State of the art magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weissman, J.D.

1987-01-01

In less than a decade Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has evolved from a laboratory demonstration to a safe and effective technique for clinical diagnosis. This evolutionary process continues. At this time 2-D and 3-D imaging of the head and body is firmly established in clinical use. Surface coil imaging, two-component chemical shift imaging, in-vivo spectroscopy and flow imaging are currently in various stages of development. The present state of the art of MRI is a function of an array of technologies: magnet, Rf coil, Rf pulse amplifier, gradient coil and driver, pulse programmer, A/D converter, computer system architecture, array processors and mass storage (both magnetic and optical). The overall product design is the result of a complex process which balances the advantages and disadvantages of each component for optimal system performance and flexibility. The author discusses the organization of a state-of-the-art MRI system. Several examples of the kinds of system interactions affecting design choices are given. (Auth.)

Flexible AC transmission systems: the state of the art

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edris, Abdel-Aty [Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States). Electric Systems Division

1994-12-31

Flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) is a concept promoting the use of power electronic controllers to enhance the controllability and usable capacity of AC transmission. This paper presents the state of the art of FACTS and the status of the current projects for the application of the FACTS controllers in transmission systems. (author) 8 refs., 8 figs.

State of the art: alumina ceramics for energy applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hauth, W.E.; Stoddard, S.D.

1978-01-01

Prominent ceramic raw materials and products manufacturers were surveyed to determine the state of the art for alumina ceramic fabrication. This survey emphasized current capabilities and limitations for fabrication of large, high-density, high-purity, complex shapes. Some directions are suggested for future needs and development

Sonic Interactions in Virtual Reality: State of the Art, Current Challenges, and Future Directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Serafin, Stefania; Geronazzo, Michele; Erkut, Cumhur; Nilsson, Niels C; Nordahl, Rolf

2018-03-01

A high-fidelity but efficient sound simulation is an essential element of any VR experience. Many of the techniques used in virtual acoustics are graphical rendering techniques suitably modified to account for sound generation and propagation. In recent years, several advances in hardware and software technologies have been facilitating the development of immersive interactive sound-rendering experiences. In this article, we present a review of the state of the art of such simulations, with a focus on the different elements that, combined, provide a complete interactive sonic experience. This includes physics-based simulation of sound effects and their propagation in space together with binaural rendering to simulate the position of sound sources. We present how these different elements of the sound design pipeline have been addressed in the literature, trying to find the trade-off between accuracy and plausibility. Recent applications and current challenges are also presented.

Automatic liquid handling for life science: a critical review of the current state of the art.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Fanwei; Yuan, Liang; Zheng, Yuan F; Chen, Weidong

2012-06-01

Liquid handling plays a pivotal role in life science laboratories. In experiments such as gene sequencing, protein crystallization, antibody testing, and drug screening, liquid biosamples frequently must be transferred between containers of varying sizes and/or dispensed onto substrates of varying types. The sample volumes are usually small, at the micro- or nanoliter level, and the number of transferred samples can be huge when investigating large-scope combinatorial conditions. Under these conditions, liquid handling by hand is tedious, time-consuming, and impractical. Consequently, there is a strong demand for automated liquid-handling methods such as sensor-integrated robotic systems. In this article, we survey the current state of the art in automatic liquid handling, including technologies developed by both industry and research institutions. We focus on methods for dealing with small volumes at high throughput and point out challenges for future advancements.

Cultivating Demand for the Arts: Arts Learning, Arts Engagement, and State Arts Policy. Summary

Science.gov (United States)

Zakaras, Laura; Lowell, Julia F.

2008-01-01

The findings summarized in this report are intended to shed light on what it means to cultivate demand for the arts, why it is necessary and important to cultivate this demand, and what state arts agencies (SAAs) and other arts and education policymakers can do to help. The research considered only the benchmark arts central to public policy:…

The LIFE Laser Design in Context: A Comparison to the State-of-the-Art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deri, R.J.; Bayramian, A.J.; Erlandson, A.C.

2011-01-01

The current point design for the LIFE laser leverages decades of solid-state laser development in order to achieve the performance and attributes required for inertial fusion energy. This document provides a brief comparison of the LIFE laser point design to other state-of-the-art solid-state lasers. Table I compares the attributes of the current LIFE laser point design to other systems. the state-of-the-art for single-shot performance at fusion-relevant beamline energies is exemplified by performance observed on the National Ignition Facility. The state-of-the-art for high average power is exemplified by the Northrup Grumman JHPSSL laser. Several items in Table I deal with the laser efficiency; a more detailed discussion of efficiency can be found in reference 5. The electrical-to-optical efficiency of the LIFE design exceeds that of reference 4 due to the availability of higher efficiency laser diode pumps (70% vs. ∼50% used in reference 4). LIFE diode pumps are discussed in greater detail in reference 6. The 'beam steering' state of the art is represented by the deflection device that will be used in the LIFE laser, not a laser system. Inspection of Table I shows that most LIFE laser attributes have already been experimentally demonstrated. The two cases where the LIFE design is somewhat better than prior experimental work do not involve the development of new concepts: beamline power is increased simply by increasing aperture (as demonstrated by the power/aperture comparison in Table I), and efficiency increases are achieved by employing state-of-the-art diode pumps. In conclusion, the attributes anticipated for the LIFE laser are consistent with the demonstrated performance of existing solid-state lasers.

Support for Arts Education. State Arts Agency Fact Sheet

Science.gov (United States)

National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, 2011

2011-01-01

Supporting lifelong learning in the arts is a top priority for state arts agencies. By supporting arts education in the schools, state arts agencies foster young imaginations, address core academic standards, and promote the critical thinking and creativity skills essential to a 21st century work force. State arts agencies also support…

State Arts Agency Fact Sheet: Support for Arts Education

Science.gov (United States)

Online Submission, 2015

2015-01-01

This national overview of state arts agency grants and services for arts education includes summary statistics and geographic distribution. The fact sheet uses data from Final Descriptive Reports of state arts agency grant-making activities submitted annually to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) and the National Endowment for…

Orphan diseases: state of the drug discovery art.

Science.gov (United States)

Volmar, Claude-Henry; Wahlestedt, Claes; Brothers, Shaun P

2017-06-01

Since 1983 more than 300 drugs have been developed and approved for orphan diseases. However, considering the development of novel diagnosis tools, the number of rare diseases vastly outpaces therapeutic discovery. Academic centers and nonprofit institutes are now at the forefront of rare disease R&D, partnering with pharmaceutical companies when academic researchers discover novel drugs or targets for specific diseases, thus reducing the failure risk and cost for pharmaceutical companies. Considerable progress has occurred in the art of orphan drug discovery, and a symbiotic relationship now exists between pharmaceutical industry, academia, and philanthropists that provides a useful framework for orphan disease therapeutic discovery. Here, the current state-of-the-art of drug discovery for orphan diseases is reviewed. Current technological approaches and challenges for drug discovery are considered, some of which can present somewhat unique challenges and opportunities in orphan diseases, including the potential for personalized medicine, gene therapy, and phenotypic screening.

State of the States 2016: Arts Education State Policy Summary

Science.gov (United States)

Aragon, Stephanie

2016-01-01

The "State of the States 2016" summarizes state policies for arts education identified in statute or administrative code for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Information is based on a comprehensive search of state education statute and codes on each state's relevant websites. Complete results from this review are available in…

Learning analytics fundaments, applications, and trends : a view of the current state of the art to enhance e-learning

CERN Document Server

2017-01-01

This book provides a conceptual and empirical perspective on learning analytics, its goal being to disseminate the core concepts, research, and outcomes of this emergent field. Divided into nine chapters, it offers reviews oriented on selected topics, recent advances, and innovative applications. It presents the broad learning analytics landscape and in-depth studies on higher education, adaptive assessment, teaching and learning. In addition, it discusses valuable approaches to coping with personalization and huge data, as well as conceptual topics and specialized applications that have shaped the current state of the art. By identifying fundamentals, highlighting applications, and pointing out current trends, the book offers an essential overview of learning analytics to enhance learning achievement in diverse educational settings. As such, it represents a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, and students interested in updating their knowledge and finding inspirations for their future work.

State of the art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lederman, L.M.

1983-01-01

There is a large body of experience in high luminosity data taking in fixed target research. We try to consider a wide variety of high rate experiments which were limited by the detector (not by available beam) to a preset number of collisions per second. We then attempt to translate these state-of-the-art experiments to effective collider experiments. To this end, we extend the chosen detector to a comparison 4π collider detector operating near 1 TeV. There are several issues: (1) effective solid angle must be translated to approx. = 4π, (2) environments may be quite different, e.g., beam dump near fixed target or beam halo muons vs. collider backgrounds, (3) the multiplicity varies over the experiments selected and (4) we have to treat open vs closed geometries. The large variety of experiments selected is designed to average over the causes for detector limitation. Finally we chose detectors which have produced physics in order to gauge the state of the art

Assessment of the State of the Art of Flight Control Technologies as Applicable to Adverse Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Reveley, Mary s.; Briggs, Jeffrey L.; Leone, Karen M.; Kurtoglu, Tolga; Withrow, Colleen A.

2010-01-01

Literature from academia, industry, and other Government agencies was surveyed to assess the state of the art in current Integrated Resilient Aircraft Control (IRAC) aircraft technologies. Over 100 papers from 25 conferences from the time period 2004 to 2009 were reviewed. An assessment of the general state of the art in adaptive flight control is summarized first, followed by an assessment of the state of the art as applicable to 13 identified adverse conditions. Specific areas addressed in the general assessment include flight control when compensating for damage or reduced performance, retrofit software upgrades to flight controllers, flight control through engine response, and finally test and validation of new adaptive controllers. The state-of-the-art assessment applicable to the adverse conditions include technologies not specifically related to flight control, but may serve as inputs to a future flight control algorithm. This study illustrates existing gaps and opportunities for additional research by the NASA IRAC Project

Integrated Simulation for HVAC Performance Prediction: State-of-the-Art Illustration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hensen, J.L.M.; Clarke, J.A.

2000-01-01

This paper aims to outline the current state-of-the-art in integrated building simulation for performance prediction of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. The ESP-r system is used as an example where integrated simulation is a core philosophy behind the development. The

The Art of the Renaissance Capitalist State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebeka Vidrih

2007-12-01

This article also highlights the fact that the concept of art developed in Florence – a city-state that played an important role in the early-capitalist world of the Renaissance, but never assumed a leading role like Venice and Genoa. »Art« was thus created through Florence’s efforts to demonstrate its equality and importance and, although it failed to achieve this in the field of the (capitalist economy, it at least succeeded in the field of the (absolutist state that was subordinate to this economy.

The Current Mental State of School Students in Online Learning Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kovalevskaya E.V.,

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the results of a study of actual mental state of high school students who are active subjects of career self-determination in terms of interactive learning. There are four groups of methods of interactive training: psychological training, art therapy, cognitive, and game training. The main task, which is solved by a researcher in a formative experiment with the use of each of these methods, is to establish significant differences in health, activity and mood as the indicators of current mental state of students in the classroom. As a result, we found that the most significant improvements in the current mental state takes place when using art and game therapy, so these techniques should be used in groups of students with low motivation to work, as well as in the adverse psychological climate. Less significant was the improvement of the current mental state after psychological training due to the fact that this method allow to update and seek solutions to the most important intrapersonal issues and require the implementation of a deeper reflection

Gas-steam combined cycles for power generation: Current state-of-the-art and future prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macchi, E.; Chiesa, P.; Consonni, S.; Lozza, G.

1992-01-01

The first part of this paper points out the many factors which, after years of stagnation in the electric power industry, are giving rise to a true revolution in power generation engineering: the passing from closed cycles, using steam as the working fluid and energy sources external to the power cycle, to the use of open cycles, in which the primary energy source, in the form of a fuel, is directly immersed in the working fluid of the engine. Attention is given to the advantages in terms of energy and cost savings, greater flexibility in energy policy options and pollution abatement which are now being afforded through the use of gas turbines with combined gas-steam cycles. The second part of the paper deals with an assessment of the current state-of-the-art of the technology relative to these innovative power systems. The assessment is followed by a review of foreseen developments in combined cycle system design, choice of construction materials, type of cooling systems, operating temperatures and performance capabilities

State of the art survey of network operating systems development

Science.gov (United States)

1985-01-01

The results of the State-of-the-Art Survey of Network Operating Systems (NOS) performed for Goddard Space Flight Center are presented. NOS functional characteristics are presented in terms of user communication data migration, job migration, network control, and common functional categories. Products (current or future) as well as research and prototyping efforts are summarized. The NOS products which are revelant to the space station and its activities are evaluated.

Link Prediction in Social Networks: the State-of-the-Art

OpenAIRE

Wang, Peng; Xu, Baowen; Wu, Yurong; Zhou, Xiaoyu

2014-01-01

In social networks, link prediction predicts missing links in current networks and new or dissolution links in future networks, is important for mining and analyzing the evolution of social networks. In the past decade, many works have been done about the link prediction in social networks. The goal of this paper is to comprehensively review, analyze and discuss the state-of-the-art of the link prediction in social networks. A systematical category for link prediction techniques and problems ...

Entrepreneurship Education: State of the Art

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Carlos Sánchez García

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Job uncertainty and ambiguity is a reality in many current societies, therefore, the idea of self-employment has taken a more active role, not only out of necessity, but also because it brings innovation and development to societies. In view of this situation, the following question arises: how can we strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit of our students? This article has the objective to collect theoretical information of the state of the art on entrepreneurship education: what it has been, what it is, and what can it be, in order to present the current condition of the topic, both in the psychological and pedagogical field. To achieve this objective, information from 108 research sources, mainly from scientific articles and books was collected, concluding that, although generally, entrepreneurship education has significantly contributed to the creation of businesses, developing countries, specifically, those in Latin America, still require extra effort to fully implement entrepreneurship topic in the curriculums, particularly because of challenges such as political instability, technology and international competition.

Supplier selection problem: A state-of-the-art review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nilesh R. Ware

2012-08-01

Full Text Available In the global competitiveness and growing market environment, “Actual competition is not between firms against firm, than supplier against supplier”. Globally in the fastest market development world gets closer and closer. Consumers prefer fast delivery, economical product, excellent service and high quality product with desired service level. For successful management of this supply chain, supplier considered as the base source for all processes. Therefore, an efficient supplier selection and evaluation process needs to be incorporate. The main purpose of this paper is to provide an extensive state-of-the-art literature review and critique of the studies related to various aspects of supplier selection problem over the past two decades. Research papers appearing in the reputed and leading international journals from 1991 to 2011 are gathered and analyzed. Primary focus is given on more than 200 published and unpublished works. It has been referred extensively to carry out state-of-the-art review for supplier selection problem. Finally, paper provides future perspective based on current research trends available in the published literature.

State of the art on bioethanol production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barisano, D.; De Bari, I.; Viola, E.; Zimbardi, F.; Braccio, G.; Cantarella, M.; Gallifuoco, A.

2001-01-01

The state of the art, deals with the ethanol production from current processes based on the use of sugar and starch as feedstock and those under development based on lignocellulosic biomass. In the first section are reported the commercially available processes together with hints to the newest technologies. As regard the ethanol production from lignocellulosics, it has been collected data on the biomass availability in Europe as energy crops, industrial crops, agricultural residues and domestic waste. It is provided a bibliographic study on the technologies and processes under development worldwide for the conversion of lignocellulosics into ethanol. Finally, a brief discussion on the economics highlights the near term viability of producing ethanol by this way [it

[Osteoporosis: Current state of the art].

Science.gov (United States)

Verbovoy, A F; Pashentseva, A V; Sharonova, L A

As of now, osteoporosis (OP) is one of the most important sociomedical problems because of its high prevalence and resultant disability, as well as significant mortality attributable to complications. The current strategy for providing care for patients of OP is its early diagnosis, by determining the high risk of fractures, and early pathogenetic treatment. The article gives an update on the epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment of OP.

State-of-the-art inventory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhagen, H.J.; Van Gerven, K.A.J.; Akkerman, G.J.

2005-01-01

The present report provides a state-of-the-art inventory of relevant information and technical concepts for the ComCoast project, being the first phase of the research stages of Work Package 3 (WP3). This project was assigned to Royal Haskoning by CUR. The information scan was set-up in a systematic

Multimodal Dialogue Management - State of the art

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bui Huu Trung, B.H.T.

This report is about the state of the art in dialogue management. We first introduce an overview of a multimodal dialogue system and its components. Second, four main approaches to dialogue management are described (finite-state and frame-based, information-state based and probabilistic, plan-based,

Greenhouse mechanization: State of the art and future perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Henten, van E.

2006-01-01

This paper reviews the state of the art and future perspective of greenhouse mechanization. Driving forces for mechanization are identified. Dutch greenhouse crop production is used as an example. Analysis of a generic crop production process combined with a review of the state of the art in

Fuel cells: state of the art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campanari, S.; Casalegno, A.

2007-01-01

This paper deals with the main features at present state-of-the-art fuel cell and hybrid cycle technologies, discussing their actual performance, possible applications, market entry perspectives and potential development [it

Heteronomy in the arts field: state funding and British arts organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Victoria D

2018-03-01

For Bourdieu, the field of cultural production is comprised of an autonomous and a heteronomous sector. A heteronomous sector is one that is interpenetrated by the commercial field. I discuss an arena that, until recently, was part of the relatively autonomous sector in the field of cultural production - the supported arts sector in the United Kingdom - and argue that it became more heteronomous, due to the penetration by the state. Heteronomy due to the commercial field is present but secondary to, and driven by, the actions of the state. Political parties' attempts to diffuse and legitimate a particular economic ideology have led to state demands that arts institutions adopt neoliberal business practices in exchange for funding. Government giving to the arts, previously at arm's length, proved to be a Faustian bargain that demanded significant repayment in the form of lost autonomy. Coercive pressures from the state, enacted over time, show how the domination of one field over another can occur, even when the domination is resisted. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2017.

Minimal invasive single-site surgery in colorectal procedures: Current state of the art

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana Michele

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Minimally invasive single-site (MISS surgery has recently been applied to colorectal surgery. We aimed to assess the current state of the art and the adequacy of preliminary oncological results. Methods: We performed a systematic review of the literature using Pubmed, Medline, SCOPUS and Web of Science databases. Keywords used were "Single Port" or "Single-Incision" or "LaparoEndoscopic Single Site" or "SILS™" and "Colon" or "Colorectal" and "Surgery". Results: Twenty-nine articles on colorectal MISS surgery have been published from July 2008 to July 2010, presenting data on 149 patients. One study reported analgesic requirement. The final incision length ranged from 2.5 to 8 cm. Only two studies reported fascial incision length. There were two port site hernias in a series of 13 patients (15.38%. Two "fully laparoscopic" MISS procedures with preparation and achievement of the anastomosis completely intracorporeally are reported. Future site of ileostomy was used as the sole access for the procedures in three studies. Lymph node harvesting, resection margins and length of specimen were sufficient in oncological cases. Conclusions: MISS colorectal surgery is a challenging procedure that seems to be safe and feasible, but the existing clinical evidence is limited. In selected cases, and especially when an ileostomy is planned, colorectal surgery may be an ideal indication for MISS surgery leading to a no-scar surgery. Despite preliminary oncological results showing the feasibility of MISS surgery, we want to stress the need to standardize the technique and carefully evaluate its application in oncosurgery under ethical committee control.

State of the art undersøgelse

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Nils

1998-01-01

Dette skrift omhandler nogle af de erfaringer der til dato er opnået i forbindelse med standby projektets udførelse. Hovedtemaet er en “State of the art undersøgelse” der omhandler standby-spændingsforsyninger, samt komponenter der kan anvendes til konstruktion af dem......Dette skrift omhandler nogle af de erfaringer der til dato er opnået i forbindelse med standby projektets udførelse. Hovedtemaet er en “State of the art undersøgelse” der omhandler standby-spændingsforsyninger, samt komponenter der kan anvendes til konstruktion af dem...

Analysis of Respiratory Sounds: State of the Art

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Reichert

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Objective This paper describes state of the art, scientific publications and ongoing research related to the methods of analysis of respiratory sounds. Methods and material Review of the current medical and technological literature using Pubmed and personal experience. Results The study includes a description of the various techniques that are being used to collect auscultation sounds, a physical description of known pathologic sounds for which automatic detection tools were developed. Modern tools are based on artificial intelligence and on technics such as artificial neural networks, fuzzy systems, and genetic algorithms… Conclusion The next step will consist in finding new markers so as to increase the efficiency of decision aid algorithms and tools.

Where is your state of the art?

Science.gov (United States)

Ríos Gaona, Manuel

2015-04-01

Beyond the purposes of publishing, questioning and/or hypothesizing, every research has the noble aim to quench the constant human need of pushing farther away the boundaries of knowledge, may such frontier exist. The state of the art is the generic expression coined to limit the whereabouts of any particular knowledge. We use it just like a compass, it tells us how far we are, what has been done and where we should go. Take for instance quantum field theory, the state of the art in particle physics will tell you that everything that exists in this universe is made of bosons, quarks and leptons. What!?. Hold on, I was taught (and luckily maybe you weren't) that the fundamental particles were electrons, neutrons and protons, right?. Indeed, that is the state of the art but from almost one century ago. So, if I may ask... where is your state of the art? This is not about quantum physics; it is not even about hydrology; it is about everything. Today, everybody doing or not a PhD fiercely believes that their research is important, extremely unique, life changing (and help us God if we are wrong); but how can you be so sure that what you do, isn't already done?. We live in a modern world, cool environmental scientists now have tagged this era as the Anthropocene; globalization is everywhere and of course knowledge has not escaped to it. Not only knowledge is now global but is totally diversified, any crazy idea you can think of (or actually you can't) it is very likely that somebody already has his/hers hands on it. Nevertheless, this is a good thing, isn't it?. Well, that is the whole point. Every time I should write my research's state of the art, I always get overwhelmed because it actually is pretty difficult to establish, and later when I think I get it, it seems that I am solving issues that somebody already bothered to solve 30 years ago. Therefore, does it really have some purpose to be swimming in a huge pool of knowledge, not knowing where exactly I am? or

Simulation of pollutants transfer in soils - State-of-the-art. State-of-the-art of the simulation of pollutants transfer in soils - Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourgois, J.; Vaillant, Herve; Moszkowicz, P.; Alimi Ichola, Ibrahim; Foret, Suzanne

1997-02-01

Industrial companies use and produce numerous substances which can induce a pollution of our environment and especially of soil and groundwater. Thus, it's necessary to estimate the risk of an environmental impact from an accidental or chronic, real or potential pollution. Modelling, which allow the simulation of pollutant migration, can be used as a decision support system, either for the pollution control and prevention of the resource, or for the monitoring of the remediation of polluted sites. In the first part of this study, we established a state of the art on modelling of pollutant migration in soils. In the second part, we focused on the main simulation tools currently available on the market, and on the main agencies or laboratories working on this subject, especially in France. At the end of this study, we drew some conclusions concerning modelling of pollutant migration in soils and the main points which will form the subject of further studies: - sensitivity analysis of model to input parameters and ranking of the main parameters, - achievement of a database on the state of the art of the results on modelling realized on case studies, - development of a mobility indicator of pollutant in soil, - application field and relevance of the models. (authors)

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection: state of the art in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Palermo, G D; O'Neill, C L; Chow, S; Cheung, S; Parrella, A; Pereira, N; Rosenwaks, Z

2017-12-01

Among infertile couples, 25% involve both male and female factors, while male factor alone accounts for another 25% due to oligo-, astheno-, teratozoospermia, a combination of the three, or even a complete absence of sperm cells in the ejaculate and can lead to a poor prognosis even with the help of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has been with us now for a quarter of a century and in spite of the controversy generated since its inception, it remains in the forefront of the techniques utilized in ART. The development of ICSI in 1992 has drastically decreased the impact of male factor, resulting in millions of pregnancies worldwide for couples who, without ICSI, would have had little chance of having their own biological child. This review focuses on the state of the art of ICSI regarding utility of bioassays that evaluate male factor infertility beyond the standard semen analysis and describes the current application and advances in regard to ICSI, particularly the genetic and epigenetic characteristics of spermatozoa and their impact on reproductive outcome. © 2017 Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

Building Integrated Photovoltaics: A Concise Description of the Current State of the Art and Possible Research Pathways

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bjørn Petter Jelle

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV offer an aesthetical, economical and technical solution to integrate solar cells harvesting solar radiation to produce electricity within the climate envelopes of buildings. Photovoltaic (PV cells may be mounted above or onto the existing or traditional roofing or wall systems. However, BIPV systems replace the outer building envelope skin, i.e., the climate screen, hence serving simultanously as both a climate screen and a power source generating electricity. Thus, BIPV may provide savings in materials and labor, in addition to reducing the electricity costs. Hence, for the BIPV products, in addition to specific requirements put on the solar cell technology, it is of major importance to have satisfactory or strict requirements of rain tightness and durability, where building physical issues like e.g., heat and moisture transport in the building envelope also have to be considered and accounted for. This work, from both a technological and scientific point of view, summarizes briefly the current state-of-the-art of BIPV, including both BIPV foil, tiles, modules and solar cell glazing products, and addresses possible research pathways for BIPV in the years to come.

State of the Art in the Cramer Classification Scheme and ...

Science.gov (United States)

Slide presentation at the SOT FDA Colloquium on State of the Art in the Cramer Classification Scheme and Threshold of Toxicological Concern in College Park, MD. Slide presentation at the SOT FDA Colloquium on State of the Art in the Cramer Classification Scheme and Threshold of Toxicological Concern in College Park, MD.

Guide to state-of-the-art electron devices

CERN Document Server

2013-01-01

Concise, high quality and comparative overview of state-of-the-art electron device development, manufacturing technologies and applications Guide to State-of-the-Art Electron Devices marks the 60th anniversary of the IEEE Electron Devices Committee and the 35th anniversary of the IEEE Electron Devices Society, as such it defines the state-of-the-art of electron devices, as well as future directions across the entire field. Spans full range of electron device types such as photovoltaic devices, semiconductor manufacturing and VLSI technology and circuits, covered by IEEE Electron and Devices Society Contributed by internationally respected members of the electron devices community A timely desk reference with fully-integrated colour and a unique lay-out with sidebars to highlight the key terms Discusses the historical developments and speculates on future trends to give a more rounded picture of the topics covered A valuable resource R&D managers; engineers in the semiconductor industry; applied scientists...

The state-of-the-art of ART sealants.

Science.gov (United States)

Frencken, Jo E

2014-03-01

Sealing caries-prone pits and fissure systems is an effective caries-preventive measure. There are basically two types of sealant materials: glass-ionomer and resin-based materials. Low- and medium-viscosity glass-ionomers were initially used and showed a low level of retention. With the advent of the ART approach in the mid-nineties, high-viscosity glass-ionomers were introduced as sealant material and the retention rate of ART sealants increased substantially. As the effectiveness of a sealant is measured by its capacity to prevent (dentine) carious lesion development, sealant retention is considered a surrogate endpoint. The ART sealant protocol is described. Systematic reviews and meta-analysis covering low- medium- and high-viscosity glass-ionomer (ART) sealants have concluded that there is no evidence that either glass-ionomer or resin-based sealants prevent dentine carious lesions better. The annual dentine carious lesion development in teeth with high-viscosity glass-ionomer ART sealants over the first three years is 1%. These ART sealants have a high capacity of preventing carious lesion development. Because no electricity and running water is required, ART sealants can be placed both inside and outside the dental surgery. High-viscosity glass-ionomer ART sealants can be used alongside resin-based sealants.41:119-124

State of the art in video system performance

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Michael J.

1990-01-01

The closed circuit television (CCTV) system that is onboard the Space Shuttle has the following capabilities: camera, video signal switching and routing unit (VSU); and Space Shuttle video tape recorder. However, this system is inadequate for use with many experiments that require video imaging. In order to assess the state-of-the-art in video technology and data storage systems, a survey was conducted of the High Resolution, High Frame Rate Video Technology (HHVT) products. The performance of the state-of-the-art solid state cameras and image sensors, video recording systems, data transmission devices, and data storage systems versus users' requirements are shown graphically.

The state-of-the-art of ART restorations.

Science.gov (United States)

Frencken, Jo E

2014-04-01

ART is less anxiety- and pain-provoking than traditional restorative treatments; administration of local anaesthesia is rarely required. Systematic reviews have provided evidence of the high level of effectiveness of high-viscosity glass-ionomer ART restoration in restoring single-surface cavities, both in primary and permanent posterior teeth, but its survival rates in restoring multiple-surface cavities in primary posterior teeth needs to be improved. Insufficient information is available regarding the survival rates of multiple-surface ART restorations in permanent teeth. Evidence from these reviews indicates no difference in the survival rates of single-surface high-viscosity glass-ionomer ART restorations and amalgam restorations in primary and permanent posterior teeth. Where indicated, high-viscosity glass-ionomer ART restorations can be used alongside traditional restorations. ART provides a much more acceptable introduction to dental restorative care than the traditional 'injection, drill and fill'.

Security of embedded automotive networks: state of the art and a research proposal

OpenAIRE

Studnia , Ivan; Nicomette , Vincent; Alata , Eric; Deswarte , Yves; Kaâniche , Mohamed; Laarouchi , Youssef

2013-01-01

International audience; Embedded electronic components are nowadays a prominent part of a car's architecture. Moreover, modern cars are now able to communicate with other devices through many wired or wireless interfaces. As a consequence, the security of embedded systems in cars has become a main concern for the manufacturers. This paper aims at 1) presenting a short overview of the current attacks already known and experimented against vehicles as well as the current state of the art of the...

MRI for solitary pulmonary nodule and mass assessment: Current state of the art.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohno, Yoshiharu; Kauczor, Hans-Ulrich; Hatabu, Hiroto; Seo, Joon Beom; van Beek, Edwin J R

2018-03-23

Since the clinical introduction of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the chest has been one of its most challenging applications, and many physicists and radiologists have tried since the 1980s to use MR for assessment of different lung diseases as well as mediastinal and pleural diseases. Since then, however, technical advances in sequencing, scanners, and coils, adaptation of parallel imaging techniques, utilization of contrast media, and development of postprocessing tools have been reported by many basic and clinical researchers. As a result, state-of-the-art thoracic MRI is now substituted for traditional imaging techniques and/or plays a complementary role in the management of patients with various chest diseases, and especially in the detection of pulmonary nodules and in thoracic oncology. In addition, MRI has continued to be developed to help overcome the limitations of computed tomography (CT) and nuclear medicine examinations. It can currently provide not only morphological, but also functional, physiological, pathophysiological, and molecular information at 1.5T with a gradual shift from 1.5T to 3T MR systems. In this review, we focus on these recent advances in MRI for pulmonary nodule detection and pulmonary nodule and mass evaluation by using noncontrast-enhanced and contrast-enhanced techniques as well as new molecular imaging methods such as chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging for a comparison with other modalities such as single or multidetector row CT, 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), and/or PET/CT. 4 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Leadless Pacemakers: State of the Art and Future Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Della Rocca, Domenico G; Gianni, Carola; Di Biase, Luigi; Natale, Andrea; Al-Ahmad, Amin

2018-03-01

Leadless pacemaker therapy is a new technology that aims at avoiding lead- and pocket-related complications of conventional transvenous and epicardial pacing. To date, 2 self-contained leadless pacemakers for right ventricular pacing have been clinically available: the Nanostim Leadless Pacemaker System and the Micra Transcatheter Pacing System. Additionally, a new multicomponent leadless pacemaker for endocardial left ventricular pacing has been proposed as an alternative choice for cardiac resynchronization therapy. In this review, we describe the state of the art of leadless pacing and compare the currently available devices with traditional transvenous leadless pacemakers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Comparative Analysis of Internal Communication and Public Relations Audits. State of the Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Dozier, David M.; Hellweg, Susan A.

A review of current literature regarding the state of the art in the conduct of internal communication and public relations audits by public relations practitioners reveals that these two related measurement activities are of considerable importance to the practice of public relations. Public relations audits are concerned with exploratory…

One Step Closer to the Marketplace for State-of-the-Art Wind Turbine

Science.gov (United States)

Drivetrain | News | NREL One Step Closer to the Marketplace for State-of-the-Art Wind Turbine Drivetrain One Step Closer to the Marketplace for State-of-the-Art Wind Turbine Drivetrain April 1, 2016 modeling, and testing in state-of-the-art facilities designed to put the drivetrain through its paces

The State of Comic Art Bibliography in North America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Rhode

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Within the past two decades, several American bibliographies of comic art have been published to aid in research on comics and cartooning. Professor John Lent’s ten-volume Comic Art Bibliographies is one of the largest such projects and he began it with a self-published volume in 1986. Librarian Randy Scott published The Comic Art Collection Catalog: An Author, Artist, Title and Subject Catalog Of The Comic Art Collection, Special Collections Division, Michigan State University Libraries, whi...

State of the art in microfabrication

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schmitz, Jurriaan

2014-01-01

In this review paper the state of the art in microfabrication is presented. The focus is on trends in integrated circuit fabrication by mainstream industrial players. The article starts with Moore’s Law, describing its inception as well as the evolution of Moore’s metric of the number of components

Processing emotional body expressions: state-of-the-art.

Science.gov (United States)

Enea, Violeta; Iancu, Sorina

2016-10-01

Processing emotional body expressions has become recently an important topic in affective and social neuroscience along with the investigation of facial expressions. The objective of the study is to review the literature on emotional body expressions in order to discuss the current state of knowledge on this topic and identify directions for future research. The following electronic databases were searched: PsychINFO, Ebsco, ERIC, ProQuest, Sagepub, and SCOPUS using terms such as "body," "bodily expression," "body perception," "emotions," "posture," "body recognition" and combinations of them. The synthesis revealed several research questions that were addressed in neuroimaging, electrophysiological and behavioral studies. Among them, one important question targeted the neural mechanisms of emotional processing of body expressions to specific subsections regarding the time course for the integration of emotional signals from face and body, as well as the role of context in the perception of emotional signals. Processing bodily expression of emotion is similar to processing facial expressions, and the holistic processing is extended to the whole person. The current state-of-the-art in processing emotional body expressions may lead to a better understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms of social behavior. At the end of the review, suggestions for future research directions are presented.

State-of-art report III/1984 (June 29 to November 27, 1984)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

The state-of-art report III/1984 gives a survey of the activities of the Nuclear Committee (KTA) and its panels and of KTA regulation projects in the period between the 35th and 36th KTA meeting. The state-of-art report is designed to give fast, synoptical, adequate information on the current state of KTA work. With regulation projects, data which are subject to miner variations only, for instance concerning the contents or organization of a regulation project, data on the flow of work, members of the panels, are included in the KTA manual. In case of alterations, the data in the KTA manual are updated by replacing the respective pages. (orig./HP) [de

Ecological effects assessment: requirements vs state-of-the-art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKenzie, D.H.; Thomas, J.M.; Eberhardt, L.L.

1981-05-01

Concerns for environmental quality, the ecologist's understanding of ecosystems, and the ability to quantitatively sample and evaluate hypotheses have contributed to current requirements and the state-of-the-art in ecological effects assessments in refard to nuclear power plants. The current cooling system approaches, data collection programs, and ecological effects assessments reflect these contributions. Over a decade of experience provides the basis for a timely review and evaluation of current proactice. The magnitude of economic and environmental resources being committed to cooling system alternatives mandates that the decision-making process result in as many optimal choices as possible. In addition, the resources being devoted to environmental data collection and integration provide considerable motivation for providing meaningful input to the decision-making process. It is maintained that the input should be as quantitative and as free from subjective content as is reasonably possible. An alternative viewpoint suggests that the past several decades of experience be considered but a first step, and the current task to be one of designing a second step

State-of-the-art of home networking

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koonen, A.M.J.; Popov, M.

2012-01-01

To introduce the Symposium on "Indoor Optical Networks: a Promising Way to a Converged Service Delivery", this presentation will give a brief overview of state-of-the-art home networking architectures, technologies and applications covering both technical and techno-economic aspects.

New simulators from old - achieving state-of-the-art simulation without state-of-the-art costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heilmeier, H.J.; Rosser, R.M.; Fyffe, K.L.; Gaerttner, G.F.; Chulick, E.T.

1990-01-01

Achieving a state-of-the-art simulator for operator training requires neither the expensive remodeling of old simulators nor the acquisition of very expensive new machines. In this paper the authors present two distinct cases where older training simulators have been upgraded to meet training requirements with a minimum of inexpensive hardware additions, including plug-in/-out panels, and software changes

State-of-the-art of fiber-reinforced polymers in additive manufacturing technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hofstätter, Thomas; Pedersen, David Bue; Tosello, Guido

2017-01-01

Additive manufacturing technologies have received a lot of attention in recent years for their use in multiple materials such as metals, ceramics, and polymers. The aim of this review article is to analyze the technology of fiber-reinforced polymers and its implementation with additive...... manufacturing. This article reviews recent developments, ideas, and state-of-the-art technologies in this field. Moreover, it gives an overview of the materials currently available for fiber-reinforced material technology....

14 CFR 1203.403 - State-of-the-art and intelligence.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false State-of-the-art and intelligence. 1203.403... PROGRAM Guides for Original Classification § 1203.403 State-of-the-art and intelligence. A logical... available from intelligence sources is known or is available to others. It is also important to consider...

How the United States Funds the Arts. Third Edition

Science.gov (United States)

National Endowment for the Arts, 2012

2012-01-01

The infrastructure for arts and cultural support in the United States is complex and adaptive. Citizens who enjoy the arts can choose from a wide array of drama, visual and media arts, dance, music, and literature available in formal and informal settings--theaters, museums, and concert halls, but also libraries, schools, places of worship,…

Solid state dye-sensitized solar cells. Current state of the art. Challenges and opportunities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lenzmann, F.O.; Olson, C.L.; Goris, M.J.A.A.; Kroon, J.M. [ECN Solar Energy, Petten (Netherlands)

2008-09-15

The first generation of dye-sensitized solar cell technology is based on a liquid electrolyte component. Today, this technology is on the verge of commercialization. The step towards the market and real applications is supported by the prospect of low manufacturing costs, good efficiency as well as the expectation that the current stability level of this technology is at least sufficient for applications in mobile electronics. These favorable developments may be reinforced and accelerated even further, if the corrosive liquid electrolyte could be replaced by a non-corrosive solid, since this would ease a number of stringent requirements in the production process. A successful exchange of the liquid electrolyte by a solid-state holeconductor requires to at least maintain, preferably improve, the most relevant technical parameters of the solar cell (efficiency, stability, cost). First pioneering work with solid-state hole conductors was carried out 10 years ago with an initial efficiency level below 1%. Until 2007, the record efficiency could be improved to 5%. This paper gives an overview of the solid-state concept as an early stage approach with good perspectives for the mid-term future (5-10 years)

Platelet kinetics: the state of the art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heyns, A. duP

1984-01-01

In this paper an overview of the state of the art of platelet kinetics 1982 is presented. The subjects considered include a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of some of the many radionuclide platelet labels, viz 51 Cr, 111 In, focussing briefly on models for analysis of platelets survival. (Auth.)

State-of-the-art in Heterogeneous Computing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andre R. Brodtkorb

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Node level heterogeneous architectures have become attractive during the last decade for several reasons: compared to traditional symmetric CPUs, they offer high peak performance and are energy and/or cost efficient. With the increase of fine-grained parallelism in high-performance computing, as well as the introduction of parallelism in workstations, there is an acute need for a good overview and understanding of these architectures. We give an overview of the state-of-the-art in heterogeneous computing, focusing on three commonly found architectures: the Cell Broadband Engine Architecture, graphics processing units (GPUs, and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs. We present a review of hardware, available software tools, and an overview of state-of-the-art techniques and algorithms. Furthermore, we present a qualitative and quantitative comparison of the architectures, and give our view on the future of heterogeneous computing.

State-of-the-art report on the current status of methodologies for seismic PSA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

unlikely to exist at any other plant, even another similar plant. Sometimes the issue is site-related, and sometimes it is design-related. Also, even in areas where earthquakes are very uncommon phenomena, these types of accident sequences often appear as important contributors to the residual risk, typically because in such areas the attention given to designing nuclear stations against earthquakes is much less than in earthquake-prone areas. Given this background, it is obvious that no full-scope PSA can be considered complete without an examination of earthquakes. This report is a review of the methodology for conducting a seismic-PSA at a nuclear power station. The objective of this review is as follows: To provide an up-to-date review of the state-of-the-art of the various sub-methodologies that comprise the overall seismic- PSA methodology for addressing the safety of nuclear power stations, plus an overview of the whole methodological picture. In preparing this review, the author has had in mind several categories of readers and users: policy-level decision-makers (such as managers of nuclear power stations and regulators of nuclear safety), seismic- PSA practitioners, and PSA practitioners more broadly. The review will concentrate on evaluating the extent to which today's seismic-PSA methodology produces reliable and useful results and insights, at its current state-of-the-art level, for assessing nuclear-power station safety. Also, this review paper will deal exclusively with seismic-PSA for addressing nuclear-power-station safety. Because the author is based in the U.S., it is natural that this review will contain more emphasis on U.S. experience than on experience in other countries. However, significant experience elsewhere is a major part of the basis for this evaluation. In summary, this report is an up-to-date review of the state-of-the-art of the methodologies for conducting a seismic- PSA at a nuclear power station, including the six sub-methodologies that

The Arts and State Governments: At Arm's Length or Arm in Arm?

Science.gov (United States)

Lowell, Julia F.; Ondaatje, Elizabeth Heneghan

2006-01-01

Even though a majority of Americans claim to support public funding of the arts, state government spending on the arts is minimal--and may be losing ground relative to other types of state expenditures. Moreover, most state arts agencies, or SAAs, have not succeeded in convincing state government leaders that the arts should be integral to their…

Nuclear Waste State-of-the-Art Report 2007 - responsibility of current generation, freedom of future generations. Main report from the Swedish National Council for Nuclear Waste (KASAM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

The state-of-the-art report presented by the Swedish National Council for Nuclear Waste (KASAM) in 2007 is of a slightly different character than the state-of-the-art reports published previously. This year KASAM felt the need to provide an overall picture in relatively easily accessible form of all its assessments since the first state-of-the-art report in 1986. Some of it has of course been rendered obsolete by subsequent events, but surprisingly much is still relevant. The purpose of this main report to provide an overall picture in relatively easily accessible form of all our assessments since the first state-of-the-art report in 1986. Some of it has of course been rendered obsolete by subsequent events, but surprisingly much is still relevant. Another purpose is to describe in general terms the course of events within which these assessments were made in order to contribute to a fundamental understanding of the complexity of managing the nuclear waste issue

Deep Learning for Brain MRI Segmentation: State of the Art and Future Directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Akkus, Zeynettin; Galimzianova, Alfiia; Hoogi, Assaf; Rubin, Daniel L; Erickson, Bradley J

2017-08-01

Quantitative analysis of brain MRI is routine for many neurological diseases and conditions and relies on accurate segmentation of structures of interest. Deep learning-based segmentation approaches for brain MRI are gaining interest due to their self-learning and generalization ability over large amounts of data. As the deep learning architectures are becoming more mature, they gradually outperform previous state-of-the-art classical machine learning algorithms. This review aims to provide an overview of current deep learning-based segmentation approaches for quantitative brain MRI. First we review the current deep learning architectures used for segmentation of anatomical brain structures and brain lesions. Next, the performance, speed, and properties of deep learning approaches are summarized and discussed. Finally, we provide a critical assessment of the current state and identify likely future developments and trends.

State of the art and prospects for the future of nuclear-medical in-vitro diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boettger, I.

1984-01-01

Following a bried outline of the history of the radioimmunoassay, the current state of the art and the range of application of RIAs in clinical routine examinations are summarized. The recently developed ''non-isotopic immunoassays'' (NIIA) are compared with the more conventional RIA techniques, their range of application is discussed, and an outlook is given on future developments. (MG) [de

77 FR 5281 - State-of-the-Art Reactor Consequence Analyses Reports

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-02

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket ID: NRC-2012-0022] State-of-the-Art Reactor Consequence... release of Draft NUREG-1935, ``State-of-the-Art Reactor Consequence Analyses (SOARCA) Report,'' for public... offsite radiological health consequences for potential severe reactor accidents for the Peach Bottom...

Art=life? Deleuze, badiou and ontology of the human

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filipović Andrija

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The idea of the relation between art and life as becoming-life of art is a consequence of specific modern developments ranging from the Enlightenment to capitalism. This assemblage of thought and practice is present in one of the most dominant art forms today, and the task of this paper is to reassess the current state of affairs in art considering that the current state of affairs in art is a symptom of the global society of control. In order to be emancipatory art, on the one hand, Art presupposes de-substantialization and deessentialization of the biopolitically formed life and the category of Man, while on the other hand it also presupposes a new „generic in-humanum“ (in Badiou, that is, a people to come (in Deleuze as the basis of politicity. Hence, emancipatory art needs to break away with the human in order to reach that which is beyond the current democratic materialism.

State Arts Policy: Trends and Future Prospects

Science.gov (United States)

Lowell, Julia F.

2008-01-01

State arts agencies (SAAs)--key players within the U.S. system of public support for the arts--face growing economic, political, and demographic challenges to the roles and missions they adopted when founded in the mid-1960s. This report, the fourth and final in a multiyear study, looks at state arts agencies' efforts to rethink their roles and…

Fine pitch thermosonic wire bonding: analysis of state-of-the-art manufacturing capability

Science.gov (United States)

Cavasin, Daniel

1995-09-01

A comprehensive process characterization was performed at the Motorola plastic package assembly site in Selangor, Malaysia, to document the current fine pitch wire bond process capability, using state-of-the-art equipment, in an actual manufacturing environment. Two machines, representing the latest technology from two separate manufacturers, were operated one shift per day for five days, bonding a 132 lead Plastic Quad Flat Pack. Using a test device specifically designed for fine pitch wire bonding, the bonding programs were alternated between 107 micrometers and 92 micrometers pad pitch, running each pitch for a total of 1600 units per machine. Wire, capillary type, and related materials were standardized and commercially available. A video metrology measurement system, with a demonstrated six sigma repeatability band width of 0.51 micrometers , was utilized to measure the bonded units for bond dimensions and placement. Standard Quality Assurance (QA) metrics were also performed. Results indicate that state-of-the-art thermosonic wire bonding can achieve acceptable assembly yields at these fine pad pitches.

Mars ISRU for Production of Mission Critical Consumables - Options, Recent Studies, and Current State of the Art

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, G. B.; Paz, A.; Oryshchyn, L.; Araghi, K.; Muscatello, A.; Linne, D.; Kleinhenz, J.; Peters, T.

2015-01-01

with Mars ISRU systems further substantiated the preliminary results from the Mars DRA 5.0 study. This paper will provide an overview of Mars ISRU consumable production options, the analyses, results, and conclusions from the Mars DRA 5.0 (2007), Mars Collaborative (2013), and Mars ISRU Payload for the Supersonic Retro Propulsion (2014) mission studies, and the current state-of-the-art of Mars ISRU technologies and systems. The paper will also briefly discuss the mission architectural implications associated with Mars resource and ISRU processing options.

State-of-the-Art Techniques in Treating Peripheral Nerve Injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubiak, Carrie A; Kung, Theodore A; Brown, David L; Cederna, Paul S; Kemp, Stephen W P

2018-03-01

Peripheral nerve injuries remain a major clinical concern, as they often lead to chronic disability and significant health care expenditures. Despite advancements in microsurgical techniques to enhance nerve repair, biological approaches are needed to augment nerve regeneration and improve functional outcomes after injury. Presented herein is a review of the current literature on state-of-the-art techniques to enhance functional recovery for patients with nerve injury. Four categories are considered: (1) electroceuticals, (2) nerve guidance conduits, (3) fat grafting, and (4) optogenetics. Significant study results are highlighted, focusing on histologic and functional outcome measures. This review documents the current state of the literature. Advancements in neuronal stimulation, tissue engineering, and cell-based therapies demonstrate promise with regard to augmenting nerve regeneration and appropriate rehabilitation. The future of treating peripheral nerve injury will include multimodality use of electroconductive conduits, fat grafting, neuronal stimulation, and optogenetics. Further clinical investigation is needed to confirm the efficacy of these technologies on peripheral nerve recovery in humans, and how best to implement this treatment for a diverse population of nerve-injured patients.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome during pregnancy: the state of the art

Science.gov (United States)

Di Prima, Fosca A. F.; Valenti, Oriana; Hyseni, Entela; Giorgio, Elsa; Faraci, Marianna; Renda, Eliana; De Domenico, Roberta; Monte, Santo

2011-01-01

Obstetric complications are the hallmark of antiphospholipid syndrome. Recurrent miscarriage, early delivery, oligohydramnios, prematurity, intrauterine growth restriction, fetal distress, fetal or neonatal thrombosis, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, arterial or venous thrombosis and placental insufficiency are the most severe APS-related complication for pregnant women. Antiphospholipid antibodies promote activation of endothelial cells, monocytes and platelets, causing an overproduction of tissue factor and thromboxane A2. Complement activation might have a central pathogenetic role. These factors, associated with the typical changes in the hemostatic system during normal pregnancy, result in a hypercoagulable state. This is responsible of thrombosis that is presumed to provoke many of the pregnancy complications associated with APS. Obstetric care is based on combined medical-obstetric high-risk management and treatment with the association between aspirin and heparin. This review aims to deter- mine the current state of the art of APS by investigating the knowledge achievements of recent years, to provide the most appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic management for pregnant women suffering from this syndrome. PMID:22439075

Radioactive waste management: State of the art in the world. Part 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pahissa Campa, Jaime; Phahissa, Marta H. de

2001-01-01

A summary of current management plans in the world for high level wastes and spent fuel is presented in this paper. Countries have programs in different development stages. Some of them formally begun the sitting process, others have underground laboratory projects in progress either as part of the site selection process (site characterization) or as REtD demonstrations. Besides the safety related requirements, various political, social, legal and environmental considerations are taken into account. Lessons learned can be drawn from the analysis of the state of art described in this paper. (author)

Ascertaining the international state of the art of PSA methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linden, J. von

1998-01-01

Plant-specific PSAs, to be performed within the framework of the Periodic Safety Review of German Nuclear Power Plants require further development of the methodology. For that purpose foreign PSA-guidelines and PSA-reviewes as well as relevant literature are examined and appropriate insights are adopted within task A.2 of project SR 2096. The main goal of these activities is to achieve a comparison of the state of the art of PSA-methodologies applied abroad and in Germany. The German state of the art refers to the extent as is documented in the German PSA Guide (Leitfaden Probabilistische Sicherheitsanalyse /PSUe97/) which has to be used for the Periodic Safety Review of German Nuclear Power Plants. The structure for the evaluation is based on the working steps of a PSA. In total, according to the objectives of the Periodic Safety Review the German approach for plant-specific PSAs based on the German PSA Guide is conform to the state of the art abroad. Identified deviations in some details are evaluated reflecting the view of GRS. Particular aspects resulting from the evaluation should be considered for further development of the German PSA Guide. (orig.) [de

Big-hole drilling - the state of the art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lackey, M.D.

1983-01-01

The art of big-hole drilling has been in a continual state of evolution at the Nevada Test Site since the start of underground testing in 1961. Emplacement holes for nuclear devices are still being drilled by the rotary-drilling process, but almost all the hardware and systems have undergone many changes during the intervening years. The current design of bits, cutters, and other big-hole-drilling hardware results from contributions of manufacturers and Test Site personnel. The dual-string, air-lift, reverse-circulation system was developed at the Test Site. Necessity was really the Mother of this invention, but this circulation system is worthy of consideration under almost any condition. Drill rigs for big-hole drilling are usually adaptations of large oil-well drill rigs with minor modifications required to handle the big bits and drilling assemblies. Steel remains the favorite shaft lining material, but a lot of thought is being given to concrete linings, especially precast concrete

The "State of Art" of Organisational Blogging

Science.gov (United States)

Baxter, Gavin J.; Connolly, Thomas M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the "state of art" of organisational blogging. It also aims to provide a critical review of the literature on organisational blogging and propose recommendations on how to advance the subject area in terms of academic research. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review…

State of the Art in Pediatric Lung Transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lancaster, Timothy S; Eghtesady, Pirooz

2018-04-24

Pediatric lung transplantation is a highly specialized therapy for end stage pulmonary disease in children, performed in only a handful of transplant centers around the world. Advancement in the field has been made on many fronts in recent years, including in public policy and organ allocation strategies, donor selection and management, emerging technologies for donor lung rehabilitation and bridge-to-transplant support of listed candidates, and ongoing refinement of surgical techniques. Despite this progress, children continue to suffer discrepant waitlist mortality and longer waiting times than their adult counterparts, and face special challenges of donor availability and size matching. Here we review the current state of the art in pediatric lung transplantation, reviewing progress made to date and further opportunities to improve care for this unique group of patients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contemporary Romanian Art in the United States1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Altman Dana

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the recent international interest in contemporary Romanian art and its growth in market share, with a focus on the United States. The theme is followed thorough in numerous museum exhibitions, increased collector following, art fair presence, gallery representation and auction activity initially in Europe and the United States. The phenomenon is discussed both in the context of the larger international movement conducive to the contemporary art price bubble, and in that of the local socio-economic changes. My chief interest lies in the factors leading up to the entry of post 1989 Romanian art in the global arena as a manifestation of market forces in the field. The analysis follows its grass roots local emergence through non-profit institutions, individual artists, small publications, low budget galleries, as well as the lack of contribution (with few notable exceptions of state institutions, while pointing out the national context of increasing deregulation of social support systems resulting in lack of focus on cultural manifestations. The conclusion is that the recent ascent of contemporary Romanian art (and coincidentally, the award winning contemporary Romanian cinematography is a fortuitous convergence of various factors, among which, increased international mobility and sharing. At the same time, it is also the result of the evolution of various individual artists that pursued a form of art rooted in Romanian artistic tradition but with a focus on the symbolic figurative. The result is a personal semiotics of raising the mundane to extraordinary levels that reconfigured the anxiety of entering a new system into an unmistakable and lasting visual language.

Mission Accomplished: Working with State Arts Agencies

Science.gov (United States)

Boyer, Johanna Misey

2005-01-01

Most everyone involved professionally in the non-profit arts comes in contact with a state arts agency. A person may be on the Teaching Artist roster, works for a grantee organization, or has directly received a grant or fellowship. The work that one does in the school is probably funded by the state arts agency. Or, at a more basic level, the…

Dose Reduction and Dose Management in Computed Tomography - State of the Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Zinsser, Dominik; Marcus, Roy; Othman, Ahmed E; Bamberg, Fabian; Nikolaou, Konstantin; Flohr, Thomas; Notohamiprodjo, Mike

2018-03-13

 For years, the number of performed CT examinations has been rising. At the same time, computed tomography became more dose efficient. The aim of this article is to give an overview about the state of the art in dose reduction in CT and to highlight currently available tools in dose management.  By performing a literature research on Pubmed regarding dose reduction in CT, relevant articles were identified and analyzed.  Technical innovations with individual adaptation of tube current and voltage as well as iterative image reconstruction enable a considerable dose reduction with preserved image quality. At the same time, dedicated software tools are able to handle huge amounts of data and allow to optimize existing examination protocols.   · CT examinations are increasingly performed and contribute considerably to non-natural radiation exposure.. · A correct indication is crucial for each CT examination.. · The examination protocol has to be tailored to the medical question and patient.. · Multiple technical innovations enable considerable dose reduction with constant image quality.. · Dose management with dedicated software tools gains importance.. · Zinsser D, Marcus R, Othman AE et al. Dose reduction and dose management in computed tomography - State of the art. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2018; DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-101261. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Electric road vehicles. Technology, state of the art, applications. Elektrische Strassenfahrzeuge. Technik, Entwicklungsstand und Einsatzbereiche

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naunin, D [Technische Univ. Berlin (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Elektronik; Bader, C [Daimler-Benz AG, Stuttgart (Germany, F.R.); Driehorst, F A; Kalberlah, A [Volkswagenwerk AG, Wolfsburg (Germany, F.R.); Fischer, W [Asea Brown Boveri AG, Heidelberg (Germany, F.R.); Kiehne, H A [Zweckverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie e.V. (ZVEI), Hannover (Germany, F.R.). Fachverband Batter

1989-01-01

The book discusses (1) economic and traffic policy aspects; (2) new battery systems; (3) different motor concepts; (4) possibilities and problems of serial production; (5) present applications in spas and chances for future applications. The latest state of the art and of the current discussion are presented. (orig./HP) With 139 figs.

For What Purpose the Arts? An Analysis of the Mission Statements of Urban Arts High Schools in Canada and the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Gaztambide-Fernández, Rubén; Nicholls, Rachael; Arráiz-Matute, Alexandra

2016-01-01

While general arts programs have declined in many schools across the United States and Canada, the number of specialized art programs in public secondary schools has swelled since the 1980s. While this increase is often celebrated by arts educators, questions about the justification of specialized arts programs are rarely raised, and their value…

Ten years optically pumped semiconductor lasers: review, state-of-the-art, and future developments

Science.gov (United States)

Kannengiesser, Christian; Ostroumov, Vasiliy; Pfeufer, Volker; Seelert, Wolf; Simon, Christoph; von Elm, Rüdiger; Zuck, Andreas

2010-02-01

Optically Pumped Semiconductor Lasers - OPSLs - have been introduced in 2001. Their unique features such as power scalability and wavelength flexibility, their excellent beam parameters, power stability and reliability opened this pioneering technology access to a wide range of applications such as flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, sequencing, medical diagnosis and therapy, semiconductor inspection, graphic arts, forensic, metrology. This talk will introduce the OPSL principles and compare them with ion, diode and standard solid state lasers. It will revue the first 10 years of this exciting technology, its current state and trends. In particular currently accessible wavelengths and power ranges, frequency doubling, ultra-narrow linewidth possibilities will be discussed. A survey of key applications will be given.

State of the social responsibility art

OpenAIRE

Varela López, Leidy Viviana; Universidad de San Buenaventura Cali.

2015-01-01

From the eighties, it has been addressing the issue of corporate social responsibility, specifically toward the defense of human rights and climate change. However, although they have applied corporate social responsibility principles in some of the existing institutions, it is still very small the work being done around the specific activity of solid waste management. Some works have been compiled to build a state of the art for understanding in depth the concept of corporate social responsi...

State of the art report on design for X

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Papanikolaou, Apostolos; Andersen, Poul; Kristensen, Hans Otto Holmegaard

2009-01-01

The present State of the Art report aims at defining and reviewing the curent state of the ship design process in the frame of a holistic approach, accounting for various objectives and constraints. The report addresses mainly the design of transportation carriers, though some covered aspects...

A State of the Art Overview

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jahangiri, Tohid; Bak, Claus Leth; Silva, Filipe Miguel Faria da

2015-01-01

The first EHV composite cross-arms have been used since late 1990's in Switzerland. It was the first step to the compaction of towers sizes. Since then, significant advances have been made in composite cross-arms technology while the lattice construction technique has not been seriously challenged...... of EHV composite cross-arms and lightning protection methods are reviewed based on the state of the art review and subsequently some solutions are presented to overcome the two main challenges....

Meniscal Allograft Transplantation: State of the Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Trentacosta, Natasha; Graham, William C; Gersoff, Wayne K

2016-06-01

Meniscal allograft transplantation has evolved over the years to provide a state-of-the-art technique for the sports medicine surgeon to utilize in preserving contact mechanics and function of the knee in irreparable meniscal pathology. However, this procedure continues to spark considerable debate on proper tissue processing techniques, acceptable indications, methods of implantation, and potential long-term outcomes.

State of the art in crystal oscillators - Present and future

Science.gov (United States)

Rosati, V. J.; Filler, R. L.; Schodowski, S. S.; Vig, J. R.

It is pointed out that most military communication, navigation, surveillance and IFF systems which are currently under development require stable oscillators for frequency control and/or timing. Examples of such systems are the Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS), MILSTAR, the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Combat Identification System (CIS), and several radar systems. In 1981, a survey and evaluation program was initiated with the aim to determine the state-of-the-art of both TCXOs (temperature compensated crystal oscillators) and OCXOs (oven controlled crystal oscillators). This program is continuing. The results obtained to date are considered because they can provide useful guidance to system users on the availability of stable oscillators.

State of the Art Power-in Tube Niobium-Tin Superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Godeke, A.; Ouden, A. Den; Nijhuis, A.; ten Kate, H.H.J.

2008-06-01

Powder-in-Tube (PIT) processed Niobium-Tin wires are commercially manufactured for nearly three decades and have demonstrated a combination of very high current density (presently up to 2500 A mm{sup -2} non-Cu at 12 T and 4.2 K) with fine (35 {micro}m), well separated filaments. We review the developments that have led to the present state of the art PIT Niobium-Tin wires, discuss the wire manufacturing and A15 formation processes, and describe typical superconducting performance in relation to magnetic field and strain. We further highlight successful applications of PIT wires and conclude with an outlook on possibilities for further improvements in the performance of PIT Niobium-Tin wires.

Coupled thermohydraulic-neutronic instabilities in boiling water nuclear reactors: a review of the state of the art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

March-Leuba, J.; Rey, J.M.

1992-01-01

This paper provides a review of the current state of the art on the topic of coupled neutronic-thermohydraulic instabilities in boiling water nuclear reactors (BWRs). The topic of BWR instabilities is of great current relevance since it affects the operation of a large number of commercial nuclear reactors. The recent trends towards introduction of high efficiency fuels that permit reactor operation at higher power densities with increased void reactivity feedback and decreased response times, has resulted in a decrease of the stability margin in the low-flow, high-power region of the operating map. This trend has resulted in a number of 'unexpected' instability events. For instance, United States plants have experienced two instability events recently, one of them resulted in an automatic reactor scram; in Spain, two BWR plants have experienced unstable limit cycle oscillations that required operator action to suppress. Similar events have been experienced in other European countries. In recent years, BWR instabilities has been one of the more exciting topics of work in the area of transient thermohydraulics. As a result, significant advances in understanding the physics behind these events have occurred, and a 'new and improved' state of the art has emerged recently. (authors). 6 figs., 57 refs., 1 appendix

Hydrogen storage in clathrate hydrates: Current state of the art and future directions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veluswamy, Hari Prakash; Kumar, Rajnish; Linga, Praveen

2014-01-01

Hydrogen is looked upon as the next generation clean energy carrier, search for an efficient material and method for storing hydrogen has been pursued relentlessly. Improving hydrogen storage capacity to meet DOE targets has been challenging and research efforts are continuously put forth to achieve the set targets and to make hydrogen storage a commercially realizable process. This review comprehensively summarizes the state of the art experimental work conducted on the storage of hydrogen as hydrogen clathrates both at the molecular level and macroscopic level. It identifies future directions and challenges for this exciting area of research. Hydrogen storage capacities of different clathrate structures – sI, sII, sH, sVI and semi clathrates have been compiled and presented. In addition, promising new approaches for increasing hydrogen storage capacity have been described. Future directions for achieving increased hydrogen storage and process scale up have been outlined. Despite few limitations in storing hydrogen in the form of clathrates, this domain receives prominent attention due to more environmental-friendly method of synthesis, easy recovery of molecular hydrogen with minimum energy requirement, and improved safety of the process

State of the art of solid state dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, Susana O.; Yamamoto, Takayoshi; D'Errico, Francesco

2014-01-01

Passive solid-state detectors still dominate the personal dosimetry field. This article provides state of the art in this field and summarizes the most recent works presented on TL, OSL and RPL during the 17th International Conference on Solid State Dosimetry held in Recife in September 2013. The Article contains in particular the techniques Thermoluminescence (TL), Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL), radio photoluminescence (RPL). Thermoluminescence has the biggest advantage of the wide availability of commercial materials for dosimetry, and the nature tissue-equivalent of several of these materials. The limitation of the TL dosimetry presents fading luminance signal and the need for high temperatures to obtain the signal. The Optically Stimulated Luminescence has the advantages of high sensitivity, the possibility of multiple reading, while its limit is the need to use response compensating filters in addition to the high cost of equipment and dosimeters still restricted very few options trading . The radio photoluminescence has a reading that is completely non-destructive, but their dosimeters present lack of tissue-equivalent and a high cost. Presents the details of the techniques and the advantages and limitations of each of these will be discussed

State of the art in semiconductor detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehak, P.; Gatti, E.

1990-01-01

The state of the art in semiconductor detectors for elementary particle physics and X-ray astronomy is briefly reviewed. Semiconductor detectors are divided into two groups; i) classical semiconductor diode detectors and ii) semiconductor memory detectors. Principles of signal formation for both groups of detectors are described and their performance is compared. New developments of silicon detectors are reported here. (orig.)

State of the art in semiconductor detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehak, P.; Gatti, E.

1989-01-01

The state of the art in semiconductor detectors for elementary particle physics and x-ray astronomy is briefly reviewed. Semiconductor detectors are divided into two groups; classical semiconductor diode detectors; and semiconductor memory detectors. Principles of signal formation for both groups of detectors are described and their performance is compared. New developments of silicon detectors are reported here. 13 refs., 8 figs

State of the art in cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zel'dovich, Ya.B.

1983-01-01

The present state of the art in cosmology is under discussion. The general picture of the Universe evolution is presented, and its main stages are outlined. The prooess of formation of the large scale Universe structure is considered. The possibility of investigation into the ''inflation'' period of the ''very-very early Universe'' from the view point of theoretical physics is sown. It is noted that cosmology will become a complete science only when physics gives an exhaustive answer to all issues raised by cosmology

Chernobyl - state of the art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, Daiane C.B. de; Vicente, Roberto; Rostelato, Maria Elisa C.M.; Borges, Jessica F.; Tiezzi, Rodrigo; Peleias Junior, Fernando S.; Souza, Carla D.; Rodrigues, Bruna T.; Benega, Marcos A.G.; Souza, Anderson S. de; Silva, Thais H. da

2014-01-01

This article aims to analyze what has been done so far in relation to damage caused by the accident and the state of art in Chernobyl, as well as the impact on radiation protection applied safety nuclear power plants. In the first part of the work a data survey was done through a bibliographic review and the in the second part data was collected during a visit, in June 2013 at the crash site, when was observed dose values in the affected areas and the works of repairs that have been made in the sarcophagus and surroundings as well as in official reports available through active international bodies. The main results indicate significant improvements in radiation protection systems

As pesquisas denominadas "estado da arte" Research called "state of the art"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norma Sandra de Almeida Ferreira

2002-08-01

Full Text Available Nos últimos quinze anos, no Brasil e em outros países, tem se produzido um conjunto significativo de pesquisas conhecidas pela denominação "estado da arte" ou "estado do conhecimento". Definidas como de caráter bibliográfico, elas parecem trazer em comum o desafio de mapear e de discutir uma certa produção acadêmica em diferentes campos do conhecimento, tentando responder que aspectos e dimensões vêm sendo destacados e privilegiados em diferentes épocas e lugares, de que formas e em que condições têm sido produzidas certas dissertações de mestrado, teses de doutorado, publicações em periódicos e comunicações em anais de congressos e de seminários. Neste artigo levanto e tento responder as seguintes questões: seria possível fazer um esforço de interrogar a história a produção acadêmica sobre determinada área do conhecimento, optando por ler apenas dados bibliográficos e resumos dos trabalhos? O que significa ler esse lugar (catálogos, instituição de divulgação dos trabalhos, tomando-o como fonte documental para um mapeamento da produção acadêmica, em pesquisas denominadas "estado da arte"?These last fifteen years, Brazil and other countries have seen the production of a significant set of research, known as "state of the art" or "state of knowledge". Defined as having a bibliographic feature, they seem to share the challenge of mapping and discussing a certain academic production in different fields of knowledge. They try to show which aspects and dimensions have been highlighted and privileged at different times and places. They also pinpoint how and in what conditions certain kinds of master's degree thesis and doctor's degree dissertations, publications in periodicals and communications in annals of congress and seminary were produced. In this article, I pose and try to answer the following questions: Is it worth making the effort of interrogating the history of the academic production about a given area

Natural language processing: state of the art and prospects for significant progress, a workshop sponsored by the National Library of Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Carol; Rindflesch, Thomas C; Corn, Milton

2013-10-01

Natural language processing (NLP) is crucial for advancing healthcare because it is needed to transform relevant information locked in text into structured data that can be used by computer processes aimed at improving patient care and advancing medicine. In light of the importance of NLP to health, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) recently sponsored a workshop to review the state of the art in NLP focusing on text in English, both in biomedicine and in the general language domain. Specific goals of the NLM-sponsored workshop were to identify the current state of the art, grand challenges and specific roadblocks, and to identify effective use and best practices. This paper reports on the main outcomes of the workshop, including an overview of the state of the art, strategies for advancing the field, and obstacles that need to be addressed, resulting in recommendations for a research agenda intended to advance the field. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Impact of ART on Live Birth Outcomes: Differing Experiences across Three States.

Science.gov (United States)

Luke, Sabrina; Sappenfield, William M; Kirby, Russell S; McKane, Patricia; Bernson, Dana; Zhang, Yujia; Chuong, Farah; Cohen, Bruce; Boulet, Sheree L; Kissin, Dmitry M

2016-05-01

Research has shown an association between assisted reproductive technology (ART) and adverse birth outcomes. We identified whether birth outcomes of ART-conceived pregnancies vary across states with different maternal characteristics, insurance coverage for ART services, and type of ART services provided. CDC's National ART Surveillance System data were linked to Massachusetts, Florida, and Michigan vital records from 2000 through 2006. Maternal characteristics in ART- and non-ART-conceived live births were compared between states using chi-square tests. We performed multivariable logistic regression analyses and calculated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) to assess associations between ART use and singleton preterm delivery (birth. ART use in Massachusetts was associated with significantly lower odds of twins as well as triplets and higher order births compared to Florida and Michigan (aOR 22.6 vs. 30.0 and 26.3, and aOR 37.6 vs. 92.8 and 99.2, respectively; Pinteraction order gestations per cycle was lower in Massachusetts, which may be due to the availability of insurance coverage for ART in Massachusetts. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The job demands-resources model : state of the art

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, A.B.; Demerouti, E.

2007-01-01

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to give a state-of-the art overview of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model Design/methodology/approach - The strengths and weaknesses of the demand-control model and the effort-reward imbalance model regarding their predictive value for employee well being

Stored energy calculation: the state of the art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunningham, M.E.; Lanning, D.D.; Olsen, A.R.; Williford, R.E.; Hann, C.R.

1978-05-01

The report is the result of an investigation to determine the current state of the art of fuel temperature, gap conductance, and stored energy calculations. Major emphasis was placed on the propagation of input and model uncertainties. To support this study a comparison was made to the observed variability of experimental data for fuel centerline temperature and gap conductance values. The uncertainty analysis was performed by identifying major thermal models and collecting them into an abstract of a thermal performance code. Uncertainties in the calculations were determined using the method of propagation of uncertainties with a first order Taylor series approximation to the nonlinear functions. Output uncertainty results are presented for the beginning of fuel life, the end of life, and throughout a typical power history. Also presented is an influence and importance analysis for the input parameters. It is concluded that the relative uncertainty in stored energy is approximately +-20 percent at beginning of fuel life, and increases to +-25 to 40 percent contact. The foregoing are 3 sigma (99.9 percent) confidence intervals. The most important contributors to stored energy uncertainty are linear heat rating and fuel thermal conductivity

Deporte, cultura y sociedad: un estado actual de la cuestión = Sport, culture and society: current state of the art

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Manuel Pérez-Flores

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Resumen: En el siguiente artículo realizamos un análisis de contenidos teóricos y empíricos referentes a la vinculación entre deporte, la cultura y la sociedad contemporánea con la finalidad de realizar un estudio sobre el estado actual de la cuestión. Para ello se ha realizado una revisión bibliográfica de las  referencias publicadas en Web of Science y Scopus entre los años 2000 y 2017. Se realiza un meta análisis teórico de las diferentes categorías de estudio en las que se subdividen las referencias internacionales sobre el tema de estudio. También se realiza un análisis secundario de los datos aportados en las investigaciones que forman parte del monográfico. Como resultados principales se muestra el actual estado del desarrollo académico sobre el estudio del deporte la cultura y la sociedad, y  varias reflexiones sobre las actuales características del mundo del deporte en la sociedad contemporánea. Abstract: In the next article we set out to analyse the theoretical and empirical content of the link between sport, culture and contemporary society, so as to assess the current state of play. This involves reviewing the literature published on Web of Science and Scopus between 2000 and 2017. The categories of the study into which the international references on the theme of the study can be subdivided are subjected to theoretical meta-analysis, dividing them into classic and current themes. A secondary analysis is also carried out on the data contributed by the research that forms part of the paper. The main findings reveal the current state of academic development of the study of sport, culture and society, offering a range of reflections on the current characteristics of the world of sport in contemporary society.

Current State of the Art Historic Building Information Modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Dore, C.; Murphy, M.

2017-08-01

In an extensive review of existing literature a number of observations were made in relation to the current approaches for recording and modelling existing buildings and environments: Data collection and pre-processing techniques are becoming increasingly automated to allow for near real-time data capture and fast processing of this data for later modelling applications. Current BIM software is almost completely focused on new buildings and has very limited tools and pre-defined libraries for modelling existing and historic buildings. The development of reusable parametric library objects for existing and historic buildings supports modelling with high levels of detail while decreasing the modelling time. Mapping these parametric objects to survey data, however, is still a time-consuming task that requires further research. Promising developments have been made towards automatic object recognition and feature extraction from point clouds for as-built BIM. However, results are currently limited to simple and planar features. Further work is required for automatic accurate and reliable reconstruction of complex geometries from point cloud data. Procedural modelling can provide an automated solution for generating 3D geometries but lacks the detail and accuracy required for most as-built applications in AEC and heritage fields.

Calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff: state of the art in diagnosis and treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Merolla, Giovanni; Singh, Sanjay; Paladini, Paolo; Porcellini, Giuseppe

2016-03-01

Calcific tendinitis is a painful shoulder disorder characterised by either single or multiple deposits in the rotator cuff tendon. Although the disease subsides spontaneously in most cases, a subpopulation of patients continue to complain of pain and shoulder dysfunction and the deposits do not show any signs of resolution. Although several treatment options have been proposed, clinical results are controversial and often the indication for a given therapy remains a matter of clinician choice. Herein, we report on the current state of the art in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff.

State of the art in perceptual design of hearing aids

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Brent W.; van Tasell, Dianne J.

2002-05-01

Hearing aid capabilities have increased dramatically over the past six years, in large part due to the development of small, low-power digital signal processing chips suitable for hearing aid applications. As hearing aid signal processing capabilities increase, there will be new opportunities to apply perceptually based knowledge to technological development. Most hearing loss compensation techniques in today's hearing aids are based on simple estimates of audibility and loudness. As our understanding of the psychoacoustical and physiological characteristics of sensorineural hearing loss improves, the result should be improved design of hearing aids and fitting methods. The state of the art in hearing aids will be reviewed, including form factors, user requirements, and technology that improves speech intelligibility, sound quality, and functionality. General areas of auditory perception that remain unaddressed by current hearing aid technology will be discussed.

Moving beyond Compliance: Promoting Research-Based Professional Discretion in the Implementation of the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts

Science.gov (United States)

Woodard, Rebecca; Kline, Sonia

2015-01-01

State- and local-level mandates are currently being implemented to ensure strict compliance to the new national Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (CCSS for ELA) and related assessments. These standards provide many potential opportunities to improve literacy education nationally and locally. However, the CCSS for ELA will…

Robot-assisted gait training for stroke patients: current state of the art and perspectives of robotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Morone, Giovanni; Paolucci, Stefano; Cherubini, Andrea; De Angelis, Domenico; Venturiero, Vincenzo; Coiro, Paola; Iosa, Marco

2017-01-01

In this review, we give a brief outline of robot-mediated gait training for stroke patients, as an important emerging field in rehabilitation. Technological innovations are allowing rehabilitation to move toward more integrated processes, with improved efficiency and less long-term impairments. In particular, robot-mediated neurorehabilitation is a rapidly advancing field, which uses robotic systems to define new methods for treating neurological injuries, especially stroke. The use of robots in gait training can enhance rehabilitation, but it needs to be used according to well-defined neuroscientific principles. The field of robot-mediated neurorehabilitation brings challenges to both bioengineering and clinical practice. This article reviews the state of the art (including commercially available systems) and perspectives of robotics in poststroke rehabilitation for walking recovery. A critical revision, including the problems at stake regarding robotic clinical use, is also presented.

Symposium Connects Government Problems with State of the Art Network Science Research

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-16

Symposium Connects Government Problems with State-of-the- Art Network Science Research By Rajmonda S. Caceres and Benjamin A. Miller Network...the US Gov- ernment, and match these with the state-of-the- art models and techniques developed in the network science research community. Since its... science has grown significantly in the last several years as a field at the intersec- tion of mathematics, computer science , social science , and engineering

Assessment and applicability of evaluation tools: Current practice in a sample of European countries and steps towards a state-of-the-art approach. Road Infrastructure Safety Management Evaluation Tools (RISMET), Deliverables No. 4 and 5.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elvik, R.

2014-01-01

This report surveys current practice in a sample of European countries with respect to the use of ten different tools for safety management of road systems. The report also proposes steps that can be taken to bring the use of these management tools closer to their state-of-the-art versions. These

What is the current state of scientific knowledge with regard to seasonal and decadal forecasting?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Doug M; Scaife, Adam A; Kirtman, Ben P

2012-01-01

Environmental factors, such as the frequency, intensity and duration of extreme weather events, are important drivers of migration and displacement of people. There is therefore a growing need for regional climate predictions for the coming seasons to decades. This paper reviews the current state of the art of seasonal to decadal climate prediction, focusing on the potential sources of skill, forecasting techniques, current capability and future prospects. (letter)

A Review of Wireless Sensor Technologies and Applications in Agriculture and Food Industry: State of the Art and Current Trends

OpenAIRE

Ruiz-Garcia, Luis; Lunadei, Loredana; Barreiro, Pilar; Robla, Jose Ignacio

2009-01-01

The aim of the present paper is to review the technical and scientific state of the art of wireless sensor technologies and standards for wireless communications in the Agri- Food sector. These technologies are very promising in several fields such as environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, cold chain control or traceability. The paper focuses on WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), presenting the different systems available, recent developments a...

Inter-comparison of state-of-the-art MSS and geoid models in the Arctic Ocean

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skourup, Henriette; Farrell, Sinead; Hendricks, Stefan

in errors in the estimated freeboard heights, especially in areas with a sparse lead distribution in consolidated ice conditions. Additionally these errors can impact ocean geostrophic current estimates and remaining biases in the models may impact longer-term, multi-sensor oceanographic time-series of sea......State-of-the-art Arctic Ocean mean sea surface (MSS) and geoid models are used to support sea ice freeboard estimation from satellite altimeters, and for oceanographic studies. However, errors in a given model in the high frequency domain, e.g. due to unresolved gravity features, can result...

Measuring the State-of-the-Art in Laser Cut Quality

OpenAIRE

Pocorni, Jetro; Powell, John; Ilar, Torbjörn; Schwarz, A.; Kaplan, Alexander

2013-01-01

This paper discusses the strategy appropriate to investigating the state of the art of laser cutting from an industrial point of view. The importance of creating the samples in a high quality industrial environment is emphasised and preliminary results are presented.

Development of a state-of-the-art solid waste characterisation facility at JRC ISPRA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huhtiniemi, I.; Anselmi, M.; Hubert, P.; Vassallo, G.

2003-01-01

This paper will review the development and construction of a state-of-the-art waste characterisation facility that represents a fundamental element in the JRC's strategy to characterise radioactive wastes originating from four decades of nuclear research activities conducted at the Ispra Site. The state-of-the-art NDA measurement solution selected by JRC-Ispra will be presented in the light of special requirements imposed by applicable Italian legislation, norms and the qualities of the waste packages. The intended plant combines the state-of-the-art-measurement solution with comprehensive process automation in an industrial environment and is therefore of significant interest to the radioactive waste management community. (orig.)

Massive parallel sequencing in sarcoma pathobiology: state of the art and perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Brenca, Monica; Maestro, Roberta

2015-01-01

Sarcomas are an aggressive and highly heterogeneous group of mesenchymal malignancies with different morphologies and clinical behavior. Current therapeutic strategies remain unsatisfactory. Cytogenetic and molecular characterization of these tumors is resulting in the breakdown of the classical histopathological categories into molecular subgroups that better define sarcoma pathobiology and pave the way to more precise diagnostic criteria and novel therapeutic opportunities. The purpose of this short review is to summarize the state-of-the-art on the exploitation of massive parallel sequencing technologies, also known as next generation sequencing, in the elucidation of sarcoma pathobiology and to discuss how these applications may impact on diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of these tumors.

Three State-of-the-Art Methods for Condition Monitoring

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grimmelius, H.T.; Meiler, P.P.; Maas, H.L.M.M.; Bonnier, B.; Grevink, J.S.; Kuilenburg, R.F. van

1999-01-01

This paper describes and compares three different state-of-the-art condition monitoring techniques: first principles, feature extraction, and neural networks. The focus of the paper is on the application of the techniques, not on the underlying theory. Each technique is described briefly and is

Delivery of care consistent with the psychosocial standards in pediatric cancer: Current practices in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Scialla, Michele A; Canter, Kimberly S; Chen, Fang Fang; Kolb, E Anders; Sandler, Eric; Wiener, Lori; Kazak, Anne E

2018-03-01

With published evidence-based Standards for Psychosocial Care for Children with Cancer and their Families, it is important to know the current status of their implementation. This paper presents data on delivery of psychosocial care related to the Standards in the United States. Pediatric oncologists, psychosocial leaders, and administrators in pediatric oncology from 144 programs completed an online survey. Participants reported on the extent to which psychosocial care consistent with the Standards was implemented and was comprehensive and state of the art. They also reported on specific practices and services for each Standard and the extent to which psychosocial care was integrated into broader medical care. Participants indicated that psychosocial care consistent with the Standards was usually or always provided at their center for most of the Standards. However, only half of the oncologists (55.6%) and psychosocial leaders (45.6%) agreed or strongly agreed that their psychosocial care was comprehensive and state of the art. Types of psychosocial care provided included evidence-based and less established approaches but were most often provided when problems were identified, rather than proactively. The perception of state of the art care was associated with practices indicative of integrated psychosocial care and the extent to which the Standards are currently implemented. Many oncologists and psychosocial leaders perceive that the delivery of psychosocial care at their center is consistent with the Standards. However, care is quite variable, with evidence for the value of more integrated models of psychosocial services. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Leadership and Fairness: The state of the art.

OpenAIRE

van Knippenberg, D.; de Cremer, D.; van Knippenberg, B.M.

2007-01-01

textabstractResearch in leadership effectiveness has paid less to the role of leader fairness than probably it should have. More recently, this has started to change. To capture this development, we review the empirical literature in leadership and fairness to define the field of leadership and fairness, to assess the state of the art, and to identify a research agenda for future efforts in the field. The review shows that leader distributive, procedural, and especially interactional fairness...

Nuclear Liability, State of the Art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reitsma, S. M. S.

2010-01-01

Over fifty years ago states started to introduce legislation protecting the public against the potential magnitude and peculiarity of risks arising from the nuclear energy production. They did so trough a specific liability and compensation regime. Whether legislation was based on national initiatives or, as more frequently, related to international nuclear liability conventions, it was based on a number of principles being applied universally. Furthermore, it at the same time strived for not preventing the development of the nuclear industry because of an unbearable liability. This paper aims at explaining the broad outline of the above legislation, its development since its early years, the state of the art as regards its modernisation as well as the (alleged) problems underlying the delay in its introduction in a number of countries. When dealing with those problems it will be inevitable to touch upon a number of insurance related matters, which, as an insurer I am happy to tell, will lead me to familiar territory.(author).

Chernobyl - state of the art; Chernobyl - o estado da arte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Souza, Daiane C.B. de; Vicente, Roberto; Rostelato, Maria Elisa C.M.; Borges, Jessica F.; Tiezzi, Rodrigo; Peleias Junior, Fernando S.; Souza, Carla D.; Rodrigues, Bruna T.; Benega, Marcos A.G.; Souza, Anderson S. de; Silva, Thais H. da, E-mail: dcsouza@ipen.br, E-mail: rvicente@ipen.br, E-mail: elisaros@ipen.br, E-mail: rtiezzi@ipen.br, E-mail: carladdsouza@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: marcosagbenega@ipen.br, E-mail: bteigarodrigues@gmail.com, E-mail: thaishunk@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2014-07-01

This article aims to analyze what has been done so far in relation to damage caused by the accident and the state of art in Chernobyl, as well as the impact on radiation protection applied safety nuclear power plants. In the first part of the work a data survey was done through a bibliographic review and the in the second part data was collected during a visit, in June 2013 at the crash site, when was observed dose values in the affected areas and the works of repairs that have been made in the sarcophagus and surroundings as well as in official reports available through active international bodies. The main results indicate significant improvements in radiation protection systems.

Paediatric thoracoscopy: State of the art | Van Niekerk | South ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Many advanced procedures, including lobectomy, repair of tracheo-oesophageal fistula, excision of mediastinal tumours and diaphragmatic hernia repairs, are being done routinely in paediatric surgery centres around the world. This article reviews the state of the art of thoracoscopic surgery in children. The author selected ...

Methodologies and applications for critical infrastructure protection: State-of-the-art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yusta, Jose M.; Correa, Gabriel J.; Lacal-Arantegui, Roberto

2011-01-01

This work provides an update of the state-of-the-art on energy security relating to critical infrastructure protection. For this purpose, this survey is based upon the conceptual view of OECD countries, and specifically in accordance with EU Directive 114/08/EC on the identification and designation of European critical infrastructures, and on the 2009 US National Infrastructure Protection Plan. The review discusses the different definitions of energy security, critical infrastructure and key resources, and shows some of the experie'nces in countries considered as international reference on the subject, including some information-sharing issues. In addition, the paper carries out a complete review of current methodologies, software applications and modelling techniques around critical infrastructure protection in accordance with their functionality in a risk management framework. The study of threats and vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure systems shows two important trends in methodologies and modelling. A first trend relates to the identification of methods, techniques, tools and diagrams to describe the current state of infrastructure. The other trend accomplishes a dynamic behaviour of the infrastructure systems by means of simulation techniques including systems dynamics, Monte Carlo simulation, multi-agent systems, etc. - Highlights: → We examine critical infrastructure protection experiences, systems and applications. → Some international experiences are reviewed, including EU EPCIP Plan and the US NIPP programme. → We discuss current methodologies and applications on critical infrastructure protection, with emphasis in electric networks.

Nuclear power plant decommissioning: state-of-the-art review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, D.H.

1984-01-01

A brief orientation to the state-of-the-art of nuclear power plant decommissioning discusses the related areas of experience, tools and techniques, and planning. There have been 68 nuclear reactor decommissionings to date, including 9 power plants, some of which were mothballed. The picture suggests that the term art may be misapplied since decommissioning is now more of a mature commercial industrial than a research and development endeavor. It also suggests that the nuclear industry has shown foresight by preparing for it before a crisis situation developed. Some of this has already influenced operators of coal power plants, especially where hazardous materials may be involved. 33 references, 1 table

A State-of-the-Art Review of Cloud Forensics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sameera Abdulrahman Almulla

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Cloud computing and digital forensics are emerging fields of technology. Unlike traditional digital forensics where the target environment can be almost completely acquired, isolated and can be under the investigators control; in cloud environments, the distribution of computation and storage poses unique and complex challenges to the investigators.Recently, the term "cloud forensics" has an increasing presence in the field of digital forensics. In this state-of-the-art review, we included the most recent research efforts that used "cloud forensics" as a keyword and then classify the literature in to three dimensions, (1 survey-based, (2 technology-based and (3 forensics procedural-based.We discuss widely accepted international standard bodies and their efforts to cope with the current trend of cloud forensics. Our aim is not only to reference related work based on the discussed dimensions, but also to analyze them and generate a mind map that will help in identifying research gaps. Finally, we summarize existing digital forensics tools and, the available simulation environments that can be used for evidence acquisition, examination and cloud forensics test purposes.

Harvesting Robots for High-value Crops: State-of-the-art Review and Challenges Ahead

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bac, C.W.; Henten, van E.; Hemming, J.; Edan, Y.

2014-01-01

This review article analyzes state-of-the-art and future perspectives for harvesting robots in high-value crops. The objectives were to characterize the crop environment relevant for robotic harvesting, to perform a literature review on the state-of-the-art of harvesting robots using quantitative

State of the Art Review on Theoretical Tribology of Fluid Power Displacement Machines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cerimagic, Remzija; Johansen, Per; Andersen, Torben O.

2016-01-01

machines, and also the work done to validate the theoretical models. This review is not a complete historical account, but aim to describe current trends in fluid power displacement machine tribology. The review considers the rheological models used in the theoretical approaches, the modeling...... and wear mechanisms in the lubricating gaps in fluid power machines is confined to simulation models, as experimental treatments of these mechanisms are very difficult. The aim of this paper is a state of the art review on the theoretical work for the design and optimization of fluid power displacement...... of elastohydrodynamic effects, the modeling of thermal effects, and finally the experimental validation of the theoretical models....

The state of the art in static and dynamic games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Giovanni, P.

2009-01-01

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the state of the art in static and dynamic games (or inter-firm relationships). This research area has changed significantly over the last 25 years through the development of phenomena such as the supply chain and the progressive overcoming of

The Beijing Olympics and the art of nation-state maintenance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Kloet, J.; Pak Lei Chong, G.; Liu, W.

2008-01-01

This article maps out how different actors are involved in the promotion and mediation of the Olympics. It looks at the roles of, first, the nation-state, through an analysis of the promotional materials; second, the art world and global companies, through an analysis of the touring exhibition

A Snapshot of State Policies for Arts Education

Science.gov (United States)

Arts Education Partnership, 2014

2014-01-01

It has been said that while history shapes the hand a state is dealt, public policy determines how the hand is played. State policy for K-12 education--and, by extension, for arts education--is shaped through the actions of various state governmental entities--governors, legislatures, courts, and commissioners and boards of education--in response…

Sensors and Technologies in Spain: State-of-the-Art

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gonzalo Pajares

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this special issue was to provide a comprehensive view on the state-of-the-art sensor technology in Spain. Different problems cause the appearance and development of new sensor technologies and vice versa, the emergence of new sensors facilitates the solution of existing real problems. [...

The Rough Journey into Arts Entrepreneurship: Why Arts Entrepreneurship Education Is Still in Its Infancy in the UK and Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Thom, Marco

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the current state of arts entrepreneurship education at higher educational institutions (HEIs) by reviewing the relevant literature and surveying lecturers in Fine Art. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis of fine art students' educational situation at HEIs in the UK and Germany is conducted…

State of the art Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

NARCIS (Netherlands)

OEI, H.-L.

2017-01-01

An overview of state-of-the-art ADA Advanced Driver Assistance systems is given. First a main structuring system for the ADA systems is presented, needed for purposes of relevancy, and consistency : the three phases in the accident process, i.e. pre-crash, crash and post-crash; the driving task at

Analyst workbenches state of the art report

CERN Document Server

Rock-Evans, R

1987-01-01

Analyst Workbenches examines various aspects of analyst workbenches and the tasks and data that they should support. The major advances and state of the art in analyst workbenches are discussed. A comprehensive list of the available analyst workbenches, both the experimental and the commercial products, is provided. Comprised of three parts, this book begins by describing International Computers Ltd's approach to automating analysis and design. It then explains what business analysis really means, outlines the principal features of analyst workbenches, and considers the ways in which they can

Text Generation: The State of the Art and the Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, William C.; And Others

This report comprises two documents which describe the state of the art of computer generation of natural language text. Both were prepared by a panel of individuals who are active in research on text generation. The first document assesses the techniques now available for use in systems design, covering all of the technical methods by which…

Teacher Evaluation in the Arts Disciplines: Three State Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Gates, Karol; Hansen, Deb; Tuttle, Lynn

2015-01-01

The purpose of this report is to provide insight into how state departments are implementing legislative requirements for educator evaluation, particularly the specific circumstances states encounter around arts education. Spotlights on Delaware, a first-round recipient of Race to the Top funding, and Colorado and Arizona, third-round recipients,…

Radiation nursery and occupational exposure: state-of-art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melo, J.A.C.; Huhn, A.; Viana, E.; Rosa, G.; Luz, K.R.; Derech, R.

2015-01-01

Documentary research with the aim to reflect on the state of the art in radiological nursing, on the nursing work and occupational hazards they are exposed, from articles produced in Brazil. The survey was conducted in the BVS, the study consisted of seven articles published from 2002 to 2012. Regarding the main variables studied in the articles, issues emerged related to working conditions and biosafety, performance of nurses, legislation, continuing education and difficulties and needs of nursing staff . It was noticed that is recent the interest in the field, but the work of nurses in radiological technologies must be grounded in current scientific knowledge and with proper technique, to the achievement of the desired clinical outcome and to promote their safety, the team and also the patient. (author)

PARA'04, State-of-the-art in scientific computing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Kaj; Wasniewski, Jerzy

This meeting in the series, the PARA'04 Workshop with the title ``State of the Art in Scientific Computing'', was held in Lyngby, Denmark, June 20-23, 2004. The PARA'04 Workshop was organized by Jack Dongarra from the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Kaj Madsen and J...

The Brazilian state-of-the-art of hydrolysis; Estado da arte da hidrolise no Brasil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carioca, Jose Osvaldo Beserra; Paula, Haroldo Cesar Beserra de; Lal Arora, Harbans; Selvam, P.V. Pannir [Nucleo de Fontes Nao-Convencionais de Energia, Fortaleza, CE, (Brazil)

1988-12-31

This paper presents a study of the state-of-the-art of technologies developed for acid and enzymatic hydrolysis of lignin and cellulose materials in Brazil. The information collected leads us to conclude that Brazil has achieved a high level of technological development. However, the industrial projects for production of alcohol from cassava have not proved successful due mainly to lack of agricultural experience and its low productivity. (author) 26 refs., 13 figs., 2 tabs.

[Physiotherapeutic care marketing research: current state-of-the art].

Science.gov (United States)

Babaskin, D V

2011-01-01

Successful introduction of modern technologies into the national health care systems strongly depends on the current pharmaceutical market situation. The present article is focused on the peculiarities of marketing research with special reference to physiotherapeutic services and commodities. Analysis of the structure and sequence of marketing research processes is described along with the methods applied for the purpose including their support by the use of Internet resources and technologies.

State of the art of solid state dosimetry; Estado da arte em dosimetria do estado solido

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Souza, Susana O., E-mail: sosouza@ufs.br [Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), Sao Cristovao, SE (Brazil); Yamamoto, Takayoshi [Radioisotope Research Center, Osaka University (Japan); D' Errico, Francesco, E-mail: francesco.derrico@yale.edu [Yale University, School of Medicine, CT (United States)

2014-07-01

Passive solid-state detectors still dominate the personal dosimetry field. This article provides state of the art in this field and summarizes the most recent works presented on TL, OSL and RPL during the 17th International Conference on Solid State Dosimetry held in Recife in September 2013. The Article contains in particular the techniques Thermoluminescence (TL), Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL), radio photoluminescence (RPL). Thermoluminescence has the biggest advantage of the wide availability of commercial materials for dosimetry, and the nature tissue-equivalent of several of these materials. The limitation of the TL dosimetry presents fading luminance signal and the need for high temperatures to obtain the signal. The Optically Stimulated Luminescence has the advantages of high sensitivity, the possibility of multiple reading, while its limit is the need to use response compensating filters in addition to the high cost of equipment and dosimeters still restricted very few options trading . The radio photoluminescence has a reading that is completely non-destructive, but their dosimeters present lack of tissue-equivalent and a high cost. Presents the details of the techniques and the advantages and limitations of each of these will be discussed.

Nanomedicine applications in women's health: state of the art.

Science.gov (United States)

Lloyd-Parry, Oliver; Downing, Charlotte; Aleisaei, Eisa; Jones, Celine; Coward, Kevin

2018-01-01

State-of-the-art applications of nanomedicine have the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of a range of conditions and diseases affecting women's health. In this review, we provide a synopsis of potential applications of nanomedicine in some of the most dominant fields of women's health: mental health, sexual health, reproductive medicine, oncology, menopause-related conditions and dementia. We explore published studies arising from in vitro and in vivo experiments, and clinical trials where available, to reveal novel and highly promising therapeutic applications of nanomedicine in these fields. For the first time, we summarize the growing body of evidence relating to the use of nanomaterials as experimental tools for the detection, prevention, and treatment of significant diseases and conditions across the life course of a cisgender woman, from puberty to menopause; revealing the far-reaching and desirable theoretical impact of nanomedicine across different medical disciplines. We also present an overview of potential concerns regarding the therapeutic applications of nanomedicine and the factors currently restricting the growth of applied nanomedicine.

An Assessment of the State of the Art of Curriculum Materials and a Status Assessment of Training Programs for Robotics/Automated Systems Technicians. Task Analysis and Descriptions of Required Job Competencies of Robotics/Automated Systems Technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Hull, Daniel M.; Lovett, James E.

This report presents the results of research conducted to determine the current state of the art of robotics/automated systems technician (RAST) training offered in the United States. Section I discusses the RAST curriculum project, of which this state-of-the-art review is a part, and offers a RAST job description. Section II describes the…

Some Aspects of the State-of-the-Arts in Biomedical Science ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Summary: In the biomedical sciences, there is need to generate solutions for Africa's health and economic problems through the impact of university research. To guide organizational transformation, the author here presents some aspects of the state-of-the-arts of biomedical science research in advanced countries using a ...

State-of-the-Art in Open Courseware Initiatives Worldwide

Science.gov (United States)

Vladoiu, Monica

2011-01-01

We survey here the state-of-the-art in open courseware initiatives worldwide. First, the MIT OpenCourseWare project is overviewed, as it has been the real starting point of the OCW movement. Usually, open courseware refers to a free and open digital publication of high quality university level educational materials that are organized as courses,…

CMOS image sensors: State-of-the-art

Science.gov (United States)

Theuwissen, Albert J. P.

2008-09-01

This paper gives an overview of the state-of-the-art of CMOS image sensors. The main focus is put on the shrinkage of the pixels : what is the effect on the performance characteristics of the imagers and on the various physical parameters of the camera ? How is the CMOS pixel architecture optimized to cope with the negative performance effects of the ever-shrinking pixel size ? On the other hand, the smaller dimensions in CMOS technology allow further integration on column level and even on pixel level. This will make CMOS imagers even smarter that they are already.

The backstroke swimming start: state of the art.

Science.gov (United States)

de Jesus, Karla; de Jesus, Kelly; Fernandes, Ricardo J; Vilas-Boas, João Paulo; Sanders, Ross

2014-09-29

As sprint swimming events can be decided by margins as small as .01 s, thus, an effective start is essential. This study reviews and discusses the 'state of the art' literature regarding backstroke start biomechanics from 23 documents. These included two swimming specific publications, eight peer-reviewed journal articles, three from the Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming Congress series, eight from the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports Conference Proceedings, one from a Biomechanics Congress and one academic (PhD) thesis. The studies had diverse aims, including swimmers' proficiency levels and data collection settings. There was no single consensus for defining phase descriptions; and kinematics, kinetics and EMG approaches were implemented in laboratory settings. However, researchers face great challenges in improving methods of quantifying valid, reliable and accurate data between laboratory and competition conditions. For example, starting time was defined from the starting signal to distances as disparate as ∼5 m to 22.86 m in several studies. Due to recent rule changes, some of the research outcomes now refer to obsolete backstroke start techniques, and only a few studies considered the actual international rules. This literature review indicated that further research is required, in both laboratory and competition settings focusing on the combined influences of the current rules and block configuration on backstroke starting performances.

The SESAME project. State of the art liquid metal thermal hydraulics and beyond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roelofs, F.; Shams, A.; Batta, A.; Moreau, V.; Di Piazza, I.; Gerschenfeld, A.; Planquart, P.; Tarantino, M. [Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group (NRG), Petten (Netherlands)

2017-08-15

The European Sustainable Nuclear Industry Initiative (ESNII) aims at industrial application of fast reactor technology for a sustainable nuclear energy production. Currently four demonstration projects have a promising outlook in Europe, i.e. the ASTRID project in France, the MYRRHA project in Belgium, the ALFRED pan-European project to be realized in Romania, and SEALER in Sweden. Sodium and lead(-alloys) are envisaged as coolants for these reactors. Obviously, in the development of these reactors, thermal-hydraulics is recognized as a key challenge with emphasis on safety issues. This paper discusses the state-of-the-art knowledge with respect to experiments and simulation techniques as pursued in the Horizon 2020 SESAME (thermal hydraulics Simulations and Experiments for the Safety Assessment of MEtal cooled reactors) project.

Current state of the art of blood cell labeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srivastava, S.C.; Straub, R.F.; Meinken, G.E.; Gil, M.C.

1985-01-01

An update on some recent developments in the area of blood cell labeling is provided. Specific topics covered include red cell labeling with /sup 99m/Tc, platelet labeling using an antiplatelet monoclonal antibody, and the labeling of leukocytes with /sup 99m/Tc. Mechanistic information, where available, is discussed. A critical evaluation of current techniques, their pitfalls as well as advantages, and the problems that remain to be resolved, is presented. The promise shown by recent results using the antibody approach for cell labeling is emphasized. An assessment of the progress made in these areas is presented. 38 refs., 10 figs., 6 tabs

State of the art: two-phase flow calibration techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stanley, M.L.

1977-01-01

The nuclear community faces a particularly difficult problem relating to the calibration of instrumentation in a two-phase flow steam/water environment. The rationale of the approach to water reactor safety questions in the United States demands that accurate measurements of mass flows in a decompressing two-phase flow be made. An accurate measurement dictates an accurate calibration. This paper addresses three questions relating to the state of the art in two-phase calibration: (1) What do we mean by calibration. (2) What is done now. (3) What should be done

State-of-the-art Versus Time-triggered Object Tracking in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moritz Koplin

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Most state-of-the-art driver assistance systems cannot guarantee that real-time images of object states are updated within a given time interval, because the object state observations are typically sampled by uncontrolled sensors and transmitted via an indeterministic bus system such as CAN. To overcome this shortcoming, a paradigm shift toward time-triggered advanced driver assistance systems based on a deterministic bus system, such as FlexRay, is under discussion. In order to prove the feasibility of this paradigm shift, this paper develops different models of a state-of-the-art and a time-triggered advanced driver assistance system based on multi-sensor object tracking and compares them with regard to their mean performance. The results show that while the state-of-the-art model is advantageous in scenarios with low process noise, it is outmatched by the time-triggered model in the case of high process noise, i.e., in complex situations with high dynamic.

Management of infected pancreatic necrosis: state of the art

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Rasslan

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Pancreatic necrosis occurs in 15% of acute pancreatitis. The presence of infection is the most important factor in the evolution of pancreatitis. The diagnosis of infection is still challenging. Mortality in infected necrosis is 20%; in the presence of organic dysfunction, mortality reaches 60%. In the last three decades, there has been a real revolution in the treatment of infected pancreatic necrosis. However, the challenges persist and there are many unsolved questions: antibiotic treatment alone, tomography-guided percutaneous drainage, endoscopic drainage, video-assisted extraperitoneal debridement, extraperitoneal access, open necrosectomy? A step up approach has been proposed, beginning with less invasive procedures and reserving the operative intervention for patients in which the previous procedure did not solve the problem definitively. Indication and timing of the intervention should be determined by the clinical course. Ideally, the intervention should be done only after the fourth week of evolution, when it is observed a better delimitation of necrosis. Treatment should be individualized. There is no procedure that should be the first and best option for all patients. The objective of this work is to critically review the current state of the art of the treatment of infected pancreatic necrosis.

State-of-the-art report on the theoretical modeling of interfacial area concentration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Won Jae; Euh, Dong Jin

1998-03-01

Classical approaches based on experimental correlations and the mechanistic approaches based on the interfacial area concentration were reviewed. The study focuses on the state-of-the-art researches based on the mechanistic modeling of the interfacial area concentration. The investigation is performed by classifying the mechanistic modeling approaches into those using the number density transport equations supported with a simple algebraic relation for obtaining interfacial area concentration and those using the direct interfacial area transport equations. The modeling approaches are subdivided into one group and multi-group models. The state-of-the-art source terms of transport equations are also investigated for their applicability and limitations. (author). 62 refs., 6 tabs., 49 figs

Current state of the art of HNF based composite propellants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ciucci, A.; Frota, O.; Welland, W.H.M.; Heijden, A.E.D.M. van der; Leeming, B.; Bellerby, J.M.; Brotzu, A.

2004-01-01

The main activities currently performed for the development of HNF-based propellants are presented. The objectives and approach adopted are described. The results obtained on the HNF decomposition mechanism and on the re- and co-crystallisation of HNF with potential propellant ingredients are

The geography of maternal and newborn health: the state of the art.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebener, Steeve; Guerra-Arias, Maria; Campbell, James; Tatem, Andrew J; Moran, Allisyn C; Amoako Johnson, Fiifi; Fogstad, Helga; Stenberg, Karin; Neal, Sarah; Bailey, Patricia; Porter, Reid; Matthews, Zoe

2015-05-27

As the deadline for the millennium development goals approaches, it has become clear that the goals linked to maternal and newborn health are the least likely to be achieved by 2015. It is therefore critical to ensure that all possible data, tools and methods are fully exploited to help address this gap. Among the methods that are under-used, mapping has always represented a powerful way to 'tell the story' of a health problem in an easily understood way. In addition to this, the advanced analytical methods and models now being embedded into Geographic Information Systems allow a more in-depth analysis of the causes behind adverse maternal and newborn health (MNH) outcomes. This paper examines the current state of the art in mapping the geography of MNH as a starting point to unleashing the potential of these under-used approaches. Using a rapid literature review and the description of the work currently in progress, this paper allows the identification of methods in use and describes a framework for methodological approaches to inform improved decision-making. The paper is aimed at health metrics and geography of health specialists, the MNH community, as well as policy-makers in developing countries and international donor agencies.

State of the art on the probabilistic safety assessment (P.S.A.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devictor, N.; Bassi, A.; Saignes, P.; Bertrand, F.

2008-01-01

The use of Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) is internationally increasing as a means of assessing and improving the safety of nuclear and non-nuclear facilities. To support the development of a competence on Probabilistic Safety Assessment, a set of states of the art regarding these tools and their use has been made between 2001 and 2005, in particular on the following topics: - Definition of the PSA of level 1, 2 and 3; - Use of PSA in support to design and operation of nuclear plants (risk-informed applications); - Applications to Non Reactor Nuclear Facilities. The report compiled in a single document these states of the art in order to ensure a broader use; this work has been done in the frame of the Project 'Reliability and Safety of Nuclear Facility' of the Nuclear Development and Innovation Division of the Nuclear Energy Division. As some of these states of the art have been made in support to exchanges with international partners and were written in English, a section of this document is written in English. This work is now applied concretely in support to the design of 4. Generation nuclear systems as Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors and especially Gas-cooled Fast Reactor, that have been the subject of communications during the conferences ANS (Annual Meeting 2007), PSA'08, ICCAP'08 and in the journal Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations. (authors)

A State-of-the-Art Review: Personalization of Tinnitus Sound Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Searchfield, Grant D; Durai, Mithila; Linford, Tania

2017-01-01

Background: There are several established, and an increasing number of putative, therapies using sound to treat tinnitus. There appear to be few guidelines for sound therapy selection and application. Aim: To review current approaches to personalizing sound therapy for tinnitus. Methods: A "state-of-the-art" review (Grant and Booth, 2009) was undertaken to answer the question: how do current sound-based therapies for tinnitus adjust for tinnitus heterogeneity? Scopus, Google Scholar, Embase and PubMed were searched for the 10-year period 2006-2016. The search strategy used the following key words: "tinnitus" AND "sound" AND "therapy" AND "guidelines" OR "personalized" OR "customized" OR "individual" OR "questionnaire" OR "selection." The results of the review were cataloged and organized into themes. Results: In total 165 articles were reviewed in full, 83 contained sufficient details to contribute to answering the study question. The key themes identified were hearing compensation, pitched-match therapy, maskability, reaction to sound and psychosocial factors. Although many therapies mentioned customization, few could be classified as being personalized. Several psychoacoustic and questionnaire-based methods for assisting treatment selection were identified. Conclusions: Assessment methods are available to assist clinicians to personalize sound-therapy and empower patients to be active in therapy decision-making. Most current therapies are modified using only one characteristic of the individual and/or their tinnitus.

Digital astrophotography the state of the art

CERN Document Server

Ratledge, David

2005-01-01

The CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) has revolutionised optical astronomy during the past 20 years, and specialised astronomical CCD cameras are now even more affordable, colour is standard, and they provide spectacular results. "Digital Astrophotography: The State of the Art", provides some examples of the best images, and gives readers hints and tips about how to get the best out of this extraordinary technology. Experts in CCD astronomy from North America and Europe have contributed to this book, illustrating their help and advice with many beautiful colour images - the book is in full colour throughout. Techniques range from using simple webcams to highly technical aspects such as supernovae patrolling. Computer processing, stacking and image-enhancement are detailed, along with many hints and tips from the experts.

Augmented Reality and Mobile Learning: The State of the Art

Science.gov (United States)

FitzGerald, Elizabeth; Ferguson, Rebecca; Adams, Anne; Gaved, Mark; Mor, Yishay; Thomas, Rhodri

2013-01-01

In this paper, the authors examine the state of the art in augmented reality (AR) for mobile learning. Previous work in the field of mobile learning has included AR as a component of a wider toolkit but little has been done to discuss the phenomenon in detail or to examine in a balanced fashion its potential for learning, identifying both positive…

Electron beam melting state-of-the-art 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakish, R.

1984-01-01

In 1984 electron beam melting and refining appear poised for an important new growth phase. The driving force for this phase is improved production economics made possible by technological advances. There is also a new and exciting growth application for electron beam melting: its use for surface properties beneficiation. This article is based in part on the content of the Conference on Electron Beam Melting and Refining, The State-of-the-Art 1983, held in November 1983 in Reno, Nevada

Digital Breast Tomosynthesis: State of the Art

Science.gov (United States)

Vedantham, Srinivasan; Vijayaraghavan, Gopal R.; Kopans, Daniel B.

2015-01-01

This topical review on digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is provided with the intent of describing the state of the art in terms of technology, results from recent clinical studies, advanced applications, and ongoing efforts to develop multimodality imaging systems that include DBT. Particular emphasis is placed on clinical studies. The observations of increase in cancer detection rates, particularly for invasive cancers, and the reduction in false-positive rates with DBT in prospective trials indicate its benefit for breast cancer screening. Retrospective multireader multicase studies show either noninferiority or superiority of DBT compared with mammography. Methods to curtail radiation dose are of importance. © RSNA, 2015 PMID:26599926

State of the art-hydraulic yaw systems for wind turbines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stubkier, Søren; Pedersen, Henrik C.; Andersen, Torben Ole

2011-01-01

This paper addresses the yawing systems of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT’s). HAWT’s represents close to all of the commercial large wind turbines sold today and must be considered state-of-the art within wind turbine technology. Two choices exists when considering components for the active ...

A Review of Wireless Sensor Technologies and Applications in Agriculture and Food Industry: State of the Art and Current Trends

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Garcia, Luis; Lunadei, Loredana; Barreiro, Pilar; Robla, Jose Ignacio

2009-01-01

The aim of the present paper is to review the technical and scientific state of the art of wireless sensor technologies and standards for wireless communications in the Agri-Food sector. These technologies are very promising in several fields such as environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, cold chain control or traceability. The paper focuses on WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), presenting the different systems available, recent developments and examples of applications, including ZigBee based WSN and passive, semi-passive and active RFID. Future trends of wireless communications in agriculture and food industry are also discussed. PMID:22408551

A Review of Wireless Sensor Technologies and Applications in Agriculture and Food Industry: State of the Art and Current Trends

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ignacio Robla

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present paper is to review the technical and scientific state of the art of wireless sensor technologies and standards for wireless communications in the Agri-Food sector. These technologies are very promising in several fields such as environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, cold chain control or traceability. The paper focuses on WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification, presenting the different systems available, recent developments and examples of applications, including ZigBee based WSN and passive, semi-passive and active RFID. Future trends of wireless communications in agriculture and food industry are also discussed.

Setting ART initiation targets in response to changing guidelines: The importance of addressing both steady-state and backlog.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Catherine; Naidoo, Nicolette P; Venter, W D Francois; Jaffer, Ambereen; Barker, Pierre M

2014-05-12

Target setting is useful in planning, assessing and improving antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes. In the past 4 years, the ART initiation environment has been transformed due to the change in eligibility criteria (starting ART at a CD4+ count ART. To describe and illustrate the use of a target-setting model for estimating district-based targets in the era of an expanding ART programme and changing CD4+ count thresholds for ART initiation. Using previously described models and data for annual new HIV infections, we estimated both steady-state need for ART initiation and backlog in a North West Province district, accounting for the shift in eligibility. Comparison of actual v. targeted ART initiations was undertaken. The change in CD4+ count threshold adds a once-off group of newly eligible patients to the pool requiring ART - the backlog. The steady-state remains unchanged as it is determined by the annual rate of new HIV infections in previous years. The steady-state need for the district was 639 initiations/month, and the backlog was ~15,388 patients. After the shift in eligibility in September 2011, the steady-state target was exceeded over several months with some backlog addressed. Of the total backlog for this district, 72% remains to be cleared. South Africa has two pools of patients who need ART: the steady-state of HIV-infected patients entering the programme each year, determined by historical infection rates; and the backlog created by the shift in eligibility. The healthcare system needs to build long- term capacity to meet the steady-state need for ART and additional capacity to address the backlog.

State of art in FE-based fuel performance codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyo Chan; Yang, Yong Sik; Kim, Dae Ho; Bang, Je Geon; Kim, Sun Ki; Koo, Yang Hyun

2013-01-01

Fuel performance codes approximate this complex behavior using an axisymmetric, axially-stacked, one-dimensional radial representation to save computation cost. However, the need for improved modeling of PCMI and, particularly, the importance of multidimensional capability for accurate fuel performance simulation has been identified as safety margin decreases. Finite element (FE) method that is reliable and proven solution in mechanical field has been introduced into fuel performance codes for multidimensional analysis. The present state of the art in numerical simulation of FE-based fuel performance predominantly involves 2-D axisymmetric model and 3-D volumetric model. The FRAPCON and FRAPTRAN own 1.5-D and 2-D FE model to simulate PCMI and cladding ballooning. In 2-D simulation, the FALCON code, developed by EPRI, is a 2-D (R-Z and R-θ) fully thermal-mechanically coupled steady-state and transient FE-based fuel behavior code. The French codes TOUTATIS and ALCYONE which are 3-D, and typically used to investigate localized behavior. In 2008, the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has been developing multidimensional (2-D and 3-D) nuclear fuel performance code called BISON. In this paper, the current state of FE-based fuel performance code and their models are presented. Based on investigation into the codes, requirements and direction of development for new FE-based fuel performance code can be discussed. Based on comparison of models in FE-based fuel performance code, status of art in the codes can be discussed. A new FE-based fuel performance code should include typical pellet and cladding models which all codes own. In particular, specified pellet and cladding model such as gaseous swelling and high burnup structure (HBS) model should be developed to improve accuracy of code as well as consider AC condition. To reduce computation cost, the approximated gap and the optimized contact model should be also developed

Digital radiography of the chest: state of the art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souto, M.; Malagari, K.S.; Tucker, D.; Tahoces, P.G.; Correa, J.; Benakis, V.S.; Roussos, C.; Strigaris, K.A.; Vidal, J.J.; Barnes, G.T.; Fraser, R.G.

1994-01-01

Digital image acquisition possesses a number of advantages over conventional systems in radiographic examination of the chest, the most important of which is its greater dynamic range. In addition, once digital images are acquired, they can be processed by computer in ways that cannot be rivalled by conventional analog techniques. Finally, digital images can be stored, retrieved and transmitted to local or remote sites. Here the status of the different digital systems employed in chest radiology and commonly used image processing techniques are reviewed. Also discussed are the current clinical applications of integrating digital chest radiography with a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) along with the difficulties typically encountered. Studies with a variety of digital techniques have been carried out on several fronts. Computed radiography based on photostimulable phosphor (CR) has replaced screen-film imaging in certain applications (i.e. bedside imaging). However, CR has limitations, namely its poor X-ray utilisation efficiency at high X-ray tube voltages and sensitivity to scatter; therefore, it is not ideal for all applications. Recently, a dedicated digital chest unit with excellent X-ray utilisation efficiency at high X-ray tube potentials has been introduced. On the basis of the state-of-the-art capabilities and research during the past decade, recommendations are made regarding the most desirable equipment specifications for dedicated and bedside digital chest radiography. (orig.)

A state-of-the-art plasma polymerization coater for ICF targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devine, G.; Letts, S.; Cook, R.; Brusasco, R.

1992-01-01

Increasingly stringent demands on the characteristics of plasma polymer coatings for use in Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) experiments have created a need for a plasma Polymerization coating system with the capability of producing a wide variety of different types of coatings as well as one that can be used to do fundamental investigations of the process conditions leading to desirable films. We report on the construction and use of just such a coating instrument. We have recognized the usefulness of computer assisted process monitoring and control, currently being developed by the semiconductor industry, in designing our own, State-of-the-art plasma polymerization device. Our system is fully computer interfaced to provide the user with the capability of collecting system parameter data over the length of the deposition experiment. The system is also designed to allow for any degree of computer control of the deposition process in the future

Current State-of-the-Art 3D Tissue Models and Their Compatibility with Live Cell Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Bardsley, Katie; Deegan, Anthony J; El Haj, Alicia; Yang, Ying

2017-01-01

Mammalian cells grow within a complex three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment where multiple cells are organized and surrounded by extracellular matrix (ECM). The quantity and types of ECM components, alongside cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions dictate cellular differentiation, proliferation and function in vivo. To mimic natural cellular activities, various 3D tissue culture models have been established to replace conventional two dimensional (2D) culture environments. Allowing for both characterization and visualization of cellular activities within possibly bulky 3D tissue models presents considerable challenges due to the increased thickness and subsequent light scattering features of such 3D models. In this chapter, state-of-the-art methodologies used to establish 3D tissue models are discussed, first with a focus on both scaffold-free and scaffold-based 3D tissue model formation. Following on, multiple 3D live cell imaging systems, mainly optical imaging modalities, are introduced. Their advantages and disadvantages are discussed, with the aim of stimulating more research in this highly demanding research area.

PRA: an evaluation of state-of-the-art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joksimovich, V.

1985-01-01

Some elements of the probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methodology can be characterized as mature and are even ready for some kind of a standardization effort. Other elements are still, however, in a rapid state of evolution. Questions are continuously being asked regarding maturity of PRA techniques vis-a-vis a regulatory decision-making process. Establishing a framework for evaluating state-of-the-art in any technological field is a challenging task. An implementation of a selected framework to a satisfactory conclusion is a monumental task. Of course, these types of issues can be discussed meaningfully only if they are tied to a particular application. The author's participation in the NSF-sponsored risk assessment project is discussed in the paper. The evaluation employed here makes use of the following five evaluation criteria: logical soundness, completeness, accuracy, acceptability, and practicality

Mechanical Ventilation: State of the Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Pham, Tài; Brochard, Laurent J; Slutsky, Arthur S

2017-09-01

Mechanical ventilation is the most used short-term life support technique worldwide and is applied daily for a diverse spectrum of indications, from scheduled surgical procedures to acute organ failure. This state-of-the-art review provides an update on the basic physiology of respiratory mechanics, the working principles, and the main ventilatory settings, as well as the potential complications of mechanical ventilation. Specific ventilatory approaches in particular situations such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are detailed along with protective ventilation in patients with normal lungs. We also highlight recent data on patient-ventilator dyssynchrony, humidified high-flow oxygen through nasal cannula, extracorporeal life support, and the weaning phase. Finally, we discuss the future of mechanical ventilation, addressing avenues for improvement. Copyright © 2017 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fabricating biomedical origami: a state-of-the-art review.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Meredith; Chen, Yue; Hovet, Sierra; Xu, Sheng; Wood, Bradford; Ren, Hongliang; Tokuda, Junichi; Tse, Zion Tsz Ho

2017-11-01

Origami-based biomedical device design is an emerging technology due to its ability to be deployed from a minimal foldable pattern to a larger volume. This paper aims to review state-of-the-art origami structures applied in the medical device field. Publications and reports of origami structure related to medical device design from the past 10 years are reviewed and categorized according to engineering specifications, including the application field, fabrication material, size/volume, deployment method, manufacturability, and advantages. This paper presents an overview of the biomedical applications of devices based on origami structures, including disposable sterilization covers, cardiac catheterization, stent grafts, encapsulation and microsurgery, gastrointestinal microsurgery, laparoscopic surgical grippers, microgrippers, microfluidic devices, and drug delivery. Challenges in terms of materials and fabrication, assembly, modeling and computation design, and clinical adoptability are discussed at the end of this paper to provide guidance for future origami-based design in the medical device field. Concepts from origami can be used to design and develop novel medical devices. Origami-based medical device design is currently progressing, with researchers improving design methods, materials, fabrication techniques, and folding efficiency.

Mining Tacitus: secrets of empire, nature and art in the reason of state.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Vera

2012-06-01

A new political practice, the 'reason of state', informed the ends and practices of natural study in the late sixteenth century. Informed by the study of the Roman historian Tacitus, political writers gathered 'secrets of empire' from both history and travel. Following the economic reorientation of 'reason of state' by Giovanni Botero (1544-1617), such secrets came to include bodies of useful particulars concerning nature and art collected by an expanding personnel of intelligencers. A comparison between various writers describing wide-scale collections, such as Botero, Francis Bacon (1561-1626), Jakob Bornitz (1560-1625) and Matthias Bernegger (1582-1640), reveals that seventeenth-century natural intelligencers across Europe not only were analogous to political intelligencers, but also were sometimes one and the same. Those seeking political prudence cast themselves as miners, prying precious particulars from the recesses of history, experience and disparate disciplines, including mathematics, alchemy and natural philosophy. The seventeenth-century practice of combining searches for secrets of empire, nature and art contests a frequent historiographical divide between empirical science and Tacitism or reason of state. It also points to the ways political cunning shaped the management of information for both politics and the study of nature and art.

Dutton, Davies, and Imaginative Virtual Worlds: The Current State of Evolutionary Aesthetics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph Carroll

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This paper is a commentary comparing the evolutionary perspectives of Denis Dutton’s The Art Instinct (2009 and Stephen Davies’s The Artful Species (2012. Their topics thus necessarily overlap, but their books have different purposes and a different feel. Davies’s book is an academic exercise. He has no real arguments or claims of his own. Dutton wishes to demonstrate that evolutionary psychology can provide a satisfying naturalistic explanation of aesthetic experience. Neither Davies nor Dutton fully succeeds in his ambition. Davies extends his scepticism well beyond a sensible account of the state of current knowledge about human evolution, and Dutton fails to recognize underlying theoretical differences in his main sources of theoretical inspiration. The limitations in these two works do not define the boundaries of current knowledge in evolutionary aesthetics. The most advanced and adequate concept in the evolutionary humanities is the idea that humans evolved the capacity to create imaginative virtual worlds and use those worlds to guide human behaviour. Both books being considered in this essay approach the idea of imaginative virtual worlds and almost grasp it. Before taking up that topic, the paper shall discuss two subsidiary issues: Dutton’s effort to incorporate sexual selection, and Davies’s sceptical negations about all evolutionary knowledge.

Arts Entrepreneurship Education in the UK and Germany: An Empirical Survey among Lecturers in Fine Art

Science.gov (United States)

Thom, Marco

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on the current state of arts entrepreneurship education at higher educational institutions (HEIs) in the UK and Germany. It is based on findings from questionnaire surveys among 210 lecturers in fine art at 89 HEIs in the UK and Germany. Design/methodology/approach: This paper explores issues related…

Metacognition fundaments, applications, and trends a profile of the current state-of-the-art

CERN Document Server

2015-01-01

This book is devoted to the Metacognition arena. It highlights works that show relevant analysis, reviews, theoretical, and methodological proposals, as well as studies, approaches, applications, and tools that shape current state, define trends and inspire future research. As a result of the revision process fourteen manuscripts were accepted and organized into five parts as follows: ·     Conceptual: contains conceptual works oriented to: (1) review models of strategy instruction and tailor a hybrid strategy; (2) unveil second-order judgments and define a method to assess metacognitive judgments; (3) introduces a conceptual model to describe the metacognitive activity as an autopoietic system. ·     Framework: offers three works concerned with: (4) stimulate metacognitive skills and self-regulatory functions; (5) evaluate metacognitive skills and self-regulated learning at problem solving; (6) deal with executive management metacognition and strategic knowledge metacognition. ·     Studies: r...

State of the art vs biological variability: Comparison on hematology parameters using Spanish EQAS data.

Science.gov (United States)

Molina, A; Guiñon, L; Perez, A; Segurana, A; Bedini, J L; Reverter, J C; Merino, A

2018-02-05

It is important for clinical laboratories to maintain under control the possible sources of error in its analytical determinations. The objective of this work is to perform an analysis of the total error committed by laboratories using the data extracted from the Spanish External Quality Assessment Program in Hematology and to compare them with the specifications based on the biological variability proposed by the Ricós group. We analyzed a total of 3 89 000 results during the period 2015-2016 from the following quantitative schemes of Spanish External Quality Assessment Program: complete blood count, blood coagulation tests, differential leukocyte count, reticulocytes, hemoglobin A 2 , antithrombin, factor VIII, protein C, and von Willebrand factor. It has been considered as an indicator of the current performance the value of total error that 90% of laboratories are able to achieve, taking into account 75% of their results. We found some magnitudes whose biological variability specifications are achievable by most of the laboratories for either minimum, desirable, or optimum criteria: white blood cells, red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, platelets, fibrinogen, neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, von Willebrand factor, and protein C. However, current performance for mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and hemoglobin A 2 only allows to meet the specifications based on the state of the art. Our results reflect the feasibility of establishing specifications based on biological variability criteria or the state of the art, which may help to select the proper criteria for each parameter. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

State of art of nuclear telerobots

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Ji Sup; Oh, S C; Park, Y S; Kim, K S

1997-03-01

A state-of-the-art survey on telerobotics technology for nuclear applications is made with view to provide technical data base to interested users. Most of the information are gathered from G7 countries with some addition of Korean status of development. Although the bulk of information is focussed on mobile robots, graphic simulation for man-machine interface is also included in the survey. Examples of telerobotics application to nuclear work are investigated. (author). 108 refs., 9 tabs., 64 figs

Thermoluminescence dosimetry: State-of-the-art and frontiers of future research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horowitz, Y.S.

2014-01-01

The state-of-the-art in the use of thermoluminescence for the measurement of energy imparted by ionizing radiation is discussed. Emphasis is on the advantages obtainable by the use of computerized glow curve analysis in (i) quality control, (ii) low dose environmental dosimetry, (iii) medical applications (especially precision) and microdosimetric applications, and (iv) mixed field ionization-density–dosimetry. Possible frontiers of future research are highlighted: (i) vector representation in glow curve analysis, (ii) combined OSL/TL measurements, (iii) detection of sub-ionization electrons, (iv) requirements for new TL materials and (v) theoretical subjects involving kinetic modeling invoking localized/delocalized recombination applied to dose response and track structure theory including creation of defects. - Highlights:: • State of the art in thermoluminescence dosimetry. • Benefits of computerized glow curve deconvolution. • Frontiers of future research:new materials, mixed-field dosimetry. • Localized/delocalized kinetic theory:ionization density dependence. • Kinetic theory:creation of defects:track structure theory

Clinical reappraisal and state of the art of nephropexy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mogorovich, Andrea; Selli, Cesare; De Maria, Maurizio; Manassero, Francesca; Durante, Jacopo; Urbani, Lucio

2018-04-01

The diffusion of minimally invasive techniques for renal surgery has prompted a renewed interest in nephropexy which is indicated to prevent nephroptosis in symptomatic patients and to mobilize the upper ureter downward in order to bridge a ureteral defect. Recent publications have been reviewed to present the state of the art of the diagnosis and management of these two challenging conditions and to try to foresee the next steps. The evaluation of patients with mobile kidney can be made relying on diagnostic criteria such as ultrasound with color Doppler and measurement of resistive index, conventional upright X-ray frames after a supine uro-computerized tomography scan and both static and dynamic nuclear medicine scans, always with evaluation in the sitting or erect position. Laparoscopic nephropexy emerges as the current treatment option combining both objectively controlled repositioning of the kidney and resolution of symptoms with minimal invasiveness, low morbidity, and short hospital stay. The use of robotics is presently limited by its higher cost, but may increase in the future. Downward renal mobilization and nephropexy is a safe and versatile technique which has been adopted as a unique strategy or more often in combination with other surgical maneuvers in order to cope with complex ureteral reconstruction.

Wind power forecasting : state-of-the-art 2009.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monteiro, C.; Bessa, R.; Miranda, V.; Botterud, A.; Wang, J.; Conzelmann, G.; Decision and Information Sciences; INESC Porto

2009-11-20

Many countries and regions are introducing policies aimed at reducing the environmental footprint from the energy sector and increasing the use of renewable energy. In the United States, a number of initiatives have been taken at the state level, from renewable portfolio standards (RPSs) and renewable energy certificates (RECs), to regional greenhouse gas emission control schemes. Within the U.S. Federal government, new energy and environmental policies and goals are also being crafted, and these are likely to increase the use of renewable energy substantially. The European Union is pursuing implementation of its ambitious 20/20/20 targets, which aim (by 2020) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% (as compared to 1990), increase the amount of renewable energy to 20% of the energy supply, and reduce the overall energy consumption by 20% through energy efficiency. With the current focus on energy and the environment, efficient integration of renewable energy into the electric power system is becoming increasingly important. In a recent report, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) describes a model-based scenario, in which wind energy provides 20% of the U.S. electricity demand in 2030. The report discusses a set of technical and economic challenges that have to be overcome for this scenario to unfold. In Europe, several countries already have a high penetration of wind power (i.e., in the range of 7 to 20% of electricity consumption in countries such as Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Denmark). The rapid growth in installed wind power capacity is expected to continue in the United States as well as in Europe. A large-scale introduction of wind power causes a number of challenges for electricity market and power system operators who will have to deal with the variability and uncertainty in wind power generation when making their scheduling and dispatch decisions. Wind power forecasting (WPF) is frequently identified as an important tool to address the variability and

State of the Art on Alternative Fuels in Aviation. Executive summary

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blakey, S.; Novelli, P.; Costes, P.; Bringtown, S.; Christensen, D.; Sakintuna, B.; Peineke, C.; Jongschaap, R.E.E.; Conijn, J.G.; Rutgers, B.; Valot, L.; Joubert, E.; Perelgritz, J.F.; Filogonio, A.; Roetger, T.; Prieur, A.; Starck, L.; Jeuland, N.; Bogers, P.; Midgley, R.; Bauldreay, J.; Rollin, G.; Rye, L.; Wilson, C.

2010-01-01

This paper summarises the findings from the SWAFEA preliminary state of the art study. It covers trends in aspects of future air transport, potential candidate fuels and associated feedstock along with sustainability and economical issues relevant for alternative fuels in aviation..

Cultivating Demand for the Arts: Arts Learning, Arts Engagement, and State Arts Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Zakaras, Laura; Lowell, Julia F.

2008-01-01

To shed light on the decline in demand for the nonprofit arts, the authors describe what it means to cultivate demand for the arts, examine how well U.S. institutions are serving this function, and discuss whether it is in the public interest to make such cultivation a higher priority than it has been in the past. The authors propose that a strong…

Trends in Mobile Computing: State-of-the-Art and Next Steps

CERN Document Server

CERN. Geneva

2006-01-01

Computing is moving to the edge of the network. It is becoming increasingly personal and allowing people to enjoy and express themselves in unprecedented ways. The same development allows professionals and enterprises to increase quality and productivity through improved mobility. The seminar discusses the underlying technical and societal trends and the state-of-the-art of mobile computing. Examples of current developments include the transformation of mobile devices into servers, augmented reality in mobile devices and the opportunities offered by wireless sensor networks. The fusion of the physical and digital worlds enabled by mobile computing is driving industry and society to adopt new uses of digital technologies and causing the focus of development to shift from hardware products to new services. Bio:Since 2004 Prof. Jan Bosch is working as Vice President and Head of the Software and Application Technology Laboratory of Nokia Research Centre in Helsinki, Finland. The Software & Application Tec...

Analysis and simulation of emergency departments: state of the art and prospects

OpenAIRE

Vanbrabant, Lien; Braekers, Kris; Ramaekers, Katrien

2017-01-01

This abstract gives a brief overview of the state of the art on the analysis and simulation of emergency departments in hospitals. Based on this, research opportunities which will be addressed during my PhD are identified.

Performance Measurement in Belgian Hospitals : a state-of-the-art

OpenAIRE

Van Caillie, Didier; Rouhana, Rima; Santin, Sarah

2007-01-01

This communication proposes a global state-of-the-art around the central question : "How is performance measured and controlled in Belgian hospitals. As a first step in a global research project dedicated to the use of Balanced ScoreCard in publics hospitals around the world, it is essentially focused on global economic aspects and on major macroeconomic statistics.

Survey of the state of art in robotics and artificial intelligence, Volume 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thieme, G; Lux, P; Knappmann, R J; Schmidt, U

1981-07-01

This survey presents the state of the art in robotics and AI with emphasis on control and intelligence. It gives an introduction and summary description of robots and AI, identifies main application areas in space and benefits of the new technologies. Basic methods and concepts are illustrated. The state of the art, evolution trends and problem areas are described for industrial robots and space systems. Two reference missions are used to identify space opportunities. The potential application of existing know-how to space usage is identified. Recommendations for future research and development are given to overcome the problem areas. The survey comprises inventories of relevant publications, firms and institutions and know-how.

Robot-assisted gait training for stroke patients: current state of the art and perspectives of robotics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morone G

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Giovanni Morone,1,2 Stefano Paolucci,1,2 Andrea Cherubini,3 Domenico De Angelis,1 Vincenzo Venturiero,1 Paola Coiro,1 Marco Iosa1,2 1Private Inpatient Unit, 2Clinical Laboratory of Experimental Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy; 3Department of Robotics, LIRMM UM-CNRS, Montpellier, France Abstract: In this review, we give a brief outline of robot-mediated gait training for stroke patients, as an important emerging field in rehabilitation. Technological innovations are allowing rehabilitation to move toward more integrated processes, with improved efficiency and less long-term impairments. In particular, robot-mediated neurorehabilitation is a rapidly advancing field, which uses robotic systems to define new methods for treating neurological injuries, especially stroke. The use of robots in gait training can enhance rehabilitation, but it needs to be used according to well-defined neuroscientific principles. The field of robot-mediated neurorehabilitation brings challenges to both bioengineering and clinical practice. This article reviews the state of the art (including commercially available systems and perspectives of robotics in poststroke rehabilitation for walking recovery. A critical revision, including the problems at stake regarding robotic clinical use, is also presented. Keywords: exoskeleton, neurorehabilitation, robot-assisted walking training, wearable robot, activities of daily living, motor learning, plasticity

CryoSat Plus for Oceans - analysis of the state-of-the-art

Science.gov (United States)

Naeije, Marc; Gommenginger, Christine; Moreau, Thomas; Cotton, David; Benveniste, Jerome; Dinardo Dinardo, Salvatore

2013-04-01

The CryoSat Plus for Oceans (CP4O) project is an ESA initiative carried out by a European wide consortium of altimetry experts. It aims to build a sound scientific basis for new scientific and operational applications of data coming from CryoSat-2 over the open ocean, polar ocean, coastal seas and for seafloor mapping. It also generates and evaluates new methods and products that will enable the full exploitation of the capabilities of the CryoSat-2 SIRAL altimeter, and extend their application beyond the initial mission objectives. It therefore also acts as a preparation for the upcoming Sentinel and Jason SAR enabled altimetry missions. In this paper we address the review of the CryoSat state-of-the-art, relevant current initiatives, algorithms, models and Earth Observation based products and datasets that are relevant in the Cryosat+ ocean theme. Compared to conventional (pulse-limited) altimeter missions, Cryosat-2 is not a dedicated platform for ocean research: typically the microwave radiometer (MWR) for wet tropospheric corrections is lacking, as is the direct measurement of the first order ionospheric effect by means of a dual-frequency altimeter. Also the orbit of Cryosat-2 has a rather long repetition period, unsuited for collinear tracks analyses. These three particular features have been studied already in the HERACLES project on the eve of the first CryoSat launch. We revisit the outcome of this study, update to current understanding and perception, and ultimately develop what was, is and will be proposed in these problem areas. Clearly, we question the standard ionosphere corrections, the wet troposphere corrections and the accuracy of the mean sea surface (MSS) underlying the accuracy of derived sea level anomalies. In addition, Cryosat-2 provides the first innovative altimeter with SAR and SARIn modes. This raises the direct problem of "how to process these data", simply because this has not been done before. Compared to pulse-limited altimetry it

An Assessment of State-of-the-Art Mean Sea Surface and Geoid Models of the Arctic Ocean: Implications for Sea Ice Freeboard Retrieval

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skourup, Henriette; Farrell, Sinéad Louise; Hendricks, Stefan

2017-01-01

in a given model in the high frequency domain, primarily due to unresolved gravity features, can result in errors in the estimated along-track freeboard. These errors are exacerbated in areas with a sparse lead distribution in consolidated ice pack conditions. Additionally model errors can impact ocean......State-of-the-art Arctic Ocean mean sea surface (MSS) models and global geoid models (GGMs) are used to support sea ice freeboard estimation from satellite altimeters, as well as in oceanographic studies such as mapping sea level anomalies and mean dynamic ocean topography. However, errors...... geostrophic currents, derived from satellite altimeter data, while remaining biases in these models may impact longer-term, multi-sensor oceanographic time-series of sea level change in the Arctic. This study focuses on an assessment of five state-of-the-art Arctic MSS models (UCL13/04, DTU15...

Clinical Trials of Blood Pressure Lowering and Antihypertensive Medication: is Cognitive Measurement State-Of-The-Art?

Science.gov (United States)

Elias, Merrill F; Torres, Rachael V; Davey, Adam

2018-02-22

Randomized controlled trials of blood pressure (BP) lowering and antihypertensive medication use on cognitive outcomes have often been disappointing, reporting mixed findings and small effect sizes. We evaluate the extent to which cognitive assessment protocols used in these trials approach state-of-the-art. Overall, we find that a primary focus on cognition and the systematic selection of cognitive outcomes across trials take a backseat to other trial goals. Twelve trials investigating change in cognitive functioning were examined and none met criteria for state-of-the-art assessment, including use of at least 4 tests indexing 2 cognitive domains. Four trials investigating incident dementia were also examined. Each trial used state-of-the-art diagnostic criteria to assess dementia, although follow-up periods were relatively short, with only 2 trials lasting for at least 3 years. Weaknesses in each trial may act to obscure or weaken the positive effects of BP lowering on cognitive functioning. Improving trial designs in terms of cognitive outcomes selected and length of follow-up periods employed could lead to more promising findings. We offer logical steps to achieve state-of-the-art assessment protocols, with examples, in hopes of improving future trials.

Exchange rate predictability and state-of-the-art models

OpenAIRE

Yeșin, Pınar

2016-01-01

This paper empirically evaluates the predictive performance of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) exchange rate assessments with respect to future exchange rate movements. The assessments of real trade-weighted exchange rates were conducted from 2006 to 2011, and were based on three state-of-the-art exchange rate models with a medium-term focus which were developed by the IMF. The empirical analysis using 26 advanced and emerging market economy currencies reveals that the "diagnosis" of ...

The state-of-the-art in research on Science teaching for deaf students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronaldo Santos Santana

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to highlight the state-of-the-art in research on Science teaching for deaf students from 2012 to 2017, in order to outline an overview of the latest studies in the area, as well as their trends and main considerations. For that, a state-of-the-art research was carried out and, for the construction of the data corpus, abstracts of papers published in scientific journals, course conclusion papers, Masters thesis and Doctoral dissertations were used. From the data analysis, categories were elaborated and trends and challenges in the field were made explicit. The results demonstrate that research in this field is in imminent growth and they are being articulated to the theoretical frameworks that underpin the teaching of Science for hearing students.

Wastewater treatment modelling in practice: a collaborative discussion of the state of the art.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, H M; Sahlstedt, K E; Frank, K; Bratby, J; Brennan, W; Rogowski, S; Pier, D; Anderson, W; Mulas, M; Copp, J B; Shirodkar, N

2009-01-01

Three consulting teams conducted independent modelling projects for three different wastewater treatment plants ranging in size from approximately 113,800 m(3)/d (30 mgd) to 530,000 m(3)/d (140 mgd), in different parts of the world (USA and Finland). The plants have different treatment objectives ranging from nitrification and partial denitrification (nitrate plus nitrite BioWin), and a variation of the Dold model methanol degradation capabilities (NGmeth within GPS-X). The authors compare and contrast the modelling approaches taken, including calibration and validation approaches, sensitivity analyses, and the application of results to full-scale studies, designs and operations. Despite several differences between the approaches, there are many similarities which are discussed in light of the IWA draft uniform protocol for activated sludge modelling. The authors also discuss current modelling limitations and offer suggestions to improve the state of the art.

State of art in FE-based fuel performance codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyo Chan; Yang, Yong Sik; Kim, Dae Ho; Bang, Je Geon; Kim, Sun Ki; Koo, Yang Hyun

2013-01-01

Finite element (FE) method that is reliable and proven solution in mechanical field has been introduced into fuel performance codes for multidimensional analysis. The present state of the art in numerical simulation of FE-based fuel performance predominantly involves 2-D axisymmetric model and 3-D volumetric model. The FRAPCON and FRAPTRAN own 1.5-D and 2-D FE model to simulate PCMI and cladding ballooning. In 2-D simulation, the FALCON code, developed by EPRI, is a 2-D (R-Z and R-θ) fully thermal-mechanically coupled steady-state and transient FE-based fuel behavior code. The French codes TOUTATIS and ALCYONE which are 3-D, and typically used to investigate localized behavior. In 2008, the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has been developing multidimensional (2-D and 3-D) nuclear fuel performance code called BISON. In this paper, the current state of FE-based fuel performance code and their models are presented. Based on investigation into the codes, requirements and direction of development for new FE-based fuel performance code can be discussed. Based on comparison of models in FE-based fuel performance code, status of art in the codes can be discussed. A new FE-based fuel performance code should include typical pellet and cladding models which all codes own. In particular, specified pellet and cladding model such as gaseous swelling and high burnup structure (HBS) model should be developed to improve accuracy of code as well as consider AC condition. To reduce computation cost, the approximated gap and the optimized contact model should be also developed. Nuclear fuel operates in an extreme environment that induces complex multiphysics phenomena, occurring over distances ranging from inter-atomic spacing to meters, and times scales ranging from microseconds to years. This multiphysics behavior is often tightly coupled, a well known example being the thermomechanical behavior. Adding to this complexity, important aspects of fuel behavior are inherently

State-of-the-Art Methods for Brain Tissue Segmentation: A Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dora, Lingraj; Agrawal, Sanjay; Panda, Rutuparna; Abraham, Ajith

2017-01-01

Brain tissue segmentation is one of the most sought after research areas in medical image processing. It provides detailed quantitative brain analysis for accurate disease diagnosis, detection, and classification of abnormalities. It plays an essential role in discriminating healthy tissues from lesion tissues. Therefore, accurate disease diagnosis and treatment planning depend merely on the performance of the segmentation method used. In this review, we have studied the recent advances in brain tissue segmentation methods and their state-of-the-art in neuroscience research. The review also highlights the major challenges faced during tissue segmentation of the brain. An effective comparison is made among state-of-the-art brain tissue segmentation methods. Moreover, a study of some of the validation measures to evaluate different segmentation methods is also discussed. The brain tissue segmentation, content in terms of methodologies, and experiments presented in this review are encouraging enough to attract researchers working in this field.

Selected examples of intelligent (micro) sensor systems: state-of-the-art and tendencies

Science.gov (United States)

Hauptmann, Peter R.

2006-03-01

The capability of intelligent sensors to have more intelligence built into them continues to drive their application in areas including automotive, aerospace and defense, industrial, intelligent house and wear, medical and homeland security. In principle it is difficult to overestimate the importance of intelligent (micro) sensors or sensor systems within advanced societies but one characteristic feature is the global market for sensors, which is now about 20 billion annually. Therefore sensors or sensor systems play a dominant role in many fields from the macro sensor in manufacturing industry down to the miniaturized sensor for medical applications. The diversity of sensors precludes a complete description of the state-of-the-art; selected examples will illustrate the current situation. MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) devices are of special interest in the context of micro sensor systems. In past the main requirements of a sensor were in terms of metrological performance. The electrical (or optical) signal produced by the sensor needed to match the measure relatively accurately. Such basic functionality is no longer sufficient. Data processing near the sensor, the extraction of more information than just the direct sensor information by signal analysis, system aspects and multi-sensor information are the new demands. A shifting can be observed away from aiming to design perfect single-function transducers and towards the utilization of system-based sensors as system components. In the ideal case such systems contain sensors, actuators and electronics. They can be realized in monolithic, hybrid or discrete form—which kind is used depends on the application. In this article the state-of-the-art of intelligent sensors or sensor systems is reviewed using selected examples. Future trends are deduced.

ARIA: Delivering state-of-the-art InSAR products to end users

Science.gov (United States)

Agram, P. S.; Owen, S. E.; Hua, H.; Manipon, G.; Sacco, G. F.; Bue, B. D.; Fielding, E. J.; Yun, S. H.; Simons, M.; Webb, F.; Rosen, P. A.; Lundgren, P.; Liu, Z.

2016-12-01

Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis (ARIA) Center for Natural Hazards aims to bring state-of-the-art geodetic imaging capabilities to an operational level in support of local, national, and international hazard response communities. ARIA project's first foray into operational generation of InSAR products was with Calimap Project, in collaboration with ASI-CIDOT, using X-band data from the Cosmo-SkyMed constellation. Over the last year, ARIA's processing infrastructure has been significantly upgraded to exploit the free stream of high quality C-band SAR data from ESA's Sentinel-1 mission and related algorithmic improvements to the ISCE software. ARIA's data system can now operationally generate geocoded unwrapped phase and coherence products in GIS-friendly formats from Sentinel-1 TOPS mode data in an automated fashion, and this capability is currently being exercised various study sites across the United States including Hawaii, Central California, Iceland and South America. The ARIA team, building on the experience gained from handling X-band data and C-band data, has also built an automated machine learning-based classifier to label the auto-generated interferograms based on phase unwrapping quality. These high quality "time-series ready" InSAR products generated using state-of-the-art processing algorithms can be accessed by end users using two different mechanisms - 1) a Faceted-search interface that includes browse imagery for quick visualization and 2) an ElasticSearch-based API to enable bulk automated download, post-processing and time-series analysis. In this talk, we will present InSAR results from various global events that ARIA system has responded to. We will also discuss the set of geospatial big data tools including GIS libraries and API tools, that end users will need to familiarize themselves with in order to maximize the utilization of continuous stream of InSAR products from the Sentinel-1 and NISAR missions that the ARIA project will generate.

State-of-the-art computer technologies used to train nuclear specialists and to conduct research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korovin, Yu.A.; Tikhonenko, A.V.

2011-01-01

The paper discusses innovative methods used in the process of training nuclear specialists and conducting research which are based on state-of-the-art computer technologies. The approach proposed makes wide use of mathematical modeling and state-of-the-art programming techniques. It is based on the development, improvement and application of problem-oriented computer codes to support the teaching process and to solve fundamental and applied problems of nuclear physics and nuclear engineering.

Design of State-of-the-art Flow Cells for Energy Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Ping [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2018-01-29

The worldwide energy demand is increasing every day and it necessitates rational and efficient usage of renewable energy. Undoubtedly, utilization of renewable energy can address various environmental challenges. However, all current renewable energy resources (wind, solar, and hydroelectric power) are intermittent and fluctuating in their nature that raises an important question of introducing effective energy storage solutions. Utilization of redox flow cells (RFCs) has recently been recognized as a viable technology for large-scale energy storage and, hence, is well suited for integrating renewable energy and balancing electricity grids. In brief, RFC is an electrochemical storage device (Fig. 1), where energy is stored in chemical bonds, similar to a battery, but with reactants external to the cell. The state-of-the-art in flow cell technology uses an aqueous acidic electrolyte and simple metal redox couples. Several of these systems have been commercialized although current technologies, such as vanadium (V) and zinc-bromine (Zn-Br₂) RFCs, for grid level energy storage, suffer from a number of drawbacks, i.e. expensive and resource-limited active materials (vanadium RFCc), and low current performance (Zn-Br₂ RFCs due to Zn dendrite formation). Thus, there is an urgent call to develop efficient (high-energy density) and low-cost RFCs to meet the efflorescent energy storage demands. Approach: To address the first challenge of achieving high-energy density, we plan to design and further modify complexes composed of bifunctional multidentate ligands and specific metal centers, capable of storing as many electrons as possible.

State-of-the-art of biodegradable composite materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baley, Ch.; Grohens, Y.; Pillin, I.

2004-01-01

Nowadays, the market demand for environment friendly materials is in strong growth. The biodegradable composites (biodegradable fibres and polymers) mainly extracted from renewable resources will be a major contributor to the production of new industrial high performance products partially solving the problem of waste management. At the end of the lifetime, a structural bio-composite could be be crushed and recycled through a controlled industrial composting process. This the state-of-the-art report focuses on the biopolymers the vegetable fibres properties, the mechanisms of biodegradation and the examples of biodegradable composites. Eco-design of new products requires these new materials for which a life cycle analysis is nevertheless necessary to validate their environmental benefits. (authors)

INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL, A STATE-OF-THE-ART REPORT

Science.gov (United States)

The objective of the study was to compile relevant background and interpretive material and prepare a state-of-the-art report which would put the...to-person communications. Section III presents basic IS and R concepts and techniques. It traces the history of traditional librarianship through...the process of communication between the originators and users of information. Section V categorizes the information system operations required to

The role of physical processes controlling the behaviour of radionuclide contaminants in the aquatic environment: a review of state-of-the-art modelling approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monte, Luigi; Perianez, Raul; Boyer, Patrick; Smith, Jim T.; Brittain, John E.

2009-01-01

This paper is aimed at presenting and discussing the methodologies implemented in state-of-the-art models for predicting the physical processes of radionuclide migration through the aquatic environment, including transport due to water currents, diffusion, settling and re-suspension. Models are briefly described, model parameter values reviewed and values recommended. The different modelling approaches are briefly classified and the advantages and disadvantages of the various model approaches and methodologies are assessed.

MRI Sequences in Head & Neck Radiology - State of the Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Widmann, Gerlig; Henninger, Benjamin; Kremser, Christian; Jaschke, Werner

2017-05-01

Background  Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an essential imaging modality for the evaluation of head & neck pathologies. However, the diagnostic power of MRI is strongly related to the appropriate selection and interpretation of imaging protocols and sequences. The aim of this article is to review state-of-the-art sequences for the clinical routine in head & neck MRI and to describe the evidence for which medical question these sequences and techniques are useful. Method  Literature review of state-of-the-art sequences in head & neck MRI. Results and Conclusion  Basic sequences (T1w, T2w, T1wC+) and fat suppression techniques (TIRM/STIR, Dixon, Spectral Fat sat) are important tools in the diagnostic workup of inflammation, congenital lesions and tumors including staging. Additional sequences (SSFP (CISS, FIESTA), SPACE, VISTA, 3D-FLAIR) are used for pathologies of the cranial nerves, labyrinth and evaluation of endolymphatic hydrops in Menière's disease. Vessel and perfusion sequences (3D-TOF, TWIST/TRICKS angiography, DCE) are used in vascular contact syndromes, vascular malformations and analysis of microvascular parameters of tissue perfusion. Diffusion-weighted imaging (EPI-DWI, non-EPI-DWI, RESOLVE) is helpful in cholesteatoma imaging, estimation of malignancy, and evaluation of treatment response and posttreatment recurrence in head & neck cancer. Understanding of MRI sequences and close collaboration with referring physicians improves the diagnostic confidence of MRI in the daily routine and drives further research in this fascinating image modality. Key Points:   · Understanding of MRI sequences is essential for the correct and reliable interpretation of MRI findings.. · MRI protocols have to be carefully selected based on relevant clinical information.. · Close collaboration with referring physicians improves the output obtained from the diagnostic possibilities of MRI.. Citation Format · Widmann G, Henninger B, Kremser C et�

art and culture administration in Edo State

African Journals Online (AJOL)

imitch

its environment the social, political, economic, aesthetic and religious norms and .... December, 2009, the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism did organize a well ... and Social Welfare Departments and the mass media in the state so that the ...

Laser Beam Machining (LBM), State of the Art and New Opportunities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, J.

2004-01-01

An overview is given of the state of the art of laser beam machining in general with special emphasis on applications of short and ultrashort lasers. In laser welding the trend is to apply optical sensors for process control. Laser surface treatment is mostly used to apply corrosion and wear

Establishment of database and network for research of stream generator and state of the art technology review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Jae Bong; Hur, Nam Su; Moon, Seong In; Seo, Hyeong Won; Park, Bo Kyu; Park, Sung Ho; Kim, Hyung Geun [Sungkyunkwan Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2004-02-15

A significant number of steam generator tubes are defective and are removed from service or repaired world widely. This wide spread damage has been caused by diverse degradation mechanisms, some of which are difficult to detect and predict. Regarding domestic nuclear power plants, also, the increase of number of operating nuclear power plants and operating periods may result in the increase of steam generator tube failure. So, it is important to carry out the integrity evaluation process to prevent the steam generator tube damage. There are two objectives of this research. The one is to make database for the research of steam generator at domestic research institution. It will increase the efficiency and capability of limited domestic research resources by sharing data and information through network organization. Also, it will enhance the current standard of integrity evaluation procedure that is considerably conservative but can be more reasonable. The second objective is to establish the standard integrity evaluation procedure for steam generator tube by reviewing state of the art technology. The research resources related to steam generator tubes are managed by the established web-based database system. The following topics are covered in this project: development of web-based network for research on steam generator tubes review of state of the art technology.

Establishment of database and network for research of stream generator and state of the art technology review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Jae Bong; Hur, Nam Su; Moon, Seong In; Seo, Hyeong Won; Park, Bo Kyu; Park, Sung Ho; Kim, Hyung Geun

2004-02-01

A significant number of steam generator tubes are defective and are removed from service or repaired world widely. This wide spread damage has been caused by diverse degradation mechanisms, some of which are difficult to detect and predict. Regarding domestic nuclear power plants, also, the increase of number of operating nuclear power plants and operating periods may result in the increase of steam generator tube failure. So, it is important to carry out the integrity evaluation process to prevent the steam generator tube damage. There are two objectives of this research. The one is to make database for the research of steam generator at domestic research institution. It will increase the efficiency and capability of limited domestic research resources by sharing data and information through network organization. Also, it will enhance the current standard of integrity evaluation procedure that is considerably conservative but can be more reasonable. The second objective is to establish the standard integrity evaluation procedure for steam generator tube by reviewing state of the art technology. The research resources related to steam generator tubes are managed by the established web-based database system. The following topics are covered in this project: development of web-based network for research on steam generator tubes review of state of the art technology

The state of the art in intrusion prevention and detection

CERN Document Server

Pathan, Al-Sakib Khan

2013-01-01

The State of the Art in Intrusion Prevention and Detection analyzes the latest trends and issues surrounding intrusion detection systems in computer networks, especially in communications networks. Its broad scope of coverage includes wired, wireless, and mobile networks; next-generation converged networks; and intrusion in social networks.Presenting cutting-edge research, the book presents novel schemes for intrusion detection and prevention. It discusses tracing back mobile attackers, secure routing with intrusion prevention, anomaly detection, and AI-based techniques. It also includes infor

Radiation nursery and occupational exposure: state-of-art; Enfermagem radiologica e os riscos ocupacionais: estado da arte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Melo, J.A.C.; Huhn, A.; Viana, E.; Rosa, G., E-mail: julianac@ifsc.edu.br [Instituto Federal de Educaco, Ciencia e Tecnologia de Santa Catarina (IFSC), Florianopolis (Brazil); Luz, K.R. [Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianopolis (Brazil); Derech, R. [Prefeitura Municipal de Florianopolis, SC (Brazil)

2015-07-01

Documentary research with the aim to reflect on the state of the art in radiological nursing, on the nursing work and occupational hazards they are exposed, from articles produced in Brazil. The survey was conducted in the BVS, the study consisted of seven articles published from 2002 to 2012. Regarding the main variables studied in the articles, issues emerged related to working conditions and biosafety, performance of nurses, legislation, continuing education and difficulties and needs of nursing staff . It was noticed that is recent the interest in the field, but the work of nurses in radiological technologies must be grounded in current scientific knowledge and with proper technique, to the achievement of the desired clinical outcome and to promote their safety, the team and also the patient. (author)

State-of-the-art methodology of forest inventory: a symposium proceedings.

Science.gov (United States)

Vernon J. LaBau; Tiberius Cunia

1990-01-01

The state-of-the-art of forest inventory methodology, being closely integrated with the fast-moving, high technology computer world, has been changing at a rapid pace over the past decade. Several successful conferences were held during the 1980s with the goal and purpose of staying abreast of such change. This symposium was conceived, not just with the idea of helping...

FIPRED state of art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohai, D.; Meleg, T.; Dumitrescu, I.; Benga, D.

2009-01-01

Full text: The paper presents the FIPRED (Fission Product Release from Debris Bed) Project state of art (UO 2 sintered pellets oxidation). The FIPRED Project is dedicated to the study of the fission products released from irradiated pellets present in debris bed. The fission product release is produced by oxidative self disintegration of sintered pellets at air ingress and it depends on temperature. The experimental program covered experiments of 300-1400 deg. C in air diluted with nitrogen at different concentrations of oxygen and different steam-air mixture. The experiments were performed using the SETARAM thermo-gravimetric equipment and the FIPRED EQ equipment designed and manufactured especially for this type of experiment. The powders (fragments), resulted from UO 2 pellets self disintegration, were characterized by sieving and SEM. The self disintegration mechanism was demonstrated using the experimental result obtained and thermodynamically data of uranium oxides. (authors)

State of the art of durability-performance evaluation of hardened cement based on phase compositions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurashige, Isao; Imoto, Harutake; Yamamoto, Takeshi; Hironaga, Michihiko

2006-01-01

Upgrading durability-performance evaluation technique for concrete is urgently demanded in connection to its application to radio-active waste repository which needs ultra long-term durability. Common concrete structures also require an advanced method for minimizing the life-cycle cost. The purpose of this research is to investigate current problems and future tasks on durability-performance evaluation of hardened cement from the view point of phase composition. Although the phase composition of hardened cement has not fully been reflected to durability-performance evaluation, it influences concrete durability as well as its pore structure. This report reviews state of the art of the factors affecting phase composition, analytical and experimental evaluation techniques for phase composition, and durability-performance evaluation methods of hardened cement based on phase composition. (author)

Native American Arts and Crafts of the United States. Bibliography 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Indian Arts and Crafts Board, Washington, DC.

The selected readings listed in this annotated bibliography are suggested as an introduction to the varied arts and crafts created from prehistoric to modern times by Native American peoples of the United States. The publications are organized by culture area to encompass major media practiced by Native American artists and craftsmen of these…

Instantaneous Project Controls: Current Status, State of the Art, Benefits, and Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Abbaszadegan, Amin

2016-01-01

Despite advancements in construction and construction-related technology, capital project performance deviations, typically overruns, remain endemic within the capital projects industry. Currently, management is generally unaware of the current status of their projects, and thus monitoring and control of projects are not achieved effectively. In…

English Language Teaching Methods: State of the Art in Grammar Instruction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rusdiana Junaid

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The teaching of grammar has fluctuated and shifted over years. This paper addresses issues such as different ways of teaching grammar, changes in ideas, and practices at the present stage of its development as well as the current state of the art in grammar instruction. Several grammar textbooks which were published in different years also are looked at in order to discover the extent of change in terms of the materials used to teach grammar from time to time. A considerable array of English language teaching methods is available for teacher to utilize since 1980s. Before deciding to employ a particular method, however, educational practitioners need to take several things into consideration such as the objectives of the instruction, the needs, the interests, the expectation, the age, and the level of the learners, and the available supporting facilities. Equally important, the possible constraints such as the environment where the students are learning, the time, and the expectation of the institution are also needed to be considered.

State Arts Agencies 1965-2003. Whose Interests to Serve?

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Lowell, Julia

2004-01-01

... (referred to as state arts agencies, or SAAs). In fiscal year (FY) 2003, a record 43 of 56 SAAs reported year-over-year declines in the general fund appropriations budgeted to them by their state legislatures...

Partitioning and transmutation. A review of the current state of the art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skaalberg, M.; Liljenzin, J.O.

1992-10-01

The recent development in the field of partitioning and transmutation (P-T) of long-lived radioactive waste nuclides from nuclear power production is reviewed and evaluated. Current national and international R and D plans are summarized. It is concluded that P-T is technically feasible but much R and D remains to be done before it is technically mature. At present there seems to be no economic gain from P-T as compared to direct disposal of spent nuclear fuel. There seems only to be an insignificant reduction in future radiation doses by P-T when compared to current disposal plans. However, future long term research may perhaps change these conclusions. Therefore the further development in this area should be followed. Some areas where a limited research by Swedish scientists could be worthwhile are indicated. (255 refs.) (au)

State-of-the-art report on radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larsson, A.

1989-01-01

In view of the considerable work required to develop repositories for radioactive waste, an extensive international co-operation has evolved within the area. The work has also engaged the IAEA to a great extent. The Agency has published a number of reports, covering different aspects of waste disposal. Following a recommendation by its Technical Review Committee on Underground Disposal (TRCUD) the Agency will publish a ''state-of-the-art'' report on radioactive waste disposal. The report is still in the preparation stage. In this article the principal subjects of the future report are discussed

Pragmatics: The State of the Art: An Online Interview with Keith Allan

Science.gov (United States)

Allan, Keith; Salmani Nodoushan, Mohammad Ali

2015-01-01

This interview was conducted with Professor Keith Allan with the aim of providing a brief but informative summary of the state of the art of pragmatics. In providing answers to the interview questions, Professor Allan begins with a definition of pragmatics as it is practiced today, i.e., the study of the meanings of utterances with attention to…

Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors from basis to state-of-the-art applications

CERN Document Server

Reig, Candid; Mukhopadhyay, Subhas Chandra

2013-01-01

Since the discovery of the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect in 1988, spintronics has been presented as a new technology paradigm, awarded by the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2007. Initially used in read heads of hard disk drives, and while disputing a piece of the market to the flash memories, GMR devices have broadened their range of usage by growing towards magnetic field sensing applications in a huge range of scenarios. Potential applications at the time of the discovery have become real in the last two decades. Definitively, GMR was born to stand. In this sense, selected successful approaches of GMR based sensors in different applications: space, automotive, microelectronics, biotechnology … are collected in the present book. While keeping a practical orientation, the fundamentals as well as the current trends and challenges of this technology are also analyzed. In this sense, state of the art contributions from academy and industry can be found through the contents. This book can be used by starting ...

State-of-the-Art in GPU-Based Large-Scale Volume Visualization

KAUST Repository

Beyer, Johanna

2015-05-01

This survey gives an overview of the current state of the art in GPU techniques for interactive large-scale volume visualization. Modern techniques in this field have brought about a sea change in how interactive visualization and analysis of giga-, tera- and petabytes of volume data can be enabled on GPUs. In addition to combining the parallel processing power of GPUs with out-of-core methods and data streaming, a major enabler for interactivity is making both the computational and the visualization effort proportional to the amount and resolution of data that is actually visible on screen, i.e. \\'output-sensitive\\' algorithms and system designs. This leads to recent output-sensitive approaches that are \\'ray-guided\\', \\'visualization-driven\\' or \\'display-aware\\'. In this survey, we focus on these characteristics and propose a new categorization of GPU-based large-scale volume visualization techniques based on the notions of actual output-resolution visibility and the current working set of volume bricks-the current subset of data that is minimally required to produce an output image of the desired display resolution. Furthermore, we discuss the differences and similarities of different rendering and data traversal strategies in volume rendering by putting them into a common context-the notion of address translation. For our purposes here, we view parallel (distributed) visualization using clusters as an orthogonal set of techniques that we do not discuss in detail but that can be used in conjunction with what we present in this survey. © 2015 The Eurographics Association and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

State-of-the-Art in GPU-Based Large-Scale Volume Visualization

KAUST Repository

Beyer, Johanna; Hadwiger, Markus; Pfister, Hanspeter

2015-01-01

This survey gives an overview of the current state of the art in GPU techniques for interactive large-scale volume visualization. Modern techniques in this field have brought about a sea change in how interactive visualization and analysis of giga-, tera- and petabytes of volume data can be enabled on GPUs. In addition to combining the parallel processing power of GPUs with out-of-core methods and data streaming, a major enabler for interactivity is making both the computational and the visualization effort proportional to the amount and resolution of data that is actually visible on screen, i.e. 'output-sensitive' algorithms and system designs. This leads to recent output-sensitive approaches that are 'ray-guided', 'visualization-driven' or 'display-aware'. In this survey, we focus on these characteristics and propose a new categorization of GPU-based large-scale volume visualization techniques based on the notions of actual output-resolution visibility and the current working set of volume bricks-the current subset of data that is minimally required to produce an output image of the desired display resolution. Furthermore, we discuss the differences and similarities of different rendering and data traversal strategies in volume rendering by putting them into a common context-the notion of address translation. For our purposes here, we view parallel (distributed) visualization using clusters as an orthogonal set of techniques that we do not discuss in detail but that can be used in conjunction with what we present in this survey. © 2015 The Eurographics Association and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

State of the art in power cable design, failure mechanisms and testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orton, H.

2005-01-01

This presentation describes state of the art in power cable design, failure mechanisms and testing. It gives a history of cable usage and design of cables, describes different cable types, assessment of the condition of cables, aging and failures, testing and diagnostics

Macro-defect free cements. State of art

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holanda, J.N.F.; Povoa, G.E.A.M.; Souza, G.P.; Pinatti, D.G.

1998-01-01

The purpose of this work is to prevent a state of art about macro-defect-free cement pastes (MDF cement ) of high mechanical strength. This new type of cement paste is obtained through addition of a water-soluble polymer, followed by intense shear mixing and application of low compacting pressure. It is presented fundamental aspects related to the processing of this MDF paste, as well as its main properties and applications are discussed. (author)

Description of occupant behaviour in building energy simulation: state-of-art and concepts for improvements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fabi, Valentina; Andersen, Rune Vinther; Corgnati, Stefano Paolo

2011-01-01

of basic assumptions that affect the results. Therefore, the calculated energy performance may differ significantly from the real energy consumption. One of the key reasons is the current inability to properly model occupant behaviour and to quantify the associated uncertainties in building performance...... predictions. By consequence, a better description of parameters related to occupant behaviour is highly required. In this paper, the state of art in occupant behaviour modelling within energy simulation tools is analysed and some concepts related to possible improvements of simulation tools are proposed...

Bidirectional Texture Function Modeling: State of the Art Survey

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Filip, Jiří; Haindl, Michal

2009-01-01

Roč. 31, č. 11 (2009), s. 1921-1940 ISSN 0162-8828 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1M0572; GA ČR GA102/08/0593; GA AV ČR 1ET400750407 Grant - others:EC Marie Curie(BE) 41358; GA MŠk(CZ) 2C06019 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10750506 Keywords : BTF * surface texture * 3D texture Subject RIV: BD - Theory of Information Impact factor: 4.378, year: 2009 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2009/RO/filip-bidirectional texture function modeling state of the art survey.pdf

EVALUATION OF THE STATE-OF-THE-ART CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT TRANSPORT AND FATE MODELING SYSTEM

Science.gov (United States)

Modeling approaches for evaluating the transport and fate of sediment and associated contaminants are briefly reviewed. The main emphasis is on: 1) the application of EFDC (Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code), the state-of-the-art contaminated sediment transport and fate public do...

An Inquiry of How Art Education Policies Are Reflected in Art Teacher Preparation: Examining the Standards for Visual Arts and Art Teacher Certification

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Kyungeun

2017-01-01

Policy changes influence various aspects of art education such as K-12 art education curricula, state licensure systems, and contexts of art teacher preparation. Despite strong relationships between art education policy and practical fields, few studies have attempted to understand art education from the perspective of policy analysis. This study…