whole-plankton assemblage underwent sharp reorganizations that corresponded to bottom-up events of vertical mixing in the water-column, and its development was top-down controlled by large gelatinous filter feeders and predators. Based on the results provided by our novel whole-plankton assemblage approach, we propose a new comprehensive conceptual model of the annual plankton succession (i.e. whole plankton model characterized by both stepwise stacking of four broad trophic communities from early spring through summer, which is a new concept, and progressive replacement of ecological plankton categories within the different trophic communities, as recognised traditionally.

  1. On yield gaps and yield gains in intercropping

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gou, Fang; Yin, Wen; Hong, Yu; Werf, van der Wopke; Chai, Qiang; Heerink, Nico; Ittersum, van Martin K.

    2017-01-01

    Wheat-maize relay intercropping has been widely used by farmers in northwest China, and based on field experiments agronomists report it has a higher productivity than sole crops. However, the yields from farmers’ fields have not been investigated yet. Yield gap analysis provides a framework to

  2. Deep enteroscopy - indications, diagnostic yield and complications

    OpenAIRE

    Moeschler, Oliver; Mueller, Michael Karl

    2015-01-01

    Since its introduction in 2001 capsule endoscopy opened up the small bowel for diagnostic approaches followed by double balloon enteroscopy which enabled the endoscopic community to perform therapeutic interventions in the whole small intestine. In this review the scientific developments related to indications, diagnostic yield and complications of the last years between the competing devices double ballon enteroscopy, single balloon enteroscopy and spiral enteroscopy are illustrated.

  3. A combined neural network and mechanistic approach for the prediction of corrosion rate and yield strength of magnesium-rare earth alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Birbilis, N., E-mail: nick.birbilis@monash.ed [ARC Centre of Excellence for Design in Light Metals, Monash University (Australia); CAST Co-operative Research Centre, Monash University (Australia); Cavanaugh, M.K. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University (United States); Sudholz, A.D. [ARC Centre of Excellence for Design in Light Metals, Monash University (Australia); Zhu, S.M.; Easton, M.A. [CAST Co-operative Research Centre, Monash University (Australia); Gibson, M.A. [CSIRO Division of Process Science and Engineering (Australia)

    2011-01-15

    Research highlights: This study presents a body of corrosion data for a set of custom alloys and displays this in multivariable space. These alloys represent the next generation of Mg alloys for auto applications. The data is processed using an ANN model, which makes it possible to yield a single expression for prediction of corrosion rate (and strength) as a function of any input composition (of Ce, La or Nd between 0 and 6 wt.%). The relative influence of the various RE elements on corrosion is assessed, with the outcome that Nd additions can offer comparable strength with minimal rise in corrosion rate. The morphology and solute present in the eutectic region itself (as opposed to just the intermetallic presence) was shown - for the first time - to also be a key contributor to corrosion. The above approach sets the foundation for rational alloy design of alloys with corrosion performance in mind. - Abstract: Additions of Ce, La and Nd to Mg were made in binary, ternary and quaternary combinations up to {approx}6 wt.%. This provided a dataset that was used in developing a neural network model for predicting corrosion rate and yield strength. Whilst yield strength increased with RE additions, corrosion rates also systematically increased, however, this depended on the type of RE element added and the combination of elements added (along with differences in intermetallic morphology). This work is permits an understanding of Mg-RE alloy performance, and can be exploited in Mg alloy design for predictable combinations of strength and corrosion resistance.

  4. A combined neural network and mechanistic approach for the prediction of corrosion rate and yield strength of magnesium-rare earth alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Birbilis, N.; Cavanaugh, M.K.; Sudholz, A.D.; Zhu, S.M.; Easton, M.A.; Gibson, M.A.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → This study presents a body of corrosion data for a set of custom alloys and displays this in multivariable space. These alloys represent the next generation of Mg alloys for auto applications. → The data is processed using an ANN model, which makes it possible to yield a single expression for prediction of corrosion rate (and strength) as a function of any input composition (of Ce, La or Nd between 0 and 6 wt.%). → The relative influence of the various RE elements on corrosion is assessed, with the outcome that Nd additions can offer comparable strength with minimal rise in corrosion rate. → The morphology and solute present in the eutectic region itself (as opposed to just the intermetallic presence) was shown - for the first time - to also be a key contributor to corrosion. → The above approach sets the foundation for rational alloy design of alloys with corrosion performance in mind. - Abstract: Additions of Ce, La and Nd to Mg were made in binary, ternary and quaternary combinations up to ∼6 wt.%. This provided a dataset that was used in developing a neural network model for predicting corrosion rate and yield strength. Whilst yield strength increased with RE additions, corrosion rates also systematically increased, however, this depended on the type of RE element added and the combination of elements added (along with differences in intermetallic morphology). This work is permits an understanding of Mg-RE alloy performance, and can be exploited in Mg alloy design for predictable combinations of strength and corrosion resistance.

  5. Two complementary approaches to right-handed currents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gemmler, Katrin M.

    2012-04-17

    Flavour observables impose strong constraints on models of new physics. We study whether right-handed currents can provide a realistic extension to the Standard Model. We analyse two complementary models. These setups lead to new flavour violating interactions in the right-handed sector. We first consider a bottom-up approach assuming a left-right symmetric flavour group broken only by the Yukawa couplings. In this model the vertical stroke V{sub ub} vertical stroke problem can be solved. Secondly we study the Left-Right Model. We perform a comprehensive numerical analysis, including all known experimental constraints from {Delta}F=2 observables and the decay B {yields}X{sub s}{gamma} simultaneously. We observe that there exist regions in parameter space in accordance with the all data. In this model all flavour anomalies can be resolved except the vertical stroke V{sub ub} vertical stroke problem.

  6. Some reasons for saffron yield loss over the last 30 years period (Review Article

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alireza Koocheki

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Saffron (Crocus sativus L. is a perennial plant which grows basically in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran. Despite saffron’s adaptation to these regions, the assessment of changes in cultivation area over the last 30 years reveals that cultivation of this crop has sharply increased. According to the available statistics, there are 21 provinces where saffron is cultivated on about 84,000 hectares of land. Nonetheless, saffron yield per unit area has aggressively fallen from 5.1 kg ha-1 in 1982 to 3.2 kg ha-1 in 2015. Saffron yield loss can be caused by several factors, such as mismanagement in agriculture section, economics and post-harvest processing as well as the recent droughts. Lack of attention to these factors could lead to further decline in saffron yield in the future. The saffron yield loss over the last 30 years is an alert for saffron-related institutions such as the universities, research centers and Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO to pay more attention to this crop and prepare more comprehensive programs. In developing these programs, the importance of government policies for planning and approving enough budget is to be highlighted. In this review, first we focus on the reasons for saffron yield loss during the last 30 years and then we try to provide some solutions in relation to these reasons.

  7. The German Program and International Education: A Comprehensive Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McConeghy, Patrick M.

    1990-01-01

    Argues for a comprehensive approach toward teaching German as a second language in response to students' needs to acquire a global perspective. Rather than stressing only syntax, grammar, and vocabulary, German language education should also attempt to teach sensitivity to, knowledge of, and insight into German culture. (JL)

  8. Dynamics and ethics of comprehensive preimplantation genetic testing: a review of the challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hens, Kristien; Dondorp, Wybo; Handyside, Alan H; Harper, Joyce; Newson, Ainsley J; Pennings, Guido; Rehmann-Sutter, Christoph; de Wert, Guido

    2013-01-01

    Genetic testing of preimplantation embryos has been used for preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). Microarray technology is being introduced in both these contexts, and whole genome sequencing of blastomeres is also expeted to become possible soon. The amount of extra information such tests will yield may prove to be beneficial for embryo selection, will also raise various ethical issues. We present an overview of the developments and an agenda-setting exploration of the ethical issues. The paper is a joint endeavour by the presenters at an explorative 'campus meeting' organized by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in cooperation with the department of Health, Ethics & Society of the Maastricht University (The Netherlands). The increasing amount and detail of information that new screening techniques such as microarrays and whole genome sequencing offer does not automatically coincide with an increasing understanding of the prospects of an embryo. From a technical point of view, the future of comprehensive embryo testing may go together with developments in preconception carrier screening. From an ethical point of view, the increasing complexity and amount of information yielded by comprehensive testing techniques will lead to challenges to the principle of reproductive autonomy and the right of the child to an open future, and may imply a possible larger responsibility of the clinician towards the welfare of the future child. Combinations of preconception carrier testing and embryo testing may solve some of these ethical questions but could introduce others. As comprehensive testing techniques are entering the IVF clinic, there is a need for a thorough rethinking of traditional ethical paradigms regarding medically assisted reproduction.

  9. Relationship between Vocabulary Size and Reading Comprehension Levels of Malaysian Tertiary Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angelina Wan Lin Tan

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the relationship between vocabulary size and reading comprehension performance among students in a tertiary institution in a Malaysian context and examined the vocabulary size required for students to achieve reading comprehension at various levels of proficiency. The research questions that guided this study were: 1 What is the vocabulary size of second year diploma students studying Mass Communication?; 2 What is the reading comprehension proficiency of second year diploma students studying Mass Communication?; and 3 What vocabulary size is required for different levels of reading comprehension proficiency? This study used the quantitative approach. The participants were 53 Malaysian second-year students at a private university college in Malaysia who were reading for their Diploma in Mass Communication. The instruments used were the Vocabulary Size Test and the IELTS Reading Test (Academic Module. The findings showed that the average vocabulary size of the students was just over 6000 word families and this vocabulary size was generally insufficient for adequate reading comprehension. Students needed an average vocabulary size of about 8000 word families to achieve adequate reading comprehension and about 10000 word families to achieve proficient reading comprehension. Based on the individual student’s performance, this study did not find a linear relationship between vocabulary size and reading comprehension performance, nor was there a threshold vocabulary size for adequate reading comprehension.

  10. Improving Aspergillus niger tannase yield by N+ ion beam implantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Jin

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available This work aimed to improve tannase yield of Aspergillus niger through N+ ion beam implantation in submerged fermentation. The energy and dose of N+ ion beam implantation were investigated. The results indicated that an excellent mutant was obtained through nine successive implantations under the conditions of 10 keV and 30-40 (×2.6×10(13 ions/cm², and its tannase yield reached 38.5 U/mL, which was about five-time higher than the original strain. The study on the genetic stability of the mutant showed that its promising performance in tannase production could be stable. The studies of metal ions and surfactants affecting tannase yield indicated that manganese ions, stannum ions, xylene and SDS contained in the culture medium had positive effects on tannase production under submerged fermentation. Magnesium ions, in particular, could enhance the tannase yield by the mutant increasing by 42%, i.e. 53.6 U/mL. Accordingly, low-energy ion implantation could be a desirable approach to improve the fungal tannase yield for its commercial application.

  11. Reading Comprehension Course through a Genre-Oriented Approach at a School in Colombia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez Sánchez, Andrés

    2017-01-01

    This paper reports on an action-research study aimed at identifying the problems and needs of a specific group of tenth graders at a school in Colombia in relation to their reading comprehension in English in order to design, partially implement, and evaluate a genre-oriented syllabus. Findings show that the explicit instruction of metacognitive…

  12. Using a water-food-energy nexus approach for optimal irrigation management during drought events in Nebraska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campana, P. E.; Zhang, J.; Yao, T.; Melton, F. S.; Yan, J.

    2017-12-01

    Climate change and drought have severe impacts on the agricultural sector affecting crop yields, water availability, and energy consumption for irrigation. Monitoring, assessing and mitigating the effects of climate change and drought on the agricultural and energy sectors are fundamental challenges that require investigation for water, food, and energy security issues. Using an integrated water-food-energy nexus approach, this study is developing a comprehensive drought management system through integration of real-time drought monitoring with real-time irrigation management. The spatially explicit model developed, GIS-OptiCE, can be used for simulation, multi-criteria optimization and generation of forecasts to support irrigation management. To demonstrate the value of the approach, the model has been applied to one major corn region in Nebraska to study the effects of the 2012 drought on crop yield and irrigation water/energy requirements as compared to a wet year such as 2009. The water-food-energy interrelationships evaluated show that significant water volumes and energy are required to halt the negative effects of drought on the crop yield. The multi-criteria optimization problem applied in this study indicates that the optimal solutions of irrigation do not necessarily correspond to those that would produce the maximum crop yields, depending on both water and economic constraints. In particular, crop pricing forecasts are extremely important to define the optimal irrigation management strategy. The model developed shows great potential in precision agriculture by providing near real-time data products including information on evapotranspiration, irrigation volumes, energy requirements, predicted crop growth, and nutrient requirements.

  13. Investigating the Effects of Group Investigation (GI and Cooperative Integrated Reading and Comprehension (CIRC as the Cooperative Learning Techniques on Learner's Reading Comprehension

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Amin Karafkan

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Cooperative learning consists of some techniques for helping students work together more effectively. This study investigated the effects of Group Investigation (GI and Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC as cooperative learning techniques on Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension at an intermediate level. The participants of the study were 207 male students who studied at an intermediate level at ILI. The participants were randomly assigned into three equal groups: one control group and two experimental groups. The control group was instructed via conventional technique following an individualistic instructional approach. One experimental group received GI technique. The other experimental group received CIRC technique. The findings showed that there was a meaningful difference between the mean of the reading comprehension score of GI experimental group and CRIC experimental group. CRIC technique is more effective than GI technique in enhancing the reading comprehension test scores of students.

  14. S-type and P-type habitability in stellar binary systems: A comprehensive approach. I. Method and applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cuntz, M., E-mail: cuntz@uta.edu [Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019-0059 (United States)

    2014-01-01

    A comprehensive approach is provided for the study of both S-type and P-type habitability in stellar binary systems, which in principle can also be expanded to systems of higher order. P-type orbits occur when the planet orbits both binary components, whereas in the case of S-type orbits, the planet orbits only one of the binary components with the second component considered a perturbator. The selected approach encapsulates a variety of different aspects, which include: (1) the consideration of a joint constraint, including orbital stability and a habitable region for a putative system planet through the stellar radiative energy fluxes ({sup r}adiative habitable zone{sup ;} RHZ), needs to be met; (2) the treatment of conservative, general, and extended zones of habitability for the various systems as defined for the solar system and beyond; (3) the provision of a combined formalism for the assessment of both S-type and P-type habitability; in particular, mathematical criteria are presented for the kind of system in which S-type and P-type habitability is realized; (4) applications of the attained theoretical approach to standard (theoretical) main-sequence stars. In principle, five different cases of habitability are identified, which are S-type and P-type habitability provided by the full extent of the RHZs; habitability, where the RHZs are truncated by the additional constraint of planetary orbital stability (referred to as ST- and PT-type, respectively); and cases of no habitability at all. Regarding the treatment of planetary orbital stability, we utilize the formulae of Holman and Wiegert as also used in previous studies. In this work, we focus on binary systems in circular orbits. Future applications will also consider binary systems in elliptical orbits and provide thorough comparisons to other methods and results given in the literature.

  15. Comprehensive Environmental Assessment and U.S. EPA Nanomaterial Case Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    These case studies are not completed risk assessments but are structured around an approach known as comprehensive environmental assessment (CEA), which combines a product life cycle framework with the risk assessment paradigm (Davis, J.M., J. Nanosci. Nanotech. 7:402-9, 2007). ...

  16. Using the candidate gene approach for detecting genes underlying seed oil concentration and yield in soybean.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eskandari, Mehrzad; Cober, Elroy R; Rajcan, Istvan

    2013-07-01

    Increasing the oil concentration in soybean seeds has been given more attention in recent years because of demand for both edible oil and biodiesel production. Oil concentration in soybean is a complex quantitative trait regulated by many genes as well as environmental conditions. To identify genes governing seed oil concentration in soybean, 16 putative candidate genes of three important gene families (GPAT: acyl-CoA:sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, DGAT: acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase, and PDAT: phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase) involved in triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis pathways were selected and their sequences retrieved from the soybean database ( http://www.phytozome.net/soybean ). Three sequence mutations were discovered in either coding or noncoding regions of three DGAT soybean isoforms when comparing the parents of a 203 recombinant inbreed line (RIL) population; OAC Wallace and OAC Glencoe. The RIL population was used to study the effects of these mutations on seed oil concentration and other important agronomic and seed composition traits, including seed yield and protein concentration across three field locations in Ontario, Canada, in 2009 and 2010. An insertion/deletion (indel) mutation in the GmDGAT2B gene in OAC Wallace was significantly associated with reduced seed oil concentration across three environments and reduced seed yield at Woodstock in 2010. A mutation in the 3' untranslated (3'UTR) region of GmDGAT2C was associated with seed yield at Woodstock in 2009. A mutation in the intronic region of GmDGAR1B was associated with seed yield and protein concentration at Ottawa in 2010. The genes identified in this study had minor effects on either seed yield or oil concentration, which was in agreement with the quantitative nature of the traits. However, the novel gene-specific markers designed in the present study can be used in soybean breeding for marker-assisted selection aimed at increasing seed yield and oil

  17. Development and Validation of an Online Dynamic Assessment for Raising Students' Comprehension of Science Text

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jing-Ru; Chen, Shin-Feng

    2016-01-01

    This article reports on the development of an online dynamic approach for assessing and improving students' reading comprehension of science texts--the dynamic assessment for reading comprehension of science text (DARCST). The DARCST blended assessment and response-specific instruction into a holistic learning task for grades 5 and 6 students. The…

  18. Understanding Plant Nitrogen Metabolism through Metabolomics and Computational Approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Perrin H. Beatty

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available A comprehensive understanding of plant metabolism could provide a direct mechanism for improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE in crops. One of the major barriers to achieving this outcome is our poor understanding of the complex metabolic networks, physiological factors, and signaling mechanisms that affect NUE in agricultural settings. However, an exciting collection of computational and experimental approaches has begun to elucidate whole-plant nitrogen usage and provides an avenue for connecting nitrogen-related phenotypes to genes. Herein, we describe how metabolomics, computational models of metabolism, and flux balance analysis have been harnessed to advance our understanding of plant nitrogen metabolism. We introduce a model describing the complex flow of nitrogen through crops in a real-world agricultural setting and describe how experimental metabolomics data, such as isotope labeling rates and analyses of nutrient uptake, can be used to refine these models. In summary, the metabolomics/computational approach offers an exciting mechanism for understanding NUE that may ultimately lead to more effective crop management and engineered plants with higher yields.

  19. A Disciplined Architectural Approach to Scaling Data Analysis for Massive, Scientific Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crichton, D. J.; Braverman, A. J.; Cinquini, L.; Turmon, M.; Lee, H.; Law, E.

    2014-12-01

    Data collections across remote sensing and ground-based instruments in astronomy, Earth science, and planetary science are outpacing scientists' ability to analyze them. Furthermore, the distribution, structure, and heterogeneity of the measurements themselves pose challenges that limit the scalability of data analysis using traditional approaches. Methods for developing science data processing pipelines, distribution of scientific datasets, and performing analysis will require innovative approaches that integrate cyber-infrastructure, algorithms, and data into more systematic approaches that can more efficiently compute and reduce data, particularly distributed data. This requires the integration of computer science, machine learning, statistics and domain expertise to identify scalable architectures for data analysis. The size of data returned from Earth Science observing satellites and the magnitude of data from climate model output, is predicted to grow into the tens of petabytes challenging current data analysis paradigms. This same kind of growth is present in astronomy and planetary science data. One of the major challenges in data science and related disciplines defining new approaches to scaling systems and analysis in order to increase scientific productivity and yield. Specific needs include: 1) identification of optimized system architectures for analyzing massive, distributed data sets; 2) algorithms for systematic analysis of massive data sets in distributed environments; and 3) the development of software infrastructures that are capable of performing massive, distributed data analysis across a comprehensive data science framework. NASA/JPL has begun an initiative in data science to address these challenges. Our goal is to evaluate how scientific productivity can be improved through optimized architectural topologies that identify how to deploy and manage the access, distribution, computation, and reduction of massive, distributed data, while

  20. An FSPM approach for modeling fruit yield and quality in mango trees

    OpenAIRE

    Boudon , Frédéric; Persello , Severine; Jestin , Alexandra; Briand , Anne-Sarah; Fernique , Pierre; Guédon , Yann; Léchaudel , Mathieu; Grechi , Isabelle; Normand , Frédéric

    2016-01-01

    International audience; Research focus-Mango (Mangifera indica L.), the fifth most cultivated fruit in the world, is mainly produced in tropical and subtropical regions. Its cultivation raises a number of issues: (i) mango yield is irregular across years, (ii) phenological asynchronisms within and between trees maintain long periods with phenological stages susceptible to pests and diseases, and (iii) fruit quality and maturity are heterogeneous at harvest. To address these issues, we develop...

  1. Management of Substance Use Disorder in Military Services: A Comprehensive Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharbafchi, Mohammad Reza; Heydari, Mostafa

    2017-01-01

    Historically, substance misuse has been a serious problem faced by worldwide military personnel. Some research showed that military personnel have higher rates of unhealthy substance use than their age peers in the general population. These problems have serious consequences and may lead to significant military difficulties in the field of readiness, discipline, and mental or physical health. In this review, we gathered various methods for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of substance use disorders and suggested a comprehensive plan for Iran Armed Forces to improve existing services. This article is a narrative review study, which was carried out on 2016. A careful literature review was performed between January 1970 and April 2016 on several national and international databases. Articles were screened according to the following inclusion criteria: (1) review articles about prevention and treatment protocols, (2) executive guidance, (3) cohort articles about risk factors of addiction, and (4) randomized controlled trials about prevention or treatment of substance use disorders in army service members. After screening by title and abstract, 130 articles selected of 832 founded articles, and after quality assessment, finally, 63 articles included in the review. There is a necessity to manage substance use disorder through prevention, screening, and then referral to proper services for diagnosis and treatment. Urinalysis programs for screening are cost-effective and should be considered as a main method. Effective treatment includes both behavioral and pharmacological methods. The ideal prevention program will include multiple and mutually reinforcing evidence-based universal, selective, and indicated attempts at both the individual and environmental levels. The implementation of screening and treatment strategies needs strict rules and national guideline for the comprehensive management of substance use disorders in army.

  2. The impact of tropospheric ozone pollution on trial plot winter wheat yields in Great Britain - an econometric approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaliakatsou, Evridiki; Bell, J Nigel B; Thirtle, Colin; Rose, Daniel; Power, Sally A

    2010-05-01

    Numerous experiments have demonstrated reductions in the yields of cereal crops due to tropospheric O(3), with losses of up to 25%. However, the only British econometric study on O(3) impacts on winter wheat yields, found that a 10% increase in AOT40 would decrease yields by only 0.23%. An attempt is made here to reconcile these observations by developing AOT40 maps for Great Britain and matching levels with a large number of standardised trial plot wheat yields from many sites over a 13-year period. Panel estimates (repeated measures on the same plots with time) show a 0.54% decrease in yields and it is hypothesised that plant breeders may have inadvertently selected for O(3) tolerance in wheat. Some support for this is provided by fumigations of cultivars of differing introduction dates. A case is made for the use of econometric as well as experimental studies in prediction of air pollution induced crop loss. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. [Comprehensive system integration and networking in operating rooms].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feußner, H; Ostler, D; Kohn, N; Vogel, T; Wilhelm, D; Koller, S; Kranzfelder, M

    2016-12-01

    comprehensive surveillance and control system integrating all devices and functions is a precondition for realization of the operating room of the future. Multiple proprietary integrated operation room systems are currently available with a central user interface; however, they only cover a relatively small part of all functionalities. Internationally, there are at least three different initiatives to promote a comprehensive systems integration and networking in the operating room: the Japanese smart cyber operating theater (SCOT), the American medical device plug-and-play interoperability program (MDPnP) and the German secure and dynamic networking in operating room and hospital (OR.NET) project supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Within the framework of the internationally advanced OR.NET project, prototype solution approaches were realized, which make short-term and mid-term comprehensive data retrieval systems probable. An active and even autonomous control of the medical devices by the surveillance and control system (closed loop) is expected only in the long run due to strict regulatory barriers.

  4. Using MODIS Data to Predict Regional Corn Yields

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ho-Young Ban

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available A simple approach was developed to predict corn yields using the MoDerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS data product from two geographically separate major corn crop production regions: Illinois, USA and Heilongjiang, China. The MOD09A1 data, which are eight-day interval surface reflectance data, were obtained from day of the year (DOY 89 to 337 to calculate the leaf area index (LAI. The sum of the LAI from early in the season to a given date in the season (end of DOY (EOD was well fitted to a logistic function and represented seasonal changes in leaf area duration (LAD. A simple phenology model was derived to estimate the dates of emergence and maturity using the LAD-logistic function parameters b1 and b2, which represented the rate of increase in LAI and the date of maximum LAI, respectively. The phenology model predicted emergence and maturity dates fairly well, with root mean square error (RMSE values of 6.3 and 4.9 days for the validation dataset, respectively. Two simple linear regression models (YP and YF were established using LAD as the variable to predict corn yield. The yield model YP used LAD from predicted emergence to maturity, and the yield model YF used LAD for a predetermined period from DOY 89 to a particular EOD. When state/province corn yields for the validation dataset were predicted at DOY 321, near completion of the corn harvest, the YP model, including the predicted phenology, performed much better than the YF model, with RMSE values of 0.68 t/ha and 0.66 t/ha for Illinois and Heilongjiang, respectively. The YP model showed similar or better performance, even for the much earlier pre-harvest yield prediction at DOY 257. In addition, the model performance showed no difference between the two study regions with very different climates and cultivation methods, including cultivar and irrigation management. These results suggested that the approach described in this paper has potential for application to

  5. An Approach to a Comprehensive Test Framework for Analysis and Evaluation of Text Line Segmentation Algorithms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zoran N. Milivojevic

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper introduces a testing framework for the evaluation and validation of text line segmentation algorithms. Text line segmentation represents the key action for correct optical character recognition. Many of the tests for the evaluation of text line segmentation algorithms deal with text databases as reference templates. Because of the mismatch, the reliable testing framework is required. Hence, a new approach to a comprehensive experimental framework for the evaluation of text line segmentation algorithms is proposed. It consists of synthetic multi-like text samples and real handwritten text as well. Although the tests are mutually independent, the results are cross-linked. The proposed method can be used for different types of scripts and languages. Furthermore, two different procedures for the evaluation of algorithm efficiency based on the obtained error type classification are proposed. The first is based on the segmentation line error description, while the second one incorporates well-known signal detection theory. Each of them has different capabilities and convenience, but they can be used as supplements to make the evaluation process efficient. Overall the proposed procedure based on the segmentation line error description has some advantages, characterized by five measures that describe measurement procedures.

  6. Study of nonproportionality in the light yield of inorganic scintillators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, Jai [School of Engineering and IT, B-purple-12, Faculty of EHSE, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory 0909 (Australia)

    2011-07-15

    Using a phenomenological approach, the light yield is derived for inorganic scintillators as a function of the rates of linear, bimolecular, and Auger processes occurring in the electron track initiated by an x ray or a {gamma}-ray photon. A relation between the track length and incident energy is also derived. It is found that the nonproportionality in the light yield can be eliminated if either nonlinear processes of interaction among the excited electrons, holes, and excitons can be eliminated from occurring or the high density situation can be relieved by diffusion of carriers from the track at a faster rate than the rate of activation of nonlinear processes. The influence of the track length and radius on the yield nonproportionality is discussed in view of the known experimental results. Inventing new inorganic scintillating materials with high carrier mobility can lead to a class of proportional inorganic scintillators. Results agree qualitatively with experimental results for the dependence of light yield on the incident energy.

  7. Study of nonproportionality in the light yield of inorganic scintillators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Jai

    2011-01-01

    Using a phenomenological approach, the light yield is derived for inorganic scintillators as a function of the rates of linear, bimolecular, and Auger processes occurring in the electron track initiated by an x ray or a γ-ray photon. A relation between the track length and incident energy is also derived. It is found that the nonproportionality in the light yield can be eliminated if either nonlinear processes of interaction among the excited electrons, holes, and excitons can be eliminated from occurring or the high density situation can be relieved by diffusion of carriers from the track at a faster rate than the rate of activation of nonlinear processes. The influence of the track length and radius on the yield nonproportionality is discussed in view of the known experimental results. Inventing new inorganic scintillating materials with high carrier mobility can lead to a class of proportional inorganic scintillators. Results agree qualitatively with experimental results for the dependence of light yield on the incident energy.

  8. Context updating during sentence comprehension: the effect of aboutness topic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burmester, Juliane; Spalek, Katharina; Wartenburger, Isabell

    2014-10-01

    To communicate efficiently, speakers typically link their utterances to the discourse environment and adapt their utterances to the listener's discourse representation. Information structure describes how linguistic information is packaged within a discourse to optimize information transfer. The present study investigates the nature and time course of context integration (i.e., aboutness topic vs. neutral context) on the comprehension of German declarative sentences with either subject-before-object (SO) or object-before-subject (OS) word order using offline comprehensibility judgments and online event-related potentials (ERPs). Comprehensibility judgments revealed that the topic context selectively facilitated comprehension of stories containing OS (i.e., non-canonical) sentences. In the ERPs, the topic context effect was reflected in a less pronounced late positivity at the sentence-initial object. In line with the Syntax-Discourse Model, we argue that these context-induced effects are attributable to reduced processing costs for updating the current discourse model. The results support recent approaches of neurocognitive models of discourse processing. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Closing Yield Gaps: How Sustainable Can We Be?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prajal Pradhan

    Full Text Available Global food production needs to be increased by 60-110% between 2005 and 2050 to meet growing food and feed demand. Intensification and/or expansion of agriculture are the two main options available to meet the growing crop demands. Land conversion to expand cultivated land increases GHG emissions and impacts biodiversity and ecosystem services. Closing yield gaps to attain potential yields may be a viable option to increase the global crop production. Traditional methods of agricultural intensification often have negative externalities. Therefore, there is a need to explore location-specific methods of sustainable agricultural intensification. We identified regions where the achievement of potential crop calorie production on currently cultivated land will meet the present and future food demand based on scenario analyses considering population growth and changes in dietary habits. By closing yield gaps in the current irrigated and rain-fed cultivated land, about 24% and 80% more crop calories can respectively be produced compared to 2000. Most countries will reach food self-sufficiency or improve their current food self-sufficiency levels if potential crop production levels are achieved. As a novel approach, we defined specific input and agricultural management strategies required to achieve the potential production by overcoming biophysical and socioeconomic constraints causing yield gaps. The management strategies include: fertilizers, pesticides, advanced soil management, land improvement, management strategies coping with weather induced yield variability, and improving market accessibility. Finally, we estimated the required fertilizers (N, P2O5, and K2O to attain the potential yields. Globally, N-fertilizer application needs to increase by 45-73%, P2O5-fertilizer by 22-46%, and K2O-fertilizer by 2-3 times compared to the year 2010 to attain potential crop production. The sustainability of such agricultural intensification largely depends

  10. Possible changes to arable crop yields by 2050.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaggard, Keith W; Qi, Aiming; Ober, Eric S

    2010-09-27

    By 2050, the world population is likely to be 9.1 billion, the CO(2) concentration 550 ppm, the ozone concentration 60 ppb and the climate warmer by ca 2 degrees C. In these conditions, what contribution can increased crop yield make to feeding the world? CO(2) enrichment is likely to increase yields of most crops by approximately 13 per cent but leave yields of C4 crops unchanged. It will tend to reduce water consumption by all crops, but this effect will be approximately cancelled out by the effect of the increased temperature on evaporation rates. In many places increased temperature will provide opportunities to manipulate agronomy to improve crop performance. Ozone concentration increases will decrease yields by 5 per cent or more. Plant breeders will probably be able to increase yields considerably in the CO(2)-enriched environment of the future, and most weeds and airborne pests and diseases should remain controllable, so long as policy changes do not remove too many types of crop-protection chemicals. However, soil-borne pathogens are likely to be an increasing problem when warmer weather will increase their multiplication rates; control is likely to need a transgenic approach to breeding for resistance. There is a large gap between achievable yields and those delivered by farmers, even in the most efficient agricultural systems. A gap is inevitable, but there are large differences between farmers, even between those who have used the same resources. If this gap is closed and accompanied by improvements in potential yields then there is a good prospect that crop production will increase by approximately 50 per cent or more by 2050 without extra land. However, the demands for land to produce bio-energy have not been factored into these calculations.

  11. Partnerships to Support Reading Comprehension for Students with Language Impairment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ehren, Barbara J.

    2006-01-01

    Students with language impairment often experience serious and far-reaching effects of reading comprehension problems on their academic performance. The complexity of the problems and the characteristics of effective intervention necessitate a collaborative approach among general education teachers, special education teachers, and speech-language…

  12. High-yielding and photolabile approaches to the covalent attachment of biomolecules to surfaces via hydrazone chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ju Hun; Domaille, Dylan W; Noh, Hyunwoo; Oh, Taeseok; Choi, Chulmin; Jin, Sungho; Cha, Jennifer N

    2014-07-22

    The development of strategies to couple biomolecules covalently to surfaces is necessary for constructing sensing arrays for biological and biomedical applications. One attractive conjugation reaction is hydrazone formation--the reaction of a hydrazine with an aldehyde or ketone--as both hydrazines and aldehydes/ketones are largely bioorthogonal, which makes this particular reaction suitable for conjugating biomolecules to a variety of substrates. We show that the mild reaction conditions afforded by hydrazone conjugation enable the conjugation of DNA and proteins to the substrate surface in significantly higher yields than can be achieved with traditional bioconjugation techniques, such as maleimide chemistry. Next, we designed and synthesized a photocaged aryl ketone that can be conjugated to a surface and photochemically activated to provide a suitable partner for subsequent hydrazone formation between the surface-anchored ketone and DNA- or protein-hydrazines. Finally, we exploit the latent functionality of the photocaged ketone and pattern multiple biomolecules on the same substrate, effectively demonstrating a strategy for designing substrates with well-defined domains of different biomolecules. We expect that this approach can be extended to the production of multiplexed assays by using an appropriate mask with sequential photoexposure and biomolecule conjugation steps.

  13. VARIABILITY OF YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS IN “EGUSI ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    journal

    Estimate of expected genetic advance in seed yield plant-1 ranged between. 25.90-48.40%. ..... values in fruit and seed yield characters have been reported in culinary melon, ... and Khund, A. 2004. Extent of heterosis and heritability in some.

  14. The pivotal role of psychology in a comprehensive theory of obesity

    OpenAIRE

    Markey, Charlotte N; August, Kristin J; Bailey, Lindzee C; Markey, Patrick M; Nave, Christopher S

    2016-01-01

    The target article offers a comprehensive approach to conceptualizing psychological factors contributing to obesity. Strengths of Marks’ theory include giving body image a central focus, discussing the importance of emotional states on food reliance, and conveying avenues for interventions and treatment. Marks’ approach carefully delineates the interpersonal nature of obesity, although our work suggests that romantic partners are an especially important and understudied factor relevant to eat...

  15. Effect of yield to tensile (Y/T) ratio on the structural integrity of offshore pipeline: advanced engineering assessment using limit state design approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Malatesta, G; Mannucci, G; Demofonti, G [Centro Sviluppo Materiali S.p.A., Rome (Italy); Cumino, G [TenarisDalmine (Italy); Izquierdo, A; Tivelli, M [Tenaris Group (Mexico); Quintanilla, H [TENARIS Group (Mexico). TAMSA

    2005-07-01

    Nowadays specifications require strict Yield to Tensile ratio limitation, nevertheless a fully accepted engineering assessment of its influence on pipeline integrity is still lacking. Probabilistic analysis based on structural reliability approach (Limit State Design) aimed at quantifying the Y/T ratio influence on failure probabilities of offshore pipelines was made. In particular, Tenaris seamless pipe data were used as input for the probabilistic failure analysis. The LSD approach has been applied to two actual deep water design cases that have been on purpose selected, and the most relevant failure modes have been considered. Main result of the work is that the quantitative effect of the Y/T ratio on failure probabilities of a deep water pipeline resulted not so big as expected; it has a minor effect, especially when failure modes are governed by Y only. (author)

  16. A method for developing a large-scale sediment yield index for European river basins

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Delmas, Magalie; Cerdan, Olivier; Garcin, Manuel [BRGM ARN/ESL, Orleans (France); Mouchel, Jean-Marie [UMR Sisyphe, Univ. P and M Curie, Paris (France)

    2009-12-15

    Background, aim, and scope: Sediment fluxes within continental areas play a major role in biogeochemical cycles and are often the cause of soil surface degradation as well as water and ecosystem pollution. In a situation where a high proportion of the land surface is experiencing significant global land use and climate changes, it appears important to establish sediment budgets considering the major processes forcing sediment redistribution within drainage areas. In this context, the aim of this study is to test a methodology to estimate a sediment yield index at a large spatial resolution for European river basins. Data and methods: Four indicators representing processes respectively considered as sources (mass movement and hillslope erosion), sinks (deposits), and transfers of sediments (drainage density) are defined using distributed data. Using these indicators we propose a basic conceptual approach to test the possibility of explaining sediment yield observed at the outlet of 29 selected European river basins. We propose an index which adds the two sources and transfers, and subsequently subtracts the sink term. This index is then compared to observed sediment yield data. Results: With this approach, variability between river basins is observed and the evolution of each indicator analyzed. A linear regression shows a correlation coefficient of 0.83 linking observed specific sediment yield (SSY) with the SSY index. Discussion: To improve this approach at this large river basin scale, basin classification is further refined using the relation between the observed SSY and the index obtained from the four indicators. It allows a refinement of the results. Conclusions: This study presents a conceptual approach offering the advantages of using spatially distributed data combined with major sediment redistribution processes to estimate the sediment yield observed at the outlet of river basins. Recommendations and perspectives: Inclusion of better information on

  17. Fission product yields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valenta, V.; Hep, J.

    1978-01-01

    Data are summed up necessary for determining the yields of individual fission products from different fissionable nuclides. Fractional independent yields, cumulative and isobaric yields are presented here for the thermal fission of 235 U, 239 Pu, 241 Pu and for fast fission (approximately 1 MeV) of 235 U, 238 U, 239 Pu, 241 Pu; these values are included into the 5th version of the YIELDS library, supplementing the BIBFP library. A comparison is made of experimental data and possible improvements of calculational methods are suggested. (author)

  18. A consistent approach for the development of a comprehensive data base of time-dependent parameters for concrete engineered barriers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seetharam, Suresh C; Perko, Janez; Jacques, Diederik [Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN, Mol (Belgium); Mallants, Dirk [CSIRO Land and Water, Urrbrae (Australia)

    2013-07-01

    This paper presents a consistent approach for the development of a comprehensive data base of time-dependent hydraulic and transport parameters for concrete engineered barriers of the future Dessel near surface repository for low level waste. The parameter derivation is based on integration of selected data obtained through an extensive literature review, data from experimental studies on cementitious materials specific for the Dessel repository and numerical modelling using physically-based models of water and mass transport. Best estimate parameter values for assessment calculations are derived, together with source and expert range and their probability density function wherever the data was sufficient. We further discuss a numerical method for up-scaling laboratory derived parameter values to the repository scale; the resulting large-scale effective parameters are commensurate with numerical grids used in models for radionuclide migration. To accommodate different levels of conservatism in the various assessment calculations defined by ONDRAF/NIRAS, several sets of parameter values have been derived based on assumptions that introduce different degrees of conservatism. For pertinent parameters, the time evolution of such properties due to the long-term concrete degradation is also addressed. The implementation of the consistent approach is demonstrated by considering the pore water diffusion coefficient as an example. (authors)

  19. A comprehensive & systematic study of coincidence time resolution and light yield using scintillators of different size, wrapping and doping

    CERN Document Server

    Auffray, E.; Geraci, F.; Ghezzi, A.; Gundacker, S.; Hillemanns, H.; Jarron, P.; Meyer, T.; Paganoni, M.; Pauwels, K.; Pizzichemi, M.; Lecoq, P.

    2011-01-01

    Over the last years interest in using time-of-flight-based Positron Emission Tomography (TOF-PET) systems has significantly increased. High time resolution in such PET systems is a powerful tool to improve signal to noise ratio and therefore to allow smaller exposure rates for patients as well as faster image reconstruction. Improvement in coincidence time resolution (CTR) in PET systems to the level of 200ps FWHM requires the optimization of all parameters in the photon detection chain influencing the time resolution: crystal, photodetector and readout electronics. After reviewing the factors influencing the time resolution of scintillators, we will present in this paper the light yield and CTR obtained for different scintillator types (LSO:Ce, LYSO:Ce, LGSO:Ce, LSO:Ce:0.4Ca, LuAG:Ce, LuAG:Pr) with different cross-sections, lengths and reflectors. Whereas light yield measurements were made with a classical PMT, all CTR tests were performed with Hamamatsu-MPPCs or SiPMs S10931-050P. The CTR measurements were ...

  20. S-TYPE AND P-TYPE HABITABILITY IN STELLAR BINARY SYSTEMS: A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH. II. ELLIPTICAL ORBITS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cuntz, M.

    2015-01-01

    In the first paper of this series, a comprehensive approach has been provided for the study of S-type and P-type habitable regions in stellar binary systems, which was, however, restricted to circular orbits of the stellar components. Fortunately, a modest modification of the method also allows for the consideration of elliptical orbits, which of course entails a much broader range of applicability. This augmented method is presented here, and numerous applications are conveyed. In alignment with Paper I, the selected approach considers a variety of aspects, which comprise the consideration of a joint constraint including orbital stability and a habitable region for a possible system planet through the stellar radiative energy fluxes ( r adiative habitable zone ; RHZ). The devised method is based on a combined formalism for the assessment of both S-type and P-type habitability; in particular, mathematical criteria are deduced for which kinds of systems S-type and P-type habitable zones are realized. If the RHZs are truncated by the additional constraint of orbital stability, the notation of ST-type and PT-type habitability applies. In comparison to the circular case, it is found that in systems of higher eccentricity, the range of the RHZs is significantly reduced. Moreover, for a considerable number of models, the orbital stability constraint also reduces the range of S-type and P-type habitability. Nonetheless, S-, P-, ST-, and PT-type habitability is identified for a considerable set of system parameters. The method as presented is utilized for BinHab, an online code available at The University of Texas at Arlington

  1. S-TYPE AND P-TYPE HABITABILITY IN STELLAR BINARY SYSTEMS: A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH. II. ELLIPTICAL ORBITS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cuntz, M., E-mail: cuntz@uta.edu [Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019-0059 (United States)

    2015-01-10

    In the first paper of this series, a comprehensive approach has been provided for the study of S-type and P-type habitable regions in stellar binary systems, which was, however, restricted to circular orbits of the stellar components. Fortunately, a modest modification of the method also allows for the consideration of elliptical orbits, which of course entails a much broader range of applicability. This augmented method is presented here, and numerous applications are conveyed. In alignment with Paper I, the selected approach considers a variety of aspects, which comprise the consideration of a joint constraint including orbital stability and a habitable region for a possible system planet through the stellar radiative energy fluxes ({sup r}adiative habitable zone{sup ;} RHZ). The devised method is based on a combined formalism for the assessment of both S-type and P-type habitability; in particular, mathematical criteria are deduced for which kinds of systems S-type and P-type habitable zones are realized. If the RHZs are truncated by the additional constraint of orbital stability, the notation of ST-type and PT-type habitability applies. In comparison to the circular case, it is found that in systems of higher eccentricity, the range of the RHZs is significantly reduced. Moreover, for a considerable number of models, the orbital stability constraint also reduces the range of S-type and P-type habitability. Nonetheless, S-, P-, ST-, and PT-type habitability is identified for a considerable set of system parameters. The method as presented is utilized for BinHab, an online code available at The University of Texas at Arlington.

  2. An approach to define the effective lath size controlling yield strength of bainite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Kangying; Bouaziz, Olivier; Oberbillig, Carla; Huang, Mingxin

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: In this study, we developed a series of fully bainitic microstructures with negligible carbide precipitation in ultra-low carbon steels. Then, we investigated the microstructure by EBSD as well as their mechanical properties. It is found that the yield stress of such bainite is proportional to the inverse lath size defined with low boundary misorientation (2-7 deg.). We explained this by employing a theory which predicts the flow stress of deformed metals, assuming that both lath boundary and dislocation cell boundary have similar capability of being dislocation obstacles. - Abstract: A fully bainitic microstructure with negligible carbide precipitation is obtained in two ultra-low carbon steels. The size and misorientation of bainite laths are analysed by Electron Back Scattering Diffraction (EBSD). It is found that the yield stress of bainite is proportional to the inverse lath size defined with low boundary misorientation (2-7 deg.). This can be explained by a theory predicting the flow stress of deformed metals, assuming that both lath boundary and dislocation cell boundary have similar capability of being dislocation obstacles.

  3. On the Effect of Negotiated Metacognitive Assessments on Improving Listening Comprehension: A Case of Iranian EFL Learners

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masoud Yazdani Moghadam

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports a study investigating the role of negotiated assessment of metacognitive listening strategies in enhancing listening comprehension. To this aim, 60 Iranian EFL learners at intermediate level of language proficiency were assigned to an experimental (n = 30 and control group (n = 30. An attempt was made by the teacher in experimental group to raise students’ awareness of metacognitive strategies both prior to and after the doing listening comprehension tasks in a time bracket of eight weeks. Nonetheless, the control group followed conventional product-oriented approach to listening instruction; that is, no attempt was made to engage them in metacognitive instruction. Listening comprehension of both groups was assessed by listening section of IELTS at the onset and end of the study. Results of the study revealed that negotiated metacognitive assessment managed to significantly increase gains in listening comprehension. Furthermore, the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group. The results gave more credence to the positive role of process-based approach to teaching listening comprehension. The results are discussed in the light of metacognition and some pedagogical implications are included.

  4. yield and yield componemts of extra early maize (zea mays l.)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SHARIFAI

    maize crop and improve the soil structures and chemical nutrients of the soil. The significant interaction between intra-row spacing and poultry manure on cob diameter, 100 grain weight and grain yield showed the importance of poultry manure on yield and yield components of maize crop. Poultry manure increases both ...

  5. An adapted yield criterion for the evolution of subsequent yield surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Küsters, N.; Brosius, A.

    2017-09-01

    In numerical analysis of sheet metal forming processes, the anisotropic material behaviour is often modelled with isotropic work hardening and an average Lankford coefficient. In contrast, experimental observations show an evolution of the Lankford coefficients, which can be associated with a yield surface change due to kinematic and distortional hardening. Commonly, extensive efforts are carried out to describe these phenomena. In this paper an isotropic material model based on the Yld2000-2d criterion is adapted with an evolving yield exponent in order to change the yield surface shape. The yield exponent is linked to the accumulative plastic strain. This change has the effect of a rotating yield surface normal. As the normal is directly related to the Lankford coefficient, the change can be used to model the evolution of the Lankford coefficient during yielding. The paper will focus on the numerical implementation of the adapted material model for the FE-code LS-Dyna, mpi-version R7.1.2-d. A recently introduced identification scheme [1] is used to obtain the parameters for the evolving yield surface and will be briefly described for the proposed model. The suitability for numerical analysis will be discussed for deep drawing processes in general. Efforts for material characterization and modelling will be compared to other common yield surface descriptions. Besides experimental efforts and achieved accuracy, the potential of flexibility in material models and the risk of ambiguity during identification are of major interest in this paper.

  6. The effect of professional identity on comprehensiveness in strategic decision making: physician executives in the Canadian health care context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karmali, Shazia

    2012-01-01

    This paper explores differences in decision-making approaches between physician executives and nonphysician executives in a managerial setting. Fredrickson and Mitchell's (1984) conceptualization of the construct of comprehensiveness in strategic decision making is the central construct of this paper. Theories of professional identity, socialization, and institutional/dominant logics are applied to illustrate their impact on strategic decision-making approaches of physician and nonphysician executives. This paper proposes that high-status professionals, specifically physicians, occupying senior management roles are likely to approach decision making in a way that is consistent with their professional identity, and by extension, that departments led by physician executives are less likely to exhibit comprehensiveness in strategic decision-making processes than departments led by nonphysician executives. This paper provides conceptual evidence that physicians and nonphysicians approach management differently, and introduces the utility of comprehensiveness as a construct for strategic decision making in the context of health care management.

  7. SPATIO-TEMPORAL MODELING OF AGRICULTURAL YIELD DATA WITH AN APPLICATION TO PRICING CROP INSURANCE CONTRACTS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozaki, Vitor A.; Ghosh, Sujit K.; Goodwin, Barry K.; Shirota, Ricardo

    2009-01-01

    This article presents a statistical model of agricultural yield data based on a set of hierarchical Bayesian models that allows joint modeling of temporal and spatial autocorrelation. This method captures a comprehensive range of the various uncertainties involved in predicting crop insurance premium rates as opposed to the more traditional ad hoc, two-stage methods that are typically based on independent estimation and prediction. A panel data set of county-average yield data was analyzed for 290 counties in the State of Paraná (Brazil) for the period of 1990 through 2002. Posterior predictive criteria are used to evaluate different model specifications. This article provides substantial improvements in the statistical and actuarial methods often applied to the calculation of insurance premium rates. These improvements are especially relevant to situations where data are limited. PMID:19890450

  8. The impact of tropospheric ozone pollution on trial plot winter wheat yields in Great Britain - An econometric approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaliakatsou, Evridiki; Bell, J. Nigel B.; Thirtle, Colin; Rose, Daniel; Power, Sally A.

    2010-01-01

    Numerous experiments have demonstrated reductions in the yields of cereal crops due to tropospheric O 3 , with losses of up to 25%. However, the only British econometric study on O 3 impacts on winter wheat yields, found that a 10% increase in AOT40 would decrease yields by only 0.23%. An attempt is made here to reconcile these observations by developing AOT40 maps for Great Britain and matching levels with a large number of standardised trial plot wheat yields from many sites over a 13-year period. Panel estimates (repeated measures on the same plots with time) show a 0.54% decrease in yields and it is hypothesised that plant breeders may have inadvertently selected for O 3 tolerance in wheat. Some support for this is provided by fumigations of cultivars of differing introduction dates. A case is made for the use of econometric as well as experimental studies in prediction of air pollution induced crop loss. - Econometric study of British winter wheat trial plot data suggests lower economic loss than predicted from experiments.

  9. Temperature and precipitation effects on wheat yield across a European transect

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pirttioja, N; Carter, T.; Fronzek, S

    2015-01-01

    his study explored the utility of the impact response surface (IRS) approach for investigating model ensemble crop yield responses under a large range of changes in climate. IRSs of spring and winter wheat Triticum aestivum yields were constructed from a 26-member ensemble of process-based crop s...... additional insights into sensitivities to inter-model and inter-annual variability. Taken together, these sensitivities may help to pinpoint processes such as heat stress, vernalisation or drought effects requiring refinement in future model development....

  10. Inheritance of grain yield and its correlation with yield components in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SAM

    2014-03-19

    Mar 19, 2014 ... 7 × 7 incomplete diallel cross of seven wheat parents during the crop season of 2009 to 2010. Mean square of general ... Genetic background and yield traits of the seven parents. Parent. Pedigree. Released year ..... Correlation and path analysis for yield and yield contributing characters in wheat (Triticum ...

  11. Functional dynamic factor models with application to yield curve forecasting

    KAUST Repository

    Hays, Spencer

    2012-09-01

    Accurate forecasting of zero coupon bond yields for a continuum of maturities is paramount to bond portfolio management and derivative security pricing. Yet a universal model for yield curve forecasting has been elusive, and prior attempts often resulted in a trade-off between goodness of fit and consistency with economic theory. To address this, herein we propose a novel formulation which connects the dynamic factor model (DFM) framework with concepts from functional data analysis: a DFM with functional factor loading curves. This results in a model capable of forecasting functional time series. Further, in the yield curve context we show that the model retains economic interpretation. Model estimation is achieved through an expectation- maximization algorithm, where the time series parameters and factor loading curves are simultaneously estimated in a single step. Efficient computing is implemented and a data-driven smoothing parameter is nicely incorporated. We show that our model performs very well on forecasting actual yield data compared with existing approaches, especially in regard to profit-based assessment for an innovative trading exercise. We further illustrate the viability of our model to applications outside of yield forecasting.

  12. Research on fuzzy comprehensive assessment method of nuclear power plant safety culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiang Yuanyuan; Chen Xukun; Xu Rongbin

    2012-01-01

    Considering the traits of safety culture in nuclear plant, 38 safety culture assessment indexes are established from 4 aspects such as safety values, safety institution, safety behavior and safety sub- stances. Based on it, a comprehensive assessment method for nuclear power plant safety culture is constructed by using AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) approach and fuzzy mathematics. The comprehensive assessment method has the quality of high precision and high operability, which can support the decision making of safety culture development. (authors)

  13. Bulk yields of nucleosynthesis from massive stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arnett, W.D.

    1978-01-01

    Preliminary estimates are made of the absolute yields of abundant nuclei synthesized in observed stars. The compositions of nine helium stars of mass 3 or =10M/sub sun/ is estimated. A variety of choices for the initial mass function (IMF) are used to calculate the yield per stellar generation. For standard choices of the (IMF) the absolute and relative yields of 12 C, 16 O, 20 Ne, 24 Mg, the Si to Ca group, and the iron group agree with solar system values, to the accuracy of the calculations. The relative yields are surprisingly insensitive to the slope of the IMF. In a second approach, using standard estimates (Ostriker, Richstone, and Thuan) for the current rate of stellar death, I find the present rate of nucleosynthesis in the solar neighborhood to be about 10%of the average rate over galactic history. This result is consistent with many standard models of galactic evolution (for example, the Schmidt model in which star formation goes as gas density squared). It appears that if the star formation rate is high enough to produce the stars we see around us, then the nucleosynthesis rate is large enough to produce the processed nuclei (except 4 He) seen in those stars. The typical nucleosynthesis source is massive (Mapprox. =30 M/sub sun/); the death rate of such stars is a small fraction (3-10%) of recent estimates of the total rate of supernovae

  14. Addressing tuberculosis patients' medical and socio-economic needs: a comprehensive programmatic approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Contreras, Carmen C; Millones, Ana K; Santa Cruz, Janeth; Aguilar, Margot; Clendenes, Martin; Toranzo, Miguel; Llaro, Karim; Lecca, Leonid; Becerra, Mercedes C; Yuen, Courtney M

    2017-04-01

    For a cohort of patients with tuberculosis in Carabayllo, Peru, we describe the prevalence of medical comorbidities and socio-economic needs, the efforts required by a comprehensive support programme ('TB Cero') to address them and the success of this programme in linking patients to care. Patients diagnosed with tuberculosis in Carabayllo underwent evaluations for HIV, diabetes, mental health and unmet basic needs. For patients initiating treatment during 14 September, 2015-15 May, 2016, we abstracted data from evaluation forms and a support request system. We calculated the prevalence of medical comorbidities and the need for socio-economic support at the time of tuberculosis diagnosis, as well as the proportion of patients successfully linked to care or support. Of 192 patients, 83 (43%) had at least one medical comorbidity other than tuberculosis. These included eight (4%) patients with HIV, 12 (6%) with diabetes and 62 (32%) deemed at risk for a mental health condition. Of patients who required follow-up for a comorbidity, 100% initiated antiretroviral therapy, 71% attended endocrinology consultations and 66% attended psychology consultations. Of 126 (65%) patients who completed the socio-economic evaluation, 58 (46%) reported already receiving food baskets from the municipality, and 79 (63%) were given additional support, most commonly food vouchers and assistance in accessing health care. Carabayllo tuberculosis patients face many challenges in addition to tuberculosis. A collaborative, comprehensive treatment support programme can achieve high rates of linkage to care for these needs. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Classifying Multi-Model Wheat Yield Impact Response Surfaces Showing Sensitivity to Temperature and Precipitation Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fronzek, Stefan; Pirttioja, Nina; Carter, Timothy R.; Bindi, Marco; Hoffmann, Holger; Palosuo, Taru; Ruiz-Ramos, Margarita; Tao, Fulu; Trnka, Miroslav; Acutis, Marco; hide

    2017-01-01

    Crop growth simulation models can differ greatly in their treatment of key processes and hence in their response to environmental conditions. Here, we used an ensemble of 26 process-based wheat models applied at sites across a European transect to compare their sensitivity to changes in temperature (minus 2 to plus 9 degrees Centigrade) and precipitation (minus 50 to plus 50 percent). Model results were analysed by plotting them as impact response surfaces (IRSs), classifying the IRS patterns of individual model simulations, describing these classes and analysing factors that may explain the major differences in model responses. The model ensemble was used to simulate yields of winter and spring wheat at four sites in Finland, Germany and Spain. Results were plotted as IRSs that show changes in yields relative to the baseline with respect to temperature and precipitation. IRSs of 30-year means and selected extreme years were classified using two approaches describing their pattern. The expert diagnostic approach (EDA) combines two aspects of IRS patterns: location of the maximum yield (nine classes) and strength of the yield response with respect to climate (four classes), resulting in a total of 36 combined classes defined using criteria pre-specified by experts. The statistical diagnostic approach (SDA) groups IRSs by comparing their pattern and magnitude, without attempting to interpret these features. It applies a hierarchical clustering method, grouping response patterns using a distance metric that combines the spatial correlation and Euclidian distance between IRS pairs. The two approaches were used to investigate whether different patterns of yield response could be related to different properties of the crop models, specifically their genealogy, calibration and process description. Although no single model property across a large model ensemble was found to explain the integrated yield response to temperature and precipitation perturbations, the

  16. Formalization and Interaction: Toward a Comprehensive History of Technology-Related Knowledge in Early Modern Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popplow, Marcus

    2015-12-01

    Recent critical approaches to what has conventionally been described as "scientific" and "technical" knowledge in early modern Europe have provided a wealth of new insights. So far, the various analytical concepts suggested by these studies have not yet been comprehensively discussed. The present essay argues that such comprehensive approaches might prove of special value for long-term and cross-cultural reflections on technology-related knowledge. As heuristic tools, the notions of "formalization" and "interaction" are proposed as part of alternative narratives to those highlighting the emergence of "science" as the most relevant development for technology-related knowledge in early modern Europe.

  17. Effects of cutting frequency on alfalfa yield and yield components in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Effects of cutting frequency on alfalfa yield and yield components in Songnen Plain, Northeast China. J Chen, F Tang, R Zhu, C Gao, G Di, Y Zhang. Abstract. The productivity and quality of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is strongly influenced by cutting frequency (F). To clarify that the yield and quality of alfalfa if affected by F, ...

  18. Estimation of corn yield using multi-temporal optical and radar satellite data and artificial neural networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fieuzal, R.; Marais Sicre, C.; Baup, F.

    2017-05-01

    The yield forecasting of corn constitutes a key issue in agricultural management, particularly in the context of demographic pressure and climate change. This study presents two methods to estimate yields using artificial neural networks: a diagnostic approach based on all the satellite data acquired throughout the agricultural season, and a real-time approach, where estimates are updated after each image was acquired in the microwave and optical domains (Formosat-2, Spot-4/5, TerraSAR-X, and Radarsat-2) throughout the crop cycle. The results are based on the Multispectral Crop Monitoring experimental campaign conducted by the CESBIO (Centre d'Études de la BIOsphère) laboratory in 2010 over an agricultural region in southwestern France. Among the tested sensor configurations (multi-frequency, multi-polarization or multi-source data), the best yield estimation performance (using the diagnostic approach) is obtained with reflectance acquired in the red wavelength region, with a coefficient of determination of 0.77 and an RMSE of 6.6 q ha-1. In the real-time approach the combination of red reflectance and CHH backscattering coefficients provides the best compromise between the accuracy and earliness of the yield estimate (more than 3 months before the harvest), with an R2 of 0.69 and an RMSE of 7.0 q ha-1 during the development of the central stem. The two best yield estimates are similar in most cases (for more than 80% of the monitored fields), and the differences are related to discrepancies in the crop growth cycle and/or the consequences of pests.

  19. A comprehensive model for piezoceramic actuators: modelling, validation and application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quant, Mario; Elizalde, Hugo; Flores, Abiud; Ramírez, Ricardo; Orta, Pedro; Song, Gangbing

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents a comprehensive model for piezoceramic actuators (PAs), which accounts for hysteresis, non-linear electric field and dynamic effects. The hysteresis model is based on the widely used general Maxwell slip model, while an enhanced electro-mechanical non-linear model replaces the linear constitutive equations commonly used. Further on, a linear second order model compensates the frequency response of the actuator. Each individual model is fully characterized from experimental data yielded by a specific PA, then incorporated into a comprehensive 'direct' model able to determine the output strain based on the applied input voltage, fully compensating the aforementioned effects, where the term 'direct' represents an electrical-to-mechanical operating path. The 'direct' model was implemented in a Matlab/Simulink environment and successfully validated via experimental results, exhibiting higher accuracy and simplicity than many published models. This simplicity would allow a straightforward inclusion of other behaviour such as creep, ageing, material non-linearity, etc, if such parameters are important for a particular application. Based on the same formulation, two other models are also presented: the first is an 'alternate' model intended to operate within a force-controlled scheme (instead of a displacement/position control), thus able to capture the complex mechanical interactions occurring between a PA and its host structure. The second development is an 'inverse' model, able to operate within an open-loop control scheme, that is, yielding a 'linearized' PA behaviour. The performance of the developed models is demonstrated via a numerical sample case simulated in Matlab/Simulink, consisting of a PA coupled to a simple mechanical system, aimed at shifting the natural frequency of the latter

  20. Derivation of ozone flux-yield relationships for lettuce: A key horticultural crop

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goumenaki, Eleni; Fernandez, Ignacio Gonzalez; Papanikolaou, Antigoni; Papadopoulou, Despoina; Askianakis, Christos; Kouvarakis, George; Barnes, Jeremy

    2007-01-01

    Ozone flux-response relationships were derived for lettuce, employing a multiplicative approach to model the manner in which stomatal conductance is influenced by key environmental variables, using a dataset collected during field experimentation in Crete and yield-response relationships derived from parallel open-top chamber experiments. Regional agronomic practices were adopted throughout. Computed versus measured data revealed that the derived model explained 51% (P -2 s -1 . Regressions employing very low or zero flux thresholds resulted in the strongest yield-flux relationships (explaining ∼80% (P < 0.05) of the variation in the dataset). - Establishment of ozone flux-yield relationships for a commercially-important horticultural crop grown widely in the Mediterranean

  1. Comprehension instruction research-based best practices

    CERN Document Server

    Parris, Sheri R; Morrow, Lesley Mandel

    2015-01-01

    All key issues of research and practice in comprehension instruction are addressed in this highly regarded professional resource and course text. Leading scholars examine the processes that enable students to make meaning from what they read--and how this knowledge can be applied to improve teaching at all grade levels. Best practices for meeting the needs of diverse elementary and secondary students are identified. Essential topics include strategies for comprehending different types of texts, the impact of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), cutting-edge assessment approaches, and the gr

  2. Comprehensive Lifecycle for Assuring System Safety

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knight, John C.; Rowanhill, Jonathan C.

    2017-01-01

    CLASS is a novel approach to the enhancement of system safety in which the system safety case becomes the focus of safety engineering throughout the system lifecycle. CLASS also expands the role of the safety case across all phases of the system's lifetime, from concept formation to decommissioning. As CLASS has been developed, the concept has been generalized to a more comprehensive notion of assurance becoming the driving goal, where safety is an important special case. This report summarizes major aspects of CLASS and contains a bibliography of papers that provide additional details.

  3. Yield surface investigation of alloys during model disk spin tests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. P. Kuzmin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Gas-turbine engines operate under heavy subsequently static loading conditions. Disks of gas-turbine engine are high loaded parts of irregular shape having intensive stress concentrators wherein a 3D stress strain state occurs. The loss of load-carrying capability or burst of disk can lead to severe accident or disaster. Therefore, development of methods to assess deformations and to predict burst is one of the most important problems.Strength assessment approaches are used at all levels of engine creation. In recent years due to actively developing numerical method, particularly FEA, it became possible to investigate load-carrying capability of irregular shape disks, to use 3D computing schemes including flow theory and different options of force and deformation failure criteria. In spite of a wide progress and practical use of strength assessment approaches, there is a lack of detailed research data on yield surface of disk alloys. The main purpose of this work is to validate the use of basis hypothesis of flow theory and investigate the yield surface of disk alloys during the disks spin test.The results of quasi-static numerical simulation of spin tests of model disk made from high-temperature forged alloy are presented. To determine stress-strain state of disk during loading finite element analysis is used. Simulation of elastic-plastic strain fields was carried out using incremental theory of plasticity with isotropic hardening. Hardening function was taken from the results of specimens tensile test. Specimens were cut from a sinkhead of model disk. The paper investigates the model sensitivity affected by V.Mises and Tresca yield criteria as well as the Hosford model. To identify the material model parameters the eddy current sensors were used in the experimental approach to measure rim radial displacements during the load-unload of spin test. The results of calculation made using different material models were compared with the

  4. The Effects of Cooperative Learning on Improving English Pronunciation and Comprehension of Medical Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zeinab Sanaee Moghadam

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Acquisition of intelligible English pronunciation and comprehension of medical texts has been considered as an important need for medical students. This can be improved by employing different methods and taking into consideration various learning styles of students. This study is an attempt to reveal the effect of cooperative learning on enhancing pronunciation and reading comprehension in students of medicine in Yasuj University of Medical Sciences. Methods: All 60 students of medicine in Yasuj University of Medical Sciences who enrolled in English for specific purposes 1st Feb 2013 took part in this quasi experimental study and were divided into two groups of thirties, according to the enrollment list. Cooperative learning was implemented with the experimental group dividing them into groups of five randomly, while the control group was taught with traditional method. Phonetic transcriptions were used along with passages taken from their book for the two groups. The data collected from three reading aloud tasks, scores of pretest, and midterm and final written examinations were analyzed using SPSS software, version19. Results: The results of the study showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group significantly (P<0.05 in all areas of reading aloud tests, pronunciation, and comprehension. Conclusion: It is concluded that cooperative learning significantly improves medical students’ pronunciation and comprehension. Teaching pronunciation and comprehension through cooperative learning yields better learning results for university students.

  5. Modeling precipitation-runoff relationships to determine water yield from a ponderosa pine forest watershed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assefa S. Desta

    2006-01-01

    A stochastic precipitation-runoff modeling is used to estimate a cold and warm-seasons water yield from a ponderosa pine forested watershed in the north-central Arizona. The model consists of two parts namely, simulation of the temporal and spatial distribution of precipitation using a stochastic, event-based approach and estimation of water yield from the watershed...

  6. Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kruse, Marie; Hochstrasser, Stefan; Zwisler, Ann-Dorthe O

    2006-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The costs of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation are established and compared to the corresponding costs of usual care. The effect on health-related quality of life is analyzed. METHODS: An unprecedented and very detailed cost assessment was carried out, as no guidelines existed...... and may be as high as euro 1.877. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation is more costly than usual care, and the higher costs are not outweighed by a quality of life gain. Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation is, therefore, not cost-effective....

  7. Cost-Effectiveness of Comprehensive School Reform in Low Achieving Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, John A.; Scott, Garth; Sibbald, Tim M.

    2012-01-01

    We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of Struggling Schools, a user-generated approach to Comprehensive School Reform implemented in 100 low achieving schools serving disadvantaged students in a Canadian province. The results show that while Struggling Schools had a statistically significant positive effect on Grade 3 Reading achievement, d = 0.48…

  8. Comprehensive geriatric assessment for older adults admitted to hospital: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellis, Graham; Whitehead, Martin A; Robinson, David; O'Neill, Desmond; Langhorne, Peter

    2011-10-27

    To evaluate the effectiveness of comprehensive geriatric assessment in hospital for older adults admitted as an emergency. We searched the EPOC Register, Cochrane's Controlled Trials Register, the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), Medline, Embase, CINAHL, AARP Ageline, and handsearched high yield journals. Randomised controlled trials of comprehensive geriatric assessment (whether by mobile teams or in designated wards) compared with usual care. Comprehensive geriatric assessment is a multidimensional interdisciplinary diagnostic process used to determine the medical, psychological, and functional capabilities of a frail elderly person to develop a coordinated and integrated plan for treatment and long term follow-up. Three independent reviewers assessed eligibility and trial quality and extracted published data. Two additional reviewers moderated. Twenty two trials evaluating 10,315 participants in six countries were identified. For the primary outcome "living at home," patients who underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment were more likely to be alive and in their own homes at the end of scheduled follow-up (odds ratio 1.16 (95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.28; P = 0.003; number needed to treat 33) at a median follow-up of 12 months versus 1.25 (1.11 to 1.42; P P P = 0.001) and were more likely to experience improved cognition (standardised mean difference 0.08, 0.01 to 0.15; P = 0.02) in the comprehensive geriatric assessment group. Comprehensive geriatric assessment increases patients' likelihood of being alive and in their own homes after an emergency admission to hospital. This seems to be especially true for trials of wards designated for comprehensive geriatric assessment and is associated with a potential cost reduction compared with general medical care.

  9. Comprehensive Coaching Service for Schools: Approaches to its Configuration in Mexico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Graciela Cordero Arroyo

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This article analyzes the initial drafts of the Technical Assistance for Schools (SATE—acronym in Spanish—a comprehensive coaching service for which federal guidelines have yet to be established—in the context of current educational reform in Mexico. To this end, an analysis was made of all legal documents as well as various programmatic documents related to compulsory education that were released during 2013 and 2014. The paper is organized in three sections: the first describes the history of this type of service in Mexico; the second reviews the information provided on SATE in the legal documents of the current educational policy; and the third section discusses what should be taken into account for proper implementation of a service of this nature.

  10. Instructional principles used to teach critical comprehension skills to a Grade 4 learner

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suzanne Beck

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The current approach to reading comprehension instruction is not producing the desired outcomes. Provincial, national and international tests indicate that more than half of South African learners cannot read, understand and answer basic comprehension questions. This research project was informed by Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory. A case study was conducted with a ten-year old Grade 4 boy who experienced difficulty with understanding comprehension questions. A six-week intervention was designed to improve his comprehension abilities and to identify instructional principles that were appropriate for him. Interviews and observations were conducted and inductively analysed. Findings showed that the learner was well equipped to retrieve explicitly stated information but struggled with higher-order level questions such as drawing inferences or evaluating content. Certain instructional practices were more favourable than others when teaching reading strategies.

  11. Corporate Social Reporting: a Comprehensive Picture of Indonesian Mining Companies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosinta Ria Panggabean

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Recently, stakeholders demand that CSR reporting of a company provides social and environmental information as well as the financial information reported in financial statement. This research questioned whether CSR reporting of Indonesian mining companies may be regarded as a mechanism which social and environmental accountability are discharged. The purpose of this research is to provide a content analysis framework and information on the comprehensiveness of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR reporting of Indonesian mining companies. The methodology used is content analysis method by a framework derived from GRI G3.1 Guidelines. Comprehensive reporting contains three types of information for each disclosed CSR item: (i vision and goals, (ii management approach, and (iii performance indicator. The framework was used to assess the comprehensiveness of CSR report by analyzing the 2012 financial reports and annual reports of Indonesian listed mining companies. The content analysis of CSR reporting of the listed mining companies in Indonesia shows a low level of comprehensive reporting. This finding agrees those of prior studies on the completeness of CSR reporting and adds to the debate regarding whether CSR reporting of Indonesian mining companies can be considered a mechanism for discharging social and environmental accountability.

  12. Bond yield curve construction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kožul Nataša

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In the broadest sense, yield curve indicates the market's view of the evolution of interest rates over time. However, given that cost of borrowing it closely linked to creditworthiness (ability to repay, different yield curves will apply to different currencies, market sectors, or even individual issuers. As government borrowing is indicative of interest rate levels available to other market players in a particular country, and considering that bond issuance still remains the dominant form of sovereign debt, this paper describes yield curve construction using bonds. The relationship between zero-coupon yield, par yield and yield to maturity is given and their usage in determining curve discount factors is described. Their usage in deriving forward rates and pricing related derivative instruments is also discussed.

  13. 7755 EFFECT OF NPK FERTILIZER ON FRUIT YIELD AND YIELD ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Win7Ent

    2013-06-03

    Jun 3, 2013 ... peasant farmers in Nigeria. With the increased ... did not significantly (p=0.05) increase the fruit yield nor the seed yield. Key words: NPK fertilizer, Fruit ..... SAS (Statistical Analysis System) Version 9.1. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, ...

  14. Blood transfusion determines postoperative morbidity in pediatric cardiac surgery applying a comprehensive blood-sparing approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redlin, Matthias; Kukucka, Marian; Boettcher, Wolfgang; Schoenfeld, Helge; Huebler, Michael; Kuppe, Hermann; Habazettl, Helmut

    2013-09-01

    Recently we suggested a comprehensive blood-sparing approach in pediatric cardiac surgery that resulted in no transfusion in 71 infants (25%), postoperative transfusion only in 68 (24%), and intraoperative transfusion in 149 (52%). We analyzed the effects of transfusion on postoperative morbidity and mortality in the same cohort of patients. The effect of transfusion on the length of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit stay was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves. To assess whether transfusion independently determined the length of mechanical ventilation and length of intensive care unit stay, a multivariate model was applied. Additionally, in the subgroup of transfused infants, the effect of the applied volume of packed red blood cells was assessed. The median length of mechanical ventilation was 11 hours (interquartile range, 9-18 hours), 33 hours (interquartile range, 18-80 hours), and 93 hours (interquartile range, 34-161 hours) in the no transfusion, postoperative transfusion only, and intraoperative transfusion groups, respectively (P interquartile range, 1-2 days), 3.5 days (interquartile range, 2-5 days), and 8 days (interquartile range, 3-9 days; P < .00001). The multivariate hazard ratio for early extubation was 0.24 (95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.35) and 0.37 (95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.55) for the intraoperative transfusion and postoperative transfusion only groups, respectively (P < .00001). In addition, the cardiopulmonary time, body weight, need for reoperation, and hemoglobin during cardiopulmonary bypass affected the length of mechanical ventilation. Similar results were obtained for the length of intensive care unit stay. In the subgroup of transfused infants, the volume of packed red blood cells also independently affected both the length of mechanical ventilation and the length of intensive care unit stay. The incidence and volume of blood transfusion markedly affects postoperative morbidity in pediatric cardiac surgery. These

  15. Geriatric work-up in the Nordic countries. The Nordic approach to comprehensive geriatric assessment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sletvold, O; Tilvis, R; Jonsson, A

    1996-01-01

    A group established by the Nordic professors of geriatrics has developed a position document presenting a shared and updated review of geriatric work-up as a way of comprehensive geriatric assessment in the Nordic countries. The main intention is that the document will serve as support and help f...... languages, and the translated versions should ideally have been subjected to validity and reliability testing. However, so far no scale meets these demands regarding all the five Nordic languages.......A group established by the Nordic professors of geriatrics has developed a position document presenting a shared and updated review of geriatric work-up as a way of comprehensive geriatric assessment in the Nordic countries. The main intention is that the document will serve as support and help...... for the clinician concerned with hospital based geriatric medicine. It may also be useful for quality control and teaching. Not least, it may be useful for health professionals other than geriatricians. To some extent, the position of geriatric medicine in the Nordic countries varies between the countries. However...

  16. Impacts of aerosol pollutant mitigation on lowland rice yields in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Tianyi; Li, Tao; Yue, Xu; Yang, Xiaoguang

    2017-10-01

    Aerosol pollution in China is significantly altering radiative transfer processes and is thereby potentially affecting rice photosynthesis and yields. However, the response of rice photosynthesis to aerosol-induced radiative perturbations is still not well understood. Here, we employ a process-based modelling approach to simulate changes in incoming radiation (RAD) and the diffuse radiation fraction (DF) with aerosol mitigation in China and their associated impacts on rice yields. Aerosol reduction has the positive effect of increasing RAD and the negative effect of decreasing DF on rice photosynthesis and yields. In rice production areas where the average RAD during the growing season is lower than 250 W m-2, aerosol reduction is beneficial for higher rice yields, whereas in areas with RAD>250 W m-2, aerosol mitigation causes yield declines due to the associated reduction in the DF, which decreases the light use efficiency. As a net effect, rice yields were estimated to significantly increase by 0.8%-2.6% with aerosol concentrations reductions from 20 to 100%, which is lower than the estimates obtained in earlier studies that only considered the effects of RAD. This finding suggests that both RAD and DF are important processes influencing rice yields and should be incorporated into future assessments of agricultural responses to variations in aerosol-induced radiation under climate change.

  17. Effects of Irrigation and Nitrogen Application Rates on Yield and Yield Components of Corn, Sesame and Sugar beet in Mashhad Climatic Condition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R Heydari Pour

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available In many crops, incorrect management of nitrogen and water is one of the most important factors in the resources productivity such as water and nitrogen. In order to evaluate the effects of different nitrogen levels (zero, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1 and irrigation application rates (100, 75 and 50% of water requirement per species on corn, sesame and sugar beet, three separate experiments was conducted in Agricultural Research Station of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, in 2009-2010 growing season. Three separate experiments were arranged by strip plots in randomized complete block design, with three replications. The results showed that effect of irrigation application rates on biological yield and grain number per ear and interaction effects of water × nitrogen on plant height, 100 grain weight and grain yield of corn was significant. With decreasing irrigation over 25 % water requirements, the highest grain yield (4.93 ton ha-1 in corn observed by applying nitrogen equal to 50 kg.ha-1. In addition, the highest maize yield (9.41 ton.ha-1 in mentioned was obtained by supplying 100 % water requirements. Effects of Irrigation levels on plant height and the interaction effects of water × nitrogen on 1000 grain weight in sesame was significant. Under no water stress, the highest grain yield (1.22 ton ha-1 in sesame was obtained with applying 50kg nitrogen per ha. With supplying 75% water requirements plus 50 kg nitrogen per hactar, maximum yield of sesame (820 kg ha-1 was obtained. Results of this study indicated that interaction between studied factors had insignificant effect on economic and biological yield in sugar beet. With supplying 25% water requirements plus 50 kg nitrogen per ha, maximum yield of sugar beet (58.37 ton ha-1 was achieved. It seems that suitable nitrogen management can be considered as approach in optimize the water consuming.

  18. Closing Yield Gaps: How Sustainable Can We Be?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pradhan, Prajal; Fischer, Günther; van Velthuizen, Harrij; Reusser, Dominik E.; Kropp, Juergen P.

    2015-01-01

    Global food production needs to be increased by 60–110% between 2005 and 2050 to meet growing food and feed demand. Intensification and/or expansion of agriculture are the two main options available to meet the growing crop demands. Land conversion to expand cultivated land increases GHG emissions and impacts biodiversity and ecosystem services. Closing yield gaps to attain potential yields may be a viable option to increase the global crop production. Traditional methods of agricultural intensification often have negative externalities. Therefore, there is a need to explore location-specific methods of sustainable agricultural intensification. We identified regions where the achievement of potential crop calorie production on currently cultivated land will meet the present and future food demand based on scenario analyses considering population growth and changes in dietary habits. By closing yield gaps in the current irrigated and rain-fed cultivated land, about 24% and 80% more crop calories can respectively be produced compared to 2000. Most countries will reach food self-sufficiency or improve their current food self-sufficiency levels if potential crop production levels are achieved. As a novel approach, we defined specific input and agricultural management strategies required to achieve the potential production by overcoming biophysical and socioeconomic constraints causing yield gaps. The management strategies include: fertilizers, pesticides, advanced soil management, land improvement, management strategies coping with weather induced yield variability, and improving market accessibility. Finally, we estimated the required fertilizers (N, P2O5, and K2O) to attain the potential yields. Globally, N-fertilizer application needs to increase by 45–73%, P2O5-fertilizer by 22–46%, and K2O-fertilizer by 2–3 times compared to the year 2010 to attain potential crop production. The sustainability of such agricultural intensification largely depends on the way

  19. Response of Yield and Yield Components of Tef [Eragrostis Tef ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The partial budget analysis also indicates that applications of 46 kg. N ha-1 and 10 kg P ha-1 are ..... (1994) indicated that where the grain yield response is negative, yield reduction is primarily caused by a .... An Economic Training. Manual.

  20. Promoting Information Systems Major to Undergraduate Students--A Comprehensive Investigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lei; Zhang, Chi; Zheng, Guangzhi

    2014-01-01

    Weak enrollment growth has been a concern for many Information Systems (IS) programs in recent years although the IT/IS job market remains strong. Stimulating undergraduate students' interest to IS programs have been a challenge. In this paper, the researchers took a comprehensive approach to study how to effectively promote a Management…

  1. Comprehensive Training of Engineering Students through Continuing Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Reynoso Flores

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper addresses a priority for student training in general and particularly for future engineers. Although this issue has been frequently addressed in recent years, proposals are still insufficient for engineering students. This paper is aimed at theoretically and empirically demonstrating the potential of continuing education as one of the key areas that engineering schools have for the comprehensive training of students. Preliminary results of a research project commissioned by the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Electrica-FIME of Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Mexico, are presented to respond to the need to improve the learning process of students with a comprehensive approach. The research justification and some of the results obtained in the exploratory phase are also described.

  2. β-Thalassemia intermedia: a comprehensive overview and novel approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asadov, Chingiz; Alimirzoeva, Zohra; Mammadova, Tahira; Aliyeva, Gunay; Gafarova, Shahla; Mammadov, Jeyhun

    2018-01-29

    β-Thalassemia intermedia is a clinical condition of intermediate gravity between β-thalassemia minor, the asymptomatic carrier, and β-thalassemia major, the transfusion-dependent severe anemia. It is characterized by a significant clinical polymorphism, which is attributable to its genetic heterogeneity. Ineffective erythropoiesis, chronic anemia, and iron overload contribute to the clinical complications of thalassemia intermedia through stepwise pathophysiological mechanisms. These complications, including splenomegaly, extramedullary erythropoiesis, iron accumulation, leg ulcers, thrombophilia, and bone abnormalities can be managed via fetal hemoglobin induction, occasional transfusions, chelation, and in some cases, stem cell transplantation. Given its clinical diversity, thalassemia intermedia patients require tailored approaches to therapy. Here we present an overview and novel approaches to the genetic basis, pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical complications, and optimal management of thalassemia intermedia.

  3. Comprehensive metabolic panel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metabolic panel - comprehensive; Chem-20; SMA20; Sequential multi-channel analysis with computer-20; SMAC20; Metabolic panel 20 ... Chernecky CC, Berger BJ. Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) - blood. In: ... Tests and Diagnostic Procedures . 6th ed. St Louis, MO: ...

  4. A Methodology to Infer Crop Yield Response to Climate Variability and Change Using Long-Term Observations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manfred A. Lange

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available A new methodology to extract crop yield response to climate variability and change from long-term crop yield observations is presented in this study. In contrast to the existing first-difference approach (FDA, the proposed methodology considers that the difference in value between crop yields of two consecutive years reflects necessarily the contributions of climate and management conditions, especially at large spatial scales where both conditions may vary significantly from one year to the next. Our approach was applied to remove the effect of non-climatic factors on crop yield and, hence, to isolate the effect of the observed climate change between 1961 and 2006 on three widely crops grown in three Mediterranean countries—namely wheat, corn and potato—using national-level crop yield observations’ time-series. Obtained results show that the proposed methodology provides us with a ground basis to improve substantially our understanding of crop yield response to climate change at a scale that is relevant to large-scale estimations of agricultural production and to food security analyses; and therefore to reduce uncertainties in estimations of potential climate change effects on agricultural production. Furthermore, a comparison of outputs of our methodology and FDA outputs yielded a difference in terms of maize production in Egypt, for example, that exceeds the production of some neighbouring countries.

  5. Cognitive Correlates of Listening Comprehension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Young-Suk; Phillips, Beth

    2014-01-01

    In an effort to understand cognitive foundations of oral language comprehension (i.e., listening comprehension), we examined how inhibitory control, theory of mind, and comprehension monitoring are uniquely related to listening comprehension over and above vocabulary and age. A total of 156 children in kindergarten and first grade from…

  6. Correlation and path-cofficient analysis of seed yield and yield ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study was undertaken in order to determine the association among yield components and their direct and indirect effects on the seed yield of confectionery sunflower. 36 confectionery sunflower populations originated from different regions of Northwest Iran were characterized using 11 agromorphological traits ...

  7. Development of a Coupled Hydrological/Sediment Yield Model for a Watershed at Regional Level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajbhandaril, Narayan; Crosson, William; Tsegaye, Teferi; Coleman, Tommy; Liu, Yaping; Soman, Vishwas

    1998-01-01

    Development of a hydrologic model for the study of environmental conservation requires a comprehensive understanding of individual-storm affecting hydrologic and sedimentologic processes. The hydrologic models that we are currently coupling are the Simulator for Hydrology and Energy Exchange at the Land Surface (SHEELS) and the Distributed Runoff Model (DRUM). SHEELS runs continuously to estimate surface energy fluxes and sub-surface soil water fluxes, while DRUM operates during and following precipitation events to predict surface runoff and peak flow through channel routing. The lateral re-distribution of surface water determined by DRUM is passed to SHEELS, which then adjusts soil water contents throughout the profile. The model SHEELS is well documented in Smith et al. (1993) and Laymen and Crosson (1995). The model DRUM is well documented in Vieux et al. (1990) and Vieux and Gauer (1994). The coupled hydrologic model, SHEELS/DRUM, does not simulate sedimentologic processes. The simulation of the sedimentologic process is important for environmental conservation planning and management. Therefore, we attempted to develop a conceptual frame work for coupling a sediment yield model with SHEELS/DRUM to estimate individual-storm sediment yield from a watershed at a regional level. The sediment yield model that will be used for this study is the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) with some modifications to enable the model to predict individual-storm sediment yield. The predicted sediment yield does not include wind erosion and erosion caused by irrigation and snow melt. Units used for this study are those given by Foster et al. (1981) for SI units.

  8. Citizen science and remote sensing for crop yield gap analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beza, Eskender Andualem

    2017-01-01

    The world population is anticipated to be around 9.1 billion in 2050 and the challenge is how to feed this huge number of people without affecting natural ecosystems. Different approaches have been proposed and closing the ‘yield gap’ on currently available agricultural lands is one of them. The

  9. How do different cigarette design features influence the standard tar yields of popular cigarette brands sold in different countries?

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, R J; Hammond, D; McNeill, A; King, B; Kozlowski, L T; Giovino, G A; Cummings, K M

    2008-09-01

    To examine the associations among cigarette design features and tar yields of leading cigarette brands sold in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. Government reports and numbers listed on packs were used to obtain data on International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/Federal Trade Commission (FTC) yields for the tar of 172 cigarette varieties sold in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. We used standardised methods to measure the following 11 cigarette design parameters: filter ventilation, cigarette pressure drop, filter pressure drop, tobacco rod length, filter length, cigarette diameter, tipping paper length, tobacco weight, filter weight, rod density and filter density. Filter ventilation was found to be the predominant design feature accounting for the variations between brands in ISO/FTC tar yields in each of the four countries. After accounting for filter ventilation, design parameters such as overwrap length, tobacco weight and rod density played comparatively minor roles in determining tar yields. Variation in ISO/FTC tar yields are predicted by a limited set of cigarette design features, especially filter ventilation, suggesting that governments should consider mandatory disclosure of cigarette design parameters as part of comprehensive tobacco product regulations.

  10. A novel approach for supercapacitors degradation characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oz, Alon; Gelman, Danny; Goren, Emanuelle; Shomrat, Neta; Baltianski, Sioma; Tsur, Yoed

    2017-07-01

    A novel approach to analyze electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), based on evolutionary programming, has been utilized to characterize supercapacitors operation mechanism and degradation processes. This approach poses the ability of achieving a comprehensive study of supercapacitors via solely AC measurements. Commercial supercapacitors were examined during accelerated degradation. The microstructure of the electrode-electrolyte interface changes upon degradation; electrolyte parasitic reactions yield the formation of precipitates on the porous surface, which limit the access of the electrolyte ions to the active area and thus reduces performance. EIS analysis using Impedance Spectroscopy Genetic Programming (ISGP) technique enables identifying how the changing microstructure is affecting the operation mechanism of supercapacitors, in terms of each process effective capacitance and time constant. The most affected process is the transport of electrolyte ions at the porous electrode. Their access to the whole active area is hindered, which is shown in our analysis by the decrease of the capacitance gained in the transport and the longer time it takes to penetrate the entire pores depth. Early failure detection is also demonstrated, in a way not readily possible via conventional indicators. ISGP advanced analysis method has been verified using conventional and proven techniques: cyclic voltammetry and post mortem measurements.

  11. Soviet test yields

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vergino, Eileen S.

    Soviet seismologists have published descriptions of 96 nuclear explosions conducted from 1961 through 1972 at the Semipalatinsk test site, in Kazakhstan, central Asia [Bocharov et al., 1989]. With the exception of releasing news about some of their peaceful nuclear explosions (PNEs) the Soviets have never before published such a body of information.To estimate the seismic yield of a nuclear explosion it is necessary to obtain a calibrated magnitude-yield relationship based on events with known yields and with a consistent set of seismic magnitudes. U.S. estimation of Soviet test yields has been done through application of relationships to the Soviet sites based on the U.S. experience at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), making some correction for differences due to attenuation and near-source coupling of seismic waves.

  12. Multidimensional poverty: an alternative measurement approach for the United States?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waglé, Udaya R

    2008-06-01

    International poverty research has increasingly underscored the need to use multidimensional approaches to measure poverty. Largely embraced in Europe and elsewhere, this has not had much impact on the way poverty is measured in the United States. In this paper, I use a comprehensive multidimensional framework including economic well-being, capability, and social inclusion to examine poverty in the US. Data from the 2004 General Social Survey support the interconnectedness among these poverty dimensions, indicating that the multidimensional framework utilizing a comprehensive set of information provides a compelling value added to poverty measurement. The suggested demographic characteristics of the various categories of the poor are somewhat similar between this approach and other traditional approaches. But the more comprehensive and accurate measurement outcomes from this approach help policymakers target resources at the specific groups.

  13. Meeting the global food demand of the future by engineering crop photosynthesis and yield potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Long, Stephen P; Marshall-Colon, Amy; Zhu, Xin-Guang

    2015-03-26

    Increase in demand for our primary foodstuffs is outstripping increase in yields, an expanding gap that indicates large potential food shortages by mid-century. This comes at a time when yield improvements are slowing or stagnating as the approaches of the Green Revolution reach their biological limits. Photosynthesis, which has been improved little in crops and falls far short of its biological limit, emerges as the key remaining route to increase the genetic yield potential of our major crops. Thus, there is a timely need to accelerate our understanding of the photosynthetic process in crops to allow informed and guided improvements via in-silico-assisted genetic engineering. Potential and emerging approaches to improving crop photosynthetic efficiency are discussed, and the new tools needed to realize these changes are presented. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Effects of phosphorus and zinc applications on the yields and yields ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Effects of phosphorus and zinc applications on the yields and yields components of sole early maturing maize ( Zea mays ) and bambaranut ( Vigna subterranean Thour. ) and in intercrop under southern guinea savannah ecology zone.

  15. Comprehensive computational model for combining fluid hydrodynamics, light transport and biomass growth in a Taylor vortex algal photobioreactor: Lagrangian approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Xi; Kong, Bo; Vigil, R Dennis

    2017-01-01

    A comprehensive quantitative model incorporating the effects of fluid flow patterns, light distribution, and algal growth kinetics on biomass growth rate is developed in order to predict the performance of a Taylor vortex algal photobioreactor for culturing Chlorella vulgaris. A commonly used Lagrangian strategy for coupling the various factors influencing algal growth was employed whereby results from computational fluid dynamics and radiation transport simulations were used to compute numerous microorganism light exposure histories, and this information in turn was used to estimate the global biomass specific growth rate. The simulations provide good quantitative agreement with experimental data and correctly predict the trend in reactor performance as a key reactor operating parameter is varied (inner cylinder rotation speed). However, biomass growth curves are consistently over-predicted and potential causes for these over-predictions and drawbacks of the Lagrangian approach are addressed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Towards a comprehensive theory for He II: A temperature-dependent field-theoretic approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ghassib, H.B.; Chela-Flores, J.

    1983-07-01

    New experimental aspects of He II, as well as recent developments in particle physics, are invoked to construct the rudiments of a comprehensive theory in which temperature-dependent U(1) and SU(2) gauge fields are incorporated into a hierarchy of effective Lagrangians. It is conjectured that an SU(n) gauge-theoretic description of superfluidity may be obtained in the limit n→infinity. However, it is outlined how experiments can be understood in the zeroth, first and second order of the hierarchy. (author)

  17. Improvement noted after a multifaceted approach to diabetes ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Optimal control of diabetes mellitus remains elusive, especially in developing countries. A comprehensive and standardised approach, coupled with intensive patient and clinician education, may provide the solution. Methods: Comprehensive datasheets accompanied by patient education from a ...

  18. Psychodermatology: A comprehensive review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Savita Yadav

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Psychodermatology is an interesting domain of dermatology that overlaps with psychiatry. This arena in dermatology has received limited diligence, partly due to lack of training in this realm. We present here a comprehensive review of salient features and treatment updates in primary psychiatric dermatoses and have also discussed the role of psyche in psychophysiological cutaneous disorders. Secondary psychiatric morbidity is relatively common among patients visiting the dermatologists but often overlooked and uncared for. Dermatologist should be able to initiate basic pharmacotherapy, should be knowledgeable about various non-pharmacological treatments and know the right time to refer the patient to the psychiatrist. Awareness and pertinent treatment of psychodermatological disorders among dermatologists will lead to a more holistic treatment approach and better prognosis in this unique group of patients.

  19. 6 Grain Yield

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    create a favourable environment for rice ... developing lines adaptable to many ... have stable, not too short crop duration with ..... Analysis of variance of the effect of site and season on maturity, grain yield and plant ..... and yield components.

  20. Using neutral network to infer the hydrodynamic yield of aspherical sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moran, B.; Glenn, L.A.

    1993-07-01

    We distinguish two kinds of difficulties with yield determination from aspherical sources. The first kind, the spoofing difficulty, occurs when a fraction of the energy of the explosion is channeled in such a way that it is not detected by the CORRTEX cable. In this case, neither neural networks nor any expert system can be expected to accurately estimate the yield without detailed information about device emplacement within the canister. Numerical simulations however, can provide an upper bound on the undetected fraction of the explosive energy. In the second instance, the interpretation difficulty, the data appear abnormal when analyzed using similar-explosion-scaling and the assumption of a spherical front. The inferred yield varies with time and the confidence in the yield estimate decreases. It is this kind of problem we address in this paper and for which neural networks can make a contribution. We used a back propagation neural network to infer the hydrodynamic yield of simulated aspherical sources. We trained the network using a subset of simulations from 3 different aspherical sources, with 3 different yields, and 3 satellite offset separations. The trained network was able to predict the yield within 15% in all cases and to identify the correct type of aspherical source in most cases. The predictive capability of the network increased with a larger training set. The neural network approach can easily incorporate information from new calculations or experiments and is therefore flexible and easy to maintain. We describe the potential capabilities and limitations in using such networks for yield estimations

  1. Using neural networks to infer the hydrodynamic yield of aspherical sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moran, B.; Glenn, L.

    1993-01-01

    We distinguish two kinds of difficulties with yield determination from aspherical sources. The first kind, the spoofing difficulty, occurs when a fraction of the energy of the explosion is channeled in such a way that it is not detected by the CORRTEX cable. In this case, neither neural networks nor any expert system can be expected to accurately estimate the yield without detailed information about device emplacement within the canister. Numerical simulations however, can provide an upper bound on the undetected fraction of the explosive energy. In the second instance, the interpretation difficulty, the data appear abnormal when analyzed using similar-explosion-scaling and the assumption of a spherical front. The inferred yield varies with time and the confidence in the yield estimate decreases. It is this kind of problem we address in this paper and for which neural networks can make a contribution. We used a back propagation neural network to infer the hydrodynamic yield of simulated aspherical sources. We trained the network using a subset of simulations from 3 different aspherical sources, with 3 different yield, and 3 satellite offset separations. The trained network was able to predict the yield within 15% in all cases and to identify the correct type of aspherical source in most cases. The predictive capability of the network increased with a larger training set. The neural network approach can easily incorporate information from new calculations or experiments and is therefore flexible and easy to maintain. We describe the potential capabilities and limitations in using such networks for yield estimations

  2. Mental Models for Mechanical Comprehension. A Review of Literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1986-06-01

    models, constructionism , infinirm t - ,’a f.mrfn.~ gl 19 ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number) 4 This literature...review describes the recent research on mental models of mechanical comprehension. Three methodological approaches ( constructionism , information...things for a teacher to do to aid students’ attempts at understanding the forces involved: 1. Prepare an engaging social context. 2. Juxtapose several

  3. Plateletpheresis efficiency and mathematical correction of software-derived platelet yield prediction: A linear regression and ROC modeling approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaime-Pérez, José Carlos; Jiménez-Castillo, Raúl Alberto; Vázquez-Hernández, Karina Elizabeth; Salazar-Riojas, Rosario; Méndez-Ramírez, Nereida; Gómez-Almaguer, David

    2017-10-01

    Advances in automated cell separators have improved the efficiency of plateletpheresis and the possibility of obtaining double products (DP). We assessed cell processor accuracy of predicted platelet (PLT) yields with the goal of a better prediction of DP collections. This retrospective proof-of-concept study included 302 plateletpheresis procedures performed on a Trima Accel v6.0 at the apheresis unit of a hematology department. Donor variables, software predicted yield and actual PLT yield were statistically evaluated. Software prediction was optimized by linear regression analysis and its optimal cut-off to obtain a DP assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) modeling. Three hundred and two plateletpheresis procedures were performed; in 271 (89.7%) occasions, donors were men and in 31 (10.3%) women. Pre-donation PLT count had the best direct correlation with actual PLT yield (r = 0.486. P Simple correction derived from linear regression analysis accurately corrected this underestimation and ROC analysis identified a precise cut-off to reliably predict a DP. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Novel comprehensive multidimensional liquid chromatography approach for elucidation of the microbosphere of shikimate-producing Escherichia coli SP1.1/pKD15.071 strain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacciola, Francesco; Mangraviti, Domenica; Rigano, Francesca; Donato, Paola; Dugo, Paola; Mondello, Luigi; Cortes, Hernan J

    2018-06-01

    Shikimic acid is a intermediate of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis and the preferred starting material for production of the most commonly prescribed anti-influenza drug, Tamiflu. Its six-membered carbocyclic ring is adorned with several chiral centers and various functionalities, making shikimic acid a valuable chiral synthon. When microbially-produced, in addition to shikimic acid, numerous other metabolites are exported out of the cytoplasm and accumulate in the culture medium. This extracellular matrix of metabolites is referred to as the microbosphere. Due to the high sample complexity, in this study, the microbosphere of shikimate-producing Escherichia coli SP1.1/pKD15.071 was analyzed by liquid chromatography and comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array and mass spectrometry detection. GC analysis of the trimethylsilyl derivatives was also carried out in order to support the elucidation of the selected metabolites in the microbosphere. The elucidation of the metabolic fraction of this bacterial strain might be of valid aid for improving, through genetic changes, the concentration and yield of shikimic acid synthesized from glucose. Graphical abstract.

  5. Teacher’s comprehensive training strategy for improving didactics performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pozas, W. J

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available The paper describes a Teacher’s comprehensive training strategy for improving didactics performance, together with its theoretical foundations. The strategy is structured into several dimensions related to teachers’ development (lesson planning, continuing education and research. It is organized into two phases and seven stages intended to improve leadership in the teaching-learning process. The finding are the expression of a comprehensive approach to school organization at Services Polytechnic School “Horacio Cobiellas Domínguez” resulting in teachers’ academic and scientific development and a significant growth of the staff scientific potentials manifested in scientific forum enrolment. The resulting impact should lead to a general use of the proposed strategy in the Polytechnic school web. Key words: professional performance, pedagogic professional performance, didactic professional performance, teachers’ developmental strategy

  6. On cyclic yield strength in definition of limits for characterisation of fatigue and creep behaviour

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorash, Yevgen; MacKenzie, Donald

    2017-06-01

    This study proposes cyclic yield strength as a potential characteristic of safe design for structures operating under fatigue and creep conditions. Cyclic yield strength is defined on a cyclic stress-strain curve, while monotonic yield strength is defined on a monotonic curve. Both values of strengths are identified using a two-step procedure of the experimental stress-strain curves fitting with application of Ramberg-Osgood and Chaboche material models. A typical S-N curve in stress-life approach for fatigue analysis has a distinctive minimum stress lower bound, the fatigue endurance limit. Comparison of cyclic strength and fatigue limit reveals that they are approximately equal. Thus, safe fatigue design is guaranteed in the purely elastic domain defined by the cyclic yielding. A typical long-term strength curve in time-to-failure approach for creep analysis has two inflections corresponding to the cyclic and monotonic strengths. These inflections separate three domains on the long-term strength curve, which are characterised by different creep fracture modes and creep deformation mechanisms. Therefore, safe creep design is guaranteed in the linear creep domain with brittle failure mode defined by the cyclic yielding. These assumptions are confirmed using three structural steels for normal and high-temperature applications. The advantage of using cyclic yield strength for characterisation of fatigue and creep strength is a relatively quick experimental identification. The total duration of cyclic tests for a cyclic stress-strain curve identification is much less than the typical durations of fatigue and creep rupture tests at the stress levels around the cyclic yield strength.

  7. Effects of Strategy Instruction in an EFL Reading Comprehension Course: A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergio Lopera Medina

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Strategy instruction is useful in teaching contexts. This paper examines the effects of strategy instruction in an EFL reading comprehension course carried out with 26 undergraduate students at a Colombian university. As a research method, a case study was implemented. There were three instruments with which to collect data: reading comprehension tests, teacher's field notes and self-reflection in class at the strategy instruction phase, and a learning perception questionnaire. Given that students improved in reading comprehension, it would seem that reading strategy instruction is indeed very useful. Also, it was noted that when students applied reading strategies, they became more self-confident and this in turn enhanced their motivation. Finally, when students applied the reading strategy approach, the use of dictionaries decreased considerably.

  8. Using normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to estimate sugarcane yield and yield components

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) yield and yield components are important traits for growers and scientists to evaluate and select cultivars. Collection of these yield data would be labor intensive and time consuming in the early selection stages of sugarcane breeding cultivar development programs with a ...

  9. A Comprehensive Definition for Integrative Oncology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witt, Claudia M; Balneaves, Lynda G; Cardoso, Maria J; Cohen, Lorenzo; Greenlee, Heather; Johnstone, Peter; Kücük, Ömer; Mailman, Josh; Mao, Jun J

    2017-11-01

    Integrative oncology, which is generally understood to refer to the use of a combination of complementary medicine therapies in conjunction with conventional cancer treatments, has been defined in different ways, but there is no widely accepted definition. We sought to develop and establish a consensus for a comprehensive definition of the field of integrative oncology. We used a mixed-methods approach that included a literature analysis and a consensus procedure, including an interdisciplinary expert panel and surveys, to develop a comprehensive and acceptable definition for the term "integrative oncology." The themes identified in the literature and from the expert discussion were condensed into a two-sentence definition. Survey respondents had very positive views on the draft definition, and their comments helped to shape the final version. The final definition for integrative oncology is: "Integrative oncology is a patient-centered, evidence-informed field of cancer care that utilizes mind and body practices, natural products, and/or lifestyle modifications from different traditions alongside conventional cancer treatments. Integrative oncology aims to optimize health, quality of life, and clinical outcomes across the cancer care continuum and to empower people to prevent cancer and become active participants before,during, and beyond cancer treatment." This short and comprehensive definition for the term integrative oncology will facilitate a better understanding and communication of this emerging field. This definition will also drive focused and cohesive effort to advance the field of integrative oncology. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. Potato yield and yield structure depending on irrigation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milić Stanko

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available In the agroclimatic conditions of the Vojvodina Province, the application of an economic water regime and modern technology is necessary for stable and intensive potato production. A two-year experiment on calcareous chernozem was carried out to determine how irrigation and different pre-irrigation soil moisture affect potato yield and distribution of tuber fraction in the potato yield. The block-design trial had four replicates and was adapted for sprinkler irrigation conditions. It included four treatments: irrigation with pre-irrigation moisture levels of 60 % of field water capacity (FC, irrigation with pre-irrigation moisture levels of 70 % (FC, irrigation with pre-irrigation moisture levels of 80% (FC, and a non-irrigated control treatment. Irrigation significantly increased the yield of potato, which increased from 37.27 % to 75.86 %. Under irrigation, the percentage of small fractions decreased in favour of the 55 mm one, or fractions above the 45-55 mm range. On average, irrigated treatments produced significantly more tubers than the conditions of natural water supply. .

  11. Nanofabrication Yields. Hybridization and Click-Fixation of Polycyclic DNA Nanoassemblies

    KAUST Repository

    Lundberg, Erik P.

    2011-09-27

    We demonstrate the stepwise assembly of a fully addressable polycyclic DNA hexagon nanonetwork for the preparation of a four-ring system, one of the biggest networks yet constructed from tripodal building blocks. We find that the yield exhibits a distinct upper level <100%, a fundamental problem of thermodynamic DNA assembly that appears to have been overlooked in the DNA nanotechnology literature. A simplistic model based on a single step-yield parameter y can quantitatively describe the total yield of DNA assemblies in one-pot reactions as Y = yduplex n, with n the number of hybridization steps. Experimental errors introducing deviations from perfect stoichiometry and the thermodynamics of hybridization equilibria contribute to decreasing the value of yduplex (on average y = 0.96 for our 10 base pair hybridization). For the four-ring system (n = 31), the total yield is thus less than 30%, which is clearly unsatisfactory if bigger nanoconstructs of this class are to be designed. Therefore, we introduced site-specific click chemistry for making and purifying robust building blocks for future modular constructs of larger assemblies. Although the present yield of this robust module was only about 10%, it demonstrates a first step toward a general fabrication approach. Interestingly, we find that the click yields follow quantitatively a binomial distribution, the predictability of which indicates the usefulness of preparing pools of pure and robust building blocks in this way. The binomial behavior indicates that there is no interference between the six simultaneous click reactions but that step-yield limiting factors such as topological constraints and Cu(I) catalyst concentration are local and independent. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

  12. Digging beneath the Surface Behavioral and Neural Indices of Lexical Access during Idiom Comprehension in Aphasia: A Multi-Modal Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brumm, Kathleen Patricia

    2011-01-01

    This project examines spoken language comprehension in Broca's aphasia, a non-fluent language disorder acquired subsequent to stroke. Broca's aphasics demonstrate impaired comprehension for complex sentence constructions. To account for this deficit, one current processing theory claims that Broca's patients retain intrinsic linguistic knowledge,…

  13. Quotient-Comprehension Chains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenta Cho

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Quotients and comprehension are fundamental mathematical constructions that can be described via adjunctions in categorical logic. This paper reveals that quotients and comprehension are related to measurement, not only in quantum logic, but also in probabilistic and classical logic. This relation is presented by a long series of examples, some of them easy, and some also highly non-trivial (esp. for von Neumann algebras. We have not yet identified a unifying theory. Nevertheless, the paper contributes towards such a theory by introducing the new quotient-and-comprehension perspective on measurement instruments, and by describing the examples on which such a theory should be built.

  14. Authentic Leadership for Teacher's Academic Optimism: Moderating Effect of Training Comprehensiveness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, Anugamini Priya; Dhar, Rajib Lochan

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to analyse the impact of authentic leadership (AL) on academic optimism (AO) through the mediating role of affective commitment (AC). As this study also examines the moderating role of training comprehensiveness (TC) in strengthening the relation between AC and AO. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from…

  15. Managment oriented analysis of sediment yield time compression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smetanova, Anna; Le Bissonnais, Yves; Raclot, Damien; Nunes, João P.; Licciardello, Feliciana; Le Bouteiller, Caroline; Latron, Jérôme; Rodríguez Caballero, Emilio; Mathys, Nicolle; Klotz, Sébastien; Mekki, Insaf; Gallart, Francesc; Solé Benet, Albert; Pérez Gallego, Nuria; Andrieux, Patrick; Moussa, Roger; Planchon, Olivier; Marisa Santos, Juliana; Alshihabi, Omran; Chikhaoui, Mohamed

    2016-04-01

    The understanding of inter- and intra-annual variability of sediment yield is important for the land use planning and management decisions for sustainable landscapes. It is of particular importance in the regions where the annual sediment yield is often highly dependent on the occurrence of few large events which produce the majority of sediments, such as in the Mediterranean. This phenomenon is referred as time compression, and relevance of its consideration growths with the increase in magnitude and frequency of extreme events due to climate change in many other regions. So far, time compression has ben studied mainly on events datasets, providing high resolution, but (in terms of data amount, required data precision and methods), demanding analysis. In order to provide an alternative simplified approach, the monthly and yearly time compressions were evaluated in eight Mediterranean catchments (of the R-OSMed network), representing a wide range of Mediterranean landscapes. The annual sediment yield varied between 0 to ~27100 Mg•km-2•a-1, and the monthly sediment yield between 0 to ~11600 Mg•km-2•month-1. The catchment's sediment yield was un-equally distributed at inter- and intra-annual scale, and large differences were observed between the catchments. Two types of time compression were distinguished - (i) the inter-annual (based on annual values) and intra- annual (based on monthly values). Four different rainfall-runoff-sediment yield time compression patterns were observed: (i) no time-compression of rainfall, runoff, nor sediment yield, (ii) low time compression of rainfall and runoff, but high compression of sediment yield, (iii) low compression of rainfall and high of runoff and sediment yield, and (iv) low, medium and high compression of rainfall, runoff and sediment yield. All four patterns were present at inter-annual scale, while at intra-annual scale only the two latter were present. This implies that high sediment yields occurred in

  16. Comparing predicted yield and yield stability of willow and Miscanthus across Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Søren; Jaiswal, Deepak; Bentsen, Niclas Scott

    2016-01-01

    was 12.1 Mg DM ha−1 yr−1 for willow and 10.2 Mg DM ha−1 yr−1 for Miscanthus. Coefficent of variation as a measure for yield stability was poorest on the sandy soils of northern and western Jutland and the year-to-year variation in yield was greatest on these soils. Willow was predicted to outyield...... Miscanthus on poor, sandy soils whereas Miscanthus was higher yielding on clay-rich soils. The major driver of yield in both crops was variation in soil moisture, with radiation and precipitation exerting less influence. This is the first time these two major feedstocks for northern Europe have been compared....... The semi-mechanistic crop model BioCro was used to simulate the production of both short rotation coppice (SRC) willow and Miscanthus across Denmark. Predictions were made from high spatial resolution soil data and weather records across this area for 1990-2010. The potential average, rain-fed mean yield...

  17. The Comprehension Problems of Children with Poor Reading Comprehension despite Adequate Decoding: A Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Mercedes; Wagner, Richard K

    2018-06-01

    The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the comprehension problems of children who have a specific reading comprehension deficit (SCD), which is characterized by poor reading comprehension despite adequate decoding. The meta-analysis included 86 studies of children with SCD who were assessed in reading comprehension and oral language (vocabulary, listening comprehension, storytelling ability, and semantic and syntactic knowledge). Results indicated that children with SCD had deficits in oral language ( d = -0.78, 95% CI [-0.89, -0.68], but these deficits were not as severe as their deficit in reading comprehension ( d = -2.78, 95% CI [-3.01, -2.54]). When compared to reading comprehension age-matched normal readers, the oral language skills of the two groups were comparable ( d = 0.32, 95% CI [-0.49, 1.14]), which suggests that the oral language weaknesses of children with SCD represent a developmental delay rather than developmental deviance. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

  18. On the importance of listening comprehension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogan, Tiffany P; Adlof, Suzanne M; Alonzo, Crystle N

    2014-06-01

    The simple view of reading highlights the importance of two primary components which account for individual differences in reading comprehension across development: word recognition (i.e., decoding) and listening comprehension. While assessments and interventions for decoding have been the focus of pedagogy in the past several decades, the importance of listening comprehension has received less attention. This paper reviews evidence showing that listening comprehension becomes the dominating influence on reading comprehension starting even in the elementary grades. It also highlights a growing number of children who fail to develop adequate reading comprehension skills, primarily due to deficient listening comprehension skills (i.e., poor comprehenders). Finally we discuss key language influences on listening comprehension for consideration during assessment and treatment of reading disabilities.

  19. Follow-up study on reading comprehension in Down's syndrome: the role of reading skills and listening comprehension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roch, Maja; Florit, Elena; Levorato, Chiara

    2011-01-01

    According to the 'Simple View of Reading', reading comprehension requires some abilities such as reading skill and listening comprehension. Individuals with Down's syndrome show relative strengths in reading skills, mainly in word recognition, where they attain a reading age of about 7-8 years. Compared with word recognition, their reading comprehension is usually delayed by at least 6 months. Poor reading comprehension is paralleled by weak listening comprehension. It is claimed that poor listening comprehension might constrain the development of reading comprehension and, therefore, be a cause for the asynchrony between reading skills and reading comprehension. A follow-up study was carried out in order to analyse the improvements in reading skills, listening and reading text comprehension, and to support the hypothesis of a causal relationship between listening and reading comprehension. Ten children and adolescents with Down's syndrome, aged between 11 years 3 months and 19 years 10 months, were assessed twice over a one-year period as to their reading skills, listening and reading text comprehension. Three main findings emerged: (1) reading skills, on the one hand, and comprehension (both listening and reading), on the other hand, are independent; (2) reading comprehension development is determined mainly by listening comprehension, which in the present study proved to be very poor; and (3) an improvement after a one-year period, even though limited, occurred for all examined abilities except for listening comprehension. The results are discussed in the light of the theoretical framework of the 'Simple View of Reading' and of their relevance for practical and educational issues. © 2011 Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists.

  20. The Effect of Using Video Technology on Improving Reading Comprehension of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amir Mohammadian

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available With the development of educational technology, the concept of technology-enhanced multimedia instructions is using widely in the educational settings. Technology can be employed in teaching different skills such as listening, reading, speaking and writing. Among these skills, reading comprehension is the skill in which EFL learners have some problems to master. Regarding this issue, the present study aimed at investigating the effect of video materials on improving reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. A Longman Placement Test was administered to 30 EFL learners to ensure that learners are at the same level of proficiency. The students were chosen from the state high schools in Chabahar.  The participants were regarded as intermediate learners and were divided into two groups (one experimental group and one control group. Then, a pre-test of reading comprehension was administered to assess the participants’ reading comprehension. The participants of experimental group used video files to improve their reading comprehension while the control group received conventional approaches of teaching reading comprehension. Finally, all the participants were assigned a 40-item multiple-choice reading comprehension post-test. The results of the study indicated that video materials had a significant effect on promoting reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners (p = .000, <.05.

  1. Comprehensive primary health care under neo-liberalism in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baum, Fran; Freeman, Toby; Sanders, David; Labonté, Ronald; Lawless, Angela; Javanparast, Sara

    2016-11-01

    This paper applies a critical analysis of the impact of neo-liberal driven management reform to examine changes in Australian primary health care (PHC) services over five years. The implementation of comprehensive approaches to primary health care (PHC) in seven services: five state-managed and two non-government organisations (NGOs) was tracked from 2009 to 2014. Two questions are addressed: 1) How did the ability of Australian PHC services to implement comprehensive PHC change over the period 2009-2014? 2) To what extent is the ability of the PHC services to implement comprehensive PHC shaped by neo-liberal health sector reform processes? The study reports on detailed tracking and observations of the changes and in-depth interviews with 63 health service managers and practitioners, and regional and central health executives. The documented changes were: in the state-managed services (although not the NGOs) less comprehensive service coverage and more focus on clinical services and integration with hospitals and much less development activity including community development, advocacy, intersectoral collaboration and attention to the social determinants. These changes were found to be associated with practices typical of neo-liberal health sector reform: considerable uncertainty, more directive managerial control, budget reductions and competitive tendering and an emphasis on outputs rather than health outcomes. We conclude that a focus on clinical service provision, while highly compatible with neo-liberal reforms, will not on its own produce the shifts in population disease patterns that would be required to reduce demand for health services and promote health. Comprehensive PHC is much better suited to that task. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  2. Age-related differences in warning symbol comprehension and training effectiveness: effects of familiarity, complexity, and comprehensibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lesch, M F; Horrey, W J; Wogalter, M S; Powell, W R

    2011-10-01

    Age-related changes in selective attention, inhibitory efficiency, and the ability to form new associations suggest that older adults may have greater difficulty with more complex and less comprehensible symbols. We examined comprehension of symbols varying in terms of ratings of familiarity, complexity, and comprehensibility, by younger (aged 18-35) and older (aged 55-70) adults. It was found that older adults have greater difficulty than younger adults in comprehending warning symbols and that accident scenario training improves comprehension. Regression analyses indicated that familiarity and comprehensibility were important in determining performance on the pre-training comprehension test by both younger and older adults. However, training eliminated the effects of stimulus characteristics for younger adults, while older adults' comprehension continued to be significantly influenced by comprehensibility. We suggest that symbol design incorporates cues to knowledge to facilitate the linkage between new knowledge (i.e. the warning symbol) and relevant knowledge in long-term memory. Statement of Relevance: Symbol characteristics play an important role in age-related differences in warning symbol comprehension. To optimise comprehension by older adults, symbols should have a clear relationship with areal-world referent. Alternatively, symbol design could incorporate cues to knowledge to facilitate the linkage between new knowledge and relevant knowledge in long-term memory.

  3. Global evaluation of a semiempirical model for yield anomalies and application to within-season yield forecasting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schauberger, Bernhard; Gornott, Christoph; Wechsung, Frank

    2017-11-01

    Quantifying the influence of weather on yield variability is decisive for agricultural management under current and future climate anomalies. We extended an existing semiempirical modeling scheme that allows for such quantification. Yield anomalies, measured as interannual differences, were modeled for maize, soybeans, and wheat in the United States and 32 other main producer countries. We used two yield data sets, one derived from reported yields and the other from a global yield data set deduced from remote sensing. We assessed the capacity of the model to forecast yields within the growing season. In the United States, our model can explain at least two-thirds (63%-81%) of observed yield anomalies. Its out-of-sample performance (34%-55%) suggests a robust yield projection capacity when applied to unknown weather. Out-of-sample performance is lower when using remote sensing-derived yield data. The share of weather-driven yield fluctuation varies spatially, and estimated coefficients agree with expectations. Globally, the explained variance in yield anomalies based on the remote sensing data set is similar to the United States (71%-84%). But the out-of-sample performance is lower (15%-42%). The performance discrepancy is likely due to shortcomings of the remote sensing yield data as it diminishes when using reported yield anomalies instead. Our model allows for robust forecasting of yields up to 2 months before harvest for several main producer countries. An additional experiment suggests moderate yield losses under mean warming, assuming no major changes in temperature extremes. We conclude that our model can detect weather influences on yield anomalies and project yields with unknown weather. It requires only monthly input data and has a low computational demand. Its within-season yield forecasting capacity provides a basis for practical applications like local adaptation planning. Our study underlines high-quality yield monitoring and statistics as critical

  4. Synthesis and characterization of poly (dihydroxybiphenyl borate) with high char yield for high-performance thermosetting resins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shujuan; Xing, Xiaolong; Li, Jian; Jing, Xinli

    2018-01-01

    The objective of the current work is to synthesize novel boron-containing polymers with excellent thermal resistance, and reveal the structure and the reason for the high char yield. Thus, poly (dihydroxybiphenyl borate) (PDDB) with a more rigid molecular chain, was successfully synthesized using 4,4‧-dihydroxybiphenyl and boric acid. Structural characterizations of the prepared PDDB were performed via NMR, FTIR, XPS, and XRD analyses. The results reveal that PDDB consists of aromatic, Phsbnd Osbnd B and Bsbnd Osbnd B structures as well as a small number of boron hydroxyl and phenolic hydroxyl groups. PDDB shows good solubility in strong polar solvents, which is of great importance for the modification of thermosetting resins. TGA combined with DSC were employed to evaluate the thermal properties of PDDB, and increases in the glass transition temperature (Tg) and char yield were observed with increased boron content. Tg and char yield of PDDB (800 °C, nitrogen atmosphere) reached up to 219 °C and 66.5%, respectively. PDDB was extensively characterized during pyrolysis to reveal the high char yield of PDDB. As briefly discussed, the boron oxide and boron carbide that formed during pyrolysis play a crucial role in the high char yield of PDDB, which reduces the release of volatile carbon dioxide and carbon. This research suggests that PDDB has great potential as a novel modified agent for the improvement of the comprehensive performance of thermosetting resins to broaden their applicability in the field of advanced composites.

  5. THE INFLUENCE OF FERTILIZATION ON YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENT FORMATION OF SOYBEAN VARIETIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva CANDRÁKOVÁ

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available In 2005 and 2006, the influence of fertilization was investigated on forming of yield components and yield of three soybean varieties in sugar beet growing area. Varieties Korada, Supra and OAC Vision were grown. Number of plants per m2, number of pods per plant, number of seeds in pod, thousand seeds weight, yield of seeds, yield of stems and harvest index were examined. Variants of fertilization: I. non-fertilized control, II. LAV 27 % (40 kg ha-1 net nutrient of N in growing stage of first pair of true leaves unfolded, III. Humix komplet (rate 8 l.ha-1 applied in growing stage of first pair of true leaves unfolded (4 l.ha-1 and in growing stage of first flower buds visible (4 l.ha-1, IV. Humix komplet in rate 8 l.ha-1 applied in growing stage of first pair of true leaves unfolded. The yields of seeds and stems were high significantly influenced by variety, fertilization and year. The significantly highest yield of seeds was achieved by Korada variety (4,04 t.ha-1. Varieties OAC Vision and Supra reached yields in interval 3,74-3,84 t.ha-1. Split rate of Humix komplet (III var significantly influenced yield of seeds and stems. The fertilization have increased weight of seeds in proportion to aboveground phyto-mass weight, what was expressed by harvest index.

  6. Comprehensive evaluation of functional and anatomical disorders of the patients with distal occlusion and accompanying obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nabiev, F. H.; Dobrodeev, A. S.; Libin, P. V.; Kotov, I. I.; Ovsyannikov, A. G.

    2015-11-01

    The paper defines the therapeutic and rehabilitation approach to the patients with Angle's classification Class II dento-facial anomalies, accompanied by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The proposed comprehensive approach to the diagnostics and treatment of patients with posterior occlusion, accompanied by OSA, allows for objective evaluation of intensity of a dento-facial anomaly and accompanying respiratory disorders in the nasal and oral pharynx, which allows for the pathophysiological mechanisms of OSA to be identified, and an optimal plan for surgical procedures to be developed. The proposed comprehensive approach to the diagnostics and treatment of patients with Angle's classification Class II dento-facial anomalies provides high functional and aesthetic results.

  7. Comprehensive analysis of transport aircraft flight performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filippone, Antonio

    2008-04-01

    This paper reviews the state-of-the art in comprehensive performance codes for fixed-wing aircraft. The importance of system analysis in flight performance is discussed. The paper highlights the role of aerodynamics, propulsion, flight mechanics, aeroacoustics, flight operation, numerical optimisation, stochastic methods and numerical analysis. The latter discipline is used to investigate the sensitivities of the sub-systems to uncertainties in critical state parameters or functional parameters. The paper discusses critically the data used for performance analysis, and the areas where progress is required. Comprehensive analysis codes can be used for mission fuel planning, envelope exploration, competition analysis, a wide variety of environmental studies, marketing analysis, aircraft certification and conceptual aircraft design. A comprehensive program that uses the multi-disciplinary approach for transport aircraft is presented. The model includes a geometry deck, a separate engine input deck with the main parameters, a database of engine performance from an independent simulation, and an operational deck. The comprehensive code has modules for deriving the geometry from bitmap files, an aerodynamics model for all flight conditions, a flight mechanics model for flight envelopes and mission analysis, an aircraft noise model and engine emissions. The model is validated at different levels. Validation of the aerodynamic model is done against the scale models DLR-F4 and F6. A general model analysis and flight envelope exploration are shown for the Boeing B-777-300 with GE-90 turbofan engines with intermediate passenger capacity (394 passengers in 2 classes). Validation of the flight model is done by sensitivity analysis on the wetted area (or profile drag), on the specific air range, the brake-release gross weight and the aircraft noise. A variety of results is shown, including specific air range charts, take-off weight-altitude charts, payload-range performance

  8. Derivation of ozone flux-yield relationships for lettuce: A key horticultural crop

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goumenaki, Eleni [Environmental and Molecular Plant Physiology, Institute for Research on the Environment and Sustainability, School of Biology and Psychology, Division of Biology, Devonshire Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU (United Kingdom); School of Agricultural Technology, Technological Education Institute of Crete, P.O. Box 1939, 71004 Heraklion (Greece); Fernandez, Ignacio Gonzalez [Environmental and Molecular Plant Physiology, Institute for Research on the Environment and Sustainability, School of Biology and Psychology, Division of Biology, Devonshire Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU (United Kingdom); CIEMAT, Ecotoxicology of Air Pollution, Avda. Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Papanikolaou, Antigoni [School of Agricultural Technology, Technological Education Institute of Crete, P.O. Box 1939, 71004 Heraklion (Greece); Papadopoulou, Despoina [School of Agricultural Technology, Technological Education Institute of Crete, P.O. Box 1939, 71004 Heraklion (Greece); Askianakis, Christos [School of Agricultural Technology, Technological Education Institute of Crete, P.O. Box 1939, 71004 Heraklion (Greece); Kouvarakis, George [Environmental and Chemical Processes Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, P.O. Box 1470, 71409 Heraklion (Greece); Barnes, Jeremy [Environmental and Molecular Plant Physiology, Institute for Research on the Environment and Sustainability, School of Biology and Psychology, Division of Biology, Devonshire Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU (United Kingdom)]. E-mail: j.d.barnes@ncl.ac.uk

    2007-04-15

    Ozone flux-response relationships were derived for lettuce, employing a multiplicative approach to model the manner in which stomatal conductance is influenced by key environmental variables, using a dataset collected during field experimentation in Crete and yield-response relationships derived from parallel open-top chamber experiments. Regional agronomic practices were adopted throughout. Computed versus measured data revealed that the derived model explained 51% (P < 0.001) of the observed variation in stomatal conductance. Concentration-based indices were compared with flux-based indices. Analyses revealed a significant relationship between accumulated stomatal ozone flux and yield employing flux threshold cut-offs up to 4 nmol m{sup -2} s{sup -1}. Regressions employing very low or zero flux thresholds resulted in the strongest yield-flux relationships (explaining {approx}80% (P < 0.05) of the variation in the dataset). - Establishment of ozone flux-yield relationships for a commercially-important horticultural crop grown widely in the Mediterranean.

  9. Reading comprehension in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Laura L; Rutledge, Stefanie

    2014-05-01

    Although individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) self-report reading problems and experience difficulties in cognitive-linguistic functions that support discourse-level reading, prior research has primarily focused on sentence-level processing and auditory comprehension. Accordingly, the authors investigated the presence and nature of reading comprehension in PD, hypothesizing that (a) individuals with PD would display impaired accuracy and/or speed on reading comprehension tests and (b) reading performances would be correlated with cognitive test results. Eleven adults with PD and 9 age- and education-matched control participants completed tests that evaluated reading comprehension; general language and cognitive abilities; and aspects of attention, memory, and executive functioning. The PD group obtained significantly lower scores on several, but not all, reading comprehension, language, and cognitive measures. Memory, language, and disease severity were significantly correlated with reading comprehension for the PD group. Individuals in the early stages of PD without dementia or broad cognitive deficits can display reading comprehension difficulties, particularly for high- versus basic-level reading tasks. These reading difficulties are most closely related to memory, high-level language, and PD symptom severity status. The findings warrant additional research to delineate further the types and nature of reading comprehension impairments experienced by individuals with PD.

  10. Overlapping genetic and child-specific nonshared environmental influences on listening comprehension, reading motivation, and reading comprehension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schenker, Victoria J; Petrill, Stephen A

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the genetic and environmental influences on observed associations between listening comprehension, reading motivation, and reading comprehension. Univariate and multivariate quantitative genetic models were conducted in a sample of 284 pairs of twins at a mean age of 9.81 years. Genetic and nonshared environmental factors accounted for statistically significant variance in listening and reading comprehension, and nonshared environmental factors accounted for variance in reading motivation. Furthermore, listening comprehension demonstrated unique genetic and nonshared environmental influences but also had overlapping genetic influences with reading comprehension. Reading motivation and reading comprehension each had unique and overlapping nonshared environmental contributions. Therefore, listening comprehension appears to be related to reading primarily due to genetic factors whereas motivation appears to affect reading via child-specific, nonshared environmental effects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Overlapping Genetic and Child-Specific Nonshared Environmental Influences on Listening Comprehension, Reading Motivation, and Reading Comprehension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schenker, Victoria J.; Petrill, Stephen A.

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the genetic and environmental influences on observed associations between listening comprehension, reading motivation, and reading comprehension. Univariate and multivariate quantitative genetic models were conducted in a sample of 284 pairs of twins at a mean age of 9.81 years. Genetic and nonshared environmental factors accounted for statistically significant variance in listening and reading comprehension, and nonshared environmental factors accounted for variance in reading motivation. Furthermore, listening comprehension demonstrated unique genetic and nonshared environmental influences but also had overlapping genetic influences with reading comprehension. Reading motivation and reading comprehension each had unique and overlapping nonshared environmental contributions. Therefore, listening comprehension appears to be related to reading primarily due to genetic factors whereas motivation appears to affect reading via child-specific, nonshared environmental effects. PMID:26321677

  12. Effects of application boron on yields, yield component and oil ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study was conducted to investigate the effects of five boron (B) doses; 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 kg B ha-1 in B-deficient calcareous soils on yield and some yield components of four sunflower genotypes. Genotypes have shown variations with respect to their responses to B applications. AS-615 and Coban had the ...

  13. Accuracy statistics in predicting Independent Activities of Daily Living (IADL) capacity with comprehensive and brief neuropsychological test batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karzmark, Peter; Deutsch, Gayle K

    2018-01-01

    This investigation was designed to determine the predictive accuracy of a comprehensive neuropsychological and brief neuropsychological test battery with regard to the capacity to perform instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Accuracy statistics that included measures of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predicted power and positive likelihood ratio were calculated for both types of batteries. The sample was drawn from a general neurological group of adults (n = 117) that included a number of older participants (age >55; n = 38). Standardized neuropsychological assessments were administered to all participants and were comprised of the Halstead Reitan Battery and portions of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III. A comprehensive test battery yielded a moderate increase over base-rate in predictive accuracy that generalized to older individuals. There was only limited support for using a brief battery, for although sensitivity was high, specificity was low. We found that a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery provided good classification accuracy for predicting IADL capacity.

  14. Carbon isotope discrimination and indirect selection for seed yield in lentil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matus, A.; Slinkard, A.E.; Van Kessel, C.

    1995-01-01

    Carbon isotope discrimination (CID) has been proposed as a secondary trait to indirectly select for improved seed yield and water-use efficiency. To determine the effectiveness of CID to indirectly select for seed yield, 10 diverse lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) genotypes were grown at four locations in Saskatchewan in 1992 and 1993. Samples were collected for CID determination from leaves at flowering (CIDLF), leaves at maturity (CIDML) and seed at maturity (CIDMS). Variability for CID was present, but no crossover G x E interactions were observed. A significant crossover genotype by sampling date interaction for CID resulted from a change in ranking of genotypes for CIDLF and CIDML. Seed yield was positively correlated with CIDLF and CIDML. The phenotypic correlation between seed yield and CIDLF was 0.82** (df = 8). However, this highly significant relationship was an artifact resulting from the fact that samples for CIDLF were collected for all genotypes on the same day, although PI 244026, an early maturing genotype, flowered about 15 d earlier than the other lentil lines. When PI244026 was removed from the analysis, variability in CID was greatly reduced and the correlation between CIDLF and seed yield approached zero (r = 0.22, df = 7). The correlation between seed yield and CIDML remained positive and significant, but was inconsistent across locations and years. The broad sense heritability for CIDML (0.73 +/- 0.16) was lower than the broad sense heritability for seed yield (0.98 +/- 0.029). These results suggest that under the conditions tested CID should not be used to indirectly select for seed yield in lentil

  15. Influence of Inter and Intra-rows Spacing on Yield and Yield ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Abyssinia

    yield and yield components of fresh market(Bishola) and processing (Cochoro) tomato cultivars. ... row spacing had a significant effect on plan canopy width, above ground dry biomass, ... Poor varietal performance and management practices that includeinter and intra-row spacing ..... of assimilate export from the leaves.

  16. Increasing crop yield and resilience with trehalose 6-phosphate: targeting a feast-famine mechanism in cereals for better source-sink optimization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, Matthew J; Oszvald, Maria; Jesus, Claudia; Rajulu, Charukesi; Griffiths, Cara A

    2017-07-20

    Food security is a pressing global issue. New approaches are required to break through a yield ceiling that has developed in recent years for the major crops. As important as increasing yield potential is the protection of yield from abiotic stresses in an increasingly variable and unpredictable climate. Current strategies to improve yield include conventional breeding, marker-assisted breeding, quantitative trait loci (QTLs), mutagenesis, creation of hybrids, genetic modification (GM), emerging genome-editing technologies, and chemical approaches. A regulatory mechanism amenable to three of these approaches has great promise for large yield improvements. Trehalose 6-phosphate (T6P) synthesized in the low-flux trehalose biosynthetic pathway signals the availability of sucrose in plant cells as part of a whole-plant sucrose homeostatic mechanism. Modifying T6P content by GM, marker-assisted selection, and novel chemistry has improved yield in three major cereals under a range of water availabilities from severe drought through to flooding. Yield improvements have been achieved by altering carbon allocation and how carbon is used. Targeting T6P both temporally and spatially offers great promise for large yield improvements in productive (up to 20%) and marginal environments (up to 120%). This opinion paper highlights this important breakthrough in fundamental science for crop improvement. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. On the absolute calibration of a DT fusion neutron yield diagnostic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruiz C.L.

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Recent advances in Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF experiments at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF have underscored the need for accurate total yield measurements of DT neutrons because yield measurements provide a measure of the predicted performance of the experiments. Future gas-puff DT experiments at Sandia National Laboratory's Z facility will also require similar measurements. For ICF DT experiments, the standard technique for measuring the neutron (14.1 MeV yield, counts the activity (counts/minute induced in irradiated copper samples. This activity occurs by the 63Cu(n,2n62Cu reaction where 62Cu decays by positrons (β+ with a half-life of 9.67 minutes. The calibrations discussed here employ the associated-particle method (APM, where the α (4He particles from the T(d,n4He reaction are measured to infer neutron fluxes on a copper sample. The flux induces 62Cu activity, measured in a coincidence counting system. The method leads to a relationship between a DT neutron yield and copper activity known as the F-factor. The goal in future experiments is to apply this calibration to measure the yield at NIF with a combined uncertainty approaching 5%.

  18. Quantitative measures of mutagenicity and multability based on mutant yield data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eckhardt, F.; Haynes, R.H.

    1980-01-01

    We describe, how mutant yield data (mutants per cell treated) can be used both to compare the mutagenenicity of different mutagens, and to characterize the mutability of different cell types. Yield curves reveal the net effect of the lethal and genetic actions of mutagens on cells. Normally, yields are the quantities measured in assays for mutagenesis, and rectilinear plots of such data baldly reveal the amount of experimental error and the extent of actual mutant induction above the background level. Plots of yield versus lethal hits can be used to quantify the relative mutagenenic efficiency (RME) of agents whose physical exposure doses otherwise would be incommensurable, as well as the relative mutability (Rmt) of different strains to the same mutagen. Plots of yield versus log dose provide an unambiguous way of assessing the relative mutational sensitivities (Rms) and mutational resolutions (Rmr) of different strains against a given mutagen. Such analysis is important for evaluation of the relative merits of excision-proficient and excision-deficient strains of the same organism as mutagen-testing systems. The mathematical approach outlined here is applied, by way of example, to measurements of UV and 4-NQO induced mutagenesis in both repair-deficient and repair-proficient haploid strains of the yeast Sacccharomyces cerevsiae. (orig.)

  19. Energy Service Companies as a Component of a Comprehensive University Sustainability Strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearce, Joshua M.; Miller, Laura L.

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to quantify and critically analyze the best practices of a comprehensive environmental stewardship strategy (ESS), which included a guaranteed energy savings program (GESP) that utilized an energy service company (ESCO). Design/methodology/approach: The environmental and economic benefits and limitations of an approach…

  20. Fundamental Reform of Payment for Adult Primary Care: Comprehensive Payment for Comprehensive Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berenson, Robert A.; Schoenbaum, Stephen C.; Gardner, Laurence B.

    2007-01-01

    Primary care is essential to the effective and efficient functioning of health care delivery systems, yet there is an impending crisis in the field due in part to a dysfunctional payment system. We present a fundamentally new model of payment for primary care, replacing encounter-based imbursement with comprehensive payment for comprehensive care. Unlike former iterations of primary care capitation (which simply bundled inadequate fee-for-service payments), our comprehensive payment model represents new investment in adult primary care, with substantial increases in payment over current levels. The comprehensive payment is directed to practices to include support for the modern systems and teams essential to the delivery of comprehensive, coordinated care. Income to primary physicians is increased commensurate with the high level of responsibility expected. To ensure optimal allocation of resources and the rewarding of desired outcomes, the comprehensive payment is needs/risk-adjusted and performance-based. Our model establishes a new social contract with the primary care community, substantially increasing payment in return for achieving important societal health system goals, including improved accessibility, quality, safety, and efficiency. Attainment of these goals should help offset and justify the costs of the investment. Field tests of this and other new models of payment for primary care are urgently needed. PMID:17356977

  1. Estimation of Rice Crop Yields Using Random Forests in Taiwan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, C. F.; Lin, H. S.; Nguyen, S. T.; Chen, C. R.

    2017-12-01

    Rice is globally one of the most important food crops, directly feeding more people than any other crops. Rice is not only the most important commodity, but also plays a critical role in the economy of Taiwan because it provides employment and income for large rural populations. The rice harvested area and production are thus monitored yearly due to the government's initiatives. Agronomic planners need such information for more precise assessment of food production to tackle issues of national food security and policymaking. This study aimed to develop a machine-learning approach using physical parameters to estimate rice crop yields in Taiwan. We processed the data for 2014 cropping seasons, following three main steps: (1) data pre-processing to construct input layers, including soil types and weather parameters (e.g., maxima and minima air temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation) obtained from meteorological stations across the country; (2) crop yield estimation using the random forests owing to its merits as it can process thousands of variables, estimate missing data, maintain the accuracy level when a large proportion of the data is missing, overcome most of over-fitting problems, and run fast and efficiently when handling large datasets; and (3) error verification. To execute the model, we separated the datasets into two groups of pixels: group-1 (70% of pixels) for training the model and group-2 (30% of pixels) for testing the model. Once the model is trained to produce small and stable out-of-bag error (i.e., the mean squared error between predicted and actual values), it can be used for estimating rice yields of cropping seasons. The results obtained from the random forests-based regression were compared with the actual yield statistics indicated the values of root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) achieved for the first rice crop were respectively 6.2% and 2.7%, while those for the second rice crop were 5.3% and 2

  2. AREVA NP decontamination concept for decommissioning. A comprehensive approach based on over 30 years experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stiepani, Christoph

    2011-01-01

    Decontamination prior to Decommissioning and Dismantlement is imperative. Not only does it provide for minimization of personnel dose exposure but also maximization of the material volume available for free release. Since easier dismantling techniques in lower dose areas can be applied, the licensing process is facilitated and the scheduling and budgeting effort is more reliable. The most internationally accepted approach for Decontamination prior to Decommissioning projects is the Full System Decontamination (FSD). FSD is defined as the chemical decontamination of the primary cooling circuit, in conjunction with the main auxiliary systems. AREVA NP has long-term experience with Full System Decontamination for return to service of operating nuclear power plants as well as for decommissioning after shutdown. Since 1976, AREVA NP has performed over 500 decontamination applications and, from 1986, Decontaminations prior to Decommissioning projects which comprise virtually all NPP designs and plant conditions were performed: NPP designs: HPWR, PWR, and BWR by AREVA, Westinghouse, ABB and GE. Decontaminations performed shortly after final shutdown or several years later, and even after re-opening Safe Enclosure. High Alpha inventory and or low gamma/alpha ratio. Main Coolant chemistry (e.g., with and without Zn injection during operation). Fifteen Decontaminations prior to Decommissioning Projects have been performed successfully to date and the sixteenth FSD is now in the detailed engineering phase and is scheduled to commence late 2010. AREVA NP has developed a fully comprehensive approach for decontamination based on the CORD® (Chemical Oxidation Reduction Decontamination) Family, applied using the in-house designed decontamination equipment AMDA TM (Automatic Modular Decontamination Appliance). Based on the vast experience of AREVA NP in the field of decontamination, the Decontamination Concept for Decommissioning was developed. This concept ensures that the

  3. Effects of heterosis for yield and yield components obtained by crossing divergent alfalfa populations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katić Slobodan

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available When breeding alfalfa for yield performance, it is necessary to use high-yielding parents obtained by different breeding methods. The assumption at the onset of this research was that crossing highest-yielding domestic cultivars with divergent populations from geographically distant breeding centers could result in the expression of heterotic effects in their hybrids contributing to increased alfalfa yield. The objective of this study was to determine yield and yield components and heterotic effects in hybrid progenies obtained by crossing the domestic cultivars NS Banat ZMS II and NS Mediana ZMS V with the cultivars Pella, Dolichi and Hyliki from Greece, UMSS 2001 from Bolivia and Jogeva 118 from Estonia in two series. The field trial planted in 2006, included 13 F1 hybrids and 6 of 7 initial parents in both series. Heterotic effects for yields of forage and hay were observed in 4 combinations (C NS Banat ZMS II x E Hyliki; C NS Banat ZMS II x E UMSS 2001; C NS Mediana ZMS V x E Hyliki; C NS Mediana ZMS V x E Dolichi. The populations that exhibited heterosis in a set of crossings are recommended for use as parent components for development of high-yielding synthetic alfalfa cultivars. .

  4. Status of fission yield measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maeck, W.J.

    1979-01-01

    Fission yield measurement and yield compilation activities in the major laboratories of the world are reviewed. In addition to a general review of the effort of each laboratory, a brief summary of yield measurement activities by fissioning nuclide is presented. A new fast reactor fission yield measurement program being conducted in the US is described

  5. Nitrate radical oxidation of γ-terpinene: hydroxy nitrate, total organic nitrate, and secondary organic aerosol yields

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slade, Jonathan H.; de Perre, Chloé; Lee, Linda; Shepson, Paul B.

    2017-07-01

    Polyolefinic monoterpenes represent a potentially important but understudied source of organic nitrates (ONs) and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) following oxidation due to their high reactivity and propensity for multi-stage chemistry. Recent modeling work suggests that the oxidation of polyolefinic γ-terpinene can be the dominant source of nighttime ON in a mixed forest environment. However, the ON yields, aerosol partitioning behavior, and SOA yields from γ-terpinene oxidation by the nitrate radical (NO3), an important nighttime oxidant, have not been determined experimentally. In this work, we present a comprehensive experimental investigation of the total (gas + particle) ON, hydroxy nitrate, and SOA yields following γ-terpinene oxidation by NO3. Under dry conditions, the hydroxy nitrate yield = 4(+1/-3) %, total ON yield = 14(+3/-2) %, and SOA yield ≤ 10 % under atmospherically relevant particle mass loadings, similar to those for α-pinene + NO3. Using a chemical box model, we show that the measured concentrations of NO2 and γ-terpinene hydroxy nitrates can be reliably simulated from α-pinene + NO3 chemistry. This suggests that NO3 addition to either of the two internal double bonds of γ-terpinene primarily decomposes forming a relatively volatile keto-aldehyde, reconciling the small SOA yield observed here and for other internal olefinic terpenes. Based on aerosol partitioning analysis and identification of speciated particle-phase ON applying high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we estimate that a significant fraction of the particle-phase ON has the hydroxy nitrate moiety. This work greatly contributes to our understanding of ON and SOA formation from polyolefin monoterpene oxidation, which could be important in the northern continental US and the Midwest, where polyolefinic monoterpene emissions are greatest.

  6. A comprehensive approach to RCM-based preventive maintenance program development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hall, B.E.; Davis, T.; Pennington, A.J.

    1988-01-01

    In late 1986, Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE ampersand G) concluded that to support its vision and strategic planning it would be necessary to develop a consistent approach to maintenance for all nuclear units at the artificial island. General Physics Corporation was selected to lead a consultant team to support full-scale development of a preventive maintenance (PM) program for Salem and Hope Creek generating stations based on a reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) approach. RCM was selected because it represents a systematic approach to developing a PM program that provides a logical, consistent, and traceable methodology and produces a well-documented engineering basis for the program. Early in 1987, primary objectives for the PM program were defined. The Phase I tasks addressed key programmatic areas such as maintenance philosophy, procedures, condition monitoring, performance trending, equipment failure data base, ogranization, PM program effectiveness evaluation, RCM process, reliability/availability modeling, information management, training, spare parts, software/hardware, and commitments. Phase I of the PM program development project was completed in January 1988. Highlights of the Phase I work and the PM program manual are described

  7. A Comprehensive Approach for the Ergonomic Evaluation of 13 Emergency and Transport Ventilators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marjanovic, Nicolas; L'Her, Erwan

    2016-05-01

    Mechanical ventilation is an important part of emergency medicine and is frequently used for transportation. Human errors during ventilator settings are frequent and may be associated with high morbidity/mortality. The aim of the study was to provide a complete ergonomic evaluation of emergency and transport ventilators, taking into account objective and subjective human-machine interface assessments and individual mental work load. We performed a prospective bench ergonomic evaluation of 13 emergency and transport ventilators, using standardized conditions and a global methodological approach. The study was performed in an evaluation laboratory dedicated to respiratory care, and 12 emergency physicians unfamiliar with the tested devices were included in the evaluation. The ventilators were classified into 3 categories (simple, sophisticated, and ICU-like). Objective chronometric evaluations were conducted considering 9 tasks, and subjective evaluations were performed (ease of use, willingness to use, and user-friendliness of monitoring) using Likert scales. Mental work load evaluation was performed using the NASA Task Load Index scale. Overall task failure rate represented 4% of all attempts. Setting modifications, ventilation mode changes, and powering down durations were different between simple and other emergency and transport ventilator categories (P < .005). There was no difference between ventilator categories for the ease of use and user-friendliness of the monitoring. In contrast, the willingness to use was lower for simple devices, compared with sophisticated and ICU-like emergency and transport ventilators (2.9 ± 1.4 vs 3.9 ± 1.2, P = .002 and 4.3 ± 1, P < .001). No differences were observed between devices regarding the mental work load, except for several specific devices in the sophisticated category. A comprehensive ergonomic evaluation provides valuable information while investigating operational friendliness in emergency and transport

  8. Yield impact for wafer shape misregistration-based binning for overlay APC diagnostic enhancement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayez, David; Jock, Kevin; Zhou, Yue; Govindarajulu, Venugopal; Zhang, Zhen; Anis, Fatima; Tijiwa-Birk, Felipe; Agarwal, Shivam

    2018-03-01

    The importance of traditionally acceptable sources of variation has started to become more critical as semiconductor technologies continue to push into smaller technology nodes. New metrology techniques are needed to pursue the process uniformity requirements needed for controllable lithography. Process control for lithography has the advantage of being able to adjust for cross-wafer variability, but this requires that all processes are close in matching between process tools/chambers for each process. When this is not the case, the cumulative line variability creates identifiable groups of wafers1 . This cumulative shape based effect is described as impacting overlay measurements and alignment by creating misregistration of the overlay marks. It is necessary to understand what requirements might go into developing a high volume manufacturing approach which leverages this grouping methodology, the key inputs and outputs, and what can be extracted from such an approach. It will be shown that this line variability can be quantified into a loss of electrical yield primarily at the edge of the wafer and proposes a methodology for root cause identification and improvement. This paper will cover the concept of wafer shape based grouping as a diagnostic tool for overlay control and containment, the challenges in implementing this in a manufacturing setting, and the limitations of this approach. This will be accomplished by showing that there are identifiable wafer shape based signatures. These shape based wafer signatures will be shown to be correlated to overlay misregistration, primarily at the edge. It will also be shown that by adjusting for this wafer shape signal, improvements can be made to both overlay as well as electrical yield. These improvements show an increase in edge yield, and a reduction in yield variability.

  9. The extended minimal incision approach to midface rejuvenation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pontius, Allison T; Williams, Edwin F

    2005-08-01

    Recent major advancements in comprehensive facial rejuvenation have focused on management of midfacial aging. Multiple techniques have been described to treat the aging midface; the mere nature of so many approaches is evidence that no one technique has prevailed. Although the nasolabial region remains a challenge to correct, the approach described herein provides comprehensive rejuvenation of the midface, lateral brow, and jawline. The technique is performed via a minimal incision brow-lift approach and has been performed (with minor modifications) by the senior author in more than 650 patients over the past 9 years. The technique has proven to be safe, reliable, and effective.

  10. Prediction of the Dynamic Yield Strength of Metals Using Two Structural-Temporal Parameters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selyutina, N. S.; Petrov, Yu. V.

    2018-02-01

    The behavior of the yield strength of steel and a number of aluminum alloys is investigated in a wide range of strain rates, based on the incubation time criterion of yield and the empirical models of Johnson-Cook and Cowper-Symonds. In this paper, expressions for the parameters of the empirical models are derived through the characteristics of the incubation time criterion; a satisfactory agreement of these data and experimental results is obtained. The parameters of the empirical models can depend on some strain rate. The independence of the characteristics of the incubation time criterion of yield from the loading history and their connection with the structural and temporal features of the plastic deformation process give advantage of the approach based on the concept of incubation time with respect to empirical models and an effective and convenient equation for determining the yield strength in a wider range of strain rates.

  11. Improved Satellite-based Crop Yield Mapping by Spatially Explicit Parameterization of Crop Phenology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Z.; Azzari, G.; Lobell, D. B.

    2016-12-01

    Field-scale mapping of crop yields with satellite data often relies on the use of crop simulation models. However, these approaches can be hampered by inaccuracies in the simulation of crop phenology. Here we present and test an approach to use dense time series of Landsat 7 and 8 acquisitions data to calibrate various parameters related to crop phenology simulation, such as leaf number and leaf appearance rates. These parameters are then mapped across the Midwestern United States for maize and soybean, and for two different simulation models. We then implement our recently developed Scalable satellite-based Crop Yield Mapper (SCYM) with simulations reflecting the improved phenology parameterizations, and compare to prior estimates based on default phenology routines. Our preliminary results show that the proposed method can effectively alleviate the underestimation of early-season LAI by the default Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM), and that spatially explicit parameterization for the phenology model substantially improves the SCYM performance in capturing the spatiotemporal variation in maize and soybean yield. The scheme presented in our study thus preserves the scalability of SCYM, while significantly reducing its uncertainty.

  12. A comprehensive formulation for volumetric modulated arc therapy planning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nguyen, Dan; Lyu, Qihui; Ruan, Dan; O’Connor, Daniel; Low, Daniel A.; Sheng, Ke, E-mail: ksheng@mednet.ucla.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024 (United States)

    2016-07-15

    .59% and 7.45%, respectively, of the prescription dose. Reductions in max dose and mean dose were as high as 14.5 Gy in the LNG case and 15.3 Gy in the H&N{sub 3PTV} case. PTV coverages measured by D95, D98, and D99 were within 0.25% of the prescription dose. By comprehensively optimizing all beams, the comVMAT optimizer gained the freedom to allow some selected beams to deliver higher intensities, yielding a dose distribution that resembles a static beam IMRT plan with beam orientation optimization. Conclusions: The novel nongreedy VMAT approach simultaneously optimizes all beams in an arc and then directly generates deliverable apertures. The single arc VMAT approach thus fully utilizes the digital Linac’s capability in dose rate and gantry rotation speed modulation. In practice, the new single VMAT algorithm generates plans superior to existing VMAT algorithms utilizing two arcs.

  13. Spectrum of physics comprehension

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blasiak, W; Godlewska, M; Rosiek, R; Wcislo, D

    2012-01-01

    The paper presents the results of research on the relationship between self-assessed comprehension of physics lectures and final grades of junior high school students (aged 13-15), high school students (aged 16-18) and physics students at the Pedagogical University of Cracow, Poland (aged 21). Students' declared level of comprehension was measured during a physics lecture on a prearranged scale of 1-10 with the use of a personal response system designed for the purpose of this experiment. Through the use of this tool, we obtained about 2000 computer records of students' declared comprehension of a 45 min lecture, which we named ‘the spectrum of comprehension’. In this paper, we present and analyse the correlation between students' declared comprehension of the content presented in the lecture and their final learning results. (paper)

  14. Measurements of fission yields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Denschlag, H.O.

    2000-01-01

    After some historical introductory remarks on the discovery of nuclear fission and early fission yield determinations, the present status of knowledge on fission yields is briefly reviewed. Practical and fundamental reasons motivating the pursuit of fission yield measurements in the coming century are pointed out. Recent results and novel techniques are described that promise to provide new interesting insights into the fission process during the next century. (author)

  15. Study of the decay B {yields}{omega}K{sub S}{sup 0} at Belle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chobanova, Veronika [MPI Muenchen (Germany)

    2012-07-01

    The study of CP Violation in the decays of the B meson is important for constraining the CKM unitarity triangle in the Standard Model (SM). Second order b {yields} s loop (''penguin'') decays such as B{sup 0} {yields}{omega}K{sub S}{sup 0} are sensitive to CKM angle {phi}{sub 1} and provide a consistency check for the CP violation found in first order weak b {yields} c anti cs transitions (e.g. B{sup 0} {yields} J/{psi}/K{sub S}{sup 0}). Considering corrections from other SM contributions, CP violation in b {yields} s modes are predicted to be larger than that found in b {yields}c, however the experimental tendency is for the measurements to be smaller. We present an updated measurement of the branching fraction of the decay B{sup 0} {yields}{omega}K{sub S}{sup 0} using a new approach. We plan to update the measurement of CP asymmetries in B{sup 0} {yields}{omega}K{sub S}{sup 0} with the final Belle data set which will enhance our understanding of CP violation in penguin dominated decays. We demonstrate that the method used by us provides a smaller statistical uncertainty than the previous Belle analysis.

  16. Effect of sulfur and iron fertilizers on yield, yield components and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Jane

    2011-06-13

    Jun 13, 2011 ... per plant. Interaction between water stress and combination of iron and sulfur fertilizers had significant .... Results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) of water stress (W), sulfur (B) and iron (C), and their interaction with gain yield, yield components and ... the soil structure and it increased the usefulness of other.

  17. Effect of water stress on yield and yield components of sunflower ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A field experiment during year 2009 was conducted in the research station of the University of Tehran, College of Abouraihan in Pakdasht region, Iran. The study was aimed to investigate the effect of water stress on seed yield, yield component and some quantitative traits of four sunflower hybrids namely Azargol, Alstar, ...

  18. Path coefficient and correlation of yield and yield associated traits in candidate bread wheat (triticum aestivum l)lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muhammad, T.; Haider, S.; Qureshi, M. J.; Shah, G. S.; Zamir, R.

    2005-01-01

    Yield and yield contributing traits were studied in candidate bread wheat lines to find out the genetic contribution of the different characters towards grain yield at NIFA, Peshawar during 2001-02. All the characteristics studied differed significantly from each other. Days to heading showed negative and significant correlation with harvest index and grain yield but was negative and non-significant with the biological yield. Days to maturity were negatively correlated at both genotypic and phenotypic levels with biological yield; harvest index and grain yield and level of correlations were significant with harvest index and grain yield. Plant height showed negative genotypic and phenotypic correlation with harvest index and grain yield. Biological yield had positive and significant genotypic and phenotypic correlations with harvest index and grain yield. Harvest index had positive and highly significant genotypic and phenotypic correlation with grain yield. Genotypic and phenotypic correlation coefficients revealed that important characters influencing grain yield are harvest index and biological yield. Path analysis showed the importance in order of harvest index, biological yield, plant height, days to maturity and days to heading with grain yield. (author)

  19. Possible contribution of induced mutations on breaking the rice yield barrier

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sobrizal and Moch Ismachin

    2006-01-01

    At The World Rice Research Conference in Tsukuba, Japan, on 4 — 7 November 2004, there was an active discussion on how to increase the world rice yield production. Breeders agreed that after IR8, the yield potential of rice varieties could not increase drastically. From the breeding point of view, there were two approaches that already started in three to one decade ago, but it is still unfinished yet. These two approaches were to do breeding for hybrid rice varieties or breeding for new plant idiotype varieties. The idea to produce hybrid rice was stimulated by the success of hybrid corn, onion, and sorghum on commercial basis. Among the countries that are working for producing hybrid rice varieties, China was the leading one. China produced hybrid rice varieties and which are planted already in very large area. This success influenced other countries to do the same, including Indonesia. Now Indonesia has already released 11 hybrid rice varieties. Knowing so many characters that are already present in the rice collection, the idea to produce new plant idiotype appears. It seems not difficult to unite selected characters to become a new plant idiotype. In fact, however, up to now there are still a lot of obstacles that make those two approaches could not reach the real goal. This paper will discuss the possible contribution of induced mutations toward the success of these two approaches. (author)

  20. Towards a comprehensive theory for He II: II. A temperature-dependent field-theoretic approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chela-Flores, J.; Ghassib, H.B.

    1982-09-01

    New experimental aspects of He II are used as a guide towards a comprehensive theory in which non-zero temperature U(1) and SU(2) gauge fields are incorporated into a gauge hierarchy of effective Lagrangians. We conjecture that an SU(n) gauge-theoretic description of the superfluidity of 4 He may be obtained in the limit n→infinity. We indicate, however, how experiments may be understood in the zeroth, first and second order of the hierarchy. (author)

  1. [Overcoming the limitations of the descriptive and categorical approaches in psychiatric diagnosis: a proposal based on Bayesian networks].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sorias, Soli

    2015-01-01

    Efforts to overcome the problems of descriptive and categorical approaches have not yielded results. In the present article, psychiatric diagnosis using Bayesian networks is proposed. Instead of a yes/no decision, Bayesian networks give the probability of diagnostic category inclusion, thereby yielding both a graded, i.e., dimensional diagnosis, and a value of the certainty of the diagnosis. With the use of Bayesian networks in the diagnosis of mental disorders, information about etiology, associated features, treatment outcome, and laboratory results may be used in addition to clinical signs and symptoms, with each of these factors contributing proportionally to their own specificity and sensitivity. Furthermore, a diagnosis (albeit one with a lower probability) can be made even with incomplete, uncertain, or partially erroneous information, and patients whose symptoms are below the diagnostic threshold can be evaluated. Lastly, there is no need of NOS or "unspecified" categories, and comorbid disorders become different dimensions of the diagnostic evaluation. Bayesian diagnoses allow the preservation of current categories and assessment methods, and may be used concurrently with criteria-based diagnoses. Users need not put in extra effort except to collect more comprehensive information. Unlike the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project, the Bayesian approach neither increases the diagnostic validity of existing categories nor explains the pathophysiological mechanisms of mental disorders. It, however, can be readily integrated to present classification systems. Therefore, the Bayesian approach may be an intermediate phase between criteria-based diagnosis and the RDoC ideal.

  2. Cultural Knowledge in News Comprehension

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mathieu, David

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents the main lines of the design and the findings of a reception study on news comprehension. This empirical study is a comparison of the comprehension processes of Danes and French Canadians over a set of news texts from both countries. Comprehension is explored from a cultural...... perspective, through the lens of cognition and pragmatics, revealing the role played by cultural knowledge in comprehension and the underlying relationship between a text and its intended audience. It is argued that recipients ‘problematise’ the news texts, a process by which the texts answer questions...

  3. Seed yield and some yield components of sesame as affected by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In order to study the effect of different irrigation, N and superabsorbent levels on yield and yield components of sesame, a field experiment was conducted in Khosf Region, Birjand, Iran in 2009 as a split-split plot design based on a randomized complete block design. The treatments included irrigation interval at three levels ...

  4. Archetype-Based Modeling of Persona for Comprehensive Personality Computing from Personal Big Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Jianhua

    2018-01-01

    A model describing the wide variety of human behaviours called personality, is becoming increasingly popular among researchers due to the widespread availability of personal big data generated from the use of prevalent digital devices, e.g., smartphones and wearables. Such an approach can be used to model an individual and even digitally clone a person, e.g., a Cyber-I (cyber individual). This work is aimed at establishing a unique and comprehensive description for an individual to mesh with various personalized services and applications. An extensive research literature on or related to psychological modelling exists, i.e., into automatic personality computing. However, the integrity and accuracy of the results from current automatic personality computing is insufficient for the elaborate modeling in Cyber-I due to an insufficient number of data sources. To reach a comprehensive psychological description of a person, it is critical to bring in heterogeneous data sources that could provide plenty of personal data, i.e., the physiological data, and the Internet data. In addition, instead of calculating personality traits from personal data directly, an approach to a personality model derived from the theories of Carl Gustav Jung is used to measure a human subject’s persona. Therefore, this research is focused on designing an archetype-based modeling of persona covering an individual’s facets in different situations to approach a comprehensive personality model. Using personal big data to measure a specific persona in a certain scenario, our research is designed to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the generated personality model. PMID:29495343

  5. Archetype-Based Modeling of Persona for Comprehensive Personality Computing from Personal Big Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ao Guo

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available A model describing the wide variety of human behaviours called personality, is becoming increasingly popular among researchers due to the widespread availability of personal big data generated from the use of prevalent digital devices, e.g., smartphones and wearables. Such an approach can be used to model an individual and even digitally clone a person, e.g., a Cyber-I (cyber individual. This work is aimed at establishing a unique and comprehensive description for an individual to mesh with various personalized services and applications. An extensive research literature on or related to psychological modelling exists, i.e., into automatic personality computing. However, the integrity and accuracy of the results from current automatic personality computing is insufficient for the elaborate modeling in Cyber-I due to an insufficient number of data sources. To reach a comprehensive psychological description of a person, it is critical to bring in heterogeneous data sources that could provide plenty of personal data, i.e., the physiological data, and the Internet data. In addition, instead of calculating personality traits from personal data directly, an approach to a personality model derived from the theories of Carl Gustav Jung is used to measure a human subject’s persona. Therefore, this research is focused on designing an archetype-based modeling of persona covering an individual’s facets in different situations to approach a comprehensive personality model. Using personal big data to measure a specific persona in a certain scenario, our research is designed to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the generated personality model.

  6. Archetype-Based Modeling of Persona for Comprehensive Personality Computing from Personal Big Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Ao; Ma, Jianhua

    2018-02-25

    A model describing the wide variety of human behaviours called personality, is becoming increasingly popular among researchers due to the widespread availability of personal big data generated from the use of prevalent digital devices, e.g., smartphones and wearables. Such an approach can be used to model an individual and even digitally clone a person, e.g., a Cyber-I (cyber individual). This work is aimed at establishing a unique and comprehensive description for an individual to mesh with various personalized services and applications. An extensive research literature on or related to psychological modelling exists, i.e., into automatic personality computing. However, the integrity and accuracy of the results from current automatic personality computing is insufficient for the elaborate modeling in Cyber-I due to an insufficient number of data sources. To reach a comprehensive psychological description of a person, it is critical to bring in heterogeneous data sources that could provide plenty of personal data, i.e., the physiological data, and the Internet data. In addition, instead of calculating personality traits from personal data directly, an approach to a personality model derived from the theories of Carl Gustav Jung is used to measure a human subject's persona. Therefore, this research is focused on designing an archetype-based modeling of persona covering an individual's facets in different situations to approach a comprehensive personality model. Using personal big data to measure a specific persona in a certain scenario, our research is designed to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the generated personality model.

  7. Staying alive or going to die during terminal senescence– An enigma surrounding yield stability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krishna S.V. Jagadish

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Breeding programs with the aim to enhance yield productivity under abiotic stress conditions during the reproductive stage of crops is a top priority in the era of climate change. However, the choice of exploring stay-green or senescence phenotypes, which represent an opposing physiological bearing, are explored in cereal breeding programs for enhanced yield stability to a different extent. Thus, the consideration of stay-green or senescence phenotypes is still an ongoing debate and has not been comprehensively addressed. In this review, we provide arguments for designing a target phenotype needed to encounter mitigate abiotic stresses during pre- and post-anthesis in cereals with a focus on hormonal balances regulating stay-green phenotype versus remobilization. The two major hypothesis for grain yield improvement are (i the importance of the stay-green trait to elevate grain number under pre-anthesis and anthesis stress and (ii fine tuning the regulatory and molecular physiological mechanisms to accelerate nutrient remobilization to optimize grain quality and seed weight under post-anthesis stress. We highlight why a cautious balance in the phenotype design is essential. While stay-green phenotypes promise to be ideal for developing stress-tolerant lines during pre-anthesis and fertilization to enhance grain number and yield per se, fine-tuning efficient remobilizing behaviour during seed filling might optimize grain weight, grain quality and nutrient efficiency. The proposed model provides novel and focused directions for cereal stress breeding programs to ensure better seed-set and efficient grain-filling in cereals under terminal drought and heat stress exposure.

  8. Extracting DNA from 'jaws': High yield and quality from archived tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) skeletal material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eg Nielsen, Einar; Morgan, J. A T; Maher, S. L.

    2017-01-01

    of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier). Protocols were compared for DNA yield and quality using a qPCR approach. For jaw swarf, all methods provided relatively high DNA yield and quality, while large differences in yield between protocols were observed for vertebrae. Similar results were obtained from samples...... observed, likely reflecting different preparation and storage methods for the trophies. Trial sequencing of DNA capture genomic libraries using 20 000 baits revealed that a significant proportion of captured sequences were derived from tiger sharks. This study demonstrates that archived shark jaws...

  9. Towards a comprehensive X-ray approach for studying the photosynthetic manganese complex-XANES, K{alpha}/K{beta}/K{beta}-satellite emission lines, RIXS, and comparative computational approaches for selected model complexes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zaharieva, I; Chernev, P; Risch, M; Gerencser, L; Haumann, M; Dau, H [Free University Berlin, FB Physik, Arnimallee 14, D-14195 Berlin (Germany); Berggren, G; Shevchenko, D; Anderlund, M [Dept. of Photochemistry and Molecular Science, Uppsala University, Box 523, S-751 20 Uppsala (Sweden); Weng, T C, E-mail: holger.dau@fu-berlin.d, E-mail: michael.haumann@fu-berlin.d [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, BP 220, F-38043 Grenoble Cedex (France)

    2009-11-15

    Advanced X-ray spectroscopy experiments can contribute to elucidation of the mechanism of water oxidation in biological (tetra-manganese complex of Photosystem II) and artificial systems. Although the electronic structure of the catalytic metal site is of high interest, it is experimentally not easily accessible. Therefore, we and other researchers are working towards a comprehensive approach involving a combination of methods, namely (1) quantitative analysis of X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra collected at the K-edge and, in the long run, at the L-edge of manganese; (2) high-resolution X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) of K{alpha} and K{beta} lines, (3) two-dimensional resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) spectra. Collection of these spectroscopic data sets requires state-of-the-art synchrotron radiation facilities as well as experimental strategies to minimize the radiation-induced modifications of the samples. Data analysis requires the use and development of appropriate theoretical tools. Here, we present exemplary data collected for three multi-nuclear synthetic Mn complexes with the Mn ions in the oxidation states II, III, and IV, and for Mn{sup VII} of the permanganate ion. Emission spectra are calculated for the Mn{sup VII} ion using both multiple-scattering (MS) approach and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT).

  10. Comprehensive update of the atomic mass predictions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haustein, P.E.

    1987-01-01

    A project has been completed recently for a comprehensive update of atomic mass predictions. This last occurred in 1976. Over the last 10 years the reliability of these earlier predictions (and others published later) has been analyzed by comparisons of the predictions with new masses from isotopes that were not in the experimental data base when the predictions were prepared. This analysis has highlighted distinct systematic features in various models which frequently result in poor predictions for nuclei that lie far from stability. An overview of the new predictions from models with different theoretical approaches will be presented

  11. Inheritance of grain yield and its correlation with yield components in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SAM

    2014-03-19

    Mar 19, 2014 ... average yield of wheat in China is 4.75 t ha-1, which is low compared to other .... Analysis of variance for combining ability for grain yield plant-1. Source of variation ..... Hayman BI (1954). The theory and analysis of diallel crosses. .... Analysis and prospect of China wheat market in 2011. Food and Oil.

  12. Extending comprehensive models of the Earth's magnetic field with Orsted and CHAMP data

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sabaka, T.J.; Olsen, Nils; Purucker, M.E.

    2004-01-01

    are coestimated in a comprehensive approach, intriguing north-south features typically filtered out with other methods are being discovered in the lithospheric representation of the model, such as the S Atlantic spreading ridge and Andean subduction zone lineations. In addition, this lithospheric field exhibits...

  13. Linkages among climate change, crop yields and Mexico-US cross-border migration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Shuaizhang; Krueger, Alan B; Oppenheimer, Michael

    2010-08-10

    Climate change is expected to cause mass human migration, including immigration across international borders. This study quantitatively examines the linkages among variations in climate, agricultural yields, and people's migration responses by using an instrumental variables approach. Our method allows us to identify the relationship between crop yields and migration without explicitly controlling for all other confounding factors. Using state-level data from Mexico, we find a significant effect of climate-driven changes in crop yields on the rate of emigration to the United States. The estimated semielasticity of emigration with respect to crop yields is approximately -0.2, i.e., a 10% reduction in crop yields would lead an additional 2% of the population to emigrate. We then use the estimated semielasticity to explore the potential magnitude of future emigration. Depending on the warming scenarios used and adaptation levels assumed, with other factors held constant, by approximately the year 2080, climate change is estimated to induce 1.4 to 6.7 million adult Mexicans (or 2% to 10% of the current population aged 15-65 y) to emigrate as a result of declines in agricultural productivity alone. Although the results cannot be mechanically extrapolated to other areas and time periods, our findings are significant from a global perspective given that many regions, especially developing countries, are expected to experience significant declines in agricultural yields as a result of projected warming.

  14. Effect of Biofertilizers on the Yield and Yield Components of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Khorramdel

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Application of biological fertilizers is one of the most important methods for plant nutrition in ecological agriculture. In order to investigate the effect of biofertilizers on yield and yield components of black cumin (Nigella sativa L., a field experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications during 2007 growing season at the Agricultural Research Station of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Treatments included: (A Azotobacter paspali, (B Azospirillum brasilense, (C the fungus of Glomus intraradaices, C+A, C+B, A+B, A+B+C, and control without no biofertilizers. In all treatments except control, the amounts of 15 mg of each biofertilizer were applied to 110 g of seeds. Results indicated that application of biofertilizers enhanced yield and yield components and decreased percentage of hollow capsules. Plant performance was better with application of Azospirillum plus mycorrhiza and a mixture of Azotobacter, Azospirillum and mycorrhiza in terms of yield determining criteria. The maximum and minimum amounts of seed yield were recorded in the B+C treatment with 41.4 gm-2, and control with 24.1 gm-2, respectively. There was no significant correlation between number of capsules per plant and seed yield, but the positive and significant correlation between number of branches per plant, number of seeds per capsule, 1000-seed weight and seed yield was observed. This study showed that application of suitable biofertilizers could increase yield and yield components of black cumin. Keywords: Biofertilizer, Ecological agriculture, Medicinal plants, Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria

  15. Integrated specialty service readiness in health reform: connections in haemophilia comprehensive care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pritchard, A M; Page, D

    2008-05-01

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified primary healthcare reform as a global priority whereby innovative practice changes are directed at improving health. This transformation to health reform in haemophilia service requires clarification of comprehensive care to reflect the WHO definition of health and key elements of primary healthcare reform. While comprehensive care supports effective healthcare delivery, comprehensive care must also be regarded beyond immediate patient management to reflect the broader system purpose in the care continuum with institutions, community agencies and government. Furthermore, health reform may be facilitated through integrated service delivery (ISD). ISD in specialty haemophilia care has the potential to reduce repetition of assessments, enhance care plan communication between providers and families, provide 24-h access to care, improve information availability regarding care quality and outcomes, consolidate access for multiple healthcare encounters and facilitate family self-efficacy and autonomy [1]. Three core aspects of ISD have been distinguished: clinical integration, information management and technology and vertical integration in local communities [2]. Selected examples taken from Canadian haemophilia comprehensive care illustrate how practice innovations are bridged with a broader system level approach and may support initiatives in other contexts. These innovations are thought to indicate readiness regarding ISD. Reflecting on the existing capacity of haemophilia comprehensive care teams will assist providers to connect and direct their existing strengths towards ISD and health reform.

  16. Systematics of Fission-Product Yields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wahl, A.C.

    2002-01-01

    Empirical equations representing systematics of fission-product yields have been derived from experimental data. The systematics give some insight into nuclear-structure effects on yields, and the equations allow estimation of yields from fission of any nuclide with atomic number Z F = 90 thru 98, mass number A F = 230 thru 252, and precursor excitation energy (projectile kinetic plus binding energies) PE = 0 thru ∼200 MeV--the ranges of these quantities for the fissioning nuclei investigated. Calculations can be made with the computer program CYFP. Estimates of uncertainties in the yield estimates are given by equations, also in CYFP, and range from ∼ 15% for the highest yield values to several orders of magnitude for very small yield values. A summation method is used to calculate weighted average parameter values for fast-neutron (∼ fission spectrum) induced fission reactions

  17. Systematics of Fission-Product Yields

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    A.C. Wahl

    2002-05-01

    Empirical equations representing systematics of fission-product yields have been derived from experimental data. The systematics give some insight into nuclear-structure effects on yields, and the equations allow estimation of yields from fission of any nuclide with atomic number Z{sub F} = 90 thru 98, mass number A{sub F} = 230 thru 252, and precursor excitation energy (projectile kinetic plus binding energies) PE = 0 thru {approx}200 MeV--the ranges of these quantities for the fissioning nuclei investigated. Calculations can be made with the computer program CYFP. Estimates of uncertainties in the yield estimates are given by equations, also in CYFP, and range from {approx} 15% for the highest yield values to several orders of magnitude for very small yield values. A summation method is used to calculate weighted average parameter values for fast-neutron ({approx} fission spectrum) induced fission reactions.

  18. Locational variation in green fodder yield, dry matter yield, and forage quality of sorghum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hussain, A.; Khan, S.; Mohammad, D.

    2007-01-01

    The present study was designed to find out the variations in for- age yield and quality of sorghum as affected by different environments. The three agroecological zones viz., Agricultural Research Institute (ARI), Sariab, Quetta, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Faisalabad and National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad were selected on the basis of different physiography, geology, temperature, and climate and water availability. Crude protein contents, varied from 6.98 to 8.02 percent, crude fibre contents from 30.84 to 31.68 percent, green fodder yield from 38.91 to 50.64 t/ha and dry matter yield from 8.92 to 10.17 t/ha at the three diverse locations. Maximum crude protein and crude fibre contents were obtained at NARC, Islamabad and AARI, Faisalabad. Maximum green fodder and dry matter yields were also observed at NARC, Islamabad and AARI, Faisalabad. It was also noted that the same genotypes showed differential response when planted under the diverse environments for green fodder yield, dry matter yield, crude protein and crude fibre contents. Therefore, it was concluded that these differences in forage yield and quality traits under diverse environments were due to differences in soil types, soil fertility, temperature, rain- fall and other climatic conditions. (author)

  19. Quantitative Genetic Analysis for Yield and Yield Components in Boro Rice (Oryza sativa L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Supriyo CHAKRABORTY

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Twenty-nine genotypes of boro rice (Oryza sativa L. were grown in a randomized block design with three replications in plots of 4m x 1m with a crop geometry of 20 cm x 20 cm between November-April, in Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nagaon, India. Quantitative data were collected on five randomly selected plants of each genotype per replication for yield/plant, and six other yield components, namely plant height, panicles/plant, panicle length, effective grains/panicle, 100 grain weight and harvest index. Mean values of the characters for each genotype were used for analysis of variance and covariance to obtain information on genotypic and phenotypic correlation along with coheritability between two characters. Path analyses were carried out to estimate the direct and indirect effects of boro rice�s yield components. The objective of the study was to identify the characters that mostly influence the yield for increasing boro rice productivity through breeding program. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive genotypic correlation of yield/plant with plant height (0.21, panicles/plant (0.53, panicle length (0.53, effective grains/panicle (0.57 and harvest index (0.86. Path analysis based on genotypic correlation coefficients elucidated high positive direct effect of harvest index (0.8631, panicle length (0.2560 and 100 grain weight (0.1632 on yield/plant with a residual effect of 0.33. Plant height and panicles/plant recorded high positive indirect effect on yield/plant via harvest index whereas effective grains/panicle on yield/plant via harvest index and panicle length. Results of the present study suggested that five component characters, namely harvest index, effective grains/plant, panicle length, panicles/plant and plant height influenced the yield of boro rice. A genotype with higher magnitude of these component characters could be either selected from the existing genotypes or evolved by breeding program for genetic

  20. Investigating Predictors of Listening Comprehension in Third-, Seventh-, and Tenth-Grade Students: A Dominance Analysis Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tighe, Elizabeth L.; Spencer, Mercedes; Schatschneider, Christopher

    2015-01-01

    This study rank ordered the contributive importance of several predictors of listening comprehension for third, seventh, and tenth graders. Principal components analyses revealed that a three-factor solution with fluency, reasoning, and working memory components provided the best fit across grade levels. Dominance analyses indicated that fluency…

  1. Toward a comprehensive and systematic methylome signature in colorectal cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashktorab, Hassan; Rahi, Hamed; Wansley, Daniel; Varma, Sudhir; Shokrani, Babak; Lee, Edward; Daremipouran, Mohammad; Laiyemo, Adeyinka; Goel, Ajay; Carethers, John M; Brim, Hassan

    2013-08-01

    CpG Island Methylator Phenotype (CIMP) is one of the underlying mechanisms in colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to define a methylome signature in CRC through a methylation microarray analysis and a compilation of promising CIMP markers from the literature. Illumina HumanMethylation27 (IHM27) array data was generated and analyzed based on statistical differences in methylation data (1st approach) or based on overall differences in methylation percentages using lower 95% CI (2nd approach). Pyrosequencing was performed for the validation of nine genes. A meta-analysis was used to identify CIMP and non-CIMP markers that were hypermethylated in CRC but did not yet make it to the CIMP genes' list. Our 1st approach for array data analysis demonstrated the limitations in selecting genes for further validation, highlighting the need for the 2nd bioinformatics approach to adequately select genes with differential aberrant methylation. A more comprehensive list, which included non-CIMP genes, such as APC, EVL, CD109, PTEN, TWIST1, DCC, PTPRD, SFRP1, ICAM5, RASSF1A, EYA4, 30ST2, LAMA1, KCNQ5, ADHEF1, and TFPI2, was established. Array data are useful to categorize and cluster colonic lesions based on their global methylation profiles; however, its usefulness in identifying robust methylation markers is limited and rely on the data analysis method. We have identified 16 non-CIMP-panel genes for which we provide rationale for inclusion in a more comprehensive characterization of CIMP+ CRCs. The identification of a definitive list for methylome specific genes in CRC will contribute to better clinical management of CRC patients.

  2. Mutually beneficial pollinator diversity and crop yield outcomes in small and large farms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garibaldi, Lucas A; Carvalheiro, Luísa G; Vaissière, Bernard E; Gemmill-Herren, Barbara; Hipólito, Juliana; Freitas, Breno M; Ngo, Hien T; Azzu, Nadine; Sáez, Agustín; Åström, Jens; An, Jiandong; Blochtein, Betina; Buchori, Damayanti; Chamorro García, Fermín J; Oliveira da Silva, Fabiana; Devkota, Kedar; Ribeiro, Márcia de Fátima; Freitas, Leandro; Gaglianone, Maria C; Goss, Maria; Irshad, Mohammad; Kasina, Muo; Pacheco Filho, Alípio J S; Kiill, Lucia H Piedade; Kwapong, Peter; Parra, Guiomar Nates; Pires, Carmen; Pires, Viviane; Rawal, Ranbeer S; Rizali, Akhmad; Saraiva, Antonio M; Veldtman, Ruan; Viana, Blandina F; Witter, Sidia; Zhang, Hong

    2016-01-22

    Ecological intensification, or the improvement of crop yield through enhancement of biodiversity, may be a sustainable pathway toward greater food supplies. Such sustainable increases may be especially important for the 2 billion people reliant on small farms, many of which are undernourished, yet we know little about the efficacy of this approach. Using a coordinated protocol across regions and crops, we quantify to what degree enhancing pollinator density and richness can improve yields on 344 fields from 33 pollinator-dependent crop systems in small and large farms from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. For fields less than 2 hectares, we found that yield gaps could be closed by a median of 24% through higher flower-visitor density. For larger fields, such benefits only occurred at high flower-visitor richness. Worldwide, our study demonstrates that ecological intensification can create synchronous biodiversity and yield outcomes. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  3. Comprehensive management of presbycusis: central and peripheral.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parham, Kourosh; Lin, Frank R; Coelho, Daniel H; Sataloff, Robert T; Gates, George A

    2013-04-01

    The prevailing otolaryngologic approach to treatment of age-related hearing loss (ARHL), presbycusis, emphasizes compensation of peripheral functional deficits (ie, hearing aids and cochlear implants). This approach does not address adequately the needs of the geriatric population, 1 in 5 of whom is expected to consist of the "old old" in the coming decades. Aging affects both the peripheral and central auditory systems, and disorders of executive function become more prevalent with advancing age. Growing evidence supports an association between age-related hearing loss and cognitive decline. Thus, to facilitate optimal functional capacity in our geriatric patients, a more comprehensive management strategy of ARHL is needed. Diagnostic evaluation should go beyond standard audiometric testing and include measures of central auditory function, including dichotic tasks and speech-in-noise testing. Treatment should include not only appropriate means of peripheral compensation but also auditory rehabilitative training and counseling.

  4. Case in Language Comprehension

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bader, Markus; Lamers, Monique

    2012-01-01

    Research on human language comprehension has been heavily influenced by properties of the English language. Since case plays only a minor role in English, its role for language comprehension has only recently become a topic for extensive research on psycholinguistics. In the psycholinguistic

  5. Genetic analysis of yield and yield components in Oryza sativa x ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... inheritance of yield and yield components and to estimate the heritabilities of important quantitative traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Six generations viz., P1, P2, F1, F2, BCP1 and BCP2 of a cross between IET6279 and IR70445-146-3-3 were used for the study. Generation mean analysis suggested that additive effects had a ...

  6. Listening Comprehension in Middle-Aged Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sommers, Mitchell S

    2015-06-01

    The purpose of this summary is to examine changes in listening comprehension across the adult lifespan and to identify factors associated with individual differences in listening comprehension. In this article, the author reports on both cross-sectional and longitudinal changes in listening comprehension. Despite significant declines in both sensory and cognitive abilities, listening comprehension remains relatively unchanged in middle-aged listeners (between the ages of 40 and 60 years) compared with young listeners. These results are discussed with respect to possible compensatory factors that maintain listening comprehension despite impaired hearing and reduced cognitive capacities.

  7. Primary and Secondary Yield Losses Caused by Pests and Diseases: Assessment and Modeling in Coffee.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cerda, Rolando; Avelino, Jacques; Gary, Christian; Tixier, Philippe; Lechevallier, Esther; Allinne, Clémentine

    2017-01-01

    The assessment of crop yield losses is needed for the improvement of production systems that contribute to the incomes of rural families and food security worldwide. However, efforts to quantify yield losses and identify their causes are still limited, especially for perennial crops. Our objectives were to quantify primary yield losses (incurred in the current year of production) and secondary yield losses (resulting from negative impacts of the previous year) of coffee due to pests and diseases, and to identify the most important predictors of coffee yields and yield losses. We established an experimental coffee parcel with full-sun exposure that consisted of six treatments, which were defined as different sequences of pesticide applications. The trial lasted three years (2013-2015) and yield components, dead productive branches, and foliar pests and diseases were assessed as predictors of yield. First, we calculated yield losses by comparing actual yields of specific treatments with the estimated attainable yield obtained in plots which always had chemical protection. Second, we used structural equation modeling to identify the most important predictors. Results showed that pests and diseases led to high primary yield losses (26%) and even higher secondary yield losses (38%). We identified the fruiting nodes and the dead productive branches as the most important and useful predictors of yields and yield losses. These predictors could be added in existing mechanistic models of coffee, or can be used to develop new linear mixed models to estimate yield losses. Estimated yield losses can then be related to production factors to identify corrective actions that farmers can implement to reduce losses. The experimental and modeling approaches of this study could also be applied in other perennial crops to assess yield losses.

  8. The Role of First-Language Listening Comprehension in Second-Language Reading Comprehension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edele, Aileen; Stanat, Petra

    2016-01-01

    Although the simple view of reading and other theories suggest that listening comprehension is an important determinant of reading comprehension, previous research on linguistic transfer has mainly focused on the role of first language (L1) decoding skills in second language (L2) reading. The present study tested the assumption that listening…

  9. Cura Annonae-Chemically Boosting Crop Yields Through Metabolic Feeding of a Plant Signaling Precursor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vocadlo, David J

    2017-05-22

    The cream of the crop: With the world facing a projected shortfall of crops by 2050, new approaches are needed to boost crop yields. Metabolic feeding of plants with photocaged trehalose-6-phosphate (Tre6P) can increase levels of the signaling metabolite Tre6P in the plant. Reprogramming of cellular metabolism by Tre6P stimulates a program of plant growth and enhanced crop yields, while boosting starch content. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Comprehensive and market-based approaches to global-change policy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stewart, R.B.

    1992-01-01

    The summary highlights the need to take a system-wide approach to global change. The need to minimize costs while achieving environmental goals suggests the utility of employing market-based incentives that (1) ensure that the most is achieved by those who can do so at least cost and (2) encourage, innovation, rather than using 'command-and-control' tactics that mandate uniform adoption of centrally selected techniques. 18 refs

  11. Teachers’ conflicting cultural schemas of teaching comprehensive school-based sexuality education in Kampala, Uganda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Haas, Billie; Hutter, Inge

    2018-01-01

    Teachers can feel uncomfortable teaching sexuality education when the content conflicts with their cultural values and beliefs. However, more research is required to understand how to resolve conflicts between teachers’ values and beliefs and those implicit in comprehensive approaches to sexuality

  12. Teachers’ conflicting cultural schemas of teaching comprehensive school-based sexuality education in Kampala, Uganda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Haas, B. (Billie); I. Hutter (Inge)

    2018-01-01

    textabstractTeachers can feel uncomfortable teaching sexuality education when the content conflicts with their cultural values and beliefs. However, more research is required to understand how to resolve conflicts between teachers’ values and beliefs and those implicit in comprehensive approaches to

  13. Helicity dependence of the {gamma}{yields}p{yields}{yields}n{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup 0} reaction in the second resonance region

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahrens, J.; Altieri, S.; Annand, J.R.M.; Anton, G.; Arends, H.-J.; Aulenbacher, K.; Beck, R.; Bradtke, C.; Braghieri, A.; Degrande, N.; D' Hose, N.; Dutz, H.; Goertz, S.; Grabmayr, P.; Hansen, K.; Harmsen, J.; Harrach, D. von; Hasegawa, S.; Hasegawa, T.; Heid, E.; Helbing, K.; Holvoet, H.; Van Hoorebeke, L.; Horikawa, N.; Iwata, T.; Jahn, O.; Jennewein, P.; Kageya, T.; Kiel, B.; Klein, F.; Kondratiev, R.; Kossert, K.; Krimmer, J.; Lang, M.; Lannoy, B.; Leukel, R.; Lisin, V.; Matsuda, T.; McGeorge, J.C.; Meier, A.; Menze, D.; Meyer, W.; Michel, T.; Naumann, J.; Panzeri, A.; Pedroni, P.; Pinelli, T.; Preobrajenski, I.; Radtke, E.; Reichert, E.; Reicherz, G.; Rohlof, Ch.; Rosner, G.; Rostomyan, T.; Rovelli, C.; Ryckbosch, D.; Sauer, M.; Schoch, B.; Schumacher, M.; Seitz, B.; Speckner, T.; Takabayashi, N.; Tamas, G.; Thomas, A.; Vyver, R. van de; Wakai, A.; Weihofen, W.; Wissmann, F.; Zapadtka, F.; Zeitler, G

    2003-01-02

    The helicity dependence of the total cross section for the {gamma}{yields}p{yields}{yields}n{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup 0} reaction has been measured for the first time at incident photon energies from 400 to 800 MeV. The measurement was performed with the large acceptance detector DAPHNE at the tagged photon beam facility of the MAMI accelerator in Mainz. This channel is found to be excited predominantly when the photon and proton have a parallel spin orientation, due to the intermediate production of the D{sub 13} resonance.

  14. A two-stage approach to the depot shunting driver assignment problem with workload balance considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jiaxi; Gronalt, Manfred; Sun, Yan

    2017-01-01

    Due to its environmentally sustainable and energy-saving characteristics, railway transportation nowadays plays a fundamental role in delivering passengers and goods. Emerged in the area of transportation planning, the crew (workforce) sizing problem and the crew scheduling problem have been attached great importance by the railway industry and the scientific community. In this paper, we aim to solve the two problems by proposing a novel two-stage optimization approach in the context of the electric multiple units (EMU) depot shunting driver assignment problem. Given a predefined depot shunting schedule, the first stage of the approach focuses on determining an optimal size of shunting drivers. While the second stage is formulated as a bi-objective optimization model, in which we comprehensively consider the objectives of minimizing the total walking distance and maximizing the workload balance. Then we combine the normalized normal constraint method with a modified Pareto filter algorithm to obtain Pareto solutions for the bi-objective optimization problem. Furthermore, we conduct a series of numerical experiments to demonstrate the proposed approach. Based on the computational results, the regression analysis yield a driver size predictor and the sensitivity analysis give some interesting insights that are useful for decision makers.

  15. A note on hypoplastic yielding

    OpenAIRE

    Nader, José Jorge

    2010-01-01

    This note discusses briefly the definition of yield surface in hypoplasticity in connection with the physical notion of yielding. The relation of yielding with the vanishing of the material time derivative of the stress tensor and the vanishing of the corotational stress rate is investigated.

  16. Formulating a comprehensive strategy to counter the menace of malnutrition in developing countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saurabh RamBihariLal Shrivastava

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The indispensable role of optimal nutrition in ensuring absolute health status and holistic development of a society is well acknowledged. Malnutrition is considered as a disease of human society that can begin in the womb and eventually lasts till the death. A wide range of socio-cultural and infectious parameters have been determined that can ultimately precipitate malnutrition. Considering the multi-factorial origin of the disease, the strategy to combat malnutrition should also be comprehensive and multi-pronged comprising measures to combat the condition at every level concurrently in the entire nation. The corrective policy essentially requires the coordinated approach of different stakeholders and should be targeted at four different levels - family, community, national, and international. To conclude, diet is a crucial element in the natural history of many public health-related diseases, and owing to the multiple factors that eventually determine the dietary habits, a comprehensive approach is the need of the hour.

  17. Synthesis of crystalline Ce-activated garnet phosphor powders and technique to characterize their scintillation light yield

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordienko, E.; Fedorov, A.; Radiuk, E.; Mechinsky, V.; Dosovitskiy, G.; Vashchenkova, E.; Kuznetsova, D.; Retivov, V.; Dosovitskiy, A.; Korjik, M.; Sandu, R.

    2018-04-01

    This work reports on a process of preparation of garnet phosphor powders and a technique for light yield evaluation of strongly light scattering samples. Powders of scintillation compounds could be used as individual materials or as samples for express tests of scintillation properties. However, estimation of their light yield (LY) is complicated by strong light scattering of this kind of materials. Ce3+-activated yttrium-aluminum and gallium-gadolinium-aluminum garnet phosphor powders, Y3Al5O12 (YAG:Ce) and Gd3Ga3Al2O12 (GGAG:Ce), were obtained using a modified coprecipitation technique. Ga tends to residue in mother liquor in ammonia media, but the modification allows to avoid the loss of components. We propose an approach for sample preparation and LY measurement setup with alpha particles excitation, allowing to decrease light scattering influence and to estimate a light yield of powder samples. This approach is used to evaluate the obtained powders.

  18. Storybook Read-Alouds to Enhance Students’ Comprehension Skills in ESL Classrooms: A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ainon Omar

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The effectiveness of using storybooks during read-alouds to develop children’s comprehension skills as well as in understanding the story has been widely studied. The reading aloud strategy has also been proven through numerous researches to be the most highly recommended activity for encouraging language and literacy. The study identified the comprehension strategies used by the teachers during their read-aloud sessions, matched teachers’ current practices using the comprehension strategies to the identified practices for the approach, and obtained the teachers’ perceptions of their current practices of the comprehension strategies during reading aloud in their English language classrooms. The teachers’ comprehension strategies were matched with a research-based strategy for comprehending texts during read-alouds proposed by Whitehurst et al (1994. Three primary school English language teachers teaching in the rural schools participated in this study. Qualitative research methods were used in this study. Primary data was obtained through observations using an observation protocol; while secondary data was obtained through interviews from teachers. Findings from the study revealed that the three teachers employed a few of the comprehension strategies that were proposed by researchers in the field. The findings also indicate that the teachers utilized only the strategies that they thought were relevant to their teaching context and as such, proposed the need to provide teachers with knowledge on the best practices for conducting reading aloud to develop ESL students’ comprehension skills

  19. Effects of nitrogen application method and weed control on corn yield and yield components.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sepahvand, Pariya; Sajedi, Nurali; Mousavi, Seyed Karim; Ghiasvand, Mohsen

    2014-04-01

    The effects of nitrogen fertilizer application and different methods for weed control on yield and yield components of corn was evaluated in Khorramabad in 2011. The experiment was conducted as a split plot based on randomized complete block design in 3 replications. Nitrogen application was as main plot in 4 levels (no nitrogen, broadcasting nitrogen, banding nitrogen and sprayed nitrogen) and methods of weed control were in 4 levels (non-control weeds, application Equip herbicide, once hand control of weeds and application Equip herbicide+once time weeding) was as subplots. Result illustrated that effects of nitrogen fertilizer application were significant on grain and forage yield, 100 seeds weight, harvest index, grain number per row and cob weight per plant. Grain yield increased by 91.4 and 3.9% in application banding and broadcasting for nitrogen fertilizer, respectively, compared to the no fertilizer treatment. The results show improved efficiency of nitrogen utilization by banding application. Grain yield, harvest index, seed rows per cob, seeds per row and cob weight were increased by weed control. In the application of Equip herbicide+ hand weeding treatment corn grain yield was increased 126% in comparison to weedy control. It represents of the intense affects of weed competition with corn. The highest corn grain yield (6758 kg h(-1)) was related to the application banding of nitrogen fertilizer and Equip herbicide+once hand weeding.

  20. Predicting paddlefish roe yields using an extension of the Beverton–Holt equilibrium yield-per-recruit model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colvin, M.E.; Bettoli, Phillip William; Scholten, G.D.

    2013-01-01

    Equilibrium yield models predict the total biomass removed from an exploited stock; however, traditional yield models must be modified to simulate roe yields because a linear relationship between age (or length) and mature ovary weight does not typically exist. We extended the traditional Beverton-Holt equilibrium yield model to predict roe yields of Paddlefish Polyodon spathula in Kentucky Lake, Tennessee-Kentucky, as a function of varying conditional fishing mortality rates (10-70%), conditional natural mortality rates (cm; 9% and 18%), and four minimum size limits ranging from 864 to 1,016mm eye-to-fork length. These results were then compared to a biomass-based yield assessment. Analysis of roe yields indicated the potential for growth overfishing at lower exploitation rates and smaller minimum length limits than were suggested by the biomass-based assessment. Patterns of biomass and roe yields in relation to exploitation rates were similar regardless of the simulated value of cm, thus indicating that the results were insensitive to changes in cm. Our results also suggested that higher minimum length limits would increase roe yield and reduce the potential for growth overfishing and recruitment overfishing at the simulated cm values. Biomass-based equilibrium yield assessments are commonly used to assess the effects of harvest on other caviar-based fisheries; however, our analysis demonstrates that such assessments likely underestimate the probability and severity of growth overfishing when roe is targeted. Therefore, equilibrium roe yield-per-recruit models should also be considered to guide the management process for caviar-producing fish species.