Hierarchical Control of the ATLAS Experiment

CERN Document Server

Barriuso-Poy, Alex; Llobet-Valero, E

2007-01-01

Control systems at High Energy Physics (HEP) experiments are becoming increasingly complex mainly due to the size, complexity and data volume associated to the front-end instrumentation. In particular, this becomes visible for the ATLAS experiment at the LHC accelerator at CERN. ATLAS will be the largest particle detector ever built, result of an international collaboration of more than 150 institutes. The experiment is composed of 9 different specialized sub-detectors that perform different tasks and have different requirements for operation. The system in charge of the safe and coherent operation of the whole experiment is called Detector Control System (DCS). This thesis presents the integration of the ATLAS DCS into a global control tree following the natural segmentation of the experiment into sub-detectors and smaller sub-systems. The integration of the many different systems composing the DCS includes issues such as: back-end organization, process model identification, fault detection, synchronization ...

Experiments in nonlinear dynamics using control-based continuation: Tracking stable and unstable response curves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bureau, Emil; Schilder, Frank; Santos, Ilmar

2014-01-01

We show how to implement control-based continuation in a nonlinear experiment using existing and freely available software. We demonstrate that it is possible to track the complete frequency response, including the unstable branches, for a harmonically forced impact oscillator.......We show how to implement control-based continuation in a nonlinear experiment using existing and freely available software. We demonstrate that it is possible to track the complete frequency response, including the unstable branches, for a harmonically forced impact oscillator....

Vortexlet models of flapping flexible wings show tuning for force production and control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mountcastle, A M; Daniel, T L

2010-01-01

Insect wings are compliant structures that experience deformations during flight. Such deformations have recently been shown to substantially affect induced flows, with appreciable consequences to flight forces. However, there are open questions related to the aerodynamic mechanisms underlying the performance benefits of wing deformation, as well as the extent to which such deformations are determined by the boundary conditions governing wing actuation together with mechanical properties of the wing itself. Here we explore aerodynamic performance parameters of compliant wings under periodic oscillations, subject to changes in phase between wing elevation and pitch, and magnitude and spatial pattern of wing flexural stiffness. We use a combination of computational structural mechanics models and a 2D computational fluid dynamics approach to ask how aerodynamic force production and control potential are affected by pitch/elevation phase and variations in wing flexural stiffness. Our results show that lift and thrust forces are highly sensitive to flexural stiffness distributions, with performance optima that lie in different phase regions. These results suggest a control strategy for both flying animals and engineering applications of micro-air vehicles.

Controlled blasting experiments in a small drift at the CANMET experimental mine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lizotte, Y.C.

1994-03-01

Experiments on controlled blasting conducted at the CANMET Experimental Mine to develop suitable controlled blasting techniques for small development headings are described. The methods selected for study must maintain the drill-blast-muck cycle achieved each work shift. The experiments also examine blast damage mechanisms to formulate criteria for dilution minimization with blast designs in stopes. The drift faces are 2.4 m square, with 34 to 43 holes drilled 2.4 m deep. Cartridged water gels, emulsions, and semi-gelatin dynamite were used in the cuts and as primers, ANFO as the main explosive, and semi- gelatin dynamite in 19 mm diameter cartridges was used in perimeter holes. The results of the first set of experiments show the efficiency of controlled blasting techniques to reduce blast damage. 60 refs., 71 figs., 9 tabs.

Open-Rate Controlled Experiment in E-Mail Marketing Campaigns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antun Biloš

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose – The main purpose of this paper is to test the controlled experiment (A/B split methodology in B2C oriented e-mail marketing campaigns. Design/Methodology/Approach – E-mail marketing techniques have been a substantial part of e-marketing methodology since the early Internet days of the mid-1990s. From the very beginning of Internet utilization for business purposes, e-mail was one of the most widely used communication techniques in B2B and B2C markets alike. Due to high volumes of spamming and progression of online communication clutter, some practitioners began to question the usability of e-mail as a marketing communication channel, while others embarked on working on improving the message itself. Efforts were invested into improving message quality, as well as into better understanding user expectations. One of the most commonly used techniques to test specific e-mail message elements is the controlled experiment. Findings and implications – This paper explores several types of controlled experiments in a specific Croatian B2C market. Tests were run to determine subscriber behavior towards several newsletter components, including sending time, sending day, sender’s name, and subject line. Open and click rates for tested campaigns, and several other metrics were investigated using MailChimp software. An N − 1 two-proportion test using an adjusted Wald confidence interval around the difference in the proportions was used for comparing the open-rate measure in the controlled experiments between subjects. Limitation – Controlled experiments (A/B split tests showed a lot of potential as a way of measuring behavior and preferences of subscribers, although several apparent limitations (the data-set scope, comparability issues indicated a clear need for standardization on a managerial and scientific level. Originality – This paper provides an up-to-date e-mail marketing effectiveness literature review, describes and tests the

Out-reach in-space technology experiments program: Control of flexible robot manipulators in zero gravity, experiment definition phase

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Warren F.

1989-01-01

The results obtained show that it is possible to control light-weight robots with flexible links in a manner that produces good response time and does not induce unacceptable link vibrations. However, deflections induced by gravity cause large static position errors with such a control system. For this reason, it is not possible to use this control system for controlling motion in the direction of gravity. The control system does, on the other hand, have potential for use in space. However, in-space experiments will be needed to verify its applicability to robots moving in three dimensions.

Climate chamber for environmentally controlled laboratory airflow experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Even-Tzur, Nurit; Zaretsky, Uri; Grinberg, Orly; Davidovich, Tomer; Kloog, Yoel; Wolf, Michael; Elad, David

2010-01-01

Climate chambers have been widely used in in vitro and in vivo studies which require controlled environmental temperature and humidity conditions. This article describes a new desktop climate chamber that was developed for application of respiratory airflows on cultured nasal epithelial cells (NEC) under controlled temperature and humidity conditions. Flow experiments were performed by connecting the climate chamber to an airflow generator via a flow chamber with cultured NEC. Experiments at two controlled climate conditions, 25 degrees C and 40% relative humidity (RH) and 37 degrees C and 80%RH, were conducted to study mucin secretion from the cultures inresponse to the flow. The new climate chamber is a relatively simple and inexpensive apparatus which can easily be connected to any flow system for climate controlled flow experiments. This chamber can be easily adjusted to various in vitro experiments, as well as to clinical studies with animals or human subjects which require controlled climate conditions.

Rotor experiments in controlled conditions continued: New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Boorsma, K.; Schepers, J. G.

2016-09-01

To validate and reduce the large uncertainty associated with rotor aerodynamic and acoustic models, there is a need for detailed force, noise and surrounding flow velocity measurements on wind turbines under controlled conditions. However, high quality wind tunnel campaigns on horizontal axis wind turbine models are scarce due to the large wind tunnel size needed and consequently high associated costs. To serve this purpose an experiment using the Mexico turbine was set-up in the large low speed facility of the DNW wind tunnel. An overview of the experiments is given including a selection of results. A comparison of calculations to measurements for design conditions shows a satisfactory agreement. In summary, after years of preparation, ECN and partners have performed very successful aerodynamic experiments in the largest wind tunnel in Europe. The comprehensive high quality database that has been obtained will be used in the international Mexnext consortium to further develop wind energy aerodynamic and acoustic modeling.

MONETARY AND NON-MONETARY INCENTIVES TO BOOST TAX PAYMENT A CONTROLLED EXPERIMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria, Giarrizzo

2012-01-01

Full Text Available After centuries in which control and punishment formed the basis of policies designed to combat tax evasion, the results in many world economies are far from expected. Paying taxes is a resisted action, a few people are predisposed to do so voluntarily and that bias is reduced if people perceive inefficiencies from the State. When that happens, controls and penalties, although necessary, become insufficient and it is necessary to create parallel incentives. This research shows evidence of the usefulness of positive incentives and the need to replace the traditional control scheme and penalties for a control scheme, punishments and rewards. Supported by a controlled experiment contrasts the results of the allocation of awards for a good contributor, showing some advantages of non-cash prizes on the prize money.

Experiment monitoring system of a new electromagnet drive for nuclear reactor control rod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jige; Wang Xiaoguang; Wu Yuanqiang; Zhang Zhengming

2003-01-01

In order to deal with some unsolved problems in the engineering prototype design of a new electromagnet drive device for nuclear reactor control rod, the property experiment in view of principle prototype is carried out. Actual displacement of nuclear reactor control rod is measured by means of raster ruler and the test data is obtained by means of computer. The computer communicates with PLC using RS232 serial port. The experimental results show that the monitoring system have the properties of high reliability and high precision, and ensures the experiment to accomplish successfully

HAMMLAB 1999 experimental control room: design - design rationale - experiences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foerdestroemmen, N. T.; Meyer, B. D.; Saarni, R.

1999-01-01

A presentation of HAMMLAB 1999 experimental control room, and the accumulated experiences gathered in the areas of design and design rationale as well as user experiences. It is concluded that HAMMLAB 1999 experimental control room is a realistic, compact and efficient control room well suited as an Advanced NPP Control Room (ml)

Concluding from operating experience to instrumentation and control systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pleger, H.; Heinsohn, H.

1997-01-01

Where conclusions are drawn from operating experience to instrumentation and control systems, two general statements should be made. First: There have been braekdowns, there have also been deficiencies, but in principle operating experience with the instrumentation and control systems of German nuclear power plants has been good. With respect to the debates about the use of modern digital instrumentation and control systems it is safe to say, secondly, that the instrumentation and control systems currently in use are working reliably. Hence, there is no need at present to replace existing systems for reasons of technical safety. However, that time will come. It is a good thing, therefore, that the use of modern digital instrumentation and control systems is to begin in the field of limiting devices. The operating experience which will thus be accumulated will benefit digital instrumentation and control systems in their qualification process for more demanding applications. This makes proper logging of operating experience an important function, even if it cannot be transferred in every respect. All parties involved therefore should see to it that this operating experience is collected in accordance with criteria agreed upon so as to prevent unwanted surprises later on. (orig.) [de

Reproducibility, controllability, and optimization of LENR experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagel, David J. [The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052 (United States)

2006-07-01

Low-energy nuclear reaction (LENR) measurements are significantly, and increasingly reproducible. Practical control of the production of energy or materials by LENR has yet to be demonstrated. Minimization of costly inputs and maximization of desired outputs of LENR remain for future developments. The paper concludes by underlying that it is now clearly that demands for reproducible experiments in the early years of LENR experiments were premature. In fact, one can argue that irreproducibility should be expected for early experiments in a complex new field. As emphasized in the paper and as often happened in the history of science, experimental and theoretical progress can take even decades. It is likely to be many years before investments in LENR experiments will yield significant returns, even for successful research programs. However, it is clearly that a fundamental understanding of the anomalous effects observed in numerous experiments will significantly increase reproducibility, improve controllability, enable optimization of processes, and accelerate the economic viability of LENR.

Reproducibility, controllability, and optimization of LENR experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagel, David J.

2006-01-01

Low-energy nuclear reaction (LENR) measurements are significantly, and increasingly reproducible. Practical control of the production of energy or materials by LENR has yet to be demonstrated. Minimization of costly inputs and maximization of desired outputs of LENR remain for future developments. The paper concludes by underlying that it is now clearly that demands for reproducible experiments in the early years of LENR experiments were premature. In fact, one can argue that irreproducibility should be expected for early experiments in a complex new field. As emphasized in the paper and as often happened in the history of science, experimental and theoretical progress can take even decades. It is likely to be many years before investments in LENR experiments will yield significant returns, even for successful research programs. However, it is clearly that a fundamental understanding of the anomalous effects observed in numerous experiments will significantly increase reproducibility, improve controllability, enable optimization of processes, and accelerate the economic viability of LENR

Application of programmable logic controller in nuclear experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ponikvar, D.

1991-09-01

The applicability of programmable logic controller (PLC) in nuclear experiments was studied on an example that simulated the monitoring and control of an ion beam in an accelerator. Using infrared and laser light, a comparison was made between the complexity and suitability of PLC compared to a setup using a personal computer. The experiments are described in detail. The routines for registration of signals from appropriate sensors and for control of the stepper monitor were written in quick BASIC. (author). 5 figs

The LHC experiments' joint controls project (JCOP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wayne Salter

2001-01-01

The development and maintenance of the control systems of the four Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments will require a non-negligible amount of resources and effort. In order to minimise the overall effort required the Joint Controls Project (JCOP) was set-up as a collaboration between CERN and the four LHC experiments to find and implement common solutions for the control of the LHC experiments. It is one of the few examples of such a wide collaboration and therefore the existence of the JCOP project is extremely significant. The author will give a brief overview of the project, its structure and its history. It will go on to summarise the various sub-projects that have been initiated under the auspices of JCOP together will their current status. It will highlight that the JCOP general principle is to promote the use of industrial solutions wherever possible. However, this does not rule out the provision of custom solutions when non-standard devices or very large numbers of devices have to be controlled. The author will also discuss the architecture foreseen by JCOP and where in this architecture the various types of solutions are expected to be used. Finally, although the selection of common industrial and custom solutions is a necessary condition for JCOP to succeed, the use of these solutions in themselves would not necessarily lead to the production of homogeneous control systems. Therefore, the author will finish with a description of the JCOP Framework, which is being developed to promote the use of these common solutions, to reduce the development effort required by the various experiment development teams and to help to build and integrate control systems which can be more easily maintained

Experience on operational safety improvement of control and operation support systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itoh, N.; Nakagawa, T.; Mano, K.

1988-01-01

Japanese nuclear industry started in 1956 and about 30 years have passed since that time. Through these years, we have made a lot of efforts and developments in the field of Control and Instrumentation (C and I) system. The above 30 years and following years can be divided into four major periods. The first one is the period of research, the second of domestic production, the third of improvement, and the fourth of advancement. Improvements of C and I system, which we have made in those periods have made a great contribution to enhancement of reliability, availability and operability of nuclear power plants. Fig. 1 shows TEPCO's nuclear power plant (BWR) construction experience and technical trend of C and I system in Japan. This paper is to introduce the efforts and operational experience on control and operation support systems

Rapid Software Development for Experiment Control at OPAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hathaway, P.V.; Lam, Tony; Franceschini, Ferdi; Hauser, Nick; Rayner, Hugh

2005-01-01

Full text: ANSTO is undertaking the parallel development of instrument control and graphical experiment interface software for seven neutron beam instruments at OPAL. Each instrument poses several challenges for a common system solution, including custom detector interfaces, a range of motion and beamline optics schema, and a spectrum of online data reduction requirements. To provide a superior system with the least development effort, the computing team have adopted proven, configurable, server-based control software (SICS)1., a highly Integrated Scientific Experimental Environment (GumTree)2. and industry-standard database management systems. The resulting graphical interfaces allow operation in a familiar experiment domain, with monitoring of data and parameters independent of control system specifics. GumTree presents the experimenter with a consistent interface for experiment management, instrument control and data reduction tasks. The facility instrument scientists can easily reconfigure instruments and add ancillaries. The user community can expect a reduced learning curve for performing each experiment. GumTree can be installed anywhere for pre-experiment familiarisation, postprocessing of acquired data sets, and integration with third party analysis tools. Instrument scientists are seeing faster software development iterations and have a solid basis to prepare for the next suite of instruments. 1. SICS from PSI (lns00.psi.ch). 2. GumTree (gumtree.sourceforge.net), new site: http://gumtree.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Experience with ActiveX control for simple channel access

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Timossi, C.; Nishimura, H.; McDonald, J.

2003-01-01

Accelerator control system applications at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (ALS) are typically deployed on operator consoles running Microsoft Windows 2000 and utilize EPICS[2]channel access for data access. In an effort to accommodate the wide variety of Windows based development tools and developers with little experience in network programming, ActiveX controls have been deployed on the operator stations. Use of ActiveX controls for use in the accelerator control environment has been presented previously[1]. Here we report on some of our experiences with the use and development of these controls

ASSISTments Dataset from Multiple Randomized Controlled Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Selent, Douglas; Patikorn, Thanaporn; Heffernan, Neil

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present a dataset consisting of data generated from 22 previously and currently running randomized controlled experiments inside the ASSISTments online learning platform. This dataset provides data mining opportunities for researchers to analyze ASSISTments data in a convenient format across multiple experiments at the same time.…

Men's controlling behaviors and women's experiences of physical violence in Malawi.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandal, Mahua; Hindin, Michelle J

2013-09-01

In the feminist paradigm, intimate partner violence (IPV) among heterosexual couples is gender asymmetric and largely a tactic of male control. However, research on the relationship between men's controlling behavior and physical violence against women is limited. This study examines whether having a controlling partner is associated with women's reports of experiencing physical violence in Malawi. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using data from 8,385 women who completed the domestic violence module of the Malawi 2004 Demographic and Health Survey. About 18 % of women reported they had experienced moderately severe physical violence and 1 % experienced very severe violence in the past 12 months. A third of women reported their partners had ever been controlling. Results from multivariable ordinal logistic regression showed that women who had controlling partners were significantly more likely to report experiencing physical violence. Other factors significantly associated with women's experience of physical violence included women who reported initiating physical violence against their partners, women's work status, partners' lower education level, and partners' alcohol consumption. Women with controlling partners were at increased risk of experiencing physical violence in the past year. However, women who reported initiating physical violence in the past year were nearly four times more likely to experience partner violence in the same time period. Future research should attempt to elucidate these two important risk factors for IPV.

International Co-Operation in Control Engineering Education Using Online Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Jim; Schaedel, Herbert M.

2005-01-01

This paper describes the international co-operation experience in teaching control engineering with laboratories being conducted remotely by students via the Internet. This paper describes how the students ran the experiments and their personal experiences with the laboratory. A tool for process identification and controller tuning based on…

Modern control room design experience and speculation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, J.E.

1993-01-01

Can operators trained to use conventional control panels readily adapt to CRT based control rooms? Does automation make the design of good man-machine interfaces more or less difficult? In a conventional, hard-wired control room is the operator's peripheral vision always an asset and how can one do better in a CRT based control room? Are Expert System assisted man-machine interfaces a boon or a bust? This paper explores these questions in the light of actual experience with advanced power plant control environments. This paper discusses how automation has in fact simplified the problem of ensuring that the operator has at all times a clear understanding of the plant state. The author contends that conventional hard-wired control rooms are very poor at providing the operator with a good overview of the plant status particularly under startup, or upset conditions and that CRT-based control rooms offer an opportunity for improvement. Experience with some early attempts at this are discussed together with some interesting proposals from other authors. Finally the paper discusses the experience to date with expert system assisted man-machine interfaces. Although promising for the future progress has been slow. The amount of knowledge research required is often formidable and consequently costly. Often when an adequate knowledge base is finally acquired it turns out to be better to use it to increase the level of automation and thus simplify the operator's task. The risks are not any greater and automation offers more consistent operation. It is important also to carefully distinguish between expert system assisted display selection and expert system operator guidance. The first is intended to help the operator in his quest for information. The second attempts to guide the operator actions. The good and the bad points of each of these approaches is discussed

Low-Cost Undergraduate Control Systems Experiments Using Microcontroller-Based Control of a DC Motor

Science.gov (United States)

Gunasekaran, M.; Potluri, R.

2012-01-01

This paper presents low-cost experiments for a control systems laboratory module that is worth one and a third credits. The experiments are organized around the microcontroller-based control of a permanent magnet dc motor. The experimental setups were built in-house. Except for the operating system, the software used is primarily freeware or free…

Capital Controls, Two-tiered Exchange Rate Systems and the Exchange Rate Policy : The South African Experience

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schaling, E.

2005-01-01

South Africa's 40 years of experience with capital controls on residents and non-residents (1961-2001) reads like a collection of examples of perverse unanticipated effects of legislation and regulation.We show that the presence of capital controls on residents and non-residents, enabled the South

Experiment on thermohydraulics of simulated control rod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, Masuro; Ouchi, Mitsuo; Akino, Norio; Fujimura, Kaoru; Shiina, Yasuaki; Kawamura, Hiroshi

1984-10-01

A thermohydraulic study of a control rod channel is required for the core design of the Very High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor (VHTR). A non-heating experiment with air flow was performed prior to heating experiment with helium flow. Experimental results on stability of flow, flow rate distribution and pressure drop of the control rod channel are reported. In a test section of the experimental apparatus, five simulated control subrods were suspended vertically in a circular duct. Their dimension was in coincide with those of the Detailed Disign (I) of the VHTR. Air of atomospheric pressure was used as a coolant gas, which flowed in inner and outer paths of the subrods. Total flow rate ranged from 0.0011 to 0.0062 kg/s. Flow rate distribution and pressure drop were obtained for various flow rates. Velocity fluctuation in the channel was also observed using a hot wire anemometer. From these experiments, it was found that the flow rate distribution was nearly the same as a disigned value and that turbulent and laminar flows were simultaneously realized in outer and inner paths respectively. These observations supported a feasibility of the present design. (author)

The control architecture of the D0 experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

J. Fredrick Bartlett et al.

2002-01-01

From a controls viewpoint, contemporary high energy physics collider detectors are comparable in complexity to small to medium size accelerators: however, their controls requirements often differ significantly. D0, one of two collider experiments at Fermilab, has recently started a second, extended running period that will continue for the next five years. EPICS [1], an integrated set of software building blocks for implementing a distributed control system, has been adapted to satisfy the slow controls needs of the D0 detector by (1) extending the support for new device types and an additional field bus, (2) by the addition of a global event reporting system that augments the existing EPICS alarm support, and (3) by the addition of a centralized database with supporting tools for defining the configuration of the control system. This paper discusses the control architecture of the current D0 experiment, how the EPICS system was extended to meet the control requirements of a large, high-energy physics detector, and how a formal control system contributes to the management of detector operations

Seeing conflict and engaging control: Experience with contrastive language benefits executive function in preschoolers.

Science.gov (United States)

Doebel, Sabine; Zelazo, Philip David

2016-12-01

Engaging executive function often requires overriding a prepotent response in favor of a conflicting but adaptive one. Language may play a key role in this ability by supporting integrated representations of conflicting rules. We tested whether experience with contrastive language that could support such representations benefits executive function in 3-year-old children. Children who received brief experience with language highlighting contrast between objects, attributes, and actions showed greater executive function on two of three 'conflict' executive function tasks than children who received experience with contrasting stimuli only and children who read storybooks with the experimenter, controlling for baseline executive function. Experience with contrasting stimuli did not benefit executive function relative to reading books with the experimenter, indicating experience with contrastive language, rather than experience with contrast generally, was key. Experience with contrastive language also boosted spontaneous attention to contrast, consistent with improvements in representing contrast. These findings indicate a role for language in executive function that is consistent with the Cognitive Complexity and Control theory's key claim that coordinating conflicting rules is critical to overcoming perseveration, and suggest new ideas for testing theories of executive function. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gas box control system for Tandem Mirror Experiment-Upgrade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bell, H.H. Jr.; Hunt, A.L.; Clower, C.A. Jr.

1983-01-01

The Tandem Mirror Experiment-Upgrade (TMX-U) uses several methods to feed gas (usually deuterium) at different energies into the plasma region of the machine. One is an arrangement of eight high-speed piezo-electric valves mounted on special manifolds (gas box) that feed cold gas directly to the plasma. This paper describes the electronic valve control and data acquisition portions of the gas box, which are controlled by a desk-top computer. Various flow profiles have been developed and stored in the control computer for ready access by the operator. The system uses two modes of operation, one that exercises and characterizes the valves and one that operates the valves with the rest of the experiment. Both the valve control signals and the pressure transducers data are recorded on the diagnostics computer so that they are available for experiment analysis

The detector control system of the ATLAS experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poy, A Barriuso; Burckhart, H J; Cook, J; Franz, S; Gutzwiller, O; Hallgren, B; Schlenker, S; Varela, F; Boterenbrood, H; Filimonov, V; Khomutnikov, V

2008-01-01

The ATLAS experiment is one of the experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, constructed to study elementary particle interactions in collisions of high-energy proton beams. The individual detector components as well as the common experimental infrastructure are supervised by the Detector Control System (DCS). The DCS enables equipment supervision using operator commands, reads, processes and archives the operational parameters of the detector, allows for error recognition and handling, manages the communication with external control systems, and provides a synchronization mechanism with the physics data acquisition system. Given the enormous size and complexity of ATLAS, special emphasis was put on the use of standardized hardware and software components enabling efficient development and long-term maintainability of the DCS over the lifetime of the experiment. Currently, the DCS is being used successfully during the experiment commissioning phase

Reproducible and controllable induction voltage adder for scaled beam experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sakai, Yasuo; Nakajima, Mitsuo; Horioka, Kazuhiko [Department of Energy Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8502 (Japan)

2016-08-15

A reproducible and controllable induction adder was developed using solid-state switching devices and Finemet cores for scaled beam compression experiments. A gate controlled MOSFET circuit was developed for the controllable voltage driver. The MOSFET circuit drove the induction adder at low magnetization levels of the cores which enabled us to form reproducible modulation voltages with jitter less than 0.3 ns. Preliminary beam compression experiments indicated that the induction adder can improve the reproducibility of modulation voltages and advance the beam physics experiments.

Importance of temperature control for HEFLEX, a biological experiment for Spacelab 1. [plant gravitational physiology study

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, D. K.; Brown, A. H.

1979-01-01

The importance of temperature control to HEFLEX, a Spacelab experiment designed to measure kinetic properties of Helianthis nutation in a low-g environment, is discussed. It is argued that the development of the HEFLEX experiment has been severely hampered by the inadequate control of ambient air temperature provided by the spacecraft module design. A worst case calculation shows that delivery of only 69% of the maximum yield of useful data from the HEFLEX system is guaranteed; significant data losses from inadequate temperature control are expected. The magnitude of the expected data losses indicates that the cost reductions associated with imprecise temperature controls may prove to be a false economy in the long term.

Basic radiological studies contamination control experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duce, S.W.; Winberg, M.R.; Freeman, A.L.

1989-09-01

This report describes the results of experiments relating to contamination control performed in support of the Environmental Restoration Programs Retrieval Project. During the years 1950 to 1970 waste contaminated with plutonium and other transuranic radionuclides was disposed of in shallow land-filled pits and trenches at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. Due to potential for migration of radionuclides to an existing aquifer the feasibility of retrieving and repackaging the waste for placement in a final repository is being examined as part of a retrieval project. Contamination control experiments were conducted to determine expected respirable and nonrespirable plutonium contaminated dust fractions and the effectiveness of various dust suppression techniques. Three soil types were tested to determine respirable fractions: Rocky Flats Plant generic soil, Radioactive Waste Management Complex generic soil, and a 1:1 blend of the two soil types. Overall, the average respirable fraction of airborne dust was 5.4% by weight. Three contamination control techniques were studied: soil fixative sprays, misting agents, and dust suppression agents. All of the tested agents proved to be effective in reducing dust in the air. Details of product performance and recommended usage are discussed

Mechanization of and experience with a triplex fly-by-wire backup control system

Science.gov (United States)

Lock, W. P.; Petersen, W. R.; Whitman, G. B.

1976-01-01

A redundant three axis analog control system was designed and developed to back up a digital fly by wire control system for an F-8C airplane. The mechanization and operational experience with the backup control system, the problems involved in synchronizing it with the primary system, and the reliability of the system are discussed. The backup control system was dissimilar to the primary system, and it provided satisfactory handling through the flight envelope evaluated. Limited flight tests of a variety of control tasks showed that control was also satisfactory when the backup control system was controlled by a minimum displacement (force) side stick. The operational reliability of the F-8 digital fly by wire control system was satisfactory, with no unintentional downmodes to the backup control system in flight. The ground and flight reliability of the system's components is discussed.

DABASCO Experiment Data Acquisition and Control System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alberdi Primicia, J.; Artigao Arteaga, A.; Barcala Rieveira, J. M.; Oller Gonzalez, J. C.

2000-01-01

DABASCO experiment wants to study the thermohydraulic phenomena produced into the containment area for a severe accident in a nuclear power facility. This document describes the characteristics of the data acquisition and control system used in the experiment. The main elements of the system were a data acquisition board, PCI-MIO-16E-4, and an application written with LaB View. (Author) 5 refs

The LHC experiment control system: on the path to full automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaspar, C.; Alessio, F.; Cardoso, L.; Frank, M.; Garnier, J.C.; Herwijnen, E.V.; Jacobsson, R.; Jost, B.; Neufeld, N.; Schwemmer, R.; Callot, O.; Franek, B.

2012-01-01

LHCb is a large experiment at the LHC accelerator. The experiment control system is in charge of the configuration, control and monitoring of the different sub-detectors and of all areas of the online system. The building blocks of the control system are based on the PVSS SCADA System complemented by a control Framework developed in common for the 4 LHC experiments. This framework includes an 'expert system' like tool called SMI++ which is used for the system automation. The experiment's operations are now almost completely automated, driven by a top-level object called Big-Brother, which pilots all the experiment's standard procedures and the most common error-recovery procedures. The architecture, tools and mechanisms used for the implementation as well as some operational examples will be described. (authors)

Interactivity in automatic control: foundations and experiences

OpenAIRE

Dormido Bencomo, Sebastián; Guzmán Sánchez, José Luis; Costa Castelló, Ramon; Berenguel, M

2012-01-01

The first part of this paper presents the concepts of interactivity and visualization and its essential role in learning the fundamentals and techniques of automatic control. More than 10 years experience of the authors in the development and design of interactive tools dedicated to the study of automatic control concepts are also exposed. The second part of the paper summarizes the main features of the “Automatic Control with Interactive Tools” text that has been recently published by Pea...

Remote Experiments in Control Engineering Education Laboratory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milica B Naumović

2008-05-01

Full Text Available This paper presents Automatic Control Engineering Laboratory (ACEL - WebLab, an under-developed, internet-based remote laboratory for control engineering education at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Niš. Up to now, the remote laboratory integrates two physical systems (velocity servo system and magnetic levitation system and enables some levels of measurement and control. To perform experiments in ACEL-WebLab, the "LabVIEW Run Time Engine"and a standard web browser are needed.

Experience in control of avian influenza in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sims, L D

2007-01-01

Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses have been circulating in Asia for over ten years, providing considerable experience on which to base appropriate long-term strategies for their control. Experience in Hong Kong SAR demonstrates that existing production and marketing practices should be changed and a range of parallel measures used. It also shows the extent of surveillance required to ensure continuing freedom from infection. Certain high-risk practices should be changed or otherwise overcome in order to control and prevent disease, including intensive rearing of large numbers of poultry in premises without biosecurity commensurate with the level of risk for exposure; complex market chains involving many smallholders selling poultry through large numbers of transporters and middlemen in poorly regulated live poultry markets; and rearing of large numbers of ducks outdoors. These high-risk practices are compounded by weak veterinary services and poor reporting systems. In many parts of Asia, these methods of rearing and marketing are an integral way of life, support the poorest members of the community or cannot be changed quickly without severe socioeconomic consequences. The gains made so far will be ephemeral unless there is a shift from an emergency focus to one of consolidation in which these high-risk practices are identified and sustainable measures implemented to minimize the risks they pose, taking account of the socioeconomic effects of interventions. Vaccination will play a key role, as it currently does in China and Viet Nam.

Genome-wide analysis of adolescent psychotic-like experiences shows genetic overlap with psychiatric disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Pain, Oliver; Dudbridge, Frank; Cardno, Alastair G; Freeman, Daniel; Lu, Yi; Lundstrom, Sebastian; Lichtenstein, Paul; Ronald, Angelica

2018-03-31

This study aimed to test for overlap in genetic influences between psychotic-like experience traits shown by adolescents in the community, and clinically-recognized psychiatric disorders in adulthood, specifically schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. The full spectra of psychotic-like experience domains, both in terms of their severity and type (positive, cognitive, and negative), were assessed using self- and parent-ratings in three European community samples aged 15-19 years (Final N incl. siblings = 6,297-10,098). A mega-genome-wide association study (mega-GWAS) for each psychotic-like experience domain was performed. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-heritability of each psychotic-like experience domain was estimated using genomic-relatedness-based restricted maximum-likelihood (GREML) and linkage disequilibrium- (LD-) score regression. Genetic overlap between specific psychotic-like experience domains and schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression was assessed using polygenic risk score (PRS) and LD-score regression. GREML returned SNP-heritability estimates of 3-9% for psychotic-like experience trait domains, with higher estimates for less skewed traits (Anhedonia, Cognitive Disorganization) than for more skewed traits (Paranoia and Hallucinations, Parent-rated Negative Symptoms). Mega-GWAS analysis identified one genome-wide significant association for Anhedonia within IDO2 but which did not replicate in an independent sample. PRS analysis revealed that the schizophrenia PRS significantly predicted all adolescent psychotic-like experience trait domains (Paranoia and Hallucinations only in non-zero scorers). The major depression PRS significantly predicted Anhedonia and Parent-rated Negative Symptoms in adolescence. Psychotic-like experiences during adolescence in the community show additive genetic effects and partly share genetic influences with clinically-recognized psychiatric disorders, specifically schizophrenia and

Distributed control network for optogenetic experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Kasprowicz, G.; Juszczyk, B.; Mankiewicz, L.

2014-11-01

Nowadays optogenetic experiments are constructed to examine social behavioural relations in groups of animals. A novel concept of implantable device with distributed control network and advanced positioning capabilities is proposed. It is based on wireless energy transfer technology, micro-power radio interface and advanced signal processing.

Patient experience shows little relationship with hospital quality management strategies.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groene, O.; Arah, O.A.; Klazinga, N.S.; Wagner, C.; Bartels, P.D.; Kristensen, S.; Saillour, F.; Thompson, C.A.; Pfaff, H.; DerSarkissian, M.; Suñol, R.

2015-01-01

Objectives: Patient-reported experience measures are increasingly being used to routinely monitor the quality of care. With the increasing attention on such measures, hospital managers seek ways to systematically improve patient experience across hospital departments, in particular where outcomes

Patient Experience Shows Little Relationship with Hospital Quality Management Strategies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groene, Oliver; Arah, Onyebuchi A.; Klazinga, Niek S.; Wagner, Cordula; Bartels, Paul D.; Kristensen, Solvejg; Saillour, Florence; Thompson, Andrew; Thompson, Caroline A.; Pfaff, Holger; Dersarkissian, Maral; Sunol, Rosa

2015-01-01

Patient-reported experience measures are increasingly being used to routinely monitor the quality of care. With the increasing attention on such measures, hospital managers seek ways to systematically improve patient experience across hospital departments, in particular where outcomes are used for

File management for experiment control parameters within a distributed function computer network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stubblefield, F.W.

1976-10-01

An attempt to design and implement a computer system for control of and data collection from a set of laboratory experiments reveals that many of the experiments in the set require an extensive collection of parameters for their control. The operation of the experiments can be greatly simplified if a means can be found for storing these parameters between experiments and automatically accessing them as they are required. A subsystem for managing files of such experiment control parameters is discussed. 3 figures

Active MHD control experiments in RFX-mod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortolani, Sergio

2006-01-01

The RFX reversed field pinch experiment has been modified (RFX-mod) to address specific issues of active control of MHD instabilities. A thin shell (τ Bv ∼50 ms) has replaced the old thick one (τ Bv ∼500 ms) and 192 (4 poloidal x 48 toroidal) independently powered saddle coils surround the thin shell forming a cage completely covering the torus. This paper reports the results obtained during the first year of operation. The system has been used with various control scenarios including experiments on local radial field cancellation over the entire torus surface to mimic an ideal wall ('virtual shell') and on single and multiple mode feedback control. Successful virtual shell operation has been achieved leading to: a 3-fold increase in pulse length and well controlled 300 ms pulses(∼6 shell times) up to ∼1 MA plasma current; one order of magnitude reduction of the dominant radial field perturbations at the plasma edge and correspondingly 100% increase in global energy confinement time. Robust feedback stabilization of resistive wall modes has been demonstrated in conditions where rotation does not play a role and multiple unstable modes are present

Effects of galvanic skin response feedback on user experience in gaze-controlled gaming: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Larradet, Fanny; Barresi, Giacinto; Mattos, Leonardo S

2017-07-01

Eye-tracking (ET) is one of the most intuitive solutions for enabling people with severe motor impairments to control devices. Nevertheless, even such an effective assistive solution can detrimentally affect user experience during demanding tasks because of, for instance, the user's mental workload - using gaze-based controls for an extensive period of time can generate fatigue and cause frustration. Thus, it is necessary to design novel solutions for ET contexts able to improve the user experience, with particular attention to its aspects related to workload. In this paper, a pilot study evaluates the effects of a relaxation biofeedback system on the user experience in the context of a gaze-controlled task that is mentally and temporally demanding: ET-based gaming. Different aspects of the subjects' experience were investigated under two conditions of a gaze-controlled game. In the Biofeedback group (BF), the user triggered a command by means of voluntary relaxation, monitored through Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) and represented by visual feedback. In the No Biofeedback group (NBF), the same feedback was timed according to the average frequency of commands in BF. After the experiment, each subject filled out a user experience questionnaire. The results showed a general appreciation for BF, with a significant between-group difference in the perceived session time duration, with the latter being shorter for subjects in BF than for the ones in NBF. This result implies a lower mental workload for BF than for NBF subjects. Other results point toward a potential role of user's engagement in the improvement of user experience in BF. Such an effect highlights the value of relaxation biofeedback for improving the user experience in a demanding gaze-controlled task.

Citrus Quality Control: An NMR/MRI Problem-Based Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Erhart, Sarah E.; McCarrick, Robert M.; Lorigan, Gary A.; Yezierski, Ellen J.

2016-01-01

An experiment seated in an industrial context can provide an engaging framework and unique learning opportunity for an upper-division physical chemistry laboratory. An experiment that teaches NMR/MRI through a problem-based quality control of citrus products was developed. In this experiment, using a problem-based learning (PBL) approach, students…

Brookhaven Reactor Experiment Control Facility, a distributed function computer network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dimmler, D.G.; Greenlaw, N.; Kelley, M.A.; Potter, D.W.; Rankowitz, S.; Stubblefield, F.W.

1975-11-01

A computer network for real-time data acquisition, monitoring and control of a series of experiments at the Brookhaven High Flux Beam Reactor has been developed and has been set into routine operation. This reactor experiment control facility presently services nine neutron spectrometers and one x-ray diffractometer. Several additional experiment connections are in progress. The architecture of the facility is based on a distributed function network concept. A statement of implementation and results is presented

Computer controls for the WITCH experiment

CERN Document Server

Tandecki, M; Van Gorp, S; Friedag, P; De Leebeeck, V; Beck, D; Brand, H; Weinheimer, C; Breitenfeldt, M; Traykov, E; Mader, J; Roccia, S; Severijns, N; Herlert, A; Wauters, F; Zakoucky, D; Kozlov, V; Soti, G

2011-01-01

The WITCH experiment is a medium-scale experimental set-up located at ISOLDE/CERN. It combines a double Penning trap system with,a retardation spectrometer for energy measurements of recoil ions from beta decay. For a correct operation of such a set-up a whole range of different devices is required. Along with the installation and optimization of the set-up a computer control system was developed to control these devices. The CS-Framework that is developed and maintained at GSI, was chosen as a basis for this control system as it is perfectly suited to handle the distributed nature of a control system.We report here on the required hardware for WITCH, along with the basis of this CS-Framework and the add-ons that were implemented for WITCH. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differences in cannabis-related experiences between patients with a first episode of psychosis and controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianconi, F; Bonomo, M; Marconi, A; Kolliakou, A; Stilo, S A; Iyegbe, C; Gurillo Muñoz, P; Homayoun, S; Mondelli, V; Luzi, S; Dazzan, P; Prata, D; La Cascia, C; O'Connor, J; David, A; Morgan, C; Murray, R M; Lynskey, M; Di Forti, M

2016-04-01

Many studies have reported that cannabis use increases the risk of a first episode of psychosis (FEP). However, only a few studies have investigated the nature of cannabis-related experiences in FEP patients, and none has examined whether these experiences are similar in FEP and general populations. The aim of this study was to explore differences in self-reported cannabis experiences between FEP and non-psychotic populations. A total of 252 subjects, who met International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 criteria for FEP, and 217 controls who reported cannabis use were selected from the Genetics and Psychosis (GAP) study. The Medical Research Council Social Schedule and the Cannabis Experience Questionnaire were used to collect sociodemographic data and cannabis use information, respectively. Both 'bad' and 'enjoyable' experiences were more commonly reported by FEP subjects than controls. Principal components factor analysis identified four components which explained 62.3% of the variance. Linear regression analysis on the whole sample showed that the type of cannabis used and beliefs about the effect of cannabis on health all contributed to determining the intensity and frequency of experiences. Linear regression analysis on FEP subjects showed that the duration of cannabis use and amount of money spent on cannabis were strongly related to the intensity and frequency of enjoyable experiences in this population. These results suggest a higher sensitivity to cannabis effects among people who have suffered their first psychotic episode; this hypersensitivity results in them reporting both more 'bad' and 'enjoyable' experiences. The greater enjoyment experienced may provide an explanation of why FEP patients are more likely to use cannabis and to continue to use it despite experiencing an exacerbation of their psychotic symptoms.

Statistical physics of human beings in games: Controlled experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Yuan; Huang, Ji-Ping

2014-07-01

It is important to know whether the laws or phenomena in statistical physics for natural systems with non-adaptive agents still hold for social human systems with adaptive agents, because this implies whether it is possible to study or understand social human systems by using statistical physics originating from natural systems. For this purpose, we review the role of human adaptability in four kinds of specific human behaviors, namely, normal behavior, herd behavior, contrarian behavior, and hedge behavior. The approach is based on controlled experiments in the framework of market-directed resource-allocation games. The role of the controlled experiments could be at least two-fold: adopting the real human decision-making process so that the system under consideration could reflect the performance of genuine human beings; making it possible to obtain macroscopic physical properties of a human system by tuning a particular factor of the system, thus directly revealing cause and effect. As a result, both computer simulations and theoretical analyses help to show a few counterparts of some laws or phenomena in statistical physics for social human systems: two-phase phenomena or phase transitions, entropy-related phenomena, and a non-equilibrium steady state. This review highlights the role of human adaptability in these counterparts, and makes it possible to study or understand some particular social human systems by means of statistical physics coming from natural systems.

The Detector Control of the PANDA Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feldbauer, F

2014-01-01

The PANDA experiment will be built at the antiproton storage ring HESR, a part of the new accelerator facility FAIR in Darmstadt, Germany. PANDA aims amongst other topics for high precision measurements in hadron spectroscopy and search for exotic matter. To guarantee the high resolution of the different components a detector control system (DCS) monitoring temperatures, humidity, pressure, and controlling chillers and power supplies is needed. The DCS of PANDA is built using the open-source software package EPICS (Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System) with a PANDA specific version of Control-System Studio. In this document the general concepts of the PANDA DCS will be discussed

The Global Control of the Virgo experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnaud, Nicolas; Arnault, Christian; Barsuglia, Matteo; Bizouard, Marie-Anne; Brisson, Violette; Cavalier, Fabien; Chiche, Ronic; Davier, Michel; Eder, Claude; Hello, Patrice; Heusse, Philippe; Kreckelbergh, Stephane; Mansoux, Bruno

2005-01-01

In order to detect gravitational waves, the kilometric interferometer Virgo needs an active control of the positions of the suspended optical components, keeping the detector at its working point. The constraints are about 10 -10 m RMS for the longitudinal control ('Locking') and 10 -9 rad RMS for the angular degrees of freedom ('Alignment'). A dedicated hardware and software named Global Control is in charge of the Locking and the Alignment loops for the Virgo experiment. This system has been designed to match the synchronization constraint and provide a flexible tool in order to easily integrate the various algorithms needed for the control of Virgo. This paper presents the technical requirements to be fulfilled by the Global Control. Then, the dedicated hardware is described and the overall architecture of the Global Control is shown

A remote control system for the LELA experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castellano, M.; Cavallo, N.; Cevenini, F.; Patteri, P.

1983-01-01

A modular system for closed loop computer control of stepping motors has been realized and used for optical component movement of LELA experiment in radiation risk area. A CAMAC module, controlling up to 15 stepping motors, a NIM dual motor driver and a special purpose circuit for computer interfacing are described

Dynamics control of autonomous vehicle at driving limits and experiment on an autonomous formula racing car

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Jun; Hu, Jibin

2017-06-01

In this paper, a novel dynamics controller for autonomous vehicle to simultaneously control it to the driving limits and follow the desired path is proposed. The dynamics controller consists of longitudinal and lateral controllers. In longitudinal controller, the G-G diagram is utilized to describe the driving and handling limits of the vehicle. The accurate G-G diagram is obtained based on phase plane approach and a nonlinear vehicle dynamic model with accurate tyre model. In lateral controller, the tyre cornering stiffness is estimated to improve the robustness of the controller. The stability analysis of the closed-looped error dynamics shows that the controller remains stable against parameters uncertainties in extreme condition such as tyre saturation. Finally, an electric autonomous Formula race car developed by the authors is used to validate the proposed controller. The autonomous driving experiment on an oval race track shows the efficiency and robustness of the proposed controller.

The Global Control of the Virgo experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arnaud, Nicolas [Laboratoire de l' Accelerateur Lineaire, CNRS-IN2P3 and Universite Paris Sud, Ba-hat timent 200, Campus d' Orsay, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France); Arnault, Christian [Laboratoire de l' Accelerateur Lineaire, CNRS-IN2P3 and Universite Paris Sud, Ba-hat timent 200, Campus d' Orsay, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France); Barsuglia, Matteo [Laboratoire de l' Accelerateur Lineaire, CNRS-IN2P3 and Universite Paris Sud, Ba-hat timent 200, Campus d' Orsay, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France); Bizouard, Marie-Anne [Laboratoire de l' Accelerateur Lineaire, CNRS-IN2P3 and Universite Paris Sud, Ba-hat timent 200, Campus d' Orsay, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France); Brisson, Violette [Laboratoire de l' Accelerateur Lineaire, CNRS-IN2P3 and Universite Paris Sud, Ba-hat timent 200, Campus d' Orsay, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France); Cavalier, Fabien [Laboratoire de l' Accelerateur Lineaire, CNRS-IN2P3 and Universite Paris Sud, Ba-hat timent 200, Campus d' Orsay, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France)]. E-mail: cavalier@lal.in2p3.fr; Chiche, Ronic [Laboratoire de l' Accelerateur Lineaire, CNRS-IN2P3 and Universite Paris Sud, Ba-hat timent 200, Campus d' Orsay, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France); Davier, Michel [Laboratoire de l' Accelerateur Lineaire, CNRS-IN2P3 and Universite Paris Sud, Ba-hat timent 200, Campus d' Orsay, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France); Eder, Claude [Laboratoire de l' Accelerateur Lineaire, CNRS-IN2P3 and Universite Paris Sud, Ba-hat timent 200, Campus d' Orsay, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France); Hello, Patrice [Laboratoire de l' Accelerateur Lineaire, CNRS-IN2P3 and Universite Paris Sud, Ba-hat timent 200, Campus d' Orsay, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France); Heusse, Philippe; Kreckelbergh, Stephane; Mansoux, Bruno [Laboratoire de l' Accelerateur Lineaire, CNRS-IN2P3 and Universite Paris Sud, Ba-hat timent 200, Campus d' Orsay, B.P. 34, 91898 Orsay Cedex (France)

2005-09-11

In order to detect gravitational waves, the kilometric interferometer Virgo needs an active control of the positions of the suspended optical components, keeping the detector at its working point. The constraints are about 10{sup -10}m RMS for the longitudinal control ('Locking') and 10{sup -9}rad RMS for the angular degrees of freedom ('Alignment'). A dedicated hardware and software named Global Control is in charge of the Locking and the Alignment loops for the Virgo experiment. This system has been designed to match the synchronization constraint and provide a flexible tool in order to easily integrate the various algorithms needed for the control of Virgo. This paper presents the technical requirements to be fulfilled by the Global Control. Then, the dedicated hardware is described and the overall architecture of the Global Control is shown.

IKONET: distributed accelerator and experiment control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koldewijn, P.

1986-01-01

IKONET is a network consisting of some 35 computers used to control the 500 MeV Medium Energy Amsterdam electron accelerator (MEA) and its various experiments. The control system is distributed over a whole variety of machines, which are combined in a transparent central-oriented network. The local hardware is switched and tuned via Camac by a series of mini-computers with a real-time multitask operating system. Larger systems provide central intelligence for the higher-level control layers. An image of the complete accelerator settings is maintained by central database administrators. Different operator facilities handle touchpanels, multi-purpose knobs and graphical displays. The network provides remote login facilities and file servers. On basis of the present layout, an overview is given of future developments for subsystems of the network. (Auth.)

[Tobacco control: an intersectorial experience in Tunja (Colombia)].

Science.gov (United States)

Panader-Torres, Adriana; Agudelo-Cely, Nancy Aurora; Bolívar-Suárez, Yolima; Cárdenas-Cárdenas, Luz Mery

2014-01-01

Tobacco control in Colombia is regulated by Law 1335 of 2009. The implementation and monitoring of the provisions of this law require strengthening of intersectorial work at the local level. This field note presents an intersectorial work experience that was carried out in the municipality of Tunja (Colombia) to improve tobacco control. The Respirarte Group was established. This group consists of an intersectorial team composed of 15 institutions. The Respirarte Group achieved the following political and community actions: signing of an agreement on tobacco control by government actors, expedition of a local decree to comply with Law 1335 in the municipality, provision of information and communication, and social mobilization and monitoring. This experience serves as a national and international reference and its lessons could be used in the approach to other public health problems. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Profile control simulations and experiments on TCV: a controller test environment and results using a model-based predictive controller

Science.gov (United States)

Maljaars, E.; Felici, F.; Blanken, T. C.; Galperti, C.; Sauter, O.; de Baar, M. R.; Carpanese, F.; Goodman, T. P.; Kim, D.; Kim, S. H.; Kong, M.; Mavkov, B.; Merle, A.; Moret, J. M.; Nouailletas, R.; Scheffer, M.; Teplukhina, A. A.; Vu, N. M. T.; The EUROfusion MST1-team; The TCV-team

2017-12-01

The successful performance of a model predictive profile controller is demonstrated in simulations and experiments on the TCV tokamak, employing a profile controller test environment. Stable high-performance tokamak operation in hybrid and advanced plasma scenarios requires control over the safety factor profile (q-profile) and kinetic plasma parameters such as the plasma beta. This demands to establish reliable profile control routines in presently operational tokamaks. We present a model predictive profile controller that controls the q-profile and plasma beta using power requests to two clusters of gyrotrons and the plasma current request. The performance of the controller is analyzed in both simulation and TCV L-mode discharges where successful tracking of the estimated inverse q-profile as well as plasma beta is demonstrated under uncertain plasma conditions and the presence of disturbances. The controller exploits the knowledge of the time-varying actuator limits in the actuator input calculation itself such that fast transitions between targets are achieved without overshoot. A software environment is employed to prepare and test this and three other profile controllers in parallel in simulations and experiments on TCV. This set of tools includes the rapid plasma transport simulator RAPTOR and various algorithms to reconstruct the plasma equilibrium and plasma profiles by merging the available measurements with model-based predictions. In this work the estimated q-profile is merely based on RAPTOR model predictions due to the absence of internal current density measurements in TCV. These results encourage to further exploit model predictive profile control in experiments on TCV and other (future) tokamaks.

Profile control simulations and experiments on TCV : A controller test environment and results using a model-based predictive controller

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maljaars, E.; Felici, F.; Blanken, T.C.; Galperti, C.; Sauter, O.; de Baar, M.R.; Carpanese, F.; Goodman, T.P.; Kim, D.; Kim, S.H.; Kong, M.G.; Mavkov, B.; Merle, A.; Moret, J.M.; Nouailletas, R.; Scheffer, M.; Teplukhina, A.A.; Vu, N.M.T.

2017-01-01

The successful performance of a model predictive profile controller is demonstrated in simulations and experiments on the TCV tokamak, employing a profile controller test environment. Stable high-performance tokamak operation in hybrid and advanced plasma scenarios requires control over the safety

Profile control simulations and experiments on TCV: a controller test environment and results using a model-based predictive controller

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maljaars, B.; Felici, F.; Blanken, T. C.; Galperti, C.; Sauter, O.; de Baar, M. R.; Carpanese, F.; Goodman, T. P.; Kim, D.; Kim, S. H.; Kong, M.; Mavkov, B.; Merle, A.; Moret, J.; Nouailletas, R.; Scheffer, M.; Teplukhina, A.; Vu, T.

2017-01-01

The successful performance of a model predictive profile controller is demonstrated in simulations and experiments on the TCV tokamak, employing a profile controller test environment. Stable high-performance tokamak operation in hybrid and advanced plasma scenarios requires control over the safety

Experiences of Interpersonal Violence and Criminal Legal Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Traci Schlesinger

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Incarcerated women are substantially more likely to have experienced interpersonal violence than are women in the general population. Some scholars argue that increased likelihoods of committing crime among survivors of violence explain this association. However, previous research fails to control for measures of social vulnerability. Thus, the relationship between experiencing interpersonal violence and experiencing imprisonment may not be a causal one. To examine the links between social vulnerability, experiences of interpersonal violence, and experiences of incarceration, the authors analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. The authors’ findings suggest that social vulnerability—especially being Black, having a parent who has been incarcerated, and being unemployed at the time of the arrest—does mediate the relationship between experiencing violence, using drugs, and believing that interpersonal violence contributed to one’s imprisonment. However, even when controlling for social vulnerability, real effects of experiences of violence on both women’s drug use and their understandings of the causes of their imprisonment remain.

Experience of digital control systems in Scandinavian BWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rydahl, I.

1989-01-01

Since 1984 digital control systems have been in operation in various Scandinavian BWRs. Examples of such digital control systems are: dual microprocessor based system for complete control of radwaste plant, three channel recirculation control system, and three channel feedwater control system. This paper describes Swedish development from one channel through three channel analog control systems to digital systems. The author describes experience of digital control systems during design, testing, commissioning and operation. The main benefits of digital compared with analog technology are discussed. Especially the outstanding facility of using a built-in process simulator for commissioning and tuning. The use of digital technology in nuclear safety system and future plans are dealt with

The description-experience gap and its relation to instructional control: Do people rely more on their experience than in objective descriptions?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Álvaro Viúdez

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The present work aims to reveal contradictory results obtained on two different fields; particularly from two studies conducted on the description-experience gap field showing that descriptions are neglected when personal experience is available (1,2, and several others conducted on the instructional control field getting to the opposite conclusion (3–8. To account for this contradiction, we hypothesized that participants from the studies of Jessup, Bishara and Busemeyer (1 and Lejarraga and Gonzalez (2 relied on their experience rather than on the descriptions because of the difficult, demanding nature of the probabilistic descriptions they faced. Enriched descriptions were created in our experiment to assess the contribution of this factor to the differential influence of the descriptions in choice behavior. Nonetheless, our hypothesis did not find support in the results and further research is needed to account for the aforementioned contradiction.

Experience with control valve cavitation problems and their solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozol, J.

1988-01-01

Pressure reduction in control valves can induce cavitation, which has three effects on the control valve. Firstly, it modifies or changes the hydraulic performance of the control valve. Since control valves are designed for noncavitating conditions, the result is usually reduced stability of the control valve or, in extreme cavitating conditions known as supercavitation, the valve may limit the flow rate and thus be undersized. Secondly, cavitation can cause material damage to valve parts, trim, or valve body, or erodes downstream piping; consequently, the valve or piping leaks. Thirdly, cavitation causes noise and vibration, which may cause major damage or destruction to equipment such as valve positioners, actuators, pipe supports and sometimes to other downstream valves. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) It describes the I.S.A. valve sizing equations and how they relate to cavitation. (2) It describes experiences with these three problems, and discusses corrective actions and practical approaches to their solution. This paper discusses thirteen cavitation experiences

Thermal control surfaces on the MSFC LDEF experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkes, D.R.; Whitaker, A.F.; Zwiener, J.M.; Linton, R.C.; Shular, D.; Peters, P.N.; Gregory, J.C.

1992-01-01

There were five Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) experiments on the LDEF. Each of those experiments carried thermal control surfaces either as test samples or as operational surfaces. These materials experienced varying degrees of mechanical and optical damage. Some materials were virtually unchanged by the extended exposure while others suffered extensive degradation. The synergistic effects due to the constituents of the space environment are evident in the diversity of these material changes. The sample complement for the MSFC experiments is described along with results of the continuing analyses efforts

Online control package for COSY-TOF experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borodina, Ekaterina [Institute fuer Kernphysik I, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52325, Juelich (Germany); Moscow State Institute of Electronics and Mathematics (Russian Federation); Roderburg, Eduard; Ritman, James [Institute fuer Kernphysik I, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, 52325, Juelich (Germany)

2009-07-01

The new Straw Tube Tracker and Quirl Microstrip detectors have been installed at the TOF (Time Of Flight) experiment at the COSY accelerator in IKP FZ-Juelich. These new detectors increase the number of channels of the COSY-TOF detector by about a factor of 3. Therefore, a new control package to adjust electronic parameters and for control the proper functionality of all channels is being developed. The online controlling based on visualization of key parameters of detectors plays an important role. The concept and the techniques of the online software package are developed for the COSY-TOF experiment. It consists of conversion software, which transforms a binary data stream from the DAQ to detector oriented event format, methods of IPC (Inter-Process Communications), and GUI (graphical user interface). To achieve data transfer through the network and real time data performance the IPC tools - sockets and shared memory are used. A special GUI, TOF-ONLINE has been developed, based on ROOT. The GUI allows the detectors, plotting spectra, resetting data, etc., to be selected in an intuitive way. Examples of the visualization and the results of the first beam time will be introduced.

A negative association between video game experience and proactive cognitive control.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Kira; West, Robert; Anderson, Craig A

2010-01-01

Some evidence demonstrates that video game experience has a beneficial effect on visuospatial cognition. In contrast, other evidence indicates that video game experience may be negatively related to cognitive control. In this study we examined the specificity of the influence of video game experience on cognitive control. Participants with high and low video game experience performed the Stroop task while event-related brain potentials were recorded. The behavioral data revealed no difference between high and low gamers for the Stroop interference effect and a reduction in the conflict adaptation effect in high gamers. The amplitude of the medial frontal negativity and a frontal slow wave was attenuated in high gamers, and there was no effect of gaming status on the conflict slow potential. These data lead to the suggestion that video game experience has a negative influence on proactive, but not reactive, cognitive control.

Statistical physics of human beings in games: Controlled experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Yuan; Huang Ji-Ping

2014-01-01

It is important to know whether the laws or phenomena in statistical physics for natural systems with non-adaptive agents still hold for social human systems with adaptive agents, because this implies whether it is possible to study or understand social human systems by using statistical physics originating from natural systems. For this purpose, we review the role of human adaptability in four kinds of specific human behaviors, namely, normal behavior, herd behavior, contrarian behavior, and hedge behavior. The approach is based on controlled experiments in the framework of market-directed resource-allocation games. The role of the controlled experiments could be at least two-fold: adopting the real human decision-making process so that the system under consideration could reflect the performance of genuine human beings; making it possible to obtain macroscopic physical properties of a human system by tuning a particular factor of the system, thus directly revealing cause and effect. As a result, both computer simulations and theoretical analyses help to show a few counterparts of some laws or phenomena in statistical physics for social human systems: two-phase phenomena or phase transitions, entropy-related phenomena, and a non-equilibrium steady state. This review highlights the role of human adaptability in these counterparts, and makes it possible to study or understand some particular social human systems by means of statistical physics coming from natural systems. (topical review - statistical physics and complex systems)

French LMFBR's control rods experience and development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnaud, G.; Guigon, A.; Verset, L.

1983-06-01

Since the last ten years, the French program has been, first of all, directed to the setting up, and then the development of, at once, the Phenix control rods, and next, the Super-Phenix ones. The vented pin design, with porous plug and sodium bonding, which allows the choices of large diameters, has been taken, since the Rapsodie experience was decisive. The absorber material is sintered, 10 B enriched, boron carbide. The can is made of 316 type stainless steel, stabilised, or not, with titanium. The experience gained in Phenix up to now is important, and deals with about six loads of control rods. Results confirm the validity of the design of the absorber pins. Some difficulties has been encountered for the guiding devices, due to the swelling of the steel. They have required design and material improvements. Such difficulties are discarded by a new design of the bearing, for the Super-Phenix control rods. The other parts of these rods, from the Primary Shut-Down System, are strictly derived from Phenix. The design of the rods from the Secondary Shut-Down System is rather different, but it's not the case for the design of the absorber pins: in many a way, they are derived from Phenix pins and from Rapsodie control rods. Both types of rods irradiation tests are in progress in Phenix [fr

User experiences with editorial control in online newspaper comment fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løvlie, Anders Sundnes; Ihlebæk, Karoline Andrea; Larsson, Anders Olof

2017-01-01

This article investigates user experiences with editorial control in online newspaper comment fields following the public backlash against online comments after the 2011 terror attacks in Norway. We analyze data from a survey of online news consumers focusing on experiences and attitudes towards...... editorial control set against a spectrum between “interventionist” and “noninterventionist” positions. Results indicate that interventionist respondents rate the quality of online comments as poor, whereas noninterventionist respondents have most often experienced being the target of editorial control...... measures and feel that editorial control has intensified after the terror attacks. We conclude that newspapers should pay attention to the different needs of participants when devising strategies for editorial control. Media professionals should also consider changes to increase the transparency...

Geo-engineering experiments in two urban ponds to control eutrophication.

Science.gov (United States)

Waajen, Guido; van Oosterhout, Frank; Douglas, Grant; Lürling, Miquel

2016-06-15

Many urban ponds experience detrimental algal blooms as the result of eutrophication. During a two year field experiment, the efficacy of five in situ treatments to mitigate eutrophication effects in urban ponds was studied. The treatments targeted the sediment phosphorus release and were intended to switch the ponds from a turbid phytoplankton-dominated state to a clear-water state with a low phytoplankton biomass. Two eutrophic urban ponds were each divided into six compartments (300-400 m(2); 210-700 m(3)). In each pond the following treatments were tested: dredging in combination with biomanipulation (involving fish biomass control and the introduction of macrophytes) with and without the addition of the flocculant polyaluminiumchloride, interception and reduction of sediment phosphorus release with lanthanum-modified bentonite (Phoslock(®)) in combination with biomanipulation with and without polyaluminiumchloride; biomanipulation alone; and a control. Trial results support the hypothesis that the combination of biomanipulation and measures targeting the sediment phosphorus release can be effective in reducing the phytoplankton biomass and establishing and maintaining a clear-water state, provided the external phosphorus loading is limited. During the experimental period dredging combined with biomanipulation showed mean chlorophyll-a concentrations of 5.3 and 6.2 μg L(-1), compared to 268.9 and 52.4 μg L(-1) in the control compartments. Lanthanum-modified bentonite can be an effective alternative to dredging and in combination with biomanipulation it showed mean chlorophyll-a concentrations of 5.9 and 7.6 μg L(-1). Biomanipulation alone did not establish a clear-water state or only during a limited period. As the two experimental sites differed in their reaction to the treatments, it is important to choose the most promising treatment depending on site specific characteristics. In recovering the water quality status of urban ponds, continuing

Controlled Experiment Replication in Evaluation of E-Learning System's Educational Influence

Science.gov (United States)

Grubisic, Ani; Stankov, Slavomir; Rosic, Marko; Zitko, Branko

2009-01-01

We believe that every effectiveness evaluation should be replicated at least in order to verify the original results and to indicate evaluated e-learning system's advantages or disadvantages. This paper presents the methodology for conducting controlled experiment replication, as well as, results of a controlled experiment and an internal…

Experience feedback of computerized controlled nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poizat, F.

2004-01-01

The N4 step of French PWR-type nuclear power plants is characterized by an instrumentation and control system entirely computerized (operation procedures including normal and accidental operation). Four power plants of this type (Chooz and Civaux sites) of 1450 MWe each were connected to the power grid between August 1996 and December 1999. The achievement of this program make it possible and necessary to carry out an experience feedback about the development, successes and difficulties encountered in order to draw out some lessons for future realizations. This is the aim of this article: 1 - usefulness and difficulties of such an experience feedback: evolution of instrumentation and control systems, necessary cautions; 2 - a successful computerized control: checking of systems operation, advantages, expectations; 3 - efficiency of computerized systems: demonstration of operation safety, profitability; 4 - conclusions and interrogations: system approach instead of 'micro-software' approach, commercial or 'made to measure' products, contract agreement with a supplier, when and how upgrading. (J.S.)

Performance of active vibration control technology: the ACTEX flight experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Nye, T. W.; Manning, R. A.; Qassim, K.

1999-12-01

This paper discusses the development and results of two intelligent structures space-flight experiments, each of which could affect architecture designs of future spacecraft. The first, the advanced controls technology experiment I (ACTEX I), is a variable stiffness tripod structure riding as a secondary payload on a classified spacecraft. It has been operating well past its expected life since becoming operational in 1996. Over 60 on-orbit experiments have been run on the ACTEX I flight experiment. These experiments form the basis for in-space controller design problems and for concluding lifetime/reliability data on the active control components. Transfer functions taken during the life of ACTEX I have shown consistent predictability and stability in structural behavior, including consistency with those measurements taken on the ground prior to a three year storage period and the launch event. ACTEX I can change its modal characteristics by employing its dynamic change mechanism that varies preloads in portions of its structure. Active control experiments have demonstrated maximum vibration reductions of 29 dB and 16 dB in the first two variable modes of the system, while operating over a remarkable on-orbit temperature range of -80 °C to 129 °C. The second experiment, ACTEX II, was successfully designed, ground-tested, and integrated on an experimental Department of Defense satellite prior to its loss during a launch vehicle failure in 1995. ACTEX II also had variable modal behavior by virtue of a two-axis gimbal and added challenges of structural flexibility by being a large deployable appendage. Although the loss of ACTEX II did not provide space environment experience, ground testing resulted in space qualifying the hardware and demonstrated 21 dB, 14 dB, and 8 dB reductions in amplitude of the first three primary structural modes. ACTEX II could use either active and/or passive techniques to affect vibration suppression. Both experiments trailblazed

Quality control in diagnostic radiology: experience and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abd Aziz Mhd Ramli; Mohd Ramli Arshad; Mohd Khalid Matori; Muhammad Jamal Md Isa; Husaini Salleh; Abdullah Tahir Aliyasak; Zainal Jamaluddin; Hasrul Hisham Hussain

2005-01-01

Malaysian Institute for Nuclear Technology Research through its Medical Physics Group has been providing Quality Control (QC) services for medical x-ray apparatus used in diagnostic radiology to private clinics and hospitals since the year 1997. The quality control (QC) in diagnostic radiology is considered as part of quality assurance program which provide accurate diagnostic information at the lowest cost and the least exposure of the patients to radiation. Many experience and obstacles were faced by Medical Physics Group. This paper will discuss on some of the experiences and challenges that could be shared together with MINT staff especially in the safety aspect related to electrical and mechanical, radiation protection, performance and standard. The challenging in administrative aspect also will discuss. (Author)

Integrating supervision, control and data acquisition—The ITER Neutral Beam Test Facility experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luchetta, A., E-mail: adriano.luchetta@igi.cnr.it; Manduchi, G.; Taliercio, C.; Breda, M.; Capobianco, R.; Molon, F.; Moressa, M.; Simionato, P.; Zampiva, E.

2016-11-15

Highlights: • The paper describes the experience gained in the integration of different systems for the control and data acquisition system of the ITER Neutral Beam Test Facility. • It describes the way the different frameworks have been integrated. • It reports some lessons learnt during system integration. • It reports some authors’ considerations about the development the ITER CODAC. - Abstract: The ITER Neutral Beam (NBI) Test Facility, under construction in Padova, Italy consists in the ITER full scale ion source for the heating neutral beam injector, referred to as SPIDER, and the full size prototype injector, referred to as MITICA. The Control and Data Acquisition System (CODAS) for SPIDER has been developed and is going to be in operation in 2016. The system is composed of four main components: Supervision, Slow Control, Fast Control and Data Acquisition. These components interact with each other to carry out the system operation and, since they represent a common pattern in fusion experiments, software frameworks have been used for each (set of) component. In order to reuse as far as possible the architecture developed for SPIDER, it is important to clearly define the boundaries and the interfaces among the system components so that the implementation of any component can be replaced without affecting the overall architecture. This work reports the experience gained in the development of SPIDER components, highlighting the importance in the definition of generic interfaces among component, showing how the specific solutions have been adapted to such interfaces and suggesting possible approaches for the development of other ITER subsystems.

Integrating supervision, control and data acquisition—The ITER Neutral Beam Test Facility experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luchetta, A.; Manduchi, G.; Taliercio, C.; Breda, M.; Capobianco, R.; Molon, F.; Moressa, M.; Simionato, P.; Zampiva, E.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The paper describes the experience gained in the integration of different systems for the control and data acquisition system of the ITER Neutral Beam Test Facility. • It describes the way the different frameworks have been integrated. • It reports some lessons learnt during system integration. • It reports some authors’ considerations about the development the ITER CODAC. - Abstract: The ITER Neutral Beam (NBI) Test Facility, under construction in Padova, Italy consists in the ITER full scale ion source for the heating neutral beam injector, referred to as SPIDER, and the full size prototype injector, referred to as MITICA. The Control and Data Acquisition System (CODAS) for SPIDER has been developed and is going to be in operation in 2016. The system is composed of four main components: Supervision, Slow Control, Fast Control and Data Acquisition. These components interact with each other to carry out the system operation and, since they represent a common pattern in fusion experiments, software frameworks have been used for each (set of) component. In order to reuse as far as possible the architecture developed for SPIDER, it is important to clearly define the boundaries and the interfaces among the system components so that the implementation of any component can be replaced without affecting the overall architecture. This work reports the experience gained in the development of SPIDER components, highlighting the importance in the definition of generic interfaces among component, showing how the specific solutions have been adapted to such interfaces and suggesting possible approaches for the development of other ITER subsystems.

Experience in the installation of a microprocessor system for controlling converter units of the Vyborg substation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gusakovskii, K. B.; Zmaznov, E. Yu.; Katantsev, S. V.; Mazurenko, A. K.; Mestergazi, V. A.; Prochan, G. G.; Funtikova, S. F.

2006-01-01

The experience in the installation of modern digital systems for controlling converter units at the Vyborg converter substation on the basis of advanced microprocessor devices is considered. It is shown that debugging of a control and protection system on mathematical and physical models does not guarantee optimum control of actual converter devices. Examples of advancing the control and protection system are described, the necessity for which has become obvious in tests of actual equipment. Comparison of oscillograms of processes before optimization of the control system and after its optimization and adjustment shows that the digital control system makes it possible to improve substantially the algorithms of control and protection in the short term and without changing the hardware component

Edge localized modes control: experiment and theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becoulet, M.; Huysmans, G.; Thomas, P.; Joffrin, E.; Rimini, F.; Monier-Garbet, P.; Grosman, A.; Ghendrih, P.; Parail, V.; Lomas, P.; Matthews, G.; Wilson, H.; Gryaznevich, M.; Counsell, G.; Loarte, A.; Saibene, G.; Sartori, R.; Leonard, A.; Snyder, P.; Evans, T.; Gohil, P.; Moyer, R.; Kamada, Y.; Oyama, N.; Hatae, T.; Kamiya, K.; Degeling, A.; Martin, Y.; Lister, J.; Rapp, J.; Perez, C.; Lang, P.; Chankin, A; Eich, T.; Sips, A.; Stober, J.; Horton, L.; Kallenbach, A.; Suttrop, W.; Saarelma, S.; Cowley, S.; Loennroth, J.; Shimada, M.; Polevoi, A.; Federici, G.

2005-01-01

The paper reviews recent theoretical and experimental results focussing on the identification of the key factors controlling ELM energy and particle losses both in natural ELMs and in the presence of external controlling mechanisms. Present experiment and theory pointed out the benefit of the high plasma shaping, high q 95 and high pedestal density in reducing the ELM affected area and conductive energy losses in Type I ELMs. Small benign ELMs regimes in present machines (EDA, HRS, Type II, Grassy, QH, Type III in impurity seeded discharges at high δ ) and their relevance for ITER are reviewed. Recent studies of active control of ELMs using stochastic boundaries, small pellets and edge current generation are presented

Role Based Access Control system in the ATLAS experiment

CERN Document Server

Valsan, M L; The ATLAS collaboration; Lehmann Miotto, G; Scannicchio, D A; Schlenker, S; Filimonov, V; Khomoutnikov, V; Dumitru, I; Zaytsev, A S; Korol, A A; Bogdantchikov, A; Caramarcu, C; Ballestrero, S; Darlea, G L; Twomey, M; Bujor, F; Avolio, G

2011-01-01

The complexity of the ATLAS experiment motivated the deployment of an integrated Access Control System in order to guarantee safe and optimal access for a large number of users to the various software and hardware resources. Such an integrated system was foreseen since the design of the infrastructure and is now central to the operations model. In order to cope with the ever growing needs of restricting access to all resources used within the experiment, the Roles Based Access Control (RBAC) previously developed has been extended and improved. The paper starts with a short presentation of the RBAC design, implementation and the changes made to the system to allow the management and usage of roles to control access to the vast and diverse set of resources. The paper continues with a detailed description of the integration across all areas of the system: local Linux and Windows nodes in the ATLAS Control Network (ATCN), the Linux application gateways offering remote access inside ATCN, the Windows Terminal Serv...

Role Based Access Control System in the ATLAS Experiment

CERN Document Server

Valsan, M L; The ATLAS collaboration; Lehmann Miotto, G; Scannicchio, D A; Schlenker, S; Filimonov, V; Khomoutnikov, V; Dumitru, I; Zaytsev, A S; Korol, A A; Bogdantchikov, A; Avolio, G; Caramarcu, C; Ballestrero, S; Darlea, G L; Twomey, M; Bujor, F

2010-01-01

The complexity of the ATLAS experiment motivated the deployment of an integrated Access Control System in order to guarantee safe and optimal access for a large number of users to the various software and hardware resources. Such an integrated system was foreseen since the design of the infrastructure and is now central to the operations model. In order to cope with the ever growing needs of restricting access to all resources used within the experiment, the Roles Based Access Control (RBAC) previously developed has been extended and improved. The paper starts with a short presentation of the RBAC design, implementation and the changes made to the system to allow the management and usage of roles to control access to the vast and diverse set of resources. The paper continues with a detailed description of the integration across all areas of the system: local Linux and Windows nodes in the ATLAS Control Network (ATCN), the Linux application gateways offering remote access inside ATCN, the Windows Terminal Serv...

Paper 58714 - Exploring activated faults hydromechanical processes from semi-controled field injection experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Guglielmi, Y.; Cappa, F.; Nussbaum, C.

2015-12-01

The appreciation of the sensitivity of fractures and fault zones to fluid-induced-deformations in the subsurface is a key question in predicting the reservoir/caprock system integrity around fluid manipulations with applications to reservoir leakage and induced seismicity. It is also a question of interest in understanding earthquakes source, and recently the hydraulic behavior of clay faults under a potential reactivation around nuclear underground depository sites. Fault and fractures dynamics studies face two key problems (1) the up-scaling of laboratory determined properties and constitutive laws to the reservoir scale which is not straightforward when considering faults and fractures heterogeneities, (2) the difficulties to control both the induced seismicity and the stimulated zone geometry when a fault is reactivated. Using instruments dedicated to measuring coupled pore pressures and deformations downhole, we conducted field academic experiments to characterize fractures and fault zones hydromechanical properties as a function of their multi-scale architecture, and to monitor their dynamic behavior during the earthquake nucleation process. We show experiments on reservoir or cover rocks analogues in underground research laboratories where experimental conditions can be optimized. Key result of these experiments is to highlight how important the aseismic fault activation is compared to the induced seismicity. We show that about 80% of the fault kinematic moment is aseismic and discuss the complex associated fault friction coefficient variations. We identify that the slip stability and the slip velocity are mainly controlled by the rate of the permeability/porosity increase, and discuss the conditions for slip nucleation leading to seismic instability.

Live controls for radioisotope tracer food chain experiments using meiofauna

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montagna, P.A.

1983-01-01

Formalin poisoned samples are inadequate for measuring the amount of label to be subtracted as control values for certain food chain studies that employ radioactive tracers. In some studies, tracer is added just before incubation to label ''food'' during the feeding study. Commonly, parallel, poisoned incubations are used to distinguish between biotic and abiotic label incorporation. But, a poisoned control does not account for label that could enter a consumer via active transport, epicuticular microfloral uptake, or grazing on labeled, non-food particles. Experiments were performed to test if label uptake is greater in live non-grazing than dead organisms. Marine benthic meiofauna incoporate from 3 to 133 times more tracer when they are alive and not grazing than when they are formalin killed. These results suggest that control experiments with live animals be performed to measure all processes by which label can enter consumers in food chain experiments. (orig.)

Task control signals in pediatric Tourette syndrome show evidence of immature and anomalous functional activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica A Church

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Tourette Syndrome (TS is a pediatric movement disorder that may affect control signaling in the brain. Previous work has proposed a dual-networks architecture of control processing involving a task-maintenance network and an adaptive control network (Dosenbach et al., 2008. A prior resting-state functional connectivity MRI (rs-fcMRI analysis in TS has revealed functional immaturity in both putative control networks, with “anomalous” correlations (i.e. correlations outside the typical developmental range limited to the adaptive control network (Church et al., 2009. The present study used functional MRI (fMRI to study brain activity related to adaptive control (by studying start-cues signals, and to task-maintenance (by studying signals sustained across a task set. Two hypotheses from the previous rs-fcMRI results were tested. First, adaptive control (i.e., start-cue activity will be altered in TS, including activity inconsistent with typical development (“anomalous”. Second, group differences found in task maintenance (i.e., sustained activity will be consistent with functional immaturity in TS. We examined regions found through a direct comparison of adolescents with and without TS, as well as regions derived from a previous investigation that showed differences between unaffected children and adults. The TS group showed decreased start-cue signal magnitude in regions where start-cue activity is unchanged over typical development, consistent with anomalous adaptive control. The TS group also had higher magnitude sustained signals in frontal cortex regions that overlapped with regions showing differences over typical development, consistent with immature task maintenance in TS. The results demonstrate task-related fMRI signal differences anticipated by the atypical functional connectivity found previously in adolescents with TS, strengthening the evidence for functional immaturity and anomalous signaling in control networks in adolescents

Everyday temptations: an experience sampling study of desire, conflict, and self-control.

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmann, Wilhelm; Baumeister, Roy F; Förster, Georg; Vohs, Kathleen D

2012-06-01

How often and how strongly do people experience desires, to what extent do their desires conflict with other goals, and how often and successfully do people exercise self-control to resist their desires? To investigate desire and attempts to control desire in everyday life, we conducted a large-scale experience sampling study based on a conceptual framework integrating desire strength, conflict, resistance (use of self-control), and behavior enactment. A sample of 205 adults wore beepers for a week. They furnished 7,827 reports of desire episodes and completed personality measures of behavioral inhibition system/behavior activation system (BIS/BAS) sensitivity, trait self-control, perfectionism, and narcissistic entitlement. Results suggest that desires are frequent, variable in intensity, and largely unproblematic. Those urges that do conflict with other goals tend to elicit resistance, with uneven success. Desire strength, conflict, resistance, and self-regulatory success were moderated in multiple ways by personality variables as well as by situational and interpersonal factors such as alcohol consumption, the mere presence of others, and the presence of others who already had enacted the desire in question. Whereas personality generally had a stronger impact on the dimensions of desire that emerged early in its course (desire strength and conflict), situational factors showed relatively more influence on components later in the process (resistance and behavior enactment). In total, these findings offer a novel and detailed perspective on the nature of everyday desires and associated self-regulatory successes and failures. 2012 APA, all rights reserved

Validation of RNAi Silencing Efficiency Using Gene Array Data shows 18.5% Failure Rate across 429 Independent Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gyöngyi Munkácsy

2016-01-01

Full Text Available No independent cross-validation of success rate for studies utilizing small interfering RNA (siRNA for gene silencing has been completed before. To assess the influence of experimental parameters like cell line, transfection technique, validation method, and type of control, we have to validate these in a large set of studies. We utilized gene chip data published for siRNA experiments to assess success rate and to compare methods used in these experiments. We searched NCBI GEO for samples with whole transcriptome analysis before and after gene silencing and evaluated the efficiency for the target and off-target genes using the array-based expression data. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to assess silencing efficacy and Kruskal–Wallis tests and Spearman rank correlation were used to evaluate study parameters. All together 1,643 samples representing 429 experiments published in 207 studies were evaluated. The fold change (FC of down-regulation of the target gene was above 0.7 in 18.5% and was above 0.5 in 38.7% of experiments. Silencing efficiency was lowest in MCF7 and highest in SW480 cells (FC = 0.59 and FC = 0.30, respectively, P = 9.3E−06. Studies utilizing Western blot for validation performed better than those with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR or microarray (FC = 0.43, FC = 0.47, and FC = 0.55, respectively, P = 2.8E−04. There was no correlation between type of control, transfection method, publication year, and silencing efficiency. Although gene silencing is a robust feature successfully cross-validated in the majority of experiments, efficiency remained insufficient in a significant proportion of studies. Selection of cell line model and validation method had the highest influence on silencing proficiency.

Assuring robustness to noise in optimal quantum control experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartelt, A.F.; Roth, M.; Mehendale, M.; Rabitz, H.

2005-01-01

Closed-loop optimal quantum control experiments operate in the inherent presence of laser noise. In many applications, attaining high quality results [i.e., a high signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio for the optimized objective] is as important as producing a high control yield. Enhancement of the S/N ratio will typically be in competition with the mean signal, however, the latter competition can be balanced by biasing the optimization experiments towards higher mean yields while retaining a good S/N ratio. Other strategies can also direct the optimization to reduce the standard deviation of the statistical signal distribution. The ability to enhance the S/N ratio through an optimized choice of the control is demonstrated for two condensed phase model systems: second harmonic generation in a nonlinear optical crystal and stimulated emission pumping in a dye solution

Transformations to diagonal bases in closed-loop quantum learning control experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardoza, David; Trallero-Herrero, Carlos; Langhojer, Florian; Rabitz, Herschel; Weinacht, Thomas

2005-01-01

This paper discusses transformations between bases used in closed-loop learning control experiments. The goal is to transform to a basis in which the number of control parameters is minimized and in which the parameters act independently. We demonstrate a simple procedure for testing whether a unitary linear transformation (i.e., a rotation amongst the control variables) is sufficient to reduce the search problem to a set of globally independent variables. This concept is demonstrated with closed-loop molecular fragmentation experiments utilizing shaped, ultrafast laser pulses

Beyond "Witnessing": Children's Experiences of Coercive Control in Domestic Violence and Abuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Callaghan, Jane E M; Alexander, Joanne H; Sixsmith, Judith; Fellin, Lisa Chiara

2015-12-10

Children's experiences and voices are underrepresented in academic literature and professional practice around domestic violence and abuse. The project "Understanding Agency and Resistance Strategies" (UNARS) addresses this absence, through direct engagement with children. We present an analysis from interviews with 21 children in the United Kingdom (12 girls and 9 boys, aged 8-18 years), about their experiences of domestic violence and abuse, and their responses to this violence. These interviews were analyzed using interpretive interactionism. Three themes from this analysis are presented: (a) "Children's experiences of abusive control," which explores children's awareness of controlling behavior by the adult perpetrator, their experience of that control, and its impact on them; (b) "Constraint," which explores how children experience the constraint associated with coercive control in situations of domestic violence; and (c) "Children as agents," which explores children's strategies for managing controlling behavior in their home and in family relationships. The article argues that, in situations where violence and abuse occur between adult intimate partners, children are significantly affected, and can be reasonably described as victims of abusive control. Recognizing children as direct victims of domestic violence and abuse would produce significant changes in the way professionals respond to them, by (a) recognizing children's experience of the impact of domestic violence and abuse; (b) recognizing children's agency, undermining the perception of them as passive "witnesses" or "collateral damage" in adult abusive encounters; and (c) strengthening professional responses to them as direct victims, not as passive witnesses to violence. © The Author(s) 2015.

Edge localized modes control: experiment and theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedoulet, M.; Huysmans, G.; Thomas, P.; Joffrin, E.; Rimini, F.; Monier-Garbet, P.; Grosman, A.; Ghendrih, P.; Parail, V.; Lomas, P.; Matthews, G.; Wilson, H.; Gryaznevich, M.; Gonsell, G.; Loarte, A.; Saibene, G.; Sartori, R.; Leonard, A.; Snyder, P.; Evans, T.; Gohil, P.; Burell, H.; Moyer, R.; Kamada, Y.; Oyama, N.; Hatae, T.; Degeling, A.; Martin, Y.; Lister, J.; Rapp, J.; Perez, C.; Lang, P.; Chankin, A.; Eich, T.; Sips, A.; Stober, J.; Horton, L.; Kallenbach, A.; Suttrop, W.; Saarelma, S.; Cowley, S.; Lonnroth, J.; Kamiya, K.; Shimada, M.; Polevoi, A.; Federici, G.

2004-01-01

The paper reviews recent theoretical and experimental results focusing on the identification of the key factors controlling ELM (energy localized mode) energy and particle losses both in natural ELMs and in the presence of external controlling mechanisms. The theoretical description of the most studied Type-I ELMs is progressing from linear MHD stability analysis for peeling and ballooning modes to the non-linear explosive models and transport codes. Present theories cannot predict the ELM size self-consistently, however they pointed out the benefit of the high plasma shaping, high q 95 and high pedestal density in reducing the ELM affected area. The experimental data also suggest that the conductive energy losses in Type-I ELM can be controlled by working in specific plasma conditions. In particular, the existence of purely convective small Type-I ELMs regimes at high q 95 (>4.5) with ΔW ELM /W ped <5% was demonstrated in high triangularity (δ ∼ 0.5) plasmas in JET. Small benign ELMs regimes in present machines (EDA, HRS, Type-II, grassy, QH, Type-III in impurity seeded discharges at high δ and their relevance for ITER parameters are reviewed briefly. The absence of already developed ITER relevant high confinement scenarios with acceptable ELMs has motivated recent intensive experimental and theoretical studies of active control of ELMs. The possibility of suppression of Type-I ELMs in H-mode scenarios at constant confinement was demonstrated in DIII-D experiments with a stochastic boundary created by external coils. It has been demonstrated in AUG that small pellets can trigger Type-I ELMs with a frequency imposed by the pellet injector. Pellet induced ELMs are similar to the intrinsic Type-I ELMs with the same frequency. At the same time the confinement degradation due to the fuelling can be minimized with pellets small as compared to the gas injection. Recent plasma current ramp experiments (JET, COMPASS-D) and modelling (JETTO) demonstrated that the edge

Edge localized modes control: experiment and theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bedoulet, M.; Huysmans, G.; Thomas, P.; Joffrin, E.; Rimini, F.; Monier-Garbet, P.; Grosman, A.; Ghendrih, P. [Association Euratom-CEA, Centre d' Etudes de Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France). Dept. de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee; Parail, V.; Lomas, P.; Matthews, G.; Wilson, H.; Gryaznevich, M.; Gonsell, G.; Loarte, A.; Saibene, G.; Sartori, R.; Leonard, A.; Snyder, P.; Evans, T.; Gohil, P.; Burell, H.; Moyer, R.; Kamada, Y.; Oyama, N.; Hatae, T.; Degeling, A.; Martin, Y.; Lister, J.; Rapp, J.; Perez, C.; Lang, P.; Chankin, A.; Eich, T.; Sips, A.; Stober, J.; Horton, L.; Kallenbach, A.; Suttrop, W.; Saarelma, S.; Cowley, S.; Lonnroth, J.; Kamiya, K.; Shimada, M.; Polevoi, A.; Federici, G

2004-07-01

The paper reviews recent theoretical and experimental results focusing on the identification of the key factors controlling ELM (energy localized mode) energy and particle losses both in natural ELMs and in the presence of external controlling mechanisms. The theoretical description of the most studied Type-I ELMs is progressing from linear MHD stability analysis for peeling and ballooning modes to the non-linear explosive models and transport codes. Present theories cannot predict the ELM size self-consistently, however they pointed out the benefit of the high plasma shaping, high q{sub 95} and high pedestal density in reducing the ELM affected area. The experimental data also suggest that the conductive energy losses in Type-I ELM can be controlled by working in specific plasma conditions. In particular, the existence of purely convective small Type-I ELMs regimes at high q{sub 95} (>4.5) with {delta}W{sub ELM}/W{sub ped}<5% was demonstrated in high triangularity ({delta} {approx} 0.5) plasmas in JET. Small benign ELMs regimes in present machines (EDA, HRS, Type-II, grassy, QH, Type-III in impurity seeded discharges at high {delta} and their relevance for ITER parameters are reviewed briefly. The absence of already developed ITER relevant high confinement scenarios with acceptable ELMs has motivated recent intensive experimental and theoretical studies of active control of ELMs. The possibility of suppression of Type-I ELMs in H-mode scenarios at constant confinement was demonstrated in DIII-D experiments with a stochastic boundary created by external coils. It has been demonstrated in AUG that small pellets can trigger Type-I ELMs with a frequency imposed by the pellet injector. Pellet induced ELMs are similar to the intrinsic Type-I ELMs with the same frequency. At the same time the confinement degradation due to the fuelling can be minimized with pellets small as compared to the gas injection. Recent plasma current ramp experiments (JET, COMPASS-D) and

Hardware controls for the STAR experiment at RHIC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reichhold, D.; Bieser, F.; Bordua, M.; Cherney, M.; Chrin, J.; Dunlop, J.C.; Ferguson, M.I.; Ghazikhanian, V.; Gross, J.; Harper, G.; Howe, M.; Jacobson, S.; Klein, S.R.; Kravtsov, P.; Lewis, S.; Lin, J.; Lionberger, C.; LoCurto, G.; McParland, C.; McShane, T.; Meier, J.; Sakrejda, I.; Sandler, Z.; Schambach, J.; Shi, Y.; Willson, R.; Yamamoto, E.; Zhang, W.

2003-01-01

The STAR detector sits in a high radiation area when operating normally; therefore it was necessary to develop a robust system to remotely control all hardware. The STAR hardware controls system monitors and controls approximately 14,000 parameters in the STAR detector. Voltages, currents, temperatures, and other parameters are monitored. Effort has been minimized by the adoption of experiment-wide standards and the use of pre-packaged software tools. The system is based on the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) . VME processors communicate with subsystem-based sensors over a variety of field busses, with High-level Data Link Control (HDLC) being the most prevalent. Other features of the system include interfaces to accelerator and magnet control systems, a web-based archiver, and C++-based communication between STAR online, run control and hardware controls and their associated databases. The system has been designed for easy expansion as new detector elements are installed in STAR

3D visualization based customer experiences of nuclear plant control room

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Tienlung; Chou Chinmei; Hung Tamin; Cheng Tsungchieh; Yang Chihwei; Yang Lichen

2011-01-01

This paper employs virtual reality (VR) technology to develop an interactive virtual nuclear plant control room in which the general public could easily walk into the 'red zone' and play with the control buttons. The VR-based approach allows deeper and richer customer experiences that the real nuclear plant control room could not offer. When people know more about the serious process control procedures enforced in the nuclear plant control room, they will appropriate more about the safety efforts imposed by the nuclear plant and become more comfortable about the nuclear plant. The virtual nuclear plant control room is built using a 3D game development tool called Unity3D. The 3D scene is connected to a nuclear plant simulation system through Windows API programs. To evaluate the usability of the virtual control room, an experiment will be conducted to see how much 'immersion' the users could feel when they played with the virtual control room. (author)

A controlled experiment on the impact of software structure on maintainability

Science.gov (United States)

Rombach, Dieter H.

1987-01-01

The impact of software structure on maintainability aspects including comprehensibility, locality, modifiability, and reusability in a distributed system environment is studied in a controlled maintenance experiment involving six medium-size distributed software systems implemented in LADY (language for distributed systems) and six in an extended version of sequential PASCAL. For all maintenance aspects except reusability, the results were quantitatively given in terms of complexity metrics which could be automated. The results showed LADY to be better suited to the development of maintainable software than the extension of sequential PASCAL. The strong typing combined with high parametrization of units is suggested to improve the reusability of units in LADY.

Effective communication approaches in tuberculosis control: Health workers' perceptions and experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Arulchelvan, Sriram; Elangovan, Rengan

2017-10-01

Health workers' experiences and understanding of the myths, misconceptions, beliefs about TB, and patients in the community (and effective communication methods) can be useful in designing effective IEC materials and strategies. To study the perceptions and experiences of health workers regarding TB disease, patients, and effective communication strategies in TB control. A survey was conducted among health workers involved in Directly Observed Treatment Short (DOTS) course. Data regarding general health beliefs, prevalent myths and misconceptions about TB in their respective localities, knowledge level among patients, and utilization of various communication strategies were collected. There is a significant increase in knowledge about TB during DOTS among patients, as observed by about half of the health workers. TB patients are aware about how TB spreads to others and their responsibilities. Regular interaction with patients is required for treatment adherence. Two thirds of the health workers believe that media-mix strategy can be very effective in creating awareness among the patients as well as the public. Health workers realized that the video player facility on their mobile phones is useful for showing health-related videos. A combination of mass media and interpersonal communication could be effective for TB control. Face-to-face communication with community members, patient-provider discussions, and information through television could be very effective techniques. Exclusive communication materials should be designed for family members of the patients. Smart phones can be used for effective implementation of TB control programs. Copyright © 2016 Tuberculosis Association of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

WebLab of a DC Motor Speed Control Didactical Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Karine; Mendes, Luciano

2012-01-01

Purpose: Weblabs are an additional resource in the execution of experiments in control engineering education, making learning process more flexible both in time, by allowing extra class laboratory activities, and space, bringing the learning experience to remote locations where experimentation facilities would not be available. The purpose of this…

MHD control experiments in the Extrap T2R Reversed Field Pinch

Science.gov (United States)

Marrelli, L.; Bolzonella, T.; Brunsell, P.; Cecconello, M.; Drake, J.; Franz, P.; Gregoratto, D.; Manduchi, G.; Martin, P.; Ortolani, S.; Paccagnella, R.; Piovesan, P.; Spizzo, G.; Yadikin, D.; Zanca, P.

2004-11-01

We report here on MHD active control experiments performed in the Extrap T2R device, which has been recently equipped with a set of 32 feedback controlled saddle coils couples. Experiments aiming at selectively exciting a resonant resistive instability in order to actively induce Quasi Single Helicity states will be presented. Open loop experiments have in fact shown that a spectrum with one dominant mode can be excited in a high aspect ratio device like T2R. In addition, evidences of controlled braking of tearing modes, which spontaneously rotate in T2R, have been gathered, allowing the determination of a threshold for mode wall locking. Different feedback control schemes have been implemented. In particular, mode suppression schemes proved successful in delaying resistive wall modes growth and in increasing the discharge duration: this suggests a hybrid mode control scenario, in which RWM are suppressed and QSH is induced. Radiation imaging and internal magnetic field reconstructions performed with the ORBIT code will be presented.

Role Based Access Control system in the ATLAS experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valsan, M L; Dumitru, I; Darlea, G L; Bujor, F; Dobson, M; Miotto, G Lehmann; Schlenker, S; Avolio, G; Scannicchio, D A; Filimonov, V; Khomoutnikov, V; Zaytsev, A S; Korol, A A; Bogdantchikov, A; Caramarcu, C; Ballestrero, S; Twomey, M

2011-01-01

The complexity of the ATLAS experiment motivated the deployment of an integrated Access Control System in order to guarantee safe and optimal access for a large number of users to the various software and hardware resources. Such an integrated system was foreseen since the design of the infrastructure and is now central to the operations model. In order to cope with the ever growing needs of restricting access to all resources used within the experiment, the Roles Based Access Control (RBAC) previously developed has been extended and improved. The paper starts with a short presentation of the RBAC design, implementation and the changes made to the system to allow the management and usage of roles to control access to the vast and diverse set of resources. The RBAC implementation uses a directory service based on Lightweight Directory Access Protocol to store the users (∼3000), roles (∼320), groups (∼80) and access policies. The information is kept in sync with various other databases and directory services: human resources, central CERN IT, CERN Active Directory and the Access Control Database used by DCS. The paper concludes with a detailed description of the integration across all areas of the system.

Fiber-optic control of the ZT-P experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caudill, L.D.; Chandler, G.I.; Hall, C.R.; Trujillo, J.F.

1986-01-01

The computer control system for the ZT-P experiment has been implemented using a fiber-optic link in all 161 control signal paths. Four classes of control signals are used in this design. These are (a) digital-out, an on--off signal from computer to machine actuator, (b) digital-in, an on--off signal from machine sensor to computer, (c) analog-out, a 0--10-V analog signal from computer to machine actuator, (d) analog-in, a 0--1-mA analog signal from machine sensor to computer. The digital-in and the digital-out class of signals require no control power at the machine. The analog-out and the analog-in class of signals use available machine power for control. This unique power arrangement and the use of fiber-optic links totally isolate the electrically noisy machine areas from the sensitive electronics in the computer control. Advantages of this system including low cost, small size, personnel safety, and ease of maintenance and modification are discussed

Fiber-optic control of the ZT-P experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caudill, L.D.; Chandler, G.I.; Hall, C.R.; Trujillo, J.F.

1986-01-01

The computer control system for the ZT-P experiment has been implemented using a fiber-optic link in all 161 control signal paths. Four classes of control signals are used in this design. These are: (a) digital-out, an on-off signal from computer to machine actuator, (b) digital-in, an on-off signal from machine sensor to computer, (c) analog-out, a 0 to 10 volt analog signal from computer to machine actuator, (d) analog-in, a 0 to +1 milliampere analog signal from machine sensor to computer. The digital-in and the digital-out class of signals require no control power at the machine. The analog-out and the analog-in class of signals use available machine power for control. This unique power arrangement and the use of fiber-optic links totally isolate the electrically noisy machine areas from the sensitive electronics in the computer control. Advantages of this system including low cost, small size, personnel safety, and ease of maintenance and modification are discussed

Fiber-optic control of the ZT-P experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caudill, L.D.; Chandler, G.I.; Hall, C.R.; Trujillo, J.F.

1986-01-01

The computer control system for the ZT-P experiment has been implemented using a fiber-optic link in all 161 control signal paths. Four classes of control signals are used in this design. These are: digital-out; an on-off signal from computer to machine actuator, digital-in, and on-off signal from machine sensor to computer, analog-out, a 0 - 10 volt analog signal from computer to machine actuator, analog-in, 0 to +1 milliampere analog signal from machine sensor to computer. The digital-in and the digital-out class of signals require no control power at the machine end. The analog-out and the analog-in class of signals use available machine power for control. This unique power arrangement and the use of fiber-optic links serve to totally isolate electrically noisy machine areas from the sensitive electronics in the computer control. Advantages, including low cost, small size, personnel safety, and ease of maintenance and modification are discussed

Notification: Notification Memo for Evaluation of Management Controls for Alternative Asbestos Control Method Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Project #OPE-FY12-0011, February 27, 2012. This memorandum is to notify you that the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is initiating an evaluation on the Alternative Asbestos Control Method (AACM) experiments.

Experience of Control and Student Satisfaction with Higher Education Services

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jungki; Anantharaman, Sekhar

2013-01-01

Although the delivery of satisfactory services is an important strategic goal in many colleges, students are known to face challenges and experience a significant amount of stress during their school life. This study proposes and tests students' experience of control over their college life as a promising factor that would enhance their…

Software-Based Wireless Power Transfer Platform for Various Power Control Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sun-Han Hwang

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present the design and evaluation of a software-based wireless power transfer platform that enables the development of a prototype involving various open- and closed-loop power control functions. Our platform is based on a loosely coupled planar wireless power transfer circuit that uses a class-E power amplifier. In conjunction with this circuit, we implement flexible control functions using a National Instruments Data Acquisition (NI DAQ board and algorithms in the MATLAB/Simulink. To verify the effectiveness of our platform, we conduct two types of power-control experiments: a no-load or metal detection using open-loop power control, and an output voltage regulation for different receiver positions using closed-loop power control. The use of the MATLAB/Simulink software as a part of the planar wireless power transfer platform for power control experiments is shown to serve as a useful and inexpensive alternative to conventional hardware-based platforms.

AUTOMATING THE CONFIGURATION OF THE CONTROLS SYSTEMS OF THE LHC EXPERIMENTS

CERN Multimedia

Calheiros, F; Varela, F

2007-01-01

The supervisory layer of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments is based on the Prozeßvisualisierungs- und Steuerungsystem (PVSS) [1] and the Joint COntrols Project (JCOP) Framework (FW) [2]. This controls framework includes a Finite State Machine (FSM) toolkit, which allows to operate the control systems according to a well-defined set of states and commands. During the FSM transitions of the detectors, it is required to re-configure parts of the control systems. All configuration parameters of the devices integrated into the control system are stored in the so-called configuration database. In this paper the JCOP FW FSM-Configuration database tool is presented. This tool ensures the availability of all required configuration data, for a given type of run of the experiment, in the PVSS sub-detector control applications. The chosen implementation strategy is discussed in the paper. The approach enables the standalone operation of different partitions of the detectors simultaneously while ensuring indepe...

Automating quantum experiment control

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Kelly E.; Amini, Jason M.; Doret, S. Charles; Mohler, Greg; Volin, Curtis; Harter, Alexa W.

2017-03-01

The field of quantum information processing is rapidly advancing. As the control of quantum systems approaches the level needed for useful computation, the physical hardware underlying the quantum systems is becoming increasingly complex. It is already becoming impractical to manually code control for the larger hardware implementations. In this chapter, we will employ an approach to the problem of system control that parallels compiler design for a classical computer. We will start with a candidate quantum computing technology, the surface electrode ion trap, and build a system instruction language which can be generated from a simple machine-independent programming language via compilation. We incorporate compile time generation of ion routing that separates the algorithm description from the physical geometry of the hardware. Extending this approach to automatic routing at run time allows for automated initialization of qubit number and placement and additionally allows for automated recovery after catastrophic events such as qubit loss. To show that these systems can handle real hardware, we present a simple demonstration system that routes two ions around a multi-zone ion trap and handles ion loss and ion placement. While we will mainly use examples from transport-based ion trap quantum computing, many of the issues and solutions are applicable to other architectures.

Brief report: glycemic control, quality of life, and school experiences among students with diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Julie; Heapy, Alicia; James, Amy; Abbott, Gina

2006-09-01

To investigate the relationships among perceived school experiences, diabetes control, and quality of life (QOL) in children with diabetes. Fifty-eight children with type 1 diabetes and their parents participated. The typical child was 12 years old, had diabetes for 5 years, and attended public, suburban, middle/junior high schools with 300-500 students. Children whose parents reported that school personnel received diabetes training showed significantly better diabetes control than those who reported untrained school personnel. Children who reported their classmates received diabetes training had significantly better QOL than those who reported untrained classmates. Children who reported greater flexibility in performing diabetes care tasks at school had significantly better diabetes control than children who reported less flexibility. Students with diabetes continue to face challenges at school. Training staff and classmates and allowing students the maximum appropriate flexibility in diabetes care appears beneficial for disease control and QOL.

A placebo-controlled investigation of synaesthesia-like experiences under LSD.

Science.gov (United States)

Terhune, Devin B; Luke, David P; Kaelen, Mendel; Bolstridge, Mark; Feilding, Amanda; Nutt, David; Carhart-Harris, Robin; Ward, Jamie

2016-07-29

The induction of synaesthesia in non-synaesthetes has the potential to illuminate the mechanisms that contribute to the development of this condition and the shaping of its phenomenology. Previous research suggests that lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) reliably induces synaesthesia-like experiences in non-synaesthetes. However, these studies suffer from a number of methodological limitations including lack of a placebo control and the absence of rigorous measures used to test established criteria for genuine synaesthesia. Here we report a pilot study that aimed to circumvent these limitations. We conducted a within-groups placebo-controlled investigation of the impact of LSD on colour experiences in response to standardized graphemes and sounds and the consistency and specificity of grapheme- and sound-colour associations. Participants reported more spontaneous synaesthesia-like experiences under LSD, relative to placebo, but did not differ across conditions in colour experiences in response to inducers, consistency of stimulus-colour associations, or in inducer specificity. Further analyses suggest that individual differences in a number of these effects were associated with the propensity to experience states of absorption in one's daily life. Although preliminary, the present study suggests that LSD-induced synaesthesia-like experiences do not exhibit consistency or inducer-specificity and thus do not meet two widely established criteria for genuine synaesthesia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neutral beam control systems for the Tandem Mirror Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, R.I.

1979-01-01

The Tandem Mirror Experiment (TMX) is presently developing the technology and approaches which will be used in larger fusion systems. This paper describes some of the designs which were used in creating the control system for the TMX neutral beams. To create a system of controls that would work near these large, rapid switching current sources required a mixture of different technologies: fiberoptic data transmission, printed circuit and wirewrap techniques, etc

A control system for a free electron laser experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giove, D.

1992-01-01

The general layout of a control and data acquisition system for a Free Electron Laser experiment will be discussed. Some general considerations about the requirements and the architecture of the whole system will be developed. (author)

Data acquisition and experiment control system for high-data-rate experiments at the National Synchrotron Light Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alberi, J.L.; Stubblefield, F.W.

1981-11-01

A data acquisition and experiment control system for experiments at the Biology Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Station at the National Synchrotron Light Source has been developed based on a multiprocessor, functionally distributed architecture. The system controls an x-ray monochromator and spectrometer and acquires data from any one of three position-sensitive x-ray detectors. The average data rate from the position-sensitive detector is approx. 10 6 events/sec. Data is stored in a one megaword histogramming memory. The experiments at this Station require that x-ray diffraction patterns be correlated with timed stimuli at the sample. Therefore, depending on which detector is in use, up to 10 3 time-correlated diffraction patterns may be held in the system memory simultaneously. The operation of the system is functionally distributed over four processors communicating via a multiport memory

Laser beam pointing and stabilization by fractional-order PID control: Tuning rule and experiments

KAUST Repository

Al-Alwan, Asem Ibrahim Alwan; Guo, Xingang; Ndoye, Ibrahima; Laleg-Kirati, Taous-Meriem

2017-01-01

This paper studies the problem of high-precision positioning of laser beams by using a robust Fractional-Order Proportional-Integral-Derivative (FOPID) controller. The control problem addressed in laser beams aims to maintain the position of the laser beam on a Position Sensing Device (PSD) despite the effects of noise and active disturbances. The FOPID controller is well known for its simplicity with better tuning flexibility along with robustness to noise and output disturbance rejections. Thus, a control strategy based on FOPID to achieve the control objectives has been proposed. The FOPID gains and differentiation orders are optimally tuned in order to fulfill the robustness design specifications by solving a nonlinear optimization problem. A comparison to the conventional Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) and robust PID is also provided from simulation and experiment set-up. Due to sensor noise, practical PID controllers that filter the position signal before taking the derivative have been also proposed. Experimental results show that the requirements are totally met for the laser beam platform to be stabilized.

Laser beam pointing and stabilization by fractional-order PID control: Tuning rule and experiments

KAUST Repository

Al-Alwan, Asem Ibrahim Alwan

2017-10-24

This paper studies the problem of high-precision positioning of laser beams by using a robust Fractional-Order Proportional-Integral-Derivative (FOPID) controller. The control problem addressed in laser beams aims to maintain the position of the laser beam on a Position Sensing Device (PSD) despite the effects of noise and active disturbances. The FOPID controller is well known for its simplicity with better tuning flexibility along with robustness to noise and output disturbance rejections. Thus, a control strategy based on FOPID to achieve the control objectives has been proposed. The FOPID gains and differentiation orders are optimally tuned in order to fulfill the robustness design specifications by solving a nonlinear optimization problem. A comparison to the conventional Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) and robust PID is also provided from simulation and experiment set-up. Due to sensor noise, practical PID controllers that filter the position signal before taking the derivative have been also proposed. Experimental results show that the requirements are totally met for the laser beam platform to be stabilized.

The VEPP-2000 Collider Control System: Operational Experience

CERN Document Server

Senchenko, A I; Lysenko, A P; Rogovsky, Yu A; Shatunov, P Yu

2017-01-01

The VEPP-2000 collider was commissioned and operated successfully in 2010-2013. During the operation the facility underwent continuous updates and experience in maintenance was acquired. Strong cooperation between the staff of the accelerator complex and the developers of the control system proved effective for implementing the necessary changes in a short time.

Coherent operation of detector systems and their readout electronics in a complex experiment control environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koestner, Stefan [CERN (Switzerland)], E-mail: koestner@mpi-halle.mpg.de

2009-09-11

With the increasing size and degree of complexity of today's experiments in high energy physics the required amount of work and complexity to integrate a complete subdetector into an experiment control system is often underestimated. We report here on the layered software structure and protocols used by the LHCb experiment to control its detectors and readout boards. The experiment control system of LHCb is based on the commercial SCADA system PVSS II. Readout boards which are outside the radiation area are accessed via embedded credit card sized PCs which are connected to a large local area network. The SPECS protocol is used for control of the front end electronics. Finite state machines are introduced to facilitate the control of a large number of electronic devices and to model the whole experiment at the level of an expert system.

Enhancing Schistosomiasis Control Strategy for Zimbabwe: Building on Past Experiences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moses J. Chimbari

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni are prevalent in Zimbabwe to levels that make schistosomiasis a public health problem. Following three national surveys to map the disease prevalence, a national policy on control of schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminths is being developed. This paper reviews the experiences that Zimbabwe has in the area of schistosomiasis control with a view to influence policy. A case study approach to highlight key experiences and outcomes was adopted. The benefits derived from intersectoral collaboration that led to the development of a model irrigation scheme that incorporates schistosomiasis control measures are highlighted. Similarly, the benefits of using plant molluscicides and fish and duck biological agents (Sargochromis codringtonii and Cairina moschata are highlighted. Emphasis was also placed on the importance of utilizing locally developed water and sanitation technologies and the critical human resource base in the area of schistosomiasis developed over years. After synthesis of the case studies presented, it was concluded that while there is a need to follow the WHO recommended guidelines for schistosomiasis control it is important to develop a control strategy that is informed by work already done in the country. The importance of having a policy and local guidelines for schistosomiasis control is emphasized.

Web-based experiments controlled by JavaScript: an example from probability learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Birnbaum, Michael H; Wakcher, Sandra V

2002-05-01

JavaScript programs can be used to control Web experiments. This technique is illustrated by an experiment that tested the effects of advice on performance in the classic probability-learning paradigm. Previous research reported that people tested via the Web or in the lab tended to match the probabilities of their responses to the probabilities that those responses would be reinforced. The optimal strategy, however, is to consistently choose the more frequent event; probability matching produces suboptimal performance. We investigated manipulations we reasoned should improve performance. A horse race scenario in which participants predicted the winner in each of a series of races between two horses was compared with an abstract scenario used previously. Ten groups of learners received different amounts of advice, including all combinations of (1) explicit instructions concerning the optimal strategy, (2) explicit instructions concerning a monetary sum to maximize, and (3) accurate information concerning the probabilities of events. The results showed minimal effects of horse race versus abstract scenario. Both advice concerning the optimal strategy and probability information contributed significantly to performance in the task. This paper includes a brief tutorial on JavaScript, explaining with simple examples how to assemble a browser-based experiment.

Conceptual design of a digital control system for nuclear criticality experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rojas, S.P.

1994-04-01

Nuclear criticality is a concern in many areas of nuclear engineering including waste management, nuclear weapons testing and design, basic nuclear research, and nuclear reactor design and analysis. As in many areas of science and engineering, experimental work conducted in this field has provided a wealth of data and insight essential to the formulation of theory and the advancement in knowledge of fissioning systems. In light of the many diverse applications of nuclear criticality, there is a continuing interest to learn and understand more about the fundamental physical processes through continued experimentation. This thesis addresses the problem of setting up and programming a microprocessor-based digital control system (PLC) for a proposed critical experiment using, among other devices, a stepper motor, a joystick control mechanism, and switches. This experiment represents a revised configuration to test cylindrical nuclear waste packages. A Monte Carlo numerical study for the proposed critical assembly has been performed in order to illustrate how results from numerical calculations are used in the process of assembling the control system and to corroborate previous experimental data. In summary, a control system utilizing some common devices necessary to perform a critical experiment (stepper motor, push-buttons, etc.) has been assembled. Control components were sized using the results of a probabilistic computer code (MCNP). Finally, a program was written that illustrates the coupling between the hardware and the devices being controlled in the new test fixture

Capacitor requirements for controlled thermonuclear experiments and reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boicourt, G.P.; Hoffman, P.S.

1975-01-01

Future controlled thermonuclear experiments as well as controlled thermonuclear reactors will require substantial numbers of capacitors. The demands on these units are likely to be quite severe and quite different from the normal demands placed on either present energy storage capacitors or present power factor correction capacitors. It is unlikely that these two types will suffice for all necessary Controlled Thermonuclear Research (CTR) applications. The types of capacitors required for the various CTR operating conditions are enumerated. Factors that influence the life, cost and operating abilities of these types of capacitors are discussed. The problems of capacitors in a radiation environment are considered. Areas are defined where future research is needed. Some directions that this research should take are suggested. (U.S.)

Capacitor requirements for controlled thermonuclear experiments and reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boicourt, G.P.; Hoffman, P.S.

1975-01-01

Future controlled thermonuclear experiments as well as controlled thermonuclear reactors will require substantial numbers of capacitors. The demands on these units are likely to be quite severe and quite different from the normal demands placed on either present energy storage capacitors or present power factor correction capacitors. It is unlikely that these two types will suffice for all necessary Controlled Thermonuclear Research (CTR) applications. The types of capacitors required for the various CTR operating conditions are enumerated. Factors that influence the life, cost and operating abilities of these types of capacitors are discussed. The problems of capacitors in a radiation environment are considered. Areas are defined where future research is needed. Some directions that this research should take are suggested

Agents Modeling Experience Applied To Control Of Semi-Continuous Production Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Rojek

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The lack of proper analytical models of some production processes prevents us from obtaining proper values of process parameters by simply computing optimal values. Possible solutions of control problems in such areas of industrial processes can be found using certain methods from the domain of artificial intelligence: neural networks, fuzzy logic, expert systems, or evolutionary algorithms. Presented in this work, a solution to such a control problem is an alternative approach that combines control of the industrial process with learning based on production results. By formulating the main assumptions of the proposed methodology, decision processes of a human operator using his experience are taken into consideration. The researched model of using and gathering experience of human beings is designed with the contribution of agent technology. The presented solution of the control problem coincides with case-based reasoning (CBR methodology.

Experiments with a magnetically controlled pendulum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraftmakher, Yaakov

2007-01-01

A magnetically controlled pendulum is used for observing free and forced oscillations, including nonlinear oscillations and chaotic motion. A data-acquisition system stores the data and displays time series of the oscillations and related phase plane plots, Poincare maps, Fourier spectra and histograms. The decay constant of the pendulum can be modified by positive or negative feedback. The apparatus, except for the data-acquisition system, is extremely simple and low cost, and can be assembled in a short time. The wide possibilities of varying the parameters of the pendulum make the experiments suitable for student projects

Quality Control in Diagnostic Radiology: Experiences and Achievements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd Khalid Matori; Husaini Salleh; Muhammad Jamal Md Isa

2015-01-01

Malaysian Nuclear Agency through its Medical Physics Group has been providing Quality Control (QC) services for medical X-ray apparatus used in diagnostic radiology to private clinics and hospitals since the year 1997. The Medical Physics Groups services is endorsed by the Malaysian Ministry Of Health (MOH) and is in accordance with the Malaysian Standard MS 838 and the Atomic Energy Licensing Act, 1984. Until today, the scopes of testing services also include all types of medical x-ray apparatus. The quality control (QC) in diagnostic radiology is considered as part of quality assurance program which provide accurate diagnostic information at the lowest cost and the least exposure of the patients to radiation. Many experience and obstacles were faced by Medical Physics Group. This paper will discuss the experiences and achievements of providing QC service from early stage until now so that it can be shared by the citizens of the Malaysian Nuclear Agency. The results of quality assurance inspection of all types of X-ray apparatus for medical conducted by Agency Nuclear Malaysia will be presented in brief. (author)

The identification and modeling of visual cue usage in manual control task experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Sweet, Barbara Townsend

Many fields of endeavor require humans to conduct manual control tasks while viewing a perspective scene. Manual control refers to tasks in which continuous, or nearly continuous, control adjustments are required. Examples include flying an aircraft, driving a car, and riding a bicycle. Perspective scenes can arise through natural viewing of the world, simulation of a scene (as in flight simulators), or through imaging devices (such as the cameras on an unmanned aerospace vehicle). Designers frequently have some degree of control over the content and characteristics of a perspective scene; airport designers can choose runway markings, vehicle designers can influence the size and shape of windows, as well as the location of the pilot, and simulator database designers can choose scene complexity and content. Little theoretical framework exists to help designers determine the answers to questions related to perspective scene content. An empirical approach is most commonly used to determine optimum perspective scene configurations. The goal of the research effort described in this dissertation has been to provide a tool for modeling the characteristics of human operators conducting manual control tasks with perspective-scene viewing. This is done for the purpose of providing an algorithmic, as opposed to empirical, method for analyzing the effects of changing perspective scene content for closed-loop manual control tasks. The dissertation contains the development of a model of manual control using a perspective scene, called the Visual Cue Control (VCC) Model. Two forms of model were developed: one model presumed that the operator obtained both position and velocity information from one visual cue, and the other model presumed that the operator used one visual cue for position, and another for velocity. The models were compared and validated in two experiments. The results show that the two-cue VCC model accurately characterizes the output of the human operator with a

Controlled damping of a physical pendulum: experiments near critical conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez, Manuel I; Bol, Alfredo

2006-01-01

This paper presents an experimental device for the study of damped oscillatory motion along with three associated experiments. Special emphasis is given on both didactic aspects and the interactivity of the experimental set-up, in order to assist students in understanding fundamental aspects of damped oscillatory motion and allow them to directly compare their experimental results with the well-known theory they can find in textbooks. With this in mind, a physical pendulum was selected with an eddy-current damping system that allows the damping conditions to be controlled with great precision. The three experiments examine accurate control of damping, frequency shift near critical damping and the transition from underdamped to overdamped conditions

Engineered barrier experiment. Power control and data acquisition systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alberdi, J.; Barcala, J.M.; Gamero, E.; Martin, P.L.; Molinero, A.; Navarrete, J.J.; Yuste, C.

1997-01-01

The engineered barrier concept for the storage of radioactive wastes is being tested at almost full scale at CIEMAT facilities. A data acquisition and control is an element of this experiment. This system would be operating for next three years. (Author)

Stratospheric controlled perturbation experiment (SCoPEx): overview, status, and results from related laboratory experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Keith, D.; Dykema, J. A.; Keutsch, F. N.

2017-12-01

Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx), is a scientific experiment to advance understanding of stratospheric aerosols. It aims to make quantitative measurements of aerosol microphysics and atmospheric chemistry to improve large-scale models used to assess the risks and benefits of solar geoengineering. A perturbative experiment requires: (a) means to create a well-mixed, small perturbed volume, and (b) observation of time evolution of chemistry and aerosols in the volume. SCoPEx will used a propelled balloon gondola containing all instruments and drive system. The propeller wake forms a well-mixed volume (roughly 1 km long and 100 meters in diameter) that serves as an experimental `beaker' into which aerosols (e.g., budget, etc; (d) results from CFD simulation of propeller wake and simulation of chemistry and aerosol microphysics; and finally (e) proposed concept of operations and schedule. We will also provide an overview of the plans for governance including management of health safety and environmental risks, transparency, public engagement, and larger questions about governance of solar geoengineering experiments. Finally, we will briefly present results of laboratory experiments of the interaction of chemical such as ClONO2 and HCl on particle surfaces relevant for stratospheric solar geoengineering.

Design of a high-lift experiment in water including active flow control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beutel, T; Schwerter, M; Büttgenbach, S; Leester-Schädel, M; Sattler, S; El Sayed, Y; Radespiel, R; Zander, M; Sinapius, M; Wierach, P

2014-01-01

This paper describes the structural design of an active flow-control experiment. The aim of the experiment is to investigate the increase in efficiency of an internally blown Coanda flap using unsteady blowing. The system uses tailor-made microelectromechanical (MEMS) pressure sensors to determine the state of the oncoming flow and an actuated lip to regulate the mass flow and velocity of a stream near a wall over the internally blown flap. Sensors and actuators are integrated into a highly loaded system that is extremely compact. The sensors are connected to a bus system that feeds the data into a real-time control system. The piezoelectric actuators using the d 33 effect at a comparable low voltage of 120 V are integrated into a lip that controls the blowout slot height. The system is designed for closed-loop control that efficiently avoids flow separation on the Coanda flap. The setup is designed for water-tunnel experiments in order to reduce the free-stream velocity and the system’s control frequency by a factor of 10 compared with that in air. This paper outlines the function and verification of the system’s main components and their development. (technical note)

The Intelligent Control System and Experiments for an Unmanned Wave Glider.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Yulei; Wang, Leifeng; Li, Yiming; Li, Ye; Jiang, Quanquan

2016-01-01

The control system designing of Unmanned Wave Glider (UWG) is challenging since the control system is weak maneuvering, large time-lag and large disturbance, which is difficult to establish accurate mathematical model. Meanwhile, to complete marine environment monitoring in long time scale and large spatial scale autonomously, UWG asks high requirements of intelligence and reliability. This paper focuses on the "Ocean Rambler" UWG. First, the intelligent control system architecture is designed based on the cerebrum basic function combination zone theory and hierarchic control method. The hardware and software designing of the embedded motion control system are mainly discussed. A motion control system based on rational behavior model of four layers is proposed. Then, combining with the line-of sight method(LOS), a self-adapting PID guidance law is proposed to compensate the steady state error in path following of UWG caused by marine environment disturbance especially current. Based on S-surface control method, an improved S-surface heading controller is proposed to solve the heading control problem of the weak maneuvering carrier under large disturbance. Finally, the simulation experiments were carried out and the UWG completed autonomous path following and marine environment monitoring in sea trials. The simulation experiments and sea trial results prove that the proposed intelligent control system, guidance law, controller have favorable control performance, and the feasibility and reliability of the designed intelligent control system of UWG are verified.

The Intelligent Control System and Experiments for an Unmanned Wave Glider

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Yulei; Wang, Leifeng; Li, Yiming; Li, Ye; Jiang, Quanquan

2016-01-01

The control system designing of Unmanned Wave Glider (UWG) is challenging since the control system is weak maneuvering, large time-lag and large disturbance, which is difficult to establish accurate mathematical model. Meanwhile, to complete marine environment monitoring in long time scale and large spatial scale autonomously, UWG asks high requirements of intelligence and reliability. This paper focuses on the “Ocean Rambler” UWG. First, the intelligent control system architecture is designed based on the cerebrum basic function combination zone theory and hierarchic control method. The hardware and software designing of the embedded motion control system are mainly discussed. A motion control system based on rational behavior model of four layers is proposed. Then, combining with the line-of sight method(LOS), a self-adapting PID guidance law is proposed to compensate the steady state error in path following of UWG caused by marine environment disturbance especially current. Based on S-surface control method, an improved S-surface heading controller is proposed to solve the heading control problem of the weak maneuvering carrier under large disturbance. Finally, the simulation experiments were carried out and the UWG completed autonomous path following and marine environment monitoring in sea trials. The simulation experiments and sea trial results prove that the proposed intelligent control system, guidance law, controller have favorable control performance, and the feasibility and reliability of the designed intelligent control system of UWG are verified. PMID:28005956

Antenatal hypnosis training and childbirth experience: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, Anette; Uldbjerg, Niels; Zachariae, Robert; Wu, Chun Sen; Nohr, Ellen A

2013-12-01

Childbirth is a demanding event in a woman's life. The aim of this study was to explore whether a brief intervention in the form of an antenatal course in self-hypnosis to ease childbirth could improve the childbirth experience. In a randomized, controlled, single-blinded trial, 1,222 healthy nulliparous women were allocated to one of three groups during pregnancy: A hypnosis group participating in three 1-hour sessions teaching self-hypnosis to ease childbirth, a relaxation group receiving three 1-hour lessons in various relaxation methods and Mindfulness, and a usual care group receiving ordinary antenatal care only. Wijmas Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ) was used to measure the childbirth experience 6 weeks postpartum. The intention-to-treat analysis indicated that women in the hypnosis group experienced their childbirth as better compared with the other two groups (mean W-DEQ score of 42.9 in the Hypnosis group, 47.2 in the Relaxation group, and 47.5 in the Care as usual group (p = 0.01)). The tendency toward a better childbirth experience in the hypnosis group was also seen in subgroup analyses for mode of delivery and for levels of fear. In this large randomized controlled trial, a brief course in self-hypnosis improved the women's childbirth experience. © 2013, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2013, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Extended Model-Based Feedforward Compensation in L1 Adaptive Control for Mechanical Manipulators: Design and Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moussab eBennehar

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with a new control scheme for Parallel Kinematic Manipulators (PKMs based on the L1 adaptive control theory. The original L1 adaptive controller is extended by including an adaptive loop based on the dynamics of the PKM. The additional model-based term is in charge of the compensation of the modeled nonlinear dynamics in the aim of improving the tracking performance. Moreover, the proposed controller is enhanced to reduce the internal forces, which may appear in the case of Redundantly Actuated PKMs (RA-PKMs. The generated control inputs are first regulated through a projection mechanism that reduces the antagonistic internal forces, before being applied to the manipulator. To validate the proposed controller and to show its effectiveness, real-time experiments are conducted on a new four degrees-of-freedom (4-DOFs RA-PKM developed in our laboratory.

Damping-tunable energy-harvesting vehicle damper with multiple controlled generators: Design, modeling and experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Longhan; Li, Jiehong; Li, Xiaodong; Huang, Ledeng; Cai, Siqi

2018-01-01

Hydraulic dampers are used to decrease the vibration of a vehicle, where vibration energy is dissipated as heat. In addition to resulting in energy waste, the damping coefficient in hydraulic dampers cannot be changed during operation. In this paper, an energy-harvesting vehicle damper was proposed to replace traditional hydraulic dampers. The goal is not only to recover kinetic energy from suspension vibration but also to change the damping coefficient during operation according to road conditions. The energy-harvesting damper consists of multiple generators that are independently controlled by switches. One of these generators connects to a tunable resistor for fine tuning the damping coefficient, while the other generators are connected to a control and rectifying circuit, each of which both regenerates electricity and provides a constant damping coefficient. A mathematical model was built to investigate the performance of the energy-harvesting damper. By controlling the number of switched-on generators and adjusting the value of the external tunable resistor, the damping can be fine tuned according to the requirement. In addition to the capability of damping tuning, the multiple controlled generators can output a significant amount of electricity. A prototype was built to test the energy-harvesting damper design. Experiments on an MTS testing system were conducted, with results that validated the theoretical analysis. Experiments show that changing the number of switched-on generators can obviously tune the damping coefficient of the damper and simultaneously produce considerable electricity.

Design Of A Novel Online Experiment Setup For PID Controller Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sezgin Kaçar

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, an internet based remote access experiment setup was developed for induction direct current motor speed control with PID controller which can be used as a support material in engineering education. The experiment setup is wireless and communicates with the remote server using transfer control protocol/internet protocol through a wireless ADSL modem. Users can perform the experiments as real time accessing the web pages in the remote server by using any computer which has internet connection. By means of interactively-designed web pages, users can monitor the speed change executing alterations of the PID controller parameter and motor reference speed. Also users can save the measured values on their own computers. In addition to this, with the support of a webcam, the running of the experimental set can be monitored on the web page. Additionally, for the experimental set, preparing the peripheral units card, the interaction was expanded between the user and the experimental set. Relatively to this, the user can monitor the ambient temperature of the experimental set’s current place on the web page and can make his/her own message write on LCD of the experimental set and can enlighten it if he/she wants.

Assessing Subjectivity in Sensor Data Post Processing via a Controlled Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, A. S.; Horsburgh, J. S.; Eiriksson, D.

2017-12-01

Environmental data collected by in situ sensors must be reviewed to verify validity, and conducting quality control often requires making edits in post processing to generate approved datasets. This process involves decisions by technicians, data managers, or data users on how to handle problematic data. Options include: removing data from a series, retaining data with annotations, and altering data based on algorithms related to adjacent data points or the patterns of data at other locations or of other variables. Ideally, given the same dataset and the same quality control guidelines, multiple data quality control technicians would make the same decisions in data post processing. However, despite the development and implementation of guidelines aimed to ensure consistent quality control procedures, we have faced ambiguity when performing post processing, and we have noticed inconsistencies in the practices of individuals performing quality control post processing. Technicians with the same level of training and using the same input datasets may produce different results, affecting the overall quality and comparability of finished data products. Different results may also be produced by technicians that do not have the same level of training. In order to assess the effect of subjective decision making by the individual technician on the end data product, we designed an experiment where multiple users performed quality control post processing on the same datasets using a consistent set of guidelines, field notes, and tools. We also assessed the effect of technician experience and training by conducting the same procedures with a group of novices unfamiliar with the data and the quality control process and compared their results to those generated by a group of more experienced technicians. In this presentation, we report our observations of the degree of subjectivity in sensor data post processing, assessing and quantifying the impacts of individual technician as

Closed-loop control of renal perfusion pressure in physiological experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Campos-Delgado, D U; Bonilla, I; Rodríguez-Martínez, M; Sánchez-Briones, M E; Ruiz-Hernández, E

2013-07-01

This paper presents the design, experimental modeling, and control of a pump-driven renal perfusion pressure (RPP)-regulatory system to implement precise and relatively fast RPP regulation in rats. The mechatronic system is a simple, low-cost, and reliable device to automate the RPP regulation process based on flow-mediated occlusion. Hence, the regulated signal is the RPP measured in the left femoral artery of the rat, and the manipulated variable is the voltage applied to a dc motor that controls the occlusion of the aorta. The control system is implemented in a PC through the LabView software, and a data acquisition board NI USB-6210. A simple first-order linear system is proposed to approximate the dynamics in the experiment. The parameters of the model are chosen to minimize the error between the predicted and experimental output averaged from eight input/output datasets at different RPP operating conditions. A closed-loop servocontrol system based on a pole-placement PD controller plus dead-zone compensation was proposed for this purpose. First, the feedback structure was validated in simulation by considering parameter uncertainty, and constant and time-varying references. Several experimental tests were also conducted to validate in real time the closed-loop performance for stepwise and fast switching references, and the results show the effectiveness of the proposed automatic system to regulate the RPP in the rat, in a precise, accurate (mean error less than 2 mmHg) and relatively fast mode (10-15 s of response time).

An Experiment of GMPLS-Based Dispersion Compensation Control over In-Field Fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Seno, Shoichiro; Horiuchi, Eiichi; Yoshida, Sota; Sugihara, Takashi; Onohara, Kiyoshi; Kamei, Misato; Baba, Yoshimasa; Kubo, Kazuo; Mizuochi, Takashi

As ROADMs (Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers) are becoming widely used in metro/core networks, distributed control of wavelength paths by extended GMPLS (Generalized MultiProtocol Label Switching) protocols has attracted much attention. For the automatic establishment of an arbitrary wavelength path satisfying dynamic traffic demands over a ROADM or WXC (Wavelength Cross Connect)-based network, precise determination of chromatic dispersion over the path and optimized assignment of dispersion compensation capabilities at related nodes are essential. This paper reports an experiment over in-field fibers where GMPLS-based control was applied for the automatic discovery of chromatic dispersion, path computation, and wavelength path establishment with dynamic adjustment of variable dispersion compensation. The GMPLS-based control scheme, which the authors called GMPLS-Plus, extended GMPLS's distributed control architecture with attributes for automatic discovery, advertisement, and signaling of chromatic dispersion. In this experiment, wavelength paths with distances of 24km and 360km were successfully established and error-free data transmission was verified. The experiment also confirmed path restoration with dynamic compensation adjustment upon fiber failure.

Insights into organic carbon oxidation potential during fluvial transport from controlled laboratory and natural field experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Scheingross, Joel S.; Dellinger, Mathieu; Golombek, Nina; Hilton, Robert G.; Hovius, Niels; Sachse, Dirk; Turowski, Jens M.; Vieth-Hillebrand, Andrea; Wittmann, Hella

2017-04-01

Over geologic timescales, the exchange of organic carbon (OC) between the atmosphere, biosphere and geosphere is thought to be a major control on atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, and hence global climate. The carbon fluxes from the oxidation of rock-derived OC (a CO2 source) and erosion and transport of biospheric OC (a potential CO2 sink) during fluvial transit are approximately the same order of magnitude or larger than those from silicate weathering (France-Lanord and Derry, 1997; Bouchez et al., 2010). Despite field data showing oxidation of OC moving downstream in lowland rivers, it is unclear if losses occur primarily during active fluvial transport within the river, where OC is in continual motion within an aerated environment, or during longer periods when OC is temporarily stored in river floodplains which may be anoxic. This represents a major knowledge gap, as the unknown location of OC oxidation (i.e., river vs. floodplain) limits our ability to develop process-based models that can be employed to predict OC losses, constrain carbon budgets, and unravel links between climate, tectonics, and erosion. To fill this gap, we investigated the potential for OC oxidation in both controlled laboratory experiments and a simplified field setting. We consider both rock-derived and biospheric OC. Our experiments simulated fluvial transport without floodplain storage, allowing mixtures of OC-rich and siliciclastic sediment to be transported for distances of 1000 km in annular flumes while making time-series measurements of OC concentration in both the solid (POC) and dissolved (DOC) loads, as well as measurements of rhenium concentration, which serves as a proxy for the oxidation of rock-derived OC. These transport experiments were compared to static, control experiments where water and sediment in the same proportion were placed in still water. Initial results for transport of OC-rich soil show similar behavior between the transport and static

Multilink manipulator computer control: experience in development and commissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holt, J.E.

1988-11-01

This report describes development which has been carried out on the multilink manipulator computer control system. The system allows the manipulator to be driven using only two joysticks. The leading link is controlled and the other links follow its path into the reactor, thus avoiding any potential obstacles. The system has been fully commissioned and used with the Sizewell ''A'' reactor 2 Multilink T.V. manipulator. Experience of the use of the system is presented, together with recommendations for future improvements. (author)

Pre-study of burn control in Tokamak reactor experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elevant, T.; Anderson, D.; Hamnen, H.; Lisak, M.

1991-04-01

Findings from a general study of issues associated with control of burning fusion plasmas are reported, and applications to ITER are given. A number of control variables are discussed. A zerodimensional system has been developed and stability against coupled temperature and density variations are studied. Also space dependent energy balance and transition to thermonuclear burn are analysed as well as maximum obtainable Q-values under subignited operation conditions. Control designs with different input-output strategies are analysed and numerically simulated, and a numerical experiment of system identification is made. Requirements on diagnostics are discussed and areas for further studies are identified. (au) (64 refs.)

Initial experience of tritium exposure control at JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, B.; Campling, D.C.; Schofield, P.A.; Macheta, P.; Sandland, K.

1998-01-01

Some of the safety procedures and controls in place for work with tritium are described, and initial operational experience of handling tritium is discussed. A description is given of work to rectify a water leak in a JET neutral beam heating component, which involved man-access to a confined volume to perform repairs, at tritium levels about 100 DAC (80 MBq/m 3 . HTO). Control measures involving use of purge and extract ventilation, and of personal protection using air-fed pressurized suits are described. Results are given of the internal doses to project staff and of atmospheric discharges of tritium during the repair outage. (P.A.)

Alkylation of Chlorobenzene. An Experiment Illustrating Kinetic versus Thermodynamic Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolb, Kenneth; And Others

1988-01-01

Describes an experiment which illustrates the kinetic versus thermodynamic control of chemical reactions for organic chemistry students. Considers the laboratory procedures including the isolation of both the kinetic and thermodynamic products. (CW)

Qudi: a modular python suite for experiment control and data processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Binder, Jan M.; Stark, Alexander; Tomek, Nikolas

2017-01-01

Qudi is a general, modular, multi-operating system suite written in Python 3 for controlling laboratory experiments. It provides a structured environment by separating functionality into hardware abstraction, experiment logic and user interface layers. The core feature set comprises a graphical...... user interface, live data visualization, distributed execution over networks, rapid prototyping via Jupyter notebooks, configuration management, and data recording. Currently, the included modules are focused on confocal microscopy, quantum optics and quantum information experiments, but an expansion...

The Run Control system of the NA62 experiment at CERN SPS

CERN Document Server

Lazzeroni, Cristina

2016-01-01

The NA62 experiment at CERN SPS started physics data taking this year with the aim to measure the ultra-rare decay K + → π +νν¯. The experiment consists of a large number of subsystems to reach the goal of 10 % accuracy and less than 10 % background. The Run Control has been designed to link their trigger and data acquisition system in a single central application easily controllable by non-expert shifters. It has been continuously evolving over time, integrating new equipments, following new requirements and feedback from shifters. The next steps of development is a more automatized system that integrates the knowledge acquired during the operation of the experiment.

Performance anxiety experiences of professional ballet dancers: the importance of control.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Imogen J; Nordin-Bates, Sanna M

2010-01-01

Performance anxiety research abounds in sport psychology, yet has been relatively sparse in dance. The present study explores ballet dancers' experiences of performance anxiety in relation to: 1. symptom type, intensity, and directional interpretation; 2. experience level (including company rank); and 3. self-confidence and psychological skills. Fifteen elite ballet dancers representing all ranks in one company were interviewed, and qualitative content analysis was conducted. Results revealed that cognitive anxiety was more dominant than somatic anxiety, and was unanimously interpreted as debilitative to performance. Somatic anxiety was more likely to be interpreted as facilitative, with the majority of dancers recognizing that a certain amount of anxiety could be beneficial to performance. Principal dancers suffered from higher intensities of performance anxiety than corps de ballet members. Feeling out of control emerged as a major theme in both the experience of anxiety and its interpretation. As a result, prevention or handling of anxiety symptoms may be accomplished by helping dancers to feel in control. Dancers may benefit from education about anxiety symptoms and their interpretation, in addition to psychological skills training incorporating cognitive restructuring strategies and problem-focussed coping to help increase their feelings of being in control.

Real-time control environment for the RFX experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barana, O.; Cavinato, M.; Luchetta, A.; Manduchi, G.; Taliercio, C.

2005-01-01

A comprehensive set of control schemes can be presently implemented on RFX due to the enhanced load assembly and renewed power supply system. The schemes include: plasma equilibrium control and resistive wall mode stabilization, aiming at controlling actively the discharge when the passive action of the shell vanishes; the rotation of the localised helical deformation to minimize the enhanced plasma-wall interaction; the MHD mode control and the 'intelligent shell', aiming at achieving a better comprehension of the underlying physics. To the purpose, an integrated, distributed, digital system has been developed consisting of a set of computing nodes. Each node can act either as pre-processing or control station, the former acquiring raw data and computing intermediate control parameters, the latter executing control algorithms and driving the power amplifiers. An overview of the system architecture is presented in the paper with reference to the software real-time environment providing both basic functions, such as data read-out and real-time communication, and useful tools to program control algorithms, to perform simulations and to commission the system. To simulate the control schemes, the real-time environment is extended to include a so called 'simulation mode', in which the real-time nodes exchange their input/output signals with one station running a suitable model of the experiment, for instance the two dimensional FEM code MAXFEA in the case of the equilibrium control. In this way the control system can be tested offline and the time needed for the commissioning of algorithms reduced

Experience Replay for Optimal Control of Nonzero-Sum Game Systems With Unknown Dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Dongbin; Zhang, Qichao; Wang, Ding; Zhu, Yuanheng

2016-03-01

In this paper, an approximate online equilibrium solution is developed for an N -player nonzero-sum (NZS) game systems with completely unknown dynamics. First, a model identifier based on a three-layer neural network (NN) is established to reconstruct the unknown NZS games systems. Moreover, the identifier weight vector is updated based on experience replay technique which can relax the traditional persistence of excitation condition to a simplified condition on recorded data. Then, the single-network adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) with experience replay algorithm is proposed for each player to solve the coupled nonlinear Hamilton- (HJ) equations, where only the critic NN weight vectors are required to tune for each player. The feedback Nash equilibrium is provided by the solution of the coupled HJ equations. Based on the experience replay technique, a novel critic NN weights tuning law is proposed to guarantee the stability of the closed-loop system and the convergence of the value functions. Furthermore, a Lyapunov-based stability analysis shows that the uniform ultimate boundedness of the closed-loop system is achieved. Finally, two simulation examples are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.

Head-controlled laparoscopy : experiment, prototype, and preliminary results

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voorhorst, F.A.; Meijer, D.W.; Overbeeke, C.J.

1999-01-01

Depth perception is closely linked to the ability to explore. Previously described laboratory experiments showed the advantage of linking the motions of the laparoscope directly to the head movements of the surgeon. Additionally, it was found that the laparoscope should be mechanically supported

Power system control experiments using 1 MJ SMES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugimoto, Shigeyuki

1993-01-01

Chubu Electric Power Co. Inc., developed a 1 MJ Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) system composed of a pulsive superconducting magnet (1000 A, 2 H) and experimental researches connecting this system to a simulated power system composed of four generators, fluctuating load and some transmission lines were carried out in the laboratory of Chubu Electric Power Co. Inc., since 1989. The purpose of this experimental researches are to investigate the effects of SMES adapting in power system control use. This paper describes the results and confirmed effects of four kinds of experiments as the following, cut-off peak demand, load leveling effect for fluctuating load, improvement of dynamic stability and frequency control effect in isolated power system. (orig.)

Current profile control experiments in EXTRAP T2R

Science.gov (United States)

Brunsell, P.; Cecconello, M.; Drake, J.; Franz, P.; Malmberg, J. A.; Marrelli, L.; Martin, P.; Spizzo, G.

2002-11-01

EXTRAP T2R is a high aspect ratio (R=1.24 m, a = 0.183 m) reversed-field pinch device, characterised by a double, thin shell system. The simultaneous presence of many m=1, |n| > 11 tearing modes is responsible for a magnetic field turbulence, which is believed to produce the rather high energy and particle transport that is observed in this type of magnetic configuration. In this paper first results from current profile control experiments (PPCD) in a thin shell device are shown. When an edge poloidal electric field is transiently applied, an increase of the electron temperature and of the electron density is seen, which is consistent with an increase of the thermal content of the plasma. At the same time, the soft x-ray emission, measured with a newly installed miniaturised camera, shows a peaking of the profile in the core. Furthermore, the amplitudes of the m=1 tearing modes are reduced and and the rotation velocities increase during PPCD, which is also consistent with a reduction of magnetic turbulence and a heating of the plasma

Language experience differentiates prefrontal and subcortical activation of the cognitive control network in novel word learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradley, Kailyn A L; King, Kelly E; Hernandez, Arturo E

2013-02-15

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive control mechanisms in adult English speaking monolinguals compared to early sequential Spanish-English bilinguals during the initial stages of novel word learning. Functional magnetic resonance imaging during a lexico-semantic task after only 2h of exposure to novel German vocabulary flashcards showed that monolinguals activated a broader set of cortical control regions associated with higher-level cognitive processes, including the supplementary motor area (SMA), anterior cingulate (ACC), and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), as well as the caudate, implicated in cognitive control of language. However, bilinguals recruited a more localized subcortical network that included the putamen, associated more with motor control of language. These results suggest that experience managing multiple languages may differentiate the learning strategy and subsequent neural mechanisms of cognitive control used by bilinguals compared to monolinguals in the early stages of novel word learning. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Operational experience of SST1 NBI control system with prototype Ion source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, V B; Patel, P J; Singh, N P; Tripathi, V; Thakkar, D; Gupta, L N; Prahlad, V; Sharma, S K; Bandyopadyay, M; Chakraborty, A K; Baruah, U K; Mattoo, S K; Patel, G B; Onali, Raja

2010-01-01

This paper presents operational experience of integrated control of the arc-filament and High-voltage power supply of Steady State Tokamak (SST)-1 NBI system using Versa Module Europa (VME) system on prototype Ion source. The control algorithm is implemented on the VxWorks operating system using 'C' language. This paper also describes the operating sequence and controls on power supply system. Discharge and Filament power supplies are controlled in such a way so that necessary discharge current can be available in Ion Source. The discharge current is controlled by manipulating the filament current. Close loop control is implemented on each filament power supply with feedback from Discharge Current to control the overall discharge inside the ion source. Necessary actions for shut OFF and subsequent Turn ON are also taken during breakdowns between the Grids of the ion source. Total numbers of breakdowns are also monitored. Shot is terminated, if the breakdown count is higher than the set value. This control system can be programmed to restart High-voltage power supply within 5mS after breakdown occurs. This control system is capable to handle the all types of dynamics in the system. This paper also presents results of experiment.

Qudi: A modular python suite for experiment control and data processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan M. Binder

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Qudi is a general, modular, multi-operating system suite written in Python 3 for controlling laboratory experiments. It provides a structured environment by separating functionality into hardware abstraction, experiment logic and user interface layers. The core feature set comprises a graphical user interface, live data visualization, distributed execution over networks, rapid prototyping via Jupyter notebooks, configuration management, and data recording. Currently, the included modules are focused on confocal microscopy, quantum optics and quantum information experiments, but an expansion into other fields is possible and encouraged.

Viewing Artworks: Contributions of Cognitive Control and Perceptual Facilitation to Aesthetic Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Cupchik, Gerald C.; Vartanian, Oshin; Crawley, Adrian; Mikulis, David J.

2009-01-01

When we view visual images in everyday life, our perception is oriented toward object identification. In contrast, when viewing visual images "as artworks", we also tend to experience subjective reactions to their stylistic and structural properties. This experiment sought to determine how cognitive control and perceptual facilitation contribute…

AE$\\mathrm{\\bar{g}}$IS Experiment Positron Accumulator: Optimization and Control

CERN Document Server

Moura, Joao Pedro

2013-01-01

The present document describes my 8-week work project at the AE$\\mathrm{\\bar{g}}$IS experiment. The project can be divided into three main tasks: 1. Theoretical preparation; 2. Support at the experiment; and 3. Control of the ES075-2 Power Supply. A description of these tasks is presented. Special emphasis is put on the third task and further developments are proposed.

Experience with the Multi-Year Implementation of an Industrial Control System

CERN Document Server

Kuhn, H K; Juillerat, A C; Rabany, Michel; Wollès, J C

2000-01-01

In 1990, CERN passed a multi-year purchasing and installation contract for the LEP 200 Cryogenics control system with ABB, one of the world's leading suppliers of integrated Distributed Control Systems (DCS). A financial framework provided over a period of eight years the required supplies. These were called up with so called "Release Orders", taking into account the latest technical developments. The issues and experiences with such a new approach and the resulting control system are described.

DABASCO Experiment Data Acquisition and Control System; Sistema de Toma de Datos y Control del Experimento DABASCO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alberdi, J.; Artigao, A.; Barcala, J. M.; Oller, J. C. [Ciemat, Madrid (Spain)

2000-07-01

DABASCO experiment wants to study the thermohydraulic phenomena produced into the containment area for a severe accident in a nuclear power facility. This document describes the characteristics of the data acquisition and control system used in the experiment. The main elements of the system were a data acquisition board, PCI-MIO-16E-4, and an application written with LaB View. (Author) 5 refs.

Slow control systems of the Reactor Experiment for Neutrino Oscillation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, J.H.; Jang, H.I.; Choi, W.Q.; Choi, Y.; Jang, J.S.; Jeon, E.J.; Joo, K.K.; Kim, B.R.; Kim, H.S.; Kim, J.Y.; Kim, S.B.; Kim, S.Y.; Kim, W.; Kim, Y.D.; Ko, Y.J.; Lee, J.K.; Lim, I.T.; Pac, M.Y.; Park, I.G.; Park, J.S.

2016-01-01

The RENO experiment has been in operation since August 2011 to measure reactor antineutrino disappearance using identical near and far detectors. For accurate measurements of neutrino mixing parameters and efficient data taking, it is crucial to monitor and control the detector in real time. Environmental conditions also need to be monitored for stable operation of detectors as well as for safety reasons. In this paper, we report the design, hardware, operation, and performance of the slow control system.

A structured architecture for advanced plasma control experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Penaflor, B.G.; Ferron, J.R.; Walker, M.L.

1996-10-01

Recent new and improved plasma control regimes have evolved from enhancements to the systems responsible for managing the plasma configuration on the DIII-D tokamak. The collection of hardware and software components designed for this purpose is known at DIII-D as the Plasma Control System or PCS. Several new user requirements have contributed to the rapid growth of the PCS. Experiments involving digital control of the plasma vertical position have resulted in the addition of new high performance processors to operate in real-time. Recent studies in plasma disruptions involving the use of neural network based software have resulted in an increase in the number of input diagnostic signals sampled. Better methods for estimating the plasma shape and position have brought about numerous software changes and the addition of several new code modules. Furthermore, requests for performing multivariable control and feedback on the current profile are continuing to add to the demands being placed on the PCS. To support all of these demands has required a structured yet flexible hardware and software architecture for maintaining existing capabilities and easily adding new ones. This architecture along with a general overview of the DIII-D Plasma Control System is described. In addition, the latest improvements to the PCS are presented

'You don't show everyone your weakness': Older adults' views on using Family Group Conferencing to regain control and autonomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Metze, Rosalie N; Kwekkeboom, Rick H; Abma, Tineke A

2015-08-01

Family Group Conferencing (FGC), a model in which a person and his or her social network make their own 'care' plan, is used in youth care and might also be useful in elderly care to support older persons living at home. In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, FGC was implemented for older adults but they showed resistance. Reasons for this resistance have been researched and are described in this article. We examine existing views and attitudes of older adults concerning the use of FGC, and report on how older adults see the possibility to regain control over their lives using FGC. To do this, focus group sessions, duo interviews and individual interviews were held with older adults with varying characteristics: living at home, in sheltered housing, or in a home for the elderly; and living in urban, suburban or rural areas. Themes were: views on and contentment with the control and autonomy that they experience in their lives, and the willingness to use FGC to improve this. The main reasons for our respondents to resist FGC were: expecting people to be there for them without a FGC, not feeling ready yet for a FGC, feeling embarrassed when asking for help, being reluctant to open up about their problems, and having the fear of losing control when organizing a FGC. We conclude that, for this generation of older adults, FGC means losing control and autonomy rather than gaining it. To be appealing to older adults, a relational empowerment strengthening model should most likely be focused on reciprocity, peer-to-peer support, and solutions instead of problems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Partitioning,Automation and Error Recovery in the Control and Monitoring System of an LHC Experiment

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

C.Gaspar

2001-01-01

The Joint Controls Project(JCOP)is a collaboration between CERN and the four LHC experiments to find and implement common solutions for their control and monitoring systems.As part of this project and Architecture Working Group was set up in order to study the requirements and devise an architectural model that would suit the four experiments.Many issues were studied by this working group:Alarm handling,Access Control,Hierarchical Control,etc.This paper will report on the specific issue of hierarchical control and in particular partitioning,automation and error recovery.

Gerenciamento participativo em saúde do trabalhador: uma experiência na atividade de controle de vetores Participative management in workers' health: an experience in the vector control activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodolfo Andrade de Gouveia Vilela

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Este artigo apresenta a experiência de implantação de um sistema de gestão em Saúde do Trabalhador implantado na Superintendencia de Controle de Endemias (SUCEN, no período de 1998 a 2002, que operava na atividade de controle químico de vetores no Estado de São Paulo. OBJETIVO: Descrever o sistema de gestão participativa, as ações desenvolvidas e os principais resultados alcançados. MÉTODO: Relato da experiência vivenciada pela equipe usando abordagem qualitativa, análise de documentos e apresentação de dados quantitativos. RESULTADOS: Foram eleitas 11 Comissões de Saúde e Trabalho (COMSAT's que em conjunto com a equipe técnica iniciaram a identificação dos riscos e de propostas para prevenção e controle dos riscos no trabalho. O mapeamento de riscos resultou em 650 recomendações, 45,7% das quais foram executadas. Foram identificadas como doenças relacionadas ao trabalho: reações alérgicas aos pesticidas, lesões por esforços repetitivos, distúrbios auditivos e patologias de coluna vertebral. Participaram dos cursos básicos de saúde do trabalhador 1.003 servidores (76,3% do total de servidores, sendo que 90,8% dos participantes os consideraram ótimos ou bons. CONCLUSÕES: O sistema de gerenciamento participativo coloca em prática os princípios de gestão democrática do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS; incorpora, por meio do mapeamento de riscos, o saber do trabalhador; inclui os trabalhadores como sujeitos do processo de negociação e mudanças; pratica o direito à informação. As COMSAT's revelaram-se espaços adequados para a negociação das melhorias nas condições de trabalho. A aprovação do sistema de gestão culminou na validação legal por meio de um acordo tripartite assinado em março de 2002.INTRODUCTION: The paper shows the implementation experience of a management system in occupational health that took place at SUCEN (Superintendence for Endemic Control, from 1998 to 2002, which worked on

Automation and Control Learning Environment with Mixed Reality Remote Experiments Architecture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frederico M. Schaf

2007-05-01

Full Text Available This work aims to the use of remotely web-based experiments to improve the learning process of automation and control systems theory courses. An architecture combining virtual learning environments, remote experiments, students guide and experiments analysis is proposed based on a wide state of art study. The validation of the architecture uses state of art technologies and new simple developed programs to implement the case studies presented. All implementations presented use an internet accessible virtual learning environment providing educational resources, guides and learning material to create a distance learning course associated with the remote mixed reality experiment. This work is part of the RExNet consortium, supported by the European Alfa project.

Manufacturing of central control system of 'JT-60' a plasma feasibility experiment device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondo, Ikuo; Kimura, Toyoaki; Murai, Katsuji; Iba, Daizo; Takemaru, Koichi.

1984-01-01

For constructing a critical-plasma-experiment apparatus JT-60, it was necessary to develop a new control system which enables to operate safely and smoothly a large scale nuclear fusion apparatus and to carry out efficient experiment. For the purpose, the total system control facility composed of such controllers as CAMAC system, timing system and protective interlock panel with multi-computer system as the core was developed. This system generalizes, keeps watch on and controls the total facilities as the key point of the control system of JT-60, and allows flexible operation control corresponding to the diversified experimental projects. At the same time, it carries out the fast real-time control of high temperature, high density plasma. In this paper, the system constitution, function and the main contents of development of the total system control facility are reported. JT-60 is constructed to attain the critical plasma condition as the premise of nuclear fusion reactors and to scientifically verify controlled nuclear fusion. Plasma expe riment will be started in April, 1985. The real-time control of plasma for carrying out high beta operation is planned, intending to develop future economical practical reactors. (Kako, I.)

Which daily experiences can foster well-being at work? A diary study on the interplay between flow experiences, affective commitment, and self-control demands.

Science.gov (United States)

Rivkin, Wladislaw; Diestel, Stefan; Schmidt, Klaus-Helmut

2018-01-01

Previous research has provided strong evidence for affective commitment as a direct predictor of employees' psychological well-being and as a resource that buffers the adverse effects of self-control demands as a stressor. However, the mechanisms that underlie the beneficial effects of affective commitment have not been examined yet. Drawing on the self-determination theory, we propose day-specific flow experiences as the mechanism that underlies the beneficial effects of affective commitment, because flow experiences as peaks of intrinsic motivation constitute manifestations of autonomous regulation. In a diary study covering 10 working days with N = 90 employees, we examine day-specific flow experiences as a mediator of the beneficial effects of interindividual affective commitment and a buffering moderator of the adverse day-specific effects of self-control demands on indicators of well-being (ego depletion, need for recovery, work engagement, and subjective vitality). Our results provide strong support for our predictions that day-specific flow experiences a) mediate the beneficial effects of affective commitment on employees' day-specific well-being and b) moderate (buffer) the adverse day-specific effects of self-control demands on well-being. That is, on days with high levels of flow experiences, employees were better able to cope with self-control demands whereas self-control demands translated into impaired well-being when employees experienced lower levels of day-specific flow experiences. We then discuss our findings and suggest practical implications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Corpuscular event-by-event simulation of quantum optics experiments: application to a quantum-controlled delayed-choice experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Raedt, Hans; Delina, M; Jin, Fengping; Michielsen, Kristel

2012-01-01

A corpuscular simulation model of optical phenomena that does not require knowledge of the solution of a wave equation of the whole system and reproduces the results of Maxwell's theory by generating detection events one by one is discussed. The event-based corpuscular model gives a unified description of multiple-beam fringes of a plane parallel plate and a single-photon Mach-Zehnder interferometer, Wheeler's delayed choice, photon tunneling, quantum eraser, two-beam interference, Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Bohm and Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiments. The approach is illustrated by applying it to a recent proposal for a quantum-controlled delayed choice experiment, demonstrating that also this thought experiment can be understood in terms of particle processes only.

Scenario design : adaptive architecture for command and control experiment eight

OpenAIRE

Clark, Frankie J.

2002-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The Adaptive Architectures for Command and Control (A2C2) project is an ongoing research effort sponsored by the Office of Naval Research to explore adaptation in joint command and control. The objective of the project's eighth experiment is to study the adjustments that organizations make when they are confronted with a scenario for which their organizational is ill-suited. To accomplish this, teams will each be in one of two fundame...

LabVIEW-based control and data acquisition system for cathodoluminescence experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bok, J; Schauer, P

2011-11-01

Computer automation of cathodoluminescence (CL) experiments using equipment developed in our laboratory is described. The equipment provides various experiments for CL efficiency, CL spectra, and CL time response studies. The automation was realized utilizing the graphical programming environment LabVIEW. The developed application software with procedures for equipment control and data acquisition during various CL experiments is presented. As the measured CL data are distorted by technical limitations of the equipment, such as equipment spectral sensitivity and time response, data correction algorithms were incorporated into the procedures. Some examples of measured data corrections are presented. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Improving Aerospace Engineering Students' Achievements by an Open Aero Control Experiment Apparatus

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, QingHua; Zhang, WeiHua; Huang, ZheZhi; Dong, RongHua

2014-01-01

This paper describes the development of an aero control experiment apparatus (ACEA) for use in aerospace control practical courses. The ACEA incorporates a systematic multihierarchy learning and teaching method, and was designed to improve aerospace engineering students' understanding of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control systems. It offers a…

Validation of the MC{sup 2}-3/DIF3D Code System for Control Rod Worth via the BFS-75-1 Reactor Physics Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yun, Sunghwan; Kim, Sang Ji [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

In this paper, control rod worths of the BFS-75-1 reactor physics experiments were examined using continuous energy MCNP models and deterministic MC2-3/DIF3D models based on the ENDF/B-VII.0 library. We can conclude that the ENDF/B-VII.0 library shows very good agreement in small-size metal uranium fuel loaded core which is surrounded by the depleted uranium blanket. However, the control rod heterogeneity effect reported by the reference is not significant in this problem because the tested control rod models were configured by single rod. Hence comparison with other control rod worth measurements data such as the BFS-109-2A reactor physics experiment is planned as a future study. The BFS-75-1 critical experiment was carried out in the BFS-1 facility of IPPE in Russia within the framework of validating an early phase of KALIMER- 150 design. The Monte-Carlo model of the BFS- 75-1 critical experiment had been developed. However, due to incomplete information for the BFS- 75-1 experiments, Monte-Carlo models had been generated for the reference criticality and sodium void reactivity measurements with disk-wise homogeneous model. Recently, KAERI performed another physics experiment, BFS-109-2A, by collaborating with Russian IPPE. During the review process of the experimental report of the BFS-109-2A critical experiments, valuable information for the BFS-1 facility which can also be used for the BFS-75-1 experiments was discovered.

Versatile controllability of non-axisymmetric magnetic perturbations in KSTAR experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Hyunsun; Jeon, Y. M.; in, Y.; Kim, J.; Yoon, S. W.; Hahn, S. H.; Ahn, H. S.; Woo, M. H.; Park, B. H.; Bak, J. G.; Kstar Team

2015-11-01

A newly upgraded IVCC (In-Vessel Control Coil) system equipped with four broadband power supplies, along with current connection patch panel, will be presented and discussed in terms of its capability on various KSTAR experiments. Until the last run-campaign, there were impressive experimental results on ELM(Edge Localized Mode) control experiments using the 3D magnetic field, but the non-axisymmetric field configuration could not be changed in a shot, let alone the limited number of accessible configurations. Introducing the new power supplies, such restrictions have been greatly reduced. Based on the preliminary commissioning results for 2015 KSTAR run-campaign, this new system has been confirmed to easily cope with various dynamic demands for toroidal and poloidal phases of 3D magnetic field in a shot. This enables us to diagnose the plasma response in more detail and to address the 3-D field impacts on the ELM behaviors better than ever.

Aging, subjective experience, and cognitive control: dramatic false remembering by older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacoby, Larry L; Bishara, Anthony J; Hessels, Sandra; Toth, Jeffrey P

2005-05-01

Recent research suggests that older adults are more susceptible to interference effects than are young adults; however, that research has failed to equate differences in original learning. In 4 experiments, the authors show that older adults are more susceptible to interference effects produced by a misleading prime. Even when original learning was equated, older adults were 10 times as likely to falsely remember misleading information and were much less likely to increase their accuracy by opting not to answer under conditions of free responding. The results are well described by a multinomial model that postulates multiple modes of cognitive control. According to that model, older adults are likely to be captured by misleading information, a form of goal neglect or deficit in inhibitory functions. Copyright 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

Control of the ORR-PSF pressure-vessel surveillance irradiation experiment temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, L.F.

1982-01-01

Control of the Oak Ridge Research Reactor Pool Side Facility (ORR-PSF) pressure vessel surveillance irradiation experiment temperature is implemented by digital computer control of electrical heaters under fixed cooling conditions. Cooling is accomplished with continuous flows of water in pipes between specimen sets and of helium-neon gas in the specimen set housings. Control laws are obtained from solutions of the discrete-time Riccati equation and are implemented with direct digital control of solid state relays in the electrical heater circuit. Power dissipated by the heaters is determined by variac settings and the percent of time that the solid state relays allow power to be supplied to the heaters. Control demands are updated every forty seconds

Remote device control and monitor system for the LHD deuterium experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakanishi, Hideya, E-mail: nakanisi@nifs.ac.jp [National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan); Dept. Fusion Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan); Ohsuna, Masaki; Ito, Tatsuki; Nonomura, Miki; Imazu, Setsuo; Emoto, Masahiko; Iwata, Chie; Yoshida, Masanobu; Yokota, Mitsuhiro; Maeno, Hiroya; Aoyagi, Miwa; Ogawa, Hideki; Nakamura, Osamu; Morita, Yoshitaka; Inoue, Tomoyuki; Watanabe, Kiyomasa [National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan); Ida, Katsumi; Ishiguro, Seiji; Kaneko, Osamu [National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan); Dept. Fusion Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan)

2016-11-15

Highlights: • Device remote control will be significant for the LHD deuterium experiments. • A central management GUI to control the power distribution for devices. • For safety, power management is separated from operational commanding. • Wi-Fi was tested and found to be not reliable with fusion plasmas. - Abstract: Upon beginning the LHD deuterium experiment, the opportunity for maintenance work in the torus hall will be conspicuously reduced such that all instruments must be controlled remotely. The LHD data acquisition (DAQ) and archiving system have been using about 110 DAQ front-end, and the DAQ central control and monitor system has been implemented for their remote management. This system is based on the “multi-agent” model whose communication protocol has been unified. Since DAQ front-end electronics would suffer from the “single-event effect” (SEE) of D-D neutrons, software-based remote operation might become ineffective, and then securely intercepting or recycling the electrical power of the device would be indispensable for recovering from a non-responding fault condition. In this study, a centralized control and monitor system has been developed for a number of power distribution units (PDUs). This system adopts the plug-in structure in which the plug-in modules can absorb the differences among the commercial products of numerous vendors. The combination of the above-mentioned functionalities has led to realizing the flexible and highly reliable remote control infrastructure for the plasma diagnostics and the device management in LHD.

Perceiving control over aversive and fearful events can alter how we experience those events: an investigation of time perception in spider-fearful individuals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simona eBuetti

2012-09-01

Full Text Available We used a time perception task to study the effects of the subjective experience of control on emotion and cognitive processing. This task is uniquely sensitive to the emotionality of the stimuli: high-arousing negative stimuli are perceived as lasting longer than high-arousing positive events, while the opposite pattern is observed for low-arousing stimuli. We evaluated the temporal distortions of emotionally-charged events in non-anxious (Experiments 1 and 5 and spider-fearful individuals (Experiments 2-4. Participants were shown images of varying durations between 400 and 1600 ms and were asked to report if the perceived duration of the image seemed closer to a short (400 ms or to a long (1600 ms standard duration. Our results replicate previous findings showing that the emotional content of the image modulated the perceived duration of that image. More importantly, we studied whether giving participants the illusion that they have some control over the emotional content of the images could eliminate this temporal distortion. Results confirmed this hypothesis, even though our participant population was composed of highly-reactive emotional individuals (spider fearful facing fear-related images (spiders. Further, we also showed that under conditions of little-to-no control, spider-fearful individuals perceive temporal distortions in a distinct manner from non-anxious participants: the duration of events was entirely determined by the valence of the events, rather than by the typical valence x arousal interaction. That is, spider-fearful participants perceived negative events as lasting longer than positive events, regardless of their level of arousal. Finally, we also showed that under conditions of cognitive dissonance, control can eliminate temporal distortions of low arousal events, but not of high-arousing events, providing an important boundary condition to the otherwise positive effects of control on time estimation.

Development of Control Applications for High-Throughput Protein Crystallography Experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaponov, Yurii A.; Matsugaki, Naohiro; Honda, Nobuo; Sasajima, Kumiko; Igarashi, Noriyuki; Hiraki, Masahiko; Yamada, Yusuke; Wakatsuki, Soichi

2007-01-01

An integrated client-server control system (PCCS) with a unified relational database (PCDB) has been developed for high-throughput protein crystallography experiments on synchrotron beamlines. The major steps in protein crystallographic experiments (purification, crystallization, crystal harvesting, data collection, and data processing) are integrated into the software. All information necessary for performing protein crystallography experiments is stored in the PCDB database (except raw X-ray diffraction data, which is stored in the Network File Server). To allow all members of a protein crystallography group to participate in experiments, the system was developed as a multi-user system with secure network access based on TCP/IP secure UNIX sockets. Secure remote access to the system is possible from any operating system with X-terminal and SSH/X11 (Secure Shell with graphical user interface) support. Currently, the system covers the high-throughput X-ray data collection stages and is being commissioned at BL5A and NW12A (PF, PF-AR, KEK, Tsukuba, Japan)

KfK-analysis of the SUPER-PHENIX-1 control rod experiments. Pt. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giese, H.

1992-10-01

Using standard data and codes, this first analysis campaign led to results that drastically overestimated measured control rod worths with C/E ratios ranging from 1.17 to 1.28. These findings were in sharp contrast to the results of the majority of earlier control rod experiments in zero-power facilities, where C/E ratios were usually comprised between 1.0 and 1.1. Investigations were then launched to identify the origin of this discrepancy. By comparison with the calculation methods employed by the other working groups engaging in the analysis of the SPX-1 experiments it was found that the principal problem arose from the KfK/BN-procedure used for the homogenization of control rod absorber cross sections. The specific failure of this standard procedure in the case of the SPX-1 analysis is ascribed to the extremely heterogeneous structure of the SPX-1 control rods. In an attempt to improve on this point, a new method for the production of homogenized absorber cross sections was developed and applied to the SPX-1 analysis. The report concludes with a description of this method and a survey of the results obtained for SPX-1. It is found that this revised analysis leads to a significantly improved agreement of measured and calculated control rod worths and to a better consistency with the results of earlier control rod experiments in zero-power facilities. (orig.)

Prostate cancer patient subsets showing improved bNED control with adjuvant androgen deprivation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, Penny R.; Hanlon, Alexandra L.; Movsas, Benjamin; Hanks, Gerald E.

1997-01-01

Purpose: Cooperative groups have investigated the outcome of androgen deprivation therapy combined with radiation therapy in prostate cancer patients with variable pretreatment prognostic indicators. This report describes an objective means of selecting patients for adjuvant hormonal therapy by a retrospective matched case/control comparison of outcome between patients with specific pretreatment characteristics who receive adjuvant hormones (RT + H) vs. patients with identical pretreatment characteristics treated with radiation therapy alone (RT). In addition, this report shows the 5-year bNED control for patients selected by this method for RT + H vs. RT alone. Methods and Materials: From (10(88)) to (12(93)), 517 T1-T3 NXM0 patients with known pretreatment PSA level were treated at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Four hundred fifty-nine of those patients were treated with RT alone while 58 were treated with RT + H. The patients were categorized according to putative prognostic factors indicative of bNED control, which include the palpation stage, Gleason score, and pretreatment PSA. We compared actuarial bNED control rates according to treatment group within each of the prognostic groups. In addition, we devised a retrospective matched case/control selection of RT patients for comparison with the RT + H group. Five-year bNED control was compared for the two treatment groups, excluding the best prognosis group, using 56 RT + H patients and 56 matched (by stage, grade, and pretreatment PSA level) controls randomly selected from the RT alone group. bNED control for the entire group of 517 patients was then analyzed multivariately using step-wise Cox regression to determine independent predictors of outcome. Covariates considered for entry into the model included stage (T1/T2AB vs. T2C/T3), grade (2-6 vs. 7-10), pretreatment PSA (0-15 vs. > 15), treatment (RT vs. RT + H), and center of prostate dose. bNED failure is defined as PSA ≥1.5 ngm/ml and rising on two consecutive

Implementation of statistical process control for proteomic experiments via LC MS/MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Bereman, Michael S; Johnson, Richard; Bollinger, James; Boss, Yuval; Shulman, Nick; MacLean, Brendan; Hoofnagle, Andrew N; MacCoss, Michael J

2014-04-01

Statistical process control (SPC) is a robust set of tools that aids in the visualization, detection, and identification of assignable causes of variation in any process that creates products, services, or information. A tool has been developed termed Statistical Process Control in Proteomics (SProCoP) which implements aspects of SPC (e.g., control charts and Pareto analysis) into the Skyline proteomics software. It monitors five quality control metrics in a shotgun or targeted proteomic workflow. None of these metrics require peptide identification. The source code, written in the R statistical language, runs directly from the Skyline interface, which supports the use of raw data files from several of the mass spectrometry vendors. It provides real time evaluation of the chromatographic performance (e.g., retention time reproducibility, peak asymmetry, and resolution), and mass spectrometric performance (targeted peptide ion intensity and mass measurement accuracy for high resolving power instruments) via control charts. Thresholds are experiment- and instrument-specific and are determined empirically from user-defined quality control standards that enable the separation of random noise and systematic error. Finally, Pareto analysis provides a summary of performance metrics and guides the user to metrics with high variance. The utility of these charts to evaluate proteomic experiments is illustrated in two case studies.

Magnetic sensorless control experiment without drift problem on HT-7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, K.; Luo, J.R.; Wang, H.Z.; Ji, Z.S.; Wang, H.; Wang, F.; Qi, N.; Sato, K.N.; Hanada, K.; Sakamoto, M.; Idei, H.; Hasegawa, M.; Iyomasa, A.; Kawasaki, S.; Nakashima, H.; Higashijima, A.

2006-01-01

Magnetic sensorless control experiments of the plasma horizontal position have been carried out in the superconducting tokamak HT-7. Previously the horizontal position was calculated from the vertical field coil current and voltage without using signals of magnetic sensors like magnetic coils and flux loops placed near the plasma. The calculations are made focusing on the ripple frequency component of the power supply with thyristor and directly from them without time integration. There is no drift problem of integrator of magnetic sensors. Two kinds of experiments were carried out, to keep the position constant and swing the position in a triangular waveform

Epigenetic control of mobile DNA as an interface between experience and genome change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James A. Shapiro

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Mobile DNA in the genome is subject to RNA-targeted epigenetic control. This control regulates the activity of transposons, retrotransposons and genomic proviruses. Many different life history experiences alter the activities of mobile DNA and the expression of genetic loci regulated by nearby insertions. The same experiences induce alterations in epigenetic formatting and lead to trans-generational modifications of genome expression and stability. These observations lead to the hypothesis that epigenetic formatting directed by non-coding RNA provides a molecular interface between life history events and genome alteration.

Effects of personal experiences on the interpretation of the meaning of colours used in the displays and controls in electric control panels.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Inseok; Hwang, Won-Gue

2015-01-01

A survey was conducted to examine how personal experiences affect the interpretation of the meaning of display and control colours on electric control panels (ECPs). In Korea, the red light on ECPs represents a normal state of operation, while the green light represents a stopped state of operation; this appears to contradict the general stereotypes surrounding these colours. The survey results indicated that the participants who had experience in using ECPs interpreted the colour meaning differently from the other participant group. More than half of the experienced participants regarded the coloured displays and controls as they were designed, while most participants in the other group appeared to interpret the colours in accordance with the stereotypes. It is presumed that accidents related to human errors can occur when non-experienced people use the ECPs, which are easily accessible in many buildings. Practitioner Summary: A survey was conducted to investigate how personal experiences affect the interpretation of the function meanings of coloured lights on electrical control panels. It was found that the interpretation varies according to personal experiences, which can induce accidents related to human errors while operating electrical equipment.

Honored Teacher Shows Commitment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ratte, Kathy

1987-01-01

Part of the acceptance speech of the 1985 National Council for the Social Studies Teacher of the Year, this article describes the censorship experience of this honored social studies teacher. The incident involved the showing of a videotape version of the feature film entitled "The Seduction of Joe Tynan." (JDH)

Design of the control room of the N4-type PWR: main features and feedback operating experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peyrouton, J.M.; Guillas, J.; Nougaret, Ch.

2004-01-01

This article presents the design, specificities and innovating features of the control room of the N4-type PWR. A brief description of control rooms of previous 900 MW and 1300 MW -type PWR allows us to assess the change. The design of the first control room dates back to 1972, at that time 2 considerations were taken into account: first the design has to be similar to that of control rooms for thermal plants because plant operators were satisfied with it and secondly the normal operating situation has to be privileged to the prejudice of accidental situations just as it was in a thermal plant. The turning point was the TMI accident that showed the weight of human factor in accidental situations in terms of pilot team, training, procedures and the ergonomics of the work station. The impact of TMI can be seen in the design of 1300 MW-type PWR. In the beginning of the eighties EDF decided to launch a study for a complete overhaul of the control room concept, the aim was to continue reducing the human factor risk and to provide a better quality of piloting the plant in any situation. The result is the control room of the N4-type PWR. Today the cumulated feedback experience of N4 control rooms represents more than 20 years over a wide range of situations from normal to incidental, a survey shows that the N4 design has fulfilled its aims. (A.C.)

Development of Control Teaching Material for Mechatronics Education Based on Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Tasaki, Takao; Watanabe, Shinichi; Shikanai, Yoshihito; Ozaki, Koichi

In this paper, we have developed a teaching material for technical high school students to understand the control technique. The material makes the students understanding the control technique through the sensibility obtained from the experience of riding the robot. We have considered the correspondence of the teaching material with the ARCS Model. Therefore, the material aims to improve the interest and the willingness to learn mechatronics and control technique by experiencing the difference of the response by the change in the control parameters. As the results of the questionnaire to the technical high school students in the class, we have verified educative effect of the teaching material which can be improved willingness of learning and interesting for mechatronics and control technique.

Operating experience with the new TRIUMF RF control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fong, K.; Laverty, M.; Fang, S.

1995-06-01

The 23 MHz rf control of the TRIUMF cyclotron has been replaced by a new VXI control system based on digital signal processing. It provides amplitude and phase regulation of the cyclotron dee voltage, as well as other functions such as power-up sequencing, spark and high VSWR protection. Modularity of the hardware is achieved by the VXI architecture, and in the software by Object Oriented Programming. It is expected that this will result in a considerably longer MTBF, and shorter fault diagnosis and repair times, than the equipment it replaces. The new system has now been in operation for over two months. The results of commissioning, testing, and early operating experience are presented. (author). 4 refs., 5 figs

French experience in the programmed systems for nuclear reactor control and protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jover, P.

1986-03-01

The analysis of incidents during the start-up of the first nuclear power plant 1300 MWe has made possible to obtain good performances evaluation of the two computerized control and protection systems: the protection system (SPIN) and the logic control system (CONTROBLOC). The results of this experiment have shown that the objectives have been attained [fr

Phenolic Acids from Wheat Show Different Absorption Profiles in Plasma: A Model Experiment with Catheterized Pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørskov, Natalja; Hedemann, Mette Skou; Theil, Peter Kappel

2013-01-01

The concentration and absorption of the nine phenolic acids of wheat were measured in a model experiment with catheterized pigs fed whole grain wheat and wheat aleurone diets. Six pigs in a repeated crossover design were fitted with catheters in the portal vein and mesenteric artery to study...... the absorption of phenolic acids. The difference between the artery and the vein for all phenolic acids was small, indicating that the release of phenolic acids in the large intestine was not sufficient to create a porto-arterial concentration difference. Although, the porto-arterial difference was small...... consumed. Benzoic acid derivatives showed low concentration in the plasma (phenolic acids, likely because it is an intermediate in the phenolic acid metabolism...

Securing a control system: experiences from ISO 27001 implementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vuppala, V.; Vincent, J.; Kusler, J.; Davidson, K.

2012-01-01

Recent incidents of breaches, in control systems in specific and information systems in general, have emphasized the importance of security and operational continuity in achieving the quality objectives of an organization, and the safety of its personnel and infrastructure. However, security and disaster recovery are either completely ignored or given a low priority during the design and development of an accelerator control system, the underlying technologies, and the overlaid applications. This leads to an operational facility that is easy to breach, and difficult to recover. Retrofitting security into a control system becomes much more difficult during operations. In this paper we describe our experiences with implementing ISO/IEC 27001 Standard for information security at the Electronics Department of the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) located on the campus of Michigan State University. We describe our risk assessment methodology, the identified risks, the selected controls, their implementation, and our documentation structure. We also report the current status of the project. We conclude with the challenges faced and the lessons learnt. (authors)

Integrated, digital experiment transient control and safety protection of an in-pile test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, R.W.; Whitacre, R.F.; Klingler, W.B.

1982-01-01

The Sodium Loop Safety Facility experimental program has demonstrated that in-pile loop fuel failure transient tests can be digitally controlled and protected with reliability and precision. This was done in four nuclear experiments conducted in the Engineering Test Reactor operated by EG and G Idaho, Inc., at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. Loop sodium flow and reactor power transients can be programmed to sponsor requirements and verified prior to the test. Each controller has redundancy, which reduces the effect of single failures occurring during test transients. Feedback and reject criteria are included in the reactor power control. Timed sequencing integrates the initiation of the controllers, programmed safety set-points, and other experiment actions (e.g., planned scram). Off-line and on-line testing is included. Loss-of-flow, loss-of-piping-integrity, boiling-window, transient-overpower, and local fault tests have been successfully run using this system

Adaptive Augmenting Control Flight Characterization Experiment on an F/A-18

Science.gov (United States)

VanZwieten, Tannen S.; Orr, Jeb S.; Wall, John H.; Gilligan, Eric T.

2014-01-01

This paper summarizes the Adaptive Augmenting Control (AAC) flight characterization experiments performed using an F/A-18 (TN 853). AAC was designed and developed specifically for launch vehicles, and is currently part of the baseline autopilot design for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS). The scope covered here includes a brief overview of the algorithm (covered in more detail elsewhere), motivation and benefits of flight testing, top-level SLS flight test objectives, applicability of the F/A-18 as a platform for testing a launch vehicle control design, test cases designed to fully vet the AAC algorithm, flight test results, and conclusions regarding the functionality of AAC. The AAC algorithm developed at Marshall Space Flight Center is a forward loop gain multiplicative adaptive algorithm that modifies the total attitude control system gain in response to sensed model errors or undesirable parasitic mode resonances. The AAC algorithm provides the capability to improve or decrease performance by balancing attitude tracking with the mitigation of parasitic dynamics, such as control-structure interaction or servo-actuator limit cycles. In the case of the latter, if unmodeled or mismodeled parasitic dynamics are present that would otherwise result in a closed-loop instability or near instability, the adaptive controller decreases the total loop gain to reduce the interaction between these dynamics and the controller. This is in contrast to traditional adaptive control logic, which focuses on improving performance by increasing gain. The computationally simple AAC attitude control algorithm has stability properties that are reconcilable in the context of classical frequency-domain criteria (i.e., gain and phase margin). The algorithm assumes that the baseline attitude control design is well-tuned for a nominal trajectory and is designed to adapt only when necessary. Furthermore, the adaptation is attracted to the nominal design and adapts only on an as-needed basis

MIGRATION POLICIES AND STATE CONTROL IN ARGENTINA: EXPERIENCES OF VULNERABLE BOLIVIAN WOMEN WHO CROSS THE BORDERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cynthia Pizarro

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the way in which migration policies impact in the trajectories of Bolivian women who live and work in the outskirts of the main cities of Argentina. It focuses on three cases representative of the experiences of women laborers who, coming from the poorest rural areas of Bolivia, crossed the international border when Argentine migration policy was very restrictive. It shows that symbolic and socio-economic borders keep on excluding them, as well as other labor migrants, within the Argentine territory even when the current Migration Law enacted in 2004 is more inclusive, since it grants human and social rights to the migrants. It highlights the way in which particular state control mechanisms operate nowadays both at the international border and within the Argentine territory, and analyses the difficulties that these women experience due to their positions of class, ethnic, gender, nationality and migratory status. It remarks that despite the changes in the immigration policy of Argentina, state policies keep on controlling labor migrations in accordance with the paradigm of the governance of migration. It also analyses the strategies that these women develop in order to sort out state control policies. Therefore, it considers that they are active agents even though they still have feelings of fear and trauma associated with the crossing of borders.

Experiments study on attitude coupling control method for flexible spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jie; Li, Dongxu

2018-06-01

High pointing accuracy and stabilization are significant for spacecrafts to carry out Earth observing, laser communication and space exploration missions. However, when a spacecraft undergoes large angle maneuver, the excited elastic oscillation of flexible appendages, for instance, solar wing and onboard antenna, would downgrade the performance of the spacecraft platform. This paper proposes a coupling control method, which synthesizes the adaptive sliding mode controller and the positive position feedback (PPF) controller, to control the attitude and suppress the elastic vibration simultaneously. Because of its prominent performance for attitude tracking and stabilization, the proposed method is capable of slewing the flexible spacecraft with a large angle. Also, the method is robust to parametric uncertainties of the spacecraft model. Numerical simulations are carried out with a hub-plate system which undergoes a single-axis attitude maneuver. An attitude control testbed for the flexible spacecraft is established and experiments are conducted to validate the coupling control method. Both numerical and experimental results demonstrate that the method discussed above can effectively decrease the stabilization time and improve the attitude accuracy of the flexible spacecraft.

The IFR Online Detector Control system at the BaBar Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paolucci, Pierluigi

1999-01-01

The Instrumented Flux Return (IFR)[1] is one of the five subdetectors of the BaBar[2] experiment on the PEP II accelerator at SLAC. The IFR consists of 774 Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) detectors, covering an area of about 2,000 m 2 and equipped with 3,000 Front-end Electronic Cards (FEC) reading about 50,000 channels (readout strips). The first aim of a B-factory experiment is to run continuously without any interruption and then the Detector Control system plays a very important role in order to reduce the dead-time due to the hardware problems. The I.N.F.N. group of Naples has designed and built the IFR Online Detector Control System (IODC)[3] in order to control and monitor the operation of this large number of detectors and of all the IFR subsystems: High Voltage, Low Voltage, Gas system, Trigger and DAQ crates. The IODC consists of 8 custom DAQ stations, placed around the detector and one central DAQ station based on VME technology and placed in electronic house. The IODC use VxWorks and EPICS to implement slow control data flow of about 2500 hardware channels and to develop part of the readout module consisting in about 3500 records. EPICS is interfaced with the BaBar Run Control through the Component Proxy and with the BaBar database (Objectivity) through the Archiver and KeyLookup processes

Volcanic Monitoring Techniques Applied to Controlled Fragmentation Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Kueppers, U.; Alatorre-Ibarguengoitia, M. A.; Hort, M. K.; Kremers, S.; Meier, K.; Scharff, L.; Scheu, B.; Taddeucci, J.; Dingwell, D. B.

2010-12-01

Volcanic eruptions are an inevitable natural threat. The range of eruptive styles is large and short term fluctuations of explosivity or vent position pose a large risk that is not necessarily confined to the immediate vicinity of a volcano. Explosive eruptions rather may also affect aviation, infrastructure and climate, regionally as well as globally. Multiparameter monitoring networks are deployed on many active volcanoes to record signs of magmatic processes and help elucidate the secrets of volcanic phenomena. However, our mechanistic understanding of many processes hiding in recorded signals is still poor. As a direct consequence, a solid interpretation of the state of a volcano is still a challenge. In an attempt to bridge this gap, we combined volcanic monitoring and experimental volcanology. We performed 15 well-monitored, field-based, experiments and fragmented natural rock samples from Colima volcano (Mexico) by rapid decompression. We used cylindrical samples of 60 mm height and 25 mm and 60 mm diameter, respectively, and 25 and 35 vol.% open porosity. The applied pressure range was from 4 to 18 MPa. Using different experimental set-ups, the pressurised volume above the samples ranged from 60 - 170 cm3. The experiments were performed at ambient conditions and at controlled sample porosity and size, confinement geometry, and applied pressure. The experiments have been thoroughly monitored with 1) Doppler Radar (DR), 2) high-speed and high-definition cameras, 3) acoustic and infrasound sensors, 4) pressure transducers, and 5) electrically conducting wires. Our aim was to check for common results achieved by the different approaches and, if so, calibrate state-of-the-art monitoring tools. We present how the velocity of the ejected pyroclasts was measured by and evaluated for the different approaches and how it was affected by the experimental conditions and sample characteristics. We show that all deployed instruments successfully measured the pyroclast

Construction and performance test of apparatus for permeation experiments with controlled surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatano, Yuji; Nomura, Mamoru; Watanabe, Kuniaki; Livshits, Alexander I.; Busnyuk, Andrei O.; Nakamura, Yukio; Ohyabu, Nobuyoshi

2003-01-01

A new apparatus was constructed to examine gas-, atom- and plasma-driven permeation of hydrogen isotopes through group VA metal membranes with precisely controlled surface states. Absorption and desorption experiments are also possible. The new apparatus consists of two vacuum chambers, an upstream chamber and a downstream chamber, separated by a specimen membrane. Both chambers are evacuated by turbo-molecular pumps and sputter-ion pumps. The upstream chamber is equipped with Ta filaments serving as atomizers in atom-driven permeation experiments and cathodes in plasma-driven permeation experiments. The specimen membrane is formed into a tubular shape and electrically isolated from the chamber. Hence, ohmic heating of the membrane is possible, and this feature of the membrane is suitable for surface cleaning by high-temperature heating an impurity doping for the control of surface chemical composition through surface segregation. Both chambers were evacuated to 1 x 10 -7 Pa after baking. The main component of residual gas was H 2 , and the partial pressures of impurity gases other than H 2 were ca. 1 x 10 -8 Pa. Gas- and atom-driven permeation experiments were successfully carried out with hydrogen gas for Nb membrane activated by heating in vacuum at 1173 K. Superpermeation was observed in the atom-driven permeation experiments. Absorption experiments with a clean surface were also carried out. The surface was, however, cleaned only partially, because the temperature distribution was not uniform during high-temperature heating. Nevertheless, surface cleanliness was retained during absorption experiments under the present vacuum conditions. A new membrane assembly that will enable a uniform temperature distribution is now under construction. (author)

Effect of video-game experience and position of flight stick controller on simulated-flight performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Bo-Keun; Aghazadeh, Fereydoun; Al-Qaisi, Saif

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of video-game experience and flight-stick position on flying performance. The study divided participants into 2 groups; center- and side-stick groups, which were further divided into high and low level of video-game experience subgroups. The experiment consisted of 7 sessions of simulated flying, and in the last session, the flight stick controller was switched to the other position. Flight performance was measured in terms of the deviation of heading, altitude, and airspeed from their respective requirements. Participants with high experience in video games performed significantly better (p increase (0.78 %). However, after switching from a center- to a side-stick controller, performance scores decreased (4.8%).

Study on reactor power transient characteristics (reactor training experiments). Control rod reactivity calibration by positive period method and other experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozaki, Yoshihiko; Sunagawa, Takeyoshi

2014-01-01

In this paper, it is reported about some experiments that have been carried out in the reactor training that targets sophomore of the department of applied nuclear engineering, FUT. Reactor of Kinki University Atomic Energy Research Institute (UTR-KINKI) was used for reactor training. When each critical state was achieved at different reactor output respectively in reactor operating, it was confirmed that the control rod position at that time does not change. Further, control rod reactivity calibration experiments using positive Period method were carried out for shim safety rod and regulating rod, respectively. The results were obtained as reasonable values in comparison with the nominal value of the UTR-KINKI. The measurement of reactor power change after reactor scram was performed, and the presence of the delayed neutron precursor was confirmed by calculating the half-life. The spatial dose rate measurement experiment of neutrons and γ-rays in the reactor room in a reactor power 1W operating conditions were also performed. (author)

Big brother - a fully automated control system for the DELPHI experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franek, B.; Sekulin, R.; Doenszelmann, M.; Gasper, C.; Charpentier, Jonker, M.

1994-01-01

The integrated control system of the DELPHI experiment is described. It allows the data to be taken in an almost automatic fashion. This is achieved by computer monitoring of the states of the LEP machine, the DELPHI subdetectors (SC) and the Data Acquisition System (DAS). Depending on these states, computer initiated actions are then taken. It has been designed using open-quote State Manager close-quote concept already used for local and central controls of DAS and SC

TMX-U [Tandem Mirror Experiment-Upgrade] tandem-mirror thermal-barrier experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simonen, T.C.; Allen, S.L.; Baldwin, D.E.

1986-01-01

Thermal-barrier experiments have been carried out in the Tandem Mirror Experiment-Upgrade (TMX-U). Measurements of nonambipolar and ambipolar radial transport show that these transport processes, as well as end losses, can be controlled at modest densities and durations. Central-cell heating methods using ion-cyclotron heating (ICH) and neutral-beam injection have been demonstrated. Potential mesurements with recently developed methods indicate that deep thermal barriers can be established

Configuration control during plant outages. A review of operating experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peinador Veira, Miguel; El Kanbi, Semir [European Commission Joint Research Centre, Petten (Netherlands). Inst. for Energy and Transport; Stephan, Jean-Luc [Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire (IRSN), Fontenay-aux-Roses (France); Martens, Johannes [Gesellschaft fuer Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) gGmbH, Koeln (Germany)

2015-03-15

After the occurrence of several significant events in nuclear power plants during shut-down modes of operation in the eighties, and from the results of probabilistic safety assessments completed in the nineties, it was clear that risk from low power and shutdown operational modes could not be neglected and had to be addressed by appropriate safety programs. A comprehensive review of operating experience from the last ten years has been conducted by the Joint Research Centre with the objective of deriving lessons learned and recommendations useful for nuclear regulatory bodies and utilities alike. This paper is focused on one particular challenge that any nuclear plant faces whenever it plans its next outage period: how to manage the configuration of all systems under a complex environment involving numerous concurrent activities, and how to make sure that systems are returned to their valid configuration before the plant resumes power operation. This study highlights the importance of conveying accurate but synthesized information on the status of the plant to the operators in the main control room. Many of the lessons learned are related to the alarm display in the control room and to the use of check lists to control the status of systems. Members of the industry and safety authorities may now use these recommendations and lessons learned to feed their own operating experience feedback programs, and check their applicability for specific sites.

Practical experience in the application of quality control in water-reactor fuel fabrication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vollath, D.

1984-07-01

Highly industrialized countries have gained vast experience in manufacturing water reactor fuel. Manufacturing is followed by a stringent system of quality assurance and quality control. The Seminar on Practical Experience in the Application of Quality Control in Water-Reactor Fuel Fabrication provided a forum for an exchange of information on methods and systems of quality assurance and quality control for reactor fuel. In addition, many developing countries which have started or intend to set up a nuclear fuel industry are interested in the application of quality assurance and quality control. This meeting has been preceded by two different series of conferences: the IAEA meetings 1976 in Oslo, 1978 in Prague and 1979 in Buenos Aires, and the Karlsruhe meetings on Characterization and Quality Control of Nuclear Fuel held in 1978 and 1981. Quality control and quality assurance has many different facets. Unlike the purely technical aspects, covered by the Karlsruhe conference series, the IAEA meetings always relate to a wider field of topics. They include governmental regulations and codes for practical quality assurance. This volume contains the papers presented at the seminar and a record of the discussions. (orig.)

Y2K experiences in the nuclear material control area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagi, T.; Suzuki, T.

1999-01-01

Though the Y2K problem was treated by each organization, it became systematic in Japan when Advanced Information and Telecommunication Society Promotion Head-quarters was established recognizing the importance and urgency of the issue. The summary of the action and some experiences concerning Y2K issues in the nuclear materials control area are presented

Ontology Language to Support Description of Experiment Control System Semantics, Collaborative Knowledge-Base Design and Ontology Reuse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gyurjyan, Vardan; Abbott, D.; Heyes, G.; Jastrzembski, E.; Moffit, B.; Timmer, C.; Wolin, E.

2009-01-01

In this paper we discuss the control domain specific ontology that is built on top of the domain-neutral Resource Definition Framework (RDF). Specifically, we will discuss the relevant set of ontology concepts along with the relationships among them in order to describe experiment control components and generic event-based state machines. Control Oriented Ontology Language (COOL) is a meta-data modeling language that provides generic means for representation of physics experiment control processes and components, and their relationships, rules and axioms. It provides a semantic reference frame that is useful for automating the communication of information for configuration, deployment and operation. COOL has been successfully used to develop a complete and dynamic knowledge-base for experiment control systems, developed using the AFECS framework.

Direct experience while eating: Laboratory outcomes among individuals with eating disorders versus healthy controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Elices, Matilde; Carmona, Cristina; Narváez, Vanessa; Seto, Victoria; Martin-Blanco, Ana; Pascual, Juan C; Soriano, José; Soler, Joaquim

2017-12-01

To compare individuals with eating disorders (EDs) to healthy controls (HCs) to assess for differences in direct engagement in the eating process. Participants (n=58) were asked to eat an orange slice. To assess the degree of direct engagement with the eating process, participants were asked to write down 10 thoughts about the experience of eating the orange slice. Next, the participants were instructed to classify the main focus of each thought as either experiential ("direct experience") or analytical ("thinking about"). A direct experience index (DEI) was computed by dividing the number of times that participants classified an experience as a "direct experience" (the numerator) by the total number of all observations (i.e., direct experience+thinking about). Participants also completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the Experiences Questionnaire (EQ) to assess mindfulness facets and decentering, respectively. Compared to controls, participants in the EDs group presented significantly lower levels of direct experience during the eating task (EDs group: mean=43.54, SD=29.64; HCs group: mean=66.17, SD=22.23, p=0.03). Participants in the EDs group also scored significantly lower on other mindfulness-related variables. These findings suggest that engagement with the direct experience of eating is lower in individuals with EDs. Future research should investigate the role of mindfulness-based interventions to address direct experience while eating in individuals with EDs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experiments on vibration control of a piezoelectric laminated paraboloidal shell

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Honghao; Lu, Yifan; Deng, Zongquan; Tzou, Hornsen

2017-01-01

A paraboloidal shell plays a key role in aerospace and optical structural systems applied to large optical reflector, communications antenna, rocket fairing, missile radome, etc. Due to the complexity of analytical procedures, an experimental study of active vibration control of a piezoelectric laminated paraboloidal shell by positive position feedback is carried out. Sixteen PVDF patches are laminated inside and outside of the shell, in which eight of them are used as sensors and eight as actuators to control the vibration of the first two natural modes. Lower natural frequencies and vibration modes of the paraboloidal shell are obtained via the frequency response function analysis by Modal VIEW software. A mathematical model of the control system is formulated by means of parameter identification. The first shell mode is controlled as well as coupled the first and second modes based on the positive position feedback (PPF) algorithm. To minimize the control energy consumption in orbit, an adaptive modal control method is developed in this study by using the PPF in laboratory experiments. The control system collects vibration signals from the piezoelectric sensors to identify location(s) of the largest vibration amplitudes and then select the best two from eight PVDF actuators to apply control forces so that the modal vibration suppression could be accomplished adaptively and effectively.

The use of a Nintendo Wii remote control in physics experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abellán, F J; Arenas, A; Núñez, M J; Victoria, L

2013-01-01

In this paper we describe how a Nintendo Wii remote control (known as the Wiimote) can be used in the design and implementation of several undergraduate-level experiments in a physics laboratory class. An experimental setup composed of a Wiimote and a conveniently located IR LED allows the trajectory of one or several moving objects to be tracked and recorded accurately, in both long and short displacement. The authors have developed a user interface program to configure the operation of the acquisition system of such data. The two experiments included in this work are the free fall of a body with magnetic braking and the simple pendulum, but other physics experiments could have been chosen. The treatment of the data was performed using Bayesian inference. (paper)

The use of a Nintendo Wii remote control in physics experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Abellán, F. J.; Arenas, A.; Núñez, M. J.; Victoria, L.

2013-09-01

In this paper we describe how a Nintendo Wii remote control (known as the Wiimote) can be used in the design and implementation of several undergraduate-level experiments in a physics laboratory class. An experimental setup composed of a Wiimote and a conveniently located IR LED allows the trajectory of one or several moving objects to be tracked and recorded accurately, in both long and short displacement. The authors have developed a user interface program to configure the operation of the acquisition system of such data. The two experiments included in this work are the free fall of a body with magnetic braking and the simple pendulum, but other physics experiments could have been chosen. The treatment of the data was performed using Bayesian inference.

Patients with bulimia nervosa do not show typical neurodevelopment of cognitive control under emotional influences.

Science.gov (United States)

Dreyfuss, Michael F W; Riegel, Melissa L; Pedersen, Gloria A; Cohen, Alexandra O; Silverman, Melanie R; Dyke, Jonathan P; Mayer, Laurel E S; Walsh, B Timothy; Casey, B J; Broft, Allegra I

2017-08-30

Bulimia nervosa (BN) emerges in the late teen years and is characterized by binge eating and related compensatory behaviors. These behaviors often co-occur with periods of negative affect suggesting an association between emotions and control over eating behavior. In the current study, we examined how cognitive control and neural processes change under emotional states of arousal in 46 participants with (n=19) and without (n=27) BN from the ages of 18-33 years. Participants performed a go/nogo task consisting of brief negative, positive and neutral emotional cues and sustained negative, positive and neutral emotional states of arousal during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Overall task performance improved with age for healthy participants, but not for patients with BN. These age-dependent behavioral effects were paralleled by diminished recruitment of prefrontal control circuitry in patients with BN with age. Although patients with BN showed no difference in performance on the experimental manipulations of negative emotions, sustained positive emotions related to improved performance among patients with BN. Together the findings highlight a neurodevelopmental approach towards understanding markers of psychopathology and suggest that sustained positive affect may have potential therapeutic effects on maintaining behavioral control in BN. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conceptual requirements for large fusion experiment control, data, robotics, and management systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaudreau, M.P.J.; Sullivan, J.D.

1987-05-01

The conceptual system requirements for the control, data, robotics, and project management (CDRM) system for the next generation of fusion experiments are developed by drawing on the success of the Tara control and data system. The requirements are described in terms of an integrated but separable matrix of well-defined interfaces among the various systems and subsystems. The study stresses modularity, performance, cost effectiveness, and exportability

MxCuBE: a synchrotron beamline control environment customized for macromolecular crystallography experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabadinho, José; Beteva, Antonia; Guijarro, Matias; Rey-Bakaikoa, Vicente; Spruce, Darren

2010-01-01

MxCuBE is a beamline control environment optimized for the needs of macromolecular crystallography. This paper describes the design of the software and the features that MxCuBE currently provides. The design and features of a beamline control software system for macromolecular crystallography (MX) experiments developed at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) are described. This system, MxCuBE, allows users to easily and simply interact with beamline hardware components and provides automated routines for common tasks in the operation of a synchrotron beamline dedicated to experiments in MX. Additional functionality is provided through intuitive interfaces that enable the assessment of the diffraction characteristics of samples, experiment planning, automatic data collection and the on-line collection and analysis of X-ray emission spectra. The software can be run in a tandem client-server mode that allows for remote control and relevant experimental parameters and results are automatically logged in a relational database, ISPyB. MxCuBE is modular, flexible and extensible and is currently deployed on eight macromolecular crystallography beamlines at the ESRF. Additionally, the software is installed at MAX-lab beamline I911-3 and at BESSY beamline BL14.1

Children Do Show Negative Priming: Further Evidence for Early Development of an Intact Selective Control Mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Frings, Christian; Feix, Silke; Rothig, Ulrike; Bruser, Charlotte; Junge, Miriam

2007-01-01

Reactions to stimuli that were shortly before presented as distractors are usually slowed down; this phenomenon is known as negative priming. Negative priming is an accepted index for tapping into selective control mechanisms. Although this effect is well established for adults, it has been claimed that children do not show negative priming.…

Recent Swedish experiences in 222Rn control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swedjemark, G.A.; Maekitalo, A.

1990-01-01

Swedish local authorities are responsible for decreasing 222 Rn progeny concentrations in homes in their municipalities. To obtain an overall view of their experiences, concerned national authorities sent a questionnaire in 1986 to local authorities. The results were intended to form one basis for decisions by the government regarding revised statements on financial contributions, limits, etc. The results were also intended to be of use to national authorities in determining limits and recommendations and to local authorities in their field work. One result of the survey was an enhanced interest in the Rn problem among Swedish politicians and the mass media. This increased attention resulted in new plans for continued work to decrease Rn levels indoors during 1987-1989, on both a national and a local level. The experiences of the local authorities show that Rn progeny concentrations decreased to below the design level in 95% of newly built houses investigated. It was also found that Rn progeny concentrations were below the limit for reconstruction in 53% of existing homes that previously had levels exceeding the limit

Application of Discrete-Choice Experiment Methods in Tobacco Control: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Regmi, Kabindra; Kaphle, Dinesh; Timilsina, Sabina; Tuha, Nik Annie Afiqah

2018-03-01

Economic evidence relating to tobacco control is generally derived from the cost effectiveness of smoking-cessation programs or the economic impact of tobacco-induced disease, based on revealed-preference data. However, empirical estimates from stated-preference data on tobacco users' preferences, smoking behaviour and smoking cessation aids using analytical techniques such as discrete-choice experiments (DCEs) could be important for policy decision making in tobacco control. Our objective was to review the practice and utility of DCE methodology across nicotine- and tobacco-related issues, particularly smoking and smoking-cessation behaviour, anti-smoking policies and preferences for smoking-cessation aids. We searched the PubMed, MEDLINE and ECONLIT databases for full-text original research articles on tobacco-related issues published between January 2000 and April 2016 that used a DCE method. We summarised the evidence and methodological characteristics of DCEs according to Lancsar and Louviere, 2008. Our review of the 12 eligible studies showed that DCE methodology was used to elicit smoker preferences and to evaluate tobacco-control policies. The majority of the studies were published in the last 5 years. The areas of application were smoking cessation, smoking behaviour, electronic cigarette use, water-pipe smoking and tobacco packaging. Monetary attributes were the most influential attributes in all studies. The design of the DCEs varied. DCE studies of tobacco-related issues were methodologically consistent with guidelines proposed for conducting health-related DCEs.

Control of an experiment to measure acoustic noise in the space shuttle

Science.gov (United States)

Cameron, Charles B.

1989-06-01

The potential use of a general-purpose controller to measure acoustic vibration autonomously in the Space Shuttle Cargo Bay during launch is described. The experimental package will be housed in a Shuttle Get Away Special (GAS) canister. The control functions were implemented with software written largely in the C programming language. An IBM MS DOS computer and C cross-compiler were used to generate Z-80 assembly language code, assemble and link this code, and then transfer it to EPROM for use in the experiment's controller. The software is written in a modular fashion to permit adapting it easily to other applications. The software combines the experimental control functions with a menu-driven, diagnostic subsystem to ensure that the software will operate in practice as it does in theory and under test. The experiment uses many peripheral devices controlled by the software described here. These devices include: (1) a solid-state data recorder; (2) a bubble memory storage module; (3) a real-time clock; (4) an RS-232C serial interface; (5) a power control subsystem; (6) a matched filter subsystem to detect activation of the Space Shuttle's auxillary power units five minutes prior to launch; (7) a launch detection subsystem based on vibrational and barometric sensors; (8) analog-to-digital converters; and (9) a heater subsystem. The matched filter design is discussed in detail and the results of a computer simulation of the performance of its most critical sub-circuit are presented.

The Space Technology-7 Disturbance Reduction System Precision Control Flight Validation Experiment Control System Design

Science.gov (United States)

O'Donnell, James R.; Hsu, Oscar C.; Maghami, Peirman G.; Markley, F. Landis

2006-01-01

As originally proposed, the Space Technology-7 Disturbance Reduction System (DRS) project, managed out of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, was designed to validate technologies required for future missions such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). The two technologies to be demonstrated by DRS were Gravitational Reference Sensors (GRSs) and Colloidal MicroNewton Thrusters (CMNTs). Control algorithms being designed by the Dynamic Control System (DCS) team at the Goddard Space Flight Center would control the spacecraft so that it flew about a freely-floating GRS test mass, keeping it centered within its housing. For programmatic reasons, the GRSs were descoped from DRS. The primary goals of the new mission are to validate the performance of the CMNTs and to demonstrate precise spacecraft position control. DRS will fly as a part of the European Space Agency (ESA) LISA Pathfinder (LPF) spacecraft along with a similar ESA experiment, the LISA Technology Package (LTP). With no GRS, the DCS attitude and drag-free control systems make use of the sensor being developed by ESA as a part of the LTP. The control system is designed to maintain the spacecraft s position with respect to the test mass, to within 10 nm/the square root of Hz over the DRS science frequency band of 1 to 30 mHz.

Manoeuvring between anxiety and control: Patients’ experience of learning to live with diabetes: A lifeworld phenomenological study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karin Johansson

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Research shows that people with diabetes want their lives to proceed as normally as possible, but some patients experience difficulty in reaching their desired goals with treatment. The learning process is a complex phenomenon interwoven into every facet of life. Patients and healthcare providers often have different perspectives in care which gives different expectations on what the patients need to learn and cope with. The aim of this study, therefore, is to describe the experience of learning to live with diabetes. Interviews were conducted with 12 patients afflicted with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The interviews were then analysed with reference to the reflective lifeworld research approach. The analysis shows that when the afflicted realize that their bodies undergo changes and that blood sugar levels are not always balanced as earlier in life, they can adjust to their new conditions early. The afflicted must take responsibility for balancing their blood sugar levels and incorporating the illness into their lives. Achieving such goals necessitates knowledge. The search for knowledge and sensitivity to changes are constant requirements for people with diabetes. Learning is driven by the tension caused by the need for and dependence on safe blood sugar control, the fear of losing such control, and the fear of future complications. The most important responsibilities for these patients are aspiring to understand their bodies as lived bodies, ensuring safety and security, and acquiring the knowledge essential to making conscious choices.

Real-time Equilibrium Reconstruction and Isoflux Control of Plasma Shape and Position in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, D.; Gates, D.A.; Menard, J.E.; Ferron, J.R.; Sabbagh, S.A.

2004-01-01

The implementation of the rtEFIT-isoflux algorithm in the digital control system for NSTX has led to improved ability to control the plasma shape. In particular, it has been essential for good gap control for radio-frequency experiments, for control of drsep in H-mode studies, and for X-point height control and κ control in a variety of experiments

Operating experience of the automatic technological control system at the Kolsk NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov, A.P.; Ignatenko, E.I.; Kolomtsev, Yu.V.; Mel'nikov, E.F.; Trofimov, B.A.

1981-01-01

Briefly reviewed is operating experience of the automatic control systems of the kolsk NPP (KNPP) power units, where measuring technique of the neutron flux ''Iney'', ARM-4 power regulator, automatic turbine start-up system ATS are used. The main shortcomings of the technological process automatic control system (ACS) and ways of their removal are considered. It is noted that the KNPP ACS performs only limited start-up functions of the basic equipment and reactor power control as well as partially protection functions at instant loading drops and switch-off of the main circulating pump [ru

Controls on Lava Flow Morphology and Propagation: Using Laboratory Analogue Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, S.; Clarke, A. B.

2017-12-01

The morphology of lava flows is controlled by eruption rate, composition, cooling rate, and topography [Fink and Griffiths, 1990; Gregg and Fink, 2000, 2006]. Lava flows are used to understand how volcanoes, volcanic fields, and igneous provinces formed and evolved [Gregg and Fink., 1996; Sheth, 2006]. This is particularly important for other planets where compositional data is limited and historical context is nonexistent. Numerical modeling of lava flows remains challenging, but has been aided by laboratory analog experiments [Gregg and Keszrthelyi, 2004; Soule and Cashman, 2004]. Experiments using polyethylene glycol (PEG) 600 wax have been performed to understand lava flow emplacement [Fink and Griffiths, 1990, 1992; Gregg and Fink, 2000]. These experiments established psi (hereafter denoted by Ψ), a dimensionless parameter that relates crust formation and advection timescales of a viscous gravity current. Four primary flow morphologies corresponding to discreet Ψ ranges were observed. Gregg and Fink [2000] also investigated flows on slopes and found that steeper slopes increase the effective effusion rate producing predicted morphologies at lower Ψ values. Additional work is needed to constrain the Ψ parameter space, evaluate the predictive capability of Ψ, and determine if the preserved flow morphology can be used to indicate the initial flow conditions. We performed 514 experiments to address the following controls on lava flow morphology: slope (n = 282), unsteadiness/pulsations (n = 58), slope & unsteadiness/pulsations (n = 174), distal processes, and emplacement vs. post-emplacement morphologies. Our slope experiments reveal a similar trend to Gregg and Fink [2000] with the caveat that very high and very low local & source eruption rates can reduce the apparent predictive capability of Ψ. Predicted Ψ morphologies were often produced halfway through the eruption. Our pulse experiments are expected to produce morphologies unique to each eruption rate

The effects of autonomy-supportive and controlling teaching behaviour in biology lessons with primary and secondary experiences on students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience

Science.gov (United States)

Hofferber, Natalia; Basten, Melanie; Großmann, Nadine; Wilde, Matthias

2016-09-01

Self-Determination Theory and Flow Theory propose that perceived autonomy fosters the positive qualities of motivation and flow-experience. Autonomy-support can help to maintain students' motivation in very interesting learning activities and may lead to an increase in the positive qualities of motivation in less interesting learning activities. This paper investigates whether autonomy-supportive or controlling teaching behaviour influence students' motivation and flow-experience in biology class. In study 1, 158 students of grade six worked on the adaptations of Harvest Mice (Micromys minutus) with living animals. The 153 sixth graders of study 2 dealt with the same content but instead worked with short films on laptops. Previous studies have shown that students perceive film sequences as less interesting than working with living animals. Students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience were measured at the end of the first and the third lesson. In study 1, autonomy-supportive teaching behaviour led to significant differences in students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience when compared to controlling teaching behaviour. In study 2, motivation and flow-experience were not always in line with theory. The positive effects of autonomy-supportive and the non-beneficial effects of the controlling teaching behaviour seem to be dependent on the interestingness of the teaching material.

Humidity control and hydrophilic glue coating applied to mounted protein crystals improves X-ray diffraction experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Baba, Seiki; Hoshino, Takeshi; Ito, Len; Kumasaka, Takashi

2013-01-01

Protein crystals are fragile, and it is sometimes difficult to find conditions suitable for handling and cryocooling the crystals before conducting X-ray diffraction experiments. To overcome this issue, a protein crystal-mounting method has been developed that involves a water-soluble polymer and controlled humid air that can adjust the moisture content of a mounted crystal. By coating crystals with polymer glue and exposing them to controlled humid air, the crystals were stable at room temperature and were cryocooled under optimized humidity. Moreover, the glue-coated crystals reproducibly showed gradual transformations of their lattice constants in response to a change in humidity; thus, using this method, a series of isomorphous crystals can be prepared. This technique is valuable when working on fragile protein crystals, including membrane proteins, and will also be useful for multi-crystal data collection. PMID:23999307

Doosan Experience on I and C Upgrade for Operating NPPs: Control Rod Control System and Automatic Seismic Trip System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, C.H.; Kim, K.H.; Lee, D.H.

2012-01-01

This paper describes DHIC's experience on upgrading 3 coil type control rod control system(CRCS), 4 coil type control element drive mechanism control system(CEDMCS) and automatic seismic trip system(ASTS). Common main feature of the above systems are full duplex system to prevent unwanted trip and mis-operation. 5 CRCS and CEDMCS have been supplied to Kori 1,2, Ulchin 1,2 and Younggwang 3 since 2010 and 7 CEDMCS are contracted to supply Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co.(KHNP) site. Also 16 ASTS are supplied and 12 ASTS will be supplied to operating and new NPPs within 3 years. (author)

Value of welfare loss associated with agreements of controlled power cuts. An economic valuation using Discrete Choice Experiment; Mael af velfaerdstab ved kontrollerede stroemafbrydelser. En vaerdisaetningsundersoegelse udfoert vha. metoden Discrete Choice Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lassen, Christa; Lund Jensen, Kirsten

2005-06-01

Flexible electricity consumption has potential to become an important step towards achieving an economically efficient electricity supply. One way to obtain flexible electricity consumption is to establish agreements with private consumers regarding power-cuts during periods of peak consumption. Whether these agreements are economically efficient depends on how big a welfare loss the consumers experience during controlled power-cuts. This loss has so far not been estimated; hence the objective of this rapport is to indicate the level of such welfare loss. This rapport aims to analyse and quantify the private consumer's preferences for a number of characteristics relating to 'controlled power-cuts' of washing machine, dish-washer and dry-tumbler respectively. These characteristics are decisive factors in determining loss of utility the consumer associate with the power-cuts. Additionally, these characteristics are significant for the application of power-cuts. The selected characteristics investigated are duration and frequency. The consumers required compensation for acceptance of changes to the various characteristics is derived. (A combination of number of power cuts per year with a given duration is to be considered as an agreement) Data was collected through questionnaires and analysed using Discrete Choice Experiment. This method is based on the consumers choice between various combinations of controlled power-cut agreements. Apart from providing the possibility to value a change to each of the specified characteristics, the method can also estimate a total value of a changed agreement. The survey shows that the consumers experience an increasing welfare loss the longer duration of the power-cuts and the greater the frequency. Preferences and compensation for the various agreements are shown not to be dependent on whether the consumer has received information regarding the environmental benefits of the agreement. A lower compensation threshold

Spacecraft Hybrid (Mixed-Actuator) Attitude Control Experiences on NASA Science Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Dennehy, Cornelius J.

2014-01-01

There is a heightened interest within NASA for the design, development, and flight implementation of mixed-actuator hybrid attitude control systems for science spacecraft that have less than three functional reaction wheel actuators. This interest is driven by a number of recent reaction wheel failures on aging, but what could be still scientifically productive, NASA spacecraft if a successful hybrid attitude control mode can be implemented. Over the years, hybrid (mixed-actuator) control has been employed for contingency attitude control purposes on several NASA science mission spacecraft. This paper provides a historical perspective of NASA's previous engineering work on spacecraft mixed-actuator hybrid control approaches. An update of the current situation will also be provided emphasizing why NASA is now so interested in hybrid control. The results of the NASA Spacecraft Hybrid Attitude Control Workshop, held in April of 2013, will be highlighted. In particular, the lessons learned captured from that workshop will be shared in this paper. An update on the most recent experiences with hybrid control on the Kepler spacecraft will also be provided. This paper will close with some future considerations for hybrid spacecraft control.

FFTF control system experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warrick, R.P.

1981-01-01

The FFTF control systems provide control equipment for safe and efficient operation of the plant. For convenience, these systems will be divided into three parts for discussions: (1) Plant Protection System (PPS); (2) Plant Control System (PCS); and (3) General Observations. Performance of each of these systems is discussed

Program controlled system for mathematical processing the αp-experiment data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glagolev, V.V.; Govorun, N.N.; Dirner, A.; Ivanov, V.G.; Kretov, A.P.; Mirolyubov, V.P.; Pervushov, V.V.; Shelontsev, I.I.

1982-01-01

ZEUS system which allows one mathematical processing of bubble chamber pictures for αp-experiment with computer control is descibed. The comparison and basic defect of traditional processing of film information is considered. The structure, operation and further development of this system are described. It consists of the monitoring programs, directory file, input request language, data bank and documentation. ZEUS system is developed for processing αp-experiment from JINR one-meter-hydrogen liquid chamber. It makes possible to eliminate big manual work at organization of mass data processing by a computer. The system is realized on the CDC-6500 computer

Detector control system for an LHC experiment

CERN Document Server

Mato, P

1998-01-01

The purpose of this document is to provide the user requirements for a detector control system kernel for the LHC experiments following the ESA standard PSS-05 [1]. The first issue will be used to provide the basis for an evaluation of possible development philosophies for a kernel DCS. As such it will cover all the major functionality but only to a level of detail sufficient for such an evaluation to be performed. Many of the requirements are therefore intentionally high level and generic, and are meant to outline the functionality that would be required of the kernel DCS, but not yet to the level of the detail required for implementation. The document is also written in a generic fashion in order not to rule out any implementation technology.1

Comparison of Failure Analysis and Operating Experiences of Digital Control Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Eun Chan; Shin, Tae Young [Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-08-15

This study focuses on digital control systems that have the same functions but different designs. Some differences and common points between these two digital control systems are analyzed in terms of vulnerabilities in plant operation. In addition, this study confirms why unexpected outcomes can occur through a comparison of the system failure experiences with the analytic results of FMEA and FTA. This evaluation demonstrates that the digital system may have vulnerable components whose single failures can cause plant transients even if the system has a redundant structure according to its system design.

Experience on reliability of insertion of control rod with PWRs in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakata, H.

1995-01-01

This paper is prepared to introduce, in response to the IAEA Letter dated 1995-02-08, national experience concerning to the reliability of insertion of control rod with PWRs which is relatively similar to WWER 1000. 3 figs

Improved Understanding of Carbon Storage Risk Via Controlled-Release Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Birkholzer, J. T.; Guglielmi, Y.; Rutqvist, J.; Zheng, L.; Spycher, N.

2014-12-01

Two issues are often recognized as main risk drivers for carbon storage projects. The first is the possibility of pressure-induced slip of pre-existing faults, which can lead to breaching of seals to CO2 storage reservoirs. Although the mechanics of induced seismicity are well known, the characteristics of such slip events are poorly constrained and significant questions remain. The second is the potential impact of leaking CO2 on the quality of shallow potable groundwater. While several studies have been conducted using laboratory tests, natural analogues, and numerical models to evaluate the water quality changes induced by elevated CO2 concentrations, predictive understanding of these coupled processes remains limited in realistic field settings. We discuss in this invited contribution two controlled-release field experiments targeting remaining science gaps associated with induced seismicity and groundwater chemistry. The first experiment is a planned active fault slip experiment conducted in an underground research laboratory (URL) in a hardened shale formation that serves as a caprock analog. The critically stressed fault will be perturbed by the injection of fluid under pressure to simulate the influence of CO2 overpressure. The in situ reactivation experiment will use a novel borehole deformation tool that assesses the magnitude of overpressure required to cause slip, defines the mode of this slip as creeping (aseismic) or rapid (seismic), and measures the evolution of permeability on the fault. The second controlled-release field experiment was conducted in 2011/2012 to simulate the release of CO2 from a geologic storage site and study the transport as well as the chemical mechanisms leading to the CO2-induced mobilization of trace elements in a shallow aquifer. The field test involved a dipole system in which the shallow groundwater was pumped from one well, saturated with CO2 at the pressure corresponding to the hydraulic pressure of the aquifer, and

Active feedback control of kink modes in tokamaks: 3D VALEN modeling and HBT-EP experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maurer, D.A.

2002-01-01

Significant progress in the development of active feedback control as a robust technique for the suppression of the wall stabilized external kink or resistive wall mode (RWM) in tokamaks has been achieved through a combination of modeling and experiments. Results from the 3D feedback modeling code VALEN, which serves as the primary analysis and feedback control design tool for RWM studies on the HBT-EP and DIII-D experiments, are in good agreement with observations. VALEN modeling of proposed advanced control system designs on HBT-EP, DIII-D, NSTX, and FIRE are predicted to approach the ideal wall beta limit in agreement with design principles based on simple single mode analytic theory of RWM feedback control. Benchmark experiments on HBT-EP have shown suppression of plasma disruption at rational edge q values using active feedback control in agreement with model predictions. In addition, the observation in HBT-EP of the plasma amplification of static resonant magnetic fields in plasmas marginally stable to the RWM is in agreement with theory. (author)

Controlling Urban Lighting by Human Motion Patterns results from a full Scale Experiment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Esben Skouboe; Andersen, Hans Jørgen; Jensen, Ole B.

2012-01-01

This paper presents a full-scale experiment investigating the use of human motion intensities as input for interactive illumination of a town square in the city of Aalborg in Denmark. As illuminators sixteen 3.5 meter high RGB LED lamps were used. The activity on the square was monitored by three...... thermal cameras and analysed by computer vision software from which motion intensity maps and peoples trajectories were estimated and used as input to control the interactive illumination. The paper introduces a 2-layered interactive light strategy addressing ambient and effect illumination criteria...... totally four light scenarios were designed and tested. The result shows that in general people immersed in the street lighting did not notice that the light changed according to their presence or actions, but people watching from the edge of the square noticed the interaction between the illumination...

Experiences in messaging middle-ware for high-level control applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wanga, N.; Shasharina, S.; Matykiewicz, J.; Rooparani Pundaleeka

2012-01-01

Existing high-level applications in accelerator control and modeling systems leverage many different languages, tools and frameworks that do not inter-operate with one another. As a result, the accelerator control community is moving toward the proven Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) approach to address the inter-operability challenges among heterogeneous high-level application modules. Such SOA approach enables developers to package various control subsystems and activities into 'services' with well-defined 'interfaces' and make leveraging heterogeneous high-level applications via flexible composition possible. Examples of such applications include presentation panel clients based on Control System Studio (CSS) and middle-layer applications such as model/data servers. This paper presents our experiences in developing a demonstrative high-level application environment using emerging messaging middle-ware standards. In particular, we utilize new features in EPICS v4 and other emerging standards such as Data Distribution Service (DDS) and Extensible Type Interface by the Object Management Group. We first briefly review examples we developed previously. We then present our current effort in integrating DDS into such a SOA environment for control systems. Specifically, we illustrate how we are integrating DDS into CSS and develop a Python DDS mapping. (authors)

Control of humanoid robot motions with impacts : numerical experiments with reference spreading control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rijnen, M.W.L.M.; De Mooij, E.B.C.; Traversaro, S.; Nori, F.; Van De Wouw, N.; Saccon, A.; Nijmeijer, H.

2017-01-01

This work explores the stabilization of desired dynamic motion tasks involving hard impacts at non-negligible speed for humanoid robots. To this end, a so-called reference spreading hybrid control law is designed showing promising results in simulation. The simulations are performed employing a

Digital control and data acquisition system for the QUIET experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogdan, Mircea; Kapner, Dan; Samtleben, Dorothea; Vanderlinde, Keith

2007-01-01

We present the Digital Control and Data Acquisition System (DCDAQ) for Phase I of the Q/U Imaging Experiment (QUIET), arrays of 91 W-band and 19 Q-band receivers, placed on 1.4 m telescopes, in Chajnantor, Chile to measure the polarization of the cosmic microwave background. QUIET uses custom-built electronics boards that control and monitor its polarimeters. Each of these boards is digitally addressable, so that the DCDAQ can set and monitor any of the 1600 biases needed to operate the 91 receivers. The DCDAQ consists of a controller and up to 13 custom-made 32-channel ADC cards. Local FPGAs allow real-time data processing for each channel. This immediate data reduction is necessary, as it is planned to scale this technology beyond Phase I. The DCDAQ system is implemented with this future in mind and can easily be scaled to operate 1000 receivers

COMPUTER CONTROL OF BEHAVIORAL EXPERIMENTS.

Science.gov (United States)

SIEGEL, LOUIS

THE LINC COMPUTER PROVIDES A PARTICULAR SCHEDULE OF REINFORCEMENT FOR BEHAVIORAL EXPERIMENTS BY EXECUTING A SEQUENCE OF COMPUTER OPERATIONS IN CONJUNCTION WITH A SPECIALLY DESIGNED INTERFACE. THE INTERFACE IS THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE EXPERIMENTAL CHAMBER AND THE COMPUTER. THE PROGRAM AND INTERFACE OF AN EXPERIMENT INVOLVING A PIGEON…

Microrelief-Controlled Overland Flow Generation: Laboratory and Field Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuefeng Chu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Surface microrelief affects overland flow generation and the related hydrologic processes. However, such influences vary depending on other factors such as rainfall characteristics, soil properties, and initial soil moisture conditions. Thus, in-depth research is needed to better understand and evaluate the combined effects of these factors on overland flow dynamics. The objective of this experimental study was to examine how surface microrelief, in conjunction with the factors of rainfall, soil, and initial moisture conditions, impacts overland flow generation and runoff processes in both laboratory and field settings. A series of overland flow experiments were conducted for rough and smooth surfaces that represented distinct microtopographic characteristics and the experimental data were analyzed and compared. Across different soil types and initial moisture conditions, both laboratory and field experiments demonstrated that a rough soil surface experienced a delayed initiation of runoff and featured a stepwise threshold flow pattern due to the microrelief-controlled puddle filling-spilling-merging dynamics. It was found from the field experiments that a smooth plot surface was more responsive to rainfall variations especially during an initial rainfall event. However, enhanced capability of overland flow generation and faster puddle connectivity of a rough field plot occurred during the subsequent rain events.

Open-Rate Controlled Experiment in E-Mail Marketing Campaigns

OpenAIRE

Biloš, Antun; Turkalj, Davorin; Kelić, Ivan

2016-01-01

Purpose – The main purpose of this paper is to test the controlled experiment (A/B split) methodology in B2C oriented e-mail marketing campaigns. Design/Methodology/Approach – E-mail marketing techniques have been a substantial part of e-marketing methodology since the early Internet days of the mid-1990s. From the very beginning of Internet utilization for business purposes, e-mail was one of the most widely used communication techniques in B2B and B2C markets alike. Due to high volumes o...

Control of the phytoplankton response during the SAGE experiment: A synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Peloquin, Jill; Hall, Julie; Safi, Karl; Ellwood, Michael; Law, Cliff S.; Thompson, Karen; Kuparinen, Jorma; Harvey, Michael; Pickmere, Stuart

2011-03-01

The SOLAS Air-Sea Gas Exchange (SAGE) experiment was conducted in Sub-Antarctic waters off the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand in the late summer of 2004. This mesoscale iron enrichment experiment was unique in that chlorophyll a (chl a) and primary productivity were only 2× OUT stations values toward the end of the experiment and this enhancement was due to increased activity of non-diatomaceous species. In addition, this enhancement in activity appeared to occur without a significant build up of particulate organic carbon. Picoeukaryotes (statistically significant increase, a doubling in biomass. To better understand the controls of phytoplankton growth and biomass, we present results from a series of on-deck perturbation experiments conducted during SAGE. Results suggest that the pico-dominated phytoplankton assemblage was only weakly inhibited by iron. Diatoms with high growth rates comprised a small (food web. A primary implication of this study is that any iron-mediated gain in fixed carbon with this set of environmental conditions has a high probability of being recycled in surface waters.

Prenatal control of Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis: a two-year experience at a mainland Chinese hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Can; Pan, Min; Han, Jin; Yang, Xin; Zhen, Li; Li, Jian; Li, Ru; Li, Dong-Zhi

2015-03-01

α-Thalassemia is a common inherited disease in southern China. The severest form is Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis, in which the affected fetuses almost always die in utero or shortly after birth, and the mothers are at high risk for severe morbidity. Therefore, this condition should be controlled, especially prenatally. In this study, we reported on a two-year experience in prenatal control of Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis at a mainland Chinese hospital. Totally, 573 pregnancies at risk for Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis were referred and different prenatal procedures were offered depending on the gestational age at presentation. One hundred fifty-two affected fetuses were diagnosed prenatally; among these, only half presented in early gestation, and were terminated in time. Although our prenatal program has successfully prevented the birth of children with severe thalassemia, it does not show a satisfactory outcome, considering the gestational age when an affected pregnancy is terminated.

The slow control system of the GERDA double beta decay experiment at Gran Sasso

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brugnera, R; Garfagnini, A; Gigante, G; Hemmer, S; Zinato, D; Costa, F; Lippi, I; Michelotto, M; Ur, C

2012-01-01

GERDA is an experiment designed and built to study double beta decays of 76 Ge. It is currently in operation at the Gran Sasso underground laboratories (LNGS). A custom slow control system has been designed to monitor and control all the critical parameters for the proper functioning of the experiment. The main sub-components of the experiment (Cryostat, Clean Room, Water Tank, electronic crates and temperatures, High Voltage Systems, Radon Monitor and Source Insertion System) are constantly monitored by several distributed clients which write acquired data to a relational database (PostgreSQL). The latter allows to maintain a history of the whole experiment and, performing correlation between different and independent components, is useful to debug possible system malfunctions. The system is complemented by a Web server, a lightweight and efficient interface to the user on shifts and to the on-call experts, and by a dedicated Alarm dispatcher which distributes the errors generated by the components to the users allowing to react in short time. The whole project has been built around open source and custom software.

Low-noise cable for diagnostics, control and instrumentation of the ASDEX tokamak fusion experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gernhardt, J.

1988-11-01

ASDEX (Axially Symmetric Divertor EXperiment) is a large tokamak (R=1.65 m; a=0.4 m) with an air transformer. The relatively large stray field, Bz=10 mT=(100 G); for ρ=5 m, Bz=40 mT=(400 G); for ρ=3 m, BΦ=0.3 T=(3 kG); for ρ=3m, compared with that of an iron transformer, and the cable length 1≤30 m from the experiment to the control room, make mainly the magnetically induced and capacitively coupled noise signal in the cable relatively high. As a result of neutral injection (> 4 MW; 40 kV) and lower hybrid ion cyclotron and Alfven wave heating strong E-fields are produced and noise is coupled into the cables. These magnetic and electric field gradients during the plasma shot vary with time and location. This report tries to show how these noise signals can be reduced without reducing the broadcast frequency of the signal. The Electro Magnetic Compatibility and Interference (EMC, EMI) are discussed. The cost of diagnostic cable, connectors and cable ducts without mounting is approximately DM 700,000.--. (orig.)

Integrated Controlling System and Unified Database for High Throughput Protein Crystallography Experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaponov, Yu.A.; Igarashi, N.; Hiraki, M.; Sasajima, K.; Matsugaki, N.; Suzuki, M.; Kosuge, T.; Wakatsuki, S.

2004-01-01

An integrated controlling system and a unified database for high throughput protein crystallography experiments have been developed. Main features of protein crystallography experiments (purification, crystallization, crystal harvesting, data collection, data processing) were integrated into the software under development. All information necessary to perform protein crystallography experiments is stored (except raw X-ray data that are stored in a central data server) in a MySQL relational database. The database contains four mutually linked hierarchical trees describing protein crystals, data collection of protein crystal and experimental data processing. A database editor was designed and developed. The editor supports basic database functions to view, create, modify and delete user records in the database. Two search engines were realized: direct search of necessary information in the database and object oriented search. The system is based on TCP/IP secure UNIX sockets with four predefined sending and receiving behaviors, which support communications between all connected servers and clients with remote control functions (creating and modifying data for experimental conditions, data acquisition, viewing experimental data, and performing data processing). Two secure login schemes were designed and developed: a direct method (using the developed Linux clients with secure connection) and an indirect method (using the secure SSL connection using secure X11 support from any operating system with X-terminal and SSH support). A part of the system has been implemented on a new MAD beam line, NW12, at the Photon Factory Advanced Ring for general user experiments

Non-Model-Based Control of a Wheeled Vehicle Pulling Two Trailers to Provide Early Powered Mobility and Driving Experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders Td Vr, David A

2018-01-01

Non-model-based control of a wheeled vehicle pulling two trailers is proposed. It is a fun train for disabled children consisting of a locomotive and two carriages. The fun train has afforded opportunities for both disabled and able bodied young people to share an activity and has provided early driving experiences for disabled children; it has introduced them to assistive and powered mobility. The train is a nonlinear system and subject to nonholonomic kinematic constraints, so that position and state depend on the path taken to get there. The train is described, and then, a robust control algorithm using proportional-derivative filtered errors is proposed to control the locomotive. The controller was not dependent on an accurate model of the train, because the mass of the vehicle and two carriages changed depending on the number, size, and shape of children and wheelchair seats on the train. The controller was robust and stable in uncertainty. Results are presented to show the effectiveness of the approach, and the suggested control algorithm is shown to be acceptable without knowing the exact plant dynamics.

The effects of risk perception and flight experience on airline pilots' locus of control with regard to safety operation behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

You, Xuqun; Ji, Ming; Han, Haiyan

2013-08-01

The primary objective of this paper was to integrate two research traditions, social cognition approach and individual state approach, and to understand the relationships between locus of control (LOC), risk perception, flight time, and safety operation behavior (SOB) among Chinese airline pilots. The study sample consisted of 193 commercial airline pilots from China Southern Airlines Ltd. The results showed that internal locus of control directly affected pilot safety operation behavior. Risk perception seemed to mediate the relationship between locus of control and safety operation behaviors, and total flight time moderated internal locus of control. Thus, locus of control primarily influences safety operation behavior indirectly by affecting risk perception. The total effect of internal locus of control on safety behaviors is larger than that of external locus of control. Furthermore, the safety benefit of flight experience is more pronounced among pilots with high internal loci of control in the early and middle flight building stages. Practical implications for aviation safety and directions for future research are also discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Controller tuning of district heating networks using experiment design techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobos, Laszlo; Abonyi, Janos

2011-01-01

There are various governmental policies aimed at reducing the dependence on fossil fuels for space heating and the reduction in its associated emission of greenhouse gases. DHNs (District heating networks) could provide an efficient method for house and space heating by utilizing residual industrial waste heat. In such systems, heat is produced and/or thermally upgraded in a central plant and then distributed to the end users through a pipeline network. The control strategies of these networks are rather difficult thanks to the non-linearity of the system and the strong interconnection between the controlled variables. That is why a NMPC (non-linear model predictive controller) could be applied to be able to fulfill the heat demand of the consumers. The main objective of this paper is to propose a tuning method for the applied NMPC to fulfill the control goal as soon as possible. The performance of the controller is characterized by an economic cost function based on pre-defined operation ranges. A methodology from the field of experiment design is applied to tune the model predictive controller to reach the best performance. The efficiency of the proposed methodology is proven throughout a case study of a simulated NMPC controlled DHN. -- Highlights: → To improve the energetic and economic efficiency of a DHN an appropriate control system is necessary. → The time consumption of transitions can be shortened with the proper control system. → A NLMPC is proposed as control system. → The NLMPC is tuned by utilization of simplex methodology, using an economic oriented cost function. → The proposed NLMPC needs a detailed model of the DHN based on the physical description.

Experiments in teleoperator and autonomous control of space robotic vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Harold L.

1991-01-01

A program of research embracing teleoperator and automatic navigational control of freely flying satellite robots is presented. Current research goals include: (1) developing visual operator interfaces for improved vehicle teleoperation; (2) determining the effects of different visual interface system designs on operator performance; and (3) achieving autonomous vision-based vehicle navigation and control. This research program combines virtual-environment teleoperation studies and neutral-buoyancy experiments using a space-robot simulator vehicle currently under development. Visual-interface design options under investigation include monoscopic versus stereoscopic displays and cameras, helmet-mounted versus panel-mounted display monitors, head-tracking versus fixed or manually steerable remote cameras, and the provision of vehicle-fixed visual cues, or markers, in the remote scene for improved sensing of vehicle position, orientation, and motion.

Apollo experience report: Guidance and control systems. Engineering simulation program

Science.gov (United States)

Gilbert, D. W.

1973-01-01

The Apollo Program experience from early 1962 to July 1969 with respect to the engineering-simulation support and the problems encountered is summarized in this report. Engineering simulation in support of the Apollo guidance and control system is discussed in terms of design analysis and verification, certification of hardware in closed-loop operation, verification of hardware/software compatibility, and verification of both software and procedures for each mission. The magnitude, time, and cost of the engineering simulations are described with respect to hardware availability, NASA and contractor facilities (for verification of the command module, the lunar module, and the primary guidance, navigation, and control system), and scheduling and planning considerations. Recommendations are made regarding implementation of similar, large-scale simulations for future programs.

Smart bioimpedance-controlled craniotomy: Concept and first experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Niesche, Annegret; Müller, Meiko; Ehreiser, Fritz; Teichmann, Daniel; Leonhardt, Steffen; Radermacher, Klaus

2017-07-01

Craniotomy is part of many neurosurgical interventions to create surgical access to intracranial structures. The procedure conventionally bears a high risk of unintended dural tears or damage of the soft tissue underneath the bone. A new synergistically controlled instrument has recently been introduced to address this problem by combining a soft tissue preserving saw with an automatic cutting depth control. Many approaches are known to obtain the information required on the local bone thickness. However, they suffer from unsatisfactory robustness against disturbances occurring during surgery and many approaches require additional intra- or preoperative steps in the workflow. This article presents first concepts for real-time cutting depth control based on in-process bioimpedance measurements. Furthermore, sensor integration into a synergistic surgical device incorporating a bidirectional oscillating saw is demonstrated and evaluated in first feasibility tests on a fresh bovine bone specimen. Results of bipolar measurements show that the transition of different layers of bicortical bone and bone breakthrough lead to characteristic impedance patterns that can be used for process control.

Control System Development Plan for the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neumeyer, C.; Mueller, D.; Gates, D.A.; Ferron, J.R.

1999-01-01

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) has as one of its primary goals the demonstration of the attractiveness of the spherical torus concept as a fusion power plant. Central to this goal is the achievement of high plasma β ( = 2 micro 0 /B 2 a measure of the efficiency of a magnetic plasma confinement system). It has been demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally that the maximum achievable β is a strong function of both local and global plasma parameters. It is therefore important to optimize control of the plasma. To this end a phased development plan for digital plasma control on NSTX is presented. The relative level of sophistication of the control system software and hardware will be increased according to the demands of the experimental program in a three phase plan. During Day 0 (first plasma), a simple coil current control algorithm will initiate plasma operations. During the second phase (Day 1) of plasma operations the control system will continue to use the preprogrammed algorithm to initiate plasma breakdown but will then change over to a rudimentary plasma control scheme based on linear combinations of measured plasma fields and fluxes. The third phase of NSTX plasma control system development will utilize the rtEFIT code, first used on DIII-D, to determine, in real-time, the full plasma equilibrium by inverting the Grad-Shafranov equation. The details of the development plan, including a description of the proposed hardware will be presented

Experiment and Simulation Effects of Cyclic Pitch Control on Performance of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Le Quang Sang

2017-06-01

  Keywords: Floating Offshore Wind Turbine, Aerodynamic Forces, Cyclic Pitch Control, FAST Code, Wind Tunnel Experiment Article History: Received February 11th 2017; Received in revised form April 29th 2017; Accepted June 2nd 2017; Available online How to Cite This Article: Sang, L.Q., Maeda, T., Kamada, Y., and Li, Q. (2017 Experiment and simulation effect of cyclic pitch control on performance of horizontal axis wind turbine to International Journal of Renewable Energy Develeopment, 6(2, 119-125. https://doi.org/10.14710/ijred.6.2.119-125

Dolphin shows and interaction programs: benefits for conservation education?

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, L J; Zeigler-Hill, V; Mellen, J; Koeppel, J; Greer, T; Kuczaj, S

2013-01-01

Dolphin shows and dolphin interaction programs are two types of education programs within zoological institutions used to educate visitors about dolphins and the marine environment. The current study examined the short- and long-term effects of these programs on visitors' conservation-related knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Participants of both dolphin shows and interaction programs demonstrated a significant short-term increase in knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions. Three months following the experience, participants of both dolphin shows and interaction programs retained the knowledge learned during their experience and reported engaging in more conservation-related behaviors. Additionally, the number of dolphin shows attended in the past was a significant predictor of recent conservation-related behavior suggesting that repetition of these types of experiences may be important in inspiring people to conservation action. These results suggest that both dolphin shows and dolphin interaction programs can be an important part of a conservation education program for visitors of zoological facilities. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ALICE Diffractive Detector Control System for RUN-II in the ALICE Experiment

CERN Document Server

INSPIRE-00522336; Martinez, M.I.; Monzon, I. Leon

2016-01-01

This paper describes general characteristics of the deployment and commissioned of the Detector Control System (DCS) AD0 for the second phase of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The AD0 detector is installed in the ALICE experiment to provide a better selection of diffractive events.

CODEX-B4C experiment. Core degradation test with boron carbide control rod

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hozer, Z.; Nagy, I.; Windberg, P.; Balasko, M.; Matus, L.; Prokopiev, O.; Pinter, A.; Horvath, M.; Gyenes, Gy.; Czitrovszky, A.; Nagy, A.; Jani, P.

2003-11-01

The CODEX-B4C bundle test has been successfully performed on 25 th May 2001 in the framework of the COLOSS project of the EU 5 th FWP. The high temperature degradation of a VVER-1000 type bundle with B 4 C control rod was investigated with electrically heated fuel rods. The experiment was carried out according to a scenario selected in favour of methane formation. Degradation of control rod and fuel bundle took place at temperatures ∼2000 deg C, cooling down of the bundle was performed in steam atmosphere. The gas composition measurement indicated no methane production during the experiment. High release of aerosols was detected in the high temperature oxidation phase. The on-line measured data are collected into a database and are available for code validation and development. (author)

Improving indoor air quality for poor families: a controlled experiment in Bangladesh

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dasgupta, S. (World Bank. Research-DECRG/Ru, Washington DC (United States)); Wheeler, D. (Center for Global Development, Washington DC (United States)); Huq, M. (Development Policy Group, Dhaka (Bangladesh)); Khaliquzzaman, M. (World Bank, Dhaka (Bangladesh))

2009-02-15

The World Health Organization's 2004 Global and Regional Burden of Disease Report estimates that acute respiratory infections from indoor air pollution (pollution from burning wood, animal dung, and other bio-fuels) kill a million children annually in developing countries, inflicting a particularly heavy toll on poor families in South Asia and Africa. This paper reports on an experiment that studied the use of different fuels in conjunction with different combinations of construction materials, space configurations, cooking locations, and household ventilation practices (use of doors and windows) as potentially-important determinants of indoor air pollution. Results from controlled experiments in Bangladesh were analyzed to test whether changes in these determinants can have significant effects on indoor air pollution. Analysis of the data shows, for example, that pollution from the cooking area is transported into living spaces rapidly and completely. Furthermore, it is important to factor in the interaction between outdoor and indoor air pollution. Hence, the optimal cooking location should take 'seasonality' in account. Among fuels, seasonal conditions seem to affect the relative severity of pollution from wood, dung, and other biomass fuels. However, there is no ambiguity about their collective impact. All are far dirtier than clean (LPG and Kerosene) fuels. The analysis concludes that if cooking with clean fuels is not possible, then building the kitchen with permeable construction material and providing proper ventilation in cooking areas will yield a better indoor health environment. (au)

Exhaustion Experiences in Junior Athletes: The Importance of Motivation and Self-Control Competencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordalen, Gro; Lemyre, Pierre-Nicolas; Durand-Bush, Natalie

2016-01-01

Quality of motivation, self-control competencies, as well as past performance experience influence sport participation outcomes in developing athletes. Studies have shown that junior athletes high in self-determined motivation are less prone to experience burnout, while self-control competencies help developing athletes to be conscious and deliberate in their self-regulatory efforts toward elite sport performances and avoid negative sport participation outcomes. Combining the self-determination theory framework and psychosocial theories of self-regulation, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine how various types of motivation and self-control competencies together are associated with the development of burnout symptoms in junior athletes. High-level Norwegian winter-sport athletes from elite sport academies ( N = 199; female n = 72; 16-20 years of age) consented to participate. Associations between six types of motivational regulation, self-control, and indices of exhaustion were investigated. We hypothesized that athletes' self-control competencies are important to operate successfully, and influenced by different types of motivation, they are expected to help athletes avoid negative sport participation outcomes such as emotional and physical exhaustion. Structural equation modeling analyses were conducted to analyze these relationships, and results revealed some multifaceted associations. When identifying antecedents of sport participation exhaustion and burnout, there is a need to go beyond the unique framework of motivation theories, and explore what cognitive competencies ensure fulfillment of motivation desires. In the current study, differences in junior athletes' quality of motivation influenced self-control competencies when predicting exhaustion. Interestingly, young athletes driven by self-determined (intrinsic, integrated, and identified), and controlled (introjected and amotivation) regulations in association with self-control offered the

Exhaustion Experiences in Junior Athletes:The Importance of Motivation and Self - Control Competencies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gro Jordalen

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Quality of motivation, self-control competencies, as well as past performance experience influence sport participation outcomes in developing athletes. Studies have shown that junior athletes high in self-determined motivation are less prone to experience burnout, while self-control competencies help developing athletes to be conscious and deliberate in their self-regulatory efforts toward elite sport performances and avoid negative sport participation outcomes. Combining the self-determination theory (SDT framework and psychosocial theories of self-regulation, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine how various types of motivation and self-control competencies together are associated with the development of burnout symptoms in junior athletes. High-level Norwegian winter-sport athletes from elite sport academies (N = 199; female n = 72; 16 to 20 years of age consented to participate. Associations between six types of motivational regulation, self-control, and indices of exhaustion were investigated. We hypothesized that athletes’ self-control competencies are important to operate successfully, and influenced by different types of motivation, they are expected to help athletes avoid negative sport participation outcomes such as emotional and physical exhaustion. Structural equation modeling analyses were conducted to analyze these relationships, and results revealed some multifaceted associations. When identifying antecedents of sport participation exhaustion and burnout, there is a need to go beyond the unique framework of motivation theories, and explore what cognitive competencies ensure fulfillment of motivation desires. In the current study, differences in junior athletes’ quality of motivation influenced self-control competencies when predicting exhaustion. Interestingly, young athletes driven by self-determined (intrinsic, integrated, and identified, and controlled (introjected and amotivation regulations in association

Functional electrical stimulation controlled by artificial neural networks: pilot experiments with simple movements are promising for rehabilitation applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrante, Simona; Pedrocchi, Alessandra; Iannò, Marco; De Momi, Elena; Ferrarin, Maurizio; Ferrigno, Giancarlo

2004-01-01

This study falls within the ambit of research on functional electrical stimulation for the design of rehabilitation training for spinal cord injured patients. In this context, a crucial issue is the control of the stimulation parameters in order to optimize the patterns of muscle activation and to increase the duration of the exercises. An adaptive control system (NEURADAPT) based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) was developed to control the knee joint in accordance with desired trajectories by stimulating quadriceps muscles. This strategy includes an inverse neural model of the stimulated limb in the feedforward line and a neural network trained on-line in the feedback loop. NEURADAPT was compared with a linear closed-loop proportional integrative derivative (PID) controller and with a model-based neural controller (NEUROPID). Experiments on two subjects (one healthy and one paraplegic) show the good performance of NEURADAPT, which is able to reduce the time lag introduced by the PID controller. In addition, control systems based on ANN techniques do not require complicated calibration procedures at the beginning of each experimental session. After the initial learning phase, the ANN, thanks to its generalization capacity, is able to cope with a certain range of variability of skeletal muscle properties.

Designing simulation experiments with controllable and uncontrollable factors for applications in healthcare

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dehlendorff, Christian; Kulahci, Murat; Andersen, Klaus Kaae

2011-01-01

We propose a new methodology for designing computer experiments that was inspired by the split-plot designs that are often used in physical experimentation.The methodology has been developed for a simulation model of a surgical unit in a Danish hospital.We classify the factors as controllable and...

Performance experiments with alternative advanced teleoperator control modes for a simulated solar maximum satellite repair

Science.gov (United States)

Das, H.; Zak, H.; Kim, W. S.; Bejczy, A. K.; Schenker, P. S.

1992-01-01

Experiments are described which were conducted at the JPL Advanced Teleoperator Lab to demonstrate and evaluate the effectiveness of various teleoperator control modes in the performance of a simulated Solar Max Satellite Repair (SMSR) task. THe SMSR was selected as a test because it is very rich in performance capability requirements and it actually has been performed by two EVA astronauts in the Space Shuttle Bay in 1984. The main subtasks are: thermal blanket removal; installation of a hinge attachment for electrical panel opening; opening of electrical panel; removal of electrical connectors; relining of cable bundles; replacement of electrical panel; securing parts and cables; re-mate electrical connectors; closing of electrical panel; and reinstating thermal blanket. The current performance experiments are limited to thermal blanket cutting, electrical panel unbolting and handling electrical bundles and connectors. In one formal experiment even different control modes were applied to the unbolting and reinsertion of electrical panel screws subtasks. The seven control modes are alternative combinations of manual position and rate control with force feedback and remote compliance referenced to force-torque sensor information. Force-torque sensor and end effector position data and task completion times were recorded for analysis and quantification of operator performance.

Applications of small computers for systems control on the Tandem Mirror Experiment-Upgrade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bork, R.G.; Kane, R.J.; Moore, T.L.

1983-01-01

Desktop computers operating into a CAMAC-based interface are used to control and monitor the operation of the various subsystems on the Tandem Mirror Experiment-Upgrade (TMX-U) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). These systems include: shot sequencer/master timing, neutral beam control (four consoles), magnet power system control, ion-cyclotron resonant heating (ICRH) control, thermocouple monitoring, getter system control, gas fueling system control, and electron-cyclotron resonant heating (ECRH) monitoring. Two additional computers are used to control the TMX-U neutral beam test stand and provide computer-aided repair/test and development of CAMAC modules. These machines are usually programmed in BASIC, but some codes have been interpreted into assembly language to increase speed. Details of the computer interfaces and system complexity are described as well as the evolution of the systems to their present states

Experience with the control system for the SPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crowley-Milling, M.C.

1978-01-01

The design of the multicomputer control system for the 400 GeV Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) at CERN was described in the report CERN 75-20, issued in 1975, before the commissioning of the accelerator. The present report, which should be read in conjunction with the earlier one, describes the modification made to the system in the light of experience, and how it has adapted to changing requirements. Reliability of the system and how it has adapted to changing requirements. Reliability of the system and of its components is discussed. Taking into account modern developments of microprocessors, etc., the changes that might be made if the system were to be redesigned are examined. Finally, the application of the design philosophy to other fields is discussed briefly. (Auth.)

Optimal feedback control successfully explains changes in neural modulations during experiments with brain-machine interfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miriam eZacksenhouse

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Recent experiments with brain-machine-interfaces (BMIs indicate that the extent of neural modulations increased abruptly upon starting to operate the interface, and especially after the monkey stopped moving its hand. In contrast, neural modulations that are correlated with the kinematics of the movement remained relatively unchanged. Here we demonstrate that similar changes are produced by simulated neurons that encode the relevant signals generated by an optimal feedback controller during simulated BMI experiments. The optimal feedback controller relies on state estimation that integrates both visual and proprioceptive feedback with prior estimations from an internal model. The processing required for optimal state estimation and control were conducted in the state-space, and neural recording was simulated by modeling two populations of neurons that encode either only the estimated state or also the control signal. Spike counts were generated as realizations of doubly stochastic Poisson processes with linear tuning curves. The model successfully reconstructs the main features of the kinematics and neural activity during regular reaching movements. Most importantly, the activity of the simulated neurons successfully reproduces the observed changes in neural modulations upon switching to brain control. Further theoretical analysis and simulations indicate that increasing the process noise during normal reaching movement results in similar changes in neural modulations. Thus we conclude that the observed changes in neural modulations during BMI experiments can be attributed to increasing process noise associated with the imperfect BMI filter, and, more directly, to the resulting increase in the variance of the encoded signals associated with state estimation and the required control signal.

Optimal feedback control successfully explains changes in neural modulations during experiments with brain-machine interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Benyamini, Miri; Zacksenhouse, Miriam

2015-01-01

Recent experiments with brain-machine-interfaces (BMIs) indicate that the extent of neural modulations increased abruptly upon starting to operate the interface, and especially after the monkey stopped moving its hand. In contrast, neural modulations that are correlated with the kinematics of the movement remained relatively unchanged. Here we demonstrate that similar changes are produced by simulated neurons that encode the relevant signals generated by an optimal feedback controller during simulated BMI experiments. The optimal feedback controller relies on state estimation that integrates both visual and proprioceptive feedback with prior estimations from an internal model. The processing required for optimal state estimation and control were conducted in the state-space, and neural recording was simulated by modeling two populations of neurons that encode either only the estimated state or also the control signal. Spike counts were generated as realizations of doubly stochastic Poisson processes with linear tuning curves. The model successfully reconstructs the main features of the kinematics and neural activity during regular reaching movements. Most importantly, the activity of the simulated neurons successfully reproduces the observed changes in neural modulations upon switching to brain control. Further theoretical analysis and simulations indicate that increasing the process noise during normal reaching movement results in similar changes in neural modulations. Thus, we conclude that the observed changes in neural modulations during BMI experiments can be attributed to increasing process noise associated with the imperfect BMI filter, and, more directly, to the resulting increase in the variance of the encoded signals associated with state estimation and the required control signal.

NASA Controller Acceptability Study 1(CAS-1) Experiment Description and Initial Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Chamberlain, James P.; Consiglio, Maria C.; Comstock, James R., Jr.; Ghatas, Rania W.; Munoz, Cesar

2015-01-01

This paper describes the Controller Acceptability Study 1 (CAS-1) experiment that was conducted by NASA Langley Research Center personnel from January through March 2014 and presents partial CAS-1 results. CAS-1 employed 14 air traffic controller volunteers as research subjects to assess the viability of simulated future unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operating alongside manned aircraft in moderate-density, moderate-complexity Class E airspace. These simulated UAS were equipped with a prototype pilot-in-the-loop (PITL) Detect and Avoid (DAA) system, specifically the Self-Separation (SS) function of such a system based on Stratway+ software to replace the see-and-avoid capabilities of manned aircraft pilots. A quantitative CAS-1 objective was to determine horizontal miss distance (HMD) values for SS encounters that were most acceptable to air traffic controllers, specifically HMD values that were assessed as neither unsafely small nor disruptively large. HMD values between 0.5 and 3.0 nautical miles (nmi) were assessed for a wide array of encounter geometries between UAS and manned aircraft. The paper includes brief introductory material about DAA systems and their SS functions, followed by descriptions of the CAS-1 simulation environment, prototype PITL SS capability, and experiment design, and concludes with presentation and discussion of partial CAS-1 data and results.

Emulation-Based Virtual Laboratories: A Low-Cost Alternative to Physical Experiments in Control Engineering Education

Science.gov (United States)

Goodwin, G. C.; Medioli, A. M.; Sher, W.; Vlacic, L. B.; Welsh, J. S.

2011-01-01

This paper argues the case for emulation-based virtual laboratories in control engineering education. It demonstrates that such emulation experiments can give students an industrially relevant educational experience at relatively low cost. The paper also describes a particular emulation-based system that has been developed with the aim of giving…

Control of helium effects in irradiated materials based on theory and experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mansur, L.K.; Lee, E.H.; Maziasz, P.J.; Rowcliffe, A.F.

1986-01-01

Helium produced in materials by (n,α) transmutation reactions during neutron irradiations or subjected in ion bombardment experiments causes substantial changes in the response to displacement damage. In particular, swelling, phase transformations and embrittlement are strongly affected. Present understanding of the mechanisms underlying these effects is reviewed. Key theoretical relationships describing helium effects on swelling and helium diffusion are described. Experimental data in the areas of helium effects on swelling and precipitation is reviewed with emphasis on critical experiments that have been designed and evaluated in conjunction with theory. Confirmed principles for alloy design to control irradiation performance are described

High body mass index is associated with impaired cognitive control.

Science.gov (United States)

Sellaro, Roberta; Colzato, Lorenza S

2017-06-01

The prevalence of weight problems is increasing worldwide. There is growing evidence that high body mass index (BMI) is associated with frontal lobe dysfunction and cognitive deficits concerning mental flexibility and inhibitory control efficiency. The present study aims at replicating and extending these observations. We compared cognitive control performance of normal weight (BMI task tapping either inhibitory control (Experiment 1) or interference control (Experiment 2). Experiment 1 replicated previous findings that found less efficient inhibitory control in overweight individuals. Experiment 2 complemented these findings by showing that cognitive control impairments associated with high BMI also extend to the ability to resolve stimulus-induced response conflict and to engage in conflict-driven control adaptation. The present results are consistent with and extend previous literature showing that high BMI in young, otherwise healthy individuals is associated with less efficient cognitive control functioning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A data acquisition controller for small to medium scale nuclear experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohm, C.

1986-01-01

A data aquisition controller and related software for small to medium scaled nuclear experiments are described. The unit is designed to be connected (via a standard terminal connection) as a peripheral to a host computer (in our case a VAX). It is based on a standard eurobus Z-80 microprocessor to which specially designed multichannel analyzer subsystems are added for data aquisition. The multichannel analyzer, which consists of single width eurocard, uses the controller memory, via direct memory access, for data storage. To this it is possible to add standard eurobus interfaces for digital and analog supervision and for control of the experimental parameters. The unit uses the host computer to interpret a host command file defining the experimental procedure. It will log in to the host when it needs assistance, but stay logged out during periods of inactivity. (orig.)

Linear Motor Motion Control Experiment System Design Based on LabVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cuixian He

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In order to meet the needs of experimental training of electrical information industry, a linear motor motion experiment system based on LabVIEW was developed. This system is based on the STM32F103ZET6 system processor controller, a state signal when the motor moves through the grating encoder feedback controller to form a closed loop, through the RS232 serial port communication with the host computer, the host computer is designed in the LabVIEW interactive environment monitoring software. Combined with the modular design concept proposed overall program, given the detailed hardware circuit, targeted for the software function design, to achieve man-machine interface. The system control of high accuracy, good stability, meet the training requirements for laboratory equipment, but also as a reference embodiment of the linear motor monitoring system.

CODEX-B4C experiment. Core degradation test with boron carbide control rod

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hozer, Z; Nagy, I; Windberg, P; Balasko, M; Matus, L; Prokopiev, O; Pinter, A; Horvath, M; Gyenes, Gy [KFKI Atomic Energy Research Institute, Budapest (Hungary); Czitrovszky, A; Nagy, A; Jani, P [Research Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Budapest (Hungary)

2003-11-01

The CODEX-B4C bundle test has been successfully performed on 25{sup th} May 2001 in the framework of the COLOSS project of the EU 5{sup th} FWP. The high temperature degradation of a VVER-1000 type bundle with B{sub 4}C control rod was investigated with electrically heated fuel rods. The experiment was carried out according to a scenario selected in favour of methane formation. Degradation of control rod and fuel bundle took place at temperatures {approx}2000 deg C, cooling down of the bundle was performed in steam atmosphere. The gas composition measurement indicated no methane production during the experiment. High release of aerosols was detected in the high temperature oxidation phase. The on-line measured data are collected into a database and are available for code validation and development. (author)

RISC mezzanines for controlling data acquisition in the NA48 experiment at CERN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guzik, Z.; Chlopik, A.; Bal, Fr.; Formenti, F.; Lacourt, A.

2000-01-01

A part of the LKr calorimeter data acquisition system of the NA48 experiment (a precision measurements of ε/ε' in CP violating; K 0 →2π decays) is described. The experiment runs on the SPS north area in CERN. This paper presents some aspects of controlling the NA48 readout process based on commercial RIO 8260 RISC processors, which were used as a core for maintaining control algorithms. Several RISC processors were equipped with custom-made VME mezzanine boards providing interfacing, pre-processing and data formatting. These mezzanines are subjects of this paper. They are: RIO-TIC/DAT - time stamp distributor and buffered DT-bus interface, FOL-RIO - optical data formatter and event merger and 'TAXI receiver' - handling trigger data of the NA48 Level 2 trigger supervisor. Also the interface between DT-bus and S-link/PCI is described

A distributed, graphical user interface based, computer control system for atomic physics experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Keshet, Aviv; Ketterle, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Atomic physics experiments often require a complex sequence of precisely timed computer controlled events. This paper describes a distributed graphical user interface-based control system designed with such experiments in mind, which makes use of off-the-shelf output hardware from National Instruments. The software makes use of a client-server separation between a user interface for sequence design and a set of output hardware servers. Output hardware servers are designed to use standard National Instruments output cards, but the client-server nature should allow this to be extended to other output hardware. Output sequences running on multiple servers and output cards can be synchronized using a shared clock. By using a field programmable gate array-generated variable frequency clock, redundant buffers can be dramatically shortened, and a time resolution of 100 ns achieved over effectively arbitrary sequence lengths.

A distributed, graphical user interface based, computer control system for atomic physics experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Keshet, Aviv; Ketterle, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

Atomic physics experiments often require a complex sequence of precisely timed computer controlled events. This paper describes a distributed graphical user interface-based control system designed with such experiments in mind, which makes use of off-the-shelf output hardware from National Instruments. The software makes use of a client-server separation between a user interface for sequence design and a set of output hardware servers. Output hardware servers are designed to use standard National Instruments output cards, but the client-server nature should allow this to be extended to other output hardware. Output sequences running on multiple servers and output cards can be synchronized using a shared clock. By using a field programmable gate array-generated variable frequency clock, redundant buffers can be dramatically shortened, and a time resolution of 100 ns achieved over effectively arbitrary sequence lengths.

Humidity control and hydrophilic glue coating applied to mounted protein crystals improves X-ray diffraction experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baba, Seiki; Hoshino, Takeshi; Ito, Len; Kumasaka, Takashi

2013-01-01

A new crystal-mounting method has been developed that involves a combination of controlled humid air and polymer glue for crystal coating. This method is particularly useful when applied to fragile protein crystals that are known to be sensitive to subtle changes in their physicochemical environment. Protein crystals are fragile, and it is sometimes difficult to find conditions suitable for handling and cryocooling the crystals before conducting X-ray diffraction experiments. To overcome this issue, a protein crystal-mounting method has been developed that involves a water-soluble polymer and controlled humid air that can adjust the moisture content of a mounted crystal. By coating crystals with polymer glue and exposing them to controlled humid air, the crystals were stable at room temperature and were cryocooled under optimized humidity. Moreover, the glue-coated crystals reproducibly showed gradual transformations of their lattice constants in response to a change in humidity; thus, using this method, a series of isomorphous crystals can be prepared. This technique is valuable when working on fragile protein crystals, including membrane proteins, and will also be useful for multi-crystal data collection

Humidity control and hydrophilic glue coating applied to mounted protein crystals improves X-ray diffraction experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baba, Seiki; Hoshino, Takeshi; Ito, Len; Kumasaka, Takashi, E-mail: kumasaka@spring8.or.jp [Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI/SPring-8), 1-1-1 Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5198 (Japan)

2013-09-01

A new crystal-mounting method has been developed that involves a combination of controlled humid air and polymer glue for crystal coating. This method is particularly useful when applied to fragile protein crystals that are known to be sensitive to subtle changes in their physicochemical environment. Protein crystals are fragile, and it is sometimes difficult to find conditions suitable for handling and cryocooling the crystals before conducting X-ray diffraction experiments. To overcome this issue, a protein crystal-mounting method has been developed that involves a water-soluble polymer and controlled humid air that can adjust the moisture content of a mounted crystal. By coating crystals with polymer glue and exposing them to controlled humid air, the crystals were stable at room temperature and were cryocooled under optimized humidity. Moreover, the glue-coated crystals reproducibly showed gradual transformations of their lattice constants in response to a change in humidity; thus, using this method, a series of isomorphous crystals can be prepared. This technique is valuable when working on fragile protein crystals, including membrane proteins, and will also be useful for multi-crystal data collection.

2008 LHC Open Days Physics: the show

CERN Multimedia

2008-01-01

A host of events and activities await visitors to the LHC Open Days on 5 and 6 April. A highlight will be the physics shows funded by the European Physical Society (EPS), which are set to surprise and challenge children and adults alike! School children use their experience of riding a bicycle to understand how planets move around the sun (Copyright : Circus Naturally) Participating in the Circus Naturally show could leave a strange taste in your mouth! (Copyright : Circus Naturally) The Rino Foundation’s experiments with liquid nitrogen can be pretty exciting! (Copyright: The Rino Foundation)What does a bicycle have in common with the solar system? Have you ever tried to weigh air or visualise sound? Ever heard of a vacuum bazooka? If you want to discover the answers to these questions and more then come to the Physics Shows taking place at the CERN O...

Measuring performance at trade shows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Kåre

2004-01-01

Trade shows is an increasingly important marketing activity to many companies, but current measures of trade show performance do not adequately capture dimensions important to exhibitors. Based on the marketing literature's outcome and behavior-based control system taxonomy, a model is built...... that captures a outcome-based sales dimension and four behavior-based dimensions (i.e. information-gathering, relationship building, image building, and motivation activities). A 16-item instrument is developed for assessing exhibitors perceptions of their trade show performance. The paper presents evidence...

Analysis of core physics and thermal-hydraulics results of control rod withdrawal experiments in the LOFT facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varacalle, D.J. Jr.; Chen, T.H.; Harvego, E.A.; Ollikkala, H.

1983-01-01

Two anticipated transient experiments simulating an uncontrolled control rod withdrawal event in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) were conducted in the Loss-of-Fluid Test (LOFT) Facility at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The scaled LOFT 50-MW(t) PWR includes most of the principal features of larger commercial PWRs. The experiments tested the ability of reactor analysis codes to accurately calculate core reactor physics and thermal-hydraulic phenomena in an integral reactor system. The initial conditions and scaled operating parameters for the experiments were representative of those expected in a commercial PWR. In both experiments, all four LOFT control rod assemblies were withdrawn at a reactor power of 37.5 MW and a system pressure of 14.8 MPa

The GBT-SCA, a radiation tolerant ASIC for detector control applications in SLHC experiments

CERN Document Server

Gabrielli, A; Kloukinas, K; Marchioro, A; Moreira, P; Ranieri, A; De Robertis, D

2009-01-01

This work describes the architecture of the GigaBit Transceiver – Slow Control Adapter (GBT–SCA) ASIC suitable for the control and monitoring applications of the embedded front-end electronics in the future SLHC experiments. The GBT–SCA is part the GBT chipset currently under development for the SLHC detector upgrades. It is designed for radiation tolerance and it will be fabricated in a commercial 130 nm CMOS technology. The paper discusses the GBT-SCA architecture, the data transfer protocol, the ASIC interfaces, and its integration with the GBT optical link. The GBT–SCA is one the components of the GBT system chipset. It is proposed for the future SLHC experiments and is designed to be configurable matching different front-end system requirements. The GBT-SCA is intended for the slow control and monitoring of the embedded front end electronics and implements a point-to-multi point connection between one GBT optical link ASIC and several front end ASICs. The GBT-SCA connects to a dedicated electrica...

High-speed tapping-mode atomic force microscopy using a Q-controlled regular cantilever acting as the actuator: Proof-of-principle experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balantekin, M., E-mail: mujdatbalantekin@iyte.edu.tr [Electrical and Electronics Engineering, İzmir Institute of Technology, Urla, İzmir 35430 (Turkey); Satır, S.; Torello, D.; Değertekin, F. L. [Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0405 (United States)

2014-12-15

We present the proof-of-principle experiments of a high-speed actuation method to be used in tapping-mode atomic force microscopes (AFM). In this method, we do not employ a piezotube actuator to move the tip or the sample as in conventional AFM systems, but, we utilize a Q-controlled eigenmode of a cantilever to perform the fast actuation. We show that the actuation speed can be increased even with a regular cantilever.

Numerical experiment designs: study of the vibrational behaviour of the control rod cluster of a pressurized water reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soulier, B.; Bosselut, D.; Regnier, G.

1997-01-01

A finite element model has been performed at EDF to simulate the vibrations of control rod cluster assembly and to analyse the wear phenomenon of control rods. A parametrical study bas been performed for a given computer experiment domain with an experimental design method. The building of the computer experiment design is described. The influence of parameters on calculated mean wear power has been determined along rods and responses surfaces have been easily approximated. Systematism and closeness of experiment design technique is underlined. (authors)

Flocking multiple microparticles with automatically controlled optical tweezers: solutions and experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Haoyao; Wang, Can; Lou, Yunjiang

2013-06-01

This paper presents an efficient approach to achieve microparticles flocking with robotics and optical tweezers technologies. All particles trapped by optical tweezers can be automatically moved toward a predefined region without collision. The main contribution of this paper lies in the proposal of several solutions to the flocking manipulation of microparticles in microenvironments. First, a simple flocking controller is proposed to generate the desired positions and velocities for particles' movement. Second, a velocity saturation method is implemented to prevent the desired velocities from exceeding a safe limit. Third, a two-layer control architecture is proposed for the motion control of optical tweezers. This architecture can help make many robotic manipulations achievable under microenvironments. The proposed approach with these solutions can be applied to many bioapplications especially in cell engineering and biomedicine. Experiments on yeast cells with a robot-tweezers system are finally performed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Model-independent nonlinear control algorithm with application to a liquid bridge experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrov, V.; Haaning, A.; Muehlner, K.A.; Van Hook, S.J.; Swinney, H.L.

1998-01-01

We present a control method for high-dimensional nonlinear dynamical systems that can target remote unstable states without a priori knowledge of the underlying dynamical equations. The algorithm constructs a high-dimensional look-up table based on the system's responses to a sequence of random perturbations. The method is demonstrated by stabilizing unstable flow of a liquid bridge surface-tension-driven convection experiment that models the float zone refining process. Control of the dynamics is achieved by heating or cooling two thermoelectric Peltier devices placed in the vicinity of the liquid bridge surface. The algorithm routines along with several example programs written in the MATLAB language can be found at ftp://ftp.mathworks.com/pub/contrib/v5/control/nlcontrol. copyright 1998 The American Physical Society

Relationship between parental locus of control and caries experience in preschool children - cross-sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Lencová, Erika; Pikhart, Hynek; Broukal, Zdenek; Tsakos, Georgios

2008-06-12

Due to high prevalence and serious impacts, childhood caries represents a public health issue. Behavioural risk factors such as locus of health control have been implicated in the development of the disease; however their association with childhood caries has not been thoroughly studied. The aim of this cross-sectional survey was to assess the relationship between parental locus of health control and caries experience and untreated caries of their preschool children in a representative sample in Czech Republic, adjusting for relevant sociodemographic characteristics. A representative sample of 285 preschool children and their parents was recruited. Study data included children's dental status recorded in nurseries and parental questionnaires with 13 attitudinal items regarding locus of control (LoC) in caries prevention. The association between parental locus of control and children's caries experience and level of untreated caries was analysed using logistic regression, adjusting for the effect of key sociodemographic variables. There was a statistically highly significant linear trend between increased parental LoC and higher probability of the children to be free from untreated caries, independent from the effect of sociodemographic variables of children and parents. A similar highly statistically significant trend, although not entirely linear, and independent from sociodemographic variables was observed with respect to the chance of the children to be free from caries experience with increasing strength of parental LoC. After full adjustment, children in the strongest parental LoC quintile were 2.81 (1.23-6.42, pcontrol of both untreated caries and caries experience in their preschool children and highlight that a more internal LoC within the family is advantageous in the prevention of dental caries.

A Sordaria macrospora mutant lacking the leu1 gene shows a developmental arrest during fruiting body formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kück, Ulrich

2005-10-01

Developmental mutants with defects in fruiting body formation are excellent resources for the identification of genetic components that control cellular differentiation processes in filamentous fungi. The mutant pro4 of the ascomycete Sordaria macrospora is characterized by a developmental arrest during the sexual life cycle. This mutant generates only pre-fruiting bodies (protoperithecia), and is unable to form ascospores. Besides being sterile, pro4 is auxotrophic for leucine. Ascospore analysis revealed that the two phenotypes are genetically linked. After isolation of the wild-type leu1 gene from S. macrospora, complementation experiments demonstrated that the gene was able to restore both prototrophy and fertility in pro4. To investigate the control of leu1 expression, other genes involved in leucine biosynthesis specifically and in the general control of amino acid biosynthesis ("cross-pathway control") have been analysed using Northern hybridization and quantitative RT-PCR. These analyses demonstrated that genes of leucine biosynthesis are transcribed at higher levels under conditions of amino acid starvation. In addition, the expression data for the cpc1 and cpc2 genes indicate that cross-pathway control is superimposed on leucine-specific regulation of fruiting body development in the leu1 mutant. This was further substantiated by growth experiments in which the wild-type strain was found to show a sterile phenotype when grown on a medium containing the amino acid analogue 5-methyl-tryptophan. Taken together, these data show that pro4 represents a novel mutant type in S. macrospora, in which amino acid starvation acts as a signal that interrupts the development of the fruiting body.

Some Insights on Roughness Induced Transition and Control from DNS and Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Suryanarayanan, Saikishan; Ibitayo, Ifeoluwa; Goldstein, David; Brown, Garry

2016-11-01

We study the receptivity and subsequent evolution of an initially laminar flat boundary layer on a flat plate to single and multiple discrete roughness elements (DRE) using a combination of immersed boundary DNS and water channel flow visualization experiments. We examine the transition caused by a single DRE and demonstrate the possibility of suppressing it by an appropriately designed second DRE in both DNS and experiments. The different phases of transition are identified and the roles of Reynolds numbers based on roughness height and boundary layer thickness are investigated. The underlying mechanisms in the observed transition and its control are understood by examining detailed vorticity flux balances. Connections are also made to recent developments in transient growth and streak instability. A unified picture is sought from a parametric study of different DRE dimensions and orientations. The potential applicability of the observations and understanding derived from this study to controlling transition caused by design and environmental roughness over aircraft wings is discussed. Supported by AFOSR # FA9550-15-1-0345.

Computer control and monitoring of neutral beam injectors on the 2XIIB CTR experiment at LLL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollock, G.G.

1975-01-01

The original manual control system for the 12 neutral beam injectors on the 2XIIB Machine is being integrated with a computer control system. This, in turn, is a part of a multiple computer network comprised of the three computers which are involved in the operation and instrumentation of the 2XIIB experiment. The computer control system simplifies neutral beam operation and centralizes it to a single operating position. A special purpose console utilizes computer generated graphics and interactive function entry buttons to optimize the human/machine interface. Through the facilities of the computer network, a high level control function will be implemented for the use of the experimenter in a remotely located experiment diagnositcs area. In addition to controlling the injectors in normal operation, the computer system provides automatic conditioning of the injectors, bringing rebuilt units back to full energy output with minimum loss of useful life. The computer system also provides detail archive data recording

RISC mezzanines for controlling data acquisition in the NA48 experiment at CERN

CERN Document Server

Guzik, Z; Bal, F; Formenti, F; Lacourt, A

2000-01-01

A part of the LKr calorimeter data acquisition system of the NA48 experiment (a precision measurements of epsilon / epsilon ' in CP- violating K/sup 0/ to 2 pi decays) is described. The experiment runs on the SPS north area in CERN. This paper presents some aspects of controlling the NA48 readout process based on commercial RIO 8260 RISC processors, which were used as a core for maintaining control algorithms. Several RISC processors were equipped with custom-made VME mezzanine boards providing interfacing, pre-processing and data formatting. These mezzanines are the subjects of this paper. They are: RIO-TIC/DAT (a time-stamp distributor and buffered DT-bus interface), FOL-RIO (an optical data formatter and event merger) and "TAXI receiver" (for handling trigger data of the NA48 Level-2 trigger supervisor). Also, the interface between the DT-bus and S- link/PCI is described. (8 refs).

[Psychotic experiences in the course of alcohol withdrawal symptoms: locus of control among patients with and without delirium and analysis of subjective experiences in delirium].

Science.gov (United States)

Kokoszka, Andrzej; Laskowska, Marta; Mikuła, Joanna

2011-01-01

The comparison of the locus of control in groups of patients hospitalised due to alcohol withdrawal with and without delirium and analysis of psychotic experiences of patients with delirium. 25 patients with alcohol withdrawal with delirium and 25 without delirium took part in the study. They filled-in the Internal-External (I-E) Locus of Control Scale by Rotter; Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) scale; the group with delirium also did the Psychopathological Symptoms Inventory, by Bizoń et al. The mean score in I-E Locus of Control Scale in the group with delirium was more external than in the group without delirium (M = 13.28; SD = 2.762 versus M = 11.64; SD = 2.612; t(48) = -2.157; p = 0.036). Group with delirium had also lower mean score in the dimension of internal control in MHLC, than the group without delirium (M = 24.8; SD = 6.149 versus M = 26.8; SD = 4.648; t(48) = 1.99; p = 0.04). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in the other subscales. The auditory and visual hallucinations were most common among patients with delirium (84%, 80% respectively, as well as delusions of taking part in not existing events (92%) and persecutory delusions (80%). Psychotic experiences influenced behaviour in nearly 50% of the cases. A more external locus of control may be one of the factors contributing to the development of alcohol delirium. The content of psychotic experiences seems to have impact on the behaviour of many patients with alcohol delirium.

Computer-controlled back scattering and sputtering-experiment using a heavy-ion-accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, H.; Birnbaum, M.; Degenhardt, K.H.; Mertens, P.; Tschammer, V.

1978-12-01

Control and data acquisition of a PDP 11/40 computer and CAMAC instrumentation are reported for an experiment that has been developed to measure sputtering in yields and energy losses for heavy 100 - 300 keV ions in thin metal foils. Besides a quadrupole mass filter or a bending magnet, a multichannel analyser is coupled to the computer, so that also pulse height analysis can be performed under computer control. CAMAC instrumentation and measuring programs are built in a modular form to enable an easy application to other experimental problems. (orig.) 891 KBE/orig. 892 BRE

A quality control of proteomic experiments based on multiple isotopologous internal standards

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adele Bourmaud

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The harmonization of proteomics experiments facilitates the exchange and comparison of results. The definition of standards and metrics ensures reliable and consistent data quality. An internal quality control procedure was developed to assess the different steps of a proteomic analysis workflow and perform a system suitability test. The method relies on a straightforward protocol using a simple mixture of exogenous proteins, and the sequential addition of two sets of isotopically labeled peptides added to reference samples. This internal quality control procedure was applied to plasma samples to demonstrate its easy implementation, which makes it generic for most proteomics applications.

Development of a software for a multi-processor system aimed at the on-line control of nuclear physics experiments; Developpement de logiciel pour un systeme multiprocesseur destine au controle en ligne d'experiences de physique nucleaire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poggioli, Jean Renaud

1984-03-02

This research thesis reports the development of a software for an acquisition computer aimed at the on-line control of nuclear physics experiments. An original architecture, based on the assignment of a processor to each fundamental task, enables the implementation of a high performance system. In order to make the user free of programming constraints, the author developed a software for dynamic generation of acquisition and processing codes. These codes are created from a data base which is programmed by the user by using a language close to the physical reality. Procedures of interactive control of the experiment are thus simplified by displaying function menus on the operator terminal. The author evokes possible hardware improvements and possible extensions of the system [French] Cette these rend compte du developpement logiciel realise pour un calculateur d'acquisition destine au controle en ligne d'experiences de Physique Nucleaire. Une architecture originale, basee sur l'attribution d'un processeur a chacune des taches fondamentales permet de facon simple la mise en oeuvre d'un systeme a hautes performances. Le souci de liberer l'utilisateur des contraintes de programmation a conduit a l'elaboration d'un logiciel de generation dynamique des codes acquisition et traitement; ces derniers sont crees a partir d'une base de donnees que l'experimentateur programme a l'aide d'un langage approchant la realite physique. Les procedures de controle interactif de l'experience se trouvent simplifiees par l'affichage de menus de fonctions sur la console operateur. En conclusion sont evoquees les ameliorations materielles et les extensions possibles du systeme. (auteur)

Application of neural network technology to setpoint control of a simulated reactor experiment loop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cordes, G.A.; Bryan, S.R.; Powell, R.H.; Chick, D.R.

1991-01-01

This paper describes the design, implementation, and application of artificial neural networks to achieve temperature and flow rate control for a simulation of a typical experiment loop in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) located at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). The goal of the project was to research multivariate, nonlinear control using neural networks. A loop simulation code was adapted for the project and used to create a training set and test the neural network controller for comparison with the existing loop controllers. The results for the best neural network design are documented and compared with existing loop controller action. The neural network was shown to be as accurate at loop control as the classical controllers in the operating region represented by the training set. 5 refs., 8 figs., 3 tabs

The Data Merger Readout Controller for the NA48 experiment data acquisition electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galagedera, S.B.; Brierton, B.; Halsall, R.

1996-01-01

The NA48 experiment at the CERN SPS offers a four fold improvement in statistical and systematic error over earlier measurements of the magnitude of the direct CP (Charge-Parity) violation of the neutral Kaon system. This requires maximum event readout efficiency, controlled event building and fast monitoring of run time errors. The event data flow in particular must be sustained at 100 Mbyte/s. The Data Merger Readout Controller presented in this paper offers this facility at minimal production cost

\\mathscr{H}_2 optimal control techniques for resistive wall mode feedback in tokamaks

Science.gov (United States)

Clement, Mitchell; Hanson, Jeremy; Bialek, Jim; Navratil, Gerald

2018-04-01

DIII-D experiments show that a new, advanced algorithm enables resistive wall mode (RWM) stability control in high performance discharges using external coils. DIII-D can excite strong, locked or nearly locked external kink modes whose rotation frequencies and growth rates are on the order of the magnetic flux diffusion time of the vacuum vessel wall. Experiments have shown that modern control techniques like linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control require less current than the proportional controller in use at DIII-D when using control coils external to DIII-D’s vacuum vessel. Experiments were conducted to develop control of a rotating n  =  1 perturbation using an LQG controller derived from VALEN and external coils. Feedback using this LQG algorithm outperformed a proportional gain only controller in these perturbation experiments over a range of frequencies. Results from high βN experiments also show that advanced feedback techniques using external control coils may be as effective as internal control coil feedback using classical control techniques.

Plasma Shape Control on the National Spherical Torus Experiment using Real-time Equilibrium Reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gates, D.A.; Ferron, J.R.; Bell, M.; Gibney, T.; Johnson, R.; Marsala, R.J.; Mastrovito, D.; Menard, J.E.; Mueller, D.; Penaflor, B.; Sabbagh, S.A.; Stevenson, T.

2005-01-01

Plasma shape control using real-time equilibrium reconstruction has been implemented on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). The rtEFIT code originally developed for use on DIII-D was adapted for use on NSTX. The real-time equilibria provide calculations of the flux at points on the plasma boundary, which is used as input to a shape control algorithm known as isoflux control. The flux at the desired boundary location is compared to a reference flux value, and this flux error is used as the basic feedback quantity for the poloidal-field coils on NSTX. The hardware that comprises the control system is described, as well as the software infrastructure. Examples of precise boundary control are also presented

Reducing the Use of Agrochemicals: A Simple Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Vidal, M. M.; Filipe, Olga M. S.; Costa, M. C. Cruz

2006-01-01

An experiment was performed on polymeric-based controlled-release agrochemicals that minimize leaching into groundwater while maintaining an adequate quantity for the desired agrochemical benefits. Gelatin gel containing inorganic Phosphorous provides controlled-release of an agrochemical where release curves show a linear relationship between…

Control charts technique - a tool to data analysis for chemical experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yadav, M.B.; Venugopal, V.

1999-01-01

A procedure using control charts technique has been developed to analyse data of a chemical experiment which was conducted to assign a value to uranium content in Rb 2 U(SO 4 ) 3 . A value of (34.164 ± 0.031)% has been assigned against (34.167 ± 0.042)% already assigned by analysis of variance (ANOVA) technique. These values do not differ significantly. Merits and demerits of the two techniques have been discussed. (author)

Proceedings of the specialist meeting on nuclear fuel and control rods: operating experience, design evolution and safety aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

Design and management of nuclear fuel has undergone a strong evolution process during past years. The increase of the operating cycle length and of the discharge burnup has led to the use of more advanced fuel designs, as well as to the adoption of fuel efficient operational strategies. The analysis of recent operational experience highlighted a number of issues related to nuclear fuel and control rod events raising concerns about the safety aspects of these new designs and operational strategies, which led to the organisation of this Specialists Meeting on fuel and control rod issues. The meeting was intended to provide a forum for the exchange of information on lessons learned and safety concern related to operating experience with fuel and control rods (degradation, reliability, experience with high burnup fuel, and others). After an opening session 6 papers), this meeting was subdivided into four sessions: Operating experience and safety concern (technical session I - 6 papers), Fuel performance and operational issues (technical session II - 7 papers), Control rod issues (technical session III - 9 papers), Improvement of fuel design (technical session IV.A - 4 papers), Improvement on fuel fabrication and core management (technical session IV.B - 6 papers)

Controlled environment experiments in pollution studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeitzschel, B

1978-12-01

In the last decade society has become aware of the increasing negative effects of human waste products introduced to the oceans. There is proof evidence, at least for some areas of the world ocean, that the marine environment is seriously in danger. The scientific community is very concerned, arguing that there is an urgent need for basic research in this field because too little is known on the harzardous effects of man-made pollutants on the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems. There are two wanys to perform experiments under conrolled environment conditions: (1) in the laboratory; (2) in in-situ experiments with enclosures. Most laboratory experiments are designed to study the influence and the tolerance spectrum of specific pollutants, e.g. copper or DDT, on any specific organism, e.g. a mussel or a fish. In these experiments it is fairly difficult to simulate natural conditions. The concentrations of the pollutants are generally fairly high, often several orders of magnitude higher than in the ocean. It is questionable if the results from these experiments can be extrapolated to nature. In the second approach (enclosures of various sizes in-situ or in landbased facilities), fibre-glass containers and plastic bags have been used successfully in the last years, e.g. in the UK, USA, Canada, France, and W. Germany. The main goal of these experiments is to study the long-term effect of low-level perturbations on natural populations of the pelagic or benthic ecosystem. Examples of recent results are discussed in detail. 33 references.

Shear optimization experiments with current profile control on JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

A record performance on JET has been obtained with shear optimization scenarios. A neutron yield of 5.6x10 16 s -1 in deuterium discharges, and a global energy confinement improvement above the ITER-89 L-mode scaling with H ≤ 2.5 in L-mode and H ≤ 3 in H-mode have been achieved. The tailoring of plasma current, density and heating power waveforms and current profile control with lower hybrid current drive and ICRF phasing have been essential. Internal energy, particle and momentum transport barriers develop spontaneously upon heating above a threshold power of about 15 MW with neutral beams and ICRH into a low-density target plasma, with a wide central region of slightly negative or flat magnetic shear with q > 1 everywhere. An additional H-mode transition can also raise the pressure in the region between internal and edge transport barriers. The ion heat conductivity falls to the neoclassical level in the improved core confinement region. Pressure profile control through power deposition feedback control makes it possible to work close to the marginal stability boundary for pressure-driven MHD modes. First experiments in deuterium/tritium plasmas, with up to 75% tritium target concentration, have established internal transport barriers already with heating powers at the lowest threshold of pure deuterium plasmas, resulting in a fusion power output of P fusion = 2 MW. (author)

Real Science: MIT Reality Show Tracks Experiences, Frustrations of Chemistry Lab Students

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Kenneth J.

2012-01-01

A reality show about a college course--a chemistry class no less? That's what "ChemLab Boot Camp" is. The 14-part series of short videos is being released one episode at a time on the online learning site of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The novel show follows a diverse group of 14 freshmen as they struggle to master the…

Data exploration, quality control and statistical analysis of ChIP-exo/nexus experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, Rene; Chung, Dongjun; Grass, Jeffrey; Landick, Robert; Keles, Sündüz

2017-09-06

ChIP-exo/nexus experiments rely on innovative modifications of the commonly used ChIP-seq protocol for high resolution mapping of transcription factor binding sites. Although many aspects of the ChIP-exo data analysis are similar to those of ChIP-seq, these high throughput experiments pose a number of unique quality control and analysis challenges. We develop a novel statistical quality control pipeline and accompanying R/Bioconductor package, ChIPexoQual, to enable exploration and analysis of ChIP-exo and related experiments. ChIPexoQual evaluates a number of key issues including strand imbalance, library complexity, and signal enrichment of data. Assessment of these features are facilitated through diagnostic plots and summary statistics computed over regions of the genome with varying levels of coverage. We evaluated our QC pipeline with both large collections of public ChIP-exo/nexus data and multiple, new ChIP-exo datasets from Escherichia coli. ChIPexoQual analysis of these datasets resulted in guidelines for using these QC metrics across a wide range of sequencing depths and provided further insights for modelling ChIP-exo data. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Offenders with antisocial personality disorder show attentional bias for violence-related stimuli.

Science.gov (United States)

Domes, Gregor; Mense, Julia; Vohs, Knut; Habermeyer, Elmar

2013-08-30

Offenders with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) may be characterized by a lack in emotional functioning that manifests in irritability and a lack of remorse. The proposed link between ASPD and negative emotionality led to the question of emotional processing anomalies in ASPD. Furthermore, the effect of childhood maltreatment/abuse on emotional processing was tested in the present study. Violent and sexual offenders with ASPD (n=35), without ASPD (n=34), and healthy non-criminal controls (n=24) were compared in an Emotional Stroop Task (EST) using neutral, negative, and violence-related words. Secondary analyses focused on the effect of psychopathic traits and childhood maltreatment. Offenders with ASPD showed a stronger attentional bias to violence-related and negative words as compared to controls. Comparable results were obtained when grouping offenders to high, medium, and low psychopathic subgroups. Offenders with childhood maltreatment specifically showed stronger violence-related attentional bias than non-maltreated offenders. The data suggest that enhanced attention to violence-related stimuli in adult criminal offenders is associated with adverse developmental experiences and delinquency but to a lesser extent with antisocial or psychopathic traits. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Operating experience with a new accelerator control system based upon microprocessors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Magyary, S.; Lancaster, H.; Selph, F.; Fahmie, M.; Timossi, C.; Glatz, J.; Ritchie, A.; Hinkson, J.; Benjegerdes, R.; Brodzik, D.

1981-03-01

This paper describes the design and operating experience with a high performance control system tailored to the requirements of the SuperHILAC accelerator. A large number (20) of the latest 16-bit microcomputer boards are used in a parallel-distributed manner to get a high system bandwidth. Because of the high bandwidth, software costs and complexity are significantly reduced. The system by its very nature and design is easily upgraded and repaired. Dynamically assigned and labeled knobs, together with touch-panels, allow a flexible and efficient operator interface. An X-Y vector graphics system provides for display and labeling of real-time signals as well as general plotting functions. This control system allows attachment of a powerful auxiliary computer for scientific processing with access to accelerator parameters.

The magnet power control system for the tandem mirror experiment-upgrade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bell, H.H.

1983-01-01

This paper describes the desktop computer/CAMAC based system that controls the power source for the Tandem Mirror Experiment-Upgrade (TMX-U) magnet power system. Presently it contains 42 dc rectifier power supplies connected to 24 magnet coils arranged in 17 circuits. During each shot, the system delivers 22.6 MW dc to the magnets for about 3 s. The system is presently being changed to add six power supplies, two solenoidal throttle coils, and two reverse C-coils. When complete, the delivered power will increase to 36.9 MW. The closed-loop control system usually provides current (and thus, magnetic field) that is within 1% of the requested current. Achieving this accuracy required using grounding, shielding, and isolation methods to reduce noise and related problems

National Spherical Torus Experiment Real Time Plasma Control Data Acquisition Hardware

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

R.J. Marsala; J. Schneider

2002-01-01

The National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is currently providing researchers data on low aspect-ratio toroidal plasmas. NSTX's Plasma Control System adjusts the firing angles of thyristor rectifier power supplies, in real time, to control plasma position, shape and density. A Data Acquisition system comprised of off-the-shelf and custom hardware provides the magnetic diagnostics data required in calculating firing angles. This VERSAmodule Eurocard (VME) bus-based system utilizes Front Panel Data Port (FPDP) for high-speed data transfer. Data coming from physically different locations is referenced to several different ground potentials necessitating the need for a custom FPDP multiplexer. This paper discusses the data acquisition system configuration, the in-house designed 4-to-1 FPDP Input Multiplexing Module (FIMM), and future expansion plans

Contingency learning without awareness: evidence for implicit control.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, James R; Crump, Matthew J C; Cheesman, Jim; Besner, Derek

2007-06-01

The results of four experiments provide evidence for controlled processing in the absence of awareness. Participants identified the colour of a neutral distracter word. Each of four words (e.g., MOVE) was presented in one of the four colours 75% of the time (Experiments 1 and 4) or 50% of the time (Experiments 2 and 3). Colour identification was faster when the words appeared in the colour they were most often presented in relative to when they appeared in another colour, even for participants who were subjectively unaware of any contingencies between the words and the colours. An analysis of sequence effects showed that participants who were unaware of the relation between distracter words and colours nonetheless controlled the impact of the word on performance depending on the nature of the previous trial. A block analysis of contingency-unaware participants revealed that contingencies were learned rapidly in the first block of trials. Experiment 3 showed that the contingency effect does not depend on the level of awareness, thus ruling out explicit strategy accounts. Finally, Experiment 4 showed that the contingency effect results from behavioural control and not from semantic association or stimulus familiarity. These results thus provide evidence for implicit control.

A new concept of a unified parameter management, experiment control, and data analysis in fMRI: application to real-time fMRI at 3T and 7T.

Science.gov (United States)

Hollmann, M; Mönch, T; Mulla-Osman, S; Tempelmann, C; Stadler, J; Bernarding, J

2008-10-30

In functional MRI (fMRI) complex experiments and applications require increasingly complex parameter handling as the experimental setup usually consists of separated soft- and hardware systems. Advanced real-time applications such as neurofeedback-based training or brain computer interfaces (BCIs) may even require adaptive changes of the paradigms and experimental setup during the measurement. This would be facilitated by an automated management of the overall workflow and a control of the communication between all experimental components. We realized a concept based on an XML software framework called Experiment Description Language (EDL). All parameters relevant for real-time data acquisition, real-time fMRI (rtfMRI) statistical data analysis, stimulus presentation, and activation processing are stored in one central EDL file, and processed during the experiment. A usability study comparing the central EDL parameter management with traditional approaches showed an improvement of the complete experimental handling. Based on this concept, a feasibility study realizing a dynamic rtfMRI-based brain computer interface showed that the developed system in combination with EDL was able to reliably detect and evaluate activation patterns in real-time. The implementation of a centrally controlled communication between the subsystems involved in the rtfMRI experiments reduced potential inconsistencies, and will open new applications for adaptive BCIs.

Integrating LWDAQ into the Detector Control Systems of the LHC Experiments at CERN

CERN Multimedia

Holme, Oliver; Golonka, Piotr

2009-01-01

The LWDAQ (Long-Wire Data Acquisition) software and hardware from Brandeis University, Mass., USA provides access to a powerful suite of measurement instruments. Two high precision monitors used to measure the relative alignment between a source and a sensor are included. The BCAM (Brandeis CCD Angle Monitor) cameras take images of point light sources and the Rasnik (Red Alignment System of NIKhef) cameras take images of the NIKHEF developed Rasnik mask. Both systems are used in the LHC experiments at CERN. Brandeis University provides a tool called Acquisifier to script the data acquisition process and to analyse the images to determine the alignment data. In order to incorporate the resulting data from the alignment system into the Detector Control System (DCS) of the LHC experiments a new software component of the Joint COntrols Project (JCOP) Framework was developed. It provides a TCP/IP interface between LWDAQ and the SCADA tool PVSS so that the results of the data acquisition process can easily be retur...

Mental Workload and Performance Experiment (MWPE) Team in the Spacelab Payload Operations Control

Science.gov (United States)

1992-01-01

The primary payload for Space Shuttle Mission STS-42, launched January 22, 1992, was the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1), a pressurized manned Spacelab module. The goal of IML-1 was to explore in depth the complex effects of weightlessness of living organisms and materials processing. Around-the-clock research was performed on the human nervous system's adaptation to low gravity and effects of microgravity on other life forms such as shrimp eggs, lentil seedlings, fruit fly eggs, and bacteria. Materials processing experiments were also conducted, including crystal growth from a variety of substances such as enzymes, mercury iodide, and a virus. The Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) Spacelab Payload Operations Control Center (SL POCC) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) was the air/ground communication channel used between the astronauts and ground control teams during the Spacelab missions. Featured is the Mental Workload and Performance Experiment (MWPE) team in the SL POCC) during STS-42, IML-1 mission.

Distributed intelligence in a LAN architecture increases the flexibility in control systems for fusion experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tenten, W.; Fuss, L.; Hoge, W.

1987-01-01

The control system for the TEXTOR Neutral Beam Injectors is designed implementing approved concepts and techniques. A powerful super mini computer serves as a central node between the operators console and the experimental process. Devices form a console for suitable man machine interaction. The link to the process is mainly based on communication with a network of industry standard programmable controllers. A distinction is made between the functionally dedicated and in most cases locally distributed logic controllers, a central controller and the computerized console level. Introduction of such networks in control system for fusion experiments results in a number of advantages

Control and data acquisition system for versatile experiment spherical torus at SNU

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An, YoungHwa [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Kyoung-Jae, E-mail: jkjlsh1@snu.ac.kr [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Na, DongHyeon; Hwang, Y.S. [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

A control and data acquisition system for VEST (Versatile Experiment Spherical Torus) at Seoul National University (SNU) has been developed to enable remote operation from a central control room. The control and data acquisition system consists of three subsystems; a main control and data acquisition system that triggers each device at the preprogrammed timing and collects various diagnostic signals during discharges, a monitoring system that watches and logs the device status continuously, and a data storage and distribution system that stores collected data and provides data access layer via Ethernet. The system is designed to be cost-effective, extensible and easy to develop by using well-established standard technologies and solutions. Combining broad accessibility with modern information technology, alarm signal can be sent immediately to the registered cell phones when the abnormal status of devices is found, and the web data distribution system enables data access from almost everywhere using smart phones or tablet computers. Since December 2011, VEST is operational and the control and data acquisition system has been successfully used for remote operation of VEST.

Control and data acquisition system for versatile experiment spherical torus at SNU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An, YoungHwa; Chung, Kyoung-Jae; Na, DongHyeon; Hwang, Y.S.

2013-01-01

A control and data acquisition system for VEST (Versatile Experiment Spherical Torus) at Seoul National University (SNU) has been developed to enable remote operation from a central control room. The control and data acquisition system consists of three subsystems; a main control and data acquisition system that triggers each device at the preprogrammed timing and collects various diagnostic signals during discharges, a monitoring system that watches and logs the device status continuously, and a data storage and distribution system that stores collected data and provides data access layer via Ethernet. The system is designed to be cost-effective, extensible and easy to develop by using well-established standard technologies and solutions. Combining broad accessibility with modern information technology, alarm signal can be sent immediately to the registered cell phones when the abnormal status of devices is found, and the web data distribution system enables data access from almost everywhere using smart phones or tablet computers. Since December 2011, VEST is operational and the control and data acquisition system has been successfully used for remote operation of VEST

Sample size calculation while controlling false discovery rate for differential expression analysis with RNA-sequencing experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bi, Ran; Liu, Peng

2016-03-31

RNA-Sequencing (RNA-seq) experiments have been popularly applied to transcriptome studies in recent years. Such experiments are still relatively costly. As a result, RNA-seq experiments often employ a small number of replicates. Power analysis and sample size calculation are challenging in the context of differential expression analysis with RNA-seq data. One challenge is that there are no closed-form formulae to calculate power for the popularly applied tests for differential expression analysis. In addition, false discovery rate (FDR), instead of family-wise type I error rate, is controlled for the multiple testing error in RNA-seq data analysis. So far, there are very few proposals on sample size calculation for RNA-seq experiments. In this paper, we propose a procedure for sample size calculation while controlling FDR for RNA-seq experimental design. Our procedure is based on the weighted linear model analysis facilitated by the voom method which has been shown to have competitive performance in terms of power and FDR control for RNA-seq differential expression analysis. We derive a method that approximates the average power across the differentially expressed genes, and then calculate the sample size to achieve a desired average power while controlling FDR. Simulation results demonstrate that the actual power of several popularly applied tests for differential expression is achieved and is close to the desired power for RNA-seq data with sample size calculated based on our method. Our proposed method provides an efficient algorithm to calculate sample size while controlling FDR for RNA-seq experimental design. We also provide an R package ssizeRNA that implements our proposed method and can be downloaded from the Comprehensive R Archive Network ( http://cran.r-project.org ).

Experiments in robotic sensorimotor control during grasp

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stansfield, S.A.

1993-01-01

A series of experiments is presented, using a robot manipulator, which attempt to reproduce human sensorimotor control during grasping. The work utilizes a multifingered, dexterous robot hand equipped with a fingertip force sensor to explore dynamic grasp force adjustment during manipulation. The work is primarily concerned with the relationship between the weight of an object and the grasp force required to lift it. Too weak a grasp is unstable and the object will slip from the hand. Too strong a grasp may damage the object and/or the manipulator. An algorithm is presented which reproduces observed human behavior during grasp-and-lift tasks. The algorithm uses tactile information from the sensor to dynamically adjust the grasp force during lift. It is assumed that there is no a priori knowledge about the object to be manipulated. The effects of different arm/hand postures and object surfaces is explored. Finally, the use of sensory data to detect unexpected object motion and to signal transitions between manipulation phases--with the coincident triggering of new motor programs--is investigated

Quantitative analysis of distributed control paradigms of robot swarms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ngo, Trung Dung

2010-01-01

describe the physical and simulated robots, experiment scenario, and experiment setup. Third, we present our robot controllers based on behaviour based and neural network based paradigms. Fourth, we graphically show their experiment results and quantitatively analyse the results in comparison of the two......Given a task of designing controller for mobile robots in swarms, one might wonder which distributed control paradigms should be selected. Until now, paradigms of robot controllers have been within either behaviour based control or neural network based control, which have been recognized as two...... mainstreams of controller design for mobile robots. However, in swarm robotics, it is not clear how to determine control paradigms. In this paper we study the two control paradigms with various experiments of swarm aggregation. First, we introduce the two control paradigms for mobile robots. Second, we...

Experience in landslide control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koz' min, L S

1983-06-01

The problems of slope stability in the Krasnoyarskugol' surface mines are discussed. Methods used for slide prevention and slide control from 1977 to 1982 are analyzed. Landslides were caused by weathering of the argillite layer in the coal seam roof. Sliding plane was parallel to the coal seam roof. At a later stage of landslide prevention sliding planes were in the coal seam floor (which consisted of weak rock layers). Range of landslides was evaluated. Losses caused by landslides were discussed: working time losses, losses of coal, damaged equipment. Landslide hazards were controlled by reducing slope angle and by changing cut geometry. Cross section of the cut with a spoil bank prone to landslides is shown in a scheme. Reducing angle of slope inclination, using strong rock layers as the spoil bank base and changing cut geometry eliminated landslides in 1982. Recommendations on landslide control in coal surface mines with layers of weak rocks influenced by weathering are made.

Functional coupling networks inferred from prefrontal cortex activity show experience-related effective plasticity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaia Tavoni

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Functional coupling networks are widely used to characterize collective patterns of activity in neural populations. Here, we ask whether functional couplings reflect the subtle changes, such as in physiological interactions, believed to take place during learning. We infer functional network models reproducing the spiking activity of simultaneously recorded neurons in prefrontal cortex (PFC of rats, during the performance of a cross-modal rule shift task (task epoch, and during preceding and following sleep epochs. A large-scale study of the 96 recorded sessions allows us to detect, in about 20% of sessions, effective plasticity between the sleep epochs. These coupling modifications are correlated with the coupling values in the task epoch, and are supported by a small subset of the recorded neurons, which we identify by means of an automatized procedure. These potentiated groups increase their coativation frequency in the spiking data between the two sleep epochs, and, hence, participate to putative experience-related cell assemblies. Study of the reactivation dynamics of the potentiated groups suggests a possible connection with behavioral learning. Reactivation is largely driven by hippocampal ripple events when the rule is not yet learned, and may be much more autonomous, and presumably sustained by the potentiated PFC network, when learning is consolidated. Cell assemblies coding for memories are widely believed to emerge through synaptic modification resulting from learning, yet their identification from activity is very arduous. We propose a functional-connectivity-based approach to identify experience-related cell assemblies from multielectrode recordings in vivo, and apply it to the prefrontal cortex activity of rats recorded during a task epoch and the preceding and following sleep epochs. We infer functional couplings between the recorded cells in each epoch. Comparisons of the functional coupling networks across the epochs allow us

Real time plasma control experiments using the JET auxiliary plasma heating systems as the actuator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zornig, N.H.

1999-01-01

The role of the Real Time Power Control system (RTPC) in the Joint European Torus (JET) is described in depth. The modes of operation are discussed in detail and a number of successful experiments are described. These experiments prove that RTPC can be used for a wide range of experiments, including: (1) Feedback control of plasma parameters in real time using Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ICRH) or Neutral Beam Heating (NBH) as the actuator in various JET operating regimes. It is demonstrated that in a multi-parameter space it is not sufficient to control one global plasma parameter in order to avoid performance limiting events. (2) Restricting neutron production and subsequent machine activation resulting from high performance pulses. (3) The simulation of α-particle heating effects in a DT-plasma in a D-only plasma. The heating properties of α-particles are simulated using ICRH-power, which is adjusted in real time. The simulation of α-particle heating in JET allows the effects of a change in isotopic mass to be separated from α-particle heating. However, the change in isotopic mass of the plasma ions appears to affect not only the global energy confinement time (τ E ) but also other parameters such as the electron temperature at the plasma edge. This also affects τ E , making it difficult to make a conclusive statement about any isotopic effect. (4) For future JET experiments a scheme has been designed which simulates the behaviour of a fusion reactor experimentally. The design parameters of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) are used. In the proposed scheme the most relevant dimensionless plasma parameters are similar in JET and ITER. It is also shown how the amount of heating may be simulated in real time by RTPC using the electron temperature and density as input parameters. The results of two demonstration experiments are presented. (author)

Summary of control and data acquisition systems for NOVA experiments (invited)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCauley, E.W.; Campbell, E.M.; Auerbach, J.M.; Montgomery, D.S.; Martin, V.A.; Randolph, J.E.; Shaw, J.G.; Stewart, B.L.; Stone, G.F.

1986-01-01

The NOVA laser has completed its first year of operation. During this period, emphasis has been placed on activation of the facility and of the numerous target and beam diagnostics. Two separate target chambers are in use. NOVA operation is separated into two broad functions: laser operations and experiments. The operations group provides the laser system control, operation, and data acquisition and the experiments group provides experiment definition, diagnostic instrumentation, and overall data processing. On the operations side, VAX 11/780 computers are used to set up diagnostic operating parameters and collect data recorded by the CAMAC and CCD modules. These data are delivered in files by electronic link to the Laser Experiments and Analysis Facility (LEAF) VAX 11/785 of the experiments group for processing. Film data are digitized at LEAF and the film data files are also processed on the LEAF VAX. The LEAF provides collection, processing, analysis, and archiving of the experimental data. The many applications software packages written for LEAF provide the experimental physicists and NOVA operations staff with programs and data bases for interpretation of experimental results. This software makes fundamental use of the ORACLE relational data base management system to both access the required data and archive the obtained results. Post-shot data processing produces sets of scalar values, x, y profiles and x, y, z contour data. The scalar data are stored in the ORACLE DB; the more extensive results are stored in binary files on disk. All data forms are accessed by a comprehensive software system, the electronic SHOTBOOK, developed around the ORACLE DBMS

Torque controlled rotary-shear experiments reveal pseudotachilites formation-dynamics and precursor events

Science.gov (United States)

Tisato, Nicola; Cordonnier, Benoit; De Siena, Luca; Lavier, Luc; Di Toro, Giulio

2017-04-01

Except few cases, rotary shear tests, which are designed to study dynamic friction and strengthening/weakening mechanisms in seismogenic faults, are performed by imposing, to the specimens, a slipping velocity that is pre-defined. This approach has been adopted from engineering that typically, tests man-made objects that, when functioning, spin or slide at a pre-defined velocity under a pre-defined load. On the other hand, natural earthquakes are the effect of a rupture that nucleates, propagates and arrests in the subsurface. These three phases, and the consequent emerging fault slipping velocity, are controlled by the accumulated and released energy around the seismogenic fault before, during and after the earthquake. Thus, imposing the slipping velocity in laboratory experiments might not represent the best option to uncover many aspects of earthquake nucleation and fault slipping dynamics. Here we present some experiments performed with an innovative rotary shear apparatus that uses a clock-spring that when winded provides to the rotating sample a linearly increasing torque. Thus, the nucleation of simulated events occur spontaneously when the shear stress on the slipping surface overcomes the static friction times the normal load that is controlled by a deadweight. In addition, this method allows studying precursory seismic events resembling natural slow-slip earthquakes. We report some preliminary results for a transparent polymer that has melting point 340 K and allows observing the slipping surface (i.e., the contact between the two samples). By coupling: i) the rotary shear apparatus, ii) a video camera recording at 60 fps and a iii) laser pointer we observed the formation and evolution of a melt film that forms in the slipping surface after a phase of "dry" stick-slip. After each seismic event the melt layer solidify forming a pseudotachilite that partially welds the slipping surfaces. We also present the mechanical data that show rupture strengthening in

Mathematical inference and control of molecular networks from perturbation experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammed-Rasheed, Mohammed

in order to affect the time evolution of molecular activity in a desirable manner. In this proposal, we address both the inference and control problems of GRNs. In the first part of the thesis, we consider the control problem. We assume that we are given a general topology network structure, whose dynamics follow a discrete-time Markov chain model. We subsequently develop a comprehensive framework for optimal perturbation control of the network. The aim of the perturbation is to drive the network away from undesirable steady-states and to force it to converge to a unique desirable steady-state. The proposed framework does not make any assumptions about the topology of the initial network (e.g., ergodicity, weak and strong connectivity), and is thus applicable to general topology networks. We define the optimal perturbation as the minimum-energy perturbation measured in terms of the Frobenius norm between the initial and perturbed networks. We subsequently demonstrate that there exists at most one optimal perturbation that forces the network into the desirable steady-state. In the event where the optimal perturbation does not exist, we construct a family of sub-optimal perturbations that approximate the optimal solution arbitrarily closely. In the second part of the thesis, we address the inference problem of GRNs from time series data. We model the dynamics of the molecules using a system of ordinary differential equations corrupted by additive white noise. For large-scale networks, we formulate the inference problem as a constrained maximum likelihood estimation problem. We derive the molecular interactions that maximize the likelihood function while constraining the network to be sparse. We further propose a procedure to recover weak interactions based on the Bayesian information criterion. For small-size networks, we investigated the inference of a globally stable 7-gene melanoma genetic regulatory network from genetic perturbation experiments. We considered five

Viscosity Control Experiment Feasibility Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morris, Heidi E. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Bradley, Paul Andrew [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2018-01-31

Turbulent mix has been invoked to explain many results in Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) and High Energy Density (HED) physics, such as reduced yield in capsule implosions. Many ICF capsule implosions exhibit interfacial instabilities seeded by the drive shock, but it is not clear that fully developed turbulence results from this. Many simulations use turbulent mix models to help match simulation results to data, but this is not appropriate if turbulence is not present. It would be useful to have an experiment where turbulent mixing could be turned on or off by design. The use of high-Z dopants to modify viscosity and the resulting influence on turbulence is considered here. A complicating factor is that the plasma in some implosions can become strongly coupled, which makes the Spitzer expression for viscosity invalid. We first consider equations that cover a broad parameter space in temperature and density to address regimes for various experimental applications. Next, a previous shock-tube and other ICF experiments that investigate viscosity or use doping to examine the effects on yield are reviewed. How viscosity and dopants play a role in capsule yield depends on the region and process under consideration. Experiments and simulations have been performed to study the effects of viscosity on both the hot spot and the fuel/ablator mix. Increases in yield have been seen for some designs, but not all. We then discuss the effect of adding krypton dopant to the gas region of a typical OMEGA and a 2-shock NIF implosion to determine approximately the effect of adding dopant on the computed Reynolds number. Recommendations for a path forward for possible experiments using high-Z dopants to affect viscosity and turbulence are made.

Identification and control of harmonic distortions report on Furnas experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mantuano Filho, Salvatore; Medeiros, Jose Roberto de; Bezerra, Luiz Roberto; Oliveira, Denise Borges de; Praca, Antonio Augusto Souza; Paiva Fontes, Marco Antonio de; Marques, Luiz Carlos Borges C. [FURNAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

1994-12-31

This paper describes FURNAS experience on identification and control of harmonic distortions obtained from conservation of system operation and research for solutions. Special attention is paid to the harmonic overload observed at Ibiuna substation, the receiving end of the FURNAS HVDC transmission of the Itaipu 50 Hz energy, and the solutions that have been adopted. Methods of measurement and digital simulation have been developed and successfully tested so far. The present stage of those methods will be described. Not less important is the need for a specific legislation on harmonic distortion as explained in this paper. (author) 6 refs., 2 figs.

Velocity control of a secondary controlled closed-loop hydrostatic transmission system using an adaptive fuzzy sliding mode controller

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Do, Hoang Thinh; Ahn, Kyoung Kwan [University of Ulsan, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2013-03-15

A secondary-controlled hydrostatic transmission system (SC-HST), which considered being an energy-saving system, can recuperate most of the lost vehicle kinetic energy in decelerating and braking time and it shows advantage in fuel economy improvement of vehicle. Almost secondary control units (SCU) in SC-HST inherently contain nonlinear characteristics such as dead-zone input. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain precise position or velocity control by conventional linear controllers. This problem limits the application of SC-HST in industry and mobile vehicle. This paper gives a description of SC-HST and proposes an adaptive fuzzy sliding mode controller (AFSMC) for velocity control of SCU. Experiments were carried out in the condition of disturbance load by using both the proposed controller and PID controller for the comparison and evaluation of the effectiveness of the proposed controller. The experimental results showed that the proposed controller was excellent from the standpoints of performance and stability for the velocity control of SC-HST.

A review of the MIT experiments on the closed-loop digital control of reactor power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernard, J.A.

1989-01-01

In this paper a review is provided of certain major experiments conducted from 1985 to 1988 as part of the MIT program on the development and demonstration of advanced technologies for the closed-loop digital control of nuclear reactors. Included are demonstrations of the supervisory control of neutronic power using an alternate formulation of the dynamic period equation, the use of the MIT-SNL Period-Generated Minimum Time Control Laws for the time-optimal control of neutronic power, and the evaluation of predictive displays as an operator aid. The significance of each of these advances is discussed in terms of the overall development of a multi-tiered controller that includes supervisory algorithms, predictive control laws, and automated reasoning

ROCK: The readout controller for the KLOE experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aloisio, A.; Cavaliere, S.; Cevenini, F.; Volpe, D. della; Merola, L.; Fiore, D.J.; Parascandolo, P.

1996-01-01

A read-out controller (ROCK) has been developed for the Data Acquisition System of the KLOE High Energy Physics experiment, based in Frascati, Italy. The ROCK performs data acquisition in an event-driven fashion on the AUXbus, a custom high speed parallel bus. The AUXbus's main features are data cycles labeled by event number, sparse data scan operations and an asynchronous protocol optimized to achieve data rates up to 15 MHz. On a standard VMEbus, the ROCK allows for data snooping and real-time performance monitoring, without additional overhead on data acquisition. ROCK boards can be linked together via a custom cable bus (Cbus) to build a complex DAQ subsystem. The ROCK board has been designed around three 4.2 K gate XILINX FPGAs. Dual port FIFO banks are used to decouple the asynchronous buses. A preliminary version of the board is presented and test results are briefly discussed

The Levitation Control System for the Levitated Dipole Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Garnier, D. T.; Hansen, A. K.; Mauel, M. E.; Pedersen, T. Sunn; Dagen, S.; Kesner, J.; Liptac, J.

2001-10-01

The confining field in the Levitated Dipole Experiment (LDX) is provided by a 1/2 ton levitated superconducting dipole magnet. This floating coil is charged with 1.5 MA current and will be levitated continuously for the eight hour experimental run day. Earnshaw's theorem states that there exists no statically stable configuration for levitation of magnets. In LDX, the floating coil is levitated by a smaller dipole levitation coil 1.5 meters above. This configuration is unstable vertically, but stable in tilt or horizontal motion. The position of the coil will be monitored with a set of eight laser position detectors giving redundant measurements of the five degrees of freedom of the floating coil. The levitation will then be stabilized by feedback control of the current in the levitation coil. The feedback system is a digital system running on a real time operating system platform. This system is programmed, monitored, and controlled by a second computer using Matlab Simulink. The system is currently being tested on a small model and a larger test is planned before LDX operation. Results from these tests and optimizations will be presented.

A human factors experiment on the event-paced control tasks issue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hyun Chul; Park, Jae Chang; Oh, In Seok; Lee, Jung Woon; Lee, Ki Young; Park, Jong Kyun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)

2000-03-01

KEPRI(Korea Electric Power Research Institute) requires human factors validation tests according to the progress of the KNGR MMI design. This report describes the experimental results of an human factors validation issue, Event-Paced Control Tasks issue. The Event-Paced Control Task issue is to test that the designed MMI shall support operators in performing control tasks in pace with the plant dynamics. Task completion time and successful execution are defined as performance measures on the issue. Through an experiment on the issue with 3 scenarios and 5 subjects, we report that the variation of task completion time between subjects has a narrow band for each scenarios, however two among the total 15 experimental runs result in the failure that subject does not reach to the predefined operational goal. Incorrect operational strategy, insufficient training, and MMI design discrepancies are inferred as the causes of the failures. However these experimental results don't indicate the close of the Event-Paced Control Tasks issue. The validation test results under the experimental environment composed of the partial MMI representations, an unstable simulator, and insufficient subject training, are significant in the limited conditions. Thus, for the purpose of the complete issue close, the validation test on the Event-Paced Control Tasks issue should be repeatedly carried out in pace with the performance improvement of the experimental environment. 13 figs., 4 tabs. (Author)

Centralized Monitoring of the Microsoft Windows-based computers of the LHC Experiment Control Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varela Rodriguez, F

2011-01-01

The control system of each of the four major Experiments at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is distributed over up to 160 computers running either Linux or Microsoft Windows. A quick response to abnormal situations of the computer infrastructure is crucial to maximize the physics usage. For this reason, a tool was developed to supervise, identify errors and troubleshoot such a large system. Although the monitoring of the performance of the Linux computers and their processes was available since the first versions of the tool, it is only recently that the software package has been extended to provide similar functionality for the nodes running Microsoft Windows as this platform is the most commonly used in the LHC detector control systems. In this paper, the architecture and the functionality of the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) client developed to provide centralized monitoring of the nodes running different flavour of the Microsoft platform, as well as the interface to the SCADA software of the control systems are presented. The tool is currently being commissioned by the Experiments and it has already proven to be very efficient optimize the running systems and to detect misbehaving processes or nodes.

Centralized Monitoring of the Microsoft Windows-based computers of the LHC Experiment Control Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Varela Rodriguez, F.

2011-12-01

The control system of each of the four major Experiments at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is distributed over up to 160 computers running either Linux or Microsoft Windows. A quick response to abnormal situations of the computer infrastructure is crucial to maximize the physics usage. For this reason, a tool was developed to supervise, identify errors and troubleshoot such a large system. Although the monitoring of the performance of the Linux computers and their processes was available since the first versions of the tool, it is only recently that the software package has been extended to provide similar functionality for the nodes running Microsoft Windows as this platform is the most commonly used in the LHC detector control systems. In this paper, the architecture and the functionality of the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) client developed to provide centralized monitoring of the nodes running different flavour of the Microsoft platform, as well as the interface to the SCADA software of the control systems are presented. The tool is currently being commissioned by the Experiments and it has already proven to be very efficient optimize the running systems and to detect misbehaving processes or nodes.

Pricing Weather Index Insurance Based on Artificial Controlled Experiment - A Case Study of Cold Temperature for Early Rice in Jiangxi, China

Science.gov (United States)

SUN, Q.; Yang, Z.

2017-12-01

The growth of early rice is often threated by a phenomenon known as Grain Buds Cold, a period of anomalously cold temperature that occurs during the booting and flowering stage. Therefore, quantifying the impact of weather on crop yield is a core issue in design of weather index insurance. A high yield loss will lead to an increasing premium rate. In this paper, we explored a new way to investigate the relationship between yield loss rate and cold temperature durations. A two-year artificial controlled experiment was used to build logarithm and linear yield loss model. Moreover, an information diffusion model was applied to calculate the probability of different durations which lasting for 3-20 days. The results show that pure premium rates of logarithm yield loss model had better premium rates performance than that of linear yield loss model. The premium rates of Grain Buds Cold Weather Index Insurance fluctuated between 7.085% and 10.151% in Jiangxi Province. Compared with common statistical methods, the artificial controlled experiment provides an easier and more robust way to determine the relationship between yield and single meteorological factor. Meanwhile, this experiment would be very important for some regions where were lacking in historical yield data and climate data and could help farmers cope with extreme cold weather risks under varying weather conditions.

Diffusion-controlled cementation experiments in porous rock analogues using potash alum and halite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hufe, A.; Hilgers, C. [RWTH Aachen Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Reservoir-Petrology; Stanjek, H. [RWTH Aachen Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Interface and Clay Mineralogy

2013-08-01

A good understanding of cementation is critical for reservoir quality predictions. However, studies of core material have shown that cementation may be driven by variations in pore size of the host rock. To better understand the underlying process, we developed a transparent microreactor for diffusion-controlled cementation experiments under the microscope. We studied the effect of different pore sizes and surface charges of solid material at different pH, using rock analogs. High-resolution videos allowed to analyze the nucleation from solution, pore cementation and growth rates of cements. Diffusion - considered the major mass transport during burial diagenesis - was driven along a temperature gradient across the microreactor. Pores were cemented with salt, which is well known to form pore-size dependent seals in silicilastic reservoirs. While halite precipitated primarily in pores bigger than 200 {mu}m, alum nucleated in smaller pores. The growth rate of alum (10{sup -5} mm/s) was one order of magnitude higher than that of halite. However, the dissolution rates of both minerals was similar at about 10{sup -6} mm/s. Authigenic euhdral halite migrated against the bulk diffusion transport and towards the higher-temperature reservoir. Halite growth rates increased by one order of magnitude to 1.8 x 10{sup -5} mm/s, if the phase boundary was vapor-liquid. A comparison nucleation in a 2-phase porous rock analog showed no difference in cementation pattern at a pH 7. However, at a pH of 10.5 the surface energies of the two different solids are altered, and porosity was reduced 60% more by cements in the phase-1 porous layers. Our experiments showed that pore size dependent nucleation and cementation is a process, which may also take place in complex reservoirs. With the successful pore clogging of halite we can now bring our experimental setup to reservoir conditions and establish the processes at elevated p-T conditions. (orig.)

Instrumentation and Control Systems for Sodium thermal hydraulic Experiment Loop for Finned-tube sodium-to-Air heat exchanger (SELFA)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Byeong Yeon; Kim, Hyung Mo; Cho, Youn Gil; Kim, Jong Man; Ko, Yung Joo; Kang, Byeong Su; Jung, Min Hwan; Jeong, Ji Young [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

A forced-draft sodium-to-air heat exchanger (FHX) is a part of decay heat removal system (DHRS) in Prototype Gen-IV Sodium-cooled fast reactor (PGSFR), which is being developed at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). Sodium thermal hydraulic Experiment Loop for Finned-tube sodium-to-Air heat exchanger (SELFA) is a test facility for verification and validation of the design code for a forced-draft sodium-to-air heat exchanger (FHX). In this paper, we have provided design and fabrication features for the instrumentation and control systems of SELFA. In general, the instrumentation systems and control systems are coupled for measurement and control of process variables. Instrumentation systems have been designed for investigating thermal-hydraulic characteristics of FHX and control systems have been designed to control the main components (e.g. electromagnetic pumps, heaters, valves etc.) required for test in SELFA. In this paper, we have provided configurations of instrumentation and control systems for Sodium thermal hydraulic Experiment Loop for Finned-tube sodium-to-Air heat exchanger (SELFA). The instrumentation and control systems of SELFA have been implemented based on the expected operation ranges and lesson learned from operational experience of 'Sodium integral effect test loop for safety simulation and assessment-1' (STELLA-1)

The Experiment of Carbofuran Controlled Release Formulation Insecticide Application on Rice Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sulistyati, M.; Ulfa TS; Sofnie M Ch; Kuswadi AN

2004-01-01

Field test of carbofuran insecticide (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl-N-methylcarbamate) controlled release formulation on rice plants of IR-64 variety was carried out in Pusakanegara, West Java. This insecticide formulation was made by using the mixture of activated charcoal, tapioca, kaolin, Na-alginate as a filler matrix. Insecticide formulation was applied one week after transplanting. The observations were conducted on the number of tillers, damage level caused by Orseolia oryzae (Wood/Mason), Chilo suppressalis (Walker), and Cnaphalocrosis medinalis (Guen) on new young plants. The observation were carried out on three weeks after application of carbofuran insecticide formulation then every two weeks until harvest. The number of tillers were occurred at the treatments of controlled release formulation of 20kg/ha, 30kg/ha, and 40kg/ha dose rate on the third weeks, it was showed significant difference compared with commercial carbofuran, and the following weeks were no significant difference between the treatments. The attack of Orseolia oryzae was occurred at the treatments of controlled release formulation with dose rate of 30 kg/ha and 40 kg/ha on the seventh weeks, ninth weeks, and eleventh weeks, those attacks were significantly difference found compared with commercial carbofuran. The attack of Chilo suppressalis was occurred at the treatments of controlled release formulation of 40kg/ha dose rate on the fifth weeks, it was showed significant difference which was compared to untreated carbofuran. The attack of Cnaphalocrosis medinalis was occurred on the ninth weeks, three dose rate of controlled released formulation were showed significant differences which compared with commercial carbofuran and were showed 50% less than commercial carbofuran, while the grains dry weight were no significant difference between the treatments. (author)

Design of the control room of the N4-type PWR: main features and feedback operating experience; La salle de commande du palier N4: principales caracteristiques et retour d'experience d'exploitation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peyrouton, J.M.; Guillas, J.; Nougaret, Ch. [Electricite de France (EDF/DPN/CAPE), 93 - Saint-Denis (France)

2004-07-01

This article presents the design, specificities and innovating features of the control room of the N4-type PWR. A brief description of control rooms of previous 900 MW and 1300 MW -type PWR allows us to assess the change. The design of the first control room dates back to 1972, at that time 2 considerations were taken into account: first the design has to be similar to that of control rooms for thermal plants because plant operators were satisfied with it and secondly the normal operating situation has to be privileged to the prejudice of accidental situations just as it was in a thermal plant. The turning point was the TMI accident that showed the weight of human factor in accidental situations in terms of pilot team, training, procedures and the ergonomics of the work station. The impact of TMI can be seen in the design of 1300 MW-type PWR. In the beginning of the eighties EDF decided to launch a study for a complete overhaul of the control room concept, the aim was to continue reducing the human factor risk and to provide a better quality of piloting the plant in any situation. The result is the control room of the N4-type PWR. Today the cumulated feedback experience of N4 control rooms represents more than 20 years over a wide range of situations from normal to incidental, a survey shows that the N4 design has fulfilled its aims. (A.C.)

User-friendly interfaces for control of crystallographic experiments at CHESS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szebenyi, D. M. E.; Deacon, A.; Ealick, S. E.; LaIuppa, J. M.; Thiel, D. J.

1997-01-01

In designing a system to collect high quality diffraction data in an efficient manner, both hardware and software must be considered. This work focuses on the data collection software used at CHESS, the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron source, with emphasis on the interface between the user and the experimental components. For each type of detector used at CHESS, there is a graphical user interface (GUI) enabling the user to easily set up and run an experiment. For the CCD detector from Area Detector Systems Corp., this is a commercial product from ADSC, customized for CHESS. For the Princeton CCD detectors, a GUI has recently been developed to streamline communication between the user and the TV6 program which controls the detector. For Fuji imaging plates, a new GUI controls operation of the oscillation camera, including the imaging plate carousel; scanning of plates is done using the software provided by Fuji. Although these GUI's are not identical, they have numerous similarities, making it easier for users to learn operation of a new detector. They also incorporate error-checking to avoid problems such as overwriting data files or collecting data with no x-rays. Common to experiments with all detectors is a GUI used for operations such as alignment of the optical table on which the oscillation camera is mounted. Integral to a good data collection system is the capability to process diffraction images, for evaluation of crystal quality, determination of data collection strategy, screening of potential derivatives, and so forth. The mccview graphical front-end has been developed to conveniently initiate processing programs, including preliminary routines (correct, getbeam), main analysis routines (xdisp, denzo, scalepack), and the strategy routine m.simulate

Comparing slow and fast rupture in laboratory experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Aben, F. M.; Brantut, N.; David, E.; Mitchell, T. M.

2017-12-01

During the brittle failure of rock, elastically stored energy is converted into a localized fracture plane and surrounding fracture damage, seismic radiation, and thermal energy. However, the partitioning of energy might vary with the rate of elastic energy release during failure. Here, we present the results of controlled (slow) and dynamic (fast) rupture experiments on dry Lanhélin granite and Westerly granite samples, performed under triaxial stress conditions at confining pressures of 50 and 100 MPa. During the tests, we measured sample shortening, axial load and local strains (with 2 pairs of strain gauges glued directly onto the sample). In addition, acoustic emissions (AEs) and changes in seismic velocities were monitored. The AE rate was used as an indicator to manually control the axial load on the sample to stabilize rupture in the quasi-static failure experiments. For the dynamic rupture experiments a constant strain rate of 10-5 s-1 was applied until sample failure. A third experiment, labeled semi-controlled rupture, involved controlled rupture up to a point where the rupture became unstable and the remaining elastic energy was released dynamically. All experiments were concluded after a macroscopic fracture had developed across the whole sample and frictional sliding commenced. Post-mortem samples were epoxied, cut and polished to reveal the macroscopic fracture and the surrounding damage zone. The samples failed with average rupture velocities varying from 5x10-6 m/s up to >> 0.1 m/s. The analyses of AE locations on the slow ruptures reveal that within Westerly granite samples - with a smaller grain size - fracture planes are disbanded in favor of other planes when a geometrical irregularity is encountered. For the coarser grained Lanhélin granite a single fracture plane is always formed, although irregularities are recognized as well. The semi-controlled experiments show that for both rock types the rupture can become unstable in response to these

Enforcement of radiation safety standards and experience in the regulatory control of exposures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnamurthi, T.N.

1997-01-01

Regulatory provisions for radiation protection and their enforcement in India are discussed in this paper. The rules and regulations framed for radiation safety cover all the nuclear fuel cycle activities as well as the application of radiation sources in industrial, medical and research institutions. The enforcement aspects and experience in the control of exposures are presented. (author)

An integrative, experience-based theory of attentional control.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilder, Matthew H; Mozer, Michael C; Wickens, Christopher D

2011-02-09

Although diverse, theories of visual attention generally share the notion that attention is controlled by some combination of three distinct strategies: (1) exogenous cuing from locally contrasting primitive visual features, such as abrupt onsets or color singletons (e.g., L. Itti, C. Koch, & E. Neiber, 1998), (2) endogenous gain modulation of exogenous activations, used to guide attention to task-relevant features (e.g., V. Navalpakkam & L. Itti, 2007; J. Wolfe, 1994, 2007), and (3) endogenous prediction of likely locations of interest, based on task and scene gist (e.g., A. Torralba, A. Oliva, M. Castelhano, & J. Henderson, 2006). However, little work has been done to synthesize these disparate theories. In this work, we propose a unifying conceptualization in which attention is controlled along two dimensions: the degree of task focus and the contextual scale of operation. Previously proposed strategies-and their combinations-can be viewed as instances of this one mechanism. Thus, this theory serves not as a replacement for existing models but as a means of bringing them into a coherent framework. We present an implementation of this theory and demonstrate its applicability to a wide range of attentional phenomena. The model accounts for key results in visual search with synthetic images and makes reasonable predictions for human eye movements in search tasks involving real-world images. In addition, the theory offers an unusual perspective on attention that places a fundamental emphasis on the role of experience and task-related knowledge.

Controlled VLF phase reversal experiment in the magnetosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koons, H.C.; Dazey, M.H.; Dowden, R.L.; Amon, L.E.S.

1976-01-01

During the 1973 operations of the transportable very low frequency transmitter near Anchorage, Alaska (Lapprox.4), an experiment was performed to determine the effect of controlled phase change of the transmitted wave on the magnetospherically propagated signal received in the conjugate region. At periodic intervals the phase of the driving voltage was changed (essentially instantaneously) by 180degree. The amplitude of the 6.6-kHz signal detected in the conjugate region went to zero and recovered with a characteristic time constant of 33 ms. This is 10 times longer than the antenna current response time and is in fact comparable with characteristic electron interaction times with whistler mode waves. Between the times at which the phase reversals occurred the received signal was amplitude modulated. The period of the modulation was approx.26 ms. An upper side band was present in the spectrum while these pulsations were occurring. These characteristic times are in general agreement with theoretical predictions of bandwidths, growth rates, and particle-trapping frequencies for whistler instabilities in the magnetosphere. Data obtained from the controlled transmissions and from lightning-generated whistlers propagating in the same duct were combined to determine the plasma and wave parameters at the geomagnetic equator. Of particular interest is the level at which the magnetic field of the wave saturated. During the time period for which the data were analyzed this was found to be 3.5 pT (mγ)

Self-reported racism and experience of toothache among pregnant Aboriginal Australians: the role of perceived stress, sense of control, and social support.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben, Jehonathan; Paradies, Yin; Priest, Naomi; Parker, Eleanor Jane; Roberts-Thomson, Kaye F; Lawrence, Herenia P; Broughton, John; Jamieson, Lisa M

2014-01-01

We hypothesized that the psychosocial factors perceived stress and sense of personal control mediated the relationship between self-reported racism and experience of toothache. We hypothesized that social support moderated this relationship. Data from 365 pregnant Aboriginal Australian women were used to evaluate experience of toothache, socio-demographic factors, psychosocial factors, general health, risk behaviors, and self-reported racism exposure. Hierarchical logistic regression models estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95 percent confidence intervals (CIs) for experience of toothache. Perceived stress and sense of personal control were examined as mediators of the association between self-reported racism and experience of toothache. Social support was examined as a moderator. Self-reported racism persisted as a risk indicator for experience of toothache (OR 1.99, 95 percent CI 1.07-3.72) after controlling for age, level of education, and difficulty paying a $100 dental bill. The relationship between self-reported racism and experience of toothache was mediated by sense of control. The direct effect of self-reported racism on experience of toothache became only marginally significant, and the indirect effect was significant (β coefficient=0.04, bias-corrected 95 percent CI 0.004-0.105, 21.2 percent of effect mediated). Stress was insignificant as a mediator. Social support was insignificant as a moderator. The findings indicate that high levels of self-reported racism were associated with experience of toothache and that sense of control, but not perceived stress, mediated the association between self-reported racism and experience of toothache among this sample of pregnant Aboriginal Australian women. Social support did not moderate the association between self-reported racism and experience of toothache. © 2014 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

The significance of clinical experience on learning outcome from resuscitation training-a randomised controlled study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Morten Lind; Lippert, Freddy; Hesselfeldt, Rasmus

2008-01-01

CONTEXT: The impact of clinical experience on learning outcome from a resuscitation course has not been systematically investigated. AIM: To determine whether half a year of clinical experience before participation in an Advanced Life Support (ALS) course increases the immediate learning outcome...... and retention of learning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective single blinded randomised controlled study of the learning outcome from a standard ALS course on a volunteer sample of the entire cohort of newly graduated doctors from Copenhagen University. The outcome measurement was ALS...... immediately following graduation. RESULTS: Invitation to participate was accepted by 154/240 (64%) graduates and 117/154 (76%) completed the study. There was no difference between the intervention and control groups with regard to the immediate learning outcome. The intervention group had significantly higher...

Iranian parents' experiences about children sexual training: Control, restriction and education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahboubeh Sharifi

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Sexual training is one of the most important and sensitive aspects of upbringing of children, to which little attention is paid for some reasons, such as shame, pudency, and being a taboo subject in some societies. Parents also do not have sufficient knowledge and insight into this context, and by gaining knowledge from invalid sources, maybe they cannot play this important educational role. This study has dealt with exploring parents' experiences about children sexual training, through a qualitative approach. This study was designed as a qualitative content analysis method. Thirty seven qualified parents were selected using a purposeful sampling method. Data collection was performed by holding 6 focus group discussions (FGDs and 5 individual interviews. FGDs and individual interviews were written and data analysis was performed using a conventional content analysis. Analyzing participants` experiences in the sexual training of children, led to the emergence of three main categories; control and punishment of the child, restricting the child and trying to educate the child, as parenting strategies. The parents adopted several strategies for the sexual training of their children, most of them associated with control and restriction and some of which could have led to subsequent injuries. They had not received any education in this area and experienced frequent worry, doubt, and wandering during their children sexual training. Hence it seems necessary to provide valid educational resources according to the cultural and religious teachings, create opportunities to educate parents,and respond to their problems.

Feedback control and stabilization experiments on the Texas Experimental Tokamak (TEXT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uckan, T.; Carreras, B.A.; Richards, B.; Wootton, A.J.; Bengtson, R.D.; Bravenec, R.; Li, G.X.; Hurwitz, P.D.; Phillips, P.E.; Rowan, W.L.

1994-06-01

Plasma edge feedback experiments on the Texas Experimental Tokamak (TEXT) have been successful in controlling the edge plasma potential fluctuation level. The feedback wave-launcher, consisting of electrostatic probes located in the shadow of the limiter, is driven by the local edge potential fluctuations. In general, the edge potential fluctuations are modified in a broad frequency band. Moreover, it is observed that the potential fluctuations can be reduced (≤100 kHz) without enhancing other modes, or excited (10 to 12 kHz), depending on the phase difference between the driver and the launcher signal, and gain of the system. This turbulence modification is achieved not only locally but also halfway around the torus and has about 2 cm of poloidal extent. Experiments on the characterization of the global plasma parameters with the edge feedback are discussed. Effects of the edge feedback on the estimated fluctuation-induced radial particle flux as well as on the local plasma parameters are presented

Respiratory Infections in the U.S. Military: Recent Experience and Control

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Michael J.; Myers, Christopher A.; Cummings, James F.; Vest, Kelly G.; Russell, Kevin L.; Sanchez, Joyce L.; Hiser, Michelle J.; Gaydos, Charlotte A.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY This comprehensive review outlines the impact of military-relevant respiratory infections, with special attention to recruit training environments, influenza pandemics in 1918 to 1919 and 2009 to 2010, and peacetime operations and conflicts in the past 25 years. Outbreaks and epidemiologic investigations of viral and bacterial infections among high-risk groups are presented, including (i) experience by recruits at training centers, (ii) impact on advanced trainees in special settings, (iii) morbidity sustained by shipboard personnel at sea, and (iv) experience of deployed personnel. Utilizing a pathogen-by-pathogen approach, we examine (i) epidemiology, (ii) impact in terms of morbidity and operational readiness, (iii) clinical presentation and outbreak potential, (iv) diagnostic modalities, (v) treatment approaches, and (vi) vaccine and other control measures. We also outline military-specific initiatives in (i) surveillance, (ii) vaccine development and policy, (iii) novel influenza and coronavirus diagnostic test development and surveillance methods, (iv) influenza virus transmission and severity prediction modeling efforts, and (v) evaluation and implementation of nonvaccine, nonpharmacologic interventions. PMID:26085551

Operating experiences with programmable logic controller (PLC) system of Indian Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ughade, A.V.; Singh, Ranjeet; Bhattacharya, P.K.; Kulkarni, R.K.; Chandra, Umesh

2005-01-01

PLC system was introduced for the first time in Kaiga-1,2 and RAPS-3,4 Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) for Station Logic Control of Non Safety Related (NSR) and Safety related (SR) systems. However, the safety system logics are still relay based. The experience on the deployment of PLC system, which is computer-based, has brought out various implementation issues. This paper give details of such experiences, the solutions emerged and applied for plants under operation/construction. (author)

DASHBOARDS AND CONTROL CHARTS. EXPERIENCES IN IMPROVING SAFETY AT HANFORD WASHINGTON

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

PREVETTE, S.S.

2006-01-01

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the integration of safety methodology, quality tools, leadership, and teamwork at Hanford and their significant positive impact on safe performance of work. Dashboards, Leading Indicators, Control charts, Pareto Charts, Dr. W. Edward Deming's Red Bead Experiment, and Dr. Deming's System of Profound Knowledge have been the principal tools and theory of an integrated management system. Coupled with involved leadership and teamwork, they have led to significant improvements in worker safety and protection, and environmental restoration at one of the nation's largest nuclear cleanup sites

Exposure of eyes to perfume: a double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Elberling, J; Duus Johansen, J; Dirksen, A; Mosbech, H

2006-08-01

Environmental perfume exposure can elicit bothersome respiratory symptoms. Symptoms are induced at exposure levels which most people find tolerable, and the mechanisms are unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate patients with eye and respiratory symptoms related to environmental perfume, by exposing the eyes to perfume in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.Twenty-one eczema patients with respiratory symptoms elicited by perfume were compared with 21 healthy volunteers in a sex- and age-matched case-control study. The participants completed a symptom questionnaire, and underwent a double-blind, placebo-controlled exposure to perfume. Of the 42 individuals tested, 10 had more eye symptoms (irritation, itching, and tears) during perfume exposure than during placebo exposures, and eight of these individuals (P = 0.07, Fisher's exact test) belonged to the patient group. A true positive eye reaction to perfume was significantly associated with identification of perfume as an active exposure (P perfume elicited irritation in the eyes independently of olfaction, but the relative importance of ocular chemoperception in relation to elicitation of respiratory symptoms from common environmental exposures to perfume remains unclear. We investigated the hypothesis of an association between respiratory symptoms related to perfume and ocular perfume sensitivity by exposing the eyes to perfume in a double blind, placebo-controlled experiment. Vapors of perfume provoked symptoms in the relevant eye in some patients and healthy control persons, but under our exposure conditions, ocular chemesthesis failed to elicit respiratory symptoms.

Detector Control System for the AFP detector in ATLAS experiment at CERN

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00211068; The ATLAS collaboration; Caforio, Davide; Czekierda, Sabina; Hajduk, Zbigniew; Olszowska, Jolanta; Oleiro Seabra, Luis Filipe; Sicho, Petr

2017-01-01

The ATLAS Forward Proton (AFP) detector consists of two forward detectors located at 205 m and 217 m on either side of the ATLAS experiment. The aim is to measure the momenta and angles of diffractively scattered protons. In 2016, two detector stations on one side of the ATLAS interaction point were installed and commissioned. The detector infrastructure and necessary services were installed and are supervised by the Detector Control System (DCS), which is responsible for the coherent and safe operation of the detector. A large variety of used equipment represents a considerable challenge for the AFP DCS design. Industrial Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) product Siemens WinCCOA, together with the CERN Joint Control Project (JCOP) framework and standard industrial and custom developed server applications and protocols are used for reading, processing, monitoring and archiving of the detector parameters. Graphical user interfaces allow for overall detector operation and visualization of the det...

Experience with multiple control groups in a large population-based case-control study on genetic and environmental risk factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Pomp, E R; Van Stralen, K J; Le Cessie, S; Vandenbroucke, J P; Rosendaal, F R; Doggen, C J M

2010-07-01

We discuss the analytic and practical considerations in a large case-control study that had two control groups; the first control group consisting of partners of patients and the second obtained by random digit dialling (RDD). As an example of the evaluation of a general lifestyle factor, we present body mass index (BMI). Both control groups had lower BMIs than the patients. The distribution in the partner controls was closer to that of the patients, likely due to similar lifestyles. A statistical approach was used to pool the results of both analyses, wherein partners were analyzed with a matched analysis, while RDDs were analyzed without matching. Even with a matched analysis, the odds ratio with partner controls remained closer to unity than with RDD controls, which is probably due to unmeasured confounders in the comparison with the random controls as well as intermediary factors. However, when studying injuries as a risk factor, the odds ratio remained higher with partner control subjects than with RRD control subjects, even after taking the matching into account. Finally we used factor V Leiden as an example of a genetic risk factor. The frequencies of factor V Leiden were identical in both control groups, indicating that for the analyses of this genetic risk factor the two control groups could be combined in a single unmatched analysis. In conclusion, the effect measures with the two control groups were in the same direction, and of the same order of magnitude. Moreover, it was not always the same control group that produced the higher or lower estimates, and a matched analysis did not remedy the differences. Our experience with the intricacies of dealing with two control groups may be useful to others when thinking about an optimal research design or the best statistical approach.

Caries experience among children with type 1 diabetes in Kuwait.

Science.gov (United States)

Akpata, Enosakhare Samuel; Alomari, Qasem; Mojiminiyi, Olusequn A; Al-Sanae, Hala

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the association among type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM), caries experience, and salivary glucose in 12- to 15-year-olds in Kuwait. A cross-sectional design was chosen involving 53 DM patients and 53 nondiabetic controls, group-matched by age and sex to the experimental group. The DM patients comprised 2 groups: (1) 14 controlled DM children (glycated haemoglobin, HbA1c=8). The children's caries experience, at the precavitation and cavitation diagnostic threshold, was measured. In addition, their frequency of sugar consumption, plaque index, salivary flow rate, buffering capacity, as well as mutans streptococci, lactobacilli, and yeast counts were recorded. The DM children had significantly higher caries experience both at precavitation and cavitation diagnostic thresholds, than the control group. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed age, frequency of sugar consumption, and resting salivary flow rate to be significantly associated with high caries experience among the diabetic children. Caries experience was significantly higher in children with type 1 diabetes than in nondiabetic controls.

AMO EXPRESS: A Command and Control Experiment for Crew Autonomy

Science.gov (United States)

Stetson, Howard K.; Frank, Jeremy; Cornelius, Randy; Haddock, Angie; Wang, Lui; Garner, Larry

2015-01-01

NASA is investigating a range of future human spaceflight missions, including both Mars-distance and Near Earth Object (NEO) targets. Of significant importance for these missions is the balance between crew autonomy and vehicle automation. As distance from Earth results in increasing communication delays, future crews need both the capability and authority to independently make decisions. However, small crews cannot take on all functions performed by ground today, and so vehicles must be more automated to reduce the crew workload for such missions. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems Program funded Autonomous Mission Operations (AMO) project conducted an autonomous command and control demonstration of intelligent procedures to automatically initialize a rack onboard the International Space Station (ISS) with power and thermal interfaces, and involving core and payload command and telemetry processing, without support from ground controllers. This autonomous operations capability is enabling in scenarios such as a crew medical emergency, and representative of other spacecraft autonomy challenges. The experiment was conducted using the Expedite the Processing of Experiments for Space Station (EXPRESS) rack 7, which was located in the Port 2 location within the U.S Laboratory onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Activation and deactivation of this facility is time consuming and operationally intensive, requiring coordination of three flight control positions, 47 nominal steps, 57 commands, 276 telemetry checks, and coordination of multiple ISS systems (both core and payload). The autonomous operations concept includes a reduction of the amount of data a crew operator is required to verify during activation or de-activation, as well as integration of procedure execution status and relevant data in a single integrated display. During execution, the auto-procedures provide a step-by-step messaging paradigm and a high level status upon termination. This

Enforcement of radiation safety standards and experience in the regulatory control of exposures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krishnamurthi, T N [Health and Safety Div., Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Mumbai (India)

1997-11-01

Regulatory provisions for radiation protection and their enforcement in India are discussed in this paper. The rules and regulations framed for radiation safety cover all the nuclear fuel cycle activities as well as the application of radiation sources in industrial, medical and research institutions. The enforcement aspects and experience in the control of exposures are presented. (author). 3 refs, 2 tabs.

Real Time Control of CO2 Enrichment Experiments on the Sea Floor Enabled by the MARS Cabled Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Brewer, P. G.; Mbari Foce Team

2010-12-01

developed extremely low noise pH sensors that show for the first time the scale and frequency of the tidally driven background pH fluctuations in the ocean. This helps establish the limits in background pH that deep-sea animals are adapted to. We have developed software to control this complex system in real time and to make control possible over the web. A graphical user interface allows operator observation of flow and background conditions, and full choice of experimental settings. CO2 enrichment is provided by ROV delivery of ~50-100 L of liquid CO2 which is contained by its buoyancy within a box set immediately above the side arm opening. The dissolution rate of liquid CO2 through the hydrate skin is ~0.5 μmol/cm2/sec thereby providing a working fluid in the reservoir which is drawn upon as needed. Experiments of 2-3 weeks duration are possible from a single filling. Figure 1. pH changes created in FOCE by a series of CO2 enriched sea water additions under varying flow conditions.

Architecture of a general purpose embedded Slow-Control Adapter ASIC for future high-energy physics experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabrielli, Alessandro; Loddo, Flavio; Ranieri, Antonio; De Robertis, Giuseppe

2008-01-01

This work is aimed at defining the architecture of a new digital ASIC, namely Slow-Control Adapter (SCA), which will be designed in a commercial 130-nm CMOS technology. This chip will be embedded within a high-speed data acquisition optical link (GBT) to control and monitor the front-end electronics in future high-energy physics experiments. The GBT link provides a transparent transport layer between the SCA and control electronics in the counting room. The proposed SCA supports a variety of common bus protocols to interface with end-user general-purpose electronics. Between the GBT and the SCA a standard 100 Mb/s IEEE-802.3 compatible protocol will be implemented. This standard protocol allows off-line tests of the prototypes using commercial components that support the same standard. The project is justified because embedded applications in modern large HEP experiments require particular care to assure the lowest possible power consumption, still offering the highest reliability demanded by very large particle detectors.

Architecture of a general purpose embedded Slow-Control Adapter ASIC for future high-energy physics experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Gabrielli, Alessandro; Loddo, Flavio; Ranieri, Antonio; De Robertis, Giuseppe

2008-10-01

This work is aimed at defining the architecture of a new digital ASIC, namely Slow-Control Adapter (SCA), which will be designed in a commercial 130-nm CMOS technology. This chip will be embedded within a high-speed data acquisition optical link (GBT) to control and monitor the front-end electronics in future high-energy physics experiments. The GBT link provides a transparent transport layer between the SCA and control electronics in the counting room. The proposed SCA supports a variety of common bus protocols to interface with end-user general-purpose electronics. Between the GBT and the SCA a standard 100 Mb/s IEEE-802.3 compatible protocol will be implemented. This standard protocol allows off-line tests of the prototypes using commercial components that support the same standard. The project is justified because embedded applications in modern large HEP experiments require particular care to assure the lowest possible power consumption, still offering the highest reliability demanded by very large particle detectors.

Variation in free jumping technique within and among horses with little experience in show jumping

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Santamaria, S.; Bobbert, M.F.; Back, W.; Barneveld, A.; van Weeren, P.R.

2004-01-01

Objective - To quantify variation in the jumping technique within and among young horses with little jumping experience, establish relationships between kinetic and kinematic variables, and identify a limited set of variables characteristic for detecting differences in jumping performance among

Public participation in wilderness and backcountry litter control: a review of research and management experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert M. Muth; Roger N. Clark

1978-01-01

This paper describes the application of the Incentive System for Litter Control to wilderness and backcountry environments. Based on research, observation, and management experience, a set of procedures was developed and is presented here. Additional management considerations are discussed.

Adaptive Augmenting Control Flight Characterization Experiment on an F/A-18

Science.gov (United States)

VanZwieten, Tannen S.; Gilligan, Eric T.; Wall, John H.; Orr, Jeb S.; Miller, Christopher J.; Hanson, Curtis E.

2014-01-01

The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Flight Mechanics and Analysis Division developed an Adaptive Augmenting Control (AAC) algorithm for launch vehicles that improves robustness and performance by adapting an otherwise welltuned classical control algorithm to unexpected environments or variations in vehicle dynamics. This AAC algorithm is currently part of the baseline design for the SLS Flight Control System (FCS), but prior to this series of research flights it was the only component of the autopilot design that had not been flight tested. The Space Launch System (SLS) flight software prototype, including the adaptive component, was recently tested on a piloted aircraft at Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) which has the capability to achieve a high level of dynamic similarity to a launch vehicle. Scenarios for the flight test campaign were designed specifically to evaluate the AAC algorithm to ensure that it is able to achieve the expected performance improvements with no adverse impacts in nominal or nearnominal scenarios. Having completed the recent series of flight characterization experiments on DFRC's F/A-18, the AAC algorithm's capability, robustness, and reproducibility, have been successfully demonstrated. Thus, the entire SLS control architecture has been successfully flight tested in a relevant environment. This has increased NASA's confidence that the autopilot design is ready to fly on the SLS Block I vehicle and will exceed the performance of previous architectures.

Survivors’ experiences from a train crash

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca Forsberg

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Rarely described are people's lived experiences from severe injury events such as train crashes. The number of train crashes named disasters with ≥10 killed and/or ≥100 nonfatally injured grows globally and the trend shows that more people survive these disasters today than did so in the past. This results in an increased number of survivors needing care. The aim of the study was to explore survivors’ experiences from a train crash. Narrative interviews were performed with 14 passengers 4 years after a train crash event. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the interviews. Experiences were captured in three main themes: (1 Living in the mode of existential threat describes how the survivors first lost control, then were thrown into a state of unimaginable chaos as they faced death. (2 Dealing with the unthinkable described how survivors restored control, the central role of others, and the importance of reconstructing the event to move forward in their processing. (3 Having cheated death shows how some became shackled by their history, whereas others overcame the haunting of unforgettable memories. Furthermore, the result shows how all experienced a second chance in life. Experiencing a train crash meant that the passengers experienced severe vulnerability and a threat to life and interdependence turned out to play a crucial role. Focusing on helping other passengers on site was one way to regain the loss of control and kept the chaos at bay. Family, friends, and fellow passengers turned out to be extremely important during the recovery process why such closeness should be promoted and facilitated.

Experience feedback of operational events of the control rod assembly and its drive mechanism in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Hong; Xiao Zhi; Tao Shusheng; Zheng Lixin; Chen Zhaolin

2013-01-01

Seventeen operational events of the control rod assembly and its drive mechanism are collected from 1992 to 2012 important nuclear operational events and feedback in referred nuclear power plants. After investigated and classified, several important issues, such as the impact of control rod swell and fuel assembly distortion, control rod drive mechanism leakage, and the control system reliability of control rod, are emphatically analyzed. Some suggestions of experience feedback are proposed. (authors)

Kill the song—steal the show: what does distinguish predicative metaphors from decomposable idioms?

Science.gov (United States)

Caillies, Stéphanie; Declercq, Christelle

2011-06-01

This study examined the semantic processing difference between decomposable idioms and novel predicative metaphors. It was hypothesized that idiom comprehension results from the retrieval of a figurative meaning stored in memory, that metaphor comprehension requires a sense creation process and that this process difference affects the processing time of idiomatic and metaphoric expressions. In the first experiment, participants read sentences containing decomposable idioms, predicative metaphors or control expressions and performed a lexical decision task on figurative targets presented 0, 350, and 500 ms, or 750 after reading. Results demonstrated that idiomatic expressions were processed sooner than metaphoric ones. In the second experiment, participants were asked to assess the meaningfulness of idiomatic, metaphoric and literal expressions after reading a verb prime that belongs to the target phrase (identity priming). The results showed that verb identity priming was stronger for idiomatic expressions than for metaphor ones, indicating different mental representations.

Conventional approaches for assessment of caving behaviour and support requirement with regard to strata control experiences in longwall workings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G.S.P. Singh

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Effective control of roof strata is very important for trouble free operation and regular face advance in mechanised longwall workings. It is now technically possible to exploit coal seams in difficult geo-mining conditions with the help of newer innovations in longwall face machineries. A reliable assessment of caving behaviour and support capacity requirement helps in selecting supports of adequate capacity and making operational preparedness for timely and confident solution of impending problems. This paper reviews the mechanism of roof caving and the conventional approaches of caving behaviour and support requirement in the context of major strata control experiences gained worldwide. The review shows that a number of approaches are being used for advance prediction of caving behaviour and support capacity requirement in a variety of geo-mining conditions. The theoretical explanation of the mechanism of roof caving and the design function of roof supports have been worked out through staged development of approaches, their evaluation followed by their gradual modification and enrichment of synthesized findings. This process is still continuing with consistently improved understanding through growing field experiences in the larger domain of geo-mining conditions and state-of-art strata analysis and monitoring techniques. These attempts have contributed significantly to improving the level of understanding and reducing the gap of uncertainty in planning and design of longwall operation in a given geo-mining condition.

KfK analysis of the SUPER-PHENIX-1 control rod experiments. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giese, H.

1991-03-01

As proposed by the SPX-1 analysis task force, MSM (modified source multiplication) correction factors have been produced for a series of control rod configurations established in the first critical core C1D with minimum fissile loading and in the fully loaded core CMP. The report gives a complete description of the method used at KfK to produce these correction factors and summarises the evaluated experimental results obtained. The KfK method is characterized by a 'two-step-adjustment': A basic reactivity scale adjustment and a subsequent rod worth adjustment. The first adjustment was achieved by 'tuning' either the axialbuckling in the leakage term D B 2 or the average number of neutrons per fission in the production term so that the excess reactivity of the so-called 'Follower-core' with all control rods fully raised was properly reproduced. As this excess reactivity could not be directly determined by an experiment, it had to be assessed from the shut-down worth of the main control system in combination with measured fractions of the S-curve of this system. In the second adjustment, the absorber cross sections were tuned to reproduce experimental rod worths. While for the analysis of the C1D experiments, MSM correction factor calculations were performed in 2D centre-plane geometry only, the analysis of the CMP measurements employed both 2D and 3D calculations. (orig./HP)

Jet Grouting. Control of execution and result parameters. Test fields - Experience in Chile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayarza, P. M.; Vukotic, G.

2014-01-01

This article emphasizes the importance of Test Fields in project that includes the Jet Grouting technique. In particular, the Chilean experience is analyzed, where the Jet Grouting was first introduced by Pilots Terratest S. A. in the year 2010, only, only in 2011 the first project using jet columns was constructed. The versatilely of this technique allows its use in a wide variety of projects, for example, soil capacity improvement, settlement control, reduction of soil permeability and other environmental applications. Currently, the most common applications are underpinning existing foundations, ground improvement, lateral support of excavations, hydraulic barriers, slope stabilization, liquefaction control, among others. The Jet Grouting is one of the most demanding soil improvement technique and requires excellence in designing and execution engineers and other involved specialist. It is therefore essential to ensure exhaustive control to the execution and final parameters, in order to check that the product- Jet Grouting element-have the design properties, and implement modifications if necessary. Many authors strongly advises that if there is no comparable experience and even if there is, a Test Field of Jet Grouting elements has to be executed in site. This field consists in a nearby area with similar geotechnical conditions of the project, where Jet Grouting test columns will be constructed. This Test Field will allow selecting the most effective execution parameters and verifying that the final product has he correct design properties. (Author)

Simulation and design of feedback control on resistive wall modes in Keda Torus eXperiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Chenguang; Liu, Wandong; Li, Hong

2014-01-01

The feedback control of resistive wall modes (RWMs) in Keda Torus eXperiment (KTX) (Liu et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 56, 094009 (2014)) is investigated by simulation. A linear model is built to describe the growth of the unstable modes in the absence of feedback and the resulting mode suppression due to feedback, given the typical reversed field pinch plasma equilibrium. The layout of KTX with two shell structures (the vacuum vessel and the stabilizing shell) is taken into account. The feedback performance is explored both in the scheme of “clean mode control” (Zanca et al., Nucl. Fusion 47, 1425 (2007)) and “raw mode control.” The discrete time control model with specific characteristic times will mimic the real feedback control action and lead to the favored control cycle. Moreover, the conceptual design of feedback control system is also presented, targeting on both RWMs and tearing modes

A Nonlinear Ship Manoeuvering Model: Identification and adaptive control with experiments for a model ship

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roger Skjetne

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Complete nonlinear dynamic manoeuvering models of ships, with numerical values, are hard to find in the literature. This paper presents a modeling, identification, and control design where the objective is to manoeuver a ship along desired paths at different velocities. Material from a variety of references have been used to describe the ship model, its difficulties, limitations, and possible simplifications for the purpose of automatic control design. The numerical values of the parameters in the model is identified in towing tests and adaptive manoeuvering experiments for a small ship in a marine control laboratory.

Numerical experiment designs. Study of vibratory behaviour of PWR'S control rod clusters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bosselut, D.; Soulier, B.; Regnier, G.

1997-01-01

The application of Experiment Design method to Finite Element Model (FEM) calculations is an original way of performing parametric studies. It has been used at EDF to simulate on a large parametric domain the vibrations of PWR's control rod cluster and to analyse the rod wear process. In the first part the FEM and the location of excitation sources are described. The calculated values are: rod displacement in the guiding cards, shock forces on the guiding cards and the wear power produced. In the second part, the computed Experiment Domain is described. This method approaches the response surface by a second degree polynomial. The retained model is composed for every parameters of all linear, quadratic and interaction terms (26 coefficients). In all, 34 polynomials have been built to approach the effective shock forces and the mean wear power at each of the 17 guiding points. In the third part the building of the computer Experiment Design is detailed: by Doehlert design adaptation to take into account a qualitative parameter, design optimization by adding four well chosen experiments and finally, design extension by passing from 4 to 6 parameters. In the last part, all the information deduced from application of this method are presented. The influence of parameters on calculated effective shock forces has been determined along rods and response surface have been easily approximated. The systematism and closeness of Experiment Design technique is underlined. Easy simulation of all the response domain by polynomial approach allows comparison with experimental results. (authors)

Training experience to improve and reinforce associated aspects to the control room operators' behaviour in the simulator setting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santiago Lucas Soriano, A.

2002-01-01

The experience, explained below, is based on the latest works carried out in TECNATOM, to improve the behaviour of the control room personnel, by an effective involvement of the operators in their own improvement, in which they create their own expectations and the instructors are only guides and advisors in a working place very close to the reality, that is, the simulator. The experience mainly deals with aspects such as: Teamwork, effective communications, use of procedures, self-checking, decision making, diagnose, motivation and other aspects that are present in the control room. (author)

Migraine patients consistently show abnormal vestibular bedside tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Maranhão, Eliana Teixeira; Maranhão-Filho, Péricles; Luiz, Ronir Raggio; Vincent, Maurice Borges

2016-01-01

Migraine and vertigo are common disorders, with lifetime prevalences of 16% and 7% respectively, and co-morbidity around 3.2%. Vestibular syndromes and dizziness occur more frequently in migraine patients. We investigated bedside clinical signs indicative of vestibular dysfunction in migraineurs. To test the hypothesis that vestibulo-ocular reflex, vestibulo-spinal reflex and fall risk (FR) responses as measured by 14 bedside tests are abnormal in migraineurs without vertigo, as compared with controls. Cross-sectional study including sixty individuals - thirty migraineurs, 25 women, 19-60 y-o; and 30 gender/age healthy paired controls. Migraineurs showed a tendency to perform worse in almost all tests, albeit only the Romberg tandem test was statistically different from controls. A combination of four abnormal tests better discriminated the two groups (93.3% specificity). Migraine patients consistently showed abnormal vestibular bedside tests when compared with controls.

The Development of a Framework for Target Diagnostic Centralized Control System (TDCCS) in ICF Experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chi; Wang Jian; Yu Xiaoqi; Yang Dong

2008-01-01

A framework for target diagnostic centralized control system (TDCCS) in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiment has been developed. The developed framework is based on the common object request broker architecture (CORBA) standard and part of the concept from the ICFRoot (a framework based on ROOT for ICF experiments) framework design. This framework is of a component architecture, including a message bus, command executer, status processor, parser and proxy. To test the function of the framework, a simplified prototype of the TDCCS has been developed as well.

Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Shows Minimal, Measure-Specific Effects on Dynamic Postural Control in Young and Older Adults: A Double Blind, Sham-Controlled Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, Chesney E; Doumas, Michail

2017-01-01

We investigated whether stimulating the cerebellum and primary motor cortex (M1) using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could affect postural control in young and older adults. tDCS was employed using a double-blind, sham-controlled design, in which young (aged 18-35) and older adults (aged 65+) were assessed over three sessions, one for each stimulatory condition-M1, cerebellar and sham. The effect of tDCS on postural control was assessed using a sway-referencing paradigm, which induced platform rotations in proportion to the participant's body sway, thus assessing sensory reweighting processes. Task difficulty was manipulated so that young adults experienced a support surface that was twice as compliant as that of older adults, in order to minimise baseline age differences in postural sway. Effects of tDCS on postural control were assessed during, immediately after and 30 minutes after tDCS. Additionally, the effect of tDCS on corticospinal excitability was measured by evaluating motor evoked potentials using transcranial magnetic stimulation immediately after and 30 minutes after tDCS. Minimal effects of tDCS on postural control were found in the eyes open condition only, and this was dependent on the measure assessed and age group. For young adults, stimulation had only offline effects, as cerebellar stimulation showed higher mean power frequency (MPF) of sway 30 minutes after stimulation. For older adults, both stimulation conditions delayed the increase in sway amplitude witnessed between blocks one and two until stimulation was no longer active. In conclusion, despite tDCS' growing popularity, we would caution researchers to consider carefully the type of measures assessed and the groups targeted in tDCS studies of postural control.

Pseudo Random Coins Show More Heads Than Tails

OpenAIRE

Bauke, Heiko; Mertens, Stephan

2003-01-01

Tossing a coin is the most elementary Monte Carlo experiment. In a computer the coin is replaced by a pseudo random number generator. It can be shown analytically and by exact enumerations that popular random number generators are not capable of imitating a fair coin: pseudo random coins show more heads than tails. This bias explains the empirically observed failure of some random number generators in random walk experiments. It can be traced down to the special role of the value zero in the ...

Physics experiments with Nintendo Wii controllers

Science.gov (United States)

Wheeler, Martyn D.

2011-01-01

This article provides a detailed description of the use of Nintendo Wii game controllers in physics demonstrations. The main features of the controller relevant to physics are outlined and the procedure for communicating with a PC is described. A piece of software written by the author is applied to gathering data from a controller suspended from a spring undergoing simple harmonic motion, a pair of controllers mounted on colliding gliders on a linear air track, and a person jumping from a balance board.

A high voltage pulse generator based on silicon-controlled rectifier for field-reversed configuration experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Munan; Liu, Ming; Zhu, Guanghui; Wang, Yanpeng; Shi, Peiyun; Sun, Xuan

2017-08-01

A high voltage pulse generator based on a silicon-controlled rectifier has been designed and implemented for a field reversed configuration experiment. A critical damping circuit is used in the generator to produce the desired pulse waveform. Depending on the load, the rise time of the output trigger signal can be less than 1 μs, and the peak amplitudes of trigger voltage and current are up to 8 kV and 85 A in a single output. The output voltage can be easily adjusted by changing the voltage on a capacitor of the generator. In addition, the generator integrates an electrically floating heater circuit so it is capable of triggering either pseudosparks (TDI-type hydrogen thyratron) or ignitrons. Details of the circuits and their implementation are described in the paper. The trigger generator has successfully controlled the discharging sequence of the pulsed power supply for a field reversed configuration experiment.

Meta-analysis of field experiments shows no change in racial discrimination in hiring over time.

Science.gov (United States)

Quillian, Lincoln; Pager, Devah; Hexel, Ole; Midtbøen, Arnfinn H

2017-10-10

This study investigates change over time in the level of hiring discrimination in US labor markets. We perform a meta-analysis of every available field experiment of hiring discrimination against African Americans or Latinos ( n = 28). Together, these studies represent 55,842 applications submitted for 26,326 positions. We focus on trends since 1989 ( n = 24 studies), when field experiments became more common and improved methodologically. Since 1989, whites receive on average 36% more callbacks than African Americans, and 24% more callbacks than Latinos. We observe no change in the level of hiring discrimination against African Americans over the past 25 years, although we find modest evidence of a decline in discrimination against Latinos. Accounting for applicant education, applicant gender, study method, occupational groups, and local labor market conditions does little to alter this result. Contrary to claims of declining discrimination in American society, our estimates suggest that levels of discrimination remain largely unchanged, at least at the point of hire.

Migraine patients consistently show abnormal vestibular bedside tests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eliana Teixeira Maranhão

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Migraine and vertigo are common disorders, with lifetime prevalences of 16% and 7% respectively, and co-morbidity around 3.2%. Vestibular syndromes and dizziness occur more frequently in migraine patients. We investigated bedside clinical signs indicative of vestibular dysfunction in migraineurs.Objective To test the hypothesis that vestibulo-ocular reflex, vestibulo-spinal reflex and fall risk (FR responses as measured by 14 bedside tests are abnormal in migraineurs without vertigo, as compared with controls.Method Cross-sectional study including sixty individuals – thirty migraineurs, 25 women, 19-60 y-o; and 30 gender/age healthy paired controls.Results Migraineurs showed a tendency to perform worse in almost all tests, albeit only the Romberg tandem test was statistically different from controls. A combination of four abnormal tests better discriminated the two groups (93.3% specificity.Conclusion Migraine patients consistently showed abnormal vestibular bedside tests when compared with controls.

Therapist experience and knowledge acquisition in internet-delivered CBT for social anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gerhard Andersson

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Guided internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT has been tested in several trials on social anxiety disorder (SAD with moderate to large effects. The aims of this study were threefold. First, to compare the effects of ICBT including online discussion forum with a moderated online discussion forum only. Second, to investigate if knowledge about SAD increased following treatment and third to compare the effects of inexperienced versus experienced therapists on patient outcomes. METHODS: A total of 204 participants with a primary diagnosis of SAD were included and randomized to either guided ICBT or the control condition. ICBT consisted of a 9-week treatment program which was guided by either psychology students at MSc level (n = 6 or by licensed psychologists with previous experience of ICBT (n = 7. A knowledge test dealing with social anxiety was administered before and after treatment. Measures of social anxiety and secondary outcomes dealing with general anxiety, depression, and quality of life were administered before and after treatment. In addition, a 1-year follow-up was conducted on the treated individuals. RESULTS: Immediately following treatment, the ICBT group showed superior outcome on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale self-report version with a between group posttreatment Hedges g effect size of g = 0.75. In addition, significant differences on all the secondary outcomes were observed. Gains were well maintained one year later. Knowledge, as assessed by the knowledge test, increased following treatment with little gain in the control group. Therapist experience did not result in different outcomes, but experienced therapists logged in less frequently compared to the inexperienced therapists, suggesting that they needed less time to support patients. DISCUSSION: We conclude that guided ICBT reduce symptoms of SAD, increase knowledge about SAD and that therapist experience does not make a difference

Computer control of the titanium getter system on the tandem mirror experiment-upgrade (TMX-U)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McAlice, A.J.; Bork, R.G.; Clower, C.A.; Moore, T.L.; Lang, D.D.; Pico, R.E.

1983-01-01

Gettering has been a standard technique for achieving high-quality vacuum in fusion experiments for some time. On Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Tandem Mirror Experiment (TMX-U), an extensive gettering system is utilized with liquid-nitrogen-cooled panels to provide the fast pumping during each physics experiment. The getter wires are a 85% titanium and 15% tantalum alloy directly heated by an electrical current. TMX-U has 162 getter power-supply channels; each channel supplies approximately 106 A of regulated power to each getter for a 60-s cycle. In the vacuum vessel, the getter wires are organized into poles or arrays. On each pole there are six getter wires, each cables to the exterior of the vessel. This arrangement allows the power supplies to be switched from getter wire to getter wire as the individual wires deteriorate after 200 to 300 gettering cycles. To control the getter power suppiles, we will install a computer system to operate the system and document the performance of each getter circuit. This computer system will control the 162 power supplies via a Computer Automated Measurement and Control (CAMAC) architecture with a fiber-optic serial highway. Getter wire history will be stored on the built-in 10 megabyte disc drive with new entries backed up daily on a floppy disc. Overall, this system will allow positive tracking of getter wire condition, document the total gettering performance, and predict getter maintenance/changeover cycles. How we will employ the computer system to enhance the getter system is the subject of this paper

Inhibitory Control, but Not Prolonged Object-Related Experience Appears to Affect Physical Problem-Solving Performance of Pet Dogs

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Corsin A.; Riemer, Stefanie; Virányi, Zsófia; Huber, Ludwig; Range, Friederike

2016-01-01

Human infants develop an understanding of their physical environment through playful interactions with objects. Similar processes may influence also the performance of non-human animals in physical problem-solving tasks, but to date there is little empirical data to evaluate this hypothesis. In addition or alternatively to prior experiences, inhibitory control has been suggested as a factor underlying the considerable individual differences in performance reported for many species. Here we report a study in which we manipulated the extent of object-related experience for a cohort of dogs (Canis familiaris) of the breed Border Collie over a period of 18 months, and assessed their level of inhibitory control, prior to testing them in a series of four physical problem-solving tasks. We found no evidence that differences in object-related experience explain variability in performance in these tasks. It thus appears that dogs do not transfer knowledge about physical rules from one physical problem-solving task to another, but rather approach each task as a novel problem. Our results, however, suggest that individual performance in these tasks is influenced in a complex way by the subject’s level of inhibitory control. Depending on the task, inhibitory control had a positive or a negative effect on performance and different aspects of inhibitory control turned out to be the best predictors of individual performance in the different tasks. Therefore, studying the interplay between inhibitory control and problem-solving performance will make an important contribution to our understanding of individual and species differences in physical problem-solving performance. PMID:26863141

Inhibitory Control, but Not Prolonged Object-Related Experience Appears to Affect Physical Problem-Solving Performance of Pet Dogs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corsin A Müller

Full Text Available Human infants develop an understanding of their physical environment through playful interactions with objects. Similar processes may influence also the performance of non-human animals in physical problem-solving tasks, but to date there is little empirical data to evaluate this hypothesis. In addition or alternatively to prior experiences, inhibitory control has been suggested as a factor underlying the considerable individual differences in performance reported for many species. Here we report a study in which we manipulated the extent of object-related experience for a cohort of dogs (Canis familiaris of the breed Border Collie over a period of 18 months, and assessed their level of inhibitory control, prior to testing them in a series of four physical problem-solving tasks. We found no evidence that differences in object-related experience explain variability in performance in these tasks. It thus appears that dogs do not transfer knowledge about physical rules from one physical problem-solving task to another, but rather approach each task as a novel problem. Our results, however, suggest that individual performance in these tasks is influenced in a complex way by the subject's level of inhibitory control. Depending on the task, inhibitory control had a positive or a negative effect on performance and different aspects of inhibitory control turned out to be the best predictors of individual performance in the different tasks. Therefore, studying the interplay between inhibitory control and problem-solving performance will make an important contribution to our understanding of individual and species differences in physical problem-solving performance.

Inhibitory Control, but Not Prolonged Object-Related Experience Appears to Affect Physical Problem-Solving Performance of Pet Dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Corsin A; Riemer, Stefanie; Virányi, Zsófia; Huber, Ludwig; Range, Friederike

2016-01-01

Human infants develop an understanding of their physical environment through playful interactions with objects. Similar processes may influence also the performance of non-human animals in physical problem-solving tasks, but to date there is little empirical data to evaluate this hypothesis. In addition or alternatively to prior experiences, inhibitory control has been suggested as a factor underlying the considerable individual differences in performance reported for many species. Here we report a study in which we manipulated the extent of object-related experience for a cohort of dogs (Canis familiaris) of the breed Border Collie over a period of 18 months, and assessed their level of inhibitory control, prior to testing them in a series of four physical problem-solving tasks. We found no evidence that differences in object-related experience explain variability in performance in these tasks. It thus appears that dogs do not transfer knowledge about physical rules from one physical problem-solving task to another, but rather approach each task as a novel problem. Our results, however, suggest that individual performance in these tasks is influenced in a complex way by the subject's level of inhibitory control. Depending on the task, inhibitory control had a positive or a negative effect on performance and different aspects of inhibitory control turned out to be the best predictors of individual performance in the different tasks. Therefore, studying the interplay between inhibitory control and problem-solving performance will make an important contribution to our understanding of individual and species differences in physical problem-solving performance.

Control-rod interference effects observed during reactor physics experiments with nuclear ship 'MUTSU'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itagaki, Masafumi; Miyoshi, Yoshinori; Gakuhari, Kazuhiko; Okada, Noboru; Sakai, Tomohiro.

1993-01-01

The control rods in the reactor of the nuclear ship MUTSU are classified into four groups: groups G1 and G2 are located in the central part of the core, while groups G3 and G4 are in the peripheral zone of the core. Several types of mutual interference effects among these control-rod groups were observed during reactor physics experiments with this reactor. During normal hot operations, positive shadowing was dominant between the G1 and G2 groups; the degree of the shadowing effect of one rod group depended on the position of the other rod group. Both positive and negative shadowing effects occurred between an inner rod group (G1 or G2) and an outer group (G3 or G4) depending on the three-dimensional arrangement of the control rods. The rod worths of G1 and G2 increased as a result of slight core burnup, about 1,400 MWd/t, mainly due to the decrease in shadowing effects resulting from a change in control-rod pattern. A three-dimensional diffusion calculation with internal control-rod boundary conditions has proved to be useful for analyzing these various interaction effects. (author)

Update on the DIII-D ECH system: experiments, gyrotrons, advanced diagnostics, and controls

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Lohr John

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The ECH system on DIII-D is continuing to be upgraded, while simultaneously being operated nearly daily for plasma experiments. The latest major hardware addition is a new 117.5 GHz gyrotron, which generated 1.7 MW for short pulses during factory testing. A new gyrotron control system based on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA technology with very high speed system data acquisition has significantly increased the flexibility and reliability of individual gyrotron operation. We have improved the performance of the fast mirror scanning, both by increasing the scan speeds and by adding new algorithms for controlling the aiming using commands generated by the Plasma Control System (PCS. The system is used for transport studies, ELM control, current profile control, non-inductive current generation, suppression of MHD modes, startup assist, plasma density control, and other applications. A program of protective measures, which has been in place for more than two years, has eliminated damage to hardware and diagnostics caused by overdense operation. Other activities not directly related to fusion research have used the ECH system to test components, study methods for improving production of semiconductor junctions and materials, and test the feasibility of using ground based microwave systems to power satellites into orbit.

Update on the DIII-D ECH system: experiments, gyrotrons, advanced diagnostics, and controls

Science.gov (United States)

Lohr, John; Brambila, Rigoberto; Cengher, Mirela; Gorelov, Yuri; Grosnickle, William; Moeller, Charles; Ponce, Dan; Torrezan, Antonio; Ives, Lawrence; Reed, Michael; Blank, Monica; Felch, Kevin; Parisuaña, Claudia; LeViness, Alexandra

2017-08-01

The ECH system on DIII-D is continuing to be upgraded, while simultaneously being operated nearly daily for plasma experiments. The latest major hardware addition is a new 117.5 GHz gyrotron, which generated 1.7 MW for short pulses during factory testing. A new gyrotron control system based on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology with very high speed system data acquisition has significantly increased the flexibility and reliability of individual gyrotron operation. We have improved the performance of the fast mirror scanning, both by increasing the scan speeds and by adding new algorithms for controlling the aiming using commands generated by the Plasma Control System (PCS). The system is used for transport studies, ELM control, current profile control, non-inductive current generation, suppression of MHD modes, startup assist, plasma density control, and other applications. A program of protective measures, which has been in place for more than two years, has eliminated damage to hardware and diagnostics caused by overdense operation. Other activities not directly related to fusion research have used the ECH system to test components, study methods for improving production of semiconductor junctions and materials, and test the feasibility of using ground based microwave systems to power satellites into orbit.

Impaired Feedforward Control and Enhanced Feedback Control of Speech in Patients with Cerebellar Degeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Parrell, Benjamin; Agnew, Zarinah; Nagarajan, Srikantan; Houde, John; Ivry, Richard B

2017-09-20

The cerebellum has been hypothesized to form a crucial part of the speech motor control network. Evidence for this comes from patients with cerebellar damage, who exhibit a variety of speech deficits, as well as imaging studies showing cerebellar activation during speech production in healthy individuals. To date, the precise role of the cerebellum in speech motor control remains unclear, as it has been implicated in both anticipatory (feedforward) and reactive (feedback) control. Here, we assess both anticipatory and reactive aspects of speech motor control, comparing the performance of patients with cerebellar degeneration and matched controls. Experiment 1 tested feedforward control by examining speech adaptation across trials in response to a consistent perturbation of auditory feedback. Experiment 2 tested feedback control, examining online corrections in response to inconsistent perturbations of auditory feedback. Both male and female patients and controls were tested. The patients were impaired in adapting their feedforward control system relative to controls, exhibiting an attenuated anticipatory response to the perturbation. In contrast, the patients produced even larger compensatory responses than controls, suggesting an increased reliance on sensory feedback to guide speech articulation in this population. Together, these results suggest that the cerebellum is crucial for maintaining accurate feedforward control of speech, but relatively uninvolved in feedback control. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Speech motor control is a complex activity that is thought to rely on both predictive, feedforward control as well as reactive, feedback control. While the cerebellum has been shown to be part of the speech motor control network, its functional contribution to feedback and feedforward control remains controversial. Here, we use real-time auditory perturbations of speech to show that patients with cerebellar degeneration are impaired in adapting feedforward control of

Detector Control System for the AFP detector in ATLAS experiment at CERN

Science.gov (United States)

Banaś, E.; Caforio, D.; Czekierda, S.; Hajduk, Z.; Olszowska, J.; Seabra, L.; Šícho, P.

2017-10-01

The ATLAS Forward Proton (AFP) detector consists of two forward detectors located at 205 m and 217 m on either side of the ATLAS experiment. The aim is to measure the momenta and angles of diffractively scattered protons. In 2016, two detector stations on one side of the ATLAS interaction point were installed and commissioned. The detector infrastructure and necessary services were installed and are supervised by the Detector Control System (DCS), which is responsible for the coherent and safe operation of the detector. A large variety of used equipment represents a considerable challenge for the AFP DCS design. Industrial Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) product Siemens WinCCOA, together with the CERN Joint Control Project (JCOP) framework and standard industrial and custom developed server applications and protocols are used for reading, processing, monitoring and archiving of the detector parameters. Graphical user interfaces allow for overall detector operation and visualization of the detector status. Parameters, important for the detector safety, are used for alert generation and interlock mechanisms.

TUNGRO DISEASE CONTROL THROUGH THE ELIMINATION VECTOR ROLE OF GREEN LEAF HOPPER WITH ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY CONTROL

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Dini Yuliani

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Green leafhopper (GLHplays an important role in tungro disease epidemics. Reduce the activity of GLHsuckasvectorsof tungro virus was effective to limit transmission of the virus. Integrated control of tungro disease may involve multiple components at once including using sambilata with entomopathogenicfungus Metarhiziumanisopliae. This research was conducted to determine the effect of sambilata and M.anisopliaein controlling the GLH as tungro virus vectors. The experiment was conducted in tungro endemic areas in Tanjungsiang,Subang District at dry season 2013 and wet season 2013/2014. Experiments using split plot design with four replications. The main plot was consists of GLH resistant varieties(IR66, tungro resistant varieties (Inpari 9, and check varieties(Ciherang. The subplots were M.anisopliae applications, sambilata, and control. Application was done on rice plant age 14, 28 and 42 days after planting (DAP.The results showed that the intensity of tungro on Ciherang showed the highest intensity compared toIR66 and Inpari9. Effect of entomopathogenic fungus M.anisopliae application to tungro disease showed a lower intensity compared with sambilata extracts and control. The intensity of tungro disease in farmers’ fields as a comparison of experiment was high enough on average between 1 until 69%. In general, the density of GLH population began to increase on the observation of 14 to 28 DAP. GLH population density was highest at 28 DAP. However, the population density of GLH decreased at 42 until 56 DAP.

Experience in the development and practical use of working control levels for radiation safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Epishin, A.V.

1981-01-01

The experience of development and practical use of working control levels (WCL) of radiation safety in the Gorky region, is discussed. WCL are introduced by ''Radiation Safety Guides'' (RSG-76) and have great practical importance. Regional control levels of radiation safety are determined for certain types of operations implying radioactive hazard and differentiated according to the types of sources applied and types of operation. Dose rates, radioactive contamination of operating surfaces, skin, air and waste water are subject to normalization. Limits of individual radiation doses specified according to operation categories are included. 10 tables of regional WCL indices are developed [ru

Physics Experiments with Nintendo Wii Controllers

Science.gov (United States)

Wheeler, Martyn D.

2011-01-01

This article provides a detailed description of the use of Nintendo Wii game controllers in physics demonstrations. The main features of the controller relevant to physics are outlined and the procedure for communicating with a PC is described. A piece of software written by the author is applied to gathering data from a controller suspended from…

Risk, control and self-identity: Young drunk drivers’ experiences with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs

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Fynbo Lars

2014-06-01

Full Text Available AIM - This article explores how young Danish drunk (and drug drivers relate to the risk of driving under the influence (DUI. DESIGN - The study is based on qualitative interviews with 25 convicted drunk drivers who in 2010 participated in mandatory alcohol and traffic safety courses. The analysis follows Stephen Lyng’s concept of “edgework”, focusing on volitional risk taking and its effect on the acting individual’s self-identity. RESULTS - Drawing on the interviewees’ accounts of being arrested for drunk driving, the analysis discusses three different categories of young drunk drivers. Those in the first category view a DUI arrest as a loss of control and a reminder of the risk of DUI. Those in the second present DUI as a reaction to what they perceive as untenable social demands. Those in the third see loss of control - such as causing a traffic accident - as the ultimate way of claiming control over their lives. CONCLUSION - The study shows that young drunk drivers have different associations with DUI-related risks. The more constrained they feel in relation to society, the more likely it is that they will divorce negative experiences related to DUI such as being arrested or causing a traffic accident.

Experimental and Numerical Study of Jet Controlled Compression Ignition on Combustion Phasing Control in Diesel Premixed Compression Ignition Systems

OpenAIRE

Qiang Zhang; Wuqiang Long; Jiangping Tian; Yicong Wang; Xiangyu Meng

2014-01-01

In order to directly control the premixed combustion phasing, a Jet Controlled Compression Ignition (JCCI) for diesel premixed compression ignition systems is investigated. Experiments were conducted on a single cylinder natural aspirated diesel engine without EGR at 3000 rpm. Numerical models were validated by load sweep experiments at fixed spark timing. Detailed combustion characteristics were analyzed based on the BMEP of 2.18 bar. The simulation results showed that the high temperature j...

Engineering of real-time systems with an experiment in hybrid control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ravn, Anders P.; Eriksen, Thomas Juul; Holdgaard, Michael

1998-01-01

powered manipulator with two links. The architecture uses local control for each of the links, and has a mode switched control algorithm which detects and reactson changes in model parameters due to variations in the forcesacting on the link. The result shows that it is feasible to check a design against...... of requirements and designs are expressed in duration calculus,a real-time interval logic, which is also used in verification. Theimplementation is done in occam for a network of four transputer's.Low level timing constraints are checked manually by calculating path lengths....

The cortisol awakening response in caregivers of schizophrenic offspring shows sensitivity to patient status.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez-Bono, Esperanza; De Andres-Garcia, Sara; Moya-Albiol, Luis

2011-01-01

Taking care of offspring during a prolonged period of time is probably one of the most stressful life experiences for parents. The present study compares the cortisol awakening response (CAR) in 38 long-term caregivers (mothers and fathers of schizophrenic relatives) with a control group of 32 non-caregivers. Factors such as general stress, caregiver burden, patient severity, and institutionalization were studied. Although a blunted CAR was observed in caregivers in comparison with controls, this difference was not significant. Among caregivers, the absence of institutionalization for the patient is associated with a lack of CAR in caregivers in comparison with caregivers of institutionally supported patients. General stress, caregiver burden, and patient severity themselves did not favor significant changes in CAR. CAR shows greater sensitivity to institutional support than patient severity and perceived stress. Further research is needed to explain the impact of these factors on health and the psychological factors involved.

Pre-schoolers suffering from psychiatric disorders show increased cortisol secretion and poor sleep compared to healthy controls.