Statistical Multipath Model Based on Experimental GNSS Data in Static Urban Canyon Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuze Wang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available A deep understanding of multipath characteristics is essential to design signal simulators and receivers in global navigation satellite system applications. As a new constellation is deployed and more applications occur in the urban environment, the statistical multipath models of navigation signal need further study. In this paper, we present statistical distribution models of multipath time delay, multipath power attenuation, and multipath fading frequency based on the experimental data in the urban canyon environment. The raw data of multipath characteristics are obtained by processing real navigation signal to study the statistical distribution. By fitting the statistical data, it shows that the probability distribution of time delay follows a gamma distribution which is related to the waiting time of Poisson distributed events. The fading frequency follows an exponential distribution, and the mean of multipath power attenuation decreases linearly with an increasing time delay. In addition, the detailed statistical characteristics for different elevations and orbits satellites is studied, and the parameters of each distribution are quite different. The research results give useful guidance for navigation simulator and receiver designers.

Ultrasonic imaging of material flaws exploiting multipath information

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Xizhong; Zhang, Yimin D.; Demirli, Ramazan; Amin, Moeness G.

2011-05-01

In this paper, we consider ultrasonic imaging for the visualization of flaws in a material. Ultrasonic imaging is a powerful nondestructive testing (NDT) tool which assesses material conditions via the detection, localization, and classification of flaws inside a structure. Multipath exploitations provide extended virtual array apertures and, in turn, enhance imaging capability beyond the limitation of traditional multisensor approaches. We utilize reflections of ultrasonic signals which occur when encountering different media and interior discontinuities. The waveforms observed at the physical as well as virtual sensors yield additional measurements corresponding to different aspect angles. Exploitation of multipath information addresses unique issues observed in ultrasonic imaging. (1) Utilization of physical and virtual sensors significantly extends the array aperture for image enhancement. (2) Multipath signals extend the angle of view of the narrow beamwidth of the ultrasound transducers, allowing improved visibility and array design flexibility. (3) Ultrasonic signals experience difficulty in penetrating a flaw, thus the aspect angle of the observation is limited unless access to other sides is available. The significant extension of the aperture makes it possible to yield flaw observation from multiple aspect angles. We show that data fusion of physical and virtual sensor data significantly improves the detection and localization performance. The effectiveness of the proposed multipath exploitation approach is demonstrated through experimental studies.

Effect of travel distance on household demand for typhoid vaccines: implications for planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dohyeong; Lauria, Donald T; Poulos, Christine; Dong, Baiqing; Whittington, Dale

2014-01-01

Typhoid fever causes millions of illnesses and hundreds of thousands of deaths yearly. Vaccinations would mitigate this problem, but the users would probably have to pay some or most of the cost. Several willingness-to-pay studies have assessed the effect of price on private demand to provide a basis for financial planning of campaigns, but the effect of travel distance, which is a potentially important determinant of demand, has not been studied. This paper thus has two objectives: (i) conduct a willingness-to-pay survey to assess the effects of distance, price and other variables on the private demand for typhoid vaccinations in a rural township of China where a campaign is under consideration; and (ii) embed the demand function in a mathematical model to address three planning questions; should each village have its own clinic, would one clinic be best or should the number of clinics be something in-between? Private vaccine demand was found to depend on and be inelastic with respect to both price and travel distance. A 1-km increase in distance caused the number of vaccinations demanded to decrease the same as a $0.5 increase in price. Thus, the marginal rate of substitution was $0.5 per km. A single clinic would be best for the township only if diseconomies of scale in supplying vaccinations exceeded the marginal rate of substitution. Otherwise, multiple clinics close to users would be optimal. Thus, deciding the number, location and capacities of clinics for vaccination planning is as important as deciding what price(s) to charge. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Multipath Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks: Survey and Research Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Radi, Marjan; Dezfouli, Behnam; Bakar, Kamalrulnizam Abu; Lee, Malrey

2012-01-01

A wireless sensor network is a large collection of sensor nodes with limited power supply and constrained computational capability. Due to the restricted communication range and high density of sensor nodes, packet forwarding in sensor networks is usually performed through multi-hop data transmission. Therefore, routing in wireless sensor networks has been considered an important field of research over the past decade. Nowadays, multipath routing approach is widely used in wireless sensor networks to improve network performance through efficient utilization of available network resources. Accordingly, the main aim of this survey is to present the concept of the multipath routing approach and its fundamental challenges, as well as the basic motivations for utilizing this technique in wireless sensor networks. In addition, we present a comprehensive taxonomy on the existing multipath routing protocols, which are especially designed for wireless sensor networks. We highlight the primary motivation behind the development of each protocol category and explain the operation of different protocols in detail, with emphasis on their advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, this paper compares and summarizes the state-of-the-art multipath routing techniques from the network application point of view. Finally, we identify open issues for further research in the development of multipath routing protocols for wireless sensor networks. PMID:22368490

Multipath routing in wireless sensor networks: survey and research challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Radi, Marjan; Dezfouli, Behnam; Abu Bakar, Kamalrulnizam; Lee, Malrey

2012-01-01

A wireless sensor network is a large collection of sensor nodes with limited power supply and constrained computational capability. Due to the restricted communication range and high density of sensor nodes, packet forwarding in sensor networks is usually performed through multi-hop data transmission. Therefore, routing in wireless sensor networks has been considered an important field of research over the past decade. Nowadays, multipath routing approach is widely used in wireless sensor networks to improve network performance through efficient utilization of available network resources. Accordingly, the main aim of this survey is to present the concept of the multipath routing approach and its fundamental challenges, as well as the basic motivations for utilizing this technique in wireless sensor networks. In addition, we present a comprehensive taxonomy on the existing multipath routing protocols, which are especially designed for wireless sensor networks. We highlight the primary motivation behind the development of each protocol category and explain the operation of different protocols in detail, with emphasis on their advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, this paper compares and summarizes the state-of-the-art multipath routing techniques from the network application point of view. Finally, we identify open issues for further research in the development of multipath routing protocols for wireless sensor networks.

Code Tracking Algorithms for Mitigating Multipath Effects in Fading Channels for Satellite-Based Positioning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Markku Renfors

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The ever-increasing public interest in location and positioning services has originated a demand for higher performance global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs. In order to achieve this incremental performance, the estimation of line-of-sight (LOS delay with high accuracy is a prerequisite for all GNSSs. The delay lock loops (DLLs and their enhanced variants (i.e., feedback code tracking loops are the structures of choice for the commercial GNSS receivers, but their performance in severe multipath scenarios is still rather limited. In addition, the new satellite positioning system proposals specify the use of a new modulation, the binary offset carrier (BOC modulation, which triggers a new challenge in the code tracking stage. Therefore, in order to meet this emerging challenge and to improve the accuracy of the delay estimation in severe multipath scenarios, this paper analyzes feedback as well as feedforward code tracking algorithms and proposes the peak tracking (PT methods, which are combinations of both feedback and feedforward structures and utilize the inherent advantages of both structures. We propose and analyze here two variants of PT algorithm: PT with second-order differentiation (Diff2, and PT with Teager Kaiser (TK operator, which will be denoted herein as PT(Diff2 and PT(TK, respectively. In addition to the proposal of the PT methods, the authors propose also an improved early-late-slope (IELS multipath elimination technique which is shown to provide very good mean-time-to-lose-lock (MTLL performance. An implementation of a noncoherent multipath estimating delay locked loop (MEDLL structure is also presented. We also incorporate here an extensive review of the existing feedback and feedforward delay estimation algorithms for direct sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA signals in satellite fading channels, by taking into account the impact of binary phase shift keying (BPSK as well as the newly proposed BOC modulation

A novel communication mechanism based on node potential multi-path routing

Science.gov (United States)

Bu, Youjun; Zhang, Chuanhao; Jiang, YiMing; Zhang, Zhen

2016-10-01

With the network scales rapidly and new network applications emerge frequently, bandwidth supply for today's Internet could not catch up with the rapid increasing requirements. Unfortunately, irrational using of network sources makes things worse. Actual network deploys single-next-hop optimization paths for data transmission, but such "best effort" model leads to the imbalance use of network resources and usually leads to local congestion. On the other hand Multi-path routing can use the aggregation bandwidth of multi paths efficiently and improve the robustness of network, security, load balancing and quality of service. As a result, multi-path has attracted much attention in the routing and switching research fields and many important ideas and solutions have been proposed. This paper focuses on implementing the parallel transmission of multi next-hop data, balancing the network traffic and reducing the congestion. It aimed at exploring the key technologies of the multi-path communication network, which could provide a feasible academic support for subsequent applications of multi-path communication networking. It proposed a novel multi-path algorithm based on node potential in the network. And the algorithm can fully use of the network link resource and effectively balance network link resource utilization.

OpenVPN and Multipath TCP

OpenAIRE

Paulus, Aloïs

2015-01-01

Testing the performances of using Multipath TCP and OpenVPN on a consumer grade router to aggregate multiple Internet connections and provide a fast and reliable connection to individuals and small companies. Master [60] en sciences informatiques, Université catholique de Louvain, 2015

LoRa Performance under Variable Interference and Heavy-Multipath Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamil Staniec

2018-01-01

Full Text Available LoRa (or LoRaWAN is by far the best known representative of narrowband communication systems designed for the Internet of Things. As a system dedicated specifically for long-range operations, it possesses a considerable processing gain for the energetic link budget improvement and a remarkable immunity to multipath and interference. The paper describes outcomes of measurement campaigns during which the LoRa performance was tested against these two factors, that is, a heavy-multipath propagation and a controlled, variable interference generated, respectively, in a reverberation chamber and an anechoic chamber. Results allow quantitative appraisal of the system behavior under these harsh conditions with respect to LoRa’s three major configurable parameters: the spreading factor, bandwidth, and code rate. They also allow dividing LoRa configurational space into three distinct sensitivity regions: in the white region it is immune to both interference and multipath propagation, in the light-grey region it is only immune to the multipath phenomenon but sensitive to interference, and in the dark grey region LoRa is vulnerable to both phenomena.

Cross-Correlation-Function-Based Multipath Mitigation Method for Sine-BOC Signals

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H. H. Chen

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS positioning accuracy indoor and urban canyons environments are greatly affected by multipath due to distortions in its autocorrelation function. In this paper, a cross-correlation function between the received sine phased Binary Offset Carrier (sine-BOC modulation signal and the local signal is studied firstly, and a new multipath mitigation method based on cross-correlation function for sine-BOC signal is proposed. This method is implemented to create a cross-correlation function by designing the modulated symbols of the local signal. The theoretical analysis and simulation results indicate that the proposed method exhibits better multipath mitigation performance compared with the traditional Double Delta Correlator (DDC techniques, especially the medium/long delay multipath signals, and it is also convenient and flexible to implement by using only one correlator, which is the case of low-cost mass-market receivers.

Target Localization with a Single Antenna via Directional Multipath Exploitation

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Ali H. Muqaibel

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Target localization in urban sensing can benefit from angle dependency of the pulse shape at a radar receiver antenna. We propose a localization approach that utilizes the embedded directivity in ultra-wideband (UWB antennas to estimate target positions. A single radar unit sensing operation of indoor targets surrounded by interior walls is considered, where interior wall multipaths are exploited to provide target cross-range. This exploitation assumes resolvability of the multipath components, which is made possible by the virtue of using UWB radar signals. The proposed approach is most attractive when only few multipaths are detectable due to propagation obstructions or owing to low signal-to-noise ratios. Both simulated and experimental data are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Multipath Suppression with an Absorber for UWB Wind Turbine Blade Deflection Sensing Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Shuai; Franek, Ondrej; Eggers, Patrick Claus F.

2017-01-01

The deflection of a wind turbine blade can be monitored with an ultra-wideband (UWB) deflection sensing system which consists of one transmitting antenna at the blade tip and two receiving antennas at the blade root. The blade deflection is calculated by two estimated tip-root antenna distances...... verifications of the proposed method are carried out with different full-blade measurements. From all the results, it is found that the proposed technique can efficiently suppress multipath for the in-blade tip antenna, and improve the pulse wave front fidelity, so that the UWB sensing system can also...

Mapping GPS multipath: a case study for the lunar laser ranger ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

We investigate and attempt to map multipath as part of the site investigation for the installation of the timing antenna for lunar laser ranging applications at the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO). A high-resolution wavelet power spectrum and a standard deviation parameter are used to map multipath ...

Mapping GPS Multipath: a Case Study for the Lunar Laser Ranger ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Cilence Munghemezulu

Mapping GPS Multipath: a Case Study for the Lunar Laser .... assess the level of multipath in the vicinity of the GNSS antenna by making use of ..... navigation in urban environment', Indian Journal of Radio and Space Physics, vol. ... Torrence C & Compo GP 1998, 'A practical guide to wavelet Analysis', Bulletin of the ...

Multipathing Via Three Parameter Common Image Gathers (CIGs) From Reverse Time Migration

Science.gov (United States)

Ostadhassan, M.; Zhang, X.

2015-12-01

A noteworthy problem for seismic exploration is effects of multipathing (both wanted or unwanted) caused by subsurface complex structures. We show that reverse time migration (RTM) combined with a unified, systematic three parameter framework that flexibly handles multipathing can be accomplished by adding one more dimension (image time) to the angle domain common image gather (ADCIG) data. RTM is widely used to generate prestack depth migration images. When using the cross-correlation image condition in 2D prestack migration in RTM, the usual practice is to sum over all the migration time steps. Thus all possible wave types and paths automatically contribute to the resulting image, including destructive wave interferences, phase shifts, and other distortions. One reason is that multipath (prismatic wave) contributions are not properly sorted and mapped in the ADCIGs. Also, multipath arrivals usually have different instantaneous attributes (amplitude, phase and frequency), and if not separated, the amplitudes and phases in the final prestack image will not stack coherently across sources. A prismatic path satisfies an image time for it's unique path; Cavalca and Lailly (2005) show that RTM images with multipaths can provide more complete target information in complex geology, as multipaths usually have different incident angles and amplitudes compared to primary reflections. If the image time slices within a cross-correlation common-source migration are saved for each image time, this three-parameter (incident angle, depth, image time) volume can be post-processed to generate separate, or composite, images of any desired subset of the migrated data. Images can by displayed for primary contributions, any combination of primary and multipath contributions (with or without artifacts), or various projections, including the conventional ADCIG (angle vs depth) plane. Examples show that signal from the true structure can be separated from artifacts caused by multiple

Performance evaluation of CPPM modulation in multi-path environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tasev, Zarko; Kocarev, Ljupco

2003-01-01

Chaotic pulse position modulation (CPPM) is a novel technique to communicate with chaotic signals based upon pulse trains in which the intervals between two pulses are determined by chaotic dynamics of a pulse generator. Using numerical simulations we show that CPPM offers excellent multi-path performance. We simulated the CPPM radio system, which is designed for a WLAN application and operates in the 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band with IEEE 802.11 compliant channel spacing. In this case, the average performance loss due the multi-path for CPPM is less than 5 dB

Performance evaluation of CPPM modulation in multi-path environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tasev, Zarko E-mail: ztasev@ucsd.edu; Kocarev, Ljupco E-mail: lkocarev@ucsd.edu

2003-01-01

Chaotic pulse position modulation (CPPM) is a novel technique to communicate with chaotic signals based upon pulse trains in which the intervals between two pulses are determined by chaotic dynamics of a pulse generator. Using numerical simulations we show that CPPM offers excellent multi-path performance. We simulated the CPPM radio system, which is designed for a WLAN application and operates in the 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band with IEEE 802.11 compliant channel spacing. In this case, the average performance loss due the multi-path for CPPM is less than 5 dB.

Multipath detection with the combination of SNR measurements - Example from urban environment

Science.gov (United States)

Špánik, Peter; Hefty, Ján

2017-12-01

Multipath is one of the most severe station-dependent error sources in both static and kinematic positioning. Relatively new and simple detection technique using the Signal-to-Noise (SNR) measurements on three frequencies will be presented based on idea of Strode and Groves. Exploitation of SNR measurements is benefi cial especially for their unambiguous character. Method is based on the fact that SNR values are closely linked with estimation of pseudo-ranges and phase measurements during signal correlation processing. Due to this connection, combination of SNR values can be used to detect anomalous behavior in received signal, however some kind of calibration in low multipath environment has to be done previously. In case of multipath, phase measurements on different frequencies will not be affected in the same manner. Specular multipath, e.g. from building wall introduces additional path delay which is interpreted differently on each of the used carrier, due to different wavelengths. Experimental results of multipath detection in urban environment will be presented. Originally proposed method is designed to work with three different frequencies in each epoch, thus only utilization of GPS Block II-F and Galileo satellites is possible. Simplification of detection statistics to use only two frequencies is made and results using GPS and GLONASS systems are presented along with results obtained using original formula.

Definition of multipath/RFI experiments for orbital testing with a small applications technology satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Birch, J. N.; French, R. H.

1972-01-01

An investigation was made to define experiments for collection of RFI and multipath data for application to a synchronous relay satellite/low orbiting satellite configuration. A survey of analytical models of the multipath signal was conducted. Data has been gathered concerning the existing RFI and other noise sources in various bands at VHF and UHF. Additionally, designs are presented for equipment to combat the effects of RFI and multipath: an adaptive delta mod voice system, a forward error control coder/decoder, a PN transmission system, and a wideband FM system. The performance of these systems was then evaluated. Techniques are discussed for measuring multipath and RFI. Finally, recommended data collection experiments are presented. An extensive tabulation is included of theoretical predictions of the amount of signal reflected from a rough, spherical earth.

LBMR: Load-Balanced Multipath Routing for Wireless Data-Intensive Transmission in Real-Time Medical Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Chinyang Henry

2016-05-31

In wireless networks, low-power Zigbee is an excellent network solution for wireless medical monitoring systems. Medical monitoring generally involves transmission of a large amount of data and easily causes bottleneck problems. Although Zigbee's AODV mesh routing provides extensible multi-hop data transmission to extend network coverage, it originally does not, and needs to support some form of load balancing mechanism to avoid bottlenecks. To guarantee a more reliable multi-hop data transmission for life-critical medical applications, we have developed a multipath solution, called Load-Balanced Multipath Routing (LBMR) to replace Zigbee's routing mechanism. LBMR consists of three main parts: Layer Routing Construction (LRC), a Load Estimation Algorithm (LEA), and a Route Maintenance (RM) mechanism. LRC assigns nodes into different layers based on the node's distance to the medical data gateway. Nodes can have multiple next-hops delivering medical data toward the gateway. All neighboring layer-nodes exchange flow information containing current load, which is the used by the LEA to estimate future load of next-hops to the gateway. With LBMR, nodes can choose the neighbors with the least load as the next-hops and thus can achieve load balancing and avoid bottlenecks. Furthermore, RM can detect route failures in real-time and perform route redirection to ensure routing robustness. Since LRC and LEA prevent bottlenecks while RM ensures routing fault tolerance, LBMR provides a highly reliable routing service for medical monitoring. To evaluate these accomplishments, we compare LBMR with Zigbee's AODV and another multipath protocol, AOMDV. The simulation results demonstrate LBMR achieves better load balancing, less unreachable nodes, and better packet delivery ratio than either AODV or AOMDV.

Chaos-based wireless communication resisting multipath effects

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Jun-Liang; Li, Chen; Ren, Hai-Peng; Grebogi, Celso

2017-09-01

In additive white Gaussian noise channel, chaos has been shown to be the optimal coherent communication waveform in the sense of using a very simple matched filter to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio. Recently, Lyapunov exponent spectrum of the chaotic signals after being transmitted through a wireless channel has been shown to be unaltered, paving the way for wireless communication using chaos. In wireless communication systems, inter-symbol interference caused by multipath propagation is one of the main obstacles to achieve high bit transmission rate and low bit-error rate (BER). How to resist the multipath effect is a fundamental problem in a chaos-based wireless communication system (CWCS). In this paper, a CWCS is built to transmit chaotic signals generated by a hybrid dynamical system and then to filter the received signals by using the corresponding matched filter to decrease the noise effect and to detect the binary information. We find that the multipath effect can be effectively resisted by regrouping the return map of the received signal and by setting the corresponding threshold based on the available information. We show that the optimal threshold is a function of the channel parameters and of the information symbols. Practically, the channel parameters are time-variant, and the future information symbols are unavailable. In this case, a suboptimal threshold is proposed, and the BER using the suboptimal threshold is derived analytically. Simulation results show that the CWCS achieves a remarkable competitive performance even under inaccurate channel parameters.

Multiuser receiver for DS-CDMA signals in multipath channels: an enhanced multisurface method.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahendra, Chetan; Puthusserypady, Sadasivan

2006-11-01

This paper deals with the problem of multiuser detection in direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (DS-CDMA) systems in multipath environments. The existing multiuser detectors can be divided into two categories: (1) low-complexity poor-performance linear detectors and (2) high-complexity good-performance nonlinear detectors. In particular, in channels where the orthogonality of the code sequences is destroyed by multipath, detectors with linear complexity perform much worse than the nonlinear detectors. In this paper, we propose an enhanced multisurface method (EMSM) for multiuser detection in multipath channels. EMSM is an intermediate piecewise linear detection scheme with a run-time complexity linear in the number of users. Its bit error rate performance is compared with existing linear detectors, a nonlinear radial basis function detector trained by the new support vector learning algorithm, and Verdu's optimal detector. Simulations in multipath channels, for both synchronous and asynchronous cases, indicate that it always outperforms all other linear detectors, performing nearly as well as nonlinear detectors.

Performance Evaluation of Concurrent Multipath Video Streaming in Multihomed Mobile Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James Nightingale

2013-01-01

Full Text Available High-quality real-time video streaming to users in mobile networks is challenging due to the dynamically changing nature of the network paths, particularly the limited bandwidth and varying end-to-end delay. In this paper, we empirically investigate the performance of multipath streaming in the context of multihomed mobile networks. Existing schemes that make use of the aggregated bandwidth of multiple paths can overcome bandwidth limitations on a single path but suffer an efficiency penalty caused by retransmission of lost packets in reliable transport schemes or path switching overheads in unreliable transport schemes. This work focuses on the evaluation of schemes to permit concurrent use of multiple paths to deliver video streams. A comprehensive streaming framework for concurrent multipath video streaming is proposed and experimentally evaluated, using current state-of-the-art H.264 Scalable Video Coding (H.264/SVC and the next generation High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC standards. It provides a valuable insight into the benefit of using such schemes in conjunction with encoder specific packet prioritisation mechanisms for quality-aware packet scheduling and scalable streaming. The remaining obstacles to deployment of concurrent multipath schemes are identified, and the challenges in realising HEVC based concurrent multipath streaming are highlighted.

A Forward GPS Multipath Simulator Based on the Vegetation Radiative Transfer Equation Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xuerui; Jin, Shuanggen; Xia, Junming

2017-06-05

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have been widely used in navigation, positioning and timing. Nowadays, the multipath errors may be re-utilized for the remote sensing of geophysical parameters (soil moisture, vegetation and snow depth), i.e., GPS-Multipath Reflectometry (GPS-MR). However, bistatic scattering properties and the relation between GPS observables and geophysical parameters are not clear, e.g., vegetation. In this paper, a new element on bistatic scattering properties of vegetation is incorporated into the traditional GPS-MR model. This new element is the first-order radiative transfer equation model. The new forward GPS multipath simulator is able to explicitly link the vegetation parameters with GPS multipath observables (signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR), code pseudorange and carrier phase observables). The trunk layer and its corresponding scattering mechanisms are ignored since GPS-MR is not suitable for high forest monitoring due to the coherence of direct and reflected signals. Based on this new model, the developed simulator can present how the GPS signals (L1 and L2 carrier frequencies, C/A, P(Y) and L2C modulations) are transmitted (scattered and absorbed) through vegetation medium and received by GPS receivers. Simulation results show that the wheat will decrease the amplitudes of GPS multipath observables (SNR, phase and code), if we increase the vegetation moisture contents or the scatters sizes (stem or leaf). Although the Specular-Ground component dominates the total specular scattering, vegetation covered ground soil moisture has almost no effects on the final multipath signatures. Our simulated results are consistent with previous results for environmental parameter detections by GPS-MR.

Performance analysis of passive time reversal communication technique for multipath interference in shallow sea acoustic channel

Science.gov (United States)

Kida, Yukihiro; Shimura, Takuya; Deguchi, Mitsuyasu; Watanabe, Yoshitaka; Ochi, Hiroshi; Meguro, Koji

2017-07-01

In this study, the performance of passive time reversal (PTR) communication techniques in multipath rich underwater acoustic environments is investigated. It is recognized empirically and qualitatively that a large number of multipath arrivals could generally raise the demodulation result of PTR. However, the relationship between multipath and the demodulation result is hardly evaluated quantitatively. In this study, the efficiency of the PTR acoustic communication techniques for multipath interference cancelation was investigated quantitatively by applying a PTR-DFE (decision feed-back filter) scheme to a synthetic dataset of a horizontal underwater acoustic channel. Mainly, in this study, we focused on the relationship between the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) of datasets and the output signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) of demodulation results by a parametric study approach. As a result, a proportional relation between SIR and OSNR is confirmed in low-SNR datasets. It was also found that PTR has a performance limitation, that is OSNR converges to a typical value depending on the number of receivers. In conclusion, results indicate that PTR could utilize the multipath efficiently and also withstand the negative effects of multipath interference at a given limitation.

Multipath detection with the combination of SNR measurements – Example from urban environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Špánik Peter

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Multipath is one of the most severe station-dependent error sources in both static and kinematic positioning. Relatively new and simple detection technique using the Signal-to-Noise (SNR measurements on three frequencies will be presented based on idea of Strode and Groves. Exploitation of SNR measurements is benefi cial especially for their unambiguous character. Method is based on the fact that SNR values are closely linked with estimation of pseudo-ranges and phase measurements during signal correlation processing. Due to this connection, combination of SNR values can be used to detect anomalous behavior in received signal, however some kind of calibration in low multipath environment has to be done previously. In case of multipath, phase measurements on different frequencies will not be affected in the same manner. Specular multipath, e.g. from building wall introduces additional path delay which is interpreted differently on each of the used carrier, due to different wavelengths. Experimental results of multipath detection in urban environment will be presented. Originally proposed method is designed to work with three different frequencies in each epoch, thus only utilization of GPS Block II-F and Galileo satellites is possible. Simplification of detection statistics to use only two frequencies is made and results using GPS and GLONASS systems are presented along with results obtained using original formula.

Investigating the Performance of the MPT Multipath Communication Library in IPv4 and IPv6

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Béla Almási

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The currently used mobile devices (laptops, tablets, mobile phones contain many built-in network cards for communication (e.g. Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, etc.. A natural request could be combining the resources of the different network connection possibilities in order to increase the throughput of the communication. Unfortunately the standard IP communication technology does not support it: the communication is restricted to one IP address (i.e. to one interface. The Multipath TCP (MPTCP specification (appeared in January 2013 offers a Transport layer solution of using more than one interface in a TCP communication session. In this paper we investigate a Network layer solution. The MPT multipath communication library opens the multipath communication possibility in the Network layer. Using the MPT library, applications built on the UDP protocol are also able to perform multipath communication. The MPT library was developed by using a full dual-stack technology, which means the MPT based multipath environment can be used both in IPv4 and IPv6. Protocol version change is also possible: an IPv6 based application is able to run in an IPv4 multipath environment, and an IPv4 application can be used in an IPv6 multipath environment. In this paper we give a short overview on the MPT communication library’s working mechanism and detailed numerical examples will be shown to present how the MPT library aggregates the paths’ throughput in IPv4 and IPv6 environments. The main contribution of the paper is to demonstrate the effective throughput aggregation property of the MPT library in IPv6 and in mixed (i.e. protocol version change environments.

Navigation Signal Disturbances by Multipath Propagation - Scaled Measurements with a Universal Channel Sounder Architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Geise, Robert; Neubauer, Bjoern; Zimmer, Georg

2015-11-01

The performance of navigation systems is always reduced by unwanted multipath propagation. This is especially of practical importance for airborne navigation systems like the instrument landing system (ILS) or the VHF omni directional radio range (VOR). Nevertheless, the quantitative analysis of corresponding, potentially harmful multipath propagation disturbances is very difficult due to the large parameter space. Experimentally difficulties arise due to very expensive, real scale measurement campaigns and numerical simulation techniques still have shortcomings which are briefly discussed. In this contribution a new universal approach is introduced on how to measure very flexibly multipath propagation effects for arbitrary navigation systems using a channel sounder architecture in a scaled measurement environment. Two relevant scenarios of multipath propagation and the impact on navigation signals are presented. The first describes disturbances of the ILS due to large taxiing aircraft. The other example shows the influence of rotating wind turbines on the VOR.

ANALYSIS OF MULTIPATH PIXELS IN SAR IMAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. W. Zhao

2016-06-01

Full Text Available As the received radar signal is the sum of signal contributions overlaid in one single pixel regardless of the travel path, the multipath effect should be seriously tackled as the multiple bounce returns are added to direct scatter echoes which leads to ghost scatters. Most of the existing solution towards the multipath is to recover the signal propagation path. To facilitate the signal propagation simulation process, plenty of aspects such as sensor parameters, the geometry of the objects (shape, location, orientation, mutual position between adjacent buildings and the physical parameters of the surface (roughness, correlation length, permittivitywhich determine the strength of radar signal backscattered to the SAR sensor should be given in previous. However, it's not practical to obtain the highly detailed object model in unfamiliar area by field survey as it's a laborious work and time-consuming. In this paper, SAR imaging simulation based on RaySAR is conducted at first aiming at basic understanding of multipath effects and for further comparison. Besides of the pre-imaging simulation, the product of the after-imaging, which refers to radar images is also taken into consideration. Both Cosmo-SkyMed ascending and descending SAR images of Lupu Bridge in Shanghai are used for the experiment. As a result, the reflectivity map and signal distribution map of different bounce level are simulated and validated by 3D real model. The statistic indexes such as the phase stability, mean amplitude, amplitude dispersion, coherence and mean-sigma ratio in case of layover are analyzed with combination of the RaySAR output.

SAR Image Simulation of Ship Targets Based on Multi-Path Scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Y.; Wang, H.; Ma, H.; Li, K.; Xia, Z.; Hao, Y.; Guo, H.; Shi, H.; Liao, X.; Yue, H.

2018-04-01

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) plays an important role in the classification and recognition of ship targets because of its all-weather working ability and fine resolution. In SAR images, besides the sea clutter, the influence of the sea surface on the radar echo is also known as the so-called multipath effect. These multipath effects will generate some extra "pseudo images", which may cause the distortion of the target image and affect the estimation of the characteristic parameters. In this paper,the multipath effect of rough sea surface and its influence on the estimation of ship characteristic parameters are studied. The imaging of the first and the secondary reflection of sea surface is presented . The artifacts not only overlap with the image of the target itself, but may also appear in the sea near the target area. It is difficult to distinguish them, and this artifact has an effect on the length and width of the ship.

Robust OFDM Timing Synchronisation in Multipath Channels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

McLaughlin S

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract This paper addresses pre-FFT synchronisation for orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM under varying multipath conditions. To ensure the most efficient data transmission possible, there should be no constraints on how much of the cyclic prefix (CP is occupied by intersymbol interference (ISI. Here a solution for timing synchronisation is proposed, that is, robust even when the strongest multipath components are delayed relative to the first arriving paths. In this situation, existing methods perform poorly, whereas the solution proposed uses the derivative of the correlation function and is less sensitive to the channel impulse response. In this paper, synchronisation of a DVB single-frequency network is investigated. A refinement is proposed that uses heuristic rules based on the maxima of the correlation and derivative functions to further reduce the estimate variance. The technique has relevance to broadcast, OFDMA, and WLAN applications, and simulations are presented which compare the method with existing approaches.

Performance of an Orthogonal Multicarrier CDMA System in a Multicell/Multipath Environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, W.S. [Ajou University, Suwon (Korea)

1999-08-01

We have considered an improved orthogonal multicarrier (MC) CDMA system. This system combines the advantages of both DS-CDMA with a concatenated spreading scheme and an MC modulation technique to combat the effects of a multipath fading channel and intersymbol interference (IS). The performance of the system is analyzed under a multicell, multiuser, and multipath Rician fading channel. The system is shown to outperform the orthogonal MC-CDMA system with a conventional PN sequence. (author). 4 refs., 3 figs.

Multipath TCP for user cooperation in wireless networks

CERN Document Server

Zhou, Dizhi

2014-01-01

This brief presents several enhancement modules to Multipath Transmission Control Protocol (MPTCP) in order to support stable and efficient multipath transmission with user cooperation in the Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. The text explains how these enhancements provide a stable aggregate throughput to the upper-layer applications; guarantee a steady goodput, which is the real application-layer perceived throughput; and ensure that the local traffic of the relays is not adversely affected when the relays are forwarding data for the destination. The performance of the proposed solutions is extensively evaluated using various scenarios. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed modules can achieve a stable aggregate throughput and significantly improve the goodput by 1.5 times on average. The brief also shows that these extensions can well respect the local traffic of the relays and motivate the relay users to provide the relaying service.

On the Distance Dependence of the Price Elasticity of Telecommunications Demand; Meta-analysis, and Alternative Theoretical Backgrounds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ouwersloot, Hans; Rietveld, Piet

1997-01-01

The positive correlation between the absolute price elasticity of telecommunications demand and the distance of the calling relation is well known. In this paper we first present a meta-analysis of existing studies to buttress the distance dependence empirically. The analysis confirms the existence

A Simplified Multipath Component Modeling Approach for High-Speed Train Channel Based on Ray Tracing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingya Yang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available High-speed train (HST communications at millimeter-wave (mmWave band have received a lot of attention due to their numerous high-data-rate applications enabling smart rail mobility. Accurate and effective channel models are always critical to the HST system design, assessment, and optimization. A distinctive feature of the mmWave HST channel is that it is rapidly time-varying. To depict this feature, a geometry-based multipath model is established for the dominant multipath behavior in delay and Doppler domains. Because of insufficient mmWave HST channel measurement with high mobility, the model is developed by a measurement-validated ray tracing (RT simulator. Different from conventional models, the temporal evolution of dominant multipath behavior is characterized by its geometry factor that represents the geometrical relationship of the dominant multipath component (MPC to HST environment. Actually, during each dominant multipath lifetime, its geometry factor is fixed. To statistically model the geometry factor and its lifetime, the dominant MPCs are extracted within each local wide-sense stationary (WSS region and are tracked over different WSS regions to identify its “birth” and “death” regions. Then, complex attenuation of dominant MPC is jointly modeled by its delay and Doppler shift both which are derived from its geometry factor. Finally, the model implementation is verified by comparison between RT simulated and modeled delay and Doppler spreads.

Direct Position Determination of Unknown Signals in the Presence of Multipath Propagation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianping Du

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A novel geolocation architecture, termed “Multiple Transponders and Multiple Receivers for Multiple Emitters Positioning System (MTRE” is proposed in this paper. Existing Direct Position Determination (DPD methods take advantage of a rather simple channel assumption (line of sight channels with complex path attenuations and a simplified MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC algorithm cost function to avoid the high dimension searching. We point out that the simplified assumption and cost function reduce the positioning accuracy because of the singularity of the array manifold in a multi-path environment. We present a DPD model for unknown signals in the presence of Multi-path Propagation (MP-DPD in this paper. MP-DPD adds non-negative real path attenuation constraints to avoid the mistake caused by the singularity of the array manifold. The Multi-path Propagation MUSIC (MP-MUSIC method and the Active Set Algorithm (ASA are designed to reduce the dimension of searching. A Multi-path Propagation Maximum Likelihood (MP-ML method is proposed in addition to overcome the limitation of MP-MUSIC in the sense of a time-sensitive application. An iterative algorithm and an approach of initial value setting are given to make the MP-ML time consumption acceptable. Numerical results validate the performances improvement of MP-MUSIC and MP-ML. A closed form of the Cramér–Rao Lower Bound (CRLB is derived as a benchmark to evaluate the performances of MP-MUSIC and MP-ML.

Direct Position Determination of Unknown Signals in the Presence of Multipath Propagation.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Jianping; Wang, Ding; Yu, Wanting; Yu, Hongyi

2018-03-17

A novel geolocation architecture, termed "Multiple Transponders and Multiple Receivers for Multiple Emitters Positioning System (MTRE)" is proposed in this paper. Existing Direct Position Determination (DPD) methods take advantage of a rather simple channel assumption (line of sight channels with complex path attenuations) and a simplified MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC) algorithm cost function to avoid the high dimension searching. We point out that the simplified assumption and cost function reduce the positioning accuracy because of the singularity of the array manifold in a multi-path environment. We present a DPD model for unknown signals in the presence of Multi-path Propagation (MP-DPD) in this paper. MP-DPD adds non-negative real path attenuation constraints to avoid the mistake caused by the singularity of the array manifold. The Multi-path Propagation MUSIC (MP-MUSIC) method and the Active Set Algorithm (ASA) are designed to reduce the dimension of searching. A Multi-path Propagation Maximum Likelihood (MP-ML) method is proposed in addition to overcome the limitation of MP-MUSIC in the sense of a time-sensitive application. An iterative algorithm and an approach of initial value setting are given to make the MP-ML time consumption acceptable. Numerical results validate the performances improvement of MP-MUSIC and MP-ML. A closed form of the Cramér-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB) is derived as a benchmark to evaluate the performances of MP-MUSIC and MP-ML.

Direct Position Determination of Unknown Signals in the Presence of Multipath Propagation

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Hongyi

2018-01-01

A novel geolocation architecture, termed “Multiple Transponders and Multiple Receivers for Multiple Emitters Positioning System (MTRE)” is proposed in this paper. Existing Direct Position Determination (DPD) methods take advantage of a rather simple channel assumption (line of sight channels with complex path attenuations) and a simplified MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC) algorithm cost function to avoid the high dimension searching. We point out that the simplified assumption and cost function reduce the positioning accuracy because of the singularity of the array manifold in a multi-path environment. We present a DPD model for unknown signals in the presence of Multi-path Propagation (MP-DPD) in this paper. MP-DPD adds non-negative real path attenuation constraints to avoid the mistake caused by the singularity of the array manifold. The Multi-path Propagation MUSIC (MP-MUSIC) method and the Active Set Algorithm (ASA) are designed to reduce the dimension of searching. A Multi-path Propagation Maximum Likelihood (MP-ML) method is proposed in addition to overcome the limitation of MP-MUSIC in the sense of a time-sensitive application. An iterative algorithm and an approach of initial value setting are given to make the MP-ML time consumption acceptable. Numerical results validate the performances improvement of MP-MUSIC and MP-ML. A closed form of the Cramér–Rao Lower Bound (CRLB) is derived as a benchmark to evaluate the performances of MP-MUSIC and MP-ML. PMID:29562601

Heterogeneous all-solid multicore fiber based multipath Michelson interferometer for high temperature sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Li; Zhang, Peng; Tang, Ming; Wang, Ruoxu; Zhao, Zhiyong; Fu, Songnian; Gan, Lin; Zhu, Benpeng; Tong, Weijun; Liu, Deming; Shum, Perry Ping

2016-09-05

A compact high temperature sensor utilizing a multipath Michelson interferometer (MI) structure based on weak coupling multicore fiber (MCF) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The device is fabricated by program-controlled tapering the spliced region between single mode fiber (SMF) and a segment of MCF. After that, a spherical reflective structure is formed by arc-fusion splicing the end face of MCF. Theoretical analysis has been implemented for this specific multipath MI structure; beam propagation method based simulation and corresponding experiments were performed to investigate the effect of taper and spherical end face on system's performance. Benefiting from the multipath interferences and heterogeneous structure between the center core and surrounding cores of the all-solid MCF, an enhanced temperature sensitivity of 165 pm/°C up to 900°C and a high-quality interference spectrum with 25 dB fringe visibility were achieved.

Mitigating Receiver’s Buffer Blocking by Delay Aware Packet Scheduling in Multipath Data Transfer

OpenAIRE

Sarwar, Golam; Boreli, Roksana; Lochin, Emmanuel; Mifdaoui, Ahlem; Smith, Guillaume

2013-01-01

Reliable in-order multi-path data transfer under asymmetric heterogeneous network conditions has known problems related to receiver's buffer blocking, caused by out of order packet arrival. Consequently, the aggregate capacity from multiple paths, which theoretically should be available to and achievable by the multi-path transport protocol, is practically severely underutilized. Several mitigation techniques have been proposed to address this issue mostly by using various packet retransmissi...

Multipath interference test method for distributed amplifiers

Science.gov (United States)

Okada, Takahiro; Aida, Kazuo

2005-12-01

A method for testing distributed amplifiers is presented; the multipath interference (MPI) is detected as a beat spectrum between the multipath signal and the direct signal using a binary frequency shifted keying (FSK) test signal. The lightwave source is composed of a DFB-LD that is directly modulated by a pulse stream passing through an equalizer, and emits the FSK signal of the frequency deviation of about 430MHz at repetition rate of 80-100 kHz. The receiver consists of a photo-diode and an electrical spectrum analyzer (ESA). The base-band power spectrum peak appeared at the frequency of the FSK frequency deviation can be converted to amount of MPI using a calibration chart. The test method has improved the minimum detectable MPI as low as -70 dB, compared to that of -50 dB of the conventional test method. The detailed design and performance of the proposed method are discussed, including the MPI simulator for calibration procedure, computer simulations for evaluating the error caused by the FSK repetition rate and the fiber length under test and experiments on singlemode fibers and distributed Raman amplifier.

PSO-Optimized Hopfield Neural Network-Based Multipath Routing for Mobile Ad-hoc Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mansour Sheikhan

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Mobile ad-hoc network (MANET is a dynamic collection of mobile computers without the need for any existing infrastructure. Nodes in a MANET act as hosts and routers. Designing of robust routing algorithms for MANETs is a challenging task. Disjoint multipath routing protocols address this problem and increase the reliability, security and lifetime of network. However, selecting an optimal multipath is an NP-complete problem. In this paper, Hopfield neural network (HNN which its parameters are optimized by particle swarm optimization (PSO algorithm is proposed as multipath routing algorithm. Link expiration time (LET between each two nodes is used as the link reliability estimation metric. This approach can find either node-disjoint or link-disjoint paths in singlephase route discovery. Simulation results confirm that PSO-HNN routing algorithm has better performance as compared to backup path set selection algorithm (BPSA in terms of the path set reliability and number of paths in the set.

A long-distance travel demand model for Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rich, Jeppe; Mabit, Stefan Lindhard

2012-01-01

of different level-of-service variables. The results suggest that the perception of both travel time and cost varies with journey length in a non-linear way. For car drivers and car passengers, elasticities increase with the length of the journey, whereas the opposite is true for rail, bus, and air passengers...... relevant from a political and environmental point of view. The paper presents the first tour-based long-distance travel demand model for passenger trips in and between 42 European countries. The model is part of a new European transport model developed for the European Commission, the TRANSTOOLS II model......, and will serve as an important tool for transport policy analysis at a European level. The model is formulated as a nested logit model and estimated based on travel diary data with segmentation into business, private, and holiday trips. We analyse the estimation results and present elasticities for a number...

Characteristics of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System Multipath and Its Mitigation Method Based on Kalman Filter and Rauch-Tung-Striebel Smoother.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qiuzhao; Yang, Wei; Zhang, Shubi; Liu, Xin

2018-01-12

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) carrier phase measurement for short baseline meets the requirements of deformation monitoring of large structures. However, the carrier phase multipath effect is the main error source with double difference (DD) processing. There are lots of methods to deal with the multipath errors of Global Position System (GPS) carrier phase data. The BeiDou navigation satellite System (BDS) multipath mitigation is still a research hotspot because the unique constellation design of BDS makes it different to mitigate multipath effects compared to GPS. Multipath error periodically repeats for its strong correlation to geometry of satellites, reflective surface and antenna which is also repetitive. We analyzed the characteristics of orbital periods of BDS satellites which are consistent with multipath repeat periods of corresponding satellites. The results show that the orbital periods and multipath periods for BDS geostationary earth orbit (GEO) and inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) satellites are about one day but the periods of MEO satellites are about seven days. The Kalman filter (KF) and Rauch-Tung-Striebel Smoother (RTSS) was introduced to extract the multipath models from single difference (SD) residuals with traditional sidereal filter (SF). Wavelet filter and Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) were also used to mitigate multipath effects. The experimental results show that the three filters methods all have obvious effect on improvement of baseline accuracy and the performance of KT-RTSS method is slightly better than that of wavelet filter and EMD filter. The baseline vector accuracy on east, north and up (E, N, U) components with KF-RTSS method were improved by 62.8%, 63.6%, 62.5% on day of year 280 and 57.3%, 53.4%, 55.9% on day of year 281, respectively.

Characteristics of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System Multipath and Its Mitigation Method Based on Kalman Filter and Rauch-Tung-Striebel Smoother

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiuzhao Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS carrier phase measurement for short baseline meets the requirements of deformation monitoring of large structures. However, the carrier phase multipath effect is the main error source with double difference (DD processing. There are lots of methods to deal with the multipath errors of Global Position System (GPS carrier phase data. The BeiDou navigation satellite System (BDS multipath mitigation is still a research hotspot because the unique constellation design of BDS makes it different to mitigate multipath effects compared to GPS. Multipath error periodically repeats for its strong correlation to geometry of satellites, reflective surface and antenna which is also repetitive. We analyzed the characteristics of orbital periods of BDS satellites which are consistent with multipath repeat periods of corresponding satellites. The results show that the orbital periods and multipath periods for BDS geostationary earth orbit (GEO and inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO satellites are about one day but the periods of MEO satellites are about seven days. The Kalman filter (KF and Rauch-Tung-Striebel Smoother (RTSS was introduced to extract the multipath models from single difference (SD residuals with traditional sidereal filter (SF. Wavelet filter and Empirical mode decomposition (EMD were also used to mitigate multipath effects. The experimental results show that the three filters methods all have obvious effect on improvement of baseline accuracy and the performance of KT-RTSS method is slightly better than that of wavelet filter and EMD filter. The baseline vector accuracy on east, north and up (E, N, U components with KF-RTSS method were improved by 62.8%, 63.6%, 62.5% on day of year 280 and 57.3%, 53.4%, 55.9% on day of year 281, respectively.

Experimental Investigation of Some Effects of Multipath Propagation on a Line-of-Sight Path at 14 GHz

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stephansen, E.; Mogensen, G.

1979-01-01

A microwave line-of-sight propagation experiment is carried out in Denmark at frequencies around 14 GHz. Results from long term measurements of multipath propagation are presented. The multipath fade durations are shown to be log-normally distributed. The level dependence of the probability of fa...

Avoiding Biased-Feeding in the Scheduling of Collaborative Multipath TCP.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meng-Hsun Tsai

Full Text Available Smartphones have become the major communication and portable computing devices that access the Internet through Wi-Fi or mobile networks. Unfortunately, users without a mobile data subscription can only access the Internet at limited locations, such as hotspots. In this paper, we propose a collaborative bandwidth sharing protocol (CBSP built on top of MultiPath TCP (MPTCP. CBSP enables users to buy bandwidth on demand from neighbors (called Helpers and uses virtual interfaces to bind the subflows of MPTCP to avoid modifying the implementation of MPTCP. However, although MPTCP provides the required multi-homing functionality for bandwidth sharing, the current packet scheduling in collaborative MPTCP (e.g., Co-MPTCP leads to the so-called biased-feeding problem. In this problem, the fastest link might always be selected to send packets whenever it has available cwnd, which results in other links not being fully utilized. In this work, we set out to design an algorithm, called Scheduled Window-based Transmission Control (SWTC, to improve the performance of packet scheduling in MPTCP, and we perform extensive simulations to evaluate its performance.

Avoiding Biased-Feeding in the Scheduling of Collaborative Multipath TCP.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Meng-Hsun; Chou, Chien-Ming; Lan, Kun-Chan

2016-01-01

Smartphones have become the major communication and portable computing devices that access the Internet through Wi-Fi or mobile networks. Unfortunately, users without a mobile data subscription can only access the Internet at limited locations, such as hotspots. In this paper, we propose a collaborative bandwidth sharing protocol (CBSP) built on top of MultiPath TCP (MPTCP). CBSP enables users to buy bandwidth on demand from neighbors (called Helpers) and uses virtual interfaces to bind the subflows of MPTCP to avoid modifying the implementation of MPTCP. However, although MPTCP provides the required multi-homing functionality for bandwidth sharing, the current packet scheduling in collaborative MPTCP (e.g., Co-MPTCP) leads to the so-called biased-feeding problem. In this problem, the fastest link might always be selected to send packets whenever it has available cwnd, which results in other links not being fully utilized. In this work, we set out to design an algorithm, called Scheduled Window-based Transmission Control (SWTC), to improve the performance of packet scheduling in MPTCP, and we perform extensive simulations to evaluate its performance.

Development and testing of a new ray-tracing approach to GNSS carrier-phase multipath modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Lawrence; Cross, Paul

2007-11-01

Multipath is one of the most important error sources in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) carrier-phase-based precise relative positioning. Its theoretical maximum is a quarter of the carrier wavelength (about 4.8 cm for the Global Positioning System (GPS) L1 carrier) and, although it rarely reaches this size, it must clearly be mitigated if millimetre-accuracy positioning is to be achieved. In most static applications, this may be accomplished by averaging over a sufficiently long period of observation, but in kinematic applications, a modelling approach must be used. This paper is concerned with one such approach: the use of ray-tracing to reconstruct the error and therefore remove it. In order to apply such an approach, it is necessary to have a detailed understanding of the signal transmitted from the satellite, the reflection process, the antenna characteristics and the way that the reflected and direct signal are processed within the receiver. This paper reviews all of these and introduces a formal ray-tracing method for multipath estimation based on precise knowledge of the satellite reflector antenna geometry and of the reflector material and antenna characteristics. It is validated experimentally using GPS signals reflected from metal, water and a brick building, and is shown to be able to model most of the main multipath characteristics. The method will have important practical applications for correcting for multipath in well-constrained environments (such as at base stations for local area GPS networks, at International GNSS Service (IGS) reference stations, and on spacecraft), and it can be used to simulate realistic multipath errors for various performance analyses in high-precision positioning.

Over-the-Horizon Radar Multipath and Multisensor Track Fusion Algorithm Development

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Sarunic, P

2001-01-01

.... However the data is often subject to ambiguity and uncertainty due to the complexities of the HF signal propagation environment, which give rise to multipath OTHR tracks, as well as ambiguities...

The Attentional Demand of Automobile Driving Revisited: Occlusion Distance as a Function of Task-Relevant Event Density in Realistic Driving Scenarios.

Science.gov (United States)

Kujala, Tuomo; Mäkelä, Jakke; Kotilainen, Ilkka; Tokkonen, Timo

2016-02-01

We studied the utility of occlusion distance as a function of task-relevant event density in realistic traffic scenarios with self-controlled speed. The visual occlusion technique is an established method for assessing visual demands of driving. However, occlusion time is not a highly informative measure of environmental task-relevant event density in self-paced driving scenarios because it partials out the effects of changes in driving speed. Self-determined occlusion times and distances of 97 drivers with varying backgrounds were analyzed in driving scenarios simulating real Finnish suburban and highway traffic environments with self-determined vehicle speed. Occlusion distances varied systematically with the expected environmental demands of the manipulated driving scenarios whereas the distributions of occlusion times remained more static across the scenarios. Systematic individual differences in the preferred occlusion distances were observed. More experienced drivers achieved better lane-keeping accuracy than inexperienced drivers with similar occlusion distances; however, driving experience was unexpectedly not a major factor for the preferred occlusion distances. Occlusion distance seems to be an informative measure for assessing task-relevant event density in realistic traffic scenarios with self-controlled speed. Occlusion time measures the visual demand of driving as the task-relevant event rate in time intervals, whereas occlusion distance measures the experienced task-relevant event density in distance intervals. The findings can be utilized in context-aware distraction mitigation systems, human-automated vehicle interaction, road speed prediction and design, as well as in the testing of visual in-vehicle tasks for inappropriate in-vehicle glancing behaviors in any dynamic traffic scenario for which appropriate individual occlusion distances can be defined. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Weighted OFDM for wireless multipath channels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Prasad, Ramjee; Nikookar, H.

2000-01-01

In this paper the novel method of "weighted OFDM" is addressed. Different types of weighting factors (including Rectangular, Bartlett, Gaussian. Raised cosine, Half-sin and Shanon) are considered. The impact of weighting of OFDM on the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) is investigated by means...... of simulation and is compared for the above mentioned weighting factors. Results show that by weighting of the OFDM signal the PAPR reduces. Bit error performance of weighted multicarrier transmission over a multipath channel is also investigated. Results indicate that there is a trade off between PAPR...

Towards suppression of all harmonics in a polyphase multipath transmitter

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Subhan, S.; Klumperink, Eric A.M.; Nauta, Bram

2011-01-01

This work proposes a direct conversion transmitter architecture intended for cognitive radio applications. The architecture is based on the poly-phase multipath technique, which has been shown to cancel out many of the harmonics, sidebands and nonlinearity contributions of a power up-converter using

D/A Resolution Impact on a Poly-phase Multipath Transmitter

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Subhan, S.; Klumperink, Eric A.M.; Nauta, Bram

2008-01-01

In recent publications the Poly-phase multipath technique has been shown to produce a clean output spectrum for a power upconverter (PU) architecture. The technique utilizes frequency independent phase shifts before and after a nonlinear element to cancel out the harmonics and sidebands due to the

Determination of scattering center of multipath signals using geometric optics and Fresnel zone concepts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kamil Yavuz Kapusuz

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, a method for determining scattering center (or center of scattering points of a multipath is proposed, provided that the direction of arrival of the multipath is known by the receiver. The method is based on classical electromagnetic wave principles in order to determine scattering center over irregular terrain. Geometrical optics (GO along with Fresnel zone concept is employed, as the receiver, the transmitter positions and irregular terrain data are assumed to be provided. The proposed method could be used at UHF bands, especially, operations of radars and electronic warfare applications.

Assessment of multipath and shadowing effects on UHF band in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this work, the multi-path and shadowing effects on signal impairment were investigated through the use of empirical and semi-empirical path loss models analysis in built-up environments. Electromagnetic field strength measurements were conducted using four television transmitters at UHF bands along four major routes ...

WEAMR — A Weighted Energy Aware Multipath Reliable Routing Mechanism for Hotline-Based WSNs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ki-Hyung Kim

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Reliable source to sink communication is the most important factor for an efficient routing protocol especially in domains of military, healthcare and disaster recovery applications. We present weighted energy aware multipath reliable routing (WEAMR, a novel energy aware multipath routing protocol which utilizes hotline-assisted routing to meet such requirements for mission critical applications. The protocol reduces the number of average hops from source to destination and provides unmatched reliability as compared to well known reactive ad hoc protocols i.e., AODV and AOMDV. Our protocol makes efficient use of network paths based on weighted cost calculation and intelligently selects the best possible paths for data transmissions. The path cost calculation considers end to end number of hops, latency and minimum energy node value in the path. In case of path failure path recalculation is done efficiently with minimum latency and control packets overhead. Our evaluation shows that our proposal provides better end-to-end delivery with less routing overhead and higher packet delivery success ratio compared to AODV and AOMDV. The use of multipath also increases overall life time of WSN network using optimum energy available paths between sender and receiver in WDNs.

Proposal for automated transformations on single-photon multipath qudits

Science.gov (United States)

Baldijão, R. D.; Borges, G. F.; Marques, B.; Solís-Prosser, M. A.; Neves, L.; Pádua, S.

2017-09-01

We propose a method for implementing automated state transformations on single-photon multipath qudits encoded in a one-dimensional transverse spatial domain. It relies on transferring the encoding from this domain to the orthogonal one by applying a spatial phase modulation with diffraction gratings, merging all the initial propagation paths by using a stable interferometric network, and filtering out the unwanted diffraction orders. The automation feature is attained by utilizing a programmable phase-only spatial light modulator (SLM) where properly designed diffraction gratings displayed on its screen will implement the desired transformations, including, among others, projections, permutations, and random operations. We discuss the losses in the process which is, in general, inherently nonunitary. Some examples of transformations are presented and, considering a realistic scenario, we analyze how they will be affected by the pixelated structure of the SLM screen. The method proposed here enables one to implement much more general transformations on multipath qudits than is possible with a SLM alone operating in the diagonal basis of which-path states. Therefore, it will extend the range of applicability for this encoding in high-dimensional quantum information and computing protocols as well as fundamental studies in quantum theory.

A Novel Probability Model for Suppressing Multipath Ghosts in GPR and TWI Imaging: A Numerical Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tan Yun-hua

2015-10-01

Full Text Available A novel concept for suppressing the problem of multipath ghosts in Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR and Through-Wall Imaging (TWI is presented. Ghosts (i.e., false targets mainly arise from the use of the Born or single-scattering approximations that lead to linearized imaging algorithms; however, these approximations neglect the effect of multiple scattering (or multipath between the electromagnetic wavefield and the object under investigation. In contrast to existing methods of suppressing multipath ghosts, the proposed method models for the first time the reflectivity of the probed objects as a probability function up to a normalized factor and introduces the concept of random subaperture by randomly picking up measurement locations from the entire aperture. Thus, the final radar image is a joint probability distribution that corresponds to radar images derived from multiple random subapertures. Finally, numerical experiments are used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed methodology in GPR and TWI imaging.

Acoustic multipath arrivals in the horizontal plane due to approaching nonlinear internal waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Badiey, Mohsen; Katsnelson, Boris G; Lin, Ying-Tsong; Lynch, James F

2011-04-01

Simultaneous measurements of acoustic wave transmissions and a nonlinear internal wave packet approaching an along-shelf acoustic path during the Shallow Water 2006 experiment are reported. The incoming internal wave packet acts as a moving frontal layer reflecting (or refracting) sound in the horizontal plane. Received acoustic signals are filtered into acoustic normal mode arrivals. It is shown that a horizontal multipath interference is produced. This has previously been called a horizontal Lloyd's mirror. The interference between the direct path and the refracted path depends on the mode number and frequency of the acoustic signal. A mechanism for the multipath interference is shown. Preliminary modeling results of this dynamic interaction using vertical modes and horizontal parabolic equation models are in good agreement with the observed data.

MultiPaths Revisited - A novel approach using OpenFlow-enabled devices

CERN Document Server

Al-Shabibi, Ali; Martin, Brian

2011-06-11

This thesis presents novel approaches enhancing the performance of computer networks using multipaths. Our enhancements take the form of congestion-aware routing protocols. We present three protocols called MultiRoute, Step-Route, and finally PathRoute. Each of these protocols leverage both local and remote congestion statistics and build different representations (or views) of the network congestion by using an innovative representation of congestion for router-router links. These congestion statistics are then distributed via an aggregation protocol to other routers in the network. For many years, multipath routing protocols have only been used in simple situations, such as Link Aggregation and/or networks where paths of equal cost (and therefore equal delay) exist. But, paths of unequal costs are often discarded to the benefit of shortest path only routing because it is known that paths of unequal length present different delays and therefore cause out of order packets which cause catastrophic network per...

Quantified, Interactive Simulation of AMCW ToF Camera Including Multipath Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Bulczak, David; Lambers, Martin; Kolb, Andreas

2017-12-22

In the last decade, Time-of-Flight (ToF) range cameras have gained increasing popularity in robotics, automotive industry, and home entertainment. Despite technological developments, ToF cameras still suffer from error sources such as multipath interference or motion artifacts. Thus, simulation of ToF cameras, including these artifacts, is important to improve camera and algorithm development. This paper presents a physically-based, interactive simulation technique for amplitude modulated continuous wave (AMCW) ToF cameras, which, among other error sources, includes single bounce indirect multipath interference based on an enhanced image-space approach. The simulation accounts for physical units down to the charge level accumulated in sensor pixels. Furthermore, we present the first quantified comparison for ToF camera simulators. We present bidirectional reference distribution function (BRDF) measurements for selected, purchasable materials in the near-infrared (NIR) range, craft real and synthetic scenes out of these materials and quantitatively compare the range sensor data.

Quantified, Interactive Simulation of AMCW ToF Camera Including Multipath Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Bulczak

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In the last decade, Time-of-Flight (ToF range cameras have gained increasing popularity in robotics, automotive industry, and home entertainment. Despite technological developments, ToF cameras still suffer from error sources such as multipath interference or motion artifacts. Thus, simulation of ToF cameras, including these artifacts, is important to improve camera and algorithm development. This paper presents a physically-based, interactive simulation technique for amplitude modulated continuous wave (AMCW ToF cameras, which, among other error sources, includes single bounce indirect multipath interference based on an enhanced image-space approach. The simulation accounts for physical units down to the charge level accumulated in sensor pixels. Furthermore, we present the first quantified comparison for ToF camera simulators. We present bidirectional reference distribution function (BRDF measurements for selected, purchasable materials in the near-infrared (NIR range, craft real and synthetic scenes out of these materials and quantitatively compare the range sensor data.

New methods for solving a vertex p-center problem with uncertain demand-weighted distance: A real case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javad Nematian

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Vertex and p-center problems are two well-known types of the center problem. In this paper, a p-center problem with uncertain demand-weighted distance will be introduced in which the demands are considered as fuzzy random variables (FRVs and the objective of the problem is to minimize the maximum distance between a node and its nearest facility. Then, by introducing new methods, the proposed problem is converted to deterministic integer programming (IP problems where these methods will be obtained through the implementation of the possibility theory and fuzzy random chance-constrained programming (FRCCP. Finally, the proposed methods are applied for locating bicycle stations in the city of Tabriz in Iran as a real case study. The computational results of our study show that these methods can be implemented for the center problem with uncertain frameworks.

ITS Multi-path Communications Access Decision Scheme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslav Svitek

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS require widely spread and guarantied quality communications services. Method of ITS decomposition to set of subsystems and quantification of communications subsystems parameters is introduced. Due to typical complexity of the IST solution and mobility as the typical system elements property idea of communications systems with multipath multivendor structures is adopted. Resolution of seamless switching within a set of available wireless access solutions is presented. CALM based system or specifically designed and configured L3/L2 switching can be relevant solution for multi-path access communication system. These systems meet requirements of the seamless secure communications functionality within even extensive cluster of moving objects. Competent decision processes based on precisely quantified system requirements and each performance indicator tolerance range must be implemented to keep service up and running with no influence of continuously changing conditions in time and served space. Method of different paths service quality evaluation and selection of the best possible active communications access path is introduced. Proposed approach is based on Kalman filtering, which separates reasonable part of noise and also allows prediction of the individual parameters near future behavior. Presented classification algorithm applied on filtered measured data combined with deterministic parameters is trained using training data, i.e. combination of parameters vectors line and relevant decisions. Quality of classification is dependent on the size and quality of the training sets. This method is studied within projects e-Ident, DOTEK and SRATVU which are elaborating results of project CAMNA.

Rate Control for Network-Coded Multipath Relaying with Time-Varying Connectivity

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-10

Armen Babikyan, Nathaniel M. Jones, Thomas H. Shake, and Andrew P. Worthen MIT Lincoln Laboratory 244 Wood Street Lexington, MA 02420 DDRE, 1777...delay U U U U SAR 11 Zach Sweet 781-981-5997 1 Rate Control for Network-Coded Multipath Relaying with Time-Varying Connectivity Brooke Shrader, Armen

An Optimization Algorithm for Multipath Parallel Allocation for Service Resource in the Simulation Task Workflow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiteng Wang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Service oriented modeling and simulation are hot issues in the field of modeling and simulation, and there is need to call service resources when simulation task workflow is running. How to optimize the service resource allocation to ensure that the task is complete effectively is an important issue in this area. In military modeling and simulation field, it is important to improve the probability of success and timeliness in simulation task workflow. Therefore, this paper proposes an optimization algorithm for multipath service resource parallel allocation, in which multipath service resource parallel allocation model is built and multiple chains coding scheme quantum optimization algorithm is used for optimization and solution. The multiple chains coding scheme quantum optimization algorithm is to extend parallel search space to improve search efficiency. Through the simulation experiment, this paper investigates the effect for the probability of success in simulation task workflow from different optimization algorithm, service allocation strategy, and path number, and the simulation result shows that the optimization algorithm for multipath service resource parallel allocation is an effective method to improve the probability of success and timeliness in simulation task workflow.

SAR antenna design for ambiguity and multipath suppression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Erik Lintz; Dich, Mikael

1993-01-01

A high resolution airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has been developed at the Electromagnetics Institute (EMI) for remote sensing applications. The paper considers the radiation of antennas for a SAR system from a systems perspective. The basic specifications of an idealised antenna...... are obtained from the required swath and the azimuth footprint needed for the SAR processing. The radiation from a real antenna causes unwanted signal returns that lead to intensity variations (multipath) and ghost echoes (ambiguity). Additional specifications are deduced by considering these signals...

An adaptive weighting algorithm for accurate radio tomographic image in the environment with multipath and WiFi interference

OpenAIRE

Wang, M.; Wang, Zhonglei; Bu, X.; Ding, E.

2017-01-01

Radio frequency device-free localization based on wireless sensor network has proved its feasibility in buildings. With this technique, a target can be located relying on the changes of received signal strengths caused by the moving object. However, the accuracy of many such systems deteriorates seriously in the environment with WiFi and the multipath interference. State-of-the-art methods do not efficiently solve the WiFi and multipath interference problems at the same time. In this article,...

Multipath diffuse routing over heterogeneous mesh networks of web devices and sensors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vitale, G.; Stassen, M.L.A.; Colak, S.B.; Pronk, V.; Macq, B.; Quisquater, J.-.J.

2002-01-01

In this paper we present a new data flow algorithm based on physical diffusion for dense device networks needed for future ubiquitous communications. This diffuse data routing concept is based on multi-path signal propagation aided with adaptive beam-forming methods. Adaptation for beam-forming at

3D Imaging of Dead Sea Area Using Weighted Multipath Summation: A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shemer Keydar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The formation of sinkholes along the Dead Sea is caused by the rapid decline of the Dead Sea level, as a possible result of human extensive activity. According to one of the geological models, the sinkholes in several sites are clustered along a narrow coastal strip developing along lineaments representing faults in NNW direction. In order to understand the relationship between a developing sinkhole and its tectonic environment, a high-resolution (HR three-dimensional (3D seismic reflection survey was carried out at the western shoreline of the Dead Sea. A recently developed 3D imaging approach was applied to this 3D dataset. Imaging of subsurface is performed by a spatial summation of seismic waves along time surfaces using recently proposed multipath summation with proper weights. The multipath summation is performed by stacking the target waves along all possible time surfaces having a common apex at the given point. This approach does not require any explicit information on parameters since the involved multipath summation is performed for all possible parameters values within a wide specified range. The results from processed 3D time volume show subhorizontal coherent reflectors at approximate depth of 50–80 m which incline on closer location to the exposed sinkhole and suggest a possible linkage between revealed fault and the sinkholes.

Sparse Variational Bayesian SAGE Algorithm With Application to the Estimation of Multipath Wireless Channels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shutin, Dmitriy; Fleury, Bernard Henri

2011-01-01

In this paper, we develop a sparse variational Bayesian (VB) extension of the space-alternating generalized expectation-maximization (SAGE) algorithm for the high resolution estimation of the parameters of relevant multipath components in the response of frequency and spatially selective wireless...... channels. The application context of the algorithm considered in this contribution is parameter estimation from channel sounding measurements for radio channel modeling purpose. The new sparse VB-SAGE algorithm extends the classical SAGE algorithm in two respects: i) by monotonically minimizing...... parametric sparsity priors for the weights of the multipath components. We revisit the Gaussian sparsity priors within the sparse VB-SAGE framework and extend the results by considering Laplace priors. The structure of the VB-SAGE algorithm allows for an analytical stability analysis of the update expression...

Broadband Microwave Wireless Power Transfer for Weak-Signal and Multipath Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Barton, Richard J.

2014-01-01

In this paper, we study the potential benefits of using relatively broadband wireless power transmission WPT strategies in both weak-signal and multipath environments where traditional narrowband strategies can be very inefficient. The paper is primarily a theoretical and analytical treatment of the problem that attempts to derive results that are widely applicable to many different WPT applications, including space solar power SSP.

Analysis of the Bias on the Beidou GEO Multipath Combinations

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, Yafei; Yuan, Yunbin; Chai, Yanju; Huang, Yong

2016-01-01

The Beidou navigation satellite system is a very important sensor for positioning in the Asia-Pacific region. The Beidou inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites have been analysed in some studies previously conducted by other researchers; this paper seeks to gain more insight regarding the geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites. Employing correlation analysis, Fourier transformation and wavelet decomposition, we validate whether there is a systematic bias in their multipath combinations. These biases can be observed clearly in satellites C01, C02 and C04 and have a great correlation with time series instead of elevation, being significantly different from those of the Beidou IGSO and MEO satellites. We propose a correction model to mitigate this bias based on its daily periodicity characteristic. After the model has been applied, the performance of the positioning estimations of the eight stations distributed in the Asia-Pacific region is evaluated and compared. The results show that residuals of multipath series behaves random noise; for the single point positioning (SPP) and precise point positioning (PPP) approaches, the positioning accuracy in the upward direction can be improved by 8 cm and 6 mm, respectively, and by 2 cm and 4 mm, respectively, for the horizontal component. PMID:27509503

Analysis of the Bias on the Beidou GEO Multipath Combinations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yafei Ning

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The Beidou navigation satellite system is a very important sensor for positioning in the Asia-Pacific region. The Beidou inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO and medium Earth orbit (MEO satellites have been analysed in some studies previously conducted by other researchers; this paper seeks to gain more insight regarding the geostationary earth orbit (GEO satellites. Employing correlation analysis, Fourier transformation and wavelet decomposition, we validate whether there is a systematic bias in their multipath combinations. These biases can be observed clearly in satellites C01, C02 and C04 and have a great correlation with time series instead of elevation, being significantly different from those of the Beidou IGSO and MEO satellites. We propose a correction model to mitigate this bias based on its daily periodicity characteristic. After the model has been applied, the performance of the positioning estimations of the eight stations distributed in the Asia-Pacific region is evaluated and compared. The results show that residuals of multipath series behaves random noise; for the single point positioning (SPP and precise point positioning (PPP approaches, the positioning accuracy in the upward direction can be improved by 8 cm and 6 mm, respectively, and by 2 cm and 4 mm, respectively, for the horizontal component.

Background Traffic-Based Retransmission Algorithm for Multimedia Streaming Transfer over Concurrent Multipaths

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Yuanlong Cao

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The content-rich multimedia streaming will be the most attractive services in the next-generation networks. With function of distribute data across multipath end-to-end paths based on SCTP's multihoming feature, concurrent multipath transfer SCTP (CMT-SCTP has been regarded as the most promising technology for the efficient multimedia streaming transmission. However, the current researches on CMT-SCTP mainly focus on the algorithms related to the data delivery performance while they seldom consider the background traffic factors. Actually, background traffic of realistic network environments has an important impact on the performance of CMT-SCTP. In this paper, we firstly investigate the effect of background traffic on the performance of CMT-SCTP based on a close realistic simulation topology with reasonable background traffic in NS2, and then based on the localness nature of background flow, a further improved retransmission algorithm, named RTX_CSI, is proposed to reach more benefits in terms of average throughput and achieve high users' experience of quality for multimedia streaming services.

Joint Symbol Timing and CFO Estimation for OFDM/OQAM Systems in Multipath Channels

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Petrella Angelo

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The problem of data-aided synchronization for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM systems based on offset quadrature amplitude modulation (OQAM in multipath channels is considered. In particular, the joint maximum-likelihood (ML estimator for carrier-frequency offset (CFO, amplitudes, phases, and delays, exploiting a short known preamble, is derived. The ML estimators for phases and amplitudes are in closed form. Moreover, under the assumption that the CFO is sufficiently small, a closed form approximate ML (AML CFO estimator is obtained. By exploiting the obtained closed form solutions a cost function whose peaks provide an estimate of the delays is derived. In particular, the symbol timing (i.e., the delay of the first multipath component is obtained by considering the smallest estimated delay. The performance of the proposed joint AML estimator is assessed via computer simulations and compared with that achieved by the joint AML estimator designed for AWGN channel and that achieved by a previously derived joint estimator for OFDM systems.

UMDR: Multi-Path Routing Protocol for Underwater Ad Hoc Networks with Directional Antenna

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jianmin; Liu, Songzuo; Liu, Qipei; Qiao, Gang

2018-01-01

This paper presents a new routing scheme for underwater ad hoc networks based on directional antennas. Ad hoc networks with directional antennas have become a hot research topic because of space reuse may increase networks capacity. At present, researchers have applied traditional self-organizing routing protocols (such as DSR, AODV) [1] [2] on this type of networks, and the routing scheme is based on the shortest path metric. However, such routing schemes often suffer from long transmission delays and frequent link fragmentation along the intermediate nodes of the selected route. This is caused by a unique feature of directional transmission, often called as “deafness”. In this paper, we take a different approach to explore the advantages of space reuse through multipath routing. This paper introduces the validity of the conventional routing scheme in underwater ad hoc networks with directional antennas, and presents a special design of multipath routing algorithm for directional transmission. The experimental results show a significant performance improvement in throughput and latency.

Multipath ultrasonic gas flow-meter based on multiple reference waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Hongliang; Ji, Tao; Wang, Ruichen; Ge, Xiaocheng; Tang, Xiaoyu; Tang, Shizhen

2018-01-01

Several technologies can be used in ultrasonic gas flow-meters, such as transit-time, Doppler, cross-correlation and etc. In applications, the approach based on measuring transit-time has demonstrated its advantages and become more popular. Among those techniques which can be applied to determine time-of-flight (TOF) of ultrasonic waves, including threshold detection, cross correlation algorithm and other digital signal processing algorithms, cross correlation algorithm has more advantages when the received ultrasonic signal is severely disturbed by the noise. However, the reference wave for cross correlation computation has great influence on the precise measurement of TOF. In the applications of the multipath flow-meters, selection of the reference wave becomes even more complicated. Based on the analysis of the impact factors that will introduce noise and waveform distortion of ultrasonic waves, an averaging method is proposed to determine the reference wave in this paper. In the multipath ultrasonic gas flow-meter, the analysis of each path of ultrasound needs its own reference wave. In case study, a six-path ultrasonic gas flow-meter has been designed and tested with air flow through the pipeline. The results demonstrate that the flow rate accuracy and the repeatability of the TOF are significantly improved by using averaging reference wave, compared with that using random reference wave. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Multipath Technique for Cancelling Harmonics and Sidebands in a Wideband Power Upconverter

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shrestha, R.; Mensink, E.; Klumperink, Eric A.M.; Wienk, Gerhardus J.M.; Nauta, Bram

2006-01-01

Switching mixers are power-efficient but produce unwanted harmonics and sidebands. A multipath technique to clean up the spectrum using digital circuits and mixers, but no filters, is applied to a 0.13µm CMOS power upconverter. The circuit delivers 8mW from dc to 2.4GHz with 11% drain efficiency,

Distancing, not embracing, the Distancing-Embracing model of art reception.

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Stephen

2017-01-01

Despite denials in the target article, the Distancing-Embracing model appeals to compensatory ideas in explaining the appeal of artworks that elicit negative affect. The model also appeals to the deflationary effects of psychological distancing. Having pointed to the famous rejection in the 1960s of the view that aesthetic experience involves psychological distancing, I suggest that "distance" functions here as a weak metaphor that cannot sustain the explanatory burden the theory demands of it.

Fault-Aware Resource Allocation for Heterogeneous Data Sources with Multipath Routing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaomei Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With the rapid development of cloud computing and big data, diverse types of traffic generated from heterogeneous data sources are delivered throughout communication networks, which consist of various node kinds such as digital sensors and smart actuators, and different applications. Due to the shared medium, communication networks are vulnerable to misbehaving nodes, and it is a crucial aspect to maintain an acceptable level of service degradation. This paper studies the fault-aware resource allocation problem by exploiting multipath routing and dynamic rate assignment for heterogeneous sources. We estimate the impacts of faults and formulate the resource allocation as a lossy network flow optimization problem based on these estimates. The traditional flow optimization solutions focus on homogeneous traffic. In our work, we model the performance of heterogeneous applications as a relaxed utility function and develop an effective utility framework of rate control for heterogeneous sources with multipath routing in presence of misbehaving nodes. We design a distributed algorithm to decide the routing strategy and obtain the rate assignments on the available paths in a lossy utility fair manner. Extensive performance evaluations corroborate the significant performance of our algorithm in effective utility and utility fairness in the presence of misbehaving nodes.

Performance Analysis of a Six-Port Receiver in a WCDMA Communication System including a Multipath Fading Channel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. O. Olopade

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Third generation communication systems require receivers with wide bandwidth of operation to support high transmission rates and are also reconfigurable to support various communication standards with different frequency bands. An ideal software defined radio (SDR will be the absolute answer to this requirement but it is not achievable with the current level of technology. This paper proposes the use of a six-port receiver (SPR front-end (FE in a WCDMA communication system. A WCDMA end-to-end physical layer MATLAB demo which includes a multipath channel distortion block is used to determine the viability of the six-port based receiver. The WCDMA signal after passing through a multipath channel is received using a constructed SPR FE. The baseband signal is then calibrated and corrected in MATLAB. The six-port receiver performance is measured in terms of bit error rate (BER. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR of the transmitted IQ data is varied and the BER profile of the communication system is plotted. The effect of the multipath fading on the receiver performance and the accuracy of the calibration algorithm are obtained by comparing two different measured BER curves for different calibration techniques to the simulated BER curve of an ideal receiver.

Propagation measurements and multipath channel modelling for line-of-sight links at 19.5 GHz

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Naicker, K

2006-06-01

Full Text Available The research aims to characterise the performance of the link by evaluating the effects of multipath propagation under various meteorological conditions. A LOS link was established between the Howard College and Westville campuses of UKZN and passes...

GPS/Galileo Multipath Detection and Mitigation Using Closed-Form Solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khaled Rouabah

2009-01-01

Full Text Available We propose an efficient method for the detection of Line of Sight (LOS and Multipath (MP signals in global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs which is based on the use of virtual MP mitigation (VMM technique. By using the proposed method, the MP signals' delay and coefficient amplitudes can be efficiently estimated. According to the computer simulation results, it is obvious that our proposed method is a solution for obtaining high performance in the estimation and mitigation of MP signals and thus it results in a high accuracy in GNSS positioning.

Intercity Travel Demand Analysis Model

OpenAIRE

Ming Lu; Hai Zhu; Xia Luo; Lei Lei

2014-01-01

It is well known that intercity travel is an important component of travel demand which belongs to short distance corridor travel. The conventional four-step method is no longer suitable for short distance corridor travel demand analysis for the time spent on urban traffic has a great impact on traveler's main mode choice. To solve this problem, the author studied the existing intercity travel demand analysis model, then improved it based on the study, and finally established a combined model...

Partial PIC-MRC Receiver Design for Single Carrier Block Transmission System over Multipath Fading Channels

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Juinn-Horng Deng

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Single carrier block transmission (SCBT system has become one of the most popular modulation systems due to its low peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR, and it is gradually considered to be used for uplink wireless communication systems. In this paper, a low complexity partial parallel interference cancellation (PIC with maximum ratio combining (MRC technology is proposed to use for receiver to combat the intersymbol interference (ISI problem over multipath fading channel. With the aid of MRC scheme, the proposed partial PIC technique can effectively perform the interference cancellation and acquire the benefit of time diversity gain. Finally, the proposed system can be extended to use for multiple antenna systems to provide excellent performance. Simulation results reveal that the proposed low complexity partial PIC-MRC SIMO system can provide robust performance and outperform the conventional PIC and the iterative frequency domain decision feedback equalizer (FD-DFE systems over multipath fading channel environment.

A Robust Parametric Technique for Multipath Channel Estimation in the Uplink of a DS-CDMA System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The problem of estimating the multipath channel parameters of a new user entering the uplink of an asynchronous direct sequence-code division multiple access (DS-CDMA system is addressed. The problem is described via a least squares (LS cost function with a rich structure. This cost function, which is nonlinear with respect to the time delays and linear with respect to the gains of the multipath channel, is proved to be approximately decoupled in terms of the path delays. Due to this structure, an iterative procedure of 1D searches is adequate for time delays estimation. The resulting method is computationally efficient, does not require any specific pilot signal, and performs well for a small number of training symbols. Simulation results show that the proposed technique offers a better estimation accuracy compared to existing related methods, and is robust to multiple access interference.

Analysis of a Combined Antenna Arrays and Reverse-Link Synchronous DS-CDMA System over Multipath Rician Fading Channels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Yong-Seok

2005-01-01

Full Text Available We present the BER analysis of antenna array (AA receiver in reverse-link asynchronous multipath Rician channels and analyze the performance of an improved AA system which applies a reverse-link synchronous transmission technique (RLSTT in order to effectively make a better estimation of covariance matrices at a beamformer-RAKE receiver. In this work, we provide a comprehensive analysis of user capacity which reflects several important factors such as the ratio of the specular component power to the Rayleigh fading power, the shape of multipath intensity profile, and the number of antennas. Theoretical analysis demonstrates that for the case of a strong specular path's power or for a high decay factor, the employment of RLSTT along with AA has the potential of improving the achievable capacity by an order of magnitude.

Feedforward Delay Estimators in Adverse Multipath Propagation for Galileo and Modernized GPS Signals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lohan Elena Simona

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The estimation with high accuracy of the line-of-sight delay is a prerequisite for all global navigation satellite systems. The delay locked loops and their enhanced variants are the structures of choice for the commercial GNSS receivers, but their performance in severe multipath scenarios is still rather limited. The new satellite positioning system proposals specify higher code-epoch lengths compared to the traditional GPS signal and the use of a new modulation, the binary offset carrier (BOC modulation, which triggers new challenges in the delay tracking stage. We propose and analyze here the use of feedforward delay estimation techniques in order to improve the accuracy of the delay estimation in severe multipath scenarios. First, we give an extensive review of feedforward delay estimation techniques for CDMA signals in fading channels, by taking into account the impact of BOC modulation. Second, we extend the techniques previously proposed by the authors in the context of wideband CDMA delay estimation (e.g., Teager-Kaiser and the projection onto convex sets to the BOC-modulated signals. These techniques are presented as possible alternatives to the feedback tracking loops. A particular attention is on the scenarios with closely spaced paths. We also discuss how these feedforward techniques can be implemented via DSPs.

Methylmercury determination using a hyphenated high performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet cold vapor multipath atomic absorption spectrometry system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campos, Reinaldo C. [Department of Chemistry, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Rua Marques de S Vicente 225, 22453-900 Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)], E-mail: rccampos@puc-rio.br; Goncalves, Rodrigo A.; Brandao, Geisamanda P.; Azevedo, Marlo S. [Department of Chemistry, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Rua Marques de S Vicente 225, 22453-900 Rio de Janeiro (Brazil); Oliveira, Fabiana; Wasserman, Julio [Institut of Geosciences, Fluminense Federal University, Av. Gal. Milton Tavares de Souza, s/n, 24.210-340, Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

2009-06-15

The present work investigates the use of a multipath cell atomic absorption mercury detector for mercury speciation analysis in a hyphenated high performance liquid chromatography assembly. The multipath absorption cell multiplies the optical path while energy losses are compensated by a very intense primary source. Zeeman-effect background correction compensates for non-specific absorption. For the separation step, the mobile phase consisted in a 0.010% m/v mercaptoethanol solution in 5% methanol (pH = 5), a C{sub 18} column was used as stationary phase, and post column treatment was performed by UV irradiation (60 deg. C, 13 W). The eluate was then merged with 3 mol L{sup -1} HCl, reduction was performed by a NaBH{sub 4} solution, and the Hg vapor formed was separated at the gas-liquid separator and carried through a desiccant membrane to the detector. The detector was easily attached to the system, since an external gas flow to the gas-liquid separator was provided. A multivariate approach was used to optimize the procedure and peak area was used for measurement. Instrumental limits of detection of 0.05 {mu}g L{sup -1} were obtained for ionic (Hg{sup 2+}) and HgCH{sub 3}{sup +}, for an injection volume of 200 {mu}L. The multipath atomic absorption spectrometer proved to be a competitive mercury detector in hyphenated systems in relation to the most commonly used atomic fluorescence and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detectors. Preliminary application studies were performed for the determination of methyl mercury in sedi0011men.

Methylmercury determination using a hyphenated high performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet cold vapor multipath atomic absorption spectrometry system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campos, Reinaldo C.; Goncalves, Rodrigo A.; Brandao, Geisamanda P.; Azevedo, Marlo S.; Oliveira, Fabiana; Wasserman, Julio

2009-01-01

The present work investigates the use of a multipath cell atomic absorption mercury detector for mercury speciation analysis in a hyphenated high performance liquid chromatography assembly. The multipath absorption cell multiplies the optical path while energy losses are compensated by a very intense primary source. Zeeman-effect background correction compensates for non-specific absorption. For the separation step, the mobile phase consisted in a 0.010% m/v mercaptoethanol solution in 5% methanol (pH = 5), a C 18 column was used as stationary phase, and post column treatment was performed by UV irradiation (60 deg. C, 13 W). The eluate was then merged with 3 mol L -1 HCl, reduction was performed by a NaBH 4 solution, and the Hg vapor formed was separated at the gas-liquid separator and carried through a desiccant membrane to the detector. The detector was easily attached to the system, since an external gas flow to the gas-liquid separator was provided. A multivariate approach was used to optimize the procedure and peak area was used for measurement. Instrumental limits of detection of 0.05 μg L -1 were obtained for ionic (Hg 2+ ) and HgCH 3 + , for an injection volume of 200 μL. The multipath atomic absorption spectrometer proved to be a competitive mercury detector in hyphenated systems in relation to the most commonly used atomic fluorescence and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detectors. Preliminary application studies were performed for the determination of methyl mercury in sediments.

Analytical Approach to Target Detection and Localization at High-Frequency Bands Using Multipath Propagation

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-25

ElectroMagnetic, Multipath propagation, Reflection-diffraction, SAR signal processing 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT SAR 18...protection, and traffic surveillance, etc. With these above reasons, we are motivated to introduce a new approach to the target detection and...coherent integrating the backscattering signal , we propose a 3D propagation model that is useful not only in explaining the mechanisms of wave

Investigation of Range Profiles from a Simplified Ship on Rough Sea Surface and Its Multipath Imaging Mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siyuan He

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The range profiles of a two-dimension (2 D perfect electric conductor (PEC ship on a wind-driven rough sea surface are derived by performing an inverse discrete Fourier transform (IDFT on the wide band backscattered field. The rough sea surface is assuming to be a PEC surface. The back scattered field is computed based on EM numerical simulation when the frequencies are sampled between 100 MHz and 700 MHz. Considering the strong coupling interactions between the ship and sea, the complicated multipath effect to the range profile characteristics is fully analyzed based on the multipath imaging mechanisms. The coupling mechanisms could be explained by means of ray theory prediction and numerical extraction of the coupling currents. The comparison of the range profile locations between ray theory prediction and surface current simulation is implemented and analyzed in this paper. Finally, the influence of different sea states on the radar target signatures has been examined and discussed.

Understanding Long-distance Traveler Behavior : Supporting a Long-distance Passenger Travel Demand Model

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Long-distance trips in the United States can take 2 days or 2 weeks and may involve cars, buses, planes, or all three. Whether for business, to see family, or visit a national park, such a variety of trip characteristics requires a detailed understan...

Support vector machine multiuser receiver for DS-CDMA signals in multipath channels.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, S; Samingan, A K; Hanzo, L

2001-01-01

The problem of constructing an adaptive multiuser detector (MUD) is considered for direct sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) signals transmitted through multipath channels. The emerging learning technique, called support vector machines (SVM), is proposed as a method of obtaining a nonlinear MUD from a relatively small training data block. Computer simulation is used to study this SVM MUD, and the results show that it can closely match the performance of the optimal Bayesian one-shot detector. Comparisons with an adaptive radial basis function (RBF) MUD trained by an unsupervised clustering algorithm are discussed.

Multipath colourimetric assay for copper(II) ions utilizing MarR functionalized gold nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yulong; Wang, Limin; Su, Zhenhe; Xue, Juanjuan; Dong, Jinbo; Zhang, Cunzheng; Hua, Xiude; Wang, Minghua; Liu, Fengquan

2017-02-01

We use the multiple antibiotic resistance regulator (MarR), as a highly selective biorecognition elements in a multipath colourimetric sensing strategy for the fast detection of Cu2+ in water samples. The colourimetric assay is based on the aggregation of MarR-coated gold nanoparticles in the presence of Cu2+ ions, which induces a red-to-purple colour change of the solution. The colour variation in the gold nanoparticle aggregation process can be used for qualitative and quantitative detection of Cu2+ by the naked eye, and with UV-vis and smartphone-based approaches. The three analysis techniques used in the multipath colourimetric assay complement each other and provide greater flexibility for differing requirements and conditions, making the assay highly applicable for Cu2+ detection. Under optimal conditions, the Cu2+ concentration was quantified in less than 5 min with limits of detection for the naked eye, UV-vis and smartphone-based approaches of 1 μM, 405 nM and 61 nM, respectively. Moreover, the sensing system exhibited excellent selectivity and practical application for Cu2+ detection in real water samples. Thus, our strategy has great potential for application in on-site monitoring of Cu2+, and the unique response of MarR towards copper ions may provide a new approach to Cu2+ sensing.

QoE-Driven Energy-Aware Multipath Content Delivery Approach for MPTCP-Based Mobile Phones

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yuanlong Cao; Shengyang Chen; Qinghua Liu; Yi Zuo; Hao Wang; Minghe Huang

2017-01-01

Mobile phones equipped with multiple wireless interfaces can increase their goodput performance by making use of concurrent transmissions over multiple paths,enabled by the Multipath TCP (MPTCP).However,utilizing MPTCP for data delivery may generally result in higher energy consumption,while the battery power of a mobile phone is limited.Thus,how to optimize the energy usage becomes very crucial and urgent.In this paper,we propose MPTCP-QE,a novel quality of experience (QoE)-driven energy-aware multipath content delivery approach for MPTCP-based mobile phones.The main idea of MPTCP-QE is described as follows:it first provides an application rate-aware energy-efficient subflow management strategy to tradeoff throughput performance and energy consumption for mobile phones;then uses an available bandwidth-aware congestion window fast recovery strategy to make a sender avoid unnecessary slow-start and utilize wireless resource quickly;and further introduces a novel receiver-driven energy-efficient SACK strategy to help a receiver possible to detect SACK loss timely and trigger loss recovery in a more energy-efficient way.The simulation results show that with the MPTCP-QE,the energy usage is enhanced while the performance level is maintained compared to existing MPTCP solutions.

Space-Time Joint Interference Cancellation Using Fuzzy-Inference-Based Adaptive Filtering Techniques in Frequency-Selective Multipath Channels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Yu-Fan

2006-01-01

Full Text Available An adaptive minimum mean-square error (MMSE array receiver based on the fuzzy-logic recursive least-squares (RLS algorithm is developed for asynchronous DS-CDMA interference suppression in the presence of frequency-selective multipath fading. This receiver employs a fuzzy-logic control mechanism to perform the nonlinear mapping of the squared error and squared error variation, denoted by ( , , into a forgetting factor . For the real-time applicability, a computationally efficient version of the proposed receiver is derived based on the least-mean-square (LMS algorithm using the fuzzy-inference-controlled step-size . This receiver is capable of providing both fast convergence/tracking capability as well as small steady-state misadjustment as compared with conventional LMS- and RLS-based MMSE DS-CDMA receivers. Simulations show that the fuzzy-logic LMS and RLS algorithms outperform, respectively, other variable step-size LMS (VSS-LMS and variable forgetting factor RLS (VFF-RLS algorithms at least 3 dB and 1.5 dB in bit-error-rate (BER for multipath fading channels.

Intercity Travel Demand Analysis Model

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Ming Lu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available It is well known that intercity travel is an important component of travel demand which belongs to short distance corridor travel. The conventional four-step method is no longer suitable for short distance corridor travel demand analysis for the time spent on urban traffic has a great impact on traveler's main mode choice. To solve this problem, the author studied the existing intercity travel demand analysis model, then improved it based on the study, and finally established a combined model of main mode choice and access mode choice. At last, an integrated multilevel nested logit model structure system was built. The model system includes trip generation, destination choice, and mode-route choice based on multinomial logit model, and it achieved linkage and feedback of each part through logsum variable. This model was applied in Shenzhen intercity railway passenger demand forecast in 2010 as a case study. As a result, the forecast results were consistent with the actuality. The model's correctness and feasibility were verified.

Energy-Aware Multipath Routing Scheme Based on Particle Swarm Optimization in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Y Harold; Rajaram, M

2015-01-01

Mobile ad hoc network (MANET) is a collection of autonomous mobile nodes forming an ad hoc network without fixed infrastructure. Dynamic topology property of MANET may degrade the performance of the network. However, multipath selection is a great challenging task to improve the network lifetime. We proposed an energy-aware multipath routing scheme based on particle swarm optimization (EMPSO) that uses continuous time recurrent neural network (CTRNN) to solve optimization problems. CTRNN finds the optimal loop-free paths to solve link disjoint paths in a MANET. The CTRNN is used as an optimum path selection technique that produces a set of optimal paths between source and destination. In CTRNN, particle swarm optimization (PSO) method is primly used for training the RNN. The proposed scheme uses the reliability measures such as transmission cost, energy factor, and the optimal traffic ratio between source and destination to increase routing performance. In this scheme, optimal loop-free paths can be found using PSO to seek better link quality nodes in route discovery phase. PSO optimizes a problem by iteratively trying to get a better solution with regard to a measure of quality. The proposed scheme discovers multiple loop-free paths by using PSO technique.

Analysis of BeiDou Satellite Measurements with Code Multipath and Geometry-Free Ionosphere-Free Combinations

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Qile Zhao

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Using GNSS observable from some stations in the Asia-Pacific area, the carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR and multipath combinations of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS, as well as their variations with time and/or elevation were investigated and compared with those of GPS and Galileo. Provided the same elevation, the CNR of B1 observables is the lowest among the three BDS frequencies, while B3 is the highest. The code multipath combinations of BDS inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO and medium Earth orbit (MEO satellites are remarkably correlated with elevation, and the systematic “V” shape trends could be eliminated through between-station-differencing or modeling correction. Daily periodicity was found in the geometry-free ionosphere-free (GFIF combinations of both BDS geostationary Earth orbit (GEO and IGSO satellites. The variation range of carrier phase GFIF combinations of GEO satellites is −2.0 to 2.0 cm. The periodicity of carrier phase GFIF combination could be significantly mitigated through between-station differencing. Carrier phase GFIF combinations of BDS GEO and IGSO satellites might also contain delays related to satellites. Cross-correlation suggests that the GFIF combinations’ time series of some GEO satellites might vary according to their relative geometries with the sun.

Analysis of BeiDou Satellite Measurements with Code Multipath and Geometry-Free Ionosphere-Free Combinations.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Qile; Wang, Guangxing; Liu, Zhizhao; Hu, Zhigang; Dai, Zhiqiang; Liu, Jingnan

2016-01-20

Using GNSS observable from some stations in the Asia-Pacific area, the carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) and multipath combinations of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), as well as their variations with time and/or elevation were investigated and compared with those of GPS and Galileo. Provided the same elevation, the CNR of B1 observables is the lowest among the three BDS frequencies, while B3 is the highest. The code multipath combinations of BDS inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) and medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites are remarkably correlated with elevation, and the systematic "V" shape trends could be eliminated through between-station-differencing or modeling correction. Daily periodicity was found in the geometry-free ionosphere-free (GFIF) combinations of both BDS geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) and IGSO satellites. The variation range of carrier phase GFIF combinations of GEO satellites is -2.0 to 2.0 cm. The periodicity of carrier phase GFIF combination could be significantly mitigated through between-station differencing. Carrier phase GFIF combinations of BDS GEO and IGSO satellites might also contain delays related to satellites. Cross-correlation suggests that the GFIF combinations' time series of some GEO satellites might vary according to their relative geometries with the sun.

Providing Formative Assessment to Students Solving Multipath Engineering Problems with Complex Arrangements of Interacting Parts: An Intelligent Tutor Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Steif, Paul S.; Fu, Luoting; Kara, Levent Burak

2016-01-01

Problems faced by engineering students involve multiple pathways to solution. Students rarely receive effective formative feedback on handwritten homework. This paper examines the potential for computer-based formative assessment of student solutions to multipath engineering problems. In particular, an intelligent tutor approach is adopted and…

Multi-path transportation futures study : vehicle characterization and scenario analyses.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plotkin, S. E.; Singh, M. K.; Energy Systems; TA Engineering; ORNL

2009-12-03

Projecting the future role of advanced drivetrains and fuels in the light vehicle market is inherently difficult, given the uncertainty (and likely volatility) of future oil prices, inadequate understanding of likely consumer response to new technologies, the relative infancy of several important new technologies with inevitable future changes in their performance and costs, and the importance - and uncertainty - of future government marketplace interventions (e.g., new regulatory standards or vehicle purchase incentives). This Multi-Path Transportation Futures (MP) Study has attempted to improve our understanding of this future role by examining several scenarios of vehicle costs, fuel prices, government subsidies, and other key factors. These are projections, not forecasts, in that they try to answer a series of 'what if' questions without assigning probabilities to most of the basic assumptions.

Performance Analysis of Iterative Channel Estimation and Multiuser Detection in Multipath DS-CDMA Channels

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Husheng; Betz, Sharon M.; Poor, H. Vincent

2007-05-01

This paper examines the performance of decision feedback based iterative channel estimation and multiuser detection in channel coded aperiodic DS-CDMA systems operating over multipath fading channels. First, explicit expressions describing the performance of channel estimation and parallel interference cancellation based multiuser detection are developed. These results are then combined to characterize the evolution of the performance of a system that iterates among channel estimation, multiuser detection and channel decoding. Sufficient conditions for convergence of this system to a unique fixed point are developed.

Space-Time Joint Interference Cancellation Using Fuzzy-Inference-Based Adaptive Filtering Techniques in Frequency-Selective Multipath Channels

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Chia-Chang; Lin, Hsuan-Yu; Chen, Yu-Fan; Wen, Jyh-Horng

2006-12-01

An adaptive minimum mean-square error (MMSE) array receiver based on the fuzzy-logic recursive least-squares (RLS) algorithm is developed for asynchronous DS-CDMA interference suppression in the presence of frequency-selective multipath fading. This receiver employs a fuzzy-logic control mechanism to perform the nonlinear mapping of the squared error and squared error variation, denoted by ([InlineEquation not available: see fulltext.],[InlineEquation not available: see fulltext.]), into a forgetting factor[InlineEquation not available: see fulltext.]. For the real-time applicability, a computationally efficient version of the proposed receiver is derived based on the least-mean-square (LMS) algorithm using the fuzzy-inference-controlled step-size[InlineEquation not available: see fulltext.]. This receiver is capable of providing both fast convergence/tracking capability as well as small steady-state misadjustment as compared with conventional LMS- and RLS-based MMSE DS-CDMA receivers. Simulations show that the fuzzy-logic LMS and RLS algorithms outperform, respectively, other variable step-size LMS (VSS-LMS) and variable forgetting factor RLS (VFF-RLS) algorithms at least 3 dB and 1.5 dB in bit-error-rate (BER) for multipath fading channels.

Maximum spectral demands in the near-fault region

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yin-Nan; Whittaker, Andrew S.; Luco, Nicolas

2008-01-01

The Next Generation Attenuation (NGA) relationships for shallow crustal earthquakes in the western United States predict a rotated geometric mean of horizontal spectral demand, termed GMRotI50, and not maximum spectral demand. Differences between strike-normal, strike-parallel, geometric-mean, and maximum spectral demands in the near-fault region are investigated using 147 pairs of records selected from the NGA strong motion database. The selected records are for earthquakes with moment magnitude greater than 6.5 and for closest site-to-fault distance less than 15 km. Ratios of maximum spectral demand to NGA-predicted GMRotI50 for each pair of ground motions are presented. The ratio shows a clear dependence on period and the Somerville directivity parameters. Maximum demands can substantially exceed NGA-predicted GMRotI50 demands in the near-fault region, which has significant implications for seismic design, seismic performance assessment, and the next-generation seismic design maps. Strike-normal spectral demands are a significantly unconservative surrogate for maximum spectral demands for closest distance greater than 3 to 5 km. Scale factors that transform NGA-predicted GMRotI50 to a maximum spectral demand in the near-fault region are proposed.

An Efficient Code-Timing Estimator for DS-CDMA Systems over Resolvable Multipath Channels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Li

2005-04-01

Full Text Available We consider the problem of training-based code-timing estimation for the asynchronous direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (DS-CDMA system. We propose a modified large-sample maximum-likelihood (MLSML estimator that can be used for the code-timing estimation for the DS-CDMA systems over the resolvable multipath channels in closed form. Simulation results show that MLSML can be used to provide a high correct acquisition probability and a high estimation accuracy. Simulation results also show that MLSML can have very good near-far resistant capability due to employing a data model similar to that for adaptive array processing where strong interferences can be suppressed.

Metabolic power demands of rugby league match play.

Science.gov (United States)

Kempton, Tom; Sirotic, Anita Claire; Rampinini, Ermanno; Coutts, Aaron James

2015-01-01

To describe the metabolic demands of rugby league match play for positional groups and compare match distances obtained from high-speed-running classifications with those derived from high metabolic power. Global positioning system (GPS) data were collected from 25 players from a team competing in the National Rugby League competition over 39 matches. Players were classified into positional groups (adjustables, outside backs, hit-up forwards, and wide-running forwards). The GPS devices provided instantaneous raw velocity data at 5 Hz, which were exported to a customized spreadsheet. The spreadsheet provided calculations for speed-based distances (eg, total distance; high-speed running, >14.4 km/h; and very-high-speed running, >18.1 km/h) and metabolic-power variables (eg, energy expenditure; average metabolic power; and high-power distance, >20 W/kg). The data show that speed-based distances and metabolic power varied between positional groups, although this was largely related to differences in time spent on field. The distance covered at high running speed was lower than that obtained from high-power thresholds for all positional groups; however, the difference between the 2 methods was greatest for hit-up forwards and adjustables. Positional differences existed for all metabolic parameters, although these are at least partially related to time spent on the field. Higher-speed running may underestimate the demands of match play when compared with high-power distance-although the degree of difference between the measures varied by position. The analysis of metabolic power may complement traditional speed-based classifications and improve our understanding of the demands of rugby league match play.

Student and Faculty Issues in Distance Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Fender, David L.

Occupational safety and health faculty and occupational safety and health professionals (i.e., the potential audience for graduate level distance education programs) were surveyed to determine the considerations for a distance education-based graduate occupational safety and health program. Findings are reported related to the demand for distance…

Modeling of Doppler frequency shift in multipath radio channels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Penzin M.S.

2016-06-01

Full Text Available We discuss the modeling of propagation of a quasi-monochromatic radio signal, represented by a coherent pulse sequence, in a non-stationary multipath radio channel. In such a channel, signal propagation results in the observed frequency shift for each ray (Doppler effect. The modeling is based on the assumption that during propagation of a single pulse a channel can be considered stationary. A phase variation in the channel transfer function is shown to cause the observed frequency shift in the received signal. Thus, instead of measuring the Doppler frequency shift, we can measure the rate of variation in the mean phase of one pulse relative to another. The modeling is carried out within the framework of the method of normal waves. The method enables us to model the dynamics of the electromagnetic field at a given point with the required accuracy. The modeling reveals that a local change in ionospheric conditions more severely affects the rays whose reflection region is in the area where the changes occur.

An Environment-Friendly Multipath Routing Protocol for Underwater Acoustic Sensor Network

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Yun Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Underwater Acoustic Sensor Network (UASN is a promising technique by facilitating a wide range of aquatic applications. However, routing scheme in UASN is a challenging task because of the characteristics of the nodes mobility, interruption of link, and interference caused by other underwater acoustic systems such as marine mammals. In order to achieve reliable data delivery in UASN, in this work, we present a disjoint multipath disruption-tolerant routing protocol for UASN (ENMR, which incorporates the Hue, Saturation, and Value color space (HSV model to establish routing paths to greedily forward data packets to sink nodes. ENMR applies the mechanism to maintain the network topology. Simulation results show that, compared with the classic underwater routing protocols named PVBF, ENMR can improve packet delivery ratio and reduce network latency while avoiding introducing additional energy consumption.

Noise-Assisted Concurrent Multipath Traffic Distribution in Ad Hoc Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Murata, Masayuki

2013-01-01

The concept of biologically inspired networking has been introduced to tackle unpredictable and unstable situations in computer networks, especially in wireless ad hoc networks where network conditions are continuously changing, resulting in the need of robustness and adaptability of control methods. Unfortunately, existing methods often rely heavily on the detailed knowledge of each network component and the preconfigured, that is, fine-tuned, parameters. In this paper, we utilize a new concept, called attractor perturbation (AP), which enables controlling the network performance using only end-to-end information. Based on AP, we propose a concurrent multipath traffic distribution method, which aims at lowering the average end-to-end delay by only adjusting the transmission rate on each path. We demonstrate through simulations that, by utilizing the attractor perturbation relationship, the proposed method achieves a lower average end-to-end delay compared to other methods which do not take fluctuations into account. PMID:24319375

Performance of Reverse-Link Synchronous DS-CDMA System on a Frequency-Selective Multipath Fading Channel with Imperfect Power Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duk Kyung Kim

2002-08-01

Full Text Available We analyze the performance for reverse-link synchronous DS-CDMA system in a frequency-selective Rayleigh fading channel with an imperfect power control scheme. The performance degradation due to power control error (PCE, which is approximated by a log-normally distributed random variable, is estimated as a function of the standard deviation of the PCE. In addition, we investigate the impacts of the multipath intensity profile (MIP shape and the number of resolvable paths on the performance. Finally, the coded bit error performance is evaluated in order to estimate the system capacity. Comparing with the conventional CDMA system, we show an achievable gain of from 59% to 23% for reverse-link synchronous transmission technique (RLSTT in the presence of imperfect power control over asynchronous transmission for BER=10−6. As well, the effect of tradeoff between orthogonality and diversity can be seen according to the number of multipaths, and the tendency is kept even in the presence of PCE. We conclude that the capacity can be further improved via the RLSTT, because the DS-CDMA system is very sensitive to power control imperfections.

Estimating the effect of urban density on fuel demand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karathodorou, Niovi; Graham, Daniel J. [Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Noland, Robert B. [Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (United States)

2010-01-15

Much of the empirical literature on fuel demand presents estimates derived from national data which do not permit any explicit consideration of the spatial structure of the economy. Intuitively we would expect the degree of spatial concentration of activities to have a strong link with transport fuel consumption. The present paper addresses this theme by estimating a fuel demand model for urban areas to provide a direct estimate of the elasticity of demand with respect to urban density. Fuel demand per capita is decomposed into car stock per capita, fuel consumption per kilometre and annual distance driven per car per year. Urban density is found to affect fuel consumption, mostly through variations in the car stock and in the distances travelled, rather than through fuel consumption per kilometre. (author)

Design of complete software GPS signal simulator with low complexity and precise multipath channel model

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G. Arul Elango

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The need for GPS data simulators have become important due to the tremendous growth in the design of versatile GPS receivers. Commercial hardware and software based GPS simulators are expensive and time consuming. In this work, a low cost simple novel GPS L1 signal simulator is designed for testing and evaluating the performance of software GPS receiver in a laboratory environment. A typical real time paradigm, similar to actual satellite derived GPS signal is created on a computer generated scenario. In this paper, a GPS software simulator is proposed that may offer a lot of analysis and testing flexibility to the researchers and developers as it is totally software based primarily running on a laptop/personal computer without the requirement of any hardware. The proposed GPS simulator allows provision for re-configurability and test repeatability and is developed in VC++ platform to minimize the simulation time. It also incorporates Rayleigh multipath channel fading model under non-line of sight (NLOS conditions. In this work, to efficiently design the simulator, several Rayleigh fading models viz. Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT, Filtering White Gaussian Noise (FWFN and modified Sum of Sinusoidal (SOS simulators are tested and compared in terms of accuracy of its first and second order statistical metrics, execution time and the later one is found to be as the best appropriate Rayleigh multipath model suitable for incorporating with GPS simulator. The fading model written in ‘MATLAB’ engine has been linked with software GPS simulator module enable to test GPS receiver’s functionality in different fading environments.

Adaptive MANET Multipath Routing Algorithm Based on the Simulated Annealing Approach

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Sungwook Kim

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Mobile ad hoc network represents a system of wireless mobile nodes that can freely and dynamically self-organize network topologies without any preexisting communication infrastructure. Due to characteristics like temporary topology and absence of centralized authority, routing is one of the major issues in ad hoc networks. In this paper, a new multipath routing scheme is proposed by employing simulated annealing approach. The proposed metaheuristic approach can achieve greater and reciprocal advantages in a hostile dynamic real world network situation. Therefore, the proposed routing scheme is a powerful method for finding an effective solution into the conflict mobile ad hoc network routing problem. Simulation results indicate that the proposed paradigm adapts best to the variation of dynamic network situations. The average remaining energy, network throughput, packet loss probability, and traffic load distribution are improved by about 10%, 10%, 5%, and 10%, respectively, more than the existing schemes.

Glistening-region model for multipath studies

Science.gov (United States)

Groves, Gordon W.; Chow, Winston C.

1998-07-01

The goal is to achieve a model of radar sea reflection with improved fidelity that is amenable to practical implementation. The geometry of reflection from a wavy surface is formulated. The sea surface is divided into two components: the smooth `chop' consisting of the longer wavelengths, and the `roughness' of the short wavelengths. Ordinary geometric reflection from the chop surface is broadened by the roughness. This same representation serves both for forward scatter and backscatter (sea clutter). The `Road-to-Happiness' approximation, in which the mean sea surface is assumed cylindrical, simplifies the reflection geometry for low-elevation targets. The effect of surface roughness is assumed to make the sea reflection coefficient depending on the `Deviation Angle' between the specular and the scattering directions. The `specular' direction is that into which energy would be reflected by a perfectly smooth facet. Assuming that the ocean waves are linear and random allows use of Gaussian statistics, greatly simplifying the formulation by allowing representation of the sea chop by three parameters. An approximation of `low waves' and retention of the sea-chop slope components only through second order provides further simplification. The simplifying assumptions make it possible to take the predicted 2D ocean wave spectrum into account in the calculation of sea-surface radar reflectivity, to provide algorithms for support of an operational system for dealing with target tracking in the presence of multipath. The product will be of use in simulated studies to evaluate different trade-offs in alternative tracking schemes, and will form the basis of a tactical system for ship defense against low flyers.

Distance Education Quality Course Delivery Framework: A Formative Research Study

Science.gov (United States)

Berta, Michael Raymond

2013-01-01

In the Fall 2010 semester, student enrollment in distance education courses increased in the United States to over 6.1 million students taking at least one distance course. Distance education allows institutions to meet increasing demands from the government and business sectors for more graduates in ways that face-to-face courses cannot meet with…

Customer premises services market demand assessment 1980 - 2000: Volume 2

Science.gov (United States)

Gamble, R. B.; Saporta, L.; Heidenrich, G. A.

1983-01-01

Potential customer premises service (CPS), telecommunication services, potential CPS user classes, a primary research survey, comparative economics, market demand forcasts, distance distribution of traffic, segmentation of market demand, and a nationwide traffic distribution model are discussed.

Multicarrier chaotic communications in multipath fading channels without channel estimation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Shilian, E-mail: wangsl@nudt.edu.cn; Zhang, Zhili [College of Electrical Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, 410073, P R China (China)

2015-01-15

A multi-carrier chaotic shift keying(MC-CSK) communication scheme with low probability of interception(LPI) is proposed in this article. We apply chaotic spreading sequences in the frequency domain, mapping a different chip of a chaotic sequence to an individual orthogonal frequency division multiplexing(OFDM) subcarrier. In each block size of $M$ OFDM symbols, we use one pilot OFDM symbol inserted time-spaced in all-frequency to transmit the reference chaotic signal and use the other M-1 OFDM symbols to transmit the information-bearing signals each spreaded by the reference chaotic signal. At the receiver, we construct a differential detector after DFT and recover the information bits from the correlations between the pilot OFDM symbol and the other M-1 OFDM symbols in each block size of M. Performance analysis and computer simulations show that the MC-CSK outperforms differential chaos shift keying(DCSK) in AWGN channels with high bandwidth efficiency for the block size of M=2 and that the MC-CSK exploits effectively the frequent diversity of the multipath channel.

Multicarrier chaotic communications in multipath fading channels without channel estimation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shilian Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A multi-carrier chaotic shift keying(MC-CSK communication scheme with low probability of interception(LPI is proposed in this article. We apply chaotic spreading sequences in the frequency domain, mapping a different chip of a chaotic sequence to an individual orthogonal frequency division multiplexing(OFDM subcarrier. In each block size of $M$ OFDM symbols, we use one pilot OFDM symbol inserted time-spaced in all-frequency to transmit the reference chaotic signal and use the other M-1 OFDM symbols to transmit the information-bearing signals each spreaded by the reference chaotic signal. At the receiver, we construct a differential detector after DFT and recover the information bits from the correlations between the pilot OFDM symbol and the other M-1 OFDM symbols in each block size of M. Performance analysis and computer simulations show that the MC-CSK outperforms differential chaos shift keying(DCSK in AWGN channels with high bandwidth efficiency for the block size of M=2 and that the MC-CSK exploits effectively the frequent diversity of the multipath channel.

Quality Assurance in Asian Distance Education: Diverse Approaches and Common Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Insung; Wong, Tat Meng; Li, Chen; Baigaltugs, Sanjaa; Belawati, Tian

2011-01-01

With the phenomenal expansion of distance education in Asia during the past three decades, there has been growing public demand for quality and accountability in distance education. This study investigates the national quality assurance systems for distance education at the higher education level in Asia with the aim of contributing to a better…

The Use of Media and Technology in Distance Education – Indian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

unique firstlady

terms "Distance Education" or "Distance Learning" have been ... gripped by the psychology of “learn while you earn” (Inayat. Khan 1991). To cater the demands .... education and to attract the students by providing new media and technologies.

Service Quality in Distance Education using the Gronroos Model

OpenAIRE

Hamid, Fazelina Sahul; Yip, Nick

2016-01-01

Demand for distance education programs have been increasing rapidly over the years. As a result, assessment of the quality of distance education programs has become a strategic issue that is very pertinent for program survival. This study uses Gronroos Model for assessing the service quality of the Malaysian distance education institutions. This model is chosen because it takes into account of the service delivery process and also service outcome. Our study confirms the multidimensional natur...

Accurate Bit Error Rate Calculation for Asynchronous Chaos-Based DS-CDMA over Multipath Channel

Science.gov (United States)

Kaddoum, Georges; Roviras, Daniel; Chargé, Pascal; Fournier-Prunaret, Daniele

2009-12-01

An accurate approach to compute the bit error rate expression for multiuser chaosbased DS-CDMA system is presented in this paper. For more realistic communication system a slow fading multipath channel is considered. A simple RAKE receiver structure is considered. Based on the bit energy distribution, this approach compared to others computation methods existing in literature gives accurate results with low computation charge. Perfect estimation of the channel coefficients with the associated delays and chaos synchronization is assumed. The bit error rate is derived in terms of the bit energy distribution, the number of paths, the noise variance, and the number of users. Results are illustrated by theoretical calculations and numerical simulations which point out the accuracy of our approach.

A Secure Cluster-Based Multipath Routing Protocol for WMSNs

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Jamal N. Al-Karaki

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The new characteristics of Wireless Multimedia Sensor Network (WMSN and its design issues brought by handling different traffic classes of multimedia content (video streams, audio, and still images as well as scalar data over the network, make the proposed routing protocols for typical WSNs not directly applicable for WMSNs. Handling real-time multimedia data requires both energy efficiency and QoS assurance in order to ensure efficient utility of different capabilities of sensor resources and correct delivery of collected information. In this paper, we propose a Secure Cluster-based Multipath Routing protocol for WMSNs, SCMR, to satisfy the requirements of delivering different data types and support high data rate multimedia traffic. SCMR exploits the hierarchical structure of powerful cluster heads and the optimized multiple paths to support timeliness and reliable high data rate multimedia communication with minimum energy dissipation. Also, we present a light-weight distributed security mechanism of key management in order to secure the communication between sensor nodes and protect the network against different types of attacks. Performance evaluation from simulation results demonstrates a significant performance improvement comparing with existing protocols (which do not even provide any kind of security feature in terms of average end-to-end delay, network throughput, packet delivery ratio, and energy consumption.

Quality Assurance in Asian Distance Education: Diverse Approaches and Common Culture

OpenAIRE

Insung Jung; Tat Meng Wong; Chen Li; Sanjaa Baigaltugs; Tian Belawati

2011-01-01

With the phenomenal expansion of distance education in Asia during the past three decades, there has been growing public demand for quality and accountability in distance education. This study investigates the national quality assurance systems for distance education at the higher education level in Asia with the aim of contributing to a better understanding of the current level of development of quality assurance in Asian distance education and to offer potential directions for policy makers...

Analysis of F-Canyon Effluents During the Dissolution Cycle with a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer/Multipath Cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villa, E.

1999-01-01

Air samples from F-Canyon effluents were collected at the F-Canyon stack and transported to a laboratory at the Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) for analysis using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer in conjunction with a multipath cell. Air samples were collected during the decladding and acid cuts of the dissolution of the irradiated aluminum-cladded slugs. The FTIR analyses of the air samples show the presence of NO2, NO, HNO2, N2O, SF6, and 85Kr during the dissolution cycle. The concentration time profiles of these effluents corresponded with expected release rates from the F-Canyon operations

Credit Demand Amongst Farmers in Mukono District, Uganda ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

forming farmers' associations, leveraging mobile money technologies to reduce distance, and streamlining application procedures could bolster agricultural credit demand in Uganda. ...... analysis was collected for the latter's M.Sc. dissertation.

Tutoring Group Learning at a Distance.

Science.gov (United States)

Fahraeus, Eva R.

Experiences from a distance course conducted during 1996-97 for high-school teachers in Sweden and reports from other experiments have yielded the conclusion that collaborating via electronic conferencing systems demands new communication patterns. This paper uses theories about communication, group processes, and shared symbolic order and social…

Communication Barriers in Distance Education: "Text-Based Internet-Enabled Online Courses"

Science.gov (United States)

Dabaj, Fahme; Isman, Aytekin

2004-01-01

With the rapid technological changes and the diverse people demands and conditions, traditional educational systems and institutions are forced to provide additional educational opportunities. A number of educational establishments are contributing to these conditions and demands by developing and offering distance education programs. Distance…

Design and Development of an MPH Program for Distance Education Delivery

OpenAIRE

Steven R. Hawks

2008-01-01

The Master-s of Public Health (MPH) degree is growing in popularity among a number of higher education institutions throughout the world as a distance education graduate program. This paper offers an overview of program design and development strategies that promote successful distance delivery of MPH programs. Design and development challenges are discussed in terms of type of distance delivery, accreditation, student demand, faculty development, user needs, course conte...

Costing Distance Education and Open Learning in Sub-Saharan Africa: Working Group on Distance Education and Open Learning-- A Survey of Policy and Practice. Final Report

Science.gov (United States)

Commonwealth of Learning, 2004

2004-01-01

Ideological arguments are made for open learning, economic ones for distance education. If it can produce similar results to those of conventional education at a lower cost, then distance education has a powerful appeal. With increasing demand for access to educational opportunities at all levels, and often decreasing budgets in real terms for…

Migration and Tourism Demand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuno Carlos LEITÃO

2012-02-01

Full Text Available This study considers the relationship between immigration and Portuguese tourism demand for the period 1995-2008, using a dynamic panel data approach. The findings indicate that Portuguese tourism increased significantly during the period in accordance with the values expected for a developed country. The regression results show that income, shock of immigration, population, and geographical distance between Portugal and countries of origin are the main determinants of Portuguese tourism.

Depth- and range-dependent variation in the performance of aquatic telemetry systems: understanding and predicting the susceptibility of acoustic tag-receiver pairs to close proximity detection interference.

Science.gov (United States)

Scherrer, Stephen R; Rideout, Brendan P; Giorli, Giacomo; Nosal, Eva-Marie; Weng, Kevin C

2018-01-01

Passive acoustic telemetry using coded transmitter tags and stationary receivers is a popular method for tracking movements of aquatic animals. Understanding the performance of these systems is important in array design and in analysis. Close proximity detection interference (CPDI) is a condition where receivers fail to reliably detect tag transmissions. CPDI generally occurs when the tag and receiver are near one another in acoustically reverberant settings. Here we confirm transmission multipaths reflected off the environment arriving at a receiver with sufficient delay relative to the direct signal cause CPDI. We propose a ray-propagation based model to estimate the arrival of energy via multipaths to predict CPDI occurrence, and we show how deeper deployments are particularly susceptible. A series of experiments were designed to develop and validate our model. Deep (300 m) and shallow (25 m) ranging experiments were conducted using Vemco V13 acoustic tags and VR2-W receivers. Probabilistic modeling of hourly detections was used to estimate the average distance a tag could be detected. A mechanistic model for predicting the arrival time of multipaths was developed using parameters from these experiments to calculate the direct and multipath path lengths. This model was retroactively applied to the previous ranging experiments to validate CPDI observations. Two additional experiments were designed to validate predictions of CPDI with respect to combinations of deployment depth and distance. Playback of recorded tags in a tank environment was used to confirm multipaths arriving after the receiver's blanking interval cause CPDI effects. Analysis of empirical data estimated the average maximum detection radius (AMDR), the farthest distance at which 95% of tag transmissions went undetected by receivers, was between 840 and 846 m for the deep ranging experiment across all factor permutations. From these results, CPDI was estimated within a 276.5 m radius of the

Physiological demands of running during long distance runs and triathlons.

Science.gov (United States)

Hausswirth, C; Lehénaff, D

2001-01-01

The aim of this review article is to identify the main metabolic factors which have an influence on the energy cost of running (Cr) during prolonged exercise runs and triathlons. This article proposes a physiological comparison of these 2 exercises and the relationship between running economy and performance. Many terms are used as the equivalent of 'running economy' such as 'oxygen cost', 'metabolic cost', 'energy cost of running', and 'oxygen consumption'. It has been suggested that these expressions may be defined by the rate of oxygen uptake (VO2) at a steady state (i.e. between 60 to 90% of maximal VO2) at a submaximal running speed. Endurance events such as triathlon or marathon running are known to modify biological constants of athletes and should have an influence on their running efficiency. The Cr appears to contribute to the variation found in distance running performance among runners of homogeneous level. This has been shown to be important in sports performance, especially in events like long distance running. In addition, many factors are known or hypothesised to influence Cr such as environmental conditions, participant specificity, and metabolic modifications (e.g. training status, fatigue). The decrease in running economy during a triathlon and/or a marathon could be largely linked to physiological factors such as the enhancement of core temperature and a lack of fluid balance. Moreover, the increase in circulating free fatty acids and glycerol at the end of these long exercise durations bear witness to the decrease in Cr values. The combination of these factors alters the Cr during exercise and hence could modify the athlete's performance in triathlons or a prolonged run.

Statistical multi-path exposure method for assessing the whole-body SAR in a heterogeneous human body model in a realistic environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeeren, Günter; Joseph, Wout; Martens, Luc

2013-04-01

Assessing the whole-body absorption in a human in a realistic environment requires a statistical approach covering all possible exposure situations. This article describes the development of a statistical multi-path exposure method for heterogeneous realistic human body models. The method is applied for the 6-year-old Virtual Family boy (VFB) exposed to the GSM downlink at 950 MHz. It is shown that the whole-body SAR does not differ significantly over the different environments at an operating frequency of 950 MHz. Furthermore, the whole-body SAR in the VFB for multi-path exposure exceeds the whole-body SAR for worst-case single-incident plane wave exposure by 3.6%. Moreover, the ICNIRP reference levels are not conservative with the basic restrictions in 0.3% of the exposure samples for the VFB at the GSM downlink of 950 MHz. The homogeneous spheroid with the dielectric properties of the head suggested by the IEC underestimates the absorption compared to realistic human body models. Moreover, the variation in the whole-body SAR for realistic human body models is larger than for homogeneous spheroid models. This is mainly due to the heterogeneity of the tissues and the irregular shape of the realistic human body model compared to homogeneous spheroid human body models. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gaussian mixture probability hypothesis density filter for multipath multitarget tracking in over-the-horizon radar

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Yong; Ma, Hong; Chen, Jinfeng; Cheng, Li

2015-12-01

Conventional multitarget tracking systems presume that each target can produce at most one measurement per scan. Due to the multiple ionospheric propagation paths in over-the-horizon radar (OTHR), this assumption is not valid. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a novel tracking algorithm based on the theory of finite set statistics (FISST) called the multipath probability hypothesis density (MP-PHD) filter in cluttered environments. First, the FISST is used to derive the update equation, and then Gaussian mixture (GM) is introduced to derive the closed-form solution of the MP-PHD filter. Moreover, the extended Kalman filter (EKF) is presented to deal with the nonlinear problem of the measurement model in OTHR. Eventually, the simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed filter.

Movement and physical demands of school and university rugby union match-play in England

Science.gov (United States)

Read, Dale; Weaving, Daniel; Phibbs, Padraic; Darrall-Jones, Joshua; Roe, Gregory; Weakley, Jonathon; Hendricks, Sharief; Till, Kevin; Jones, Ben

2017-01-01

Background In England, rugby union is a popular sport and is widely played within schools. Despite the large participation numbers, the movement and physical demands of the sport and how they progress by age have not been explored. Method Ninety-six male rugby union players wore microtechnology devices during six rugby union matches within the education pathway to investigate the movement and physical demands of match-play. To quantify the positional differences and progression by age, data were obtained for participants at the under 16 (U16) (n=31 participants), under 18 (U18) (n=34 participants) and university (n=31 participants) levels. Players were further divided in forwards and backs. Data were analysed using magnitude-based inferences. Results For the movement demands, U16 total distance and ‘striding’ was likely higher for forwards than backs, whereas at U18, unclear differences were observed and from university players the inverse was observed (very likely). In all age groups sprint distance was likely to very likely greater for backs than forwards. Forwards had greater physical demands than backs at all age groups. For consecutive age groups, U16 had a likely higher relative distance than U18, and U18 had a likely lower relative distance than university players. Physical demands were similar across age groups for forwards, and greater for backs at older age groups. Conclusion The movement and physical demands of rugby union players participating in schools (U16 and U18), may not be as expected, however, the findings from university players show a similar pattern to the senior game. PMID:28879027

CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED BY A DISTANCE LEARNING ORGANISATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sangeeta MALIK

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This study explores; the rapid growth of the adult learner population is increasing the demand of distance learning techniques. The demographic study of the learners will help target the adult learner population and proper training will help organizations to develop course materials and techniques appropriately.

Advanced Measurements of the Aggregation Capability of the MPT Network Layer Multipath Communication Library

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gábor Lencse

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The MPT network layer multipath communicationlibrary is a novel solution for several problems including IPv6transition, reliable data transmission using TCP, real-time transmissionusing UDP and also wireless network layer routingproblems. MPT can provide an IPv4 or an IPv6 tunnel overone or more IPv4 or IPv6 communication channels. MPT canalso aggregate the capacity of multiple physical channels. In thispaper, the channel aggregation capability of the MPT libraryis measured up to twelve 100Mbps speed channels. Differentscenarios are used: both IPv4 and IPv6 are used as the underlyingand also as the encapsulated protocols and also both UDP andTCP are used as transport protocols. In addition, measurementsare taken with both 32-bit and 64-bit version of the MPT library.In all cases, the number of the physical channels is increased from1 to 12 and the aggregated throughput is measured.

Customer premises services market demand assessment 1980 - 2000. Volume 1: Executive summary

Science.gov (United States)

Gamble, R. B.; Saporta, L.; Heidenrich, G. A.

1983-01-01

Estimates of market demand for domestic civilian telecommunications services for the years 1980 to 2000 are provided. Overall demand, demand or satellite services, demand for satellite delivered Customer Premises Service (CPS), and demand for 30/20 GHz Customer Premises Services are covered. Emphasis is placed on the CPS market and demand is segmented by market, by service, by user class and by geographic region. Prices for competing services are discussed and the distribution of traffic with respect to distance is estimated. A nationwide traffic distribution model for CPS in terms of demand for CPS traffic and earth stations for each of the major SMSAs in the United States are provided.

OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING: An Emerging System for Alternative Higher Education in Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuel Chisa IBARA

2008-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Nigeria no doubt is at the threshold of transformation in information and communication technology (ICT, a development that should be utilized to meet the demand of time, especially in the education sector. One area in which ICT has made enormous impact is in open and distance learning. Undoubtedly, the demand on the conventional higher education delivery system in the country is high and ever increasing that the system at the moment is unable to accommodate the number of candidates seeking admission. This paper, therefore, attempts some definition of open and distance learning as well as its practices with a view to advancing the prospects of open and distance as alternative system of higher education in Nigeria. Furthermore, it concludes that considering the level of infrastructural decay in the conventional higher education system, open and distance learning as an alternative system of education has become imperative for the realization of the primary objectives of higher education in Nigeria. Recommendations that will enhance the prospects of open and distance learning as viable alternative system of higher education were proffered.

Font size and viewing distance of handheld smart phones.

Science.gov (United States)

Bababekova, Yuliya; Rosenfield, Mark; Hue, Jennifer E; Huang, Rae R

2011-07-01

The use of handheld smart phones for written communication is becoming ubiquitous in modern society. The relatively small screens found in these devices may necessitate close working distances and small text sizes, which can increase the demands placed on accommodation and vergence. Font size and viewing distance were measured while subjects used handheld electronic devices in two separate trials. In the first study (n=129), subjects were asked to show a typical text message on their own personal phone and to hold the device "as if they were about to read a text message." A second trial was conducted in a similar manner except subjects (n=100) were asked to view a specific web page from the internet. For text messages and internet viewing, the mean font size was 1.1 M (range, 0.7 to 2.1 M) and 0.8 M (range, 0.3 to 1.4 M), respectively. The mean working distance for text messages and internet viewing was 36.2 cm (range, 17.5 to 58.0 cm) and 32.2 cm (range, 19 to 60 cm), respectively. The mean font size for both conditions was comparable with newspaper print, although some subjects viewed text that was considerably smaller. However, the mean working distances were closer than the typical near working distance of 40 cm for adults when viewing hardcopy text. These close distances place increased demands on both accommodation and vergence, which could exacerbate symptoms. Practitioners need to consider the closer distances adopted while viewing material on smart phones when examining patients and prescribing refractive corrections for use at near, as well as when treating patients presenting with asthenopia associated with nearwork. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Optometry

Long-distance heat transport by hot water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munser, H.; Reetz, B.

1990-01-01

From the analysis of the centralized heat supply in the GDR energy-economical and ecological indispensable developments of long-distance heat systems in conurbation are derived. The heat extraction from a nuclear power plant combined with long- distance hot-water transport over about 110 kilometres is investigated and presented as a possibility to perspective base load heat demands for the district around Dresden. By help of industrial-economic, hydraulic and thermic evaluations of first design variants of the transit system the acceptance of this ecologic and energetic preferred solution is proved and requirements for its realization are shown

ANALISIS PERMINTAAN (DEMAND ANALYSIS PELAYANAN KESEHATAN PUSKESMAS DI KABUPATEN MOJOKERTO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wasis Budiarto

2012-09-01

Full Text Available A study on demand for health centre was carried out at Mojokerto Regency, East Java. The study convered 300 respondents (15 years old and over which were collected from two areas, urban (Kecamatan Bangsal and rural (Kecamatan Puri. The objectives of this study were to measure the demand for health centre services and to determine the influencing factors. A household survey was conducted in this study, using household and individual as unit of analysis and a multiple linier regression technique was used as analysis. In general, the result showed that needs were the most important factor affecting demand. In the urban health centres positive factor affecting individual demand were distance, family size and need, however in the rural health centre were cost, time and need were factors affecting demand. Factors affecting family demand for health services is different from individual demand. In urban and rural areas, family demand for health center was substitute alternative of the demand for the phycisian services.

Elasticity of Long Distance Travelling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Mette Aagaard

2011-01-01

With data from the Danish expenditure survey for 12 years 1996 through 2007, this study analyses household expenditures for long distance travelling. Household expenditures are examined at two levels of aggregation having the general expenditures on transportation and leisure relative to five other...... aggregated commodities at the highest level, and the specific expenditures on plane tickets and travel packages at the lowest level. The Almost Ideal Demand System is applied to determine the relationship between expenditures on transportation and leisure and all other purchased non-durables within...... packages has higher income elasticity of demand than plane tickets but also higher than transportation and leisure in general. The findings within price sensitiveness are not as sufficient estimated, but the model results indicate that travel packages is far more price elastic than plane tickets which...

GOOGLE´S DRIVE POSSIBILITIES FOR CLASSROOM AND DISTANCE TEACHING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

EVA MARTÍN RODA

2015-12-01

Full Text Available  The technological revolution in which our society constantly is involved creates new labor and social demands. Demands that have to be answered with immediacy. As members of the education system, we train and instruct students within a comprehensive perspective. Train them from the traditional literacy and from the Information and Communication Technologies. The Information and Communication Technologies (ICT enable the creation and development of new strategies for teaching and learning in education but especially in distance education. 

Depth- and range-dependent variation in the performance of aquatic telemetry systems: understanding and predicting the susceptibility of acoustic tag–receiver pairs to close proximity detection interference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen R. Scherrer

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background Passive acoustic telemetry using coded transmitter tags and stationary receivers is a popular method for tracking movements of aquatic animals. Understanding the performance of these systems is important in array design and in analysis. Close proximity detection interference (CPDI is a condition where receivers fail to reliably detect tag transmissions. CPDI generally occurs when the tag and receiver are near one another in acoustically reverberant settings. Here we confirm transmission multipaths reflected off the environment arriving at a receiver with sufficient delay relative to the direct signal cause CPDI. We propose a ray-propagation based model to estimate the arrival of energy via multipaths to predict CPDI occurrence, and we show how deeper deployments are particularly susceptible. Methods A series of experiments were designed to develop and validate our model. Deep (300 m and shallow (25 m ranging experiments were conducted using Vemco V13 acoustic tags and VR2-W receivers. Probabilistic modeling of hourly detections was used to estimate the average distance a tag could be detected. A mechanistic model for predicting the arrival time of multipaths was developed using parameters from these experiments to calculate the direct and multipath path lengths. This model was retroactively applied to the previous ranging experiments to validate CPDI observations. Two additional experiments were designed to validate predictions of CPDI with respect to combinations of deployment depth and distance. Playback of recorded tags in a tank environment was used to confirm multipaths arriving after the receiver’s blanking interval cause CPDI effects. Results Analysis of empirical data estimated the average maximum detection radius (AMDR, the farthest distance at which 95% of tag transmissions went undetected by receivers, was between 840 and 846 m for the deep ranging experiment across all factor permutations. From these results, CPDI was

Cross-Border Electronic Commerce: Distance Effects and Express Delivery in European Union Markets

OpenAIRE

Kim, Thai Young; Dekker, Rommert; Heij, Christiaan

2017-01-01

textabstractThis empirical study examines distance effects on cross-border electronic commerce and in particular the importance of express delivery in reducing the time dimension of distance. E-commerce provides suppliers with a range of opportunities to reduce distance as perceived by online buyers. They can reduce psychological barriers to cross-border demand by designing websites that simplify the search for and comparison of products and suppliers across countries. They can reduce cost ba...

Drivers of U.S. mineral demand

Science.gov (United States)

Sznopek, John L.

2006-01-01

Introduction: The word 'demand' has different meanings for different people. To some, it means their 'wants and needs,' to others it is what they consume. Yet, when considering economics, demand refers to the specific amounts of goods or services that individuals will purchase at various prices. Demand is measured over a given time period. It is determined by a number of factors including income, tastes, and the price of complementary and substitute goods. In this paper, the term consumption is used fairly synonymously with the term demand. Most mineral commodities, like iron ore, copper, zinc, and gravel, are intermediate goods, which means that they are used in the production of other goods, called final goods. Demand for intermediate goods is called derived demand because such demand is derived from the demand for final goods. When demand increases for a commodity, generally the price rises. With everything else held constant, this increases the profits for those who provide this commodity. Normally, this would increase profits of existing producers and attract new producers to the market. When demand for a commodity decreases, generally the price falls. Normally, this would cause profits to fall and, as a consequence, the least efficient firms may be forced from the industry. Demand changes for specific materials as final goods or production techniques are reengineered while maintaining or improving product performance, for example, the use of aluminum in the place of copper in long distance electrical transmission lines or plastic replacing steel in automobile bumpers. Substitution contributes to efficient material usage by utilizing cheaper or technically superior materials. In this way, it may also alleviate materials scarcity. If a material becomes relatively scarce (and thus more expensive), a more abundant (and less expensive) material generally replaces it (Wagner and others, 2003, p. 91).

Elasticity of Demand for Tuition Fees at an Institution of Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Langelett, George; Chang, Kuo-Liang; Ola' Akinfenwa, Samson; Jorgensen, Nicholas; Bhattarai, Kopila

2015-01-01

Using a conjoint survey of 161 students at South Dakota State University (SDSU), we mapped a probability-of-enrolment curve for SDSU students, consistent with demand theory. A quasi-demand curve was created from the conditional-logit model. This study shows that along with the price of tuition fees, distance from home, availability of majors, and…

The impact of the distance-dependent promotional effect on the promotion cost sharing decision

Science.gov (United States)

Sheen, Gwo-Ji; Wang, Shih-Yen; Yeh, Yingchieh

2016-02-01

This paper considers the promotion cost sharing decision between a supplier and a retailer. The customer demand is affected by both national and local promotional effects while the local promotional effect on a customer is dependent on the distance between the retailer and this customer. We propose a continuous approximation approach to modelling the sum of the customer demand in the whole market area served by the retailer. A model is provided to help managers decide on the retail price, the local advertising expenditure, the national advertising expenditure, and the supplier participation rate, with consideration of the influence of distance on the promotional effect. We also find that the supplier's promotion cost sharing rate increases as the market size increases or the influence of distance on the promotional effect decreases. A numerical example is given to show that the nature of distance-dependent promotional effect has a significant impact on the decisions and profits.

Distance Education and Corporate Training in Brazil: Regulations and interrelationships

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stella C. S. Porto

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Distance education in Brazil has evolved more slowly than distance education offerings in other developing countries. This is because all aspects of Brazil’s publicly-funded educational system are excessively regulated, highly bureaucratic, and tightly centralized. Such highly centralized bureaucracy and strict control has resulted in tremendous hurdles that work to thwart the adoption, provision, and diffusion of distance education. This is not good news: Like many developing countries, Brazil is also characterized by wide gaps in wealth distribution, with 20 percent of its population functionally illiterate and living below the poverty line. Distance education, therefore, could be used to help train Brazil’s citizens. Brazil’s emerging status in the global economy, however, is generating enormous opportunities that are fueling demand for change. For example, in their quest to be competitive in the emerging global economy, Brazil’s corporate sector has addressed this challenge by establishing corporate universities to train and educate their employees; much of this corporate training and education takes place online and at a distance. The established and emerging educational opportunities provided by Brazil’s corporate sector, in turn, is fuelling the demand for the provision of distance education throughout Brazil. Indeed, most Brazilians are ready for distance education. Many Brazilian households own television sets and cellular telephones, and its expanding communication infrastructure has capacity to support distance and continuing education models. Moreover, this capacity is currently being used by Brazil’s rapidly expanding corporate university sector. In spite of Brazil’s emergence in the global marketplace and its private-sector educational success stories, Brazil’s public educational institutions have not kept pace. This is due to Brazil’s long-standing stringent regulation of its public education sector. Recent

Representing distance, consuming distance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Gunvor Riber

Title: Representing Distance, Consuming Distance Abstract: Distance is a condition for corporeal and virtual mobilities, for desired and actual travel, but yet it has received relatively little attention as a theoretical entity in its own right. Understandings of and assumptions about distance...... are being consumed in the contemporary society, in the same way as places, media, cultures and status are being consumed (Urry 1995, Featherstone 2007). An exploration of distance and its representations through contemporary consumption theory could expose what role distance plays in forming...

Physical and physiological demands of U-19 basketball refereeing: Aerobic and anaerobic demands.

Science.gov (United States)

Nabli, Mohamed Ali; Ben Abdelkrim, Nidhal; Castagna, Carlo; Jabri, Imed; Batikh, Tahar; Chamari, Karim

2016-01-01

This study aimed to examine the physical and physiological demands of basketball refereeing. 16 elite-level basketball referees were studied during U-19 basketball games (n=8) for time-motion analyses, exercise heart rates (HR) and blood lactate concentration [La]. Game activities were considered as time spent and distance covered in five locomotors activities (standing, walking, jogging, running and sprinting). Referees spent more time (pbasketball refereeing is a moderate intensity activity where referees spent 81% of total game time at low-intensity with bouts of high-intensity activities throughout the game.

The Effect of Focal Distance, Age, and Brightness on Near-Field Augmented Reality Depth Matching

OpenAIRE

Singh, Gujot; Ellis, Stephen R.; Swan II, J. Edward

2017-01-01

Many augmented reality (AR) applications operate within near-field reaching distances, and require matching the depth of a virtual object with a real object. The accuracy of this matching was measured in three experiments, which examined the effect of focal distance, age, and brightness, within distances of 33.3 to 50 cm, using a custom-built AR haploscope. Experiment I examined the effect of focal demand, at the levels of collimated (infinite focal distance), consistent with other depth cues...

Modelling seasonal farm labour demand: What can we learn from rural Kakamega district, western Kenya?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincent Canwat

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Seasonality of agricultural activities causes fluctuation in the quantity of labour consumed by these activities, and yet many rural labour studies in developing countries still treat labour demand in agriculture as if it is the same across different farm operations. To unearth the amount of information hidden by this aggregated analysis, labour demand for specific farm operations was estimated based on data collected from Kakamega District. This analysis shows that increasing household size increases labour demand for planting, weeding and harvesting. Increasing the share of elderly household members has a negligible effect on labour demand for farm activities except for land preparation, with which it is positively related. Participation of primary school-going children in farm activities is the highest in planting and harvesting. Participation in off-farm employment seems to increase labour demand only during peak seasons. The area planted appears to have an insignificant effect on labour demand for land preparation. Planting sugar cane appears to reduce labour demand for weeding and primary processing, but planting tea increases labour demand for planting. Mechanising land preparation only reduces labour demand for land preparation, but it seems to be offset by other labour-intensive farm operations. The distance from water source is positively related to labour demand for land preparation, but the distance to the market is negatively related to labour demand for weeding and harvesting. These observations point to the need for supporting and investing in technological and organisational innovations in agriculture.

Match-play demands of elite youth Gaelic football using global positioning system tracking.

Science.gov (United States)

Reilly, Brian; Akubat, Ibrahim; Lyons, Mark; Collins, D Kieran

2015-04-01

Global positioning systems (GPS) technology has made athlete-tracking a convenient and accepted technique to specify movement patterns and physical demands in sport. The purpose of this study was to examine positional demands of elite youth Gaelic football match-play using portable GPS technology to examine movement patterns and heart rates across match periods. Fifty-six elite youth male Gaelic footballers (age, 15 ± 0.66 years) fitted with portable 4-Hz GPS units were observed during 6 competitive matches (60 minutes). Data provided from the GPS unit included total distance, high-intensity (≥17·km·h(-1)) distance, sprint (≥22 km·h(-1)) distance, and total number of sprints. Heart rate was monitored continuously throughout the games. Players covered a mean distance of 5732 ± 1047 m, and the mean intensity of match-play was 85% of the peak heart rate. There was a significant (p = 0.028) drop in the total distance covered in the second half (2783 ± 599 m) compared with the first half (2948 ± 580 m). In particular, there is a noticeable drop in the distance covered in the third quarter of the game (after half-time), which has implications for re-warming up at the end of the half-time interval. There was a highly significant (p < .001) difference in the distance traveled across the 5 positional groups with midfielders covering the greatest total distance (6740 ± 384 m). The significant differences found with respect to positional groups support the implementation of individual, position-specific strength and conditioning programs.

DISTANCES TO DARK CLOUDS: COMPARING EXTINCTION DISTANCES TO MASER PARALLAX DISTANCES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, Jonathan B.; Jackson, James M.; Stead, Joseph J.; Hoare, Melvin G.; Benjamin, Robert A.

2012-01-01

We test two different methods of using near-infrared extinction to estimate distances to dark clouds in the first quadrant of the Galaxy using large near-infrared (Two Micron All Sky Survey and UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey) surveys. Very long baseline interferometry parallax measurements of masers around massive young stars provide the most direct and bias-free measurement of the distance to these dark clouds. We compare the extinction distance estimates to these maser parallax distances. We also compare these distances to kinematic distances, including recent re-calibrations of the Galactic rotation curve. The extinction distance methods agree with the maser parallax distances (within the errors) between 66% and 100% of the time (depending on method and input survey) and between 85% and 100% of the time outside of the crowded Galactic center. Although the sample size is small, extinction distance methods reproduce maser parallax distances better than kinematic distances; furthermore, extinction distance methods do not suffer from the kinematic distance ambiguity. This validation gives us confidence that these extinction methods may be extended to additional dark clouds where maser parallaxes are not available.

Emerging technologies for demand side management. Demand side management jitsugen no tame no saishin gijutsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suzuki, H; Iyoda, I [Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

1993-11-05

This paper explains the latest situation in hardware technologies to realize the demand side management, divided into the following technologies: communications technology, measurement technology, client information system technology, load controlling technology, home automation technology, and energy storing and saving technologies. Speaking of the communications technology, information exchange between the supply side and the demand side is important in the demand side management, whereas a technology intended of automatic power distribution and automatic meter-reading is advancing in development. The technology covers transmissions using from power lines and telephone lines to optical cables and wireless communications. Power line communications using power transmission lines as communication lines are simple and economical, but weak against noise, and not suitable for long-distance communications. Wireless communications have been drawing attentions along with the development of mobile communication device technologies. These technologies will give benefits to electric power companies in the initial stage of their use, such as for load investigation and general automation in power distribution. They would shift to benefiting users in about 2010 covering from security information such as about power interruption to publicity information and educations. 8 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.

Physiological and skill demands of 'on-side' and 'off-side' games.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabbett, Tim J; Jenkins, David G; Abernethy, Bruce

2010-11-01

This study investigated the physiological and skill demands of 'on-side' and 'off-side' games in elite rugby league players. Sixteen male rugby league players participated in 'on-side' and 'off-side' games. Both small-sided games were played in a 40- × 40-m playing area. The 'off-side' game permitted players to have 3 'plays' while in possession of the ball. Players were permitted to pass backward or forward (to an 'off-side' player). The 'on-side' game also permitted players to have 3 'plays' while in possession of the ball. However, players were only permitted to pass backward to players in an 'on-side' position. Heart rate and movement patterns (via global positioning system) were recorded continuously throughout both games. Data were collected on the distance covered, number of high-acceleration and velocity efforts, and recovery between efforts. Video footage was also taken to track the performance of the players. Post hoc inspection of the footage was undertaken to count the number of possessions and the number and quality of disposals. In comparison to 'on-side' games, 'off-side' games had a greater number of involvements ("touches"), passes, and effective passes. However, the cognitive demands of 'on-side' games were greater than 'off-side' games. 'Off-side' games resulted in a greater total distance covered, greater distance covered in mild and moderate accelerations, and greater distance covered in low, moderate, and high-velocity efforts. There were also a greater number of short duration recovery periods between efforts in 'off-side' games. The results of this study demonstrate that 'off-side' games provide greater physiological and skill demands than 'on-side' games. 'Off-side' games may provide a practical alternative to 'on-side' games for the development of skill and fitness in elite rugby league players.

Multi-Path Transportation Futures Study. Vehicle Characterization and Scenario Analyses: Main Text and Appendices A, B, C, D, and F

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plotkin, Steve [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Singh, Margaret [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Patterson, Phil [U.S. Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States); Ward, Jake [U.S. Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States); Wood, Frances [OnLocation Inc., Vienna, VA (United States); Kydes, Niko [OnLocation Inc., Vienna, VA (United States); Holte, John [OnLocation Inc., Vienna, VA (United States); Moore, Jim [TA Engineering, Inc., Catonsville, MD (United States); Miller, Grant [TA Engineering, Inc., Catonsville, MD (United States); Das, Sujit [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Greene, David [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2009-07-22

This report provides details for Phase 2 of the Multi-Path Transportation Futures Study, which compares alternative ways to make significant reductions in oil use and carbon emissions from U.S. light vehicles to 2050. Phase I, completed in 2009, examined the full range of pathways of interest to EERE, with multiple scenarios aimed at revealing the issues and impacts associated with a national effort to reduce U.S. dependence on oil use in transportation. Phase 2 expanded the scope of the analysis by examining the interactive effects of multiple pathways on each other and on oil and feedstock prices, focusing far more on costs; and substantially increasing the number of metrics used to compare pathways and scenarios.

Crossing Cultures and Borders in International Online Distance Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Sadykova, Gulnara; Dautermann, Jennie

2009-01-01

The growing demand for higher education worldwide, along with global expansion of telecommunication technologies, give online distance education a potential world-wide reach for institutions in many countries. Given the persistent international digital divide and the potential for the host institutions and languages to be those of wealthy,…

An Adaptive Channel Estimation Algorithm Using Time-Frequency Polynomial Model for OFDM with Fading Multipath Channels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu KJ Ray

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM is an effective technique for the future 3G communications because of its great immunity to impulse noise and intersymbol interference. The channel estimation is a crucial aspect in the design of OFDM systems. In this work, we propose a channel estimation algorithm based on a time-frequency polynomial model of the fading multipath channels. The algorithm exploits the correlation of the channel responses in both time and frequency domains and hence reduce more noise than the methods using only time or frequency polynomial model. The estimator is also more robust compared to the existing methods based on Fourier transform. The simulation shows that it has more than improvement in terms of mean-squared estimation error under some practical channel conditions. The algorithm needs little prior knowledge about the delay and fading properties of the channel. The algorithm can be implemented recursively and can adjust itself to follow the variation of the channel statistics.

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM and INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN DISTANCE EDUCATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elif TOPRAK

2006-07-01

Full Text Available International cooperation in Distance Education which is a very popular phenomenon today can be explained by the rise of social constructivism in social sciences, namely Education and International Relations, for the purpose of this paper. Social constructive approach in International Relations with its emphasis on building social bridges via learning common values and social constructivism in education highlighting learning communities, pave the way for institutionalization of cooperation in Distance Education. Multicultural, multilingual models that adopt educational materials according to local cultures and demands, serve as a good mean of meeting educational needs globally. Information and Communication Technologies ease interactions and lead to a global flow of information, some advantages of which are emphasized in this paper.

Delivery of Open, Distance, and E-Learning in Kenya

Science.gov (United States)

Nyerere, Jackline Anyona; Gravenir, Frederick Q.; Mse, Godfrey S.

2012-01-01

The increased demand and need for continuous learning have led to the introduction of open, distance, and e-learning (ODeL) in Kenya. Provision of this mode of education has, however, been faced with various challenges, among them infrastructural ones. This study was a survey conducted in two public universities offering major components of ODeL,…

An analysis of short haul air passenger demand, volume 2

Science.gov (United States)

Blumer, T. P.; Swan, W. M.

1978-01-01

Several demand models for short haul air travel are proposed and calibrated on pooled data. The models are designed to predict demand and analyze some of the motivating phenomena behind demand generation. In particular, an attempt is made to include the effects of competing modes and of alternate destinations. The results support three conclusions: (1) the auto mode is the air mode's major competitor; (2) trip time is an overriding factor in intermodal competition, with air fare at its present level appearing unimportant to the typical short haul air traveler; and (3) distance appears to underly several demand generating phenomena, and therefore, must be considered very carefully to any intercity demand model. It may be the cause of the wide range of fare elasticities reported by researchers over the past 15 years. A behavioral demand model is proposed and calibrated. It combines the travel generating effects of income and population, the effects of modal split, the sensitivity of travel to price and time, and the effect of alternative destinations satisfying the trip purpose.

Game Demands of Seven-A-Side Soccer in Young Players.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbero-Alvarez, José C; Gómez-López, Maite; Castagna, Carlo; Barbero-Alvarez, Verónica; Romero, David V; Blanchfield, Anthony W; Nakamura, Fábio Y

2017-07-01

Barbero-Alvarez, JC, Gómez-López, M, Castagna, C, Barbero-Alvarez, V, Romero, DV, Blanchfield, AW, and Nakamura, FY. Game demands of seven-a-side soccer in young players. J Strength Cond Res 31(7): 1771-1779, 2017-The aim of this study was to examine the activity patterns and physiological demands of 7-a-side youth soccer matches across 2 chronological age categories (U12 and U14). Twenty-two soccer players of a national youth soccer academy were investigated. Players of each age category performed 2 training matches (2 × 25 minutes) and were monitored by global positioning system and heart rate monitor units. Players of both categories covered similar total distance (5,348 ± 307 m), at similar mean heart rate values (86 ± 4% of maximum). However, the number of high-intensity runs (82.5 ± 17.4 vs. 69.7 ± 15.2) and total distance covered during sprints (264 ± 207 vs. 128 ± 74 m) were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher in U14 compared with U12. The results suggest a highly demanding nature of 7-a-side soccer for skilled players, with physical maturity possibly influencing the match-related high-intensity performance at these ages.

A Multipath Routing Protocol Based on Clustering and Ant Colony Optimization for Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Yang

2010-05-01

Full Text Available For monitoring burst events in a kind of reactive wireless sensor networks (WSNs, a multipath routing protocol (MRP based on dynamic clustering and ant colony optimization (ACO is proposed.. Such an approach can maximize the network lifetime and reduce the energy consumption. An important attribute of WSNs is their limited power supply, and therefore some metrics (such as energy consumption of communication among nodes, residual energy, path length were considered as very important criteria while designing routing in the MRP. Firstly, a cluster head (CH is selected among nodes located in the event area according to some parameters, such as residual energy. Secondly, an improved ACO algorithm is applied in the search for multiple paths between the CH and sink node. Finally, the CH dynamically chooses a route to transmit data with a probability that depends on many path metrics, such as energy consumption. The simulation results show that MRP can prolong the network lifetime, as well as balance of energy consumption among nodes and reduce the average energy consumption effectively.

Does Trade Help to Explain Tourism Demand? The Case of Portugal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuno Carlos LEITÃO

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The tourism industry has expanded in recent years due to internal and external environmental forces. These forces, income, trade, consumer price, and geographical distance are interconnected. Accounting for imperfect competition and increasing returns to scale, the new trade theory offers the explanation of dynamic gains from international trade. A large number of studies attempt to test the hypothesis that there is a link between trade and tourism. Most of the studies show that trade and tourism are positively correlated. This paper specifies static and dynamic panel demand models for tourism in Portugal and estimates demand equations using tourist inflow data for the period 1995-2006. We find that bilateral trade, immigration, border, and geographical distance between Portugal and countries of origin are the main determinants of tourism to Portugal. The dynamic panel data approach indicates that trade, population, and income are more important determinants than relative price.

Analysis of higher education policy frameworks for open and distance education in Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellahi, Abida; Zaka, Bilal

2015-04-01

The constant rise in demand for higher education has become the biggest challenge for educational planners. This high demand has paved a way for distance education across the globe. This article innovatively analyzes the policy documentation of a major distance education initiative in Pakistan for validity that will identify the utility of policy linkages. The study adopted a qualitative research design that consisted of two steps. In the first step, a content analysis of distance learning policy framework was made. For this purpose, two documents were accessed titled "Framework for Launching Distance Learning Programs in HEIs of Pakistan" and "Guideline on Quality of Distance Education for External Students at the HEIs of Pakistan." In the second step, the policy guidelines mentioned in these two documents were evaluated at two levels. At the first level, the overall policy documents were assessed against a criterion proposed by Cheung, Mirzaei, and Leeder. At the second level, the proposed program of distance learning was assessed against a criterion set by Gellman-Danley and Fetzner and Berge. The distance education program initiative in Pakistan is of promising nature which needs to be assessed regularly. This study has made an initial attempt to assess the policy document against a criterion identified from literature. The analysis shows that the current policy documents do offer some strengths at this initial level, however, they cannot be considered a comprehensive policy guide. The inclusion or correction of missing or vague areas identified in this study would make this policy guideline document a treasured tool for Higher Education Commission (HEC). For distance education policy makers, this distance education policy framework model recognizes several fundamental areas with which they should be concerned. The findings of this study in the light of two different policy framework measures highlight certain opportunities that can help strengthening the

Quality Assurance in Asian Distance Education: Diverse Approaches and Common Culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Insung Jung

2011-10-01

Full Text Available With the phenomenal expansion of distance education in Asia during the past three decades, there has been growing public demand for quality and accountability in distance education. This study investigates the national quality assurance systems for distance education at the higher education level in Asia with the aim of contributing to a better understanding of the current level of development of quality assurance in Asian distance education and to offer potential directions for policy makers when developing and elaborating quality assurance systems for distance education. The analysis of the existing quality assurance frameworks in the 11 countries/territories selected reveals that the level of quality assurance policy integration in the overall national quality assurance in higher education policy framework varies considerably. The purpose of quality assurance, policy frameworks, methods, and instruments in place are generally tailored to each country’s particular circumstances. There are, however, obvious commonalities that underpin these different quality assurance efforts.

Delivery of Open, Distance and e-Learning in Kenya | Nyerere ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The increased demand and the need for continuous learning have led to the introduction of open, distance and e-learning (ODeL). In Kenya, provision of this mode of education has however been faced by various challenges, among them infrastructural. This study was a survey conducted in two public universities with ...

Modelling transport energy demand: A socio-technical approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anable, Jillian; Brand, Christian; Tran, Martino; Eyre, Nick

2012-01-01

Despite an emerging consensus that societal energy consumption and related emissions are not only influenced by technical efficiency but also by lifestyles and socio-cultural factors, few attempts have been made to operationalise these insights in models of energy demand. This paper addresses that gap by presenting a scenario exercise using an integrated suite of sectoral and whole systems models to explore potential energy pathways in the UK transport sector. Techno-economic driven scenarios are contrasted with one in which social change is strongly influenced by concerns about energy use, the environment and well-being. The ‘what if’ Lifestyle scenario reveals a future in which distance travelled by car is reduced by 74% by 2050 and final energy demand from transport is halved compared to the reference case. Despite the more rapid uptake of electric vehicles and the larger share of electricity in final energy demand, it shows a future where electricity decarbonisation could be delayed. The paper illustrates the key trade-off between the more aggressive pursuit of purely technological fixes and demand reduction in the transport sector and concludes there are strong arguments for pursuing both demand and supply side solutions in the pursuit of emissions reduction and energy security.

Demand for mini cars and large cars; decay effects, and gasoline demand in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonilla, David; Schmitz, Klaus E.; Akisawa, Atsushi

2012-01-01

This article explains why: (a) consumers underinvest in new car fuel economy by opting to buy large vehicles; (b) macro shifts in vehicle classes have occurred in the last decades; and how (c) the effects of vehicle fuel economy and shifts in vehicle type influence the growth path of gasoline demand, which is the key to designing effective energy efficiency goals for transport. From 2008, 1.9 EXJ (Exajoules) of energy were consumed in Japan by private vehicles producing 124 MtCO 2 emissions. For the period 1980 to 2008, we estimated: (1) gasoline demand for three vehicle sizes; (2) vehicle sales; (3) new car fuel economy changes (the ‘real’ technical change); and (4) vehicle stocks. Using a data sample for 1980–2008 we found that: (a) in the short term consumers buy fuel economy, that is sales of mini and small cars increase, but this is not sustained in the long term: and (b) consumers increasingly traded in their cars for larger cars. A further finding was that gasoline demand is projected to increase to 2.3 EXJ by 2035, even with a growing number of mini cars. The policy implication is clear: Japan’s policy to reduce oil dependency to 80% by 2030 is in peril as long as buyers prefer larger cars and drive ever longer distances.

The Management of Interpersonal Communication in a Long Distance Relationship Amongst College Students in the Context of Romantical Relationship (Studies on Diponegoro University Students Who Undergo Long Distance Relationship with Their Partner).

OpenAIRE

Z, Zamratul Khairani; Lestari, Sri Budi; Purbaningrum, Dwi; Naryoso, Agus

2016-01-01

Long-distance romance relation carried by college students occur due to factors ofeducation or the demands of the profession that requires one of those pairs toproceed to move to other cities. The communication process they undergoheavily relying on the communication media they use. But the medium ofcommunication can also be a major cause of the resistance in a long distance romanceeither due to misunderstanding or network disruption in interpersonal communicationis ineffective against his pa...

Metabolic profile of long-distance migratory flight and stopover in a shorebird

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Landys, MM; Piersma, T; Guglielmo, CG; Jukema, J; Ramenofsky, M; Wingfield, JC; Guglielmo, Christopher G.; Wingfield, John C.

2005-01-01

Migrating birds often complete long non-stop flights during which body energy stores exclusively support energetic demands. The metabolic correlates of such long-distance travel in free-living migrants are as yet poorly studied. Bar-tailed godwits, Limosa lapponica taymyrensis, undertake a 4500 km

Implications for Academic Workload of the Changing Role of Distance Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Bezuidenhout, Adéle

2015-01-01

The changing work roles and resulting workloads of distance educators hold significant implications for the wellbeing and mental health of academics. New work roles include redesigning curricula for online delivery, increasing staff-student ratios and demands for student-support, management of part-time staff, and 24-h availability. This research…

Special Issue on Distance Education and Development, Guest Editor Editorial -- Low Cost Distance Education Strategies: the use of appropriate information and communication technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Hülsmann

2004-04-01

Full Text Available The argument for distance education (including e-learning in developing countries could be imagined as a “triple jump.” Each leap of the triple jump consists of a theorem and a corollary applying it to developing countries.Theorem 1: Education is good for development. Corollary: The demand for education is especially high in the developing world. Traditional education cannot cope with its size and is, in many cases, not the most cost-effective allocation of resources.Theorem 2: Distance education can help. Corollary: Distance education is able to deal with large numbers more cost-effectively than traditional education, and has proved to do so also in developing countries.Theorem 3: E-learning is extending the capabilities of traditional distance education. Corollary: Given the emerging global information infrastructure, there are a number of cases where e-learning can enhance the capabilities of distance education in the developing world.Many distance educators would readily subscribe to theorems of leaps 1 and 2 of the triple jump, but argue that the argument collapses at leap 3, especially when it comes to the corollary suggesting that ICT-based distance education could be relevant in the developing world. This paper takes the role of the “devil’s advocate”1 , and will try to cast some doubt on the first two theorems, while intending to strengthen the third leap theorem, the least established argument of the three.

Effect of footwear on muscular loading and energy demand during distance running

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ketabi, Shahin

an obvious choice of modulating loading and with that running economy, performance and potentially overuse injuries. The muscular activations prior to touch-down are varied in response to changes in shoe construction, referred to as muscle tuning, possibly keeping the impact magnitude at an individually......The most popular activity around the world which involves the conversion of muscular forces into translocation through complex reciprocal movement patterns is running. Running economy is an important element of performance in distance running. A number of biomechanical parameters have been related...... to running economy and performance. Association of running mechanics with metabolic processes and economy is not well understood and very complex. Footwear is typically a controlled variable with several design features which may influence economical running. Modifications to running shoes can be considered...

Attacking 22 entries in rugby union: running demands and differences between successful and unsuccessful entries.

Science.gov (United States)

Tierney, P; Tobin, D P; Blake, C; Delahunt, E

2017-12-01

Global Positioning System (GPS) technology is commonly utilized in team sports, including rugby union. It has been used to describe the average running demands of rugby union. This has afforded an enhanced understanding of the physical fitness requirements for players. However, research in team sports has suggested that training players relative to average demands may underprepare them for certain scenarios within the game. To date, no research has investigated the running demands of attacking 22 entries in rugby union. Additionally, no research has been undertaken to determine whether differences exist in the running intensity of successful and unsuccessful attacking 22 entries in rugby union. The first aim of this study was to describe the running intensity of attacking 22 entries. The second aim of this study was to investigate whether differences exist in the running intensity of successful and unsuccessful attacking 22 entries. Running intensity was measured using meters per minute (m min -1 ) for (a) total distance, (b) running distance, (c) high-speed running distance, and (d) very high-speed running distance. This study provides normative data for the running intensity of attacking 22 entries in rugby union. Forwards achieved greater high-speed running intensity in successful (3.6 m min -1 ) compared to unsuccessful (1.8 m min -1 ) attacking 22 entries. Forwards should try and achieve greater high-speed running intensity in attacking 22 entries to increase the likelihood of successful outcomes during this period of gameplay. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Thiomersal photo-degradation with visible light mediated by graphene quantum dots: Indirect quantification using optical multipath mercury cold-vapor absorption spectrophotometry

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda-Andrades, Jarol R.; Khan, Sarzamin; Toloza, Carlos A. T.; Romani, Eric C.; Freire Júnior, Fernando L.; Aucelio, Ricardo Q.

2017-12-01

Thiomersal is employed as preservative in vaccines, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products due to its capacity to inhibit bacterial growth. Thiomersal contains 49.55% of mercury in its composition and its highly toxic ethylmercury degradation product has been linked to neurological disorders. The photo-degradation of thiomersal has been achieved by visible light using graphene quantum dots as catalysts. The generated mercury cold vapor (using adjusted experimental conditions) was detected by multipath atomic absorption spectrometry allowing the quantification of thiomersal at values as low as 20 ng L- 1 even in complex samples as aqueous effluents of pharmaceutical industry and urine. A kinetic study (pseudo-first order with k = 0.11 min- 1) and insights on the photo-degradation process are presented.

Management across distances – how to ensure performance and employee well-being

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ipsen, Christine; Poulsen, Signe; Nielsen, Linda

2015-01-01

and employee well-being, also termed sustainable management, is not taken into consideration in most intervention studies. In the present study, the concept of sustainable management is applied at the organizational level, aiming at management, with the intention to improve organizational sustainability......Today many businesses are geographically distributed with co-located employees and teams across dispersed work situations. Furthermore, today’s technologies and business requirements both allow and demand distance management like never before. Distance work and management are characteristic...... at ensuring performance and less on the well-being....

Demand for Agricultural Land in Slovakia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dirgasová Katarína

2017-05-01

Full Text Available In general, soil is perceived as an unreplaceable and unrenewable natural resource that allows plants, animals and man to live. It is significant in several ways out of which the most important is the production of food for population, the production of fodder for livestock and the production of raw materials for food and light industry. Due to these as well as the other reasons, land becomes the object of competition between different subjects which are trying to get it and use it. The aim of the paper is to map and to characterise the demand for agricultural land at the agricultural land market based on the certificates on fulfilment of the requirements on purchase of agricultural land. Based on the data collected throughout 31 months, it was proved that the demand for agricultural land is influenced by price, land quality, area, fragmentation of land ownership, distance of the offered plot from a county seat and localisation of a given land plot.

MC-DS-CDMA System based on DWT and STBC in ITU Multipath Fading Channels Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nader Abdullah Khadam

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the performance of multicarrier direct sequence code division multiple access (MC-DS-CDMA in fixed MC-DS-CDMA and Mobile MC-DS-CDMA applications have been improved by using the compensations of space time block coding and Discrete Fast Fourier transforms (FFT or Discrete Wavelets transform DWT. These MC-DS-CDMA systems had been simulated using MATLAB 2015a. Through simulation of the proposed system, various parameters can be changed and tested. The Bit Error Rate (BERs of these systems are obtained over wide range of signal to noise ratio. All simulation results had been compared with each other using different subcarrier size of FFT or DWT with STBC for 1,2,3 and 4 antennas in transmitter and under different ITU multipath fading channels and different Doppler frequencies (fd. The proposed structures of STBC-MC-DS-CDMA system based on (DWT batter than based on (FFT in varies Doppler frequencies and subcarrier size. Also, proposed system with STBC based on 4 transmitters better than other systems based on 1 or 2 or 3 transmitters in all Doppler frequencies and subcarrier size in all simulation results.

Teaching Gender Studies via Open and Distance Learning in South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Jessica; Byrne, Deirdre; Koenig-Visagie, Leandra

2013-01-01

The University of South Africa (UNISA) has recently redesigned its honors degree in Gender Studies. The course design team members have been mindful of three key factors while redesigning this degree. First, we are aligning our course design with the demands of open and distance learning (ODL) and UNISA's institutional move to online delivery of…

Influencing Mechanism of Potential Factors on Passengers’ Long-Distance Travel Mode Choices Based on Structural Equation Modeling

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Yun Wang

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Understanding the public transportation users’ preferences to long-distance travel modes would contribute to reasonable developing policies and resource allocation. This paper aims to explore the influencing mechanism of potential factors on the long-distance travel mode choice. A survey was conducted to collect the data. The analysis of variance (ANOVA approach was applied to analyze the correlation relationship between potential factors and travel mode choice behavior. The results showed that, except gender, service demand for safety and departure time, all of the other factors significantly influenced the travel mode choice behavior. Specifically, passengers with higher education level and income level were more likely to choose high-speed railway (HSR and plane; passengers caring about travel expense were more likely to choose ordinary train, whereas plane and HSR may be chosen more by passengers caring more about comfort, punctuality and efficiency; the more passengers were satisfied with travel modes’ service performance, the more they would be likely to choose them; the most competitive distance ranges for coach, ordinary train, HSR and plane were below 500 km, 500–1000 km, 500–1500 km and over 1500 km, respectively. Besides, the structural equation modeling (SEM technique was applied to investigate the influencing mechanism of factors on the long-distance travel mode choice. The results revealed that travel distance was the most significant variable directly influencing passengers’ mode choices, followed by the service demand, performance evaluation, and personal attributes. Furthermore, personal attributes were verified to have an indirect effect on travel mode choice behavior by significantly affecting the service demand and performance evaluation.

Performance analysis of visible light communication using the STBC-OFDM technique for intelligent transportation systems

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Changping; Yi, Ying; Lee, Kyujin; Lee, Kyesan

2014-08-01

Visible light communication (VLC) applied in an intelligent transportation system (ITS) has attracted growing attentions, but it also faces challenges, for example deep path loss and optical multi-path dispersion. In this work, we modelled an actual outdoor optical channel as a Rician channel and further proposed space-time block coding (STBC) orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) technology to reduce the influence of severe optical multi-path dispersion associated with such a mock channel for achieving the effective BER of 10-6 even at a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In this case, the optical signals transmission distance can be extended as long as possible. Through the simulation results of STBC-OFDM and single-input-single-output (SISO) counterparts in bit error rate (BER) performance comparison, we can distinctly observe that the VLC-ITS system using STBC-OFDM technique can obtain a strongly improved BER performance due to multi-path dispersion alleviation.

Quantifying movement demands of AFL football using GPS tracking.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisbey, Ben; Montgomery, Paul G; Pyne, David B; Rattray, Ben

2010-09-01

Global positioning system (GPS) monitoring of movement patterns is widespread in elite football including the Australian Football League (AFL). However documented analysis of this activity is lacking. We quantified the movement patterns of AFL football and differences between nomadic (midfield), forward and defender playing positions, and determined whether the physical demands have increased over a four season period. Selected premiership games were monitored during the 2005 (n=80 game files), 2006 (n=244), 2007 (n=632) and 2008 (n=793) AFL seasons. Players were fitted with a shoulder harness containing a GPS unit. GPS data were downloaded after games and the following measures extracted: total distance (km), time in various speed zones, maximum speed, number of surges, accelerations, longest continuous efforts and a derived exertion index representing playing intensity. In 2008 nomadic players covered per game 3.4% more total distance (km), had 4.8% less playing time (min), a 17% higher exertion index (per min), and 23% more time running >18kmh(-1) than forwards and defenders (all p<0.05). Physical demands were substantially higher in the 2008 season compared with 2005: an 8.4% increase in mean speed, a 14% increase in intensity (exertion index) and a 9.0% decrease in playing time (all p<0.05). Nomadic players in AFL work substantially harder than forwards and defenders in covering more ground and at higher running intensities. Increases in the physical demands of AFL football were evident between 2005 and 2008. The increasing speed of the game has implications for game authorities, players and coaching staff.

STUDENT OPINIONS ON MANAGEMENT OF DISTANCE EDUCATION APPLICATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Celal GULSEN

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Traditional education systems can sometimes become inadequate in the face of technological developments. Individuals, whose educational needs cannot be met by traditional education systems, can tend to search for alternatives and can have different demands in order to meet with these needs. These demands of the individuals can be reciprocated by managements and internet-based education methods, which remove limitations of time and space, provide facilities and equal opportunities, comply with student-centered educational approach and use computer and internet technologies, can be put into practice. Appearing before us sometimes as an alternative to the traditional education and sometimes as a support, these applications began to occupy an important place in the education systems of our era. This study, which was conducted by general survey method in view of this importance, aims to learn opinions of “masters’ students on the efficiency of distance education applications.” Survey of “Distant Education and Technologies Assessment,” developed by Aktas (2008 and adapted to Istanbul sampling by the researcher, was used in order to determine opinions. University students, who are doing masters without thesis at Social Sciences Institute Educational Administration Supervision Planning and Economics Department of Fatih University in 2013-2014 academic years, constitute the study group of the research. All of the students in the study group were reached. As a result of the study, masters’ students believe that “distance education applications” fills a very important void for individuals that experience difficulties especially in time management despite some of its inconveniencies. By looking at the results of the study, it is suggested that measures, which provide further dissemination of distance education application by will improve their technical competencies, should be taken.

Color-Space-Based Visual-MIMO for V2X Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jai-Eun; Kim, Ji-Won; Park, Youngil; Kim, Ki-Doo

2016-04-23

In this paper, we analyze the applicability of color-space-based, color-independent visual-MIMO for V2X. We aim to achieve a visual-MIMO scheme that can maintain the original color and brightness while performing seamless communication. We consider two scenarios of GCM based visual-MIMO for V2X. One is a multipath transmission using visual-MIMO networking and the other is multi-node V2X communication. In the scenario of multipath transmission, we analyze the channel capacity numerically and we illustrate the significance of networking information such as distance, reference color (symbol), and multiplexing-diversity mode transitions. In addition, in the V2X scenario of multiple access, we may achieve the simultaneous multiple access communication without node interferences by dividing the communication area using image processing. Finally, through numerical simulation, we show the superior SER performance of the visual-MIMO scheme compared with LED-PD communication and show the numerical result of the GCM based visual-MIMO channel capacity versus distance.

Modeling Value Chain Analysis of Distance Education using UML

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, Anal; Mukherjee, Soumen

2010-10-01

Distance education continues to grow as a methodology for the delivery of course content in higher education in India as well as abroad. To manage this growing demand and to provide certain flexibility, there must be certain strategic planning about the use of ICT tools. Value chain analysis is a framework for breaking down the sequence of business functions into a set of activities through which utility could be added to service. Thus it can help to determine the competitive advantage that is enjoyed by an institute. To implement these business functions certain visual representation is required. UML allows for this representation by using a set of structural and behavioral diagrams. In this paper, the first section defines a framework for value chain analysis and highlights its advantages. The second section gives a brief overview of related work in this field. The third section gives a brief discussion on distance education. The fourth section very briefly introduces UML. The fifth section models value chain of distance education using UML. Finally we discuss the limitations and the problems posed in this domain.

The effect of access to contraceptive services on injectable use and demand for family planning in Malawi.

Science.gov (United States)

Skiles, Martha Priedeman; Cunningham, Marc; Inglis, Andrew; Wilkes, Becky; Hatch, Ben; Bock, Ariella; Barden-O'Fallon, Janine

2015-03-01

Previous studies have identified positive relationships between geographic proximity to family planning services and contraceptive use, but have not accounted for the effect of contraceptive supply reliability or the diminishing influence of facility access with increasing distance. Kernel density estimation was used to geographically link Malawi women's use of injectable contraceptives and demand for birth spacing or limiting, as drawn from the 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, with contraceptive logistics data from family planning service delivery points. Linear probability models were run to identify associations between access to injectable services-measured by distance alone and by distance combined with supply reliability-and injectable use and family planning demand among rural and urban populations. Access to services was an important predictor of injectable use. The probability of injectable use among rural women with the most access by both measures was 7‒8 percentage points higher than among rural dwellers with the least access. The probability of wanting to space or limit births among urban women who had access to the most reliable supplies was 18 percentage points higher than among their counterparts with the least access. Product availability in the local service environment plays a critical role in women's demand for and use of contraceptive methods. Use of kernel density estimation in creating facility service environments provides a refined approach to linking women with services and accounts for both distance to facilities and supply reliability. Urban and rural differences should be considered when seeking to improve contraceptive access.

Running and Metabolic Demands of Elite Rugby Union Assessed Using Traditional, Metabolic Power, and Heart Rate Monitoring Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romain Dubois, Thierry Paillard, Mark Lyons, David McGrath, Olivier Maurelli, Jacques Prioux

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The aims of this study were (1 to analyze elite rugby union game demands using 3 different approaches: traditional, metabolic and heart rate-based methods (2 to explore the relationship between these methods and (3 to explore positional differences between the backs and forwards players. Time motion analysis and game demands of fourteen professional players (24.1 ± 3.4 y, over 5 European challenge cup games, were analyzed. Thresholds of 14.4 km·h-1, 20 W.kg-1 and 85% of maximal heart rate (HRmax were set for high-intensity efforts across the three methods. The mean % of HRmax was 80.6 ± 4.3 % while 42.2 ± 16.5% of game time was spent above 85% of HRmax with no significant differences between the forwards and the backs. Our findings also show that the backs cover greater distances at high-speed than forwards (% difference: +35.2 ± 6.6%; p<0.01 while the forwards cover more distance than the backs (+26.8 ± 5.7%; p<0.05 in moderate-speed zone (10-14.4 km·h-1. However, no significant difference in high-metabolic power distance was found between the backs and forwards. Indeed, the high-metabolic power distances were greater than high-speed running distances of 24.8 ± 17.1% for the backs, and 53.4 ± 16.0% for the forwards with a significant difference (+29.6 ± 6.0% for the forwards; p<0.001 between the two groups. Nevertheless, nearly perfect correlations were found between the total distance assessed using the traditional approach and the metabolic power approach (r = 0.98. Furthermore, there is a strong association (r = 0.93 between the high-speed running distance (assessed using the traditional approach and the high-metabolic power distance. The HR monitoring methods demonstrate clearly the high physiological demands of professional rugby games. The traditional and the metabolic-power approaches shows a close correlation concerning their relative values, nevertheless the difference in absolute values especially for the high

Distance learning and the internet in respiratory therapy education.

Science.gov (United States)

Varekojis, Sarah M; Sergakis, Georgianna G; Dunlevy, Crystal L; Foote, Elbie; Clutter, Jill

2011-11-01

The profession of respiratory therapy (RT) continues to grow both in number, due to population growth and an ever-increasing aging population, and scope of practice, due to both new and expanded roles and responsibilities in divergent areas of clinical practice. Instructional technology, including distance learning, will probably play a key role in training, educating, and assessing RT students to meet the increasing demand for practitioners. To assess current uses of distance learning and opinions concerning the appropriate use of distance education in RT education programs nationwide. A 13-item on-line survey was designed to collect information about the frequency of use of various types of distance education typically utilized in RT education programs. The survey was sent to directors of 343 Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care accredited programs of RT education that offer entry-level or advanced courses of study. The response rate was 50% (169 respondents). Fifty-two percent of the respondents indicated that their courses included some form of on-line learning component. Most directors anticipated that the distance composition of their course offerings will remain unchanged or increase in the near future. Our results indicate that, while distance education plays an important supportive role in RT education, there is still a preference for face-to-face instruction and Internet-facilitated courses among program directors. Program directors continue to view the laboratory and clinical settings as hands-on environments that require instructor supervision in order for students to demonstrate proficiency and critical thinking skills. When used appropriately, distance learning may be an efficient and effective approach to address the many barriers to education faced by the health workforce in general, including budget constraints, overloaded schedules, the need for on-the-job learning opportunities, and lack of access.

What Factors Promote Student Resilience on a Level 1 Distance Learning Module?

Science.gov (United States)

Simons, Joan; Beaumont, Kythe; Holland, Lesley

2018-01-01

Resilience is understood to be the ability to adapt positively in the face of adversity. In relation to new students on a distance learning module, this can mean how they adapt and make sense of the demands of their chosen study to enable them to persist in their studies. This article reports a small-scale study involving semi-structured telephone…

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2010-10-01

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

Analyzing the Quality of Students Interaction in a Distance Learning Object-Oriented Programming Discipline

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, Elizabeth Simão

2015-01-01

Teaching object-oriented programming to students in an in-classroom environment demands well-thought didactic and pedagogical strategies in order to guarantee a good level of apprenticeship. To teach it on a completely distance learning environment (e-learning) imposes possibly other strategies, besides those that the e-learning model of Open…

The Impact of the Current Economic Crisis on the Demand for Higher Education: An Analysis of Spanish Distance Education Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Reina-Paz, María Dolores; Rodríguez-Oromendía, Ainhoa; Sevilla-Sevilla, Claudia

2012-01-01

Spain is currently experiencing a difficult economic situation, and in recent years a significant change has been observed in the behavior of the demand for educational programs as a result of this situation. Recent studies reveal a change in student demand that does not have the same effect on all academic institutions. Bearing this behavior in…

Physical demands in elite team handball

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Michalsik, L B; Aagaard, Per

2015-01-01

AIM: The aim of the present study was to examine differences in the physical demands imposed on male vs. female adult elite team handball players during match--play. METHODS: Male and female elite team handball players were monitored over a six and five season time span, respectively. Each player.......4±6.1 cm, 69.5±6.5 kg, phandball were observed, with MP performing more high--intense, strength--related playing actions and high--intensity running than FP. Conversely, FP covered a greater total distance...... and demonstrated a higher relative workload than MP. The physical training of male and female elite team handball players should be designed to reflect these contrasting needs....

PERBANDINGAN EUCLIDEAN DISTANCE DENGAN CANBERRA DISTANCE PADA FACE RECOGNITION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sendhy Rachmat Wurdianarto

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Perkembangan ilmu pada dunia komputer sangatlah pesat. Salah satu yang menandai hal ini adalah ilmu komputer telah merambah pada dunia biometrik. Arti biometrik sendiri adalah karakter-karakter manusia yang dapat digunakan untuk membedakan antara orang yang satu dengan yang lainnya. Salah satu pemanfaatan karakter / organ tubuh pada setiap manusia yang digunakan untuk identifikasi (pengenalan adalah dengan memanfaatkan wajah. Dari permasalahan diatas dalam pengenalan lebih tentang aplikasi Matlab pada Face Recognation menggunakan metode Euclidean Distance dan Canberra Distance. Model pengembangan aplikasi yang digunakan adalah model waterfall. Model waterfall beriisi rangkaian aktivitas proses yang disajikan dalam proses analisa kebutuhan, desain menggunakan UML (Unified Modeling Language, inputan objek gambar diproses menggunakan Euclidean Distance dan Canberra Distance. Kesimpulan yang dapat ditarik adalah aplikasi face Recognation menggunakan metode euclidean Distance dan Canverra Distance terdapat kelebihan dan kekurangan masing-masing. Untuk kedepannya aplikasi tersebut dapat dikembangkan dengan menggunakan objek berupa video ataupun objek lainnya.   Kata kunci : Euclidean Distance, Face Recognition, Biometrik, Canberra Distance

Finding the multipath propagation of multivariable crude oil prices using a wavelet-based network approach

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Xiaoliang; An, Haizhong; Sun, Xiaoqi; Huang, Xuan; Gao, Xiangyun

2016-04-01

The globalization and regionalization of crude oil trade inevitably give rise to the difference of crude oil prices. The understanding of the pattern of the crude oil prices' mutual propagation is essential for analyzing the development of global oil trade. Previous research has focused mainly on the fuzzy long- or short-term one-to-one propagation of bivariate oil prices, generally ignoring various patterns of periodical multivariate propagation. This study presents a wavelet-based network approach to help uncover the multipath propagation of multivariable crude oil prices in a joint time-frequency period. The weekly oil spot prices of the OPEC member states from June 1999 to March 2011 are adopted as the sample data. First, we used wavelet analysis to find different subseries based on an optimal decomposing scale to describe the periodical feature of the original oil price time series. Second, a complex network model was constructed based on an optimal threshold selection to describe the structural feature of multivariable oil prices. Third, Bayesian network analysis (BNA) was conducted to find the probability causal relationship based on periodical structural features to describe the various patterns of periodical multivariable propagation. Finally, the significance of the leading and intermediary oil prices is discussed. These findings are beneficial for the implementation of periodical target-oriented pricing policies and investment strategies.

Encyclopedia of distances

CERN Document Server

Deza, Michel Marie

2016-01-01

This 4th edition of the leading reference volume on distance metrics is characterized by updated and rewritten sections on some items suggested by experts and readers, as well a general streamlining of content and the addition of essential new topics. Though the structure remains unchanged, the new edition also explores recent advances in the use of distances and metrics for e.g. generalized distances, probability theory, graph theory, coding theory, data analysis. New topics in the purely mathematical sections include e.g. the Vitanyi multiset-metric, algebraic point-conic distance, triangular ratio metric, Rossi-Hamming metric, Taneja distance, spectral semimetric between graphs, channel metrization, and Maryland bridge distance. The multidisciplinary sections have also been supplemented with new topics, including: dynamic time wrapping distance, memory distance, allometry, atmospheric depth, elliptic orbit distance, VLBI distance measurements, the astronomical system of units, and walkability distance. Lea...

Distance Learning

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Braddock, Joseph

1997-01-01

A study reviewing the existing Army Distance Learning Plan (ADLP) and current Distance Learning practices, with a focus on the Army's training and educational challenges and the benefits of applying Distance Learning techniques...

Evidence that convergence rather than accommodation controls intermittent distance exotropia.

Science.gov (United States)

Horwood, Anna M; Riddell, Patricia M

2012-03-01

This study considered whether vergence drives accommodation or accommodation drives vergence during the control of distance exotropia for near fixation. High accommodative convergence to accommodation (AC/A) ratios are often used to explain this control, but the role of convergence to drive accommodation (the CA/C relationship) is rarely considered. Atypical CA/C characteristics could equally, or better, explain common clinical findings. Nineteen distance exotropes, aged 4-11 years, were compared while controlling their deviation with 27 non-exotropic controls aged 5-9 years. Simultaneous vergence and accommodation responses were measured to a range of targets incorporating different combinations of blur, disparity and looming cues at four fixation distances between 2 m and 33 cm. Stimulus and response AC/A and CA/C ratios were calculated. Accommodation responses for near targets (p = 0.017) and response gains (p = 0.026) were greater in the exotropes than in the controls. Despite higher clinical stimulus AC/A ratios, the distance exotropes showed lower laboratory response AC/A ratios (p = 0.02), but significantly higher CA/C ratios (p = 0.02). All the exotropes, whether the angle changed most with lenses ('controlled by accommodation') or on occlusion ('controlled by fusion'), used binocular disparity not blur as their main cue to target distance. Increased vergence demand to control intermittent distance exotropia for near also drives significantly more accommodation. Minus lens therapy is more likely to act by correcting overaccommodation driven by controlling convergence, rather than by inducing blur-driven vergence. The use of convergence as a major drive to accommodation explains many clinical characteristics of distance exotropia, including apparently high near stimulus AC/A ratios. © 2012 The Authors. Acta Ophthalmologica © 2012 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation.

Distance Education in Technological Age

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R .C. SHARMA

2005-04-01

Full Text Available Distance Education in Technological AgeRomesh Verma (Editor, New Delhi: Anmol Publications, 2005, ISBN 81-261-2210-2, pp. 419 Reviewed by R C SHARMARegional DirectorIndira Gandhi National Open University-INDIA The advancements in information and communication technologies have brought significant changes in the way the open and distance learning are provided to the learners. The impact of such changes is quite visible in both developed and developing countries. Switching over to online mode, joining hands with private initiatives and making a presence in foreign waters, are some of the hallmarks of the open and distance education (ODE institutions in developing countries. The compilation of twenty six essays on themes as applicable to ODE has resulted in the book, “Distance Education in Technological Age”. These essays follow a progressive style of narration, starting from describing conceptual framework of distance education, how the distance education was emerged on the global scene and in India, and then goes on to discuss emergence of online distance education and research aspects in ODE. The initial four chapters provide a detailed account of historical development and growth of distance education in India and State Open University and National Open University Model in India . Student support services are pivot to any distance education and much of its success depends on how well the support services are provided. These are discussed from national and international perspective. The issues of collaborative learning, learning on demand, life long learning, learning-unlearning and re-learning model and strategic alliances have also given due space by the authors. An assortment of technologies like communication technology, domestic technology, information technology, mass media and entertainment technology, media technology and educational technology give an idea of how these technologies are being adopted in the open universities. The study

A theoretical model for oxygen transport in skeletal muscle under conditions of high oxygen demand.

Science.gov (United States)

McGuire, B J; Secomb, T W

2001-11-01

Oxygen transport from capillaries to exercising skeletal muscle is studied by use of a Krogh-type cylinder model. The goal is to predict oxygen consumption under conditions of high demand, on the basis of a consideration of transport processes occurring at the microvascular level. Effects of the decline in oxygen content of blood flowing along capillaries, intravascular resistance to oxygen diffusion, and myoglobin-facilitated diffusion are included. Parameter values are based on human skeletal muscle. The dependence of oxygen consumption on oxygen demand, perfusion, and capillary density are examined. When demand is moderate, the tissue is well oxygenated and consumption is slightly less than demand. When demand is high, capillary oxygen content declines rapidly with axial distance and radial oxygen transport is limited by diffusion resistance within the capillary and the tissue. Under these conditions, much of the tissue is hypoxic, consumption is substantially less than demand, and consumption is strongly dependent on capillary density. Predicted consumption rates are comparable with experimentally observed maximal rates of oxygen consumption.

Color-Space-Based Visual-MIMO for V2X Communication †

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jai-Eun; Kim, Ji-Won; Park, Youngil; Kim, Ki-Doo

2016-01-01

In this paper, we analyze the applicability of color-space-based, color-independent visual-MIMO for V2X. We aim to achieve a visual-MIMO scheme that can maintain the original color and brightness while performing seamless communication. We consider two scenarios of GCM based visual-MIMO for V2X. One is a multipath transmission using visual-MIMO networking and the other is multi-node V2X communication. In the scenario of multipath transmission, we analyze the channel capacity numerically and we illustrate the significance of networking information such as distance, reference color (symbol), and multiplexing-diversity mode transitions. In addition, in the V2X scenario of multiple access, we may achieve the simultaneous multiple access communication without node interferences by dividing the communication area using image processing. Finally, through numerical simulation, we show the superior SER performance of the visual-MIMO scheme compared with LED-PD communication and show the numerical result of the GCM based visual-MIMO channel capacity versus distance. PMID:27120603

Color-Space-Based Visual-MIMO for V2X Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jai-Eun Kim

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we analyze the applicability of color-space-based, color-independent visual-MIMO for V2X. We aim to achieve a visual-MIMO scheme that can maintain the original color and brightness while performing seamless communication. We consider two scenarios of GCM based visual-MIMO for V2X. One is a multipath transmission using visual-MIMO networking and the other is multi-node V2X communication. In the scenario of multipath transmission, we analyze the channel capacity numerically and we illustrate the significance of networking information such as distance, reference color (symbol, and multiplexing-diversity mode transitions. In addition, in the V2X scenario of multiple access, we may achieve the simultaneous multiple access communication without node interferences by dividing the communication area using image processing. Finally, through numerical simulation, we show the superior SER performance of the visual-MIMO scheme compared with LED-PD communication and show the numerical result of the GCM based visual-MIMO channel capacity versus distance.

Development of a multi-path ultrasonic flow meter for the application to feedwater flow measurement in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jong, J. C.; Ha, J. H.; Kim, Y. H.; Jang, W. H.; Park, K. S.; Park, M. S.; Park, M. H.

2002-01-01

In this work, we propose a method to measure the feedwater flow using multi-path ultrasonic flow meter (UFM). Since the UFM measures a path velocity at which the ultrasonic wave is propagated, the flow profile may be important to convey the path velocity to the velocity averaged over the entire cross section of the flowing medium. The conventional UFM has used the smooth-wall circular pipe model presented by Nikurades. However, this model covers a lower range which is less than 3.2 million while the Reynolds number of the feedwater flow in operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) is about 20 million. Therefore, we feedwater flow in operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) is about 20 million. Therefore, we proposed the non-linear correlation model that combines the ratio between the DP output and proposed the non-linear correlation model that combines the ratio between the DP output and UFM output. Experiments were performed using both computer simulation and newly constructed NPPs' test data. The uncertainty analysis result shows that the proposed method has reasonably lower uncertainty than conventional UFM

REPRESENTATIONS OF DISTANCE: DIFFERENCES IN UNDERSTANDING DISTANCE ACCORDING TO TRAVEL METHOD

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Gunvor Riber Larsen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper explores how Danish tourists represent distance in relation to their holiday mobility and how these representations of distance are a result of being aero-mobile as opposed to being land-mobile. Based on interviews with Danish tourists, whose holiday mobility ranges from the European continent to global destinations, the first part of this qualitative study identifies three categories of representations of distance that show how distance is being ‘translated’ by the tourists into non-geometric forms: distance as resources, distance as accessibility, and distance as knowledge. The representations of distance articulated by the Danish tourists show that distance is often not viewed in ‘just’ kilometres. Rather, it is understood in forms that express how transcending the physical distance through holiday mobility is dependent on individual social and economic contexts, and on whether the journey was undertaken by air or land. The analysis also shows that being aeromobile is the holiday transportation mode that removes the tourists the furthest away from physical distance, resulting in the distance travelled by air being represented in ways that have the least correlation, in the tourists’ minds, with physical distance measured in kilometres.

Rebound Effect or Induced Demand? Analyzing the Compound Dual Effects on VMT in the U.S.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jihye Byun

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This research explored the dual influence of fuel efficiency and roadway capacity on vehicle distance traveled. The empirical study was conducted by applying a generalized least square (GLS analysis to the U.S. state-level panel data of fuel efficiency, roadway lane-miles, and vehicle miles traveled (VMT for over three decades (1980–2010. The analysis confirmed the co-existence of rebound effect and induced demand on driving distances over the decades—improved fuel efficiency and expanded roadway capacity caused additional vehicle distance traveled, partially offsetting the benefits of the measures taken. Furthermore, the results showed that the magnitude of each effect would be unjustifiably overestimated if this dual influence was not taken into consideration.

DISTANCE LEARNING TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL FOR COMPETITIVE GROWTH OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES IN UNIVERSITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. B. Prigozhina

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The programs of distance education are in a great demand. Therefore, the problems of the organization in higher education institutions of educational process with the use of appropriate technologies have arisen. The aim of the publication is to set an example of introducing distance learning tools into higher education system, which could help to identify possible conditions and ways of creating a virtual educational environment covering in continuity three-cycle structure of higher education, as well as non-degree supplementary educational programs. Methodology and research methods. Basic research methods include comparative analysis, qualitative and quantitative methods based on empirical observation and data processing. The methodological base for the research included competence and student-centered approaches, psycho-didactic and acmeological approaches to lifelong learning. Results and scientific novelty. The role of distance educational technologies in ensuring availability and competitiveness of programs of the basic and continuing education is emphasized. The alternative choice of creating a virtual educational environment on the basis of distance learning technologies in a non-linguistic university is proved from linguodidactic basis. The interaction of principles, approaches, and conditions for its implementation and development are given. The research provides a model of an electronic teaching complex and a two-cluster model of the coursebook as a part of virtual educational unit. Practical application of these models contributes to self-study and learning autonomy of students. Practical significance. The authors describe the content and structure of innovative teaching resources that enable to rely on student-centered approach. The recommendations on establishing a virtual educational environment in universities of programs-in-demand implementation of the basic and continuing education are provided.

The opinion of university students on distance education using ICT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Ignacio Baile Ayensa

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Distance education within the university context has been spread worldwide for more than four decades and has been mainly developed in the last years thanks to the use of the information and communications technology (ICT. There are few studies investigating the opinion of university students on distance education using ICT tools compared with traditional learning (face to face. There are no studies on the best valued teaching techniques either nor why they are considered so. This lack of research justifies the present study. Methodology. A survey was conducted among university students of Psychology from the Open University of Madrid (Udima. 177 students took part in the study filling in a 15 item questionnaire through a Google Docs. Results. The students consider distance education using ICT to be better or as good as traditional (face to face education; they also highly value this methodology as far as the improvement of their capabilities and academic achievement is concerned. Besides, the best valued didactic tools are those that seem to allow higher autonomy to the student and have less technological demands. Discussion. The results of this research are similar to those found in previous studies that analyzed other educational levels or populations. Paradoxically, synchronous or more innovative tools were not the best valued, probably because of the unique profile of the student within the distance education system.

Demand Uncertainty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nguyen, Daniel Xuyen

This paper presents a model of trade that explains why firms wait to export and why many exporters fail. Firms face uncertain demands that are only realized after the firm enters the destination. The model retools the timing of uncertainty resolution found in productivity heterogeneity models....... This retooling addresses several shortcomings. First, the imperfect correlation of demands reconciles the sales variation observed in and across destinations. Second, since demands for the firm's output are correlated across destinations, a firm can use previously realized demands to forecast unknown demands...... in untested destinations. The option to forecast demands causes firms to delay exporting in order to gather more information about foreign demand. Third, since uncertainty is resolved after entry, many firms enter a destination and then exit after learning that they cannot profit. This prediction reconciles...

Encyclopedia of distances

CERN Document Server

Deza, Michel Marie

2014-01-01

This updated and revised third edition of the leading reference volume on distance metrics includes new items from very active research areas in the use of distances and metrics such as geometry, graph theory, probability theory and analysis. Among the new topics included are, for example, polyhedral metric space, nearness matrix problems, distances between belief assignments, distance-related animal settings, diamond-cutting distances, natural units of length, Heidegger’s de-severance distance, and brain distances. The publication of this volume coincides with intensifying research efforts into metric spaces and especially distance design for applications. Accurate metrics have become a crucial goal in computational biology, image analysis, speech recognition and information retrieval. Leaving aside the practical questions that arise during the selection of a ‘good’ distance function, this work focuses on providing the research community with an invaluable comprehensive listing of the main available di...

Match Demands of Senior and Junior Players During International Rugby League.

Science.gov (United States)

Dempsey, Gary M; Gibson, Neil V; Sykes, Dave; Pryjmachuk, Bradley C; Turner, Anthony P

2018-06-01

Dempsey, GM, Gibson, NV, Sykes, D, Pryjmachuk, BC, and Turner, AP. Match demands of senior and junior players during International Rugby League. J Strength Cond Res 32(6): 1678-1684, 2018-This study aims to quantify and compare the positional game demands of international junior and senior rugby league competition for the first time. Global positioning system (GPS) and video analysis were used to track 118 elite male rugby league players (57 seniors aged 28.7 ± 4.4 years; 61 juniors aged 17.2 ± 0.5 years) over 10 international matches (6 senior; 4 junior) characterized as either forwards (n = 67) or backs (n = 51). There were significant increases in the offensive carries (0.18 cf. 0.09 n·min; r = 0.56) and defensive tackles (0.36 cf. 0.23 n·min; r = 0.3) between senior and junior players, and forwards and backs (0.16 cf. 0.09; r = 0.34 and 0.41 cf. 0.14; r = 0.52), respectively. Running demands were significantly greater in backs than forwards (independent of playing level) for total distance (6,962 ± 1,263 m cf. 4,879 ± 1,824 m; r = 0.55), individualized high-speed distances (310 ± 158 m cf. 250 ± 171 m; r = 0.2), high-intensity accelerations (28.7 ± 12.1 m·s cf. 21.9 ± 11.7 m·s; r = 0.27), and decelerations (57.2 ± 18.3 m·s cf. 43.0 ± 17.8 m·s; r = 0.38). Positional differences were eliminated when reported relative to minutes played. From a practical perspective, although running demands relative to time on the pitch may prepare junior players for senior competition, it is not representative of the increased body mass and contact frequency within the senior game. Coaches should therefore reflect these differences within their physical preparation programs to prepare junior athletes accordingly for progression to the senior level.

Product Differentiation and Brand Competition in the Italian Breakfast Cereal Market: a Distance Metric Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paolo Sckokai

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This article employs a nation-wide sample of supermarket scanner data to study product and brand competition in the Italian breakfast cereal market. A modified Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS, that includes Distance Metrics (DMs as proposed by Pinkse, Slade and Brett (2002, is estimated to study demand responses, substitution patterns, own-price and cross-price elasticities. Estimation results provide evidence of some degree of brand loyalty, while consumers do not seem loyal to the product type. Elasticity estimates point out the presence of patterns of substitution within products sharing the same brand and similar nutritional characteristics.

Application prospects of distance learning technologies in the system of additional vocational education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Demina Svetlana

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In modern times the educational institutions of additional vocational education have to take into account mainly conflicting factors. On the one hand, these are the demands of employers to the quality of the educational process, on the other – the need to cut costs on employee training. This article states the basic features of use of distance technologies that allow to optimize training costs and to solve the problem of development of practical skills of listeners. The demand structure for programs of additional vocational education is presented on the example of several business schools. Besides the application topicality of remote educational technologies to support the learning process on-the-job is substantiated.

Assessing worst case scenarios in movement demands derived from global positioning systems during international rugby union matches: Rolling averages versus fixed length epochs

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Daniel J.; Shearer, David A.; Carter, Neil; Drawer, Scott; Pollard, Ben; Bennett, Mark; Eager, Robin; Cook, Christian J.; Farrell, John; Russell, Mark

2018-01-01

The assessment of competitive movement demands in team sports has traditionally relied upon global positioning system (GPS) analyses presented as fixed-time epochs (e.g., 5–40 min). More recently, presenting game data as a rolling average has become prevalent due to concerns over a loss of sampling resolution associated with the windowing of data over fixed periods. Accordingly, this study compared rolling average (ROLL) and fixed-time (FIXED) epochs for quantifying the peak movement demands of international rugby union match-play as a function of playing position. Elite players from three different squads (n = 119) were monitored using 10 Hz GPS during 36 matches played in the 2014–2017 seasons. Players categorised broadly as forwards and backs, and then by positional sub-group (FR: front row, SR: second row, BR: back row, HB: half back, MF: midfield, B3: back three) were monitored during match-play for peak values of high-speed running (>5 m·s-1; HSR) and relative distance covered (m·min-1) over 60–300 s using two types of sample-epoch (ROLL, FIXED). Irrespective of the method used, as the epoch length increased, values for the intensity of running actions decreased (e.g., For the backs using the ROLL method, distance covered decreased from 177.4 ± 20.6 m·min-1 in the 60 s epoch to 107.5 ± 13.3 m·min-1 for the 300 s epoch). For the team as a whole, and irrespective of position, estimates of fixed effects indicated significant between-method differences across all time-points for both relative distance covered and HSR. Movement demands were underestimated consistently by FIXED versus ROLL with differences being most pronounced using 60 s epochs (95% CI HSR: -6.05 to -4.70 m·min-1, 95% CI distance: -18.45 to -16.43 m·min-1). For all HSR time epochs except one, all backs groups increased more (p < 0.01) from FIXED to ROLL than the forward groups. Linear mixed modelling of ROLL data highlighted that for HSR (except 60 s epoch), SR was the only group not

Interface Simulation Distances

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Pavol Černý

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The classical (boolean notion of refinement for behavioral interfaces of system components is the alternating refinement preorder. In this paper, we define a distance for interfaces, called interface simulation distance. It makes the alternating refinement preorder quantitative by, intuitively, tolerating errors (while counting them in the alternating simulation game. We show that the interface simulation distance satisfies the triangle inequality, that the distance between two interfaces does not increase under parallel composition with a third interface, and that the distance between two interfaces can be bounded from above and below by distances between abstractions of the two interfaces. We illustrate the framework, and the properties of the distances under composition of interfaces, with two case studies.

Reducing the distance in distance-caregiving by technology innovation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lazelle E Benefield

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Lazelle E Benefield1, Cornelia Beck21College of Nursing, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; 2Pat & Willard Walker Family Memory Research Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USAAbstract: Family caregivers are responsible for the home care of over 34 million older adults in the United States. For many, the elder family member lives more than an hour’s distance away. Distance caregiving is a growing alternative to more familiar models where: 1 the elder and the family caregiver(s may reside in the same household; or 2 the family caregiver may live nearby but not in the same household as the elder. The distance caregiving model involves elders and their family caregivers who live at some distance, defined as more than a 60-minute commute, from one another. Evidence suggests that distance caregiving is a distinct phenomenon, differs substantially from on-site family caregiving, and requires additional assistance to support the physical, social, and contextual dimensions of the caregiving process. Technology-based assists could virtually connect the caregiver and elder and provide strong support that addresses the elder’s physical, social, cognitive, and/or sensory impairments. Therefore, in today’s era of high technology, it is surprising that so few affordable innovations are being marketed for distance caregiving. This article addresses distance caregiving, proposes the use of technology innovation to support caregiving, and suggests a research agenda to better inform policy decisions related to the unique needs of this situation.Keywords: caregiving, family, distance, technology, elders

Near field wireless power transfer using curved relay resonators for extended transfer distance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, D; Beeby, S P; Clare, L; Stark, B H

2015-01-01

This paper investigates the performance of a near field wireless power transfer system that uses curved relay resonator to extend transfer distance. Near field wireless power transfer operates based on the near-field electromagnetic coupling of coils. Such a system can transfer energy over a relatively short distance which is of the same order of dimensions of the coupled coils. The energy transfer distance can be increased using flat relay resonators. Recent developments in printing electronics and e-textiles have seen increasing demand of embedding electronics into fabrics. Near field wireless power transfer is one of the most promising methods to power electronics on fabrics. The concept can be applied to body-worn textiles by, for example, integrating a transmitter coil into upholstery, and a flexible receiver coil into garments. Flexible textile coils take on the shape of the supporting materials such as garments, and therefore curved resonator and receiver coils are investigated in this work. Experimental results showed that using curved relay resonator can effectively extend the wireless power transfer distance. However, as the curvature of the coil increases, the performance of the wireless power transfer, especially the maximum received power, deteriorates. (paper)

Censoring distances based on labeled cortical distance maps in cortical morphometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ceyhan, Elvan; Nishino, Tomoyuki; Alexopolous, Dimitrios; Todd, Richard D; Botteron, Kelly N; Miller, Michael I; Ratnanather, J Tilak

2013-01-01

It has been demonstrated that shape differences in cortical structures may be manifested in neuropsychiatric disorders. Such morphometric differences can be measured by labeled cortical distance mapping (LCDM) which characterizes the morphometry of the laminar cortical mantle of cortical structures. LCDM data consist of signed/labeled distances of gray matter (GM) voxels with respect to GM/white matter (WM) surface. Volumes and other summary measures for each subject and the pooled distances can help determine the morphometric differences between diagnostic groups, however they do not reveal all the morphometric information contained in LCDM distances. To extract more information from LCDM data, censoring of the pooled distances is introduced for each diagnostic group where the range of LCDM distances is partitioned at a fixed increment size; and at each censoring step, the distances not exceeding the censoring distance are kept. Censored LCDM distances inherit the advantages of the pooled distances but also provide information about the location of morphometric differences which cannot be obtained from the pooled distances. However, at each step, the censored distances aggregate, which might confound the results. The influence of data aggregation is investigated with an extensive Monte Carlo simulation analysis and it is demonstrated that this influence is negligible. As an illustrative example, GM of ventral medial prefrontal cortices (VMPFCs) of subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD), subjects at high risk (HR) of MDD, and healthy control (Ctrl) subjects are used. A significant reduction in laminar thickness of the VMPFC in MDD and HR subjects is observed compared to Ctrl subjects. Moreover, the GM LCDM distances (i.e., locations with respect to the GM/WM surface) for which these differences start to occur are determined. The methodology is also applicable to LCDM-based morphometric measures of other cortical structures affected by disease.

Censoring Distances Based on Labeled Cortical Distance Maps in Cortical Morphometry

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Elvan eCeyhan

2013-10-01

Full Text Available It has been demonstrated that shape differences are manifested in cortical structures due to neuropsychiatric disorders. Such morphometric differences can be measured by labeled cortical distance mapping (LCDM which characterizes the morphometry of the laminar cortical mantle of cortical structures. LCDM data consist of signed/labeled distances of gray matter (GM voxels with respect to GM/white matter (WM surface. Volumes and other summary measures for each subject and the pooled distances can help determine the morphometric differences between diagnostic groups, however they do not reveal all the morphometric information con-tained in LCDM distances. To extract more information from LCDM data, censoring of the pooled distances is introduced for each diagnostic group where the range of LCDM distances is partitioned at a fixed increment size; and at each censoring step, the distances not exceeding the censoring distance are kept. Censored LCDM distances inherit the advantages of the pooled distances but also provide information about the location of morphometric differences which cannot be obtained from the pooled distances. However, at each step, the censored distances aggregate, which might confound the results. The influence of data aggregation is investigated with an extensive Monte Carlo simulation analysis and it is demonstrated that this influence is negligible. As an illustrative example, GM of ventral medial prefrontal cortices (VMPFCs of subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD, subjects at high risk (HR of MDD, and healthy control (Ctrl subjects are used. A significant reduction in laminar thickness of the VMPFC in MDD and HR subjects is observed compared to Ctrl subjects. Moreover, the GM LCDM distances (i.e., locations with respect to the GM/WM surface for which these differences start to occur are determined. The methodology is also applicable to LCDM-based morphometric measures of other cortical structures affected by disease.

Training for Distance Teaching through Distance Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Cadorath, Jill; Harris, Simon; Encinas, Fatima

2002-01-01

Describes a mixed-mode bachelor degree course in English language teaching at the Universidad Autonoma de Puebla (Mexico) that was designed to help practicing teachers write appropriate distance education materials by giving them the experience of being distance students. Includes a course outline and results of a course evaluation. (Author/LRW)

ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES IN OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUATION SYSTEM

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C. ANITHA (Corresponding Author,

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Today, e-learning and various online education applications are used in many countries and educational institutions than ever before. Ethics deals with the principle governing ideal or good behavior, it focuses on what is right or what is wrong. Although in education, the ethical issues that they may be facing are not about of life and death issues. An ethical dilemma will take place when the educator faced with a decision that maybe incongruent with the organization’s values and policies. There are several examples of ethical issues in education. In this reason, the educator must be guided with the appropriate decision-making strategies. With the increasing use of new communication technologies, adoption of distance education by traditional educational institutes and owing to growing demand on the part of learners, it becomes more important to discuss the ethical issues. This important title provides academicians, students, and professionals with ethical insight into the world of e-learning through fascinating case studies that elucidate the issues through real-world examples. Pioneer’s experience in the field of distance education indicates that the profile of distance learners varies, cutting across barriers of gender, class and caste. The distance learner may be suffering from a sense of isolation as he/she makes a return to study after a gap of time or while working. It is there that the distance educator makes a positive, ethical and interventionist role by helping the student to learn beyond the stereotypical classroom situation and can act effectively as the friend, philosopher and guide of the learner. However, the industry of education is a serious one, requiring well defined ethics and values, well bound in visible legal outlines to regulate its exchange and distribution. Because as the industry grows, so do the issues of ethical concern such as plagiarism, electronic voyeurism, and licensing. The objective of this paper is to

Tourists consuming distance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Gunvor Riber

The environmental impact of tourism mobility is linked to the distances travelled in order to reach a holiday destination, and with tourists travelling more and further than previously, an understanding of how the tourists view the distance they travel across becomes relevant. Based on interviews...... contribute to an understanding of how it is possible to change tourism travel behaviour towards becoming more sustainable. How tourists 'consume distance' is discussed, from the practical level of actually driving the car or sitting in the air plane, to the symbolic consumption of distance that occurs when...... travelling on holiday becomes part of a lifestyle and a social positioning game. Further, different types of tourist distance consumers are identified, ranging from the reluctant to the deliberate and nonchalant distance consumers, who display very differing attitudes towards the distance they all travel...

Analytic processing of distance.

Science.gov (United States)

Dopkins, Stephen; Galyer, Darin

2018-01-01

How does a human observer extract from the distance between two frontal points the component corresponding to an axis of a rectangular reference frame? To find out we had participants classify pairs of small circles, varying on the horizontal and vertical axes of a computer screen, in terms of the horizontal distance between them. A response signal controlled response time. The error rate depended on the irrelevant vertical as well as the relevant horizontal distance between the test circles with the relevant distance effect being larger than the irrelevant distance effect. The results implied that the horizontal distance between the test circles was imperfectly extracted from the overall distance between them. The results supported an account, derived from the Exemplar Based Random Walk model (Nosofsky & Palmieri, 1997), under which distance classification is based on the overall distance between the test circles, with relevant distance being extracted from overall distance to the extent that the relevant and irrelevant axes are differentially weighted so as to reduce the contribution of irrelevant distance to overall distance. The results did not support an account, derived from the General Recognition Theory (Ashby & Maddox, 1994), under which distance classification is based on the relevant distance between the test circles, with the irrelevant distance effect arising because a test circle's perceived location on the relevant axis depends on its location on the irrelevant axis, and with relevant distance being extracted from overall distance to the extent that this dependency is absent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparedness of NGO Health Service Providers in Bangladesh about Distance Based Learning

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AKM ALAMGIR

2006-07-01

Full Text Available This cross-sectional survey was conducted countrywide from 15 January to 01 March 2004 to explore the potentials of health care service providers (physicians, nurses, paramedics etc. for using distance-based learning materials. Face-to-face in-depth interview was taken from 99 randomly selected direct service providers, 45 midlevel clinic mangers/physicians and 06 administrators or policy planners. Quasi-open questionnaire was developed for three different levels. Pre-trained interviewer team assisted data collection at field level. Total procedure was stringently monitored for completeness and consistency to ensure quality data. SPSS software was used to process and analyze both univariate and multivariate multiple responses. Identified need for training areas were- STD/HIV, tuberculosis updates, family planning, treatment of locally endemic diseases, behavioral change communication & marketing and quality management system for managers. About 76.7% clinic managers and 89.1% service providers had primary information about distance-based learning in spite showed interest. About 51.5% desired monthly, 20.6% biweekly and 26.8% wanted bimonthly circulation of the distance-based study materials. About 35.1% expected print materials with regular facilitators while 58.8% demanded stand-by facilitators. The study suggested wide acceptance of distance-based learning methods as supplementary to the continuing medical education among the countrywide health service providers.

Absolute distance measurement with extension of nonambiguity range using the frequency comb of a femtosecond laser

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Yoon-Soo; Lee, Keunwoo; Han, Seongheum; Lee, Joohyung; Kim, Young-Jin; Kim, Seung-Woo

2014-12-01

We revisit the method of synthetic wavelength interferometry (SWI) for absolute measurement of long distances using the radio-frequency harmonics of the pulse repetition rate of a mode-locked femtosecond laser. Our intention here is to extend the nonambiguity range (NAR) of the SWI method using a coarse virtual wavelength synthesized by shifting the pulse repetition rate. The proposed concept of NAR extension is experimentally verified by measuring a ˜13-m distance with repeatability of 9.5 μm (root-mean-square). The measurement precision is estimated to be 31.2 μm in comparison with an incremental He-Ne laser interferometer. This extended SWI method is found to be well suited for long-distance measurements demanded in the fields of large-scale precision engineering, geodetic survey, and future space missions.

Glucose uptake patterns in exercised skeletal muscles of elite male long-distance and short-distance runners.

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, Suh-Jun; Liu, Ren-Shyan; Kuo, Ya-Chen; Hsu, Chi-Yang; Chen, Chi-Hsien

2010-04-30

The aim of this study was to determine glucose uptake patterns in exercised skeletal muscles of elite male long-distance and short-distance runners. Positron emission tomography (PET) using 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) was performed to determine the patterns of glucose uptake in lower limbs of short-distance (SD group, n=8) and long-distance (LD group, n=8) male runners after a modified 20 min Bruce treadmill test. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to delineate the muscle groups in lower limbs. Muscle groups from hip, knee, and ankle movers were measured. The total FDG uptake and the standard uptake value (SUV) for each muscle group were compared between the 2 groups. For the SD and LD runners, the 2 major muscle groups utilizing glucose during running were knee extensors and ankle plantarflexors, which accounted for 49.3 +/- 8.1% (25.1 +/- 4.7% and 24.2 +/- 6.0%) of overall lower extremity glucose uptake for SD group, and 51.3 +/- 8.0% (27.2 +/- 2.7% and 24.0 +/- 8.1%) for LD group. No difference in muscle glucose uptake was noted for other muscle groups. For SD runners, the SUVs for the muscle groups varied from 0.49 +/- 0.27 for the ankle plantarflexors, to 0.20 +/- 0.08 for the hip flexor. For the LD runners, the highest and lowest SUVs were 0.43 +/- 0.15 for the ankle dorsiflexors and 0.21 +/- 0.19 for the hip. For SD and LD groups, no difference in muscle SUV was noted for the muscle groups. However, the SUV ratio between the ankle dorsiflexors and plantarflexors in the LD group was significantly greater than that in the SD group. We thus conclude that the major propelling muscle groups account for approximately 50% of lower limb glucose utilization during running. Thus, the other muscle groups involving maintenance of balance, limb deceleration, and shock absorption utilize an equal amount. This result provides a new insight into glucose distribution in skeletal muscle, suggesting that propellers and supporters are both energetically important

Foundations of Distance Education. Third Edition. Routledge Studies in Distance Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Keegan, Desmond

This text gives an overview of distance education for students, administrators, and practitioners in distance education. Chapter 1 discusses the study of distance education. Chapter 2 analyzes forms of nonconventional education (open, nontraditional) that may have similarities to distance education but are not to be identified with it. Chapter 3…

modelling distances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert F. Love

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Distance predicting functions may be used in a variety of applications for estimating travel distances between points. To evaluate the accuracy of a distance predicting function and to determine its parameters, a goodness-of-fit criteria is employed. AD (Absolute Deviations, SD (Squared Deviations and NAD (Normalized Absolute Deviations are the three criteria that are mostly employed in practice. In the literature some assumptions have been made about the properties of each criterion. In this paper, we present statistical analyses performed to compare the three criteria from different perspectives. For this purpose, we employ the ℓkpθ-norm as the distance predicting function, and statistically compare the three criteria by using normalized absolute prediction error distributions in seventeen geographical regions. We find that there exist no significant differences between the criteria. However, since the criterion SD has desirable properties in terms of distance modelling procedures, we suggest its use in practice.

Modeling the effects of Multi-path propagation and scintillation on GPS signals

Science.gov (United States)

Habash Krause, L.; Wilson, S. J.

2014-12-01

GPS signals traveling through the earth's ionosphere are affected by charged particles that often disrupt the signal and the information it carries due to "scintillation", which resembles an extra noise source on the signal. These signals are also affected by weather changes, tropospheric scattering, and absorption from objects due to multi-path propagation of the signal. These obstacles cause distortion within information and fading of the signal, which ultimately results in phase locking errors and noise in messages. In this work, we attempted to replicate the distortion that occurs in GPS signals using a signal processing simulation model. We wanted to be able to create and identify scintillated signals so we could better understand the environment that caused it to become scintillated. Then, under controlled conditions, we simulated the receiver's ability to suppress scintillation in a signal. We developed a code in MATLAB that was programmed to: 1. Create a carrier wave and then plant noise (four different frequencies) on the carrier wave, 2. Compute a Fourier transform on the four different frequencies to find the frequency content of a signal, 3. Use a filter and apply it to the Fourier transform of the four frequencies and then compute a Signal-to-noise ratio to evaluate the power (in Decibels) of the filtered signal, and 4.Plot each of these components into graphs. To test the code's validity, we used user input and data from an AM transmitter. We determined that the amplitude modulated signal or AM signal would be the best type of signal to test the accuracy of the MATLAB code due to its simplicity. This code is basic to give students the ability to change and use it to determine the environment and effects of noise on different AM signals and their carrier waves. Overall, we were able to manipulate a scenario of a noisy signal and interpret its behavior and change due to its noisy components: amplitude, frequency, and phase shift.

Demand-driven care and hospital choice. Dutch health policy toward demand-driven care: results from a survey into hospital choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Lako, Christiaan J; Rosenau, Pauline

2009-03-01

In the Netherlands, current policy opinion emphasizes demand-driven health care. Central to this model is the view, advocated by some Dutch health policy makers, that patients should be encouraged to be aware of and make use of health quality and health outcomes information in making personal health care provider choices. The success of the new health care system in the Netherlands is premised on this being the case. After a literature review and description of the new Dutch health care system, the adequacy of this demand-driven health policy is tested. The data from a July 2005, self-administered questionnaire survey of 409 patients (response rate of 94%) as to how they choose a hospital are presented. Results indicate that most patients did not choose by actively employing available quality and outcome information. They were, rather, referred by their general practitioner. Hospital choice is highly related to the importance a patient attaches to his or her physician's opinion about a hospital. Some patients indicated that their hospital choice was affected by the reputation of the hospital, by the distance they lived from the hospital, etc. but physician's advice was, by far, the most important factor. Policy consequences are important; the assumptions underlying the demand-driven model of patient health provider choice are inadequate to explain the pattern of observed responses. An alternative, more adequate model is required, one that takes into account the patient's confidence in physician referral and advice.

El Proyecto Universidad Desescolarizada: A Feasibility Study of Teaching at a Distance in Colombia, S.A.

Science.gov (United States)

James, Arthur; Arboleda, Jairo

1979-01-01

Plans for a nationwide system of education at a distance in Colombia, South America, are now under way to meet growing demands for higher education and to decentralize the current university system. Prior to this decision, a feasibility project was undertaken by the University of Antioquia. The project and results are reported. (Author/JMD)

Engineering Attractiveness in the European Educational Environment: Can Distance Education Approaches Make a Difference?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantinos Katzis

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The recent phenomenon of worldwide declining enrolments in engineering-related degrees has led to the gradual decrease in the number of engineering graduates. This decrease occurs at a time of increasing demand in the labour market for highly qualified engineers, who are necessary for the implementation of fundamental societal functions. This paper initially presents a survey of practices, which are currently employed by academic institutions in Europe in order to increase the attractiveness of their engineering studies. It then provides a detailed analysis of the benefits and proliferation of distance education to increase attractiveness of engineering studies based on a set of interviews. Results of this study, highlight a lack of a distance-learning dimension in the implementation of engineering studies in the European Area and discusses in detail ways in which distance learning can be utilised in engineering studies for the benefit of increasing their attractiveness. It has also been noted that institutions employing distance learning as part of their engineering studies, see this as highly beneficial for their students but also for the academic institution itself with some reservations in terms of the pedagogical adequacy of materials and instructional approaches used in distance education courses.

Aggregated Demand Modelling Including Distributed Generation, Storage and Demand Response

OpenAIRE

Marzooghi, Hesamoddin; Hill, David J.; Verbic, Gregor

2014-01-01

It is anticipated that penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs) in power systems will increase further in the next decades mainly due to environmental issues. In the long term of several decades, which we refer to in terms of the future grid (FG), balancing between supply and demand will become dependent on demand actions including demand response (DR) and energy storage. So far, FG feasibility studies have not considered these new demand-side developments for modelling future demand. I...

Growth and Development of Distance Education in India and China: A Study on Policy Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Gaba, Ashok K.; Li, Wei

2015-01-01

India and China are two fast growing economies of the world and need large skill based manpower to sustain the economic growth. The existing formal higher educational system in these countries will not be able to meet the demand of the economy. The paper will try (i) to compare the development of economy and distance education in India and China…

Brownian distance covariance

OpenAIRE

Székely, Gábor J.; Rizzo, Maria L.

2010-01-01

Distance correlation is a new class of multivariate dependence coefficients applicable to random vectors of arbitrary and not necessarily equal dimension. Distance covariance and distance correlation are analogous to product-moment covariance and correlation, but generalize and extend these classical bivariate measures of dependence. Distance correlation characterizes independence: it is zero if and only if the random vectors are independent. The notion of covariance with...

Traversing psychological distance.

Science.gov (United States)

Liberman, Nira; Trope, Yaacov

2014-07-01

Traversing psychological distance involves going beyond direct experience, and includes planning, perspective taking, and contemplating counterfactuals. Consistent with this view, temporal, spatial, and social distances as well as hypotheticality are associated, affect each other, and are inferred from one another. Moreover, traversing all distances involves the use of abstraction, which we define as forming a belief about the substitutability for a specific purpose of subjectively distinct objects. Indeed, across many instances of both abstraction and psychological distancing, more abstract constructs are used for more distal objects. Here, we describe the implications of this relation for prediction, choice, communication, negotiation, and self-control. We ask whether traversing distance is a general mental ability and whether distance should replace expectancy in expected-utility theories. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the elastic displacement demand: Case study - Sofia city

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paskaleva, I.; Kouteva, M.; Vaccari, F.; Panza, G.F.

2008-02-01

The results of the study on the seismic site response in a part of the metropolitan Sofia are discussed. The neo-deterministic seismic hazard assessment procedure has been used to compute realistic synthetic waveforms considering four earthquake scenarios, with magnitudes M = 3.7, M = 6.3 and M = 7.0. Source and site specific ground motion time histories are computed along three investigated cross sections, making use of the hybrid approach, combining the modal summation technique and the finite differences scheme. Displacement and acceleration response spectra are considered. These results are validated against the design elastic displacement response spectra and displacement demand, recommended in Eurocode 8. The elastic response design spectrum from the standard pseudo-acceleration, versus natural period, Tn, format is converted to the Sa - Sd format. The elastic displacement response spectra and displacement demand are discussed with respect to the earthquake magnitude, the seismic source-to-site distance, seismic source mechanism, and the local geological site conditions. (author)

Movement Demands of Elite U20 International Rugby Union Players

Science.gov (United States)

Drawer, Scott; Eager, Robin; Taylor, Neil; Cook, Christian

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to quantify movement demands of elite international age grade (U20) rugby union players during competitive tournament match play. Forty elite professional players from an U20 international performance squad were monitored using 10Hz global positioning systems (GPS) during 15 international tournament matches during the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons. Data on distances, velocities, accelerations, decelerations, high metabolic load (HML) distance and efforts, and number of sprints were derived. Data files from players who played over 60 min (n = 161) were separated firstly into Forwards and Backs, and more specifically into six positional groups; FR—Front Row (prop & hooker), SR—Second Row, BR—Back Row (Flankers & No.8), HB—Half Backs (scrum half & outside half), MF—Midfield (centres), B3 –Back Three (wings & full back) for match analysis. Analysis revealed significant differences between forwards and backs positions. Backs scored higher on all variables measured with the exception of number of moderate accelerations, decelerations (no difference). The centres covered the greatest total distance with the front row covering the least (6.51 ± 0.71 vs 4.97 ± 0.75 km, p rugby union players specific to positional roles. PMID:27055230

Modelling Commodity Demands and Labour Supply with m-Demands

OpenAIRE

Browning, Martin

1999-01-01

In the empirical modelling of demands and labour supply we often lack data on a full set of goods. The usual response is to invoke separability assumptions. Here we present an alternative based on modelling demands as a function of prices and the quantity of a reference good rather than total expenditure. We term such demands m-demands. The advantage of this approach is that we make maximum use of the data to hand without invoking implausible separability assumptions. In the theory section qu...

Task parameters affecting ergonomic demands and productivity of HVAC duct installation.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitropoulos, Panagiotis; Hussain, Sanaa; Guarascio-Howard, Linda; Memarian, Babak

2014-01-01

Mechanical installation workers experience work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) at high rates. (1) Quantify the ergonomic demands during HVAC installation, (2) identify the tasks and task parameters that generated extreme ergonomic demands, and (3) propose improvements to reduce the WMSDs among mechanical workers. The study focused on installation of rectangular ductwork components using ladders, and analyzed five operations by two mechanical contractors. Using continuous time observational assessment, the videotaped operations were analyzed along two dimensions: (1) the production tasks and durations, and (2) the ergonomic demands for four body regions (neck, arms/shoulders, back, and knees). The analysis identified tasks with low portion of productive time and high portion of extreme postures, and task parameters that generated extreme postures. Duct alignment was the task with the highest portion of extreme postures. The position of the ladder (angle and distance from the duct) was a task parameter that strongly influenced the extreme postures for back, neck and shoulders. Other contributing factors included the difficulty to reach the hand tools when working on the ladder, the congestion of components in the ceiling, and the space between the duct and the ceiling. The identified tasks and factors provide directions for improvement.

Factors influencing the demand of the service of community based animal health care in Zimbabwe.

Science.gov (United States)

Mutambara, J; Dube, I; Matangi, E; Majeke, F

2013-11-01

This study was done to find out about animal health service providers and factors that determined demand for community based veterinary service delivery in smallholder sector of Zimbabwe. Focus group discussions and a questionnaire was used to collect data on veterinary services providers and socio-economic factors related to animal health from a sample (N=333) smallholder livestock farmers from Gutu district of Masvingo province in Zimbabwe. Analytical techniques used were descriptive statistics, K-mean cluster analysis and Tobit regression model. Results showed that the majority of farmers (45%) obtained services from both Community Based Animal Health Workers (CBAHWs) and Department of Veterinary Service (DVS), 25% DVS only, 20% used CBAHWs while 10% did not seek any services. Further analysis showed that distance to CBAHW, distance to AHMC and employment status were significantly related to demand for CBAHWs with coefficients of -1.5, 0.7 and -10.3, respectively. The study thus concluded that CBAHW is an alternative animal health service delivery approach already practiced in smallholder farming sectors of Zimbabwe. Socio-economic factors significantly influenced the demand for CBAHW services. Given limited resources by state sponsored veterinary services, it is recommended that the CBAHWs approach should be encouraged as supplementary service provider especially in areas further DVS. These community organizations can be empowered by the state to deliver more improved services based on hygiene and modern science at a relatively low cost to farmers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Supply chain cost analysis of long-distance transportation of energy wood in Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tahvanainen, Timo; Anttila, Perttu

2011-01-01

The increasing use of bioenergy has resulted in a growing demand for long-distance transportation of energy wood. For both biofuels and traditional forest products, the importance of energy efficiency and rail use is growing. A GIS-based model for energy wood supply chains was created and used to simulate the costs for several supply chains in a study area in eastern Finland. Cost curves of ten supply chains for logging residues and full trees based on roadside, terminal and end-facility chipping were analyzed. The average procurement costs from forest to roadside storage were included. Railway transportation was compared to the most commonly used truck transportation options in long-distance transport. The potential for the development of supply chains was analyzed using a sensitivity analysis of 11 modified supply chain scenarios. For distances shorter than 60 km, truck transportation of loose residues and end-facility comminution was the most cost-competitive chain. Over longer distances, roadside chipping with chip truck transportation was the most cost-efficient option. When the transportation distance went from 135 to 165 km, depending on the fuel source, train-based transportation offered the lowest costs. The most cost-competitive alternative for long-distance transport included a combination of roadside chipping, truck transportation to the terminal and train transportation to the plant. Due to the low payload, the energy wood bundle chain with train transportation was not cost-competitive. Reduction of maximum truck weight increased the relative competitiveness of loose residue chains and train-based transportation, while reduction of fuel moisture increased competitiveness, especially of chip trucks.

Open and Distance Learning Today. Routledge Studies in Distance Education Series.

Science.gov (United States)

Lockwood, Fred, Ed.

This book contains the following papers on open and distance learning today: "Preface" (Daniel); "Big Bang Theory in Distance Education" (Hawkridge); "Practical Agenda for Theorists of Distance Education" (Perraton); "Trends, Directions and Needs: A View from Developing Countries" (Koul); "American…

Distance Learning Masters Students in the Department of Information Studies, University of Wales, Aberystwyth: Past, Present and Future

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, Hugh

2005-01-01

This paper examines the postgraduate student body studying by distance learning within the Department of Information Studies at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. The demands of both students and employers have been the chief influences on the evolution of the specialist postgraduate programmes and also the later generalist and further…

Influence of the Type of Marking and the Number of Players on Physiological and Physical Demands During Sided Games in Soccer

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Casamichana David

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research was to examine the influence of two variables, the type of marking (with or without man-marking and the number of players per team (3, 6, or 9 on the physical and physiological demands of sided games in soccer. Eighteen amateur players were monitored with GPS and heart rate devices. The following variables were analyzed: a maximum heart rate, a mean heart rate, time spent in each intensity range, total distance covered and distance covered in different speed ranges, a player load, maximum speed reached, and a work:rest ratio. The results showed that the type of marking influenced the physical demands of players, with greater total distance, a player load and a work:rest ratio when man-marking was used in the 3 vs. 3 (737 m, 95 Arbitrary Units (AU and 3.4 AU, respectively and 6 vs. 6 (783 m, 95 AU and 5.3 AU, respectively games (p<0.05. The number of players also had an effect on physiological intensity, with more time being spent at the <80%HRmax during the 9 vs. 9 and 6 vs. 6 games (more than 30% compared with the 3 vs. 3 format (less than 15% (p<0.05. These findings could help coaches to understand how the modification of different variables in sided games influences the physical and physiological demands of players.

From a distance: implications of spontaneous self-distancing for adaptive self-reflection.

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Ayduk, Ozlem; Kross, Ethan

2010-05-01

Although recent experimental work indicates that self-distancing facilitates adaptive self-reflection, it remains unclear (a) whether spontaneous self-distancing leads to similar adaptive outcomes, (b) how spontaneous self-distancing relates to avoidance, and (c) how this strategy impacts interpersonal behavior. Three studies examined these issues demonstrating that the more participants spontaneously self-distanced while reflecting on negative memories, the less emotional (Studies 1-3) and cardiovascular (Study 2) reactivity they displayed in the short term. Spontaneous self-distancing was also associated with lower emotional reactivity and intrusive ideation over time (Study 1). The negative association between spontaneous self-distancing and emotional reactivity was mediated by how participants construed their experience (i.e., less recounting relative to reconstruing) rather than avoidance (Studies 1-2). In addition, spontaneous self-distancing was associated with more problem-solving behavior and less reciprocation of negativity during conflicts among couples in ongoing relationships (Study 3). Although spontaneous self-distancing was empirically related to trait rumination, it explained unique variance in predicting key outcomes. 2010 APA, all rights reserved

Theoretical analysis of a wind heating conversion and long distance transmission system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Wen-Long; Han, Bing-Chuan; Nian, Yong-Le; Han, Bing-Bing

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A novel long distance wind power heating system was proposed. • Heat losses could be reduced effectively due to latent heat transmission. • Power consumption and cost would drop greatly compared to hot water convey system. • The maximum transmission distance is 10 times that of conventional system. - Abstract: As a clean and renewable energy, wind power gets a rapid growth in recent years. With the increasing proportion of wind power generation, the fluctuation and intermittency of wind energy impedes the safe and stable operation of national power grids, which causes wind curtailment and energy waste, hindering further development of wind power industry in China. To solve this problem, wind heating conversion was proposed. However, long distance transmission between wind fields and residential areas for thermal energy is an urgent issue for wind heating. This paper presents a novel wind heating conversion and long distance transmission system. A simple device was utilized for wind heating conversion in the present system, then thermal energy was transported to heat demand site through latent heat transmission of the working fluids. A model of the novel system was built and thermodynamics analysis showed that maximum transmission distance of the novel system could extended to 240 km, 9.6 times of that of typical hot water transmission system. And the novel system also could cut down the cost by greatly reducing pump work and pipe diameter. In addition, efficiency and circulation ratio was almost unchanged while wind power density increased from 350 W/m 2 to 650 W/m 2 .

Distance-regular graphs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Dam, Edwin R.; Koolen, Jack H.; Tanaka, Hajime

2016-01-01

This is a survey of distance-regular graphs. We present an introduction to distance-regular graphs for the reader who is unfamiliar with the subject, and then give an overview of some developments in the area of distance-regular graphs since the monograph 'BCN'[Brouwer, A.E., Cohen, A.M., Neumaier,

Hierarchical traits distances explain grassland Fabaceae species' ecological niches distances

Science.gov (United States)

Fort, Florian; Jouany, Claire; Cruz, Pablo

2015-01-01

Fabaceae species play a key role in ecosystem functioning through their capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen via their symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria. To increase benefits of using Fabaceae in agricultural systems, it is necessary to find ways to evaluate species or genotypes having potential adaptations to sub-optimal growth conditions. We evaluated the relevance of phylogenetic distance, absolute trait distance and hierarchical trait distance for comparing the adaptation of 13 grassland Fabaceae species to different habitats, i.e., ecological niches. We measured a wide range of functional traits (root traits, leaf traits, and whole plant traits) in these species. Species phylogenetic and ecological distances were assessed from a species-level phylogenetic tree and species' ecological indicator values, respectively. We demonstrated that differences in ecological niches between grassland Fabaceae species were related more to their hierarchical trait distances than to their phylogenetic distances. We showed that grassland Fabaceae functional traits tend to converge among species with the same ecological requirements. Species with acquisitive root strategies (thin roots, shallow root systems) are competitive species adapted to non-stressful meadows, while conservative ones (coarse roots, deep root systems) are able to tolerate stressful continental climates. In contrast, acquisitive species appeared to be able to tolerate low soil-P availability, while conservative ones need high P availability. Finally we highlight that traits converge along the ecological gradient, providing the assumption that species with similar root-trait values are better able to coexist, regardless of their phylogenetic distance. PMID:25741353

Hierarchical traits distances explain grassland Fabaceae species’ ecological niches distances

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Florian eFort

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Fabaceae species play a key role in ecosystem functioning through their capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen via their symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria. To increase benefits of using Fabaceae in agricultural systems, it is necessary to find ways to evaluate species or genotypes having potential adaptations to sub-optimal growth conditions. We evaluated the relevance of phylogenetic distance, absolute trait distance and hierarchical trait distance for comparing the adaptation of 13 grassland Fabaceae species to different habitats, i.e. ecological niches. We measured a wide range of functional traits (root traits, leaf traits and whole plant traits in these species. Species phylogenetic and ecological distances were assessed from a species-level phylogenetic tree and species’ ecological indicator values, respectively. We demonstrated that differences in ecological niches between grassland Fabaceae species were related more to their hierarchical trait distances than to their phylogenetic distances. We showed that grassland Fabaceae functional traits tend to converge among species with the same ecological requirements. Species with acquisitive root strategies (thin roots, shallow root systems are competitive species adapted to non-stressful meadows, while conservative ones (coarse roots, deep root systems are able to tolerate stressful continental climates. In contrast, acquisitive species appeared to be able to tolerate low soil-P availability, while conservative ones need high P availability. Finally we highlight that traits converge along the ecological gradient, providing the assumption that species with similar root-trait values are better able to coexist, regardless of their phylogenetic distance.

Numerical distance protection

CERN Document Server

Ziegler, Gerhard

2011-01-01

Distance protection provides the basis for network protection in transmission systems and meshed distribution systems. This book covers the fundamentals of distance protection and the special features of numerical technology. The emphasis is placed on the application of numerical distance relays in distribution and transmission systems.This book is aimed at students and engineers who wish to familiarise themselves with the subject of power system protection, as well as the experienced user, entering the area of numerical distance protection. Furthermore it serves as a reference guide for s

Growth and Development of Distance Education in India and China: A Study on Policy Perspectives

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Ashok Gaba

2015-11-01

Full Text Available India and China are two fast growing economies of the world and need large skill based manpower to sustain the economic growth. The existing formal higher educational system in these countries will not be able to meet the demand of the economy. The paper will try (i to compare the development of economy and distance education in India and China with reference to policy perspectives; (ii to examine the course design, development and delivery of distance education programmes in national open universities of India and China i.e. Indira Gandhi National Open University of India (IGNOU and Open University of China (OUC; (iii to analyze the trend of enrollment in IGNOU and OUC; and (iv to compare the recognition /accreditation and quality control process of distance learning in both these countries. The paper highlights the policy strategies of two countries towards quality control mechanism as par with conventional system.

The Distance Standard Deviation

OpenAIRE

Edelmann, Dominic; Richards, Donald; Vogel, Daniel

2017-01-01

The distance standard deviation, which arises in distance correlation analysis of multivariate data, is studied as a measure of spread. New representations for the distance standard deviation are obtained in terms of Gini's mean difference and in terms of the moments of spacings of order statistics. Inequalities for the distance variance are derived, proving that the distance standard deviation is bounded above by the classical standard deviation and by Gini's mean difference. Further, it is ...

Distance Education in Turkey

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Dr. Nursel Selver RUZGAR,

2004-04-01

Full Text Available Distance Education in Turkey Assistant Professor Dr. Nursel Selver RUZGAR Technical Education Faculty Marmara University, TURKEY ABSTRACT Many countries of the world are using distance education with various ways, by internet, by post and by TV. In this work, development of distance education in Turkey has been presented from the beginning. After discussing types and applications for different levels of distance education in Turkey, the distance education was given in the cultural aspect of the view. Then, in order to create the tendencies and thoughts of graduates of Higher Education Institutions and Distance Education Institutions about being competitors in job markets, sufficiency of education level, advantages for education system, continuing education in different Institutions, a face-to-face survey was applied to 1284 graduates, 958 from Higher Education Institutions and 326 from Distance Education Institutions. The results were evaluated and discussed. In the last part of this work, suggestions to become widespread and improve the distance education in the country were made.

Demand Driven Acquisition of E-Books in a Small Online Academic Library: Growing Pains and Assessing Gains

Science.gov (United States)

Longley, Dana H.

2016-01-01

How does a smaller, fully online academic library offer a wide and deep collection of academic level e-books to its distance learners in a sustainable and affordable way? The State University of New York (SUNY) Empire State College Online Library, with a staff of four, has used demand-driven e-book acquisitions since September 2013. Despite…

Innovation and Demand

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Esben Sloth

2007-01-01

the demand-side of markets in the simplest possible way. This strategy has allowed a gradual increase in the sophistication of supply-side aspects of economic evolution, but the one-sided focus on supply is facing diminishing returns. Therefore, demand-side aspects of economic evolution have in recent years...... received increased attention. The present paper argues that the new emphasis on demand-side factors is quite crucial for a deepened understanding of economic evolution. The major reasons are the following: First, demand represents the core force of selection that gives direction to the evolutionary process....... Second, firms' innovative activities relate, directly or indirectly, to the structure of expected and actual demand. Third, the demand side represents the most obvious way of turning to the much-needed analysis of macro-evolutionary change of the economic system....

Integrated Optimization of Bus Line Fare and Operational Strategies Using Elastic Demand

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Chunyan Tang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available An optimization approach for designing a transit service system is proposed. Its objective would be the maximization of total social welfare, by providing a profitable fare structure and tailoring operational strategies to passenger demand. These operational strategies include full route operation (FRO, limited stop, short turn, and a mix of the latter two strategies. The demand function is formulated to reflect the attributes of these strategies, in-vehicle crowding, and fare effects on demand variation. The fare is either a flat fare or a differential fare structure; the latter is based on trip distance and achieved service levels. This proposed methodology is applied to a case study of Dalian, China. The optimal results indicate that an optimal combination of operational strategies integrated with a differential fare structure results in the highest potential for increasing total social welfare, if the value of parameter ε related to additional service fee is low. When this value increases up to more than a threshold, strategies with a flat fare show greater benefits. If this value increases beyond yet another threshold, the use of skipped stop strategies is not recommended.

Haptic Discrimination of Distance

Science.gov (United States)

van Beek, Femke E.; Bergmann Tiest, Wouter M.; Kappers, Astrid M. L.

2014-01-01

While quite some research has focussed on the accuracy of haptic perception of distance, information on the precision of haptic perception of distance is still scarce, particularly regarding distances perceived by making arm movements. In this study, eight conditions were measured to answer four main questions, which are: what is the influence of reference distance, movement axis, perceptual mode (active or passive) and stimulus type on the precision of this kind of distance perception? A discrimination experiment was performed with twelve participants. The participants were presented with two distances, using either a haptic device or a real stimulus. Participants compared the distances by moving their hand from a start to an end position. They were then asked to judge which of the distances was the longer, from which the discrimination threshold was determined for each participant and condition. The precision was influenced by reference distance. No effect of movement axis was found. The precision was higher for active than for passive movements and it was a bit lower for real stimuli than for rendered stimuli, but it was not affected by adding cutaneous information. Overall, the Weber fraction for the active perception of a distance of 25 or 35 cm was about 11% for all cardinal axes. The recorded position data suggest that participants, in order to be able to judge which distance was the longer, tried to produce similar speed profiles in both movements. This knowledge could be useful in the design of haptic devices. PMID:25116638

Haptic discrimination of distance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Femke E van Beek

Full Text Available While quite some research has focussed on the accuracy of haptic perception of distance, information on the precision of haptic perception of distance is still scarce, particularly regarding distances perceived by making arm movements. In this study, eight conditions were measured to answer four main questions, which are: what is the influence of reference distance, movement axis, perceptual mode (active or passive and stimulus type on the precision of this kind of distance perception? A discrimination experiment was performed with twelve participants. The participants were presented with two distances, using either a haptic device or a real stimulus. Participants compared the distances by moving their hand from a start to an end position. They were then asked to judge which of the distances was the longer, from which the discrimination threshold was determined for each participant and condition. The precision was influenced by reference distance. No effect of movement axis was found. The precision was higher for active than for passive movements and it was a bit lower for real stimuli than for rendered stimuli, but it was not affected by adding cutaneous information. Overall, the Weber fraction for the active perception of a distance of 25 or 35 cm was about 11% for all cardinal axes. The recorded position data suggest that participants, in order to be able to judge which distance was the longer, tried to produce similar speed profiles in both movements. This knowledge could be useful in the design of haptic devices.

Modelling energy demand for a fleet of hydrogen-electric vehicles interacting with a clean energy hub

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Syed, F.; Fowler, M.; Wan, D.; Maniyali, Y.

2009-01-01

This paper details the development of an energy demand model for a hydrogen-electric vehicle fleet and the modelling of the fleet interactions with a clean energy hub. The approach taken is to model the architecture and daily operation of every individual vehicle in the fleet. A generic architecture was developed based on understanding gained from existing detailed models used in vehicle powertrain design, with daily operation divided into two periods: charging and travelling. During the charging period, the vehicle charges its Electricity Storage System (ESS) and refills its Hydrogen Storage System (HSS), and during the travelling period, the vehicle depletes the ESS and HSS based on distance travelled. Daily travel distance is generated by a stochastic model and is considered an input to the fleet model. The modelling of a clean energy hub is also presented. The clean energy hub functions as an interface between electricity supply and the energy demand (i.e. hydrogen and electricity) of the vehicle fleet. Finally, a sample case is presented to demonstrate the use of the fleet model and its implications on clean energy hub sizing. (author)

Movement Demands of Elite Under-20s and Senior International Rugby Union Players

Science.gov (United States)

Drawer, Scott; Pollard, Ben; Eager, Robin; Taylor, Neil; Cook, Christian J.

2016-01-01

This study compared the movement demands of elite international Under-20 age grade (U20s) and senior international rugby union players during competitive tournament match play. Forty elite professional players from an U20 and 27 elite professional senior players from international performance squads were monitored using 10Hz global positioning systems (GPS) during 15 (U20s) and 8 (senior) international tournament matches during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Data on distances, velocities, accelerations, decelerations, high metabolic load (HML) distance and efforts, and number of sprints were derived. Data files from players who played over 60 min (n = 258) were separated firstly into Forwards and Backs, and more specifically into six positional groups; FR–Front Row (prop & hooker), SR–Second Row, BR–Back Row (Flankers & No.8), HB–Half Backs (scrum half & outside half), MF–Midfield (centres), B3 –Back Three (wings & full back) for match analysis. Linear mixed models revealed significant differences between U20 and senior teams in both the forwards and backs. In the forwards the seniors covered greater HML distance (736.4 ± 280.3 vs 701.3 ± 198.7m, p = 0.01) and severe decelerations (2.38 ± 2.2 vs 2.28 ± 1.65, p = 0.05) compared to the U20s, but performed less relative HSR (3.1 ± 1.6 vs 3.2 ± 1.5, p rugby, however, the current study highlight for the first time that certain positional groups may require more time to be able to match the movement demands required at a higher playing level than others. Conditioning staff must also bear in mind that the U20s players whilst maintaining or improving match movement capabilities may require to gain substantial mass in some positions to match their senior counterparts. PMID:27824865

The Specificity of Rugby Union Training Sessions in Preparation for Match Demands.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Patrick G; Peake, Jonathan M; Minett, Geoffrey M

2018-04-01

Investigations into the specificity of rugby union training practices in preparation for competitive demands have predominantly focused on physical and physiological demands. The evaluation of the contextual variance in perceptual strain or skill requirements between training and matches in rugby union is unclear, yet holistic understanding may assist to optimize training design. This study evaluated the specificity of physical, physiological, perceptual, and skill demands of training sessions compared with competitive match play in preprofessional, elite club rugby union. Global positioning system devices, video capture, heart rate, and session ratings of perceived exertion were used to assess movement patterns, skill completions, physiologic, and perceptual responses, respectively. Data were collected across a season (training sessions n = 29; matches n = 14). Participants (n = 32) were grouped in playing positions as: outside backs, centers, halves, loose forwards, lock forwards, and front row forwards. Greater total distance, low-intensity activity, maximal speed, and meters per minute were apparent in matches compared with training in all positions (P  0.90). Similarly, match heart rate and session ratings of perceived exertion responses were higher than those recorded in training (P  0.8). Key skill completions for forwards (ie, scrums, rucks, and lineouts) and backs (ie, kicks) were greater under match conditions than in training (P  1.50). Considerable disparities exist between the perceptual, physiological, and key skill demands of competitive matches versus training sessions in preprofessional rugby union players. Practitioners should consider the specificity of training tasks for preprofessional rugby players to ensure the best preparation for match demands.

The metabolic power and energetic demands of elite Gaelic football match play.

Science.gov (United States)

Malone, Shane; Solan, Barry; Collins, Kieran; Doran, Dominic

2017-05-01

Metabolic power has not yet been investigated within elite Gaelic football. The aim of the current investigation was to compare the metabolic power demands between positional groups and examine the temporal profile of elite Gaelic football match play. Global positional satellite system (GPS) data were collected from 50 elite Gaelic football players from 4 inter-county teams during 35 elite competitive matches over a three season period. A total of 351 complete match samples were obtained for final analysis. Players were categorized based on positional groups; full-back, half-back, midfield, half-forward and full-forward. Instantaneous raw velocity data was obtained from the GPS and exported to a customized spreadsheet which provided estimations of both speed based, derived metabolic power and energy expenditure variables (total distance, high speed distance, average metabolic power, high power distance and total energy expenditure). Match mean distance was 9222±1588 m, reflective of an average metabolic power of 9.5-12.5 W·kg-1, with an average energy expenditure of 58-70 Kj·kg-1 depending on position. There were significant differences between positional groups for both speed-based and metabolic power indices. Midfielders covered more total and high-speed distance, as well as greater average and overall energy expenditure compared to other positions (Ppower distance, as well as average metabolic power throughout the match (Ppower and traditional running based variables. The middle three positions (midfield, half-back and half-forward) possess greater activity profiles when compared to other positional groups. The reduction in metabolic power and traditional running based variables are comparable across match play. The current study demonstrates that metabolic power may contribute to our understanding of Gaelic football match-play.

Asian oil demand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fesharaki, F.

2005-01-01

This conference presentation examined global oil market development and the role of Asian demand. It discussed plateau change versus cyclical movement in the global oil market; supply and demand issues of OPEC and non-OPEC oil; if high oil prices reduce demand; and the Asian oil picture in the global context. Asian oil demand has accounted for about 50 per cent of the global incremental oil market growth. The presentation provided data charts in graphical format on global and Asia-Pacific incremental oil demand from 1990-2005; Asia oil demand growth for selected nations; real GDP growth in selected Asian countries; and, Asia-Pacific oil production and net import requirements. It also included charts in petroleum product demand for Asia-Pacific, China, India, Japan, and South Korea. Other data charts included key indicators for China's petroleum sector; China crude production and net oil import requirements; China's imports and the share of the Middle East; China's oil exports and imports; China's crude imports by source for 2004; China's imports of main oil products for 2004; India's refining capacity; India's product balance for net-imports and net-exports; and India's trade pattern of oil products. tabs., figs

Eating disorders and health in elite women distance runners.

Science.gov (United States)

Hulley, A J; Hill, A J

2001-11-01

To examine the presence of eating disorder syndromes in elite women distance runners in the United Kingdom and any associated differences in training, dieting, general health, and well-being. Athletes were selected from the top of their respective ranking lists for all middle and long-distance races in 1996/1997. All running disciplines were included (track, road, cross-country, and fell/mountain running). Athletes were sent the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire and a questionnaire on demographics, athletic training, diet, and health. Of the 226 athletes identified, 181 (81%) completed and returned the questionnaires. Twenty-nine athletes (16%) had an eating disorder at the time of the study (7 had anorexia nervosa [AN], 2 had bulimia nervosa [BN], and 20 had eating disorders not otherwise specified [EDNOS]) and a further 6 had received previous treatment. Comparing the eating disorder group with the rest of the sample showed no difference in age, height, preferred race distance, or the number of hours/week spent training. However, they had a significantly lower body mass index (BMI), lower self-esteem, and poorer mental health. Current and past dieting were significantly more common in the eating disorder group. The levels of AN and EDNOS are higher than would be expected in similarly aged, nonathletic women. The demands for leanness rather than exercise intensity appear to be the main risk in these elite runners. The early detection and prevention of eating disorders in women athletes should have high priority. Copyright 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Distancing from experienced self: how global-versus-local perception affects estimation of psychological distance.

Science.gov (United States)

Liberman, Nira; Förster, Jens

2009-08-01

In 4 studies, the authors examined the prediction derived from construal level theory (CLT) that higher level of perceptual construal would enhance estimated egocentric psychological distance. The authors primed participants with global perception, local perception, or both (the control condition). Relative to the control condition, global processing made participants estimate larger psychological distances in time (Study 1), space (Study 2), social distance (Study 3), and hypotheticality (Study 4). Local processing had the opposite effect. Consistent with CLT, all studies show that the effect of global-versus-local processing did emerge when participants estimated egocentric distances, which are distances from the experienced self in the here and now, but did not emerge with temporal distances not from now (Study 1), spatial distances not from here (Study 2), social distances not from the self (Study 3), or hypothetical events that did not involve altering an experienced reality (Study 4).

Fast Computing for Distance Covariance

OpenAIRE

Huo, Xiaoming; Szekely, Gabor J.

2014-01-01

Distance covariance and distance correlation have been widely adopted in measuring dependence of a pair of random variables or random vectors. If the computation of distance covariance and distance correlation is implemented directly accordingly to its definition then its computational complexity is O($n^2$) which is a disadvantage compared to other faster methods. In this paper we show that the computation of distance covariance and distance correlation of real valued random variables can be...

ORDERED WEIGHTED DISTANCE MEASURE

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Zeshui XU; Jian CHEN

2008-01-01

The aim of this paper is to develop an ordered weighted distance (OWD) measure, which is thegeneralization of some widely used distance measures, including the normalized Hamming distance, the normalized Euclidean distance, the normalized geometric distance, the max distance, the median distance and the min distance, etc. Moreover, the ordered weighted averaging operator, the generalized ordered weighted aggregation operator, the ordered weighted geometric operator, the averaging operator, the geometric mean operator, the ordered weighted square root operator, the square root operator, the max operator, the median operator and the min operator axe also the special cases of the OWD measure. Some methods depending on the input arguments are given to determine the weights associated with the OWD measure. The prominent characteristic of the OWD measure is that it can relieve (or intensify) the influence of unduly large or unduly small deviations on the aggregation results by assigning them low (or high) weights. This desirable characteristic makes the OWD measure very suitable to be used in many actual fields, including group decision making, medical diagnosis, data mining, and pattern recognition, etc. Finally, based on the OWD measure, we develop a group decision making approach, and illustrate it with a numerical example.

Quantification of Competitive Game Demands of NCAA Division I College Football Players Using Global Positioning Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Wellman, Aaron D; Coad, Sam C; Goulet, Grant C; McLellan, Christopher P

2016-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the competitive physiological movement demands of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college football players using portable global positioning system (GPS) technology during games and to examine positional groups within offensive and defensive teams, to determine if a player's physiological requirements during games are influenced by playing position. Thirty-three NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football players were monitored using GPS receivers with integrated accelerometers (GPSports) during 12 regular season games throughout the 2014 season. Individual data sets (n = 295) from players were divided into offensive and defensive teams and subsequent position groups. Movement profile characteristics, including total, low-intensity, moderate-intensity, high-intensity, and sprint running distances (m), sprint counts, and acceleration and deceleration efforts, were assessed during games. A one-way ANOVA and post-hoc Bonferroni statistical analysis were used to determine differences in movement profiles between each position group within offensive and defensive teams. For both offensive and defensive teams, significant (p ≤ 0.05) differences exist between positional groups for game physical performance requirements. The results of the present study identified that wide receivers and defensive backs completed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) greater total distance, high-intensity running, sprint distance, and high-intensity acceleration and deceleration efforts than their respective offensive and defensive positional groups. Data from the present study provide novel quantification of position-specific physical demands of college football games and support the use of position-specific training in the preparation of NCAA Division I college football players for competition.

Analytical Model for Passing Sight Distance Design Criteria of Two-Lane Roads in Sri Lanka

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mampearachchi W. K.

2018-03-01

Full Text Available For a safe overtaking manoeuvre on two-lane highways, drivers need a sufficient sight distance along the roadway, but it depends on the traffic environment. To provide an adequate Passing Sight Distance (PSD, a number of models have been proposed since the initial model introduced by American Association of State Highways and Transport Officials (AASHTO in 1954. It is a current design practice in Sri Lanka as well, however, not validated for local traffic conditions. This paper will present an alternative PSD model and an evaluation of AASHTO model for national highway design. Experiment was based on GPS data collection. In conclusion, PSD demand was satisfied by AASHTO PSD under mix traffic conditions, but not the safety concerns for speeds greater than 80 km/h, while alternative model successful for all speeds.

Influence of the seasonal factor on the long-distance passenger correspondence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Dolia

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Up-today intercity passenger transportation is needed to consider fluctuations in demand for services over time. Designated fluctuations in demand mainly linked to the onset of a period of national or religious celebrations holidays, mass vacation in summer, internal and international sports and cultural activities, ect. Therefore, these demand irregularity of using public intercity transport should be considered when managing transportation. In issue to meet the needs of passengers moving within existing fluctuations in demand can decide to change the parameters of the components of the transport system. These changes include variety in amount or type of vehicles, schedules, changes in traffic patterns routes, introduction of these routes, limiting of the passenger’s purchasing ability fares and so on. It is important to determine the passenger’s place in the social, economic or cultural development of the population overemphasized. Therefore, regulation of activity of the public transport services must satisfy the possibility of these services within acceptable financial, time and physical burden for passengers. So, component optimization efficiency of intercity passengers’ transportation should take place in harmony with the social and economic development of society. The requirements set out not to satisfy the demand of passengers to move through extra large fare, lack of communication between bus transport areas with constant correspondence, failure to comply with increasing comfort haulage transport of tiredness or lack of means of transport are unacceptable phenomena. On the one hand the importance of the social dimension in long-distance traffic route of transport. In accordance with the meaning specified the need for balanced decision-making on the management system of passenger traffic. Invention compromise between technical and economic level to meet the demand and requirements of the conservation of expenditure

PERFECT DEMAND ILLUSION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Yu. Sulimov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to technique «Perfect demand illusion», which allows to strengthen the competitive advantageof retailers. Also in the paper spells out the golden rules of visual merchandising.The definition of the method «Demand illusion», formulated the conditions of its functioning, and is determined by the mainhypothesis of the existence of this method.Furthermore, given the definition of the «Perfect demand illusion», and describes its additional conditions. Also spells out the advantages of the «Perfect demandillusion», before the «Demand illusion».

Electricity demand in Kazakhstan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atakhanova, Zauresh; Howie, Peter

2007-01-01

Properties of electricity demand in transition economies have not been sufficiently well researched mostly due to data limitations. However, information on the properties of electricity demand is necessary for policy makers to evaluate effects of price changes on different consumers and obtain demand forecasts for capacity planning. This study estimates Kazakhstan's aggregate demand for electricity as well as electricity demand in the industrial, service, and residential sectors using regional data. Firstly, our results show that price elasticity of demand in all sectors is low. This fact suggests that there is considerable room for price increases necessary to finance generation and distribution system upgrading. Secondly, we find that income elasticity of demand in the aggregate and all sectoral models is less than unity. Of the three sectors, electricity demand in the residential sector has the lowest income elasticity. This result indicates that policy initiatives to secure affordability of electricity consumption to lower income residential consumers may be required. Finally, our forecast shows that electricity demand may grow at either 3% or 5% per year depending on rates of economic growth and government policy regarding price increases and promotion of efficiency. We find that planned supply increases would be sufficient to cover growing demand only if real electricity prices start to increase toward long-run cost-recovery levels and policy measures are implemented to maintain the current high growth of electricity efficiency

Long-distance swimming by polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the southern Beaufort Sea during years of extensive open water

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) depend on sea ice for catching marine mammal prey. Recent sea-ice declines have been linked to reductions in body condition, survival, and population size. Reduced foraging opportunity is hypothesized to be the primary cause of sea-ice-linked declines, but the costs of travel through a deteriorated sea-ice environment also may be a factor. We used movement data from 52 adult female polar bears wearing Global Positioning System (GPS) collars, including some with dependent young, to document long-distance swimming (>50 km) by polar bears in the southern Beaufort and Chukchi seas. During 6 years (2004-2009), we identified 50 long-distance swims by 20 bears. Swim duration and distance ranged from 0.7 to 9.7 days (mean = 3.4 days) and 53.7 to 687.1 km (mean = 154.2 km), respectively. Frequency of swimming appeared to increase over the course of the study. We show that adult female polar bears and their cubs are capable of swimming long distances during periods when extensive areas of open water are present. However, long-distance swimming appears to have higher energetic demands than moving over sea ice. Our observations suggest long-distance swimming is a behavioral response to declining summer sea-ice conditions.

Analysis on BDS Satellite Internal Multipath and Its Impact on Wide-lane FCB Estimation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

RUAN Rengui

2017-08-01

Full Text Available To the issue of the satellite internal multipath (SIMP of BeiDou satellites, it proposed and emphasized that the SIMP model should be established as a function of the nadir angle with respect to the observed satellite rather than the elevation of the measurement, so that it can be used for receivers at various altitude. BDS data from global distributed stations operated by the International Monitoring and Assessment System (iGMAS and the Multi-GNSS Experiment (MGEX of the International GNSS Service (IGS are collected and a new SIMP model as a piece-wise linear function of the nadir angle is released for the IGSO-and MEO-satellite groups and for B1, B2 and B3 frequency band individually. The SIMP of GEO,IGSO and MEO satellites is further analyzed with B1/B2 dual-frequency data onboard the FengYun-3 C(FY3C satellite at an altitude of~830 km, and it showed that, for nadir angles smaller than 7°, the SIMP values for GEO is quite close to the IGSO's, especially for B2, which may suggest that the SIMP model for IGSO satellites possibly also works for GEO satellites. It also demonstrated that, when the nadir angle is smaller than 12°for the MEO and 7°for the IGSO, the estimated SIMP model with data from FY3C is considerable consistent with that estimated with data collected at ground stations. Experiments are carried out to investigate the impacts of the SIMP on wide-lane fractional cycle bias (FCB estimation for BDS satellites. The result indicates that, with the correction of the estimated SIMP, the repeatability of the FCB series is significantly improved by more than 60% for all satellites. Specifically, for the MEO and IGSO satellites, the repeatability is smaller than 0.05 cycle; the repeatability of 0.023 and 0.068 cycles achieved for GEO satellites C01 and C02 respectively with the estimated SIMP model for IGSO satellites.

THE DISTANCE TO M51

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McQuinn, Kristen B. W. [University of Texas at Austin, McDonald Observatory, 2515 Speedway, Stop C1400 Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Skillman, Evan D. [Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, 116 Church Street, S.E., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Dolphin, Andrew E. [Raytheon Company, 1151 E. Hermans Road, Tucson, AZ 85756 (United States); Berg, Danielle [Center for Gravitation, Cosmology and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, 1900 East Kenwood Boulevard, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (United States); Kennicutt, Robert, E-mail: kmcquinn@astro.as.utexas.edu [Institute for Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom)

2016-07-20

Great investments of observing time have been dedicated to the study of nearby spiral galaxies with diverse goals ranging from understanding the star formation process to characterizing their dark matter distributions. Accurate distances are fundamental to interpreting observations of these galaxies, yet many of the best studied nearby galaxies have distances based on methods with relatively large uncertainties. We have started a program to derive accurate distances to these galaxies. Here we measure the distance to M51—the Whirlpool galaxy—from newly obtained Hubble Space Telescope optical imaging using the tip of the red giant branch method. We measure the distance modulus to be 8.58 ± 0.10 Mpc (statistical), corresponding to a distance modulus of 29.67 ± 0.02 mag. Our distance is an improvement over previous results as we use a well-calibrated, stable distance indicator, precision photometry in a optimally selected field of view, and a Bayesian Maximum Likelihood technique that reduces measurement uncertainties.

Electricity demand forecasting techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gnanalingam, K.

1994-01-01

Electricity demand forecasting plays an important role in power generation. The two areas of data that have to be forecasted in a power system are peak demand which determines the capacity (MW) of the plant required and annual energy demand (GWH). Methods used in electricity demand forecasting include time trend analysis and econometric methods. In forecasting, identification of manpower demand, identification of key planning factors, decision on planning horizon, differentiation between prediction and projection (i.e. development of different scenarios) and choosing from different forecasting techniques are important

Encyclopedia of distances

CERN Document Server

Deza, Michel Marie

2009-01-01

Distance metrics and distances have become an essential tool in many areas of pure and applied Mathematics. This title offers both independent introductions and definitions, while at the same time making cross-referencing easy through hyperlink-like boldfaced references to original definitions.

Demand response in energy markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skytte, K.; Birk Mortensen, J.

2004-11-01

Improving the ability of energy demand to respond to wholesale prices during critical periods of the spot market can reduce the total costs of reliably meeting demand, and the level and volatility of the prices. This fact has lead to a growing interest in the short-run demand response. There has especially been a growing interest in the electricity market where peak-load periods with high spot prices and occasional local blackouts have recently been seen. Market concentration at the supply side can result in even higher peak-load prices. Demand response by shifting demand from peak to base-load periods can counteract the market power in the peak-load. However, demand response has so far been modest since the current short-term price elasticity seems to be small. This is also the case for related markets, for example, green certificates where the demand is determined as a percentage of the power demand, or for heat and natural gas markets. This raises a number of interesting research issues: 1) Demand response in different energy markets, 2) Estimation of price elasticity and flexibility, 3) Stimulation of demand response, 4) Regulation, policy and modelling aspects, 5) Demand response and market power at the supply side, 6) Energy security of supply, 7) Demand response in forward, spot, ancillary service, balance and capacity markets, 8) Demand response in deviated markets, e.g., emission, futures, and green certificate markets, 9) Value of increased demand response, 10) Flexible households. (BA)

R & D PROJECTS ARTICULATING SCIENTIFIC SYSTEM WITH ENTREPRENEUR SECTOR, AN ANALYSIS FROM THE DISTANCE COGNITIVA APPROACH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Álvarez, Francisco José

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to study the interaction between universities and nearby firms from the research and development projects executed from the School of Engineering of the National University of Mar del Plata, analyzing the characteristics of companies linked contractually. The working hypothesis proposes to explain, through the concept of "cognitive distance" (Boschma, 2005; Dirk Fornahl et al., 2011, the competitive advantage presented by medium and large companies from mature sectors and small companies from technological sectors, to engage with the scientific and technological institutions. The results indicate that the company is contractually associated with the School of Engineering have demanded further developments of technological innovation, and reduced demand for services. While the origin of the application responds to a pattern adjusted to the proposed hypothesis.

History of demand side management and classification of demand response control schemes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lampropoulos, I.; Kling, W.L.; Ribeiro, P.F.; Berg, van den J.

2013-01-01

The scope of this paper is to provide a review on the topic of demand side management. A historical overview provides a critical insight to applied cases, while the discovery of new evidence calls for reconsideration of the design of demand response control schemes. The developments at the demand

Quantitative work demands, emotional demands, and cognitive stress symptoms in surgery nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Elfering, Achim; Grebner, Simone; Leitner, Monika; Hirschmüller, Anja; Kubosch, Eva Johanna; Baur, Heiner

2017-06-01

In surgery, cognitive stress symptoms, including problems in concentrating, deciding, memorising, and reflecting are risks to patient safety. Recent evidence points to social stressors as antecedents of cognitive stress symptoms in surgery personnel. The current study tests whether cognitive stress symptoms are positively associated with emotional abuse, emotional- and task-related demands and resources in surgery work. Forty-eight surgery nurses from two hospitals filled out the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire in its German version. Task-related and emotional demands were positively related to cognitive stress symptoms. In a stepwise, multiple, linear regression of cognitive stress symptoms on task-related and emotional demands, emotional abuse and emotional demands were unique predictors (p emotional abuse, emotional demands, and, therefore, communication and cooperation team climate in surgery personnel.

Learner characteristics involved in distance learning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cernicek, A.T.; Hahn, H.A.

1991-01-01

Distance learning represents a strategy for leveraging resources to solve educational and training needs. Although many distance learning programs have been developed, lessons learned regarding differences between distance learning and traditional education with respect to learner characteristics have not been well documented. Therefore, we conducted a survey of 20 distance learning professionals. The questionnaire was distributed to experts attending the second Distance Learning Conference sponsored by Los Alamos National Laboratory. This survey not only acquired demographic information from each of the respondents but also identified important distance learning student characteristics. Significant distance learner characteristics, which were revealed statistically and which influence the effectiveness of distance learning, include the following: reading level, student autonomy, and self-motivation. Distance learning cannot become a more useful and effective method of instruction without identifying and recognizing learner characteristics. It will be important to consider these characteristics when designing all distance learning courses. This paper will report specific survey findings and their implications for developing distance learning courses. 9 refs., 6 tabs.

Integrated sulphur management : gas, oil sands, reclamation and the challenges of fluctuating demand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pineau, R.

2009-01-01

International Commodities Export Corporation is a privately held company that provides fully integrated service offerings to add maximum value in designing, building, owning, and operating sulphur assets. The company also offers in-house, engineering, procurement and project management, as well as supply management, transportation and distribution services. It also has expertise in marine transportation. This presentation discussed integrated sulphur management, with particular focus on gas, oil sands, reclamation and the challenges of fluctuating demand. The presentation provided an overview of the sulphur market and oil sands sulphur. Key considerations for oil sands producers were also presented. The challenges of fluctuating demand include price and volume considerations; logistics; geography and distance to market; export/offshore versus domestic/United States; seasonal considerations; and an inelastic sulphur market. The presentation concluded with a status update of ICEC's initiative and the advantages of Prince Rupert, an economically viable export infrastructure to producers without onsite forming facilities. figs

Distance Magic-Type and Distance Antimagic-Type Labelings of Graphs

Science.gov (United States)

Freyberg, Bryan J.

Generally speaking, a distance magic-type labeling of a graph G of order n is a bijection l from the vertex set of the graph to the first n natural numbers or to the elements of a group of order n, with the property that the weight of each vertex is the same. The weight of a vertex x is defined as the sum (or appropriate group operation) of all the labels of vertices adjacent to x. If instead we require that all weights differ, then we refer to the labeling as a distance antimagic-type labeling. This idea can be generalized for directed graphs; the weight will take into consideration the direction of the arcs. In this manuscript, we provide new results for d-handicap labeling, a distance antimagic-type labeling, and introduce a new distance magic-type labeling called orientable Gamma-distance magic labeling. A d-handicap distance antimagic labeling (or just d-handicap labeling for short) of a graph G = ( V,E) of order n is a bijection l from V to the set {1,2,...,n} with induced weight function [special characters omitted]. such that l(xi) = i and the sequence of weights w(x 1),w(x2),...,w (xn) forms an arithmetic sequence with constant difference d at least 1. If a graph G admits a d-handicap labeling, we say G is a d-handicap graph. A d-handicap incomplete tournament, H(n,k,d ) is an incomplete tournament of n teams ranked with the first n natural numbers such that each team plays exactly k games and the strength of schedule of the ith ranked team is d more than the i + 1st ranked team. That is, strength of schedule increases arithmetically with strength of team. Constructing an H(n,k,d) is equivalent to finding a d-handicap labeling of a k-regular graph of order n.. In Chapter 2 we provide general constructions for every d for large classes of both n and k, providing breadfth and depth to the catalog of known H(n,k,d)'s. In Chapters 3 - 6, we introduce a new type of labeling called orientable Gamma-distance magic labeling. Let Gamma be an abelian group of order

Distance-transitive graphs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cohen, A.M.; Beineke, L.W.; Wilson, R.J.; Cameron, P.J.

2004-01-01

In this chapter we investigate the classification of distance-transitive graphs: these are graphs whose automorphism groups are transitive on each of the sets of pairs of vertices at distance i, for i = 0, 1,.... We provide an introduction into the field. By use of the classification of finite

Road infrastructure and demand induction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Thomas Alexander Sick; Hovgesen, Henrik Harder; Lahrmann, Harry

2006-01-01

a long screenline is used to measure the development in aggregate demand in selected corridors. The paper analyses demand induction by establishing time series of aggregate demand that is compared with the national traffic index. Significant trend breaks in the association between aggregate demand...... in the corridors and the national index, following the opening of motorways or bridges, indicates demand induction by infrastructure expansion in a number of instances. Lack of significant trend breaks following opening year is found in peripheral areas where major population centres are missing. This indicates...... the necessity of some latent demand within suitable travel range for new infrastructure elements to produce significant amounts of induced demand. Estimates of demand induction as a percentage of the realised demand five years after opening are between 10% and 67% for new motorway sections depending...

The development of demand elasticity model for demand response in the retail market environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Babar, M.; Nguyen, P.H.; Kamphuis, I.G.

2015-01-01

In the context of liberalized energy market, increase in distributed generation, storage and demand response has expanded the price elasticity of demand, thus causing the addition of uncertainty to the supply-demand chain of power system. In order to cope with the challenges of demand uncertainty

Meeting educational needs in Costa Rica: The role of the distance teaching Universidad Estatal a Distancia

Science.gov (United States)

Rumble, Greville; Borden, George A.

1983-12-01

In 1977 the government of Costa Rica established a new university, the Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED), and charged it with using distance teaching methods to meet the needs of new target groups as well as to alleviate some of the pressure of student demand on the existing three state-funded campus-based universities. This paper examines UNED's impact in relation to three categories of need: (1) student demand for university places; (2) demand from persons who had been previously disadvantaged in one way or another and hence unable to enter a university; and (3) demands generated by the needs of society for trained manpower. The paper evaluates UNED's success or failure in meeting these needs, in so far as it can be measured, and considers evidence based on the views of UNED's students regarding the success of the University in meeting their individual requirements. Throughout, the paper relates UNED's role within the higher education system in Costa Rica to those of the campus-based universities. In spite of the problems of teaching part-time students in a society in which leisure time is at a premium, the authors believe that UNED is to a large degree achieving its objectives by meeting previously unfulfilled needs at the higher education level in Costa Rica.

Effect of swimming suit design on the energy demands of swimming.

Science.gov (United States)

Starling, R D; Costill, D L; Trappe, T A; Jozsi, A C; Trappe, S W; Goodpaster, B H

1995-07-01

Eight competitive male swimmers completed a standardized 365.8 m (400 yd) freestyle swimming trial at a fixed pace (approximately 90% of maximal effort) while wearing a torso swim suit (TOR) or a standard racing suit (STD). Oxygen uptake (VO2), blood lactate, heart rate (HR), and distance per stroke (DPS) measurements were obtained. In addition, a video-computer system was used to collect velocity data during a prone underwater glide following a maximal leg push-off from the side of the pool while wearing the TOR and STD suits. These data were used to calculate the total distance covered during the glides. VO2 (3.76 +/- 0.16 vs 3.92 +/- 0.18 l.min-1) and lactate (8.08 +/- 0.53 vs, 9.66 +/- 0.66 mM) were significantly (P 0.05) between the TOR (170.1 +/- 5.1 b.min-1) and STD (173.5 +/- 5.7 b.min-1) trials. DPS was significantly greater during the TOR (2.70 +/- 0.066 m.stroke-1) versus STD (2.58 +/- 0.054 m.stroke-1) trial. A significantly greater total distance was covered during the prone glide while wearing the TOR (2.05 +/- 0.067 m) compared to the STD (2.00 +/- 0.080 m) suit. These findings demonstrate that a specially designed torso suit reduces the energy demand of swimming compared to a standard racing suit which may be due to a reduction in body drag.

Function and Content of Maternal Demands: Developmental Significance of Early Demands for Competent Action.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuczynski, Leon; Kochanska, Grazyna

1995-01-01

Examined mothers' demands during mothers' interactions with their 1.5- to 3.5-year olds. Mothers with authoritative child-rearing attitudes emphasized proactive, competence-oriented demands and avoided regulatory control. Maternal demands for competent action predicted fewer behavior problems in their children at age five; maternal demands focused…

On-Demand Telemetry

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — AFRC has previously investigated the use of Network Based Telemetry. We will be building on that research to enable On-Demand Telemetry. On-Demand Telemetry is a way...

Money Demand in Latvia

OpenAIRE

Ivars Tillers

2004-01-01

The econometric analysis of the demand for broad money in Latvia suggests a stable relationship of money demand. The analysis of parameter exogeneity indicates that the equilibrium adjustment is driven solely by the changes in the amount of money. The demand for money in Latvia is characterised by relatively high income elasticity typical for the economy in a monetary expansion phase. Due to stability, close fit of the money demand function and rapid equilibrium adjustment, broad money aggreg...

Distance learning in the Applied Sciences of Oncology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barton, Michael B., E-mail: Michael.Barton@swsahs.nsw.gov.a [CCORE and the South Western Clinical School, Liverpool Hospital, University of NSW (Australia); Thode, Richard J [CCORE and the South Western Clinical School, Liverpool Hospital, University of NSW (Australia)

2010-04-15

Background: The major impediment to the expansion of oncology services is a shortage of personnel. Purpose: To develop a distance learning course for radiation oncology trainees. Materials: Under the sponsorship of the Asia Pacific Regional Cooperative Agreement administered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a CD ROM-based Applied Sciences of Oncology (ASOC) distance learning course of 71 modules was created. The course covers communications, critical appraisal, functional anatomy, molecular biology, pathology. The materials include interactive text and illustrations that require students to answer questions before they can progress. The course aims to supplement existing oncology curricula and does not provide a qualification. It aims to assist students in acquiring their own profession's qualification. The course was piloted in seven countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America during 2004. After feedback from the pilot course, a further nine modules were added to cover imaging physics (three modules), informed consent, burnout and coping with death and dying, Economic analysis and cancer care, Nutrition, cachexia and fatigue, radiation-induced second cancers and mathematical tools and background for radiation oncology. The course was widely distributed and can be downloaded from (http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Training/Aso/register.html). ASOC has been downloaded over 1100 times in the first year after it was posted. There is a huge demand for educational materials but the interactive approach is labour-intensive and expensive to compile. The course must be maintained to remain relevant.

Distance learning in the Applied Sciences of Oncology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barton, Michael B.; Thode, Richard J.

2010-01-01

Background: The major impediment to the expansion of oncology services is a shortage of personnel. Purpose: To develop a distance learning course for radiation oncology trainees. Materials: Under the sponsorship of the Asia Pacific Regional Cooperative Agreement administered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a CD ROM-based Applied Sciences of Oncology (ASOC) distance learning course of 71 modules was created. The course covers communications, critical appraisal, functional anatomy, molecular biology, pathology. The materials include interactive text and illustrations that require students to answer questions before they can progress. The course aims to supplement existing oncology curricula and does not provide a qualification. It aims to assist students in acquiring their own profession's qualification. The course was piloted in seven countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America during 2004. After feedback from the pilot course, a further nine modules were added to cover imaging physics (three modules), informed consent, burnout and coping with death and dying, Economic analysis and cancer care, Nutrition, cachexia and fatigue, radiation-induced second cancers and mathematical tools and background for radiation oncology. The course was widely distributed and can be downloaded from (http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Training/Aso/register.html). ASOC has been downloaded over 1100 times in the first year after it was posted. There is a huge demand for educational materials but the interactive approach is labour-intensive and expensive to compile. The course must be maintained to remain relevant.

Making Distance Visible: Assembling Nearness in an Online Distance Learning Programme

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Jen; Gallagher, Michael Sean; Macleod, Hamish

2013-01-01

Online distance learners are in a particularly complex relationship with the educational institutions they belong to (Bayne, Gallagher, & Lamb, 2012). For part-time distance students, arrivals and departures can be multiple and invisible as students take courses, take breaks, move into independent study phases of a programme, find work or…

Deriving local demand for stumpage from estimates of regional supply and demand.

Science.gov (United States)

Kent P. Connaughton; Gerard A. Majerus; David H. Jackson

1989-01-01

The local (Forest-level or local-area) demand for stumpage can be derived from estimates of regional supply and demand. The derivation of local demand is justified when the local timber economy is similar to the regional timber economy; a simple regression of local on nonlocal prices can be used as an empirical test of similarity between local and regional economies....

Comparing the physical demands of friendly matches and small-sided games in semiprofessional soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Casamichana, David; Castellano, Julen; Castagna, Carlo

2012-03-01

This study compared the physical demands of friendly matches (FMs) and small-sided games (SGs) in semiprofessional soccer players by means of global positioning system technology. Twenty-seven semiprofessional soccer players were monitored during 7 FMs and 9 sessions involving different SGs. Their physical profile was described on the basis of 20 variables related to distances and frequencies at different running speeds, the number of accelerations, and through global indicators of workload such as the work:rest ratio, player workload, and the exertion index. Results showed significant differences (p FM); the distribution of the distance covered in the speed zones 7.0-12.9 km·h(-1) (SG > FM) and >21 km·h(-1) (FM > SG); the distribution of time spent in certain speed zones (FM > SG: 0.0-6.9 and >21 km·h(-1); FM > SG: 7.0-12.9 km·h(-1)). More sprints per hour of play were performed during FMs, with greater mean durations and distances, greater maximum durations and distances, and a greater frequency per hour of play for sprints of 10-40 and >40 m (p < 0.01). The frequency of repeated high-intensity efforts was higher during FM (p < 0.01). The results show that coaches and strength and conditioning professionals should consider FMs during their training routine to foster specific adaptations in the domain of high-intensity effort.

The physical demands of Super League rugby: Experiences of a newly promoted franchise.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, S D; Brewer, C; Haigh, J D; Lake, M; Morton, J P; Close, G L

2015-01-01

The physical match demands for a newly promoted European Super League (ESL) squad were analysed over a full season using global positioning systems. Players were classified into four positional groups: outside backs (OB), pivots (PIV), middle unit forwards (MUF) and wide running forwards (WRF). MUF covered less total distance (4318 ± 570 m) than WRF (6408 ± 629 m), PIV (6549 ± 853) and OB (7246 ± 333 m) (P 0.05). WRF (36 ± 5) and MUF (35 ± 6) were involved in more collisions than OB (20 ± 3) and PIV (23 ± 3; P franchises.

Steiner Distance in Graphs--A Survey

OpenAIRE

Mao, Yaping

2017-01-01

For a connected graph $G$ of order at least $2$ and $S\\subseteq V(G)$, the \\emph{Steiner distance} $d_G(S)$ among the vertices of $S$ is the minimum size among all connected subgraphs whose vertex sets contain $S$. In this paper, we summarize the known results on the Steiner distance parameters, including Steiner distance, Steiner diameter, Steiner center, Steiner median, Steiner interval, Steiner distance hereditary graph, Steiner distance stable graph, average Steiner distance, and Steiner ...

Occupational demand and human rights. Public safety officers and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Science.gov (United States)

Shephard, R J

1991-08-01

The issue of discrimination in physically demanding employment, such as police, firefighters, prison guards and military personnel, is contentious. In terms of oxygen transport, the 'action limit' (calling for personnel selection or task redesign) is a steady oxygen consumption of 0.7 L/min, while the maximum permissible limit is 2.1 L/min. Note is taken of the commonly expressed belief that public safety duties are physically demanding, calling for personnel with an aerobic power of at least 3 L/min, or 42 to 45 ml/kg/min. The actual demands of such work can be assessed on small samples by physiological measurements (using heart rate or oxygen consumption meters), but the periods sampled may not be typical of a normal day. A Gestalt can also be formed as to the heaviness of a given job, or a detailed task analysis can be performed; most such analyses of public safety work list distance running and other aerobic activities infrequently. An arbitrary requirement of 'above average fitness' is no longer accepted by courts, but a further approach is to examine the characteristics of those currently meeting the demands of public safety jobs satisfactorily. Young men commonly satisfy the 3 L/min standard, but this is not usually the case for women or older men; in the case of female employees, it also seems unreasonable that they should be expected to satisfy the same standards as men, since a lower body mass reduces the energy cost of most of the tasks that they must perform. A second criterion sometimes applied to physically demanding work (a low vulnerability to heart attacks) is examined critically. It is concluded that the chances that a symptom-free public safety officer will develop a heart attack during a critical solo mission are so low that cardiac risk should not be a condition of employment. Arbitrary age- and sex-related employment criteria are plainly discriminatory, since some women and 65-year-old men have higher levels of physical fitness than the

Theoretical Principles of Distance Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Keegan, Desmond, Ed.

This book contains the following papers examining the didactic, academic, analytic, philosophical, and technological underpinnings of distance education: "Introduction"; "Quality and Access in Distance Education: Theoretical Considerations" (D. Randy Garrison); "Theory of Transactional Distance" (Michael G. Moore);…

THE DISTANCE TO M104

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McQuinn, Kristen B. W. [University of Texas at Austin, McDonald Observatory, 2515 Speedway, Stop C1400 Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Skillman, Evan D. [Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, 116 Church Street, SE, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Dolphin, Andrew E. [Raytheon Company, 1151 E. Hermans Road, Tucson, AZ 85756 (United States); Berg, Danielle [Center for Gravitation, Cosmology and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, 1900 East Kenwood Boulevard, Milwaukee, WI 53211 (United States); Kennicutt, Robert, E-mail: kmcquinn@astro.as.utexas.edu [Institute for Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA (United Kingdom)

2016-11-01

M104 (NGC 4594; the Sombrero galaxy) is a nearby, well-studied elliptical galaxy included in scores of surveys focused on understanding the details of galaxy evolution. Despite the importance of observations of M104, a consensus distance has not yet been established. Here, we use newly obtained Hubble Space Telescope optical imaging to measure the distance to M104 based on the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) method. Our measurement yields the distance to M104 to be 9.55 ± 0.13 ± 0.31 Mpc equivalent to a distance modulus of 29.90 ± 0.03 ± 0.07 mag. Our distance is an improvement over previous results as we use a well-calibrated, stable distance indicator, precision photometry in a optimally selected field of view, and a Bayesian maximum likelihood technique that reduces measurement uncertainties. The most discrepant previous results are due to Tully–Fisher method distances, which are likely inappropriate for M104 given its peculiar morphology and structure. Our results are part of a larger program to measure accurate distances to a sample of well-known spiral galaxies (including M51, M74, and M63) using the TRGB method.

The Distance to M51

Science.gov (United States)

McQuinn, Kristen. B. W.; Skillman, Evan D.; Dolphin, Andrew E.; Berg, Danielle; Kennicutt, Robert

2016-07-01

Great investments of observing time have been dedicated to the study of nearby spiral galaxies with diverse goals ranging from understanding the star formation process to characterizing their dark matter distributions. Accurate distances are fundamental to interpreting observations of these galaxies, yet many of the best studied nearby galaxies have distances based on methods with relatively large uncertainties. We have started a program to derive accurate distances to these galaxies. Here we measure the distance to M51—the Whirlpool galaxy—from newly obtained Hubble Space Telescope optical imaging using the tip of the red giant branch method. We measure the distance modulus to be 8.58 ± 0.10 Mpc (statistical), corresponding to a distance modulus of 29.67 ± 0.02 mag. Our distance is an improvement over previous results as we use a well-calibrated, stable distance indicator, precision photometry in a optimally selected field of view, and a Bayesian Maximum Likelihood technique that reduces measurement uncertainties. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the Data Archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555.

Are contemporary tourists consuming distance?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Gunvor Riber

2012. Background The background for this research, which explores how tourists represent distance and whether or not distance can be said to be consumed by contemporary tourists, is the increasing leisure mobility of people. Travelling for the purpose of visiting friends and relatives is increasing...... of understanding mobility at a conceptual level, and distance matters to people's manifest mobility: how they travel and how far they travel are central elements of their movements. Therefore leisure mobility (indeed all mobility) is the activity of relating across distance, either through actual corporeal...... metric representation. These representations are the focus for this research. Research Aim and Questions The aim of this research is thus to explore how distance is being represented within the context of leisure mobility. Further the aim is to explore how or whether distance is being consumed...

Terminology report respect distance. The Use of the term respect distance in Posiva and SKB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lampinen, H.

2007-09-01

The term respect distance is used in some key publications of the Finnish Nuclear Waste Management Company, Posiva, and the Swedish Nuclear Waste Management Company, SKB (Svensk Kaernbrenslehantering). Posiva and SKB researchers use the same terms in their reports, and it is acknowledged that the terms used by both companies are not used in the same way, though the differences are often subtle. This report is a literature study of the term 'respect distance' and the terms immediately associated to it. Vital terms related to the respect distance and issues concerning the use of scale concepts in Posiva and SKB are gathered in the end of report. Posiva's respect distances consider the seismic, hydrological and mechanical properties of the deterministic deformation zones as important issues that constitute a risk for longterm safety. These requirements for respect distances are an interpretation of STUK's YVL 8.4 Guide. At present, Posiva's criteria regarding respect distances follow the instructions given in the Host Rock Classification system (HRC), whereas the size of a deformation zone to which respect distances are applied vary from the regional to local major and minor. This and other criteria that are given for respect distances may, however, change in the near future as Posiva's Rock Suitability Criteria (RSC) programme proceeds. SKB's considerations of respect distances acknowledge that the hydraulic and mechanical aspects of a deformation zone have an effect on the respect distance. However, the seismic risk is considered to overshadow the other effects on a regional scale. The respect distance defined for a deformation zone is coupled with the size of a fracture where secondary slip could occur. In the safety assessment it is assumed that this fracture cuts a deposition hole location. In SKB the respect distance is determined for regional and local major deformation zones. The trace length of such a zone is defined as being ≥ 3 km. For deformation zones

Cognitive task demands, self-control demands and the mental well-being of office workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bridger, Robert S; Brasher, Kate

2011-09-01

The cognitive task demands of office workers and the self-control demands of their work roles were measured in a sample of 196 employees in two different office layouts using a self-report questionnaire, which was circulated electronically. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that both factors were associated with mental well-being, but not with physical well-being, while controlling for exposure to psychosocial stressors. The interaction between cognitive task demands and self-control demands had the strongest association with mental well-being, suggesting that the deleterious effect of one was greater when the other was present. An exploratory analysis revealed that the association was stronger for employees working in a large open-plan office than for those working in smaller offices with more privacy. Frustration of work goals was the cognitive task demand having the strongest negative impact on mental well-being. Methodological limitations and scale psychometrics (particularly the use of the NASA Task Load Index) are discussed. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Modern office work has high mental demands and low physical demands and there is a need to design offices to prevent adverse psychological reactions. It is shown that cognitive task demands interact with self-control demands to degrade mental well-being. The association was stronger in an open-plan office.

New Maximal Two-distance Sets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lisonek, Petr

1996-01-01

A two-distance set in E^d is a point set X inthe d-dimensional Euclidean spacesuch that the distances between distinct points in Xassume only two different non-zero values. Based on results from classical distance geometry, we developan algorithm to classify, for a given dimension, all maximal...... (largest possible)two-distance sets in E^d.Using this algorithm we have completed the full classificationfor all dimensions less than or equal to 7, andwe have found one set in E^8 whosemaximality follows from Blokhuis' upper bound on sizes of s-distance sets.While in the dimensions less than or equal to 6...

Estimation of demand function on natural gas and study of demand analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Y.D. [Korea Energy Economics Institute, Euiwang (Korea, Republic of)

1998-04-01

Demand Function is estimated with several methods about the demand on natural gas, and analyzed per usage. Since the demand on natural gas, which has big share of heating use, has a close relationship with temperature, the inter-season trend of price and income elasticity is estimated considering temperature and economic formation. Per usage response of natural gas demand on the changes of price and income is also estimated. It was estimated that the response of gas demand on the changes of price and income occurs by the change of number of users in long term. In case of the response of unit consumption, only industrial use shows long-term response to price. Since gas price barely responds to the change of exchange rate, it seems to express the price-making mechanism that does not reflect timely the import condition such as exchange rate, etc. 16 refs., 12 figs., 13 tabs.

Distance learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarina Pucelj

2006-12-01

Full Text Available I would like to underline the role and importance of knowledge, which is acquired by individuals as a result of a learning process and experience. I have established that a form of learning, such as distance learning definitely contributes to a higher learning quality and leads to innovative, dynamic and knowledgebased society. Knowledge and skills enable individuals to cope with and manage changes, solve problems and also create new knowledge. Traditional learning practices face new circumstances, new and modern technologies appear, which enable quick and quality-oriented knowledge implementation. The centre of learning process at distance learning is to increase the quality of life of citizens, their competitiveness on the workforce market and ensure higher economic growth. Intellectual capital is the one, which represents the biggest capital of each society and knowledge is the key factor for succes of everybody, who are fully aware of this. Flexibility, openness and willingness of people to follow new IT solutions form suitable environment for developing and deciding to take up distance learning.

Fast Exact Euclidean Distance (FEED): A new class of adaptable distance transforms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, Theo E.; van den Broek, Egon

2014-01-01

A new unique class of foldable distance transforms of digital images (DT) is introduced, baptized: Fast Exact Euclidean Distance (FEED) transforms. FEED class algorithms calculate the DT starting directly from the definition or rather its inverse. The principle of FEED class algorithms is

Fast Exact Euclidean Distance (FEED) : A new class of adaptable distance transforms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, Theo E.; van den Broek, Egon L.

2014-01-01

A new unique class of foldable distance transforms of digital images (DT) is introduced, baptized: Fast Exact Euclidean Distance (FEED) transforms. FEED class algorithms calculate the DT startingdirectly from the definition or rather its inverse. The principle of FEED class algorithms is introduced,

A synchronous communication experiment within an online distance learning program: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Boulos, Maged N Kamel; Taylor, Andrea D; Breton, Alice

2005-10-01

Student-teacher and student-student interactions in purely asynchronous distance learning courses are much lacking compared to similar interactions found in face-to-face teaching, causing learners to experience feelings of isolation, thus reducing motivation and increasing dropout rates. We used PalTalk, an Internet text and audio chat client from AVM Software, Inc. (New York, NY), to offer our students live virtual classroom sessions within a unit of our online distance learning M.Sc. program in Healthcare Informatics. On-demand replays of audio excerpts from the sessions were also provided to accommodate absenteeism and for student review. Five students completed an evaluation questionnaire. Our results highlighted the potential merits of using synchronous conferencing to assist in fostering a sense of belonging to one supportive learning community among distance learners and improve educational outcomes. Students were very positive toward the real-time human interaction and voted for a 95/5 (asynchronous/synchronous percentages) blended delivery approach for a typical unit in our program. They also praised PalTalk's voice quality and ease of use. This paper presents educational and technological perspectives about this experiment in the form of a state-of the- art review, without intending to be statistically rigorous. However, robust research evidence is still required to convince educators fully about the benefits of synchronous communication tools and help them decide on the most suitable solutions for their particular circumstances.

An analytical approach to activating demand elasticity with a demand response mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clastres, Cedric; Khalfallah, Haikel

2015-01-01

The aim of this work is to demonstrate analytically the conditions under which activating the elasticity of consumer demand could benefit social welfare. We have developed an analytical equilibrium model to quantify the effect of deploying demand response on social welfare and energy trade. The novelty of this research is that it demonstrates the existence of an optimal area for the price signal in which demand response enhances social welfare. This optimal area is negatively correlated to the degree of competitiveness of generation technologies and the market size of the system. In particular, it should be noted that the value of un-served energy or energy reduction which the producers could lose from such a demand response scheme would limit its effectiveness. This constraint is even greater if energy trade between countries is limited. Finally, we have demonstrated scope for more aggressive demand response, when only considering the impact in terms of consumer surplus. (authors)

Distance covariance for stochastic processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Matsui, Muneya; Mikosch, Thomas Valentin; Samorodnitsky, Gennady

2017-01-01

The distance covariance of two random vectors is a measure of their dependence. The empirical distance covariance and correlation can be used as statistical tools for testing whether two random vectors are independent. We propose an analog of the distance covariance for two stochastic processes...

Managing Time, Workload and Costs in Distance Education: Findings from a Literature Review of "Distances et Médiations des Savoirs" (Formerly "Distances et Savoirs")

Science.gov (United States)

Moeglin, Pierre; Vidal, Martine

2015-01-01

The purpose of this review, spanning over 12 years of publication of "Distances et Médiations des Savoirs" ("DMS"), formerly "Distance et Savoirs" ("DMS") (2003-2014), is guided by the question why and how French-speaking researchers addressed the issues of time, workload and costs in distance learning, and…

Demanding Dynamics - Demand articulation of intermediary organisations in emerging pharmaceutical innovations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boon, W.P.C.

2008-01-01

User involvement in emerging technological fields is carried by so-called demand articulation processes. These demand articulation processes are interactive learning processes in which stakeholders try to address what they perceive as important characteristics of, and to unravel preferences for an

Ad libitum or demand/semi-demand feeding versus scheduled interval feeding for preterm infants.

Science.gov (United States)

McCormick, Felicia M; Tosh, Karen; McGuire, William

2010-02-17

Scheduled interval feeding of prescribed enteral volumes is current standard practice for preterm infants. However, feeding preterm infants in response to their hunger and satiation cues (ad libitum or demand/semi demand) rather than at scheduled intervals might help in the establishment of independent oral feeding, increase nutrient intake and growth rates, and allow earlier hospital discharge. To assess the effect of a policy of feeding preterm infants on an ad libitum or demand/semi-demand basis versus feeding prescribed volumes at scheduled intervals on growth rates and the time to hospital discharge. We used the standard search strategy of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group. This included searches of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 4, 2009), MEDLINE (1966 to Oct 2009), EMBASE (1980 to Oct 2009), CINAHL (1982 to Oct 2009), conference proceedings, and previous reviews. Randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials (including cluster randomised trials) that compared a policy of feeding preterm infants on an ad libitum or demand/semi-demand basis versus feeding at scheduled intervals. We used the standard methods of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group with separate evaluation of trial quality and data extraction by two review authors. We found eight randomised controlled trials that compared ad libitum or demand/semi-demand regimens with scheduled interval regimes in preterm infants in the transition phase from intragastric tube to oral feeding. The trials were generally small and of variable methodological quality. The duration of the intervention and the duration of data collection and follow-up in most of the trials was not likely to have allowed detection of measurable effects on growth. Three trials reported that feeding preterm infants using an ad libitum or demand/semi-demand feeding regimen allowed earlier discharge from hospital (by about two to four days) but other trials did not confirm this

Critical Points in Distance Learning System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Airina Savickaitė

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose – This article presents the results of distance learning system analysis, i.e. the critical elements of the distance learning system. The critical points of distance learning are a part of distance education online environment interactivity/community process model. The most important is the fact that the critical point is associated with distance learning participants. Design/methodology/approach – Comparative review of articles and analysis of distance learning module. Findings – A modern man is a lifelong learner and distance learning is a way to be a modern person. The focus on a learner and feedback is the most important thing of learning distance system. Also, attention should be paid to the lecture-appropriate knowledge and ability to convey information. Distance system adaptation is the way to improve the learner’s learning outcomes. Research limitations/implications – Different learning disciplines and learning methods may have different critical points. Practical implications – The information of analysis could be important for both lecturers and students, who studies distance education systems. There are familiar critical points which may deteriorate the quality of learning. Originality/value – The study sought to develop remote systems for applications in order to improve the quality of knowledge. Keywords: distance learning, process model, critical points. Research type: review of literature and general overview.

Connecting long distance: semantic distance in analogical reasoning modulates frontopolar cortex activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Adam E; Kraemer, David J M; Fugelsang, Jonathan A; Gray, Jeremy R; Dunbar, Kevin N

2010-01-01

Solving problems often requires seeing new connections between concepts or events that seemed unrelated at first. Innovative solutions of this kind depend on analogical reasoning, a relational reasoning process that involves mapping similarities between concepts. Brain-based evidence has implicated the frontal pole of the brain as important for analogical mapping. Separately, cognitive research has identified semantic distance as a key characteristic of the kind of analogical mapping that can support innovation (i.e., identifying similarities across greater semantic distance reveals connections that support more innovative solutions and models). However, the neural substrates of semantically distant analogical mapping are not well understood. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity during an analogical reasoning task, in which we parametrically varied the semantic distance between the items in the analogies. Semantic distance was derived quantitatively from latent semantic analysis. Across 23 participants, activity in an a priori region of interest (ROI) in left frontopolar cortex covaried parametrically with increasing semantic distance, even after removing effects of task difficulty. This ROI was centered on a functional peak that we previously associated with analogical mapping. To our knowledge, these data represent a first empirical characterization of how the brain mediates semantically distant analogical mapping.

Equivalence of massive propagator distance and mathematical distance on graphs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Filk, T.

1992-01-01

It is shown in this paper that the assignment of distance according to the massive propagator method and according to the mathematical definition (length of minimal path) on arbitrary graphs with a bound on the degree leads to equivalent large scale properties of the graph. Especially, the internal scaling dimension is the same for both definitions. This result holds for any fixed, non-vanishing mass, so that a really inequivalent definition of distance requires the limit m → 0

Language distance and tree reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petroni, Filippo; Serva, Maurizio

2008-01-01

Languages evolve over time according to a process in which reproduction, mutation and extinction are all possible. This is very similar to haploid evolution for asexual organisms and for the mitochondrial DNA of complex ones. Exploiting this similarity, it is possible, in principle, to verify hypotheses concerning the relationship among languages and to reconstruct their family tree. The key point is the definition of the distances among pairs of languages in analogy with the genetic distances among pairs of organisms. Distances can be evaluated by comparing grammar and/or vocabulary, but while it is difficult, if not impossible, to quantify grammar distance, it is possible to measure a distance from vocabulary differences. The method used by glottochronology computes distances from the percentage of shared 'cognates', which are words with a common historical origin. The weak point of this method is that subjective judgment plays a significant role. Here we define the distance of two languages by considering a renormalized edit distance among words with the same meaning and averaging over the two hundred words contained in a Swadesh list. In our approach the vocabulary of a language is the analogue of DNA for organisms. The advantage is that we avoid subjectivity and, furthermore, reproducibility of results is guaranteed. We apply our method to the Indo-European and the Austronesian groups, considering, in both cases, fifty different languages. The two trees obtained are, in many respects, similar to those found by glottochronologists, with some important differences as regards the positions of a few languages. In order to support these different results we separately analyze the structure of the distances of these languages with respect to all the others

Language distance and tree reconstruction

Science.gov (United States)

Petroni, Filippo; Serva, Maurizio

2008-08-01

Languages evolve over time according to a process in which reproduction, mutation and extinction are all possible. This is very similar to haploid evolution for asexual organisms and for the mitochondrial DNA of complex ones. Exploiting this similarity, it is possible, in principle, to verify hypotheses concerning the relationship among languages and to reconstruct their family tree. The key point is the definition of the distances among pairs of languages in analogy with the genetic distances among pairs of organisms. Distances can be evaluated by comparing grammar and/or vocabulary, but while it is difficult, if not impossible, to quantify grammar distance, it is possible to measure a distance from vocabulary differences. The method used by glottochronology computes distances from the percentage of shared 'cognates', which are words with a common historical origin. The weak point of this method is that subjective judgment plays a significant role. Here we define the distance of two languages by considering a renormalized edit distance among words with the same meaning and averaging over the two hundred words contained in a Swadesh list. In our approach the vocabulary of a language is the analogue of DNA for organisms. The advantage is that we avoid subjectivity and, furthermore, reproducibility of results is guaranteed. We apply our method to the Indo-European and the Austronesian groups, considering, in both cases, fifty different languages. The two trees obtained are, in many respects, similar to those found by glottochronologists, with some important differences as regards the positions of a few languages. In order to support these different results we separately analyze the structure of the distances of these languages with respect to all the others.

Interactive Distance Learning in Connecticut.

Science.gov (United States)

Pietras, Jesse John; Murphy, Robert J.

This paper provides an overview of distance learning activities in Connecticut and addresses the feasibility of such activities. Distance education programs have evolved from the one dimensional electronic mail systems to the use of sophisticated digital fiber networks. The Middlesex Distance Learning Consortium has developed a long-range plan to…

Using residual stacking to mitigate site-specific errors in order to improve the quality of GNSS-based coordinate time series of CORS

Science.gov (United States)

Knöpfler, Andreas; Mayer, Michael; Heck, Bernhard

2014-05-01

Within the last decades, positioning using GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems; e.g., GPS) has become a standard tool in many (geo-) sciences. The positioning methods Precise Point Positioning and differential point positioning based on carrier phase observations have been developed for a broad variety of applications with different demands for example on accuracy. In high precision applications, a lot of effort was invested to mitigate different error sources: the products for satellite orbits and satellite clocks were improved; the misbehaviour of satellite and receiver antennas compared to an ideal antenna is modelled by calibration values on absolute level, the modelling of the ionosphere and the troposphere is updated year by year. Therefore, within processing of data of CORS (continuously operating reference sites), equipped with geodetic hardware using a sophisticated strategy, the latest products and models nowadays enable positioning accuracies at low mm level. Despite the considerable improvements that have been achieved within GNSS data processing, a generally valid multipath model is still lacking. Therefore, site specific multipath still represents a major error source in precise GNSS positioning. Furthermore, the calibration information of receiving GNSS antennas, which is for instance derived by a robot or chamber calibration, is valid strictly speaking only for the location of the calibration. The calibrated antenna can show a slightly different behaviour at the CORS due to near field multipath effects. One very promising strategy to mitigate multipath effects as well as imperfectly calibrated receiver antennas is to stack observation residuals of several days, thereby, multipath-loaded observation residuals are analysed for example with respect to signal direction, to find and reduce systematic constituents. This presentation will give a short overview about existing stacking approaches. In addition, first results of the stacking approach

Demand-Side Flexibility for Energy Transitions: Ensuring the Competitive Development of Demand Response Options

OpenAIRE

Nursimulu, Anjali; Florin, Marie-Valentine; Vuille, François

2015-01-01

This report provides an overview of the current debates about demand response development, focusing primarily on Europe, with some comparisons to the United States. ‘Demand response’ includes strategies that involve end-use customers adapting or altering their electricity demand in response to grid conditions or market prices. It is viewed as a multi-purpose power-system resource that enhances the energy system’s capacity to cope with increasing demand, rising costs of conventional transmissi...

Motivation in Distance Leaming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela Brečko

1996-12-01

Full Text Available It is estimated that motivation is one of the most important psychological functions making it possible for people to leam even in conditions that do not meet their needs. In distance learning, a form of autonomous learning, motivation is of outmost importance. When adopting this method in learning an individual has to stimulate himself and take learning decisions on his or her own. These specific characteristics of distance learning should be taken into account. This all different factors maintaining the motivation of partici­pants in distance learning are to be included. Moreover, motivation in distance learning can be stimulated with specific learning materials, clear instructions and guide-lines, an efficient feed back, personal contact between tutors and parti­cipants, stimulating learning letters, telephone calls, encouraging letters and through maintaining a positive relationship between tutor and participant.

Machine learning enhanced optical distance sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Amin, M. Junaid; Riza, N. A.

2018-01-01

Presented for the first time is a machine learning enhanced optical distance sensor. The distance sensor is based on our previously demonstrated distance measurement technique that uses an Electronically Controlled Variable Focus Lens (ECVFL) with a laser source to illuminate a target plane with a controlled optical beam spot. This spot with varying spot sizes is viewed by an off-axis camera and the spot size data is processed to compute the distance. In particular, proposed and demonstrated in this paper is the use of a regularized polynomial regression based supervised machine learning algorithm to enhance the accuracy of the operational sensor. The algorithm uses the acquired features and corresponding labels that are the actual target distance values to train a machine learning model. The optimized training model is trained over a 1000 mm (or 1 m) experimental target distance range. Using the machine learning algorithm produces a training set and testing set distance measurement errors of learning. Applications for the proposed sensor include industrial scenario distance sensing where target material specific training models can be generated to realize low <1% measurement error distance measurements.

An Optimization Model for Large–Scale Wind Power Grid Connection Considering Demand Response and Energy Storage Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhongfu Tan

2014-11-01

Full Text Available To reduce the influence of wind power output uncertainty on power system stability, demand response (DRPs and energy storage systems (ESSs are introduced while solving scheduling optimization problems. To simulate wind power scenarios, this paper uses Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS to generate the initial scenario set and constructs a scenario reduction strategy based on Kantorovich distance. Since DRPs and ESSs can influence the distribution of demand load, this paper constructs a joint scheduling optimization model for wind power, ESSs and DRPs under the objective of minimizing total coal cost, and constraints of power demand and supply balance, users’ demand elasticity, thermal units’ startup-shutdown, thermal units’ output power climbing and wind power backup service. To analyze the influences of ESSs and DRPs on system wind power consumption capacity, example simulation is made in a 10 thermal units system with a 1000 MW wind farm and 400 MW energy storage systems under four simulation scenarios. The simulation results show that the introduction of DRPs and ESSs could promote system wind power consumption capacity with significantly economic and environment benefits, which include less coal consumption and less pollutant emission; and the optimization effect reaches the optimum when DRPs and ESSs are both introduced.

On energy demand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haefele, W.

1977-01-01

Since the energy crisis, a number of energy plans have been proposed, and almost all of these envisage some kind of energy demand adaptations or conservation measures, hoping thus to escape the anticipated problems of energy supply. However, there seems to be no clear explanation of the basis on which our foreseeable future energy problems could be eased. And in fact, a first attempt at a more exact definition of energy demand and its interaction with other objectives, such as economic ones, shows that it is a highly complex concept which we still hardly understand. The article explains in some detail why it is so difficult to understand energy demand

DESIGNING INSTRUCTION FOR THE TRADITIONAL, ADULT, AND DISTANCE LEARNER: A New Engine for Technology-Based Teaching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lawrence A. Tomei

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Adult students demand a wider variety of instructional strategies that encompass real-world, interactive, cooperative, and discovery learning experiences.Designing Instruction for the Traditional, Adult, and Distance Learner: A New Engine for Technology-Based Teaching explores how technology impacts the process of devising instructional plans as well as learning itself in adult students. Containing research from leading international experts, this publication proposes realistic and accurate archetypes to assist educators in incorporating state-of-the-art technologies into online instruction.This text proposes a new paradigm for designing, developing, implementing, and assessed technology-based instruction. It addresses three target populations of today's learner: traditional, adult, and distance education. The text proposes a new model of instructional system design (ISD for developing effective technology-based education that involves a five-step process focusing on the learner, learning theories, resources, delivery modalities, and outcomes.

Adaptive Multi-path Telecommunications Solutions for ITS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomas Zelinka

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Intelligent Transport Services (ITS applications require availability of the wireless seamless secure communications solutions with selectable services quality and wide-area coverage. There are available both public as well as private wireless data services, however, dominantly in case of public services no guaranteed data service quality is offered. Principal improvement of the service quality can be reached by dynamical selection of the best possible alternative from the available portfolio of relevant services. Efficient decision processes must be implemented in the appropriate flexible seamless routing/switching structures. Generally recommended solution has been described in series of documents generated by ISO/CEN known as CALM family of standards. In accordance to our understanding CALM architecture represents very complex attitude, however, it is demanding solution for less ambitious implementations. On the other hand CALM decision processes are limited to approach based on the Policy-based Management (PBM principles with limited functionality and adaptability. Authors present L3 alternative solution with adaptive classifications processes applied instead of PBM ones. Such approach can be efficiently implemented specifically if there is available deep understanding of applied technologies. Requirements on the representative system performance indicators and their tolerance range should be so carefully identified. Paper includes results of authors’ laboratory study of three most widely spread data services which can be understood as basis for the “CALM ideas” based system implementations.

Physical Demands of Top-Class Soccer Friendly Matches in Relation to a Playing Position Using Global Positioning System Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallo, Javier; Mena, Esteban; Nevado, Fabio; Paredes, Víctor

2015-09-29

The aim of this study was to examine the physical demands imposed on professional soccer players during 11-a-side friendly matches in relation to their playing position, using global positioning system (GPS) technology. One hundred and eleven match performances of a Spanish "La Liga" team during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 pre-seasons were selected for analysis. The activities of the players were monitored using GPS technology with a sampling frequency of 1 Hz. Total distance covered, distance in different speed categories, accelerations, and heart rate responses were analyzed in relation to five different playing positions: central defenders (n=23), full-backs (n=20), central midfielders (n=22), wide midfielders (n=26), and forwards (n=20). Distance covered during a match averaged 10.8 km, with wide and central midfielders covering the greatest total distance. Specifically, wide midfielders covered the greatest distances by very high-intensity running (>19.8 km·h-1) and central midfielders by jogging and running (7.2-19.7 km·h-1). On the other hand, central defenders covered the least total distance and at high intensity, although carried out more (pwork rate profile of the players obtained with the GPS was very similar to that obtained with semi-automatic image technologies. However, when comparing results from this study with data available in the literature, important differences were detected in the amount of distance covered by sprinting, which suggests that caution should be taken when comparing data obtained with the GPS with other motion analysis systems, especially regarding high-intensity activities.

Women's football: Player characteristics and demands of the game

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanessa Martínez-Lagunas

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The number of scientific investigations on women's football specific to the topics of player characteristics and demands of the game has considerably increased in recent years due to the increased popularity of the women's game worldwide, although they are not yet as numerous as in the case of men's football. To date, only two scientific publications have attempted to review the main findings of studies published in this area. However, one of them was published about 20 years ago, when women's football was still in its infancy and there were only a few studies to report on. The other review was more recent. Nonetheless, its main focus was on the game and training demands of senior elite female players. Thus, information on female footballers of lower competitive levels and younger age groups was not included. Consequently, an updated review is needed in this area. The present article therefore aims to provide an overview of a series of studies that have been published so far on the specific characteristics of female football players and the demands of match-play. Mean values reported in the literature for age (12–27 years, body height (155–174 cm, body mass (48–72 kg, percent body fat (13%–29%, maximal oxygen uptake (45.1–55.5 mL/kg/min, Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (780–1379 m, maximum heart rate (189–202 bpm, 30 m sprint times (4.34–4.96 s, and counter-movement jump or vertical jump (28–50 cm vary mostly according to the players' competitive level and positional role. There are also some special considerations that coaches and other practitioners should be aware of when working with female athletes such as the menstrual cycle, potential pregnancy and lactation, common injury risks (particularly knee and head injuries and health concerns (e.g., female athlete triad, iron deficiency, and anemia that may affect players' football performance, health or return to play. Reported mean values for total distance

Long-distance calls in Neotropical primates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oliveira Dilmar A.G.

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Long-distance calls are widespread among primates. Several studies concentrate on such calls in just one or in few species, while few studies have treated more general trends within the order. The common features that usually characterize these vocalizations are related to long-distance propagation of sounds. The proposed functions of primate long-distance calls can be divided into extragroup and intragroup ones. Extragroup functions relate to mate defense, mate attraction or resource defense, while intragroup functions involve group coordination or alarm. Among Neotropical primates, several species perform long-distance calls that seem more related to intragroup coordination, markedly in atelines. Callitrichids present long-distance calls that are employed both in intragroup coordination and intergroup contests or spacing. Examples of extragroup directed long-distance calls are the duets of titi monkeys and the roars and barks of howler monkeys. Considerable complexity and gradation exist in the long-distance call repertoires of some Neotropical primates, and female long-distance calls are probably more important in non-duetting species than usually thought. Future research must focus on larger trends in the evolution of primate long-distance calls, including the phylogeny of calling repertoires and the relationships between form and function in these signals.

Robustness of Distance-to-Default

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jessen, Cathrine; Lando, David

2013-01-01

Distance-to-default is a remarkably robust measure for ranking firms according to their risk of default. The ranking seems to work despite the fact that the Merton model from which the measure is derived produces default probabilities that are far too small when applied to real data. We use...... simulations to investigate the robustness of the distance-to-default measure to different model specifications. Overall we find distance-to-default to be robust to a number of deviations from the simple Merton model that involve different asset value dynamics and different default triggering mechanisms....... A notable exception is a model with stochastic volatility of assets. In this case both the ranking of firms and the estimated default probabilities using distance-to-default perform significantly worse. We therefore propose a volatility adjustment of the distance-to-default measure, that significantly...

Improved Iris Recognition through Fusion of Hamming Distance and Fragile Bit Distance.

Science.gov (United States)

Hollingsworth, Karen P; Bowyer, Kevin W; Flynn, Patrick J

2011-12-01

The most common iris biometric algorithm represents the texture of an iris using a binary iris code. Not all bits in an iris code are equally consistent. A bit is deemed fragile if its value changes across iris codes created from different images of the same iris. Previous research has shown that iris recognition performance can be improved by masking these fragile bits. Rather than ignoring fragile bits completely, we consider what beneficial information can be obtained from the fragile bits. We find that the locations of fragile bits tend to be consistent across different iris codes of the same eye. We present a metric, called the fragile bit distance, which quantitatively measures the coincidence of the fragile bit patterns in two iris codes. We find that score fusion of fragile bit distance and Hamming distance works better for recognition than Hamming distance alone. To our knowledge, this is the first and only work to use the coincidence of fragile bit locations to improve the accuracy of matches.

Partial distance correlation with methods for dissimilarities

OpenAIRE

Székely, Gábor J.; Rizzo, Maria L.

2014-01-01

Distance covariance and distance correlation are scalar coefficients that characterize independence of random vectors in arbitrary dimension. Properties, extensions, and applications of distance correlation have been discussed in the recent literature, but the problem of defining the partial distance correlation has remained an open question of considerable interest. The problem of partial distance correlation is more complex than partial correlation partly because the squared distance covari...

Making Distance Visible: Assembling Nearness in an Online Distance Learning Programme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jen Ross

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Online distance learners are in a particularly complex relationship with the educational institutions they belong to (Bayne, Gallagher, & Lamb, 2012. For part-time distance students, arrivals and departures can be multiple and invisible as students take courses, take breaks, move into independent study phases of a programme, find work or family commitments overtaking their study time, experience personal upheaval or loss, and find alignments between their professional and academic work. These comings and goings indicate a fluid and temporary assemblage of engagement, not a permanent or stable state of either “presence” or “distance”. This paper draws from interview data from the “New Geographies of Learning” project, a research project exploring the notions of space and institution for the MSc in Digital Education at the University of Edinburgh, and from literature on distance learning and online community. The concept of nearness emerged from the data analyzing the comings and goings of students on a fully online programme. It proposes that “nearness” to a distance programme is a temporary assemblage of people, circumstances, and technologies. This state is difficult to establish and impossible to sustain in an uninterrupted way over the long period of time that many are engaged in part-time study. Interruptions and subsequent returns should therefore be seen as normal in the practice of studying as an online distance learner, and teachers and institutions should work to help students develop resilience in negotiating various states of nearness. Four strategies for increasing this resilience are proposed: recognising nearness as effortful; identifying affinities; valuing perspective shifts; and designing openings.

Comparison of Pilot Symbol Embedded Channel Estimation Algorithms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Kadlec

2009-12-01

Full Text Available In the paper, algorithms of the pilot symbol embedded channel estimation are compared. Attention is turned to the Least Square (LS channel estimation and the Sliding Correlator (SC algorithm. Both algorithms are implemented in Matlab to estimate the Channel Impulse Response (CIR of a channel exhibiting multi-path propagation. Algorithms are compared from the viewpoint of computational demands, influence of the Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN, an embedded pilot symbol and a computed CIR over the estimation error.

Introducing a demand-based electricity distribution tariff in the residential sector: Demand response and customer perception

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartusch, Cajsa; Wallin, Fredrik; Odlare, Monica; Vassileva, Iana; Wester, Lars

2011-01-01

Increased demand response is essential to fully exploit the Swedish power system, which in turn is an absolute prerequisite for meeting political goals related to energy efficiency and climate change. Demand response programs are, nonetheless, still exceptional in the residential sector of the Swedish electricity market, one contributory factor being lack of knowledge about the extent of the potential gains. In light of these circumstances, this empirical study set out with the intention of estimating the scope of households' response to, and assessing customers' perception of, a demand-based time-of-use electricity distribution tariff. The results show that households as a whole have a fairly high opinion of the demand-based tariff and act on its intrinsic price signals by decreasing peak demand in peak periods and shifting electricity use from peak to off-peak periods. - Highlights: → Households are sympathetic to demand-based tariffs, seeing as they relate to environmental issues. → Households adjust their electricity use to the price signals of demand-based tariffs. → Demand-based tariffs lead to a shift in electricity use from peak to off-peak hours. → Demand-based tariffs lead to a decrease in maximum demand in peak periods. → Magnitude of these effects increases over time.

Price elasticity matrix of demand in power system considering demand response programs

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Xinyao; Hui, Hongxun; Yang, Shengchun; Li, Yaping; Ding, Yi

2018-02-01

The increasing renewable energy power generations have brought more intermittency and volatility to the electric power system. Demand-side resources can improve the consumption of renewable energy by demand response (DR), which becomes one of the important means to improve the reliability of power system. In price-based DR, the sensitivity analysis of customer’s power demand to the changing electricity prices is pivotal for setting reasonable prices and forecasting loads of power system. This paper studies the price elasticity matrix of demand (PEMD). An improved PEMD model is proposed based on elasticity effect weight, which can unify the rigid loads and flexible loads. Moreover, the structure of PEMD, which is decided by price policies and load types, and the calculation method of PEMD are also proposed. Several cases are studied to prove the effectiveness of this method.

Market architecture and power demand management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rious, Vincent; Roques, Fabien

2014-12-01

Demand response is a cornerstone problem in electricity markets considering climate change constraint. Most liberalized electricity markets have a poor track record at developing demand response. In Europe, different models are considered for demand response, from a development under a regulated regime to a development under competitive perspectives. In this paper, focusing on demand response for mid-size and small consumers, we investigate which types of market signals should be sent to demand response aggregators to see demand response emerge as a competitive activity. Using data from the French power system over eight years, we compare the possible market design options to allow demand response to develop. Our simulations demonstrate that with the current market rules, demand response is not a profitable activity in the French electricity industry. Introducing a capacity remuneration could bring additional revenues to demand response aggregators if the power system has no over-capacity

Distance labeling schemes for trees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alstrup, Stephen; Gørtz, Inge Li; Bistrup Halvorsen, Esben

2016-01-01

We consider distance labeling schemes for trees: given a tree with n nodes, label the nodes with binary strings such that, given the labels of any two nodes, one can determine, by looking only at the labels, the distance in the tree between the two nodes. A lower bound by Gavoille et al. [Gavoille...... variants such as, for example, small distances in trees [Alstrup et al., SODA, 2003]. We improve the known upper and lower bounds of exact distance labeling by showing that 1/4 log2(n) bits are needed and that 1/2 log2(n) bits are sufficient. We also give (1 + ε)-stretch labeling schemes using Theta...

ICTS AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: THE UTILIZATION OF MOBILE PHONES IN DISTANCE EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

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Fatima Shehu KABIR

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The demand for education in Africa has been on the increase. Thus, there is the need to identify more affordable ways of improving access to learning. For many decades, Open and Distance Education mediated by ICTs has been used to improve access to education. But in developing countries ICTS have been full of challenges of cost, and lack of appropriate infrastructure creating the notion of “digital divide”. At the same time, we are now witnessing an unprecedented explosion in the number of mobile telephones globally, and in Nigeria. This technology, which is arguably the commonest means of communication, could play a pivotal role in extending the possibilities for teaching, learning, and research in distance educational institutions. Numerous studies have shown success stories of mobile learning in the developed world. This paper makes a case for implementing mobile learning in Nigeria by showing a number of successful Mobile Learning initiatives. The study also identified challenges that need to be addressed in order to sustain and succeed in the implementation of mobile learning in Nigeria.

ETHICAL ISSUES IN OPEN AND DISTANCE EDUCATION WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO EXPECTATIONS AND REALITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. N. Vikram RAJ URS

2013-10-01

in this paper, the problem is seen as being associated with deeply interwoven social and cultural contexts. Consequently, there is a greater responsibility for all ODL practitioners to ensure that the choices that they make are ethical at all times, irrespective of the demands of any employer, institution or authority. This paper deals with ethics in general, its role in distance education and its significance to educational institutions.

Job demands-resources model

OpenAIRE

Bakker, Arnold; Demerouti, Eva

2013-01-01

markdownabstract* The question of what causes job stress and what motivates people has received a lot of research attention during the past five decades. In this paper, we discuss Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory, which represents an extension of the Job Demands-Resources model (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007; Demerouti, Bakker, Nachreiner, & Schaufeli, 2001) and is inspired by job design and job stress theories. JD-R theory explains how job demands and resources have unique and multiplicative e...

Tracking frequency laser distance gauge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, J.D.; Reasenberg, R.D.

2005-01-01

Advanced astronomical missions with greatly enhanced resolution and physics missions of unprecedented accuracy will require laser distance gauges of substantially improved performance. We describe a laser gauge, based on Pound-Drever-Hall locking, in which the optical frequency is adjusted to maintain an interferometer's null condition. This technique has been demonstrated with pm performance. Automatic fringe hopping allows it to track arbitrary distance changes. The instrument is intrinsically free of the nm-scale cyclic bias present in traditional (heterodyne) high-precision laser gauges. The output is a radio frequency, readily measured to sufficient accuracy. The laser gauge has operated in a resonant cavity, which improves precision, can suppress the effects of misalignments, and makes possible precise automatic alignment. The measurement of absolute distance requires little or no additional hardware, and has also been demonstrated. The proof-of-concept version, based on a stabilized HeNe laser and operating on a 0.5 m path, has achieved 10 pm precision with 0.1 s integration time, and 0.1 mm absolute distance accuracy. This version has also followed substantial distance changes as fast as 16 mm/s. We show that, if the precision in optical frequency is a fixed fraction of the linewidth, both incremental and absolute distance precision are independent of the distance measured. We discuss systematic error sources, and present plans for a new version of the gauge based on semiconductor lasers and fiber-coupled components

ADULT LEARNERS IN DISTANCE HIGHER EDUCATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NORICA-FELICIA BUCUR

2012-05-01

Full Text Available This paper attempts at identifying the main features that characterize distance higher education and adult education, respectively, in order to be able to establish to what extent adult learners can fit in distance higher education programs. The historical background of distance learning education, the factors that influence adult learners, and distance learning’s key objectives, effects, issues, advantages, and disadvantages are to be briefly investigated in order to reach the purpose of this paper. Recent developments in Information Technology have led to a new approach to teaching and learning, especially as far as adult learning and distance learning are concerned. Thus, this study will also focus on the consequences of using technology for course design, delivery, and the perception of adult learners participating in distance learning.

Distance and Cable Length Measurement System

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández, Sergio Elias; Acosta, Leopoldo; Toledo, Jonay

2009-01-01

A simple, economic and successful design for distance and cable length detection is presented. The measurement system is based on the continuous repetition of a pulse that endlessly travels along the distance to be detected. There is a pulse repeater at both ends of the distance or cable to be measured. The endless repetition of the pulse generates a frequency that varies almost inversely with the distance to be measured. The resolution and distance or cable length range could be adjusted by varying the repetition time delay introduced at both ends and the measurement time. With this design a distance can be measured with centimeter resolution using electronic system with microsecond resolution, simplifying classical time of flight designs which require electronics with picosecond resolution. This design was also applied to position measurement. PMID:22303169

Energy supply and demand in California

Science.gov (United States)

Griffith, E. D.

1978-01-01

The author expresses his views on future energy demand on the west coast of the United States and how that energy demand translates into demand for major fuels. He identifies the major uncertainties in determining what future demands may be. The major supply options that are available to meet projected demands and the policy implications that flow from these options are discussed.

Ad Hoc on-Demand Distance Vector (AODV Routing Protocol Performance Evaluation on Hybrid Ad Hoc Network: Comparison of Result of Ns-2 Simulation and Implementation on Testbed using PDA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riri Sari

2010-10-01

Full Text Available In Mobile Ad hoc NETwork (MANET, node supplemented with wireless equipment has the capacity to manage and organise autonomously, without the presence of network infrastructures. Hybrid ad hoc network, enable several nodes to move freely (mobile to create instant communication. Independent from infrastructure. They could access the Local Area Network (LAN or the Internet. Functionalities of ad hoc network very much dependent on the routing protocol that determines the routing around node. Ad hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV is one of routing protocols in ad hoc network which has a reactive characteristic. This protocol is the most common protocol being researched and used. In this Research, AODV protocol investigation was conducted by developing a testbed using Personal Computer, several Laptops (the Linux Red Hat operation system 9.0 and Fedora Core 2, and Personal Digital Assistant (PDA. This research also made a complete package by mean of cross compilation for PDA iPAQ. In general, results obtained from the simulation of AODV protocol using Network Simulator NS-2 are packet delivery ratio 99.89%, end-to-end delay of 0.14 seconds and routing overhead of 1,756.61 byte per second. Afterwards results from simulation were compared to results from testbed. Results obtained from testbed are as follows: the packet delivery ratio is 99.57%, the end-to-end delay is 1.004 seconds and the routing overhead is 1,360.36 byte per second.

Movement Demands of Elite Under-20s and Senior International Rugby Union Players.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel J Cunningham

Full Text Available This study compared the movement demands of elite international Under-20 age grade (U20s and senior international rugby union players during competitive tournament match play. Forty elite professional players from an U20 and 27 elite professional senior players from international performance squads were monitored using 10Hz global positioning systems (GPS during 15 (U20s and 8 (senior international tournament matches during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Data on distances, velocities, accelerations, decelerations, high metabolic load (HML distance and efforts, and number of sprints were derived. Data files from players who played over 60 min (n = 258 were separated firstly into Forwards and Backs, and more specifically into six positional groups; FR-Front Row (prop & hooker, SR-Second Row, BR-Back Row (Flankers & No.8, HB-Half Backs (scrum half & outside half, MF-Midfield (centres, B3 -Back Three (wings & full back for match analysis. Linear mixed models revealed significant differences between U20 and senior teams in both the forwards and backs. In the forwards the seniors covered greater HML distance (736.4 ± 280.3 vs 701.3 ± 198.7m, p = 0.01 and severe decelerations (2.38 ± 2.2 vs 2.28 ± 1.65, p = 0.05 compared to the U20s, but performed less relative HSR (3.1 ± 1.6 vs 3.2 ± 1.5, p < 0.01, moderate (19.4 ± 10.5 vs 23.6 ± 10.5, p = 0.01 and high accelerations (2.2 ± 1.9 vs 4.3 ± 2.7, p < 0.01 and sprint•min-1 (0.11 ± 0.06 vs 0.11 ± 0.05, p < 0.01. Senior backs covered a greater relative distance (73.3 ± 8.1 vs 69.1 ± 7.6 m•min-1, p < 0.01, greater High Metabolic Load (HML distance (1138.0 ± 233.5 vs 1060.4 ± 218.1m, p < 0.01, HML efforts (112.7 ± 22.2 vs 98.8 ± 21.7, p < 0.01 and heavy decelerations (9.9 ± 4.3 vs 9.5 ± 4.4, p = 0.04 than the U20s backs. However, the U20s backs performed more relative HSR (7.3 ± 2.1 vs 7.2 ± 2.1, p <0.01 and sprint•min-1 (0.26 ± 0.07 vs 0.25 ± 0.07, p < 0.01. Further investigation

DemandStat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

DemandStat is an accurate and up-to-date international statistics database dedicated to energy demand, with an unrivaled level of details for powerful market analysis. It provides detailed consumption statistics (30 sectors) on all energies, detailed 2003 data and historical annual data since 1970, frequent data revision and update (2 updates options), 150 data sources gathered and expertized, all data on a single database Consistent and homogeneous statistics, in line with all major data providers (IEA, Eurostat, ADB, OLADE, etc), no ruptures in time-series with easy request building and data analysis and reactive support from data experts. (A.L.B.)

Distance Education in Entwicklungslandern.

Science.gov (United States)

German Foundation for International Development, Bonn (West Germany).

Seminar and conference reports and working papers on distance education of adults, which reflect the experiences of many countries, are presented. Contents include the draft report of the 1979 International Seminar on Distance Education held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which was jointly sponsored by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa…

Performance Analysis of On-Demand Routing Protocols in Wireless Mesh Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arafatur RAHMAN

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs have recently gained a lot of popularity due to their rapid deployment and instant communication capabilities. WMNs are dynamically self-organizing, self-configuring and self-healing with the nodes in the network automatically establishing an adiej hoc network and preserving the mesh connectivity. Designing a routing protocol for WMNs requires several aspects to consider, such as wireless networks, fixed applications, mobile applications, scalability, better performance metrics, efficient routing within infrastructure, load balancing, throughput enhancement, interference, robustness etc. To support communication, various routing protocols are designed for various networks (e.g. ad hoc, sensor, wired etc.. However, all these protocols are not suitable for WMNs, because of the architectural differences among the networks. In this paper, a detailed simulation based performance study and analysis is performed on the reactive routing protocols to verify the suitability of these protocols over such kind of networks. Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV, Dynamic Source Routing (DSR and Dynamic MANET On-demand (DYMO routing protocol are considered as the representative of reactive routing protocols. The performance differentials are investigated using varying traffic load and number of source. Based on the simulation results, how the performance of each protocol can be improved is also recommended.

Distance sampling methods and applications

CERN Document Server

Buckland, S T; Marques, T A; Oedekoven, C S

2015-01-01

In this book, the authors cover the basic methods and advances within distance sampling that are most valuable to practitioners and in ecology more broadly. This is the fourth book dedicated to distance sampling. In the decade since the last book published, there have been a number of new developments. The intervening years have also shown which advances are of most use. This self-contained book covers topics from the previous publications, while also including recent developments in method, software and application. Distance sampling refers to a suite of methods, including line and point transect sampling, in which animal density or abundance is estimated from a sample of distances to detected individuals. The book illustrates these methods through case studies; data sets and computer code are supplied to readers through the book’s accompanying website.  Some of the case studies use the software Distance, while others use R code. The book is in three parts.  The first part addresses basic methods, the ...

Anxiety and Resistance in Distance Learning

OpenAIRE

Nazime Tuncay; Huseyin Uzunboylu

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate students' anxiety and resistance towards learning through distance education.Specifically, the study sought answers to the following questions: -What are the reasons of students not choosing distancelearning courses? -Which symptoms of anxiety, if any, do distance learner’s exhibit towards distance learning? Does genderhave any significant relationships with distance learners' perception of factors that affect their anxiety and resistance? A totalo...

Multi-Path OD-Matrix Estimation (MPME) based on Stochastic User Equilibrium Traffic Assignment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Otto Anker

1997-01-01

Most conventional methods for estimating trip matrices from traffic counts assume either that the counts are error-free, determin-istic variables or they use a simplified traffic assignment model. Without these assumptions, the methods often demand prohibitive calculation times. The paper present...

Revised Distances to 21 Supernova Remnants

Science.gov (United States)

Ranasinghe, S.; Leahy, D. A.

2018-05-01

We carry out a comprehensive study of H I 21 cm line observations and 13CO line observations of 21 supernova remnants (SNRs). The aim of the study is to search for H I absorption features to obtain kinematic distances in a consistent manner. The 21 SNRs are in the region of sky covered by the Very Large Array Galactic Plane Survey (H I 21 cm observations) and Galactic Ring Survey (13CO line observations). We obtain revised distances for 10 SNRs based on new evidence in the H I and 13CO observations. We revise distances for the other 11 SNRs based on an updated rotation curve and new error analysis. The mean change in distance for the 21 SNRs is ≃25%, i.e., a change of 1.5 kpc compared to a mean distance for the sample of 6.4 kpc. This has a significant impact on interpretation of the physical state of these SNRs. For example, using a Sedov model, age and explosion energy scale as the square of distance, and inferred ISM density scales as distance.

A cognitively grounded measure of pronunciation distance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martijn Wieling

Full Text Available In this study we develop pronunciation distances based on naive discriminative learning (NDL. Measures of pronunciation distance are used in several subfields of linguistics, including psycholinguistics, dialectology and typology. In contrast to the commonly used Levenshtein algorithm, NDL is grounded in cognitive theory of competitive reinforcement learning and is able to generate asymmetrical pronunciation distances. In a first study, we validated the NDL-based pronunciation distances by comparing them to a large set of native-likeness ratings given by native American English speakers when presented with accented English speech. In a second study, the NDL-based pronunciation distances were validated on the basis of perceptual dialect distances of Norwegian speakers. Results indicated that the NDL-based pronunciation distances matched perceptual distances reasonably well with correlations ranging between 0.7 and 0.8. While the correlations were comparable to those obtained using the Levenshtein distance, the NDL-based approach is more flexible as it is also able to incorporate acoustic information other than sound segments.

Fast Exact Euclidean Distance (FEED) Transformation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, Theo; Kittler, J.; van den Broek, Egon; Petrou, M.; Nixon, M.

2004-01-01

Fast Exact Euclidean Distance (FEED) transformation is introduced, starting from the inverse of the distance transformation. The prohibitive computational cost of a naive implementation of traditional Euclidean Distance Transformation, is tackled by three operations: restriction of both the number

Physical Demands of Top-Class Soccer Friendly Matches in Relation to a Playing Position Using Global Positioning System Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mallo Javier

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine the physical demands imposed on professional soccer players during 11-a-side friendly matches in relation to their playing position, using global positioning system (GPS technology. One hundred and eleven match performances of a Spanish “La Liga” team during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 pre-seasons were selected for analysis. The activities of the players were monitored using GPS technology with a sampling frequency of 1 Hz. Total distance covered, distance in different speed categories, accelerations, and heart rate responses were analyzed in relation to five different playing positions: central defenders (n=23, full-backs (n=20, central midfielders (n=22, wide midfielders (n=26, and forwards (n=20. Distance covered during a match averaged 10.8 km, with wide and central midfielders covering the greatest total distance. Specifically, wide midfielders covered the greatest distances by very high-intensity running (>19.8 km·h-1 and central midfielders by jogging and running (7.2-19.7 km·h-1. On the other hand, central defenders covered the least total distance and at high intensity, although carried out more (p<0.05-0.01 accelerations than forwards, wide midfielders, and fullbacks. The work rate profile of the players obtained with the GPS was very similar to that obtained with semi-automatic image technologies. However, when comparing results from this study with data available in the literature, important differences were detected in the amount of distance covered by sprinting, which suggests that caution should be taken when comparing data obtained with the GPS with other motion analysis systems, especially regarding high-intensity activities.

Demands Set Upon Modern Cartographic Visualization

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Stanislav Frangeš

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Scientific cartography has the task to develop and research new methods of cartographic visualization. General demands are set upon modern cartographic visualization, which encompasses digital cartography and computer graphics: legibility, clearness, accuracy, plainness and aesthetics. In this paper, it is explained in detail what demands should be met in order to satisfy the general demands set. In order to satisfy the demand of legibility, one should respect conditions of minimal sizes, appropriate graphical density and better differentiation of known features. Demand of clearness needs to be met by fulfilling conditions of simplicity, contrasting quality and layer arrangement of cartographic representation. Accuracy, as the demand on cartographic visualization, can be divided into positioning accuracy and accuracy signs. For fulfilling the demand of plainness, the conditions of symbolism, traditionalism and hierarchic organization should be met. Demand of aesthetics will be met if the conditions of beauty and harmony are fulfilled.

Distance : between deixis and perspectivity

OpenAIRE

Meermann, Anastasia; Sonnenhauser, Barbara

2015-01-01

Discussing exemplary applications of the notion of distance in linguistic analysis, this paper shows that very different phenomena are described in terms of this concept. It is argued that in order to overcome the problems arising from this mixup, deixis, distance and perspectivity have to be distinguished and their interrelations need to be described. Thereby, distance emerges as part of a recursive process mediating between situation-bound deixis and discourse-level perspectivity. This is i...

North American oil demand outlook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, M.B.

1995-01-01

An understanding of the relationship of economic growth and potential petroleum product demand is needed to forecast the potential for North American oil demand growth as well as knowledge of world supply and price. The bullish expectations for economic growth in the US and Canada auger well for North American refiners and marketeers. The growth in world economic output forecast, however, means a larger oil demand and an increase in OPEC's pricing power. Such price increases could depress North American oil demand growth. (author)

Dynamic inventory rationing strategies for inventory systems with two demand classes, Poisson demand and backordering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teunter, Ruud H.; Haneveld, Willem K. Klein

2008-01-01

We study inventory systems with two demand classes (critical and non-critical), Poisson demand and backordering. We analyze dynamic rationing strategies where the number of items reserved for critical demand depends on the remaining time until the next order arrives. Different from results in the

Pay for load demand - electricity pricing with load demand component

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pyrko, Jurek; Sernhed, Kerstin; Abaravicius, Juozas

2003-01-01

This publication is part of a project called Direct and Indirect Load Control in Buildings. Peak load problems have attracted considerable attention in Sweden during last three winters, caused by a significant decrease in available reserve power, which is a consequence of political decisions and liberalisation of the electricity market. A possible way to lower peak loads, avoiding electricity shortages and reducing electricity costs both for users and utilities, is to make customers experience the price difference during peak load periods and, in this way, become more aware of their energy consumption pattern and load demand. As of January 1st 2001, one of the Swedish energy utilities - Sollentuna Energi - operating in the Stockholm area, introduced a new electricity tariff with differentiated grid fees based on a mean value of the peak load every month. This tariff was introduced for all residential customers in the service area. The objective of this study is to investigate the extent to which a Load Demand Component, included in electricity pricing, can influence energy use and load demand in residential buildings. What are the benefits and disadvantages for customers and utilities? This paper investigates the impact of the new tariff on the utility and different types of typical residential customers, making comparisons with previous tariff. Keywords Load demand, electricity pricing, tariff, residential customers, energy behaviour

Energy supply and demand in Canada and export demand for Canadian energy, 1966--1990

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1969-01-01

This report presents the results of a National Energy Board staff study of energy supply and demand in Canada to 1990. The study covers all forms of energy in Canada, and probable sources of supply for serving both indigenous and export demand for Canadian energy. Energy demand by market sector (residential and commercial, industrial, and transportation) is discussed in Chapters III, IV and V, respectively. Chapters VI, VII, VIII, and IX deal with supply prospects for Canadian petroleum, natural gas, coal, and electricity serving indigenous and export markets. A summary of the report is contained in Chapter II. Appendix A reviews general assumptions including those relating to population and household growth. Appendix B summarizes the methodology used for estimating residential energy demand, automobile transportation energy demand, and electricity supply. Appendix C includes a number of tables which provide detailed information. A list of definitions and abbreviations follows the Table of Contents.

The Tile-map Based Vulnerability Assessment Code of a Physical Protection System: SAPE (Systematic Analysis of Protection Effectiveness)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jang, Sung Soon; Kwak, Sung Woo; Yoo, Ho Sik; Kim, Jung Soo; Yoon, Wan Ki

2008-01-01

Increasing threats on nuclear facilities demands stronger physical protection system (PPS) within the limited budget. For this reason we need an efficient physical protection system and before making an efficient PPS we need to evaluate it. This evaluation process should faithfully reflect real situation, reveal weak points and unnecessary protection elements, and give comparable quantitative values. Performance based analysis helps to build an efficient physical protection system. Instead of regulating the number of sensors and barriers, the performance based analysis evaluates a PPS fit to the situation of a facility. The analysis assesses delay (sensors) and detection (barriers) of a PPS against an intrusion, and judges whether a response force arrives before intruders complete their job. Performance based analysis needs complicated calculation and, hence, several assessment codes have been developed. A code called the estimation of adversary sequence interruption (EASI) was developed to analyze vulnerability along a single intrusion path. The systematic analysis of vulnerability to intrusion (SAVI) code investigates multi-paths to a valuable asset in an actual facility. SAVI uses adversary sequence diagram to describe multi-paths

The distances of the Galactic Novae

Science.gov (United States)

Ozdonmez, Aykut; Guver, Tolga; Cabrera-Lavers, Antonio; Ak, Tansel

2016-07-01

Using location of the RC stars on the CMDs obtained from the UKIDSS, VISTA and 2MASS photometry, we have derived the reddening-distance relations towards each Galactic nova for which at least one independent reddening measurement exists. We were able to determine the distances of 72 Galactic novae and set lower limits on the distances of 45 systems. The reddening curves of the systems are presented. These curves can be also used to estimate reddening or the distance of any source, whose location is close to the position of the nova in our sample. The distance measurement method in our study can be easily applicable to any source, especially for ones that concentrated along the Galactic plane.

Uranium supply and demand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-05-01

This report covers the period 1983 to 1995. It draws together the industry's latest views on future trends in supply and demand, and sets them in their historical context. It devotes less discussion than its predecessors to the technical influences underpinning the Institute's supply and demand forecasts, and more to the factors which influence the market behaviour of the industry's various participants. As the last decade has clearly shown, these latter influences can easily be overlooked when undue attention is given to physical imbalances between supply and demand. (author)

Survey of Models on Demand, Customer Base-Line and Demand Response and Their Relationships in the Power Market

OpenAIRE

Heshmati, Almas

2012-01-01

The increasing use of demand-side management as a tool to reliably meet electricity demand at peak time has stimulated interest among researchers, consumers and producer organizations, managers, regulators and policymakers, This research reviews the growing literature on models used to study demand, consumer baseline (CBL) and demand response in the electricity market. After characterizing the general demand models, it reviews consumer baseline based on which further study the demand response...

ETUDE - European Trade Union Distance Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Creanor, Linda; Walker, Steve

2000-01-01

Describes transnational distance learning activities among European trade union educators carried out as part of the European Trade Union Distance Education (ETUDE) project, supported by the European Commission. Highlights include the context of international trade union distance education; tutor training course; tutors' experiences; and…

A Multi-User Game-Theoretical Multipath Routing Protocol to Send Video-Warning Messages over Mobile Ad Hoc Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Mezher, Ahmad Mohamad; Igartua, Mónica Aguilar; de la Cruz Llopis, Luis J; Pallarès Segarra, Esteve; Tripp-Barba, Carolina; Urquiza-Aguiar, Luis; Forné, Jordi; Sanvicente Gargallo, Emilio

2015-04-17

The prevention of accidents is one of the most important goals of ad hoc networks in smart cities. When an accident happens, dynamic sensors (e.g., citizens with smart phones or tablets, smart vehicles and buses, etc.) could shoot a video clip of the accident and send it through the ad hoc network. With a video message, the level of seriousness of the accident could be much better evaluated by the authorities (e.g., health care units, police and ambulance drivers) rather than with just a simple text message. Besides, other citizens would be rapidly aware of the incident. In this way, smart dynamic sensors could participate in reporting a situation in the city using the ad hoc network so it would be possible to have a quick reaction warning citizens and emergency units. The deployment of an efficient routing protocol to manage video-warning messages in mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) has important benefits by allowing a fast warning of the incident, which potentially can save lives. To contribute with this goal, we propose a multipath routing protocol to provide video-warning messages in MANETs using a novel game-theoretical approach. As a base for our work, we start from our previous work, where a 2-players game-theoretical routing protocol was proposed to provide video-streaming services over MANETs. In this article, we further generalize the analysis made for a general number of N players in the MANET. Simulations have been carried out to show the benefits of our proposal, taking into account the mobility of the nodes and the presence of interfering traffic. Finally, we also have tested our approach in a vehicular ad hoc network as an incipient start point to develop a novel proposal specifically designed for VANETs.

A Multi-User Game-Theoretical Multipath Routing Protocol to Send Video-Warning Messages over Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Mohamad Mezher

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The prevention of accidents is one of the most important goals of ad hoc networks in smart cities. When an accident happens, dynamic sensors (e.g., citizens with smart phones or tablets, smart vehicles and buses, etc. could shoot a video clip of the accident and send it through the ad hoc network. With a video message, the level of seriousness of the accident could be much better evaluated by the authorities (e.g., health care units, police and ambulance drivers rather than with just a simple text message. Besides, other citizens would be rapidly aware of the incident. In this way, smart dynamic sensors could participate in reporting a situation in the city using the ad hoc network so it would be possible to have a quick reaction warning citizens and emergency units. The deployment of an efficient routing protocol to manage video-warning messages in mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs has important benefits by allowing a fast warning of the incident, which potentially can save lives. To contribute with this goal, we propose a multipath routing protocol to provide video-warning messages in MANETs using a novel game-theoretical approach. As a base for our work, we start from our previous work, where a 2-players game-theoretical routing protocol was proposed to provide video-streaming services over MANETs. In this article, we further generalize the analysis made for a general number of N players in the MANET. Simulations have been carried out to show the benefits of our proposal, taking into account the mobility of the nodes and the presence of interfering traffic. Finally, we also have tested our approach in a vehicular ad hoc network as an incipient start point to develop a novel proposal specifically designed for VANETs.

A Capacitated Location-Allocation Model for Flood Disaster Service Operations with Border Crossing Passages and Probabilistic Demand Locations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mirzapour, S. A.; Wong, K. Y.; Govindan, K.

2013-01-01

, a p-center location problem is considered in order to determine the locations of some relief rooms in a city and their corresponding allocation clusters. This study presents a mixed integer nonlinear programming model of a capacitated facility location-allocation problem which simultaneously considers...... the probabilistic distribution of demand locations and a fixed line barrier in a region. The proposed model aims at minimizing the maximum expected weighted distance from the relief rooms to all the demand regions in order to decrease the evacuation time of people from the affected areas before flood occurrence......Potential consequences of flood disasters, including severe loss of life and property, induce emergency managers to find the appropriate locations of relief rooms to evacuate people from the origin points to a safe place in order to lessen the possible impact of flood disasters. In this research...

Physical and Physiological Demands of Recreational Team Handball for Adult Untrained Men.

Science.gov (United States)

Póvoas, Susana C A; Castagna, Carlo; Resende, Carlos; Coelho, Eduardo Filipe; Silva, Pedro; Santos, Rute; Seabra, André; Tamames, Juan; Lopes, Mariana; Randers, Morten Bredsgaard; Krustrup, Peter

2017-01-01

Lack of motivation to exercise was reported as a major cause of sedentary behavior in adulthood. This descriptive study examines the acute physical and physiological demands of recreational team handball and evaluates whether it could be suggested as an exercise mode for fitness and health enhancement in 33-55-year-old untrained men. Time-motion, heart rate (HR), and blood lactate analyses were obtained from 4 recreational matches. Mean distance covered during the 60 min matches was 6012 ± 428 m. The players changed match activity 386 ± 70 times, of which high-intensity runs and unorthodox movements amounted to 59 ± 18 and 26 ± 26 per match, respectively. The most frequent highly demanding playing actions were jumps and throws. Match average and peak HR were 82 ± 6% and 93 ± 5%  HR max , respectively. Players exercised at intensities between 81 and 90%  HR max for 47% (28 ± 14 min) and >90%  HR max for 24% (14 ± 15 min) of total match time. Match average and peak blood lactate values were 3.6 ± 1.3 and 4.2 ± 1.2 mM, respectively. Recreational team handball is an intermittent high-intensity exercise mode with physical and physiological demands in the range of those found to have a positive effect on aerobic, anaerobic, and musculoskeletal fitness in adult individuals. Training studies considering recreational team handball as a health enhancing intervention are warranted.

Physical and Physiological Demands of Recreational Team Handball for Adult Untrained Men

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susana C. A. Póvoas

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Lack of motivation to exercise was reported as a major cause of sedentary behavior in adulthood. This descriptive study examines the acute physical and physiological demands of recreational team handball and evaluates whether it could be suggested as an exercise mode for fitness and health enhancement in 33–55-year-old untrained men. Time-motion, heart rate (HR, and blood lactate analyses were obtained from 4 recreational matches. Mean distance covered during the 60 min matches was 6012±428 m. The players changed match activity 386±70 times, of which high-intensity runs and unorthodox movements amounted to 59±18 and 26±26 per match, respectively. The most frequent highly demanding playing actions were jumps and throws. Match average and peak HR were 82±6% and 93±5%  HRmax, respectively. Players exercised at intensities between 81 and 90%  HRmax for 47% (28±14 min and >90%  HRmax for 24% (14±15 min of total match time. Match average and peak blood lactate values were 3.6±1.3 and 4.2±1.2 mM, respectively. Recreational team handball is an intermittent high-intensity exercise mode with physical and physiological demands in the range of those found to have a positive effect on aerobic, anaerobic, and musculoskeletal fitness in adult individuals. Training studies considering recreational team handball as a health enhancing intervention are warranted.

Space-efficient path-reporting approximate distance oracles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elkin, Michael; Neiman, Ofer; Wulff-Nilsen, Christian

2016-01-01

We consider approximate path-reporting distance oracles, distance labeling and labeled routing with extremely low space requirements, for general undirected graphs. For distance oracles, we show how to break the nlog⁡n space bound of Thorup and Zwick if approximate paths rather than distances need...

What do long-distance caregivers do? : judgment of propositions and the epistemics of long-distance family relationships

OpenAIRE

中川, 敦; Atsushi, NAKAGAWA

2015-01-01

This study clarifies what long-distance caregivers do. To this end, I conducted a conversation analysis of video data of a care conference in which a long-distance caregiver participated. When a professional caregiver proposes a care plan to a long-distance caregiver, he/she substitutes technical terms with laymen terms for easy understanding, indicating his/her orientation that a long-distance caregiver is not a professional. However, if the caregiver laughs or averts his/her eyes during the...

Food safety information and food demand

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smed, Sinne; Jensen, Jørgen Dejgård

2005-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze how news about food-related health risks affects consumers’ demands for safe food products. Design/methodology/approach – By identifying structural breaks in an econometrically estimated demand model, news with permanent impact on demand...... induces a permanent increase in the demand for pasteurized eggs, while more moderate negative news influences demand temporarily and to a lesser extent. There is, however, considerable variation in the response to food safety news across socio-demographic groups of consumers. Research limitations...... is distinguished from news with temporary impact. The Danish demand for pasteurized versus shell eggs is used as an illustrative case. Findings – Negative safety news about one product variety can provide significant stimulation to the demand for safe varieties. Severe negative news about the safety of shell eggs...

Optimising gas pipeline operation - factors to consider in selecting flow measurement technology; Gas flow measurement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fromm, Frank

2010-07-01

Multipath ultrasonic transit-time flow meters (UFM) have been employed in the gas industries for many years. Since their inception in the early seventies, advancements in the technology have been made with regard to available configurations, electronics offered and sensor design. Today, UFMs have proven to be reliable, versatile and capable of meeting the demands of the gas markets. It is clear that various UFM technologies have different advantages with regards to design and application use, which ultimately makes one more appropriate than the other. (Author)

Part-Time Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Perception and Attitude to ICT Supports for Distance Education in Nursing in Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omolola Irinoye

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The increase in demand for university education remains unmet especially in developing countries; this has made adoption of distance education imperative in our educational system. Information and Communications Technology (ICT has been identified as a tool for improving education quality especially in developing countries. The study examined attitudes and perceptions of nursing students toward using Information and Communications Technology supports in distance education. A researchers‐designed and validated questionnaire with alpha coefficient of .82 was administered to 396 students of the Department of Nursing Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile‐Ife, Nigeria out of which 305 (70% were returned. Findings of the study revealed that the majority of the nurses (83.3% had never attended any online computer based training program, a majority (63.9% had no formal computer training and do not possess personal computers, while 74.4% reported positive perception and attitudes toward using ICT supports in distance education. Lack of constant internet access was rated by the respondents (29.8% as a major challenge to e‐learning support. Gender and years of working experience had no significant influence on respondents’ attitudes and perceptions toward ICT supports.

Phylogenetic inference with weighted codon evolutionary distances.

Science.gov (United States)

Criscuolo, Alexis; Michel, Christian J

2009-04-01

We develop a new approach to estimate a matrix of pairwise evolutionary distances from a codon-based alignment based on a codon evolutionary model. The method first computes a standard distance matrix for each of the three codon positions. Then these three distance matrices are weighted according to an estimate of the global evolutionary rate of each codon position and averaged into a unique distance matrix. Using a large set of both real and simulated codon-based alignments of nucleotide sequences, we show that this approach leads to distance matrices that have a significantly better treelikeness compared to those obtained by standard nucleotide evolutionary distances. We also propose an alternative weighting to eliminate the part of the noise often associated with some codon positions, particularly the third position, which is known to induce a fast evolutionary rate. Simulation results show that fast distance-based tree reconstruction algorithms on distance matrices based on this codon position weighting can lead to phylogenetic trees that are at least as accurate as, if not better, than those inferred by maximum likelihood. Finally, a well-known multigene dataset composed of eight yeast species and 106 codon-based alignments is reanalyzed and shows that our codon evolutionary distances allow building a phylogenetic tree which is similar to those obtained by non-distance-based methods (e.g., maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood) and also significantly improved compared to standard nucleotide evolutionary distance estimates.

A demanding market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, M.

1997-01-01

The article relates to the oil and natural gas market, and it gives a survey of proved reserves at the end of 1996 worldwide. The long term trend of increasing world energy demand has seen a major rise during 1996 when global consumption grew by 3%. But worldwide demand, excluding the Former Soviet Union, shows this figure increasing further to 3.7% for the whole of last year according to statistics. 3 figs

Sizewell: UK power demand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1986-01-01

The Sizewell Inquiry was about whether the next power stations to be built in the UK should be nuclear or coal and, if nuclear, PWRs or AGRs. During the period of the Inquiry forecasts of demand for electricity were low. Now, however, it seems that the forecast demand is much increased. This uncertainty in demand and the wide regional variations are examined in some detail. Facts and figures on electricity sales (area by area) are presented. Also the minutes of supply lost per consumer per year. These show that security of supply is also a problem. It is also shown that the way electricity is used has changed. Whilst electricity generation has been changing to large-scale, centralised power stations the demand patterns may make smaller scale, quickly-constructed units more sensible. The questions considered at the Sizewell Inquiry may, indeed, no longer be the right ones. (UK)

46 CFR 169.689 - Demand loads.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Demand loads. 169.689 Section 169.689 Shipping COAST... Electrical Electrical Installations on Vessels of 100 Gross Tons and Over § 169.689 Demand loads. Demand loads must meet § 111.60-7 of this chapter except that smaller demand loads for motor feeders are...

Distance Education at Silesian University of Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piotr Klosowski

2008-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents Distance Learning Platform used by Silesian University of Technology. Distance Learning Platform is based on modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment, represents LMS (Learning Management Systems technology, a software package designed to help educators create quality online courses. Currently on Distance Learning Platform at Silesian University of Technology are available over 520 online courses created for students of twelve University's faculties. Number of Distance Learning Platform users exceeds 12000. Distance Learning Platform works as typically asynchronous e-learning service, but in the future more synchronous e-learning services will be added. Distance Learning Platform has great potential to create a successful elearning experience by providing a plethora of excellent tools that can be used to enhance conventional classroom instruction, in hybrid courses, or any distance learning arrangements.

Stochastic model of forecasting spare parts demand

OpenAIRE

Ivan S. Milojević; Rade V. Guberinić

2012-01-01

If demand is known for the whole planning period (complete information), then this type of demand or a supply system is deterministic. In the simplest cases, the demand per time unit is constant. If demand levels change over time following a precisely determined and pre-known principle, this type of demand is also classified as deterministic. This quality of demand is very rare. In most cases demand is the product of a process, for example TMS maintenance, whose progression cannot be predicte...

Crucial market demands and company competencies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Bjarne; Stacey, Julia

1999-01-01

More and more, it is acknowledged that a company's success depends on it being capable of complying with the market's demands and wishes. It is, however, not always obvious, how the individual company will be able to meet the market's demands. A recent MAPP study has investigated this topic...... and identified a number of central market demands, which Danish food companies are faced with. Moreover, the study has identified which competencies are required to meet these demands and have also looked at howsuccessful companies structure some of these competencies. The study takes its point of departure...... in a literature review of MAPP's research. Results show that there are 27 central market demands, retail and consumer demands that Danish companies ought to be able to live up to. The study has also identified which competencies food companies must possess to be able to meet market's demands. Results from three...

A Streaming Distance Transform Algorithm for Neighborhood-Sequence Distances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolas Normand

2014-09-01

Full Text Available We describe an algorithm that computes a “translated” 2D Neighborhood-Sequence Distance Transform (DT using a look up table approach. It requires a single raster scan of the input image and produces one line of output for every line of input. The neighborhood sequence is specified either by providing one period of some integer periodic sequence or by providing the rate of appearance of neighborhoods. The full algorithm optionally derives the regular (centered DT from the “translated” DT, providing the result image on-the-fly, with a minimal delay, before the input image is fully processed. Its efficiency can benefit all applications that use neighborhood- sequence distances, particularly when pipelined processing architectures are involved, or when the size of objects in the source image is limited.

Cepheids Geometrical Distances Using Space Interferometry

Science.gov (United States)

Marengo, M.; Karovska, M.; Sasselov, D. D.; Sanchez, M.

2004-05-01

A space based interferometer with a sub-milliarcsecond resolution in the UV-optical will provide a new avenue for the calibration of primary distance indicators with unprecedented accuracy, by allowing very accurate and stable measurements of Cepheids pulsation amplitudes at wavelengths not accessible from the ground. Sasselov & Karovska (1994) have shown that interferometers allow very accurate measurements of Cepheids distances by using a ``geometric'' variant of the Baade-Wesselink method. This method has been succesfully applied to derive distances and radii of nearby Cepheids using ground-based near-IR and optical interferometers, within a 15% accuracy level. Our study shows that the main source of error in these measurements is due to the perturbing effects of the Earth atmosphere, which is the limiting factor in the interferometer stability. A space interferometer will not suffer from this intrinsic limitations, and can potentially lead to improve astronomical distance measurements by an order of magnitude in precision. We discuss here the technical requirements that a space based facility will need to carry out this project, allowing distance measurements within a few percent accuracy level. We will finally discuss how a sub-milliarcsecond resolution will allow the direct distance determination for hundreds of galactic sources, and provide a substantial improvement in the zero-point of the Cepheid distance scale.

THE WEIGHTED POINCARÉ DISTANCE IN THE HALF PLANE

OpenAIRE

Byun, Jisoo; Baek, Seung Min; Cho, Hong Rae; Lee, Han-Wool

2014-01-01

In this paper we introduce the weighted Poincaré distance and the induced distance by the weighted Bloch type space. We prove that the weighted Poincaré distance is identical to the inner distance generated by the induced distance.

Spatial Dynamics of Indoor Radio Wideband Channels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hayar Aawatif

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The multipath components of superwideband (2–17.2 GHz nonline-of-sight channel responses measured inside several buildings are stable along sections that are 27 cm long on average with a standard deviation of 16 cm. The stability regions of multipath components have an approximately log-normal histogram. An analysis of measured channels that explicitly includes finite spatial areas of visibility of the multipath components is superior to the classic analysis that attributes spatial dynamics to interference of the multipath. The spatial stability of measured responses, that is, the size of the typical area of visibility of each multipath component, decreases as the carrier frequency increases but does not depend on bandwidth. The results offer insight into the nature of the diffuse part of the radio channel.

Job demands-resources model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A.B. Bakker (Arnold); E. Demerouti (Eva)

2013-01-01

markdownabstract* The question of what causes job stress and what motivates people has received a lot of research attention during the past five decades. In this paper, we discuss Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory, which represents an extension of the Job Demands-Resources model (Bakker &

Comparison of the Physical and Technical Demands of Cricket Players During Training and Match-Play.

Science.gov (United States)

Vickery, Will; Duffield, Rob; Crowther, Rian; Beakley, David; Blanch, Peter; Dascombe, Ben J

2018-03-01

Vickery, W, Duffield, R, Crowther, R, Beakley, D, Blanch, P, and Dascombe, BJ. Comparison of the physical and technical demands of cricket players during training and match-play. J Strength Cond Res 32(3): 821-829, 2018-This study aimed to determine which training method (net-based sessions or center-wicket simulations) currently used in national level and U19 male players cricket provided a more physical and technical match-specific training response. The heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, and movement patterns of 42 male cricket players were measured across the various training and match formats. Video analysis was coded retrospectively to quantify technical loads based on the cricket skills performed. Magnitude-based inferences were based on the standardization of effect and presented with ±90% confidence intervals. Regardless of playing position, differences in physiological demands between training modes and match-play were unclear, with the exception of higher heart rates in fielders during traditional net sessions (mean heart rate: d = -2.7 [-4.7 to -0.7]; 75% of maximum heart rate: d = -1.7 [-3.2 to -0.2]). Typically, the movement demands of center-wicket simulations were similar or greater than match-play, which was most evident in the distance traveled at a high intensity within each playing position (batsmen: d = 6.4 [3.7-9.2]; medium-fast bowlers: d = 1.71 [0.1-3.3]; spin bowlers: d = 6.5 [0.01-13.0]; fielders: d = 0.8 [-0.2 to 1.7]). The technical demands of traditional net cricket training exceeded that of a typical match for each playing position. Specifically, fast bowlers delivered a greater number of balls during net-bowling compared with a match (d = -2.2 [-3.6 to 0.9]). In conclusion, center-wicket simulations more closely matched the physical demands of a One-Day match within batsmen and spin bowlers, whereas traditional cricket training often exceeded match-specific demands.

Demand forecast model based on CRM

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yuancui; Chen, Lichao

2006-11-01

With interiorizing day by day management thought that regarding customer as the centre, forecasting customer demand becomes more and more important. In the demand forecast of customer relationship management, the traditional forecast methods have very great limitation because much uncertainty of the demand, these all require new modeling to meet the demands of development. In this paper, the notion is that forecasting the demand according to characteristics of the potential customer, then modeling by it. The model first depicts customer adopting uniform multiple indexes. Secondly, the model acquires characteristic customers on the basis of data warehouse and the technology of data mining. The last, there get the most similar characteristic customer by their comparing and forecast the demands of new customer by the most similar characteristic customer.

Future butanes supply/demand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitley, S.C.

1992-01-01

This paper graphically depicts, through in-depth supply/demand analysis, how environmental regulations can be both bad and good for an industry. In the case of n-butane, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) summertime gasoline volatility regulations are a culprit - threatening to ultimately destroy refinery demand for the product as a gasoline blendstock. Waiting in the wings are environmental regulations that should eventually prove to be n-butane's savior. The regulations referred to here are the Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1990's mandate for motor fuel oxygenates. The negative impact of gasoline volatility regulations on U.S. n-butane demand and the positive impact that should come from the use of n-butane as a MTBE precursor are covered. Many variables exist which make studying the effects of these environmental regulations very difficult. Over the past three years RPC Group has conducted numerous studies on n-butane supply/demand, as impacted by both EPA gasoline volatility and fuel oxygenate regulations

Measuring distances between complex networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade, Roberto F.S.; Miranda, Jose G.V.; Pinho, Suani T.R.; Lobao, Thierry Petit

2008-01-01

A previously introduced concept of higher order neighborhoods in complex networks, [R.F.S. Andrade, J.G.V. Miranda, T.P. Lobao, Phys. Rev. E 73 (2006) 046101] is used to define a distance between networks with the same number of nodes. With such measure, expressed in terms of the matrix elements of the neighborhood matrices of each network, it is possible to compare, in a quantitative way, how far apart in the space of neighborhood matrices two networks are. The distance between these matrices depends on both the network topologies and the adopted node numberings. While the numbering of one network is fixed, a Monte Carlo algorithm is used to find the best numbering of the other network, in the sense that it minimizes the distance between the matrices. The minimal value found for the distance reflects differences in the neighborhood structures of the two networks that arise only from distinct topologies. This procedure ends up by providing a projection of the first network on the pattern of the second one. Examples are worked out allowing for a quantitative comparison for distances among distinct networks, as well as among distinct realizations of random networks

Computing Distances between Probabilistic Automata

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mathieu Tracol

2011-07-01

Full Text Available We present relaxed notions of simulation and bisimulation on Probabilistic Automata (PA, that allow some error epsilon. When epsilon is zero we retrieve the usual notions of bisimulation and simulation on PAs. We give logical characterisations of these notions by choosing suitable logics which differ from the elementary ones, L with negation and L without negation, by the modal operator. Using flow networks, we show how to compute the relations in PTIME. This allows the definition of an efficiently computable non-discounted distance between the states of a PA. A natural modification of this distance is introduced, to obtain a discounted distance, which weakens the influence of long term transitions. We compare our notions of distance to others previously defined and illustrate our approach on various examples. We also show that our distance is not expansive with respect to process algebra operators. Although L without negation is a suitable logic to characterise epsilon-(bisimulation on deterministic PAs, it is not for general PAs; interestingly, we prove that it does characterise weaker notions, called a priori epsilon-(bisimulation, which we prove to be NP-difficult to decide.

A tentative theory of large distance physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friedan, Daniel

2003-01-01

A theoretical mechanism is devised to determine the large distance physics of spacetime. It is a two dimensional nonlinear model, the lambda model, set to govern the string world surface in an attempt to remedy the failure of string theory, as it stands. The lambda model is formulated to cancel the infrared divergent effects of handles at short distance on the world surface. The target manifold is the manifold of background spacetimes. The coupling strength is the spacetime coupling constant. The lambda model operates at 2d distance Δ -1 , very much shorter than the 2d distance μ -1 where the world surface is seen. A large characteristic spacetime distance L is given by L 2 ln(Δ/μ). Spacetime fields of wave number up to 1=L are the local coordinates for the manifold of spacetimes. The distribution of fluctuations at 2d distances shorter than Δ -1 gives the a priori measure on the target manifold, the manifold of spacetimes. If this measure concentrates at a macroscopic spacetime, then, nearby, it is a measure on the spacetime fields. The lambda model thereby constructs a spacetime quantum field theory, cutoff at ultraviolet distance L, describing physics at distances larger than L. The lambda model also constructs an effective string theory with infrared cutoff L, describing physics at distances smaller than L. The lambda model evolves outward from zero 2d distance, Δ -1 = 0, building spacetime physics starting from L ∞ and proceeding downward in L. L can be taken smaller than any distance practical for experiments, so the lambda model, if right, gives all actually observable physics. The harmonic surfaces in the manifold of spacetimes are expected to have novel nonperturbative effects at large distances. (author)

Analysing designed experiments in distance sampling

Science.gov (United States)

Stephen T. Buckland; Robin E. Russell; Brett G. Dickson; Victoria A. Saab; Donal N. Gorman; William M. Block

2009-01-01

Distance sampling is a survey technique for estimating the abundance or density of wild animal populations. Detection probabilities of animals inherently differ by species, age class, habitats, or sex. By incorporating the change in an observer's ability to detect a particular class of animals as a function of distance, distance sampling leads to density estimates...

Permutation-invariant distance between atomic configurations

Science.gov (United States)

Ferré, Grégoire; Maillet, Jean-Bernard; Stoltz, Gabriel

2015-09-01

We present a permutation-invariant distance between atomic configurations, defined through a functional representation of atomic positions. This distance enables us to directly compare different atomic environments with an arbitrary number of particles, without going through a space of reduced dimensionality (i.e., fingerprints) as an intermediate step. Moreover, this distance is naturally invariant through permutations of atoms, avoiding the time consuming associated minimization required by other common criteria (like the root mean square distance). Finally, the invariance through global rotations is accounted for by a minimization procedure in the space of rotations solved by Monte Carlo simulated annealing. A formal framework is also introduced, showing that the distance we propose verifies the property of a metric on the space of atomic configurations. Two examples of applications are proposed. The first one consists in evaluating faithfulness of some fingerprints (or descriptors), i.e., their capacity to represent the structural information of a configuration. The second application concerns structural analysis, where our distance proves to be efficient in discriminating different local structures and even classifying their degree of similarity.

Permutation-invariant distance between atomic configurations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferré, Grégoire; Maillet, Jean-Bernard; Stoltz, Gabriel

2015-01-01

We present a permutation-invariant distance between atomic configurations, defined through a functional representation of atomic positions. This distance enables us to directly compare different atomic environments with an arbitrary number of particles, without going through a space of reduced dimensionality (i.e., fingerprints) as an intermediate step. Moreover, this distance is naturally invariant through permutations of atoms, avoiding the time consuming associated minimization required by other common criteria (like the root mean square distance). Finally, the invariance through global rotations is accounted for by a minimization procedure in the space of rotations solved by Monte Carlo simulated annealing. A formal framework is also introduced, showing that the distance we propose verifies the property of a metric on the space of atomic configurations. Two examples of applications are proposed. The first one consists in evaluating faithfulness of some fingerprints (or descriptors), i.e., their capacity to represent the structural information of a configuration. The second application concerns structural analysis, where our distance proves to be efficient in discriminating different local structures and even classifying their degree of similarity

SFOL Pulse: A High Accuracy DME Pulse for Alternative Aircraft Position and Navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Euiho Kim

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA performance based navigation strategy announced in 2016, the FAA stated that it would retain and expand the Distance Measuring Equipment (DME infrastructure to ensure resilient aircraft navigation capability during the event of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS outage. However, the main drawback of the DME as a GNSS back up system is that it requires a significant expansion of the current DME ground infrastructure due to its poor distance measuring accuracy over 100 m. The paper introduces a method to improve DME distance measuring accuracy by using a new DME pulse shape. The proposed pulse shape was developed by using Genetic Algorithms and is less susceptible to multipath effects so that the ranging error reduces by 36.0–77.3% when compared to the Gaussian and Smoothed Concave Polygon DME pulses, depending on noise environment.

A new rapid method for rockfall energies and distances estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Giacomini, Anna; Ferrari, Federica; Thoeni, Klaus; Lambert, Cedric

2016-04-01

Rockfalls are characterized by long travel distances and significant energies. Over the last decades, three main methods have been proposed in the literature to assess the rockfall runout: empirical, process-based and GIS-based methods (Dorren, 2003). Process-based methods take into account the physics of rockfall by simulating the motion of a falling rock along a slope and they are generally based on a probabilistic rockfall modelling approach that allows for taking into account the uncertainties associated with the rockfall phenomenon. Their application has the advantage of evaluating the energies, bounce heights and distances along the path of a falling block, hence providing valuable information for the design of mitigation measures (Agliardi et al., 2009), however, the implementation of rockfall simulations can be time-consuming and data-demanding. This work focuses on the development of a new methodology for estimating the expected kinetic energies and distances of the first impact at the base of a rock cliff, subject to the conditions that the geometry of the cliff and the properties of the representative block are known. The method is based on an extensive two-dimensional sensitivity analysis, conducted by means of kinematic simulations based on probabilistic modelling of two-dimensional rockfall trajectories (Ferrari et al., 2016). To take into account for the uncertainty associated with the estimation of the input parameters, the study was based on 78400 rockfall scenarios performed by systematically varying the input parameters that are likely to affect the block trajectory, its energy and distance at the base of the rock wall. The variation of the geometry of the rock cliff (in terms of height and slope angle), the roughness of the rock surface and the properties of the outcropping material were considered. A simplified and idealized rock wall geometry was adopted. The analysis of the results allowed finding empirical laws that relate impact energies

Distance learning: its advantages and disadvantages

OpenAIRE

KEGEYAN SVETLANA ERIHOVNA

2016-01-01

Distance learning has become popular in higher institutions because of its flexibility and availability to learners and teachers at anytime, regardless of geographic location. With so many definitions and phases of distance education, this paper only focuses on the delivery mode of distance education (the use of information technology), background, and its disadvantages and advantages for today’s learners.

Modern Geometric Methods of Distance Determination

Science.gov (United States)

Thévenin, Frédéric; Falanga, Maurizio; Kuo, Cheng Yu; Pietrzyński, Grzegorz; Yamaguchi, Masaki

2017-11-01

Building a 3D picture of the Universe at any distance is one of the major challenges in astronomy, from the nearby Solar System to distant Quasars and galaxies. This goal has forced astronomers to develop techniques to estimate or to measure the distance of point sources on the sky. While most distance estimates used since the beginning of the 20th century are based on our understanding of the physics of objects of the Universe: stars, galaxies, QSOs, the direct measures of distances are based on the geometric methods as developed in ancient Greece: the parallax, which has been applied to stars for the first time in the mid-19th century. In this review, different techniques of geometrical astrometry applied to various stellar and cosmological (Megamaser) objects are presented. They consist in parallax measurements from ground based equipment or from space missions, but also in the study of binary stars or, as we shall see, of binary systems in distant extragalactic sources using radio telescopes. The Gaia mission will be presented in the context of stellar physics and galactic structure, because this key space mission in astronomy will bring a breakthrough in our understanding of stars, galaxies and the Universe in their nature and evolution with time. Measuring the distance to a star is the starting point for an unbiased description of its physics and the estimate of its fundamental parameters like its age. Applying these studies to candles such as the Cepheids will impact our large distance studies and calibration of other candles. The text is constructed as follows: introducing the parallax concept and measurement, we shall present briefly the Gaia satellite which will be the future base catalogue of stellar astronomy in the near future. Cepheids will be discussed just after to demonstrate the state of the art in distance measurements in the Universe with these variable stars, with the objective of 1% of error in distances that could be applied to our closest

Trends and Issues in Distance Education: International Perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erhan EROGLU

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Trends and Issues in Distance Education: International Perspectives Edited by Yusra Laila Visser, Lya Visser, Michael Simonsın, & Ray Amirault, 2005, United States of America: Information Age Publishing, Inc. pp. 315. ISBN 1-59311-212-2 Reviewed by Dr. Erhan EROGLU Anadolu University Eskisehir, TURKEY In this book, the terms of “distance education” has been discussed from different perspectives. The term “distance education” conjures up in many minds the image of modern, computer-enabled technology that has blossomed in only the last twenty years. Many of the lessons learned over the last century of distance education research and practice have been implemented in a wide variety of distance education programs worldwide, from higher education online learning programs in the United States to rural, radio-based instructional programs in developing countries. Distance education is truly international discipline. While it is true that the term “distance education” has a universal definiton, local distance ducation experiences are often quite idiosyncratic. This idiosyncratic nature emerges from the need to integrate distance education within the constraints, oppurtunities, and realities of spesific cultural and geographic contexts. From these local distance education experiences, educators are developing new understandings of the broader field of distance education, including the trends and issues present in the field. ORGANIZATION OF THE SECTIONS This book has been organized by thematic content into four main sections. Each of these sections represents a unique level of analysis for trends and issues in distance education. Part I presents five distinct perspectives on the state of distance education and the trends and issues of the field. First perspective of five distinct perpectives is “a survey of progressive and conservative trends in education with implications for distance education practice.” Second perspective is �

Water demand management in Mediterranean regions

OpenAIRE

Giulio Querini; Salvo Creaco

2005-01-01

Water sustainability needs a balance between demand and availability: 1) Water demand management: demand may be managed by suppliers and regulations responsible persons, using measures like invoicing, consumptions measurement and users education in water conservation measures; 2) Augmentation of water supply: availibility may be augmented by infrastructural measures, waste water reuse, non-conventional resources and losses reduction. Water Demand Management is about achieving a reduction in t...

Ethanol demand in Brazil: Regional approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freitas, Luciano Charlita de; Kaneko, Shinji

2011-01-01

Successive studies attempting to clarify national aspects of ethanol demand have assisted policy makers and producers in defining strategies, but little information is available on the dynamic of regional ethanol markets. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of ethanol demand at the regional level taking into account the peculiarities of the developed center-south and the developing north-northeast regions. Regional ethanol demand is evaluated based on a set of market variables that include ethanol price, consumer's income, vehicle stock and prices of substitute fuels; i.e., gasoline and natural gas. A panel cointegration analysis with monthly observations from January 2003 to April 2010 is employed to estimate the long-run demand elasticity. The results reveal that the demand for ethanol in Brazil differs between regions. While in the center-south region the price elasticity for both ethanol and alternative fuels is high, consumption in the north-northeast is more sensitive to changes in the stock of the ethanol-powered fleet and income. These, among other evidences, suggest that the pattern of ethanol demand in the center-south region most closely resembles that in developed nations, while the pattern of demand in the north-northeast most closely resembles that in developing nations. - Research highlights: → Article consists of a first insight on regional demand for ethanol in Brazil. → It proposes a model with multiple fuels, i.e., hydrous ethanol, gasohol and natural gas. → Results evidence that figures for regional demand for ethanol differ amongst regions and with values reported for national demand. → Elasticities for the center-south keep similarities to patterns for fuel demand in developed nations while coefficients for the north-northeast are aligned to patterns on developing countries.

Ethanol demand in Brazil: Regional approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freitas, Luciano Charlita de, E-mail: lucianofreitas@hiroshima-u.ac.j [Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Development Policy, Hiroshima University 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8529 (Japan); Kaneko, Shinji [Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Development Policy, Hiroshima University 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8529 (Japan)

2011-05-15

Successive studies attempting to clarify national aspects of ethanol demand have assisted policy makers and producers in defining strategies, but little information is available on the dynamic of regional ethanol markets. This study aims to analyze the characteristics of ethanol demand at the regional level taking into account the peculiarities of the developed center-south and the developing north-northeast regions. Regional ethanol demand is evaluated based on a set of market variables that include ethanol price, consumer's income, vehicle stock and prices of substitute fuels; i.e., gasoline and natural gas. A panel cointegration analysis with monthly observations from January 2003 to April 2010 is employed to estimate the long-run demand elasticity. The results reveal that the demand for ethanol in Brazil differs between regions. While in the center-south region the price elasticity for both ethanol and alternative fuels is high, consumption in the north-northeast is more sensitive to changes in the stock of the ethanol-powered fleet and income. These, among other evidences, suggest that the pattern of ethanol demand in the center-south region most closely resembles that in developed nations, while the pattern of demand in the north-northeast most closely resembles that in developing nations. - Research highlights: {yields} Article consists of a first insight on regional demand for ethanol in Brazil. {yields} It proposes a model with multiple fuels, i.e., hydrous ethanol, gasohol and natural gas. {yields} Results evidence that figures for regional demand for ethanol differ amongst regions and with values reported for national demand. {yields} Elasticities for the center-south keep similarities to patterns for fuel demand in developed nations while coefficients for the north-northeast are aligned to patterns on developing countries.

Addressing Energy Demand through Demand Response. International Experiences and Practices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Bo [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Ghatikar, Girish [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Ni, Chun Chun [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Dudley, Junqiao [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Martin, Phil [Enernoc, Inc., Boston, MA (United States); Wikler, Greg

2012-06-01

Demand response (DR) is a load management tool which provides a cost-effective alternative to traditional supply-side solutions to address the growing demand during times of peak electrical load. According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), demand response reflects “changes in electric usage by end-use customers from their normal consumption patterns in response to changes in the price of electricity over time, or to incentive payments designed to induce lower electricity use at times of high wholesale market prices or when system reliability is jeopardized.” 1 The California Energy Commission (CEC) defines DR as “a reduction in customers’ electricity consumption over a given time interval relative to what would otherwise occur in response to a price signal, other financial incentives, or a reliability signal.” 2 This latter definition is perhaps most reflective of how DR is understood and implemented today in countries such as the US, Canada, and Australia where DR is primarily a dispatchable resource responding to signals from utilities, grid operators, and/or load aggregators (or DR providers).

Motor fatigue measurement by distance-induced slow down of walking speed in multiple sclerosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rémy Phan-Ba

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE: Motor fatigue and ambulation impairment are prominent clinical features of people with multiple sclerosis (pMS. We hypothesized that a multimodal and comparative assessment of walking speed on short and long distance would allow a better delineation and quantification of gait fatigability in pMS. Our objectives were to compare 4 walking paradigms: the timed 25-foot walk (T25FW, a corrected version of the T25FW with dynamic start (T25FW(+, the timed 100-meter walk (T100MW and the timed 500-meter walk (T500MW. METHODS: Thirty controls and 81 pMS performed the 4 walking tests in a single study visit. RESULTS: The 4 walking tests were performed with a slower WS in pMS compared to controls even in subgroups with minimal disability. The finishing speed of the last 100-meter of the T500MW was the slowest measurable WS whereas the T25FW(+ provided the fastest measurable WS. The ratio between such slowest and fastest WS (Deceleration Index, DI was significantly lower only in pMS with EDSS 4.0-6.0, a pyramidal or cerebellar functional system score reaching 3 or a maximum reported walking distance ≤ 4000 m. CONCLUSION: The motor fatigue which triggers gait deceleration over a sustained effort in pMS can be measured by the WS ratio between performances on a very short distance and the finishing pace on a longer more demanding task. The absolute walking speed is abnormal early in MS whatever the distance of effort when patients are unaware of ambulation impairment. In contrast, the DI-measured ambulation fatigability appears to take place later in the disease course.

Exploring Demand Charge Savings from Commercial Solar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darghouth, Naim [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Barbose, Galen [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Mills, Andrew [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Wiser, Ryan [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Gagnon, Pieter [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Bird, Lori [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-07-31

Commercial retail electricity rates commonly include a demand charge component, based on some measure of the customer’s peak demand. Customer-sited solar PV can potentially reduce demand charges, but the magnitude of these savings can be difficult to predict, given variations in demand charge designs, customer loads, and PV generation profiles. Moreover, depending on the circumstances, demand charges from solar may or may not align well with associated utility cost savings. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are collaborating in a series of studies to understand how solar PV can reduce demand charge levels for a variety of customer types and demand charges designs. Previous work focused on residential customs with solar. This study, instead, focuses on commercial customers and seeks to understand the extent and conditions under which rooftop can solar reduce commercial demand charges. To answer these questions, we simulate demand charge savings for a broad range of commercial customer types, demand charge designs, locations, and PV system characteristics. This particular analysis does not include storage, but a subsequent analysis in this series will evaluate demand charge savings for commercial customers with solar and storage.

Measuring and testing dependence by correlation of distances

OpenAIRE

Székely, Gábor J.; Rizzo, Maria L.; Bakirov, Nail K.

2007-01-01

Distance correlation is a new measure of dependence between random vectors. Distance covariance and distance correlation are analogous to product-moment covariance and correlation, but unlike the classical definition of correlation, distance correlation is zero only if the random vectors are independent. The empirical distance dependence measures are based on certain Euclidean distances between sample elements rather than sample moments, yet have a compact representation analogous to the clas...

Ethnical distance in Vojvodina: Research results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lazar Žolt

2005-01-01

Full Text Available This article presents the results of the ethnical distance measuring in Vojvodina, the north Province of the Republic of Serbia. The measuring was carried out on autumn 2002, during realization of the wider project of multiculturalism research in the mentioned region. According to the results the ethnical distances in Vojvodina are quite equalized and they are grouped around the attitude "all the same". Vojvodinian Serbs are more favorable partners for the majority of social contacts, and the relatively largest distance is shown toward Roma. The ethnical distance results also discovers two very important factors for understanding the interethnic relations in Vojvodina: first, the "rational" kind of social contacts with the members of the other ethnical groups are more preferable for the majority of respondents, and second, they have very equal distances toward their own ethnical groups.

Three Generations of Distance Education Pedagogy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Terry Anderson

2011-03-01

Full Text Available This paper defines and examines three generations of distance education pedagogy. Unlike earlier classifications of distance education based on the technology used, this analysis focuses on the pedagogy that defines the learning experiences encapsulated in the learning design. The three generations of cognitive-behaviourist, social constructivist, and connectivist pedagogy are examined, using the familiar community of inquiry model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000 with its focus on social, cognitive, and teaching presences. Although this typology of pedagogies could also be usefully applied to campus-based education, the need for and practice of openness and explicitness in distance education content and process makes the work especially relevant to distance education designers, teachers, and developers. The article concludes that high-quality distance education exploits all three generations as determined by the learning content, context, and learning expectations.

Consumer Demand for Major Foods in Egypt

OpenAIRE

Basem Fayaad; Stanley R. Johnson; Mohamed El-Khishin

1995-01-01

This study provides information on the structure of the consumer demand for major foods in Egypt. The information is in the form of key parameters for consumer demand systems. The modern theory of consumer behavior is the basis for estimating systems of demand equations. These systems yield estimates of own- and cross-price elasticities. The Linear Almost Ideal Demand System (LAIDS) model is applied in estimating a system of demand equations for food commodities. A full demand matrix results ...

Social Distance and Intergenerational Relations

Science.gov (United States)

Kidwell, I. Jane; Booth, Alan

1977-01-01

Questionnaires were administered to a sample of adults to assess the extent of social distance between people of different ages. The findings suggest that the greater the age difference (younger or older) between people, the greater the social distance they feel. (Author)

The Psychology of Psychic Distance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Håkanson, Lars; Ambos, Björn; Schuster, Anja

2016-01-01

and their theoretical underpinnings assume psychic distances to be symmetric. Building on insights from psychology and sociology, this paper demonstrates how national factors and cognitive processes interact in the formation of asymmetric distance perceptions. The results suggest that exposure to other countries...

Cognitive Styles and Distance Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yuliang; Ginther, Dean

1999-01-01

Considers how to adapt the design of distance education to students' cognitive styles. Discusses cognitive styles, including field dependence versus independence, holistic-analytic, sensory preference, hemispheric preferences, and Kolb's Learning Style Model; and the characteristics of distance education, including technology. (Contains 92…

Are demand forecasting techniques applicable to libraries?

OpenAIRE

Sridhar, M. S.

1984-01-01

Examines the nature and limitations of demand forecasting, discuses plausible methods of forecasting demand for information, suggests some useful hints for demand forecasting and concludes by emphasizing unified approach to demand forecasting.

Effects of electric potential, NaCl, pH and distance between electrodes on efficiency of electrolysis in landfill leachate treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Erabee, Iqbal K; Ahsan, Amimul; Jose, Bipin; Arunkumar, T; Sathyamurthy, R; Idrus, Syazwani; Daud, N N Nik

2017-07-03

This study investigated the effects of different parameters on the removal efficiencies of organic and inorganic pollutants in landfill leachate treatment by electrolysis. Different parameters were considered such as the electric potential (e.g., 24, 40 and 60 V), hydraulic retention time (HRT) (e.g., 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 min), sodium chloride (NaCl) concentration (e.g., 1, 3, 5 and 7%), pH (e.g., 3, 7 and 9), electrodes materials [e.g., aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe)] and distance between electrodes (e.g., 1, 2 and 3 cm). The best operational condition of electrolysis was then recommended. The electric potential of 60 V with HRT of 120 min at 5% of NaCl solution using Al as anode and Fe as cathode (kept at a distance of 3 cm) was the most efficient condition which increased the removal efficiencies of various parameters such as turbidity, salinity, total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and heavy metals (e.g., Zn and Mn). The higher removal percentages of many parameters, especially COD (94%) and Mn (93%) indicated that the electrolysis is an efficient technique for multi-pollutants (e.g., organic, inorganic and heavy metals) removal from the landfill leachate.

Collusion and the elasticity of demand

OpenAIRE

David Collie

2004-01-01

The analysis of collusion in infinitely repeated Cournot oligopoly games has generally assumed that demand is linear, but this note uses constant-elasticity demand functions to investigate how the elasticity of demand affects the sustainability of collusion.

Energy demand: Facts and trends

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chateau, B; Lapillonne, B

1982-01-01

The relationship between economic development and energy demand is investigated in this book. It gives a detailed analysis of the energy demand dynamics in industrialized countries and compares the past evolution of the driving factors behind energy demand by sector and by end-uses for the main OECD countries: residential sector (space heating, water heating, cooking...), tertiary sector, passenger and goods transport by mode, and industry (with particular emphasis on the steel and cement industry). This analysis leads to a more precise understanding of the long-term trends of energy demand; highlighting the influence on these trends of energy prices, especially after the oil price shocks, and of the type of economic development pattern.

Temperature Effect on Energy Demand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Young Duk [Korea Energy Economics Institute, Euiwang (Korea)

1999-03-01

We provide various estimates of temperature effect for accommodating seasonality in energy demand, particularly natural gas demand. We exploit temperature response and monthly temperature distribution to estimate the temperature effect on natural gas demand. Both local and global smoothed temperature responses are estimated from empirical relationship between hourly temperature and hourly energy consumption data during the sample period (1990 - 1996). Monthly temperature distribution estimates are obtained by kernel density estimation from temperature dispersion within a month. We integrate temperature response and monthly temperature density over all the temperatures in the sample period to estimate temperature effect on energy demand. Then, estimates of temperature effect are compared between global and local smoothing methods. (author). 15 refs., 14 figs., 2 tabs.

Robustness of Distance-to-Default

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jessen, Cathrine; Lando, David

2013-01-01

. A notable exception is a model with stochastic volatility of assets. In this case both the ranking of firms and the estimated default probabilities using distance-to-default perform significantly worse. We therefore propose a volatility adjustment of the distance-to-default measure, that significantly...

Education on Demand

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boysen, Lis; Hende, Merete

2015-01-01

Dette notat beskriver nogle af resultaterne fra programmet "Education on Demand' i projektet Det erhvervsrettede Uddannelseslaboratorium. Programmet har haft fokus på udfordringer og forandringsbehov i uddannelsesinstitutioner og -systemet. Herunder har det beskæftiget sig særligt med de to temat......Dette notat beskriver nogle af resultaterne fra programmet "Education on Demand' i projektet Det erhvervsrettede Uddannelseslaboratorium. Programmet har haft fokus på udfordringer og forandringsbehov i uddannelsesinstitutioner og -systemet. Herunder har det beskæftiget sig særligt med de...

Distance criterion for hydrogen bond

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. Distance criterion for hydrogen bond. In a D-H ...A contact, the D...A distance must be less than the sum of van der Waals Radii of the D and A atoms, for it to be a hydrogen bond.

Distance Learning: Practice and Dilemmas

Science.gov (United States)

Tatkovic, Nevenka; Sehanovic, Jusuf; Ruzic, Maja

2006-01-01

In accordance with the European processes of integrated and homogeneous education, the paper presents the essential viewpoints and questions covering the establishment and development of "distance learning" (DL) in Republic of Croatia. It starts from the advantages of distance learning versus traditional education taking into account…

Long distance travel ‘today’

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Linda

2014-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the Dane’s long distance travel. It is a part of the Drivers and Limits project about long distance travel. Long distance travel is in the project defined as infrequent travel with overnight stay. Danes 15-85 years-old travel in average 5.5 long distance travel...... per year og which a third is for international destinations, a third is for domestic second homes and a third are other domestic trips. However, 87% of the kilometres are for international destinations and only 4% are for domestic second homes. Travel activity is very uneven distributed with only half...... of the population having had a journey during the last three month. At the other hand 60% have travelled internationally during the last year and only 2% have never travelled abroad. The paper presents among other things how the travel activity is distributed on travel purpose and mode and how the mode choice...

Does Distance to Subsidiaries affect Headquarters Value Added?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nell, Phillip C.; Beugelsdijk, Sjoerd; Ambos, Björn

2014-01-01

How does distance between MNC headquarters and their subsidiaries affect the value added generated by headquarters? Integrating theories on spatial transaction costs with the headquarter view of the MNC, we link two types of distances, geographic distance and contextual distance, with headquarters...... value added. We test our hypotheses on an original dataset of 124 manufacturing subsidiaries in Europe. We find that the relation between distance and headquarters value added is conditional on the degree of subsidiaries’ external embeddedness. We find no direct effect of distance. The value added...... of headquarters is highest for subsidiaries that are not externally embedded in the host country and that operate at a large distance. It is lowest for locally responsive subsidiaries with high external embeddedness operating at a large distance. We discuss implications for the literature on headquarters-subsidiaries...

GLOBALIZATION, DISTANCE EDUCATION AND HEGEMONIC FUTURES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glenn RUSSELL

2007-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Consideration of the place of theory in distance education suggests that existing definitions do not adequately account for economic, cultural and historical factors. The application of the notion of hegemonic valency to distance education highlights the ways in which tools, technological systems and online environments operate in predictable ways. Historically, the imperatives of market forces and social justice have displayed a tension that is continued in contemporary contexts including virtual learning environments. A characteristic of this tension can be seen in the forces and interactions associated with globalisation and technology. These forces, in association with others, have contributed to a null curriculum in which some alternatives open to distance education practitioners remain invisible. It is likely that this situation is further compounded by the difficulty of ascertaining what distance education practices are actually operating world-wide at any identifiable time. Available options for distance educators can be understood in terms of instrumental and interpersonal axes that can potentially indicate the relative consideration that can be given to these factors. This approach is suggested as one way to understand available options at a time when there has been an apparent increase in instrumental approaches to distance education at the expense of interpersonal approaches and issues of social justice. While this problem is of concern, it is more appropriate to reflect on the unintended consequences of distance education for society and identify them than it is to uncritically oppose globalisation and its adherents.

Endogenous Money Supply and Money Demand

OpenAIRE

Woon Gyu Choi; Seonghwan Oh

2000-01-01

This paper explores the behavior of money demand by explicitly accounting for the money supply endogeneity arising from endogenous monetary policy and financial innovations. Our theoretical analysis indicates that money supply factors matter in the money demand function when the money supply partially responds to money demand. Our empirical results with U.S. data provide strong evidence for the relevance of the policy stance to the demand for MI under a regime in which monetary policy is subs...

The World Demand for Catfish Pangasius

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nguyen, Thong Tien; Roth, Eva; Nielsen, Max

2014-01-01

flexibilities are less than 1. While there are many demand studies for other whitefish species and salmon, which are strongly competed by catfish in many markets, there is a lack of demand study for Pangasius catfish. Therefore, this study will supplement seafood demand literature and be meaningful for seafood......In this paper we present a world demand system for Pangasius catfish products. We use solely exporting data from Vietnam for estimating a non-linear Almost Ideal Demand System because Vietnam accounts for more than 90% catfish export value of the world and the products exported are mostly...... in filleted form. The demand system includes seven equations representing for most important markets that are ASEAN & EAST ASIA, NORTH AMERICA, OCEANIA, RUSIAN & EASTERN EU, SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA, WESTERN EU, and ROW (rest of the world) markets. The monthly data are updating from January 2007 to March 2014...

Province gets serious about demand management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon

2003-01-01

Directives from the Minister to the Ontario Energy Board to review options for demand-side management and demand reduction activities, and discussion papers describing the policy framework needed to implement demand management, are indications of renewed interest by the provincial government in demand-side management of Ontario's electric power supply. This renewed interest comes on the hills of a 5.5 per cent increase in electricity use, a 33 per cent increase in imports, and consumption records broken in 10 of the last 12 months. A 117-page study was released in April by Navigant Consulting, entitled 'Demand response blueprint for Ontario' which estimates that if the Ontario market had 250 MW of additional demand response, customers providing the demand response would have saved $20 million by reducing their demand when HOEP was greater than $120/MWh, while other customers would have saved $170 million due to lower HOEP, and would have enjoyed greater reliability as a result of the increase in reserve margins. Other than price signals to induce customers to save, the Navigant report suggest paying customers not to consume during peak periods. The report estimates that such a policy could generate a total demand response of 350 MW and a $235 million reduction in revenue to generators. The Navigan report also includes a large number of detailed analysis and recommendations. One among them is for the extensive use of interval meters for customers with loads over 200 kW. The report tends to be critical of the recent price freeze ordered by the Ontario government, claiming that the freeze could increase consumption, making prices more volatile and increasing the cost to the government even more. Successful demand response programs from California, New York and the New England states are cited as examples for Ontario to emulate

The facility location problem for hyper-rectilinear distances

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juel, Henrik; Love, Robert F.

1985-01-01

Hyper-rectilinear distances correspond to the l p distance function for 0 travel distances between pairs of points are generally greater than rectilinear distances. In this paper we examine the single facility location problem when hyper...

Accounting for asymmetric price responses and underlying energy demand trends in OECD industrial energy demand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adeyemi, Olutomi I.; Hunt, Lester C.

2014-01-01

This paper explores the way technical progress and improvements in energy efficiency are captured when modelling OECD industrial energy demand. The industrial sectors of the developed world involve a number of different practices and processes utilising a range of different technologies. Consequently, given the derived demand nature of energy, it is vital when modelling industrial energy demand that the impact of technical progress is appropriately captured. However, the energy economics literature does not give a clear guide on how this can be achieved; one strand suggests that technical progress is ‘endogenous’ via asymmetric price responses whereas another strand suggests that it is ‘exogenous’. More recently, it has been suggested that potentially there is a role for both ‘endogenous’ technical progress and ‘exogenous’ technical progress and consequently the general model should be specified accordingly. This paper therefore attempts to model OECD industrial energy demand using annual time series data over the period 1962–2010 for 15 OECD countries. Using the Structural Time Series Model framework, the general specifications allow for both asymmetric price responses (for technical progress to impact endogenously) and an underlying energy demand trend (for technical progress and other factors to impact exogenously, but in a non-linear way). The results show that almost all of the preferred models for OECD industrial energy demand incorporate both a stochastic underlying energy demand trend and asymmetric price responses. This gives estimated long-run income elasticities in the range of 0.34 to 0.96; estimated long-run price-maximum elasticities in the range of − 0.06 to − 1.22; estimated long-run price-recovery elasticities in the range of 0.00 to − 0.27; and estimated long-run price-cut elasticities in the range of 0.00 to − 0.18. Furthermore, the analysis suggests that when modelling industrial energy demand there is a place for �

Promotion and Fast Food Demand

OpenAIRE

Timothy J. Richards; Luis Padilla

2009-01-01

Many believe that fast food promotion is a significant cause of the obesity epidemic in North America. Industry members argue that promotion only reallocates brand shares and does not increase overall demand. We study the effect of fast food promotion on market share and total demand by estimating a discrete / continuous model of fast food restaurant choice and food expenditure that explicitly accounts for both spatial and temporal determinants of demand. Estimates are obtained using a unique...

Cointegration and the demand for gasoline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhaskara Rao, B.; Rao, Gyaneshwar

2009-01-01

Since the early 1970s, there has been a worldwide upsurge in the price of energy and in particular of gasoline. Therefore, demand functions for energy and its components like gasoline have received much attention. However, since confidence in the estimated demand functions is important for use in policy and forecasting, following [Amarawickrama, H.A., Hunt, L.C., 2008. Electricity demand for Sri Lanka: A time series analysis. Energy Economics 33, 724-739], this paper estimates the demand for gasoline is estimated with five alternative time series techniques with data from Fiji. Estimates with these alternative techniques are very close, and thus increase our confidence in them. We found that gasoline demand is both price and income inelastic.

Cointegration and the demand for gasoline

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhaskara Rao, B. [University of Western Sydney, Sydney1797 (Australia); Rao, Gyaneshwar [University of the South Pacific (Fiji)

2009-10-15

Since the early 1970s, there has been a worldwide upsurge in the price of energy and in particular of gasoline. Therefore, demand functions for energy and its components like gasoline have received much attention. However, since confidence in the estimated demand functions is important for use in policy and forecasting, following [Amarawickrama, H.A., Hunt, L.C., 2008. Electricity demand for Sri Lanka: A time series analysis. Energy Economics 33, 724-739], this paper estimates the demand for gasoline is estimated with five alternative time series techniques with data from Fiji. Estimates with these alternative techniques are very close, and thus increase our confidence in them. We found that gasoline demand is both price and income inelastic. (author)

Auditory/visual distance estimation: accuracy and variability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Wallace Anderson

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Past research has shown that auditory distance estimation improves when listeners are given the opportunity to see all possible sound sources when compared to no visual input. It has also been established that distance estimation is more accurate in vision than in audition. The present study investigates the degree to which auditory distance estimation is improved when matched with a congruent visual stimulus. Virtual sound sources based on binaural room impulse response (BRIR measurements made from distances ranging from approximately 0.3 to 9.8 m in a concert hall were used as auditory stimuli. Visual stimuli were photographs taken from the listener’s perspective at each distance in the impulse response measurement setup presented on a large HDTV monitor. Listeners were asked to estimate egocentric distance to the sound source in each of three conditions: auditory only (A, visual only (V, and congruent auditory/visual stimuli (A+V. Each condition was presented within its own block. Sixty-two listeners were tested in order to quantify the response variability inherent in auditory distance perception. Distance estimates from both the V and A+V conditions were found to be considerably more accurate and less variable than estimates from the A condition.

7 CFR 987.11 - Trade demand.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Trade demand. 987.11 Section 987.11 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements... RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 987.11 Trade demand. Trade demand means...

7 CFR 981.21 - Trade demand.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Trade demand. 981.21 Section 981.21 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements... Regulating Handling Definitions § 981.21 Trade demand. Trade demand means the quantity of almonds...

Einstein at a distance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lambourne, Robert [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Open University, Milton Keynes (United Kingdom)

2005-11-01

This paper examines the challenges and rewards that can arise when the teaching of Einsteinian physics has to be accomplished by means of distance education. The discussion is mainly based on experiences gathered over the past 35 years at the UK Open University, where special and general relativity, relativistic cosmology and other aspects of Einsteinian physics, have been taught at a variety of levels, and using a range of techniques, to students studying at a distance.

Long distance quantum teleportation

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Xiu-Xiu; Sun, Qi-Chao; Zhang, Qiang; Pan, Jian-Wei

2018-01-01

Quantum teleportation is a core protocol in quantum information science. Besides revealing the fascinating feature of quantum entanglement, quantum teleportation provides an ultimate way to distribute quantum state over extremely long distance, which is crucial for global quantum communication and future quantum networks. In this review, we focus on the long distance quantum teleportation experiments, especially those employing photonic qubits. From the viewpoint of real-world application, both the technical advantages and disadvantages of these experiments are discussed.

Long distance signaling using axionlike particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stancil, Daniel D.

2007-01-01

The possible existence of axionlike particles could lead to a new type of long-distance communication. In this work, basic antenna concepts are defined and a Friis-like equation is derived to facilitate long-distance link calculations. An example calculation is presented showing that communication over distances of 1000 km or more may be possible for m a aγγ >5x10 -8 GeV -1

Cardiovascular Risks in Long Distance Runners.

Science.gov (United States)

Witham, Bethany Rolfe; Babbitt, Keven

Distance running has become increasingly popular since the 1970s. Despite the health benefits, long-distance running has been associated with an increased risk for cardiac events. Healthcare professionals should be familiar with distance running cardiac risk factors and preparticipation screening recommendations from the American Heart Association, and should screen and educate patients during healthcare encounters. Nurses are particularly well suited to educate runners on risks and symptoms of cardiac dysfunction.

ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF CEREAL DEMAND IN MOROCCO USING THE ALMOST IDEAL DEMAND SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Essaten

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Following up the agricultural policy in Morocco and enforcing it, the new strategy Green Morocco Plan (GMP launched in 2008 also stressed on the cereals’ supply. Meantime, despite their significant nutritional role, little attention has been paid to the demand side. This paper intends to perform an econometric analysis of the demand of five main cereals - Common wheat, Durum wheat, Barley, Corn and Rice- using a linear version of the flexible Almost Ideal Demand System (LA/AIDS model. A Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR approach has been applied to the demand system equations with annual data covering the period from 1980 to 2015. At the overall, regular econometric restrictions (stability, structural separability, validity, etc. have been respected our results suggest that the relations of complementarity or substitution are not determining in the cereal bundle in Morocco. Also, the Moroccan consumer behavior is characterized by a strong sensibility towards common wheat price’s changes and by a difficult access for the durum wheat as it is considered as luxury good.

Continuity Properties of Distances for Markov Processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jaeger, Manfred; Mao, Hua; Larsen, Kim Guldstrand

2014-01-01

In this paper we investigate distance functions on finite state Markov processes that measure the behavioural similarity of non-bisimilar processes. We consider both probabilistic bisimilarity metrics, and trace-based distances derived from standard Lp and Kullback-Leibler distances. Two desirable...

Virtual Bioinformatics Distance Learning Suite

Science.gov (United States)

Tolvanen, Martti; Vihinen, Mauno

2004-01-01

Distance learning as a computer-aided concept allows students to take courses from anywhere at any time. In bioinformatics, computers are needed to collect, store, process, and analyze massive amounts of biological and biomedical data. We have applied the concept of distance learning in virtual bioinformatics to provide university course material…

Wood supply and demand

Science.gov (United States)