Power control based on particle swarm optimization of grid-connected inverter for hybrid renewable energy system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

García-Triviño, Pablo; Gil-Mena, Antonio José; Llorens-Iborra, Francisco; García-Vázquez, Carlos Andrés; Fernández-Ramírez, Luis M.; Jurado, Francisco

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Three PSO-based PI controllers for a grid-connected inverter were presented. • Two online PSO-based PI controllers were compared with an offline PSO-tuned PI. • The HRES and the inverter were evaluated under power changes and grid voltage sags. • Online ITAE-based PSO reduced ITAE (current THD) by 15.24% (5.32%) versus offline one. - Abstract: This paper is focused on the study of particle swarm optimization (PSO)-based PI controllers for the power control of a grid-connected inverter supplied from a hybrid renewable energy system. It is composed of two renewable energy sources (wind turbine and photovoltaic – PV – solar panels) and two energy storage systems (battery and hydrogen system, integrated by fuel cell and electrolyzer). Three PSO-based PI controllers are implemented: (1) conventional PI controller with offline tuning by PSO algorithm based on the integral time absolute error (ITAE) index; (2) PI controllers with online self-tuning by PSO algorithm based on the error; and (3) PI controllers with online self-tuning by PSO algorithm based on the ITAE index. To evaluate and compare the three controllers, the hybrid renewable energy system and the grid-connected inverter are simulated under changes in the active and reactive power values, as well as under a grid voltage sag. The results show that the online PSO-based PI controllers that optimize the ITAE index achieves the best response

NODDI and Tensor-Based Microstructural Indices as Predictors of Functional Connectivity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fani Deligianni

Full Text Available In Diffusion Weighted MR Imaging (DWI, the signal is affected by the biophysical properties of neuronal cells and their relative placement, as well as extra-cellular tissue compartments. Typically, microstructural indices, such as fractional anisotropy (FA and mean diffusivity (MD, are based on a tensor model that cannot disentangle the influence of these parameters. Recently, Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI has exploited multi-shell acquisition protocols to model the diffusion signal as the contribution of three tissue compartments. NODDI microstructural indices, such as intra-cellular volume fraction (ICVF and orientation dispersion index (ODI are directly related to neuronal density and orientation dispersion, respectively. One way of examining the neurophysiological role of these microstructural indices across neuronal fibres is to look into how they relate to brain function. Here we exploit a statistical framework based on sparse Canonical Correlation Analysis (sCCA and randomised Lasso to identify structural connections that are highly correlated with resting-state functional connectivity measured with simultaneous EEG-fMRI. Our results reveal distinct structural fingerprints for each microstructural index that also reflect their inter-relationships.

Wireless Impedance-Based SHM for Bolted Connections via Multiple PZT-Interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, Khac Duy; Kim, Jeong Tae

2011-01-01

This study presents a structural health monitoring(SHM) method for bolted connections by using multi-channel wireless impedance sensor nodes and multiple PZT-interfaces. To achieve the objective, the following approaches are implemented. Firstly, a PZT-interface is designed to monitor bolt loosening in bolted connection based on variation of electro-mechanical(EM) impedance signatures. Secondly, a wireless impedance sensor node is designed for autonomous, cost-efficient and multi-channel monitoring. For the sensor platform, Imote2 is selected on the basis of its high operating speed, low power requirement and large storage memory. Finally, the performance of the wireless sensor node and the PZT-interfaces is experimentally evaluated for a bolt-connection model. Damage monitoring method using root mean square deviation(RMSD) index of EM impedance signatures is utilized to estimate the strength of the bolted joint

Stress assessment based on EEG univariate features and functional connectivity measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso, J F; Romero, S; Ballester, M R; Antonijoan, R M; Mañanas, M A

2015-07-01

The biological response to stress originates in the brain but involves different biochemical and physiological effects. Many common clinical methods to assess stress are based on the presence of specific hormones and on features extracted from different signals, including electrocardiogram, blood pressure, skin temperature, or galvanic skin response. The aim of this paper was to assess stress using EEG-based variables obtained from univariate analysis and functional connectivity evaluation. Two different stressors, the Stroop test and sleep deprivation, were applied to 30 volunteers to find common EEG patterns related to stress effects. Results showed a decrease of the high alpha power (11 to 12 Hz), an increase in the high beta band (23 to 36 Hz, considered a busy brain indicator), and a decrease in the approximate entropy. Moreover, connectivity showed that the high beta coherence and the interhemispheric nonlinear couplings, measured by the cross mutual information function, increased significantly for both stressors, suggesting that useful stress indexes may be obtained from EEG-based features.

Mining Time-Resolved Functional Brain Graphs to an EEG-Based Chronnectomic Brain Aged Index (CBAI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stavros I. Dimitriadis

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The brain at rest consists of spatially and temporal distributed but functionally connected regions that called intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs. Resting state electroencephalography (rs-EEG is a way to characterize brain networks without confounds associated with task EEG such as task difficulty and performance. A novel framework of how to study dynamic functional connectivity under the notion of functional connectivity microstates (FCμstates and symbolic dynamics is further discussed. Furthermore, we introduced a way to construct a single integrated dynamic functional connectivity graph (IDFCG that preserves both the strength of the connections between every pair of sensors but also the type of dominant intrinsic coupling modes (DICM. The whole methodology is demonstrated in a significant and unexplored task for EEG which is the definition of an objective Chronnectomic Brain Aged index (CBAI extracted from resting-state data (N = 94 subjects with both eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. Novel features have been defined based on symbolic dynamics and the notion of DICM and FCμstates. The transition rate of FCμstates, the symbolic dynamics based on the evolution of FCμstates (the Markovian Entropy, the complexity index, the probability distribution of DICM, the novel Flexibility Index that captures the dynamic reconfiguration of DICM per pair of EEG sensors and the relative signal power constitute a valuable pool of features that can build the proposed CBAI. Here we applied a feature selection technique and Extreme Learning Machine (ELM classifier to discriminate young adults from middle-aged and a Support Vector Regressor to build a linear model of the actual age based on EEG-based spatio-temporal features. The most significant type of features for both prediction of age and discrimination of young vs. adults age groups was the dynamic reconfiguration of dominant coupling modes derived from a subset of EEG sensor pairs. Specifically

Path Index Based Keywords to SPARQL Query Transformation for Semantic Data Federations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thilini Cooray

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Semantic web is a highly emerging research domain. Enhancing the ability of keyword query processing on Semantic Web data provides a huge support for familiarizing the usefulness of Semantic Web to the general public. Most of the existing approaches focus on just user keyword matching to RDF graphs and output the connecting elements as results. Semantic Web consists of SPARQL query language which can process queries more accurately and efficiently than general keyword matching. There are only about a couple of approaches available for transforming keyword queries to SPARQL. They basically rely on real time graph traversals? for identifying subgraphs which can connect user keywords. Those approaches are either limited to query processing on a single data store or a set of interlinked data sets. They have not focused on query processing on a federation of independent data sets which belongs to the same domain. This research proposes a Path Index based approach eliminating real time graph traversal for transforming keyword queries to SPARQL. We have introduced an ontology alignment based approach for keyword query transforming on a federation of RDF data stored using multiple heterogeneous vocabularies. Evaluation shows that the proposed approach have the ability to generate SPARQL queries which can provide highly relevant results for user keyword queries. The Path Index based query transformation approach has also achieved high efficiency compared to the existing approach.

Network-based analysis reveals functional connectivity related to internet addiction tendency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanya eWen

2016-02-01

Full Text Available IntroductionPreoccupation and compulsive use of the internet can have negative psychological effects, such that it is increasingly being recognized as a mental disorder. The present study employed network-based statistics to explore how whole-brain functional connections at rest is related to the extent of individual’s level of internet addiction, indexed by a self-rated questionnaire. We identified two topologically significant networks, one with connections that are positively correlated with internet addiction tendency, and one with connections negatively correlated with internet addiction tendency. The two networks are interconnected mostly at frontal regions, which might reflect alterations in the frontal region for different aspects of cognitive control (i.e., for control of internet usage and gaming skills. Next, we categorized the brain into several large regional subgroupings, and found that the majority of proportions of connections in the two networks correspond to the cerebellar model of addiction which encompasses the four-circuit model. Lastly, we observed that the brain regions with the most inter-regional connections associated with internet addiction tendency replicate those often seen in addiction literature, and is corroborated by our meta-analysis of internet addiction studies. This research provides a better understanding of large-scale networks involved in internet addiction tendency and shows that pre-clinical levels of internet addiction are associated with similar regions and connections as clinical cases of addiction.

On Use of the Variable Zagreb vM2 Index in QSPR: Boiling Points of Benzenoid Hydrocarbons

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Albin Jurić

2004-12-01

Full Text Available The variable Zagreb vM2 index is introduced and applied to the structure-boiling point modeling of benzenoid hydrocarbons. The linear model obtained (thestandard error of estimate for the fit model Sfit=6.8 oC is much better than thecorresponding model based on the original Zagreb M2 index (Sfit=16.4 oC. Surprisingly,the model based on the variable vertex-connectivity index (Sfit=6.8 oC is comparable tothe model based on vM2 index. A comparative study with models based on the vertex-connectivity index, edge-connectivity index and several distance indices favours modelsbased on the variable Zagreb vM2 index and variable vertex-connectivity index.However, the multivariate regression with two-, three- and four-descriptors givesimproved models, the best being the model with four-descriptors (but vM2 index is notamong them with Sfit=5 oC, though the four-descriptor model contaning vM2 index isonly slightly inferior (Sfit=5.3 oC.

Connecting VIX and Stock Index ETF

NARCIS (Netherlands)

C-L. Chang (Chia-Lin); T-L. Hsieh (Tai-Lin); M.J. McAleer (Michael)

2017-01-01

textabstractAs stock market indexes are not tradeable, the importance and trading volume of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) cannot be understated. ETFs track and attempt to replicate the performance of a specific index. Numerous studies have demonstrated a strong relationship between the S&P500

Modeling and Grid impedance Variation Analysis of Parallel Connected Grid Connected Inverter based on Impedance Based Harmonic Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kwon, JunBum; Wang, Xiongfei; Bak, Claus Leth

2014-01-01

This paper addresses the harmonic compensation error problem existing with parallel connected inverter in the same grid interface conditions by means of impedance-based analysis and modeling. Unlike the single grid connected inverter, it is found that multiple parallel connected inverters and grid...... impedance can make influence to each other if they each have a harmonic compensation function. The analysis method proposed in this paper is based on the relationship between the overall output impedance and input impedance of parallel connected inverter, where controller gain design method, which can...

The role of group index engineering in series-connected photonic crystal microcavities for high density sensor microarrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zou, Yi; Zhu, Liang; Chen, Ray T.; Chakravarty, Swapnajit

2014-01-01

We experimentally demonstrate an efficient and robust method for series connection of photonic crystal microcavities that are coupled to photonic crystal waveguides in the slow light transmission regime. We demonstrate that group index taper engineering provides excellent optical impedance matching between the input and output strip waveguides and the photonic crystal waveguide, a nearly flat transmission over the entire guided mode spectrum and clear multi-resonance peaks corresponding to individual microcavities that are connected in series. Series connected photonic crystal microcavities are further multiplexed in parallel using cascaded multimode interference power splitters to generate a high density silicon nanophotonic microarray comprising 64 photonic crystal microcavity sensors, all of which are interrogated simultaneously at the same instant of time

The role of group index engineering in series-connected photonic crystal microcavities for high density sensor microarrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zou, Yi, E-mail: yzou@utexas.edu; Zhu, Liang; Chen, Ray T., E-mail: raychen@uts.cc.utexas.edu [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Microelectronics Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Rd., Austin, Texas 78758 (United States); Chakravarty, Swapnajit, E-mail: swapnajit.chakravarty@omegaoptics.com [Omega Optics, Inc., 8500 Shoal Creek Blvd., Austin, Texas 78757 (United States)

2014-04-07

We experimentally demonstrate an efficient and robust method for series connection of photonic crystal microcavities that are coupled to photonic crystal waveguides in the slow light transmission regime. We demonstrate that group index taper engineering provides excellent optical impedance matching between the input and output strip waveguides and the photonic crystal waveguide, a nearly flat transmission over the entire guided mode spectrum and clear multi-resonance peaks corresponding to individual microcavities that are connected in series. Series connected photonic crystal microcavities are further multiplexed in parallel using cascaded multimode interference power splitters to generate a high density silicon nanophotonic microarray comprising 64 photonic crystal microcavity sensors, all of which are interrogated simultaneously at the same instant of time.

GIS-based approach for quantifying landscape connectivity of Javan Hawk-Eagle habitat

Science.gov (United States)

Nurfatimah, C.; Syartinilia; Mulyani, Y. A.

2018-05-01

Javan Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus bartelsi; JHE) is a law-protected endemic raptor which currently faced the decreased in number and size of habitat patches that will lead to patch isolation and species extinction. This study assessed the degree of connectivity between remnant habitat patches in central part of Java by utilizing Conefor Sensinode software as an additional tool for ArcGIS. The connectivity index was determined by three fractions which are infra, flux and connector. Using connectivity indices successfully identified 4 patches as core habitat, 9 patches as stepping-stone habitat and 6 patches as isolated habitat were derived from those connectivity indices. Those patches then being validated with land cover map derived from Landsat 8 of August 2014. 36% of core habitat covered by natural forest, meanwhile stepping stone habitat has 55% natural forest and isolated habitat covered by 59% natural forest. Isolated patches were caused by zero connectivity (PCcon = 0) and the patch size which too small to support viable JHE population. Yet, the condition of natural forest and the surrounding matrix landscape in isolated patches actually support the habitat need. Thus, it is very important to conduct the right conservation management system based on the condition of each patches.

A FRAMEWORK OF CHANGE DETECTION BASED ON COMBINED MORPHOLOGICA FEATURES AND MULTI-INDEX CLASSIFICATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Li

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Remote sensing images are particularly well suited for analysis of land cover change. In this paper, we present a new framework for detection of changing land cover using satellite imagery. Morphological features and a multi-index are used to extract typical objects from the imagery, including vegetation, water, bare land, buildings, and roads. Our method, based on connected domains, is different from traditional methods; it uses image segmentation to extract morphological features, while the enhanced vegetation index (EVI, the differential water index (NDWI are used to extract vegetation and water, and a fragmentation index is used to the correct extraction results of water. HSV transformation and threshold segmentation extract and remove the effects of shadows on extraction results. Change detection is performed on these results. One of the advantages of the proposed framework is that semantic information is extracted automatically using low-level morphological features and indexes. Another advantage is that the proposed method detects specific types of change without any training samples. A test on ZY-3 images demonstrates that our framework has a promising capability to detect change.

a Framework of Change Detection Based on Combined Morphologica Features and Multi-Index Classification

Science.gov (United States)

Li, S.; Zhang, S.; Yang, D.

2017-09-01

Remote sensing images are particularly well suited for analysis of land cover change. In this paper, we present a new framework for detection of changing land cover using satellite imagery. Morphological features and a multi-index are used to extract typical objects from the imagery, including vegetation, water, bare land, buildings, and roads. Our method, based on connected domains, is different from traditional methods; it uses image segmentation to extract morphological features, while the enhanced vegetation index (EVI), the differential water index (NDWI) are used to extract vegetation and water, and a fragmentation index is used to the correct extraction results of water. HSV transformation and threshold segmentation extract and remove the effects of shadows on extraction results. Change detection is performed on these results. One of the advantages of the proposed framework is that semantic information is extracted automatically using low-level morphological features and indexes. Another advantage is that the proposed method detects specific types of change without any training samples. A test on ZY-3 images demonstrates that our framework has a promising capability to detect change.

Countering oversegmentation in partitioning-based connectivities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ouzounis, Georgios K.; Wilkinson, Michael H.F.

2005-01-01

A new theoretical development is presented for handling the over-segmentation problem in partitioning-based connected openings. The definition we propose treats singletons generated with the earlier method, as elements of a larger connected component. Unlike the existing formalism, this new method

Research on comprehensive decision-making of PV power station connecting system

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Erxiong; Xin, Chaoshan; Ma, Botao; Cheng, Kai

2018-04-01

In allusion to the incomplete indexes system and not making decision on the subjectivity and objectivity of PV power station connecting system, based on the combination of improved Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) as well as grey correlation degree analysis (GCDA) is comprehensively proposed to select the appropriate system connecting scheme of PV power station. Firstly, indexes of PV power station connecting system are divided the recursion order hierarchy and calculated subjective weight by the improved AHP. Then, CRITIC is adopted to determine the objective weight of each index through the comparison intensity and conflict between indexes. The last the improved GCDA is applied to screen the optimal scheme, so as to, from the subjective and objective angle, select the connecting system. Comprehensive decision of Xinjiang PV power station is conducted and reasonable analysis results are attained. The research results might provide scientific basis for investment decision.

Refractive index sensor based on lateral-offset of coreless silica interferometer

Science.gov (United States)

Baharin, Nur Faizzah; Azmi, Asrul Izam; Abdullah, Ahmad Sharmi; Mohd Noor, Muhammad Yusof

2018-02-01

A compact, cost-effective and high sensitivity fiber interferometer refractive index (RI) sensor based on symmetrical offset coreless silica fiber (CSF) configuration is proposed, optimized and demonstrated. The sensor is formed by splicing a section of CSF between two CSF sections in an offset manner. Thus, two distinct optical paths are created with large index difference, the first path through the connecting CSF sections and the second path is outside the CSF through the surrounding media. RI sensing is established from direct interaction of light with surrounding media, hence high sensitivity can be achieved with a relatively compact sensor length. In the experimental work, a 1.5 mm sensor demonstrates RI sensitivity of 750 nm/RIU for RI range between 1.33 and 1.345. With the main attributes of high sensitivity and compact size, the proposed sensor can be further developed for related applications including blood diagnosis, water quality control and food industries.

STRUCTURAL CONNECTIVITY VIA THE TENSOR-BASED MORPHOMETRY.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seung-Goo; Chung, Moo K; Hanson, Jamie L; Avants, Brian B; Gee, James C; Davidson, Richard J; Pollak, Seth D

2011-01-01

The tensor-based morphometry (TBM) has been widely used in characterizing tissue volume difference between populations at voxel level. We present a novel computational framework for investigating the white matter connectivity using TBM. Unlike other diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) based white matter connectivity studies, we do not use DTI but only T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To construct brain network graphs, we have developed a new data-driven approach called the ε -neighbor method that does not need any predetermined parcellation. The proposed pipeline is applied in detecting the topological alteration of the white matter connectivity in maltreated children.

THE CO-MOVEMENT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE GDP AND THE MAIN STOCK MARKET INDEX. THE CASES OF USA AND ROMANIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

IOAN ROXANA

2015-12-01

Full Text Available A recurring problem among economists is that of the connection supposed to exist between the Gross Domestic Product and the main stock market index. Several studies have been conducted, trying to analyze the existence and the extent of this connection, most of them concluding the fact that this relation, if existing, is not a statistically significant one. The analyzed relations between a certain country’s Gross Domestic Product and its main stock market index are mainly concentrated with studying correlations, regressive dependencies or cointegration connections calculated by taking into consideration the level of both time series. The best measure of an economy’s performance and evolution is the Gross Domestic Product, an indicator that suggests every step taken by that economy, including its cyclical oscillations. Among specialists, the stock market is seen as a barometer of the global economy, as investors try to exit the stock market before recessions and conversely they return to the stock market just as economy starts to recover. Thus, we find appropriate to analyze the connection between the stock market and the global economy from a cyclical evolution point of view. Therefore, we will take into consideration both GDP’s and stock market index’ cyclical components, as extracted using the Hodrick Prescott filter. The cyclical components’ comovement will then by studied using a procedure proposed in 2009 by Pirtea, Pătru, Dima and Cristea.

Connectivity-based parcellation reveals distinct cortico-striatal connectivity fingerprints in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Balsters, Joshua H; Mantini, Dante; Wenderoth, Nicole

2018-04-15

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been associated with abnormal synaptic development causing a breakdown in functional connectivity. However, when measured at the macro scale using resting state fMRI, these alterations are subtle and often difficult to detect due to the large heterogeneity of the pathology. Recently, we outlined a novel approach for generating robust biomarkers of resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) using connectivity based parcellation of gross morphological structures to improve single-subject reproducibility and generate more robust connectivity fingerprints. Here we apply this novel approach to investigating the organization and connectivity strength of the cortico-striatal system in a large sample of ASD individuals and typically developed (TD) controls (N=130 per group). Our results showed differences in the parcellation of the striatum in ASD. Specifically, the putamen was found to be one single structure in ASD, whereas this was split into anterior and posterior segments in an age, IQ, and head movement matched TD group. An analysis of the connectivity fingerprints revealed that the group differences in clustering were driven by differential connectivity between striatum and the supplementary motor area, posterior cingulate cortex, and posterior insula. Our approach for analysing RS-fMRI in clinical populations has provided clear evidence that cortico-striatal circuits are organized differently in ASD. Based on previous task-based segmentations of the striatum, we believe that the anterior putamen cluster present in TD, but not in ASD, likely contributes to social and language processes. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhanced complete photonic bandgap in a moderate refractive index contrast chalcogenide-air system with connected-annular-rods photonic crystals

KAUST Repository

Hou, Jin

2018-03-27

Connected-annular-rods photonic crystals (CARPCs) in both triangular and square lattices are proposed to enhance the two-dimensional complete photonic bandgap (CPBG) for chalcogenide material systems with moderate refractive index contrast. For the typical chalcogenide-glass–air system with an index contrast of 2.8:1, the optimized square lattice CARPC exhibits a significantly larger normalized CPBG of about 13.50%, though the use of triangular lattice CARPC is unable to enhance the CPBG. It is almost twice as large as our previously reported result [IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 22, 4900108 (2016) [CrossRef] ]. Moreover, the CPBG of the square-lattice CARPC could remain until an index contrast as low as 2.24:1. The result not only favors wideband CPBG applications for index contrast systems near 2.8:1, but also makes various optical applications that are dependent on CPBG possible for more widely refractive index contrast systems.

Multisite Reliability of MR-Based Functional Connectivity

Science.gov (United States)

Noble, Stephanie; Scheinost, Dustin; Finn, Emily S.; Shen, Xilin; Papademetris, Xenophon; McEwen, Sarah C.; Bearden, Carrie E.; Addington, Jean; Goodyear, Bradley; Cadenhead, Kristin S.; Mirzakhanian, Heline; Cornblatt, Barbara A.; Olvet, Doreen M.; Mathalon, Daniel H.; McGlashan, Thomas H.; Perkins, Diana O.; Belger, Aysenil; Seidman, Larry J.; Thermenos, Heidi; Tsuang, Ming T.; van Erp, Theo G.M.; Walker, Elaine F.; Hamann, Stephan; Woods, Scott W.; Cannon, Tyrone D.; Constable, R. Todd

2016-01-01

Recent years have witnessed an increasing number of multisite MRI functional connectivity (fcMRI) studies. While multisite studies are an efficient way to speed up data collection and increase sample sizes, especially for rare clinical populations, any effects of site or MRI scanner could ultimately limit power and weaken results. Little data exists on the stability of functional connectivity measurements across sites and sessions. In this study, we assess the influence of site and session on resting state functional connectivity measurements in a healthy cohort of traveling subjects (8 subjects scanned twice at each of 8 sites) scanned as part of the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS). Reliability was investigated in three types of connectivity analyses: (1) seed-based connectivity with posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), right motor cortex (RMC), and left thalamus (LT) as seeds; (2) the intrinsic connectivity distribution (ICD), a voxel-wise connectivity measure; and (3) matrix connectivity, a whole-brain, atlas-based approach assessing connectivity between nodes. Contributions to variability in connectivity due to subject, site, and day-of-scan were quantified and used to assess between-session (test-retest) reliability in accordance with Generalizability Theory. Overall, no major site, scanner manufacturer, or day-of-scan effects were found for the univariate connectivity analyses; instead, subject effects dominated relative to the other measured factors. However, summaries of voxel-wise connectivity were found to be sensitive to site and scanner manufacturer effects. For all connectivity measures, although subject variance was three times the site variance, the residual represented 60–80% of the variance, indicating that connectivity differed greatly from scan to scan independent of any of the measured factors (i.e., subject, site, and day-of-scan). Thus, for a single 5 min scan, reliability across connectivity measures was poor (ICC=0.07–0

Flocking of Second-Order Multiagent Systems With Connectivity Preservation Based on Algebraic Connectivity Estimation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Hao; Wei, Yue; Chen, Jie; Xin, Bin

2017-04-01

The problem of flocking of second-order multiagent systems with connectivity preservation is investigated in this paper. First, for estimating the algebraic connectivity as well as the corresponding eigenvector, a new decentralized inverse power iteration scheme is formulated. Then, based on the estimation of the algebraic connectivity, a set of distributed gradient-based flocking control protocols is built with a new class of generalized hybrid potential fields which could guarantee collision avoidance, desired distance stabilization, and the connectivity of the underlying communication network simultaneously. What is important is that the proposed control scheme allows the existing edges to be broken without violation of connectivity constraints, and thus yields more flexibility of motions and reduces the communication cost for the multiagent system. In the end, nontrivial comparative simulations and experimental results are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results and highlight the advantages of the proposed estimation scheme and control algorithm.

Theoretical optimum of implant positional index design.

Science.gov (United States)

Semper, W; Kraft, S; Krüger, T; Nelson, K

2009-08-01

Rotational freedom of the implant-abutment connection influences its screw joint stability; for optimization, influential factors need to be evaluated based on a previously developed closed formula. The underlying hypothesis is that the manufacturing tolerances, geometric pattern, and dimensions of the index do not influence positional stability. We used the dimensions of 5 commonly used implant systems with a clearance of 20 microm to calculate the extent of rotational freedom; a 3D simulation (SolidWorks) validated the analytical findings. Polygonal positional indices showed the highest degrees of rotational freedom. The polygonal profile displayed higher positional stability than the polygons, but less positional accuracy than the cam-groove connection. Features of a maximal rotation-safe positional index were determined. The analytical calculation of rotational freedom of implant positional indices is possible. Rotational freedom is dependent on the geometric design of the index and may be decreased by incorporating specific aspects into the positional index design.

Structural connectivity via the tensor-based morphometry

OpenAIRE

Kim, S.; Chung, M.; Hanson, J.; Avants, B.; Gee, J.; Davidson, R.; Pollak, S.

2011-01-01

The tensor-based morphometry (TBM) has been widely used in characterizing tissue volume difference between populations at voxel level. We present a novel computational framework for investigating the white matter connectivity using TBM. Unlike other diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) based white matter connectivity studies, we do not use DTI but only T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To construct brain network graphs, we have developed a new data-driven approach called the ε-neighbor ...

Node-based measures of connectivity in genetic networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Koen, Erin L; Bowman, Jeff; Wilson, Paul J

2016-01-01

At-site environmental conditions can have strong influences on genetic connectivity, and in particular on the immigration and settlement phases of dispersal. However, at-site processes are rarely explored in landscape genetic analyses. Networks can facilitate the study of at-site processes, where network nodes are used to model site-level effects. We used simulated genetic networks to compare and contrast the performance of 7 node-based (as opposed to edge-based) genetic connectivity metrics. We simulated increasing node connectivity by varying migration in two ways: we increased the number of migrants moving between a focal node and a set number of recipient nodes, and we increased the number of recipient nodes receiving a set number of migrants. We found that two metrics in particular, the average edge weight and the average inverse edge weight, varied linearly with simulated connectivity. Conversely, node degree was not a good measure of connectivity. We demonstrated the use of average inverse edge weight to describe the influence of at-site habitat characteristics on genetic connectivity of 653 American martens (Martes americana) in Ontario, Canada. We found that highly connected nodes had high habitat quality for marten (deep snow and high proportions of coniferous and mature forest) and were farther from the range edge. We recommend the use of node-based genetic connectivity metrics, in particular, average edge weight or average inverse edge weight, to model the influences of at-site habitat conditions on the immigration and settlement phases of dispersal. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Clone-based Data Index in Cloud Storage Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

He Jing

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The storage systems have been challenged by the development of cloud computing. The traditional data index cannot satisfy the requirements of cloud computing because of the huge index volumes and quick response time. Meanwhile, because of the increasing size of data index and its dynamic characteristics, the previous ways, which rebuilding the index or fully backup the index before the data has changed, cannot satisfy the need of today’s big data index. To solve these problems, we propose a double-layer index structure that overcomes the throughput limitation of single point server. Then, a clone based B+ tree structure is proposed to achieve high performance and adapt dynamic environment. The experimental results show that our clone-based solution has high efficiency.

Predictive model for the heat capacity of ionic liquids using the mass connectivity index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valderrama, Jose O.; Martinez, Gwendolyn; Rojas, Roberto E.

2011-01-01

A simple and accurate model to predict the heat capacity of ionic liquids is presented. The proposed model considers variables readily available for ionic liquids and that have important effect on heat capacity, according to the literature information. Additionally a recently defined structural parameter known as mass connectivity index is incorporated into the model. A set of 602 heat capacity data for 146 ionic liquids have been used in the study. The results were compared with experimental data and with values reported by other available estimation methods. Results show that the new simple correlation gives low deviations and can be used with confidence in thermodynamic and engineering calculations.

Refractive index based measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

In a method for performing a refractive index based measurement of a property of a fluid such as chemical composition or temperature, a chirp in the local spatial frequency of interference fringes of an interference pattern is reduced by mathematical manipulation of the recorded light intensity...

Comparison of regional index flood estimation procedures based on the extreme value type I distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjeldsen, Thomas Rodding; Rosbjerg, Dan

2002-01-01

the prediction uncertainty and that the presence of intersite correlation tends to increase the uncertainty. A simulation study revealed that in regional index-flood estimation the method of probability weighted moments is preferable to method of moment estimation with regard to bias and RMSE.......A comparison of different methods for estimating T-year events is presented, all based on the Extreme Value Type I distribution. Series of annual maximum flood from ten gauging stations at the New Zealand South island have been used. Different methods of predicting the 100-year event...... and the connected uncertainty have been applied: At-site estimation and regional index-flood estimation with and without accounting for intersite correlation using either the method of moments or the method of probability weighted moments for parameter estimation. Furthermore, estimation at ungauged sites were...

Accrual-based and real earnings management and political connections

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Braam, G.J.M.; Nandy, M.; Weitzel, G.U.; Lodh, S.

2015-01-01

This study examines whether the trade-off between real and accrual-based management strategies differs between firms with and without political connections. We argue that politically connected firms are more likely to substitute real earnings management for accrual-based earnings management than

Three dimensional pattern recognition using feature-based indexing and rule-based search

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jae-Kyu

In flexible automated manufacturing, robots can perform routine operations as well as recover from atypical events, provided that process-relevant information is available to the robot controller. Real time vision is among the most versatile sensing tools, yet the reliability of machine-based scene interpretation can be questionable. The effort described here is focused on the development of machine-based vision methods to support autonomous nuclear fuel manufacturing operations in hot cells. This thesis presents a method to efficiently recognize 3D objects from 2D images based on feature-based indexing. Object recognition is the identification of correspondences between parts of a current scene and stored views of known objects, using chains of segments or indexing vectors. To create indexed object models, characteristic model image features are extracted during preprocessing. Feature vectors representing model object contours are acquired from several points of view around each object and stored. Recognition is the process of matching stored views with features or patterns detected in a test scene. Two sets of algorithms were developed, one for preprocessing and indexed database creation, and one for pattern searching and matching during recognition. At recognition time, those indexing vectors with the highest match probability are retrieved from the model image database, using a nearest neighbor search algorithm. The nearest neighbor search predicts the best possible match candidates. Extended searches are guided by a search strategy that employs knowledge-base (KB) selection criteria. The knowledge-based system simplifies the recognition process and minimizes the number of iterations and memory usage. Novel contributions include the use of a feature-based indexing data structure together with a knowledge base. Both components improve the efficiency of the recognition process by improved structuring of the database of object features and reducing data base size

Women who abuse prescription opioids: findings from the Addiction Severity Index-Multimedia Version Connect prescription opioid database.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Traci C; Grimes Serrano, Jill M; Licari, Andrea; Budman, Simon H; Butler, Stephen F

2009-07-01

Evidence suggests gender differences in abuse of prescription opioids. This study aimed to describe characteristics of women who abuse prescription opioids in a treatment-seeking sample and to contrast gender differences among prescription opioid abusers. Data collected November 2005 to April 2008 derived from the Addiction Severity Index Multimedia Version Connect (ASI-MV Connect) database. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression examined correlates of prescription opioid abuse stratified by gender. 29,906 assessments from 220 treatment centers were included, of which 12.8% (N=3821) reported past month prescription opioid abuse. Women were more likely than men to report use of any prescription opioid (29.8% females vs. 21.1% males, phistory of drug overdose. Men-specific correlates were age screen and identify those at highest risk of prescription opioid abuse. Prevention and intervention efforts with a gender-specific approach are warranted.

Region-Based Color Image Indexing and Retrieval

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kompatsiaris, Ioannis; Triantafyllou, Evangelia; Strintzis, Michael G.

2001-01-01

In this paper a region-based color image indexing and retrieval algorithm is presented. As a basis for the indexing, a novel K-Means segmentation algorithm is used, modified so as to take into account the coherence of the regions. A new color distance is also defined for this algorithm. Based on ....... Experimental results demonstrate the performance of the algorithm. The development of an intelligent image content-based search engine for the World Wide Web is also presented, as a direct application of the presented algorithm....

A Semantic-Based Indexing for Indoor Moving Objects

OpenAIRE

Tingting Ben; Xiaolin Qin; Ning Wang

2014-01-01

The increasing availability of indoor positioning, driven by techniques like RFID, Bluetooth, and smart phones, enables a variety of indoor location-based services (LBSs). Efficient queries based on semantic-constraint in indoor spaces play an important role in supporting and boosting LBSs. However, the existing indoor index techniques cannot support these semantic constraints-based queries. To solve this problem, this paper addresses the challenge of indexing moving objects in indoor spaces,...

Contribution Index Based on Green Building Certification Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuting Sun

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Green Building Certification Systems (GBCS are carried out in many countries due to the rising awareness of the importance of sustainability in the building industry. The intention should have motivated participants to construct and operate buildings sustainably, however, there is not yet a method developed to investigate the motivation of the participants. Based on the GBCS, this paper proposes the contribution index as a standard global method to analyze the performance of participants in the green building industry. Three contribution indices, namely Frequency Contribution Index (FCI, Intensity Contribution Index (ICI and Comprehensive Contribution Index (CCI that concern each different category of participant, have been formulated. Three further analyses based on the index were undertaken to investigate some features of the industry. A case study of Singapore was conducted to show how the contribution index could be used to extract industry patterns and trends and assess the participants’ performance in the green building industry. Interviews with experts provide some suggested applications and support for the findings.

Linked data querying through FCA-based schema indexing

OpenAIRE

Brosius, Dominik; Staab, Steffen

2016-01-01

The effciency of SPARQL query evaluation against Linked Open Data may benefit from schema-based indexing. However, many data items come with incomplete schema information or lack schema descriptions entirely. In this position paper, we outline an approach to an indexing of linked data graphs based on schemata induced through Formal Concept Analysis. We show how to map queries onto RDF graphs based on such derived schema information. We sketch next steps for realizing and optimizing the sugges...

Atomic Force Microscopy Based Cell Shape Index

Science.gov (United States)

Adia-Nimuwa, Usienemfon; Mujdat Tiryaki, Volkan; Hartz, Steven; Xie, Kan; Ayres, Virginia

2013-03-01

Stellation is a measure of cell physiology and pathology for several cell groups including neural, liver and pancreatic cells. In the present work, we compare the results of a conventional two-dimensional shape index study of both atomic force microscopy (AFM) and fluorescent microscopy images with the results obtained using a new three-dimensional AFM-based shape index similar to sphericity index. The stellation of astrocytes is investigated on nanofibrillar scaffolds composed of electrospun polyamide nanofibers that has demonstrated promise for central nervous system (CNS) repair. Recent work by our group has given us the ability to clearly segment the cells from nanofibrillar scaffolds in AFM images. The clear-featured AFM images indicated that the astrocyte processes were longer than previously identified at 24h. It was furthermore shown that cell spreading could vary significantly as a function of environmental parameters, and that AFM images could record these variations. The new three-dimensional AFM-based shape index incorporates the new information: longer stellate processes and cell spreading. The support of NSF PHY-095776 is acknowledged.

Connection machine: a computer architecture based on cellular automata

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hillis, W D

1984-01-01

This paper describes the connection machine, a programmable computer based on cellular automata. The essential idea behind the connection machine is that a regular locally-connected cellular array can be made to behave as if the processing cells are connected into any desired topology. When the topology of the machine is chosen to match the topology of the application program, the result is a fast, powerful computing engine. The connection machine was originally designed to implement knowledge retrieval operations in artificial intelligence programs, but the hardware and the programming techniques are apparently applicable to a much larger class of problems. A machine with 100000 processing cells is currently being constructed. 27 references.

Connectivity-based parcellation of the human orbitofrontal cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahnt, Thorsten; Chang, Luke J; Park, Soyoung Q; Heinzle, Jakob; Haynes, John-Dylan

2012-05-02

The primate orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is involved in reward processing, learning, and decision making. Research in monkeys has shown that this region is densely connected with higher sensory, limbic, and subcortical regions. Moreover, a parcellation of the monkey OFC into two subdivisions has been suggested based on its intrinsic anatomical connections. However, in humans, little is known about any functional subdivisions of the OFC except for a rather coarse medial/lateral distinction. Here, we used resting-state fMRI in combination with unsupervised clustering techniques to investigate whether OFC subdivisions can be revealed based on their functional connectivity profiles with other brain regions. Examination of different cluster solutions provided support for a parcellation into two parts as observed in monkeys, but it also highlighted a much finer hierarchical clustering of the orbital surface. Specifically, we identified (1) a medial, (2) a posterior-central, (3) a central, and (4-6) three lateral clusters spanning the anterior-posterior gradient. Consistent with animal tracing studies, these OFC clusters were connected to other cortical regions such as prefrontal, temporal, and parietal cortices but also subcortical areas in the striatum and the midbrain. These connectivity patterns provide important implications for identifying specific functional roles of OFC subdivisions for reward processing, learning, and decision making. Moreover, this parcellation schema can provide guidance to report results in future studies.

Mathematical Modeling of Column-Base Connections under Monotonic Loading

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gholamreza Abdollahzadeh

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Some considerable damage to steel structures during the Hyogo-ken Nanbu Earthquake occurred. Among them, many exposed-type column bases failed in several consistent patterns, such as brittle base plate fracture, excessive bolt elongation, unexpected early bolt failure, and inferior construction work, etc. The lessons from these phenomena led to the need for improved understanding of column base behavior. Joint behavior must be modeled when analyzing semi-rigid frames, which is associated with a mathematical model of the moment–rotation curve. The most accurate model uses continuous nonlinear functions. This article presents three areas of steel joint research: (1 analysis methods of semi-rigid joints; (2 prediction methods for the mechanical behavior of joints; (3 mathematical representations of the moment–rotation curve. In the current study, a new exponential model to depict the moment–rotation relationship of column base connection is proposed. The proposed nonlinear model represents an approach to the prediction of M–θ curves, taking into account the possible failure modes and the deformation characteristics of the connection elements. The new model has three physical parameters, along with two curve-fitted factors. These physical parameters are generated from dimensional details of the connection, as well as the material properties. The M–θ curves obtained by the model are compared with published connection tests and 3D FEM research. The proposed mathematical model adequately comes close to characterizing M–θ behavior through the full range of loading/rotations. As a result, modeling of column base connections using the proposed mathematical model can give crucial beforehand information, and overcome the disadvantages of time consuming workmanship and cost of experimental studies.

Impact of soil protection measures based on topographical variations through connectivity indices in two agricultural catchments in Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Taguas, Encarnación; Mesas, F. Javier; García-Ferrer, Alfonso; Marín-Moreno, Víctor; Mateos, Luciano

2017-04-01

Physiographic attributes of the catchments (spatial organization and internal connectivity) determine sediment production, transport and delivery to river channels downstream. Understanding the hydrological connectivity allows identifying runoff and sediment contribution from overland flow pathways, rills and gullies at the upper parts of the catchments to sink areas (Borselli et al., 2008). Currently, the design of orchards and row crops plantations is driven by traffic and machinery management criteria, meaning significant simplification of the landscape. Topographic alterations may reduce the connectivity and maximize the retention of water and sediments in catchments by increasing travel times and infiltration (Gay et al., 2016). There are connectivity indices based on topography and land use information (Borselli et al., 2008) and travel times (Chow et al., 1988) which may help to identify measures to reduce water and sediment transfer. In this work, connectivity indices derived from digital elevation models (DEM) of two small agricultural catchments where topographic measures to interrupt the connectivity had been implemented were analyzed. The topographical details of the tree row ridges in a young almond orchard catchment and half-moons (individual terraces) in an olive grove catchment were obtained using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) flights. The aim was to evaluate the benefits of ridges and half-moons by comparing spatial patterns of connectivity indices before and after the topographical modifications in the catchments. The catchments were flown in December 2016. The original DEMs were generated based on previous topographical information and a filter based on minimum heights. The statistics and the maps generated will be presented as results of our study and its interpretation will provide an analysis to preliminarily explore effective and economical measures for erosion control and improved water harvesting. REFERENCES Gay, O. Cerdan, V. Mardhel, M

Path connectivity based spectral defragmentation in flexible bandwidth networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ying; Zhang, Jie; Zhao, Yongli; Zhang, Jiawei; Zhao, Jie; Wang, Xinbo; Gu, Wanyi

2013-01-28

Optical networks with flexible bandwidth provisioning have become a very promising networking architecture. It enables efficient resource utilization and supports heterogeneous bandwidth demands. In this paper, two novel spectrum defragmentation approaches, i.e. Maximum Path Connectivity (MPC) algorithm and Path Connectivity Triggering (PCT) algorithm, are proposed based on the notion of Path Connectivity, which is defined to represent the maximum variation of node switching ability along the path in flexible bandwidth networks. A cost-performance-ratio based profitability model is given to denote the prons and cons of spectrum defragmentation. We compare these two proposed algorithms with non-defragmentation algorithm in terms of blocking probability. Then we analyze the differences of defragmentation profitability between MPC and PCT algorithms.

Learning Control Over Emotion Networks Through Connectivity-Based Neurofeedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Koush, Yury; Meskaldji, Djalel-E; Pichon, Swann; Rey, Gwladys; Rieger, Sebastian W; Linden, David E J; Van De Ville, Dimitri; Vuilleumier, Patrik; Scharnowski, Frank

2017-02-01

Most mental functions are associated with dynamic interactions within functional brain networks. Thus, training individuals to alter functional brain networks might provide novel and powerful means to improve cognitive performance and emotions. Using a novel connectivity-neurofeedback approach based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we show for the first time that participants can learn to change functional brain networks. Specifically, we taught participants control over a key component of the emotion regulation network, in that they learned to increase top-down connectivity from the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, which is involved in cognitive control, onto the amygdala, which is involved in emotion processing. After training, participants successfully self-regulated the top-down connectivity between these brain areas even without neurofeedback, and this was associated with concomitant increases in subjective valence ratings of emotional stimuli of the participants. Connectivity-based neurofeedback goes beyond previous neurofeedback approaches, which were limited to training localized activity within a brain region. It allows to noninvasively and nonpharmacologically change interconnected functional brain networks directly, thereby resulting in specific behavioral changes. Our results demonstrate that connectivity-based neurofeedback training of emotion regulation networks enhances emotion regulation capabilities. This approach can potentially lead to powerful therapeutic emotion regulation protocols for neuropsychiatric disorders. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Statistical inference for the lifetime performance index based on generalised order statistics from exponential distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Vali Ahmadi, Mohammad; Doostparast, Mahdi; Ahmadi, Jafar

2015-04-01

In manufacturing industries, the lifetime of an item is usually characterised by a random variable X and considered to be satisfactory if X exceeds a given lower lifetime limit L. The probability of a satisfactory item is then ηL := P(X ≥ L), called conforming rate. In industrial companies, however, the lifetime performance index, proposed by Montgomery and denoted by CL, is widely used as a process capability index instead of the conforming rate. Assuming a parametric model for the random variable X, we show that there is a connection between the conforming rate and the lifetime performance index. Consequently, the statistical inferences about ηL and CL are equivalent. Hence, we restrict ourselves to statistical inference for CL based on generalised order statistics, which contains several ordered data models such as usual order statistics, progressively Type-II censored data and records. Various point and interval estimators for the parameter CL are obtained and optimal critical regions for the hypothesis testing problems concerning CL are proposed. Finally, two real data-sets on the lifetimes of insulating fluid and ball bearings, due to Nelson (1982) and Caroni (2002), respectively, and a simulated sample are analysed.

The Harary index of a graph

CERN Document Server

Xu, Kexiang; Trinajstić, Nenad

2015-01-01

This is the first book to focus on the topological index, the Harary index, of a graph, including its mathematical properties, chemical applications and some related and attractive open problems. This book is dedicated to Professor Frank Harary (1921—2005), the grandmaster of graph theory and its applications. It has be written by experts in the field of graph theory and its applications. For a connected graph G, as an important distance-based topological index, the Harary index H(G) is defined as the sum of the reciprocals of the distance between any two unordered vertices of the graph G. In this book, the authors report on the newest results on the Harary index of a graph. These results mainly concern external graphs with respect to the Harary index; the relations to other topological indices; its properties and applications to pure graph theory and chemical graph theory; and two significant variants, i.e., additively and multiplicatively weighted Harary indices. In the last chapter, we present a number o...

Improvement of a free software tool for the assessment of sediment connectivity

Science.gov (United States)

Crema, Stefano; Lanni, Cristiano; Goldin, Beatrice; Marchi, Lorenzo; Cavalli, Marco

2015-04-01

Sediment connectivity expresses the degree of linkage that controls sediment fluxes throughout landscape, in particular between sediment sources and downstream areas. The assessment of sediment connectivity becomes a key issue when dealing with risk mitigation and priorities of intervention in the territory. In this work, the authors report the improvements made to an open source and stand-alone application (SedInConnect, http://www.sedalp.eu/download/tools.shtml), along with extensive applications to alpine catchments. SedInConnect calculates a sediment connectivity index as expressed in Cavalli et al. (2013); the software improvements consisted primarily in the introduction of the sink feature, i.e. areas that act as traps for sediment produced upstream (e.g., lakes, sediment traps). Based on user-defined sinks, the software decouples those parts of the catchment that do not deliver sediment to a selected target of interest (e.g., fan apex, main drainage network). In this way the assessment of sediment connectivity is achieved by taking in consideration effective sediment contributing areas. Sediment connectivity analysis has been carried out on several catchments in the South Tyrol alpine area (Northern Italy) with the goal of achieving a fast and objective characterization of the topographic control on sediment transfer. In addition to depicting the variability of sediment connectivity inside each basin, the index of connectivity has proved to be a valuable indicator of the dominant process characterizing the basin sediment dynamics (debris flow, bedload, mixed behavior). The characterization of the dominant process is of great importance for the hazard and risk assessment in mountain areas, and for choice and design of structural and non-structural intervention measures. The recognition of the dominant sediment transport process by the index of connectivity is in agreement with evidences arising from post-event field surveys and with the application of

High reliability solid refractive index matching materials for field installable connections in FTTH network

Science.gov (United States)

Saito, Kotaro; Kihara, Mitsuru; Shimizu, Tomoya; Yoneda, Keisuke; Kurashima, Toshio

2015-06-01

We performed environmental and accelerated aging tests to ensure the long-term reliability of solid type refractive index matching material at a splice point. Stable optical characteristics were confirmed in environmental tests based on an IEC standard. In an accelerated aging test at 140 °C, which is very much higher than the specification test temperature, the index matching material itself and spliced fibers passing through it had steady optical characteristics. Then we performed an accelerated aging test on an index matching material attached to a built-in fiber before splicing it in the worst condition, which is different from the normal use configuration. As a result, we confirmed that the repeated insertion and removal of fiber for splicing resulted in failure. We consider that the repetition of adhesion between index matching material and fibers causes the splice to degrade. With this result, we used the Arrhenius model to estimate a median lifetime of about 68 years in a high temperature environment of 60 °C. Thus solid type index matching material at a splice point is highly reliable over long periods under normal conditions of use.

Spatial Frequency Multiplexing of Fiber-Optic Interferometric Refractive Index Sensors Based on Graded-Index Multimode Fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Li; Gong, Yuan; Wu, Yu; Zhao, Tian; Wu, Hui-Juan; Rao, Yun-Jiang

2012-01-01

Fiber-optic interferometric sensors based on graded-index multimode fibers have very high refractive-index sensitivity, as we previously demonstrated. In this paper, spatial-frequency multiplexing of this type of fiber-optic refractive index sensors is investigated. It is estimated that multiplexing of more than 10 such sensors is possible. In the multiplexing scheme, one of the sensors is used to investigate the refractive index and temperature responses. The fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the combined reflective spectra is analyzed. The intensity of the FFT spectra is linearly related with the refractive index and is not sensitive to the temperature.

Knowledge synthesis with maps of neural connectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Tallis, Marcelo; Thompson, Richard; Russ, Thomas A; Burns, Gully A P C

2011-01-01

This paper describes software for neuroanatomical knowledge synthesis based on neural connectivity data. This software supports a mature methodology developed since the early 1990s. Over this time, the Swanson laboratory at USC has generated an account of the neural connectivity of the sub-structures of the hypothalamus, amygdala, septum, hippocampus, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. This is based on neuroanatomical data maps drawn into a standard brain atlas by experts. In earlier work, we presented an application for visualizing and comparing anatomical macro connections using the Swanson third edition atlas as a framework for accurate registration. Here we describe major improvements to the NeuARt application based on the incorporation of a knowledge representation of experimental design. We also present improvements in the interface and features of the data mapping components within a unified web-application. As a step toward developing an accurate sub-regional account of neural connectivity, we provide navigational access between the data maps and a semantic representation of area-to-area connections that they support. We do so based on an approach called "Knowledge Engineering from Experimental Design" (KEfED) model that is based on experimental variables. We have extended the underlying KEfED representation of tract-tracing experiments by incorporating the definition of a neuronanatomical data map as a measurement variable in the study design. This paper describes the software design of a web-application that allows anatomical data sets to be described within a standard experimental context and thus indexed by non-spatial experimental design features.

Measurement-based performance profiles and dynamics of UDT over dedicated connections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Foster, Ian [University of Chicago; Kettimuthu, R. [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL); Wu, Qishi [University of Memphis; Yun, Daqing [Harrisburg University; Rao, Nageswara S. [ORNL; Liu, Qiang [ORNL

2016-11-01

Wide-area data transfers in high-performance computing and big data scenarios are increasingly being carried over dedicated network connections that provide high capacities at low loss rates. UDP-based transport protocols are expected to be particularly well-suited for such transfers but their performance is relatively unexplored over a wide range of connection lengths, compared to TCP over shared connections. We present extensive throughput measurements of UDP-based Data Transfer (UDT) over a suite of physical and emulated 10 Gbps connections. In sharp contrast to current UDT analytical models, these measurements indicate much more complex throughput dynamics that are sensitive to the connection modality, protocol parameters, and round-trip times. Lyapunov exponents estimated from the Poincare maps of UDT traces clearly indicate regions of instability and complex dynamics. We propose a simple model based on the ramp-up and sustainment regimes of a generic transport protocol, which qualitatively illustrates the dominant monotonicity and concavity properties of throughput profiles and relates them to Lyapunov exponents. These measurements and analytical results together enable us to comprehensively evaluate UDT performance and select parameters to achieve high throughput, and they also provide guidelines for designing effective transport protocols for dedicated connections.

Content-based analysis and indexing of sports video

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Ming; Bai, Xuesheng; Xu, Guang-you

2001-12-01

An explosion of on-line image and video data in digital form is already well underway. With the exponential rise in interactive information exploration and dissemination through the World-Wide Web, the major inhibitors of rapid access to on-line video data are the management of capture and storage, and content-based intelligent search and indexing techniques. This paper proposes an approach for content-based analysis and event-based indexing of sports video. It includes a novel method to organize shots - classifying shots as close shots and far shots, an original idea of blur extent-based event detection, and an innovative local mutation-based algorithm for caption detection and retrieval. Results on extensive real TV programs demonstrate the applicability of our approach.

Coronary heart disease index based on longitudinal electrocardiography

Science.gov (United States)

Townsend, J. C.; Cronin, J. P.

1977-01-01

A coronary heart disease index was developed from longitudinal ECG (LCG) tracings to serve as a cardiac health measure in studies of working and, essentially, asymptomatic populations, such as pilots and executives. For a given subject, the index consisted of a composite score based on the presence of LCG aberrations and weighted values previously assigned to them. The index was validated by correlating it with the known presence or absence of CHD as determined by a complete physical examination, including treadmill, resting ECG, and risk factor information. The validating sample consisted of 111 subjects drawn by a stratified-random procedure from 5000 available case histories. The CHD index was found to be significantly more valid as a sole indicator of CHD than the LCG without the use of the index. The index consistently produced higher validity coefficients in identifying CHD than did treadmill testing, resting ECG, or risk factor analysis.

Frequency scanning-based stability analysis method for grid-connected inverter system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Yanbo; Wang, Xiongfei; Blaabjerg, Frede

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a frequency scanning-based impedance analysis for stability assessment of grid-connected inverter system, which is able to perform stability assessment without using system mathematical models and inherit the superior feature of impedance-based stability criterion with conside......This paper proposes a frequency scanning-based impedance analysis for stability assessment of grid-connected inverter system, which is able to perform stability assessment without using system mathematical models and inherit the superior feature of impedance-based stability criterion...... with consideration of the inverter nonlinearities. Small current disturbance is injected into grid-connected inverter system in a particular frequency range, and the impedance is computed according to the harmonic-frequency response using Fourier analysis, and then the stability is predicted on the basis...... of the impedance stability criterion. The stability issues of grid-connected inverters with grid-current feedback and the converter-current feedback are addressed using the proposed method. The results obtained from simulation and experiments validate the effectiveness of the method. The frequency scanning...

Refractive index based measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

In a method for performing a refractive index based measurement of a property of a fluid such as chemical composition or temperature by observing an apparent angular shift in an interference fringe pattern produced by back or forward scattering interferometry, ambiguities in the measurement caused...... by the apparent shift being consistent with one of a number of numerical possibilities for the real shift which differ by 2n are resolved by combining measurements performed on the same sample using light paths therethrough of differing lengths....

The household-based socio-economic deprivation index in Setiu Wetlands, Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Zakaria, Syerrina; May, Chin Sin; Rahman, Nuzlinda Abdul

2017-08-01

Deprivation index usually used in public health study. At the same time, deprivation index can also use to measure the level of deprivation in an area or a village. These indices are also referred as the index of inequalities or disadvantage. Even though, there are many indices that have been built before. But it is believed to be less appropriate to use the existing indices to be applied in other countries or areas which had different socio-economic conditions and different geographical characteristics. The objective of this study is to construct the index based on the socio-economic factors in Setiu Wetlands (Jajaran Merang, Jajaran Setiu and Jajaran Kuala Besut) in Terengganu Malaysia which is defined as weighted household-based socioeconomic deprivation index. This study has employed the variables based on income level, education level and employment rate obtained from questionnaire which are acquired from 64 villages included 1024 respondents. The factor analysis is used to extract the latent variables or observed variables into smaller amount of components or factors. By using factor analysis, one factor is extracted from 3 latent variables. This factor known as socioeconomic deprivation index. Based on the result, the areas with a lower index values until high index values were identified.

A novel optimized LCL-filter designing method for grid connected converter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guohong, Zeng; Rasmussen, Tonny Wederberg; Teodorescu, Remus

2010-01-01

This paper presents a new LCL-filters optimized designing method for grid connected voltage source converter. This method is based on the analysis of converter output voltage components and inherent relations among LCL-filter parameters. By introducing an optimizing index of equivalent total capa...

Validation of ozone monitoring instrument ultraviolet index against ground-based UV index in Kampala, Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Muyimbwa, Dennis; Dahlback, Arne; Ssenyonga, Taddeo; Chen, Yi-Chun; Stamnes, Jakob J; Frette, Øyvind; Hamre, Børge

2015-10-01

The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) overpass solar ultraviolet (UV) indices have been validated against the ground-based UV indices derived from Norwegian Institute for Air Research UV measurements in Kampala (0.31° N, 32.58° E, 1200 m), Uganda for the period between 2005 and 2014. An excessive use of old cars, which would imply a high loading of absorbing aerosols, could cause the OMI retrieval algorithm to overestimate the surface UV irradiances. The UV index values were found to follow a seasonal pattern with maximum values in March and October. Under all-sky conditions, the OMI retrieval algorithm was found to overestimate the UV index values with a mean bias of about 28%. When only days with radiation modification factor greater than or equal to 65%, 70%, 75%, and 80% were considered, the mean bias between ground-based and OMI overpass UV index values was reduced to 8%, 5%, 3%, and 1%, respectively. The overestimation of the UV index by the OMI retrieval algorithm was found to be mainly due to clouds and aerosols.

Disturbance estimator based predictive current control of grid-connected inverters

OpenAIRE

Al-Khafaji, Ahmed Samawi Ghthwan

2013-01-01

ABSTRACT: The work presented in my thesis considers one of the modern discrete-time control approaches based on digital signal processing methods, that have been developed to improve the performance control of grid-connected three-phase inverters. Disturbance estimator based predictive current control of grid-connected inverters is proposed. For inverter modeling with respect to the design of current controllers, we choose the d-q synchronous reference frame to make it easier to understand an...

Enriched Title-Based Keyword Index Generation Using dBase II.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajendran, P. P.

1986-01-01

Describes the use of a database management system (DBMS)--dBaseII--to create an enriched title-based keyword index for a collection of news items at the Renewable Energy Resources Information Center of the Asian Institute of Technology. The use of DBMSs in libraries in developing countries is emphasized. (Author/LRW)

FLOW-BASED NETWORK MEASURES OF BRAIN CONNECTIVITY IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, Gautam; Joshi, Shantanu H; Nir, Talia M; Toga, Arthur W; Thompson, Paul M

2013-01-01

We present a new flow-based method for modeling brain structural connectivity. The method uses a modified maximum-flow algorithm that is robust to noise in the diffusion data and guided by biologically viable pathways and structure of the brain. A flow network is first created using a lattice graph by connecting all lattice points (voxel centers) to all their neighbors by edges. Edge weights are based on the orientation distribution function (ODF) value in the direction of the edge. The maximum-flow is computed based on this flow graph using the flow or the capacity between each region of interest (ROI) pair by following the connected tractography fibers projected onto the flow graph edges. Network measures such as global efficiency, transitivity, path length, mean degree, density, modularity, small world, and assortativity are computed from the flow connectivity matrix. We applied our method to diffusion-weighted images (DWIs) from 110 subjects (28 normal elderly, 56 with early and 11 with late mild cognitive impairment, and 15 with AD) and segmented co-registered anatomical MRIs into cortical regions. Experimental results showed better performance compared to the standard fiber-counting methods when distinguishing Alzheimer's disease from normal aging.

Connecting fast-slow systems and Conley Index theory via transversality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Kuehn

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Geometric Singular Perturbation Theory (GSPT and Conley Index Theory are two powerful techniques to analyze dynamical systems. Conley already realized that using his index is easier for singular perturbation problems. In this paper, we will revisit Conley's results and prove that the GSPT technique of Fenichel Normal Form can be used to simplify the application of Conley index techniques even further. We also hope that our results provide a better bridge between the different fields. Furthermore we show how to interpret Conley's conditions in terms of averaging. The result are illustrated by the two-dimensional van der Pol equation and by a three-dimensional Morris-Lecar model.

Internet Connection Control based on Idle Time Using User Behavior Pattern Analysis

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Fadilah Fahrul Hardiansyah

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The increase of smartphone ability is rapidly increasing the power consumption. Many methods have been proposed to reduce smartphone power consumption. Most of these methods use the internet connection control based on the availability of the battery power level regardless of when and where a waste of energy occurs. This paper proposes a new approach to control the internet connection based on idle time using user behavior pattern analysis. User behavior patterns are used to predict idle time duration. Internet connection control performed during idle time. During idle time internet connection periodically switched on and off by a certain time interval. This method effectively reduces a waste of energy. Control of the internet connection does not interfere the user because it is implemented on idle time. Keywords: Smartphone, User Behavior, Pattern Recognition, Idle Time, Internet Connection Control

Refractive index inversion based on Mueller matrix method

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Huaxi; Wu, Wenyuan; Huang, Yanhua; Li, Zhaozhao

2016-03-01

Based on Stokes vector and Jones vector, the correlation between Mueller matrix elements and refractive index was studied with the result simplified, and through Mueller matrix way, the expression of refractive index inversion was deduced. The Mueller matrix elements, under different incident angle, are simulated through the expression of specular reflection so as to analyze the influence of the angle of incidence and refractive index on it, which is verified through the measure of the Mueller matrix elements of polished metal surface. Research shows that, under the condition of specular reflection, the result of Mueller matrix inversion is consistent with the experiment and can be used as an index of refraction of inversion method, and it provides a new way for target detection and recognition technology.

Knowledge-based competitiveness indices and its connection with energy indices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katić Andrea V.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Knowledge-based economy has become a major trend in international society in the 21st century. However, today’s strategies place a greater emphasis on sustainability than in the past, while continuing to emphasize the importance of education and its connection with labour market. There has been a re-orientation, where resource, eco-efficiency and innovation have become major elements for achieving national objectives and a relevant level of competitiveness. This article deals with 30 indices, which define the competitiveness of a specific economy, and involve knowledge parameters. They are classified into four main categories and one special category. They are then analysed regarding the participation of Serbia and their availability. The main focus of this paper is to give detailed analyses of energy indices, as a special category of knowledge indexes. It has been shown that Serbia, in many cases, was not included in the study analysis or that there was insufficient information about Serbia’s position. This article shows that only a part of the presented indices includes Serbia. It is concluded that a new, revised model is needed that will include more exact indicators.

Semantic Indexing and Retrieval based on Formal Concept Analysis

OpenAIRE

Codocedo , Victor; Lykourentzou , Ioanna; Napoli , Amedeo

2012-01-01

Semantic indexing and retrieval has become an important research area, as the available amount of information on the Web is growing more and more. In this paper, we introduce an original approach to semantic indexing and retrieval based on Formal Concept Analysis. The concept lattice is used as a semantic index and we propose an original algorithm for traversing the lattice and answering user queries. This framework has been used and evaluated on song datasets.

Connected Dominating Set Based Topology Control in Wireless Sensor Networks

Science.gov (United States)

He, Jing

2012-01-01

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are now widely used for monitoring and controlling of systems where human intervention is not desirable or possible. Connected Dominating Sets (CDSs) based topology control in WSNs is one kind of hierarchical method to ensure sufficient coverage while reducing redundant connections in a relatively crowded network.…

A general exergy-based environmental impact index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaz-Mendez, Sosimo E.; Rodriguez-Lelis, Jose Maria; Hernandez-Guerrero, Abel

2011-01-01

An ecosystem is a complex system in which biotic and abiotic factors interact and influence each other both directly and indirectly. Each of these factors has to comply with a specific function in the different processes that occur inside the ecosystem, whether transporting or transforming energy or both. When anthropogenic emissions are produced, part of the useful energy of the ecosystem is used to assimilate or absorb those emissions, and the energy spent, loses its function and becomes lost work in accordance with the Gouy-Stodola theorem. Thus, the work that an ecosystem can carry out varies as a function of the lost work produced by anthropogenic sources. The permanency or loss of the ecosystem depends on how many irreversibilities it can support. The second law of thermodynamics through a systematic use of the exergy and lost work is the basis of this paper where a general environmental impact index, based on exergy, is proposed. For the purpose of this work, the ecosystem is divided in subsystems--water, soil, atmosphere, organisms and society- -all of them inter-related. The ideal work variation can be obtained from each subsystem within the selected ecosystem, and a global index can be determined by adding the partial lost work of each subsystem. This global index is then used to determine the trend followed by the ecosystem from its pristine, original or environmental line base state. This environmental impact index applicability is presented for a simple combustion example

TENTube: A Video-based Connection Tool Supporting Competence Development

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Albert A Angehrn

2008-07-01

Full Text Available The vast majority of knowledge management initiatives fail because they do not take sufficiently into account the emotional, psychological and social needs of individuals. Only if users see real value for themselves will they actively use and contribute their own knowledge to the system, and engage with other users. Connection dynamics can make this easier, and even enjoyable, by connecting people and bringing them closer through shared experiences such as playing a game together. A higher connectedness of people to other people, and to relevant knowledge assets, will motivate them to participate more actively and increase system usage. In this paper, we describe the design of TENTube, a video-based connection tool we are developing to support competence development. TENTube integrates rich profiling and network visualization and navigation with agent-enhanced game-like connection dynamics.

An Analysis of Public Transit Connectivity Index in Tehran. The Case Study: Tehran Multi-Modal Transit Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Reza Mamdoohi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Public transit is a major priority in modern management of large cities and metropolitan areas in particular. Public transit systems in such cities consist of a large number of nodes and lines which are represented by a complex network. A station for public transit is a bridge between the people and public transit network, based on which, the concept of input and output power for each station can be defined. The objective of this study is the application of the transit connectivity indices to the multimodal transit network in the city of Tehran. The public transit network data employed in this study is taken from Tehran Traffic Control Company, and Tehran Urban and Suburban Railway Operation Company. The methodology for measuring transit connectivity consists of three measures: Node connectivity, Line connectivity and Regional connectivity, where activity density is applied to these measures. The results of node connectivity analysis shows that most of the node connectivity in concentrated in the city center with many nodes in the center along routes going north and south. The line connectivity analysis shows that there is a concentration of highly connected lines that are near Tehran municipality region 12 and 16. Finally, we find that areas with more metro and bus facilities with respect to the other areas, have a better regional connectivity. One of these areas includes Sadeghiyeh Metro Station which is the junction of Tehran Metro Line 2 and Tehran Metro Line 5 which have a high connectivity power. Results of this study can be used to suggest some ideas on how future investments in rail and bus should be prioritized. Particularly in Transit Oriented Development (TOD and sustainble development projects, urban planners can design transit stations with high performance to access the crucial services in poor areas.

Determination of the ecological connectivity between landscape patches obtained using the knowledge engineer (expert) classification technique

Science.gov (United States)

Selim, Serdar; Sonmez, Namik Kemal; Onur, Isin; Coslu, Mesut

2017-10-01

Connection of similar landscape patches with ecological corridors supports habitat quality of these patches, increases urban ecological quality, and constitutes an important living and expansion area for wild life. Furthermore, habitat connectivity provided by urban green areas is supporting biodiversity in urban areas. In this study, possible ecological connections between landscape patches, which were achieved by using Expert classification technique and modeled with probabilistic connection index. Firstly, the reflection responses of plants to various bands are used as data in hypotheses. One of the important features of this method is being able to use more than one image at the same time in the formation of the hypothesis. For this reason, before starting the application of the Expert classification, the base images are prepared. In addition to the main image, the hypothesis conditions were also created for each class with the NDVI image which is commonly used in the vegetation researches. Besides, the results of the previously conducted supervised classification were taken into account. We applied this classification method by using the raster imagery with user-defined variables. Hereupon, to provide ecological connections of the tree cover which was achieved from the classification, we used Probabilistic Connection (PC) index. The probabilistic connection model which is used for landscape planning and conservation studies via detecting and prioritization critical areas for ecological connection characterizes the possibility of direct connection between habitats. As a result we obtained over % 90 total accuracy in accuracy assessment analysis. We provided ecological connections with PC index and we created inter-connected green spaces system. Thus, we offered and implicated green infrastructure system model takes place in the agenda of recent years.

Scientific Journal Indexing

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Getulio Teixeira Batista

2007-08-01

Full Text Available It is quite impressive the visibility of online publishing compared to offline. Lawrence (2001 computed the percentage increase across 1,494 venues containing at least five offline and five online articles. Results shown an average of 336% more citations to online articles compared to offline articles published in the same venue. If articles published in the same venue are of similar quality, then they concluded that online articles are more highly cited because of their easier access. Thomson Scientific, traditionally concerned with printed journals, announced on November 28, 2005, the launch of Web Citation Index™, the multidisciplinary citation index of scholarly content from institutional and subject-based repositories (http://scientific.thomson. com/press/2005/8298416/. The Web Citation Index from the abstracting and indexing (A&I connects together pre-print articles, institutional repositories and open access (OA journals (Chillingworth, 2005. Basically all research funds are government granted funds, tax payer’s supported and therefore, results should be made freely available to the community. Free online availability facilitates access to research findings, maximizes interaction among research groups, and optimizes efforts and research funds efficiency. Therefore, Ambi-Água is committed to provide free access to its articles. An important aspect of Ambi-Água is the publication and management system of this journal. It uses the Electronic System for Journal Publishing (SEER - http://www.ibict.br/secao.php?cat=SEER. This system was translated and customized by the Brazilian Institute for Science and Technology Information (IBICT based on the software developed by the Public Knowledge Project (Open Journal Systems of the British Columbia University (http://pkp.sfu.ca/ojs/. The big advantage of using this system is that it is compatible with the OAI-PMH protocol for metadata harvesting what greatly promotes published articles

Refractive index sensor based on optical fiber end face using pulse reference-based compensation technique

Science.gov (United States)

Bian, Qiang; Song, Zhangqi; Zhang, Xueliang; Yu, Yang; Chen, Yuzhong

2018-03-01

We proposed a refractive index sensor based on optical fiber end face using pulse reference-based compensation technique. With good compensation effect of this compensation technique, the power fluctuation of light source, the change of optic components transmission loss and coupler splitting ratio can be compensated, which largely reduces the background noise. The refractive index resolutions can achieve 3.8 × 10-6 RIU and1.6 × 10-6 RIU in different refractive index regions.

Wideband energy harvesting based on mixed connection of piezoelectric oscillators

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, P. H.; Chen, Y. J.; Li, B. Y.; Shu, Y. C.

2017-09-01

An approach for wideband energy harvesting together with power enhancement is proposed by integrating multiple piezoelectric oscillators with mixed parallel-series connection. This gives rise to the feasibility of shifting the operation frequency band to the dominant frequency domain of ambient excitations. There are two types of connection patterns discussed here: the p-type (s-type) is the parallel (series) connection of all sets of oscillators where some of them may be connected in series (parallel). In addition, the standard interface circuit used for electric rectification is adopted here. The analytic estimates of output power are derived and explicitly expressed in terms of different matrix formulations for these two connection patterns. They are subsequently validated and are found in good agreement with numerical simulations and experimental observations. Finally, the experimental results from the mixed connection of 4 piezoelectric oscillators show that the peak power of each array is about 3.4 times higher than that generated by a single piezoelectric oscillator. In addition, the bandwidth of the array capable of switching connection patterns is around 2.8 times wider than that based on a single array configuration. Hence, the effective bandwidth is enlarged without the loss of peak power.

Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation for grid-connected performance of integrated distributed PV-ES systems

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Z. H.; Li, Q.; Huang, R. W.; Liu, H. M.; Liu, D.

2016-08-01

Based on the discussion about topology structure of integrated distributed photovoltaic (PV) power generation system and energy storage (ES) in single or mixed type, this paper focuses on analyzing grid-connected performance of integrated distributed photovoltaic and energy storage (PV-ES) systems, and proposes a comprehensive evaluation index system. Then a multi-level fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method based on grey correlation degree is proposed, and the calculations for weight matrix and fuzzy matrix are presented step by step. Finally, a distributed integrated PV-ES power generation system connected to a 380 V low voltage distribution network is taken as the example, and some suggestions are made based on the evaluation results.

Enhanced fuzzy-connective-based hierarchical aggregation network using particle swarm optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fang-Fang; Su, Chao-Ton

2014-11-01

The fuzzy-connective-based aggregation network is similar to the human decision-making process. It is capable of aggregating and propagating degrees of satisfaction of a set of criteria in a hierarchical manner. Its interpreting ability and transparency make it especially desirable. To enhance its effectiveness and further applicability, a learning approach is successfully developed based on particle swarm optimization to determine the weights and parameters of the connectives in the network. By experimenting on eight datasets with different characteristics and conducting further statistical tests, it has been found to outperform the gradient- and genetic algorithm-based learning approaches proposed in the literature; furthermore, it is capable of generating more accurate estimates. The present approach retains the original benefits of fuzzy-connective-based aggregation networks and is widely applicable. The characteristics of the learning approaches are also discussed and summarized, providing better understanding of the similarities and differences among these three approaches.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE WHITE MATTER CONNECTIVITY BASED ON THE TENSOR-BASED MORPHOMETRY AND THE VOLUMETRIC WHITE MATTER PARCELLATIONS BASED ON DIFFUSION TENSOR IMAGING.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seung-Goo; Lee, Hyekyoung; Chung, Moo K; Hanson, Jamie L; Avants, Brian B; Gee, James C; Davidson, Richard J; Pollak, Seth D

2012-01-01

We are interested in investigating white matter connectivity using a novel computational framework that does not use diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) but only uses T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The proposed method relies on correlating Jacobian determinants across different voxels based on the tensor-based morphometry (TBM) framework. In this paper, we show agreement between the TBM-based white matter connectivity and the DTI-based white matter atlas. As an application, altered white matter connectivity in a clinical population is determined.

IndexMed projects: new tools using the CIGESMED DataBase on Coralligenous for indexing, visualizing and data mining based on graphs

OpenAIRE

David , Romain; FERAL , Jean-Pierre; Archambeau , Anne; Bailly , Nicolas; Blanpain , Cyrille; Breton , Vincent; De Jode , Aurélie; Delavaud , Aurélie; Dias , Alrick; Gachet , Sophie; Guillemain , Dorian; Lecubin , Julien; Romier , Geneviève; Surace , Christian; Thierry De Ville D 'avray , Laure

2016-01-01

International audience; Data produced by the CIGESMED project (Coralligenous based Indicators to evaluate and monitor the "Good Environmental Status" of the MEDiterranean coastal waters) have a high potential for use by several stakeholders involved in environmental management. A new consortium called IndexMed whose task is to index Mediterranean biodiversity data, makes it possible to build graphs in order to analyse the CIGESMED data and develop new ways for data mining of coralligenous dat...

Baseline frontostriatal-limbic connectivity predicts reward-based memory formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamann, Janne M; Dayan, Eran; Hummel, Friedhelm C; Cohen, Leonardo G

2014-12-01

Reward mediates the acquisition and long-term retention of procedural skills in humans. Yet, learning under rewarded conditions is highly variable across individuals and the mechanisms that determine interindividual variability in rewarded learning are not known. We postulated that baseline functional connectivity in a large-scale frontostriatal-limbic network could predict subsequent interindividual variability in rewarded learning. Resting-state functional MRI was acquired in two groups of subjects (n = 30) who then trained on a visuomotor procedural learning task with or without reward feedback. We then tested whether baseline functional connectivity within the frontostriatal-limbic network predicted memory strength measured immediately, 24 h and 1 month after training in both groups. We found that connectivity in the frontostriatal-limbic network predicted interindividual variability in the rewarded but not in the unrewarded learning group. Prediction was strongest for long-term memory. Similar links between connectivity and reward-based memory were absent in two control networks, a fronto-parieto-temporal language network and the dorsal attention network. The results indicate that baseline functional connectivity within the frontostriatal-limbic network successfully predicts long-term retention of rewarded learning. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Spatial assessment of landscape ecological connectivity in different urban gradient.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sohyun

2015-07-01

Urbanization has resulted in remnant natural patches within cities that often have no connectivity among themselves and to natural reserves outside the urban area. Protecting ecological connectivity in fragmented urban areas is becoming crucial in maintaining urban biodiversity and securing critical habitat levels and configurations under continual development pressures. Nevertheless, few studies have been undertaken for urban landscapes. This study aims to assess ecological connectivity for a group of species that represent the urban desert landscape in the Phoenix metropolitan area and to compare the connectivity values along the different urban gradient. A GIS-based landscape connectivity model which relies upon ecological connectivity index (ECI) was developed and applied to this region. A GIS-based concentric buffering technique was employed to delineate conceptual boundaries for urban, suburban, and rural zones. The research findings demonstrated that urban habitats and potential habitat patches would be significantly influenced by future urban development. Particularly, the largest loss of higher connectivity would likely to be anticipated in the "in-between areas" where urban, suburban, and rural zones overlap one another. The connectivity maps would be useful to provide spatial identification regarding connectivity patterns and vulnerability for urban and suburban activities in this area. This study provides planners and landscape architects with a spatial guidance to minimize ecological fragmentation, which ultimately leads to urban landscape sustainability. This study suggests that conventional planning practices which disregard the ecological processes in urban landscapes need to integrate landscape ecology into planning and design strategies.

Compact Hilbert Curve Index Algorithm Based on Gray Code

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CAO Xuefeng

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Hilbert curve has best clustering in various kinds of space filling curves, and has been used as an important tools in discrete global grid spatial index design field. But there are lots of redundancies in the standard Hilbert curve index when the data set has large differences between dimensions. In this paper, the construction features of Hilbert curve is analyzed based on Gray code, and then the compact Hilbert curve index algorithm is put forward, in which the redundancy problem has been avoided while Hilbert curve clustering preserved. Finally, experiment results shows that the compact Hilbert curve index outperforms the standard Hilbert index, their 1 computational complexity is nearly equivalent, but the real data set test shows the coding time and storage space decrease 40%, the speedup ratio of sorting speed is nearly 4.3.

An Indexing Scheme for Case-Based Manufacturing Vision Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Chengbo; Johansen, John; Luxhøj, James T.

2004-01-01

with the competence improvement of an enterprises manufacturing system. There are two types of cases within the CBRM – an event case (EC) and a general supportive case (GSC). We designed one set of indexing vocabulary for the two types of cases, but a different indexing representation structure for each of them......This paper focuses on one critical element, indexing – retaining and representing knowledge in an applied case-based reasoning (CBR) model for supporting strategic manufacturing vision development (CBRM). Manufacturing vision (MV) is a kind of knowledge management concept and process concerned...

An assessment study of the wavelet-based index of magnetic storm activity (WISA) and its comparison to the Dst index

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Zhonghua; Zhu, Lie; Sojka, Jan; Kokoszka, Piotr; Jach, Agnieszka

2008-08-01

A wavelet-based index of storm activity (WISA) has been recently developed [Jach, A., Kokoszka, P., Sojka, L., Zhu, L., 2006. Wavelet-based index of magnetic storm activity. Journal of Geophysical Research 111, A09215, doi:10.1029/2006JA011635] to complement the traditional Dst index. The new index can be computed automatically by using the wavelet-based statistical procedure without human intervention on the selection of quiet days and the removal of secular variations. In addition, the WISA is flexible on data stretch and has a higher temporal resolution (1 min), which can provide a better description of the dynamical variations of magnetic storms. In this work, we perform a systematic assessment study on the WISA index. First, we statistically compare the WISA to the Dst for various quiet and disturbed periods and analyze the differences of their spectral features. Then we quantitatively assess the flexibility of the WISA on data stretch and study the effects of varying number of stations on the index. In addition, the ability of the WISA for handling the missing data is also quantitatively assessed. The assessment results show that the hourly averaged WISA index can describe storm activities equally well as the Dst index, but its full automation, high flexibility on data stretch, easiness of using the data from varying number of stations, high temporal resolution, and high tolerance to missing data from individual station can be very valuable and essential for real-time monitoring of the dynamical variations of magnetic storm activities and space weather applications, thus significantly complementing the existing Dst index.

Two efficient label-equivalence-based connected-component labeling algorithms for 3-D binary images.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Lifeng; Chao, Yuyan; Suzuki, Kenji

2011-08-01

Whenever one wants to distinguish, recognize, and/or measure objects (connected components) in binary images, labeling is required. This paper presents two efficient label-equivalence-based connected-component labeling algorithms for 3-D binary images. One is voxel based and the other is run based. For the voxel-based one, we present an efficient method of deciding the order for checking voxels in the mask. For the run-based one, instead of assigning each foreground voxel, we assign each run a provisional label. Moreover, we use run data to label foreground voxels without scanning any background voxel in the second scan. Experimental results have demonstrated that our voxel-based algorithm is efficient for 3-D binary images with complicated connected components, that our run-based one is efficient for those with simple connected components, and that both are much more efficient than conventional 3-D labeling algorithms.

Connectivity inference from neural recording data: Challenges, mathematical bases and research directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Magrans de Abril, Ildefons; Yoshimoto, Junichiro; Doya, Kenji

2018-06-01

This article presents a review of computational methods for connectivity inference from neural activity data derived from multi-electrode recordings or fluorescence imaging. We first identify biophysical and technical challenges in connectivity inference along the data processing pipeline. We then review connectivity inference methods based on two major mathematical foundations, namely, descriptive model-free approaches and generative model-based approaches. We investigate representative studies in both categories and clarify which challenges have been addressed by which method. We further identify critical open issues and possible research directions. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Index Fund Selections with GAs and Classifications Based on Turnover

Science.gov (United States)

Orito, Yukiko; Motoyama, Takaaki; Yamazaki, Genji

It is well known that index fund selections are important for the risk hedge of investment in a stock market. The`selection’means that for`stock index futures’, n companies of all ones in the market are selected. For index fund selections, Orito et al.(6) proposed a method consisting of the following two steps : Step 1 is to select N companies in the market with a heuristic rule based on the coefficient of determination between the return rate of each company in the market and the increasing rate of the stock price index. Step 2 is to construct a group of n companies by applying genetic algorithms to the set of N companies. We note that the rule of Step 1 is not unique. The accuracy of the results using their method depends on the length of time data (price data) in the experiments. The main purpose of this paper is to introduce a more`effective rule’for Step 1. The rule is based on turnover. The method consisting of Step 1 based on turnover and Step 2 is examined with numerical experiments for the 1st Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange. The results show that with our method, it is possible to construct the more effective index fund than the results of Orito et al.(6). The accuracy of the results using our method depends little on the length of time data (turnover data). The method especially works well when the increasing rate of the stock price index over a period can be viewed as a linear time series data.

Customer Satisfaction Index – as a Base for Strategic Marketing Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karolina Ilieska

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Customer satisfaction index -CSI results provide: an economic indicator of the quality of economic output; calculation of the net present value of their company’s customer base as an asset over time; information for strategic business applications; a predictor of consumer spending & corporate earnings. In this paper the focus of research is customer satisfaction index as a base for new strategic marketing management. For this purpose I have carried out a survey on representative samples of Macedonian passenger and research services quality and customer satisfaction index (CSI in the macedonian passenger transport.

Seizure-Onset Mapping Based on Time-Variant Multivariate Functional Connectivity Analysis of High-Dimensional Intracranial EEG: A Kalman Filter Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Lie, Octavian V; van Mierlo, Pieter

2017-01-01

The visual interpretation of intracranial EEG (iEEG) is the standard method used in complex epilepsy surgery cases to map the regions of seizure onset targeted for resection. Still, visual iEEG analysis is labor-intensive and biased due to interpreter dependency. Multivariate parametric functional connectivity measures using adaptive autoregressive (AR) modeling of the iEEG signals based on the Kalman filter algorithm have been used successfully to localize the electrographic seizure onsets. Due to their high computational cost, these methods have been applied to a limited number of iEEG time-series (Kalman filter implementations, a well-known multivariate adaptive AR model (Arnold et al. 1998) and a simplified, computationally efficient derivation of it, for their potential application to connectivity analysis of high-dimensional (up to 192 channels) iEEG data. When used on simulated seizures together with a multivariate connectivity estimator, the partial directed coherence, the two AR models were compared for their ability to reconstitute the designed seizure signal connections from noisy data. Next, focal seizures from iEEG recordings (73-113 channels) in three patients rendered seizure-free after surgery were mapped with the outdegree, a graph-theory index of outward directed connectivity. Simulation results indicated high levels of mapping accuracy for the two models in the presence of low-to-moderate noise cross-correlation. Accordingly, both AR models correctly mapped the real seizure onset to the resection volume. This study supports the possibility of conducting fully data-driven multivariate connectivity estimations on high-dimensional iEEG datasets using the Kalman filter approach.

Index-based reactive power compensation scheme for voltage regulation

Science.gov (United States)

Dike, Damian Obioma

2008-10-01

Increasing demand for electrical power arising from deregulation and the restrictions posed to the construction of new transmission lines by environment, socioeconomic, and political issues had led to higher grid loading. Consequently, voltage instability has become a major concern, and reactive power support is vital to enhance transmission grid performance. Improved reactive power support to distressed grid is possible through the application of relatively unfamiliar emerging technologies of "Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS)" devices and "Distributed Energy Resources (DERS)." In addition to these infrastructure issues, a lack of situational awareness by system operators can cause major power outages as evidenced by the August 14, 2003 widespread North American blackout. This and many other recent major outages have highlighted the inadequacies of existing power system indexes. In this work, a novel "Index-based reactive compensation scheme" appropriate for both on-line and off-line computation of grid status has been developed. A new voltage stability index (Ls-index) suitable for long transmission lines was developed, simulated, and compared to the existing two-machine modeled L-index. This showed the effect of long distance power wheeling amongst regional transmission organizations. The dissertation further provided models for index modulated voltage source converters (VSC) and index-based load flow analysis of both FACTS and microgrid interconnected power systems using the Newton-Raphson's load flow model incorporated with multi-FACTS devices. The developed package has been made user-friendly through the embodiment of interactive graphical user interface and implemented on the IEEE 14, 30, and 300 bus systems. The results showed reactive compensation has system wide-effect, provided readily accessible system status indicators, ensured seamless DERs interconnection through new islanding modes and enhanced VSC utilization. These outcomes may contribute

75 FR 68560 - Prohibition Against Fraud, Manipulation, and Deception in Connection With Security-Based Swaps

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-08

... 3235-AK77 Prohibition Against Fraud, Manipulation, and Deception in Connection With Security-Based... fraud, manipulation, and deception in connection with the offer, purchase or sale of any security-based... measured and reasonable means to prevent fraud, manipulation, and deception in connection with security...

Empirical Examination of Fundamental Indexation in the German Market

Science.gov (United States)

Mihm, Max; Locarek-Junge, Hermann

Index Funds, Exchange Traded Funds and Derivatives give investors easy access to well diversified index portfolios. These index-based investment products exhibit low fees, which make them an attractive alternative to actively managed funds. Against this background, a new class of stock indices has been established based on the concept of “Fundamental Indexation”. The selection and weighting of index constituents is conducted by means of fundamental criteria like total assets, book value or number of employees. This paper examines the performance of fundamental indices in the German equity market. For this purpose, a backtest of five fundamental indices is conducted over the last 20 years. Furthermore the index returns are analysed under the assumption of an efficient as well as an inefficient market. Index returns in efficient markets are explained by applying the three factor model for stock returns of Fama and French (J Financ Econ 33(1):3-56, 1993). The results show that the outperformance of fundamental indices is partly due to a higher risk exposure, particularly to companies with a low price to book ratio. By relaxing the assumption of market efficiency, a return drag of capitalisation weighted indices can be deduced. Given a mean-reverting movement of prices, a direct connection between market capitalisation and index weighting leads to inferior returns.

Representing connectivity: quantifying effective habitat availability based on area and connectivity for conservation status assessment and recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Neel, Maile; Tumas, Hayley R; Marsden, Brittany W

2014-01-01

We apply a comprehensive suite of graph theoretic metrics to illustrate how landscape connectivity can be effectively incorporated into conservation status assessments and in setting conservation objectives. These metrics allow conservation practitioners to evaluate and quantify connectivity in terms of representation, resiliency, and redundancy and the approach can be applied in spite of incomplete knowledge of species-specific biology and dispersal processes. We demonstrate utility of the graph metrics by evaluating changes in distribution and connectivity that would result from implementing two conservation plans for three endangered plant species (Erigeron parishii, Acanthoscyphus parishii var. goodmaniana, and Eriogonum ovalifolium var. vineum) relative to connectivity under current conditions. Although distributions of the species differ from one another in terms of extent and specific location of occupied patches within the study landscape, the spatial scale of potential connectivity in existing networks were strikingly similar for Erigeron and Eriogonum, but differed for Acanthoscyphus. Specifically, patches of the first two species were more regularly distributed whereas subsets of patches of Acanthoscyphus were clustered into more isolated components. Reserves based on US Fish and Wildlife Service critical habitat designation would not greatly contribute to maintain connectivity; they include 83-91% of the extant occurrences and >92% of the aerial extent of each species. Effective connectivity remains within 10% of that in the whole network for all species. A Forest Service habitat management strategy excluded up to 40% of the occupied habitat of each species resulting in both range reductions and loss of occurrences from the central portions of each species' distribution. Overall effective network connectivity was reduced to 62-74% of the full networks. The distance at which each CHMS network first became fully connected was reduced relative to the full

Learning connective-based word representations for implicit discourse relation identification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Braud, Chloé Elodie; Denis, Pascal

2016-01-01

We introduce a simple semi-supervised ap-proach to improve implicit discourse relation identification. This approach harnesses large amounts of automatically extracted discourse connectives along with their arguments to con-struct new distributional word representations. Specifically, we represen...... their simplicity, these connective-based rep-resentations outperform various off-the-shelf word embeddings, and achieve state-of-the-art performance on this problem.......We introduce a simple semi-supervised ap-proach to improve implicit discourse relation identification. This approach harnesses large amounts of automatically extracted discourse connectives along with their arguments to con-struct new distributional word representations. Specifically, we represent...... words in the space of discourse connectives as a way to directly encode their rhetorical function. Experiments on the Penn Discourse Treebank demonstrate the effectiveness of these task-tailored repre-sentations in predicting implicit discourse re-lations. Our results indeed show that, despite...

A novel, fuzzy-based air quality index (FAQI) for air quality assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Sowlat, Mohammad Hossein; Gharibi, Hamed; Yunesian, Masud; Tayefeh Mahmoudi, Maryam; Lotfi, Saeedeh

2011-04-01

The ever increasing level of air pollution in most areas of the world has led to development of a variety of air quality indices for estimation of health effects of air pollution, though the indices have their own limitations such as high levels of subjectivity. Present study, therefore, aimed at developing a novel, fuzzy-based air quality index (FAQI ) to handle such limitations. The index developed by present study is based on fuzzy logic that is considered as one of the most common computational methods of artificial intelligence. In addition to criteria air pollutants (i.e. CO, SO 2, PM 10, O 3, NO 2), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and 1,3-butadiene were also taken into account in the index proposed, because of their considerable health effects. Different weighting factors were then assigned to each pollutant according to its priority. Trapezoidal membership functions were employed for classifications and the final index consisted of 72 inference rules. To assess the performance of the index, a case study was carried out employing air quality data at five different sampling stations in Tehran, Iran, from January 2008 to December 2009, results of which were then compared to the results obtained from USEPA air quality index (AQI). According to the results from present study, fuzzy-based air quality index is a comprehensive tool for classification of air quality and tends to produce accurate results. Therefore, it can be considered useful, reliable, and suitable for consideration by local authorities in air quality assessment and management schemes. Fuzzy-based air quality index (FAQI).

State-space-based harmonic stability analysis for paralleled grid-connected inverters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Yanbo; Wang, Xiongfei; Chen, Zhe

2016-01-01

This paper addresses a state-space-based harmonic stability analysis of paralleled grid-connected inverters system. A small signal model of individual inverter is developed, where LCL filter, the equivalent delay of control system, and current controller are modeled. Then, the overall small signal...... model of paralleled grid-connected inverters is built. Finally, the state space-based stability analysis approach is developed to explain the harmonic resonance phenomenon. The eigenvalue traces associated with time delay and coupled grid impedance are obtained, which accounts for how the unstable...... inverter produces the harmonic resonance and leads to the instability of whole paralleled system. The proposed approach reveals the contributions of the grid impedance as well as the coupled effect on other grid-connected inverters under different grid conditions. Simulation and experimental results...

Population-Adjusted Street Connectivity, Urbanicity and Risk of Obesity in the U.S

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Fahui; Wen, Ming; Xu, Yanqing

2013-01-01

Street connectivity, defined as the number of (3-way or more) intersections per area unit, is an important index of built environments as a proxy for walkability in a neighborhood. This paper examines its geographic variations across the rural-urban continuum (urbanicity), major racial-ethnic groups and various poverty levels. The population-adjusted street connectivity index is proposed as a better measure than the regular index for a large area such as county due to likely concentration of population in limited space within the large area. Based on the data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), this paper uses multilevel modeling to analyze its association with physical activity and obesity while controlling for various individual and county-level variables. Analysis of data subsets indicates that the influences of individual and county-level variables on obesity risk vary across areas of different urbanization levels. The positive influence of street connectivity on obesity control is limited to the more but not the mostly urbanized areas. This demonstrates the value of obesogenic environment research in different geographic settings, helps us reconcile and synthesize some seemingly contradictory results reported in different studies, and also promotes that effective policies need to be highly sensitive to the diversity of demographic groups and geographically adaptable. PMID:23667278

On projective invariants based on non-linear connections in a Finsler space I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rastogi, S.C.

1986-05-01

The projective transformations based on linear connections in a Finsler space have been studied by Berwald, Misra, Szabo, Matsumoto, Fukai and Yamada, Rastogi and others. In almost all these papers the emphasis has been on studying Finsler spaces of scalar curvature, Finsler spaces of constant curvature and Finsler spaces of zero curvature with the help of projective curvature tensors of Weyl and Douglas. In 1981, the author studied projective transformation in a Finsler space based on non-linear connections and obtained certain projective invariants. The aim of the present paper is to study Finsler spaces of scalar curvature, constant curvature and zero curvature with the help of non-linear connections and projective invariants obtained from non-linear connections. (author)

Photovoltaic Grid-Connected Modeling and Characterization Based on Experimental Results.

Science.gov (United States)

Humada, Ali M; Hojabri, Mojgan; Sulaiman, Mohd Herwan Bin; Hamada, Hussein M; Ahmed, Mushtaq N

2016-01-01

A grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system operates under fluctuated weather condition has been modeled and characterized based on specific test bed. A mathematical model of a small-scale PV system has been developed mainly for residential usage, and the potential results have been simulated. The proposed PV model based on three PV parameters, which are the photocurrent, IL, the reverse diode saturation current, Io, the ideality factor of diode, n. Accuracy of the proposed model and its parameters evaluated based on different benchmarks. The results showed that the proposed model fitting the experimental results with high accuracy compare to the other models, as well as the I-V characteristic curve. The results of this study can be considered valuable in terms of the installation of a grid-connected PV system in fluctuated climatic conditions.

Knowledge-based machine indexing from natural language text: Knowledge base design, development, and maintenance

Science.gov (United States)

Genuardi, Michael T.

1993-01-01

One strategy for machine-aided indexing (MAI) is to provide a concept-level analysis of the textual elements of documents or document abstracts. In such systems, natural-language phrases are analyzed in order to identify and classify concepts related to a particular subject domain. The overall performance of these MAI systems is largely dependent on the quality and comprehensiveness of their knowledge bases. These knowledge bases function to (1) define the relations between a controlled indexing vocabulary and natural language expressions; (2) provide a simple mechanism for disambiguation and the determination of relevancy; and (3) allow the extension of concept-hierarchical structure to all elements of the knowledge file. After a brief description of the NASA Machine-Aided Indexing system, concerns related to the development and maintenance of MAI knowledge bases are discussed. Particular emphasis is given to statistically-based text analysis tools designed to aid the knowledge base developer. One such tool, the Knowledge Base Building (KBB) program, presents the domain expert with a well-filtered list of synonyms and conceptually-related phrases for each thesaurus concept. Another tool, the Knowledge Base Maintenance (KBM) program, functions to identify areas of the knowledge base affected by changes in the conceptual domain (for example, the addition of a new thesaurus term). An alternate use of the KBM as an aid in thesaurus construction is also discussed.

Influence of the column rectangularity index and of the boundary conditions in the punching resistance of slab-column connections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. S. PAIVA

Full Text Available Experimental evidence indicates that both the column rectangularity index and the boundary conditions of the connection may affect the ultimate punching resistance. This paper presents general aspects of these topics and, through the analysis of experimental results of tests on 131 slabs, evaluates the accuracy and suitability of recommendations presented by ABNT NBR 6118, Eurocode 2, ACI 318 and fib Model Code 2010. Experimental results showed that the security level of normative estimates trend to reduce as the column rectangularity increases, and in some cases, the punching resistance was overestimated. Finally, adjustments are suggested in equations presented by NBR 6118 and MC2010 in order to eliminate this trend of unsafe results.

Validation of a colour rendering index based on memory colours

OpenAIRE

Smet, Kevin; Jost-Boissard, Sophie; Ryckaert, Wouter; Deconinck, Geert; Hanselaer, Peter

2010-01-01

In this paper the performance of a colour rendering index based on memory colours is investigated in comparison with the current CIE Colour Rendering Index, the NIST Colour Quality Scale and visual appreciation results obtained at CNRS at Lyon University for a set of 3000K and 4000K LED light sources. The Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients between each colour rendering metric and the two sets of visual results were calculated. It was found that the memory colour based colour render...

Studying hemispheric lateralization during a Stroop task through near-infrared spectroscopy-based connectivity

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lei; Sun, Jinyan; Sun, Bailei; Luo, Qingming; Gong, Hui

2014-05-01

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a developing and promising functional brain imaging technology. Developing data analysis methods to effectively extract meaningful information from collected data is the major bottleneck in popularizing this technology. In this study, we measured hemodynamic activity of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during a color-word matching Stroop task using NIRS. Hemispheric lateralization was examined by employing traditional activation and novel NIRS-based connectivity analyses simultaneously. Wavelet transform coherence was used to assess intrahemispheric functional connectivity. Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship between behavioral performance and activation/functional connectivity, respectively. In agreement with activation analysis, functional connectivity analysis revealed leftward lateralization for the Stroop effect and correlation with behavioral performance. However, functional connectivity was more sensitive than activation for identifying hemispheric lateralization. Granger causality was used to evaluate the effective connectivity between hemispheres. The results showed increased information flow from the left to the right hemispheres for the incongruent versus the neutral task, indicating a leading role of the left PFC. This study demonstrates that the NIRS-based connectivity can reveal the functional architecture of the brain more comprehensively than traditional activation, helping to better utilize the advantages of NIRS.

SME Worker Affective (SWA) index based on environmental ergonomics

Science.gov (United States)

Ushada, M.; Kusuma Aji, G.; Okayama, T.; Khidir, M.

2018-04-01

Small-Medium sized (SME) is a focal type of Indonesian industry which contributes to national emerging economies. Indonesian goverment has developed employee social security system (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) to support worker quality of life. However, there were limited research which could assist BPJS Ketenagakerjaan in evaluating worker quality of life. Worker quality of life could be categorized as the highest worker needs or affective states. SME Worker Affective (SWA) index is being concerned as a basic tool to make balance between worker performance and quality of life in workstation of SMEs. The research objectives are: 1) To optimize the environmental ergonomics in SMEs; 2) To quantify SME Worker Affective (SWA) index based on optimized environmental ergonomics. The research advantage is to support Indonesian goverment in monitoring SMEs good practices to its worker quality of life. Simulated annealing optimized the heart rate and environmental ergonomics parameters. SWA index was determined based on comparison between optimized heart rate and environmental ergonomics parameters. SWA index were quantified for 380 data of worker. The evaluation indicated 51.3% worker in affective and 48.7% in non-affective condition. Research results indicated that stakeholders of SMEs should put more attention on environmental ergonomics and worker affective.

New connecting elements for cascade photoelectric converters based on InP

Science.gov (United States)

Marichev, A. E.; Pushnyi, B. V.; Levin, R. V.; Lebedeva, N. M.; Prasolov, N. D.; Kontrosh, E. V.

2018-03-01

In this paper, we report on the initial studies of connecting elements for cascade photodetectors. The heterostructures used in this work are based on InP. As a connecting element, it is proposed to use nanocrystalline inclusions instead of the tunnel junction. GaP nanocrystals are most suitable for this purpose because this material does not cause absorption of the incident radiation.

An Oracle-based Event Index for ATLAS

CERN Document Server

Gallas, Elizabeth; The ATLAS collaboration; Petrova, Petya Tsvetanova; Baranowski, Zbigniew; Canali, Luca; Formica, Andrea; Dumitru, Andrei

2016-01-01

The ATLAS EventIndex System has amassed a set of key quantities for a large number of ATLAS events into a Hadoop based infrastructure for the purpose of providing the experiment with a number of event-wise services. Collecting this data in one place provides the opportunity to investigate various storage formats and technologies and assess which best serve the various use cases as well as consider what other benefits alternative storage systems provide. In this presentation we describe how the data are imported into an Oracle RDBMS, the services we have built based on this architecture, and our experience with it. We've indexed about 15 billion real data events and about 25 billion simulated events thus far and have designed the system to accommodate future data which has expected rates of 5 and 20 billion events per year for real data and simulation, respectively. We have found this system offers outstanding performance for some fundamental use cases. In addition, profiting from the co-location of this data ...

Photovoltaic Grid-Connected Modeling and Characterization Based on Experimental Results

Science.gov (United States)

Humada, Ali M.; Hojabri, Mojgan; Sulaiman, Mohd Herwan Bin; Hamada, Hussein M.; Ahmed, Mushtaq N.

2016-01-01

A grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system operates under fluctuated weather condition has been modeled and characterized based on specific test bed. A mathematical model of a small-scale PV system has been developed mainly for residential usage, and the potential results have been simulated. The proposed PV model based on three PV parameters, which are the photocurrent, IL, the reverse diode saturation current, Io, the ideality factor of diode, n. Accuracy of the proposed model and its parameters evaluated based on different benchmarks. The results showed that the proposed model fitting the experimental results with high accuracy compare to the other models, as well as the I-V characteristic curve. The results of this study can be considered valuable in terms of the installation of a grid-connected PV system in fluctuated climatic conditions. PMID:27035575

Resting-state EEG oscillatory dynamics in fragile X syndrome: abnormal functional connectivity and brain network organization.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melle J W van der Molen

Full Text Available Disruptions in functional connectivity and dysfunctional brain networks are considered to be a neurological hallmark of neurodevelopmental disorders. Despite the vast literature on functional brain connectivity in typical brain development, surprisingly few attempts have been made to characterize brain network integrity in neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we used resting-state EEG to characterize functional brain connectivity and brain network organization in eight males with fragile X syndrome (FXS and 12 healthy male controls. Functional connectivity was calculated based on the phase lag index (PLI, a non-linear synchronization index that is less sensitive to the effects of volume conduction. Brain network organization was assessed with graph theoretical analysis. A decrease in global functional connectivity was observed in FXS males for upper alpha and beta frequency bands. For theta oscillations, we found increased connectivity in long-range (fronto-posterior and short-range (frontal-frontal and posterior-posterior clusters. Graph theoretical analysis yielded evidence of increased path length in the theta band, suggesting that information transfer between brain regions is particularly impaired for theta oscillations in FXS. These findings are discussed in terms of aberrant maturation of neuronal oscillatory dynamics, resulting in an imbalance in excitatory and inhibitory neuronal circuit activity.

Directional connectivity in hydrology and ecology

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, Laurel G.; Choi, Jungyill; Nungesser, Martha K.; Harvey, Judson W.

2012-01-01

Quantifying hydrologic and ecological connectivity has contributed to understanding transport and dispersal processes and assessing ecosystem degradation or restoration potential. However, there has been little synthesis across disciplines. The growing field of ecohydrology and recent recognition that loss of hydrologic connectivity is leading to a global decline in biodiversity underscore the need for a unified connectivity concept. One outstanding need is a way to quantify directional connectivity that is consistent, robust to variations in sampling, and transferable across scales or environmental settings. Understanding connectivity in a particular direction (e.g., streamwise, along or across gradient, between sources and sinks, along cardinal directions) provides critical information for predicting contaminant transport, planning conservation corridor design, and understanding how landscapes or hydroscapes respond to directional forces like wind or water flow. Here we synthesize progress on quantifying connectivity and develop a new strategy for evaluating directional connectivity that benefits from use of graph theory in ecology and percolation theory in hydrology. The directional connectivity index (DCI) is a graph-theory based, multiscale metric that is generalizable to a range of different structural and functional connectivity applications. It exhibits minimal sensitivity to image rotation or resolution within a given range and responds intuitively to progressive, unidirectional change. Further, it is linearly related to the integral connectivity scale length—a metric common in hydrology that correlates well with actual fluxes—but is less computationally challenging and more readily comparable across different landscapes. Connectivity-orientation curves (i.e., directional connectivity computed over a range of headings) provide a quantitative, information-dense representation of environmental structure that can be used for comparison or detection of

Directional connectivity in hydrology and ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, Laurel G; Choi, Jungyill; Nungesser, Martha K; Harvey, Judson W

2012-12-01

Quantifying hydrologic and ecological connectivity has contributed to understanding transport and dispersal processes and assessing ecosystem degradation or restoration potential. However, there has been little synthesis across disciplines. The growing field of ecohydrology and recent recognition that loss of hydrologic connectivity is leading to a global decline in biodiversity underscore the need for a unified connectivity concept. One outstanding need is a way to quantify directional connectivity that is consistent, robust to variations in sampling, and transferable across scales or environmental settings. Understanding connectivity in a particular direction (e.g., streamwise, along or across gradient, between sources and sinks, along cardinal directions) provides critical information for predicting contaminant transport, planning conservation corridor design, and understanding how landscapes or hydroscapes respond to directional forces like wind or water flow. Here we synthesize progress on quantifying connectivity and develop a new strategy for evaluating directional connectivity that benefits from use of graph theory in ecology and percolation theory in hydrology. The directional connectivity index (DCI) is a graph-theory based, multiscale metric that is generalizable to a range of different structural and functional connectivity applications. It exhibits minimal sensitivity to image rotation or resolution within a given range and responds intuitively to progressive, unidirectional change. Further, it is linearly related to the integral connectivity scale length--a metric common in hydrology that correlates well with actual fluxes--but is less computationally challenging and more readily comparable across different landscapes. Connectivity-orientation curves (i.e., directional connectivity computed over a range of headings) provide a quantitative, information-dense representation of environmental structure that can be used for comparison or detection of

Connection to Nature: Children's Affective Attitude toward Nature

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Judith Chen-Hsuan; Monroe, Martha C.

2012-01-01

A connection to nature index was developed and tested to measure children's affective attitude toward the natural environment. The index was employed through a survey that investigates students' attitude toward Lagoon Quest, a mandatory environmental education program for all fourth-grade, public school students in Brevard County, Florida. Factor…

Hexahedral connection element based on hybrid-stress theory for solid structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, D; Sze, K Y; Lo, S H

2010-01-01

For building structures, high-performance hybrid-stress hexahedral solid elements are excellent choices for modelling joints, beams/columns walls and thick slabs if the exact geometrical representation is required. While it is straight-forward to model beam-column structures of uniform member size with solid hexahedral elements, joining up beams and columns of various cross-sections at a common point proves to be a challenge for structural modelling using hexahedral elements with specified dimensions. In general, the joint has to be decomposed into 27 smaller solid elements to cater for the necessary connection requirements. This will inevitably increase the computational cost and introduce element distortions when elements of different sizes have to be used at the joint. Hexahedral connection elements with arbitrary specified connection interfaces will be an ideal setup to connect structural members of different sizes without increasing the number of elements or introducing highly distorted elements. In this paper, based on the hybrid-stress element theory, a general way to construct hexahedral connection element with various interfaces is introduced. Following this way, a 24-node connection element is presented and discussed in detail. Performance of the 24-node connection element equipped with different number of stress modes will be assessed with worked examples.

INDEXING AND INDEX FUNDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HAKAN SARITAŞ

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Proponents of the efficient market hypothesis believe that active portfolio management is largely wasted effort and unlikely to justify the expenses incurred. Therefore, they advocate a passive investment strategy that makes no attempt to outsmart the market. One common strategy for passive management is indexing where a fund is designed to replicate the performance of a broad-based index of stocks and bonds. Traditionally, indexing was used by institutional investors, but today, the use of index funds proliferated among individual investors. Over the years, both international and domestic index funds have disproportionately outperformed the market more than the actively managed funds have.

An Adaptive Connectivity-based Centroid Algorithm for Node Positioning in Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aries Pratiarso

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In wireless sensor network applications, the position of nodes is randomly distributed following the contour of the observation area. A simple solution without any measurement tools is provided by range-free method. However, this method yields the coarse estimating position of the nodes. In this paper, we propose Adaptive Connectivity-based (ACC algorithm. This algorithm is a combination of Centroid as range-free based algorithm, and hop-based connectivity algorithm. Nodes have a possibility to estimate their own position based on the connectivity level between them and their reference nodes. Each node divides its communication range into several regions where each of them has a certain weight depends on the received signal strength. The weighted value is used to obtain the estimated position of nodes. Simulation result shows that the proposed algorithm has up to 3 meter error of estimated position on 100x100 square meter observation area, and up to 3 hop counts for 80 meters' communication range. The proposed algorithm performs an average error positioning up to 10 meters better than Weighted Centroid algorithm. Keywords: adaptive, connectivity, centroid, range-free.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE WHITE MATTER CONNECTIVITY BASED ON THE TENSOR-BASED MORPHOMETRY AND THE VOLUMETRIC WHITE MATTER PARCELLATIONS BASED ON DIFFUSION TENSOR IMAGING

OpenAIRE

Kim, Seung-Goo; Lee, Hyekyoung; Chung, Moo K.; Hanson, Jamie L.; Avants, Brian B.; Gee, James C.; Davidson, Richard J.; Pollak, Seth D.

2012-01-01

We are interested in investigating white matter connectivity using a novel computational framework that does not use diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) but only uses T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The proposed method relies on correlating Jacobian determinants across different voxels based on the tensor-based morphometry (TBM) framework. In this paper, we show agreement between the TBM-based white matter connectivity and the DTI-based white matter atlas. As an application, altered white ...

All-to-All Communication on the Connection Machine CM-200

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kapil K. Mathur

1995-01-01

Full Text Available Detailed algorithms for all-to-all broadcast and reduction are given for arrays mapped by binary or binary-reflected Gray code encoding to the processing nodes of binary cube networks. Algorithms are also given for the local computation of the array indices for the communicated data, thereby reducing the demand for the communications bandwidth. For the Connection Machine system CM-200, Hamiltonian cycle-based all-to-all communication algorithms yield a performance that is a factor of 2 to 10 higher than the performance offered by algorithms based on trees, butterfly networks, or the Connection Machine router. The peak data rate achieved for all-to-all broadcast on a 2,048-node Connection Machine system CM-200 is 5.4 Gbyte/s. The index order of the data in local memory depends on implementation details of the algorithms, but it is well defined. If a linear ordering is desired, then including the time for local data reordering reduces the effective peak data rate to 2.5 Gbyte/s.

No association of cortical amyloid load and EEG connectivity in older people with subjective memory complaints

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Teipel

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Changes in functional connectivity of cortical networks have been observed in resting-state EEG studies in healthy aging as well as preclinical and clinical stages of AD. Little information, however, exists on associations between EEG connectivity and cortical amyloid load in people with subjective memory complaints. Here, we determined the association of global cortical amyloid load, as measured by florbetapir-PET, with functional connectivity based on the phase-lag index of resting state EEG data for alpha and beta frequency bands in 318 cognitively normal individuals aged 70–85 years with subjective memory complaints from the INSIGHT-preAD cohort. Within the entire group we did not find any significant associations between global amyloid load and phase-lag index in any frequency band. Assessing exclusively the subgroup of amyloid-positive participants, we found enhancement of functional connectivity with higher global amyloid load in the alpha and a reduction in the beta frequency bands. In the amyloid-negative participants, higher amyloid load was associated with lower connectivity in the low alpha band. However, these correlations failed to reach significance after controlling for multiple comparisons. The absence of a strong amyloid effect on functional connectivity may represent a selection effect, where individuals remain in the cognitively normal group only if amyloid accumulation does not impair cortical functional connectivity.

Connectivity-based neurofeedback: Dynamic causal modeling for real-time fMRI☆

Science.gov (United States)

Koush, Yury; Rosa, Maria Joao; Robineau, Fabien; Heinen, Klaartje; W. Rieger, Sebastian; Weiskopf, Nikolaus; Vuilleumier, Patrik; Van De Ville, Dimitri; Scharnowski, Frank

2013-01-01

Neurofeedback based on real-time fMRI is an emerging technique that can be used to train voluntary control of brain activity. Such brain training has been shown to lead to behavioral effects that are specific to the functional role of the targeted brain area. However, real-time fMRI-based neurofeedback so far was limited to mainly training localized brain activity within a region of interest. Here, we overcome this limitation by presenting near real-time dynamic causal modeling in order to provide feedback information based on connectivity between brain areas rather than activity within a single brain area. Using a visual–spatial attention paradigm, we show that participants can voluntarily control a feedback signal that is based on the Bayesian model comparison between two predefined model alternatives, i.e. the connectivity between left visual cortex and left parietal cortex vs. the connectivity between right visual cortex and right parietal cortex. Our new approach thus allows for training voluntary control over specific functional brain networks. Because most mental functions and most neurological disorders are associated with network activity rather than with activity in a single brain region, this novel approach is an important methodological innovation in order to more directly target functionally relevant brain networks. PMID:23668967

Assessment of the landscape connectivity of the Puuc-Chenes region, Mexico, based on the habitat requirements of jaguar (Panthera onca

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Salazar

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The Yucatan Peninsula is included as part of the initiative for the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. In its central area, are located three Protected Natural Areas (PNA: the Biocultural Puuc Reserve (RBP, by its Spanish acronym, the Bala’an K’aax flora and fauna protected area (APB, by its Spanish acronym, Quintana Roo, and the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (RBC, by its Spanish acronym, Campeche. The Puuc-Chenes region is located in the center of the Yucatan Peninsula - among these PNAs - which included important fragments of vegetation that in the past formed a continuum through the forests of the Yucatan Peninsula, constituting an important link to keep the connectivity of the Mayan forest. However, the expansion of the agricultural frontier is causing the fragmentation of the habitat. In the present study, the structural and functional connectivity of the Puuc-Chenes region is analyzed, based on habitat requirements of the Panthera onca (jaguar by sex. Both, male and female, prefer tropical forest, however, P. onca males dare to transit in secondary vegetation and inclusively in agricultural areas. Males make inroads to villages more often than females, coming close to, and even crossing roads. P. onca males have a home range of 60 km2. In the present study, the ArcMap, FRAGSTATS and IDRISI software were used to analyses the structural and functional connectivity of the landscape, based on the known differences of habitat requirements for P. onca males and females. A vegetation and land use map of the studied area was elaborated, based on Landsat 7 ETM+ images, with 30 m size pixels. The following cover classes were differentiated: tropical forest, secondary forest, agriculture, urban, and water polls, which were validated in the fields. The Puuc-Chenes has an extension of 972 578 ha. Tropical forest was the dominant vegetation cover (49.8% with the largest patch index covering 19.7% of the total landscape. The landscape had 2 509 fragments

Connection-based and object-based grouping in multiple-object tracking: A developmental study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R.E.R. van der Hallen (Ruth); Reusens, J. (Julie); Evers, K. (Kris); L. de-Wit (Lee); J. Wagemans (Johan)

2018-01-01

textabstractDevelopmental research on Gestalt laws has previously revealed that, even as young as infancy, we are bound to group visual elements into unitary structures in accordance with a variety of organizational principles. Here, we focus on the developmental trajectory of both connection-based

Ranking Based Locality Sensitive Hashing Enabled Cancelable Biometrics: Index-of-Max Hashing

OpenAIRE

Jin, Zhe; Lai, Yen-Lung; Hwang, Jung-Yeon; Kim, Soohyung; Teoh, Andrew Beng Jin

2017-01-01

In this paper, we propose a ranking based locality sensitive hashing inspired two-factor cancelable biometrics, dubbed "Index-of-Max" (IoM) hashing for biometric template protection. With externally generated random parameters, IoM hashing transforms a real-valued biometric feature vector into discrete index (max ranked) hashed code. We demonstrate two realizations from IoM hashing notion, namely Gaussian Random Projection based and Uniformly Random Permutation based hashing schemes. The disc...

Brain waves-based index for workload estimation and mental effort engagement recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Zammouri, A.; Chraa-Mesbahi, S.; Ait Moussa, A.; Zerouali, S.; Sahnoun, M.; Tairi, H.; Mahraz, A. M.

2017-10-01

The advent of the communication systems and considering the complexity that some impose in their use, it is necessary to incorporate and equip these systems with a certain intelligence which takes into account the cognitive and mental capacities of the human operator. In this work, we address the issue of estimating the mental effort of an operator according to the cognitive tasks difficulty levels. Based on the Electroencephalogram (EEG) measurements, the proposed approach analyzes the user’s brain activity from different brain regions while performing cognitive tasks with several levels of difficulty. At a first time, we propose a variances comparison-based classifier (VCC) that makes use of the Power Spectral Density (PSD) of the EEG signal. The aim of using such a classifier is to highlight the brain regions that enter into interaction according to the cognitive task difficulty. In a second time, we present and describe a new EEG-based index for the estimation of mental efforts. The designed index is based on information recorded from two EEG channels. Results from the VCC demonstrate that powers of the Theta [4-7 Hz] (θ) and Alpha [8-12 Hz] (α) oscillations decrease while increasing the cognitive task difficulty. These decreases are mainly located in parietal and temporal brain regions. Based on the Kappa coefficients, decisions of the introduced index are compared to those obtained from an existing index. This performance assessment method revealed strong agreements. Hence the efficiency of the introduced index.

An individual-based modelling approach to estimate landscape connectivity for bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corrie H. Allen

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background. Preserving connectivity, or the ability of a landscape to support species movement, is among the most commonly recommended strategies to reduce the negative effects of climate change and human land use development on species. Connectivity analyses have traditionally used a corridor-based approach and rely heavily on least cost path modeling and circuit theory to delineate corridors. Individual-based models are gaining popularity as a potentially more ecologically realistic method of estimating landscape connectivity. However, this remains a relatively unexplored approach. We sought to explore the utility of a simple, individual-based model as a land-use management support tool in identifying and implementing landscape connectivity. Methods. We created an individual-based model of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis that simulates a bighorn sheep traversing a landscape by following simple movement rules. The model was calibrated for bighorn sheep in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, a region containing isolated herds that are vital to conservation of the species in its northern range. Simulations were run to determine baseline connectivity between subpopulations in the study area. We then applied the model to explore two land management scenarios on simulated connectivity: restoring natural fire regimes and identifying appropriate sites for interventions that would increase road permeability for bighorn sheep. Results. This model suggests there are no continuous areas of good habitat between current subpopulations of sheep in the study area; however, a series of stepping-stones or circuitous routes could facilitate movement between subpopulations and into currently unoccupied, yet suitable, bighorn habitat. Restoring natural fire regimes or mimicking fire with prescribed burns and tree removal could considerably increase bighorn connectivity in this area. Moreover, several key road crossing sites that could benefit from

Connect: An Effective Community-Based Youth Suicide Prevention Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bean, Gretchen; Baber, Kristine M.

2011-01-01

Youth suicide prevention is an important public health issue. However, few prevention programs are theory driven or systematically evaluated. This study evaluated Connect, a community-based youth suicide prevention program. Analysis of pre and posttraining questionnaires from 648 adults and 204 high school students revealed significant changes in…

Automatic generation of smart earthquake-resistant building system: Hybrid system of base-isolation and building-connection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Kasagi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available A base-isolated building may sometimes exhibit an undesirable large response to a long-duration, long-period earthquake ground motion and a connected building system without base-isolation may show a large response to a near-fault (rather high-frequency earthquake ground motion. To overcome both deficiencies, a new hybrid control system of base-isolation and building-connection is proposed and investigated. In this new hybrid building system, a base-isolated building is connected to a stiffer free wall with oil dampers. It has been demonstrated in a preliminary research that the proposed hybrid system is effective both for near-fault (rather high-frequency and long-duration, long-period earthquake ground motions and has sufficient redundancy and robustness for a broad range of earthquake ground motions.An automatic generation algorithm of this kind of smart structures of base-isolation and building-connection hybrid systems is presented in this paper. It is shown that, while the proposed algorithm does not work well in a building without the connecting-damper system, it works well in the proposed smart hybrid system with the connecting damper system.

Structural and Functional Connectivity from Unmanned-Aerial System Data

Science.gov (United States)

Masselink, Rens; Heckmann, Tobias; Casalí, Javier; Giménez, Rafael; Cerdá, Artemi; Keesstra, Saskia

2017-04-01

Over the past decade there has been an increase in both connectivity research and research involving Unmanned-Aerial systems (UASs). In some studies, UASs were successfully used for the assessment of connectivity, but not yet to their full potential. We present several ways to use data obtained from UASs to measure variables related to connectivity, and use these to assess both structural and functional connectivity. These assessments of connectivity can aid us in obtaining a better understanding of the dynamics of e.g. sediment and nutrient transport. We identify three sources of data obtained from a consumer camera mounted on a fixed-wing UAS, which can be used separately or combined: Visual and near-infrared imagery, point clouds, and digital elevation models (DEMs). Imagery (or: orthophotos) can be used for (automatic) mapping of connectivity features like rills, gullies and soil and water conservation measures using supervised or unsupervised classification methods with e.g. Object-Based Image Analysis. Furthermore, patterns of soil moisture in the top layers can be extracted from visual and near-infrared imagery. Point clouds can be analysed for vegetation height and density, and soil surface roughness. Lastly, DEMs can be used in combination with imagery for a number of tasks, including raster-based (e.g. DEM derivatives) and object-based (e.g., feature detection) analysis: Flow routing algorithms can be used to analyse potential pathways of surface runoff and sediment transport. This allows for the assessment of structural connectivity through indices that are based, for example, on morphometric and other properties of surfaces, contributing areas, and pathways. Third, erosion and deposition can be measured by calculating elevation changes from repeat surveys. From these "intermediate" variables like roughness, vegetation density and soil moisture, structural connectivity and functional connectivity can be assessed by combining them into a dynamic index of

Construction of road network vulnerability evaluation index based on general travel cost

Science.gov (United States)

Leng, Jun-qiang; Zhai, Jing; Li, Qian-wen; Zhao, Lin

2018-03-01

With the development of China's economy and the continuous improvement of her urban road network, the vulnerability of the urban road network has attracted increasing attention. Based on general travel cost, this work constructs the vulnerability evaluation index for the urban road network, and evaluates the vulnerability of the urban road network from the perspective of user generalised travel cost. Firstly, the generalised travel cost model is constructed based on vehicle cost, travel time, and traveller comfort. Then, the network efficiency index is selected as an evaluation index of vulnerability: the network efficiency index is composed of the traffic volume and the generalised travel cost, which are obtained from the equilibrium state of the network. In addition, the research analyses the influence of traffic capacity decrease, road section attribute value, and location of road section, on vulnerability. Finally, the vulnerability index is used to analyse the local area network of Harbin and verify its applicability.

Comparison of Gini index and Tamura coefficient for holographic autofocusing based on the edge sparsity of the complex optical wavefront

KAUST Repository

Tamamitsu, Miu; Zhang, Yibo; Wang, Hongda; Wu, Yichen; Ozcan, Aydogan

2017-01-01

of sparsity metrics used in SoG, specifically, the Gini index (GI) and the Tamura coefficient (TC), for holographic autofocusing on dense/connected or sparse samples. We provide a theoretical analysis predicting that for uniformly distributed image data, TC

Mapping Deforestation in North Korea Using Phenology-Based Multi-Index and Random Forest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yihua Jin

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Phenology-based multi-index with the random forest (RF algorithm can be used to overcome the shortcomings of traditional deforestation mapping that involves pixel-based classification, such as ISODATA or decision trees, and single images. The purpose of this study was to investigate methods to identify specific types of deforestation in North Korea, and to increase the accuracy of classification, using phenological characteristics extracted with multi-index and random forest algorithms. The mapping of deforestation area based on RF was carried out by merging phenology-based multi-indices (i.e., normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI, normalized difference water index (NDWI, and normalized difference soil index (NDSI derived from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer products and topographical variables. Our results showed overall classification accuracy of 89.38%, with corresponding kappa coefficients of 0.87. In particular, for forest and farm land categories with similar phenological characteristic (e.g., paddy, plateau vegetation, unstocked forest, hillside field, this approach improved the classification accuracy in comparison with pixel-based methods and other classes. The deforestation types were identified by incorporating point data from high-resolution imagery, outcomes of image classification, and slope data. Our study demonstrated that the proposed methodology could be used for deciding on the restoration priority and monitoring the expansion of deforestation areas.

Passivity Enhancement in Renewable Energy Source Based Power Plant With Paralleled Grid-Connected VSIs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bai, Haofeng; Wang, Xiongfei; Blaabjerg, Frede

2017-01-01

Harmonic instability is threatening the operation of renewable energy based power plants where multiple gridconnected VSIs are connected in parallel. To analyze and improve the stability of the grid-connected VSIs, the real part of the output admittance of the VSIs is first investigated......-connected VSIs can improve the stability of the renewable power plant....

Refractive index based measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

A refractive index based measurement of a property of a fluid is measured in an apparatus comprising a variable wavelength coherent light source (16), a sample chamber (12), a wavelength controller (24), a light sensor (20), a data recorder (26) and a computation apparatus (28), by - directing...... coherent light having a wavelength along an input light path, - producing scattering of said light from each of a plurality of interfaces within said apparatus including interfaces between said fluid and a surface bounding said fluid, said scattering producing an interference pattern formed by said...... scattered light, - cyclically varying the wavelength of said light in said input light path over a 1 nm to 20nm wide range of wavelengths a rate of from 10Hz to 50 KHz, - recording variation of intensity of the interfering light with change in wavelength of the light at an angle of observation...

Multimodal MR-imaging reveals large-scale structural and functional connectivity changes in profound early blindness

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Corinna M.; Hirsch, Gabriella V.; Zajac, Lauren; Koo, Bang-Bon; Collignon, Olivier

2017-01-01

In the setting of profound ocular blindness, numerous lines of evidence demonstrate the existence of dramatic anatomical and functional changes within the brain. However, previous studies based on a variety of distinct measures have often provided inconsistent findings. To help reconcile this issue, we used a multimodal magnetic resonance (MR)-based imaging approach to provide complementary structural and functional information regarding this neuroplastic reorganization. This included gray matter structural morphometry, high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) of white matter connectivity and integrity, and resting state functional connectivity MRI (rsfcMRI) analysis. When comparing the brains of early blind individuals to sighted controls, we found evidence of co-occurring decreases in cortical volume and cortical thickness within visual processing areas of the occipital and temporal cortices respectively. Increases in cortical volume in the early blind were evident within regions of parietal cortex. Investigating white matter connections using HARDI revealed patterns of increased and decreased connectivity when comparing both groups. In the blind, increased white matter connectivity (indexed by increased fiber number) was predominantly left-lateralized, including between frontal and temporal areas implicated with language processing. Decreases in structural connectivity were evident involving frontal and somatosensory regions as well as between occipital and cingulate cortices. Differences in white matter integrity (as indexed by quantitative anisotropy, or QA) were also in general agreement with observed pattern changes in the number of white matter fibers. Analysis of resting state sequences showed evidence of both increased and decreased functional connectivity in the blind compared to sighted controls. Specifically, increased connectivity was evident between temporal and inferior frontal areas. Decreases in functional connectivity were observed

A Systematic Methodology for Uncertainty Analysis of Group Contribution Based and Atom Connectivity Index Based Models for Estimation of Properties of Pure Components

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hukkerikar, Amol; Sarup, Bent; Sin, Gürkan

, entropy of vaporization, surface tension, viscosity, flash point, auto ignition temperature, Hansen solubility parameters, Hildebrand solubility parameter, aqueous solubility, octanol/water partition coefficient, compressibility factor, molar volume, molar refraction, refractive index and lethal...

Comparison of Gini index and Tamura coefficient for holographic autofocusing based on the edge sparsity of the complex optical wavefront

KAUST Repository

Tamamitsu, Miu

2017-08-27

The Sparsity of the Gradient (SoG) is a robust autofocusing criterion for holography, where the gradient modulus of the complex refocused hologram is calculated, on which a sparsity metric is applied. Here, we compare two different choices of sparsity metrics used in SoG, specifically, the Gini index (GI) and the Tamura coefficient (TC), for holographic autofocusing on dense/connected or sparse samples. We provide a theoretical analysis predicting that for uniformly distributed image data, TC and GI exhibit similar behavior, while for naturally sparse images containing few high-valued signal entries and many low-valued noisy background pixels, TC is more sensitive to distribution changes in the signal and more resistive to background noise. These predictions are also confirmed by experimental results using SoG-based holographic autofocusing on dense and connected samples (such as stained breast tissue sections) as well as highly sparse samples (such as isolated Giardia lamblia cysts). Through these experiments, we found that ToG and GoG offer almost identical autofocusing performance on dense and connected samples, whereas for naturally sparse samples, GoG should be calculated on a relatively small region of interest (ROI) closely surrounding the object, while ToG offers more flexibility in choosing a larger ROI containing more background pixels.

The UCLA Multimodal Connectivity Database: A web-based platform for brain connectivity matrix sharing and analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesse A. Brown

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Brain connectomics research has rapidly expanded using functional MRI (fMRI and diffusion-weighted MRI (dwMRI. A common product of these varied analyses is a connectivity matrix (CM. A CM stores the connection strength between any two regions (nodes in a brain network. This format is useful for several reasons: 1 it is highly distilled, with minimal data size and complexity, 2 graph theory can be applied to characterize the network’s topology, and 3 it retains sufficient information to capture individual differences such as age, gender, intelligence quotient, or disease state. Here we introduce the UCLA Multimodal Connectivity Database (http://umcd.humanconnectomeproject.org, an openly available website for brain network analysis and data sharing. The site is a repository for researchers to publicly share CMs derived from their data. The site also allows users to select any CM shared by another user, compute graph theoretical metrics on the site, visualize a report of results, or download the raw CM. To date, users have contributed over 2000 individual CMs, spanning different imaging modalities (fMRI, dwMRI and disorders (Alzheimer’s, autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. To demonstrate the site’s functionality, whole brain functional and structural connectivity matrices are derived from 60 subjects’ (ages 26-45 resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI and dwMRI data and uploaded to the site. The site is utilized to derive graph theory global and regional measures for the rs-fMRI and dwMRI networks. Global and nodal graph theoretical measures between functional and structural networks exhibit low correspondence. This example demonstrates how this tool can enhance the comparability of brain networks from different imaging modalities and studies. The existence of this connectivity-based repository should foster broader data sharing and enable larger-scale meta analyses comparing networks across imaging modality, age group, and disease state.

Using Tractography to Distinguish SWEDD from Parkinson’s Disease Patients Based on Connectivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mansu Kim

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. It is critical to distinguish between Parkinson’s disease (PD and scans without evidence of dopaminergic deficit (SWEDD, because the two groups are different and require different therapeutic approaches. Objective. The aim of this study was to distinguish SWEDD patients from PD patients using connectivity information derived from diffusion tensor imaging tractography. Methods. Diffusion magnetic resonance images of SWEDD (n=37 and PD (n=40 were obtained from a research database. Tractography, the process of obtaining neural fiber information, was performed using custom software. Group-wise differences between PD and SWEDD patients were quantified using the number of connected fibers between two regions, and correlation analyses were performed based on clinical scores. A support vector machine classifier (SVM was applied to distinguish PD and SWEDD based on group-wise differences. Results. Four connections showed significant group-wise differences and correlated with the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale sponsored by the Movement Disorder Society. The SVM classifier attained 77.92% accuracy in distinguishing between SWEDD and PD using these identified connections. Conclusions. The connections and regions identified represent candidates for future research investigations.

[Frail-VIG index: Design and evaluation of a new frailty index based on the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment].

Science.gov (United States)

Amblàs-Novellas, Jordi; Martori, Joan Carles; Molist Brunet, Núria; Oller, Ramon; Gómez-Batiste, Xavier; Espaulella Panicot, Joan

Frailty is closely linked to health results. Frailty indexes (FI) and the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) are multidimensional tools. FI serve to quantitatively measure frailty levels. They have shown to have an excellent correlation with mortality. However, they are infrequently used in clinical practice. Given the need for new, more concise, and pragmatic FI, a new FI is proposed based on a CGA (Frail-VIG Index). A prospective, observational, longitudinal study was conducted, with cohort follow up at 12 months or death. Participants were patients admitted in the Geriatric Unit of the University Hospital of Vic (Barcelona, Spain) during 2014. Contrast of hypothesis log-rank for survival curves according to Frail-VIG index, and analysis of ROC curves were performed to assess prognostic capacity. A total of 590 patients were included (mean age=86.39). Mortality rate at 12 months was 46.4%. The comparative analysis showed statistically significant differences (P<.05) for almost all variables included in the Frail-VIG index. Survival curves also show significant differences (X 2 =445, P<.001) for the different Frail-VIG index scores. The area under the ROC curve at 12 months was 0.9 (0.88-0.92). An administration time of the Index is estimated at less than 10minutes. Results endorse the Frail-VIG index as a simple (as for contents), rapid (for administration time) tool, with discriminative (for situational diagnosis) and predictive capacity (high correlation with mortality). Copyright © 2016 SEGG. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The oral-systemic disease connection: a retrospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph, Bobby K; Kullman, Leif; Sharma, Prem N

2016-11-01

The study aimed at determining the association between oral disease and systemic health based on panoramic radiographs and general health of patients treated at Kuwait University Dental Center. The objective was to determine whether individuals exhibiting good oral health have lower propensity to systemic diseases. A total of 1000 adult patients treated at Kuwait University Dental Center were randomly selected from the patient's records. The general health of patients was assessed from the medical history of each patient recorded during their visit to the clinic. The number of reported diseases and serious symptoms were used to develop a medical index. The oral health of these patients was assessed from panoramic radiographs to create an oral index by evaluating such parameters as caries, periodontitis, periapical lesions, pericoronitis, and tooth loss. In a total of 887 patients, 43.8 % had an oral index between 3 and 8, of which significantly higher (62.1 %) patients were with medical conditions compared to those without (33.2 %; p relationship when the diagnosis of oral disease was based primarily on radiographic findings. Future research needs to include prospective clinical and interventional studies. The significance of the oral-systemic disease connection highlights the importance of preventing and treating oral disease which have profound medical implications on general health.

Connection-based and object-based grouping in multiple-object tracking: A developmental study

OpenAIRE

Hallen, Ruth; Reusens, J. (Julie); Evers, K. (Kris); de-Wit, Lee; Wagemans, Johan

2018-01-01

textabstractDevelopmental research on Gestalt laws has previously revealed that, even as young as infancy, we are bound to group visual elements into unitary structures in accordance with a variety of organizational principles. Here, we focus on the developmental trajectory of both connection-based and object-based grouping, and investigate their impact on object formation in participants, aged 9-21 years old (N = 113), using a multiple-object tracking paradigm. Results reveal a main effect o...

An Associative Index Model for the Results List Based on Vannevar Bush's Selection Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, Charles; Julien, Charles-Antoine; Leide, John E.

2010-01-01

Introduction: We define the results list problem in information search and suggest the "associative index model", an ad-hoc, user-derived indexing solution based on Vannevar Bush's description of an associative indexing approach for his memex machine. We further define what selection means in indexing terms with reference to Charles…

Waterbodies Extraction from LANDSAT8-OLI Imagery Using Awater Indexs-Guied Stochastic Fully-Connected Conditional Random Field Model and the Support Vector Machine

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, X.; Xu, L.

2018-04-01

One of the most important applications of remote sensing classification is water extraction. The water index (WI) based on Landsat images is one of the most common ways to distinguish water bodies from other land surface features. But conventional WI methods take into account spectral information only form a limited number of bands, and therefore the accuracy of those WI methods may be constrained in some areas which are covered with snow/ice, clouds, etc. An accurate and robust water extraction method is the key to the study at present. The support vector machine (SVM) using all bands spectral information can reduce for these classification error to some extent. Nevertheless, SVM which barely considers spatial information is relatively sensitive to noise in local regions. Conditional random field (CRF) which considers both spatial information and spectral information has proven to be able to compensate for these limitations. Hence, in this paper, we develop a systematic water extraction method by taking advantage of the complementarity between the SVM and a water index-guided stochastic fully-connected conditional random field (SVM-WIGSFCRF) to address the above issues. In addition, we comprehensively evaluate the reliability and accuracy of the proposed method using Landsat-8 operational land imager (OLI) images of one test site. We assess the method's performance by calculating the following accuracy metrics: Omission Errors (OE) and Commission Errors (CE); Kappa coefficient (KP) and Total Error (TE). Experimental results show that the new method can improve target detection accuracy under complex and changeable environments.

A simplified GIS-based model for large wood recruitment and connectivity in mountain basins

Science.gov (United States)

Lucía, Ana; Antonello, Andrea; Campana, Daniela; Cavalli, Marco; Crema, Stefano; Franceschi, Silvia; Marchese, Enrico; Niedrist, Martin; Schneiderbauer, Stefan; Comiti, Francesco

2014-05-01

The mobilization of large wood (LW) elements in mountain rivers channels during floods may increase their hazard potential, especially by clogging narrow sections such as bridges. However, the prediction of LW transport magnitude during flood events is a challenging topic. Although some models on LW transport have been recently developed, the objective of this work was to generate a simplified GIS-based model to identify along the channel network the most likely LW-related critical sections during high-magnitude flood events in forested mountain basins. Potential LW contribution generated by landsliding occurring on hillslopes is assessed using SHALSTAB stability model coupled to a GIS-based connectivity index, developed as a modification of the index proposed by Cavalli et al (2013). Connected slope-derived LW volumes are then summed at each raster cell to LW volumes generated by bank erosion along the erodibile part of river corridors, where bank erosion processes are estimated based on user-defined channel widening ratios stemming from observations following recent extreme events in mountain basins. LW volume in the channel is then routed through the stream network applying simple Boolean rules meant to capture the most important limiting transport condition in these high-energy systems at flood stage, i.e. flow width relative to log length. In addition, the role of bridges and retention check-dams in blocking floating logs is accounted for in the model, in particular bridge length and height are used to characterize their clogging susceptibility for different levels of expected LW volumes and size. The model has been tested in the Rienz and Ahr basins (about 630 km2 each), located in the Eastern Italian Alps. Sixty percent of the basin area is forested, and elevations range from 811 m a.s.l. to 3488 m a.s.l.. We used a 2.5 m resolution DTM and DSM, and their difference was used to calculate the canopy height. Data from 35 plots of the National Forest Inventory

[Selection of distance thresholds of urban forest landscape connectivity in Shenyang City].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chang-fu; Zhou, Bin; He, Xing-yuan; Chen, Wei

2010-10-01

By using the QuickBird remote sensing image interpretation data of urban forests in Shenyang City in 2006, and with the help of geographical information system, this paper analyzed the landscape patches of the urban forests in the area inside the third ring-road of Shenyang. Based on the habitat availability and the dispersal potential of animal and plant species, 8 distance thresholds (50, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, and 1200 m) were selected to compute the integral index of connectivity, probability of connectivity, and important value of the landscape patches, and the computed values were used for analyzing and screening the distance thresholds of urban forest landscape connectivity in the City. The results showed that the appropriate distance thresholds of the urban forest landscape connectivity in Shenyang City in 2006 ranged from 100 to 400 m, with 200 m being most appropriate. It was suggested that the distance thresholds should be increased or decreased according to the performability of urban forest landscape connectivity and the different demands for landscape levels.

Low-loss curved subwavelength grating waveguide based on index engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zheng; Xu, Xiaochuan; Fan, D. L.; Wang, Yaoguo; Chen, Ray T.

2016-03-01

Subwavelength grating (SWG) waveguide is an intriguing alternative to conventional optical waveguides due to its freedom to tune a few important waveguide properties such as dispersion and refractive index. Devices based on SWG waveguide have demonstrated impressive performances compared to those of conventional waveguides. However, the large loss of SWG waveguide bends jeopardizes their applications in integrated photonics circuits. In this work, we propose that a predistorted refractive index distribution in SWG waveguide bends can effectively decrease the mode mismatch noise and radiation loss simultaneously, and thus significantly reduce the bend loss. Here, we achieved the pre-distortion refractive index distribution by using trapezoidal silicon pillars. This geometry tuning approach is numerically optimized and experimentally demonstrated. The average insertion loss of a 5 μm SWG waveguide bend can be reduced drastically from 5.58 dB to 1.37 dB per 90° bend for quasi-TE polarization. In the future, the proposed approach can be readily adopted to enhance performance of an array of SWG waveguide-based photonics devices.

A Dynamic Travel Time Estimation Model Based on Connected Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daxin Tian

2015-01-01

Full Text Available With advances in connected vehicle technology, dynamic vehicle route guidance models gradually become indispensable equipment for drivers. Traditional route guidance models are designed to direct a vehicle along the shortest path from the origin to the destination without considering the dynamic traffic information. In this paper a dynamic travel time estimation model is presented which can collect and distribute traffic data based on the connected vehicles. To estimate the real-time travel time more accurately, a road link dynamic dividing algorithm is proposed. The efficiency of the model is confirmed by simulations, and the experiment results prove the effectiveness of the travel time estimation method.

A robust holographic autofocusing criterion based on edge sparsity: comparison of Gini index and Tamura coefficient for holographic autofocusing based on the edge sparsity of the complex optical wavefront

Science.gov (United States)

Tamamitsu, Miu; Zhang, Yibo; Wang, Hongda; Wu, Yichen; Ozcan, Aydogan

2018-02-01

The Sparsity of the Gradient (SoG) is a robust autofocusing criterion for holography, where the gradient modulus of the complex refocused hologram is calculated, on which a sparsity metric is applied. Here, we compare two different choices of sparsity metrics used in SoG, specifically, the Gini index (GI) and the Tamura coefficient (TC), for holographic autofocusing on dense/connected or sparse samples. We provide a theoretical analysis predicting that for uniformly distributed image data, TC and GI exhibit similar behavior, while for naturally sparse images containing few high-valued signal entries and many low-valued noisy background pixels, TC is more sensitive to distribution changes in the signal and more resistive to background noise. These predictions are also confirmed by experimental results using SoG-based holographic autofocusing on dense and connected samples (such as stained breast tissue sections) as well as highly sparse samples (such as isolated Giardia lamblia cysts). Through these experiments, we found that ToG and GoG offer almost identical autofocusing performance on dense and connected samples, whereas for naturally sparse samples, GoG should be calculated on a relatively small region of interest (ROI) closely surrounding the object, while ToG offers more flexibility in choosing a larger ROI containing more background pixels.

Index Theory with Applications to Mathematics and Physics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Booss-Bavnbek, Bernhelm; Bleecker, David

Index Theory with Applications to Mathematics and Physics describes, explains, and explores the Index Theorem of Atiyah and Singer, one of the truly great accomplishments of twentieth-century mathematics whose influence continues to grow, fifty years after its discovery. The Index Theorem has giv...... birth to many mathematical research areas and exposed profound connections between analysis, geometry, topology, algebra, and mathematical physics. Hardly any topic of modern mathematics stands independent of its influence.......Index Theory with Applications to Mathematics and Physics describes, explains, and explores the Index Theorem of Atiyah and Singer, one of the truly great accomplishments of twentieth-century mathematics whose influence continues to grow, fifty years after its discovery. The Index Theorem has given...

The SWPER index for women's empowerment in Africa: development and validation of an index based on survey data.

Science.gov (United States)

Ewerling, Fernanda; Lynch, John W; Victora, Cesar G; van Eerdewijk, Anouka; Tyszler, Marcelo; Barros, Aluisio J D

2017-09-01

The Sustainable Development Goals strongly focus on equity. Goal 5 explicitly aims to empower all women and girls, reinforcing the need to have a reliable indicator to track progress. Our objective was to develop a novel women's empowerment indicator from widely available data sources, broadening opportunities for monitoring and research on women's empowerment. We used Demographic and Health Survey data from 34 African countries, targeting currently partnered women. We identified items related to women's empowerment present in most surveys, and used principal component analysis to extract the components. We carried out a convergent validation process using coverage of three health interventions as outcomes; and an external validation process by analysing correlations with the Gender Development Index. 15 items related to women's empowerment were selected. We retained three components (50% of total variation) which, after rotation, were identified as three dimensions of empowerment: attitude to violence, social independence, and decision making. All dimensions had moderate to high correlation with the Gender Development Index. Social independence was associated with higher coverage of maternal and child interventions; attitude to violence and decision making were more consistently associated with the use of modern contraception. The index, named Survey-based Women's emPowERment index (SWPER), has potential to widen the research on women's empowerment and to give a better estimate of its effect on health interventions and outcomes. It allows within-country and between-country comparison, as well as time trend analysis, which no other survey-based index provides. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

USING STROKE-BASED OR CHARACTER-BASED SELF-ORGANIZING MAPS IN THE RECOGNITION OF ONLINE, CONNECTED CURSIVE SCRIPT

NARCIS (Netherlands)

SCHOMAKER, L

Comparisons are made between a number of stroke-based and character-based recognizers of connected cursive script. In both approaches a Kohonen self-organizing neural network is used as a feature-vector quantizer. It is found that a ''best match only'' character-based recognizer performs better than

New Virginia Cooperative Extension website connects citizens with research-based knowledge

OpenAIRE

Sutphin, Michael D.

2009-01-01

Virginia Cooperative Extension has revamped its online presence with a new and improved website that connects citizens with the research-based knowledge at Virginia's land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University.

Query and Update Efficient B+-Tree Based Indexing of Moving Objects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Christian Søndergaard; Lin, Dan; Ooi, Beng Chin

2004-01-01

. This motivates the design of a solution that enables the B+-tree to manage moving objects. We represent moving-object locations as vectors that are timestamped based on their update time. By applying a novel linearization technique to these values, it is possible to index the resulting values using a single B...... are streamed to a database. Indexes for moving objects must support queries efficiently, but must also support frequent updates. Indexes based on minimum bounding regions (MBRs) such as the R-tree exhibit high concurrency overheads during node splitting, and each individual update is known to be quite costly......+-tree that partitions values according to their timestamp and otherwise preserves spatial proximity. We develop algorithms for range and k nearest neighbor queries, as well as continuous queries. The proposal can be grafted into existing database systems cost effectively. An extensive experimental study explores...

Connecting vocational education with work based learning in the Nordic Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Christian Helms; Tønder, Anna Hagen

This paper examines how the different systems of vocational education and training (VET-systems) in four Nordic countries connect to the labour market and how they provide access to employment and work-based learning for the students. The VET-system at upper secondary level includes youth as well...... they have developed. Next, the role of employment protection is examined and some recent initiatives to connect upper secondary VET closer to the labour market are presented. A special interest is taken in attempts to revive and strengthen apprenticeship programmes. The conclusion summarises the strengths...

A survey of the current status of web-based databases indexing Iranian journals.

Science.gov (United States)

Merat, Shahin; Khatibzadeh, Shahab; Mesgarpour, Bita; Malekzadeh, Reza

2009-05-01

The scientific output of Iran is increasing rapidly during the recent years. Unfortunately, most papers are published in journals which are not indexed by popular indexing systems and many of them are in Persian without English translation. This makes the results of Iranian scientific research unavailable to other researchers, including Iranians. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of current web-based databases indexing scientific articles published in Iran. We identified web-based databases which indexed scientific journals published in Iran using popular search engines. The sites were then subjected to a series of tests to evaluate their coverage, search capabilities, stability, accuracy of information, consistency, accessibility, ease of use, and other features. Results were compared with each other to identify strengths and shortcomings of each site. Five web sites were indentified. None had a complete coverage on scientific Iranian journals. The search capabilities were less than optimal in most sites. English translations of research titles, author names, keywords, and abstracts of Persian-language articles did not follow standards. Some sites did not cover abstracts. Numerous typing errors make searches ineffective and citation indexing unreliable. None of the currently available indexing sites are capable of presenting Iranian research to the international scientific community. The government should intervene by enforcing policies designed to facilitate indexing through a systematic approach. The policies should address Iranian journals, authors, and indexing sites. Iranian journals should be required to provide their indexing data, including references, electronically; authors should provide correct indexing information to journals; and indexing sites should improve their software to meet standards set by the government.

Geomagnetic Dst index forecast based on IMF data only

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Pallocchia

2006-05-01

Full Text Available In the past years several operational Dst forecasting algorithms, based on both IMF and solar wind plasma parameters, have been developed and used. We describe an Artificial Neural Network (ANN algorithm which calculates the Dst index on the basis of IMF data only and discuss its performance for several individual storms. Moreover, we briefly comment on the physical grounds which allow the Dst forecasting based on IMF only.

Forest fire danger index based on modifying Nesterov Index, fuel, and anthropogenic activities using MODIS TERRA, AQUA and TRMM satellite datasets

Science.gov (United States)

Suresh Babu, K. V.; Roy, Arijit; Ramachandra Prasad, P.

2016-05-01

Forest fire has been regarded as one of the major causes of degradation of Himalayan forests in Uttarakhand. Forest fires occur annually in more than 50% of forests in Uttarakhand state, mostly due to anthropogenic activities and spreads due to moisture conditions and type of forest fuels. Empirical drought indices such as Keetch-Byram drought index, the Nesterov index, Modified Nesterov index, the Zhdanko index which belongs to the cumulative type and the Angstrom Index which belongs to the daily type have been used throughout the world to assess the potential fire danger. In this study, the forest fire danger index has been developed from slightly modified Nesterov index, fuel and anthropogenic activities. Datasets such as MODIS TERRA Land Surface Temperature and emissivity (MOD11A1), MODIS AQUA Atmospheric profile product (MYD07) have been used to determine the dew point temperature and land surface temperature. Precipitation coefficient has been computed from Tropical Rainfall measuring Mission (TRMM) product (3B42RT). Nesterov index has been slightly modified according to the Indian context and computed using land surface temperature, dew point temperature and precipitation coefficient. Fuel type danger index has been derived from forest type map of ISRO based on historical fire location information and disturbance danger index has been derived from disturbance map of ISRO. Finally, forest fire danger index has been developed from the above mentioned indices and MODIS Thermal anomaly product (MOD14) has been used for validating the forest fire danger index.

A Virtual Private Local PCN Ring Network Based on ATM VP Cross—Connection

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LinBin; MaYingjun; 等

1995-01-01

Avirtual private local PCNring network (VPLPR)is proposed .VPLPR is a virtual logic ring seuved for digital cordless telephone system and it works on ATM VP cross-connection mechanism.Full-distributed data bases are organized for visitor location registers(VLR)and home location register(HLR).The signaling protocols are compatible upward to B-ISDN. The architecture and some of the main characteristics of VPLPR are given.How to configure the ATM VP cross-connection ring is described.And then a protocol conversion between STM frames and ATMcells in base station controller(BSC)is presented.

Hierarchical Controlled Grid-Connected Microgrid based on a Novel Autonomous Current Sharing Controller

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guan, Yajuan; Quintero, Juan Carlos Vasquez; Guerrero, Josep M.

2015-01-01

In this paper, a hierarchical control system based on a novel autonomous current sharing controller for grid-connected microgrids (MGs) is presented. A three-level hierarchical control system is implemented to guarantee the power sharing performance among voltage controlled parallel inverters......, while providing the required active and reactive power to the utility grid. A communication link is used to transmit the control signal from the tertiary and secondary control levels to the primary control. Simulation results from a MG based on two grid-connected parallel inverters are shown in order...

Increased Default Mode Network Connectivity in Individuals at High Familial Risk for Depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Posner, Jonathan; Cha, Jiook; Wang, Zhishun; Talati, Ardesheer; Warner, Virginia; Gerber, Andrew; Peterson, Bradley S; Weissman, Myrna

2016-06-01

Research into the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) has focused largely on individuals already affected by MDD. Studies have thus been limited in their ability to disentangle effects that arise as a result of MDD from precursors of the disorder. By studying individuals at high familial risk for MDD, we aimed to identify potential biomarkers indexing risk for developing MDD, a critical step toward advancing prevention and early intervention. Using resting-state functional connectivity MRI (rs-fcMRI) and diffusion MRI (tractography), we examined connectivity within the default mode network (DMN) and between the DMN and the central executive network (CEN) in 111 individuals, aged 11-60 years, at high and low familial risk for depression. Study participants were part of a three-generation longitudinal, cohort study of familial depression. Based on rs-fcMRI, individuals at high vs low familial risk for depression showed increased DMN connectivity, as well as decreased DMN-CEN-negative connectivity. These findings remained significant after excluding individuals with a current or lifetime history of depression. Diffusion MRI measures based on tractography supported the findings of decreased DMN-CEN-negative connectivity. Path analyses indicated that decreased DMN-CEN-negative connectivity mediated a relationship between familial risk and a neuropsychological measure of impulsivity. Our findings suggest that DMN and DMN-CEN connectivity differ in those at high vs low risk for depression and thus suggest potential biomarkers for identifying individuals at risk for developing MDD.

MEDRank: using graph-based concept ranking to index biomedical texts.

Science.gov (United States)

Herskovic, Jorge R; Cohen, Trevor; Subramanian, Devika; Iyengar, M Sriram; Smith, Jack W; Bernstam, Elmer V

2011-06-01

As the volume of biomedical text increases exponentially, automatic indexing becomes increasingly important. However, existing approaches do not distinguish central (or core) concepts from concepts that were mentioned in passing. We focus on the problem of indexing MEDLINE records, a process that is currently performed by highly trained humans at the National Library of Medicine (NLM). NLM indexers are assisted by a system called the Medical Text Indexer (MTI) that suggests candidate indexing terms. To improve the ability of MTI to select the core terms in MEDLINE abstracts. These core concepts are deemed to be most important and are designated as "major headings" by MEDLINE indexers. We introduce and evaluate a graph-based indexing methodology called MEDRank that generates concept graphs from biomedical text and then ranks the concepts within these graphs to identify the most important ones. We insert a MEDRank step into the MTI and compare MTI's output with and without MEDRank to the MEDLINE indexers' selected terms for a sample of 11,803 PubMed Central articles. We also tested whether human raters prefer terms generated by the MEDLINE indexers, MTI without MEDRank, and MTI with MEDRank for a sample of 36 PubMed Central articles. MEDRank improved recall of major headings designated by 30% over MTI without MEDRank (0.489 vs. 0.376). Overall recall was only slightly (6.5%) higher (0.490 vs. 0.460) as was F(2) (3%, 0.408 vs. 0.396). However, overall precision was 3.9% lower (0.268 vs. 0.279). Human raters preferred terms generated by MTI with MEDRank over terms generated by MTI without MEDRank (by an average of 1.00 more term per article), and preferred terms generated by MTI with MEDRank and the MEDLINE indexers at the same rate. The addition of MEDRank to MTI significantly improved the retrieval of core concepts in MEDLINE abstracts and more closely matched human expectations compared to MTI without MEDRank. In addition, MEDRank slightly improved overall recall

The effects of habitat connectivity and regional heterogeneity on artificial pond metacommunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Pedruski, Michael T; Arnott, Shelley E

2011-05-01

Habitat connectivity and regional heterogeneity represent two factors likely to affect biodiversity across different spatial scales. We performed a 3 × 2 factorial design experiment to investigate the effects of connectivity, heterogeneity, and their interaction on artificial pond communities of freshwater invertebrates at the local (α), among-community (β), and regional (γ) scales. Despite expectations that the effects of connectivity would depend on levels of regional heterogeneity, no significant interactions were found for any diversity index investigated at any spatial scale. While observed responses of biodiversity to connectivity and heterogeneity depended to some extent on the diversity index and spatial partitioning formula used, the general pattern shows that these factors largely act at the β scale, as opposed to the α or γ scales. We conclude that the major role of connectivity in aquatic invertebrate communities is to act as a homogenizing force with relatively little effect on diversity at the α or γ levels. Conversely, heterogeneity acts as a force maintaining differences between communities.

Connection-based and object-based grouping in multiple-object tracking: A developmental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Van der Hallen, Ruth; Reusens, Julie; Evers, Kris; de-Wit, Lee; Wagemans, Johan

2018-03-30

Developmental research on Gestalt laws has previously revealed that, even as young as infancy, we are bound to group visual elements into unitary structures in accordance with a variety of organizational principles. Here, we focus on the developmental trajectory of both connection-based and object-based grouping, and investigate their impact on object formation in participants, aged 9-21 years old (N = 113), using a multiple-object tracking paradigm. Results reveal a main effect of both age and grouping type, indicating that 9- to 21-year-olds are sensitive to both connection-based and object-based grouping interference, and tracking ability increases with age. In addition to its importance for typical development, these results provide an informative baseline to understand clinical aberrations in this regard. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? The origin of the Gestalt principles is still an ongoing debate: Are they innate, learned over time, or both? Developmental research has revealed how each Gestalt principle has its own trajectory and unique relationship to visual experience. Both connectedness and object-based grouping play an important role in object formation during childhood. What does this study add? The study identifies how sensitivity to connectedness and object-based grouping evolves in individuals, aged 9-21 years old. Using multiple-object tracking, results reveal that the ability to track multiple objects increases with age. These results provide an informative baseline to understand clinical aberrations in different types of grouping. © 2018 The Authors. British Journal of Developmental Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.

CMOS image sensor-based immunodetection by refractive-index change.

Science.gov (United States)

Devadhasan, Jasmine P; Kim, Sanghyo

2012-01-01

A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor is an intriguing technology for the development of a novel biosensor. Indeed, the CMOS image sensor mechanism concerning the detection of the antigen-antibody (Ag-Ab) interaction at the nanoscale has been ambiguous so far. To understand the mechanism, more extensive research has been necessary to achieve point-of-care diagnostic devices. This research has demonstrated a CMOS image sensor-based analysis of cardiovascular disease markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and troponin I, Ag-Ab interactions on indium nanoparticle (InNP) substrates by simple photon count variation. The developed sensor is feasible to detect proteins even at a fg/mL concentration under ordinary room light. Possible mechanisms, such as dielectric constant and refractive-index changes, have been studied and proposed. A dramatic change in the refractive index after protein adsorption on an InNP substrate was observed to be a predominant factor involved in CMOS image sensor-based immunoassay.

Ultracompact Refractive Index Sensor Based on Surface-Plasmon-Polariton Interference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Chen; Chen Jian-Jun; Tang Wei-Hua; Xiao Jing-Hua

2012-01-01

Using an ultracompact groove-slit-groove (GSG) structure, a refractive index sensor with a broadband response is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Due to the interference of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), the transmission spectra in the GSG structure exhibit oscillation behaviors in a broad bandwidth, and they are quite sensitive to the refractive index of the surroundings. Based on the principle, the characteristics of its refractive index sensing are demonstrated experimentally. In the experiment, the structure is illuminated with a bulk light source (not a tightly focused light source) from the back side. This decreases the difficulty of the experimental measurement and can protect strong light sources from damaging the detection samples. Meanwhile, the whole structure of the sensor can be made more ultracompact without considering the influence of the incident waves

Asymmetric multi-fractality in the U.S. stock indices using index-based model of A-MFDFA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Minhyuk; Song, Jae Wook; Park, Ji Hwan; Chang, Woojin

2017-01-01

Highlights: • ‘Index-based A-MFDFA’ model is proposed to assess the asymmetric multi-fractality. • The asymmetric multi-fractality in the U.S. stock indices are investigated using ‘Index-based’ and ‘Return-based’ A-MFDFA. • The asymmetric feature is more significantly identified by ‘Index-based’ model than ‘return-based’ model. • Source of multi-fractality and time-varying features are analyzed. - Abstract: We detect the asymmetric multi-fractality in the U.S. stock indices based on the asymmetric multi-fractal detrended fluctuation analysis (A-MFDFA). Instead using the conventional return-based approach, we propose the index-based model of A-MFDFA where the trend based on the evolution of stock index rather than stock price return plays a role for evaluating the asymmetric scaling behaviors. The results show that the multi-fractal behaviors of the U.S. stock indices are asymmetric and the index-based model detects the asymmetric multi-fractality better than return-based model. We also discuss the source of multi-fractality and its asymmetry and observe that the multi-fractal asymmetry in the U.S. stock indices has a time-varying feature where the degree of multi-fractality and asymmetry increase during the financial crisis.

Comparing a medical records-based and a claims-based index for measuring comorbidity in patients with lung or colon cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kehl, Kenneth L; Lamont, Elizabeth B; McNeil, Barbara J; Bozeman, Samuel R; Kelley, Michael J; Keating, Nancy L

2015-05-01

Ascertaining comorbid conditions in cancer patients is important for research and clinical quality measurement, and is particularly important for understanding care and outcomes for older patients and those with multi-morbidity. We compared the medical records-based ACE-27 index and the claims-based Charlson index in predicting receipt of therapy and survival for lung and colon cancer patients. We calculated the Charlson index using administrative data and the ACE-27 score using medical records for Veterans Affairs patients diagnosed with stage I/II non-small cell lung or stage III colon cancer from January 2003 to December 2004. We compared the proportion of patients identified by each index as having any comorbidity. We used multivariable logistic regression to ascertain the predictive power of each index regarding delivery of guideline-recommended therapies and two-year survival, comparing the c-statistic and the Akaike information criterion (AIC). Overall, 97.2% of lung and 90.9% of colon cancer patients had any comorbidity according to the ACE-27 index, versus 59.5% and 49.7%, respectively, according to the Charlson. Multivariable models including the ACE-27 index outperformed Charlson-based models when assessing receipt of guideline-recommended therapies, with higher c-statistics and lower AICs. Neither index was clearly superior in prediction of two-year survival. The ACE-27 index measured using medical records captured more comorbidity and outperformed the Charlson index measured using administrative data for predicting receipt of guideline-recommended therapies, demonstrating the potential value of more detailed comorbidity data. However, the two indices had relatively similar performance when predicting survival. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gradient-index optics fundamentals and applications

CERN Document Server

Gomez-Reino, Carlos; Bao, Carmen

2010-01-01

Gradient-Index (GRIN) optics provides a comprehensive and thorough treatment on fundamentals and applications of light propagation through inhomogeneous media. The book can be used both as a classroom text for students in physics and engineering and as a reference for specialists. A description of the phenomena, components and technology used in GRIN Optics are presented. The relationship to lenses, waveguides, optical connections, spatial solitons and vision is demonstrated. Applications of GRIN components and hybrid structures for optical connections, optical sensing and Talbot effect are analyzed.

A New Family of Multilevel Grid Connected Inverters Based on Packed U Cell Topology.

Science.gov (United States)

Pakdel, Majid; Jalilzadeh, Saeid

2017-09-29

In this paper a novel packed U cell (PUC) based multilevel grid connected inverter is proposed. Unlike the U cell arrangement which consists of two power switches and one capacitor, in the proposed converter topology a lower DC power supply from renewable energy resources such as photovoltaic arrays (PV) is used as a base power source. The proposed topology offers higher efficiency and lower cost using a small number of power switches and a lower DC power source which is supplied from renewable energy resources. Other capacitor voltages are extracted from the base lower DC power source using isolated DC-DC power converters. The operation principle of proposed transformerless multilevel grid connected inverter is analyzed theoretically. Operation of the proposed multilevel grid connected inverter is verified through simulation studies. An experimental prototype using STM32F407 discovery controller board is performed to verify the simulation results.

Hedging effectiveness of weather index-based insurance in China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pelka, N.; Musshoff, O.; Finger, R.

2014-01-01

Purpose - Maize production in China is exposed to pronounced yield risks, in particular weather risk, which is one of the most important and least controllable sources of risk in agriculture. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the extent to which weather index-based insurance can contribute to

Partial covariance based functional connectivity computation using Ledoit-Wolf covariance regularization.

Science.gov (United States)

Brier, Matthew R; Mitra, Anish; McCarthy, John E; Ances, Beau M; Snyder, Abraham Z

2015-11-01

Functional connectivity refers to shared signals among brain regions and is typically assessed in a task free state. Functional connectivity commonly is quantified between signal pairs using Pearson correlation. However, resting-state fMRI is a multivariate process exhibiting a complicated covariance structure. Partial covariance assesses the unique variance shared between two brain regions excluding any widely shared variance, hence is appropriate for the analysis of multivariate fMRI datasets. However, calculation of partial covariance requires inversion of the covariance matrix, which, in most functional connectivity studies, is not invertible owing to rank deficiency. Here we apply Ledoit-Wolf shrinkage (L2 regularization) to invert the high dimensional BOLD covariance matrix. We investigate the network organization and brain-state dependence of partial covariance-based functional connectivity. Although RSNs are conventionally defined in terms of shared variance, removal of widely shared variance, surprisingly, improved the separation of RSNs in a spring embedded graphical model. This result suggests that pair-wise unique shared variance plays a heretofore unrecognized role in RSN covariance organization. In addition, application of partial correlation to fMRI data acquired in the eyes open vs. eyes closed states revealed focal changes in uniquely shared variance between the thalamus and visual cortices. This result suggests that partial correlation of resting state BOLD time series reflect functional processes in addition to structural connectivity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Protein complex prediction based on k-connected subgraphs in protein interaction network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Habibi Mahnaz

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Protein complexes play an important role in cellular mechanisms. Recently, several methods have been presented to predict protein complexes in a protein interaction network. In these methods, a protein complex is predicted as a dense subgraph of protein interactions. However, interactions data are incomplete and a protein complex does not have to be a complete or dense subgraph. Results We propose a more appropriate protein complex prediction method, CFA, that is based on connectivity number on subgraphs. We evaluate CFA using several protein interaction networks on reference protein complexes in two benchmark data sets (MIPS and Aloy, containing 1142 and 61 known complexes respectively. We compare CFA to some existing protein complex prediction methods (CMC, MCL, PCP and RNSC in terms of recall and precision. We show that CFA predicts more complexes correctly at a competitive level of precision. Conclusions Many real complexes with different connectivity level in protein interaction network can be predicted based on connectivity number. Our CFA program and results are freely available from http://www.bioinf.cs.ipm.ir/softwares/cfa/CFA.rar.

A Max-Flow Based Algorithm for Connected Target Coverage with Probabilistic Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anxing Shan

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Coverage is a fundamental issue in the research field of wireless sensor networks (WSNs. Connected target coverage discusses the sensor placement to guarantee the needs of both coverage and connectivity. Existing works largely leverage on the Boolean disk model, which is only a coarse approximation to the practical sensing model. In this paper, we focus on the connected target coverage issue based on the probabilistic sensing model, which can characterize the quality of coverage more accurately. In the probabilistic sensing model, sensors are only be able to detect a target with certain probability. We study the collaborative detection probability of target under multiple sensors. Armed with the analysis of collaborative detection probability, we further formulate the minimum ϵ-connected target coverage problem, aiming to minimize the number of sensors satisfying the requirements of both coverage and connectivity. We map it into a flow graph and present an approximation algorithm called the minimum vertices maximum flow algorithm (MVMFA with provable time complex and approximation ratios. To evaluate our design, we analyze the performance of MVMFA theoretically and also conduct extensive simulation studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm.

Groupwise connectivity-based parcellation of the whole human cortical surface using watershed-driven dimension reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Lefranc, Sandrine; Roca, Pauline; Perrot, Matthieu; Poupon, Cyril; Le Bihan, Denis; Mangin, Jean-François; Rivière, Denis

2016-05-01

Segregating the human cortex into distinct areas based on structural connectivity criteria is of widespread interest in neuroscience. This paper presents a groupwise connectivity-based parcellation framework for the whole cortical surface using a new high quality diffusion dataset of 79 healthy subjects. Our approach performs gyrus by gyrus to parcellate the whole human cortex. The main originality of the method is to compress for each gyrus the connectivity profiles used for the clustering without any anatomical prior information. This step takes into account the interindividual cortical and connectivity variability. To this end, we consider intersubject high density connectivity areas extracted using a surface-based watershed algorithm. A wide validation study has led to a fully automatic pipeline which is robust to variations in data preprocessing (tracking type, cortical mesh characteristics and boundaries of initial gyri), data characteristics (including number of subjects), and the main algorithmic parameters. A remarkable reproducibility is achieved in parcellation results for the whole cortex, leading to clear and stable cortical patterns. This reproducibility has been tested across non-overlapping subgroups and the validation is presented mainly on the pre- and postcentral gyri. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

38 CFR 51.41 - Per diem for certain veterans based on service-connected disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... facility, if the veteran: (1) Is in need of nursing home care for a VA adjudicated service-connected...' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (CONTINUED) PER DIEM FOR NURSING HOME CARE OF VETERANS IN STATE HOMES Per Diem Payments § 51.41 Per diem for certain veterans based on service-connected disabilities...

[Aquatic Ecological Index based on freshwater (ICE(RN-MAE)) for the Rio Negro watershed, Colombia].

Science.gov (United States)

Forero, Laura Cristina; Longo, Magnolia; John Jairo, Ramirez; Guillermo, Chalar

2014-04-01

Aquatic Ecological Index based on freshwater (ICE(RN-MAE)) for the Rio Negro watershed, Colombia. Available indices to assess the ecological status of rivers in Colombia are mostly based on subjective hypotheses about macroinvertebrate tolerance to pollution, which have important limitations. Here we present the application of a method to establish an index of ecological quality for lotic systems in Colombia. The index, based on macroinvertebrate abundance and physicochemical variables, was developed as an alternative to the BMWP-Col index. The method consists on determining an environmental gradient from correlations between physicochemical variables and abundance. The scores obtained in each sampling point are used in a standardized correlation for a model of weighted averages (WA). In the WA model abundances are also weighted to estimate the optimum and tolerance values of each taxon; using this information we estimated the index of ecological quality based also on macroinvertebrate (ICE(RN-MAE)) abundance in each sampling site. Subsequently, we classified all sites using the index and concentrations of total phosphorus (TP) in a cluster analysis. Using TP and ICE(RN-MAE), mean, maximum, minimum and standard deviation, we defined threshold values corresponding to three categories of ecological status: good, fair and critical.

The Influence of Water Conservancy Projects on River Network Connectivity, A Case of Luanhe River Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Z.; Li, C.

2017-12-01

Connectivity is one of the most important characteristics of a river, which is derived from the natural water cycle and determine the renewability of river water. The water conservancy project can change the connectivity of natural river networks, and directly threaten the health and stability of the river ecosystem. Based on the method of Dendritic Connectivity Index (DCI), the impacts from sluices and dams on the connectivity of river network are deeply discussed herein. DCI quantitatively evaluate the connectivity of river networks based on the number of water conservancy facilities, the connectivity of fish and geographical location. The results show that the number of water conservancy facilities and their location in the river basin have a great influence on the connectivity of the river network. With the increase of the number of sluices and dams, DCI is decreasing gradually, but its decreasing range is becoming smaller and smaller. The dam located in the middle of the river network cuts the upper and lower parts of the whole river network, and destroys the connectivity of the river network more seriously. Therefore, this method can be widely applied to the comparison of different alternatives during planning of river basins and then provide a reference for the site selection and design of the water conservancy project and facility concerned.

Cooperative Cloud Service Aware Mobile Internet Coverage Connectivity Guarantee Protocol Based on Sensor Opportunistic Coverage Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qin Qin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In order to improve the Internet coverage ratio and provide connectivity guarantee, based on sensor opportunistic coverage mechanism and cooperative cloud service, we proposed the coverage connectivity guarantee protocol for mobile Internet. In this scheme, based on the opportunistic covering rules, the network coverage algorithm of high reliability and real-time security was achieved by using the opportunity of sensor nodes and the Internet mobile node. Then, the cloud service business support platform is created based on the Internet application service management capabilities and wireless sensor network communication service capabilities, which is the architecture of the cloud support layer. The cooperative cloud service aware model was proposed. Finally, we proposed the mobile Internet coverage connectivity guarantee protocol. The results of experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has excellent performance, in terms of the security of the Internet and the stability, as well as coverage connectivity ability.

Study on environmental impact assessment index system of uranium production base construction plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Xiaochao; Song Liquan

2008-01-01

The index system on planning environmental impact assessment of uranium mining base construction is discussed by using the hiberarchy method according to characteristics of uranium production and environmental protection object of planning assessment. The suggested index system is in favor of persistent exploitation of uranium resource and environmental protection in the uranium mining area, and can provide a reference for planning environmental impact assessment of uranium mining base construction in China. (authors)

RFID-based vehicle positioning and its applications in connected vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jianqiang; Ni, Daiheng; Li, Keqiang

2014-03-04

This paper proposed an RFID-based vehicle positioning approach to facilitate connected vehicles applications. When a vehicle passes over an RFID tag, the vehicle position is given by the accurate position stored in the tag. At locations without RFID coverage, the vehicle position is estimated from the most recent tag location using a kinematics integration algorithm till updates from the next tag. The accuracy of RFID positioning is verified empirically in two independent ways with one using radar and the other a photoelectric switch. The former is designed to verify whether the dynamic position obtained from RFID tags matches the position measured by radar that is regarded as accurate. The latter aims to verify whether the position estimated from the kinematics integration matches the position obtained from RFID tags. Both means supports the accuracy of RFID-based positioning. As a supplement to GPS which suffers from issues such as inaccuracy and loss of signal, RFID positioning is promising in facilitating connected vehicles applications. Two conceptual applications are provided here with one in vehicle operational control and the other in Level IV intersection control.

Optofluidic refractive index sensor based on partial reflection

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Zhang; Wang, Yichuan; Ye, Meiying; Fang, Wei; Tong, Limin

2017-06-01

We demonstrate a novel optofluidic refractive index (RI) sensor with high sensitivity and wide dynamic range based on partial reflection. Benefited from the divergent incident light and the output fibers with different tilting angles, we have achieved highly sensitive RI sensing in a wide range from 1.33 to 1.37. To investigate the effectiveness of this sensor, we perform a measurement of RI with a resolution of ca. 5.0×10-5 refractive index unit (RIU) for ethylene glycol solutions. Also, we have measured a series of liquid solutions by using different output fibers, achieving a resolution of ca. 0.52 mg/mL for cane surge. The optofluidic RI sensor takes advantage of the high sensitivity, wide dynamic range, small footprint, and low sample consumption, as well as the efficient fluidic sample delivery, making it useful for applications in the food industry.

The Effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning Approach Based on Multiple Intelligences in Terms of Student’s Achievement, Mathematical Connection Ability, and Self-Esteem

Science.gov (United States)

Kartikasari, A.; Widjajanti, D. B.

2017-02-01

The aim of this study is to explore the effectiveness of learning approach using problem-based learning based on multiple intelligences in developing student’s achievement, mathematical connection ability, and self-esteem. This study is experimental research with research sample was 30 of Grade X students of MIA III MAN Yogyakarta III. Learning materials that were implemented consisting of trigonometry and geometry. For the purpose of this study, researchers designed an achievement test made up of 44 multiple choice questions with respectively 24 questions on the concept of trigonometry and 20 questions for geometry. The researcher also designed a connection mathematical test and self-esteem questionnaire that consisted of 7 essay questions on mathematical connection test and 30 items of self-esteem questionnaire. The learning approach said that to be effective if the proportion of students who achieved KKM on achievement test, the proportion of students who achieved a minimum score of high category on the results of both mathematical connection test and self-esteem questionnaire were greater than or equal to 70%. Based on the hypothesis testing at the significance level of 5%, it can be concluded that the learning approach using problem-based learning based on multiple intelligences was effective in terms of student’s achievement, mathematical connection ability, and self-esteem.

Long-term hemispheric variation of the flare index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Song; Deng Lin-Hua; Xu Shi-Chun

2013-01-01

The long-term hemispheric variation of the flare index is investigated. It is found that, (1) the phase difference of the flare index between the northern and southern hemispheres is about 6–7 months, which is near the time delay between flare activity and sunspot activity; (2) both the dominant and phase-leading hemisphere of the flare index is the northern hemisphere in the considered time interval, implying that the hemispheric asynchrony of solar activity has a close connection with the N-S asymmetry of solar activity. (research papers)

Single Mode Optical Fiber based Refractive Index Sensor using Etched Cladding

OpenAIRE

Kumar, Ajay; Gupta, Geeta; Mallik, Arun; Bhatnagar, Anuj

2011-01-01

The use of optical fiber for sensor applications is a topic of current interest. We report the fabrication of etched single mode optical fiber based refractive index sensor. Experiments are performed to determine the etch rate of fiber in buffered hydrofluoric acid, which can be high or low depending upon the temperature at which etching is carried out. Controlled wet etching of fiber cladding is performed using these measurements and etched fiber region is tested for refractive index sensing...

An Analysis of Delay-based and Integrator-based Sequence Detectors for Grid-Connected Converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khazraj, Hesam; Silva, Filipe Miguel Faria da; Bak, Claus Leth

2017-01-01

-signal cancellation operators are the main members of the delay-based sequence detectors. The aim of this paper is to provide a theoretical and experimental comparative study between integrator and delay based sequence detectors. The theoretical analysis is conducted based on the small-signal modelling......Detecting and separating positive and negative sequence components of the grid voltage or current is of vital importance in the control of grid-connected power converters, HVDC systems, etc. To this end, several techniques have been proposed in recent years. These techniques can be broadly...... classified into two main classes: The integrator-based techniques and Delay-based techniques. The complex-coefficient filter-based technique, dual second-order generalized integrator-based method, multiple reference frame approach are the main members of the integrator-based sequence detector and the delay...

IDIOS: An innovative index for evaluating dental imaging-based osteoporosis screening indices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barngkgei, Imad; Al Haffar, Iyad; Khattab, Razan [Faculty of Dentistry, Damascus University, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic); Halboub, Esam; Almashraqi, Abeer Abdulkareem [Dept. of Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan (Saudi Arabia)

2016-09-15

The goal of this study was to develop a new index as an objective reference for evaluating current and newly developed indices used for osteoporosis screening based on dental images. Its name; IDIOS, stands for Index of Dental-imaging Indices of Osteoporosis Screening. A comprehensive PubMed search was conducted to retrieve studies on dental imaging-based indices for osteoporosis screening. The results of the eligible studies, along with other relevant criteria, were used to develop IDIOS, which has scores ranging from 0 (0%) to 15 (100%). The indices presented in the studies we included were then evaluated using IDIOS. The 104 studies that were included utilized 24, 4, and 9 indices derived from panoramic, periapical, and computed tomographic/cone-beam computed tomographic techniques, respectively. The IDIOS scores for these indices ranged from 0 (0%) to 11.75 (78.32%). IDIOS is a valuable reference index that facilitates the evaluation of other dental imaging-based osteoporosis screening indices. Furthermore, IDIOS can be utilized to evaluate the accuracy of newly developed indices.

IDIOS: An innovative index for evaluating dental imaging-based osteoporosis screening indices.

Science.gov (United States)

Barngkgei, Imad; Halboub, Esam; Almashraqi, Abeer Abdulkareem; Khattab, Razan; Al Haffar, Iyad

2016-09-01

The goal of this study was to develop a new index as an objective reference for evaluating current and newly developed indices used for osteoporosis screening based on dental images. Its name; IDIOS, stands for Index of Dental-imaging Indices of Osteoporosis Screening. A comprehensive PubMed search was conducted to retrieve studies on dental imaging-based indices for osteoporosis screening. The results of the eligible studies, along with other relevant criteria, were used to develop IDIOS, which has scores ranging from 0 (0%) to 15 (100%). The indices presented in the studies we included were then evaluated using IDIOS. The 104 studies that were included utilized 24, 4, and 9 indices derived from panoramic, periapical, and computed tomographic/cone-beam computed tomographic techniques, respectively. The IDIOS scores for these indices ranged from 0 (0%) to 11.75 (78.32%). IDIOS is a valuable reference index that facilitates the evaluation of other dental imaging-based osteoporosis screening indices. Furthermore, IDIOS can be utilized to evaluate the accuracy of newly developed indices.

IDIOS: An innovative index for evaluating dental imaging-based osteoporosis screening indices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barngkgei, Imad; Al Haffar, Iyad; Khattab, Razan; Halboub, Esam; Almashraqi, Abeer Abdulkareem

2016-01-01

The goal of this study was to develop a new index as an objective reference for evaluating current and newly developed indices used for osteoporosis screening based on dental images. Its name; IDIOS, stands for Index of Dental-imaging Indices of Osteoporosis Screening. A comprehensive PubMed search was conducted to retrieve studies on dental imaging-based indices for osteoporosis screening. The results of the eligible studies, along with other relevant criteria, were used to develop IDIOS, which has scores ranging from 0 (0%) to 15 (100%). The indices presented in the studies we included were then evaluated using IDIOS. The 104 studies that were included utilized 24, 4, and 9 indices derived from panoramic, periapical, and computed tomographic/cone-beam computed tomographic techniques, respectively. The IDIOS scores for these indices ranged from 0 (0%) to 11.75 (78.32%). IDIOS is a valuable reference index that facilitates the evaluation of other dental imaging-based osteoporosis screening indices. Furthermore, IDIOS can be utilized to evaluate the accuracy of newly developed indices

Relative effects of road risk, habitat suitability, and connectivity on wildlife roadkills: the case of tawny owls (Strix aluco).

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Sara M; Lourenço, Rui; Mira, António; Beja, Pedro

2013-01-01

Despite its importance for reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions, there is still incomplete understanding of factors responsible for high road mortality. In particular, few empirical studies examined the idea that spatial variation in roadkills is influenced by a complex interplay between road-related factors, and species-specific habitat quality and landscape connectivity. In this study we addressed this issue, using a 7-year dataset of tawny owl (Strix aluco) roadkills recorded along 37 km of road in southern Portugal. We used a multi-species roadkill index as a surrogate of intrinsic road risk, and we used a Maxent distribution model to estimate habitat suitability. Landscape connectivity was estimated from least-cost paths between tawny owl territories, using habitat suitability as a resistance surface. We defined 10 alternative scenarios to compute connectivity, based on variation in potential movement patterns according to territory quality and dispersal distance thresholds. Hierarchical partitioning of a regression model indicated that independent variation in tawny owl roadkills was explained primarily by the roadkill index (70.5%) and, to a much lesser extent, by landscape connectivity (26.2%), while habitat suitability had minor effects (3.3%). Analysis of connectivity scenarios suggested that owl roadkills were primarily related to short range movements (habitat quality and landscape connectivity are globally high for the study species. Nevertheless, the study supported the view that functional connectivity should be incorporated whenever possible in roadkill models, as it may greatly increase their power to predict the location of roadkill hotspots.

A dual-band planar array of connected dipoles: Experimental validation based on bistatic RCS measurements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cavallo, D.; Neto, A.; Gerini, G.; Morello, D.

2010-01-01

Rigorous equivalent networks representing connected arrays in transmission and reception are derived in this paper. These equivalent networks are not based on reciprocity but on Green's functions. Thus, all components have well identified and physically meaningful roles. A dual-band connected array

Hydrologic Connectivity Estimated throughout the Nation's River Corridors

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, J. W.; Gomez-Velez, J. D.

2015-12-01

Hydrologic connectivity is a key concept that integrates longitudinal transport in rivers with vertical and lateral exchanges between rivers and hyporheic zones, riparian wetlands, floodplains, and ponded aquatic ecosystems. Desirable levels of connectivity are thought to be associated with rivers that are well-connected longitudinally while also being well connected vertically and laterally with marginal waters where carbon and nutrients are efficiently transformed, and where aquatic organisms feed, or are reared, or take refuge during floods. But what is the proper balance between longitudinal and vertical and lateral connectivity? We took a step towards quantifying hydrologic connectivity using the model NEXSS (Gomez-Velez and Harvey, 2014, GRL) applied throughout the nation's rivers. NEXSS simulates vertical and lateral connectivity and compares it with longitudinal transport along the river's main axis. It uses as inputs measured network topology for first to eighth order channels, river hydraulic geometry, sediment grain size, bedform types and sizes, estimated hydraulic conductivity of sediments, and estimates of reaction rates such as denitrification. Results indicate that hyporheic flow is large enough to exchange a river's entire volume many times within a river network, which increases biogeochemical opportunities for nutrient processing and attenuation of contaminants. Also, the analysis demonstrated why and where (i.e., in which physiographic regions of the nation) are hyporheic flow and solute reactions the greatest. The cumulative influence of hydrologic connectivity on water quality is expressed by a dimensionless index of reaction significance. Our quantification of hydrologic connectivity adds a physical basis that supports water quality modeling, and also supports scientifically based prioritization of management actions (e.g. stream restoration) and may support other types of actions (e.g. legislative actions) to help conserve healthy functional

Drought characterisation based on an agriculture-oriented standardised precipitation index

Science.gov (United States)

Tigkas, Dimitris; Vangelis, Harris; Tsakiris, George

2018-03-01

Drought is a major natural hazard with significant effects in the agricultural sector, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The accurate and timely characterisation of agricultural drought is crucial for devising contingency plans, including the necessary mitigation measures. Many drought indices have been developed during the last decades for drought characterisation and analysis. One of the most widely used indices worldwide is the Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI). Although other comprehensive indices have been introduced over the years, SPI remains the most broadly accepted index due to a number of reasons, the most important of which are its simple structure and the fact that it uses only precipitation data. In this paper, a modified version of SPI is proposed, namely the Agricultural Standardised Precipitation Index (aSPI), based on the substitution of the total precipitation by the effective precipitation, which describes more accurately the amount of water that can be used productively by the plants. Further, the selection of the most suitable reference periods and time steps for agricultural drought identification using aSPI is discussed. This conceptual enhancement of SPI aims at improving the suitability of the index for agricultural drought characterisation, while retaining the advantages of the original index, including its dependence only on precipitation data. The evaluation of the performance of both SPI and aSPI in terms of correlating drought magnitude with crop yield response in four regions of Greece under Mediterranean conditions indicated that aSPI is more robust than the original index in identifying agricultural drought.

Two year experience with Web connectivity to PACS at a community-based hospital

Science.gov (United States)

Wadley, Brian D.; Hayward, Ulrike; Trambert, Michael; Kywi, Alberto; Hartzman, Steven

2002-05-01

Referring physician web based access to a PACS is evaluated at a community-based hospital. Survey results show 100% perceived improvement in referring physician productivity, and 97% perceived improvement in patient care. Overall satisfaction and perception of ease of use is greater than 90%.Web connectivity to PACS is perceived by 97% to result in decreased visits and calls to the radiology department due to the availability of virtual results, with high value placed on the voice clip summary results by 94% of respondents (the voice clip is a recording made by the radiologist at the time of reading the exam, which summarizes the results of the study).The availability of exams and virtual results via web-based connectivity is perceived to result in increase referrals by 58% of respondents. Web log audit trails are analyzed to evaluate the use of the system by referring physicians. The gross number of cases retrieved over the web for a two-week period is assessed. The number of times a voice clip was played is also evaluated. The results overall show a very positive experience with web connectivity to PACS.

Measurement of the Microwave Refractive Index of Materials Based on Parallel Plate Waveguides

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, F.; Pei, J.; Kan, J. S.; Zhao, Q.

2017-12-01

An electrical field scanning apparatus based on a parallel plate waveguide method is constructed, which collects the amplitude and phase matrices as a function of the relative position. On the basis of such data, a method for calculating the refractive index of the measured wedge samples is proposed in this paper. The measurement and calculation results of different PTFE samples reveal that the refractive index measured by the apparatus is substantially consistent with the refractive index inferred with the permittivity of the sample. The proposed refractive index calculation method proposed in this paper is a competitive method for the characterization of the refractive index of materials with positive refractive index. Since the apparatus and method can be used to measure and calculate arbitrary direction of the microwave propagation, it is believed that both of them can be applied to the negative refractive index materials, such as metamaterials or “left-handed” materials.

ENSO-Based Index Insurance: Approach and Peru Flood Risk Management Application

Science.gov (United States)

Khalil, A. F.; Kwon, H.; Lall, U.; Miranda, M. J.; Skees, J. R.

2006-12-01

the global application of an ENSO based index insurance product are discussed.

Intercluster Connection in Cognitive Wireless Mesh Networks Based on Intelligent Network Coding

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xianfu; Zhao, Zhifeng; Jiang, Tao; Grace, David; Zhang, Honggang

2009-12-01

Cognitive wireless mesh networks have great flexibility to improve spectrum resource utilization, within which secondary users (SUs) can opportunistically access the authorized frequency bands while being complying with the interference constraint as well as the QoS (Quality-of-Service) requirement of primary users (PUs). In this paper, we consider intercluster connection between the neighboring clusters under the framework of cognitive wireless mesh networks. Corresponding to the collocated clusters, data flow which includes the exchanging of control channel messages usually needs four time slots in traditional relaying schemes since all involved nodes operate in half-duplex mode, resulting in significant bandwidth efficiency loss. The situation is even worse at the gateway node connecting the two colocated clusters. A novel scheme based on network coding is proposed in this paper, which needs only two time slots to exchange the same amount of information mentioned above. Our simulation shows that the network coding-based intercluster connection has the advantage of higher bandwidth efficiency compared with the traditional strategy. Furthermore, how to choose an optimal relaying transmission power level at the gateway node in an environment of coexisting primary and secondary users is discussed. We present intelligent approaches based on reinforcement learning to solve the problem. Theoretical analysis and simulation results both show that the intelligent approaches can achieve optimal throughput for the intercluster relaying in the long run.

A Practical Method ‘Discussion using Matrix Diagram’ , ConnectingHuman Base-Liberal-and Engineering Base-Professional-

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, Wataru

In order to bring up talented people, it is a most important subject how to awake ‘Emotional Human Power’ , which is the origin of Autonomy and Creativity. A Practical Method ‘Discussion using Matrix Diagram’ developed for improving ‘Emotional Human Power’ including ‘Communication Skill’ , is confirmed to be useful for connecting Human Base-Liberal-and Engineering Base-Professional-.

Contribution Index Based on Green Building Certification Systems

OpenAIRE

Yuting Sun; Bee Hua Goh

2015-01-01

Green Building Certification Systems (GBCS) are carried out in many countries due to the rising awareness of the importance of sustainability in the building industry. The intention should have motivated participants to construct and operate buildings sustainably, however, there is not yet a method developed to investigate the motivation of the participants. Based on the GBCS, this paper proposes the contribution index as a standard global method to analyze the performance of participants in ...

Highlighting landslides and other geomorphological features using sediment connectivity maps

Science.gov (United States)

Bossi, Giulia; Crema, Stefano; Cavalli, Marco; Marcato, Gianluca; Pasuto, Alessandro

2016-04-01

Landslide identification is usually made through interpreting geomorphological features in the field or with remote sensing imagery. In recent years, airborne laser scanning (LiDAR) has enhanced the potentiality of geomorphological investigations by providing a detailed and diffuse representation of the land surface. The development of algorithms for geomorphological analysis based on LiDAR derived high-resolution Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) is increasing. Among them, the sediment connectivity index (IC) has been used to quantify sediment dynamics in alpine catchments. In this work, maps of the sediment connectivity index are used for detecting geomorphological features and processes not exclusively related to water-laden processes or debris flows. The test area is located in the upper Passer Valley in South Tyrol (Italy). Here a 4 km2 Deep-seated Gravitational Slope Deformation (DGSD) with several secondary phenomena has been studied for years. The connectivity index was applied to a well-known study area in order to evaluate its effectiveness as an interpretative layer to assist geomorphological analysis. Results were cross checked with evidence previously identified by means of in situ investigations, photointerpretation and monitoring data. IC was applied to a 2.5 m LiDAR derived DTM using two different scenarios in order to test their effectiveness: i) IC derived on the hydrologically correct DTM; ii) IC derived on the original DTM. In the resulting maps a cluster of low-connectivity areas appears as the deformation of the DGSD induce a convexity in the central part of the phenomenon. The double crests, product of the sagging of the landslide, are extremely evident since in those areas the flow directions diverge from the general drainage pattern, which is directed towards the valley river. In the crown area a rock-slab that shows clear evidence of incumbent detachment is clearly highlighted since the maps emphasize the presence of traction trenches and

Finite element method for the rising and the slip of column-plate base for usual connections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alliche A.

2010-06-01

Full Text Available In the present paper, a finite element approach calculating the rising and the relative slip of steel base plate connections is proposed. Two types of connections are studied, the first consists on a base plate welded to the column end and attached to the reinforced concrete foundation by two anchor bolts. These bolts are placed on the major axis of the I shaped section used as column, one anchor bolt on each side of the web. In the second configuration, the connection includes a plate base and four anchor bolts placed out side the flanges of the I shaped section or hallow form. To take in account the real behaviour of this connection, a model by finite elements which considers count geometrical and material no linearties of the contact and cracking in the concrete foundation. To study the rising of the base plate, an approach treating problems of contact-friction between the base plate and the foundation is developed. This approach is based on a unilateral contact law in which a Coulomb friction is added. The numerical resolution is ensured by the increased Lagrangien method. For the behaviour of the concrete foundation, the developed model is based of a compressive elastoplastic model. The heights rising-rotations and the heights rising- slip displacements curves are plotted.

Discriminative analysis of Parkinson's disease based on whole-brain functional connectivity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongbin Chen

Full Text Available Recently, there has been an increasing emphasis on applications of pattern recognition and neuroimaging techniques in the effective and accurate diagnosis of psychiatric or neurological disorders. In the present study, we investigated the whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity patterns of Parkinson's disease (PD, which are expected to provide additional information for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of this disease. First, we computed the functional connectivity between each pair of 116 regions of interest derived from a prior atlas. The most discriminative features based on Kendall tau correlation coefficient were then selected. A support vector machine classifier was employed to classify 21 PD patients with 26 demographically matched healthy controls. This method achieved a classification accuracy of 93.62% using leave-one-out cross-validation, with a sensitivity of 90.47% and a specificity of 96.15%. The majority of the most discriminative functional connections were located within or across the default mode, cingulo-opercular and frontal-parietal networks and the cerebellum. These disease-related resting-state network alterations might play important roles in the pathophysiology of this disease. Our results suggest that analyses of whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity patterns have the potential to improve the clinical diagnosis and treatment evaluation of PD.

Walkability Index

Science.gov (United States)

The Walkability Index dataset characterizes every Census 2010 block group in the U.S. based on its relative walkability. Walkability depends upon characteristics of the built environment that influence the likelihood of walking being used as a mode of travel. The Walkability Index is based on the EPA's previous data product, the Smart Location Database (SLD). Block group data from the SLD was the only input into the Walkability Index, and consisted of four variables from the SLD weighted in a formula to create the new Walkability Index. This dataset shares the SLD's block group boundary definitions from Census 2010. The methodology describing the process of creating the Walkability Index can be found in the documents located at ftp://newftp.epa.gov/EPADataCommons/OP/WalkabilityIndex.zip. You can also learn more about the Smart Location Database at https://edg.epa.gov/data/Public/OP/Smart_Location_DB_v02b.zip.

Indexing data cubes for content-based searches in radio astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Araya, M.; Candia, G.; Gregorio, R.; Mendoza, M.; Solar, M.

2016-01-01

Methods for observing space have changed profoundly in the past few decades. The methods needed to detect and record astronomical objects have shifted from conventional observations in the optical range to more sophisticated methods which permit the detection of not only the shape of an object but also the velocity and frequency of emissions in the millimeter-scale wavelength range and the chemical substances from which they originate. The consolidation of radio astronomy through a range of global-scale projects such as the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) reinforces the need to develop better methods of data processing that can automatically detect regions of interest (ROIs) within data cubes (position-position-velocity), index them and facilitate subsequent searches via methods based on queries using spatial coordinates and/or velocity ranges. In this article, we present the development of an automatic system for indexing ROIs in data cubes that is capable of automatically detecting and recording ROIs while reducing the necessary storage space. The system is able to process data cubes containing megabytes of data in fractions of a second without human supervision, thus allowing it to be incorporated into a production line for displaying objects in a virtual observatory. We conducted a set of comprehensive experiments to illustrate how our system works. As a result, an index of 3% of the input size was stored in a spatial database, representing a compression ratio equal to 33:1 over an input of 20.875 GB, achieving an index of 773 MB approximately. On the other hand, a single query can be evaluated over our system in a fraction of second, showing that the indexing step works as a shock-absorber of the computational time involved in data cube processing. The system forms part of the Chilean Virtual Observatory (ChiVO), an initiative which belongs to the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA) that

Modeling of Ship Collision Risk Index Based on Complex Plane and Its Realization

OpenAIRE

Xiaoqin Xu; Xiaoqiao Geng; Yuanqiao Wen

2016-01-01

Ship collision risk index is the basic and important concept in the domain of ship collision avoidance. In this paper, the advantages and deficiencies of the various calculation methods of ship collision risk index are pointed out. Then the ship collision risk model based on complex plane, which can well make up for the deficiencies of the widely-used evaluation model proposed by Kearon.J and Liu ruru is proposed. On this basis, the calculation method of collision risk index under the encount...

Islanding Detection of Synchronous Machine-Based DGs using Average Frequency Based Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Bakhshi

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Identification of intentional and unintentional islanding situations of dispersed generators (DGs is one of the most important protection concerns in power systems. Considering safety and reliability problems of distribution networks, an exact diagnosis index is required to discriminate the loss of the main network from the existing parallel operation. Hence, this paper introduces a new islanding detection method for synchronous machine–based DGs. This method uses the average value of the generator frequency to calculate a new detection index. The proposed method is an effective supplement of the over/under frequency protection (OFP/UFP system. The analytical equations and simulation results are used to assess the performance of the proposed method under various scenarios such as different types of faults, load changes and capacitor bank switching. To show the effectiveness of the proposed method, it is compared with the performance of both ROCOF and ROCOFOP methods.

Index-based Crop Insurance for Climate Adaptation in the Developing World

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, M. E.; Osgood, D. E.; Carriquiry, M. A.

2011-12-01

Weather has always presented a challenge to small-scale farmers, particularly in regions where poverty and lack of infrastructure has restricted the development of financial instruments to limit risk. New 'index' insurance innovations in agriculture are beginning to enable even the poorest farmers to unlock major productivity gains (e.g. insuring loans for improved seeds). Although index insurance has the potential to greatly improve productivity in developing country agriculture, the principal technical challenge to up-scaling this product is "data poverty," the absence of weather data in low-income areas needed to design robust and affordable insurance products. Earth science, particularly remote sensing, has the potential to ameliorate data poverty. However, raw use of earth science model output leads to non-optimal indexes and many obstacles remain to transform earth science products into insurance solutions. Estimation uncertainty, limited availability of consistent time series, and difficulties of predicting loses based on remote observations are reviewed in this article. The importance of multidisciplinary approaches addressing the needs of stakeholders in simple to understand indexes is highlighted. The successful use of Earth science data to support the index insurance industry in currently poor and isolated communities in the developing world would transform the ability of small farmers to increase yields, household incomes and regional economies, if the growing gap between earth science and index insurance can be closed.

Family Connections: Building Connections among Home, School, and Community

Science.gov (United States)

Dikkers, Amy Garrett

2013-01-01

Recent research on parental involvement has explored connections between parental involvement in school and children's academic achievement. While many schools have active parent organizations and a base of parents who offer additional support, others struggle to make connections with their parents or community members. Even in places with active…

Fault detection of the connection of lithium-ion power batteries based on entropy for electric vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Lei; Wang, Zhenpo; Ma, Jun

2015-10-01

This paper proposes a method of fault detection of the connection of Lithium-Ion batteries based on entropy for electric vehicle. In electric vehicle operation process, some factors, such as road conditions, driving habits, vehicle performance, always affect batteries by vibration, which easily cause loosing or virtual connection between batteries. Through the simulation of the battery charging and discharging experiment under vibration environment, the data of voltage fluctuation can be obtained. Meanwhile, an optimal filtering method is adopted using discrete cosine filter method to analyze the characteristics of system noise, based on the voltage set when batteries are working under different vibration frequency. Experimental data processed by filtering is analyzed based on local Shannon entropy, ensemble Shannon entropy and sample entropy. And the best way to find a method of fault detection of the connection of lithium-ion batteries based on entropy is presented for electric vehicle. The experimental data shows that ensemble Shannon entropy can predict the accurate time and the location of battery connection failure in real time. Besides electric-vehicle industry, this method can also be used in other areas in complex vibration environment.

Smart Energy Management and Control for Fuel Cell Based Micro-Grid Connected Neighborhoods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dr. Mohammad S. Alam

2006-03-15

Fuel cell power generation promises to be an efficient, pollution-free, reliable power source in both large scale and small scale, remote applications. DOE formed the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance with the intention of breaking one of the last barriers remaining for cost effective fuel cell power generation. The Alliance’s goal is to produce a core solid-state fuel cell module at a cost of no more than $400 per kilowatt and ready for commercial application by 2010. With their inherently high, 60-70% conversion efficiencies, significantly reduced carbon dioxide emissions, and negligible emissions of other pollutants, fuel cells will be the obvious choice for a broad variety of commercial and residential applications when their cost effectiveness is improved. In a research program funded by the Department of Energy, the research team has been investigating smart fuel cell-operated residential micro-grid communities. This research has focused on using smart control systems in conjunction with fuel cell power plants, with the goal to reduce energy consumption, reduce demand peaks and still meet the energy requirements of any household in a micro-grid community environment. In Phases I and II, a SEMaC was developed and extended to a micro-grid community. In addition, an optimal configuration was determined for a single fuel cell power plant supplying power to a ten-home micro-grid community. In Phase III, the plan is to expand this work to fuel cell based micro-grid connected neighborhoods (mini-grid). The economic implications of hydrogen cogeneration will be investigated. These efforts are consistent with DOE’s mission to decentralize domestic electric power generation and to accelerate the onset of the hydrogen economy. A major challenge facing the routine implementation and use of a fuel cell based mini-grid is the varying electrical demand of the individual micro-grids, and, therefore, analyzing these issues is vital. Efforts are needed to determine

Anatomy and white matter connections of the orbitofrontal gyrus.

Science.gov (United States)

Burks, Joshua D; Conner, Andrew K; Bonney, Phillip A; Glenn, Chad A; Baker, Cordell M; Boettcher, Lillian B; Briggs, Robert G; O'Donoghue, Daniel L; Wu, Dee H; Sughrue, Michael E

2017-09-01

OBJECTIVE The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is understood to have a role in outcome evaluation and risk assessment and is commonly involved with infiltrative tumors. A detailed understanding of the exact location and nature of associated white matter tracts could significantly improve postoperative morbidity related to declining capacity. Through diffusion tensor imaging-based fiber tracking validated by gross anatomical dissection as ground truth, the authors have characterized these connections based on relationships to other well-known structures. METHODS Diffusion imaging from the Human Connectome Project for 10 healthy adult controls was used for tractography analysis. The OFC was evaluated as a whole based on connectivity with other regions. All OFC tracts were mapped in both hemispheres, and a lateralization index was calculated with resultant tract volumes. Ten postmortem dissections were then performed using a modified Klingler technique to demonstrate the location of major tracts. RESULTS The authors identified 3 major connections of the OFC: a bundle to the thalamus and anterior cingulate gyrus, passing inferior to the caudate and medial to the vertical fibers of the thalamic projections; a bundle to the brainstem, traveling lateral to the caudate and medial to the internal capsule; and radiations to the parietal and occipital lobes traveling with the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. CONCLUSIONS The OFC is an important center for processing visual, spatial, and emotional information. Subtle differences in executive functioning following surgery for frontal lobe tumors may be better understood in the context of the fiber-bundle anatomy highlighted by this study.

Electricity transmission pricing: Tracing based point-of-connection tariff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abhyankar, A.R.; Khaparde, S.A.

2009-01-01

Point-of-connection (POC) scheme of transmission pricing in decentralized markets charges the participants a single rate per MW depending on their point-of-connection. Use of grossly aggregated postage stamp rates as POC charges fails to provide appropriate price signals. The POC tariff based on distribution of network sunk costs by employing conventional tracing assures recovery of sunk costs based on extent of use of network by participants. However, the POC tariff by this method does not accommodate economically efficient price signals which correspond to marginal costs. On the other hand, the POC tariff, if made proportional to marginal costs alone, fails to account for sunk costs and extent of use of network. This paper overcomes these lacunae by combining the above stated desired objectives under the recently proposed optimal tracing framework. Since real power tracing problem is amenable to multiple solutions, it is formulated as linearly constrained optimization problem. By employing this methodology, consideration of extent of network use and sunk cost recovery are guaranteed, while objective function is designed such that the spatial pattern of price signals closely follows the pattern of scaled locational marginal prices. The methodology is tested on IEEE 30 bus system, wherein average power flow pattern is established by running various simulation states on congested and un-congested network conditions. (author)

RFID-Based Vehicle Positioning and Its Applications in Connected Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jianqiang; Ni, Daiheng; Li, Keqiang

2014-01-01

This paper proposed an RFID-based vehicle positioning approach to facilitate connected vehicles applications. When a vehicle passes over an RFID tag, the vehicle position is given by the accurate position stored in the tag. At locations without RFID coverage, the vehicle position is estimated from the most recent tag location using a kinematics integration algorithm till updates from the next tag. The accuracy of RFID positioning is verified empirically in two independent ways with one using radar and the other a photoelectric switch. The former is designed to verify whether the dynamic position obtained from RFID tags matches the position measured by radar that is regarded as accurate. The latter aims to verify whether the position estimated from the kinematics integration matches the position obtained from RFID tags. Both means supports the accuracy of RFID-based positioning. As a supplement to GPS which suffers from issues such as inaccuracy and loss of signal, RFID positioning is promising in facilitating connected vehicles applications. Two conceptual applications are provided here with one in vehicle operational control and the other in Level IV intersection control. PMID:24599188

RFID-Based Vehicle Positioning and Its Applications in Connected Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianqiang Wang

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This paper proposed an RFID-based vehicle positioning approach to facilitate connected vehicles applications. When a vehicle passes over an RFID tag, the vehicle position is given by the accurate position stored in the tag. At locations without RFID coverage, the vehicle position is estimated from the most recent tag location using a kinematics integration algorithm till updates from the next tag. The accuracy of RFID positioning is verified empirically in two independent ways with one using radar and the other a photoelectric switch. The former is designed to verify whether the dynamic position obtained from RFID tags matches the position measured by radar that is regarded as accurate. The latter aims to verify whether the position estimated from the kinematics integration matches the position obtained from RFID tags. Both means supports the accuracy of RFID-based positioning. As a supplement to GPS which suffers from issues such as inaccuracy and loss of signal, RFID positioning is promising in facilitating connected vehicles applications. Two conceptual applications are provided here with one in vehicle operational control and the other in Level IV intersection control.

OpenID Connect as a security service in cloud-based medical imaging systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Weina; Sartipi, Kamran; Sharghigoorabi, Hassan; Koff, David; Bak, Peter

2016-04-01

The evolution of cloud computing is driving the next generation of medical imaging systems. However, privacy and security concerns have been consistently regarded as the major obstacles for adoption of cloud computing by healthcare domains. OpenID Connect, combining OpenID and OAuth together, is an emerging representational state transfer-based federated identity solution. It is one of the most adopted open standards to potentially become the de facto standard for securing cloud computing and mobile applications, which is also regarded as "Kerberos of cloud." We introduce OpenID Connect as an authentication and authorization service in cloud-based diagnostic imaging (DI) systems, and propose enhancements that allow for incorporating this technology within distributed enterprise environments. The objective of this study is to offer solutions for secure sharing of medical images among diagnostic imaging repository (DI-r) and heterogeneous picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) as well as Web-based and mobile clients in the cloud ecosystem. The main objective is to use OpenID Connect open-source single sign-on and authorization service and in a user-centric manner, while deploying DI-r and PACS to private or community clouds should provide equivalent security levels to traditional computing model.

Grid connection of active stall wind farms using a VSC based DC transmission system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iov, F.; Sørensen, Poul Ejnar; Hansen, A.D.

2005-01-01

Currently, there is an increasing trend to connect large MW wind farms to the transmission system. Requirements that focus on the influence of the farms on the grid stability and power quality, and on the control capabilities of wind farms have already been established. The main trends of modern...... wind turbines/farms are clearly the variable speed operation and a grid connection through a power electronic interface, especially using doubly fed induction generators. Using power electronics the control capabilities of these wind turbines/farms are extended and thus the grid requirements...... are fulfilled. However, the traditional squirrel-cage generators based wind turbines/wind farms directly connected to the grid have less control capabilities. These wind turbines/farms cannot regulate their production and contribute to power system stability. A DC transmission system for connection...

Features based approach for indexation and representation of unstructured Arabic documents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Salim El Bazzi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The increase of textual information published in Arabic language on the internet, public libraries and administrations requires implementing effective techniques for the extraction of relevant information contained in large corpus of texts. The purpose of indexing is to create a document representation that easily find and identify the relevant information in a set of documents. However, mining textual data is becoming a complicated task, especially when taking semantic into consideration. In this paper, we will present an indexation system based on contextual representation that will take the advantage of semantic links given in a document. Our approach is based on the extraction of keyphrases. Then, each document is represented by its relevant keyphrases instead of its simple keywords. The experimental results confirms the effectiveness of our approach.

Implications of adopting a biodiversity-based vulnerability index versus a shoreline environmental sensitivity index on management and policy planning along coastal areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Harik, G; Alameddine, I; Maroun, R; Rachid, G; Bruschi, D; Astiaso Garcia, D; El-Fadel, M

2017-02-01

In this study, a multi-criteria index was developed to assess anthropogenic stressors along the Mediterranean coastline. The index aimed at geo-locating pollution hotspots for informed decision making related to coastal zone management. The index was integrated in a Geographical Information System based geodatabase implemented at several pilot areas along the Northern (Italy and France), Eastern (Lebanon), and Southern (Tunisia) Mediterranean coastlines. The generated stressor maps were coupled with a biodiversity richness index and an environmental sensitivity index to produce vulnerability maps that can form the basis for prioritizing management and mitigation interventions towards the identification of pollution hotspots and the promotion of sustainable coastal zone management. The results identified significant differences between the two assessment methods, which can bias prioritization in decision making and policy planning depending on stakeholders' interests. The discrepancies emphasize the need for transparency and understanding of the underlying foundations behind vulnerability indices and mapping development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flexible biodegradable citrate-based polymeric step-index optical fiber.

Science.gov (United States)

Shan, Dingying; Zhang, Chenji; Kalaba, Surge; Mehta, Nikhil; Kim, Gloria B; Liu, Zhiwen; Yang, Jian

2017-10-01

Implanting fiber optical waveguides into tissue or organs for light delivery and collection is among the most effective ways to overcome the issue of tissue turbidity, a long-standing obstacle for biomedical optical technologies. Here, we report a citrate-based material platform with engineerable opto-mechano-biological properties and demonstrate a new type of biodegradable, biocompatible, and low-loss step-index optical fiber for organ-scale light delivery and collection. By leveraging the rich designability and processibility of citrate-based biodegradable polymers, two exemplary biodegradable elastomers with a fine refractive index difference and yet matched mechanical properties and biodegradation profiles were developed. Furthermore, we developed a two-step fabrication method to fabricate flexible and low-loss (0.4 db/cm) optical fibers, and performed systematic characterizations to study optical, spectroscopic, mechanical, and biodegradable properties. In addition, we demonstrated the proof of concept of image transmission through the citrate-based polymeric optical fibers and conducted in vivo deep tissue light delivery and fluorescence sensing in a Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat, laying the groundwork for realizing future implantable devices for long-term implantation where deep-tissue light delivery, sensing and imaging are desired, such as cell, tissue, and scaffold imaging in regenerative medicine and in vivo optogenetic stimulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On local attraction properties and a stability index for heteroclinic connections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Podvigina, Olga; Ashwin, Peter

2011-01-01

Some invariant sets may attract a nearby set of initial conditions but nonetheless repel a complementary nearby set of initial conditions. For a given invariant set X ⊂ R n with a basin of attraction N, we define a stability index σ(x) of a point x in X that characterizes the local extent of the basin. Let B ε denote a ball of radius ε about x. If σ(x) > 0, then the measure of B ε setmn N relative the measure of the ball is O(ε |σ(x)| ), while if σ(x) ε intersection N relative the measure of the ball is of this order. We show that this index is constant along trajectories, and we relate this orbit invariant to other notions of stability such as Milnor attraction, essential asymptotic stability and asymptotic stability relative to a positive measure set. We adapt the definition to local basins of attraction (i.e. where N is defined as the set of initial conditions that are in the basin and whose trajectories remain local to X). This stability index is particularly useful for discussing the stability of robust heteroclinic cycles, where several authors have studied the appearance of cusps of instability near cycles that are Milnor attractors. We study simple (robust heteroclinic) cycles in R 4 and show that the local stability indices (and hence local stability properties) can be calculated in terms of the eigenvalues of the linearization of the vector field at steady states on the cycle. In doing this, we extend previous results of Krupa and Melbourne (1995 Ergod. Theory Dyn. Syst. 15 121–48; 2004 Proc. R. Soc. Edinb. A 134 1177–97) and give criteria for simple heteroclinic cycles in R 4 to be Milnor attractors

Fiber optic based multiparametric spectroscopy in vivo: Toward a new quantitative tissue vitality index

Science.gov (United States)

Kutai-Asis, Hofit; Barbiro-Michaely, Efrat; Deutsch, Assaf; Mayevsky, Avraham

2006-02-01

In our previous publication (Mayevsky et al SPIE 5326: 98-105, 2004) we described a multiparametric fiber optic system enabling the evaluation of 4 physiological parameters as indicators of tissue vitality. Since the correlation between the various parameters may differ in various pathophysiological conditions there is a need for an objective quantitative index that will integrate the relative changes measured in real time by the multiparametric monitoring system into a single number-vitality index. Such an approach to calculate tissue vitality index is critical for the possibility to use such an instrument in clinical environments. In the current presentation we are reporting our preliminary results indicating that calculation of an objective tissue vitality index is feasible. We used an intuitive empirical approach based on the comparison between the calculated index by the computer and the subjective evaluation made by an expert in the field of physiological monitoring. We used the in vivo brain of rats as an animal model in our current studies. The rats were exposed to anoxia, ischemia and cortical spreading depression and the responses were recorded in real time. At the end of the monitoring session the results were analyzed and the tissue vitality index was calculated offline. Mitochondrial NADH, tissue blood flow and oxy-hemoglobin were used to calculate the vitality index of the brain in vivo, where each parameter received a different weight, in each experiment type based on their significance. It was found that the mitochondrial NADH response was the main factor affected the calculated vitality index.

Resting State fMRI Functional Connectivity-Based Classification Using a Convolutional Neural Network Architecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Meszlényi, Regina J; Buza, Krisztian; Vidnyánszky, Zoltán

2017-01-01

Machine learning techniques have become increasingly popular in the field of resting state fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) network based classification. However, the application of convolutional networks has been proposed only very recently and has remained largely unexplored. In this paper we describe a convolutional neural network architecture for functional connectome classification called connectome-convolutional neural network (CCNN). Our results on simulated datasets and a publicly available dataset for amnestic mild cognitive impairment classification demonstrate that our CCNN model can efficiently distinguish between subject groups. We also show that the connectome-convolutional network is capable to combine information from diverse functional connectivity metrics and that models using a combination of different connectivity descriptors are able to outperform classifiers using only one metric. From this flexibility follows that our proposed CCNN model can be easily adapted to a wide range of connectome based classification or regression tasks, by varying which connectivity descriptor combinations are used to train the network.

Two-port connecting-layer-based sandwiched grating by a polarization-independent design.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hongtao; Wang, Bo

2017-05-02

In this paper, a two-port connecting-layer-based sandwiched beam splitter grating with polarization-independent property is reported and designed. Such the grating can separate the transmission polarized light into two diffraction orders with equal energies, which can realize the nearly 50/50 output with good uniformity. For the given wavelength of 800 nm and period of 780 nm, a simplified modal method can design a optimal duty cycle and the estimation value of the grating depth can be calculated based on it. In order to obtain the precise grating parameters, a rigorous coupled-wave analysis can be employed to optimize grating parameters by seeking for the precise grating depth and the thickness of connecting layer. Based on the optimized design, a high-efficiency two-port output grating with the wideband performances can be gained. Even more important, diffraction efficiencies are calculated by using two analytical methods, which are proved to be coincided well with each other. Therefore, the grating is significant for practical optical photonic element in engineering.

Assessing connectivity of estuarine fishes based on stable isotope ratio analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Herzka, Sharon Z.

2005-07-01

Assessing connectivity is fundamental to understanding the population dynamics of fishes. I propose that isotopic analyses can greatly contribute to studies of connectivity in estuarine fishes due to the high diversity of isotopic signatures found among estuarine habitats and the fact that variations in isotopic composition at the base of a food web are reflected in the tissues of consumers. Isotopic analysis can be used for identifying nursery habitats and estimating their contribution to adult populations. If movement to a new habitat is accompanied by a shift to foods of distinct isotopic composition, recent immigrants and residents can be distinguished based on their isotopic ratios. Movement patterns thus can be reconstructed based on information obtained from individuals. A key consideration is the rate of isotopic turnover, which determines the length of time that an immigrant to a given habitat will be distinguishable from a longtime resident. A literature survey indicated that few studies have measured turnover rates in fishes and that these have focused on larvae and juveniles. These studies reveal that biomass gain is the primary process driving turnover rates, while metabolic turnover is either minimal or undetectable. Using a simple dilution model and biomass-specific growth rates, I estimated that young fishes with fast growth rates will reflect the isotopic composition of a new diet within days or weeks. Older or slower-growing individuals may take years or never fully equilibrate. Future studies should evaluate the factors that influence turnover rates in fishes during various stages of the life cycle and in different tissues, as well as explore the potential for combining stable isotope and otolith microstructure analyses to examine the relationship between demographic parameters, movement and connectivity.

Identifying The Purchasing Power Parity of Indonesia Rupiah (IDR based on BIG MAC Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tongam Sihol Nababan

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to identify : (1 profile of exchange rate and purchasing power parity of IDR against US $ based on Big Mac Index compared to the exchange rate of other countries, and (2 the position of the Big Mac Affordability of  Indonesia compared to other ASEAN countries. The results showed that based on Big Mac index during the period April 1998 up to January 2015, IDR exchange rate tends to be undervalued against the USA dollar. The cause of the currency tends to be in a position of undervalued due to the components of non-tradable have not been included in Big Mac index. The index of Big Mac Affordability indicates that there is a great disparity of income between Singapore and five other ASEAN countries. The purchasing power of the real income of the people in Singapore is nearly five times the real income of the people in Indonesia.

An efficient modularized sample-based method to estimate the first-order Sobol' index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Chenzhao; Mahadevan, Sankaran

2016-01-01

Sobol' index is a prominent methodology in global sensitivity analysis. This paper aims to directly estimate the Sobol' index based only on available input–output samples, even if the underlying model is unavailable. For this purpose, a new method to calculate the first-order Sobol' index is proposed. The innovation is that the conditional variance and mean in the formula of the first-order index are calculated at an unknown but existing location of model inputs, instead of an explicit user-defined location. The proposed method is modularized in two aspects: 1) index calculations for different model inputs are separate and use the same set of samples; and 2) model input sampling, model evaluation, and index calculation are separate. Due to this modularization, the proposed method is capable to compute the first-order index if only input–output samples are available but the underlying model is unavailable, and its computational cost is not proportional to the dimension of the model inputs. In addition, the proposed method can also estimate the first-order index with correlated model inputs. Considering that the first-order index is a desired metric to rank model inputs but current methods can only handle independent model inputs, the proposed method contributes to fill this gap. - Highlights: • An efficient method to estimate the first-order Sobol' index. • Estimate the index from input–output samples directly. • Computational cost is not proportional to the number of model inputs. • Handle both uncorrelated and correlated model inputs.

Predicting nosocomial lower respiratory tract infections by a risk index based system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chen, Yong; Shan, Xue; Zhao, Jingya; Han, Xuelin; Tian, Shuguang; Chen, Fangyan; Su, Xueting; Sun, Yansong; Huang, Liuyu; Grundmann, Hajo; Wang, Hongyuan; Han, Li

2017-01-01

Although belonging to one of the most common type of nosocomial infection, there was currently no simple prediction model for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). This study aims to develop a risk index based system for predicting nosocomial LRTIs based on data from a large point-prevalence

Novel immunological and nutritional-based prognostic index for gastric cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Kai-Yu; Xu, Jian-Bo; Chen, Shu-Ling; Yuan, Yu-Jie; Wu, Hui; Peng, Jian-Jun; Chen, Chuang-Qi; Guo, Pi; Hao, Yuan-Tao; He, Yu-Long

2015-05-21

To assess the prognostic significance of immunological and nutritional-based indices, including the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio in gastric cancer. We retrospectively reviewed 632 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy between 1998 and 2008. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated to compare the predictive ability of the indices, together with estimating the sensitivity, specificity and agreement rate. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors for overall survival (OS). Propensity score analysis was performed to adjust variables to control for selection bias. Each index could predict OS in gastric cancer patients in univariate analysis, but only PNI had independent prognostic significance in multivariate analysis before and after adjustment with propensity scoring (hazard ratio, 1.668; 95% confidence interval: 1.368-2.035). In subgroup analysis, a low PNI predicted a significantly shorter OS in patients with stage II-III disease (P = 0.019, P gastric cancer. Canton score can be a novel preoperative prognostic index in gastric cancer.

Design of embedded system to determine liquid refractive index based on ultrasonic sensor using an ATMega328

Science.gov (United States)

Radiyonoa, Y.; Surantoro, S.; Pujayanto, P.; Budiharti, R.; Respati, Y. S.; Saputro, D. E.

2018-05-01

The occurrence of the broken pencil shadow into a glass of water becomes an interesting matter to be learned. The students of senior high school still find difficulty in determining liquid refractive index. To overcome this problem, it needs to develop an experimental tool to determine liquid refractive index by utilizing the newest technology. It is expected to be useful for students. This study is aimed to (1) make the design of physics learning experimental tool determinant of a liquid refractive index assisted by microcontroller based on ultrasonic sensors ATMega328 (2) explain the working principle and experimental result of liquid refractive indexing instrument assisted with ATMega328 microcontroller based ultrasonic sensor. This research used the experimental method. The result of the research shows design of physics learning experimental tool determinant of a liquid refractive index assisted by microcontroller based on ultrasonic sensors ATMega328 that has relative counting mistake of 0.36% on the measurement of aquades liquid refractive index, relative mistake of 0.18% on the 5% NaCl measurement, 0.24% on 5% glucose, and relative mistake of 0.50% on the measurement of 5 % fructose liquid refractive index. It has been created a proper device to be used in determining liquid refractive index.

A Spatiotemporal Indexing Approach for Efficient Processing of Big Array-Based Climate Data with MapReduce

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhenlong; Hu, Fei; Schnase, John L.; Duffy, Daniel Q.; Lee, Tsengdar; Bowen, Michael K.; Yang, Chaowei

2016-01-01

Climate observations and model simulations are producing vast amounts of array-based spatiotemporal data. Efficient processing of these data is essential for assessing global challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, and diseases. This is challenging not only because of the large data volume, but also because of the intrinsic high-dimensional nature of geoscience data. To tackle this challenge, we propose a spatiotemporal indexing approach to efficiently manage and process big climate data with MapReduce in a highly scalable environment. Using this approach, big climate data are directly stored in a Hadoop Distributed File System in its original, native file format. A spatiotemporal index is built to bridge the logical array-based data model and the physical data layout, which enables fast data retrieval when performing spatiotemporal queries. Based on the index, a data-partitioning algorithm is applied to enable MapReduce to achieve high data locality, as well as balancing the workload. The proposed indexing approach is evaluated using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) climate reanalysis dataset. The experimental results show that the index can significantly accelerate querying and processing (10 speedup compared to the baseline test using the same computing cluster), while keeping the index-to-data ratio small (0.0328). The applicability of the indexing approach is demonstrated by a climate anomaly detection deployed on a NASA Hadoop cluster. This approach is also able to support efficient processing of general array-based spatiotemporal data in various geoscience domains without special configuration on a Hadoop cluster.

Active Power Quality Improvement Strategy for Grid-connected Microgrid Based on Hierarchical Control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wei, Feng; Sun, Kai; Guan, Yajuan

2018-01-01

proposes an active, unbalanced, and harmonic GCC suppression strategy based on hierarchical theory. The voltage error between the bus of the DCGC-MG and the grid’s PCC was transformed to the dq frame. On the basis of the grid, an additional compensator, which consists of multiple resonant voltage......When connected to a distorted grid utility, droop-controlled grid-connected microgrids (DCGC-MG) exhibit low equivalent impedance. The harmonic and unbalanced voltage at the point of common coupling (PCC) deteriorates the power quality of the grid-connected current (GCC) of DCGC-MG. This work...... regulators, was then added to the original secondary control to generate the negative fundamental and unbalanced harmonic voltage reference. Proportional integral and multiple resonant controllers were adopted as voltage controller at the original primary level to improve the voltage tracking performance...

Detecting Functional Connectivity During Audiovisual Integration with MEG: A Comparison of Connectivity Metrics.

Science.gov (United States)

Ard, Tyler; Carver, Frederick W; Holroyd, Tom; Horwitz, Barry; Coppola, Richard

2015-08-01

In typical magnetoencephalography and/or electroencephalography functional connectivity analysis, researchers select one of several methods that measure a relationship between regions to determine connectivity, such as coherence, power correlations, and others. However, it is largely unknown if some are more suited than others for various types of investigations. In this study, the authors investigate seven connectivity metrics to evaluate which, if any, are sensitive to audiovisual integration by contrasting connectivity when tracking an audiovisual object versus connectivity when tracking a visual object uncorrelated with the auditory stimulus. The authors are able to assess the metrics' performances at detecting audiovisual integration by investigating connectivity between auditory and visual areas. Critically, the authors perform their investigation on a whole-cortex all-to-all mapping, avoiding confounds introduced in seed selection. The authors find that amplitude-based connectivity measures in the beta band detect strong connections between visual and auditory areas during audiovisual integration, specifically between V4/V5 and auditory cortices in the right hemisphere. Conversely, phase-based connectivity measures in the beta band as well as phase and power measures in alpha, gamma, and theta do not show connectivity between audiovisual areas. The authors postulate that while beta power correlations detect audiovisual integration in the current experimental context, it may not always be the best measure to detect connectivity. Instead, it is likely that the brain utilizes a variety of mechanisms in neuronal communication that may produce differential types of temporal relationships.

Control strategy based on SPWM switching patterns for grid connected photovoltaic inverter

Science.gov (United States)

Hassaine, L.; Mraoui, A.

2017-02-01

Generally, for lower installation of photovoltaic systems connected to the grid, pulse width modulation (PWM) is a widely used technique for controlling the voltage source inverters injects currents into the grid. The current injected must be sinusoidal with reduced harmonic distortion. In this paper, a digital implementation of a control strategy based on PWM switching patterns for an inverter for photovoltaic system connected to the grid is presented. This strategy synchronize a sinusoidal inverter output current with a grid voltage The digital implementation of the proposed PWM switching pattern when is compared with the conventional one exhibit the advantage: Simplicity, reduction of the memory requirements and power calculation for the control

A Carotenoid Health Index Based on Plasma Carotenoids and Health Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Donaldson, Michael S.

2011-01-01

While there have been many studies on health outcomes that have included measurements of plasma carotenoids, this data has not been reviewed and assembled into a useful form. In this review sixty-two studies of plasma carotenoids and health outcomes, mostly prospective cohort studies or population-based case-control studies, are analyzed together to establish a carotenoid health index. Five cutoff points are established across the percentiles of carotenoid concentrations in populations, from the tenth to ninetieth percentile. The cutoff points (mean ± standard error of the mean) are 1.11 ± 0.08, 1.47 ± 0.08, 1.89 ± 0.08, 2.52 ± 0.13, and 3.07 ± 0.20 µM. For all cause mortality there seems to be a low threshold effect with protection above every cutoff point but the lowest. But for metabolic syndrome and cancer outcomes there tends to be significant positive health outcomes only above the higher cutoff points, perhaps as a triage effect. Based on this data a carotenoid health index is proposed with risk categories as follows: very high risk: 4 µM. Over 95 percent of the USA population falls into the moderate or high risk category of the carotenoid health index. PMID:22292108

Group analyses of connectivity-based cortical parcellation using repeated k-means clustering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nanetti, Luca; Cerliani, Leonardo; Gazzola, Valeria; Renken, Remco; Keysers, Christian

2009-01-01

K-means clustering has become a popular tool for connectivity-based cortical segmentation using Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) data. A sometimes ignored issue is, however, that the output of the algorithm depends on the initial placement of starting points, and that different sets of starting

Lyapunov-Based Control Scheme for Single-Phase Grid-Connected PV Central Inverters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meza, C.; Biel, D.; Jeltsema, D.; Scherpen, J. M. A.

A Lyapunov-based control scheme for single-phase single-stage grid-connected photovoltaic central inverters is presented. Besides rendering the closed-loop system globally stable, the designed controller is able to deal with the system uncertainty that depends on the solar irradiance. A laboratory

Connection Setup Signaling Scheme with Flooding-Based Path Searching for Diverse-Metric Network

Science.gov (United States)

Kikuta, Ko; Ishii, Daisuke; Okamoto, Satoru; Oki, Eiji; Yamanaka, Naoaki

Connection setup on various computer networks is now achieved by GMPLS. This technology is based on the source-routing approach, which requires the source node to store metric information of the entire network prior to computing a route. Thus all metric information must be distributed to all network nodes and kept up-to-date. However, as metric information become more diverse and generalized, it is hard to update all information due to the huge update overhead. Emerging network services and applications require the network to support diverse metrics for achieving various communication qualities. Increasing the number of metrics supported by the network causes excessive processing of metric update messages. To reduce the number of metric update messages, another scheme is required. This paper proposes a connection setup scheme that uses flooding-based signaling rather than the distribution of metric information. The proposed scheme requires only flooding of signaling messages with requested metric information, no routing protocol is required. Evaluations confirm that the proposed scheme achieves connection establishment without excessive overhead. Our analysis shows that the proposed scheme greatly reduces the number of control messages compared to the conventional scheme, while their blocking probabilities are comparable.

Search Method Based on Figurative Indexation of Folksonomic Features of Graphic Files

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oleg V. Bisikalo

2013-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper the search method based on usage of figurative indexation of folksonomic characteristics of graphical files is described. The method takes into account extralinguistic information, is based on using a model of figurative thinking of humans. The paper displays the creation of a method of searching image files based on their formal, including folksonomical clues.

Modeling of Ship Collision Risk Index Based on Complex Plane and Its Realization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoqin Xu

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Ship collision risk index is the basic and important concept in the domain of ship collision avoidance. In this paper, the advantages and deficiencies of the various calculation methods of ship collision risk index are pointed out. Then the ship collision risk model based on complex plane, which can well make up for the deficiencies of the widely-used evaluation model proposed by Kearon.J and Liu ruru is proposed. On this basis, the calculation method of collision risk index under the encountering situation of multi-ships is constructed, then the three-dimensional image and spatial curve of the risk index are figured out. Finally, single chip microcomputer is used to realize the model. And attaching this single chip microcomputer to ARPA is helpful to the decision-making of the marine navigators.

An Oracle-based event index for ATLAS

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00083337; The ATLAS collaboration; Dimitrov, Gancho

2017-01-01

The ATLAS Eventlndex System has amassed a set of key quantities for a large number of ATLAS events into a Hadoop based infrastructure for the purpose of providing the experiment with a number of event-wise services. Collecting this data in one place provides the opportunity to investigate various storage formats and technologies and assess which best serve the various use cases as well as consider what other benefits alternative storage systems provide. In this presentation we describe how the data are imported into an Oracle RDBMS (relational database management system), the services we have built based on this architecture, and our experience with it. We’ve indexed about 26 billion real data events thus far and have designed the system to accommodate future data which has expected rates of 5 and 20 billion events per year. We have found this system offers outstanding performance for some fundamental use cases. In addition, profiting from the co-location of this data with other complementary metadata in AT...

Network connectivity value.

Science.gov (United States)

Dragicevic, Arnaud; Boulanger, Vincent; Bruciamacchie, Max; Chauchard, Sandrine; Dupouey, Jean-Luc; Stenger, Anne

2017-04-21

In order to unveil the value of network connectivity, we formalize the construction of ecological networks in forest environments as an optimal control dynamic graph-theoretic problem. The network is based on a set of bioreserves and patches linked by ecological corridors. The node dynamics, built upon the consensus protocol, form a time evolutive Mahalanobis distance weighted by the opportunity costs of timber production. We consider a case of complete graph, where the ecological network is fully connected, and a case of incomplete graph, where the ecological network is partially connected. The results show that the network equilibrium depends on the size of the reception zone, while the network connectivity depends on the environmental compatibility between the ecological areas. Through shadow prices, we find that securing connectivity in partially connected networks is more expensive than in fully connected networks, but should be undertaken when the opportunity costs are significant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in Resting-State Connectivity following Melody-Based Therapy in a Patient with Aphasia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tali Bitan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Melody-based treatments for patients with aphasia rely on the notion of preserved musical abilities in the RH, following left hemisphere damage. However, despite evidence for their effectiveness, the role of the RH is still an open question. We measured changes in resting-state functional connectivity following melody-based intervention, to identify lateralization of treatment-related changes. A patient with aphasia due to left frontal and temporal hemorrhages following traumatic brain injuries (TBI more than three years earlier received 48 sessions of melody-based intervention. Behavioral measures improved and were maintained at the 8-week posttreatment follow-up. Resting-state fMRI data collected before and after treatment showed an increase in connectivity between motor speech control areas (bilateral supplementary motor areas and insulae and RH language areas (inferior frontal gyrus pars triangularis and pars opercularis. This change, which was specific for the RH, was greater than changes in a baseline interval measured before treatment. No changes in RH connectivity were found in a matched control TBI patient scanned at the same intervals. These results are compatible with a compensatory role for RH language areas following melody-based intervention. They further suggest that this therapy intervenes at the level of the interface between language areas and speech motor control areas necessary for language production.

Minimum cost connection networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hougaard, Jens Leth; Tvede, Mich

2015-01-01

In the present paper we consider the allocation of costs in connection networks. Agents have connection demands in form of pairs of locations they want to have connected. Connections between locations are costly to build. The problem is to allocate costs of networks satisfying all connection...... demands. We use a few axioms to characterize allocation rules that truthfully implement cost minimizing networks satisfying all connection demands in a game where: (1) a central planner announces an allocation rule and a cost estimation rule; (2) every agent reports her own connection demand as well...... as all connection costs; (3) the central planner selects a cost minimizing network satisfying reported connection demands based on the estimated costs; and, (4) the planner allocates the true costs of the selected network. It turns out that an allocation rule satisfies the axioms if and only if relative...

Stimulus-Elicited Connectivity Influences Resting-State Connectivity Years Later in Human Development: A Prospective Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabard-Durnam, Laurel Joy; Gee, Dylan Grace; Goff, Bonnie; Flannery, Jessica; Telzer, Eva; Humphreys, Kathryn Leigh; Lumian, Daniel Stephen; Fareri, Dominic Stephen; Caldera, Christina; Tottenham, Nim

2016-04-27

Although the functional architecture of the brain is indexed by resting-state connectivity networks, little is currently known about the mechanisms through which these networks assemble into stable mature patterns. The current study posits and tests the long-term phasic molding hypothesis that resting-state networks are gradually shaped by recurring stimulus-elicited connectivity across development by examining how both stimulus-elicited and resting-state functional connections of the human brain emerge over development at the systems level. Using a sequential design following 4- to 18-year-olds over a 2 year period, we examined the predictive associations between stimulus-elicited and resting-state connectivity in amygdala-cortical circuitry as an exemplar case (given this network's protracted development across these ages). Age-related changes in amygdala functional connectivity converged on the same regions of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and inferior frontal gyrus when elicited by emotional stimuli and when measured at rest. Consistent with the long-term phasic molding hypothesis, prospective analyses for both connections showed that the magnitude of an individual's stimulus-elicited connectivity unidirectionally predicted resting-state functional connectivity 2 years later. For the amygdala-mPFC connection, only stimulus-elicited connectivity during childhood and the transition to adolescence shaped future resting-state connectivity, consistent with a sensitive period ending with adolescence for the amygdala-mPFC circuit. Together, these findings suggest that resting-state functional architecture may arise from phasic patterns of functional connectivity elicited by environmental stimuli over the course of development on the order of years. A fundamental issue in understanding the ontogeny of brain function is how resting-state (intrinsic) functional networks emerge and relate to stimulus-elicited functional connectivity. Here, we posit and test the long

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND SURVIVAL OF PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANT TUMORS OF CONNECTIVE AND SOFT TISSUE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. M. Merabishvili

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Malignant tumors of connective and soft tissue are met relatively rare, although in general in Russia each year more than 1.500 new cases are registered. On five administrative territories of Russia during a year there are recorded less than 5 new cases of malignant tumors of connective and soft tissue (Yamal-Nenets A.R. – 4; Tuva Republic – 0, Magadan Region – 3; Chukotka A.R. – 0; Jewish A.R. – 4. More seldom data on these patients’ survival are published. Purpose of study. To estimate dynamics of incidence of malignant tumors of connective and soft tissue on the basis of public reporting, to calculate the index accuracy and observed and relative survival rates by histological forms, including sarcomas. Material and methods. To perform a detailed study there were selected, for two periods of observation, respectively 1054 patients (1995–2001 and 919 patients (2002–2008. Estimation of survival was carried out using software, which had been developed together with Ltd. «Novel» (Director – T.L.Tsvetkova, Ph.D.. results of study. The most typical incidence rate for of malignant tumors of connective and soft tissue (S47, 49 that are presented by  cancer registries of different countries is from 1.5 to 2.5 0/   in men and 1.5–2.0 0/   in women. Dynamics  of morbidity of the Russian population, Moscow and St. Petersburg indicates that the level of standardized  incidence rates is in the range of 2.0 0/   in men and within 1.5 0/   in women. The mortality rate in 2013  was respectively for men and women in Russia in total 1.7 0/   and 1.13 0/   , in Moscow – 1.42 0/   and  1.24 0/   , in St. Petersburg – 1.88 0/   and 1.26 0/   . The index accuracy for both sexes in Russia is 0.88,  in Moscow – 1.2; in St. Petersburg – 1.4. This index should be used for the site of these diseases with high fatality. According to official data a one-year lethality of patients with tumors of connective and soft

Development of Simulink-Based SiC MOSFET Modeling Platform for Series Connected Devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsolaridis, Georgios; Ilves, Kalle; Reigosa, Paula Diaz

2016-01-01

A new MATLAB/Simulink-based modeling platform has been developed for SiC MOSFET power modules. The modeling platform describes the electrical behavior f a single 1.2 kV/ 350 A SiC MOSFET power module, as well as the series connection of two of them. A fast parameter initialization is followed...... by an optimization process to facilitate the extraction of the model’s parameters in a more automated way relying on a small number of experimental waveforms. Through extensive experimental work, it is shown that the model accurately predicts both static and dynamic performances. The series connection of two Si......C power modules has been investigated through the validation of the static and dynamic conditions. Thanks to the developed model, a better understanding of the challenges introduced by uneven voltage balance sharing among series connected devices is possible....

Structural and effective connectivity reveals potential network-based influences on category-sensitive visual areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas eFurl

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Visual category perception is thought to depend on brain areas that respond specifically when certain categories are viewed. These category-sensitive areas are often assumed to be modules (with some degree of processing autonomy and to act predominantly on feedforward visual input. This modular view can be complemented by a view that treats brain areas as elements within more complex networks and as influenced by network properties. This network-oriented viewpoint is emerging from studies using either diffusion tensor imaging to map structural connections or effective connectivity analyses to measure how their functional responses influence each other. This literature motivates several hypotheses that predict category-sensitive activity based on network properties. Large, long-range fiber bundles such as inferior fronto-occipital, arcuate and inferior longitudinal fasciculi are associated with behavioural recognition and could play crucial roles in conveying backward influences on visual cortex from anterior temporal and frontal areas. Such backward influences could support top-down functions such as visual search and emotion-based visual modulation. Within visual cortex itself, areas sensitive to different categories appear well-connected (e.g., face areas connect to object- and motion sensitive areas and their responses can be predicted by backward modulation. Evidence supporting these propositions remains incomplete and underscores the need for better integration of DTI and functional imaging.

Local Observations, Global Connections: An Educational Program Using Ocean Networks Canada's Community-Based Observatories

Science.gov (United States)

Pelz, M.; Hoeberechts, M.; Ewing, N.; Davidson, E.; Riddell, D. J.

2014-12-01

Schools on Canada's west coast and in the Canadian Arctic are participating in the pilot year of a novel educational program based on analyzing, understanding and sharing ocean data collected by cabled observatories. The core of the program is "local observations, global connections." First, students develop an understanding of ocean conditions at their doorstep through the analysis of community-based observatory data. Then, they connect that knowledge with the health of the global ocean by engaging with students at other schools participating in the educational program and through supplemental educational resources. Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), an initiative of the University of Victoria, operates cabled ocean observatories which supply continuous power and Internet connectivity to a broad suite of subsea instruments from the coast to the deep sea. This Internet connectivity permits researchers, students and members of the public to download freely available data on their computers anywhere around the globe, in near real-time. In addition to the large NEPTUNE and VENUS cabled observatories off the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, ONC has been installing smaller, community-based cabled observatories. Currently two are installed: one in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut and one at Brentwood College School, on Mill Bay in Saanich Inlet, BC. Several more community-based observatories are scheduled for installation within the next year. The observatories support a variety of subsea instruments, such as a video camera, hydrophone and water quality monitor and shore-based equipment including a weather station and a video camera. Schools in communities hosting an observatory are invited to participate in the program, alongside schools located in other coastal and inland communities. Students and teachers access educational material and data through a web portal, and use video conferencing and social media tools to communicate their findings. A series of lesson plans

Periodic fluctuations in correlation-based connectivity density time series: Application to wind speed-monitoring network in Switzerland

Science.gov (United States)

Laib, Mohamed; Telesca, Luciano; Kanevski, Mikhail

2018-02-01

In this paper, we study the periodic fluctuations of connectivity density time series of a wind speed-monitoring network in Switzerland. By using the correlogram-based robust periodogram annual periodic oscillations were found in the correlation-based network. The intensity of such annual periodic oscillations is larger for lower correlation thresholds and smaller for higher. The annual periodicity in the connectivity density seems reasonably consistent with the seasonal meteo-climatic cycle.

Validation of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) for web-based administration.

Science.gov (United States)

Crisp, Catrina C; Fellner, Angela N; Pauls, Rachel N

2015-02-01

Web-based questionnaires are becoming increasingly valuable for clinical research. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) is the gold standard for evaluating female sexual function; yet, it has not been validated in this format. We sought to validate the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) for web-based administration. Subjects enrolled in a web-based research survey of sexual function from the general population were invited to participate in this validation study. The first 151 respondents were included. Validation participants completed the web-based version of the FSFI followed by a mailed paper-based version. Demographic data were collected for all subjects. Scores were compared using the paired t test and the intraclass correlation coefficient. One hundred fifty-one subjects completed both web- and paper-based versions of the FSFI. Those subjects participating in the validation study did not differ in demographics or FSFI scores from the remaining subjects in the general population study. Total web-based and paper-based FSFI scores were not significantly different (mean 20.31 and 20.29 respectively, p = 0.931). The six domains or subscales of the FSFI were similar when comparing web and paper scores. Finally, intraclass correlation analysis revealed a high degree of correlation between total and subscale scores, r = 0.848-0.943, p Web-based administration of the FSFI is a valid alternative to the paper-based version.

Modeling the impact of future development and public conservation orientation on landscape connectivity for conservation planning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lechner, Alex Mark; Brown, Greg; Raymond, Christopher Mark

2015-01-01

aspects of conservation planning. Objectives We present an approach for characterizing the potential effects of public conservation orientation and projected future development land use scenarios on landscape connectivity. Methods Using public participation GIS techniques (mail-based surveys linked...... to a mapping component), we classified spatially explicit conservation values and preferences into a conservation orientation index consisting of positive, negative, or neutral scores. Connectivity was then modeled using a least-cost path and graph-network approach for a range of conservation orientation...... and development scenarios in the Lower Hunter region, Australia. Scenarios were modelled through either adding vegetation (positive orientation) or removing vegetation (negative orientation, development). Results Scenarios that included positive conservation orientation link the isolated eastern and western...

OpenID connect as a security service in Cloud-based diagnostic imaging systems

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Weina; Sartipi, Kamran; Sharghi, Hassan; Koff, David; Bak, Peter

2015-03-01

The evolution of cloud computing is driving the next generation of diagnostic imaging (DI) systems. Cloud-based DI systems are able to deliver better services to patients without constraining to their own physical facilities. However, privacy and security concerns have been consistently regarded as the major obstacle for adoption of cloud computing by healthcare domains. Furthermore, traditional computing models and interfaces employed by DI systems are not ready for accessing diagnostic images through mobile devices. RESTful is an ideal technology for provisioning both mobile services and cloud computing. OpenID Connect, combining OpenID and OAuth together, is an emerging REST-based federated identity solution. It is one of the most perspective open standards to potentially become the de-facto standard for securing cloud computing and mobile applications, which has ever been regarded as "Kerberos of Cloud". We introduce OpenID Connect as an identity and authentication service in cloud-based DI systems and propose enhancements that allow for incorporating this technology within distributed enterprise environment. The objective of this study is to offer solutions for secure radiology image sharing among DI-r (Diagnostic Imaging Repository) and heterogeneous PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) as well as mobile clients in the cloud ecosystem. Through using OpenID Connect as an open-source identity and authentication service, deploying DI-r and PACS to private or community clouds should obtain equivalent security level to traditional computing model.

Intelligent indexing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farkas, J.

1992-01-01

In this paper we discuss the relevance of artificial intelligence to the automatic indexing of natural language text. We describe the use of domain-specific semantically-based thesauruses and address the problem of creating adequate knowledge bases for intelligent indexing systems. We also discuss the relevance of the Hilbert space ι 2 to the compact representation of documents and to the definition of the similarity of natural language texts. (author). 17 refs., 2 figs

Intelligent indexing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farkas, J

1993-12-31

In this paper we discuss the relevance of artificial intelligence to the automatic indexing of natural language text. We describe the use of domain-specific semantically-based thesauruses and address the problem of creating adequate knowledge bases for intelligent indexing systems. We also discuss the relevance of the Hilbert space {iota}{sup 2} to the compact representation of documents and to the definition of the similarity of natural language texts. (author). 17 refs., 2 figs.

Identifying The Purchasing Power Parity of Indonesia Rupiah (IDR) based on BIG MAC Index

OpenAIRE

Tongam Sihol Nababan

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to identify : (1) profile of exchange rate and purchasing power parity of IDR against US $ based on Big Mac Index compared to the exchange rate of other countries, and (2) the position of the Big Mac Affordability of Indonesia compared to other ASEAN countries. The results showed that based on Big Mac index during the period April 1998 up to January 2015, IDR exchange rate tends to be undervalued against the USA dollar. The cause of the currency tends to be in a posi...

Differential deactivation during mentalizing and classification of autism based on default mode network connectivity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donna L Murdaugh

Full Text Available The default mode network (DMN is a collection of brain areas found to be consistently deactivated during task performance. Previous neuroimaging studies of resting state have revealed reduced task-related deactivation of this network in autism. We investigated the DMN in 13 high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD and 14 typically developing control participants during three fMRI studies (two language tasks and a Theory-of-Mind (ToM task. Each study had separate blocks of fixation/resting baseline. The data from the task blocks and fixation blocks were collated to examine deactivation and functional connectivity. Deficits in the deactivation of the DMN in individuals with ASD were specific only to the ToM task, with no group differences in deactivation during the language tasks or a combined language and self-other discrimination task. During rest blocks following the ToM task, the ASD group showed less deactivation than the control group in a number of DMN regions, including medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC, anterior cingulate cortex, and posterior cingulate gyrus/precuneus. In addition, we found weaker functional connectivity of the MPFC in individuals with ASD compared to controls. Furthermore, we were able to reliably classify participants into ASD or typically developing control groups based on both the whole-brain and seed-based connectivity patterns with accuracy up to 96.3%. These findings indicate that deactivation and connectivity of the DMN were altered in individuals with ASD. In addition, these findings suggest that the deficits in DMN connectivity could be a neural signature that can be used for classifying an individual as belonging to the ASD group.

Financial liberalization and stock market cross-correlation: MF-DCCA analysis based on Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect

Science.gov (United States)

Ruan, Qingsong; Zhang, Shuhua; Lv, Dayong; Lu, Xinsheng

2018-02-01

Based on the implementation of Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect in China, this paper examines the effects of financial liberalization on stock market comovement using both multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) and multifractal detrended cross-correlation analysis (MF-DCCA) methods. Results based on MF-DFA confirm the multifractality of Shanghai and Hong Kong stock markets, and the market efficiency of Shanghai stock market increased after the implementation of this connect program. Besides, analysis based on MF-DCCA has verified the existence of persistent cross-correlation between Shanghai and Hong Kong stock markets, and the cross-correlation gets stronger after the launch of this liberalization program. Finally, we find that fat-tail distribution is the main source of multifractality in the cross-correlations before the stock connect program, while long-range correlation contributes to the multifractality after this program.

Accelerated Monte Carlo system reliability analysis through machine-learning-based surrogate models of network connectivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stern, R.E.; Song, J.; Work, D.B.

2017-01-01

The two-terminal reliability problem in system reliability analysis is known to be computationally intractable for large infrastructure graphs. Monte Carlo techniques can estimate the probability of a disconnection between two points in a network by selecting a representative sample of network component failure realizations and determining the source-terminal connectivity of each realization. To reduce the runtime required for the Monte Carlo approximation, this article proposes an approximate framework in which the connectivity check of each sample is estimated using a machine-learning-based classifier. The framework is implemented using both a support vector machine (SVM) and a logistic regression based surrogate model. Numerical experiments are performed on the California gas distribution network using the epicenter and magnitude of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake as well as randomly-generated earthquakes. It is shown that the SVM and logistic regression surrogate models are able to predict network connectivity with accuracies of 99% for both methods, and are 1–2 orders of magnitude faster than using a Monte Carlo method with an exact connectivity check. - Highlights: • Surrogate models of network connectivity are developed by machine-learning algorithms. • Developed surrogate models can reduce the runtime required for Monte Carlo simulations. • Support vector machine and logistic regressions are employed to develop surrogate models. • Numerical example of California gas distribution network demonstrate the proposed approach. • The developed models have accuracies 99%, and are 1–2 orders of magnitude faster than MCS.

Flood Victims Quality of Life Index 2017 (FVQoL-Index'17: scale ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Flood Victims Quality of Life Index 2017 (FVQoL-Index'17: scale development ... constructed (adapted and modified) based on the previous standardized instruments. The findings from this study reveal that FVQoL-Index'17 allowed to measure ...

Multifractal property of Chinese stock market in the CSI 800 index based on MF-DFA approach

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Huijian; Zhang, Weiguo

2018-01-01

CSI 800 index consists of CSI 500 index and CSI 300 index, aiming to reflect the performance of stocks with large, mid and small size of China A share market. In this paper we analyze the multifractal structure of Chinese stock market in the CSI 800 index based on the multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) method. We find that the fluctuation of the closing logarithmic returns have multifractal properties, the shape and width of multifractal spectrum are depended on the weighing order q. More interestingly, we observe a bigger market crash in June-August 2015 than the one in 2008 based on the local Hurst exponents. The result provides important information for further study on dynamic mechanism of return fluctuation and whether it would trigger a new financial crisis.

SedInConnect: a stand-alone, free and open source tool for the assessment of sediment connectivity

Science.gov (United States)

Crema, Stefano; Cavalli, Marco

2018-02-01

There is a growing call, within the scientific community, for solid theoretic frameworks and usable indices/models to assess sediment connectivity. Connectivity plays a significant role in characterizing structural properties of the landscape and, when considered in combination with forcing processes (e.g., rainfall-runoff modelling), can represent a valuable analysis for an improved landscape management. In this work, the authors present the development and application of SedInConnect: a free, open source and stand-alone application for the computation of the Index of Connectivity (IC), as expressed in Cavalli et al. (2013) with the addition of specific innovative features. The tool is intended to have a wide variety of users, both from the scientific community and from the authorities involved in the environmental planning. Thanks to its open source nature, the tool can be adapted and/or integrated according to the users' requirements. Furthermore, presenting an easy-to-use interface and being a stand-alone application, the tool can help management experts in the quantitative assessment of sediment connectivity in the context of hazard and risk assessment. An application to a sample dataset and an overview on up-to-date applications of the approach and of the tool shows the development potential of such analyses. The modelled connectivity, in fact, appears suitable not only to characterize sediment dynamics at the catchment scale but also to integrate prediction models and as a tool for helping geomorphological interpretation.

Content-based video indexing and searching with wavelet transformation

Science.gov (United States)

Stumpf, Florian; Al-Jawad, Naseer; Du, Hongbo; Jassim, Sabah

2006-05-01

Biometric databases form an essential tool in the fight against international terrorism, organised crime and fraud. Various government and law enforcement agencies have their own biometric databases consisting of combination of fingerprints, Iris codes, face images/videos and speech records for an increasing number of persons. In many cases personal data linked to biometric records are incomplete and/or inaccurate. Besides, biometric data in different databases for the same individual may be recorded with different personal details. Following the recent terrorist atrocities, law enforcing agencies collaborate more than before and have greater reliance on database sharing. In such an environment, reliable biometric-based identification must not only determine who you are but also who else you are. In this paper we propose a compact content-based video signature and indexing scheme that can facilitate retrieval of multiple records in face biometric databases that belong to the same person even if their associated personal data are inconsistent. We shall assess the performance of our system using a benchmark audio visual face biometric database that has multiple videos for each subject but with different identity claims. We shall demonstrate that retrieval of relatively small number of videos that are nearest, in terms of the proposed index, to any video in the database results in significant proportion of that individual biometric data.

Complementary Network-Based Approaches for Exploring Genetic Structure and Functional Connectivity in Two Vulnerable, Endemic Ground Squirrels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria H. Zero

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The persistence of small populations is influenced by genetic structure and functional connectivity. We used two network-based approaches to understand the persistence of the northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus and the southern Idaho ground squirrel (U. endemicus, two congeners of conservation concern. These graph theoretic approaches are conventionally applied to social or transportation networks, but here are used to study population persistence and connectivity. Population graph analyses revealed that local extinction rapidly reduced connectivity for the southern species, while connectivity for the northern species could be maintained following local extinction. Results from gravity models complemented those of population graph analyses, and indicated that potential vegetation productivity and topography drove connectivity in the northern species. For the southern species, development (roads and small-scale topography reduced connectivity, while greater potential vegetation productivity increased connectivity. Taken together, the results of the two network-based methods (population graph analyses and gravity models suggest the need for increased conservation action for the southern species, and that management efforts have been effective at maintaining habitat quality throughout the current range of the northern species. To prevent further declines, we encourage the continuation of management efforts for the northern species, whereas conservation of the southern species requires active management and additional measures to curtail habitat fragmentation. Our combination of population graph analyses and gravity models can inform conservation strategies of other species exhibiting patchy distributions.

A contribution to semantic indexing and retrieval based on FCA - An application to song datasets

OpenAIRE

Codocedo , Victor; Lykourentzou , Ioanna; Napoli , Amedeo

2012-01-01

International audience; Semantic indexing and retrieval is an important research area, as the available amount of information on the Web is growing more and more. In this paper, we introduce an original approach to semantic indexing and retrieval based on Formal Concept Analysis. The concept lattice is used as a semantic index and we propose an original algorithm for traversing the lattice and answering user queries. This framework has been used and evaluated on a song dataset.

Prediction of melanoma metastasis by the Shields index based on lymphatic vessel density

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Metcalfe Chris

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Melanoma usually presents as an initial skin lesion without evidence of metastasis. A significant proportion of patients develop subsequent local, regional or distant metastasis, sometimes many years after the initial lesion was removed. The current most effective staging method to identify early regional metastasis is sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB, which is invasive, not without morbidity and, while improving staging, may not improve overall survival. Lymphatic density, Breslow's thickness and the presence or absence of lymphatic invasion combined has been proposed to be a prognostic index of metastasis, by Shields et al in a patient group. Methods Here we undertook a retrospective analysis of 102 malignant melanomas from patients with more than five years follow-up to evaluate the Shields' index and compare with existing indicators. Results The Shields' index accurately predicted outcome in 90% of patients with metastases and 84% without metastases. For these, the Shields index was more predictive than thickness or lymphatic density. Alternate lymphatic measurement (hot spot analysis was also effective when combined into the Shields index in a cohort of 24 patients. Conclusions These results show the Shields index, a non-invasive analysis based on immunohistochemistry of lymphatics surrounding primary lesions that can accurately predict outcome, is a simple, useful prognostic tool in malignant melanoma.

Pornographic information of Internet views detection method based on the connected areas

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Huibai; Fan, Ajie

2017-01-01

Nowadays online porn video broadcasting and downloading is very popular. In view of the widespread phenomenon of Internet pornography, this paper proposed a new method of pornographic video detection based on connected areas. Firstly, decode the video into a serious of static images and detect skin color on the extracted key frames. If the area of skin color reaches a certain threshold, use the AdaBoost algorithm to detect the human face. Judge the connectivity of the human face and the large area of skin color to determine whether detect the sensitive area finally. The experimental results show that the method can effectively remove the non-pornographic videos contain human who wear less. This method can improve the efficiency and reduce the workload of detection.

Reliability-based fatigue life estimation of shear riveted connections considering dependency of rivet hole failures

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Leonetti* Davide

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Standards and guidelines for the fatigue design of riveted connections make use of a stress range-endurance (S-N curve based on the net section stress range regardless of the number and the position of the rivets. Almost all tests on which S-N curves are based, are performed with a minimum number of rivets. However, the number of rivets in a row is expected to increase the fail-safe behaviour of the connection, whereas the number of rows is supposed to decrease the theoretical stress concentration at the critical locations, and hence these aspects are not considered in the S-N curves. This paper presents a numerical model predicting the fatigue life of riveted connections by performing a system reliability analysis on a double cover plated riveted butt joint. The connection is considered in three geometries, with different number of rivets in a row and different number of rows. The stress state in the connection is evaluated using a finite element model in which the friction coefficient and the clamping force in the rivets are considered in a deterministic manner. The probability of failure is evaluated for the main plate, and fatigue failure is assumed to be originating at the sides of the rivet holes, the critical locations, or hot-spots. The notch stress approach is applied to assess the fatigue life, considered to be a stochastic quantity. Unlike other system reliability models available in the literature, the evaluation of the probability of failure takes into account the stochastic dependence between the failures at each critical location modelled as a parallel system, which means considering the change of the state of stress in the connection when a ligament between two rivets fails. A sensitivity study is performed to evaluate the effect of the pretension in the rivet and the friction coefficient on the fatigue life.

Thirty-six pulse rectifier scheme based on zigzag auto-connected transformer

OpenAIRE

Xiao-Qiang Chen; Chun-Ling Hao; Hao Qiu; Min Li

2016-01-01

In this paper, a low kilo-volt-ampere rating zigzag connected autotransformer based 36-pulse rectifier system supplying vector controlled induction motor drives (VCIMD) is designed, modeled and simulated. Detailed design procedure and magnetic rating calculation of the proposed autotransformer and interphase reactor is studied. Moreover, the design process of the autotransformer is modified to make it suitable for retrofit applications. Simulation results confirm that the proposed 36-pulse re...

EnviroAtlas - Watershed Index Online Hydrologically Connected Zone Mask for the Conterminous United States

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Hydrologically Connected Zone (HCZ) Mask was determined using grid analysis to combine surface water features in the United States from three datasets: First,...

On the Additively Weighted Harary Index of Some Composite Graphs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Behrooz Khosravi

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The Harary index is defined as the sum of reciprocals of distances between all pairs of vertices of a connected graph. The additively weighted Harary index H A ( G is a modification of the Harary index in which the contributions of vertex pairs are weighted by the sum of their degrees. This new invariant was introduced in (Alizadeh, Iranmanesh and Došlić. Additively weighted Harary index of some composite graphs, Discrete Math, 2013 and they posed the following question: What is the behavior of H A ( G when G is a composite graph resulting for example by: splice, link, corona and rooted product? We investigate the additively weighted Harary index for these standard graph products. Then we obtain lower and upper bounds for some of them.

Windowed correlation: a suitable tool for providing dynamic fMRI-based functional connectivity neurofeedback on task difficulty.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Zilverstand

Full Text Available The goal of neurofeedback training is to provide participants with relevant information on their ongoing brain processes in order to enable them to change these processes in a meaningful way. Under the assumption of an intrinsic brain-behavior link, neurofeedback can be a tool to guide a participant towards a desired behavioral state, such as a healthier state in the case of patients. Current research in clinical neuroscience regarding the most robust indicators of pathological brain processes in psychiatric and neurological disorders indicates that fMRI-based functional connectivity measures may be among the most important biomarkers of disease. The present study therefore investigated the general potential of providing fMRI neurofeedback based on functional correlations, computed from short-window time course data at the level of single task periods. The ability to detect subtle changes in task performance with block-wise functional connectivity measures was evaluated based on imaging data from healthy participants performing a simple motor task, which was systematically varied along two task dimensions representing two different aspects of task difficulty. The results demonstrate that fMRI-based functional connectivity measures may provide a better indicator for an increase in overall (motor task difficulty than activation level-based measures. Windowed functional correlations thus seem to provide relevant and unique information regarding ongoing brain processes, which is not captured equally well by standard activation level-based neurofeedback measures. Functional connectivity markers, therefore, may indeed provide a valuable tool to enhance and monitor learning within an fMRI neurofeedback setup.

An index-based framework for assessing patterns and trends in river fragmentation and flow regulation by global dams at multiple scales

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grill, Günther; Lehner, Bernhard; Lumsdon, Alexander E; Zarfl, Christiane; MacDonald, Graham K; Reidy Liermann, Catherine

2015-01-01

The global number of dam constructions has increased dramatically over the past six decades and is forecast to continue to rise, particularly in less industrialized regions. Identifying development pathways that can deliver the benefits of new infrastructure while also maintaining healthy and productive river systems is a great challenge that requires understanding the multifaceted impacts of dams at a range of scales. New approaches and advanced methodologies are needed to improve predictions of how future dam construction will affect biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and fluvial geomorphology worldwide, helping to frame a global strategy to achieve sustainable dam development. Here, we respond to this need by applying a graph-based river routing model to simultaneously assess flow regulation and fragmentation by dams at multiple scales using data at high spatial resolution. We calculated the cumulative impact of a set of 6374 large existing dams and 3377 planned or proposed dams on river connectivity and river flow at basin and subbasin scales by fusing two novel indicators to create a holistic dam impact matrix for the period 1930–2030. Static network descriptors such as basin area or channel length are of limited use in hierarchically nested and dynamic river systems, so we developed the river fragmentation index and the river regulation index, which are based on river volume. These indicators are less sensitive to the effects of network configuration, offering increased comparability among studies with disparate hydrographies as well as across scales. Our results indicate that, on a global basis, 48% of river volume is moderately to severely impacted by either flow regulation, fragmentation, or both. Assuming completion of all dams planned and under construction in our future scenario, this number would nearly double to 93%, largely due to major dam construction in the Amazon Basin. We provide evidence for the importance of considering small to medium

Functional connectivity analysis of the neural bases of emotion regulation: A comparison of independent component method with density-based k-means clustering method.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Ling; Guo, Qian; Xu, Yi; Yang, Biao; Jiao, Zhuqing; Xiang, Jianbo

2016-04-29

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an important tool in neuroscience for assessing connectivity and interactions between distant areas of the brain. To find and characterize the coherent patterns of brain activity as a means of identifying brain systems for the cognitive reappraisal of the emotion task, both density-based k-means clustering and independent component analysis (ICA) methods can be applied to characterize the interactions between brain regions involved in cognitive reappraisal of emotion. Our results reveal that compared with the ICA method, the density-based k-means clustering method provides a higher sensitivity of polymerization. In addition, it is more sensitive to those relatively weak functional connection regions. Thus, the study concludes that in the process of receiving emotional stimuli, the relatively obvious activation areas are mainly distributed in the frontal lobe, cingulum and near the hypothalamus. Furthermore, density-based k-means clustering method creates a more reliable method for follow-up studies of brain functional connectivity.

Atomoxetine Enhances Connectivity of Prefrontal Networks in Parkinson's Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Borchert, Robin J; Rittman, Timothy; Passamonti, Luca; Ye, Zheng; Sami, Saber; Jones, Simon P; Nombela, Cristina; Vázquez Rodríguez, Patricia; Vatansever, Deniz; Rae, Charlotte L; Hughes, Laura E; Robbins, Trevor W; Rowe, James B

2016-07-01

Cognitive impairment is common in Parkinson's disease (PD), but often not improved by dopaminergic treatment. New treatment strategies targeting other neurotransmitter deficits are therefore of growing interest. Imaging the brain at rest ('task-free') provides the opportunity to examine the impact of a candidate drug on many of the brain networks that underpin cognition, while minimizing task-related performance confounds. We test this approach using atomoxetine, a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor that modulates the prefrontal cortical activity and can facilitate some executive functions and response inhibition. Thirty-three patients with idiopathic PD underwent task-free fMRI. Patients were scanned twice in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design, following either placebo or 40-mg oral atomoxetine. Seventy-six controls were scanned once without medication to provide normative data. Seed-based correlation analyses were used to measure changes in functional connectivity, with the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) a critical region for executive function. Patients on placebo had reduced connectivity relative to controls from right IFG to dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and to left IFG and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Atomoxetine increased connectivity from the right IFG to the dorsal anterior cingulate. In addition, the atomoxetine-induced change in connectivity from right IFG to dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was proportional to the change in verbal fluency, a simple index of executive function. The results support the hypothesis that atomoxetine may restore prefrontal networks related to executive functions. We suggest that task-free imaging can support translational pharmacological studies of new drug therapies and provide evidence for engagement of the relevant neurocognitive systems.

Evolving Stochastic Learning Algorithm based on Tsallis entropic index

Science.gov (United States)

Anastasiadis, A. D.; Magoulas, G. D.

2006-03-01

In this paper, inspired from our previous algorithm, which was based on the theory of Tsallis statistical mechanics, we develop a new evolving stochastic learning algorithm for neural networks. The new algorithm combines deterministic and stochastic search steps by employing a different adaptive stepsize for each network weight, and applies a form of noise that is characterized by the nonextensive entropic index q, regulated by a weight decay term. The behavior of the learning algorithm can be made more stochastic or deterministic depending on the trade off between the temperature T and the q values. This is achieved by introducing a formula that defines a time-dependent relationship between these two important learning parameters. Our experimental study verifies that there are indeed improvements in the convergence speed of this new evolving stochastic learning algorithm, which makes learning faster than using the original Hybrid Learning Scheme (HLS). In addition, experiments are conducted to explore the influence of the entropic index q and temperature T on the convergence speed and stability of the proposed method.

Spatiotemporal variation of watershed health propensity through reliability-resilience-vulnerability based drought index (case study: Shazand Watershed in Iran).

Science.gov (United States)

Sadeghi, Seyed Hamidreza; Hazbavi, Zeinab

2017-06-01

Quantitative response of the watershed health to climate variability is of critical importance for watershed managers. However, existing studies seldom considered the impact of climate variability on watershed health. The present study therefore aimed to analyze the temporal and spatial variability of reliability (R el ), resilience (R es ) and vulnerability (V ul ) indicators in node years of 1986, 1998, 2008 and 2014 in connection with Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) for 24 sub-watersheds in the Shazand Watershed of Markazi Province in Iran. The analysis was based on rainfall variability as one of the main climatic drivers. To achieve the study purposes, the monthly rainfall time series of eight rain gauge stations distributed across the watershed or neighboring areas were analyzed and corresponding SPIs and R el R es V ul indicators were calculated. Ultimately, the spatial variation of SPI oriented R el R es V ul was mapped for the study watershed using Geographic Information System (GIS). The average and standard deviation of SPI-R el R es V ul index for the study years of 1986, 1998, 2008 and 2014 was obtained 0.240±0.025, 0.290±0.036, 0.077±0.0280 and 0.241±0.081, respectively. In overall, the results of the study proved the spatiotemporal variations of SPI-R el R es V ul watershed health index in the study area. Accordingly, all the sub-watersheds of the Shazand Watershed were grouped in unhealthy and very unhealthy conditions in all the study years. For 1986 and 1998 all the sub-watersheds were assessed in unhealthy status. Whilst, it declined to very unhealthy condition in 2008 and then some 75% of the watershed ultimately referred again to unhealthy and the rest still remained under very unhealthy conditions in 2014. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Patterns of brain structural connectivity differentiate normal weight from overweight subjects.

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Gupta, Arpana; Mayer, Emeran A; Sanmiguel, Claudia P; Van Horn, John D; Woodworth, Davis; Ellingson, Benjamin M; Fling, Connor; Love, Aubrey; Tillisch, Kirsten; Labus, Jennifer S

2015-01-01

Alterations in the hedonic component of ingestive behaviors have been implicated as a possible risk factor in the pathophysiology of overweight and obese individuals. Neuroimaging evidence from individuals with increasing body mass index suggests structural, functional, and neurochemical alterations in the extended reward network and associated networks. To apply a multivariate pattern analysis to distinguish normal weight and overweight subjects based on gray and white-matter measurements. Structural images (N = 120, overweight N = 63) and diffusion tensor images (DTI) (N = 60, overweight N = 30) were obtained from healthy control subjects. For the total sample the mean age for the overweight group (females = 32, males = 31) was 28.77 years (SD = 9.76) and for the normal weight group (females = 32, males = 25) was 27.13 years (SD = 9.62). Regional segmentation and parcellation of the brain images was performed using Freesurfer. Deterministic tractography was performed to measure the normalized fiber density between regions. A multivariate pattern analysis approach was used to examine whether brain measures can distinguish overweight from normal weight individuals. 1. White-matter classification: The classification algorithm, based on 2 signatures with 17 regional connections, achieved 97% accuracy in discriminating overweight individuals from normal weight individuals. For both brain signatures, greater connectivity as indexed by increased fiber density was observed in overweight compared to normal weight between the reward network regions and regions of the executive control, emotional arousal, and somatosensory networks. In contrast, the opposite pattern (decreased fiber density) was found between ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the anterior insula, and between thalamus and executive control network regions. 2. Gray-matter classification: The classification algorithm, based on 2 signatures with 42 morphological features, achieved 69

Patterns of brain structural connectivity differentiate normal weight from overweight subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Arpana; Mayer, Emeran A.; Sanmiguel, Claudia P.; Van Horn, John D.; Woodworth, Davis; Ellingson, Benjamin M.; Fling, Connor; Love, Aubrey; Tillisch, Kirsten; Labus, Jennifer S.

2015-01-01

Background Alterations in the hedonic component of ingestive behaviors have been implicated as a possible risk factor in the pathophysiology of overweight and obese individuals. Neuroimaging evidence from individuals with increasing body mass index suggests structural, functional, and neurochemical alterations in the extended reward network and associated networks. Aim To apply a multivariate pattern analysis to distinguish normal weight and overweight subjects based on gray and white-matter measurements. Methods Structural images (N = 120, overweight N = 63) and diffusion tensor images (DTI) (N = 60, overweight N = 30) were obtained from healthy control subjects. For the total sample the mean age for the overweight group (females = 32, males = 31) was 28.77 years (SD = 9.76) and for the normal weight group (females = 32, males = 25) was 27.13 years (SD = 9.62). Regional segmentation and parcellation of the brain images was performed using Freesurfer. Deterministic tractography was performed to measure the normalized fiber density between regions. A multivariate pattern analysis approach was used to examine whether brain measures can distinguish overweight from normal weight individuals. Results 1. White-matter classification: The classification algorithm, based on 2 signatures with 17 regional connections, achieved 97% accuracy in discriminating overweight individuals from normal weight individuals. For both brain signatures, greater connectivity as indexed by increased fiber density was observed in overweight compared to normal weight between the reward network regions and regions of the executive control, emotional arousal, and somatosensory networks. In contrast, the opposite pattern (decreased fiber density) was found between ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the anterior insula, and between thalamus and executive control network regions. 2. Gray-matter classification: The classification algorithm, based on 2 signatures with 42

Improved predictability of droughts over southern Africa using the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index and ENSO

Science.gov (United States)

Manatsa, Desmond; Mushore, Terrence; Lenouo, Andre

2017-01-01

The provision of timely and reliable climate information on which to base management decisions remains a critical component in drought planning for southern Africa. In this observational study, we have not only proposed a forecasting scheme which caters for timeliness and reliability but improved relevance of the climate information by using a novel drought index called the standardised precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), instead of the traditional precipitation only based index, the standardised precipitation index (SPI). The SPEI which includes temperature and other climatic factors in its construction has a more robust connection to ENSO than the SPI. Consequently, the developed ENSO-SPEI prediction scheme can provide quantitative information about the spatial extent and severity of predicted drought conditions in a way that reflects more closely the level of risk in the global warming context of the sub region. However, it is established that the ENSO significant regional impact is restricted only to the period December-March, implying a revisit to the traditional ENSO-based forecast scheme which essentially divides the rainfall season into the two periods, October to December and January to March. Although the prediction of ENSO events has increased with the refinement of numerical models, this work has demonstrated that the prediction of drought impacts related to ENSO is also a reality based only on observations. A large temporal lag is observed between the development of ENSO phenomena (typically in May of the previous year) and the identification of regional SPEI defined drought conditions. It has been shown that using the Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum's (SARCOF) traditional 3-month averaged Nino 3.4 SST index (June to August) as a predictor does not have an added advantage over using only the May SST index values. In this regard, the extended lead time and improved skill demonstrated in this study could immensely benefit

Noise Reduction in Arterial Spin Labeling Based Functional Connectivity Using Nuisance Variables.

Science.gov (United States)

Jann, Kay; Smith, Robert X; Rios Piedra, Edgar A; Dapretto, Mirella; Wang, Danny J J

2016-01-01

Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL) perfusion image series have recently been utilized for functional connectivity (FC) analysis in healthy volunteers and children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Noise reduction by using nuisance variables has been shown to be necessary to minimize potential confounding effects of head motion and physiological signals on BOLD based FC analysis. The purpose of the present study is to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of different noise reduction strategies (NRS) using nuisance variables to improve perfusion based FC analysis in two cohorts of healthy adults using state of the art 3D background-suppressed (BS) GRASE pseudo-continuous ASL (pCASL) and dual-echo 2D-EPI pCASL sequences. Five different NRS were performed in healthy volunteers to compare their performance. We then compared seed-based FC analysis using 3D BS GRASE pCASL in a cohort of 12 children with ASD (3f/9m, age 12.8 ± 1.3 years) and 13 typically developing (TD) children (1f/12m; age 13.9 ± 3 years) in conjunction with NRS. Regression of different combinations of nuisance variables affected FC analysis from a seed in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) to other areas of the default mode network (DMN) in both BOLD and pCASL data sets. Consistent with existing literature on BOLD-FC, we observed improved spatial specificity after physiological noise reduction and improved long-range connectivity using head movement related regressors. Furthermore, 3D BS GRASE pCASL shows much higher temporal SNR compared to dual-echo 2D-EPI pCASL and similar effects of noise reduction as those observed for BOLD. Seed-based FC analysis using 3D BS GRASE pCASL in children with ASD and TD children showed that noise reduction including physiological and motion related signals as nuisance variables is crucial for identifying altered long-range connectivity from PCC to frontal brain areas associated with ASD. This is the first study that systematically evaluated the effects of

Enhanced subcarrier-index modulation-based asymmetrically clipped optical OFDM using even subcarriers

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Rui; Xu, Wei; Yang, Zhaohui; Huang, Nuo; Wang, Jin-Yuan; Chen, Ming

2017-11-01

In this paper, we propose a subcarrier-index modulation-based asymmetrically clipped optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (SACO-OFDM) scheme for optical wireless communication (OWC) systems, which benefits from the subcarrier-index modulation (SIM) and asymmetrically clipped optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (ACO-OFDM) techniques. SACO-OFDM conveys additional information via the subcarrier indexing, and the error rate of the bit transmitted by the subcarrier indexing is much lower than that of the conventional M-ary modulation scheme. On the other hand, as the signal constellation in M-ary modulation is relieved, SACO-OFDM has simple transceiver structure and low detection complexity. Moreover, considering the spectral, an enhanced SACO-OFDM (ESACO-OFDM) using even subcarriers is proposed. In this technique, the odd subcarriers are activated for SACO-OFDM, and the imaginary part of even subcarriers are activated for pulse-amplitude-modulated discrete multitone (PAM-DMT). Clearly, ESACO-OFDM achieves better spectral efficiency than the conventional optical OFDM, since all subcarriers are used for data transmission. Simulation results verify the significant bit error rate (BER) and peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) improvement by the proposed ESACO-OFDM, especially for the medium-to-high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime.

High-precision diode-laser-based temperature measurement for air refractive index compensation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hieta, Tuomas; Merimaa, Mikko; Vainio, Markku; Seppae, Jeremias; Lassila, Antti

2011-01-01

We present a laser-based system to measure the refractive index of air over a long path length. In optical distance measurements, it is essential to know the refractive index of air with high accuracy. Commonly, the refractive index of air is calculated from the properties of the ambient air using either Ciddor or Edlen equations, where the dominant uncertainty component is in most cases the air temperature. The method developed in this work utilizes direct absorption spectroscopy of oxygen to measure the average temperature of air and of water vapor to measure relative humidity. The method allows measurement of temperature and humidity over the same beam path as in optical distance measurement, providing spatially well-matching data. Indoor and outdoor measurements demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. In particular, we demonstrate an effective compensation of the refractive index of air in an interferometric length measurement at a time-variant and spatially nonhomogeneous temperature over a long time period. Further, we were able to demonstrate 7 mK RMS noise over a 67 m path length using a 120 s sample time. To our knowledge, this is the best temperature precision reported for a spectroscopic temperature measurement.

Unlocking Index Animalium: From paper slips to bytes and bits.

Science.gov (United States)

Pilsk, Suzanne C; Kalfatovic, Martin R; Richard, Joel M

2016-01-01

In 1996 Smithsonian Libraries (SIL) embarked on the digitization of its collections. By 1999, a full-scale digitization center was in place and rare volumes from the natural history collections, often of high illustrative value, were the focus for the first years of the program. The resulting beautiful books made available for online display were successful to a certain extent, but it soon became clear that the data locked within the texts needed to be converted to more usable and re-purposable form via digitization methods that went beyond simple page imaging and included text conversion elements. Library staff met with researchers from the taxonomic community to understand their path to the literature and identified tools (indexes and bibliographies) used to connect to the library holdings. The traditional library metadata describing the titles, which made them easily retrievable from the shelves of libraries, was not meeting the needs of the researcher looking for more detailed and granular data within the texts. The result was to identify proper print tools that could potential assist researchers in digital form. This paper outlines the project undertaken to convert Charles Davies Sherborn's Index Animalium into a tool to connect researchers to the library holdings: from a print index to a database to eventually a dataset. Sherborn's microcitation of a species name and his bibliographies help bridge the gap between taxonomist and literature holdings of libraries. In 2004, SIL received funding from the Smithsonian's Atherton Seidell Endowment to create an online version of Sherborn's Index Animalium. The initial project was to digitize the page images and re-key the data into a simple data structure. As the project evolved, a more complex database was developed which enabled quality field searching to retrieve species names and to search the bibliography. Problems with inconsistent abbreviations and styling of his bibliographies made the parsing of the data

Power-Hardware-In-the-Loop (PHIL) Test of VSC-based HVDC connection for Offshore Wind Power Plants (WPPs)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sharma, Ranjan; Cha, Seung-Tae; Wu, Qiuwei

2011-01-01

This paper presents a power-hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) test for an offshore wind power plant (WPP) interconnected to the onshore grid by a VSC-based HVDC connection. The intention of the PHIL test is to verify the control coordination between the plant side converter of the HVDC connection...... the successful control coordination between the WPP and the plant side VSC converter of the HVDC connection of the WPP....

Better state-of-good-repair indicators for the transportation performance index.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-07-01

The Transportation Performance Index was developed for the US Chamber of Commerce to track the : performance of transportation infrastructure over time and explore the connection between economic : health and infrastructure performance. This project ...

Producción científica sobre Educación Multicultural contenida en las bases de datos Social Sciences Citation Index y Arts & Humanities Citation Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vallejo Ruiz, Mónica

2005-06-01

Full Text Available This paper is an inquiry into the productivity on multicultural education using a list of documents retrieved from two databases of Institute for Scientific Information (ISI, Philadelphia, Social Sciences Citation Index and Arts & Humanities Citation Index during the period 1956 to 2003.
Scientometrics indicators relative to longitudinal production, authors and institutional productivity, journal and citations patterns are offered, which allowed a description of the international production in this educational field and to establish evaluative inferences.

Este estudio indaga la productividad en educación multicultural en base a una lista de documentos incluidos en dos bases del Institute for Scientific Information (ISI de Filadelfia: Social Sciences Citation Index y Arts & Humanities Citation Index, durante el periodo 1956-2003.
Se ofrecen una serie de indicadores cienciométricos relativos a diacronía, productividad personal e institucional, revistas editoras y patrones de citación, los cuales permiten describir la producción internacional en este campo educativo y establecer inferencias evaluativas sobre el mismo.

Age-Related Difference in Functional Brain Connectivity of Mastication

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Lin, Chia-shu; Wu, Ching-yi; Wu, Shih-yun; Lin, Hsiao-Han; Cheng, Dong-hui; Lo, Wen-liang

2017-01-01

The age-related decline in motor function is associated with changes in intrinsic brain signatures. Here, we investigated the functional connectivity (FC) associated with masticatory performance, a clinical index evaluating general masticatory function. Twenty-six older adults (OA) and 26 younger (YA) healthy adults were recruited and assessed using the masticatory performance index (MPI) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). We analyzed the rs-fMRI FC network related to mastication, which was constructed based on 12 bilateral mastication-related brain regions according to the literature. For the OA and the YA group, we identified the mastication-related hubs, i.e., the nodes for which the degree centrality (DC) was positively correlated with the MPI. For each pair of nodes, we identified the inter-nodal link for which the FC was positively correlated with the MPI. The network analysis revealed that, in the YA group, the FC between the sensorimotor cortex, the thalamus (THA) and the cerebellum was positively correlated with the MPI. Consistently, the cerebellum nodes were defined as the mastication-related hubs. In contrast, in the OA group, we found a sparser connection within the sensorimotor regions and cerebellum and a denser connection across distributed regions, including the FC between the superior parietal lobe (SPL), the anterior insula (aINS) and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). Compared to the YA group, the network of the OA group also comprised more mastication-related hubs, which were spatially distributed outside the sensorimotor regions, including the right SPL, the right aINS, and the bilateral dACC. In general, the findings supported the hypothesis that in OA, higher masticatory performance is associated with a widespread pattern of mastication-related hubs. Such a widespread engagement of multiple brain regions associated with the MPI may reflect an increased demand in sensorimotor integration, attentional

Enhancing the Extreme Climate Index (ECI) to monitor climate extremes for an index-based insurance scheme across Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Helmschrot, J.; Malherbe, J.; Chamunorwa, M.; Muthige, M.; Petitta, M.; Calmanti, S.; Cucchi, M.; Syroka, J.; Iyahen, E.; Engelbrecht, F.

2017-12-01

Climate services are a key component of National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes, which require the analysis of current climate conditions, future climate change scenarios and the identification of adaptation strategies, including the capacity to finance and implement effective adaptation options. The Extreme Climate Facility (XCF) proposed by the African Risk Capacity (ARC) developed a climate index insurance scheme, which is based on the Extreme Climate Index (ECI): an objective, multi-hazard index capable of tracking changes in the frequency or magnitude of extreme weather events, thus indicating possible shifts to a new climate regime in various regions. The main hazards covered by ECI are extreme dry, wet and heat events, with the possibility of adding other region-specific risk events. The ECI is standardized across broad geographical regions, so that extreme events occurring under different climatic regimes in Africa can be compared. Initially developed by an Italian company specialized in Climate Services, research is now conducted at the CSIR and SASSCAL, to verify and further develop the ECI for application in southern African countries, through a project initiated by the World Food Programme (WFP) and ARC. The paper will present findings on the most appropriate definitions of extremely wet and dry conditions in Africa, in terms of their impact across a multitude of sub-regional climates of the African continent. Findings of a verification analysis of the ECI, as determined through vegetation monitoring data and the SASSCAL weather station network will be discussed. Changes in the ECI under climate change will subsequently be projected, using detailed regional projections generated by the CSIR and through the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX). This work will be concluded by the development of a web-based climate service informing African Stakeholders on climate extremes.

Corrections to "Connectivity-Based Reliable Multicast MAC Protocol for IEEE 802.11 Wireless LANs"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Choi Woo-Yong

2010-01-01

Full Text Available We have found the errors in the throughput formulae presented in our paper "Connectivity-based reliable multicast MAC protocol for IEEE 802.11 wireless LANs". We provide the corrected formulae and numerical results.

Connectivity maps based analysis of EEG for the advanced diagnosis of schizophrenia attributes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zack Dvey-Aharon

Full Text Available This article presents a novel connectivity analysis method that is suitable for multi-node networks such as EEG, MEG or EcOG electrode recordings. Its diagnostic power and ability to interpret brain states in schizophrenia is demonstrated on a set of 50 subjects that constituted of 25 healthy and 25 diagnosed with schizophrenia and treated with medication. The method can also be used for the automatic detection of schizophrenia; it exhibits higher sensitivity than state-of-the-art methods with no false positives. The detection is based on an analysis from a minute long pattern-recognition computer task. Moreover, this connectivity analysis leads naturally to an optimal choice of electrodes and hence to highly statistically significant results that are based on data from only 3-5 electrodes. The method is general and can be used for the diagnosis of other psychiatric conditions, provided an appropriate computer task is devised.

Estimated ventricle size using Evans index: reference values from a population-based sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaraj, D; Rabiei, K; Marlow, T; Jensen, C; Skoog, I; Wikkelsø, C

2017-03-01

Evans index is an estimate of ventricular size used in the diagnosis of idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). Values >0.3 are considered pathological and are required by guidelines for the diagnosis of iNPH. However, there are no previous epidemiological studies on Evans index, and normal values in adults are thus not precisely known. We examined a representative sample to obtain reference values and descriptive data on Evans index. A population-based sample (n = 1235) of men and women aged ≥70 years was examined. The sample comprised people living in private households and residential care, systematically selected from the Swedish population register. Neuropsychiatric examinations, including head computed tomography, were performed between 1986 and 2000. Evans index ranged from 0.11 to 0.46. The mean value in the total sample was 0.28 (SD, 0.04) and 20.6% (n = 255) had values >0.3. Among men aged ≥80 years, the mean value of Evans index was 0.3 (SD, 0.03). Individuals with dementia had a mean value of Evans index of 0.31 (SD, 0.05) and those with radiological signs of iNPH had a mean value of 0.36 (SD, 0.04). A substantial number of subjects had ventricular enlargement according to current criteria. Clinicians and researchers need to be aware of the range of values among older individuals. © 2017 EAN.

The Mediterranean Oscillation Teleconnection Index: Station-Based versus Principal Component Paradigms

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Francisco Criado-Aldeanueva

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Two different paradigms of the Mediterranean Oscillation (MO teleconnection index have been compared in this work: station-based definitions obtained by the difference of some climate variable between two selected points in the eastern and western basins (i.e., Algiers and Cairo, Gibraltar and Israel, Marseille and Jerusalem, or south France and Levantine basin and the principal component (PC approach in which the index is obtained as the time series of the first mode of normalised sea level pressure anomalies across the extended Mediterranean region. Interannual to interdecadal precipitation (P, evaporation (E, E-P, and net heat flux have been correlated with the different MO indices to compare their relative importance in the long-term variability of heat and freshwater budgets over the Mediterranean Sea. On an annual basis, the PC paradigm is the most effective tool to assess the effect of the large-scale atmospheric forcing in the Mediterranean Sea because the station-based indices exhibit a very poor correlation with all climatic variables and only influence a reduced fraction of the basin. In winter, the station-based indices highly improve their ability to represent the atmospheric forcing and results are fairly independent of the paradigm used.

A Connection Entropy Approach to Water Resources Vulnerability Analysis in a Changing Environment

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Zhengwei Pan

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This paper establishes a water resources vulnerability framework based on sensitivity, natural resilience and artificial adaptation, through the analyses of the four states of the water system and its accompanying transformation processes. Furthermore, it proposes an analysis method for water resources vulnerability based on connection entropy, which extends the concept of contact entropy. An example is given of the water resources vulnerability in Anhui Province of China, which analysis illustrates that, overall, vulnerability levels fluctuated and showed apparent improvement trends from 2001 to 2015. Some suggestions are also provided for the improvement of the level of water resources vulnerability in Anhui Province, considering the viewpoint of the vulnerability index.

Frontal dysconnectivity in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: an atlas-based functional connectivity analysis.

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Mattiaccio, Leah M; Coman, Ioana L; Thompson, Carlie A; Fremont, Wanda P; Antshel, Kevin M; Kates, Wendy R

2018-01-20

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a neurodevelopmental syndrome associated with deficits in cognitive and emotional processing. This syndrome represents one of the highest risk factors for the development of schizophrenia. Previous studies of functional connectivity (FC) in 22q11DS report aberrant connectivity patterns in large-scale networks that are associated with the development of psychotic symptoms. In this study, we performed a functional connectivity analysis using the CONN toolbox to test for differential connectivity patterns between 54 individuals with 22q11DS and 30 healthy controls, between the ages of 17-25 years old. We mapped resting-state fMRI data onto 68 atlas-based regions of interest (ROIs) generated by the Desikan-Killany atlas in FreeSurfer, resulting in 2278 ROI-to-ROI connections for which we determined total linear temporal associations between each. Within the group with 22q11DS only, we further tested the association between prodromal symptoms of psychosis and FC. We observed that relative to controls, individuals with 22q11DS displayed increased FC in lobar networks involving the frontal-frontal, frontal-parietal, and frontal-occipital ROIs. In contrast, FC between ROIs in the parietal-temporal and occipital lobes was reduced in the 22q11DS group relative to healthy controls. Moreover, positive psychotic symptoms were positively associated with increased functional connections between the left precuneus and right superior frontal gyrus, as well as reduced functional connectivity between the bilateral pericalcarine. Positive symptoms were negatively associated with increased functional connectivity between the right pericalcarine and right postcentral gyrus. Our results suggest that functional organization may be altered in 22q11DS, leading to disruption in connectivity between frontal and other lobar substructures, and potentially increasing risk for prodromal psychosis.

Releasing method of connection of control rod and its drive mechanism in a reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishida, Kazuo; Futatsugi, Masao.

1976-01-01

Object: To disengage a control rod from a control rod drive device in a boiling water reactor with a minimal failure of the device, when connection there between cannot be released in a normal manner. Structure: First, a part of a piston tube in the control rod drive device is withdrawn externally of a control rod housing and cut. Next, a discharge tool, which is designed to be connected with the cut piston tube, is connected to the remainder of the piston tube within the housing and the aforesaid piston tube is pushed into the index tube. The index tube is then cut by the discharge tool. Thus, the control rod drive device and the control rod may be separated. Thereafter, the control rod may be removed from the top of the reactor container whereas the control rod drive device removed from the bottom thereof. (Ikeda, J.)

An Oracle-based event index for ATLAS

Science.gov (United States)

Gallas, E. J.; Dimitrov, G.; Vasileva, P.; Baranowski, Z.; Canali, L.; Dumitru, A.; Formica, A.; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

The ATLAS Eventlndex System has amassed a set of key quantities for a large number of ATLAS events into a Hadoop based infrastructure for the purpose of providing the experiment with a number of event-wise services. Collecting this data in one place provides the opportunity to investigate various storage formats and technologies and assess which best serve the various use cases as well as consider what other benefits alternative storage systems provide. In this presentation we describe how the data are imported into an Oracle RDBMS (relational database management system), the services we have built based on this architecture, and our experience with it. We’ve indexed about 26 billion real data events thus far and have designed the system to accommodate future data which has expected rates of 5 and 20 billion events per year. We have found this system offers outstanding performance for some fundamental use cases. In addition, profiting from the co-location of this data with other complementary metadata in ATLAS, the system has been easily extended to perform essential assessments of data integrity and completeness and to identify event duplication, including at what step in processing the duplication occurred.

An IoT Based Predictive Connected Car Maintenance Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rohit Dhall

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Internet of Things (IoT is fast emerging and becoming an almost basic necessity in general life. The concepts of using technology in our daily life is not new, but with the advancements in technology, the impact of technology in daily activities of a person can be seen in almost all the aspects of life. Today, all aspects of our daily life, be it health of a person, his location, movement, etc. can be monitored and analyzed using information captured from various connected devices. This paper discusses one such use case, which can be implemented by the automobile industry, using technological advancements in the areas of IoT and Analytics. ‘Connected Car’ is a terminology, often associated with cars and other passenger vehicles, which are capable of internet connectivity and sharing of various kinds of data with backend applications. The data being shared can be about the location and speed of the car, status of various parts/lubricants of the car, and if the car needs urgent service or not. Once data are transmitted to the backend services, various workflows can be created to take necessary actions, e.g. scheduling a service with the car service provider, or if large numbers of care are in the same location, then the traffic management system can take necessary action. ’Connected cars’ can also communicate with each other, and can send alerts to each other in certain scenarios like possible crash etc. This paper talks about how the concept of ‘connected cars’ can be used to perform ‘predictive car maintenance’. It also discusses how certain technology components, i.e., Eclipse Mosquito and Eclipse Paho can be used to implement a predictive connected car use case.

Comprehensive drought characteristics analysis based on a nonlinear multivariate drought index

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jie; Chang, Jianxia; Wang, Yimin; Li, Yunyun; Hu, Hui; Chen, Yutong; Huang, Qiang; Yao, Jun

2018-02-01

It is vital to identify drought events and to evaluate multivariate drought characteristics based on a composite drought index for better drought risk assessment and sustainable development of water resources. However, most composite drought indices are constructed by the linear combination, principal component analysis and entropy weight method assuming a linear relationship among different drought indices. In this study, the multidimensional copulas function was applied to construct a nonlinear multivariate drought index (NMDI) to solve the complicated and nonlinear relationship due to its dependence structure and flexibility. The NMDI was constructed by combining meteorological, hydrological, and agricultural variables (precipitation, runoff, and soil moisture) to better reflect the multivariate variables simultaneously. Based on the constructed NMDI and runs theory, drought events for a particular area regarding three drought characteristics: duration, peak, and severity were identified. Finally, multivariate drought risk was analyzed as a tool for providing reliable support in drought decision-making. The results indicate that: (1) multidimensional copulas can effectively solve the complicated and nonlinear relationship among multivariate variables; (2) compared with single and other composite drought indices, the NMDI is slightly more sensitive in capturing recorded drought events; and (3) drought risk shows a spatial variation; out of the five partitions studied, the Jing River Basin as well as the upstream and midstream of the Wei River Basin are characterized by a higher multivariate drought risk. In general, multidimensional copulas provides a reliable way to solve the nonlinear relationship when constructing a comprehensive drought index and evaluating multivariate drought characteristics.

[Comparison of precision in retrieving soybean leaf area index based on multi-source remote sensing data].

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Lin; Li, Chang-chun; Wang, Bao-shan; Yang Gui-jun; Wang, Lei; Fu, Kui

2016-01-01

With the innovation of remote sensing technology, remote sensing data sources are more and more abundant. The main aim of this study was to analyze retrieval accuracy of soybean leaf area index (LAI) based on multi-source remote sensing data including ground hyperspectral, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral and the Gaofen-1 (GF-1) WFV data. Ratio vegetation index (RVI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), soil-adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), difference vegetation index (DVI), and triangle vegetation index (TVI) were used to establish LAI retrieval models, respectively. The models with the highest calibration accuracy were used in the validation. The capability of these three kinds of remote sensing data for LAI retrieval was assessed according to the estimation accuracy of models. The experimental results showed that the models based on the ground hyperspectral and UAV multispectral data got better estimation accuracy (R² was more than 0.69 and RMSE was less than 0.4 at 0.01 significance level), compared with the model based on WFV data. The RVI logarithmic model based on ground hyperspectral data was little superior to the NDVI linear model based on UAV multispectral data (The difference in E(A), R² and RMSE were 0.3%, 0.04 and 0.006, respectively). The models based on WFV data got the lowest estimation accuracy with R2 less than 0.30 and RMSE more than 0.70. The effects of sensor spectral response characteristics, sensor geometric location and spatial resolution on the soybean LAI retrieval were discussed. The results demonstrated that ground hyperspectral data were advantageous but not prominent over traditional multispectral data in soybean LAI retrieval. WFV imagery with 16 m spatial resolution could not meet the requirements of crop growth monitoring at field scale. Under the condition of ensuring the high precision in retrieving soybean LAI and working efficiently, the approach to acquiring agricultural information by UAV remote

Advanced Connectivity Analysis (ACA): a Large Scale Functional Connectivity Data Mining Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Rong; Nixon, Erika; Herskovits, Edward

2016-04-01

Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to study functional connectivity is of great importance to understand normal development and function as well as a host of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Seed-based analysis is one of the most widely used rs-fMRI analysis methods. Here we describe a freely available large scale functional connectivity data mining software package called Advanced Connectivity Analysis (ACA). ACA enables large-scale seed-based analysis and brain-behavior analysis. It can seamlessly examine a large number of seed regions with minimal user input. ACA has a brain-behavior analysis component to delineate associations among imaging biomarkers and one or more behavioral variables. We demonstrate applications of ACA to rs-fMRI data sets from a study of autism.

Quantifying the connectivity of scale-free and biological networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shiner, J.S. E-mail: shiner@alumni.duke.edu; Davison, Matt E-mail: mdavison@uwo.ca

2004-07-01

Scale-free and biological networks follow a power law distribution p{sub k}{proportional_to}k{sup -{alpha}} for the probability that a node is connected to k other nodes; the corresponding ranges for {alpha} (biological: 1<{alpha}<2; scale-free: 2<{alpha}{<=}3) yield a diverging variance for the connectivity k and lack of predictability for the average connectivity. Predictability can be achieved with the Renyi, Tsallis and Landsberg-Vedral extended entropies and corresponding 'disorders' for correctly chosen values of the entropy index q. Escort distributions p{sub k}{proportional_to}k{sup -{alpha}}{sup q} with q>3/{alpha} also yield a nondiverging variance and predictability. It is argued that the Tsallis entropies may be the appropriate quantities for the study of scale-free and biological networks.

An Operation Control Strategy for the Connected Maglev Trains Based on Vehicle-Borne Battery Condition Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenjing Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Vehicle-borne battery condition is an important factor affecting the efficiency of the maglev train operation and other connected ones. To effectively eliminate the influence of the battery condition and improve the operation efficiency of the connected maglev trains, an operation control strategy is proposed to guarantee train operation safety. First, based on Internet of Things, a sensor network is designed to monitor vehicle-borne battery condition in each vehicle of the train. Second, the train Operation Control System collects battery data of all vehicles in a maglev train by Train Communication Network. Third, all connected maglev trains share the battery data via a 38 GHz directional Radio Communication System and adjust operation control strategy accordingly. Simulation results indicate that the proposed strategy can guarantee the operation safety of the connected maglev trains.

The elaboration of a manufacturing flow connectivity model, based on Multi Agent System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fahhama Lamyae

2017-01-01

The aim of this paper was to establish a model of the industrial flow connectivity; Afterward, we’ve detailed a network configuration model based on the multi-agents systems, to study the interactions between all the actors and give a more realistic vision onto manufacturing coordination in the supply chain.

Metallographic Index-Based Quantification of the Homogenization State in Extrudable Aluminum Alloys

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Panagiota I. Sarafoglou

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Extrudability of aluminum alloys of the 6xxx series is highly dependent on the microstructure of the homogenized billets. It is therefore very important to characterize quantitatively the state of homogenization of the as-cast billets. The quantification of the homogenization state was based on the measurement of specific microstructural indices, which describe the size and shape of the intermetallics and indicate the state of homogenization. The indices evaluated were the following: aspect ratio (AR, which is the ratio of the maximum to the minimum diameter of the particles, feret (F, which is the maximum caliper length, and circularity (C, which is a measure of how closely a particle resembles a circle in a 2D metallographic section. The method included extensive metallographic work and the measurement of a large number of particles, including a statistical analysis, in order to investigate the effect of homogenization time. Among the indices examined, the circularity index exhibited the most consistent variation with homogenization time. The lowest value of the circularity index coincided with the metallographic observation for necklace formation. Shorter homogenization times resulted in intermediate homogenization stages involving rounding of edges or particle pinching. The results indicated that the index-based quantification of the homogenization state could provide a credible method for the selection of homogenization process parameters towards enhanced extrudability.

Connectivity reliability and topological controllability of infrastructure networks: A comparative assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Jian; Dueñas-Osorio, Leonardo; Chen, Changkun; Shi, Congling

2016-01-01

As infrastructure systems evolve, their design, maintenance, and optimal performance require mature tools from system reliability theory, as well as principles to handle emerging system features, such as controllability. This paper conducts a comparative study of the connectivity reliability (CR) and topological controllability (TC) of infrastructure systems in terms of three aspects: topology, robustness, and node importance. Taking eight city-level power transmission networks and thousands of artificial networks as examples, this paper reveals that a dense and homogeneous network topology is better to satisfy CR and TC requirements, than more common sparse and heterogeneous networks when node attributes are generic. It is observed that the average degree's impact on CR is more significant than on TC, while degree heterogeneity is more significant on TC. When node attributes are accounted for, for generators the reliability-based node importance measure may underestimate some important nodes in terms of TC, and vice versa—an issue not observed for substation nodes. The findings in this paper suggest a potential new direction to enhance reliability-based design by integrating it with emerging controllability-based measures relevant in the future as infrastructure networks increase reliance on information systems. - Highlights: • Compares connectivity reliability (CR) and topological controllability (TC) metrics. • Develops a controllability index and a controllability-based node importance metric. • CR is more sensitive to degree while TC is more sensitive to degree heterogeneity. • CR-based importance measures match TC-based measures for substation nodes. • CR- and TC-based measures are complementary to identify important generator nodes.

Grid-connected vehicles as the core of future land-based transport systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, Richard; Perl, Anthony

2007-01-01

Grid-connected vehicles (GCVs)-e.g., electric trains, metros, trams, and trolley buses-are propelled by electric motors directly connected to remote power sources. Their low at-vehicle energy consumption and ability to use a wide range of renewable energy sources make them strong contenders for urban and interurban transport systems in an era of energy constraints that favours use of renewable fuels, which may lie ahead. Needs for autonomous motorised mobility could be acceptably met in large measure by deployment of personal GCVs, also known as personal rapid transit (PRT). Alternatives, including fuel-cell vehicles and dual-drive vehicles fuelled with ethanol, will be less feasible. The 'car of the future' may not be an automobile so much as a PRT element of a comprehensive GCV-based system that offers at least as much utility and convenience as today's transport systems

Multimodal Hyper-connectivity Networks for MCI Classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yang; Gao, Xinqiang; Jie, Biao; Yap, Pew-Thian; Kim, Min-Jeong; Wee, Chong-Yaw; Shen, Dinggang

2017-09-01

Hyper-connectivity network is a network where every edge is connected to more than two nodes, and can be naturally denoted using a hyper-graph. Hyper-connectivity brain network, either based on structural or functional interactions among the brain regions, has been used for brain disease diagnosis. However, the conventional hyper-connectivity network is constructed solely based on single modality data, ignoring potential complementary information conveyed by other modalities. The integration of complementary information from multiple modalities has been shown to provide a more comprehensive representation about the brain disruptions. In this paper, a novel multimodal hyper-network modelling method was proposed for improving the diagnostic accuracy of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Specifically, we first constructed a multimodal hyper-connectivity network by simultaneously considering information from diffusion tensor imaging and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data. We then extracted different types of network features from the hyper-connectivity network, and further exploited a manifold regularized multi-task feature selection method to jointly select the most discriminative features. Our proposed multimodal hyper-connectivity network demonstrated a better MCI classification performance than the conventional single modality based hyper-connectivity networks.

Trust Index Based Fault Tolerant Multiple Event Localization Algorithm for WSNs

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xianghua; Gao, Xueyong; Wan, Jian; Xiong, Naixue

2011-01-01

This paper investigates the use of wireless sensor networks for multiple event source localization using binary information from the sensor nodes. The events could continually emit signals whose strength is attenuated inversely proportional to the distance from the source. In this context, faults occur due to various reasons and are manifested when a node reports a wrong decision. In order to reduce the impact of node faults on the accuracy of multiple event localization, we introduce a trust index model to evaluate the fidelity of information which the nodes report and use in the event detection process, and propose the Trust Index based Subtract on Negative Add on Positive (TISNAP) localization algorithm, which reduces the impact of faulty nodes on the event localization by decreasing their trust index, to improve the accuracy of event localization and performance of fault tolerance for multiple event source localization. The algorithm includes three phases: first, the sink identifies the cluster nodes to determine the number of events occurred in the entire region by analyzing the binary data reported by all nodes; then, it constructs the likelihood matrix related to the cluster nodes and estimates the location of all events according to the alarmed status and trust index of the nodes around the cluster nodes. Finally, the sink updates the trust index of all nodes according to the fidelity of their information in the previous reporting cycle. The algorithm improves the accuracy of localization and performance of fault tolerance in multiple event source localization. The experiment results show that when the probability of node fault is close to 50%, the algorithm can still accurately determine the number of the events and have better accuracy of localization compared with other algorithms. PMID:22163972

Trust Index Based Fault Tolerant Multiple Event Localization Algorithm for WSNs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Wan

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the use of wireless sensor networks for multiple event source localization using binary information from the sensor nodes. The events could continually emit signals whose strength is attenuated inversely proportional to the distance from the source. In this context, faults occur due to various reasons and are manifested when a node reports a wrong decision. In order to reduce the impact of node faults on the accuracy of multiple event localization, we introduce a trust index model to evaluate the fidelity of information which the nodes report and use in the event detection process, and propose the Trust Index based Subtract on Negative Add on Positive (TISNAP localization algorithm, which reduces the impact of faulty nodes on the event localization by decreasing their trust index, to improve the accuracy of event localization and performance of fault tolerance for multiple event source localization. The algorithm includes three phases: first, the sink identifies the cluster nodes to determine the number of events occurred in the entire region by analyzing the binary data reported by all nodes; then, it constructs the likelihood matrix related to the cluster nodes and estimates the location of all events according to the alarmed status and trust index of the nodes around the cluster nodes. Finally, the sink updates the trust index of all nodes according to the fidelity of their information in the previous reporting cycle. The algorithm improves the accuracy of localization and performance of fault tolerance in multiple event source localization. The experiment results show that when the probability of node fault is close to 50%, the algorithm can still accurately determine the number of the events and have better accuracy of localization compared with other algorithms.

Is there any connection between the network morphology and the fluctuations of the stock market index?

Science.gov (United States)

Stefan, F. M.; Atman, A. P. F.

2015-02-01

Models which consider behavioral aspects of the investors have attracted increasing interest in the Finance and Econophysics literature in the last years. Different behavioral profiles (imitation, anti-imitation, indifference) were proposed for the investors, which take their decision based on their trust network (neighborhood). Results from agent-based models have shown that most of the features observed in actual stock market indices can be replicated in simulations. Here, we present a deeper investigation of an agent based model considering different network morphologies (regular, random, small-world) for the investors' trust network, in an attempt to answer the question raised in the title. We study the model by considering four scenarios for the investors and different initial conditions to analyze their influence in the stock market fluctuations. We have characterized the stationary limit for each scenario tested, focusing on the changes introduced when complex networks were used, and calculated the Hurst exponent in some cases. Simulations showed interesting results suggesting that the fluctuations of the stock market index are strongly affected by the network morphology, a remarkable result which we believe was never reported or predicted before.

High-precision diode-laser-based temperature measurement for air refractive index compensation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hieta, Tuomas; Merimaa, Mikko; Vainio, Markku; Seppä, Jeremias; Lassila, Antti

2011-11-01

We present a laser-based system to measure the refractive index of air over a long path length. In optical distance measurements, it is essential to know the refractive index of air with high accuracy. Commonly, the refractive index of air is calculated from the properties of the ambient air using either Ciddor or Edlén equations, where the dominant uncertainty component is in most cases the air temperature. The method developed in this work utilizes direct absorption spectroscopy of oxygen to measure the average temperature of air and of water vapor to measure relative humidity. The method allows measurement of temperature and humidity over the same beam path as in optical distance measurement, providing spatially well-matching data. Indoor and outdoor measurements demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. In particular, we demonstrate an effective compensation of the refractive index of air in an interferometric length measurement at a time-variant and spatially nonhomogeneous temperature over a long time period. Further, we were able to demonstrate 7 mK RMS noise over a 67 m path length using a 120 s sample time. To our knowledge, this is the best temperature precision reported for a spectroscopic temperature measurement. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Resting State Functional Connectivity in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury at the Acute Stage: Independent Component and Seed-Based Analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Iraji, Armin; Benson, Randall R.; Welch, Robert D.; O'Neil, Brian J.; Woodard, John L.; Imran Ayaz, Syed; Kulek, Andrew; Mika, Valerie; Medado, Patrick; Soltanian-Zadeh, Hamid; Liu, Tianming; Haacke, E. Mark

2015-01-01

Abstract Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) accounts for more than 1 million emergency visits each year. Most of the injured stay in the emergency department for a few hours and are discharged home without a specific follow-up plan because of their negative clinical structural imaging. Advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), particularly functional MRI (fMRI), has been reported as being sensitive to functional disturbances after brain injury. In this study, a cohort of 12 patients with mTBI were prospectively recruited from the emergency department of our local Level-1 trauma center for an advanced MRI scan at the acute stage. Sixteen age- and sex-matched controls were also recruited for comparison. Both group-based and individual-based independent component analysis of resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) demonstrated reduced functional connectivity in both posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and precuneus regions in comparison with controls, which is part of the default mode network (DMN). Further seed-based analysis confirmed reduced functional connectivity in these two regions and also demonstrated increased connectivity between these regions and other regions of the brain in mTBI. Seed-based analysis using the thalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala regions further demonstrated increased functional connectivity between these regions and other regions of the brain, particularly in the frontal lobe, in mTBI. Our data demonstrate alterations of multiple brain networks at the resting state, particularly increased functional connectivity in the frontal lobe, in response to brain concussion at the acute stage. Resting-state functional connectivity of the DMN could serve as a potential biomarker for improved detection of mTBI in the acute setting. PMID:25285363

Construction of Index System Based on Advanced Persistent Threat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin Jia

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With the proliferation of advanced persistent threat (APT, APT attack effect evaluation is playing an increasingly important role in cyberspace. As one of the hot issues of network security, the evaluation to its attack effect can quantify the harm caused by APT. Then according to the evaluation results, we can derive specific measures to the network attack. At present, a lot of work has done in the network attack effect evaluation index system. However, a significant barrier to the development of APT attack effect evaluation is that the existing index system is either from the point of view of the network security situation, or for a single attack weapons to customize. In this paper, an evaluation index system is proposed through analysing the features of APT. Through this index system, we can not only quantify APT attack effect, but also visually observe the APT ability from various angles. Then, we use the analytic hierarchy process (AHP to model the evaluation process and calculate the weight of each indicator. Finally, the Ukrainian Power Outages is taken as an example to validate the proposed index system. The experimental results verify the effectiveness of the index system.

Multifractal analysis of visibility graph-based Ito-related connectivity time series.

Science.gov (United States)

Czechowski, Zbigniew; Lovallo, Michele; Telesca, Luciano

2016-02-01

In this study, we investigate multifractal properties of connectivity time series resulting from the visibility graph applied to normally distributed time series generated by the Ito equations with multiplicative power-law noise. We show that multifractality of the connectivity time series (i.e., the series of numbers of links outgoing any node) increases with the exponent of the power-law noise. The multifractality of the connectivity time series could be due to the width of connectivity degree distribution that can be related to the exit time of the associated Ito time series. Furthermore, the connectivity time series are characterized by persistence, although the original Ito time series are random; this is due to the procedure of visibility graph that, connecting the values of the time series, generates persistence but destroys most of the nonlinear correlations. Moreover, the visibility graph is sensitive for detecting wide "depressions" in input time series.

Connecting Atlantic temperature variability and biological cycling in two earth system models

Science.gov (United States)

Gnanadesikan, Anand; Dunne, John P.; Msadek, Rym

2014-05-01

Connections between the interdecadal variability in North Atlantic temperatures and biological cycling have been widely hypothesized. However, it is unclear whether such connections are due to small changes in basin-averaged temperatures indicated by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) Index, or whether both biological cycling and the AMO index are causally linked to changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). We examine interdecadal variability in the annual and month-by-month diatom biomass in two Earth System Models with the same formulations of atmospheric, land, sea ice and ocean biogeochemical dynamics but different formulations of ocean physics and thus different AMOC structures and variability. In the isopycnal-layered ESM2G, strong interdecadal changes in surface salinity associated with changes in AMOC produce spatially heterogeneous variability in convection, nutrient supply and thus diatom biomass. These changes also produce changes in ice cover, shortwave absorption and temperature and hence the AMO Index. Off West Greenland, these changes are consistent with observed changes in fisheries and support climate as a causal driver. In the level-coordinate ESM2M, nutrient supply is much higher and interdecadal changes in diatom biomass are much smaller in amplitude and not strongly linked to the AMO index.

New TA Index-Based Rollover Prevention System for Electric Vehicles

OpenAIRE

Xiang Liu; Min Xu; Mian Li

2015-01-01

In addition to clean transportation and energy savings, electric vehicles can inherently offer better performance in the field of active safety and dynamic stability control, thanks to the superior fast and accurate control characteristics of electric motors. With the novel wheel status parameter TA for electric vehicles proposed by the authors in an earlier publication, a new TA index (TAI)-based rollover prevention method is presented in this paper to improve the driving performance of EV...

The diet-related GHG index

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Thomas Bøker; Watson, David; Smed, Sinne

2017-01-01

The aim was to construct and validate a cost-efficient index to measure GHG emissions (GHGe) caused by Danish consumers’ diets to be employed in questionnaire-based surveys. The index was modelled on the basis of actual food purchase data from a panel of ordinary Danish households...... and a questionnaire consisting of food frequency questions issued to the same panel. Based on the purchase data, diet-related GHGe were calculated for 2012. The data was then split into a learning sample and a validation sample. The index was constructed using the learning sample where a scoring procedure...... was calculated from responses to the questionnaire-based food frequency questions that predicted diet-related GHGe. Subsequently, the index scoring procedure was employed on the validation sample and the empirical relevance of the index was examined. In the learning sample, a scoring procedure to construct...

A weighted dissimilarity index to isolate faults during alarm floods

CERN Document Server

Charbonnier, S; Gayet, P

2015-01-01

A fault-isolation method based on pattern matching using the alarm lists raised by the SCADA system during an alarm flood is proposed. A training set composed of faults is used to create fault templates. Alarm vectors generated by unknown faults are classified by comparing them with the fault templates using an original weighted dissimilarity index that increases the influence of the few alarms relevant to diagnose the fault. Different decision strategies are proposed to support the operator in his decision making. The performances are evaluated on two sets of data: an artificial set and a set obtained from a highly realistic simulator of the CERN Large Hadron Collider process connected to the real CERN SCADA system.

A data science based standardized Gini index as a Lorenz dominance preserving measure of the inequality of distributions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ultsch, Alfred; Lötsch, Jörn

2017-01-01

The Gini index is a measure of the inequality of a distribution that can be derived from Lorenz curves. While commonly used in, e.g., economic research, it suffers from ambiguity via lack of Lorenz dominance preservation. Here, investigation of large sets of empirical distributions of incomes of the World's countries over several years indicated firstly, that the Gini indices are centered on a value of 33.33% corresponding to the Gini index of the uniform distribution and secondly, that the Lorenz curves of these distributions are consistent with Lorenz curves of log-normal distributions. This can be employed to provide a Lorenz dominance preserving equivalent of the Gini index. Therefore, a modified measure based on log-normal approximation and standardization of Lorenz curves is proposed. The so-called UGini index provides a meaningful and intuitive standardization on the uniform distribution as this characterizes societies that provide equal chances. The novel UGini index preserves Lorenz dominance. Analysis of the probability density distributions of the UGini index of the World's counties income data indicated multimodality in two independent data sets. Applying Bayesian statistics provided a data-based classification of the World's countries' income distributions. The UGini index can be re-transferred into the classical index to preserve comparability with previous research.

A data science based standardized Gini index as a Lorenz dominance preserving measure of the inequality of distributions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfred Ultsch

Full Text Available The Gini index is a measure of the inequality of a distribution that can be derived from Lorenz curves. While commonly used in, e.g., economic research, it suffers from ambiguity via lack of Lorenz dominance preservation. Here, investigation of large sets of empirical distributions of incomes of the World's countries over several years indicated firstly, that the Gini indices are centered on a value of 33.33% corresponding to the Gini index of the uniform distribution and secondly, that the Lorenz curves of these distributions are consistent with Lorenz curves of log-normal distributions. This can be employed to provide a Lorenz dominance preserving equivalent of the Gini index. Therefore, a modified measure based on log-normal approximation and standardization of Lorenz curves is proposed. The so-called UGini index provides a meaningful and intuitive standardization on the uniform distribution as this characterizes societies that provide equal chances. The novel UGini index preserves Lorenz dominance. Analysis of the probability density distributions of the UGini index of the World's counties income data indicated multimodality in two independent data sets. Applying Bayesian statistics provided a data-based classification of the World's countries' income distributions. The UGini index can be re-transferred into the classical index to preserve comparability with previous research.

Noise reduction in Arterial Spin Labeling based Functional Connectivity using nuisance variables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kay Jann

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL perfusion image series have recently been utilized for functional connectivity (FC analysis in healthy volunteers and children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD. Noise reduction by using nuisance variables has been shown to be necessary to minimize potential confounding effects of head motion and physiological signals on BOLD based FC analysis. The purpose of the present study is to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of different noise reduction strategies using nuisance variables to improve perfusion based FC analysis in two cohorts of healthy adults using state of the art 3D background-suppressed (BS GRASE pseudo-continuous ASL (pCASL and dual-echo 2D-EPI pCASL sequences. Five different noise reduction strategies (NRS were performed in healthy volunteers to compare their performance. We then compared seed-based FC analysis using 3D BS GRASE pCASL in a cohort of 12 children with ASD (3f/9m, age 12.8±1.3y and 13 typically developing (TD children (1f/12m; age 13.9±3years in conjunction with noise reduction strategies. Regression of different combinations of nuisance variables affected FC analysis from a seed in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC to other areas of the default mode network (DMN in both BOLD and pCASL data sets. Consistent with existing literature on BOLD-FC, we observed improved spatial specificity after physiological noise reduction and improved long-range connectivity using head movement related regressors. Furthermore, 3D BS GRASE pCASL shows much higher temporal SNR compared to dual-echo 2D-EPI pCASL and similar effects of noise reduction as those observed for BOLD. Seed-based FC analysis using 3D BS GRASE pCASL children with ASD and TD children showed that noise reduction including physiological and motion related signals as nuisance variables is crucial for identifying altered long-range connectivity from PCC to frontal brain areas associated with ASD. This is the first study that

Construction of the Classification and Grading Index System of Cultivated Land Based on the Viewpoint of Sustainable Development

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2010-01-01

In order to objectively and reasonably evaluate the actual and potential value of cultivated land, both social and ecological values are introduced into the classification and grading index system of cultivated land based on the viewpoint of sustainable development, after considering the natural and economic values of cultivated land. Index system construction of the sustainable utilization of cultivated land should follow the principles of economic viability, social acceptability, and ecological protection. Classification of cultivated land should take into account the soil fertility of cultivated land. Then, grading of cultivated land is carried out from the practical productivity (or potential productivity) of cultivated land. According to the existing classification index system of cultivated land, the soil, natural and environmental factors in plains, mountains and hills are mainly modified in the classification index system of cultivated land. And index systems for the cultivated land classification in plains, mountains and hills are set up. The grading index system of cultivated land is established based on the economic viability (economic value), social acceptability (social value) and protection of cultivated land (ecological value). Quantitative expression of cultivated land grading index is also carried out.

Permission-based Index Clustering for Secure Multi-User Search

OpenAIRE

Eirini C. Micheli; Giorgos Margaritis; Stergios V. Anastasiadis

2015-01-01

Secure keyword search in shared infrastructures prevents stored documents from leaking sensitive information to unauthorized users. A shared index provides confidentiality if it is exclusively used by users authorized to search all the indexed documents. We introduce the Lethe indexing workflow to improve query and update efficiency in secure keyword search. The Lethe workflow clusters together documents with similar sets of authorized users, and creates shared indices for configurable docume...

Investigation into Methods for Predicting Connection Temperatures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Anderson

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The mechanical response of connections in fire is largely based on material strength degradation and the interactions between the various components of the connection. In order to predict connection performance in fire, temperature profiles must initially be established in order to evaluate the material strength degradation over time. This paper examines two current methods for predicting connection temperatures: The percentage method, where connection temperatures are calculated as a percentage of the adjacent beam lower-flange, mid-span temperatures; and the lumped capacitance method, based on the lumped mass of the connection. Results from the percentage method do not correlate well with experimental results, whereas the lumped capacitance method shows much better agreement with average connection temperatures. A 3D finite element heat transfer model was also created in Abaqus, and showed good correlation with experimental results. 

Connectivity and Nestedness in Bipartite Networks from Community Ecology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corso, Gilberto; De Araujo, A I Levartoski; De Almeida, Adriana M

2011-01-01

Bipartite networks and the nestedness concept appear in two different contexts in theoretical ecology: community ecology and islands biogeography. From a mathematical perspective nestedness is a pattern in a bipartite network. There are several nestedness indices in the market, we used the index ν. The index ν is found using the relation ν = 1 - τ where τ is the temperature of the adjacency matrix of the bipartite network. By its turn τ is defined with help of the Manhattan distance of the occupied elements of the adjacency matrix of the bipartite network. We prove that the nestedness index ν is a function of the connectivities of the bipartite network. In addition we find a concise way to find ν which avoid cumbersome algorithm manupulation of the adjacency matrix.

Connectivity and Nestedness in Bipartite Networks from Community Ecology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corso, Gilberto [Departamento de Biofisica e Farmacologia, Centro de Biociencias, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, UFRN - Campus Universitario, Lagoa Nova, CEP 59078 972, Natal, RN (Brazil); De Araujo, A I Levartoski [Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia do Ceara Av. Treze de Maio, 2081 - Benfica CEP 60040-531 - Fortaleza, CE (Brazil); De Almeida, Adriana M, E-mail: corso@cb.ufrn.br [Departamento de Botanica, Ecologia e Zoologia, Centro de Biociencias, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, UFRN - Campus Universitario, Lagoa Nova, CEP 59078 972, Natal, RN (Brazil)

2011-03-01

Bipartite networks and the nestedness concept appear in two different contexts in theoretical ecology: community ecology and islands biogeography. From a mathematical perspective nestedness is a pattern in a bipartite network. There are several nestedness indices in the market, we used the index {nu}. The index {nu} is found using the relation {nu} = 1 - {tau} where {tau} is the temperature of the adjacency matrix of the bipartite network. By its turn {tau} is defined with help of the Manhattan distance of the occupied elements of the adjacency matrix of the bipartite network. We prove that the nestedness index {nu} is a function of the connectivities of the bipartite network. In addition we find a concise way to find {nu} which avoid cumbersome algorithm manupulation of the adjacency matrix.

Performance Based Islamic Performance Index (Study on the Bank Muamalat Indonesia and Bank Syariah Mandiri

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siti Aisjah

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The development of Islamic base banks in Indonesia in recent years show rapid growth. The main challenge for Islamic base banks is how to raise belief from the stakeholders. Stakeholder expectations of the Islamic banks is different from a conventional bank. Since, Islamic banks are built on basic principles of Islamic economics. Therefore, we need a tool to evaluate and measure the performance of Islamic base banks. Islamicity Performance Index is a method which can evaluate the performance of Islamic base banks not only their financial but also justice principles, halal (lawfulness, and tazkiyah (sanctification. There are six financial ratios which are measured from Islamicity Performance Index:profit sharing ratio, zakat performance ratio, equitable distribution ratio, directors-employees welfare ratio, Islamic investment versus non-Islamic investment ratio, Islamic income versus non-Islamic income. This research is intended to figure out the performance of Islamic base Bank in Indonesia based on Islamicity Performance Index. The samples are the Bank Muamalat Indonesia and Bank Syariah Mandiri. Sources of data are the financial reports of Bank Muamalat Indonesia and Bank Syariah Mandiri in 2009–2010 period.The results show that the financial performance of Islamic Base Bank in Indonesia during 2009-2010 period have ”quite satisfactory level of  valuation. However, there are two unsatisfactory ratios. They are zakat performance ratio and director-employee welfare contrast ratio. It shows that zakat issued by the Islamic base bank in Indonesia is still low and the contrast of the director-employee welfare is still huge.

A signature-based method for indexing cell cycle phase distribution from microarray profiles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mizuno Hideaki

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The cell cycle machinery interprets oncogenic signals and reflects the biology of cancers. To date, various methods for cell cycle phase estimation such as mitotic index, S phase fraction, and immunohistochemistry have provided valuable information on cancers (e.g. proliferation rate. However, those methods rely on one or few measurements and the scope of the information is limited. There is a need for more systematic cell cycle analysis methods. Results We developed a signature-based method for indexing cell cycle phase distribution from microarray profiles under consideration of cycling and non-cycling cells. A cell cycle signature masterset, composed of genes which express preferentially in cycling cells and in a cell cycle-regulated manner, was created to index the proportion of cycling cells in the sample. Cell cycle signature subsets, composed of genes whose expressions peak at specific stages of the cell cycle, were also created to index the proportion of cells in the corresponding stages. The method was validated using cell cycle datasets and quiescence-induced cell datasets. Analyses of a mouse tumor model dataset and human breast cancer datasets revealed variations in the proportion of cycling cells. When the influence of non-cycling cells was taken into account, "buried" cell cycle phase distributions were depicted that were oncogenic-event specific in the mouse tumor model dataset and were associated with patients' prognosis in the human breast cancer datasets. Conclusion The signature-based cell cycle analysis method presented in this report, would potentially be of value for cancer characterization and diagnostics.

The development of a valid discovery-based learning module to improve students' mathematical connection

Science.gov (United States)

Kuneni, Erna; Mardiyana, Pramudya, Ikrar

2017-08-01

Geometry is the most important branch in mathematics. The purpose of teaching this material is to develop students' level of thinking for a better understanding. Otherwise, geometry in particular, has contributed students' failure in mathematics examinations. This problem occurs due to special feature in geometry which has complexity of correlation among its concept. This relates to mathematical connection. It is still difficult for students to improve this ability. This is because teachers' lack in facilitating students towards it. Eventhough, facilitating students can be in the form of teaching material. A learning module can be a solution because it consists of series activities that should be taken by students to achieve a certain goal. A series activities in this case is adopted by the phases of discovery-based learning model. Through this module, students are facilitated to discover concept by deep instruction and guidance. It can build the mathematical habits of mind and also strengthen the mathematical connection. Method used in this research was ten stages of research and development proposed by Bord and Gall. The research purpose is to create a valid learning module to improve students' mathematical connection in teaching quadrilateral. The retrieved valid module based on media expert judgment is 2,43 for eligibility chart aspect, 2,60 for eligibility presentation aspect, and 3,00 for eligibility contents aspect. Then the retrieved valid module based on material expert judgment is 3,10 for eligibility content aspect, 2,87 for eligibility presentation aspect, and 2,80 for eligibility language and legibility aspect.

Design of Current-Controller with PR-regulator for LCL-Filter Based Grid-Connected Converter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zeng, Guohong; Rasmussen, Tonny Wederberg

2010-01-01

In the application of LCL-filter based converters, the structure and parameters of current-controller is very important for the system stability and output current quality. This paper presents a filter-capacitor current feedback control scheme for grid-connected converter. The controller...... is consisted of a proportional-resonance regulator and a proportional regulator. Unlike the existing control strategy with unit capacitor current feedback, the proposed method applies the proportional regulator to the feedback path, which can decouple these two regulators, and simplify the tuning process...... of the control strategy and the proposed current controller design method are verified by the simulation results of a 50kVA grid-connected inverter....

Optimization of the Conical Angle Design in Conical Implant-Abutment Connections: A Pilot Study Based on the Finite Element Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Kuang-Ta; Chen, Chen-Sheng; Cheng, Cheng-Kung; Fang, Hsu-Wei; Huang, Chang-Hung; Kao, Hung-Chan; Hsu, Ming-Lun

2018-02-01

Conical implant-abutment connections are popular for their excellent connection stability, which is attributable to frictional resistance in the connection. However, conical angles, the inherent design parameter of conical connections, exert opposing effects on 2 influencing factors of the connection stability: frictional resistance and abutment rigidity. This pilot study employed an optimization approach through the finite element method to obtain an optimal conical angle for the highest connection stability in an Ankylos-based conical connection system. A nonlinear 3-dimensional finite element parametric model was developed according to the geometry of the Ankylos system (conical half angle = 5.7°) by using the ANSYS 11.0 software. Optimization algorithms were conducted to obtain the optimal conical half angle and achieve the minimal value of maximum von Mises stress in the abutment, which represents the highest connection stability. The optimal conical half angle obtained was 10.1°. Compared with the original design (5.7°), the optimal design demonstrated an increased rigidity of abutment (36.4%) and implant (25.5%), a decreased microgap at the implant-abutment interface (62.3%), a decreased contact pressure (37.9%) with a more uniform stress distribution in the connection, and a decreased stress in the cortical bone (4.5%). In conclusion, the methodology of design optimization to determine the optimal conical angle of the Ankylos-based system is feasible. Because of the heterogeneity of different systems, more studies should be conducted to define the optimal conical angle in various conical connection designs.

An evaluation method of power quality about electrified railways connected to power grid based on PSCAD/EMTDC

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Weibin; Ouyang, Sen; Huang, Xiang; Su, Weijian

2017-05-01

The existing modeling process of power quality about electrified railways connected to power grid is complicated and the simulation scene is incomplete, so this paper puts forward a novel evaluation method of power quality based on PSCAD/ETMDC. Firstly, a model of power quality about electrified railways connected to power grid is established, which is based on testing report or measured data. The equivalent model of electrified locomotive contains power characteristic and harmonic characteristic, which are substituted by load and harmonic source. Secondly, in order to make evaluation more complete, an analysis scheme has been put forward. The scheme uses a combination of three-dimensions of electrified locomotive, which contains types, working conditions and quantity. At last, Shenmao Railway is taken as example to evaluate the power quality at different scenes, and the result shows electrified railways connected to power grid have significant effect on power quality.

Semiparametric Mixtures of Regressions with Single-index for Model Based Clustering

OpenAIRE

Xiang, Sijia; Yao, Weixin

2017-01-01

In this article, we propose two classes of semiparametric mixture regression models with single-index for model based clustering. Unlike many semiparametric/nonparametric mixture regression models that can only be applied to low dimensional predictors, the new semiparametric models can easily incorporate high dimensional predictors into the nonparametric components. The proposed models are very general, and many of the recently proposed semiparametric/nonparametric mixture regression models a...

Development of a seaweed species-selection index for successful culture in a seaweed-based integrated aquaculture system

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Yun Hee; Hwang, Jae Ran; Chung, Ik Kyo; Park, Sang Rul

2013-03-01

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) has been proposed as a concept that combines the cultivation of fed aquaculture species ( e.g., finfish/shrimp) with extractive aquaculture species ( e.g., shellfish/seaweed). In seaweed-based integrated aquaculture, seaweeds have the capacity to reduce the environmental impact of nitrogen-rich effluents on coastal ecosystems. Thus, selection of optimal species for such aquaculture is of great importance. The present study aimed to develop a seaweed species-selection index for selecting suitable species in seaweed-based integrated aquaculture system. The index was synthesized using available literature-based information, reference data, and physiological seaweed experiments to identify and prioritize the desired species. Undaria pinnatifida, Porphyra yezoensis and Ulva compressa scored the highest according to a seaweed-based integrated aquaculture suitability index (SASI). Seaweed species with the highest scores were adjudged to fit the integrated aquaculture systems. Despite the application of this model limited by local aquaculture environment, it is considered to be a useful tool for selecting seaweed species in IMTA.

Low voltage ride-through capability control for single-stage inverter-based grid-connected photovoltaic power plant

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Al-Shetwi, Ali Q.; Sujod, Muhamad Zahim; Blaabjerg, Frede

2018-01-01

to enhance the LVRT capability based on the Malaysian standards and modern grid codes connection requirements. The proposed control overcomes the problems of dc-link over-voltage and ac over-current that may cause disconnection or damage to the inverter. For this purpose, dc-chopper brake controller...... to improve the capability of ride-through fault safely and keep the inverter connected, but also to provide grid support through active and reactive power control at different type of faults....

Ranking of Developing Countries Based on the Economic Freedom Index

OpenAIRE

Zirak, Masoumeh; Mehrara, Mohsen

2013-01-01

In this paper we’ve ranked developing countries based on the Economic Freedom index. Therefore we are trying to do the analysis how this ranking is done using numerical taxonomic methodology. To do this, by estimating the effects of the determinants of FDI in 123 developing countries from 1997 to 2010, results showed that with regard to the degree of economic freedom or Economic openness, attract foreign direct investment in each country is different. In this study china, Equator, Liberia, Az...

Understanding Existing Salmonid Habitat Availability and Connectivity to Improve River Management

Science.gov (United States)

Duffin, J.; Yager, E.; Tonina, D.; Benjankar, R. M.

2017-12-01

In the Pacific Northwest river restoration is common for salmon conservation. Mangers need methods to help target restoration to problem areas in rivers to create habitat that meets a species' needs. Hydraulic models and habitat suitability curves provide basic information on habitat availability and overall quality, but these analyses need to be expanded to address habitat quality based on the accessibility of habitats required for multiple life stages. Scientists are starting to use connectivity measurements to understand the longitudinal proximity of habitat patches, which can be used to address the habitat variability of a reach. By evaluating the availability and quality of habitat and calculating the connectivity between complementary habitats, such as spawning and rearing habitats, we aim to identify areas that should be targeted for restoration. To meet these goals, we assessed Chinook salmon habitat on the Lemhi River in Idaho. The depth and velocity outputs from a 2D hydraulic model are used in conjunction with locally created habitat suitability curves to evaluate the availability and quality of habitat for multiple Chinook salmon life stages. To assess the variability of the habitat, connectivity between habitat patches necessary for different life stages is calculated with a proximity index. A spatial representation of existing habitat quality and connectivity between complimentary habitats can be linked to river morphology by the evaluation of local geomorphic characteristics, including sinuosity and channel units. The understanding of the current habitat availability for multiple life stage needs, the connectivity between these habitat patches, and their relationship with channel morphology can help managers better identify restoration needs and direct their limited resources.

Modeling Structural Brain Connectivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ambrosen, Karen Marie Sandø

The human brain consists of a gigantic complex network of interconnected neurons. Together all these connections determine who we are, how we react and how we interpret the world. Knowledge about how the brain is connected can further our understanding of the brain’s structural organization, help...... improve diagnosis, and potentially allow better treatment of a wide range of neurological disorders. Tractography based on diffusion magnetic resonance imaging is a unique tool to estimate this “structural connectivity” of the brain non-invasively and in vivo. During the last decade, brain connectivity...... has increasingly been analyzed using graph theoretic measures adopted from network science and this characterization of the brain’s structural connectivity has been shown to be useful for the classification of populations, such as healthy and diseased subjects. The structural connectivity of the brain...

Calculate Your Body Mass Index

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... Can! ) Health Professional Resources Calculate Your Body Mass Index Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based ... Health Information Email Alerts Jobs and Careers Site Index About NHLBI National Institute of Health Department of ...

Structural hybrid reliability index and its convergent solving method based on random–fuzzy–interval reliability model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hai An

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Aiming to resolve the problems of a variety of uncertainty variables that coexist in the engineering structure reliability analysis, a new hybrid reliability index to evaluate structural hybrid reliability, based on the random–fuzzy–interval model, is proposed in this article. The convergent solving method is also presented. First, the truncated probability reliability model, the fuzzy random reliability model, and the non-probabilistic interval reliability model are introduced. Then, the new hybrid reliability index definition is presented based on the random–fuzzy–interval model. Furthermore, the calculation flowchart of the hybrid reliability index is presented and it is solved using the modified limit-step length iterative algorithm, which ensures convergence. And the validity of convergent algorithm for the hybrid reliability model is verified through the calculation examples in literature. In the end, a numerical example is demonstrated to show that the hybrid reliability index is applicable for the wear reliability assessment of mechanisms, where truncated random variables, fuzzy random variables, and interval variables coexist. The demonstration also shows the good convergence of the iterative algorithm proposed in this article.

Modeling and Control of VSC based DC Connection for Active Stall Wind Farms to Grid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iov, Florin; Sorensen, Poul; Hansen, Anca-Daniela

2005-01-01

Currently, there is an increasing trend to connect large MW wind farms to the transmission system. Therefore the power system becomes more vulnerable and dependent on the wind energy production. At the same time requirements that focus on the influence of the farms on the grid stability and power...... quality, and on the control capabilities of wind farms have already been established. The main trends of modem wind turbines/farms are clearly the variable speed operation and a grid connection through a power electronic interface, especially using doubly-fed induction generators. Using power electronics...... the control capabilities of these wind turbines/farms are extended and thus the grid requirements are fulfilled. However, the traditional squirrel-cage generators based wind turbines/wind farms directly connected to the grid does not have such control capabilities. They produce maximum possible power...

Modelling and Control of VSC based DC Connection for Active Stall Wind Farms to Grid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iov, Florin; Sørensen, Poul; Hansen, Anca Daniela

2006-01-01

Currently, there is an increasing trend to connect large MW wind farms to the transmission system. Therefore the power system becomes more vulnerable and dependent on the wind energy production. At the same time requirements that focus on the influence of the farms on the grid stability and power...... quality, and on the control capabilities of wind farms have already been established. The main trends of modern wind turbines/farms are clearly the variable speed operation and a grid connection through a power electronic interface, especially using doubly-fed induction generators. Using power electronics...... the control capabilities of these wind turbines/farms are extended and thus the grid requirements are fulfilled.  However, the traditional squirrel-cage generators based wind turbines/wind farms directly connected to the grid does not have such control capabilities. They produce maximum possible power...

A bacterial community-based index to assess the ecological status of estuarine and coastal environments

KAUST Repository

Aylagas, Eva

2016-10-23

Biotic indices for monitoring marine ecosystems are mostly based on the analysis of benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Due to their high sensitivity to pollution and fast response to environmental changes, bacterial assemblages could complement the information provided by benthic metazoan communities as indicators of human-induced impacts, but so far, this biological component has not been well explored for this purpose. Here we performed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to analyze the bacterial assemblage composition of 51 estuarine and coastal stations characterized by different environmental conditions and human-derived pressures. Using the relative abundance of putative indicator bacterial taxa, we developed a biotic index that is significantly correlated with a sediment quality index calculated on the basis of organic and inorganic compound concentrations. This new index based on bacterial assemblage composition can be a sensitive tool for providing a fast environmental assessment and allow a more comprehensive integrative ecosystem approach for environmental management. © 2016.

Master Veteran Index (MVI)

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Veterans Affairs — As of June 28, 2010, the Master Veteran Index (MVI) database based on the enhanced Master Patient Index (MPI) is the authoritative identity service within the VA,...

Ultrasound evidence of altered lumbar connective tissue structure in human subjects with chronic low back pain

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Bouffard Nicole A

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although the connective tissues forming the fascial planes of the back have been hypothesized to play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic low back pain (LBP, there have been no previous studies quantitatively evaluating connective tissue structure in this condition. The goal of this study was to perform an ultrasound-based comparison of perimuscular connective tissue structure in the lumbar region in a group of human subjects with chronic or recurrent LBP for more than 12 months, compared with a group of subjects without LBP. Methods In each of 107 human subjects (60 with LBP and 47 without LBP, parasagittal ultrasound images were acquired bilaterally centered on a point 2 cm lateral to the midpoint of the L2-3 interspinous ligament. The outcome measures based on these images were subcutaneous and perimuscular connective tissue thickness and echogenicity measured by ultrasound. Results There were no significant differences in age, sex, body mass index (BMI or activity levels between LBP and No-LBP groups. Perimuscular thickness and echogenicity were not correlated with age but were positively correlated with BMI. The LBP group had ~25% greater perimuscular thickness and echogenicity compared with the No-LBP group (ANCOVA adjusted for BMI, p Conclusion This is the first report of abnormal connective tissue structure in the lumbar region in a group of subjects with chronic or recurrent LBP. This finding was not attributable to differences in age, sex, BMI or activity level between groups. Possible causes include genetic factors, abnormal movement patterns and chronic inflammation.

Potential Distribution of Mountain Cloud Forest in Michoacán, Mexico: Prioritization for Conservation in the Context of Landscape Connectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Correa Ayram, Camilo A; Mendoza, Manuel E; Etter, Andrés; Pérez Salicrup, Diego R

2017-07-01

Landscape connectivity is essential in biodiversity conservation because of its ability to reduce the effect of habitat fragmentation; furthermore is a key property in adapting to climate change. Potential distribution models and landscape connectivity studies have increased with regard to their utility to prioritizing areas for conservation. The objective of this study was to model the potential distribution of Mountain cloud forests in the Transversal Volcanic System, Michoacán and to analyze the role of these areas in maintaining landscape connectivity. Potential distribution was modeled for the Mountain cloud forests based on the maximum entropy approach using 95 occurrence points and 17 ecological variables at 30 m spatial resolution. Potential connectivity was then evaluated by using a probability of connectivity index based on graph theory. The percentage of variation (dPCk) was used to identify the individual contribution of each potential area of Mountain cloud forests in overall connectivity. The different ways in which the potential areas of Mountain cloud forests can contribute to connectivity were evaluated by using the three fractions derived from dPCk (dPCintrak, dPCfluxk, and dPCconnectork). We determined that 37,567 ha of the TVSMich are optimal for the presence of Mountain cloud forests. The contribution of said area in the maintenance of connectivity was low. The conservation of Mountain cloud forests is indispensable, however, in providing or receiving dispersal flows through TVSMich because of its role as a connector element between another habitat types. The knowledge of the potential capacity of Mountain cloud forests to promote structural and functional landscape connectivity is key in the prioritization of conservation areas.

Land quality, sustainable development and environmental degradation in agricultural districts: A computational approach based on entropy indexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zambon, Ilaria; Colantoni, Andrea; Carlucci, Margherita; Morrow, Nathan; Sateriano, Adele; Salvati, Luca

2017-01-01

Land Degradation (LD) in socio-environmental systems negatively impacts sustainable development paths. This study proposes a framework to LD evaluation based on indicators of diversification in the spatial distribution of sensitive land. We hypothesize that conditions for spatial heterogeneity in a composite index of land sensitivity are more frequently associated to areas prone to LD than spatial homogeneity. Spatial heterogeneity is supposed to be associated with degraded areas that act as hotspots for future degradation processes. A diachronic analysis (1960–2010) was performed at the Italian agricultural district scale to identify environmental factors associated with spatial heterogeneity in the degree of land sensitivity to degradation based on the Environmentally Sensitive Area Index (ESAI). In 1960, diversification in the level of land sensitivity measured using two common indexes of entropy (Shannon's diversity and Pielou's evenness) increased significantly with the ESAI, indicating a high level of land sensitivity to degradation. In 2010, surface area classified as “critical” to LD was the highest in districts with diversification in the spatial distribution of ESAI values, confirming the hypothesis formulated above. Entropy indexes, based on observed alignment with the concept of LD, constitute a valuable base to inform mitigation strategies against desertification. - Highlights: • Spatial heterogeneity is supposed to be associated with degraded areas. • Entropy indexes can inform mitigation strategies against desertification. • Assessing spatial diversification in the degree of land sensitivity to degradation. • Mediterranean rural areas have an evident diversity in agricultural systems. • A diachronic analysis carried out at the Italian agricultural district scale.

Land quality, sustainable development and environmental degradation in agricultural districts: A computational approach based on entropy indexes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zambon, Ilaria, E-mail: ilaria.zambon@unitus.it [Department of Agricultural and Forestry scieNcEs (DAFNE), Tuscia University, Via S. Camillo de Lellis, I-01100 Viterbo (Italy); Colantoni, Andrea [Department of Agricultural and Forestry scieNcEs (DAFNE), Tuscia University, Via S. Camillo de Lellis, I-01100 Viterbo (Italy); Carlucci, Margherita [Department of Social and Economic Science, University of Rome La Sapienza, Piazzale A. Moro 5, I-00185 Rome (Italy); Morrow, Nathan [Tulane University, Payson Program in International Development at the School of Law, New Orleans (United States); Sateriano, Adele; Salvati, Luca [Italian Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA-RPS), Via della Navicella 2-4, I-00184 Rome (Italy)

2017-05-15

Land Degradation (LD) in socio-environmental systems negatively impacts sustainable development paths. This study proposes a framework to LD evaluation based on indicators of diversification in the spatial distribution of sensitive land. We hypothesize that conditions for spatial heterogeneity in a composite index of land sensitivity are more frequently associated to areas prone to LD than spatial homogeneity. Spatial heterogeneity is supposed to be associated with degraded areas that act as hotspots for future degradation processes. A diachronic analysis (1960–2010) was performed at the Italian agricultural district scale to identify environmental factors associated with spatial heterogeneity in the degree of land sensitivity to degradation based on the Environmentally Sensitive Area Index (ESAI). In 1960, diversification in the level of land sensitivity measured using two common indexes of entropy (Shannon's diversity and Pielou's evenness) increased significantly with the ESAI, indicating a high level of land sensitivity to degradation. In 2010, surface area classified as “critical” to LD was the highest in districts with diversification in the spatial distribution of ESAI values, confirming the hypothesis formulated above. Entropy indexes, based on observed alignment with the concept of LD, constitute a valuable base to inform mitigation strategies against desertification. - Highlights: • Spatial heterogeneity is supposed to be associated with degraded areas. • Entropy indexes can inform mitigation strategies against desertification. • Assessing spatial diversification in the degree of land sensitivity to degradation. • Mediterranean rural areas have an evident diversity in agricultural systems. • A diachronic analysis carried out at the Italian agricultural district scale.

Glophymed: an index to establish the ecological status for the Water Framework Directive based on phytoplankton in coastal waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, I; Pachés, M; Martínez-Guijarro, R; Ferrer, J

2013-10-15

Phytoplankton and its attributes (biomass, abundance, composition, and frequency and intensity of phytoplankton blooms) are essential to establish the ecological status in the Water Frame Directive. The aim of this study is to develop an index "Glophymed" based on all phytoplankton attributes for coastal water bodies according to the directive requirements. It is also developed an anthropogenic pressure index that takes into account population density, tourism, urbanization, industry, agriculture, fisheries and maritime transport for Comunitat Valenciana (Spain). Both indexes (Glophymed and human pressure index) based on a multisampling dataset collected monthly during several years, show a significant statistical correlation (r2 0.75 α<0.01) for typology IIA and (r2 0.93 α<0.01) for typology III-W. The relation between these indexes provides suitable information about the integrated management plans and protection measures of water resources since the Glophymed index is very sensitive to human pressures. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A MODIS-based begetation index climatology

Science.gov (United States)

Passive microwave soil moisture algorithms must account for vegetation attenuation of the signal in the retrieval process. One approach to accounting for vegetation is to use vegetation indices such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to estimate the vegetation optical depth. The pa...

Connectivity-based parcellation of the thalamus explains specific cognitive and behavioural symptoms in patients with bilateral thalamic infarct.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Serra

Full Text Available A novel approach based on diffusion tractography was used here to characterise the cortico-thalamic connectivity in two patients, both presenting with an isolated bilateral infarct in the thalamus, but exhibiting partially different cognitive and behavioural profiles. Both patients (G.P. and R.F. had a pervasive deficit in episodic memory, but only one of them (R.F. suffered also from a dysexecutive syndrome. Both patients had an MRI scan at 3T, including a T1-weighted volume. Their lesions were manually segmented. T1-volumes were normalised to standard space, and the same transformations were applied to the lesion masks. Nineteen healthy controls underwent a diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI scan. Their DTI data were normalised to standard space and averaged. An atlas of Brodmann areas was used to parcellate the prefrontal cortex. Probabilistic tractography was used to assess the probability of connection between each voxel of the thalamus and a set of prefrontal areas. The resulting map of corticothalamic connections was superimposed onto the patients' lesion masks, to assess whether the location of the thalamic lesions in R.F. (but not in G. P. implied connections with prefrontal areas involved in dysexecutive syndromes. In G.P., the lesion fell within areas of the thalamus poorly connected with prefrontal areas, showing only a modest probability of connection with the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC. Conversely, R.F.'s lesion fell within thalamic areas extensively connected with the ACC bilaterally, with the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and with the left supplementary motor area. Despite a similar, bilateral involvement of the thalamus, the use of connectivity-based segmentation clarified that R.F.'s lesions only were located within nuclei highly connected with the prefrontal cortical areas, thus explaining the patient's frontal syndrome. This study confirms that DTI tractography is a useful tool to examine in vivo the effect of focal

Functional connectivity decreases in autism in emotion, self, and face circuits identified by Knowledge-based Enrichment Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Wei; Rolls, Edmund T; Zhang, Jie; Sheng, Wenbo; Ma, Liang; Wan, Lin; Luo, Qiang; Feng, Jianfeng

2017-03-01

A powerful new method is described called Knowledge based functional connectivity Enrichment Analysis (KEA) for interpreting resting state functional connectivity, using circuits that are functionally identified using search terms with the Neurosynth database. The method derives its power by focusing on neural circuits, sets of brain regions that share a common biological function, instead of trying to interpret single functional connectivity links. This provides a novel way of investigating how task- or function-related networks have resting state functional connectivity differences in different psychiatric states, provides a new way to bridge the gap between task and resting-state functional networks, and potentially helps to identify brain networks that might be treated. The method was applied to interpreting functional connectivity differences in autism. Functional connectivity decreases at the network circuit level in 394 patients with autism compared with 473 controls were found in networks involving the orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, middle temporal gyrus cortex, and the precuneus, in networks that are implicated in the sense of self, face processing, and theory of mind. The decreases were correlated with symptom severity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Assessing temporal variations in connectivity through suspended sediment hysteresis analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Sherriff, Sophie; Rowan, John; Fenton, Owen; Jordan, Phil; Melland, Alice; Mellander, Per-Erik; hUallacháin, Daire Ó.

2016-04-01

Connectivity provides a valuable concept for understanding catchment-scale sediment dynamics. In intensive agricultural catchments, land management through tillage, high livestock densities and extensive land drainage practices significantly change hydromorphological behaviour and alter sediment supply and downstream delivery. Analysis of suspended sediment-discharge hysteresis has offered insights into sediment dynamics but typically on a limited selection of events. Greater availability of continuous high-resolution discharge and turbidity data and qualitative hysteresis metrics enables assessment of sediment dynamics during more events and over time. This paper assesses the utility of this approach to explore seasonal variations in connectivity. Data were collected from three small (c. 10 km2) intensive agricultural catchments in Ireland with contrasting morphologies, soil types, land use patterns and management practices, and are broadly defined as low-permeability supporting grassland, moderate-permeability supporting arable and high-permeability supporting arable. Suspended sediment concentration (using calibrated turbidity measurements) and discharge data were collected at 10-min resolution from each catchment outlet and precipitation data were collected from a weather station within each catchment. Event databases (67-90 events per catchment) collated information on sediment export metrics, hysteresis category (e.g., clockwise, anti-clockwise, no hysteresis), numeric hysteresis index, and potential hydro-meteorological controls on sediment transport including precipitation amount, duration, intensity, stream flow and antecedent soil moisture and rainfall. Statistical analysis of potential controls on sediment export was undertaken using Pearson's correlation coefficient on separate hysteresis categories in each catchment. Sediment hysteresis fluctuations through time were subsequently assessed using the hysteresis index. Results showed the numeric

Conserving the Connections: A Nationwide Inventory of State-Based Habitat Connectivity Analysis

OpenAIRE

Feinberg, Jesse

2007-01-01

Habitat fragmentation is among the most serious threats to species and biological diversity. Highways can divide wildlife habitat into smaller patches, reducing or prohibiting necessary wildlife movement between core habitat areas for foraging, mating, and other life functions. Defenders of Wildlife reviewed all 50 states to identify those that are working to address habitat connectivity in the context of transportation planning. The goal of these plans is to facilitate interagency c...

Forecasting Analysis of Shanghai Stock Index Based on ARIMA Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Chenggang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Prediction and analysis of the Shanghai Composite Index is conducive for investors to investing in the stock market, and providing investors with reference. This paper selects Shanghai Composite Index monthly closing price from Jan, 2005 to Oct, 2016 to construct ARIMA model. This paper carries on the forecast of the last three monthly closing price of Shanghai Stock Index that have occurred, and compared it with the actual value, which tests the accuracy and feasibility of the model in the short term Shanghai Stock Index forecast. At last, this paper uses the ARIMA model to forecast the Shanghai Composite Index closing price of the last two months in 2016.

An Ionospheric Index Model based on Linear Regression and Neural Network Approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Tshisaphungo, Mpho; McKinnell, Lee-Anne; Bosco Habarulema, John

2017-04-01

The ionosphere is well known to reflect radio wave signals in the high frequency (HF) band due to the present of electron and ions within the region. To optimise the use of long distance HF communications, it is important to understand the drivers of ionospheric storms and accurately predict the propagation conditions especially during disturbed days. This paper presents the development of an ionospheric storm-time index over the South African region for the application of HF communication users. The model will result into a valuable tool to measure the complex ionospheric behaviour in an operational space weather monitoring and forecasting environment. The development of an ionospheric storm-time index is based on a single ionosonde station data over Grahamstown (33.3°S,26.5°E), South Africa. Critical frequency of the F2 layer (foF2) measurements for a period 1996-2014 were considered for this study. The model was developed based on linear regression and neural network approaches. In this talk validation results for low, medium and high solar activity periods will be discussed to demonstrate model's performance.

Metric for Calculation of System Complexity based on its Connections

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João Ricardo Braga de Paiva

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a methodology based on system connections to calculate its complexity. Two study cases are proposed: the dining Chinese philosophers’ problem and the distribution center. Both studies are modeled using the theory of Discrete Event Systems and simulations in different contexts were performed in order to measure their complexities. The obtained results present i the static complexity as a limiting factor for the dynamic complexity, ii the lowest cost in terms of complexity for each unit of measure of the system performance and iii the output sensitivity to the input parameters. The associated complexity and performance measures aggregate knowledge about the system.

High efficiency graphene coated copper based thermocells connected in series

Science.gov (United States)

Sindhuja, Mani; Indubala, Emayavaramban; Sudha, Venkatachalam; Harinipriya, Seshadri

2018-04-01

Conversion of low-grade waste heat into electricity had been studied employing single thermocell or flowcells so far. Graphene coated copper electrodes based thermocells connected in series displayed relatively high efficiency of thermal energy harvesting. The maximum power output of 49.2W/m2 for normalized cross sectional electrode area is obtained at 60ºC of inter electrode temperature difference. The relative carnot efficiency of 20.2% is obtained from the device. The importance of reducing the mass transfer and ion transfer resistance to improve the efficiency of the device is demonstrated. Degradation studies confirmed mild oxidation of copper foil due to corrosion caused by the electrolyte.

Atiyah-Patodi-Singer index theorem for domain-wall fermion Dirac operator

Science.gov (United States)

Fukaya, Hidenori; Onogi, Tetsuya; Yamaguchi, Satoshi

2018-03-01

Recently, the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer(APS) index theorem attracts attention for understanding physics on the surface of materials in topological phases. Although it is widely applied to physics, the mathematical set-up in the original APS index theorem is too abstract and general (allowing non-trivial metric and so on) and also the connection between the APS boundary condition and the physical boundary condition on the surface of topological material is unclear. For this reason, in contrast to the Atiyah-Singer index theorem, derivation of the APS index theorem in physics language is still missing. In this talk, we attempt to reformulate the APS index in a "physicist-friendly" way, similar to the Fujikawa method on closed manifolds, for our familiar domain-wall fermion Dirac operator in a flat Euclidean space. We find that the APS index is naturally embedded in the determinant of domain-wall fermions, representing the so-called anomaly descent equations.

Organizational performance comparative study of Jakarta and Medan city happy planet index

Science.gov (United States)

Perdamenta Tarigan, Nuah

2018-03-01

Comparative Study of Organizational Performance relating to the Happy Planet Index between Jakarta and Medan is quite challenging, the performance of the organization here is related to organizational arrangements relating to the potential associated with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which is based on ISO 26000, how local leaders put the idea to build a city not only by the government budget each area, but also invite the participation of companies that have programs related to community empowerment is not a fund for cash, but the real form that is present in removing the great problems in society cities beyond than just its obligations but has become a conscious citizen that cares about its environment both natural and artificial. In the end of this research, we will see which one is the best based on the standard Happy Planet Index (HPI) which is phenomenal in the world now, connected again with 17 pieces of Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the goal of the 17th. The study was conducted by the research literature and implemented in a short time. However, a large study being conducted by the researcher.

Indexing mergers and acquisitions

OpenAIRE

Gang, Jianhua; Guo, Jie (Michael); Hu, Nan; Li, Xi

2017-01-01

We measure the efficiency of mergers and acquisitions by putting forward an index (the ‘M&A Index’) based on stochastic frontier analysis. The M&A Index is calculated for each takeover deal and is standardized between 0 and 1. An acquisition with a higher index encompasses higher efficiency. We find that takeover bids with higher M&A Indices are more likely to succeed. Moreover, the M&A Index shows a strong and positive relation with the acquirers’ post-acquisition stock perfo...

Jubilite: A 4-,8-connected Cubic Structural Pattern in Space Group Pm3

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Eduardo A. Castro

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract: In the course of investigating structural modifications of the 3-,4-connected net known as the Pt3O4 structure-type (waserite, a novel 4-,8-connected structure-type was discovered. This lattice is generated by replacing the 3-connected trigonal planar vertices of the Pt3O4 structure-type with 4-connected tetrahedral vertices, to achieve a structure which possesses a generic empirical formula of JK6L8. In such a topological modification, the four 3-fold axes of the parent cubic, Pm3n, Pt3O4 structure-type are retained. Thus the 4-connected tetrahedral vertices are oriented so as to preserve cubic symmetry in the resulting Pm3, JK6L8 (jubilite lattice. The unit cell contains a single 8-connected cubecentered vertex, six 4-connected distorted square planar vertices and eight 4-connected distorted tetrahedral vertices. It is a Wellsean structure with a Wells point symbol given by (4166484(42826(43838 and a Schläfli symbol of (53/4, 4.2667. This latter index reveals a decrease in the lattice’s polygonality and concomitant increase in the connectivity through the transformation from waserite to jubilite. The topology of the parent waserite lattice (Pt3O4 corresponds to that of the Catalan structures with the Wells point symbol (843(834, which has the Schläfli symbol (8, 3.4285. Finally, it can be seen that a sequence of structure-types starting with waserite (Pt3O4 and moving to jubilite (JK6L8 and finally to fluorite (CaF2 represents a continuous crystallographic structural transformation in which the symmetry and topology undergo concomitant changes from one structure-type (waserite to the other structure-types. The topology of the fluorite lattice, represented by the Wells point symbol (424(462, and the Schläfli symbol (4, 51/3, indicates a discontinuous topological transformation from the intermediate jubilite lattice; like the discontinuous topological transformation from Pt3O4 to JK6L8; in which the

QFD Based Benchmarking Logic Using TOPSIS and Suitability Index

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Jaeho Cho

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Users’ satisfaction on quality is a key that leads successful completion of the project in relation to decision-making issues in building design solutions. This study proposed QFD (quality function deployment based benchmarking logic of market products for building envelope solutions. Benchmarking logic is composed of QFD-TOPSIS and QFD-SI. QFD-TOPSIS assessment model is able to evaluate users’ preferences on building envelope solutions that are distributed in the market and may allow quick achievement of knowledge. TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution provides performance improvement criteria that help defining users’ target performance criteria. SI (Suitability Index allows analysis on suitability of the building envelope solution based on users’ required performance criteria. In Stage 1 of the case study, QFD-TOPSIS was used to benchmark the performance criteria of market envelope products. In Stage 2, a QFD-SI assessment was performed after setting user performance targets. The results of this study contribute to confirming the feasibility of QFD based benchmarking in the field of Building Envelope Performance Assessment (BEPA.

Changes in Resting-State Connectivity following Melody-Based Therapy in a Patient with Aphasia

OpenAIRE

Bitan, Tali; Simic, Tijana; Saverino, Cristina; Jones, Cheryl; Glazer, Joanna; Collela, Brenda; Wiseman-Hakes, Catherine; Green, Robin; Rochon, Elizabeth

2018-01-01

Melody-based treatments for patients with aphasia rely on the notion of preserved musical abilities in the RH, following left hemisphere damage. However, despite evidence for their effectiveness, the role of the RH is still an open question. We measured changes in resting-state functional connectivity following melody-based intervention, to identify lateralization of treatment-related changes. A patient with aphasia due to left frontal and temporal hemorrhages following traumatic brain injuri...

Computational neuroanatomy: ontology-based representation of neural components and connectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubin, Daniel L; Talos, Ion-Florin; Halle, Michael; Musen, Mark A; Kikinis, Ron

2009-02-05

A critical challenge in neuroscience is organizing, managing, and accessing the explosion in neuroscientific knowledge, particularly anatomic knowledge. We believe that explicit knowledge-based approaches to make neuroscientific knowledge computationally accessible will be helpful in tackling this challenge and will enable a variety of applications exploiting this knowledge, such as surgical planning. We developed ontology-based models of neuroanatomy to enable symbolic lookup, logical inference and mathematical modeling of neural systems. We built a prototype model of the motor system that integrates descriptive anatomic and qualitative functional neuroanatomical knowledge. In addition to modeling normal neuroanatomy, our approach provides an explicit representation of abnormal neural connectivity in disease states, such as common movement disorders. The ontology-based representation encodes both structural and functional aspects of neuroanatomy. The ontology-based models can be evaluated computationally, enabling development of automated computer reasoning applications. Neuroanatomical knowledge can be represented in machine-accessible format using ontologies. Computational neuroanatomical approaches such as described in this work could become a key tool in translational informatics, leading to decision support applications that inform and guide surgical planning and personalized care for neurological disease in the future.

Agent-Based Smart Grid Market Simulation with Connection to Real Infrastructures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Santos, Gabriel; Pinto, Tiago; Gomes, Luis

2015-01-01

The consensus behind Smart Grids (SG) as one of the most promising solutions for the massive integration of renewable energy sources in power systems has led to the practical implementation of several prototypes and pilots that aim at testing and validating SG methodologies. The urgent need...... to accommodate such resources of distributed and intermittent nature and the impact that a deficient management of energy sources has on the global population require that alternative solutions are experimented. This paper presents a multi-agent based SG simulation platform that is connected to physical...

Malmquist Productivity Index on Efficiency Layers

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F. Rezai balf ∗

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA, a popular linear programming technique is useful to rate comparatively operational effiency of decision Making Unit (DMU based on the their deterministic inputoutput data. The Malmquist productivity index in DEA, calculable with the distance function, for measurement the productivity change among two variant time period or two variant group in the same time. This index is based on two factor of efficiency change index and a technological change index. In this paper, we operate on the collective Malmquist productivity index, which performs clustering operation DMUs with classification into different levels of efficient frontier, and then we discuss on the relation between Malmquist index on the efficiency layers and their attractiveness and progress

An objective decision model of power grid environmental protection based on environmental influence index and energy-saving and emission-reducing index

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Jun-shu; Jin, Yan-ming; Hao, Wei-hua

2017-01-01

Based on modelling the environmental influence index of power transmission and transformation project and energy-saving and emission-reducing index of source-grid-load of power system, this paper establishes an objective decision model of power grid environmental protection, with constraints of power grid environmental protection objectives being legal and economical, and considering both positive and negative influences of grid on the environmental in all-life grid cycle. This model can be used to guide the programming work of power grid environmental protection. A numerical simulation of Jiangsu province’s power grid environmental protection objective decision model has been operated, and the results shows that the maximum goal of energy-saving and emission-reducing benefits would be reached firstly as investment increasing, and then the minimum goal of environmental influence.

Pramipexole Modulates Interregional Connectivity Within the Sensorimotor Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Zheng; Hammer, Anke; Münte, Thomas F

2017-05-01

Pramipexole is widely prescribed to treat Parkinson's disease but has been reported to cause impulse control disorders such as pathological gambling. Recent neurocomputational models suggested that D2 agonists may distort functional connections between the striatum and the motor cortex, resulting in impaired reinforcement learning and pathological gambling. To examine how D2 agonists modulate the striatal-motor connectivity, we carried out a pharmacological resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study with a double-blind randomized within-subject crossover design. We analyzed the medication-induced changes of network connectivity and topology with two approaches, an independent component analysis (ICA) and a graph theoretical analysis (GTA). The ICA identified the sensorimotor network (SMN) as well as other classical resting-state networks. Within the SMN, the connectivity between the right caudate nucleus and other cortical regions was weaker under pramipexole than under placebo. The GTA measured the topological properties of the whole-brain network at global and regional levels. Both the whole-brain network under placebo and that under pramipexole were identified as small-world networks. The two whole-brain networks were similar in global efficiency, clustering coefficient, small-world index, and modularity. However, the degree of the right caudate nucleus decreased under pramipexole mainly due to the loss of the connectivity with the supplementary motor area, paracentral lobule, and precentral and postcentral gyrus of the SMN. The two network analyses consistently revealed that pramipexole weakened the functional connectivity between the caudate nucleus and the SMN regions.

Reactivity indexes for different geometries of palladium leads

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomez-Carrillo, S C; Bolcatto, P G [Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ingenieria Quimica, Universidad Nacional de Litoral, Santiago del Estero 2829 S3000AOM Santa Fe Argentina (Argentina); Ortega, J, E-mail: scgomez@fiq.unl.edu.a [Departamento de Fisica Teorica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain)

2009-05-01

Electronic transport through metallic break junctions or molecules is clearly dependent not only on the electronic structure of the central nanodevice connecting the leads, but also the shape and crystalline orientation of the contacts which can define the possible conduction channels. In this work we examine different geometries of contacts of palladium characterizing them through global and local reactivity indexes as electrophilicity, chemical hardness and Fukui functions. In molecules, these indicators are essentially defined by the energies of the frontier molecular orbitals and in solids they are related with the local and partial density of states. We use for this purpose an ab-initio based code (FIREBALL), applied to plane contacts with (001) fcc faces and also pyramidal tips grown following a (001) and (111) packaging. The results allow us to have an insight about the chemical features of this type of nanojunctions.

A special vegetation index for the weed detection in sensor based precision agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Langner, Hans-R; Böttger, Hartmut; Schmidt, Helmut

2006-06-01

Many technologies in precision agriculture (PA) require image analysis and image- processing with weed and background differentiations. The detection of weeds on mulched cropland is one important image-processing task for sensor based precision herbicide applications. The article introduces a special vegetation index, the Difference Index with Red Threshold (DIRT), for the weed detection on mulched croplands. Experimental investigations in weed detection on mulched areas point out that the DIRT performs better than the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The result of the evaluation with four different decision criteria indicate, that the new DIRT gives the highest reliability in weed/background differentiation on mulched areas. While using the same spectral bands (infrared and red) as the NDVI, the new DIRT is more suitable for weed detection than the other vegetation indices and requires only a small amount of additional calculation power. The new vegetation index DIRT was tested on mulched areas during automatic ratings with a special weed camera system. The test results compare the new DIRT and three other decision criteria: the difference between infrared and red intensity (Diff), the soil-adjusted quotient between infrared and red intensity (Quotient) and the NDVI. The decision criteria were compared with the definition of a worse case decision quality parameter Q, suitable for mulched croplands. Although this new index DIRT needs further testing, the index seems to be a good decision criterion for the weed detection on mulched areas and should also be useful for other image processing applications in precision agriculture. The weed detection hardware and the PC program for the weed image processing were developed with funds from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

Evaluation of Life History Diversity, Habitat Connectivity, and Survival Benefits Associated with Habitat Restoration Actions in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary, Annual Report 2010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diefenderfer, Heida L.; Johnson, Gary E.; Sather, Nichole K.; Skalski, J. R.; Dawley, Earl M.; Coleman, Andre M.; Ostrand, Kenneth G.; Hanson, Kyle C.; Woodruff, Dana L.; Donley, Erin E.; Ke, Yinghai; Buenau, Kate E.; Bryson, Amanda J.; Townsend, Richard L.

2011-10-01

This report describes the 2010 research conducted under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) project EST-P-09-1, titled Evaluation of Life History Diversity, Habitat Connectivity, and Survival Benefits Associated with Habitat Restoration Actions in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary, and known as the 'Salmon Benefits' study. The primary goal of the study is to establish scientific methods to quantify habitat restoration benefits to listed salmon and trout in the lower Columbia River and estuary (LCRE) in three required areas: habitat connectivity, early life history diversity, and survival (Figure ES.1). The general study approach was to first evaluate the state of the science regarding the ability to quantify benefits to listed salmon and trout from habitat restoration actions in the LCRE in the 2009 project year, and then, if feasible, in subsequent project years to develop quantitative indices of habitat connectivity, early life history diversity, and survival. Based on the 2009 literature review, the following definitions are used in this study. Habitat connectivity is defined as a landscape descriptor concerning the ability of organisms to move among habitat patches, including the spatial arrangement of habitats (structural connectivity) and how the perception and behavior of salmon affect the potential for movement among habitats (functional connectivity). Life history is defined as the combination of traits exhibited by an organism throughout its life cycle, and for the purposes of this investigation, a life history strategy refers to the body size and temporal patterns of estuarine usage exhibited by migrating juvenile salmon. Survival is defined as the probability of fish remaining alive over a defined amount of space and/or time. The objectives of the 4-year study are as follows: (1) develop and test a quantitative index of juvenile salmon habitat connectivity in the LCRE incorporating structural, functional, and hydrologic components; (2

Design-based research – issues in connecting theory, research and practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kolmos, Anette

2015-01-01

the gap. But is this as easy as it sounds? The purpose of the article is to identify and discuss issues involved in applying DBR. The article is based on methodology chapters and essays from three PhD studies applying the DBR framework to implement problem and project based learning (PBL). The findings......During the last 20 years, design-based research (DBR) has become a popular methodology for connecting educational theory, research and practice. The missing link between educational theory, research and educational practice is an ongoing issue and DBR is seen as an integrated methodology to bridge...... indicate several key issues at both the scientific and personal level. Scientifically, the main issues are contribution to theory and the role of the researcher. At the personal level, it is an investment beyond normal research procedures to involve yourself as a researcher in curriculum change....

Connecting Learning: Brain-Based Strategies for Linking Prior Knowledge in the Library Media Center

Science.gov (United States)

Vanderbilt, Kathi L.

2005-01-01

The brain is a complex organ and learning is a complex process. While there is not complete agreement among researchers about brain-based learning and its direct connection to neuroscience, knowledge about the brain as well as the examination of cognitive psychology, anthropology, professional experience, and educational research can provide…

An Integrated Conceptual Environment based on Collective Intelligence and Distributed Artificial Intelligence for Connecting People on Problem Solving

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vasile MAZILESCU

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to analyze the different forms of intelligence within organizations in a systemic and inclusive vision, in order to conceptualize an integrated environment based on Distributed Artificial Intelligence (DAI and Collective Intelligence (CI. In this way we effectively shift the classical approaches of connecting people with people using collaboration tools (which allow people to work together, such as videoconferencing or email, groupware in virtual space, forums, workflow, of connecting people with a series of content management knowledge (taxonomies and documents classification, ontologies or thesauri, search engines, portals, to the current approaches of connecting people on the use (automatic of operational knowledge to solve problems and make decisions based on intellectual cooperation. The best way to use collective intelligence is based on knowledge mobilization and semantic technologies. We must not let computers to imitate people but to support people think and develop their ideas within a group. CI helps people to think together, while DAI tries to support people so as to limit human error. Within an organization, to manage CI is to combine instruments like Semantic Technologies (STs, knowledge mobilization methods for developing Knowledge Management (KM strategies, and the processes that promote connection and collaboration between individual minds in order to achieve collective objectives, to perform a task or to solve increasingly economic complex problems.

Base de dados INDEX PSI: recurso informacional na área de psicologia utilizando interface WWWIsis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosa Maria Vivona B. de Oliveira

2000-01-01

Full Text Available A Base de Dados Bibliográfica INDEX PSI (http://www.psicologia-online.org.br/index.html surgiu de um convênio firmado entre o Sistema de Bibliotecas e Informação da PUC-Campinas e o Conselho Federal de Psicologia, objetivando a organização da produção científica nacional na área de Psicologia, focalizando artigos de periódicos publicados no período de 1980 a 1999 com a finalidade de disseminação da informação gerada e preservação da memória científica. Utilizou-se, para entrada de dados, o software CDS-Microisis, versão 3.07 para DOS e interface WWWIsis para acesso via WEB. A Base INDEX PSI será objeto de construção de Biblioteca Virtual na área de Psicologia. The bibliographic database INDEX PSI was established through an agreement between the Information and Library System of PUC-Campinas and the Brazilian Federal Psychology Council, aiming at the organization of the national scientific production in the Psychology field. It focuses on serial articles published from 1980 to 1999, in order to disseminate the information produced and to preserve the scientific memory. To input data at this database it was used the software CDS-Microisis DOS version 3.07, and the interface WWWIsis to access through WEB. INDEX PSI as intended to be the beginning of a Psychology Virtual Library.

A fuzzy model of a European index based on automatically extracted content information

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Milea, D.V.; Almeida, R.J.; Kaymak, U.; Frasincar, F.

2011-01-01

In this paper we build on previous work related to predicting the MSCI EURO index based on content analysis of ECB statements. Our focus is on reducing the number of features employed for prediction through feature selection. For this purpose we rely on two methodologies: (stepwise) linear

Street connectivity and obesity in Glasgow, Scotland: impact of age, sex and socioeconomic position.

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Kylie; Lamb, Karen; Travaglini, Noemi; Ellaway, Anne

2012-11-01

This study investigated associations of street connectivity with body mass index (BMI), and whether these associations varied by sex, age and socioeconomic position, amongst adults in Glasgow, Scotland. Data on socio-demographic variables, height and weight were collected from 1062 participants in the Greater Glasgow Health and Well-being Study, and linked with neighbourhood-level census and geo-referenced data on area level deprivation and street connectivity. Results of multilevel models showed that, after adjustment for individual level covariates, street connectivity was not significantly associated with either BMI or BMI category; nor were there any significant interactions between age, sex or socioeconomic position and street connectivity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a macrophyte-based index of biotic integrity for Minnesota lakes

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, M.W.; Hatch, L.K.; Vondracek, B.; Valley, R.D.

2010-01-01

Traditional approaches for managing aquatic resources have often failed to account for effects of anthropogenic disturbances on biota that are not directly reflected by chemical and physical proxies of environmental condition. The index of biotic integrity (IBI) is a potentially effective assessment method to integrate ecological, functional, and structural aspects of aquatic systems. A macrophyte-based IBI was developed for Minnesota lakes to assess the ability of aquatic plant communities to indicate environmental condition. The index was developed using quantitative point intercept vegetation surveys for 97 lakes that represent a range of limnological and watershed characteristics. We followed an approach similar to that used in Wisconsin to develop the aquatic macrophyte community index (AMCI). Regional adaptation of the AMCI required the identification of species representative of macrophyte communities in Minnesota. Metrics and scaling methods were also substantially modified to produce a more empirically robust index. Regression analyses indicated that IBI scores reflected statewide differences in lake trophic state (R2 = 0.57, F = 130.3, df = 1, 95, p indicated a unique response of the IBI to human-induced stress separate from a response to natural lake characteristics. The IBI was minimally affected by differences in sample point density as indicated by Monte Carlo analyses of reduced sampling effort. Our analysis indicates that a macrophyte IBI calibrated for Minnesota lakes could be useful for identifying differences in environmental condition attributed to human-induced stress gradients. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Validity of the Medication-based Disease Burden Index compared with the Charlson Comorbidity Index and the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for geriatrics: a cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Beloosesky, Yichayaou; Weiss, Avraham; Mansur, Nariman

2011-12-01

Co-morbidity is common in older people. A co-morbidity index reduces coexisting illnesses and their severity to a single numerical score, allowing comparison with scores from other patients. Recently, the Medication-Based Disease Burden Index (MDBI) was developed. The aim of the study was to assess the MDBI's validity in hospitalized elderly patients. Clinical and demographic data and data on patients' medications on admission were obtained prospectively. Retrospectively, we applied the MDBI to the patients' medication regimens, determining their co-morbidity using the Charlson Comorbidity Index and Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics (CIRS-G). The MDBI's criterion validity was assessed against the Charlson and CIRS-G indices. Convergent and discriminant validities were also assessed. The MDBI's predictive validity was assessed by its ability to predict 3-month post-discharge readmissions or mortality compared with the Charlson and CIRS-G indices. MDBI scores were correlated with the Charlson and CIRS-G indices' scores (r = 0.44 and r = 0.37, respectively [p indices had good predictive ability for mortality (OR 1.50 [95% CI 1.22, 1.84; p failed to differentiate between cognitive and functional patient groups. The MDBI should be investigated in larger studies to determine its validity in settings where medication data rather than diagnostic data are more readily available. In clinical practice with elderly patients, we recommend employing co-morbidity indices that are based on medical records, such as the Charlson Comorbidity Index and CIRS-G.

Attribute Index and Uniform Design Based Multiobjective Association Rule Mining with Evolutionary Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jie Zhang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In association rule mining, evaluating an association rule needs to repeatedly scan database to compare the whole database with the antecedent, consequent of a rule and the whole rule. In order to decrease the number of comparisons and time consuming, we present an attribute index strategy. It only needs to scan database once to create the attribute index of each attribute. Then all metrics values to evaluate an association rule do not need to scan database any further, but acquire data only by means of the attribute indices. The paper visualizes association rule mining as a multiobjective problem rather than a single objective one. In order to make the acquired solutions scatter uniformly toward the Pareto frontier in the objective space, elitism policy and uniform design are introduced. The paper presents the algorithm of attribute index and uniform design based multiobjective association rule mining with evolutionary algorithm, abbreviated as IUARMMEA. It does not require the user-specified minimum support and minimum confidence anymore, but uses a simple attribute index. It uses a well-designed real encoding so as to extend its application scope. Experiments performed on several databases demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has excellent performance, and it can significantly reduce the number of comparisons and time consumption.

Attribute index and uniform design based multiobjective association rule mining with evolutionary algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jie; Wang, Yuping; Feng, Junhong

2013-01-01

In association rule mining, evaluating an association rule needs to repeatedly scan database to compare the whole database with the antecedent, consequent of a rule and the whole rule. In order to decrease the number of comparisons and time consuming, we present an attribute index strategy. It only needs to scan database once to create the attribute index of each attribute. Then all metrics values to evaluate an association rule do not need to scan database any further, but acquire data only by means of the attribute indices. The paper visualizes association rule mining as a multiobjective problem rather than a single objective one. In order to make the acquired solutions scatter uniformly toward the Pareto frontier in the objective space, elitism policy and uniform design are introduced. The paper presents the algorithm of attribute index and uniform design based multiobjective association rule mining with evolutionary algorithm, abbreviated as IUARMMEA. It does not require the user-specified minimum support and minimum confidence anymore, but uses a simple attribute index. It uses a well-designed real encoding so as to extend its application scope. Experiments performed on several databases demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has excellent performance, and it can significantly reduce the number of comparisons and time consumption.

Quantification of the impact of a confounding variable on functional connectivity confirms anti-correlated networks in the resting-state.

Science.gov (United States)

Carbonell, F; Bellec, P; Shmuel, A

2014-02-01

The effect of regressing out the global average signal (GAS) in resting state fMRI data has become a concern for interpreting functional connectivity analyses. It is not clear whether the reported anti-correlations between the Default Mode and the Dorsal Attention Networks are intrinsic to the brain, or are artificially created by regressing out the GAS. Here we introduce a concept, Impact of the Global Average on Functional Connectivity (IGAFC), for quantifying the sensitivity of seed-based correlation analyses to the regression of the GAS. This voxel-wise IGAFC index is defined as the product of two correlation coefficients: the correlation between the GAS and the fMRI time course of a voxel, times the correlation between the GAS and the seed time course. This definition enables the calculation of a threshold at which the impact of regressing-out the GAS would be large enough to introduce spurious negative correlations. It also yields a post-hoc impact correction procedure via thresholding, which eliminates spurious correlations introduced by regressing out the GAS. In addition, we introduce an Artificial Negative Correlation Index (ANCI), defined as the absolute difference between the IGAFC index and the impact threshold. The ANCI allows a graded confidence scale for ranking voxels according to their likelihood of showing artificial correlations. By applying this method, we observed regions in the Default Mode and Dorsal Attention Networks that were anti-correlated. These findings confirm that the previously reported negative correlations between the Dorsal Attention and Default Mode Networks are intrinsic to the brain and not the result of statistical manipulations. Our proposed quantification of the impact that a confound may have on functional connectivity can be generalized to global effect estimators other than the GAS. It can be readily applied to other confounds, such as systemic physiological or head movement interferences, in order to quantify their

Graph Theory-Based Brain Connectivity for Automatic Classification of Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Courses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Kocevar

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: In this work, we introduce a method to classify Multiple Sclerosis (MS patients into four clinical profiles using structural connectivity information. For the first time, we try to solve this question in a fully automated way using a computer-based method. The main goal is to show how the combination of graph-derived metrics with machine learning techniques constitutes a powerful tool for a better characterization and classification of MS clinical profiles.Materials and methods: Sixty-four MS patients (12 Clinical Isolated Syndrome (CIS, 24 Relapsing Remitting (RR, 24 Secondary Progressive (SP, and 17 Primary Progressive (PP along with 26 healthy controls (HC underwent MR examination. T1 and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI were used to obtain structural connectivity matrices for each subject. Global graph metrics, such as density and modularity, were estimated and compared between subjects’ groups. These metrics were further used to classify patients using tuned Support Vector Machine (SVM combined with Radial Basic Function (RBF kernel.Results: When comparing MS patients to HC subjects, a greater assortativity, transitivity and characteristic path length as well as a lower global efficiency were found. Using all graph metrics, the best F-Measures (91.8%, 91.8%, 75.6% and 70.6% were obtained for binary (HC-CIS, CIS-RR, RR-PP and multi-class (CIS-RR-SP classification tasks, respectively. When using only one graph metric, the best F-Measures (83.6%, 88.9% and 70.7% were achieved for modularity with previous binary classification tasks.Conclusion: Based on a simple DTI acquisition associated with structural brain connectivity analysis, this automatic method allowed an accurate classification of different MS patients’ clinical profiles.

A new approach for power quality improvement of DFIG based wind farms connected to weak utility grid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Mahvash

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Most of power quality problems for grid connected doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs with wind turbine include flicker, variations of voltage RMS profile, and injected harmonics due to switching in DFIG converters. Flicker phenomenon is the most important problem in wind power systems. This paper described an effective method for mitigating flicker emission and power quality improvement for a fairly weak grid connected to a wind farm with DFIGs. The method was applied in the rotor side converter (RSC of the DFIG to control the output reactive power. q axis reference current was directly derived according to the mathematical relation between rotor q axis current and DFIG output reactive power without using PI controller. To extract the reference reactive power, the stator voltage control loop with the droop coefficient was proposed to regulate the grid voltage level in each operational condition. The DFIG output active power was separately controlled in d axis considering the stator voltage orientation control (SVOC. Different simulations were carried out on the test system and the flicker short term severity index (Pst was calculated for each case study using the discrete flickermeter model according to IEC 61400 standard. The obtained results validated flicker mitigation and power quality enhancement for the grid.

Deep Hashing Based Fusing Index Method for Large-Scale Image Retrieval

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lijuan Duan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Hashing has been widely deployed to perform the Approximate Nearest Neighbor (ANN search for the large-scale image retrieval to solve the problem of storage and retrieval efficiency. Recently, deep hashing methods have been proposed to perform the simultaneous feature learning and the hash code learning with deep neural networks. Even though deep hashing has shown the better performance than traditional hashing methods with handcrafted features, the learned compact hash code from one deep hashing network may not provide the full representation of an image. In this paper, we propose a novel hashing indexing method, called the Deep Hashing based Fusing Index (DHFI, to generate a more compact hash code which has stronger expression ability and distinction capability. In our method, we train two different architecture’s deep hashing subnetworks and fuse the hash codes generated by the two subnetworks together to unify images. Experiments on two real datasets show that our method can outperform state-of-the-art image retrieval applications.

Mapping functional connectivity

Science.gov (United States)

Peter Vogt; Joseph R. Ferrari; Todd R. Lookingbill; Robert H. Gardner; Kurt H. Riitters; Katarzyna Ostapowicz

2009-01-01

An objective and reliable assessment of wildlife movement is important in theoretical and applied ecology. The identification and mapping of landscape elements that may enhance functional connectivity is usually a subjective process based on visual interpretations of species movement patterns. New methods based on mathematical morphology provide a generic, flexible,...

A novel method to construct an air quality index based on air pollution profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Thach, Thuan-Quoc; Tsang, Hilda; Cao, Peihua; Ho, Lai-Ming

2018-01-01

Air quality indices based on the maximum of sub-indices of pollutants are easy to produce and help quantify the degree of air pollution. However, they discount the additive effects of multiple pollutants and are only sensitive to changes in highest sub-index. We propose a simple and concise method to construct an air quality index that takes into account additive effects of multiple pollutants and evaluate the extent to which this index predicts health effects. We obtained concentrations of four criteria pollutants: particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10μm (PM 10 ), sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and ozone (O 3 ) and daily admissions to Hong Kong hospitals for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases for all ages and those 65 years or older for years 2001-2012. We derived sub-indices of the four criteria pollutants, calculated by normalizing pollutant concentrations to their respective short-term WHO Air Quality Guidelines (WHO AQG). We aggregated the sub-indices using the root-mean-power function with an optimal power to form an overall air quality index. The optimal power was determined by minimizing the sum of over- and under-estimated days. We then assessed associations between the pollution bands of the index and cardiovascular and respiratory admissions using a time-stratified case-crossover design adjusted for ambient temperature, relative humidity and influenza epidemics. Further, we conducted case-crossover analyses using the Hong Kong air quality data with the respective standards and classification of pollution bands of the China Air Quality Index (AQI), the United Kingdom Daily AQI (DAQI), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) AQI. The mean concentrations of PM 10 and SO 2 based on maximum 3-h mean exceeded the WHO AQG by 37% and 50%, respectively. We identified the combined condition of observed high-pollution days as either at least one pollutant > 1.5×WHO AQG or at least two pollutants > 1.0�

Uptake indexes of 90Sr in the countries with various nutrition types

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knizhnikov, V.N.; Marej, A.N.; Borisov, B.K.; Petukhova, Eh.V.

1980-01-01

90 Sr uptake in the human organism in the USSR and a number of countries with a western type of nitrition is studied for the period from 1963 to 1971. The following indexes are presented: the observed ratio (OR), which is 90 Sr in a skeleton/ 90 Sr in a diet pCi/gCa/pCi/gCa. This index depends largely on the level of calcium content in the diet. The index of buildup multiplicity is used to characterize 90 Sr uptake irrespective of calcium content in the diet. These indexes are used to compare 90 Sr uptake in France, USA, USSR, FRG. Factors which affect 90 Sr uptake connected with nutrition peculiarities and 90 Sr form in the diet, are presented

Correct thermodynamic forces in Tsallis thermodynamics: connection with Hill nanothermodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia-Morales, Vladimir; Cervera, Javier; Pellicer, Julio

2005-01-01

The equivalence between Tsallis thermodynamics and Hill's nanothermodynamics is established. The correct thermodynamic forces in Tsallis thermodynamics are pointed out. Through this connection we also find a general expression for the entropic index q which we illustrate with two physical examples, allowing in both cases to relate q to the underlying dynamics of the Hamiltonian systems

Stability Analysis and Active Damping for LLCL-filter-Based Grid-Connected Inverters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, Min; Wang, Xiongfei; Loh, Poh Chiang

2015-01-01

to use either passive or active damping methods. This paper analyzes the stability of the LLCL-filter based grid-connected inverter and identifies a critical resonant frequency for the LLCL-filter when sampling and transport delays are considered. In a high resonant frequency region the active damping...... is not required but in a low resonant frequency region the active damping is necessary. The basic LLCL resonance damping properties of different feedback states based on a notch filter concept are also studied. Then an active damping method which is using the capacitor current feedback for LLCL......-filter is introduced. Based on this active damping method, a design procedure for the controller is given. Last, both simulation and experimental results are provided to validate the theoretical analysis of this paper....

High Efficiency Graphene Coated Copper Based Thermocells Connected in Series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mani Sindhuja

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Conversion of low-grade waste heat into electricity had been studied employing single thermocell or flowcells so far. Graphene coated copper electrodes based thermocells connected in series displayed relatively high efficiency of thermal energy harvesting. The maximum power output of 49.2 W/m2 for normalized cross sectional electrode area is obtained at 60°C of inter electrode temperature difference. The relative carnot efficiency of 20.2% is obtained from the device. The importance of reducing the mass transfer and ion transfer resistance to improve the efficiency of the device is demonstrated. Degradation studies confirmed mild oxidation of copper foil due to corrosion caused by the electrolyte.

Assessment of Real-Time Compaction Quality Test Indexes for Rockfill Material Based on Roller Vibratory Acceleration Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tianbo Hua

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Compaction quality is directly related to the structure and seepage stability of a rockfill dam. To timely and accurately test the compaction quality of the rockfill material, four real-time test indexes were chosen to characterize the soil compaction degree based on the analysis of roller vibratory acceleration, including acceleration peak value (ap, acceleration root mean square value (arms, crest factor value (CF, and compaction meter value (CMV. To determine which of these indexes is the most appropriate, a two-part field compaction experiment was conducted using a vibratory roller in different filling zones of the dam body. Data on rolling parameters, real-time test indexes, and compaction quality indexes were collected to perform statistical regression analyses. Combined with the spectrum analysis of the acceleration signal, it was found that the CF index best characterizes the compaction degree of the rockfill material among the four indexes. Furthermore, the quantitative relations between the real-time index and compaction quality index were established to determine the control criterion of CF, which can instruct the site work of compaction quality control in the rockfill rolling process.

Microgrid energy management in grid-connected and islanding modes based on SVC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabbar, Hossam A.; Abdelsalam, Abdelazeem A.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • SVC is used to enhance the performance of a microgrid (MG). • MG performance is measured by some key performance indicators (KPIs). • KPIs comprise power loss, voltage deviation, power factor, THD and v/f deviation. • The microgrid is simulated in grid-connected and islanded modes. • Results show SVC stabilizes voltage, reduce losses and THD and enhance power factor. - Abstract: Microgrids are small scale energy grids that can provide adequate energy supply to cover regional demand by integrating renewable energy generation and storage technologies. This paper develops a high performance dynamic model of a microgrid system comprising a wind turbine, a PV, a fuel cell, a micro gas turbine generator, an energy storage, electric loads with variable load profile and flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) devices. The FACTS devices based on static VAR compensators have been employed as a supervisory controller. Key performance indicators such as microgrid power losses, buses voltage deviations, buses power factor, buses voltage total harmonic distortion and voltage-frequency deviation are used to evaluate the performance of this microgrid in grid-connected and islanding modes. The results obtained from the Matlab/Simulink environment show that the proposed microgrid design with SVC has the ability to meet its special requirements such as bus voltages stabilization, reduction of feeder losses, power factor enhancement and mitigation of total harmonic distortion using SVC in grid-connected and islanding modes

Intermodal connectivity in Europe, an empirical exploration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Langen, P.W.; Lases Figueroa, D.M.; van Donselaar, K.H.; Bozuwa, J.

2017-01-01

In this paper we analyse the intermodal connectivity in Europe. The empirical analysis is to our knowledge the first empirical analysis of intermodal connections, and is based on a comprehensive database of intermodal connections in Europe. The paper focuses on rail and barge services, as they are

Resting-State Functional Connectivity-Based Biomarkers and Functional MRI-Based Neurofeedback for Psychiatric Disorders: A Challenge for Developing Theranostic Biomarkers.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Takashi; Hashimoto, Ryu-Ichiro; Yahata, Noriaki; Ichikawa, Naho; Yoshihara, Yujiro; Okamoto, Yasumasa; Kato, Nobumasa; Takahashi, Hidehiko; Kawato, Mitsuo

2017-10-01

Psychiatric research has been hampered by an explanatory gap between psychiatric symptoms and their neural underpinnings, which has resulted in poor treatment outcomes. This situation has prompted us to shift from symptom-based diagnosis to data-driven diagnosis, aiming to redefine psychiatric disorders as disorders of neural circuitry. Promising candidates for data-driven diagnosis include resting-state functional connectivity MRI (rs-fcMRI)-based biomarkers. Although biomarkers have been developed with the aim of diagnosing patients and predicting the efficacy of therapy, the focus has shifted to the identification of biomarkers that represent therapeutic targets, which would allow for more personalized treatment approaches. This type of biomarker (i.e., "theranostic biomarker") is expected to elucidate the disease mechanism of psychiatric conditions and to offer an individualized neural circuit-based therapeutic target based on the neural cause of a condition. To this end, researchers have developed rs-fcMRI-based biomarkers and investigated a causal relationship between potential biomarkers and disease-specific behavior using functional MRI (fMRI)-based neurofeedback on functional connectivity. In this review, we introduce a recent approach for creating a theranostic biomarker, which consists mainly of 2 parts: (1) developing an rs-fcMRI-based biomarker that can predict diagnosis and/or symptoms with high accuracy, and (2) the introduction of a proof-of-concept study investigating the relationship between normalizing the biomarker and symptom changes using fMRI-based neurofeedback. In parallel with the introduction of recent studies, we review rs-fcMRI-based biomarker and fMRI-based neurofeedback, focusing on the technological improvements and limitations associated with clinical use. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

The RBANS Effort Index: base rates in geriatric samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Duff, Kevin; Spering, Cynthia C; O'Bryant, Sid E; Beglinger, Leigh J; Moser, David J; Bayless, John D; Culp, Kennith R; Mold, James W; Adams, Russell L; Scott, James G

2011-01-01

The Effort Index (EI) of the RBANS was developed to assist clinicians in discriminating patients who demonstrate good effort from those with poor effort. However, there are concerns that older adults might be unfairly penalized by this index, which uses uncorrected raw scores. Using five independent samples of geriatric patients with a broad range of cognitive functioning (e.g., cognitively intact, nursing home residents, probable Alzheimer's disease), base rates of failure on the EI were calculated. In cognitively intact and mildly impaired samples, few older individuals were classified as demonstrating poor effort (e.g., 3% in cognitively intact). However, in the more severely impaired geriatric patients, over one third had EI scores that fell above suggested cutoff scores (e.g., 37% in nursing home residents, 33% in probable Alzheimer's disease). In the cognitively intact sample, older and less educated patients were more likely to have scores suggestive of poor effort. Education effects were observed in three of the four clinical samples. Overall cognitive functioning was significantly correlated with EI scores, with poorer cognition being associated with greater suspicion of low effort. The current results suggest that age, education, and level of cognitive functioning should be taken into consideration when interpreting EI results and that significant caution is warranted when examining EI scores in elders suspected of having dementia.

Connectivity in river deltas

Science.gov (United States)

Passalacqua, P.; Hiatt, M. R.; Sendrowski, A.

2016-12-01

Deltas host approximately half a billion people and are rich in ecosystem diversity and economic resources. However, human-induced activities and climatic shifts are significantly impacting deltas around the world; anthropogenic disturbance, natural subsidence, and eustatic sea-level rise are major causes of threat to deltas and in many cases have compromised their safety and sustainability, putting at risk the people that live on them. In this presentation, I will introduce a framework called Delta Connectome for studying connectivity in river deltas based on different representations of a delta as a network. Here connectivity indicates both physical connectivity (how different portions of the system interact with each other) as well as conceptual (pathways of process coupling). I will explore several network representations and show how quantifying connectivity can advance our understanding of system functioning and can be used to inform coastal management and restoration. From connectivity considerations, the delta emerges as a leaky network that evolves over time and is characterized by continuous exchanges of fluxes of matter, energy, and information. I will discuss the implications of connectivity on delta functioning, land growth, and potential for nutrient removal.

Capacities and overlap indexes with an application in fuzzy rule-based classification systems

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Paternain, D.; Bustince, H.; Pagola, M.; Sussner, P.; Kolesárová, A.; Mesiar, Radko

2016-01-01

Roč. 305, č. 1 (2016), s. 70-94 ISSN 0165-0114 Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : Capacity * Overlap index * Overlap function * Choquet integral * Fuzzy rule-based classification systems Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 2.718, year: 2016 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2016/E/mesiar-0465739.pdf

Walkability Index

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Walkability Index dataset characterizes every Census 2010 block group in the U.S. based on its relative walkability. Walkability depends upon characteristics of...

An Autonomous Connectivity Restoration Algorithm Based on Finite State Machine for Wireless Sensor-Actor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available With the development of autonomous unmanned intelligent systems, such as the unmanned boats, unmanned planes and autonomous underwater vehicles, studies on Wireless Sensor-Actor Networks (WSANs have attracted more attention. Network connectivity algorithms play an important role in data exchange, collaborative detection and information fusion. Due to the harsh application environment, abnormal nodes often appear, and the network connectivity will be prone to be lost. Network self-healing mechanisms have become critical for these systems. In order to decrease the movement overhead of the sensor-actor nodes, an autonomous connectivity restoration algorithm based on finite state machine is proposed. The idea is to identify whether a node is a critical node by using a finite state machine, and update the connected dominating set in a timely way. If an abnormal node is a critical node, the nearest non-critical node will be relocated to replace the abnormal node. In the case of multiple node abnormality, a regional network restoration algorithm is introduced. It is designed to reduce the overhead of node movements while restoration happens. Simulation results indicate the proposed algorithm has better performance on the total moving distance and the number of total relocated nodes compared with some other representative restoration algorithms.

An Autonomous Connectivity Restoration Algorithm Based on Finite State Machine for Wireless Sensor-Actor Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ying; Wang, Jun; Hao, Guan

2018-01-08

With the development of autonomous unmanned intelligent systems, such as the unmanned boats, unmanned planes and autonomous underwater vehicles, studies on Wireless Sensor-Actor Networks (WSANs) have attracted more attention. Network connectivity algorithms play an important role in data exchange, collaborative detection and information fusion. Due to the harsh application environment, abnormal nodes often appear, and the network connectivity will be prone to be lost. Network self-healing mechanisms have become critical for these systems. In order to decrease the movement overhead of the sensor-actor nodes, an autonomous connectivity restoration algorithm based on finite state machine is proposed. The idea is to identify whether a node is a critical node by using a finite state machine, and update the connected dominating set in a timely way. If an abnormal node is a critical node, the nearest non-critical node will be relocated to replace the abnormal node. In the case of multiple node abnormality, a regional network restoration algorithm is introduced. It is designed to reduce the overhead of node movements while restoration happens. Simulation results indicate the proposed algorithm has better performance on the total moving distance and the number of total relocated nodes compared with some other representative restoration algorithms.

An Autonomous Connectivity Restoration Algorithm Based on Finite State Machine for Wireless Sensor-Actor Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ying; Wang, Jun; Hao, Guan

2018-01-01

With the development of autonomous unmanned intelligent systems, such as the unmanned boats, unmanned planes and autonomous underwater vehicles, studies on Wireless Sensor-Actor Networks (WSANs) have attracted more attention. Network connectivity algorithms play an important role in data exchange, collaborative detection and information fusion. Due to the harsh application environment, abnormal nodes often appear, and the network connectivity will be prone to be lost. Network self-healing mechanisms have become critical for these systems. In order to decrease the movement overhead of the sensor-actor nodes, an autonomous connectivity restoration algorithm based on finite state machine is proposed. The idea is to identify whether a node is a critical node by using a finite state machine, and update the connected dominating set in a timely way. If an abnormal node is a critical node, the nearest non-critical node will be relocated to replace the abnormal node. In the case of multiple node abnormality, a regional network restoration algorithm is introduced. It is designed to reduce the overhead of node movements while restoration happens. Simulation results indicate the proposed algorithm has better performance on the total moving distance and the number of total relocated nodes compared with some other representative restoration algorithms. PMID:29316702

String structures and the index of the Dirac-Ramond operator on orbifolds