Spectral methods for a nonlinear initial value problem involving pseudo differential operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasciak, J.E.

1982-01-01

Spectral methods (Fourier methods) for approximating the solution of a nonlinear initial value problem involving pseudo differential operators are defined and analyzed. A semidiscrete approximation to the nonlinear equation based on an L 2 projection is described. The semidiscrete L 2 approximation is shown to be a priori stable and convergent under sufficient decay and smoothness assumptions on the initial data. It is shown that the semidiscrete method converges with infinite order, that is, higher order decay and smoothness assumptions imply higher order error bounds. Spectral schemes based on spacial collocation are also discussed

A Method of Initial Velocity Measurement for Rocket Projectile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Jiancheng

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a novel method is proposed to measure the initial velocity of the rocket based on STFT (the short-time Fourier transform and the WT (wavelet transform. The radar echo signal processing procedure involves the following steps: sampling process, overlapping windows, wavelet decomposition and reconstruction, computing FFT (Fast Fourier Transform and spectrum analysis, power spectrum peak detection. Then, according to the peak of the detection power spectrum, the corresponding Doppler frequency is obtained. Finally, on the basis of the relationship between Doppler frequency and instantaneous velocity, the V-T curve is drawn in MATLAB to obtain the initial velocity of the rocket muzzle.

How Agile Methods Inspire Project Management - The Half Double Initiative

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heeager, Lise Tordrup; Svejvig, Per; Schlichter, Bjarne Rerup

Increased complexity in projects has forced new project management initiatives. In software development several agile methods have emerged and are today highly implemented in practice. Observations of general project management practice show how it has been inspired by agile software development......, but very little research addresses the issue of agile project management. In order to understand and to provide suggestions for future practice on how agility can be incorporated in general project management, this paper provides an analysis which compares ten characteristics of agile software development...... (identified in theory) and the Half Double Methodology developed by the Danish Project Half Double initiative; a Methodology developed with practitioners and tested in seven Danish case companies. The analysis shows how the general project management to a great extent has been inspired by agile methods...

Dual initiation strip charge apparatus and methods for making and implementing the same

Science.gov (United States)

Jakaboski, Juan-Carlos [Albuquerque, NM; Todd,; Steven, N [Rio Rancho, NM; Polisar, Stephen [Albuquerque, NM; Hughs, Chance [Tijeras, NM

2011-03-22

A Dual Initiation Strip Charge (DISC) apparatus is initiated by a single initiation source and detonates a strip of explosive charge at two separate contacts. The reflection of explosively induced stresses meet and create a fracture and breach a target along a generally single fracture contour and produce generally fragment-free scattering and no spallation. Methods for making and implementing a DISC apparatus provide numerous advantages over previous methods of creating explosive charges by utilizing steps for rapid prototyping; by implementing efficient steps and designs for metering consistent, repeatable, and controlled amount of high explosive; and by utilizing readily available materials.

The Initial Rise Method in the case of multiple trapping levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furetta, C.; Guzman, S.; Cruz Z, E.

2009-10-01

The aim of the paper is to extent the well known Initial Rise Method (IR) to the case of multiple trapping levels. The IR method is applied to the minerals extracted from Nopal herb and Oregano spice because the thermoluminescent glow curves shape suggests a trap distribution instead of a single trapping level. (Author)

The Initial Rise Method in the case of multiple trapping levels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furetta, C. [Centro de Investigacion en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada, IPN, Av. Legaria 694, Col. Irrigacion, 11500 Mexico D. F. (Mexico); Guzman, S.; Cruz Z, E. [Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, UNAM, A. P. 70-543, 04510 Mexico D. F. (Mexico)

2009-10-15

The aim of the paper is to extent the well known Initial Rise Method (IR) to the case of multiple trapping levels. The IR method is applied to the minerals extracted from Nopal herb and Oregano spice because the thermoluminescent glow curves shape suggests a trap distribution instead of a single trapping level. (Author)

Initialization methods and ensembles generation for the IPSL GCM

Science.gov (United States)

Labetoulle, Sonia; Mignot, Juliette; Guilyardi, Eric; Denvil, Sébastien; Masson, Sébastien

2010-05-01

The protocol used and developments made for decadal and seasonal predictability studies at IPSL (Paris, France) are presented. The strategy chosen is to initialize the IPSL-CM5 (NEMO ocean and LMDZ atmosphere) model only at the ocean-atmosphere interface, following the guidance and expertise gained from ocean-only NEMO experiments. Two novel approaches are presented for initializing the coupled system. First, a nudging of sea surface temperature and wind stress towards available reanalysis is made with the surface salinity climatologically restored. Second, the heat, salt and momentum fluxes received by the ocean model are computed as a linear combination of the fluxes computed by the atmospheric model and by a CORE-style bulk formulation using up-to-date reanalysis. The steps that led to these choices are presented, as well as a description of the code adaptation and a comparison of the computational cost of both methods. The strategy for the generation of ensembles at the end of the initialization phase is also presented. We show how the technical environment of IPSL-CM5 (LibIGCM) was modified to achieve these goals.

How Agile Methods Conquers General Project Management - The Project Half Double Initiative

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tordrup Heeager, Lise; Svejvig, Per; Schlichter, Bjarne Rerup

2016-01-01

Increased complexity in projects has forced new project management initiatives. In software development several agile methods have emerged and methods such as Scrum are today highly implemented in practice. General project management practice has been inspired by agile software development...

Using Mixed Methods to Assess Initiatives with Broad-Based Goals

Science.gov (United States)

Inkelas, Karen Kurotsuchi

2017-01-01

This chapter describes a process for assessing programmatic initiatives with broad-ranging goals with the use of a mixed-methods design. Using an example of a day-long teaching development conference, this chapter provides practitioners step-by-step guidance on how to implement this assessment process.

Bridging Technometric Method and Innovation Process: An Initial Study

Science.gov (United States)

Rumanti, A. A.; Reynaldo, R.; Samadhi, T. M. A. A.; Wiratmadja, I. I.; Dwita, A. C.

2018-03-01

The process of innovation is one of ways utilized to increase the capability of a technology component that reflects the need of SME. Technometric method can be used to identify to what extent the level of technology advancement in a SME is, and also which technology component that needs to be maximized in order to significantly deliver an innovation. This paper serves as an early study, which lays out a conceptual framework that identifies and elaborates the principles of innovation process from a well-established innovation model by Martin with the technometric method, based on the initial background research conducted at SME Ira Silver in Jogjakarta, Indonesia.

Initial alignment method for free space optics laser beam

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, Yuta; Tashiro, Yuki; Izumi, Kiyotaka; Yoshida, Koichi; Tsujimura, Takeshi

2016-08-01

The authors have newly proposed and constructed an active free space optics transmission system. It is equipped with a motor driven laser emitting mechanism and positioning photodiodes, and it transmits a collimated thin laser beam and accurately steers the laser beam direction. It is necessary to introduce the laser beam within sensible range of the receiver in advance of laser beam tracking control. This paper studies an estimation method of laser reaching point for initial laser beam alignment. Distributed photodiodes detect laser luminescence at respective position, and the optical axis of laser beam is analytically presumed based on the Gaussian beam optics. Computer simulation evaluates the accuracy of the proposed estimation methods, and results disclose that the methods help us to guide the laser beam to a distant receiver.

The Development of a Strategic Prioritisation Method for Green Supply Chain Initiatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Masoumik, S Maryam; Abdul-Rashid, Salwa Hanim; Olugu, Ezutah Udoncy

2015-01-01

To maintain a competitive position, companies are increasingly required to integrate their proactive environmental strategies into their business strategies. The shift from reactive and compliance-based to proactive and strategic environmental management has driven companies to consider the strategic factors while identifying the areas in which they should focus their green initiatives. In previous studies little attention was given to providing the managers with a basis from which they could strategically prioritise these green initiatives across their companies' supply chains. Considering this lacuna in the literature, we present a decision-making method for prioritising green supply chain initiatives aligned with the preferred green strategies alternatives for the manufacturing companies. To develop this method, the study considered a position between determinism and the voluntarism orientation of environmental management involving both external pressures and internal competitive drivers and key resources as decision factors. This decision-making method was developed using the analytic network process (ANP) technique. The elements of the decision model were derived from the literature. The causal relationships among the multiple decision variables were validated based on the results of structural equation modelling (SEM) using a dataset collected from a survey of the ISO 14001-certified manufacturers in Malaysia. A portion of the relative weights required for computation in ANP was also calculated using the SEM results. A case study is presented to demonstrate the applicability of the method.

Calculation of noninformative prior of reliability parameter and initiating event frequency with Jeffreys method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Jie; Zhang Binbin

2013-01-01

In the probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) of nuclear power plants, there are few historical records on some initiating event frequencies or component failures in industry. In order to determine the noninformative priors of such reliability parameters and initiating event frequencies, the Jeffreys method in Bayesian statistics was employed. The mathematical mechanism of the Jeffreys prior and the simplified constrained noninformative distribution (SCNID) were elaborated in this paper. The Jeffreys noninformative formulas and the credible intervals of the Gamma-Poisson and Beta-Binomial models were introduced. As an example, the small break loss-of-coolant accident (SLOCA) was employed to show the application of the Jeffreys prior in determining an initiating event frequency. The result shows that the Jeffreys method is an effective method for noninformative prior calculation. (authors)

Application of neutron transmutation doping method to initially p-type silicon material.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Myong-Seop; Kang, Ki-Doo; Park, Sang-Jun

2009-01-01

The neutron transmutation doping (NTD) method was applied to the initially p-type silicon in order to extend the NTD applications at HANARO. The relationship between the irradiation neutron fluence and the final resistivity of the initially p-type silicon material was investigated. The proportional constant between the neutron fluence and the resistivity was determined to be 2.3473x10(19)nOmegacm(-1). The deviation of the final resistivity from the target for almost all the irradiation results of the initially p-type silicon ingots was at a range from -5% to 2%. In addition, the burn-up effect of the boron impurities, the residual (32)P activity and the effect of the compensation characteristics for the initially p-type silicon were studied. Conclusively, the practical methodology to perform the neutron transmutation doping of the initially p-type silicon ingot was established.

Variational Homotopy Perturbation Method for Solving Higher Dimensional Initial Boundary Value Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Aslam Noor

2008-01-01

Full Text Available We suggest and analyze a technique by combining the variational iteration method and the homotopy perturbation method. This method is called the variational homotopy perturbation method (VHPM. We use this method for solving higher dimensional initial boundary value problems with variable coefficients. The developed algorithm is quite efficient and is practically well suited for use in these problems. The proposed scheme finds the solution without any discritization, transformation, or restrictive assumptions and avoids the round-off errors. Several examples are given to check the reliability and efficiency of the proposed technique.

Initiative Optimization Operation Strategy and Multi-objective Energy Management Method for Combined Cooling Heating and Power

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Feng Zhao; Chenghui Zhang; Bo Sun

2016-01-01

This paper proposed an initiative optimization operation strategy and multi-objective energy management method for combined cooling heating and power(CCHP) with storage systems.Initially,the initiative optimization operation strategy of CCHP system in the cooling season,the heating season and the transition season was formulated.The energy management of CCHP system was optimized by the multi-objective optimization model with maximum daily energy efficiency,minimum daily carbon emissions and minimum daily operation cost based on the proposed initiative optimization operation strategy.Furthermore,the pareto optimal solution set was solved by using the niche particle swarm multi-objective optimization algorithm.Ultimately,the most satisfactory energy management scheme was obtained by using the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution(TOPSIS) method.A case study of CCHP system used in a hospital in the north of China validated the effectiveness of this method.The results showed that the satisfactory energy management scheme of CCHP system was obtained based on this initiative optimization operation strategy and multi-objective energy management method.The CCHP system has achieved better energy efficiency,environmental protection and economic benefits.

Evaluation of initial degradation in stress corrosion cracking by magnetic methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takaya, Shigeru; Suzuki, Takayuki; Matsumoto, Yoshihiro; Demachi, Kazuyuki; Uesaka, Mitsuru

2003-01-01

Two magnetic methods are proposed for the evaluation of initial degradations of type 304 stainless steel in stress corrosion cracking (SCC). The first one is the measurement of the distribution of chromium depletion by means of a magnetic force microscope (MFM). MFM observations are performed for some samples sensitized in various conditions, and the obtained results coincide with the expected ones from the chromium behavior. Moreover, the phase distributions in the solution-annealed and sensitized states are observed by electron backscatter pattern technique. The observation results show that the phase transformation from the austenite phase to the martensite phase occurred along grain boundaries where the chromium was depleted. The second one is the detection of initial SCC cracks by measurement of magnetic flux densities. In-situ measurement of magnetic flux density during the SCC test and MFM observation reveal the relation of initial SCC cracks and magnetic properties. (author)

Simplified Analytical Method for Optimized Initial Shape Analysis of Self-Anchored Suspension Bridges and Its Verification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myung-Rag Jung

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A simplified analytical method providing accurate unstrained lengths of all structural elements is proposed to find the optimized initial state of self-anchored suspension bridges under dead loads. For this, equilibrium equations of the main girder and the main cable system are derived and solved by evaluating the self-weights of cable members using unstrained cable lengths and iteratively updating both the horizontal tension component and the vertical profile of the main cable. Furthermore, to demonstrate the validity of the simplified analytical method, the unstrained element length method (ULM is applied to suspension bridge models based on the unstressed lengths of both cable and frame members calculated from the analytical method. Through numerical examples, it is demonstrated that the proposed analytical method can indeed provide an optimized initial solution by showing that both the simplified method and the nonlinear FE procedure lead to practically identical initial configurations with only localized small bending moment distributions.

High Frequency Voltage Injection Methods and Observer Design for Initial Position Detection of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jin, Xinhai; Ni, Ronggang; Chen, Wei

2018-01-01

The information of the initial rotor position is essential for smooth start up and robust control of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines (PMSMs). RoTating Voltage Injection (RTVI) methods in the stationary reference frame have been commonly adopted to detect the initial rotor position at stands......The information of the initial rotor position is essential for smooth start up and robust control of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines (PMSMs). RoTating Voltage Injection (RTVI) methods in the stationary reference frame have been commonly adopted to detect the initial rotor position...

A novel method for estimating the initial rotor position of PM motors without the position sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rostami, Alireza; Asaei, Behzad

2009-01-01

Permanent magnet (PM) motors have been used widely in the industrial applications. However, a need of the position sensor is a drawback of their control system. The sensorless methods using the back-EMF (electromotive force) cannot detect the rotor position at a standstill; recently, a few methods proposed to detect the initial rotor position, but they have high estimation error which reduces starting torque of the motor. Therefore, in this paper, a novel method to detect the initial rotor position of the PM motors is proposed, first, by using a space vector model, response of the stator current space vector to the saturation of the stator core is analyzed; then a novel method based on the saturation effect is presented that estimates the initial rotor position and the maximum estimation error is less than 3.8 deg. Simulation results confirm this method is effective and precise, and variation of the motor parameters does not affect its precision.

A novel method for estimating the initial rotor position of PM motors without the position sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rostami, Alireza; Asaei, Behzad [School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran)

2009-08-15

Permanent magnet (PM) motors have been used widely in the industrial applications. However, a need of the position sensor is a drawback of their control system. The sensorless methods using the back-EMF (electromotive force) cannot detect the rotor position at a standstill; recently, a few methods proposed to detect the initial rotor position, but they have high estimation error which reduces starting torque of the motor. Therefore, in this paper, a novel method to detect the initial rotor position of the PM motors is proposed, first, by using a space vector model, response of the stator current space vector to the saturation of the stator core is analyzed; then a novel method based on the saturation effect is presented that estimates the initial rotor position and the maximum estimation error is less than 3.8. Simulation results confirm this method is effective and precise, and variation of the motor parameters does not affect its precision. (author)

A New Method of High-Precision Positioning for an Indoor Pseudolite without Using the Known Point Initialization.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yinzhi; Zhang, Peng; Guo, Jiming; Li, Xin; Wang, Jinling; Yang, Fei; Wang, Xinzhe

2018-06-20

Due to the great influence of multipath effect, noise, clock and error on pseudorange, the carrier phase double difference equation is widely used in high-precision indoor pseudolite positioning. The initial position is determined mostly by the known point initialization (KPI) method, and then the ambiguities can be fixed with the LAMBDA method. In this paper, a new method without using the KPI to achieve high-precision indoor pseudolite positioning is proposed. The initial coordinates can be quickly obtained to meet the accuracy requirement of the indoor LAMBDA method. The detailed processes of the method follows: Aiming at the low-cost single-frequency pseudolite system, the static differential pseudolite system (DPL) method is used to obtain the low-accuracy positioning coordinates of the rover station quickly. Then, the ambiguity function method (AFM) is used to search for the coordinates in the corresponding epoch. The real coordinates obtained by AFM can meet the initial accuracy requirement of the LAMBDA method, so that the double difference carrier phase ambiguities can be correctly fixed. Following the above steps, high-precision indoor pseudolite positioning can be realized. Several experiments, including static and dynamic tests, are conducted to verify the feasibility of the new method. According to the results of the experiments, the initial coordinates with the accuracy of decimeter level through the DPL can be obtained. For the AFM part, both a one-meter search scope and two-centimeter or four-centimeter search steps are used to ensure the precision at the centimeter level and high search efficiency. After dealing with the problem of multiple peaks caused by the ambiguity cosine function, the coordinate information of the maximum ambiguity function value (AFV) is taken as the initial value of the LAMBDA, and the ambiguities can be fixed quickly. The new method provides accuracies at the centimeter level for dynamic experiments and at the millimeter

Novel method of interpolation and extrapolation of functions by a linear initial value problem

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Shatalov, M

2008-09-01

Full Text Available A novel method of function approximation using an initial value, linear, ordinary differential equation (ODE) is presented. The main advantage of this method is to obtain the approximation expressions in a closed form. This technique can be taught...

A Method for SINS Alignment with Large Initial Misalignment Angles Based on Kalman Filter with Parameters Resetting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xixiang Liu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In the initial alignment process of strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS, large initial misalignment angles always bring nonlinear problem, which causes alignment failure when the classical linear error model and standard Kalman filter are used. In this paper, the problem of large misalignment angles in SINS initial alignment is investigated, and the key reason for alignment failure is given as the state covariance from Kalman filter cannot represent the true one during the steady filtering process. According to the analysis, an alignment method for SINS based on multiresetting the state covariance matrix of Kalman filter is designed to deal with large initial misalignment angles, in which classical linear error model and standard Kalman filter are used, but the state covariance matrix should be multireset before the steady process until large misalignment angles are decreased to small ones. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated by simulation and car test, and the results indicate that the proposed method can fulfill initial alignment with large misalignment angles effectively and the alignment accuracy of the proposed method is as precise as that of alignment with small misalignment angles.

[Predictive methods versus clinical titration for the initiation of lithium therapy. A systematic review].

Science.gov (United States)

Geeraerts, I; Sienaert, P

2013-01-01

When lithium is administered, the clinician needs to know when the lithium in the patient’s blood has reached a therapeutic level. At the initiation of treatment the level is usually achieved gradually through the application of the titration method. In order to increase the efficacy of this procedure several methods for dosing lithium and for predicting lithium levels have been developed. To conduct a systematic review of the publications relating to the various methods for dosing lithium or predicting lithium levels at the initiation of therapy. We searched Medline systematically for articles published in English, French or Dutch between 1966 and April 2012 which described or studied a method for dosing lithium or for predicting the lithium level reached following a specific dosage. We screened the reference lists of relevant articles in order to locate additional papers. We found 38 lithium prediction methods, in addition to the clinical titration method. These methods can be divided into two categories: the ‘a priori’ methods and the ‘test-dose’ methods, the latter requiring the administration of a test dose of lithium. The lithium prediction methods generally achieve a therapeutic blood level faster than the clinical titration method, but none of the methods achieves convincing results. On the basis of our review, we propose that the titration method should be used as the standard method in clinical practice.

Recovery methods of the dragonfly from irregular initial conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Melfi, James; Leonardo, Anthony; Wang, Jane

We release dragonflies from a magnetic tether in a wide range of initial orientations, which results in them utilizing multiple methods to regain their typical flight orientation. Special focus is placed on dropping them while upside down, as the recovery method used is a purely rolling motion. Filming this stereotypical motion with a trio of high speed cameras at 4000 fps, we capture detailed body and wing kinematics data to determine how the dragonfly generates this motion. By replaying the flights within a computer simulation, we can isolate the significant changes to wing kinematics, and find that it is an asymmetry in the wing pitch which generates the roll. Further investigation demonstrates that this choice is highly dependent upon the state of the dragonfly, and as such our results indicate the dragonfly both tracks its current state, and changes its mid-flight control mechanisms accordingly.

An initialization method for the k-means using the concept of useful nearest centers

OpenAIRE

Ismkhan, Hassan

2017-01-01

The aim of the k-means is to minimize squared sum of Euclidean distance from the mean (SSEDM) of each cluster. The k-means can effectively optimize this function, but it is too sensitive for initial centers (seeds). This paper proposed a method for initialization of the k-means using the concept of useful nearest center for each data point.

A method for automatically constructing the initial contour of the common carotid artery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yara Omran

2013-10-01

Full Text Available In this article we propose a novel method to automatically set the initial contour that is used by the Active contours algorithm.The proposed method exploits the accumulative intensity profiles to locate the points on the arterial wall. The intensity profiles of sections that intersect the artery show distinguishable characterstics that make it possible to recognize them from the profiles of sections that do not intersect the artery walls. The proposed method is applied on ultrasound images of the transverse section of the common carotid artery, but it can be extended to be used on the images of the longitudinal section. The intensity profiles are classified using Support vector machine algorithm, and the results of different kernels are compared. The extracted features used for the classification are basically statistical features of the intensity profiles. The echogenicity of the arterial lumen, and gives the profiles that intersect the artery a special shape that helps recognizing these profiles from other general profiles.The outlining of the arterial walls may seem a classic task in image processing. However, most of the methods used to outline the artery start from a manual, or semi-automatic, initial contour.The proposed method is highly appreciated in automating the entire process of automatic artery detection and segmentation.

A new Method for the Estimation of Initial Condition Uncertainty Structures in Mesoscale Models

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, J. D.; Bach, L.; Hense, A.

2012-12-01

The estimation of fast growing error modes of a system is a key interest of ensemble data assimilation when assessing uncertainty in initial conditions. Over the last two decades three methods (and variations of these methods) have evolved for global numerical weather prediction models: ensemble Kalman filter, singular vectors and breeding of growing modes (or now ensemble transform). While the former incorporates a priori model error information and observation error estimates to determine ensemble initial conditions, the latter two techniques directly address the error structures associated with Lyapunov vectors. However, in global models these structures are mainly associated with transient global wave patterns. When assessing initial condition uncertainty in mesoscale limited area models, several problems regarding the aforementioned techniques arise: (a) additional sources of uncertainty on the smaller scales contribute to the error and (b) error structures from the global scale may quickly move through the model domain (depending on the size of the domain). To address the latter problem, perturbation structures from global models are often included in the mesoscale predictions as perturbed boundary conditions. However, the initial perturbations (when used) are often generated with a variant of an ensemble Kalman filter which does not necessarily focus on the large scale error patterns. In the framework of the European regional reanalysis project of the Hans-Ertel-Center for Weather Research we use a mesoscale model with an implemented nudging data assimilation scheme which does not support ensemble data assimilation at all. In preparation of an ensemble-based regional reanalysis and for the estimation of three-dimensional atmospheric covariance structures, we implemented a new method for the assessment of fast growing error modes for mesoscale limited area models. The so-called self-breeding is development based on the breeding of growing modes technique

High Order A-stable Continuous General Linear Methods for Solution of Systems of Initial Value Problems in ODEs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dauda GuliburYAKUBU

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Accurate solutions to initial value systems of ordinary differential equations may be approximated efficiently by Runge-Kutta methods or linear multistep methods. Each of these has limitations of one sort or another. In this paper we consider, as a middle ground, the derivation of continuous general linear methods for solution of stiff systems of initial value problems in ordinary differential equations. These methods are designed to combine the advantages of both Runge-Kutta and linear multistep methods. Particularly, methods possessing the property of A-stability are identified as promising methods within this large class of general linear methods. We show that the continuous general linear methods are self-starting and have more ability to solve the stiff systems of ordinary differential equations, than the discrete ones. The initial value systems of ordinary differential equations are solved, for instance, without looking for any other method to start the integration process. This desirable feature of the proposed approach leads to obtaining very high accuracy of the solution of the given problem. Illustrative examples are given to demonstrate the novelty and reliability of the methods.

Music therapy CD creation for initial pediatric radiation therapy: a mixed methods analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Barry, Philippa; O'Callaghan, Clare; Wheeler, Greg; Grocke, Denise

2010-01-01

A mixed methods research design was used to investigate the effects of a music therapy CD (MTCD) creation intervention on pediatric oncology patients' distress and coping during their first radiation therapy treatment. The music therapy method involved children creating a music CD using interactive computer-based music software, which was "remixed" by the music therapist-researcher to extend the musical material. Eleven pediatric radiation therapy outpatients aged 6 to 13 years were randomly assigned to either an experimental group, in which they could create a music CD prior to their initial treatment to listen to during radiation therapy, or to a standard care group. Quantitative and qualitative analyses generated multiple perceptions from the pediatric patients, parents, radiation therapy staff, and music therapist-researcher. Ratings of distress during initial radiation therapy treatment were low for all children. The comparison between the two groups found that 67% of the children in the standard care group used social withdrawal as a coping strategy, compared to 0% of the children in the music therapy group; this trend approached significance (p = 0.076). MTCD creation was a fun, engaging, and developmentally appropriate intervention for pediatric patients, which offered a positive experience and aided their use of effective coping strategies to meet the demands of their initial radiation therapy treatment.

Healthy Bread Initiative: Methods, Findings, and Theories—Isfahan Healthy Heart Program

Science.gov (United States)

Talaei, Mohammad; Khaje, Mohammad-Reza; Sarrafzadegan, Nizal; Sajjadi, Firoozeh; Alikhasi, Hasan; Maghroun, Maryam; Iraji, Farhad; Ehteshami, Shahram

2013-01-01

The scientific evidences show that the content, baking methods, and types of bread can make health impacts. Bread, as a major part of Iranian diet, demonstrates a significant potential to be targeted as health promotion subject. Healthy Food for Healthy Communities (HFHC) was a project of Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP), consisting of a wide variety of strategies, like Healthy Bread (HB) Initiative. The HB Initiative was designed to improve the behaviour of both producers and consumers, mainly aiming at making high-fibre, low-salt bread, eliminating the use of baking soda, providing enough rest time for dough before baking (at least one hour), and enough baking time (at least one minute in oven). A workshop was held for volunteer bakers, and a baker-to-baker training protocol under direct supervision was designed for future volunteers. Cereal Organization was persuaded to provide less refined flour that contained more bran. Health messages in support of new breads were disseminated by media and at bakeries by health professionals. Evaluation of the HB Initiative was done using before-after assessments and population surveys. While HB was baked in 1 (0.01%) bakery at baseline, 402 (41%) bakeries in the intervention area joined the HB Initiative in 2009. Soda was completely eliminated and fibre significantly increased from 4±0.4 g% before study to 12±0.6 g% after the intervention (p<0.001). The preparation and baking times remarkably increased. Wastage of bread decreased from 13±1.8 g% to 2±0.5 g% and was expressed as the most important advantage of this initiative by consumers. People who lived in Isfahan city consumed whole bread 6 times more than those who lived in reference area Arak (p<0.001). The HB Initiative managed to add new breads as a healthy choice that were compatible with local dishes and made a model to solve the long-standing problems of bread. It used various health promotion approaches but was best consistent with Beattie's model. PMID

Healthy bread initiative: methods, findings, and theories--Isfahan Healthy Heart Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Talaei, Mohammad; Mohammadifard, Noushin; Khaje, Mohammad-Reza; Sarrafzadegan, Nizal; Sajjadi, Firoozeh; Alikhasi, Hasan; Maghroun, Maryam; Iraji, Farhad; Ehteshami, Shahram

2013-03-01

The scientific evidences show that the content, baking methods, and types of bread can make health impacts. Bread, as a major part of Iranian diet, demonstrates a significant potential to be targeted as health promotion subject. Healthy Food for Healthy Communities (HFHC) was a project of Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP), consisting of a wide variety of strategies, like Healthy Bread (HB) Initiative. The HB Initiative was designed to improve the behaviour of both producers and consumers, mainly aiming at making high-fibre, low-salt bread, eliminating the use of baking soda, providing enough rest time for dough before baking (at least one hour), and enough baking time (at least one minute in oven). A workshop was held for volunteer bakers, and a baker-to-baker training protocol under direct supervision was designed for future volunteers. Cereal Organization was persuaded to provide less refined flour that contained more bran. Health messages in support of new breads were disseminated by media and at bakeries by health professionals. Evaluation of the HB Initiative was done using before-after assessments and population surveys. While HB was baked in 1 (0.01%) bakery at baseline, 402 (41%) bakeries in the intervention area joined the HB Initiative in 2009. Soda was completely eliminated and fibre significantly increased from 4 +/- 0.4 g% before study to 12 +/- 0.6 g% after the intervention (p bread decreased from 13 +/- 1.8 g% to 2 +/- 0.5 g% and was expressed as the most important advantage of this initiative by consumers. People who lived in Isfahan city consumed whole bread 6 times more than those who lived in reference area Arak (p breads as a healthy choice that were compatible with local dishes and made a model to solve the longstanding problems of bread. It used various health promotion approaches but was best consistent with Beattie's model.

RECONSTRUCTING THE INITIAL DENSITY FIELD OF THE LOCAL UNIVERSE: METHODS AND TESTS WITH MOCK CATALOGS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Huiyuan; Mo, H. J.; Yang Xiaohu; Van den Bosch, Frank C.

2013-01-01

Our research objective in this paper is to reconstruct an initial linear density field, which follows the multivariate Gaussian distribution with variances given by the linear power spectrum of the current cold dark matter model and evolves through gravitational instabilities to the present-day density field in the local universe. For this purpose, we develop a Hamiltonian Markov Chain Monte Carlo method to obtain the linear density field from a posterior probability function that consists of two components: a prior of a Gaussian density field with a given linear spectrum and a likelihood term that is given by the current density field. The present-day density field can be reconstructed from galaxy groups using the method developed in Wang et al. Using a realistic mock Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR7, obtained by populating dark matter halos in the Millennium simulation (MS) with galaxies, we show that our method can effectively and accurately recover both the amplitudes and phases of the initial, linear density field. To examine the accuracy of our method, we use N-body simulations to evolve these reconstructed initial conditions to the present day. The resimulated density field thus obtained accurately matches the original density field of the MS in the density range 0.3∼ –1 , much smaller than the translinear scale, which corresponds to a wavenumber of ∼0.15 h Mpc –1

Adaptive wavelet collocation methods for initial value boundary problems of nonlinear PDE's

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Wei; Wang, Jian-Zhong

1993-01-01

We have designed a cubic spline wavelet decomposition for the Sobolev space H(sup 2)(sub 0)(I) where I is a bounded interval. Based on a special 'point-wise orthogonality' of the wavelet basis functions, a fast Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) is constructed. This DWT transform will map discrete samples of a function to its wavelet expansion coefficients in O(N log N) operations. Using this transform, we propose a collocation method for the initial value boundary problem of nonlinear PDE's. Then, we test the efficiency of the DWT transform and apply the collocation method to solve linear and nonlinear PDE's.

Application of the variational iteration method for system of initial value problems delay differential equations

Science.gov (United States)

Yousef, Hamood. M.; Ismail, A. I. B. MD.

2017-08-01

Many attempts have been presented to solve the system of Delay Differential Equations (DDE) with Initial Value Problem. As a result, it has shown difficulties when getting the solution or cannot be solved. In this paper, a Variational Iteration Method is employed to find out an approximate solution for the system of DDE with initial value problems. The example illustrates convenient and an efficiency comparison with the exact solution.

Initialization method for triple-layer exchanged coupled direct overwrite MO disk (abstract)

Science.gov (United States)

Hatwar, T. K.; Genova, D. J.; Palumbo, A. C.

1993-05-01

Increasing efforts are directed at the development of direct overwrite (DOW) capability for achieving higher data transfer rate in MO media. DOW by light intensity modulation on a triple-layer medium has shown great promise. The three layers consist of memory, reference, and intermediate layers that are weakly coupled to each other. This scheme uses an auxiliary magnet to initialize the reference layer in one direction in addition to the bias magnet. DOW is between high and low power levels. High power aligns the magnetization of the coupled layers in one direction, and low power aligns the magnetization in the opposite direction. These high (Ph) and low (Pl) powers are generally widely separated. Since the focused writing beam has a Gaussian profile, when the center of the spot does the high power writing, the ``skirt'' is actually doing the low power writing. As a result, if the background is initialized in the direction of the high power written mark, a chain-like domain pattern is observed. This leads to high writing noise. We found that such writing noise can be eliminated by initializing the background in the direction of the low power written marks. We will discuss the spin structure in exchanged coupled triple-layer films and the DOW characteristics of the disk with the two different initialization methods.

Game method application efficiency for speed and power capability development of trampoline athletes at the initial training stage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfia Deineko

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to prove the effectiveness of using the game method for speed and power capability development of trampoline athletes at the initial training stage. Material & Methods: in the article the materials of the research that was carried out with the help of pedagogical testing of trampoliners of 7–8 years on the basis of the Children and Youth Sports School No. 7, Trampoline Department of Kharkov. Results: conducted pedagogical experiment showed the effectiveness of the developed methodology for the development of speed-strength abilities of trampoline athletes at the initial training stage using the game method. Conclusion: results of the experiment confirm the importance of the use of the game method for the development of speed-strength abilities in the initial training of young trampolines, which further affects the level of their technical preparedness and the effectiveness of competition activities.

Housing decision making methods for initiation development phase process

Science.gov (United States)

Zainal, Rozlin; Kasim, Narimah; Sarpin, Norliana; Wee, Seow Ta; Shamsudin, Zarina

2017-10-01

Late delivery and sick housing project problems were attributed to poor decision making. These problems are the string of housing developer that prefers to create their own approach based on their experiences and expertise with the simplest approach by just applying the obtainable standards and rules in decision making. This paper seeks to identify the decision making methods for housing development at the initiation phase in Malaysia. The research involved Delphi method by using questionnaire survey which involved 50 numbers of developers as samples for the primary stage of collect data. However, only 34 developers contributed to the second stage of the information gathering process. At the last stage, only 12 developers were left for the final data collection process. Finding affirms that Malaysian developers prefer to make their investment decisions based on simple interpolation of historical data and using simple statistical or mathematical techniques in producing the required reports. It was suggested that they seemed to skip several important decision-making functions at the primary development stage. These shortcomings were mainly due to time and financial constraints and the lack of statistical or mathematical expertise among the professional and management groups in the developer organisations.

40 CFR 63.9915 - What test methods and other procedures must I use to demonstrate initial compliance with dioxin...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... must I use to demonstrate initial compliance with dioxin/furan emission limits? 63.9915 Section 63.9915....9915 What test methods and other procedures must I use to demonstrate initial compliance with dioxin... limit for dioxins/furans in Table 1 to this subpart, you must follow the test methods and procedures...

A damage cumulation method for crack initiation prediction under non proportional loading and overloading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taheri, S.

1992-04-01

For a sequence of constant amplitude cyclic loading containing overloads, we propose a method for damage cumulation in non proportional loading. This method uses as data cyclic stabilized states at non proportional loading and initiation or fatigue curve in uniaxial case. For that, we take into account the dependence of Cyclic Strain Stress Curves (C.S.S.C.) and mean cell size on prehardening and we define a stabilized uniaxial state cyclically equivalent to a non proportional stabilized state through a family of C.S.S.C. Although simple assumptions like linear damage function and linear cumulation is used we obtain a sequence effect for difficult cross slip materials as 316 stainless steel, but the Miner rule for easy cross-slip materials. We show then differences between a load-controlled test and a strain controlled test: for a 316 stainless steel in a load controlled test, the non proportional loading at each cycle is less damaging than the uniaxial one for the same equivalent stress, while the result is opposite in a strain controlled test. We show also that an overloading retards initiation in a load controlled test while it accelerates initiation in a strain controlled test. (author). 26 refs., 8 figs

Methods for initial characterization of Campylobacter jejuni bacteriophages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Martine Camilla Holst; Gencay, Yilmaz Emre; Brøndsted, Lone

2017-01-01

Here we describe an initial characterization of Campylobacter jejuni bacteriophages by host range analysis, genome size determination by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and receptor-type identification by screening mutants for phage sensitivity.......Here we describe an initial characterization of Campylobacter jejuni bacteriophages by host range analysis, genome size determination by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and receptor-type identification by screening mutants for phage sensitivity....

Research on Initiation Sensitivity of Solid Explosive and Planer Initiation System

OpenAIRE

N Matsuo; M Otuka; H Hamasima; K Hokamoto; S Itoh

2016-01-01

Firstly, recently, there are a lot of techniques being demanded for complex process, various explosive initiation method and highly accurate control of detonation are needed. In this research, the metal foil explosion using high current is focused attention on the method to obtain linear or planate initiation easily, and the main evaluation of metal foil explosion to initiate explosive was conducted. The explosion power was evaluated by observing optically the underwater shock wave generated ...

Reconstructing the Initial Density Field of the Local Universe: Methods and Tests with Mock Catalogs

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Huiyuan; Mo, H. J.; Yang, Xiaohu; van den Bosch, Frank C.

2013-07-01

Our research objective in this paper is to reconstruct an initial linear density field, which follows the multivariate Gaussian distribution with variances given by the linear power spectrum of the current cold dark matter model and evolves through gravitational instabilities to the present-day density field in the local universe. For this purpose, we develop a Hamiltonian Markov Chain Monte Carlo method to obtain the linear density field from a posterior probability function that consists of two components: a prior of a Gaussian density field with a given linear spectrum and a likelihood term that is given by the current density field. The present-day density field can be reconstructed from galaxy groups using the method developed in Wang et al. Using a realistic mock Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR7, obtained by populating dark matter halos in the Millennium simulation (MS) with galaxies, we show that our method can effectively and accurately recover both the amplitudes and phases of the initial, linear density field. To examine the accuracy of our method, we use N-body simulations to evolve these reconstructed initial conditions to the present day. The resimulated density field thus obtained accurately matches the original density field of the MS in the density range 0.3 \\lesssim \\rho /\\bar{\\rho } \\lesssim 20 without any significant bias. In particular, the Fourier phases of the resimulated density fields are tightly correlated with those of the original simulation down to a scale corresponding to a wavenumber of ~1 h Mpc-1, much smaller than the translinear scale, which corresponds to a wavenumber of ~0.15 h Mpc-1.

Optimal Error Estimates of Two Mixed Finite Element Methods for Parabolic Integro-Differential Equations with Nonsmooth Initial Data

KAUST Repository

Goswami, Deepjyoti; Pani, Amiya K.; Yadav, Sangita

2013-01-01

In the first part of this article, a new mixed method is proposed and analyzed for parabolic integro-differential equations (PIDE) with nonsmooth initial data. Compared to the standard mixed method for PIDE, the present method does not bank on a

Decadal predictions of Southern Ocean sea ice : testing different initialization methods with an Earth-system Model of Intermediate Complexity

Science.gov (United States)

Zunz, Violette; Goosse, Hugues; Dubinkina, Svetlana

2013-04-01

The sea ice extent in the Southern Ocean has increased since 1979 but the causes of this expansion have not been firmly identified. In particular, the contribution of internal variability and external forcing to this positive trend has not been fully established. In this region, the lack of observations and the overestimation of internal variability of the sea ice by contemporary General Circulation Models (GCMs) make it difficult to understand the behaviour of the sea ice. Nevertheless, if its evolution is governed by the internal variability of the system and if this internal variability is in some way predictable, a suitable initialization method should lead to simulations results that better fit the reality. Current GCMs decadal predictions are generally initialized through a nudging towards some observed fields. This relatively simple method does not seem to be appropriated to the initialization of sea ice in the Southern Ocean. The present study aims at identifying an initialization method that could improve the quality of the predictions of Southern Ocean sea ice at decadal timescales. We use LOVECLIM, an Earth-system Model of Intermediate Complexity that allows us to perform, within a reasonable computational time, the large amount of simulations required to test systematically different initialization procedures. These involve three data assimilation methods: a nudging, a particle filter and an efficient particle filter. In a first step, simulations are performed in an idealized framework, i.e. data from a reference simulation of LOVECLIM are used instead of observations, herein after called pseudo-observations. In this configuration, the internal variability of the model obviously agrees with the one of the pseudo-observations. This allows us to get rid of the issues related to the overestimation of the internal variability by models compared to the observed one. This way, we can work out a suitable methodology to assess the efficiency of the

Tumor scintigraphy by the method for subtracting the initial image with technetium-99m labeled antibody

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karube, Yoshiharu; Katsuno, Kentaro; Ito, Sanae; Matsunaga, Kazuhisa; Takata, Jiro; Kuroki, Masahide; Murakami, Masaaki; Matsuoka, Yuji

1999-01-01

The method for subtracting the initial image from the localization image was evaluated for radioimmunoscintigraphy of tumors with technetium-99m (Tc-99m) labeled antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies were parental mouse and mouse-human chimeric antibodies to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), designated F11-39 and ChF11-39, respectively, both of which have been found to discriminate CEA in tumor tissues from the CEA-related antigens. After reduction of the intrinsic disulfide bonds, these antibodies were labeled with Tc-99m. In vivo studies were performed on athymic nude mice bearing the human CEA-producing gastric carcinoma xenografts. Though biodistribution results showed selective and progressive accumulation of Tc-99m labeled antibodies at the tumor site, high radioactivity in blood was inappropriate for scintigraphic visualization of the tumors within a few hours. We examined the subtraction of the initial Tc-99m image from the Tc-99m localization image after a few hours. Subtracted images of the same count reflected the in vivo behavior of the Tc-99m radioactivity. The subtracted scintigrams revealed excellent tumor images with no significant extrarenal background. Visualization of the tumor site was dependent on antigen-specific binding and nonspecific exudation. These results demonstrate that a method of subtraction of the initial image may serve as a potentially useful diagnostic method for an abnormal site for agents with a low pharmacokinetic value. (author)

New method to determine initial surface water displacement at tsunami source

Science.gov (United States)

Lavrentyev, Mikhail; Romanenko, Alexey; Tatarintsev, Pavel

2013-04-01

Friday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46:23 UTC, Japan was struck by an 8.9-magnitude earthquake near its Northeastern coast. This is one of the largest earthquakes that Japan has ever experienced. Tsunami waves swept away houses and cars and caused massive human losses. To predict tsunami wave parameters better and faster, we propose to improve data inversion scheme and achieve the performance gain of data processing. One of the reasons of inaccurate predictions of tsunami parameters is that very little information is available about the initial disturbance of the sea bed at tsunami source. In this paper, we suggest a new way of improving the quality of tsunami source parameters prediction. Modern computational technologies can accurately calculate tsunami wave propagation over the deep ocean provided that the initial displacement (perturbation of the sea bed at tsunami source) is known [4]. Direct geophysical measurements provide the location of an earthquake hypocenter and its magnitude (the released energy evaluation). Among the methods of determination of initial displacement the following ones should be considered. Calculation through the known fault structure and available seismic information. This method is widely used and provides useful information. However, even if the exact knowledge about rock blocks shifts is given, recalculation in terms of sea bed displacement is needed. This results in a certain number of errors. GPS data analysis. This method was developed after the December 2004 event in the Indian Ocean. A good correlation between dry land based GPS sensors and tsunami wave parameters was observed in the particular case of the West coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. This approach is very unique and can hardly been used in other geo locations. Satellite image analysis. The resolution of modern satellite images has dramatically improved. In the future, correct data of sea surface displacement will probably be available in real time, right after a tsunamigenic

Total Monte-Carlo method applied to the assessment of uncertainties in a reactivity-initiated accident

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cruz, D.F. da; Rochman, D.; Koning, A.J. [Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group NRG, Petten (Netherlands)

2014-07-01

The Total Monte-Carlo (TMC) method has been applied extensively since 2008 to propagate the uncertainties in nuclear data for reactor parameters and fuel inventory, and for several types of advanced nuclear systems. The analyses have been performed considering different levels of complexity, ranging from a single fuel rod to a full 3-D reactor core at steady-state. The current work applies the TMC method for a full 3-D pressurized water reactor core model under steady-state and transient conditions, considering thermal-hydraulic feedback. As a transient scenario the study focused on a reactivity-initiated accident, namely a control rod ejection accident initiated by a mechanical failure of the control rod drive mechanism. The uncertainties on the main reactor parameters due to variations in nuclear data for the isotopes {sup 235},{sup 238}U, {sup 239}Pu and thermal scattering data for {sup 1}H in water were quantified. (author)

Modeling of asphalt by means of discrete element method – an initial study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feng, Huan; Hededal, Ole; Stang, Henrik

of conducting time-consuming and lab-costly procedures. The use of numerical models, capable of reducing greatly the testing cost, has shown great potential in characterizing asphalt-aggregate mixtures for both material evaluation and structural design purposes, [1],[2]. Discrete element method (DEM) is one...... – will be applied. The work presented here will focus on the discrete element method as a tool for modelling composite materials, i.e. determination of a representative volume; boundary conditions; characterisation of the components mastic (binder + filler) and aggregates; and establishment of virtual test samples....... Results from initial tests will be presented and the future development of the model towards characterising asphalt from its composition will be outlined....

A computation method for mass flowrate predictions in critical flows of initially subcooled liquid in long channels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Celata, G.P.; D'Annibale, F.; Farello, G.E.

1985-01-01

It is suggested a fast and accurate computation method for the prediction of mass flowrate in critical flows initially subcooled liquid from ''long'' discharge channels (high LID values). Starting from a previous very simple correlation proposed by the authors, further improvements in the model enable to widen the method reliability up to initial saturation conditions. A comparison of computed values with 145 experimental data regarding several investigations carried out at the Heat Transfer Laboratory (TERM/ISP, ENEA Casaccia) shows an excellent agreement. The computed data shifting from experimental ones is within ±10% for almost all data, with a slight increase towards low inlet subcoolings. The average error, for all the considered data, is 4,6%

Pi sampling: a methodical and flexible approach to initial macromolecular crystallization screening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorrec, Fabrice; Palmer, Colin M.; Lebon, Guillaume; Warne, Tony

2011-01-01

Pi sampling, derived from the incomplete factorial approach, is an effort to maximize the diversity of macromolecular crystallization conditions and to facilitate the preparation of 96-condition initial screens. The Pi sampling method is derived from the incomplete factorial approach to macromolecular crystallization screen design. The resulting ‘Pi screens’ have a modular distribution of a given set of up to 36 stock solutions. Maximally diverse conditions can be produced by taking into account the properties of the chemicals used in the formulation and the concentrations of the corresponding solutions. The Pi sampling method has been implemented in a web-based application that generates screen formulations and recipes. It is particularly adapted to screens consisting of 96 different conditions. The flexibility and efficiency of Pi sampling is demonstrated by the crystallization of soluble proteins and of an integral membrane-protein sample

Optimal Error Estimates of Two Mixed Finite Element Methods for Parabolic Integro-Differential Equations with Nonsmooth Initial Data

KAUST Repository

Goswami, Deepjyoti

2013-05-01

In the first part of this article, a new mixed method is proposed and analyzed for parabolic integro-differential equations (PIDE) with nonsmooth initial data. Compared to the standard mixed method for PIDE, the present method does not bank on a reformulation using a resolvent operator. Based on energy arguments combined with a repeated use of an integral operator and without using parabolic type duality technique, optimal L2 L2-error estimates are derived for semidiscrete approximations, when the initial condition is in L2 L2. Due to the presence of the integral term, it is, further, observed that a negative norm estimate plays a crucial role in our error analysis. Moreover, the proposed analysis follows the spirit of the proof techniques used in deriving optimal error estimates for finite element approximations to PIDE with smooth data and therefore, it unifies both the theories, i.e., one for smooth data and other for nonsmooth data. Finally, we extend the proposed analysis to the standard mixed method for PIDE with rough initial data and provide an optimal error estimate in L2, L 2, which improves upon the results available in the literature. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Application of the Variational Iteration Method to the Initial Value Problems of Q-difference Equations-Some Examples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Xiang Zeng

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The q-difference equations are a class of important models both in q-calculus and applied sciences. The variational iteration method is extended to approximately solve the initial value problems of q-difference equations. A q-analogue of the Lagrange multiplier is presented and three examples are illustrated to show the method's efficiency.

An exploratory analysis of contraceptive method choice and symptoms of depression in adolescent females initiating prescription contraception.

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, Jenny; Presser, Liandra; Malbon, Katherine; Braun-Courville, Debra; Linares, Lourdes Oriana

2015-04-01

We examine the association between depressive symptoms and contraceptive method choice among adolescents initiating prescription contraception. This cross-sectional study analyzes baseline data of 220 urban, minority adolescent females (ages 15-19 years) presenting for prescription contraceptive initiation at a comprehensive, free-of-cost, adolescent health center in New York City. All participants met with a health care provider who provided standard contraception counseling before initiating contraception. Each participant then selected a short- or long-acting contraceptive: a 3-month supply of the pill, patch, ring or a medroxyprogesterone acetate depot injection (short-acting), or placement/referral for an intrauterine device (IUD; long-acting). We assess the independent association between contraceptive method selection and symptoms of depression [assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression (CES-D) scale]. Ten percent (n=21/220) of adolescent females selected an IUD. Bivariate analysis revealed that those with elevated levels of depressive symptoms were more likely to select an IUD as compared to those with minimal symptoms (mean CES-D score 20 vs. 13; t=3.052, p=.003). In multivariate logistic regressions, adolescent females had increased odds of selecting an IUD if they reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio=4.93; confidence interval, 1.53-15.83; p=.007) after controlling for ethnicity/race, education, number of lifetime partners and gravidity. Inner-city, minority adolescents with elevated symptoms of depression who present for prescription contraceptive initiation may be more likely to select an IUD rather than shorter-acting methods. By recognizing adolescent females with depressive symptoms, providers can strategize their approach to effective contraception counseling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Teachers’ perceptions of their own initiative: Collective initiative vs. personal initiative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Džinović Vladimir

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Current trends in education demand from teachers to exhibit proactive behaviour and assume responsibility for the implementation of changes in school practice. In that sense, it is important to study how teachers perceive their own initiative and to gain insight into the activities where such initiative is demonstrated. This study has been conceived as a mixed-methods research. The qualitative study implied forming four focus groups with subject teachers and class teachers (N=38, while the quantitative study entailed surveying 1441 teachers in forty primary schools in Serbia using the questionnaire constructed based on qualitative data. Data from focus groups were processed by qualitative thematic analysis, while the questionnaire data were processed by principal component analysis and univariate analysis of variance. The findings of the study have shown that teachers mostly demonstrate initiative through co­operative activities that include planning of joint teaching as well as conducting joint projects within school and with the local community actors. Teachers are least ready to demonstrate personal initiative and the initiative aimed at accomplishing considerable changes in school work. The concluding part includes the recommendations for encouraging teachers’ personal initiative and building organizational culture that would support such initiative. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. br. 47008: Unapređivanje kvaliteta i dostupnosti obrazovanja u procesima modernizacije Srbije i br. 179034: Od podsticanja inicijative, saradnje i stvaralaštva u obrazovanju do novih uloga i identiteta u društvu

A method of recovering the initial vectors of globally coupled map lattices based on symbolic dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Li-Sha; Kang Xiao-Yun; Zhang Qiong; Lin Lan-Xin

2011-01-01

Based on symbolic dynamics, a novel computationally efficient algorithm is proposed to estimate the unknown initial vectors of globally coupled map lattices (CMLs). It is proved that not all inverse chaotic mapping functions are satisfied for contraction mapping. It is found that the values in phase space do not always converge on their initial values with respect to sufficient backward iteration of the symbolic vectors in terms of global convergence or divergence (CD). Both CD property and the coupling strength are directly related to the mapping function of the existing CML. Furthermore, the CD properties of Logistic, Bernoulli, and Tent chaotic mapping functions are investigated and compared. Various simulation results and the performances of the initial vector estimation with different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) are also provided to confirm the proposed algorithm. Finally, based on the spatiotemporal chaotic characteristics of the CML, the conditions of estimating the initial vectors using symbolic dynamics are discussed. The presented method provides both theoretical and experimental results for better understanding and characterizing the behaviours of spatiotemporal chaotic systems. (general)

A method of recovering the initial vectors of globally coupled map lattices based on symbolic dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Li-Sha; Kang, Xiao-Yun; Zhang, Qiong; Lin, Lan-Xin

2011-12-01

Based on symbolic dynamics, a novel computationally efficient algorithm is proposed to estimate the unknown initial vectors of globally coupled map lattices (CMLs). It is proved that not all inverse chaotic mapping functions are satisfied for contraction mapping. It is found that the values in phase space do not always converge on their initial values with respect to sufficient backward iteration of the symbolic vectors in terms of global convergence or divergence (CD). Both CD property and the coupling strength are directly related to the mapping function of the existing CML. Furthermore, the CD properties of Logistic, Bernoulli, and Tent chaotic mapping functions are investigated and compared. Various simulation results and the performances of the initial vector estimation with different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) are also provided to confirm the proposed algorithm. Finally, based on the spatiotemporal chaotic characteristics of the CML, the conditions of estimating the initial vectors using symbolic dynamics are discussed. The presented method provides both theoretical and experimental results for better understanding and characterizing the behaviours of spatiotemporal chaotic systems.

Methods for monitoring the initial load to critical in the fast test reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, D.L.

1975-08-01

Conventional symmetric fuel loadings for the initial loading to critical of the Fast Test Reactor (FTR) are predicted to be more time consuming than asymmetric or trisector loadings. Potentially significant time savings can be realized by the latter, since adequate intermediate assessments of neutron multiplication can be made periodically without control rod reconnection in all trisectors. Experimental simulation of both loading schemes was carried out in the Reverse Approach to Critical (RAC) experiments in the Fast Test Reactor-Engineering Mockup Critical facility. Analyses of these experiments indicated that conventional source multiplication methods can be applied for monitoring either a symmetric or asymmetric fuel loading scheme equally well provided that detection efficiency corrections are employed. Methods for refining predictions of reactivity and count rates for the stages in a load to critical were also investigated. (auth)

The importance of male partner involvement for women's acceptability and adherence to female-initiated HIV prevention methods in Zimbabwe.

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, Elizabeth T; van der Straten, Ariane; Chidanyika, Agnes; Chipato, Tsungai; Jaffar, Shabbar; Padian, Nancy

2011-07-01

Enlisting male partner involvement is perceived as an important component of women's successful uptake of female-initiated HIV prevention methods. We conducted a longitudinal study among a cohort of 955 Zimbabwean women participating in a clinical trial of the effectiveness of a female-initiated HIV prevention method (the diaphragm and lubricant gel) to: (a) describe the extent to which women involved their male partners in the decision to use the study products, and (b) measure the effect perceived male partner support had on their acceptability and consistent use of these methods. Reported levels of male partner involvement in discussions and decisions regarding: joining the study, study activities, the outcome of HIV/STI test results, and product use were very high. In multivariate analyses, regular disclosure of study product use and partner approval for the diaphragm and gel were significantly associated with women's acceptability and consistent use of the products; an essential component for determining efficacy of investigational prevention methods. These results support the need for more sophisticated measurement of how couples interact to make decisions that impact study participation and investigational product use as well as more rigorous adaptations and evaluations of existing strategies to involve male partners in female-initiated HIV prevention trials.

Time Interval to Initiation of Contraceptive Methods Following ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2018-01-30

Jan 30, 2018 ... interval between a woman's last childbirth and the initiation of contraception. Materials and ..... DF=Degree of freedom; χ2=Chi‑square test ..... practice of modern contraception among single women in a rural and urban ...

Method of independent timesteps in the numerical solution of initial value problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porter, A.P.

1976-01-01

In the numerical solution of initial-value problems in several independent variables, the timestep is controlled, especially in the presence of shocks, by a small portion of the logical mesh, what one may call the crisis zone. One is frustrated by the necessity of doing in the whole mesh frequent calculations required by only a small part of the mesh. It is shown that it is possible to choose different timesteps natural to different parts of the mesh and to advance each zone in time only as often as is appropriate to that zone's own natural timestep. Prior work is reviewed and for the first time an investigation of the conditions for well-posedness, consistency and stability in independent timesteps is presented; a new method results. The prochronic and parachronic Cauchy surfaces are identified; and the reasons (well-posedness) for constraining the Cauchy surfaces to be prochronic (as distinct from the method of Grandey), that is, to lie prior to the time of the crisis zone (the zone of least timestep), are indicated. Stability (in the maximum norm) of parabolic equations and (in the L2 norm) of hyperbolic equations is reviewed, without restricting the treatment to linear equations or constant coefficients, and stability of the new method is proven in this framework. The details of the method of independent timesteps, the rules for choosing timesteps and for deciding when to update and when to skip zones, and the method of joining adjacent regions of differing timestep are described. The stability of independent timestep difference schemes is analyzed and exhibited. The economic advantages of the method, which often amount to an order-of-magnitude decrease in running time relative to conventional or implicit difference methods, are noted

Method of independent timesteps in the numerical solution of initial value problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Porter, A.P.

1976-07-21

In the numerical solution of initial-value problems in several independent variables, the timestep is controlled, especially in the presence of shocks, by a small portion of the logical mesh, what one may call the crisis zone. One is frustrated by the necessity of doing in the whole mesh frequent calculations required by only a small part of the mesh. It is shown that it is possible to choose different timesteps natural to different parts of the mesh and to advance each zone in time only as often as is appropriate to that zone's own natural timestep. Prior work is reviewed and for the first time an investigation of the conditions for well-posedness, consistency and stability in independent timesteps is presented; a new method results. The prochronic and parachronic Cauchy surfaces are identified; and the reasons (well-posedness) for constraining the Cauchy surfaces to be prochronic (as distinct from the method of Grandey), that is, to lie prior to the time of the crisis zone (the zone of least timestep), are indicated. Stability (in the maximum norm) of parabolic equations and (in the L2 norm) of hyperbolic equations is reviewed, without restricting the treatment to linear equations or constant coefficients, and stability of the new method is proven in this framework. The details of the method of independent timesteps, the rules for choosing timesteps and for deciding when to update and when to skip zones, and the method of joining adjacent regions of differing timestep are described. The stability of independent timestep difference schemes is analyzed and exhibited. The economic advantages of the method, which often amount to an order-of-magnitude decrease in running time relative to conventional or implicit difference methods, are noted.

Understanding the value of mixed methods research: the Children’s Safety Initiative-Emergency Medical Services

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Matthew; O’Brien, Kerth; Meckler, Garth; Chang, Anna Marie; Guise, Jeanne-Marie

2016-01-01

Mixed methods research has significant potential to broaden the scope of emergency care and specifically emergency medical services investigation. Mixed methods studies involve the coordinated use of qualitative and quantitative research approaches to gain a fuller understanding of practice. By combining what is learnt from multiple methods, these approaches can help to characterise complex healthcare systems, identify the mechanisms of complex problems such as medical errors and understand aspects of human interaction such as communication, behaviour and team performance. Mixed methods approaches may be particularly useful for out-of-hospital care researchers because care is provided in complex systems where equipment, interpersonal interactions, societal norms, environment and other factors influence patient outcomes. The overall objectives of this paper are to (1) introduce the fundamental concepts and approaches of mixed methods research and (2) describe the interrelation and complementary features of the quantitative and qualitative components of mixed methods studies using specific examples from the Children’s Safety Initiative-Emergency Medical Services (CSI-EMS), a large National Institutes of Health-funded research project conducted in the USA. PMID:26949970

Understanding the value of mixed methods research: the Children's Safety Initiative-Emergency Medical Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Matthew; O'Brien, Kerth; Meckler, Garth; Chang, Anna Marie; Guise, Jeanne-Marie

2016-07-01

Mixed methods research has significant potential to broaden the scope of emergency care and specifically emergency medical services investigation. Mixed methods studies involve the coordinated use of qualitative and quantitative research approaches to gain a fuller understanding of practice. By combining what is learnt from multiple methods, these approaches can help to characterise complex healthcare systems, identify the mechanisms of complex problems such as medical errors and understand aspects of human interaction such as communication, behaviour and team performance. Mixed methods approaches may be particularly useful for out-of-hospital care researchers because care is provided in complex systems where equipment, interpersonal interactions, societal norms, environment and other factors influence patient outcomes. The overall objectives of this paper are to (1) introduce the fundamental concepts and approaches of mixed methods research and (2) describe the interrelation and complementary features of the quantitative and qualitative components of mixed methods studies using specific examples from the Children's Safety Initiative-Emergency Medical Services (CSI-EMS), a large National Institutes of Health-funded research project conducted in the USA. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Initial value methods for boundary value problems

CERN Document Server

Meyer, Gunter H

1973-01-01

In this book, we study theoretical and practical aspects of computing methods for mathematical modelling of nonlinear systems. A number of computing techniques are considered, such as methods of operator approximation with any given accuracy; operator interpolation techniques including a non-Lagrange interpolation; methods of system representation subject to constraints associated with concepts of causality, memory and stationarity; methods of system representation with an accuracy that is the best within a given class of models; methods of covariance matrix estimation;methods for low-rank mat

Reassembling the Information Technology Innovation Process: An Actor Network Theory Method for Managing the Initiation, Production, and Diffusion of Innovations

Science.gov (United States)

Zendejas, Gerardo; Chiasson, Mike

This paper will propose and explore a method to enhance focal actors' abilities to enroll and control the many social and technical components interacting during the initiation, production, and diffusion of innovations. The reassembling and stabilizing of such components is the challenging goal of the focal actors involved in these processes. To address this possibility, a healthcare project involving the initiation, production, and diffusion of an IT-based innovation will be influenced by the researcher, using concepts from actor network theory (ANT), within an action research methodology (ARM). The experiences using this method, and the nature of enrolment and translation during its use, will highlight if and how ANT can provide a problem-solving method to help assemble the social and technical actants involved in the diffusion of an innovation. Finally, the paper will discuss the challenges and benefits of implementing such methods to attain widespread diffusion.

A Trigonometrically Fitted Block Method for Solving Oscillatory Second-Order Initial Value Problems and Hamiltonian Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. F. Ngwane

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present a block hybrid trigonometrically fitted Runge-Kutta-Nyström method (BHTRKNM, whose coefficients are functions of the frequency and the step-size for directly solving general second-order initial value problems (IVPs, including Hamiltonian systems such as the energy conserving equations and systems arising from the semidiscretization of partial differential equations (PDEs. Four discrete hybrid formulas used to formulate the BHTRKNM are provided by a continuous one-step hybrid trigonometrically fitted method with an off-grid point. We implement BHTRKNM in a block-by-block fashion; in this way, the method does not suffer from the disadvantages of requiring starting values and predictors which are inherent in predictor-corrector methods. The stability property of the BHTRKNM is discussed and the performance of the method is demonstrated on some numerical examples to show accuracy and efficiency advantages.

A Simple and High Performing Rate Control Initialization Method for H.264 AVC Coding Based on Motion Vector Map and Spatial Complexity at Low Bitrate

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Yalin Wu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The temporal complexity of video sequences can be characterized by motion vector map which consists of motion vectors of each macroblock (MB. In order to obtain the optimal initial QP (quantization parameter for the various video sequences which have different spatial and temporal complexities, this paper proposes a simple and high performance initial QP determining method based on motion vector map and temporal complexity to decide an initial QP in given target bit rate. The proposed algorithm produces the reconstructed video sequences with outstanding and stable quality. For any video sequences, the initial QP can be easily determined from matrices by target bit rate and mapped spatial complexity using proposed mapping method. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can show more outstanding objective and subjective performance than other conventional determining methods.

Determination of inorganic arsenic in food and feed – European initiatives in research and standardization of methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sloth, Jens Jørgen; Rasmussen, Rie Romme

determination of inorganic arsenic are required in order to perform a correct risk assessment of dietary exposure. The lecture will provide the current status for recent and ongoing European initiatives and projects on methods for specific determination of inorganic arsenic in foodstuffs and feedingstuffs...... detailed toxicological knowledge on the individual chemical elemental species should lead to more specific legislation. The present lecture will use arsenic as an illustrative example, where inorganic arsenic is considered much more toxic than organic bound and analytical methods for selective...

Hesitant Trapezoidal Fuzzy QUALIFLEX Method and Its Application in the Evaluation of Green Supply Chain Initiatives

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Xiaolu Zhang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper explores how to handle multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM problems in which the criteria values of alternatives take the form of comparative linguistic expressions. Firstly, the new concept of hesitant trapezoidal fuzzy numbers (HTrFNs is provided to model the semantics of the comparative linguistic expressions. Then, the operational laws and the distance measures of HTrFNs are presented. Afterwards, a useful outranking method, the hesitant trapezoidal fuzzy QUALIFLEX method, is developed to handle the MCDM problems with hierarchical structure in the environment of HTrFN. At length, the proposed method is applied to evaluating green supply chain initiatives in order to achieve sustainable economic and environmental performance, and a case study concerned with a fashion retail chain is presented to demonstrate its feasibility and applicability, also, a comparative analysis with other relevant approaches is conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Direct laser initiation of open secondary explosives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assovskiy, I G; Melik-Gaikazov, G V; Kuznetsov, G P

2015-01-01

The goal of this paper is experimental study of the mechanism of initiation of secondary explosives (SE) by short laser pulse. Laser initiation of SE is much more difficult in comparison with initiation of primary explosives. Using of some special methods is typically requested to realize laser initiation of SE: using of porous SE, putting it in a closed envelope, and using some optically dense additives. In this paper we consider interaction of laser pulse with open surface of non-porous, optically uniform SE. Only pure chemical methods were used to control the light sensitivity of SE. Implementation of the method of laser initiation is reduced to the optimization of composition and molecular structure of the explosives, along with the optimization of the laser pulse (its duration, energy density and wavelength). (paper)

ITPI: Initial Transcription Process-Based Identification Method of Bioactive Components in Traditional Chinese Medicine Formula

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Baixia Zhang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Identification of bioactive components is an important area of research in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM formula. The reported identification methods only consider the interaction between the components and the target proteins, which is not sufficient to explain the influence of TCM on the gene expression. Here, we propose the Initial Transcription Process-based Identification (ITPI method for the discovery of bioactive components that influence transcription factors (TFs. In this method, genome-wide chip detection technology was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs. The TFs of DEGs were derived from GeneCards. The components influencing the TFs were derived from STITCH. The bioactive components in the formula were identified by evaluating the molecular similarity between the components in formula and the components that influence the TF of DEGs. Using the formula of Tian-Zhu-San (TZS as an example, the reliability and limitation of ITPI were examined and 16 bioactive components that influence TFs were identified.

Development and verification of an efficient spatial neutron kinetics method for reactivity-initiated event analyses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikeda, Hideaki; Takeda, Toshikazu

2001-01-01

A space/time nodal diffusion code based on the nodal expansion method (NEM), EPISODE, was developed in order to evaluate transient neutron behavior in light water reactor cores. The present code employs the improved quasistatic (IQS) method for spatial neutron kinetics, and neutron flux distribution is numerically obtained by solving the neutron diffusion equation with the nonlinear iteration scheme to achieve fast computation. A predictor-corrector (PC) method developed in the present study enabled to apply a coarse time mesh to the transient spatial neutron calculation than that applicable in the conventional IQS model, which improved computational efficiency further. Its computational advantage was demonstrated by applying to the numerical benchmark problems that simulate reactivity-initiated events, showing reduction of computational times up to a factor of three than the conventional IQS. The thermohydraulics model was also incorporated in EPISODE, and the capability of realistic reactivity event analyses was verified using the SPERT-III/E-Core experimental data. (author)

Research on Initiation Sensitivity of Solid Explosive and Planer Initiation System

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N Matsuo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Firstly, recently, there are a lot of techniques being demanded for complex process, various explosive initiation method and highly accurate control of detonation are needed. In this research, the metal foil explosion using high current is focused attention on the method to obtain linear or planate initiation easily, and the main evaluation of metal foil explosion to initiate explosive was conducted. The explosion power was evaluated by observing optically the underwater shock wave generated from the metal foil explosion. Secondly, in high energy explosive processing, there are several applications, such as shock compaction, explosive welding, food processing and explosive forming. In these explosive applications, a high sensitive explosive has been mainly used. The high sensitive explosive is so dangerous, since it can lead to explosion suddenly. So, for developing explosives, the safety is the most important thing as well as low manufacturing cost and explosive characteristics. In this work, we have focused on the initiation sensitivity of a solid explosive and performed numerical analysis of sympathetic detonation. The numerical analysis is calculated by LS-DYNA 3D (commercial code. To understand the initiation reaction of an explosive, Lee-Tarver equation was used and impact detonation process was analyzed by ALE code. Configuration of simulation model is a quarter of circular cylinder. The donor type of explosive (SEP was used as initiation explosive. When the donor explosive is exploded, a shock wave is generated and it propagates into PMMA, air and metallic layers in order. During passing through the layers, the shock wave is attenuated and finally, it has influence on the acceptor explosive, Comp. B. Here, we evaluate the initiation of acceptor explosive and discuss about detonation pressure, reactive rate of acceptor explosive and attenuation of impact pressure.

Student perception of initial transition into a nursing program: A mixed methods research study.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Meghan; Brown, Janine; Knihnitski, Crystal

2018-05-01

Transition into undergraduate education programs is stressful and impacts students' well-being and academic achievement. Previous research indicates nursing students experience stress, depression, anxiety, and poor lifestyle habits which interfere with learning. However, nursing students' experience of transition into nursing programs has not been well studied. Incongruence exists between this lack of research and the desire to foster student success. This study analyzed students' experiences of initial transition into a nursing program. An embedded mixed method design. A single site of a direct-entry, four year baccalaureate Canadian nursing program. All first year nursing students enrolled in the fall term of 2016. This study combined the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) with a subset of participants participating in qualitative focus groups. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics to identify statistically significant differences in full-scale and subscale scores. Qualitative data was analyzed utilizing thematic analysis. Significant differences were seen between those who moved to attend university and those who did not, with those who moved scoring lower on the Academic Adjustment subscale. Focus group thematic analysis highlighted how students experienced initial transition into a baccalaureate nursing program. Identified themes included reframing supports, splitting focus/finding focus, negotiating own expectations, negotiating others' expectations, and forming identity. These findings form the Undergraduate Nursing Initial Transition (UNIT) Framework. Significance of this research includes applications in faculty development and program supports to increase student success in the first year of nursing and to provide foundational success for ongoing nursing practice. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Initial position estimation method for permanent magnet synchronous motor based on improved pulse voltage injection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Z.; Lu, K.; Ye, Y.

2011-01-01

According to saliency of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), the information of rotor position is implied in performance of stator inductances due to the magnetic saturation effect. Researches focused on the initial rotor position estimation of PMSM by injecting modulated pulse voltage...... vectors. The relationship between the inductance variations and voltage vector positions was studied. The inductance variation effect on estimation accuracy was studied as well. An improved five-pulses injection method was proposed, to improve the estimation accuracy by choosing optimaized voltage vectors...

An Alternate Approach to Optimal L 2 -Error Analysis of Semidiscrete Galerkin Methods for Linear Parabolic Problems with Nonsmooth Initial Data

KAUST Repository

Goswami, Deepjyoti

2011-09-01

In this article, we propose and analyze an alternate proof of a priori error estimates for semidiscrete Galerkin approximations to a general second order linear parabolic initial and boundary value problem with rough initial data. Our analysis is based on energy arguments without using parabolic duality. Further, it follows the spirit of the proof technique used for deriving optimal error estimates for finite element approximations to parabolic problems with smooth initial data and hence, it unifies both theories, that is, one for smooth initial data and other for nonsmooth data. Moreover, the proposed technique is also extended to a semidiscrete mixed method for linear parabolic problems. In both cases, optimal L2-error estimates are derived, when the initial data is in L2. A superconvergence phenomenon is also observed, which is then used to prove L∞-estimates for linear parabolic problems defined on two-dimensional spatial domain again with rough initial data. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Evolution of solar magnetic fields - A new approach to MHD initial-boundary value problems by the method of nearcharacteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Nakagawa, Y.

1980-01-01

A method of analysis for the MHD initial-boundary problem is presented in which the model's formulation is based on the method of nearcharacteristics developed by Werner (1968) and modified by Shin and Kot (1978). With this method, the physical causality relationship can be traced from the perturbation to the response as in the method of characteristics, while achieving the advantage of a considerable reduction in mathematical procedures. The method offers the advantage of examining not only the evolution of nonforce free fields, but also the changes of physical conditions in the atmosphere accompanying the evolution of magnetic fields. The physical validity of the method is demonstrated with examples, and their significance in interpreting observations is discussed.

A Trigonometrically Fitted Block Method for Solving Oscillatory Second-Order Initial Value Problems and Hamiltonian Systems

OpenAIRE

Ngwane, F. F.; Jator, S. N.

2017-01-01

In this paper, we present a block hybrid trigonometrically fitted Runge-Kutta-Nyström method (BHTRKNM), whose coefficients are functions of the frequency and the step-size for directly solving general second-order initial value problems (IVPs), including Hamiltonian systems such as the energy conserving equations and systems arising from the semidiscretization of partial differential equations (PDEs). Four discrete hybrid formulas used to formulate the BHTRKNM are provided by a continuous one...

A three axis turntable's online initial state measurement method based on the high-accuracy laser gyro SINS

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Chunfeng; Wei, Guo; Wang, Qi; Xiong, Zhenyu; Wang, Qun; Long, Xingwu

2016-10-01

As an indispensable equipment in inertial technology tests, the three-axis turntable is widely used in the calibration of various types inertial navigation systems (INS). In order to ensure the calibration accuracy of INS, we need to accurately measure the initial state of the turntable. However, the traditional measuring method needs a lot of exterior equipment (such as level instrument, north seeker, autocollimator, etc.), and the test processing is complex, low efficiency. Therefore, it is relatively difficult for the inertial measurement equipment manufacturers to realize the self-inspection of the turntable. Owing to the high precision attitude information provided by the laser gyro strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS) after fine alignment, we can use it as the attitude reference of initial state measurement of three-axis turntable. For the principle that the fixed rotation vector increment is not affected by measuring point, we use the laser gyro INS and the encoder of the turntable to provide the attitudes of turntable mounting plat. Through this way, the high accuracy measurement of perpendicularity error and initial attitude of the three-axis turntable has been achieved.

Numerical doubly-periodic solution of the (2+1)-dimensional Boussinesq equation with initial conditions by the variational iteration method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inc, Mustafa

2007-01-01

In this Letter, a scheme is developed to study numerical doubly-periodic solutions of the (2+1)-dimensional Boussinesq equation with initial condition by the variational iteration method. As a result, the approximate and exact doubly-periodic solutions are obtained. For different modulus m, comparison between the approximate solution and the exact solution is made graphically, revealing that the variational iteration method is a powerful and effective tool to non-linear problems

Reduction of initial shock in decadal predictions using a new initialization strategy

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yujun; Wang, Bin; Liu, Mimi; Liu, Li; Yu, Yongqiang; Liu, Juanjuan; Li, Ruizhe; Zhang, Cheng; Xu, Shiming; Huang, Wenyu; Liu, Qun; Wang, Yong; Li, Feifei

2017-08-01

A novel full-field initialization strategy based on the dimension-reduced projection four-dimensional variational data assimilation (DRP-4DVar) is proposed to alleviate the well-known initial shock occurring in the early years of decadal predictions. It generates consistent initial conditions, which best fit the monthly mean oceanic analysis data along the coupled model trajectory in 1 month windows. Three indices to measure the initial shock intensity are also proposed. Results indicate that this method does reduce the initial shock in decadal predictions by Flexible Global Ocean-Atmosphere-Land System model, Grid-point version 2 (FGOALS-g2) compared with the three-dimensional variational data assimilation-based nudging full-field initialization for the same model and is comparable to or even better than the different initialization strategies for other fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) models. Better hindcasts of global mean surface air temperature anomalies can be obtained than in other FGOALS-g2 experiments. Due to the good model response to external forcing and the reduction of initial shock, higher decadal prediction skill is achieved than in other CMIP5 models.

Overview of Future of Probabilistic Methods and RMSL Technology and the Probabilistic Methods Education Initiative for the US Army at the SAE G-11 Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

Singhal, Surendra N.

2003-01-01

The SAE G-11 RMSL Division and Probabilistic Methods Committee meeting sponsored by the Picatinny Arsenal during March 1-3, 2004 at Westin Morristown, will report progress on projects for probabilistic assessment of Army system and launch an initiative for probabilistic education. The meeting features several Army and industry Senior executives and Ivy League Professor to provide an industry/government/academia forum to review RMSL technology; reliability and probabilistic technology; reliability-based design methods; software reliability; and maintainability standards. With over 100 members including members with national/international standing, the mission of the G-11s Probabilistic Methods Committee is to enable/facilitate rapid deployment of probabilistic technology to enhance the competitiveness of our industries by better, faster, greener, smarter, affordable and reliable product development.

A simple method to calculate first-passage time densities with arbitrary initial conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Nyberg, Markus; Ambjörnsson, Tobias; Lizana, Ludvig

2016-06-01

Numerous applications all the way from biology and physics to economics depend on the density of first crossings over a boundary. Motivated by the lack of general purpose analytical tools for computing first-passage time densities (FPTDs) for complex problems, we propose a new simple method based on the independent interval approximation (IIA). We generalise previous formulations of the IIA to include arbitrary initial conditions as well as to deal with discrete time and non-smooth continuous time processes. We derive a closed form expression for the FPTD in z and Laplace-transform space to a boundary in one dimension. Two classes of problems are analysed in detail: discrete time symmetric random walks (Markovian) and continuous time Gaussian stationary processes (Markovian and non-Markovian). Our results are in good agreement with Langevin dynamics simulations.

Initial Provincial Allocation and Equity Evaluation of China’s Carbon Emission Rights—Based on the Improved TOPSIS Method

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Yong Wang

2018-03-01

Full Text Available As the world’s largest carbon emitter, China considers carbon emissions trading to be an important measure in its national strategy for energy conservation and emissions reduction. The initial allocation of China’s carbon emissions rights at the provincial level is a core issue of carbon emissions trading. A scientific and reasonable distinction between the carbon emission rights of provinces is crucial for China to achieve emissions reduction targets. Based on the idea of multi-objective decision-making, this paper uses the improved Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS method to allocate China’s initial carbon emission rights to the provinces and uses the Gini coefficient sub-group decomposition method to evaluate the fairness of the allocation results. First, the results of a theoretical distribution show that in the initial allocation of carbon emission rights, a large proportion of China’s provinces have large populations and high energy use, such as Shandong Province, Jiangsu Province, Hebei Province and Henan Province; the provinces with a small proportion of the initial allocation of carbon emissions consist of two municipalities, Beijing and Shanghai, as well as Hainan Province, which is dominated by tourism. Overall, the initial allocation of carbon emission rights in the northern and eastern regions constituted the largest proportion, with the south-central region and the northwest region being the second largest and the southwest region being the smallest. Second, the difference between the theoretical allocation and the actual allocation of carbon emission rights in China was clear. The energy consumption of large provinces and provinces dominated by industry generally had a negative difference (the theoretical allocation of carbon emissions was less than the actual value, while Qinghai, dominated by agriculture and animal husbandry, showed a positive balance (the theoretical allocation of

METHODS FOR OVERCOMING SEED DORMANCY AND THE INITIAL GROWTH OF Ziziphus joazeiro Mart. IN DIFFERENT SOILS

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JOSENARA DAIANE DE SOUZA COSTA

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Considering the potential and importance of biodiversity of the Caatinga biome, studies on endemic species are relevant to conservation of its natural resources. The objectives of this work was to evaluate seed viability and physical methods for overcoming seed dormancy in juazeiro (Ziziphus joazeiro Mart. and assess the influence of different types of soil on the initial growth of juazeiro plants. The experiments were conducted in three stages. In the first stage, the viability of seeds from different lots was evaluated using the tetrazolium test. The second stage was conducted in a plant nursery, evaluating the application of physical processes (scarification with sandpaper and hammer in overcoming seed dormancy, and the initial growth of the plants. In the third step, the chlorophyll a and b contents, gas exchange and dry matter accumulation were evaluated in young juazeiro plants in three types of soil (Oxisol, Entisol and Vertisol. The results indicate that the viability of juazeiro seeds is greatly influenced by differences between the progenitor plants and by storage conditions, which enable a longevity of two years when stored at 22°C and 16% of relative humidity. The scarification methods with sandpaper and hammer are not efficient to reduce the time and uniform seed germination. The juazeiro plants have high growth potential in different edaphic environments, adapting well to soils of different textures and chemical compositions.

Influence of gametal release method and larval initial density in the culture of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

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Sílvia C. Gonçalves

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The gonads of sea urchins have increased interest for human consumption, as a culinary delicacy worldwide. In Europe, the species Paracentrotus lividus was identified as an ideal candidate to meet the growing demand for this product, due to its high gonadosomatic index and easy access. However, the current commercial model, based on the exploitation its natural populations, may be unsustainable. Therefore, its production in aquaculture would be beneficial to avoid depletion of natural stocks of these organisms. The present study sought to develop a culture system for Paracentrotus lividus in aquaculture, which would allow maintaining the early embryonic and larval stages of this animal. A trial was set using 3 gametal release methods (due to stress induced by capture and by injecting 0.125M and 0.250M of potassium chloride and 3 densities of sea urchin embryos (530 embryos/L, 1000 embryos/L and 2000 embryos/L, using 5 replicate individual culture tanks for each combined factor. The embryos were obtained by adding gametes to sea water, in a proportion 1 egg : 100 spermatozoids, and by discarding unfertilized floating eggs by decantation. Afterwards, the embryos were transferred to a culture system composed by cylindrical-conical plastic tanks of 2L. These were decontaminated and filled with 0.750L of sea water, continuously aerated through a sterile pipette of 3mL. These tanks were placed on metal shelves, artificially illuminated with daylight fluorescent lamps (18w/765, 400Lux and maintained at 22°C. The larvae were fed each 2 days, with a mixture of microalgae Tetraselmis chuii, Phaeodactylum tricornumtum and Thalassiosira weliflogii at a concentration of 800-1000 microalgae/mL, adding 15µL, 50µL and 30µL to each individual tank, respectively for each of the initial larval densities introduced. There was an influence of the factor initial larval density in the mortality rate, wherein the number of larvae that died during the trial was much

The Breakthrough Series Collaborative on Service Integration: A Mixed Methods Study of a Strengths-Based Initiative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cynthia A. Lietz

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Arizona’s Department of Economic Security (DES engaged in a strengths-based initiative to increase quality and integration of human services. Twenty teams including employees from state agencies, community leaders, and families were brought together to discuss and implement improvements to a variety of social services. A mixed methods study was conducted to explore the complex process of forming diverse teams to strengthen social services. Specifically, the research team conducted focus groups to collect qualitative data from a purposive sample of the teams to explore their experiences in greater depth. Analysis of the data led to the development of an online survey instrument that allowed all collaborative members an opportunity to participate in the study. Findings suggest that while the teams faced many challenges, a commitment to the process brought perseverance, communication, and creativity allowing this collaborative to initiate 105 activities to bring about positive changes in social services within their communities.

A mixed-methods study of system-level sustainability of evidence-based practices in 12 large-scale implementation initiatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Scudder, Ashley T; Taber-Thomas, Sarah M; Schaffner, Kristen; Pemberton, Joy R; Hunter, Leah; Herschell, Amy D

2017-12-07

In recent decades, evidence-based practices (EBPs) have been broadly promoted in community behavioural health systems in the United States of America, yet reported EBP penetration rates remain low. Determining how to systematically sustain EBPs in complex, multi-level service systems has important implications for public health. This study examined factors impacting the sustainability of parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) in large-scale initiatives in order to identify potential predictors of sustainment. A mixed-methods approach to data collection was used. Qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys examining sustainability processes and outcomes were completed by participants from 12 large-scale initiatives. Sustainment strategies fell into nine categories, including infrastructure, training, marketing, integration and building partnerships. Strategies involving integration of PCIT into existing practices and quality monitoring predicted sustainment, while financing also emerged as a key factor. The reported factors and strategies impacting sustainability varied across initiatives; however, integration into existing practices, monitoring quality and financing appear central to high levels of sustainability of PCIT in community-based systems. More detailed examination of the progression of specific activities related to these strategies may aide in identifying priorities to include in strategic planning of future large-scale initiatives. ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT02543359 ; Protocol number PRO12060529.

Determination of the number of radicals in the initial chain reactions by mathematical methods

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Pejović Branko B.

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Starting from the fact that the real mechanism in a chemical equation takes places through a certain number of radicals which participate in simultaneous reactions and initiate chain reactions according to a particular pattern, the aim of this study is to determine their number in the first couple of steps of the reaction. Based on this, the numbers of radicals were determined in the general case, in the form of linear difference equations, which, by certain mathematical transformations, were reduced to one equation that satisfies a particular numeric series, entirely defined if its first members are known. The equation obtained was solved by a common method developed in the theory of numeric series, in which its solutions represent the number of radicals in an arbitrary step of the reaction observed, in the analytical form. In the final part of the study, the method was tested and verified using two characteristic examples from general chemistry. The study also gives a suggestion of a more efficient procedure by reducing the difference equation to a lower order.

Nanostructure-initiator mass spectrometry biometrics

Science.gov (United States)

Leclerc, Marion; Bowen, Benjamin; Northen, Trent

2015-09-08

Several embodiments described herein are drawn to methods of identifying an analyte on a subject's skin, methods of generating a fingerprint, methods of determining a physiological change in a subject, methods of diagnosing health status of a subject, and assay systems for detecting an analyte and generating a fingerprint, by nanostructure-initiator mass spectrometry (NIMS).

Evaluation of the crack initiation of curved compact tension specimens of a Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube using the unloading compliance and direct current potential drop methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Young Suk; Jeong, Hyeon Cheol; Ahn, Sang Bok

2005-01-01

The Direct Current Potential Drop(DCPD) method and the Unloading Compliance(UC) method with a crack opening displacement gauge were applied simultaneously to the Zr-2.5Nb Curved Compact Tension (CCT) specimens to determine which of the two methods can precisely determine the crack initiation point and hence the crack length for evaluation of their fracture toughness. The DCPD method detected the crack initiation at a smaller load-time displacement compared to the UC method. As a verification, a direct observation of the fracture surfaces on the curved compact tension specimens was made on the CCT specimens experiencing either 0.8 to 1.0 mm load line displacement or various loads from 50% to 80% of the maximum peak load, or P max . The DCPD method is concluded to be more precise in determining the crack initiation and fracture toughness, J in Zr-2.5Nb CCT specimens than the UC method

Patient safety initiatives in Central and Eastern Europe: A mixed methods approach by the LINNEAUS collaboration on patient safety in primary care

Science.gov (United States)

Godycki-Cwirko, Maciek; Esmail, Aneez; Dovey, Susan; Wensing, Michel; Parker, Dianne; Kowalczyk, Anna; Błaszczyk, Honorata; Kosiek, Katarzyna

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Despite patient safety being recognized as an important healthcare issue in the European Union, there has been variable implementation of patient safety initiatives in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Objective: To assess the status of patient safety initiatives in countries in CEE; to describe a process of engagement in Poland, which can serve as a template for the implementation of patient safety initiatives in primary care. Methods: A mixed methods design was used. We conducted a review of literature focusing on publications from CEE, an inventory of patient safety initiatives in CEE countries, interviews with key informants, international survey, review of national reporting systems, and pilot demonstrator project in Poland with implementation of patient safety toolkits assessment. Results: There was no published patient safety research from Albania, Belarus, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, or Russia. Nine papers were found from Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Serbia, and Slovenia. In most of the CEE countries, patient safety had been addressed at the policy level although the focus was mainly in hospital care. There was a dearth of activity in primary care. The use of patient improvement strategies was low. Conclusion: International cooperation as exemplified in the demonstrator project can help in the development and implementation of patient safety initiatives in primary care in changing the emphasis away from a blame culture to one where greater emphasis is placed on improvement and learning. PMID:26339839

Variable order one-step methods for initial value problems I ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A class of variable order one-step integrators is proposed for Initial Value Problems (IVPs) in Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs). It is based on a rational interpolant. Journal of the Nigerian Association of Mathematical Physics Vol. 10 2006: pp. 91-96 ...

Robust method for determining steady state initial values for MSS plant models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ringham, M.R.; Carlson, J.R.

1987-01-01

Results of an EPRI sponsored project (RP 2504-3 amend i) demonstrated that the methodology embodied in the existing System Performance and Analysis Code (SPANC) can be employed to provide initial values for MSS plant models. An EASY5 version of the TMI plant two loop approximation with primary coolant flow recirculation through a failed pump was selected for demonstration purposes. The project entailed replacing the 1967 ASME steam properties in SPANC with the simplified MSS functions. The MSS component models were then recast into equivalent steady state models compatible with the SPANC executive system. A special input routine was written to modify the MSS data to the SPANC data format. The accuracy of the obtained initial values was approximately four significant figures, sufficient to converge on the EASY5 steady state algorithms. Convergence is relatively insensitive to the initial guess in SPANC and are obtained at a computer cost of approximately two minutes on the UNIVAC 1100/60. Since plant configuration is established by data input in SPANC, it can easily be altered to provide initial values for an MMS simulation of all TMI type plants

SIVA/DIVA- INITIAL VALUE ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION SOLUTION VIA A VARIABLE ORDER ADAMS METHOD

Science.gov (United States)

Krogh, F. T.

1994-01-01

The SIVA/DIVA package is a collection of subroutines for the solution of ordinary differential equations. There are versions for single precision and double precision arithmetic. These solutions are applicable to stiff or nonstiff differential equations of first or second order. SIVA/DIVA requires fewer evaluations of derivatives than other variable order Adams predictor-corrector methods. There is an option for the direct integration of second order equations which can make integration of trajectory problems significantly more efficient. Other capabilities of SIVA/DIVA include: monitoring a user supplied function which can be separate from the derivative; dynamically controlling the step size; displaying or not displaying output at initial, final, and step size change points; saving the estimated local error; and reverse communication where subroutines return to the user for output or computation of derivatives instead of automatically performing calculations. The user must supply SIVA/DIVA with: 1) the number of equations; 2) initial values for the dependent and independent variables, integration stepsize, error tolerance, etc.; and 3) the driver program and operational parameters necessary for subroutine execution. SIVA/DIVA contains an extensive diagnostic message library should errors occur during execution. SIVA/DIVA is written in FORTRAN 77 for batch execution and is machine independent. It has a central memory requirement of approximately 120K of 8 bit bytes. This program was developed in 1983 and last updated in 1987.

Electrical initiation of an energetic nanolaminate film

Science.gov (United States)

Tringe, Joseph W.; Gash, Alexander E.; Barbee, Jr., Troy W.

2010-03-30

A heating apparatus comprising an energetic nanolaminate film that produces heat when initiated, a power source that provides an electric current, and a control that initiates the energetic nanolaminate film by directing the electric current to the energetic nanolaminate film and joule heating the energetic nanolaminate film to an initiation temperature. Also a method of heating comprising providing an energetic nanolaminate film that produces heat when initiated, and initiating the energetic nanolaminate film by directing an electric current to the energetic nanolaminate film and joule heating the energetic nanolaminate film to an initiation temperature.

Network support for system initiated checkpoints

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Dong; Heidelberger, Philip

2013-01-29

A system, method and computer program product for supporting system initiated checkpoints in parallel computing systems. The system and method generates selective control signals to perform checkpointing of system related data in presence of messaging activity associated with a user application running at the node. The checkpointing is initiated by the system such that checkpoint data of a plurality of network nodes may be obtained even in the presence of user applications running on highly parallel computers that include ongoing user messaging activity.

Introducing an Adaptive Method to Tune Initial Backoff Window ( -ATM in IEEE 802.11 Wireless Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tadayon Navid

2010-01-01

Full Text Available IEEE802.11 access protocol uses CSMA/CA in its Medium Access control layer as the main access function, which carries several deficiencies. In these networks, as the number of active stations increases, delay and throughput degrade severely. As far as throughput and service delay are vital elements in Quality of Service (QoS determination, such degradation could lead to intolerable situations and reduce the efficiency of WLANs. Networks (WLANs. Studies proved this problem arises due to constant initial backoff windows size ( , which is an important parameter in determination of network behavior. In this paper, we introduce a new method to tune this parameter adaptively according to changes in channel load. In this method, we do tune this parameter after every transmission using a feedback from transmission channel. Later it will be proven that applying this method in MAC layer enhances network stability; delay trend in all traffic classes exhibits a considerable reduction when compared with simple Enhanced Distributed Coordination Access (EDCA scenarios. Also throughput exhibits a salient improvement in level. In other word, QoS improves. Especially, with the aid of this method, delay variations in all decrease considerably and more smoothen delay trends are achieved.

Statistical prediction of AVB wear growth and initiation in model F steam generator tubes using Monte Carlo method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jae Bong; Park, Jae Hak; Kim, Hong Deok; Chung, Han Sub; Kim, Tae Ryong

2005-01-01

The growth of AVB wear in Model F steam generator tubes is predicted using the Monte Carlo Method and statistical approaches. The statistical parameters that represent the characteristics of wear growth and wear initiation are derived from In-Service Inspection (ISI) Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) data. Based on the statistical approaches, wear growth model are proposed and applied to predict wear distribution at the End Of Cycle (EOC). Probabilistic distributions of the number of wear flaws and maximum wear depth at EOC are obtained from the analysis. Comparing the predicted EOC wear flaw data with the known EOC data the usefulness of the proposed method is examined and satisfactory results are obtained

Statistical prediction of AVB wear growth and initiation in model F steam generator tubes using Monte Carlo method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jae Bong; Park, Jae Hak [Chungbuk National Univ., Cheongju (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hong Deok; Chung, Han Sub; Kim, Tae Ryong [Korea Electtric Power Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2005-07-01

The growth of AVB wear in Model F steam generator tubes is predicted using the Monte Carlo Method and statistical approaches. The statistical parameters that represent the characteristics of wear growth and wear initiation are derived from In-Service Inspection (ISI) Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) data. Based on the statistical approaches, wear growth model are proposed and applied to predict wear distribution at the End Of Cycle (EOC). Probabilistic distributions of the number of wear flaws and maximum wear depth at EOC are obtained from the analysis. Comparing the predicted EOC wear flaw data with the known EOC data the usefulness of the proposed method is examined and satisfactory results are obtained.

Moving State Marine SINS Initial Alignment Based on High Degree CKF

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong-Gang Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A new moving state marine initial alignment method of strap-down inertial navigation system (SINS is proposed based on high-degree cubature Kalman filter (CKF, which can capture higher order Taylor expansion terms of nonlinear alignment model than the existing third-degree CKF, unscented Kalman filter and central difference Kalman filter, and improve the accuracy of initial alignment under large heading misalignment angle condition. Simulation results show the efficiency and advantage of the proposed initial alignment method as compared with existing initial alignment methods for the moving state SINS initial alignment with large heading misalignment angle.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of initial management of pneumothorax in adults: Intercostal tube drainage versus other invasive methods.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min Joung Kim

Full Text Available The ideal invasive management as initial approach for pneumothorax (PTX is still under debate. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the evidence for the effectiveness of intercostal tube drainage and other various invasive methods as the initial approach to all subtypes of PTX in adults.Three databases were searched from inception to May 29, 2016: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane CENTRAL. Randomised controlled trials that evaluated intercostal tube drainage as the control and various invasive methods as the intervention for the initial approach to PTX in adults were included. The primary outcome was the early success rate of each method, and the risk ratios (RRs were used for an effect size measure. The secondary outcomes were recurrence rate, hospitalization rate, hospital stay, and complications.Seven studies met our inclusion criteria. Interventions were aspiration in six studies and catheterization connected to a one-way valve in one study. Meta-analyses were conducted for early success rate, recurrence rate, hospitalization rate, and hospital stay. Aspiration was inferior to intercostal tube drainage in terms of early success rate (RR = 0.82, confidence interval [CI] = 0.72 to 0.95, I2 = 0%. While aspiration and intercostal tube drainage showed no significant difference in the recurrence rate (RR = 0.84, CI = 0.57 to 1.23, I2 = 0%, aspiration had shorter hospital stay than intercostal tube drainage (mean difference = -1.73, CI = -2.33 to -1.13, I2 = 0%. Aspiration had lower hospitalization rate than intercostal tube drainage, but marked heterogeneity was present (RR = 0.38, CI = 0.19 to 0.76, I2 = 85%.Aspiration was inferior to intercostal tube drainage in terms of early resolution, but it had shorter hospital stay. The recurrence rate of aspiration and intercostal tube drainage did not differ significantly. The efficacy of catheterization connected to a one-way valve was inconclusive because of the small

Simulations of two sedimenting-interacting spheres with different sizes and initial configurations using immersed boundary method

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Chuan-Chieh; Hsiao, Wen-Wei; Lin, Ting-Yu; Lin, Chao-An

2015-06-01

Numerical investigations are carried out for the drafting, kissing and tumbling (DKT) phenomenon of two freely falling spheres within a long container by using an immersed-boundary method. The method is first validated with flows induced by a sphere settling under gravity in a small container for which experimental data are available. The hydrodynamic interactions of two spheres are then studied with different sizes and initial configurations. When a regular sphere is placed below the larger one, the duration of kissing decreases in pace with the increase in diameter ratio. On the other hand, the time duration of the kissing stage increases in tandem with the increase in diameter ratio as the large sphere is placed below the regular one, and there is no DKT interactions beyond threshold diameter ratio. Also, the gap between homogeneous spheres remains constant at the terminal velocity, whereas the gaps between the inhomogeneous spheres increase due to the differential terminal velocity.

The method shaft projects integrator in the process of forming the teaching mode interdisciplinary performance at the initial stage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beatriz Páez Rodríguez

2010-06-01

Full Text Available In this article is approached the practical viability of the method of projects for the contribution to the process of formation in the professional, pedagogic and interdisciplinary way of acting in the initial stage of the trainee teachers, which is inserted in the professional formation in the curricular and in the extracurricular field, so that the formation of the student be integral and inside the context.

Monitoring of environmental cancer initiators through hemoglobin adducts by a modified Edman degradation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toernqvist, M.M.; Mowrer, J.; Jensen, S.; Ehrenberg, L.

1986-01-01

Tissue doses of cancer initiators/mutagens are suitably monitored through hemoglobin adducts formed in vivo, but the use of this method has been hampered by a lack of sufficiently simple and fast procedures. It was previously observed that when the N-terminal amino acid in hemoglobin, valine, is alkylated it is cleaved off by the Edman sequencing reagent, phenyl isothiocyanate, in the neutral-alkaline coupling medium, as opposed to the acidic medium required by normal amino acids. Based on this principle, conditions for a functioning procedure for gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) determination of N-terminal alkylvalines in hemoglobin were worked out. Derivatizing the protein in formamide solution with pentafluorophenyl isothiocyanate, using a 2 H-alkylated protein as internal standard, and applying on-column injection during analysis, permit reproducible determination of hydroxyethylvaline and other adducts down into the dose range where cancer risks may be considered acceptably low

Nondestructive test for assembly relationship of initiating explosive device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xiangang; Zhang Chaozong; Guo Zhiping

2009-01-01

A 3D computed tomography (CT) method to inspect assembly relationship of initiating explosive device and to nondestructively evaluate assembly relationship by building geometric model from CT images was described. The experiment result proves that this method accurately inspects assembly relationship of initiating explosive device. (authors)

Mixed Finite Element Method for Static and Dynamic Contact Problems with Friction and Initial Gaps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lanhao Zhao

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A novel mixed finite element method is proposed for static and dynamic contact problems with friction and initial gaps. Based on the characteristic of local nonlinearity for the problem, the system of forces acting on the contactor is divided into two parts: external forces and contact forces. The displacement of structure is chosen as the basic variable and the nodal contact force in contact region under local coordinate system is selected as the iteration variable to confine the nonlinear iteration process in the potential contact surface which is more numerically efficient. In this way, the sophisticated contact nonlinearity is revealed by the variety of the contact forces which are determined by the external load and the contact state stick, slip, or separation. Moreover, in the case of multibody contact problem, the flexibility matrix is symmetric and sparse; thus, the iterative procedure becomes easily carried out and much more economical. In the paper, both the finite element formulations and the iteration process are given in detail for static and dynamic contact problems. Four examples are included to demonstrate the accuracy and applicability of the presented method.

Assessment of two methods of gastric decompression for the initial management of gastric dilatation-volvulus.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodrich, Z J; Powell, L L; Hulting, K J

2013-02-01

To assess gastric trocarization and orogastric tubing as a means of gastric decompression for the initial management of gastric dilatation-volvulus. Retrospective review of 116 gastric dilatation-volvulus cases from June 2001 to October 2009. Decompression was performed via orogastric tubing in 31 dogs, gastric trocarization in 39 dogs and a combination of both in 46 dogs. Tubing was successful in 59 (75·5%) dogs and unsuccessful in 18 (23·4%) dogs. Trocarization was successful in 73 (86%) dogs and unsuccessful in 12 (14%) dogs. No evidence of gastric perforation was noted at surgery in dogs undergoing either technique. One dog that underwent trocarization had a splenic laceration identified at surgery that did not require treatment. Oesophageal rupture or aspiration pneumonia was not identified in any dog during hospitalization. No statistical difference was found between the method of gastric decompression and gastric compromise requiring surgical intervention or survival to discharge. Orogastric tubing and gastric trocarization are associated with low complication and high success rates. Either technique is an acceptable method for gastric decompression in dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus. © 2013 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

X-ray scatter correction method for dedicated breast computed tomography: improvements and initial patient testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramamurthy, Senthil; D’Orsi, Carl J; Sechopoulos, Ioannis

2016-01-01

A previously proposed x-ray scatter correction method for dedicated breast computed tomography was further developed and implemented so as to allow for initial patient testing. The method involves the acquisition of a complete second set of breast CT projections covering 360° with a perforated tungsten plate in the path of the x-ray beam. To make patient testing feasible, a wirelessly controlled electronic positioner for the tungsten plate was designed and added to a breast CT system. Other improvements to the algorithm were implemented, including automated exclusion of non-valid primary estimate points and the use of a different approximation method to estimate the full scatter signal. To evaluate the effectiveness of the algorithm, evaluation of the resulting image quality was performed with a breast phantom and with nine patient images. The improvements in the algorithm resulted in the avoidance of introduction of artifacts, especially at the object borders, which was an issue in the previous implementation in some cases. Both contrast, in terms of signal difference and signal difference-to-noise ratio were improved with the proposed method, as opposed to with the correction algorithm incorporated in the system, which does not recover contrast. Patient image evaluation also showed enhanced contrast, better cupping correction, and more consistent voxel values for the different tissues. The algorithm also reduces artifacts present in reconstructions of non-regularly shaped breasts. With the implemented hardware and software improvements, the proposed method can be reliably used during patient breast CT imaging, resulting in improvement of image quality, no introduction of artifacts, and in some cases reduction of artifacts already present. The impact of the algorithm on actual clinical performance for detection, diagnosis and other clinical tasks in breast imaging remains to be evaluated. (paper)

SU-E-J-58: Comparison of Conformal Tracking Methods Using Initial, Adaptive and Preceding Image Frames for Image Registration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teo, P; Guo, K; Alayoubi, N; Kehler, K; Pistorius, S [CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB (Canada)

2015-06-15

Purpose: Accounting for tumor motion during radiation therapy is important to ensure that the tumor receives the prescribed dose. Increasing the field size to account for this motion exposes the surrounding healthy tissues to unnecessary radiation. In contrast to using motion-encompassing techniques to treat moving tumors, conformal radiation therapy (RT) uses a smaller field to track the tumor and adapts the beam aperture according to the motion detected. This work investigates and compares the performance of three markerless, EPID based, optical flow methods to track tumor motion with conformal RT. Methods: Three techniques were used to track the motions of a 3D printed lung tumor programmed to move according to the tumor of seven lung cancer patients. These techniques utilized a multi-resolution optical flow algorithm as the core computation for image registration. The first method (DIR) registers the incoming images with an initial reference frame, while the second method (RFSF) uses an adaptive reference frame and the third method (CU) uses preceding image frames for registration. The patient traces and errors were evaluated for the seven patients. Results: The average position errors for all patient traces were 0.12 ± 0.33 mm, −0.05 ± 0.04 mm and −0.28 ± 0.44 mm for CU, DIR and RFSF method respectively. The position errors distributed within 1 standard deviation are 0.74 mm, 0.37 mm and 0.96 mm respectively. The CU and RFSF algorithms are sensitive to the characteristics of the patient trace and produce a wider distribution of errors amongst patients. Although the mean error for the DIR method is negatively biased (−0.05 mm) for all patients, it has the narrowest distribution of position error, which can be corrected using an offset calibration. Conclusion: Three techniques of image registration and position update were studied. Using direct comparison with an initial frame yields the best performance. The authors would like to thank Dr.YeLin Suh for

SU-E-J-58: Comparison of Conformal Tracking Methods Using Initial, Adaptive and Preceding Image Frames for Image Registration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teo, P; Guo, K; Alayoubi, N; Kehler, K; Pistorius, S

2015-01-01

Purpose: Accounting for tumor motion during radiation therapy is important to ensure that the tumor receives the prescribed dose. Increasing the field size to account for this motion exposes the surrounding healthy tissues to unnecessary radiation. In contrast to using motion-encompassing techniques to treat moving tumors, conformal radiation therapy (RT) uses a smaller field to track the tumor and adapts the beam aperture according to the motion detected. This work investigates and compares the performance of three markerless, EPID based, optical flow methods to track tumor motion with conformal RT. Methods: Three techniques were used to track the motions of a 3D printed lung tumor programmed to move according to the tumor of seven lung cancer patients. These techniques utilized a multi-resolution optical flow algorithm as the core computation for image registration. The first method (DIR) registers the incoming images with an initial reference frame, while the second method (RFSF) uses an adaptive reference frame and the third method (CU) uses preceding image frames for registration. The patient traces and errors were evaluated for the seven patients. Results: The average position errors for all patient traces were 0.12 ± 0.33 mm, −0.05 ± 0.04 mm and −0.28 ± 0.44 mm for CU, DIR and RFSF method respectively. The position errors distributed within 1 standard deviation are 0.74 mm, 0.37 mm and 0.96 mm respectively. The CU and RFSF algorithms are sensitive to the characteristics of the patient trace and produce a wider distribution of errors amongst patients. Although the mean error for the DIR method is negatively biased (−0.05 mm) for all patients, it has the narrowest distribution of position error, which can be corrected using an offset calibration. Conclusion: Three techniques of image registration and position update were studied. Using direct comparison with an initial frame yields the best performance. The authors would like to thank Dr.YeLin Suh for

Feasibility study for improved steady-state initialization algorithms for the RELAP5 computer code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paulsen, M.P.; Peterson, C.E.; Katsma, K.R.

1993-04-01

A design for a new steady-state initialization method is presented that represents an improvement over the current method used in RELAP5. Current initialization methods for RELAP5 solve the transient fluidflow balance equations simulating a transient to achieve steady-state conditions. Because the transient solution is used, the initial conditions may change from the desired values requiring the use of controllers and long transient running times to obtain steady-state conditions for system problems. The new initialization method allows the user to fix thermal-hydraulic values in volumes and junctions where the conditions are best known and have the code compute the initial conditions in other areas of the system. The steady-state balance equations and solution methods are presented. The constitutive, component, and specialpurpose models are reviewed with respect to modifications required for the new steady-state initialization method. The requirements for user input are defined and the feasibility of the method is demonstrated with a testbed code by initializing some simple channel problems. The initialization of the sample problems using, the old and the new methods are compared

The analysis of the initiating events in thorium-based molten salt reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuo Jiaxu; Song Wei; Jing Jianping; Zhang Chunming

2014-01-01

The initiation events analysis and evaluation were the beginning of nuclear safety analysis and probabilistic safety analysis, and it was the key points of the nuclear safety analysis. Currently, the initiation events analysis method and experiences both focused on water reactor, but no methods and theories for thorium-based molten salt reactor (TMSR). With TMSR's research and development in China, the initiation events analysis and evaluation was increasingly important. The research could be developed from the PWR analysis theories and methods. Based on the TMSR's design, the theories and methods of its initiation events analysis could be researched and developed. The initiation events lists and analysis methods of the two or three generation PWR, high-temperature gascooled reactor and sodium-cooled fast reactor were summarized. Based on the TMSR's design, its initiation events would be discussed and developed by the logical analysis. The analysis of TMSR's initiation events was preliminary studied and described. The research was important to clarify the events analysis rules, and useful to TMSR's designs and nuclear safety analysis. (authors)

An analysis method for fatigue crack initiation on geometrical singularities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amzallag, C.; Bernard, J.L.; Pellissier-Tanon, A.; Vassal, J.M.

1982-05-01

For studying the significance of defects a promising point of view is to separate fatigue crack initiation and propagation. Comparing the works done on these two stages it appears that relatively few has been done on the first one. This presentation shows how this stage can be evaluated by using appropriate criteria. The validation of a criterion through experimental data obtained on actual and simulated singularities for different specimen geometries is presented

Catalogue to select the initial guess spectrum during unfolding

CERN Document Server

Vega-Carrillo, H R

2002-01-01

A new method to select the initial guess spectrum is presented. Neutron spectra unfolded from Bonner sphere data are dependent on the initial guess spectrum used in the unfolding code. The method is based on a catalogue of detector count rates calculated from a set of reported neutron spectra. The spectra of three isotopic neutron sources sup 2 sup 5 sup 2 Cf, sup 2 sup 3 sup 9 PuBe and sup 2 sup 5 sup 2 Cf/D sub 2 O, were measured to test the method. The unfolding was carried out using the three initial guess options included in the BUNKIUT code. Neutron spectra were also calculated using MCNP code. Unfolded spectra were compared with those calculated; in all the cases our method gives the best results.

Initial and transition cycle development for KALIMER uranium fueled core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sang Ji; Kim, Young In; Kim, Young Jin; Park, Chang Kue

1998-01-01

An economic and safe equilibrium Uranium metallic fuelled core having been established, strategic loading schemes for initial and transition cycles to early reach target equilibrium cycles are suggested for U-U and U-Pu transition cycles. An iterative method to find initial core enrichment splits is developed. With non-uniform feed enrichments at the initial core adopted, this iterative method shows KALIMER can reach Uranium equilibrium cycles just after 4 reloads, keeping feed enrichment unchanged from cycle 2. Recycling of self-generated Pu is not sufficient to make KALIMER a pure Pu equilibrium core even after 56 reloads. equilibrium cycles are suggested for U-U and U-Pu transition cycles. An iterative method to find initial core enrichment splits is developed. With non-uniform feed enrichments at the initial core adopted, this iterative method shows KALIMER can reach Uranium equilibrium cycles just after 4 reloads, keeping feed enrichment unchanged from cycle 2. Recycling of self-generated Pu is not sufficient to make KALIMER a pure Pu equilibrium core even after 56 reloads

Countering Climate Confusion in the Classroom: New Methods and Initiatives

Science.gov (United States)

McCaffrey, M.; Berbeco, M.; Reid, A. H.

2014-12-01

Politicians and ideologues blocking climate education through legislative manipulation. Free marketeers promoting the teaching of doubt and controversy to head off regulation. Education standards and curricula that skim over, omit, or misrepresent the causes, effects, risks and possible responses to climate change. Teachers who unknowingly foster confusion by presenting "both sides" of a phony scientific controversy. All of these contribute to dramatic differences in the quality and quantity of climate education received by U.S. students. Most U.S. adults and teens fail basic quizzes on energy and climate basics, in large part, because climate science has never been fully accepted as a vital component of a 21st-century science education. Often skipped or skimmed over, human contributions to climate change are sometimes taught as controversy or through debate, perpetuating a climate of confusion in many classrooms. This paper will review recent history of opposition to climate science education, and explore initial findings from a new survey of science teachers on whether, where and how climate change is being taught. It will highlight emerging effective pedagogical practices identified in McCaffrey's Climate Smart & Energy Wise, including the role of new initiatives such as the Next Generation Science Standards and Green Schools, and detail efforts of the Science League of America in countering denial and doubt so that educators can teach consistently and confidently about climate change.

Sustainable Agricultural Marketing Initiatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hakan Adanacıoğlu

2015-07-01

important in terms of the success of the initiatives. It's also essential to bring to the fore the various themes, such as regional delicacies, safe production methods, human and environmental health, regionalism, regional artisanship, and biodiversity to cultivate a successful marketing strategy in promotional activities of sustainable agricultural marketing initiatives.

Adverse cardiac events in out-patients initiating clozapine treatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rohde, C; Polcwiartek, C; Kragholm, K

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Using national Danish registers, we estimated rates of clozapine-associated cardiac adverse events. Rates of undiagnosed myocarditis were estimated by exploring causes of death after clozapine initiation. METHOD: Through nationwide health registers, we identified all out-patients initi......OBJECTIVE: Using national Danish registers, we estimated rates of clozapine-associated cardiac adverse events. Rates of undiagnosed myocarditis were estimated by exploring causes of death after clozapine initiation. METHOD: Through nationwide health registers, we identified all out...... the maximum rate of clozapine-associated fatal myocarditis to 0.28%. CONCLUSION: Cardiac adverse effects in Danish out-patients initiating clozapine treatment are extremely rare and these rates appear to be comparable to those observed for other antipsychotic drugs....

Monolithic exploding foil initiator

Science.gov (United States)

Welle, Eric J; Vianco, Paul T; Headley, Paul S; Jarrell, Jason A; Garrity, J. Emmett; Shelton, Keegan P; Marley, Stephen K

2012-10-23

A monolithic exploding foil initiator (EFI) or slapper detonator and the method for making the monolithic EFI wherein the exploding bridge and the dielectric from which the flyer will be generated are integrated directly onto the header. In some embodiments, the barrel is directly integrated directly onto the header.

Initiation of anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gundlund, A.; Staerk, L.; Fosbøl, E. L.

2017-01-01

Background: The use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) for stroke prophylaxis in atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasing rapidly. We compared characteristics of AF patients initiated on NOACs versus vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). Methods: Using Danish nationwide registry data, we...... compared with a VKA [odds ratio (OR) 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28–1.43]. By contrast, patients with a history of myocardial infarction were less likely to be initiated on a NOAC compared with a VKA (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.67–0.77). Conclusions: Atrial fibrillation patients who were initiated...

In operando Detection of Three-Way Catalyst Aging by a Microwave-Based Method: Initial Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregor Beulertz

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Initial studies on aging detection of three way catalysts with a microwave cavity perturbation method were conducted. Two physico-chemical effects correlate with the aging state. At high temperatures, the resonance frequencies for oxidized catalysts (λ = 1.02 are not influenced by aging, but are significantly affected by aging in the reduced case (λ = 0.98. The catalyst aging state can therefore potentially be inferred from the resonance frequency differences between reduced and oxidized states or from the resonance frequency amplitudes during lambda oscillations. Secondly, adsorbed water at low temperatures strongly affects the resonance frequencies. Light-off experiment studies showed that the resonance frequency depends on the aging state at temperatures below the oxygen storage light-off. These differences were attributed to different water sorption capabilities of differently aged samples due to a surface area decrease with proceeding aging. In addition to the aging state, the water content in the feed gas and the temperature affect the amount of adsorbed water, leading to different integral electrical material properties of the catalyst and changing the resonance properties of the catalyst-filled canning. The classical aging-related properties of the catalyst (oxygen storage capacity, oxygen storage light-off, surface area, agreed very well with data obtained by the microwave-based method.

Method and codes for solving the optimization problem of initial material distribution and controlling of reactor during the run

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isakova, L.Ya.; Rachkova, D.A.; Vtorova, O.Yu.; Matekin, M.P.; Sobol, I.M.

1992-01-01

The optimization problem of initial distribution of fuel composition and controlling of the reactor during the run is solved. The optimization problem is formulated as a multicriterial one with different types of constraints. The distinguished feature of the method proposed is the systematic scanning of multidimensional ares, where the trial points in the space of parameters are the points of uniformly distributed LP τ -sequences. The reactor computation is carried out by the four group diffusion method in two-dimensional cylindrical geometry. The burnup absorbers are taken into account as additional absorption cross-sections, represented by approximants. The tables of trials make possible the estimation of the values of global extrema. The coordinates of the points where the external values are attained can be estimated too

Characteristics of patients initiating raloxifene compared to those initiating bisphosphonates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Sara

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Both raloxifene and bisphosphonates are indicated for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, however these medications have different efficacy and safety profiles. It is plausible that physicians would prescribe these agents to optimize the benefit/risk profile for individual patients. The objective of this study was to compare demographic and clinical characteristics of patients initiating raloxifene with those of patients initiating bisphosphonates for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Methods This study was conducted using a retrospective cohort design. Female beneficiaries (45 years and older with at least one claim for raloxifene or a bisphosphonate in 2003 through 2005 and continuous enrollment in the previous 12 months and subsequent 6 months were identified using a collection of large national commercial, Medicare supplemental, and Medicaid administrative claims databases (MarketScan®. Patients were divided into two cohorts, a combined commercial/Medicare cohort and a Medicaid cohort. Within each cohort, characteristics (demographic, clinical, and resource utilization of patients initiating raloxifene were compared to those of patients initiating bisphosphonate therapy. Group comparisons were made using chi-square tests for proportions of categorical measures and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests for continuous variables. Logistic regression was used to simultaneously examine factors independently associated with initiation of raloxifene versus a bisphosphonate. Results Within both the commercial/Medicare and Medicaid cohorts, raloxifene patients were younger, had fewer comorbid conditions, and fewer pre-existing fractures than bisphosphonate patients. Raloxifene patients in both cohorts were less likely to have had a bone mineral density (BMD screening in the previous year than were bisphosphonate patients, and were also more likely to have used estrogen or estrogen/progestin therapy in the

Administering an epoch initiated for remote memory access

Science.gov (United States)

Blocksome, Michael A; Miller, Douglas R

2012-10-23

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for administering an epoch initiated for remote memory access that include: initiating, by an origin application messaging module on an origin compute node, one or more data transfers to a target compute node for the epoch; initiating, by the origin application messaging module after initiating the data transfers, a closing stage for the epoch, including rejecting any new data transfers after initiating the closing stage for the epoch; determining, by the origin application messaging module, whether the data transfers have completed; and closing, by the origin application messaging module, the epoch if the data transfers have completed.

Kinds of initial billets in renovation technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. M. Yaroslavtsev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, technologists in charge of repair, restoration, modernization, and utilization of engineering and other tangible objects widely use the concepts "renovation" and "renovation technologies" pioneered at BMSTU. In forming a new field of science these concepts, in the proper sense of the word, are of composite, generalized character. They concern all the activities and technologies aimed at increasing an object resource or its lifecycle extension, including object material recycling.In the cutting-edge renovation technologies an object (part, assembly, machine, etc. damaged in the operating process is considered to be an initial billet. In renovation, one of the most widespread kinds of initial billets is a damaged part.Such a part can be used again, if, for example, it has saved its material properties in full measure while only contact surfaces or parts of these surfaces have become damaged, and at a point of renovation they can be restored for recycling. If a part has lost its initial properties in full bulk of material, it may be reusable in the assemblies and machines with less rigid requirements for material properties.Or in case of properties loss below the permissible level a damaged part-billet is utilized. Thus, the part-billet state at the point of renovation defines the kind of renovation technology and the main (basic technological method to effect on the damaged part, as well as a set and a sequence of technological methods in general manufacturing process of renovation.However renovation technologies are used not only at the repair and restoration stages after operation-service. So, at the manufacturing stage of a new product to provide the quality to raise a resource are applied the same technological methods as renovation technologies for the objects damaged at the stage of operation. Besides, it is known that at the manufacturing stage a part quality depends not only on the last operation, but also on the features of

Crack initiation under generalized plane strain conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shum, D.K.M.; Merkle, J.G.

1991-01-01

A method for estimating the decrease in crack-initiation toughness, from a reference plane strain value, due to positive straining along the crack front of a circumferential flaw in a reactor pressure vessel is presented in this study. This method relates crack initiation under generalized plane strain conditions with material failure at points within a distance of a few crack-tip-opening displacements ahead of a crack front, and involves the formulation of a micromechanical crack-initiation model. While this study is intended to address concerns regarding the effects of positive out-of- plane straining on ductile crack initiation, the approach adopted in this work can be extended in a straightforward fashion to examine conditions of macroscopic cleavage crack initiation. Provided single- parameter dominance of near-tip fields exists in the flawed structure, results from this study could be used to examine the appropriateness of applying plane strain fracture toughness to the evaluation of circumferential flaws, in particular to those in ring-forged vessels which have no longitudinal welds. In addition, results from this study could also be applied toward the analysis of the effects of thermal streaming on the fracture resistance of circumferentially oriented flaws in a pressure vessel. 37 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab

Innovation Initiatives in Large Software Companies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Edison, Henry; Wang, Xiaofeng; Jabangwe, Ronald

2018-01-01

empirical studies on innovation initiative in the context of large software companies. A total of 7 studies are conducted in the context of large software companies, which reported 5 types of initiatives: intrapreneurship, bootlegging, internal venture, spin-off and crowdsourcing. Our study offers three......Context: To keep the competitive advantage and adapt to changes in the market and technology, companies need to innovate in an organised, purposeful and systematic manner. However, due to their size and complexity, large companies tend to focus on the structure in maintaining their business, which...... can potentially lower their agility to innovate. Objective:The aims of this study are to provide an overview of the current research on innovation initiatives and to identify the challenges of implementing those initiatives in the context of large software companies. Method: The investigation...

Direct medical costs and medication compliance among fibromyalgia patients: duloxetine initiators vs. pregabalin initiators.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Peter; Peng, Xiaomei; Sun, Steve; Novick, Diego; Faries, Douglas E; Andrews, Jeffrey S; Wohlreich, Madelaine M; Wu, Andrew

2014-01-01

To assess and compare direct medical costs and medication compliance between patients with fibromyalgia who initiated duloxetine and patients with fibromyalgia who initiated pregabalin in 2008. A retrospective cohort study design was used based on a large US national commercial claims database (2006 to 2009). Patients with fibromyalgia aged 18 to 64 who initiated duloxetine or pregabalin in 2008 and who had continuous health insurance 1 year preceding and 1 year following the initiation were selected into duloxetine cohort or pregabalin cohort based on their initiated agent. Medication compliance was measured by total supply days, medication possession ratio (MPR), and proportion of patients with MPR ≥ 0.8. Direct medical costs were measured by annual costs per patient and compared between the cohorts in the year following the initiation. Propensity score stratification and bootstrapping methods were used to adjust for distribution bias, as well as cross-cohort differences in demographic, clinical and economic characteristics, and medication history prior to the initiation. Both the duloxetine (n = 3,033) and pregabalin (n = 4,838) cohorts had a mean initiation age around 49 years, 89% were women. During the postindex year, compared to the pregabalin cohort, the duloxetine cohort had higher totally annual supply days (273.5 vs. 176.6, P costs ($2,994.9 vs. $4,949.6, P costs ($8,259.6 vs. $10,312.2, P costs ($5,214.6 vs. $5,290.8, P > 0.05), and lower total medical costs ($16,469.1 vs. $20,552.6, P compliance and consumed less inpatient, outpatient, and total medical costs than those who initiated pregabalin. © 2013 The Authors Pain Practice © 2013 World Institute of Pain.

Robust facial landmark detection based on initializing multiple poses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin Chai

2016-10-01

Full Text Available For robot systems, robust facial landmark detection is the first and critical step for face-based human identification and facial expression recognition. In recent years, the cascaded-regression-based method has achieved excellent performance in facial landmark detection. Nevertheless, it still has certain weakness, such as high sensitivity to the initialization. To address this problem, regression based on multiple initializations is established in a unified model; face shapes are then estimated independently according to these initializations. With a ranking strategy, the best estimate is selected as the final output. Moreover, a face shape model based on restricted Boltzmann machines is built as a constraint to improve the robustness of ranking. Experiments on three challenging datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed facial landmark detection method against state-of-the-art methods.

Content-related interactions and methods of reasoning within self-initiated organic chemistry study groups

Science.gov (United States)

Christian, Karen Jeanne

2011-12-01

Students often use study groups to prepare for class or exams; yet to date, we know very little about how these groups actually function. This study looked at the ways in which undergraduate organic chemistry students prepared for exams through self-initiated study groups. We sought to characterize the methods of social regulation, levels of content processing, and types of reasoning processes used by students within their groups. Our analysis showed that groups engaged in predominantly three types of interactions when discussing chemistry content: co-construction, teaching, and tutoring. Although each group engaged in each of these types of interactions at some point, their prevalence varied between groups and group members. Our analysis suggests that the types of interactions that were most common depended on the relative content knowledge of the group members as well as on the difficulty of the tasks in which they were engaged. Additionally, we were interested in characterizing the reasoning methods used by students within their study groups. We found that students used a combination of three content-relevant methods of reasoning: model-based reasoning, case-based reasoning, or rule-based reasoning, in conjunction with one chemically-irrelevant method of reasoning: symbol-based reasoning. The most common way for groups to reason was to use rules, whereas the least common way was for students to work from a model. In general, student reasoning correlated strongly to the subject matter to which students were paying attention, and was only weakly related to student interactions. Overall, results from this study may help instructors to construct appropriate tasks to guide what and how students study outside of the classroom. We found that students had a decidedly strategic approach in their study groups, relying heavily on material provided by their instructors, and using the reasoning strategies that resulted in the lowest levels of content processing. We suggest

Method for solving the problem of nonlinear heating a cylindrical body with unknown initial temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Yaparova, N.

2017-10-01

We consider the problem of heating a cylindrical body with an internal thermal source when the main characteristics of the material such as specific heat, thermal conductivity and material density depend on the temperature at each point of the body. We can control the surface temperature and the heat flow from the surface inside the cylinder, but it is impossible to measure the temperature on axis and the initial temperature in the entire body. This problem is associated with the temperature measurement challenge and appears in non-destructive testing, in thermal monitoring of heat treatment and technical diagnostics of operating equipment. The mathematical model of heating is represented as nonlinear parabolic PDE with the unknown initial condition. In this problem, both the Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions are given and it is required to calculate the temperature values at the internal points of the body. To solve this problem, we propose the numerical method based on using of finite-difference equations and a regularization technique. The computational scheme involves solving the problem at each spatial step. As a result, we obtain the temperature function at each internal point of the cylinder beginning from the surface down to the axis. The application of the regularization technique ensures the stability of the scheme and allows us to significantly simplify the computational procedure. We investigate the stability of the computational scheme and prove the dependence of the stability on the discretization steps and error level of the measurement results. To obtain the experimental temperature error estimates, computational experiments were carried out. The computational results are consistent with the theoretical error estimates and confirm the efficiency and reliability of the proposed computational scheme.

Improved initial guess with semi-subpixel level accuracy in digital image correlation by feature-based method

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yunlu; Yan, Lei; Liou, Frank

2018-05-01

The quality initial guess of deformation parameters in digital image correlation (DIC) has a serious impact on convergence, robustness, and efficiency of the following subpixel level searching stage. In this work, an improved feature-based initial guess (FB-IG) scheme is presented to provide initial guess for points of interest (POIs) inside a large region. Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF (ORB) features are semi-uniformly extracted from the region of interest (ROI) and matched to provide initial deformation information. False matched pairs are eliminated by the novel feature guided Gaussian mixture model (FG-GMM) point set registration algorithm, and nonuniform deformation parameters of the versatile reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) function are calculated simultaneously. Validations on simulated images and real-world mini tensile test verify that this scheme can robustly and accurately compute initial guesses with semi-subpixel level accuracy in cases with small or large translation, deformation, or rotation.

On the solvability of initial boundary value problems for nonlinear ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this paper, we study the initial boundary value problems for a non-linear time dependent Schrödinger equation with Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions, respectively. We prove the existence and uniqueness of solutions of the initial boundary value problems by using Galerkin's method. Keywords: Initial boundary ...

Industrial initiatives in the wind industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edworthy, J.

1992-01-01

Industrial initiatives are methods of lobbying and marketing to increase the activity, revenues, profits, and commercial viability of an industry. They may be undertaken by industry individuals or firms, industry groups, government agencies, or combinations of all these. In Canada, one example of an industrial initiative is the Canadian Wind Energy Association. Other initiatives relevant to the wind power industry include Technology Inflow Programs sponsored by External Affairs Canada, used for visiting foreign firms with the view to licensing foreign technology, and Industrial Research Assistance Programs to develop or adapt new technologies in partnership with government. The Conservation/Renewable Energy Council, Small Power Producers of Alberta, and Independent Power Producers Society of Ontario are also active in supporting wind energy initiatives. In other countries, notable initiatives for wind energy include the Danish wind turbine warranty guarantee program. The Western Wind Industry Network of Canada conducts regional lobbying. It is suggested that in Canada, more such networks are needed, as well as joint ventures with utilities and governments, and more work with the regulatory agencies, to promote wind energy

Stability and convergence analysis of the quasi-dynamics method for the initial pebble packing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y.; Ji, W.

2012-01-01

The simulation for the pebble flow recirculation within Pebble Bed Reactors (PBRs) requires an efficient algorithm to generate an initial overlap-free pebble configuration within the reactor core. In the previous work, a dynamics-based approach, the Quasi-Dynamics Method (QDM), has been proposed to generate densely distributed pebbles in PBRs with cylindrical and annular core geometries. However, the stability and the efficiency of the QDM were not fully addressed. In this work, the algorithm is reformulated with two control parameters and the impact of these parameters on the algorithm performance is investigated. Firstly, the theoretical analysis for a 1-D packing system is conducted and the range of the parameter in which the algorithm is convergent is estimated. Then, this estimation is verified numerically for a 3-D packing system. Finally, the algorithm is applied to modeling the PBR fuel loading configuration and the convergence performance at different packing fractions is presented. Results show that the QDM is efficient in packing pebbles within the realistic range of the packing fraction in PBRs, and it is capable in handling cylindrical geometry with packing fractions up to 63.5%. (authors)

Initial heating in cold cars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Daanen, H.A.M.; Teunissen, L.P.J.; Hoogh, I.M. de

2012-01-01

During the initial minutes after entering a cold car, people feel uncomfortably cold. Six different warming systems were investigated in a small car in order to find out how to improve the feeling of comfort using 16 volunteers. The methods were: no additional warming next to a standard heating

Improved initial guess for minimum energy path calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smidstrup, Søren; Pedersen, Andreas; Stokbro, Kurt; Jónsson, Hannes

2014-01-01

A method is presented for generating a good initial guess of a transition path between given initial and final states of a system without evaluation of the energy. An objective function surface is constructed using an interpolation of pairwise distances at each discretization point along the path and the nudged elastic band method then used to find an optimal path on this image dependent pair potential (IDPP) surface. This provides an initial path for the more computationally intensive calculations of a minimum energy path on an energy surface obtained, for example, by ab initio or density functional theory. The optimal path on the IDPP surface is significantly closer to a minimum energy path than a linear interpolation of the Cartesian coordinates and, therefore, reduces the number of iterations needed to reach convergence and averts divergence in the electronic structure calculations when atoms are brought too close to each other in the initial path. The method is illustrated with three examples: (1) rotation of a methyl group in an ethane molecule, (2) an exchange of atoms in an island on a crystal surface, and (3) an exchange of two Si-atoms in amorphous silicon. In all three cases, the computational effort in finding the minimum energy path with DFT was reduced by a factor ranging from 50% to an order of magnitude by using an IDPP path as the initial path. The time required for parallel computations was reduced even more because of load imbalance when linear interpolation of Cartesian coordinates was used

Tsunami simulation method initiated from waveforms observed by ocean bottom pressure sensors for real-time tsunami forecast; Applied for 2011 Tohoku Tsunami

Science.gov (United States)

Tanioka, Yuichiro

2017-04-01

After tsunami disaster due to the 2011 Tohoku-oki great earthquake, improvement of the tsunami forecast has been an urgent issue in Japan. National Institute of Disaster Prevention is installing a cable network system of earthquake and tsunami observation (S-NET) at the ocean bottom along the Japan and Kurile trench. This cable system includes 125 pressure sensors (tsunami meters) which are separated by 30 km. Along the Nankai trough, JAMSTEC already installed and operated the cable network system of seismometers and pressure sensors (DONET and DONET2). Those systems are the most dense observation network systems on top of source areas of great underthrust earthquakes in the world. Real-time tsunami forecast has depended on estimation of earthquake parameters, such as epicenter, depth, and magnitude of earthquakes. Recently, tsunami forecast method has been developed using the estimation of tsunami source from tsunami waveforms observed at the ocean bottom pressure sensors. However, when we have many pressure sensors separated by 30km on top of the source area, we do not need to estimate the tsunami source or earthquake source to compute tsunami. Instead, we can initiate a tsunami simulation from those dense tsunami observed data. Observed tsunami height differences with a time interval at the ocean bottom pressure sensors separated by 30 km were used to estimate tsunami height distribution at a particular time. In our new method, tsunami numerical simulation was initiated from those estimated tsunami height distribution. In this paper, the above method is improved and applied for the tsunami generated by the 2011 Tohoku-oki great earthquake. Tsunami source model of the 2011 Tohoku-oki great earthquake estimated using observed tsunami waveforms, coseimic deformation observed by GPS and ocean bottom sensors by Gusman et al. (2012) is used in this study. The ocean surface deformation is computed from the source model and used as an initial condition of tsunami

Directional fractal signature methods for trabecular bone texture in hand radiographs: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolski, M.; Podsiadlo, P.; Stachowiak, G. W.

2014-01-01

Purpose: To develop directional fractal signature methods for the analysis of trabecular bone (TB) texture in hand radiographs. Problems associated with the small size of hand bones and the orientation of fingers were addressed. Methods: An augmented variance orientation transform (AVOT) and a quadrant rotating grid (QRG) methods were developed. The methods calculate fractal signatures (FSs) in different directions. Unlike other methods they have the search region adjusted according to the size of bone region of interest (ROI) to be analyzed and they produce FSs defined with respect to any chosen reference direction, i.e., they work for arbitrary orientation of fingers. Five parameters at scales ranging from 2 to 14 pixels (depending on image size and method) were derived from rose plots of Hurst coefficients, i.e., FS in dominating roughness (FS Sta ), vertical (FS V ) and horizontal (FS H ) directions, aspect ratio (StrS), and direction signatures (StdS), respectively. The accuracy in measuring surface roughness and isotropy/anisotropy was evaluated using 3600 isotropic and 800 anisotropic fractal surface images of sizes between 20 × 20 and 64 × 64 pixels. The isotropic surfaces had FDs ranging from 2.1 to 2.9 in steps of 0.1, and the anisotropic surfaces had two dominating directions of 30° and 120°. The methods were used to find differences in hand TB textures between 20 matched pairs of subjects with (cases: approximate Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade ≥2) and without (controls: approximate KL grade <2) radiographic hand osteoarthritis (OA). The OA Initiative public database was used and 20 × 20 pixel bone ROIs were selected on 5th distal and middle phalanges. The performance of the AVOT and QRG methods was compared against a variance orientation transform (VOT) method developed earlier [M. Wolski, P. Podsiadlo, and G. W. Stachowiak, “Directional fractal signature analysis of trabecular bone: evaluation of different methods to detect early osteoarthritis

Automatic initial and final segmentation in cleft palate speech of Mandarin speakers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ling He

Full Text Available The speech unit segmentation is an important pre-processing step in the analysis of cleft palate speech. In Mandarin, one syllable is composed of two parts: initial and final. In cleft palate speech, the resonance disorders occur at the finals and the voiced initials, while the articulation disorders occur at the unvoiced initials. Thus, the initials and finals are the minimum speech units, which could reflect the characteristics of cleft palate speech disorders. In this work, an automatic initial/final segmentation method is proposed. It is an important preprocessing step in cleft palate speech signal processing. The tested cleft palate speech utterances are collected from the Cleft Palate Speech Treatment Center in the Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, which has the largest cleft palate patients in China. The cleft palate speech data includes 824 speech segments, and the control samples contain 228 speech segments. The syllables are extracted from the speech utterances firstly. The proposed syllable extraction method avoids the training stage, and achieves a good performance for both voiced and unvoiced speech. Then, the syllables are classified into with "quasi-unvoiced" or with "quasi-voiced" initials. Respective initial/final segmentation methods are proposed to these two types of syllables. Moreover, a two-step segmentation method is proposed. The rough locations of syllable and initial/final boundaries are refined in the second segmentation step, in order to improve the robustness of segmentation accuracy. The experiments show that the initial/final segmentation accuracies for syllables with quasi-unvoiced initials are higher than quasi-voiced initials. For the cleft palate speech, the mean time error is 4.4ms for syllables with quasi-unvoiced initials, and 25.7ms for syllables with quasi-voiced initials, and the correct segmentation accuracy P30 for all the syllables is 91.69%. For the control samples, P30 for all the

48 CFR 315.606-1 - Receipt and initial review.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... CONTRACTING METHODS AND CONTRACT TYPES CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION Unsolicited Proposals 315.606-1 Receipt and initial review. (d) OPDIVs shall not refuse consideration of an unsolicited proposal because an organization initially submitted it as a grant application. However, OPDIVs shall not award contracts based on...

INITIATION EFFICIENCY f OF METHYL METHACRYLATE BULK RADICAL POLYMERIZATION

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

沈家骢; 田元; 王国斌; 杨梅林

1990-01-01

The values of the initiation efficiency f at various conversions in the bulk polymerization of MMA initiated by AIBME have first been determined according to a strict unsteady-state formula and based on the data of radical concentration and the termination rate constant determined using ESR method. A model of diffusion control initiation is proposed. The theory is well in agreement with the experiments during the whole process of polymerization.

One-year contraceptive continuation and pregnancy in adolescent girls and women initiating hormonal contraceptives.

Science.gov (United States)

Raine, Tina R; Foster-Rosales, Anne; Upadhyay, Ushma D; Boyer, Cherrie B; Brown, Beth A; Sokoloff, Abby; Harper, Cynthia C

2011-02-01

To assess contraceptive discontinuation, switching, factors associated with method discontinuation, and pregnancy among women initiating hormonal contraceptives. This was a 12-month longitudinal cohort study of adolescent girls and women (n=1,387) aged 15 to 24 years attending public family planning clinics who did not desire pregnancy for at least 1 year and selected to initiate the patch, ring, depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, or pills. Participants completed follow-up assessments at 3, 6, and 12 months after baseline. Life table analysis was used to estimate survival rates for contraceptive continuation. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate factors associated with method discontinuation. The continuation rate (per 100 person-years) at 12 months was low for all methods; however, it was lowest for patch and depot medroxyprogesterone acetate initiators, 10.9 and 12.1 per 100 person years, respectively (P≤.003); continuation among ring initiators was comparable to pill initiators, 29.4 and 32.7 per 100 person-years, respectively (P=.06). Discontinuation was independently associated with method initiated and younger age. The only factors associated with lower risk of discontinuation were greater intent to use the method and being in school or working. The pregnancy rate (per 100 person-years) was highest for patch and ring initiators (30.1 and 30.5) and comparable for pill and depot medroxyprogesterone acetate initiators (16.5 and 16.1; Pcontraceptive continuation, education about longer-acting methods, and developing new contraceptives that women may be more likely to continue. II.

Videoconferencing for site initiations in clinical studies: Mixed methods evaluation of usability, acceptability, and impact on recruitment.

Science.gov (United States)

Randell, Rebecca; Backhouse, Michael R; Nelson, E Andrea

2016-12-01

A critical issue for multicentre clinical studies is conducting site initiations, ensuring sites are trained in study procedures and comply with relevant governance requirements before they begin recruiting patients. How technology can support site initiations has not previously been explored. This study sought to evaluate use of off-the-shelf web-based videoconferencing to deliver site initiations for a large national multicentre study. Participants in the initiations, including podiatrists, diabetologists, trial coordinators, and research nurses, completed an online questionnaire based on the System Usability Scale (SUS) (N = 15). This was followed by semi-structured interviews, with a consultant diabetologist, a trial coordinator, and three research nurses, exploring perceived benefits and limitations of videoconferencing. The mean SUS score for the videoconferencing platform was 87.2 (SD = 13.7), suggesting a good level of usability. Interview participants perceived initiations delivered by videoconferencing as being more interactive and easier to follow than those delivered by teleconference. In comparison to face-to-face initiations, videoconferencing takes less time, easily fitting in with the work of staff at the local sites. Perceptions of impact on communication varied according to the hardware used. Off-the-shelf videoconferencing is a viable alternative to face-to-face site initiations and confers advantages over teleconferencing.

Inclusion-initiated fracture model for ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sung, J.; Nicholson, P.S.

1990-01-01

The fracture of ceramics initiating from a typical inclusion is analyzed. The inclusion is considered to have a thermal expansion coefficient and fracture toughness lower than those of the matrix and a Young's modulus higher than that of the matrix. Inclusion-initiated fracture is modeled for a spherical inclusion using a weight function method to compute the residual stress intensity factor for a part-through elliptical crack. The results are applied to an α-Al 2 O 3 inclusion embedded in a tetragonal ZrO 2 ceramic. The strength predictions agree well with experimental data

MAGI: many-component galaxy initializer

Science.gov (United States)

Miki, Yohei; Umemura, Masayuki

2018-04-01

Providing initial conditions is an essential procedure for numerical simulations of galaxies. The initial conditions for idealized individual galaxies in N-body simulations should resemble observed galaxies and be dynamically stable for time-scales much longer than their characteristic dynamical times. However, generating a galaxy model ab initio as a system in dynamical equilibrium is a difficult task, since a galaxy contains several components, including a bulge, disc, and halo. Moreover, it is desirable that the initial-condition generator be fast and easy to use. We have now developed an initial-condition generator for galactic N-body simulations that satisfies these requirements. The developed generator adopts a distribution-function-based method, and it supports various kinds of density models, including custom-tabulated inputs and the presence of more than one disc. We tested the dynamical stability of systems generated by our code, representing early- and late-type galaxies, with N = 2097 152 and 8388 608 particles, respectively, and we found that the model galaxies maintain their initial distributions for at least 1 Gyr. The execution times required to generate the two models were 8.5 and 221.7 seconds, respectively, which is negligible compared to typical execution times for N-body simulations. The code is provided as open-source software and is publicly and freely available at https://bitbucket.org/ymiki/magi.

Topology-optimized metasurfaces: impact of initial geometric layout.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jianji; Fan, Jonathan A

2017-08-15

Topology optimization is a powerful iterative inverse design technique in metasurface engineering and can transform an initial layout into a high-performance device. With this method, devices are optimized within a local design phase space, making the identification of suitable initial geometries essential. In this Letter, we examine the impact of initial geometric layout on the performance of large-angle (75 deg) topology-optimized metagrating deflectors. We find that when conventional metasurface designs based on dielectric nanoposts are used as initial layouts for topology optimization, the final devices have efficiencies around 65%. In contrast, when random initial layouts are used, the final devices have ultra-high efficiencies that can reach 94%. Our numerical experiments suggest that device topologies based on conventional metasurface designs may not be suitable to produce ultra-high-efficiency, large-angle metasurfaces. Rather, initial geometric layouts with non-trivial topologies and shapes are required.

A genetic epidemiological mega analysis of smoking initiation in adolescents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maes, H.H.; Prom-Wormley, E.; Eaves, L.J.; Rhee, S.H.; Hewitt, J.K.; Young, S.; Corley, R.; McGue, M.K.; Iacono, W.G.; Legrand, L.; Samek, D.; Murrelle, E.L.; Silberg, J.L.; Miles, D.; Schieken, R.M.; Beunen, G.P.; Thomis, M.; Rose, R.J.; Dick, D.M.; Boomsma, D.I.; Bartels, M.; Vink, J.M.; Lichtenstein, P.; White, V.; Kaprio, J.; Neale, M.C.

2017-01-01

Introduction. Previous studies in adolescents were not adequately powered to accurately disentangle genetic and environmental influences on smoking initiation across adolescence. Methods. Mega-analysis of pooled genetically informative data on smoking initiation was performed, with structural

Directional fractal signature methods for trabecular bone texture in hand radiographs: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wolski, M., E-mail: marcin.wolski@curtin.edu.au; Podsiadlo, P.; Stachowiak, G. W. [Tribology Laboratory, School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia 6102 (Australia)

2014-08-15

Purpose: To develop directional fractal signature methods for the analysis of trabecular bone (TB) texture in hand radiographs. Problems associated with the small size of hand bones and the orientation of fingers were addressed. Methods: An augmented variance orientation transform (AVOT) and a quadrant rotating grid (QRG) methods were developed. The methods calculate fractal signatures (FSs) in different directions. Unlike other methods they have the search region adjusted according to the size of bone region of interest (ROI) to be analyzed and they produce FSs defined with respect to any chosen reference direction, i.e., they work for arbitrary orientation of fingers. Five parameters at scales ranging from 2 to 14 pixels (depending on image size and method) were derived from rose plots of Hurst coefficients, i.e., FS in dominating roughness (FS{sub Sta}), vertical (FS{sub V}) and horizontal (FS{sub H}) directions, aspect ratio (StrS), and direction signatures (StdS), respectively. The accuracy in measuring surface roughness and isotropy/anisotropy was evaluated using 3600 isotropic and 800 anisotropic fractal surface images of sizes between 20 × 20 and 64 × 64 pixels. The isotropic surfaces had FDs ranging from 2.1 to 2.9 in steps of 0.1, and the anisotropic surfaces had two dominating directions of 30° and 120°. The methods were used to find differences in hand TB textures between 20 matched pairs of subjects with (cases: approximate Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade ≥2) and without (controls: approximate KL grade <2) radiographic hand osteoarthritis (OA). The OA Initiative public database was used and 20 × 20 pixel bone ROIs were selected on 5th distal and middle phalanges. The performance of the AVOT and QRG methods was compared against a variance orientation transform (VOT) method developed earlier [M. Wolski, P. Podsiadlo, and G. W. Stachowiak, “Directional fractal signature analysis of trabecular bone: evaluation of different methods to detect early

Initial Validation of the Mental Health Provider Stigma Inventory

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Stephanie C.; Abell, Neil; Mennicke, Annelise

2017-01-01

Objective: To conduct an initial validation of the mental health provider stigma inventory (MHPSI). The MHPSI assesses stigma within the service provider--client relationship on three domains--namely, attitudes, behaviors, and coworker influence. Methods: Initial validation of the MHPSI was conducted with a sample of 212 mental health employees…

Frequency of the HFE C282Y and H63D mutations in Danish patients with clinical haemochromatosis initially diagnosed by phenotypic methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Milman, Nils; Koefoed, Pernille; Pedersen, Palle

2003-01-01

AIM: To assess the frequency of the C282Y and H63D mutations on the HFE gene in Danish patients with clinical hereditary haemochromatosis initially diagnosed by phenotypic methods. METHODS: In the period 1950-1985, an epidemiological survey in Denmark identified 179 patients with clinical...... diagnosis of clinical idiopathic haemochromatosis was made before blood samples were taken for HFE genotyping. The total series consisted of 58 patients (40 men and 18 women) with a median age of 60 yrs (range 18-74). HFE genotyping was performed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. RESULTS...

Charging conditions research to increase the initial projected velocity at different initial charge temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Ishchenko, Aleksandr; Burkin, Viktor; Kasimov, Vladimir; Samorokova, Nina; Zykova, Angelica; Diachkovskii, Alexei

2017-11-01

The problems of the defense industry occupy the most important place in the constantly developing modern world. The daily development of defense technology does not stop, nor do studies on internal ballistics. The scientists of the whole world are faced with the task of managing the main characteristics of a ballistic experiment. The main characteristics of the ballistic experiment are the maximum pressure in the combustion chamber Pmax and the projected velocity at the time of barrel leaving UM. During the work the combustion law of the new high-energy fuel was determined in a ballistic experiment for different initial temperatures. This combustion law was used for a parametric study of depending Pmax and UM from a powder charge mass and a traveling charge was carried out. The optimal conditions for loading were obtained for improving the initial velocity at pressures up to 600 MPa for different initial temperatures. In this paper, one of the most promising schemes of throwing is considered, as well as a method for increasing the muzzle velocity of a projected element to 3317 m/s.

Initial conformation of kinesin's neck linker

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geng Yi-Zhao; Yan Shi-Wei; Ji Qing; Liu Shu-Xia

2014-01-01

How ATP binding initiates the docking process of kinesin's neck linker is a key question in understanding kinesin mechanisms. By exploiting a molecular dynamics method, we investigate the initial conformation of kinesin's neck linker in its docking process. We find that, in the initial conformation, the neck linker has interactions with β0 and forms a ‘cover-neck bundle’ structure with β0. From this initial structure, the formation of extra turns and the docking of the cover-neck bundle structure can be achieved. The motor head provides a forward force on the initial cover-neck bundle structure through ATP-induced rotation. This force, together with the hydrophobic interaction of ILE327 with the hydrophobic pocket on the motor head, drives the formation of the extra turn and initiates the neck linker docking process. Based on these findings, a pathway from ATP binding-induced motor head rotation to neck linker docking is proposed. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Funding Initiatives | Women in Science | Initiatives | Indian Academy ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Initiatives; Women in Science; Funding Initiatives ... The Fellowship Scheme for Women Scientists for societal programmes is initiative of the ... at a young age of 52, after a valiant battle with cancer, today on 29th March 2016 in Delhi.

Predicting the susceptibility to gully initiation in data-poor regions

Science.gov (United States)

Dewitte, Olivier; Daoudi, Mohamed; Bosco, Claudio; Van Den Eeckhaut, Miet

2015-01-01

Permanent gullies are common features in many landscapes and quite often they represent the dominant soil erosion process. Once a gully has initiated, field evidence shows that gully channel formation and headcut migration rapidly occur. In order to prevent the undesired effects of gullying, there is a need to predict the places where new gullies might initiate. From detailed field measurements, studies have demonstrated strong inverse relationships between slope gradient of the soil surface (S) and drainage area (A) at the point of channel initiation across catchments in different climatic and morphological environments. Such slope-area thresholds (S-A) can be used to predict locations in the landscape where gullies might initiate. However, acquiring S-A requires detailed field investigations and accurate high resolution digital elevation data, which are usually difficult to acquire. To circumvent this issue, we propose a two-step method that uses published S-A thresholds and a logistic regression analysis (LR). S-A thresholds from the literature are used as proxies of field measurement. The method is calibrated and validated on a watershed, close to the town of Algiers, northern Algeria, where gully erosion affects most of the slopes. The gullies extend up to several kilometres in length and cover 16% of the study area. First we reconstruct the initiation areas of the existing gullies by applying S-A thresholds for similar environments. Then, using the initiation area map as the dependent variable with combinations of topographic and lithological predictor variables, we calibrate several LR models. It provides relevant results in terms of statistical reliability, prediction performance, and geomorphological significance. This method using S-A thresholds with data-driven assessment methods like LR proves to be efficient when applied to common spatial data and establishes a methodology that will allow similar studies to be undertaken elsewhere.

Quality monitoring methods of initial and terminal manufacture of LiFePO4 based lithium ion batteries by capillary electrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Xia; Yang, Yang; Zhou, Henghui; Li, Meixian; Zhu, Zhiwei

2018-03-01

Magnetic impurities of lithium ion battery degrade both the capacity and cycling rates, even jeopardize the safety of the battery. During the material manufacture of LiFePO 4 , two opposite and extreme cases (trace impurity Fe(II) with high content of Fe(III) background in FePO 4 of initial end and trace Fe(III) with high content of Fe(II) background in LiFePO 4 of terminal end) can result in the generation of magnetic impurities. Accurate determination of impurities and precise evaluation of raw material or product are necessary to ensure reliability, efficiency and economy in lithium ion battery manufacture. Herein, two kinds of rapid, simple, and sensitive capillary electrophoresis (CE) methods are proposed for quality monitoring of initial and terminal manufacture of LiFePO 4 based lithium ion batteries. The key to success includes the smart use of three common agents 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), EDTA and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) in sample solution or background electrolyte (BGE), as well as sample stacking technique of CE feature. Owing to the combination of field-enhanced sample injection (FESI) technique with high stacking efficiency, detection limits of 2.5nM for Fe(II) and 0.1μM for Fe(III) were obtained corresponding to high content of Fe(III) and Fe(II), respectively. The good recoveries and reliability demonstrate that the developed methods are accurate approaches for quality monitoring of LiFePO 4 manufacture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 63.1365 - Test methods and initial compliance procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... permit limit applicable to the process vent. (D) Design analysis based on accepted chemical engineering... concentration, temperature, and the reaction kinetics of the constituents with the scrubbing liquid. The design... procedures specified in Method 8260 or 8270 in “Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical...

On global error estimation and control for initial value problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J. Lang (Jens); J.G. Verwer (Jan)

2007-01-01

textabstractThis paper addresses global error estimation and control for initial value problems for ordinary differential equations. The focus lies on a comparison between a novel approach based onthe adjoint method combined with a small sample statistical initialization and the classical approach

On global error estimation and control for initial value problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lang, J.; Verwer, J.G.

2007-01-01

Abstract. This paper addresses global error estimation and control for initial value problems for ordinary differential equations. The focus lies on a comparison between a novel approach based on the adjoint method combined with a small sample statistical initialization and the classical approach

Consistent initial conditions for the Saint-Venant equations in river network modeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C.-W. Yu

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Initial conditions for flows and depths (cross-sectional areas throughout a river network are required for any time-marching (unsteady solution of the one-dimensional (1-D hydrodynamic Saint-Venant equations. For a river network modeled with several Strahler orders of tributaries, comprehensive and consistent synoptic data are typically lacking and synthetic starting conditions are needed. Because of underlying nonlinearity, poorly defined or inconsistent initial conditions can lead to convergence problems and long spin-up times in an unsteady solver. Two new approaches are defined and demonstrated herein for computing flows and cross-sectional areas (or depths. These methods can produce an initial condition data set that is consistent with modeled landscape runoff and river geometry boundary conditions at the initial time. These new methods are (1 the pseudo time-marching method (PTM that iterates toward a steady-state initial condition using an unsteady Saint-Venant solver and (2 the steady-solution method (SSM that makes use of graph theory for initial flow rates and solution of a steady-state 1-D momentum equation for the channel cross-sectional areas. The PTM is shown to be adequate for short river reaches but is significantly slower and has occasional non-convergent behavior for large river networks. The SSM approach is shown to provide a rapid solution of consistent initial conditions for both small and large networks, albeit with the requirement that additional code must be written rather than applying an existing unsteady Saint-Venant solver.

Experimental verification of dose calculation using the simplified Monte Carlo method with an improved initial beam model for a beam-wobbling system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tansho, Ryohei; Takada, Yoshihisa; Mizutani, Shohei; Kohno, Ryosuke; Hotta, Kenji; Akimoto, Tetsuo; Hara, Yousuke

2013-01-01

A beam delivery system using a single-radius-beam-wobbling method has been used to form a conformal irradiation field for proton radiotherapy in Japan. A proton beam broadened by the beam-wobbling system provides a non-Gaussian distribution of projection angle different in two mutually orthogonal planes with a common beam central axis, at a certain position. However, the conventional initial beam model for dose calculations has been using an approximation of symmetric Gaussian angular distribution with the same variance in both planes (called here a Gaussian model with symmetric variance (GMSV)), instead of the accurate one. We have developed a more accurate initial beam model defined as a non-Gaussian model with asymmetric variance (NonGMAV), and applied it to dose calculations using the simplified Monte Carlo (SMC) method. The initial beam model takes into account the different distances of two beam-wobbling magnets from the iso-center and also the different amplitudes of kick angle given by each magnet. We have confirmed that the calculation using the SMC with NonGMAV reproduced the measured dose distribution formed in air by a mono-energetic proton beam passing through a square aperture collimator better than with the GMSV and with a Gaussian model with asymmetric variance (GMAV) in which different variances of angular distributions are used in the two mutually orthogonal planes. Measured dose distributions in a homogeneous phantom formed by a modulated proton beam passing through a range shifter and an L-shaped range compensator, were consistent with calculations using the SMC with GMAV and NonGMAV, but in disagreement with calculations using the SMC with GMSV. Measured lateral penumbrae in a lateral direction were reproduced better by calculations using the SMC with NonGMAV than by those with GMAV, when an aperture collimator with a smaller opening was used. We found that such a difference can be attributed to the non-Gaussian angular distribution of the

Influence of initial temperature and heating method in the temperature profile during alkaline dissolution of Al for the production of Mo-99

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Camilo, Ruth L.; Araujo, Izilda C.; Mindrisz, Ana C.; Forbicini, Christina A.L.G. de O., E-mail: rcamilo@ipen.br, E-mail: cruzaraujo22@gmail.com, E-mail: acmindri@ipen.br, E-mail: cforbici@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2013-07-01

Radionuclides in nuclear medicine can be used for diagnosis and therapy. The {sup 99m}Tc, son of {sup 99}Mo, is most often used in nuclear medicine as tracer element because of its favorable nuclear properties, accounting for about 80% of all diagnostic procedures in vivo. Aiming to resolve the dependency of Brazil with respect to the supply of {sup 99}Mo was created the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor project (BMR), started in 2008, having as main objective to produce about 1000 Ci/week of {sup 99}Mo. This study is part of the project to obtain {sup 9}'9Mo by alkaline dissolution of UAl{sub x}-Al targets. The initial reaction temperature is an important parameter, since it has great influence on the value of the maximum temperature and dissolution time. According to literature, for security reasons the dissolution process must have its temperature controlled so that the maximum temperature has to be around 90 deg C. The behavior of the temperature during dissolution using three different methods of heating in order to minimize the fluctuation of temperature during dissolution, keeping its maximum value at around 90 deg C was studied. The three methods of heating chosen were: a) initial temperature of 85 deg C with continuous heating, b) heating water bath until it reaches the initial temperature (70 to 95 deg C), turning off after that, and c) external heating until it reached the starting temperature (60-95 deg C). The alkaline solution used was 3 mol.L{sup -1} NaOH{sub 3} and 2 mol.L{sup -1} NaNO{sub 3}. In the first study it was observed that after 1 minute of dissolution the solution temperature reached 100 deg C on average, up to a maximum of 109 deg C, ending with values around 95 deg C. In the second study after 3 minutes of dissolution the maximum temperature was 106 deg C and the minimum 100 deg C. In the third study the temperature rise during dissolution increased with increasing initial temperature which practically remains constant until the end

Next generation initiation techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Warner, Tom; Derber, John; Zupanski, Milija; Cohn, Steve; Verlinde, Hans

1993-01-01

Four-dimensional data assimilation strategies can generally be classified as either current or next generation, depending upon whether they are used operationally or not. Current-generation data-assimilation techniques are those that are presently used routinely in operational-forecasting or research applications. They can be classified into the following categories: intermittent assimilation, Newtonian relaxation, and physical initialization. It should be noted that these techniques are the subject of continued research, and their improvement will parallel the development of next generation techniques described by the other speakers. Next generation assimilation techniques are those that are under development but are not yet used operationally. Most of these procedures are derived from control theory or variational methods and primarily represent continuous assimilation approaches, in which the data and model dynamics are 'fitted' to each other in an optimal way. Another 'next generation' category is the initialization of convective-scale models. Intermittent assimilation systems use an objective analysis to combine all observations within a time window that is centered on the analysis time. Continuous first-generation assimilation systems are usually based on the Newtonian-relaxation or 'nudging' techniques. Physical initialization procedures generally involve the use of standard or nonstandard data to force some physical process in the model during an assimilation period. Under the topic of next-generation assimilation techniques, variational approaches are currently being actively developed. Variational approaches seek to minimize a cost or penalty function which measures a model's fit to observations, background fields and other imposed constraints. Alternatively, the Kalman filter technique, which is also under investigation as a data assimilation procedure for numerical weather prediction, can yield acceptable initial conditions for mesoscale models. The

Semiclassical initial value approximation for Green's function.

Science.gov (United States)

Kay, Kenneth G

2010-06-28

A semiclassical initial value approximation is obtained for the energy-dependent Green's function. For a system with f degrees of freedom the Green's function expression has the form of a (2f-1)-dimensional integral over points on the energy surface and an integral over time along classical trajectories initiated from these points. This approximation is derived by requiring an integral ansatz for Green's function to reduce to Gutzwiller's semiclassical formula when the integrations are performed by the stationary phase method. A simpler approximation is also derived involving only an (f-1)-dimensional integral over momentum variables on a Poincare surface and an integral over time. The relationship between the present expressions and an earlier initial value approximation for energy eigenfunctions is explored. Numerical tests for two-dimensional systems indicate that good accuracy can be obtained from the initial value Green's function for calculations of autocorrelation spectra and time-independent wave functions. The relative advantages of initial value approximations for the energy-dependent Green's function and the time-dependent propagator are discussed.

Singular Initial Value Problem for Certain Classes of Systems of Ordinary Differential Equations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef Diblík

2013-01-01

dimension of the set of initial data generating such solutions is estimated. An asymptotic behavior of solutions is determined as well and relevant asymptotic formulas are derived. The method of functions defined implicitly and the topological method (Ważewski's method are used in the proofs. The results generalize some previous ones on singular initial value problems for differential equations.

Initial radioiodine remnant ablation success rates compared by diagnostic scan methods: I123 versus I131

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, W.; Choi, E.; Yoo, I.; Kim, S.; Han, E.; Lee, S.; Lee, W.

2015-01-01

Full text of publication follows. Objective: to see if diagnostic whole body scan (DxWBS) performed with I-131 prior diminishes the success rate of initial radioiodine remnant ablation (RRA) compared to I-123 DxWBS in differentiated thyroid cancer patients. Material and methods: consecutive thyroid cancer patients who received total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer and then high dose RRA (either 100 mCi or 150 mCi) within 6 months were included. DxWBSs were performed with I-123 or with I-131. Prior to the DxWBSs, all patients followed strict low iodine diet for 2 weeks and withdrew hormone to stimulate TSH above 30 mIU/l. Patients with extra-thyroidal extension of tumor, lymph node metastasis, or distant metastasis were excluded. The initial RRA was defined as successful if the next DxWBS done 6 months to 1 year later was negative and stimulated thyroglobulin level was below 2 ng/ml. Results: of 71 patients who had I-123 DxWBSs, 31 patients went on to receive RRA with 100 mCi and 40 patients received 150 mCi. Of 73 patients who had I-131 DxWBSs, 66 received 100 mCi and 7 patients received 150 mCi. The overall success rate was 79% for patients who had I-123 DxWBS prior to RRA (68% for 100 mCi and 86% for 150 mCi), and 68% for patient who had I-131 DxWBSs (68% for 100 mCi and 71% for 150 mCi). Conclusion: for patients who received 100 mCi, the RRA success rate was the same for I-123 DxWBS and I-131 DxWBS. For patients treated with 150 mCi, the success rate may be lower in patients who receive RRA following DxWBS with I-131 compared to DxWBS with I-123. (authors)

Computer-assisted initial diagnosis of rare diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rui Alves

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Most documented rare diseases have genetic origin. Because of their low individual frequency, an initial diagnosis based on phenotypic symptoms is not always easy, as practitioners might never have been exposed to patients suffering from the relevant disease. It is thus important to develop tools that facilitate symptom-based initial diagnosis of rare diseases by clinicians. In this work we aimed at developing a computational approach to aid in that initial diagnosis. We also aimed at implementing this approach in a user friendly web prototype. We call this tool Rare Disease Discovery. Finally, we also aimed at testing the performance of the prototype. Methods. Rare Disease Discovery uses the publicly available ORPHANET data set of association between rare diseases and their symptoms to automatically predict the most likely rare diseases based on a patient’s symptoms. We apply the method to retrospectively diagnose a cohort of 187 rare disease patients with confirmed diagnosis. Subsequently we test the precision, sensitivity, and global performance of the system under different scenarios by running large scale Monte Carlo simulations. All settings account for situations where absent and/or unrelated symptoms are considered in the diagnosis. Results. We find that this expert system has high diagnostic precision (≥80% and sensitivity (≥99%, and is robust to both absent and unrelated symptoms. Discussion. The Rare Disease Discovery prediction engine appears to provide a fast and robust method for initial assisted differential diagnosis of rare diseases. We coupled this engine with a user-friendly web interface and it can be freely accessed at http://disease-discovery.udl.cat/. The code and most current database for the whole project can be downloaded from https://github.com/Wrrzag/DiseaseDiscovery/tree/no_classifiers.

Relativistic initial conditions for N-body simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fidler, Christian [Catholic University of Louvain—Center for Cosmology, Particle Physics and Phenomenology (CP3) 2, Chemin du Cyclotron, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium); Tram, Thomas; Crittenden, Robert; Koyama, Kazuya; Wands, David [Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 3FX (United Kingdom); Rampf, Cornelius, E-mail: christian.fidler@uclouvain.be, E-mail: thomas.tram@port.ac.uk, E-mail: rampf@thphys.uni-heidelberg.de, E-mail: robert.crittenden@port.ac.uk, E-mail: kazuya.koyama@port.ac.uk, E-mail: david.wands@port.ac.uk [Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Heidelberg, Philosophenweg 16, D–69120 Heidelberg (Germany)

2017-06-01

Initial conditions for (Newtonian) cosmological N-body simulations are usually set by re-scaling the present-day power spectrum obtained from linear (relativistic) Boltzmann codes to the desired initial redshift of the simulation. This back-scaling method can account for the effect of inhomogeneous residual thermal radiation at early times, which is absent in the Newtonian simulations. We analyse this procedure from a fully relativistic perspective, employing the recently-proposed Newtonian motion gauge framework. We find that N-body simulations for ΛCDM cosmology starting from back-scaled initial conditions can be self-consistently embedded in a relativistic space-time with first-order metric potentials calculated using a linear Boltzmann code. This space-time coincides with a simple ''N-body gauge'' for z < 50 for all observable modes. Care must be taken, however, when simulating non-standard cosmologies. As an example, we analyse the back-scaling method in a cosmology with decaying dark matter, and show that metric perturbations become large at early times in the back-scaling approach, indicating a breakdown of the perturbative description. We suggest a suitable ''forwards approach' for such cases.

A risk-informed approach to the assessment of DHC initiation in pressure tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahoo, A.K.; Pandey, M.D.

2009-01-01

The delayed hydride cracking (DHC) of pressure tubes is a serious form of degradation in the reactor core. Flaws in pressure tubes generated by fretting or any other mechanism are potential stress raisers that could become sites of DHC initiation under right circumstances. CSA standard N285.8 recommends deterministic and probabilistic procedures for the assessment of potential for DHC initiation from planar flaws. The deterministic method is simple, but it lacks a risk-informed basis for the assessment. A full probabilistic method based on simulations is tedious to implement. This paper presents an innovative, semi-probabilistic method that bridges the gap between a simple deterministic analysis and complex simulations. In the proposed method, the deterministic assessment criterion of CSA N285.8 standard is calibrated to specified target probabilities of DHC initiation using the concept of partial factors. The main advantage of the proposed approach is that it provides a practical, risk-informed basis for DHC initiation assessment while retaining the simplicity of the deterministic method. (author)

The African Institutions Initiative: Insights from the First Four Years

Science.gov (United States)

Cochrane, Gavin; Robin, Enora; Marjanovic, Sonja; Diepeveen, Stephanie; Hanlin, Rebecca; Kryl, David; Muchova, Lucia; Yaqub, Ohid; Chataway, Joanna

2014-01-01

In 2009, the Wellcome Trust launched a research capacity strengthening programme known as the "African Institutions Initiative" (AII). The AII is innovative in its methods and organization. The Initiative funded networked consortia (7 consortia involving 54 institutions in 18 African countries, and Northern partners). RAND Europe was…

A Half-Day Workshop on ``Smarter Investment by Aligning SPI Initiatives, Capabilities and Stakeholder Values''

Science.gov (United States)

Selioukova, Yana; Frühwirth, Christian

Software companies who want to improve software process capabilities (SPCs)a systematic method to make informed investment decisions on software process improvement (SPI) initiatives. Such decisions should aim at creating maximum stakeholder values. To address this problem, we present a method with tool support that may help companies align stakeholder values with SPCs and SPI initiatives. The proposed method has been developed based on the well-established “Quality Function Deployment” (QFD) approach. The experience with the proposed method suggests that it particularly helps to reduce the risk of misalignment by identifying those SPI initiatives that are most beneficial to stakeholders. The tool support provided with the proposed method also generated positive experiences in increasing the usability of the method and helped companies in the elicitation and prioritization of stakeholder values. Therefore, we propose a workshop for the method work out named “Smarter Investment by Aligning SPI Initiatives, Capabilities and Stakeholder Values” in hypothetical case company.

Identification of Initiating Events for PGSFR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jintae; Jae, Moosung

2016-01-01

The Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) is by far the most advanced reactor of the six Generation IV reactors. The SFR uses liquid sodium as the reactor coolant, which has superior heat transport characteristics. It also allows high power density with low coolant volume fraction and operation at low pressure. In Korea, KAERI has been developing Prototype Generation-IV Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (PGSFR) that employs passive safety systems and inherent reactivity feedback effects. In order to prepare for the licensing, it is necessary to assess the safety of the reactor. Thus, the objective of this study is to conduct accident sequence analysis that can contribute to risk assessment. The analysis embraces identification of initiating events and accident sequences development. PGSFR is to test and demonstrate the performance of transuranic (TRU)-containing metal fuel required for a commercial SFR, and to demonstrate the TRU transmutation capability of a burner reactor as a part of an advanced fuel cycle system. Initiating events that can happen in PGSFR were identified through the MLD method. This method presents a model of a plant in terms of individual events and their combinations in a systematic and logical way. The 11 identified initiating events in this study include the events considered in the past analysis that was conducted for PRISM-150

Identification of Initiating Events for PGSFR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jintae; Jae, Moosung [Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

The Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) is by far the most advanced reactor of the six Generation IV reactors. The SFR uses liquid sodium as the reactor coolant, which has superior heat transport characteristics. It also allows high power density with low coolant volume fraction and operation at low pressure. In Korea, KAERI has been developing Prototype Generation-IV Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (PGSFR) that employs passive safety systems and inherent reactivity feedback effects. In order to prepare for the licensing, it is necessary to assess the safety of the reactor. Thus, the objective of this study is to conduct accident sequence analysis that can contribute to risk assessment. The analysis embraces identification of initiating events and accident sequences development. PGSFR is to test and demonstrate the performance of transuranic (TRU)-containing metal fuel required for a commercial SFR, and to demonstrate the TRU transmutation capability of a burner reactor as a part of an advanced fuel cycle system. Initiating events that can happen in PGSFR were identified through the MLD method. This method presents a model of a plant in terms of individual events and their combinations in a systematic and logical way. The 11 identified initiating events in this study include the events considered in the past analysis that was conducted for PRISM-150.

Phase II of a Six sigma Initiative to Study DWPF SME Analytical Turnaround Times: SRNL's Evaluation of Carbonate-Based Dissolution Methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edwards, Thomas

2005-01-01

The Analytical Development Section (ADS) and the Statistical Consulting Section (SCS) of the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) are participating in a Six Sigma initiative to improve the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) Laboratory. The Six Sigma initiative has focused on reducing the analytical turnaround time of samples from the Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) by developing streamlined sampling and analytical methods [1]. The objective of Phase I was to evaluate the sub-sampling of a larger sample bottle and the performance of a cesium carbonate (Cs 2 CO 3 ) digestion method. Successful implementation of the Cs 2 CO 3 fusion method in the DWPF would have important time savings and convenience benefits because this single digestion would replace the dual digestion scheme now used. A single digestion scheme would result in more efficient operations in both the DWPF shielded cells and the inductively coupled plasma--atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) laboratory. By taking a small aliquot of SME slurry from a large sample bottle and dissolving the vitrified SME sample with carbonate fusion methods, an analytical turnaround time reduction from 27 hours to 9 hours could be realized in the DWPF. This analytical scheme has the potential for not only dramatically reducing turnaround times, but also streamlining operations to minimize wear and tear on critical shielded cell components that are prone to fail, including the Hydragard(trademark) sampling valves and manipulators. Favorable results from the Phase I tests [2] led to the recommendation for a Phase II effort as outlined in the DWPF Technical Task Request (TTR) [3]. There were three major tasks outlined in the TTR, and SRNL issued a Task Technical and QA Plan [4] with a corresponding set of three major task activities: (1) Compare weight percent (wt%) total solids measurements of large volume samples versus peanut vial samples. (2) Evaluate Cs 2 CO 3 and K 2 CO 3 fusion methods using DWPF simulated

Predictors of smoking initiation among schoolchildren in Tunisia: a 4 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To identify predictors of smoking initiation among non smoking Tunisian school children; and to propose efficient antismoking strategies in order to prevent smoking initiation. Methods: It was a cohort study surveying prospectively for four years pupils attending schools in Sousse city in Tunisia. 441 non smoking ...

Reaction-diffusion fronts with inhomogeneous initial conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bena, I [Departement de Physique Theorique, Universite de Geneve, CH-1211 Geneva 4 (Switzerland); Droz, M [Departement de Physique Theorique, Universite de Geneve, CH-1211 Geneva 4 (Switzerland); Martens, K [Departement de Physique Theorique, Universite de Geneve, CH-1211 Geneva 4 (Switzerland); Racz, Z [Institute for Theoretical Physics, Eoetvoes University, 1117 Budapest (Hungary)

2007-02-14

Properties of reaction zones resulting from A+B {yields} C type reaction-diffusion processes are investigated by analytical and numerical methods. The reagents A and B are separated initially and, in addition, there is an initial macroscopic inhomogeneity in the distribution of the B species. For simple two-dimensional geometries, exact analytical results are presented for the time evolution of the geometric shape of the front. We also show using cellular automata simulations that the fluctuations can be neglected both in the shape and in the width of the front.

Biogenic isoprene emissions driven by regional weather predictions using different initialization methods: case studies during the SEAC4RS and DISCOVER-AQ airborne campaigns

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Min; Carmichael, Gregory R.; Crawford, James H.; Wisthaler, Armin; Zhan, Xiwu; Hain, Christopher R.; Lee, Pius; Guenther, Alex B.

2017-08-01

Land and atmospheric initial conditions of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model are often interpolated from a different model output. We perform case studies during NASA's SEAC4RS and DISCOVER-AQ Houston airborne campaigns, demonstrating that using land initial conditions directly downscaled from a coarser resolution dataset led to significant positive biases in the coupled NASA-Unified WRF (NUWRF, version 7) surface and near-surface air temperature and planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) around the Missouri Ozarks and Houston, Texas, as well as poorly partitioned latent and sensible heat fluxes. Replacing land initial conditions with the output from a long-term offline Land Information System (LIS) simulation can effectively reduce the positive biases in NUWRF surface air temperature by ˜ 2 °C. We also show that the LIS land initialization can modify surface air temperature errors almost 10 times as effectively as applying a different atmospheric initialization method. The LIS-NUWRF-based isoprene emission calculations by the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN, version 2.1) are at least 20 % lower than those computed using the coarser resolution data-initialized NUWRF run, and are closer to aircraft-observation-derived emissions. Higher resolution MEGAN calculations are prone to amplified discrepancies with aircraft-observation-derived emissions on small scales. This is possibly a result of some limitations of MEGAN's parameterization and uncertainty in its inputs on small scales, as well as the representation error and the neglect of horizontal transport in deriving emissions from aircraft data. This study emphasizes the importance of proper land initialization to the coupled atmospheric weather modeling and the follow-on emission modeling. We anticipate it to also be critical to accurately representing other processes included in air quality modeling and chemical data assimilation. Having more confidence in the weather

Methodical features of selection of radiation-resistant semiconductor devices on the base of initial informative parameters; Metodicheskie osobennosti otbora radiatsionno-stojkikh poluprovodnikovykh priborov po nachal`nym informativnym parametram

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhukov, Yu N [and others

1994-12-31

A method for evaluating the statistic interrelation of informational parameter initial values with radiation resistance of semiconducting devices using the information content factor which is invariant relative to the election scope and confidence probability is proposed.

Specific energy of cold crack initiation in welding low alloy high-strength steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brednev, V.I.; Kasatkin, B.S.

1988-01-01

Methods for determination of energy spent on cold crack initiation, when testing welded joint samples by the Implant method, are described. Data on the effect of the steel alloying system, cooling rate of welded joints, content of diffusion hydrogen on the critical specific energy spent on the development of local plastic deformation upto cold crack initiation are presented. The value of specific energy spent on cold crack initiation is shown to be by two-three orders lower than the value of impact strength minimum accessible. The possibility to estimate welded joint resistance to cold crack initiation according to the critical specific energy is established

Influence of milk product type and its initial contamination on the efficiency of different methods for detection of Salmonella Enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boris Antunović

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates differences in efficacy of isolating pathogenic bacteria Salmonella Enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 between conventional cultivation (ISO method and immunomagnetic separation (IMS method related to the types of dairy products and initial numbers of bacteria. Different milk products (dairy pudding- vanilla or chocolate; a mixture of yoghurt and pudding; solid, liquid and fruit yoghurt; AB culture - with or without fruit; cheese spread were intentionally contaminated with different numbers (≈10 and ≈30 of live cells of the observed bacteria per mL. The obtained results showed that the classical ISO procedure still represents an equally adequate method for the detection of S. Enteritidis and L. monocytogenes in dairy products as well as the IMS method. However, the ISO method was found to be inefficient for determination of E. coli O157:H7 when the initial contamination was low (≈10 live cells per mL. In such cases, even the IMS method appeared to be inefficient when used for fermented dairy product analysis. Fermented dairy products in contrast to the non-fermented ones, still represent a challenge for the development of routine detection methods, especially for S. Enteritidis, whilst the detection of L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 has improved by introducing the IMS method. The largest difference in the ability to detect bacteria in dairy product samples with reference to the initial number of bacteria by both methods was in the detection of E. coli O157:H7. The choice of broth (non-selective fluid broth vs. selective fluid broth did not matter in the in the detection of S. Enteritidis and L. monocytogenes by applying the IMS procedure. However, for the detection of E. coli O157:H7 the application of modified tripton-soya broth with novobiocin (mTSB+Nb has proved to be superior when compared to using the buffered peptone water (BPW. The presented results may be of importance as

A new technique for detection of dynamic crack initiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miya, K.; Yanagi, H.; Someya, K.

1986-01-01

A new test device was constructed to measure dynamic fracture toughness using electromagnetic force as a dynamic load and a laser system for the detection of load-line deflection. This method provides several advantages with respect to load control, high strain rate and easy instrumentation of the test device. Using the device, experiments on the dynamic fracture were performed with use of edge-cracked three point bending specimens which were made from the nuclear pressure vessel material A508cl.3. The present paper reports on the characteristic feature of dynamic fracture, the measuring technique of dynamic loading and deflection, the detection of dynamic crack initiation and fractographic observation. The detection of the dynamic crack initiation was made possible by the application of an AC electrical potential method that employs a lock-in amplifier driven by a demodulation mode of signal averager and guarantees a fast response to the crack initiation. It was found that the fracture was initiated after unloading of the electromagnetic force is finished, in other words, the fracture was caused by an inertia force and the dynamic fracture toughness Jsub(Id) of the test material was elevated with the increasing loading rate. (orig.)

Crack initiation and growth in welded structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assire, A.

2000-01-01

This work concerns the remaining life assessment of a structure containing initial defects of manufacturing. High temperature crack initiation and growth are studied for austenitic stainless steels, and defect assessment methods are improved in order to take into account welded structures. For these one, the probability to have a defect is significant. Two kinds of approaches are commonly used for defect assessment analysis. Fracture mechanics global approach with an energetic criterion, and local approach with a model taking into account the physical damage mechanism. For both approaches mechanical fields (stress and strain) have to be computed everywhere within the structure. Then, Finite Element computation is needed. The first part of the thesis concerns the identification of non linear kinematic and isotropic constitutive models. A pseudo-analytical method is proposed for a 'Two Inelastic Strain' model. This method provides a strategy of identification with a mechanical meaning, and this enables to associate each parameter to a physical phenomenon. Existing identifications are improved for cyclic plasticity and creep on a large range of stress levels. The second part concerns high temperature crack initiation and growth in welded structures. Finite Element analysis on plate and tube experimental configuration enable to understand the phenomenons of interaction between base metal and weld metal under mechanical and thermal loading. Concerning global approach, criteria based on C* parameter (Rice integral for visco-plasticity) are used. Finite Element computations underline the fact that for a defect located in the weld metal, C* values strongly depend on the base metal creep strain rate, because widespread visco-plasticity is located in both metals. A simplified method, based on the reference stress approach, is proposed and validated with Finite Element results. Creep crack growth simplified assessment is a quite good validation of the experimental results

Using action research for complex research initiatives

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Greeff, M

2009-12-01

Full Text Available the research process of such a complex research initiative. Action research is one research method that lends itself to these complex projects. The paper uses the Ability Based Technology Interventions (AbTi) research project as a case study to analyse...

Application of NDE methods to green ceramics: initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kupperman, D.S.; Karplus, H.B.; Poeppel, R.B.; Ellingson, W.A.; Berger, H.; Robbins, C.; Fuller, E.

1984-03-01

This paper describes a preliminary investigation to assess the effectiveness of microradiography, ultrasonic methods, nuclear magnetic resonance, and neutron radiography for the nondestructive evaluation of green (unfired), ceramics. Objective is to obtain useful information on defects, cracking, delaminations, agglomerates, inclusions, regions of high porosity, and anisotropy

Determination of Initial Conditions for the Safety Analysis by Random Sampling of Operating Parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Hae-Yong; Park, Moon-Ghu

2015-01-01

In most existing evaluation methodologies, which follow a conservative approach, the most conservative initial conditions are searched for each transient scenario through tremendous assessment for wide operating windows or limiting conditions for operation (LCO) allowed by the operating guidelines. In this procedure, a user effect could be involved and a remarkable time and human resources are consumed. In the present study, we investigated a more effective statistical method for the selection of the most conservative initial condition by the use of random sampling of operating parameters affecting the initial conditions. A method for the determination of initial conditions based on random sampling of plant design parameters is proposed. This method is expected to be applied for the selection of the most conservative initial plant conditions in the safety analysis using a conservative evaluation methodology. In the method, it is suggested that the initial conditions of reactor coolant flow rate, pressurizer level, pressurizer pressure, and SG level are adjusted by controlling the pump rated flow, setpoints of PLCS, PPCS, and FWCS, respectively. The proposed technique is expected to contribute to eliminate the human factors introduced in the conventional safety analysis procedure and also to reduce the human resources invested in the safety evaluation of nuclear power plants

Factors Associated with the Transition from Drug Abuse to Initiation of Injection Drug Use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mosayeb Yarmohamadi Vasel

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Drug injection carries with it many risks and therefore it is important to understand the initiating factors of injection and its origins. Thus,  the purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with the initiation of injection drug use among substance abusers. Methods:  Study method was a cross-sectional study. The research statistics universe constitutes all people suffering from a substance dependence disorder with a pattern of injection use in Tehran and Hamedan. This study was conducted among 216 individuals with substance dependence disorders who were selected from harm reduction centers in Tehran and Hamedan. The sampling selection method was simply random. The instruments used for data collection included: demographic information, patterns of drug use and initiation of injection scales.  Results: In this study, the average age of initiation to injections was 22.5 years. Factors associated with initiation of drug injection included: acquired more pleasure, easier use, faster effect of injection, ineffective previous use method, curiosity, peer pressure, lack of availability of the drug, poverty, and low quality drugs. Discussion: Results of this study indicate that initiation factors to drug injection are multifaceted (Psychological, Social, Economic and Environmental, therefore, injection interventionists should consider all these factors for prevention, treatment and harm reduction.

Feedback stabilization initiative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-06-01

Much progress has been made in attaining high confinement regimes in magnetic confinement devices. These operating modes tend to be transient, however, due to the onset of MHD instabilities, and their stabilization is critical for improved performance at steady state. This report describes the Feedback Stabilization Initiative (FSI), a broad-based, multi-institutional effort to develop and implement methods for raising the achievable plasma betas through active MHD feedback stabilization. A key element in this proposed effort is the Feedback Stabilization Experiment (FSX), a medium-sized, national facility that would be specifically dedicated to demonstrating beta improvement in reactor relevant plasmas by using a variety of MHD feedback stabilization schemes

Feedback stabilization initiative

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

Much progress has been made in attaining high confinement regimes in magnetic confinement devices. These operating modes tend to be transient, however, due to the onset of MHD instabilities, and their stabilization is critical for improved performance at steady state. This report describes the Feedback Stabilization Initiative (FSI), a broad-based, multi-institutional effort to develop and implement methods for raising the achievable plasma betas through active MHD feedback stabilization. A key element in this proposed effort is the Feedback Stabilization Experiment (FSX), a medium-sized, national facility that would be specifically dedicated to demonstrating beta improvement in reactor relevant plasmas by using a variety of MHD feedback stabilization schemes.

Web Content Analysis On Sustainable Campus Operation (SCO Initiatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Razman Ruzaimah

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyse the current practices implemented in global universities for achieving sustainability throughout campus operations. This study adopted a web content analysis method where 30 international green universities’ websites have been thoroughly examined to identify common initiatives implemented to achieve sustainability through campus operations. The findings are ranked based on the implementation of these initiatives by participating universities. From the websites reviewed, as much as 31 initiatives have been identified as common initiatives frequently implemented by green universities to achieve sustainability in campus operations. It was found that the common initiatives frequently implemented by most of the universities include ‘Provide bin with clearly marked signs to increase the number of recycling items’, and ‘Generate electricity on campus by establishing power generation plants’ with 87% and 83% respectively. This paper fills the gap by presenting the investigation of sustainability initiatives from some of the major green universities internationally. It is suggested that higher education institutions, particularly Malaysian universities, initiate or manage their implementation of sustainable campus operation (SCO initiatives based on the findings of this research.

The State of the NIH BRAIN Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Koroshetz, Walter; Gordon, Joshua; Adams, Amy; Beckel-Mitchener, Andrea; Churchill, James; Farber, Gregory; Freund, Michelle; Gnadt, Jim; Hsu, Nina; Langhals, Nicholas; Lisanby, Sarah; Liu, Guoying; Peng, Grace; Ramos, Khara; Steinmetz, Michael; Talley, Edmund; White, Samantha

2018-06-19

The BRAIN Initiative® arose from a grand challenge to "accelerate the development and application of new technologies that will enable researchers to produce dynamic pictures of the brain that show how individual brain cells and complex neural circuits interact at the speed of thought." The BRAIN Initiative is a public-private effort focused on the development and use of powerful tools for acquiring fundamental insights about how information processing occurs in the central nervous system. As the Initiative enters its fifth year, NIH has supported over 500 principal investigators, who have answered the Initiative's challenge via hundreds of publications describing novel tools, methods, and discoveries that address the Initiative's seven scientific priorities. We describe scientific advances produced by individual labs, multi-investigator teams, and entire consortia that, over the coming decades, will produce more comprehensive and dynamic maps of the brain, deepen our understanding of how circuit activity can produce a rich tapestry of behaviors, and lay the foundation for understanding how its circuitry is disrupted in brain disorders. Much more work remains to bring this vision to fruition, and NIH continues to look to the diverse scientific community, from mathematics, to physics, chemistry, engineering, neuroethics, and neuroscience, to ensure that the greatest scientific benefit arises from this unique research Initiative. Copyright © 2018 the authors.

Epsilon topological accelerating algorithms for difference method for initial-value problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hristea, V.; Posirca, M.

1992-01-01

Linear and nonlinear parabolic equations can be solved by discretization methods which lead to linear and nonlinear algebraic systems. The iterative methods (e.g. Gauss - Seidel) show a very slow convergence and instability in the case of nonlinear equations. This paper proposes an ε topological algorithm for accelerating slow iterative methods used in the thermohydraulic code COBRA and the dynamic code ADEP. The results show an executing time approximately ten times lower than original algorithms. (Author)

Initial-value problems for first-order differential recurrence equations with auto-convolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mircea Cirnu

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A differential recurrence equation consists of a sequence of differential equations, from which must be determined by recurrence a sequence of unknown functions. In this article, we solve two initial-value problems for some new types of nonlinear (quadratic first order homogeneous differential recurrence equations, namely with discrete auto-convolution and with combinatorial auto-convolution of the unknown functions. In both problems, all initial values form a geometric progression, but in the second problem the first initial value is exempted and has a prescribed form. Some preliminary results showing the importance of the initial conditions are obtained by reducing the differential recurrence equations to algebraic type. Final results about solving the considered initial value problems, are shown by mathematical induction. However, they can also be shown by changing the unknown functions, or by the generating function method. So in a remark, we give a proof of the first theorem by the generating function method.

Quantifying uncertainty in Gulf of Mexico forecasts stemming from uncertain initial conditions

KAUST Repository

Iskandarani, Mohamed; Le Hé naff, Matthieu; Srinivasan, Ashwanth; Knio, Omar

2016-01-01

Polynomial Chaos (PC) methods are used to quantify the impacts of initial conditions uncertainties on oceanic forecasts of the Gulf of Mexico circulation. Empirical Orthogonal Functions are used as initial conditions perturbations with their modal

Formation of polycrystalline MgB2 synthesized by powder in sealed tube method with different initial boron phase

Science.gov (United States)

Yudanto, Sigit Dwi; Imaduddin, Agung; Kurniawan, Budhy; Manaf, Azwar

2018-04-01

Magnesium diboride, MgB2 is a new high critical temperature superconductor that discovered in the beginning of the 21st century. The MgB2 has a simple crystal structure and a high critical temperature, which can be manufactured in several forms like thin films, tapes, wires including bulk in the large scale. For that reason, the MgB2 has good prospects for various applications in the field of electronic devices. In the current work, we have explored the synthesis of MgB2 polycrystalline using powder in a sealed tube method. Different initial boron phase for the synthesized of MgB2 polycrystalline were used. These were, in addition to magnesium powders, crystalline boron, amorphous boron and combination both of them were respectively fitted in the synthesis. The raw materials were mixed in a stoichiometric ratio of Mg: B=1:2, ground using agate mortar, packed into stainless steel SS304. The pack was then sintered at temperature of 800°C for 2 hours in air atmosphere. Phase formation of MgB2 polycrystalline in difference of initial boron phase was characterized using XRD and SEM. Referring to the diffraction pattern and microstructure observation, MgB2 polycrystalline was formed, and the formation was effective when using the crystalline Mg and fully amorphous B as the raw materials. The critical temperature of the specimen was evaluated by the cryogenic magnet. The transition temperature of the MgB2 specimen synthesized using crystalline magnesium and full amorphous boron is 42.678 K (ΔTc = 0.877 K).

Investigation on the Crack Initiation of V-Shaped Notch Tip in Precision Cropping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lijun Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The crack initiation of V-shaped notch tip has a very important influence on the cross-section quality and the cropping time for every segment of metal bar in course of low stress precision cropping. By the finite element method, the influence of machining precision of V-shaped notch bottom corner on the crack initiation location is analyzed and it is pointed out that the crack initiation point locates in the place at the maximal equivalent stress change rate on V-shaped notch surface. The judgment criterion of the crack initiation direction is presented and the corresponding crack initiation angle can be calculated by means of the displacement extrapolation method. The factual crack initiation angle of the metal bar has been measured by using the microscopic measurement system. The formula of the crack initiation life of V-shaped notch tip is built, which mainly includes the stress concentration factor of V-shaped notch, the tensile properties of metal material, and the cyclic loading conditions. The experimental results show that the obtained theoretical analyses about the crack initiation location, the crack initiation direction, and the crack initiation time in this paper are correct. It is also shown that the crack initiation time accounts for about 80% of the cropping time for every segment of the metal bar.

Accurate label-free reaction kinetics determination using initial rate heat measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Ebrahimi, Kourosh Honarmand; Hagedoorn, Peter-Leon; Jacobs, Denise; Hagen, Wilfred R.

2015-01-01

Accurate label-free methods or assays to obtain the initial reaction rates have significant importance in fundamental studies of enzymes and in application-oriented high throughput screening of enzyme activity. Here we introduce a label-free approach for obtaining initial rates of enzyme activity from heat measurements, which we name initial rate calorimetry (IrCal). This approach is based on our new finding that the data recorded by isothermal titration calorimetry for the early stages of a reaction, which have been widely ignored, are correlated to the initial rates. Application of the IrCal approach to various enzymes led to accurate enzyme kinetics parameters as compared to spectroscopic methods and enabled enzyme kinetic studies with natural substrate, e.g. proteases with protein substrates. Because heat is a label-free property of almost all reactions, the IrCal approach holds promise in fundamental studies of various enzymes and in use of calorimetry for high throughput screening of enzyme activity. PMID:26574737

TextTB: A Mixed Method Pilot Study Evaluating Acceptance, Feasibility, and Exploring Initial Efficacy of a Text Messaging Intervention to Support TB Treatment Adherence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Iribarren

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To assess a text messaging intervention to promote tuberculosis (TB treatment adherence. Methods. A mixed-methods pilot study was conducted within a public pulmonary-specialized hospital in Argentina. Patients newly diagnosed with TB who were 18 or older, and had mobile phone access were recruited and randomized to usual care plus either medication calendar (n=19 or text messaging intervention (n=18 for the first two months of treatment. Primary outcomes were feasibility and acceptability; secondary outcomes explored initial efficacy. Results. Feasibility was evidenced by high access to mobile phones, familiarity with texting, most phones limited to basic features, a low rate of participant refusal, and many describing suboptimal TB understanding. Acceptability was evidenced by participants indicating feeling cared for, supported, responsible for their treatment, and many self-reporting adherence without a reminder. Participants in the texting group self-reported adherence on average 77% of the days whereas only 53% in calendar group returned diaries. Exploring initial efficacy, microscopy testing was low and treatment outcomes were similar in both groups. Conclusion. The texting intervention was well accepted and feasible with greater reporting of adherence using text messaging than the diary. Further evaluation of the texting intervention is warranted.

An initial abstraction and constant loss model, and methods for estimating unit hydrographs, peak streamflows, and flood volumes for urban basins in Missouri

Science.gov (United States)

Huizinga, Richard J.

2014-01-01

Streamflow data, basin characteristics, and rainfall data from 39 streamflow-gaging stations for urban areas in and adjacent to Missouri were used by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Metropolitan Sewer District of St. Louis to develop an initial abstraction and constant loss model (a time-distributed basin-loss model) and a gamma unit hydrograph (GUH) for urban areas in Missouri. Study-specific methods to determine peak streamflow and flood volume for a given rainfall event also were developed.

Emissions trading and competitive positions. The European Proposal for a Directive establishing a Framework for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading and Methods for the initial Allocation of Pollution Rights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grimeaud, D.; Peeters, M.

2002-10-01

The study on the intention to introduce emissions trading on a European Union level was conducted on the basis of the following three questions: Which methods can be used (by the Member States) to distribute the tradable emissions rights en which legal preconditions should be observed considering the EU-Treaty and the relevant directive proposal? Whenever necessary and possible international agreements on climate change and international trade law will be mentioned. Which safeguards are available for fair competition and which system of emissions trading is advisable in this perspective? How should the PSR (performance standard rate) system, which is preferred by industry, be valued? The structure of this study is as follows: in chapter 2 insight is given into the various methods that can be used to start an emissions trading system, i.e. the way tradable pollution rights are distributed (initial allocation). Chapter 3 will further examine the system of the initial allocation of pollution rights as it has been chosen in the proposal for the European directive. The aim is to give an exact qualification of the method of emissions trading, especially the method of initial allocation, that is used in the directive proposal. Chapter 4 examines whether safeguards are available to prevent competition distortions between firms that fall under the scope of the emissions trading scheme. Special attention will be given to conditions that result from the EU-Treaty in this context, such as the prohibition of state aid. In this chapter the international trade law will be dealt with as well. Chapter 5 will present an executive summary and the specific question whether the PSR-system is legally acceptable or maybe even recommendable, will be answered

An improved initialization center k-means clustering algorithm based on distance and density

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Yanling; Liu, Qun; Xia, Shuyin

2018-04-01

Aiming at the problem of the random initial clustering center of k means algorithm that the clustering results are influenced by outlier data sample and are unstable in multiple clustering, a method of central point initialization method based on larger distance and higher density is proposed. The reciprocal of the weighted average of distance is used to represent the sample density, and the data sample with the larger distance and the higher density are selected as the initial clustering centers to optimize the clustering results. Then, a clustering evaluation method based on distance and density is designed to verify the feasibility of the algorithm and the practicality, the experimental results on UCI data sets show that the algorithm has a certain stability and practicality.

Study of Hot Salt Stress Corrosion Crack Initiation of Alloy IMI 834 by using DC Potential Drop Method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pustode, Mangesh D. [Bharat Forge Ltd., Pune (India); Dewangan, Bhupendra [Tata Steel, Jamshedpur (India); Raja, V. S. [Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai (India); Paulose, Neeta; Babu, Narendra [Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), Bangalore (India)

2016-10-15

DC potential drop technique was employed during the slow strain rate tests to study the hot salt stress corrosion crack (HSSCC) initiation at 300 and 400 ℃. Threshold stresses for HSSCC initiation were found to about 88 % of the yield strength at both temperatures, but the time from crack initiation to final failure (Δtscc) decreased significantly with temperature, which reflects larger tendency for brittle fracture and secondary cracking. The brittle fracture features consisted of transgranular cracking through the primary α grain and discontinuous faceted cracking through the transformed β grains.

Order Reduction in High-Order Runge-Kutta Methods for Initial Boundary Value Problems

OpenAIRE

Rosales, Rodolfo Ruben; Seibold, Benjamin; Shirokoff, David; Zhou, Dong

2017-01-01

This paper studies the order reduction phenomenon for initial-boundary-value problems that occurs with many Runge-Kutta time-stepping schemes. First, a geometric explanation of the mechanics of the phenomenon is provided: the approximation error develops boundary layers, induced by a mismatch between the approximation error in the interior and at the boundaries. Second, an analysis of the modes of the numerical scheme is conducted, which explains under which circumstances boundary layers pers...

Initial particle loadings for a nonuniform simulation plasma in a magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naitou, Hiroshi; Kamimura, Tetsuo; Tokuda, Sinji.

1978-09-01

Improved methods for initially loading particles in a magnetized simulation plasma with nonuniform density and temperature distributions are proposed. In the usual guiding center loading (GCL), a charge separation coming from finite Larmor radius effects remains due to the difference between the guiding center density and the actual density. The modified guiding center loading (MGCL) presented here eliminates the electric field so generated and can be used for arbitrary density and temperature profiles. Some applications of these methods to actual simulations are given for comparison. The significance of these methods of initial particle loadings is also discussed. (author)

Initialized Fractional Calculus

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenzo, Carl F.; Hartley, Tom T.

2000-01-01

This paper demonstrates the need for a nonconstant initialization for the fractional calculus and establishes a basic definition set for the initialized fractional differintegral. This definition set allows the formalization of an initialized fractional calculus. Two basis calculi are considered; the Riemann-Liouville and the Grunwald fractional calculi. Two forms of initialization, terminal and side are developed.

Acoustic Emission based on sentry function to monitor the initiation of delamination in composite materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakhtiary Davijani, A.A.; Hajikhani, M.; Ahmadi, M.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Constant load does not confirm constant damage in composite materials. → Different damages have different AE events. → Sentry function is a useful tool to monitor the initiation of damage in delamination. → The less sentry function number is the more damage the material has endured. -- Abstract: Delamination is the most common failure mode in composite materials, since it will result in the reduction of stiffness and can grow throughout other layers. Delamination is consisted of two main stages including initiation and propagation. Understanding the behavior of the material in these zones is very important, hence it has been thoroughly studied by different methods such as numerical methods, Acoustic Emission (AE), and modeling. Between these two regions initiation is a more vital stage in the delamination of the material. Once initiation occurs, which normally requires greater amount of force, cracks can easily propagate through the structure with little force and cause the failure of the structure. A better knowledge of initiation can lead to better design and production of stronger materials. Additionally, more knowledge about crack initiation and its internal microevents would help improve other parameters and result in higher strength against crack initiation. AE is a suitable method for in situ monitoring of damage in composite materials. In this study, AE was applied to test different glass/epoxy specimens which were loaded under mode I delamination. A function that combines AE and mechanical information is employed to investigate the initiation of delamination. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to verify the results of this function. It is shown that this method is an appropriate technique to monitor the behavior of the initiation of delamination.

Initial assessment of jaundice in otherwise healthy infants--a comparison of methods in two postnatal units.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Allen, N M

2012-02-01

Transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) has the potential to reduce total serum bilirubin (TS) sampling. The principal aim of this study was to determine and compare the number of initial TSB samples (TSBs) in two postnatal units (hospitals A & B) whereby hospital A used TcB and hospital B did not. A secondary aim was to determine the clinical factors that led to initial TSBs exceeding exchange transfusion level in both hospitals. Results demonstrated both hospitals had similar populations and patient numbers following selection criteria. 1645 neonates (10.4%) had one or more TSBs performed in hospital A, versus 2373 neonates (15.1%) in hospital B (p < 0.01). Fourteen neonates in hospital A and 3 neonates in hospital B had initial TSBs above exchange transfusion level. For neonates with TSBs above exchange, preventable factors related to earlier testing and follow up. In routine clinical practice, TcB is associated with a significantly reduced number of TSB measurements. TSB levels above exchange transfusion are linked to preventable factors, in otherwise healthy neonates.

Identification of spatially-localized initial conditions via sparse PCA

Science.gov (United States)

Dwivedi, Anubhav; Jovanovic, Mihailo

2017-11-01

Principal Component Analysis involves maximization of a quadratic form subject to a quadratic constraint on the initial flow perturbations and it is routinely used to identify the most energetic flow structures. For general flow configurations, principal components can be efficiently computed via power iteration of the forward and adjoint governing equations. However, the resulting flow structures typically have a large spatial support leading to a question of physical realizability. To obtain spatially-localized structures, we modify the quadratic constraint on the initial condition to include a convex combination with an additional regularization term which promotes sparsity in the physical domain. We formulate this constrained optimization problem as a nonlinear eigenvalue problem and employ an inverse power-iteration-based method to solve it. The resulting solution is guaranteed to converge to a nonlinear eigenvector which becomes increasingly localized as our emphasis on sparsity increases. We use several fluids examples to demonstrate that our method indeed identifies the most energetic initial perturbations that are spatially compact. This work was supported by Office of Naval Research through Grant Number N00014-15-1-2522.

Construction of initial data for 3+1 numerical relativity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gourgoulhon, Eric [Laboratoire Univers et Theories, UMR 8102 du C.N.R.S., Observatoire de Paris, Universite Paris 7 - Denis Diderot, F-92195 Meudon Cedex (France)

2007-11-15

This lecture is devoted to the problem of computing initial data for the Cauchy problem of 3+1 general relativity. The main task is to solve the constraint equations. The conformal technique, introduced by Lichnerowicz and enhanced by York, is presented. Two standard methods, the conformal transverse-traceless one and the conformal thin sandwich, are discussed and illustrated by some simple examples. Finally a short review regarding initial data for binary systems (black holes and neutron stars) is given.

A Legendre Wavelet Spectral Collocation Method for Solving Oscillatory Initial Value Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Karimi Dizicheh

2013-01-01

wavelet suitable for large intervals, and then the Legendre-Guass collocation points of the Legendre wavelet are derived. Using this strategy, the iterative spectral method converts the differential equation to a set of algebraic equations. Solving these algebraic equations yields an approximate solution for the differential equation. The proposed method is illustrated by some numerical examples, and the result is compared with the exponentially fitted Runge-Kutta method. Our proposed method is simple and highly accurate.

Formation of initial cost of stocks of own production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Krukovskiy

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The concept and component stocks according to national accounting standards are revealed. The procedure for forming the initial value of the stock, depending on the way they arrive at the company according to the guidelines as well as methods for evaluating stocks of own production is grounded. The methodological principles of formation of information on stocks and the disclosure of its financial statements are considered. In the article investigated the procedure of forming the original value of stocks depending on how they flow to the enterprise. Number of methods of assessment of inventory, which can be used to reflect their value in the accounting and financial reporting, and methods of evaluation of own production is characterized. Identified costs are included in the initial cost of inventories, including inventories of own production. The estimation of the definition of agricultural produce at fair value and features of its application in the enterprise is proposed by authors.

Diagonal Pade approximations for initial value problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reusch, M.F.; Ratzan, L.; Pomphrey, N.; Park, W.

1987-06-01

Diagonal Pade approximations to the time evolution operator for initial value problems are applied in a novel way to the numerical solution of these problems by explicitly factoring the polynomials of the approximation. A remarkable gain over conventional methods in efficiency and accuracy of solution is obtained. 20 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

Evaluation of strength and failure of brittle rock containing initial cracks under lithospheric conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaozhao; Qi, Chengzhi; Shao, Zhushan; Ma, Chao

2018-02-01

Natural brittle rock contains numerous randomly distributed microcracks. Crack initiation, growth, and coalescence play a predominant role in evaluation for the strength and failure of brittle rocks. A new analytical method is proposed to predict the strength and failure of brittle rocks containing initial microcracks. The formulation of this method is based on an improved wing crack model and a suggested micro-macro relation. In this improved wing crack model, the parameter of crack angle is especially introduced as a variable, and the analytical stress-crack relation considering crack angle effect is obtained. Coupling the proposed stress-crack relation and the suggested micro-macro relation describing the relation between crack growth and axial strain, the stress-strain constitutive relation is obtained to predict the rock strength and failure. Considering different initial microcrack sizes, friction coefficients and confining pressures, effects of crack angle on tensile wedge force acting on initial crack interface are studied, and effects of crack angle on stress-strain constitutive relation of rocks are also analyzed. The strength and crack initiation stress under different crack angles are discussed, and the value of most disadvantaged angle triggering crack initiation and rock failure is founded. The analytical results are similar to the published study results. Rationality of this proposed analytical method is verified.

Lectures on nonlinear evolution equations initial value problems

CERN Document Server

Racke, Reinhard

2015-01-01

This book mainly serves as an elementary, self-contained introduction to several important aspects of the theory of global solutions to initial value problems for nonlinear evolution equations. The book employs the classical method of continuation of local solutions with the help of a priori estimates obtained for small data. The existence and uniqueness of small, smooth solutions that are defined for all values of the time parameter are investigated. Moreover, the asymptotic behavior of the solutions is described as time tends to infinity. The methods for nonlinear wave equations are discussed in detail. Other examples include the equations of elasticity, heat equations, the equations of thermoelasticity, Schrödinger equations, Klein-Gordon equations, Maxwell equations and plate equations. To emphasize the importance of studying the conditions under which small data problems offer global solutions, some blow-up results are briefly described. Moreover, the prospects for corresponding initial-boundary value p...

INITIATION AND CONDUCT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE

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Milan Stipic

2013-12-01

Full Text Available General administrative procedure act contains legal norms that are valid for all identical cases. In addition to the general, there are special administrative procedures, customized to the specific administrative areas. Procedure initiation is regulated. Administrative procedure can be initiated at the request of the proponent and ex officio. When the official determines that the conditions for the conduct of administrative procedure are met, before making a decision, all the facts and circumstances relevant to the resolution of administrative matter have to be identified. When there are no legal requirements for the initiation of procedures, the official shall make a decision to reject the application of the party. The procedure is initiated ex officio when stipulated by law or when protection of public interest requires it. When initiating procedure ex officio, the public authority shall take into consideration the petition or other information that indicate the need to protect the public interest. In such cases the applicant is not a party, and the official is obliged to notify the applicant, if initiation of procedures is not accepted ex officio. Based on the notification, the applicant has a right to complain, including the situation when there is no response within the prescribed period of 30 days. Public authority may, therefore it is not obliged to, initiate administrative procedure by public announcement only in a situation where the parties are unknown, while it is obliged to initiate procedure by public announcement when this method of initiating the procedure is prescribed by law. Initiation of procedure with public announcement occurs in rare cases. Due to the application of efficiency and cost-effectiveness principle, two or more administrative procedures can be merged into one procedure by a conclusion. The condition for this is that the rights or obligations of the parties are based on the same legal basis and on the same or

Initiatives to Enhance Primary Care Delivery

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Jan L. Losby

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Increasing demands on primary care providers have created a need for systems-level initiatives to improve primary care delivery. The purpose of this article is to describe and present outcomes for 2 such initiatives: the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians’ Residency Program Collaborative (RPC and the St Johnsbury Vermont Community Health Team (CHT. Methods: Researchers conducted case studies of the initiatives using mixed methods, including secondary analysis of program and electronic health record data, systematic document review, and interviews. Results: The RPC is a learning collaborative that teaches quality improvement and patient centeredness to primary care providers, residents, clinical support staff, and administrative staff in residency programs. Results show that participation in a higher number of live learning sessions resulted in a significant increase in patient-centered medical home recognition attainment and significant improvements in performance in diabetic process measures including eye examinations (14.3%, P = .004, eye referrals (13.82%, P = .013, foot examinations (15.73%, P = .003, smoking cessation (15.83%, P = .012, and self-management goals (25.45%, P = .001. As a community-clinical linkages model, CHT involves primary care practices, community health workers (CHWs, and community partners. Results suggest that CHT members successfully work together to coordinate comprehensive care for the individuals they serve. Further, individuals exposed to CHWs experienced increased stability in access to health insurance ( P = .001 and prescription drugs ( P = .000 and the need for health education counseling ( P = .000. Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate that these 2 system-level strategies have the promise to improve primary care delivery. Additional research can determine the extent to which these strategies can improve other health outcomes.

A Simple Density with Distance Based Initial Seed Selection Technique for K Means Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sajidha Syed Azimuddin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Open issues with respect to K means algorithm are identifying the number of clusters, initial seed concept selection, clustering tendency, handling empty clusters, identifying outliers etc. In this paper we propose a novel and a simple technique considering both density and distance of the concepts in a dataset to identify initial seed concepts for clustering. Many authors have proposed different techniques to identify initial seed concepts; but our method ensures that the initial seed concepts are chosen from different clusters that are to be generated by the clustering solution. The hallmark of our algorithm is that it is a single pass algorithm that does not require any extra parameters to be estimated. Further, our seed concepts are one among the actual concepts and not the mean of representative concepts as is the case in many other algorithms. We have implemented our proposed algorithm and compared the results with the interval based technique of Fouad Khan. We see that our method outperforms the interval based method. We have also compared our method with the original random K means and K Means++ algorithms.

A Gompertz population model with Allee effect and fuzzy initial values

Science.gov (United States)

Amarti, Zenia; Nurkholipah, Nenden Siti; Anggriani, Nursanti; Supriatna, Asep K.

2018-03-01

Growth and population dynamics models are important tools used in preparing a good management for society to predict the future of population or species. This has been done by various known methods, one among them is by developing a mathematical model that describes population growth. Models are usually formed into differential equations or systems of differential equations, depending on the complexity of the underlying properties of the population. One example of biological complexity is Allee effect. It is a phenomenon showing a high correlation between very small population size and the mean individual fitness of the population. In this paper the population growth model used is the Gompertz equation model by considering the Allee effect on the population. We explore the properties of the solution to the model numerically using the Runge-Kutta method. Further exploration is done via fuzzy theoretical approach to accommodate uncertainty of the initial values of the model. It is known that an initial value greater than the Allee threshold will cause the solution rises towards carrying capacity asymptotically. However, an initial value smaller than the Allee threshold will cause the solution decreases towards zero asymptotically, which means the population is eventually extinct. Numerical solutions show that modeling uncertain initial value of the critical point A (the Allee threshold) with a crisp initial value could cause the extinction of population of a certain possibilistic degree, depending on the predetermined membership function of the initial value.

Lesion insertion in the projection domain: Methods and initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Baiyu; Leng, Shuai; Yu, Lifeng; Yu, Zhicong; Ma, Chi; McCollough, Cynthia

2015-01-01

Purpose: To perform task-based image quality assessment in CT, it is desirable to have a large number of realistic patient images with known diagnostic truth. One effective way of achieving this objective is to create hybrid images that combine patient images with inserted lesions. Because conventional hybrid images generated in the image domain fails to reflect the impact of scan and reconstruction parameters on lesion appearance, this study explored a projection-domain approach. Methods: Lesions were segmented from patient images and forward projected to acquire lesion projections. The forward-projection geometry was designed according to a commercial CT scanner and accommodated both axial and helical modes with various focal spot movement patterns. The energy employed by the commercial CT scanner for beam hardening correction was measured and used for the forward projection. The lesion projections were inserted into patient projections decoded from commercial CT projection data. The combined projections were formatted to match those of commercial CT raw data, loaded onto a commercial CT scanner, and reconstructed to create the hybrid images. Two validations were performed. First, to validate the accuracy of the forward-projection geometry, images were reconstructed from the forward projections of a virtual ACR phantom and compared to physically acquired ACR phantom images in terms of CT number accuracy and high-contrast resolution. Second, to validate the realism of the lesion in hybrid images, liver lesions were segmented from patient images and inserted back into the same patients, each at a new location specified by a radiologist. The inserted lesions were compared to the original lesions and visually assessed for realism by two experienced radiologists in a blinded fashion. Results: For the validation of the forward-projection geometry, the images reconstructed from the forward projections of the virtual ACR phantom were consistent with the images physically

Lesion insertion in the projection domain: Methods and initial results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Baiyu; Leng, Shuai; Yu, Lifeng; Yu, Zhicong; Ma, Chi; McCollough, Cynthia, E-mail: mccollough.cynthia@mayo.edu [Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905 (United States)

2015-12-15

Purpose: To perform task-based image quality assessment in CT, it is desirable to have a large number of realistic patient images with known diagnostic truth. One effective way of achieving this objective is to create hybrid images that combine patient images with inserted lesions. Because conventional hybrid images generated in the image domain fails to reflect the impact of scan and reconstruction parameters on lesion appearance, this study explored a projection-domain approach. Methods: Lesions were segmented from patient images and forward projected to acquire lesion projections. The forward-projection geometry was designed according to a commercial CT scanner and accommodated both axial and helical modes with various focal spot movement patterns. The energy employed by the commercial CT scanner for beam hardening correction was measured and used for the forward projection. The lesion projections were inserted into patient projections decoded from commercial CT projection data. The combined projections were formatted to match those of commercial CT raw data, loaded onto a commercial CT scanner, and reconstructed to create the hybrid images. Two validations were performed. First, to validate the accuracy of the forward-projection geometry, images were reconstructed from the forward projections of a virtual ACR phantom and compared to physically acquired ACR phantom images in terms of CT number accuracy and high-contrast resolution. Second, to validate the realism of the lesion in hybrid images, liver lesions were segmented from patient images and inserted back into the same patients, each at a new location specified by a radiologist. The inserted lesions were compared to the original lesions and visually assessed for realism by two experienced radiologists in a blinded fashion. Results: For the validation of the forward-projection geometry, the images reconstructed from the forward projections of the virtual ACR phantom were consistent with the images physically

Analysis of the Steam Generator Tubes Rupture Initiating Event

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trillo, A.; Minguez, E.; Munoz, R.; Melendez, E.; Sanchez-Perea, M.; Izquierd, J.M.

1998-01-01

In PSA studies, Event Tree-Fault Tree techniques are used to analyse to consequences associated with the evolution of an initiating event. The Event Tree is built in the sequence identification stage, following the expected behaviour of the plant in a qualitative way. Computer simulation of the sequences is performed mainly to determine the allowed time for operator actions, and do not play a central role in ET validation. The simulation of the sequence evolution can instead be performed by using standard tools, helping the analyst obtain a more realistic ET. Long existing methods and tools can be used to automatism the construction of the event tree associated to a given initiator. These methods automatically construct the ET by simulating the plant behaviour following the initiator, allowing some of the systems to fail during the sequence evolution. Then, the sequences with and without the failure are followed. The outcome of all this is a Dynamic Event Tree. The work described here is the application of one such method to the particular case of the SGTR initiating event. The DYLAM scheduler, designed at the Ispra (Italy) JRC of the European Communities, is used to automatically drive the simulation of all the sequences constituting the Event Tree. Similarly to the static Event Tree, each time a system is demanded, two branches are open: one corresponding to the success and the other to the failure of the system. Both branches are followed by the plant simulator until a new system is demanded, and the process repeats. The plant simulation modelling allows the treatment of degraded sequences that enter into the severe accident domain as well as of success sequences in which long-term cooling is started. (Author)

An iterative reconstruction of cosmological initial density fields

Science.gov (United States)

Hada, Ryuichiro; Eisenstein, Daniel J.

2018-05-01

We present an iterative method to reconstruct the linear-theory initial conditions from the late-time cosmological matter density field, with the intent of improving the recovery of the cosmic distance scale from the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs). We present tests using the dark matter density field in both real and redshift space generated from an N-body simulation. In redshift space at z = 0.5, we find that the reconstructed displacement field using our iterative method are more than 80% correlated with the true displacement field of the dark matter particles on scales k < 0.10h Mpc-1. Furthermore, we show that the two-point correlation function of our reconstructed density field matches that of the initial density field substantially better, especially on small scales (<40h-1 Mpc). Our redshift-space results are improved if we use an anisotropic smoothing so as to account for the reduced small-scale information along the line of sight in redshift space.

Unilateral initiatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1988-01-01

This paper reports on arms control which is generally thought of in terms of formal negotiations with an opponent, with the resulting agreements embodied in a treaty. This is not surprising, since arms control discussions between opponents are both important and politically visible. There are, however, strong reasons for countries to consider and frequently take unilateral initiatives. To do so is entirely consistent with the established major precepts of arms control which state that arms control is designed to reduce the risk of war, the costs of preparing for war, and the death and destruction if war should come. Unilateral initiatives on what weapons are purchased, which ones are eliminated and how forces are deployed can all relate to these objectives. There are two main categories of motives for unilateral initiatives in arms control. In one category, internal national objectives are the dominant, often sole, driving force; the initiative is undertaken for our own good

Initiating statistical maintenance optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doyle, E. Kevin; Tuomi, Vesa; Rowley, Ian

2007-01-01

Since the 1980 s maintenance optimization has been centered around various formulations of Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM). Several such optimization techniques have been implemented at the Bruce Nuclear Station. Further cost refinement of the Station preventive maintenance strategy includes evaluation of statistical optimization techniques. A review of successful pilot efforts in this direction is provided as well as initial work with graphical analysis. The present situation reguarding data sourcing, the principle impediment to use of stochastic methods in previous years, is discussed. The use of Crowe/AMSAA (Army Materials Systems Analysis Activity) plots is demonstrated from the point of view of justifying expenditures in optimization efforts. (author)

Tall Buildings Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Initiative 2017 TBI Guidelines Version 2.03 Now Available Screen Shot 2017-10-10 at 3.05.10 PM PEER has just initiative to develop design criteria that will ensure safe and usable tall buildings following future earthquakes. Download the primary product of this initiative: Guidelines for Performance-Based Seismic Design

Band Gap Properties of Magnetoelectroelastic Grid Structures with Initial Stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yi-Ze; Li Feng-Ming

2012-01-01

The propagation of elastic waves in magnetoelectroelastic grid structures is studied. Band gap properties are presented and the effects of the magnetoelectroelastic coupling and initial stress are considered. Numerical calculations are performed using the plane-wave expansion method. The results show that the band gap width can be tuned by the initial stress. It is hoped that our results will be helpful for designing acoustic filters with magnetoelectroelastic materials and grid structures

The Haiti Breast Cancer Initiative: Initial Findings and Analysis of Barriers-to-Care Delaying Patient Presentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ketan Sharma

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. In Haiti, breast cancer patients present at such advanced stages that even modern therapies offer modest survival benefit. Identifying the personal, sociocultural, and economic barriers-to-care delaying patient presentation is crucial to controlling disease. Methods. Patients presenting to the Hôpital Bon Sauveur in Cange were prospectively accrued. Delay was defined as 12 weeks or longer from initial sign/symptom discovery to presentation, as durations greater than this cutoff correlate with reduced survival. A matched case-control analysis with multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors predicting delay. Results. Of N=123 patients accrued, 90 (73% reported symptom-presentation duration and formed the basis of this study: 52 patients presented within 12 weeks of symptoms, while 38 patients waited longer than 12 weeks. On logistic regression, lower education status (OR = 5.6, P=0.03, failure to initially recognize mass as important (OR = 13.0, P<0.01, and fear of treatment cost (OR = 8.3, P=0.03 were shown to independently predict delayed patient presentation. Conclusion. To reduce stage at presentation, future interventions must educate patients on the recognition of initial breast cancer signs and symptoms and address cost concerns by providing care free of charge and/or advertising that existing care is already free.

Using Population Dose to Evaluate Community-level Health Initiatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Harner, Lisa T; Kuo, Elena S; Cheadle, Allen; Rauzon, Suzanne; Schwartz, Pamela M; Parnell, Barbara; Kelly, Cheryl; Solomon, Loel

2018-05-01

Successful community-level health initiatives require implementing an effective portfolio of strategies and understanding their impact on population health. These factors are complicated by the heterogeneity of overlapping multicomponent strategies and availability of population-level data that align with the initiatives. To address these complexities, the population dose methodology was developed for planning and evaluating multicomponent community initiatives. Building on the population dose methodology previously developed, this paper operationalizes dose estimates of one initiative targeting youth physical activity as part of the Kaiser Permanente Community Health Initiative, a multicomponent community-level obesity prevention initiative. The technical details needed to operationalize the population dose method are explained, and the use of population dose as an interim proxy for population-level survey data is introduced. The alignment of the estimated impact from strategy-level data analysis using the dose methodology and the data from the population-level survey suggest that dose is useful for conducting real-time evaluation of multiple heterogeneous strategies, and as a viable proxy for existing population-level surveys when robust strategy-level evaluation data are collected. This article is part of a supplement entitled Building Thriving Communities Through Comprehensive Community Health Initiatives, which is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, Community Health. Copyright © 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reactor operation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Toshio; Hida, Kazuki; Yoshioka, Ritsuo.

1990-01-01

The enrichment degree of fuels initially loaded in a reactor core was made extremely lower than that of fresh fuels to be loaded in the succeeding cycle, or the enrichment degree for all of the initially loaded fuels was made identical with that of the fresh fuels in the conventional reactor operation method. In this operation method, since the initially loaded fuels are sometimes taken out after the completion of the cycle at the low burnup degree as it is, it can not be said to reduce the fuel cycle cost. As a means for dissolving this problem, at least two different kinds of initially loaded fuels are prepared. The enrichment degree of the highly enriched fuels is made identical with that of the fresh fuels, and the enrichment degree and the number of low enriched fuels are not changed after the completion of the first cycle but they are operated till the end of the second cycle. Further, all of the fuels at the low enrichment degree are taken out after the completion of the second cycle and exchanged with the fresh fuels. As a result, high burnup ratio of the initially loaded fuels can be increased, to improve the fuel economy. (I.S.)

Comparison of Measured Residual Stress in an Extra Thick Multi-pass Weld Using Neutron Diffraction Method and Inherent Strain Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, JeongUng; An, GyuBaek; Woo, Wan Chuck

2015-01-01

With the increase of large-scale containership, a large amount of high-strength steels with extra thick plates is being extensively used. The welding stress existing in the extra thick welded plates has a significant effect on the integrity of the component in terms of brittle fracture and fatigue behavior. It has been reported that welding residual stress distribution in an extra thick plate can affect the propagation path of the crack. Therefore, it is important to measure the distribution of welding residual stresses for the reliable design of the welded structures. So far various researches have been carried out for the determination of residual stresses on the surface of steels. In this paper, the total residual stresses in the 70 mm thick multipass FACW butt joint were measured by integrating initial stress into ISM. Concretely, two methods named as initial stress integrated ISM and initial inherent strain integrated ISM were employed to determine the total residual stresses. Furthermore, the distributions of residual stresses were compared with the results of the Neutron Diffraction Method(NDM). In order to measure the three dimensional residual stresses in the welded joint with initial stresses existing before welding, initial stress integrated ISM and initial inherent strain integrated ISM were developed. The residual stresses in 70 mm-thick butt joint by flux cored arc welding were carried out with a good accuracy using the two developed methods. The residual stresses in welded joint using both initial stress integrated ISM and initial inherent strain integrated ISM agreed well with the results measured by Neutron Diffraction Method. This suggests that the integrated ISM is a reliable method for residual stress measurement if initial stress existed

Efficacy of kinesiotaping in patients with the initial signs of carpal tunnel syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. G. Mikhaylyuk

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS is one of the most common tunnel neuropathies. Early symptoms are often limited by periodic and slight discomfort in the area of innervation of a median nerve on the hand, so the patients are not willing to be treated invasively. Thus, a noninvasive therapy, such as kinesiotaping, could be perspective.Objective. Assessment of the efficiency of a kinesiotaping monotheraphy of patients on initial stage of CTS.Materials and methods. We included 120 patients with the initial stage of CTS: 51 men and 69 women aged from 24 till 54 years old. The main group included 70 people, and the control group – 50 patients. The main group was treated within 2 months by kinesiotaping only, control group was observed without any therapeutic intervention.Results. 60 % of the patients from the main group reported beneficial effect of kinesiotaping on clinical symptoms of the CTS.Conclusions. Kinesiotaping monotherapy at initial stages of CTS in our cohort relieves subjective symptoms in the majority of patients. To recommend kinesiotaping as an effective and safe method on initial stages of CTS to patients unwilling to undergo standard invasive treatment methods, a larger multicenter study is needed.

Automatic initialization and quality control of large-scale cardiac MRI segmentations.

Science.gov (United States)

Albà, Xènia; Lekadir, Karim; Pereañez, Marco; Medrano-Gracia, Pau; Young, Alistair A; Frangi, Alejandro F

2018-01-01

Continuous advances in imaging technologies enable ever more comprehensive phenotyping of human anatomy and physiology. Concomitant reduction of imaging costs has resulted in widespread use of imaging in large clinical trials and population imaging studies. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), in particular, offers one-stop-shop multidimensional biomarkers of cardiovascular physiology and pathology. A wide range of analysis methods offer sophisticated cardiac image assessment and quantification for clinical and research studies. However, most methods have only been evaluated on relatively small databases often not accessible for open and fair benchmarking. Consequently, published performance indices are not directly comparable across studies and their translation and scalability to large clinical trials or population imaging cohorts is uncertain. Most existing techniques still rely on considerable manual intervention for the initialization and quality control of the segmentation process, becoming prohibitive when dealing with thousands of images. The contributions of this paper are three-fold. First, we propose a fully automatic method for initializing cardiac MRI segmentation, by using image features and random forests regression to predict an initial position of the heart and key anatomical landmarks in an MRI volume. In processing a full imaging database, the technique predicts the optimal corrective displacements and positions in relation to the initial rough intersections of the long and short axis images. Second, we introduce for the first time a quality control measure capable of identifying incorrect cardiac segmentations with no visual assessment. The method uses statistical, pattern and fractal descriptors in a random forest classifier to detect failures to be corrected or removed from subsequent statistical analysis. Finally, we validate these new techniques within a full pipeline for cardiac segmentation applicable to large-scale cardiac MRI databases. The

Model films of cellulose. I. Method development and initial results

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gunnars, S.; Wågberg, L.; Cohen Stuart, M.A.

2002-01-01

This report presents a new method for the preparation of thin cellulose films. NMMO (N- methylmorpholine- N-oxide) was used to dissolve cellulose and addition of DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) was used to control viscosity of the cellulose solution. A thin layer of the cellulose solution is spin- coated

Initial results from a charge exchange q-diagnostic on TEXT-U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valanju, P.M.; Duraiappah, L.; Bengtson, R.D.; Karzhavin, Y.; Nikitin, A.

1994-01-01

The authors present initial results from a new q-diagnostic for TEXT-Upgrade. This method is based on using a toroidal array of detectors to determine the plane in which beam-injected neutrals are emitted after two charge-exchange collisions. The potential advantages are low cost, full plasma accessibility, and good time resolution. Their initial series of experiments on TEXT-U established the feasibility of this technique

Effects of the initial conditions on cosmological $N$-body simulations

OpenAIRE

L'Huillier, Benjamin; Park, Changbom; Kim, Juhan

2014-01-01

Cosmology is entering an era of percent level precision due to current large observational surveys. This precision in observation is now demanding more accuracy from numerical methods and cosmological simulations. In this paper, we study the accuracy of $N$-body numerical simulations and their dependence on changes in the initial conditions and in the simulation algorithms. For this purpose, we use a series of cosmological $N$-body simulations with varying initial conditions. We test the infl...

The Initial Response To Corticosteroid Therapy in Childhood ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) in African children is associated with poor response to corticosteroids. There is disparity in treatment response on the African continent. The aim of this present study was to describe the initial response to corticosteroid therapy of childhood NS in Côte d'ivoire. Materials and methods: ...

Reconstruction of initial pressure from limited view photoacoustic images using deep learning

Science.gov (United States)

Waibel, Dominik; Gröhl, Janek; Isensee, Fabian; Kirchner, Thomas; Maier-Hein, Klaus; Maier-Hein, Lena

2018-02-01

Quantification of tissue properties with photoacoustic (PA) imaging typically requires a highly accurate representation of the initial pressure distribution in tissue. Almost all PA scanners reconstruct the PA image only from a partial scan of the emitted sound waves. Especially handheld devices, which have become increasingly popular due to their versatility and ease of use, only provide limited view data because of their geometry. Owing to such limitations in hardware as well as to the acoustic attenuation in tissue, state-of-the-art reconstruction methods deliver only approximations of the initial pressure distribution. To overcome the limited view problem, we present a machine learning-based approach to the reconstruction of initial pressure from limited view PA data. Our method involves a fully convolutional deep neural network based on a U-Net-like architecture with pixel-wise regression loss on the acquired PA images. It is trained and validated on in silico data generated with Monte Carlo simulations. In an initial study we found an increase in accuracy over the state-of-the-art when reconstructing simulated linear-array scans of blood vessels.

Comparison of robust H∞ filter and Kalman filter for initial alignment of inertial navigation system

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

HAO Yan-ling; CHEN Ming-hui; LI Liang-jun; XU Bo

2008-01-01

There are many filtering methods that can be used for the initial alignment of an integrated inertial navigation system.This paper discussed the use of GPS,but focused on two kinds of filters for the initial alignment of an integrated strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS).One method is based on the Kalman filter (KF),and the other is based on the robust filter.Simulation results showed that the filter provides a quick transient response and a little more accurate estimate than KF,given substantial process noise or unknown noise statistics.So the robust filter is an effective and useful method for initial alignment of SINS.This research should make the use of SINS more popular,and is also a step for further research.

Study of the lifetime of the TL peaks of quartz: comparison of the deconvolution using the first order kinetic with the initial rise method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

RATOVONJANAHARY, A.J.F.

2005-01-01

Quartz is a thermoluminescent material which can be used for dating and/or for dosimetry. This material has been used since 60s for dating samples like pottery, flint, etc., but the method is still subject to some improvement. One of the problem of thermoluminescence dating is the estimation of the lifetime of the ''used peak'' . The application of the glow-curve deconvolution (GCD) technique for the analysis of a composite thermoluminescence glow curve into its individual glow peaks has been applied widely since the 80s. Many functions describing a single glow peak have been proposed. For analysing quartz behaviour, thermoluminescence glow-curve deconvolution (GCD) functions are compared for first order of kinetic. The free parameters of the GCD functions are the maximum peak intensity (I m ) and the maximum peak temperature (T m ), which can be obtained experimentally. The activation energy (E) is the additional free parameter. The lifetime (τ) of each glow peak, which is an important factor for dating, is calculated from these three parameters. For ''used'' ''peak'' lifetime analysis, GCD results are compared to those from initial rise method (IRM). Results vary fairly from method to method. [fr

Identification of human-induced initiating events in the low power and shutdown operation using the commission error search and assessment method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yong Chan; Kim, Jong Hyun [KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS), Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-03-15

Human-induced initiating events, also called Category B actions in human reliability analysis, are operator actions that may lead directly to initiating events. Most conventional probabilistic safety analyses typically assume that the frequency of initiating events also includes the probability of human-induced initiating events. However, some regulatory documents require Category B actions to be specifically analyzed and quantified in probabilistic safety analysis. An explicit modeling of Category B actions could also potentially lead to important insights into human performance in terms of safety. However, there is no standard procedure to identify Category B actions. This paper describes a systematic procedure to identify Category B actions for low power and shutdown conditions. The procedure includes several steps to determine operator actions that may lead to initiating events in the low power and shutdown stages. These steps are the selection of initiating events, the selection of systems or components, the screening of unlikely operating actions, and the quantification of initiating events. The procedure also provides the detailed instruction for each step, such as operator's action, information required, screening rules, and the outputs. Finally, the applicability of the suggested approach is also investigated by application to a plant example.

Successive substitution one-leg hybrid P-stable LMM for initial value ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper derives P-stable successive substitution one-leg hybrid linear multistep methods for the numerical solution of second order initial value problems in ordinary differential equations without explicit first order derivative. The methods are demonstrated by a numerical example also considered by Fatunla, et al (1997) ...

Risk estimation for LCF crack initiation

OpenAIRE

Schmitz, Sebastian; Rollmann, Georg; Gottschalk, Hanno; Krause, Rolf

2013-01-01

An accurate risk assessment for fatigue damage is of vital importance for the design and service of today's turbomachinery components. We present an approach for quantifying the probability of crack initiation due to surface driven low-cycle fatigue (LCF). This approach is based on the theory of failure-time processes and takes inhomogeneous stress fields and size effects into account. The method has been implemented as a finite-element postprocessor which uses quadrature formulae of higher o...

Probability of initiation and extinction in the Mercury Monte Carlo code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McKinley, M. S.; Brantley, P. S. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Ave., Livermore, CA 94551 (United States)

2013-07-01

A Monte Carlo method for computing the probability of initiation has previously been implemented in Mercury. Recently, a new method based on the probability of extinction has been implemented as well. The methods have similarities from counting progeny to cycling in time, but they also have differences such as population control and statistical uncertainty reporting. The two methods agree very well for several test problems. Since each method has advantages and disadvantages, we currently recommend that both methods are used to compute the probability of criticality. (authors)

Accuracy evaluation of initialization-free registration for intraoperative 3D-navigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diakov, Georgi; Freysinger, Wolfgang

2007-01-01

Purpose An initialization-free approach for perioperative registration in functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is sought. The quality of surgical navigation relies on registration accuracy of preoperative images to the patient. Although landmark-based registration is fast, it is prone to human operator errors. This study evaluates the accuracy of two well-known methods for segmentation of the occipital bone from CT-images for use in surgical 3D-navigation. Method The occipital bone was segmented for registration without pre-defined correspondences, with the iterative closest point algorithm (ICP). The thresholding plus marching cubes segmentation (TMCS), and the deformable model segmentation (DMS) were compared quantitatively by overlaying the areas of the segmentations in cross-sectional slices, and visually by displaying the pointwise distances between the segmentations in a three-dimensional distance map relative to an expert manual segmentation, taken as a ''ground truth''. Results Excellent correspondence between the two methods was achieved; the results showed, however, that the TMCS is closer to the ''ground truth''. This is due to the sub-voxel accuracy of the marching cubes algorithm by definition, and the sensitivity of the DMS method to the choice of parameters. The DMS approach, as a gradient-based method, is insensitive to the thresholding initialization. For noisy images and soft tissue delineation a gradient-based method, like the deformable model, performs better. Both methods correspond within minute differences less than 4%. Conclusion These results will allow further minimization of human interaction in the planning phase for intraoperative 3D-navigation, by allowing to automatically create surface patches for registration purposes, ultimately allowing to build an initialization-free, fully automatic registration procedure for navigated Ear-, Nose-, Throat- (ENT) surgery. (orig.)

Initial-state parton shower kinematics for NLO event generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odaka, Shigeru; Kurihara, Yoshimasa

2007-01-01

We are developing a consistent method to combine tree-level event generators for hadron collision interactions with those including one additional QCD radiation from the initial-state partons, based on the limited leading-log (LLL) subtraction method, aiming at an application to NLO event generators. In this method, a boundary between non-radiative and radiative processes necessarily appears at the factorization scale (μ F ). The radiation effects are simulated using a parton shower (PS) in non-radiative processes. It is therefore crucial in our method to apply a PS which well reproduces the radiation activities evaluated from the matrix-element (ME) calculations for radiative processes. The PS activity depends on the applied kinematics model. In this paper we introduce two models for our simple initial-state leading-log PS: a model similar to the 'old' PYTHIA-PS and a p T -prefixed model motivated by ME calculations. PS simulations employing these models are tested using W-boson production at LHC as an example. Both simulations show a smooth matching to the LLL subtracted W+1 jet simulation in the p T distribution of W bosons, and the summed p T spectra are stable against a variation of μ F , despite that the p T -prefixed PS results in an apparently harder p T spectrum. (orig.)

Initiation and continuation of long-acting reversible contraception in the United States military healthcare system.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiles, Daniel P; Roberts, Timothy A; Klein, David A

2016-09-01

Long-acting reversible contraception is more effective for pregnancy prevention than shorter-acting contraceptive methods and has the potential to reduce healthcare disparities and costs. However, long-acting reversible contraception is underused in the United States. One population of interest is beneficiaries of the United States military healthcare system who have access to universal healthcare, including no-cost, no-copay contraception with unlimited method switching, and comprise a large, actual use cohort. Efforts to increase long-acting reversible contraception initiation and continuation in this population may improve health outcomes and mitigate the profound consequences of unintended or mistimed pregnancy on readiness and cost to the military. We aimed to determine long-acting reversible contraception initiation and continuation rates among the diverse population with universal healthcare who are enrolled in the US military healthcare system. This study is a retrospective cohort of >1.7 million women, aged 14-40 years, who were enrolled in the US military healthcare system, TRICARE Prime, between October 2009 and September 2014. Individuals were assessed for long-acting reversible contraception initiation and continuation with the use of medical billing records. Method continuation and factors that were associated with early method discontinuation were evaluated with the Kaplan-Meier estimator and Cox proportional hazard models. During the study dates, 188,533 women initiated long-acting reversible contraception. Of these, 74.6% women selected intrauterine contraceptives. Method initiation rates remained relatively stable (41.7-50.1/1000 women/year) for intrauterine methods, although the rate for subdermal implants increased from 6.1-23.0/1000 women/year. In analysis of women who selected intrauterine contraceptives, 61.2% continued their method at 36 months, and 48.8% continued at 60 months. Among women who selected the implant, 32.0% continued their

A Monte Carlo method and finite volume method coupled optical simulation method for parabolic trough solar collectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Hongbo; Fan, Man; You, Shijun; Zheng, Wandong; Zhang, Huan; Ye, Tianzhen; Zheng, Xuejing

2017-01-01

Highlights: •Four optical models for parabolic trough solar collectors were compared in detail. •Characteristics of Monte Carlo Method and Finite Volume Method were discussed. •A novel method was presented combining advantages of different models. •The method was suited to optical analysis of collectors with different geometries. •A new kind of cavity receiver was simulated depending on the novel method. -- Abstract: The PTC (parabolic trough solar collector) is widely used for space heating, heat-driven refrigeration, solar power, etc. The concentrated solar radiation is the only energy source for a PTC, thus its optical performance significantly affects the collector efficiency. In this study, four different optical models were constructed, validated and compared in detail. On this basis, a novel coupled method was presented by combining advantages of these models, which was suited to carry out a mass of optical simulations of collectors with different geometrical parameters rapidly and accurately. Based on these simulation results, the optimal configuration of a collector with highest efficiency can be determined. Thus, this method was useful for collector optimization and design. In the four models, MCM (Monte Carlo Method) and FVM (Finite Volume Method) were used to initialize photons distribution, as well as CPEM (Change Photon Energy Method) and MCM were adopted to describe the process of reflecting, transmitting and absorbing. For simulating reflection, transmission and absorption, CPEM was more efficient than MCM, so it was utilized in the coupled method. For photons distribution initialization, FVM saved running time and computation effort, whereas it needed suitable grid configuration. MCM only required a total number of rays for simulation, whereas it needed higher computing cost and its results fluctuated in multiple runs. In the novel coupled method, the grid configuration for FVM was optimized according to the “true values” from MCM of

ACO-Initialized Wavelet Neural Network for Vibration Fault Diagnosis of Hydroturbine Generating Unit

OpenAIRE

Xiao, Zhihuai; He, Xinying; Fu, Xiangqian; Malik, O. P.

2015-01-01

Considering the drawbacks of traditional wavelet neural network, such as low convergence speed and high sensitivity to initial parameters, an ant colony optimization- (ACO-) initialized wavelet neural network is proposed in this paper for vibration fault diagnosis of a hydroturbine generating unit. In this method, parameters of the wavelet neural network are initialized by the ACO algorithm, and then the wavelet neural network is trained by the gradient descent algorithm. Amplitudes of the fr...

Apakah Personal Initiative Mahasiswa dapat Dikembangkan dengan Mata Kuliah Character Building?

OpenAIRE

Antonina Pantja Juni Wulandari

2010-01-01

Personal initiative is an active behavior to achieve work's target, influenced by self-starting aspects, proactive, and toughness in overcoming some constraints. Article presented on how to achieve effectiveness in Character Building subject on personal initiative development based on a research using different group test method. Compared groups were students having finished Character Building subject and not yet followed with the amount of 103 students. Questionnaires consisting of 43 items ...

Initiation of Hoshin Kanri in SMEs using a tentative process

OpenAIRE

Löfving, Malin; Melander, Anders; Andersson, David; Elgh, Fredrik; Thulin, Mikael

2015-01-01

Hoshin Kanri is a management method supporting strategic work. In spite of a number of Hoshin Kanri success stories in large organizations, little research attention are given to SMEs. This research encourages an increased focus on Hoshin Kanri in SMEs. In this paper a tentative process for the initiation of Hoshin Kanri in SMEs is outlined. We also identify factors influencing the initiation of Hoshin Kanri in SMEs based on findings from eight case studies. The result shows that the initiati...

Materials Genome Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Vickers, John

2015-01-01

The Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) project element is a cross-Center effort that is focused on the integration of computational tools to simulate manufacturing processes and materials behavior. These computational simulations will be utilized to gain understanding of processes and materials behavior to accelerate process development and certification to more efficiently integrate new materials in existing NASA projects and to lead to the design of new materials for improved performance. This NASA effort looks to collaborate with efforts at other government agencies and universities working under the national MGI. MGI plans to develop integrated computational/experimental/ processing methodologies for accelerating discovery and insertion of materials to satisfy NASA's unique mission demands. The challenges include validated design tools that incorporate materials properties, processes, and design requirements; and materials process control to rapidly mature emerging manufacturing methods and develop certified manufacturing processes

Application of quality-improvement methods in a community practice: the Sandhills Pediatrics Asthma Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Wroth, Thomas H; Boals, Joseph C

2005-01-01

This case study demonstrates the use of quality improvement methods to improve asthma care in a busy community practice. The practice used disease-management strategies, such as population identification, self-management education, and performance measurement and feedback. The practice then applied several practice-based quality improvement methods, such as PDSA cycles, to improve care. From 1998 to 2003, process measures, such as staging of asthmatics, use of long-term control medications, use of peak flow meters and spacers, and use of action plans, improved. There was also a substantial decrease in emergency department use and hospitalizations among patients with asthma. Although there have been several studies demonstrating the efficacy of disease management strategies, most lack generalizability to community practices. Often, interventions are so intensive and cumbersome, that they are unlikely to be replicated in primary care setting. Researchers have been unable to determine which components of the interventions are most effective and replicable. Furthermore, many studies of disease management strategies enroll participants who lack the co-morbidities seen in community practice. There are also few studies of disadvantaged populations that face other barriers to care, such as lack of transportation, poor access to specialists, and medical illiteracy. In this case study, there were several unique factors that enabled the practice to improve care for this population. The AccessCare case manager who worked with the practice not only provided data and feedback to the practice team, but also served as an improvement "coach," often pushing the team and facilitating many of the improvement efforts. AccessCare's approach is in contrast to many of the commercial disease management companies' "carve out" models that do not sufficiently involve providers or practices in their interventions. The other necessary ingredient for success in this project was organizational

Correlates of sexual initiation among European adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Carli, Vladimir; Hadlaczky, Gergö; Sarchiapone, Marco; Apter, Alan; Balazs, Judit; Banzer, Raphaela; Bobes, Julio; Brunner, Romuald; Cosman, Doina; Farkas, Luca; Haring, Christian; Hoven, Christina W.; Kaess, Michael; Kahn, Jean Pierre; McMahon, Elaine; Postuvan, Vita; Sisask, Merike; Värnik, Airi; Zadravec Sedivy, Nusa; Wasserman, Danuta

2018-01-01

Background Sexuality is a physiological component of adolescent development, though early initiation is associated with reproductive health risk. This study aimed at identifying correlates and predictors of sexual initiation in a large multinational cohort of European adolescents. Methods A questionnaire addressing socio-demographics, behaviours, mental health and sexual activity, was delivered to 11,110 adolescents recruited from 168 randomly selected schools in 10 European countries between 2009 and 2011. A follow-up questionnaire was delivered after 12 months. The longitudinal association of baseline risk behaviors, psychological attributes and contextual vulnerabilities, with sexual initiation during follow-up was evaluated through simple and multivariable age/sex stratified logistic regression. Multinomial logistic regression measured the association between predictors and sexual initiation with or without coexisting reproductive risk factors, such as multiple partners or infrequent condom use. Results Baseline sexual experience was reported by 19.2% of 10,757 respondents (median age 15; IQR 14–15; females 59.6%). This was significantly more frequent among pupils older than 15 (41%) and males (20.8%). Of 7,111 pupils without previous experience who were available at follow-up (response rate 81.8%), 17% reported sexual initiation, without differences between females and males. Baseline smoking (age/sex adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.63), alcohol use (aOR 2.95), illegal drugs use (aOR 2.72), and poor sleep (aOR 1.71) predicted sexual initiation. Stratified analyses showed a particularly strong association in case of younger and female pupils, and, among girls, when initiation was reported together with multiple partners and/or infrequent condom use. Externalizing (i.e. conduct and hyperactivity) symptoms independently predicted sexual initiation. Internalizing difficulties (i.e. emotional and peer problems) were negatively associated with early and risky sexual

Early smoking initiation and associated factors among in-school ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: This report examines the prevalence and common correlates of early smoking initiation among male and female school children across seven African countries. Method: The total sample included 17,725 school children aged 13 to 15 years from nationally representative samples in seven African countries.

Current Status of Diversity Initiatives in Selected Multinational Corporations.

Science.gov (United States)

Wentling, Rose Mary; Palma-Rivas, Nilda

2000-01-01

Interviews with eight diversity managers in multinational corporations revealed a variety of domestic and international diversity initiatives, especially in leadership and management. Formal and informal methods were used to plan them. Business unit managers were responsible for implementation. Evaluation was difficult and time consuming. (SK)

Defects level evaluation of LiTiZn ferrite ceramics using temperature dependence of initial permeability

Science.gov (United States)

Malyshev, A. V.; Petrova, A. B.; Sokolovskiy, A. N.; Surzhikov, A. P.

2018-06-01

The method for evaluating the integral defects level and chemical homogeneity of ferrite ceramics based on temperature dependence analysis of initial permeability is suggested. A phenomenological expression for the description of such dependence was suggested and an interpretation of its main parameters was given. It was shown, that the main criterion of the integral defects level of ferrite ceramics is relation of two parameters correlating with elastic stress value in a material. An indicator of structural perfection can be a maximum value of initial permeability close to Curie point as well. The temperature dependences of initial permeability have analyzed for samples sintered in laboratory conditions and for the ferrite industrial product. The proposed method allows controlling integral defects level of the soft ferrite products and has high sensitivity compare to typical X-ray methods.

Care initiation area yields dramatic results.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-03-01

The ED at Gaston Memorial Hospital in Gastonia, NC, has achieved dramatic results in key department metrics with a Care Initiation Area (CIA) and a physician in triage. Here's how the ED arrived at this winning solution: Leadership was trained in and implemented the Kaizen method, which eliminates redundant or inefficient process steps. Simulation software helped determine additional space needed by analyzing arrival patterns and other key data. After only two days of meetings, new ideas were implemented and tested.

An algorithm for solving initial value problems of third order ordinary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abstract. We propose an implicit multi-step method for the solution of initial value problems (IVPs) of third order ordinary differential equations (ODE) which does not require reducing the ODE to first order before solving. The development of the method is based on collocation of the differential system and interpolation of the ...

Understanding Local Energy Initiatives and Preconditions for Business Opportunities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jablonska, B. [ECN Policy Studies, Petten (Netherlands); Oostra, M. [TNO, Delft (Netherlands)

2013-09-15

More and more local bottom-up energy initiatives are emerging. Those involved encounter many barriers during the realization of their ideas. As the generation of renewable energy is mostly included, these local initiatives contribute to the targets set at regional, national and EU level. At the same time, they are an indication that end-users themselves want to be part of the energy transition. What are the reasons for citizens to organize themselves and start and initiative? What kind of barriers do they encounter? What does this mean for roles and responsibilities of professionals? And to what kind of opportunities does this lead for products and services? Answers to these questions provide a solid starting point to develop methods and instruments to stimulate, facilitate and upscale local energy initiatives. This paper bundles the outcomes of three workshops and three additional interviews in the Netherlands as part of the European E-hub project. Conclusions can be drawn on needs and drivers, barriers, risks and solutions (lessons learned), possible roles for professionals and opportunities for new products and services.

Lesion insertion in the projection domain: Methods and initial results.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Baiyu; Leng, Shuai; Yu, Lifeng; Yu, Zhicong; Ma, Chi; McCollough, Cynthia

2015-12-01

phantom in terms of Hounsfield unit and high-contrast resolution. For the validation of the lesion realism, lesions of various types were successfully inserted, including well circumscribed and invasive lesions, homogeneous and heterogeneous lesions, high-contrast and low-contrast lesions, isolated and vessel-attached lesions, and small and large lesions. The two experienced radiologists who reviewed the original and inserted lesions could not identify the lesions that were inserted. The same lesion, when inserted into the projection domain and reconstructed with different parameters, demonstrated a parameter-dependent appearance. A framework has been developed for projection-domain insertion of lesions into commercial CT images, which can be potentially expanded to all geometries of CT scanners. Compared to conventional image-domain methods, the authors' method reflected the impact of scan and reconstruction parameters on lesion appearance. Compared to prior projection-domain methods, the authors' method has the potential to achieve higher anatomical complexity by employing clinical patient projections and real patient lesions.

Linear stochastic differential equations with anticipating initial conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khalifa, Narjess; Kuo, Hui-Hsiung; Ouerdiane, Habib

In this paper we use the new stochastic integral introduced by Ayed and Kuo (2008) and the results obtained by Kuo et al. (2012b) to find a solution to a drift-free linear stochastic differential equation with anticipating initial condition. Our solution is based on well-known results from...... classical Itô theory and anticipative Itô formula results from Kue et al. (2012b). We also show that the solution obtained by our method is consistent with the solution obtained by the methods of Malliavin calculus, e.g. Buckdahn and Nualart (1994)....

Thermophysical Property Estimation by Transient Experiments: The Effect of a Biased Initial Temperature Distribution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Federico Scarpa

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The identification of thermophysical properties of materials in dynamic experiments can be conveniently performed by the inverse solution of the associated heat conduction problem (IHCP. The inverse technique demands the knowledge of the initial temperature distribution within the material. As only a limited number of temperature sensors (or no sensor at all are arranged inside the test specimen, the knowledge of the initial temperature distribution is affected by some uncertainty. This uncertainty, together with other possible sources of bias in the experimental procedure, will propagate in the estimation process and the accuracy of the reconstructed thermophysical property values could deteriorate. In this work the effect on the estimated thermophysical properties due to errors in the initial temperature distribution is investigated along with a practical method to quantify this effect. Furthermore, a technique for compensating this kind of bias is proposed. The method consists in including the initial temperature distribution among the unknown functions to be estimated. In this way the effect of the initial bias is removed and the accuracy of the identified thermophysical property values is highly improved.

Workshop on initiation of stress corrosion cracking under LWR conditions: Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, J.L.; Cubicciotti, D.; Licina, G.J.

1988-05-01

A workshop titled ''Initiation of Stress Corrosion Cracking under LWR Conditions'' was held in Palo Alto, California on November 13, 1986, hosted by the Electric Power Research Institute. Participants were experts on the topic from nuclear steam supply and component manufacturers, public and private research laboratories, and university environments. Presentations included discussions on the definition of crack initiation, the effects of environmental and electrochemical variables on cracking susceptibility, and detection methods for the determination of crack initiation events and measurement of critical environmental and stress parameters. Examination of the questions related to crack initiation and its relative importance to the overall question of cracking of LWR materials from these perspectives provided inputs to EPRI project managers on the future direction of research efforts designed to prevent and control cracking. Thirteen reports have been cataloged separately

Symbolic computation of analytic approximate solutions for nonlinear differential equations with initial conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yezhi; Liu, Yinping; Li, Zhibin

2012-01-01

The Adomian decomposition method (ADM) is one of the most effective methods for constructing analytic approximate solutions of nonlinear differential equations. In this paper, based on the new definition of the Adomian polynomials, and the two-step Adomian decomposition method (TSADM) combined with the Padé technique, a new algorithm is proposed to construct accurate analytic approximations of nonlinear differential equations with initial conditions. Furthermore, a MAPLE package is developed, which is user-friendly and efficient. One only needs to input a system, initial conditions and several necessary parameters, then our package will automatically deliver analytic approximate solutions within a few seconds. Several different types of examples are given to illustrate the validity of the package. Our program provides a helpful and easy-to-use tool in science and engineering to deal with initial value problems. Program summaryProgram title: NAPA Catalogue identifier: AEJZ_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEJZ_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 4060 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 113 498 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: MAPLE R13 Computer: PC Operating system: Windows XP/7 RAM: 2 Gbytes Classification: 4.3 Nature of problem: Solve nonlinear differential equations with initial conditions. Solution method: Adomian decomposition method and Padé technique. Running time: Seconds at most in routine uses of the program. Special tasks may take up to some minutes.

Influence of regression model and initial intensity of an incremental test on the relationship between the lactate threshold estimated by the maximal-deviation method and running performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos-Concejero, Jordan; Tucker, Ross; Granados, Cristina; Irazusta, Jon; Bidaurrazaga-Letona, Iraia; Zabala-Lili, Jon; Gil, Susana María

2014-01-01

This study investigated the influence of the regression model and initial intensity during an incremental test on the relationship between the lactate threshold estimated by the maximal-deviation method and performance in elite-standard runners. Twenty-three well-trained runners completed a discontinuous incremental running test on a treadmill. Speed started at 9 km · h(-1) and increased by 1.5 km · h(-1) every 4 min until exhaustion, with a minute of recovery for blood collection. Lactate-speed data were fitted by exponential and polynomial models. The lactate threshold was determined for both models, using all the co-ordinates, excluding the first and excluding the first and second points. The exponential lactate threshold was greater than the polynomial equivalent in any co-ordinate condition (P performance and is independent of the initial intensity of the test.

Spectrally accurate initial data in numerical relativity

Science.gov (United States)

Battista, Nicholas A.

Einstein's theory of general relativity has radically altered the way in which we perceive the universe. His breakthrough was to realize that the fabric of space is deformable in the presence of mass, and that space and time are linked into a continuum. Much evidence has been gathered in support of general relativity over the decades. Some of the indirect evidence for GR includes the phenomenon of gravitational lensing, the anomalous perihelion of mercury, and the gravitational redshift. One of the most striking predictions of GR, that has not yet been confirmed, is the existence of gravitational waves. The primary source of gravitational waves in the universe is thought to be produced during the merger of binary black hole systems, or by binary neutron stars. The starting point for computer simulations of black hole mergers requires highly accurate initial data for the space-time metric and for the curvature. The equations describing the initial space-time around the black hole(s) are non-linear, elliptic partial differential equations (PDE). We will discuss how to use a pseudo-spectral (collocation) method to calculate the initial puncture data corresponding to single black hole and binary black hole systems.

FORMATION OF THE INITIAL DISTRIBUTION OF PLASMA COMPONENTS ON THE PHASE PLANE OF LARGE PARTICLES METHOD IN ELECTRIC ARC SYNTHESIS CNS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. V. Abramov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the modeling of charged particles in a multicomponent plasma of electric arc discharge with binary collisions in the synthesis of carbon nanostructures (CNS. One of the common methods of obtaining the quality of fullerenes and nanotubes is arc synthesis under inert gas (helium. The determination of the necessary conditions and the mechanism of formation of carbon clusters in the plasma forming set CNS will more effectively and efficiently manage this process. Feature of the problem is that in a plasma arc discharge is a large number of particle interactions and on the cathode surface. Due to the high temperatures and high energy concentration in plasma detailed experimental investigation difficult to carry out. With the aim of avoiding difficult and costly physical experiments developed numerical methods for the analysis of plasma processes. In this article to solve a system of equations of Maxwell - Boltzmann basis for the authors had taken the method of large particles, which reduces the amount of computation and reduce the demands on computing resources. The authors cites the general design scheme of the large particles, and the algorithm of particle distribution of a multicomponent plasma in the phase plane at the initial time. In conclusion, the author argues that the results in the future will define the zone satisfies the energy conditions, the probability of formation of a plasma cluster groups of carbon involved in the synthesis of the CNS.

The SAGES Legacy Unifying Globulars and Galaxies survey (SLUGGS): sample definition, methods, and initial results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brodie, Jean P.; Romanowsky, Aaron J.; Jennings, Zachary G.; Pota, Vincenzo; Kader, Justin; Roediger, Joel C.; Villaume, Alexa; Arnold, Jacob A.; Woodley, Kristin A. [University of California Observatories, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Strader, Jay [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Forbes, Duncan A.; Pastorello, Nicola; Usher, Christopher; Blom, Christina; Kartha, Sreeja S. [Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University, Hawthorn, VIC 3122 (Australia); Foster, Caroline; Spitler, Lee R., E-mail: jbrodie@ucsc.edu [Australian Astronomical Observatory, P.O. Box 915, North Ryde, NSW 1670 (Australia)

2014-11-20

We introduce and provide the scientific motivation for a wide-field photometric and spectroscopic chemodynamical survey of nearby early-type galaxies (ETGs) and their globular cluster (GC) systems. The SAGES Legacy Unifying Globulars and GalaxieS (SLUGGS) survey is being carried out primarily with Subaru/Suprime-Cam and Keck/DEIMOS. The former provides deep gri imaging over a 900 arcmin{sup 2} field-of-view to characterize GC and host galaxy colors and spatial distributions, and to identify spectroscopic targets. The NIR Ca II triplet provides GC line-of-sight velocities and metallicities out to typically ∼8 R {sub e}, and to ∼15 R {sub e} in some cases. New techniques to extract integrated stellar kinematics and metallicities to large radii (∼2-3 R {sub e}) are used in concert with GC data to create two-dimensional (2D) velocity and metallicity maps for comparison with simulations of galaxy formation. The advantages of SLUGGS compared with other, complementary, 2D-chemodynamical surveys are its superior velocity resolution, radial extent, and multiple halo tracers. We describe the sample of 25 nearby ETGs, the selection criteria for galaxies and GCs, the observing strategies, the data reduction techniques, and modeling methods. The survey observations are nearly complete and more than 30 papers have so far been published using SLUGGS data. Here we summarize some initial results, including signatures of two-phase galaxy assembly, evidence for GC metallicity bimodality, and a novel framework for the formation of extended star clusters and ultracompact dwarfs. An integrated overview of current chemodynamical constraints on GC systems points to separate, in situ formation modes at high redshifts for metal-poor and metal-rich GCs.

Initiation of explosive mixtures having multi-sized structures

Science.gov (United States)

Vasil'ev, A. A.; Vasiliev, V. A.; Trotsyuk, A. V.

2016-10-01

Theory of strong blast was used as the basis for the experimental method of determining of the energy of source which provides the initiation of combustible mixture. For mono-fuel mixtures the following parameters were experimentally determined at testing: the critical initiation energy of a cylindrical detonation wave in mixtures 2H2+O2 and C2H2+2.5O2 (exploding wire); the critical initiation energy of a spherical detonation in a mixture of C2H2+2.5O2 (electrical discharge). Similarly, for the double-fuel mixtures of acetylene - nitrous oxide - oxygen (having bifurcation cellular structures) the critical initiation energy of spherical wave was determined also. It was found that for the stoichiometric mixture on both fuel components the critical energy of mixture with the bifurcation structure was undervalued by several times in comparison with the value of the critical energy for the mono-fuel mixture, in which the cell size at a given pressure is determined by the large scale of bifurcation cells. This result shows the decrease of the critical energy with an increase of the number of "hot spots", which are the numerous areas of collision of the transverse waves of large and small scales in a mixture with bifurcation properties.

A linear iterative unfolding method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

László, András

2012-01-01

A frequently faced task in experimental physics is to measure the probability distribution of some quantity. Often this quantity to be measured is smeared by a non-ideal detector response or by some physical process. The procedure of removing this smearing effect from the measured distribution is called unfolding, and is a delicate problem in signal processing, due to the well-known numerical ill behavior of this task. Various methods were invented which, given some assumptions on the initial probability distribution, try to regularize the unfolding problem. Most of these methods definitely introduce bias into the estimate of the initial probability distribution. We propose a linear iterative method (motivated by the Neumann series / Landweber iteration known in functional analysis), which has the advantage that no assumptions on the initial probability distribution is needed, and the only regularization parameter is the stopping order of the iteration, which can be used to choose the best compromise between the introduced bias and the propagated statistical and systematic errors. The method is consistent: 'binwise' convergence to the initial probability distribution is proved in absence of measurement errors under a quite general condition on the response function. This condition holds for practical applications such as convolutions, calorimeter response functions, momentum reconstruction response functions based on tracking in magnetic field etc. In presence of measurement errors, explicit formulae for the propagation of the three important error terms is provided: bias error (distance from the unknown to-be-reconstructed initial distribution at a finite iteration order), statistical error, and systematic error. A trade-off between these three error terms can be used to define an optimal iteration stopping criterion, and the errors can be estimated there. We provide a numerical C library for the implementation of the method, which incorporates automatic

Dioxin Exposure Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

The Dioxin Exposure Initiative (DEI) is no longer active. This page contains a summary of the dioxin exposure initiative with illustrations, contact and background information.Originally supported by scientist Matthew Lorber, who retired in Mar 2017.

Polio Eradication Initiative (PEl) Emergency Plan: A Panacea for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Methods A review of related and available literature was conducted on the subject matter using the Google search engine, Google Scholar, and PubMed using the key words polio; eradication; Nigeria; and Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Result Much progress has been made towards achieving the required coverage ...

Interactive initialization of 2D/3D rigid registration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gong, Ren Hui; Güler, Özgür [The Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children' s National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010 (United States); Kürklüoglu, Mustafa [Department of Cardiac Surgery, Children' s National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010 (United States); Lovejoy, John [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Children' s National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010 (United States); Yaniv, Ziv, E-mail: ZYaniv@childrensnational.org [The Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children' s National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010 and Departments of Pediatrics and Radiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037 (United States)

2013-12-15

Purpose: Registration is one of the key technical components in an image-guided navigation system. A large number of 2D/3D registration algorithms have been previously proposed, but have not been able to transition into clinical practice. The authors identify the primary reason for the lack of adoption with the prerequisite for a sufficiently accurate initial transformation, mean target registration error of about 10 mm or less. In this paper, the authors present two interactive initialization approaches that provide the desired accuracy for x-ray/MR and x-ray/CT registration in the operating room setting. Methods: The authors have developed two interactive registration methods based on visual alignment of a preoperative image, MR, or CT to intraoperative x-rays. In the first approach, the operator uses a gesture based interface to align a volume rendering of the preoperative image to multiple x-rays. The second approach uses a tracked tool available as part of a navigation system. Preoperatively, a virtual replica of the tool is positioned next to the anatomical structures visible in the volumetric data. Intraoperatively, the physical tool is positioned in a similar manner and subsequently used to align a volume rendering to the x-ray images using an augmented reality (AR) approach. Both methods were assessed using three publicly available reference data sets for 2D/3D registration evaluation. Results: In the authors' experiments, the authors show that for x-ray/MR registration, the gesture based method resulted in a mean target registration error (mTRE) of 9.3 ± 5.0 mm with an average interaction time of 146.3 ± 73.0 s, and the AR-based method had mTREs of 7.2 ± 3.2 mm with interaction times of 44 ± 32 s. For x-ray/CT registration, the gesture based method resulted in a mTRE of 7.4 ± 5.0 mm with an average interaction time of 132.1 ± 66.4 s, and the AR-based method had mTREs of 8.3 ± 5.0 mm with interaction times of 58 ± 52 s. Conclusions: Based on

Interactive initialization of 2D/3D rigid registration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gong, Ren Hui; Güler, Özgür; Kürklüoglu, Mustafa; Lovejoy, John; Yaniv, Ziv

2013-01-01

Purpose: Registration is one of the key technical components in an image-guided navigation system. A large number of 2D/3D registration algorithms have been previously proposed, but have not been able to transition into clinical practice. The authors identify the primary reason for the lack of adoption with the prerequisite for a sufficiently accurate initial transformation, mean target registration error of about 10 mm or less. In this paper, the authors present two interactive initialization approaches that provide the desired accuracy for x-ray/MR and x-ray/CT registration in the operating room setting. Methods: The authors have developed two interactive registration methods based on visual alignment of a preoperative image, MR, or CT to intraoperative x-rays. In the first approach, the operator uses a gesture based interface to align a volume rendering of the preoperative image to multiple x-rays. The second approach uses a tracked tool available as part of a navigation system. Preoperatively, a virtual replica of the tool is positioned next to the anatomical structures visible in the volumetric data. Intraoperatively, the physical tool is positioned in a similar manner and subsequently used to align a volume rendering to the x-ray images using an augmented reality (AR) approach. Both methods were assessed using three publicly available reference data sets for 2D/3D registration evaluation. Results: In the authors' experiments, the authors show that for x-ray/MR registration, the gesture based method resulted in a mean target registration error (mTRE) of 9.3 ± 5.0 mm with an average interaction time of 146.3 ± 73.0 s, and the AR-based method had mTREs of 7.2 ± 3.2 mm with interaction times of 44 ± 32 s. For x-ray/CT registration, the gesture based method resulted in a mTRE of 7.4 ± 5.0 mm with an average interaction time of 132.1 ± 66.4 s, and the AR-based method had mTREs of 8.3 ± 5.0 mm with interaction times of 58 ± 52 s. Conclusions: Based on the

WHO Initiative to Estimate the Global Burden of Foodborne Diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Havelaar, Arie H.; Cawthorne, Amy; Angulo, Fred

2013-01-01

BackgroundThe public health impact of foodborne diseases globally is unknown. The WHO Initiative to Estimate the Global Burden of Foodborne Diseases was launched out of the need to fill this data gap. It is anticipated that this effort will enable policy makers and other stakeholders to set...... appropriate, evidence-informed priorities in the area of food safety. MethodsThe Initiative aims to provide estimates on the global burden of foodborne diseases by age, sex, and region; strengthen country capacity for conducting burden of foodborne disease assessments in parallel with food safety policy...

Binary black hole initial data from matched asymptotic expansions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yunes, Nicolas; Owen, Benjamin J.; Tichy, Wolfgang; Bruegmann, Bernd

2006-01-01

We present an approximate metric for a binary black-hole spacetime to construct initial data for numerical relativity. This metric is obtained by asymptotically matching a post-Newtonian metric for a binary system to a perturbed Schwarzschild metric for each hole. In the inner zone near each hole, the metric is given by the Schwarzschild solution plus a quadrupolar perturbation corresponding to an external tidal gravitational field. In the near zone, well outside each black hole but less than a reduced wavelength from the center of mass of the binary, the metric is given by a post-Newtonian expansion including the lowest-order deviations from flat spacetime. When the near zone overlaps each inner zone in a buffer zone, the post-Newtonian and perturbed Schwarzschild metrics can be asymptotically matched to each other. By demanding matching (over a 4-volume in the buffer zone) rather than patching (choosing a particular 2-surface in the buffer zone), we guarantee that the errors are small in all zones. The resulting piecewise metric is made formally C ∞ with smooth transition functions so as to obtain the finite extrinsic curvature of a 3-slice. In addition to the metric and extrinsic curvature, we present explicit results for the lapse and the shift, which can be used as initial data for numerical simulations. This initial data is not accurate all the way to the asymptotically flat ends inside each hole, and therefore must be used with evolution codes which employ black hole excision rather than puncture methods. This paper lays the foundations of a method that can be straightforwardly iterated to obtain initial data to higher perturbative order

A common evaluation framework for the African Health Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The African Health Initiative includes highly diverse partnerships in five countries (Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia), each of which is working to improve population health by strengthening health systems and to evaluate the results. One aim of the Initiative is to generate cross-site learning that can inform implementation in the five partnerships during the project period and identify lessons that may be generalizable to other countries in the region. Collaborators in the Initiative developed a common evaluation framework as a basis for this cross-site learning. Methods This paper describes the components of the framework; this includes the conceptual model, core metrics to be measured in all sites, and standard guidelines for reporting on the implementation of partnership activities and contextual factors that may affect implementation, or the results it produces. We also describe the systems that have been put in place for data management, data quality assessments, and cross-site analysis of results. Results and conclusions The conceptual model for the Initiative highlights points in the causal chain between health system strengthening activities and health impact where evidence produced by the partnerships can contribute to learning. This model represents an important advance over its predecessors by including contextual factors and implementation strength as potential determinants, and explicitly including equity as a component of both outcomes and impact. Specific measurement challenges include the prospective documentation of program implementation and contextual factors. Methodological issues addressed in the development of the framework include the aggregation of data collected using different methods and the challenge of evaluating a complex set of interventions being improved over time based on continuous monitoring and intermediate results. PMID:23819778

Recovering the source and initial value simultaneously in a parabolic equation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Guang-Hui; Wei, Ting

2014-01-01

In this paper, we consider an inverse problem to simultaneously reconstruct the source term and initial data associated with a parabolic equation based on the additional temperature data at a terminal time t = T and the temperature data on an accessible part of a boundary. The conditional stability and uniqueness of the inverse problem are established. We apply a variational regularization method to recover the source and initial value. The existence, uniqueness and stability of the minimizer of the corresponding variational problem are obtained. Taking the minimizer as a regularized solution for the inverse problem, under an a priori and an a posteriori parameter choice rule, the convergence rates of the regularized solution under a source condition are also given. Furthermore, the source condition is characterized by an optimal control approach. Finally, we use a conjugate gradient method and a stopping criterion given by Morozov's discrepancy principle to solve the variational problem. Numerical experiments are provided to demonstrate the feasibility of the method. (papers)

Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients after Initiation of a New Biologic Agent

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Courvoisier, D. S.; Alpizar-Rodriguez, D.; Gottenberg, Jacques-Eric

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Response to disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is often heterogeneous. We aimed to identify types of disease activity trajectories following the initiation of a new biologic DMARD (bDMARD). METHODS: Pooled analysis of nine national registries...

Software Dependability and Safety Evaluations ESA's Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Hernek, M.

ESA has allocated funds for an initiative to evaluate Dependability and Safety methods of Software. The objectives of this initiative are; · More extensive validation of Safety and Dependability techniques for Software · Provide valuable results to improve the quality of the Software thus promoting the application of Dependability and Safety methods and techniques. ESA space systems are being developed according to defined PA requirement specifications. These requirements may be implemented through various design concepts, e.g. redundancy, diversity etc. varying from project to project. Analysis methods (FMECA. FTA, HA, etc) are frequently used during requirements analysis and design activities to assure the correct implementation of system PA requirements. The criticality level of failures, functions and systems is determined and by doing that the critical sub-systems are identified, on which dependability and safety techniques are to be applied during development. Proper performance of the software development requires the development of a technical specification for the products at the beginning of the life cycle. Such technical specification comprises both functional and non-functional requirements. These non-functional requirements address characteristics of the product such as quality, dependability, safety and maintainability. Software in space systems is more and more used in critical functions. Also the trend towards more frequent use of COTS and reusable components pose new difficulties in terms of assuring reliable and safe systems. Because of this, its dependability and safety must be carefully analysed. ESA identified and documented techniques, methods and procedures to ensure that software dependability and safety requirements are specified and taken into account during the design and development of a software system and to verify/validate that the implemented software systems comply with these requirements [R1].

Statistical methods in nonlinear dynamics

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Sensitivity to initial conditions in nonlinear dynamical systems leads to exponential divergence of trajectories that are initially arbitrarily close, and hence to unpredictability. Statistical methods have been found to be helpful in extracting useful information about such systems. In this paper, we review briefly some statistical ...

Risk factors associated with injection initiation among drug users in Northern Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suriyanon Vinai

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Circumstances surrounding injection initiation have not been well addressed in many developing country contexts. This study aimed to identify demographic factors, sexual behaviors and drug use characteristics related to injection initiation among drug users in northern Thailand. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2,231 drug users admitted to the Northern Drug Treatment Center in Mae Rim, Chiang Mai, Thailand, between February 1, 1999 and December 31, 2000. A multiple logistic regression was employed to identify the independent effects from potential risk factors of transition into injection. Results After controlling for other covariates, being 20 years of age or older, single, ever receiving education, urban residence, and having a history of smoking or incarceration were significantly associated with higher likelihood of injection initiation. Multiple sex partners and an experience of sex abuse were associated with an increased risk of injection initiation. Comparing to those whose first drug was opium, individuals using heroin as their initiation drug had greater risk of injection initiation; conversely, those taking amphetamine as their first drug had less risk of injection initiation. Age of drug initiation was negatively associated with the risk of injection initiation: the older the age of drug initiation, the less the risk of injection initiation. Conclusion Injection initiation was related to several demographic factors, sexual behaviors and drug use characteristics. Understanding these factors will benefit the design of approaches to successfully prevent or delay transition into injection.

Predicting debris-flow initiation and run-out with a depth-averaged two-phase model and adaptive numerical methods

Science.gov (United States)

George, D. L.; Iverson, R. M.

2012-12-01

Numerically simulating debris-flow motion presents many challenges due to the complicated physics of flowing granular-fluid mixtures, the diversity of spatial scales (ranging from a characteristic particle size to the extent of the debris flow deposit), and the unpredictability of the flow domain prior to a simulation. Accurately predicting debris-flows requires models that are complex enough to represent the dominant effects of granular-fluid interaction, while remaining mathematically and computationally tractable. We have developed a two-phase depth-averaged mathematical model for debris-flow initiation and subsequent motion. Additionally, we have developed software that numerically solves the model equations efficiently on large domains. A unique feature of the mathematical model is that it includes the feedback between pore-fluid pressure and the evolution of the solid grain volume fraction, a process that regulates flow resistance. This feature endows the model with the ability to represent the transition from a stationary mass to a dynamic flow. With traditional approaches, slope stability analysis and flow simulation are treated separately, and the latter models are often initialized with force balances that are unrealistically far from equilibrium. Additionally, our new model relies on relatively few dimensionless parameters that are functions of well-known material properties constrained by physical data (eg. hydraulic permeability, pore-fluid viscosity, debris compressibility, Coulomb friction coefficient, etc.). We have developed numerical methods and software for accurately solving the model equations. By employing adaptive mesh refinement (AMR), the software can efficiently resolve an evolving debris flow as it advances through irregular topography, without needing terrain-fit computational meshes. The AMR algorithms utilize multiple levels of grid resolutions, so that computationally inexpensive coarse grids can be used where the flow is absent, and

MetWAMer: eukaryotic translation initiation site prediction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brendel Volker

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Translation initiation site (TIS identification is an important aspect of the gene annotation process, requisite for the accurate delineation of protein sequences from transcript data. We have developed the MetWAMer package for TIS prediction in eukaryotic open reading frames of non-viral origin. MetWAMer can be used as a stand-alone, third-party tool for post-processing gene structure annotations generated by external computational programs and/or pipelines, or directly integrated into gene structure prediction software implementations. Results MetWAMer currently implements five distinct methods for TIS prediction, the most accurate of which is a routine that combines weighted, signal-based translation initiation site scores and the contrast in coding potential of sequences flanking TISs using a perceptron. Also, our program implements clustering capabilities through use of the k-medoids algorithm, thereby enabling cluster-specific TIS parameter utilization. In practice, our static weight array matrix-based indexing method for parameter set lookup can be used with good results in data sets exhibiting moderate levels of 5'-complete coverage. Conclusion We demonstrate that improvements in statistically-based models for TIS prediction can be achieved by taking the class of each potential start-methionine into account pending certain testing conditions, and that our perceptron-based model is suitable for the TIS identification task. MetWAMer represents a well-documented, extensible, and freely available software system that can be readily re-trained for differing target applications and/or extended with existing and novel TIS prediction methods, to support further research efforts in this area.

Design, production and initial state of the canister

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cederqvist, Lars; Johansson, Magnus; Leskinen, Nina; Ronneteg, Ulf

2010-12-01

The report is included in a set of Production reports, presenting how the KBS-3 repository is designed, produced and inspected. The set of reports is included in the safety report for the KBS-3 repository and repository facility.The report provides input on the initial state of the canisters to the assessment of the long-term safety, SR-Site. The initial state refers to the properties of the engineered barriers once they have been finally placed in the KBS-3 repository and will not be further handled within the repository facility. In addition, the report provides input to the operational safety report, SR-Operation, on how the canisters shall be handled and disposed. The report presents the design premises and reference design of the canister and verifies the conformity of the reference design to the design premises. The production methods and the ability to produce canisters according to the reference design are described. Finally, the initial state of the canisters and their conformity to the reference design and design premises are presented

Design, production and initial state of the canister

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cederqvist, Lars; Johansson, Magnus; Leskinen, Nina; Ronneteg, Ulf

2010-12-15

The report is included in a set of Production reports, presenting how the KBS-3 repository is designed, produced and inspected. The set of reports is included in the safety report for the KBS-3 repository and repository facility.The report provides input on the initial state of the canisters to the assessment of the long-term safety, SR-Site. The initial state refers to the properties of the engineered barriers once they have been finally placed in the KBS-3 repository and will not be further handled within the repository facility. In addition, the report provides input to the operational safety report, SR-Operation, on how the canisters shall be handled and disposed. The report presents the design premises and reference design of the canister and verifies the conformity of the reference design to the design premises. The production methods and the ability to produce canisters according to the reference design are described. Finally, the initial state of the canisters and their conformity to the reference design and design premises are presented

Development of a MELCOR self-initialization algorithm for boiling water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chien, C.S.; Wang, S.J.; Cheng, S.K.

1996-01-01

The MELCOR code, developed by Sandia National Laboratories, is suitable for calculating source terms and simulating severe accident phenomena of nuclear power plants. Prior to simulating a severe accident transient with MELCOR, the initial steady-state conditions must be generated in advance. The current MELCOR users' manuals do not provide a self-initialization procedure; this is the reason users have to adjust the initial conditions by themselves through a trial-and-error approach. A MELCOR self-initialization algorithm for boiling water reactor plants has been developed, which eliminates the tedious trial-and-error procedures and improves the simulation accuracy. This algorithm adjusts the important plant variable such as the dome pressure, downcomer level, and core flow rate to the desired conditions automatically. It is implemented through input with control functions provided in MELCOR. The reactor power and feedwater temperature are fed as input data. The initialization work of full-power conditions of the Kuosheng nuclear power station is cited as an example. These initial conditions are generated successfully with the developed algorithm. The generated initial conditions can be stored in a restart file and used for transient analysis. The methodology in this study improves the accuracy and consistency of transient calculations. Meanwhile, the algorithm provides all MELCOR users an easy and correct method for establishing the initial conditions

Timing of antiretroviral therapy initiation in adults with HIV ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Timing of antiretroviral therapy initiation in adults with HIV-associated tuberculosis: Outcomes of therapy in an urban hospital in KwaZulu-Natal. ... We aimed to compare clinical outcomes of patients with HIV-associated TB who commenced ART at different stages of TB therapy. Methods. A retrospective chart review was ...

Sleep Hygiene and Melatonin Treatment for Children and Adolescents with ADHD and Initial Insomnia

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, Margaret D.; Wasdell, Michael B.; Bomben, Melissa M.; Rea, Kathleen J.; Freeman, Roger D.

2006-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of sleep hygiene and melatonin treatment for initial insomnia in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Twenty-seven stimulant-treated children (6-14 years of age) with ADHD and initial insomnia (greater than 60 minutes) received sleep hygiene intervention. Nonresponders were…

Cost effectiveness of arthrocentesis as initial treatment for temporomandibular joint arthralgia: A randomized controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, L.M.; Stant, A.D.; Quik, E.H.; Huddleston Slater, J.J.R.; Stegenga, B.

2013-01-01

Objective: To determine the cost effectiveness of arthrocentesis as initial treatment compared to care as usual (CAU) for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthralgia. Materials and methods: 80 patients were randomly allocated to arthrocentesis as initial treatment (n = 40) or CAU (n = 40).

Evaluating a questionnaire to measure improvement initiatives in Swedish healthcare

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andersson Ann-Christine

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Quality improvement initiatives have expanded recently within the healthcare sector. Studies have shown that less than 40% of these initiatives are successful, indicating the need for an instrument that can measure the progress and results of quality improvement initiatives and answer questions about how quality initiatives are conducted. The aim of the present study was to develop and test an instrument to measure improvement process and outcome in Swedish healthcare. Methods A questionnaire, founded on the Minnesota Innovation Survey (MIS, was developed in several steps. Items were merged and answer alternatives were revised. Employees participating in a county council improvement program received the web-based questionnaire. Data was analysed by descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. The questionnaire psychometric properties were investigated and an exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Results The Swedish Improvement Measurement Questionnaire consists of 27 items. The Improvement Effectiveness Outcome dimension consists of three items and has a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.67. The Internal Improvement Processes dimension consists of eight sub-dimensions with a total of 24 items. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the complete dimension was 0.72. Three significant item correlations were found. A large involvement in the improvement initiative was shown and the majority of the respondents were satisfied with their work. Conclusions The psychometric property tests suggest initial support for the questionnaire to study and evaluate quality improvement initiatives in Swedish healthcare settings. The overall satisfaction with the quality improvement initiative correlates positively to the awareness of individual responsibilities.

Functionalized polymer film surfaces via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Y.; Li, J.S.; Yang, W.T.; Xu, F.J.

2013-01-01

The ability to manipulate and control the surface properties of polymer films, without altering the substrate properties, is crucial to their wide-spread applications. In this work, a simple one-step method for the direct immobilization of benzyl chloride groups (as the effective atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiators) on the polymer films was developed via benzophenone-induced coupling of 4-vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC). Polyethylene (PE) and nylon films were selected as examples of polymer films to illustrate the functionalization of film surfaces via surface-initiated ATRP. Functional polymer brushes of (2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, sodium 4-styrenesulfonate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and glycidyl methacrylate, as well as their block copolymer brushes, have been prepared via surface-initiated ATRP from the VBC-coupled PE or nylon film surfaces. With the development of a simple approach to the covalent immobilization of ATRP initiators on polymer film surfaces and the inherent versatility of surface-initiated ATRP, the surface functionality of polymer films can be precisely tailored. - Highlights: ► Atom transfer radical polymerization initiators were simply immobilized. ► Different functional polymer brushes were readily prepared. ► Their block copolymer brushes were also readily prepared

Characterization of Initial Parameter Information for Lifetime Prediction of Electronic Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhigang; Liu, Boying; Yuan, Mengxiong; Zhang, Feifei; Guo, Jiaqiang

2016-01-01

Newly manufactured electronic devices are subject to different levels of potential defects existing among the initial parameter information of the devices. In this study, a characterization of electromagnetic relays that were operated at their optimal performance with appropriate and steady parameter values was performed to estimate the levels of their potential defects and to develop a lifetime prediction model. First, the initial parameter information value and stability were quantified to measure the performance of the electronics. In particular, the values of the initial parameter information were estimated using the probability-weighted average method, whereas the stability of the parameter information was determined by using the difference between the extrema and end points of the fitting curves for the initial parameter information. Second, a lifetime prediction model for small-sized samples was proposed on the basis of both measures. Finally, a model for the relationship of the initial contact resistance and stability over the lifetime of the sampled electromagnetic relays was proposed and verified. A comparison of the actual and predicted lifetimes of the relays revealed a 15.4% relative error, indicating that the lifetime of electronic devices can be predicted based on their initial parameter information.

Characterization of Initial Parameter Information for Lifetime Prediction of Electronic Devices.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhigang Li

Full Text Available Newly manufactured electronic devices are subject to different levels of potential defects existing among the initial parameter information of the devices. In this study, a characterization of electromagnetic relays that were operated at their optimal performance with appropriate and steady parameter values was performed to estimate the levels of their potential defects and to develop a lifetime prediction model. First, the initial parameter information value and stability were quantified to measure the performance of the electronics. In particular, the values of the initial parameter information were estimated using the probability-weighted average method, whereas the stability of the parameter information was determined by using the difference between the extrema and end points of the fitting curves for the initial parameter information. Second, a lifetime prediction model for small-sized samples was proposed on the basis of both measures. Finally, a model for the relationship of the initial contact resistance and stability over the lifetime of the sampled electromagnetic relays was proposed and verified. A comparison of the actual and predicted lifetimes of the relays revealed a 15.4% relative error, indicating that the lifetime of electronic devices can be predicted based on their initial parameter information.

Article and method for making an article

Science.gov (United States)

Lacy, Benjamin Paul; Schick, David Edward; Kottilingam, Srikanth Chandrudu

2018-04-03

An article and a method for making shaped cooling holes in an article are provided. The method includes the steps of providing a metal alloy powder; forming an initial layer with the metal alloy powder, the initial layer having a preselected thickness and a preselected shape, the preselected shape including at least one aperture; sequentially forming an additional layer over the initial layer with the metal alloy powder, the additional layer having a second preselected thickness and a second preselected shape, the second preselected shape including at least one aperture corresponding to the at least one aperture in the initial layer; and joining the additional layer to the initial layer, forming a structure having a predetermined thickness, a predetermined shape, and at least one aperture having a predetermined profile. The structure is attached to a substrate to make the article.

Initiating stochastic maintenance optimization at Candu Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doyle, E.K.

2003-01-01

As previously reported at ICONE 6 in New Orleans (1996), the use of various innovative maintenance optimization techniques at Bruce has lead to cost effective preventive maintenance applications for complex systems. Further cost refinement of the station maintenance strategy is being evaluated via the applicability of statistical analysis of historical failure data. Since the statistical evaluation was initiated in 1999 significant progress has been made in demonstrating the viability of stochastic methods in Candu maintenance. Some of the relevant results were presented at ICONE 10 in Washington DC (2002). Success with the graphical displays and the relatively easy to implement stochastic computer programs was sufficient to move the program along to the next significant phase. This next phase consists of investigating the validity of using subjective elicitation techniques to obtain component lifetime distributions. This technique provides access to the elusive failure statistics, the lack of which is often referred to in the literature as the principle impediment preventing the use of stochastic methods in large industry. At the same time the technique allows very valuable information to be captured from the fast retiring 'baby boom generation'. Initial indications have been quite positive. (author)

A new equilibrium torus solution and GRMHD initial conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Penna, Robert F.; Kulkarni, Akshay; Narayan, Ramesh

2013-11-01

Context. General relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations are providing influential models for black hole spin measurements, gamma ray bursts, and supermassive black hole feedback. Many of these simulations use the same initial condition: a rotating torus of fluid in hydrostatic equilibrium. A persistent concern is that simulation results sometimes depend on arbitrary features of the initial torus. For example, the Bernoulli parameter (which is related to outflows), appears to be controlled by the Bernoulli parameter of the initial torus. Aims: In this paper, we give a new equilibrium torus solution and describe two applications for the future. First, it can be used as a more physical initial condition for GRMHD simulations than earlier torus solutions. Second, it can be used in conjunction with earlier torus solutions to isolate the simulation results that depend on initial conditions. Methods: We assume axisymmetry, an ideal gas equation of state, constant entropy, and ignore self-gravity. We fix an angular momentum distribution and solve the relativistic Euler equations in the Kerr metric. Results: The Bernoulli parameter, rotation rate, and geometrical thickness of the torus can be adjusted independently. Our torus tends to be more bound and have a larger radial extent than earlier torus solutions. Conclusions: While this paper was in preparation, several GRMHD simulations appeared based on our equilibrium torus. We believe it will continue to provide a more realistic starting point for future simulations.

Radical Initiated Hydrosilylation on Silicon Nanocrystal Surfaces: An Evaluation of Functional Group Tolerance and Mechanistic Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhenyu; Gonzalez, Christina M; Purkait, Tapas K; Iqbal, Muhammad; Meldrum, Al; Veinot, Jonathan G C

2015-09-29

Hydrosilylation is among the most common methods used for modifying silicon surface chemistry. It provides a wide range of surface functionalities and effective passivation of surface sites. Herein, we report a systematic study of radical initiated hydrosilylation of silicon nanocrystal (SiNC) surfaces using two common radical initiators (i.e., 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionitrile) and benzoyl peroxide). Compared to other widely applied hydrosilylation methods (e.g., thermal, photochemical, and catalytic), the radical initiator based approach is particle size independent, requires comparatively low reaction temperatures, and yields monolayer surface passivation after short reaction times. The effects of differing functional groups (i.e., alkene, alkyne, carboxylic acid, and ester) on the radical initiated hydrosilylation are also explored. The results indicate functionalization occurs and results in the formation of monolayer passivated surfaces.

Application of NDE methods to green ceramics: initial results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kupperman, D.S.; Karplus, H.B.; Poeppel, R.B.; Ellingson, W.A.; Berger, H.; Robbins, C.; Fuller, E.

1983-01-01

The effectiveness of microradiography, ultrasonic methods, unclear magnetic resonance, and neutron radiography was assessed for the nondestructive evaluation of green (unfired) ceramics. The application of microradiography to ceramics is reviewed, and preliminary experiments with a commercial microradiography unit are described. Conventional ultrasonic techniques are difficult to apply to flaw detection green ceramics because of the high attenuation, fragility, and couplant-absorbing properties of these materials. However, velocity, attenuation, and spectral data were obtained with pressure-coupled transducers and provided useful informaion related to density variations and the presence of agglomerates. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging techniques and neutron radiography were considered for detection of anomalies in the distribution of porosity. With NMR, areas of high porosity might be detected after the samples are doped with water. In the case of neutron radiography, although imaging the binder distribution throughout the sample may not be feasible because of the low overall concentration of binder, regions of high binder concentration (thus high porosity) should be detectable

Investigation of practical initial attenuation image estimates in TOF-MLAA reconstruction for PET/MR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Ju-Chieh; Yaqub, Maqsood; Boellaard, Ronald; Salomon, Andre

2016-01-01

Purpose: Time-of-flight joint attenuation and activity positron emission tomography reconstruction requires additional calibration (scale factors) or constraints during or post-reconstruction to produce a quantitative μ-map. In this work, the impact of various initializations of the joint reconstruction was investigated, and the initial average mu-value (IAM) method was introduced such that the forward-projection of the initial μ-map is already very close to that of the reference μ-map, thus reducing/minimizing the offset (scale factor) during the early iterations of the joint reconstruction. Consequently, the accuracy and efficiency of unconstrained joint reconstruction such as time-of-flight maximum likelihood estimation of attenuation and activity (TOF-MLAA) can be improved by the proposed IAM method. Methods: 2D simulations of brain and chest were used to evaluate TOF-MLAA with various initial estimates which include the object filled with water uniformly (conventional initial estimate), bone uniformly, the average μ-value uniformly (IAM magnitude initialization method), and the perfect spatial μ-distribution but with a wrong magnitude (initialization in terms of distribution). 3D GATE simulation was also performed for the chest phantom under a typical clinical scanning condition, and the simulated data were reconstructed with a fully corrected list-mode TOF-MLAA algorithm with various initial estimates. The accuracy of the average μ-values within the brain, chest, and abdomen regions obtained from the MR derived μ-maps was also evaluated using computed tomography μ-maps as the gold-standard. Results: The estimated μ-map with the initialization in terms of magnitude (i.e., average μ-value) was observed to reach the reference more quickly and naturally as compared to all other cases. Both 2D and 3D GATE simulations produced similar results, and it was observed that the proposed IAM approach can produce quantitative μ-map/emission when the corrections

Time-dependent importance sampling in semiclassical initial value representation calculations for time correlation functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Guohua; Miller, William H

2011-07-14

An efficient time-dependent importance sampling method is developed for the Monte Carlo calculation of time correlation functions via the initial value representation (IVR) of semiclassical (SC) theory. A prefactor-free time-dependent sampling function weights the importance of a trajectory based on the magnitude of its contribution to the time correlation function, and global trial moves are used to facilitate the efficient sampling the phase space of initial conditions. The method can be generally applied to sampling rare events efficiently while avoiding being trapped in a local region of the phase space. Results presented in the paper for two system-bath models demonstrate the efficiency of this new importance sampling method for full SC-IVR calculations.

Analysis of SCC initiation/propagation behavior of stainless steels in LWR environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Koichi; Kuniya, Jiro

1999-01-01

This paper presents a method to analyze initiation and propagation behavior of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of stainless steels on the basis of a new prediction algorithm in which the initiation period and propagation period of SCC under irradiation conditions are considered from a practical viewpoint. The prediction algorithm is based on three ideas: (1) threshold neutron fluence of radiation-enhanced SCC (RESCC), (2) equivalent critical crack depth, and (3) threshold stress intensity factor for SCC (K ISCC ). SCC initiation/propagation behavior in light water reactor (LWR) environments is analyzed by incorporating model equations on irradiation hardening, irradiation-enhanced electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (EPR) and irradiation stress relaxation that are phenomena peculiar to neutron irradiation. The analytical method is applied to predict crack growth behavior of a semi-elliptical surface crack in a flat plane that has an arbitrary residual stress profile; specimens are sensitized type 304 stainless steels which had been subjected to neutron irradiation in high temperature water. SCC growth behavior of a semi-elliptical surface crack was greatly dependent on the distribution of residual stress in a flat plane. When residual stress at the surface of the flat plane was relatively small, the method predicted SCC propagation did not take place. (author)

Initial state dependence of nonlinear kinetic equations: The classical electron gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchetti, M.C.; Cohen, E.G.D.; Dorfman, J.R.; Kirkpatrick, T.R.

1985-01-01

The method of nonequilibrium cluster expansion is used to study the decay to equilibrium of a weakly coupled inhomogeneous electron gas prepared in a local equilibrium state at the initial time, t=0. A nonlinear kinetic equation describing the long time behavior of the one-particle distribution function is obtained. For consistency, initial correlations have to be taken into account. The resulting kinetic equation-differs from that obtained when the initial state of the system is assumed to be factorized in a product of one-particle functions. The question of to what extent correlations in the initial state play an essential role in determining the form of the kinetic equation at long times is discussed. To that end, the present calculations are compared wih results obtained before for hard sphere gases and in general with strong short-range forces. A partial answer is proposed and some open questions are indicated

PROBABILISTIC PROPERTIES OF THE INITIAL VALUES OF WEIGHTING FACTORS IN SYNCHRONIZED ARTIFICIAL NEURAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. F. Golikov

2013-01-01

Full Text Available One of the most efficient ways for identical binary se quences generation is using methods of neural cryptography. The initial weight vestors values influence on speed of synchronization is analized. Equal probability of initial weight vestors motion directions is great advantage. On this base authors suppose new line of research conserned with improvement of network architecture and correction algorithm.

Children-Engaging Social and Environmental Initiatives as Determinants of Corporate Reputation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingrida Smaiziene

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Objective:  The paper aims to explore children-engaging social and green initiatives as determinants of corporate reputation.  Research Design & Methods: The research data were collected by means of a consumer survey (n=354 in Lithuania. During the research, consumers’ perception and attitudes towards companies which take children-engaging social and environmental initiatives were surveyed. Findings: The research findings indicate that consumers tend to agree that companies implementing children-engaging CSR initiatives contribute to the development of children as responsible citizens. However, consumers have a different attitude towards companies which implement children-engaging environmental initiatives and companies which take children-engaging social initiatives.  Implications & Recommendations: The research results suggest that consumers form opinions about the company not only by assessing the company’s behaviour towards them, but also by assessing the corporate performance targeted at children. Therefore, companies should consider children-engaging CSR as determinants of corporate reputation. Contribution & Value Added: The paper provides some empirical evidence on how CSR practices targeted at children may affect corporate reputation.

Community Rates of Breastfeeding Initiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Grubesic, Tony H; Durbin, Kelly M

2016-11-01

Breastfeeding initiation rates vary considerably across racial and ethnic groups, maternal age, and education level, yet there are limited data concerning the influence of geography on community rates of breastfeeding initiation. This study aimed to describe how community rates of breastfeeding initiation vary in geographic space, highlighting "hot spots" and "cool spots" of initiation and exploring the potential connections between race, socioeconomic status, and urbanization levels on these patterns. Birth certificate data from the Kentucky Department of Health for 2004-2010 were combined with county-level geographic base files, Census 2010 demographic and socioeconomic data, and Rural-Urban Continuum Codes to conduct a spatial statistical analysis of community rates of breastfeeding initiation. Between 2004 and 2010, the average rate of breastfeeding initiation for Kentucky increased from 43.84% to 49.22%. Simultaneously, the number of counties identified as breastfeeding initiation hot spots also increased, displaying a systematic geographic pattern in doing so. Cool spots of breastfeeding initiation persisted in rural, Appalachian Kentucky. Spatial regression results suggested that unemployment, income, race, education, location, and the availability of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants are connected to breastfeeding initiation. Not only do spatial analytics facilitate the identification of breastfeeding initiation hot spots and cool spots, but they can be used to better understand the landscape of breastfeeding initiation and help target breastfeeding education and/or support efforts.

Initial ratio optimization for the ejector cooling system with thermal pumping effect (ECSTPE)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Yijian; Sun, Yongjun; Zhang, Sheng; Lyu, Yuanli; Chen, Guangming

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: The existing ejector cooling systems with thermal pumping effect (ECSTPEs) have severe problems of thermal energy and chilling load waste. The deviations of the initial ratio from its optimal value would lead to the deviations of the time length of cooling stage (TLCS), and finally, result in the performance deteriorations of the ECSTPEs. The results of the case study showed that, for an ECSTPE with R134a, a 10-second deviation from the optimal TLCS led to a decrease of 5.6% in the COP value and an increase of 23.7% in the chilling load, when the generation temperature, the condensing temperature and the evaporation temperature were 85 °C, 35 °C and 10 °C, respectively. Therefore, accurately controlling the TLCS corresponding to the optimal TLCS, which is derived on the basis of the optimal initial ratio, can effectively improve the performance of ECSPTEs. - Highlights: • ECSTPEs encounter challenges for a great waste of heat and chilling water. • Initial ratio optimization is proposed to improve the performance of ECSTPEs. • Based on the optimal initial ratio, the optimal TLCS control strategy is obtained. • With the optimal TLCS control, COP values of the ECSTPEs are effectively enhanced. • Accordingly, the chilling loads of the ECSTPEs are greatly reduced. - Abstract: An ejector cooling system with thermal pumping effect (ECSTPE) could operate without consumption of electric power, but it discards a great amount of thermal energy, which generally results in a lower COP value and a greater chilling load. An innovative concept for the optimal initial ratio is therefore proposed to develop the optimal time length of cooling stage (TLCS) control method. The optimal TLCS control method effectively improves the ECSTPE performance. First, in this context, it was theoretically proven that the optimal initial ratio could be used to reduce the energy loss and the chilling load. Second, it was formulated how to achieve the optimal initial

Breastfeeding Initiation and Continuation by Employment Status among Korean Women

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kang, N.M.; Lee, J.E.; Bai, Y.; Achterberg, T. van; Hyun, T.

2015-01-01

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to examine the factors associated with initiation and continuation of breastfeeding among Korean women in relation to their employment status. METHODS: Data were collected using a web-based self-administered questionnaire from 1,031 Korean mothers living in

Initial results with the Berkeley on-line mass separator-RAMA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cerny, J.; Moltz, D.M.; Evans, H.C.; Vieira, D.J.; Parry, R.F.; Wouters, J.M.; Gough, R.A.; Zisman, M.S.

1977-11-01

Initial performance is described for a reasonably fast and universal (having little or no chemical selectivity) on-line mass analysis system used to expand capabilities in studying nuclei far from stability. The system is termed RAMA, an acronym for Recoil Atom Mass Analyzer. Basically, this system utilizes the helium-jet method to transport activity to a Sidenius hollow-cathode ion source which is coupled to a mass spectrometer. Initial experiments and planned improvements are discussed. Transport efficiencies of between 10 and 60 percent have routinely been achieved, though the latter is much more typical when conditions are optimized

Application of the cognitive therapy model to initial crisis assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Calvert, Patricia; Palmer, Christine

2003-03-01

This article provides a background to the development of cognitive therapy and cognitive therapeutic skills with a specific focus on the treatment of a depressive episode. It discusses the utility of cognitive therapeutic strategies to the model of crisis theory and initial crisis assessment currently used by the Community Assessment & Treatment Team of Waitemata District Health Board on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. A brief background to cognitive therapy is provided, followed by a comprehensive example of the use of the Socratic questioning method in guiding collaborative assessment and treatment of suicidality by nurses during the initial crisis assessment.

Method of preparing initial multilayer radioactive pellets in production of planar radioactive sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stopek, K.; Satorie, Z.

1982-01-01

A compact radioactive foil is placed into a press mould on a thin surface layer of compacted or powder metal and is covered with powder metal. In order to achieve the required dimension and activity the radioactive foil is cut from a large sheet. The multilayer pellet is compacted and rolled using routine methods applied in powder metallurgy. This method excludes the possibility of destroying the active pellet during handling, improves its mechanical properties and is seven times less time demanding than methods used so far. (M.D.)

On crack initiation in notched, cross-plied polymer matrix composites

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Q. D.; Schesser, D.; Niess, M.; Wright, P.; Mavrogordato, M. N.; Sinclair, I.; Spearing, S. M.; Cox, B. N.

2015-05-01

The physics of crack initiation in a polymer matrix composite are investigated by varying the modeling choices made in simulations and comparing the resulting predictions with high-resolution in situ images of cracks. Experimental data were acquired using synchrotron-radiation computed tomography (SRCT) at a resolution on the order of 1 μm, which provides detailed measurement of the location, shape, and size of small cracks, as well as the crack opening and shear displacements. These data prove sufficient to discriminate among competing physical descriptions of crack initiation. Simulations are executed with a high-fidelity formulation, the augmented finite element method (A-FEM), which permits consideration of coupled damage mechanisms, including both discrete cracks and fine-scale continuum damage. The discrete cracks are assumed to be nonlinear fracture events, governed by reasonably general mixed-mode cohesive laws. Crack initiation is described in terms of strength parameters within the cohesive laws, so that the cohesive law provides a unified model for crack initiation and growth. Whereas the cracks investigated are typically 1 mm or less in length, the fine-scale continuum damage refers to irreversible matrix deformation occurring over gauge lengths extending down to the fiber diameter (0.007 mm). We find that the location and far-field stress for crack initiation are predicted accurately only if the variations of local stress within plies and in the presence of stress concentrators (notches, etc.) are explicitly computed and used in initiation criteria; stress redistribution due to matrix nonlinearity that occurs prior to crack initiation is accounted for; and a mixed-mode criterion is used for crack initiation. If these factors are not all considered, which is the case for commonly used failure criteria, predictions of the location and far-field stress for initiation are not accurate.

The Role of Proprioception in the Sagittal Setting of Anticipatory Postural Adjustments During Gait Initiation

OpenAIRE

Pereira Marcelo P.; Pelicioni Paulo H. Silva; Gobbi Lilian T.B.

2015-01-01

Purpose. Previous studies have studied the role of proprioception on the setting of anticipatory postural adjustments (APA) during gait initiation. However, these studies did not investigate the role of proprioception in the sagittal APA setting. We aimed to investigate the role of proprioception manipulation to induce APA sagittal adaptations on gait initiation. Methods. Fourteen healthy adults performed gait initiation without, and with, vibration applied before movement onset, and during m...

Study of initiation and growth of stress corrosion cracks. Quantitative characterization and modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peyrat, Christine

1997-01-01

A phenomenological study of Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) cracks initiation and growth was carried out on a Z 2 CN 18.10 stainless steel in a boiling aqueous magnesium chloride solution at 153 deg. C. The characterization method exploits the morphological information (cracks shape and size distribution) available on a specimen after SCC test. This method, independent of any mechanistic hypothesis, led to the analytical representation of the growth rate of a given crack as a function of its depth and of the density of deeper cracks. The presence of this last parameter could be the expression of a 'shielding effect' of mechanical origin, exerted by the cracks of large size. A 'true initiation' rate was calculated by an extrapolation based on the analytical expression of the growth rate. This analytical representation of cracks initiation and growth accounts for the saturation observed in the experimental determination of the 'apparent initiation'. As time goes, the number of cracks deeper than a given threshold depth tends towards a limit which depends very strongly on the chosen threshold. This saturation effect can be interpreted as exclusively due to the way the small cracks propagate, as the 'true initiation' rate can be expressed versus time by a simple power law. In the case of slow strain rate tests, it is shown that the kinetic parameters characteristic of initiation and growth depend on the applied elongation rate. In particular, the initial crack growth rate increases with elongation rate. The validity domains of the proposed expressions have been specified by means of SCC tests carried out under different types of mechanical loading. (author) [fr

Initial postbuckling analysis of elastoplastic thin-shear structures

Science.gov (United States)

Carnoy, E. G.; Panosyan, G.

1984-01-01

The design of thin shell structures with respect to elastoplastic buckling requires an extended analysis of the influence of initial imperfections. For conservative design, the most critical defect should be assumed with the maximum allowable magnitude. This defect is closely related to the initial postbuckling behavior. An algorithm is given for the quasi-static analysis of the postbuckling behavior of structures that exhibit multiple buckling points. the algorithm based upon an energy criterion allows the computation of the critical perturbation which will be employed for the definition of the critical defect. For computational efficiency, the algorithm uses the reduced basis technique with automatic update of the modal basis. The method is applied to the axisymmetric buckling of cylindrical shells under axial compression, and conclusions are given for future research.

An Alternate Approach to Optimal L 2 -Error Analysis of Semidiscrete Galerkin Methods for Linear Parabolic Problems with Nonsmooth Initial Data

KAUST Repository

Goswami, Deepjyoti; Pani, Amiya K.

2011-01-01

In this article, we propose and analyze an alternate proof of a priori error estimates for semidiscrete Galerkin approximations to a general second order linear parabolic initial and boundary value problem with rough initial data. Our analysis

Method of forecasting pollutant transfer in an aquifer initial results obtained in a sandy medium (Barp site, Gironde)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madoz-Escande, C.; Peyrus, J.-C.

1979-01-01

Hydrogeological studies are undertaken in the context of the radiological safety of nuclear plants to forecast consequences of accidental releases of radioactive pollutants into an aquifer (transfer time, concentration at points of emergence). This quantitative forecast is obtained with the aid of a mathematical model with sequential emission. This requires a knowledge of the physical parameters of the aquifer and of the behavior of the pollutant in relation to the water-bearing medium. The physical parameters of a saturated porous medium are presented with the aid of radioactive tracer tests on a model and also in the field. The initial results obtained in a sandy medium are presented. In view of the difficulty of extrapolating to field conditions the conclusions of tests on models, it was necessary to set up a mobile laboratory with which in situ studies could be undertaken. The behavior of the pollutant in relation to the water-bearing medium is the subject of preliminary laboratory research on the laws of adsorption under different pH and temperature conditions. The numerical results obtained call for confirmation in the field. A description is given of a method which should enable the distribution coefficients to be evaluated in situ

Probabilistic and microstructural aspects of fatigue cracks initiation in Inconel 718

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexandre, F.

2004-03-01

Thermomechanical treatments have been recently developed to produce Inconel 718DA (Direct Aged). This alloy optimisation leads to an increase of the fatigue life but also the scatter. The aim of this study is on the one hand the understanding of the fatigue crack initiation mechanisms and on the other hand the modelling of the fatigue life and the scatter. An experimental study showed that the fatigue cracks were initiated from carbide particles in fine grain alloy. Interrupted tensile tests show that the particles cracking occurred at the first quarter of the fatigue cycle. Fatigue behaviour tests were also performed on various grain size 718 alloys. The last experimental part was devoted to measurements of the low cycle fatigue crack growth rates using a high focal distance microscope. For these tests, EDM micro-defects were used for the fatigue crack initiation sites. This method was also used to observe the small fatigue crack coalescence. A fatigue life model is proposed. It is based on the three fatigue crack initiation mechanisms competition: particle crack initiation on the surface, internal particle crack initiation and Stade I crack initiation. The particle fatigue crack initiation is supposed instantaneous at a critical stress level. The Tanaka and Mura model is used for analysing the Stage I crack initiation number of cycles. The fatigue crack growth rate was analysed using the Tomkins model identified on the small fatigue crack growth rate measurements. The proposed fatigue life model decomposed in three levels: a deterministic one and two probabilistic with and without crack coalescence. (author)

Piezoelectrically Initiated Pyrotechnic Igniter

Science.gov (United States)

Quince, Asia; Dutton, Maureen; Hicks, Robert; Burnham, Karen

2013-01-01

This innovation consists of a pyrotechnic initiator and piezoelectric initiation system. The device will be capable of being initiated mechanically; resisting initiation by EMF, RF, and EMI (electromagnetic field, radio frequency, and electromagnetic interference, respectively); and initiating in water environments and space environments. Current devices of this nature are initiated by the mechanical action of a firing pin against a primer. Primers historically are prone to failure. These failures are commonly known as misfires or hang-fires. In many cases, the primer shows the dent where the firing pin struck the primer, but the primer failed to fire. In devices such as "T" handles, which are commonly used to initiate the blowout of canopies, loss of function of the device may result in loss of crew. In devices such as flares or smoke generators, failure can result in failure to spot a downed pilot. The piezoelectrically initiated ignition system consists of a pyrotechnic device that plugs into a mechanical system (activator), which on activation, generates a high-voltage spark. The activator, when released, will strike a stack of electrically linked piezo crystals, generating a high-voltage, low-amperage current that is then conducted to the pyro-initiator. Within the initiator, an electrode releases a spark that passes through a pyrotechnic first-fire mixture, causing it to combust. The combustion of the first-fire initiates a primary pyrotechnic or explosive powder. If used in a "T" handle, the primary would ramp the speed of burn up to the speed of sound, generating a shock wave that would cause a high explosive to go "high order." In a flare or smoke generator, the secondary would produce the heat necessary to ignite the pyrotechnic mixture. The piezo activator subsystem is redundant in that a second stack of crystals would be struck at the same time with the same activation force, doubling the probability of a first strike spark generation. If the first

Student initiative: A conceptual analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Polovina Nada

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In the description and scientific consideration of the attitude of children and youth towards their education and development, the concept of student initiative has been gaining ground lately, and it is hence the subject of analysis in this paper. The analysis is important because of the discrepancy between the increased efforts of the key educational policy holders to promote the idea about the importance of the development of student initiative and rare acceptance of this idea among theoreticians, researchers and practitioners dealing with the education and development of children and youth. By concretising the features of initiative student behaviour, our aim was, on the one hand, to observe the structural determinants and scientific status of the very concept of an initiative student, and, on the other, to contribute to the understanding of the initiative behaviour in practice. In the first part of the paper we deal with different notions and concretisations of the features of initiative behaviour of children and youth, which includes the consideration of: basic student initiative, academic student initiative, individual student initiative, the capacity for initiative and personal development initiative. In the second part of the paper, we discuss the relations of the concept of student initiative with the similar general concepts (activity/passivity, proactivity, agency and the concepts immediately related to school environment (student involvement, student participation. The results of our analysis indicate that the concept of student initiative has: particular features that differentiate it from similar concepts; the potential to reach the status of a scientific concept, bearing in mind the initial empirical specifications and general empirical verifiability of the yet unverified determinants of the concept. In the concluding part of the paper, we discuss the implications of the conceptual analysis for further research, as well as for

Bone metastasis pattern in initial metastatic breast cancer: a population-based study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiong Z

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Zhenchong Xiong,1–3,* Guangzheng Deng,1–3,* Xinjian Huang,1–3,* Xing Li,1–3 Xinhua Xie,1–3 Jin Wang,1–3 Zeyu Shuang,1–3 Xi Wang1–3 1Department of Breast Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China; 2State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Guangzhou, China; 3Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: Bone is one of the most common sites of breast cancer metastasis, and population-based studies of patients with bone metastasis in initial metastatic breast cancer (MBC are lacking. Materials and methods: From 2010 to 2013, 245,707 breast cancer patients and 8901 patients diagnosed with initial bone metastasis were identified by Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database of the National Cancer Institute. Multivariate logistic and Cox regression were used to identify predictive factors for the presence of bone metastasis and prognosis factors. Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test were used for survival analysis. Results: Eight thousand nine hundred one patients with initial MBC had bone involvement, accounting for 3.6% of the entire cohort and 62.5% of the patients with initial MBC. Also, 70.5% of patients with bone metastasis were hormone receptor (HR positive (HR+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2]−: 57.6%; HR+/HER2+: 12.9%. Patients with initial bone metastasis had a better 5-year survival rate compared to those with initial brain, liver, or lung metastasis. HR+/HER2− and HR+/HER2+ breast cancer had a propensity of bone metastasis in the entire cohort and were correlated with better prognosis in patients with initial bone metastasis. Local surgery had significantly improved overall survival in initial MBC patients with bone metastasis. Conclusion: Our study has provided population-based estimates of epidemiologic characteristics and prognosis in patients with bone metastasis at the time of

Barriers to Antiretroviral Initiation in HIV-1-Discordant Couples

Science.gov (United States)

Guthrie, Brandon L.; Choi, Robert Y.; Liu, Amy Y.; Mackelprang, Romel D.; Rositch, Anne F.; Bosire, Rose; Manyara, Lucy; Gatuguta, Anne; Kiarie, James N.; Farquhar, Carey

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND In Kenya and much of sub-Saharan Africa, nearly half of all couples affected by HIV are discordant. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) slows disease progression in HIV-1-infected individuals, and reduces transmission to uninfected partners. We examined time to ART initiation and factors associated with delayed initiation in HIV-1-discordant couples in Nairobi. METHODS HIV-1-discordant couples were enrolled and followed quarterly for up to 2 years. Clinical staff administered questionnaires and conducted viral loads and CD4 counts. Participants with a CD4 count meeting ART criteria were referred to a nearby PEPFAR-funded treatment center. Barriers to ART initiation among participants with a CD4 count eligible for ART were assessed by Cox regression. RESULTS Of 439 HIV-1-infected participants (63.6% females and 36.4% males) 146 met CD4 count criteria for ART during follow-up. Median time from meeting CD4 criteria until ART initiation was 8.9 months, with 42.0% of eligible participants on ART by 6 months and 63.4% on ART by 1 year. The CD4 count at the time of eligibility was inversely associated with time to ART initiation (HR=0.49, p< 0.001). Compared to homeowners, those paying higher rents started ART 48% more slowly (p=0.062) and those paying lower rents started 71% more slowly (p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS Despite access to regular health care, referrals to treatment centers, and free access to ART, over a third of participants with an eligible CD4 count had not started ART within 1 year. Factors of lower socioeconomic status may slow ART initiation and targeted approaches are needed to avoid delays in treatment initiation. PMID:21826010

Growth and morphogenesis of shoot initials of Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, in vitro

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Evers, P.W.

1984-01-01

An optimalized method of micropropagation of Douglas fir is described. Seasonal changes were found in optima for nitrate and sucrose in the medium and in the optimum for the light intensity during the culture of shoot initials. Differences in morphogenesis were obtained from shoot initials that had

Consultancy on 'IAEA initiative to establish a fast reactor knowledge base'. Working material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

At the outset of the meeting, Member States interest in establishing Fast Reactor Knowledge Base was acknowledged by the participants. While the broader objective of the initiative was to develop a Knowledge Base into which the existing Knowledge Preservation Systems will fit, the specific objectives of the meeting were: Make recommendations on FRKP methodology and guidance, Review the proposed structure of the Agency's FRKP Initiative, Make recommendations on the role of the Agency and the Member States implementing the Agency's FRKP Initiative, Develop an approach for the implementation of the structure of the Agency's RFKP Initiative. The meeting concluded covering many aspects of the initiative namely systematic method of data capturing, structuring and functions of FRKP System etc. and placed a strong emphasis on the continues role of IAEA's support and coordination in the data retrieval and knowledge preservation efforts

"Living" free radical photopolymerization initiated from surface-grafted iniferter monolayers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Boer, B.; Simon, H.K.; Werts, M.P L; van der Vegte, E.W.; Hadziioannou, G

2000-01-01

A method for chemically modifying a surface with grafted monolayers of initiator groups, which can be used for a "living" free radical photopolymerization, is described. By using "living" free radical polymerizations, we were able to control the length of the grafted polymer chains and therefore the

Biosafety initiatives in BMENA region: identification of gaps and advances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erum eKhan

2016-03-01

Full Text Available AbstractIntroduction: The objectives of this study were to identify and assess the impact of capacity-building biosafety initiatives and programs that have taken place in the broader Middle East and north Africa (BMENA region between 2001-13, to highlight gaps that require further development, and to suggest sustainable ways to build cooperative regional biosafety opportunities. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted with two aspects 1 thorough desktop review of literature for all biosafety / biosecurity related activities in the study countries such as seminars, conferences, workshops, policy documents, technology transfer, sustained scientific endeavours between countries etc.; and 2 an online survey of scientists in countries in the region to get first-hand information about biosafety and biosecurity initiatives and gaps in their country. Results: A total of 1832 initiatives of biosafety / biosecurity were recorded from 97 web-links,70.68% (n=1295 initiatives were focused on raising general awareness among the scientific community about biosafety/biosecurity/biocontainment. The most frequent areas of interest were biorisk management in biomedical and biotechnology laboratories 13% (n=239, followed by Living Modified Organisms (LMO’s 9.17% (n=168. Hands-on training accounted for 2.67% (n=49 of initiatives. On line survey results confirmed desktop review findings, however the response rate was 11%.

Identification and selection of initiating events for experimental fusion facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cadwallader, L.C.

1989-01-01

This paper describes the current approaches used in probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) to identify and select accident initiating events for study in either probabilistic safety analysis or PRA. Current methods directly apply to fusion facilities as well as other types of industries, such as chemical processing and nuclear fission. These identification and selection methods include the Master Logic Diagram, historical document review, system level Failure Modes and Effects Analysis, and others. A combination of the historical document review, such as Safety Analysis Reports and fusion safety studies, and the Master Logic Diagram with appropriate quality assurance reviews, is suggested for standardizing US fusion PRA effects. A preliminary set of generalized initiating events applicable to fusion facilities derived from safety document review is presented as a framework to start from for the historical document review and Master Logic Diagram approach. Fusion designers should find this list useful for their design reviews. 29 refs., 2 tabs

Identification and selection of initiating events for experimental fusion facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cadwallader, L.C.

1989-01-01

This paper describes the current approaches used in probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) to identify and select accident initiating events for study in either probabilistic safety analysis or PRA. Current methods directly apply to fusion facilities as well as other types of industries, such as chemical processing and nuclear fission. These identification and selection methods include the Master Logic Diagram, historical document review, system level Failure Modes and Effects Analysis, and others. A combination of the historical document review, such as Safety Analysis Reports and fusion safety studies, and the Master Logic Diagram with appropriate quality assurance reviews, is suggested for standardizing U.S. fusion PRA efforts. A preliminary set of generalized initiating events applicable to fusion facilities derived from safety document review is presented as a framework to start from for the historical document review and Master Logic Diagram approach. Fusion designers should find this list useful for their design reviews. 29 refs., 1 tab

A methodology for analyzing precursors to earthquake-initiated and fire-initiated accident sequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budnitz, R.J.; Lambert, H.E.; Apostolakis, G.

1998-04-01

This report covers work to develop a methodology for analyzing precursors to both earthquake-initiated and fire-initiated accidents at commercial nuclear power plants. Currently, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission sponsors a large ongoing project, the Accident Sequence Precursor project, to analyze the safety significance of other types of accident precursors, such as those arising from internally-initiated transients and pipe breaks, but earthquakes and fires are not within the current scope. The results of this project are that: (1) an overall step-by-step methodology has been developed for precursors to both fire-initiated and seismic-initiated potential accidents; (2) some stylized case-study examples are provided to demonstrate how the fully-developed methodology works in practice, and (3) a generic seismic-fragility date base for equipment is provided for use in seismic-precursors analyses. 44 refs., 23 figs., 16 tabs

An integrated approach to estimate storage reliability with initial failures based on E-Bayesian estimates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yongjin; Zhao, Ming; Zhang, Shitao; Wang, Jiamei; Zhang, Yanjun

2017-01-01

Storage reliability that measures the ability of products in a dormant state to keep their required functions is studied in this paper. For certain types of products, Storage reliability may not always be 100% at the beginning of storage, unlike the operational reliability, which exist possible initial failures that are normally neglected in the models of storage reliability. In this paper, a new integrated technique, the non-parametric measure based on the E-Bayesian estimates of current failure probabilities is combined with the parametric measure based on the exponential reliability function, is proposed to estimate and predict the storage reliability of products with possible initial failures, where the non-parametric method is used to estimate the number of failed products and the reliability at each testing time, and the parameter method is used to estimate the initial reliability and the failure rate of storage product. The proposed method has taken into consideration that, the reliability test data of storage products containing the unexamined before and during the storage process, is available for providing more accurate estimates of both the initial failure probability and the storage failure probability. When storage reliability prediction that is the main concern in this field should be made, the non-parametric estimates of failure numbers can be used into the parametric models for the failure process in storage. In the case of exponential models, the assessment and prediction method for storage reliability is presented in this paper. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the method. Furthermore, a detailed comparison between the proposed and traditional method, for examining the rationality of assessment and prediction on the storage reliability, is investigated. The results should be useful for planning a storage environment, decision-making concerning the maximum length of storage, and identifying the production quality. - Highlights: �

Initial PDS4 Support for the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL)

Science.gov (United States)

Hare, T. M.; Gaddis, L. R.

2018-04-01

We introduce initial support for PDS4 within the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL). Both highlights and limitations are presented, as well as a short discussion on methods for supporting a GDAL-based workflow for PDS4 conversions.

ACO-Initialized Wavelet Neural Network for Vibration Fault Diagnosis of Hydroturbine Generating Unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhihuai Xiao

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Considering the drawbacks of traditional wavelet neural network, such as low convergence speed and high sensitivity to initial parameters, an ant colony optimization- (ACO- initialized wavelet neural network is proposed in this paper for vibration fault diagnosis of a hydroturbine generating unit. In this method, parameters of the wavelet neural network are initialized by the ACO algorithm, and then the wavelet neural network is trained by the gradient descent algorithm. Amplitudes of the frequency components of the hydroturbine generating unit vibration signals are used as feature vectors for wavelet neural network training to realize mapping relationship from vibration features to fault types. A real vibration fault diagnosis case result of a hydroturbine generating unit shows that the proposed method has faster convergence speed and stronger generalization ability than the traditional wavelet neural network and ACO wavelet neural network. Thus it can provide an effective solution for online vibration fault diagnosis of a hydroturbine generating unit.

Crack initiation life analysis in notched pipe under cyclic bending loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Joon Seong; Kwak, Sang Log; Kim, Young Jin; Park, Youn Won

2001-01-01

In order to improve leak-before-break methodology, more precisely the crack growth evaluation, a round robin analysis was proposed by the CEA Saclay. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the crack initiation life, penetration life and shape of through wall crack under cyclic bending loads. The proposed round robin analysis is composed of three main topic; fatigue crack initiation, crack propagation and crack penetration. This paper deals with the first topic, crack initiation in a notched pipe under four point bending. Both elastic-plastic finite element analysis and Neuber's rule were used to estimate the crack initiation life and the finite element models were verified by mesh-refinement, stress distribution and global deflection. In elastic-plastic finite element analysis, crack initiation life was determined by strain amplitude at the notch tip and strain-life curve of the material. In the analytical method, Neuber's rule with the consideration of load history and mean stress effect, was used for the life estimation. The effect of notch tip radius, strain range, cyclic hardening rule were examined in this study. When these results were compared with the experimental ones, the global deformation was a good agreement but crack initiation cycle was higher than the experimental result

Technology transfer from the space exploration initiative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buden, D.

1991-01-01

Space exploration has demonstrated that it stimulates the national economy by creating new and improved products, increased employment, and provides a stimulus to education. The exploration of the Moon and Mars under the Space Exploration Initiative has the potential of accelerating this stimulates to the economy. It is difficult to identify all of the concrete ways this will be accomplished. However, many areas can be identified. The space exploration building blocks of power, propulsion, spacecraft, robotics, rovers, mining and manufacturing, communications, navigation, habitats, life support and infrastructures are reviewed to identify possible technology areas. For example, better means for working in hazardous areas and handling hazardous waste are potential outcomes of this initiative. Methods to produce higher quality goods and improve America's competitiveness in manufacturing will undoubtedly evolve from the need to produce products that must last many years in the harsh environments of space and planetary surfaces. Some ideas for technology transfer are covered in this paper

Effect of Initial Moisture on the Adsorption and Desorption Equilibrium Moisture Contents of Polished Rice

OpenAIRE

Murata, Satoshi; Amaratunga, K.S.P.; Tanaka, Fumihiko; Hori, Yoshiaki; 村田, 敏; 田中, 史彦; 堀, 善昭

1993-01-01

The moisture adsorption and desorption properties for polished rice have been measured using a dynamic ventilatory method. Air temperatures of 10,20,30 and 40℃, relative humidities of 50,60,70,80 and 90%, and five levels of initial moisture contents ranging approximately from 8% to 19% d.b. were used to obtain moisture content data. The value of equilibrium moisture content for each initial moisture content at the range of air condition was determined by a method of nonlinear least squares. R...

Advanced computational methods for the assessment of reactor core behaviour during reactivity initiated accidents. Final report; Fortschrittliche Rechenmethoden zum Kernverhalten bei Reaktivitaetsstoerfaellen. Abschlussbericht

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pautz, A.; Perin, Y.; Pasichnyk, I.; Velkov, K.; Zwermann, W.; Seubert, A.; Klein, M.; Gallner, L.; Krzycacz-Hausmann, B.

2012-05-15

The document at hand serves as the final report for the reactor safety research project RS1183 ''Advanced Computational Methods for the Assessment of Reactor Core Behavior During Reactivity-Initiated Accidents''. The work performed in the framework of this project was dedicated to the development, validation and application of advanced computational methods for the simulation of transients and accidents of nuclear installations. These simulation tools describe in particular the behavior of the reactor core (with respect to neutronics, thermal-hydraulics and thermal mechanics) at a very high level of detail. The overall goal of this project was the deployment of a modern nuclear computational chain which provides, besides advanced 3D tools for coupled neutronics/ thermal-hydraulics full core calculations, also appropriate tools for the generation of multi-group cross sections and Monte Carlo models for the verification of the individual calculational steps. This computational chain shall primarily be deployed for light water reactors (LWR), but should beyond that also be applicable for innovative reactor concepts. Thus, validation on computational benchmarks and critical experiments was of paramount importance. Finally, appropriate methods for uncertainty and sensitivity analysis were to be integrated into the computational framework, in order to assess and quantify the uncertainties due to insufficient knowledge of data, as well as due to methodological aspects.

The influence of initial defects on mechanical stress and deformation distribution in oxidized silicon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kulinich O. A.

2008-10-01

Full Text Available The near-surface silicon layers in silicon – dioxide silicon systems with modern methods of research are investigated. It is shown that these layers have compound structure and their parameters depend on oxidation and initial silicon parameters. It is shown the influence of initial defects on mechanical stress and deformation distribution in oxidized silicon.

[Initiation, promotion, initiation experiments with radon and cigarette smoke: Lung tumors in rats]. Progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moolgavkar, S.H.

1994-01-01

During the past several years, the authors have made considerable progress in modeling carcinogenesis in general, and in modeling radiation carcinogenesis, in particular. They present an overview of their progress in developing stochastic carcinogenesis models and applying them to experimental and epidemiologic data sets. Traditionally, cancer models have been used for the analysis of incidence (or prevalence) data in epidemiology and time to tumor data in experimental studies. The relevant quantities for the analysis of these data are the hazard function and the probability of tumor. The derivation of these quantities is briefly described here. More recently, the authors began to use these models for the analysis of data on intermediate lesions on the pathway to cancer. Such data are available in experimental carcinogenesis studies, in particular in initiation and promotion studies on the mouse skin and the rat liver. If however, quantitative information on intermediate lesions on the pathway to lung cancer were to be come available at some future date, the methods that they have developed for the analysis of initiation-promotion experiments could easily be applied to the analysis of these lesions. The mathematical derivations here are couched in terms of a particular two-mutation model of carcinogenesis. Extension to models postulating more than two mutations is not always straightforward

AC Initiation System.

Science.gov (United States)

An ac initiation system is described which uses three ac transmission signals interlocked for safety by frequency, phase, and power discrimination...The ac initiation system is pre-armed by the application of two ac signals have the proper phases, and activates a load when an ac power signal of the proper frequency and power level is applied. (Author)

Quantum control for initiation and detection of explosives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenfield, Margo T.; McGrane, Shawn D.; Scharff, R. Jason; Moore, David S.

2010-01-01

We employ quantum control methods towards detection and quantum controlled initiation (QCI) of energetic materials. Ultrafast pulse shaping of broadband Infrared (∼750 nm to 850 run) and ultraviolet (266 nm, 400 nm) light is utilized for control. The underlying principals behind optimal control can be utilized to both detect and initiate explosives. In each case, time dependent phase shaped electric fields drive the chemical systems towards a desired state. For optimal dynamic detection of explosives (ODD-Ex) a phase specific broadband infrared pulse is created which increases not only the sensitivity of detection but also the selectivity of an explosive's spectral signatures in a background of interferents. QCI on the other hand, seeks to initiate explosives by employing shaped ultraviolet light. QCI is ideal for use with explosive detonators as it removes the possibility of unintentional initiation from an electrical source while adding an additional safety feature, initiation only with the proper pulse shape. Quantum control experiments require: (1) the ability to phase and amplitude shape the laser pulse and (2) the ability to effectively search for the pulse shape which controls the reaction. In these adaptive experiments we utilize both global and local optimization search routines such as genetic algorithm, differential evolution, and downhill simplex. Pulse shaping the broadband IR light, produced by focusing 800 nm light through a pressurized tube of Argon, is straightforward as commercial pulse shapers are available at and around 800 nm. Pulse shaping in the UV requires a home built shaper. Our system is an acoustic optical modulator (AOM) pulse shaper in which consists of a fused silica AOM crystal placed in the Fourier plane of a 4-f zero dispersion compressor.

A sensitive mass spectrometric method for hypothesis-driven detection of peptide post-translational modifications: multiple reaction monitoring-initiated detection and sequencing (MIDAS).

Science.gov (United States)

Unwin, Richard D; Griffiths, John R; Whetton, Anthony D

2009-01-01

The application of a targeted mass spectrometric workflow to the sensitive identification of post-translational modifications is described. This protocol employs multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) to search for all putative peptides specifically modified in a target protein. Positive MRMs trigger an MS/MS experiment to confirm the nature and site of the modification. This approach, termed MIDAS (MRM-initiated detection and sequencing), is more sensitive than approaches using neutral loss scanning or precursor ion scanning methodologies, due to a more efficient use of duty cycle along with a decreased background signal associated with MRM. We describe the use of MIDAS for the identification of phosphorylation, with a typical experiment taking just a couple of hours from obtaining a peptide sample. With minor modifications, the MIDAS method can be applied to other protein modifications or unmodified peptides can be used as a MIDAS target.

Methods of RVD object pose estimation and experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Shang, Yang; He, Yan; Wang, Weihua; Yu, Qifeng

2007-11-01

Methods of measuring a RVD (rendezvous and docking) cooperative object's pose from monocular and binocular images respectively are presented. The methods solve the initial values first and optimize the object pose parameters by bundle adjustment. In the disturbance-rejecting binocular method, chosen measurement system parameters of one camera's exterior parameters are modified simultaneously. The methods need three or more cooperative target points to measure the object's pose accurately. Experimental data show that the methods converge quickly and stably, provide accurate results and do not need accurate initial values. Even when the chosen measurement system parameters are subjected to some amount of disturbance, the binocular method manages to provide fairly accurate results.

A Delphi Study and Initial Validation of Counselor Supervision Competencies

Science.gov (United States)

Neuer Colburn, Anita A.; Grothaus, Tim; Hays, Danica G.; Milliken, Tammi

2016-01-01

The authors addressed the lack of supervision training standards for doctoral counseling graduates by developing and validating an initial list of supervision competencies. They used content analysis, Delphi polling, and content validity methods to generate a list, vetted by 2 different panels of supervision experts, of 33 competencies grouped…

Numerical methods for hydrodynamic stability problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujimura, Kaoru

1985-11-01

Numerical methods for solving the Orr-Sommerfeld equation, which is the fundamental equation of the hydrodynamic stability theory for various shear flows, are reviewed and typical numerical results are presented. The methods of asymptotic solution, finite difference methods, initial value methods and expansions in orthogonal functions are compared. (author)

Data assimilation method based on the constraints of confidence region

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yong; Li, Siming; Sheng, Yao; Wang, Luheng

2018-03-01

The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is a distinguished data assimilation method that is widely used and studied in various fields including methodology and oceanography. However, due to the limited sample size or imprecise dynamics model, it is usually easy for the forecast error variance to be underestimated, which further leads to the phenomenon of filter divergence. Additionally, the assimilation results of the initial stage are poor if the initial condition settings differ greatly from the true initial state. To address these problems, the variance inflation procedure is usually adopted. In this paper, we propose a new method based on the constraints of a confidence region constructed by the observations, called EnCR, to estimate the inflation parameter of the forecast error variance of the EnKF method. In the new method, the state estimate is more robust to both the inaccurate forecast models and initial condition settings. The new method is compared with other adaptive data assimilation methods in the Lorenz-63 and Lorenz-96 models under various model parameter settings. The simulation results show that the new method performs better than the competing methods.

Formal Methods: Practice and Experience

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Woodcock, Jim; Larsen, Peter Gorm; Bicarregui, Juan

2009-01-01

. Based on this, we discuss the issues surrounding the industrial adoption of formal methods. Finally, we look to the future and describe the development of a Verified Software Repository, part of the worldwide Verified Software Initiative. We introduce the initial projects being used to populate...... the repository, and describe the challenges they address. © 2009 ACM. (146 refs.)...

Inflation with generalized initial conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albrecht, A.; Brandenberger, R.; Matzner, R.

1987-01-01

In many current models of the early Universe a scalar field phi which is only very weakly coupled to other quantum fields is used to generate inflation. In such models there are no forces which could thermalize the scalar field, and previous assumptions about its preinflation ''initial'' conditions must be abandoned. In this paper the onset of inflation is studied classically for more general initial conditions of the scalar field configuration. In particular, initial conditions with a nonvanishing spatial average of phi, with phi chosen at random in each initial horizon volume, and with random initial momenta are considered. We identify and discuss several mechanisms that can drive these more general initial conditions toward an inflationary state. The analysis is done in one spatial dimension

EXPERIENCES WITH IDEA PROMOTING INITIATIVES

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gish, Liv

2011-01-01

In new product development a central activity is to provide new ideas. Over the last decades experiences with stimulating employee creativity and establishing idea promoting initiatives have been made in industrial practice. Such initiatives are often labeled Idea Management – a research field...... with a growing interest. In this paper I examine three different idea promoting initiatives carried out in Grundfos, a leading pump manufacturer. In the analysis I address what understandings of idea work are inscribed in the initiatives and what role these initiatives play in the organization with respect...... understandings of idea work are inscribed in the idea promoting initiatives as they to some degree have to fit with the understandings embedded in practice in order to work....

Closing Symposium of the German Research Initiative ComFliTe

CERN Document Server

Radespiel, Rolf; Burg, Jan; Sørensen, Kaare

2013-01-01

This book reports on the German research initiative ComFliTe (Computational Flight Testing), the main goal of which was to enhance the capabilities of and tools for numerical simulation in flight physics to support future aircraft design and development. The initiative was coordinated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and promoted collaboration between the aircraft industry and academia. Activities focused on improving physical modeling for separated flows, developing advanced numerical algorithms for series computations and sensitivity predictions, as well as surrogate and reduced order modeling for aero data production and developing robust fluid-, structure- and flight mechanics coupling procedures. Further topics included more efficient handling of aircraft control surfaces and improving simulation methods for maneuvers, such as gust encounter. The important results of this three-year initiative were presented during the ComFliTe closing symposium, which took place at the DLR in Braunschweig, Germany, ...

A comparative review of patient safety initiatives for national health information technology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magrabi, Farah; Aarts, Jos; Nøhr, Christian

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To collect and critically review patient safety initiatives for health information technology (HIT). METHOD: Publicly promulgated set of advisories, recommendations, guidelines, or standards potentially addressing safe system design, build, implementation or use were identified...... by searching the websites of regional and national agencies and programmes in a non-exhaustive set of exemplar countries including England, Denmark, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada and Australia. Initiatives were categorised by type and software systems covered. RESULTS: We found 27 patient safety initiatives...... were aimed at certification in the USA, Canada and Australia. Safety is addressed alongside interoperability in the Australian certification programme but it is not explicitly addressed in the US and Canadian programmes, though conformance with specific functionality, interoperability, security...

Multi-detector CT knee arthrography - initial experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomson, J.M.Z.; Fallon, M.; Breidahl, W.H.

2002-01-01

Full text: Traditional plain film arthrography can achieve reasonable accuracy and is an accepted method of investigation of patients with knee pain and possible meniscal tear. Multi-detector CT can potentially provide a more detailed and accurate examination due to its high-resolution crosssectional and multi-planar capabilities. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of our technique. All patients who underwent a multi-detector CT knee arthrogram in an initial 8 month period were identified. Initially the referring clinician was contacted. If the patient was referred to an orthopaedic surgeon the outcome of orthopaedic review was recorded using clinical, arthroscopic and / or MRI follow-up of the patient population. One hundred and twelve patients had a Multi-detector CT knee arthrogram performed within and 8 month period. Follow-up information was received in 69.7% of patients. Of these 68.9% had orthopaedic assessment - of which 69.2% underwent a knee arthroscopy.There was total agreement of findings in 67%, agreement of meniscal findings in 67% and chondral findings in 100%. Overall, orthopaedic opinion agreed with CT findings in 76.9%. At this stage, all meniscal tears not described in the initial CT arthrogram report have in retrospect been visible. Multi-detector CT knee arthrography is an accurate and elegant technique for investigation of knee pain, providing information in a format familiar to those reporting knee MRI. There is an initial learning curve. The technique is particularly useful in chondral assessment. It is accurate for meniscal pathology, although caution and recognition of potential pitfalls is required. Copyright (2002) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd

Measurement of critical energy for direct initiation of spherical detonations in stoichiometric high-pressure H{sub 2}-O{sub 2} mixtures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kamenskihs, Vsevolods; Lee, John H.S. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Ng, Hoi Dick [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

2010-09-15

In this study, the critical energy for direct initiation of spherical detonations in stoichiometric high-pressure hydrogen-oxygen mixtures are measured and investigated to look at the effect of explosion limits on the detonation sensitivity. Results up to an initial pressure of 20 atm are obtained. Experiments are carried out in a spherical bomb and direct initiation is achieved via spark ignition from a high-voltage capacitor discharge. A detailed description of different methods to obtain a good estimate of the correct amount of energy deposited into the mixture used to initiate the detonation, including the calorimeter method and current method, is provided. It is demonstrated that at elevated initial pressure, the second explosion limit effect plays a significant role leading to slow-branching reactions and the detonation sensitivity of hydrogen mixtures is comparable to other common hydrocarbon mixtures at such condition. (author)

Advancing Medication Reconciliation in an Outpatient Internal Medicine Clinic through a Pharmacist-Led Educational Initiative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah M. Westberg, Pharm.D.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To develop and deliver an effective pharmacist-led educational initiative to clinic staff to advance medication reconciliation in the electronic medical record of an outpatient internal medicine clinic.Methods: An educational initiative designed to improve the ability of nursing staff in medication reconciliation was launched in the outpatient internal medicine clinic of a regional healthcare system. The education was provided by the pharmacist to clinic nursing staff, including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified medical assistants. The impact of this training was measured through pre-initiation and post-implementation surveys, competency assessments and an audit. Results: The educational initiative was successfully designed and delivered to clinic nursing staff. Assessment of the initiative found that all nursing staff completing competency assessments successfully passed. Pre-initiation- and post-implementation- survey responses on the self-assessed ability to gather and document accurate medication lists did not show significant changes. Informal observations in the clinic indicated that this initiative changed the culture of the clinic, creating increased awareness of the importance of accurate medications and increased emphasis on medication reconciliation.Conclusions: The expertise of pharmacists can be utilized to educate nursing staff on the skills and abilities necessary to gather and document accurate medication lists. This study did not find measurable changes in the accuracy of medication lists in this clinic. Future research is needed to determine the best methods to train health professionals in medication reconciliation to ensure accurate medication lists in the outpatient setting.

Solutions to the Cosmic Initial Entropy Problem without Equilibrium Initial Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vihan M. Patel

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The entropy of the observable universe is increasing. Thus, at earlier times the entropy was lower. However, the cosmic microwave background radiation reveals an apparently high entropy universe close to thermal and chemical equilibrium. A two-part solution to this cosmic initial entropy problem is proposed. Following Penrose, we argue that the evenly distributed matter of the early universe is equivalent to low gravitational entropy. There are two competing explanations for how this initial low gravitational entropy comes about. (1 Inflation and baryogenesis produce a virtually homogeneous distribution of matter with a low gravitational entropy. (2 Dissatisfied with explaining a low gravitational entropy as the product of a ‘special’ scalar field, some theorists argue (following Boltzmann for a “more natural” initial condition in which the entire universe is in an initial equilibrium state of maximum entropy. In this equilibrium model, our observable universe is an unusual low entropy fluctuation embedded in a high entropy universe. The anthropic principle and the fluctuation theorem suggest that this low entropy region should be as small as possible and have as large an entropy as possible, consistent with our existence. However, our low entropy universe is much larger than needed to produce observers, and we see no evidence for an embedding in a higher entropy background. The initial conditions of inflationary models are as natural as the equilibrium background favored by many theorists.

DNA replication initiator Cdc6 also regulates ribosomal DNA transcription initiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Shijiao; Xu, Xiaowei; Wang, Guopeng; Lu, Guoliang; Xie, Wenbing; Tao, Wei; Zhang, Hongyin; Jiang, Qing; Zhang, Chuanmao

2016-04-01

RNA-polymerase-I-dependent ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription is fundamental to rRNA processing, ribosome assembly and protein synthesis. However, how this process is initiated during the cell cycle is not fully understood. By performing a proteomic analysis of transcription factors that bind RNA polymerase I during rDNA transcription initiation, we identified that the DNA replication initiator Cdc6 interacts with RNA polymerase I and its co-factors, and promotes rDNA transcription in G1 phase in an ATPase-activity-dependent manner. We further showed that Cdc6 is targeted to the nucleolus during late mitosis and G1 phase in a manner that is dependent on B23 (also known as nucleophosmin, NPM1), and preferentially binds to the rDNA promoter through its ATP-binding domain. Overexpression of Cdc6 increases rDNA transcription, whereas knockdown of Cdc6 results in a decreased association of both RNA polymerase I and the RNA polymerase I transcription factor RRN3 with rDNA, and a reduction of rDNA transcription. Furthermore, depletion of Cdc6 impairs the interaction between RRN3 and RNA polymerase I. Taken together, our data demonstrate that Cdc6 also serves as a regulator of rDNA transcription initiation, and indicate a mechanism by which initiation of rDNA transcription and DNA replication can be coordinated in cells. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Initial ACTR retrieval technology evaluation test material recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powell, M.R.

1996-04-01

Millions of gallons of radiaoctive waste are contained in underground storage tanks at Hanford (SE Washington). Techniques for retrieving much of this waste from the storage tanks have been developed. Current baseline approach is to use sluice jets for single-shell tanks and mixer pumps for double-shell tanks. The Acquire Commercial Technology for Retrieval (ACTR) effort was initiated to identify potential improvements in or alternatives to the baseline waste retrieval methods. Communications with a variety of vendors are underway to identify improved methods that can be implemented at Hanford with little or no additional development. Commercially available retrieval methods will be evaluated by a combination of testing and system-level cost estimation. Current progress toward developing waste simulants for testing ACTR candidate methods is reported; the simulants are designed to model 4 different types of tank waste. Simulant recipes are given for wet sludge, hardpan/dried sludge,hard saltcake, and soft saltcake. Comparisons of the waste and simulant properties are documented in this report

Optimization for getting stable plasma initiation in JT-60

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshino, Ryuji; Neyatani, Yuzuru; Abe, T.

1988-06-01

This paper analyses the plasma current build-up just after the breakdown, and investigates the method for obtaining more stable plasma initiation with reduced Volt-second consumption. Control of the amount of particles contained in the wall is necessary for getting the optimum plasma density just after the breakdown, and is essential for obtaining the stable current build-up. (author)

A reverse method to estimate initial temperatures in geothermal reservoirs; Un metodo inverso para estimacion de la temperatura inicial de yacimientos geotermicos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia Gutierrez, Alfonso [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Gerencia de Geotermia, Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico)]. E-mail: aggarcia@iie.org.mx; Ramos Alcantara, Jose R. [Centro Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo Tecnologico, Departamento de Ingenieria Mecanica, Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico); Arellano Gomez, Victor M. [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Gerencia de Geotermia, Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico)

2010-01-15

A method is presented for estimating the initial temperature in geothermal-reservoir formations. The method is based on control theory where the measured temperatures or temperature logs are compared with corresponding simulated temperatures for different times with the well closed. The comparison is made using a control algorithm that makes changes to the originally assumed reservoir temperatures and performs iterations until the best fit between the temperature logs and the simulated temperatures is obtained. The simulation of fluid transport and heat in the well includes the processes of circulation and stop in the presence of circulation losses, modeled on macroscopic balances of momentum and energy. The transport processes in the formation regard the reservoir as an isotropic porous medium and fluid flow is described by Darcy's law. This model generates the fields of temperatures, pressures and speeds as a function of time and space. The method was tested with data from well LV-3 in Las Tres Virgenes geothermal field, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The estimated temperatures of the undisturbed formation-or initial temperatures-are compared within {+-}15 degrees Celsius with the measured temperatures, which is an acceptable outcome from an engineering point of view. [Spanish] Se presenta un metodo para la estimacion de la temperatura inicial en las formaciones de yacimientos geotermicos. El metodo se basa en la teoria de control donde las temperaturas medidas o registros de temperatura se comparan con las correspondientes temperaturas simuladas a diferentes tiempos con el pozo cerrado. La comparacion se hace usando un algoritmo de control el cual hace cambios a las temperaturas de yacimiento originalmente supuestas y realiza iteraciones hasta que se obtiene el mejor ajuste entre los registros de temperatura y las temperaturas simuladas. La simulacion del transporte de fluidos y calor en el pozo incluye los procesos de circulacion y paro en presencia de

ERICA: sexual initiation and contraception in Brazilian adolescents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Luiza Vilela Borges

2016-02-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of sexual initiation and contraceptive use at the last sexual intercourse of Brazilian adolescents, according to sociodemographic features. METHODS The data were obtained from the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA, a national school-based cross-sectional study. We included 74,589 adolescents from 32 geographic strata (27 capitals and five sets of municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants of each of the five macro-regions of the Country. Information on sexual initiation and contraceptive use at the last sexual intercourse (male condom and oral contraceptive pill has been used. We have estimated prevalence and confidence intervals (95%CI considering sample weights according to sex, age, type of school, residence status, macro-region and capitals. RESULTS We observed that 28.1% (95%CI 27.0-29.2 of the adolescents had already initiated sexual life, with higher prevalence among those aged 17 years (56.4%, 95%CI 53.9-58.9, males (33.5%, 95%CI 31.8-35.2, studying at public schools (29.9%, 95%CI 28.5-31.4, and from the Northern region (33.9%, 95%CI 32.3-35.4, mainly from Macapa, Manaus, and Rio Branco. Among those who had started their sexual life, 82.3% (95%CI 81.1-83.4 reported the use of contraceptive methods at the last intercourse, and the prevalence of use was higher among adolescents aged 17 years (85.3%, 95%CI 82.7-87.6, females (85.2%, 95%CI 83.8-86.5 and those living in the Southern region (85.9%, 95%CI 82.9-88.5. Male condom was used by 68.8% (95%CI 66.9-70.7, with no difference by type of school or macro-regions; the contraceptive pill was used by 13.4% (CI95% 12.2-14.6, and more frequently used among women (24.7%, 95%CI 22.5-27,0 and 17-year-old adolescents (20.8%, 95%CI 18.2-23.6 from urban settings(13.7%, 95%CI 12.5-14.9 and from the Southern region (22.6%, 95%CI 19.0-26.8, and less often in the Northern region. CONCLUSIONS ERICA’s data analysis on sexuality and

Design, construction and initial state of the underground openings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-12-01

The report is included in a set of Production reports, presenting how the KBS-3 repository is designed, produced and inspected. The set of reports is included in the safety report for the KBS-3 repository and repository facility. The report provides input on the initial state of the underground openings for the assessment of the long-term safety, SR-Site. The initial state refers to the properties of the underground openings at final disposal, backfilling or closure. In addition, the report provides input to the operational safety report, SR-Operation, on how the underground openings shall be constructed and inspected. The report presents the design premises and the methodology applied to design the underground openings and adapt them the to the site conditions so that they conform to the design premises. It presents the reference design at Forsmark and its conformity to the design premises. It also describes the reference methods to be applied to construct and inspect the different kinds of underground openings. Finally, the initial state of the underground openings and its conformity to the design premises is presented

Design, construction and initial state of the underground openings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2010-12-15

The report is included in a set of Production reports, presenting how the KBS-3 repository is designed, produced and inspected. The set of reports is included in the safety report for the KBS-3 repository and repository facility. The report provides input on the initial state of the underground openings for the assessment of the long-term safety, SR-Site. The initial state refers to the properties of the underground openings at final disposal, backfilling or closure. In addition, the report provides input to the operational safety report, SR-Operation, on how the underground openings shall be constructed and inspected. The report presents the design premises and the methodology applied to design the underground openings and adapt them the to the site conditions so that they conform to the design premises. It presents the reference design at Forsmark and its conformity to the design premises. It also describes the reference methods to be applied to construct and inspect the different kinds of underground openings. Finally, the initial state of the underground openings and its conformity to the design premises is presented

Method of controlling weld chamber purge and cover gas atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeo, D.

1992-01-01

A method of controlling the gas atmosphere in a welding chamber includes detecting the absence of a fuel rod from the welding chamber and, in response thereto, initiating the supplying of a flow of argon gas to the chamber to purge air therefrom. Further, the method includes detecting the entry of a fuel rod in the welding chamber and, in response thereto, terminating the supplying of the flow of argon gas to the chamber and initiating the supplying of a flow of helium gas to the chamber to purge argon gas therefrom and displace the argon gas in the chamber. Also, the method includes detecting the withdrawal of the fuel rod from the welding chamber and, in response thereto, terminating the supplying of the flow of helium gas to the chamber and initiating the supplying of argon to the chamber to purge the air therefrom. The method also includes detecting the initiation of a weld cycle and, in response thereto, momentarily supplying a flow of argon gas to the welding electrode tip for initiating the welding arc. (Author)

Initial deposition and electron paramagnetic resonance defects characterization of TiO2 films prepared using successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Yiyong; Shi Yaping; Xu Xianbin; Sun Chengyue

2012-01-01

Successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique was considered promisingly to deposit ultra thin titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) films under ambient condition. In this paper, the growth process, structures and paramagnetic defects of the films were characterized by complementary techniques of atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results indicate that on glass substrate the SILAR TiO 2 film nucleates in an island mode within the initial five deposition cycles but grows in a layer-by-layer mode afterwards. The growth rate was measured as 4.6 Å/cycle. In the as-deposited films, a kind of paramagnetic defects is detected at g (2.0029) and it can be attributed to oxygen vacancies. These as-received oxygen vacancies could be annealed out at 473 K. Ultraviolet irradiation on the as-deposited films can also decrease the density of the defects. The relative mechanisms on the phenomenon were discussed in this paper. - Highlights: ► TiO 2 films are deposited on glass at 25 °C by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method with a rate of 4.6 Å/cycle. ► The films nucleate in an island mode initially but grow in a layer mode afterwards. ► The SILAR TiO 2 films nucleation period is five cycles. ► Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy shows that TiO 2 films paramagnetic defects are attributed to oxygen vacancies. ► They will decrease by anneal or ultraviolet radiation and form hydroxyl or superoxide radicals.

Dynamic crack initiation toughness : experiments and peridynamic modeling.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Foster, John T.

2009-10-01

This is a dissertation on research conducted studying the dynamic crack initiation toughness of a 4340 steel. Researchers have been conducting experimental testing of dynamic crack initiation toughness, K{sub Ic}, for many years, using many experimental techniques with vastly different trends in the results when reporting K{sub Ic} as a function of loading rate. The dissertation describes a novel experimental technique for measuring K{sub Ic} in metals using the Kolsky bar. The method borrows from improvements made in recent years in traditional Kolsky bar testing by using pulse shaping techniques to ensure a constant loading rate applied to the sample before crack initiation. Dynamic crack initiation measurements were reported on a 4340 steel at two different loading rates. The steel was shown to exhibit a rate dependence, with the recorded values of K{sub Ic} being much higher at the higher loading rate. Using the knowledge of this rate dependence as a motivation in attempting to model the fracture events, a viscoplastic constitutive model was implemented into a peridynamic computational mechanics code. Peridynamics is a newly developed theory in solid mechanics that replaces the classical partial differential equations of motion with integral-differential equations which do not require the existence of spatial derivatives in the displacement field. This allows for the straightforward modeling of unguided crack initiation and growth. To date, peridynamic implementations have used severely restricted constitutive models. This research represents the first implementation of a complex material model and its validation. After showing results comparing deformations to experimental Taylor anvil impact for the viscoplastic material model, a novel failure criterion is introduced to model the dynamic crack initiation toughness experiments. The failure model is based on an energy criterion and uses the K{sub Ic} values recorded experimentally as an input. The failure model

Innovation technology in the initial training of children by the example of sport games

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Ruslana Sushko

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: to determine the characteristics of innovative technologies and the current state of organizational work with children at the initial stage of training in sports. Material and Methods: to understand the application of innovative technologies used coaches poll and summarized expert assessment specialists in the field of sports. Results: the current state of the question concerning the possibility of the initial training of children in early specialization in sports for example basketball, volleyball and tennis. Clarified the importance and necessity of innovative activities for children at the initial stage of training in sports. Conclusions: the identified innovative approaches for constructing the process of initial training in tennis, which are not observed in other kinds of sports.

Distinctiveness of Initial Preform Properties in Renovation

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V. M. Yaroslavtsev

2015-01-01

product where the initial condition of material to produce the same-named details differs within the narrow standards-set limits.Technological process of renovation has to ensure restoration of all properties necessary to provide the subsequent operation and demanded work resource of the technical object turned to be an initial preform. The object, which is off-specifications and off-technical regulatory documents, in this case is a carrier of the hereditary information of life cycle, that it have saved up by the time of renovation. This information represents basic data to make decisions on possibility and efficiency of carrying out renovation works, defining their amounts, selecting technological methods of processing, their rational sequence, and means of technological support of the product quality.In this regard technological support of quality and work-related properties of the renovated objects directly depends on the knowledge of those properties of initial preform which will be imparted from one technological operation to the other at all stages of the route technology. Thus it is important to take into consideration that a product processed by each previous method with a complex of its output characteristics and properties is the preform for the subsequent method and itself conveys effect of the life cycle heredity of a product by the time under consideration. For example, the available results of pilot studies show that the strain structural anisotropy of material occurring after processing by pressure, rolling in particular, results in strain anisotropy of cutting process.Thus strain anisotropy of the main component of the cutting force Pz , can be of ~ 8-10%. Thus, high heterogeneity of properties of renovated objects with the same name, purpose, and application demands an individual approach to each of them, i.e. the corresponding correction of operation conditions, fast readjustment of technological system, and change of other processing conditions.

Thermal decomposition pathways of hydroxylamine: theoretical investigation on the initial steps.

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Wang, Qingsheng; Wei, Chunyang; Pérez, Lisa M; Rogers, William J; Hall, Michael B; Mannan, M Sam

2010-09-02

Hydroxylamine (NH(2)OH) is an unstable compound at room temperature, and it has been involved in two tragic industrial incidents. Although experimental studies have been carried out to study the thermal stability of hydroxylamine, the detailed decomposition mechanism is still in debate. In this work, several density functional and ab initio methods were used in conjunction with several basis sets to investigate the initial thermal decomposition steps of hydroxylamine, including both unimolecular and bimolecular reaction pathways. The theoretical investigation shows that simple bond dissociations and unimolecular reactions are unlikely to occur. The energetically favorable initial step of decomposition pathways was determined as a bimolecular isomerization of hydroxylamine into ammonia oxide with an activation barrier of approximately 25 kcal/mol at the MPW1K level of theory. Because hydroxylamine is available only in aqueous solutions, solvent effects on the initial decomposition pathways were also studied using water cluster methods and the polarizable continuum model (PCM). In water, the activation barrier of the bimolecular isomerization reaction decreases to approximately 16 kcal/mol. The results indicate that the bimolecular isomerization pathway of hydroxylamine is more favorable in aqueous solutions. However, the bimolecular nature of this reaction means that more dilute aqueous solution will be more stable.

Hon-yaku: a biology-driven Bayesian methodology for identifying translation initiation sites in prokaryotes

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de Hoon Michiel JL

2007-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Computational prediction methods are currently used to identify genes in prokaryote genomes. However, identification of the correct translation initiation sites remains a difficult task. Accurate translation initiation sites (TISs are important not only for the annotation of unknown proteins but also for the prediction of operons, promoters, and small non-coding RNA genes, as this typically makes use of the intergenic distance. A further problem is that most existing methods are optimized for Escherichia coli data sets; applying these methods to newly sequenced bacterial genomes may not result in an equivalent level of accuracy. Results Based on a biological representation of the translation process, we applied Bayesian statistics to create a score function for predicting translation initiation sites. In contrast to existing programs, our combination of methods uses supervised learning to optimally use the set of known translation initiation sites. We combined the Ribosome Binding Site (RBS sequence, the distance between the translation initiation site and the RBS sequence, the base composition of the start codon, the nucleotide composition (A-rich sequences following start codons, and the expected distribution of the protein length in a Bayesian scoring function. To further increase the prediction accuracy, we also took into account the operon orientation. The outcome of the procedure achieved a prediction accuracy of 93.2% in 858 E. coli genes from the EcoGene data set and 92.7% accuracy in a data set of 1243 Bacillus subtilis 'non-y' genes. We confirmed the performance in the GC-rich Gamma-Proteobacteria Herminiimonas arsenicoxydans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Burkholderia pseudomallei K96243. Conclusion Hon-yaku, being based on a careful choice of elements important in translation, improved the prediction accuracy in B. subtilis data sets and other bacteria except for E. coli. We believe that most remaining

Initialization of a fractional order identification algorithm applied for Lithium-ion battery modeling in time domain

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Nasser Eddine, Achraf; Huard, Benoît; Gabano, Jean-Denis; Poinot, Thierry

2018-06-01

This paper deals with the initialization of a non linear identification algorithm used to accurately estimate the physical parameters of Lithium-ion battery. A Randles electric equivalent circuit is used to describe the internal impedance of the battery. The diffusion phenomenon related to this modeling is presented using a fractional order method. The battery model is thus reformulated into a transfer function which can be identified through Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm to ensure the algorithm's convergence to the physical parameters. An initialization method is proposed in this paper by taking into account previously acquired information about the static and dynamic system behavior. The method is validated using noisy voltage response, while precision of the final identification results is evaluated using Monte-Carlo method.

On choosing a nonlinear initial iterate for solving the 2-D 3-T heat conduction equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An Hengbin; Mo Zeyao; Xu Xiaowen; Liu Xu

2009-01-01

The 2-D 3-T heat conduction equations can be used to approximately describe the energy broadcast in materials and the energy swapping between electron and photon or ion. To solve the equations, a fully implicit finite volume scheme is often used as the discretization method. Because the energy diffusion and swapping coefficients have a strongly nonlinear dependence on the temperature, and some physical parameters are discontinuous across the interfaces between the materials, it is a challenge to solve the discretized nonlinear algebraic equations. Particularly, as time advances, the temperature varies so greatly in the front of energy that it is difficult to choose an effective initial iterate when the nonlinear algebraic equations are solved by an iterative method. In this paper, a method of choosing a nonlinear initial iterate is proposed for iterative solving this kind of nonlinear algebraic equations. Numerical results show the proposed initial iterate can improve the computational efficiency, and also the convergence behavior of the nonlinear iteration.

National Take-Back Initiative

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... Disposal Information Drug and Chemical Information E-commerce Initiatives Federal Agencies & Related Links Federal Register Notices National ... Disposal Information Drug and Chemical Information E-commerce Initiatives Federal Agencies & Related Links Federal Register Notices National ...

Personality Traits and Training Initiation Process: Intention, Planning, and Action Initiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Laguna, Mariola; Purc, Ewelina

2016-01-01

The article aims at investigating the role of personality traits in relation to training initiation. Training initiation is conceptualized as a goal realization process, and explained using goal theories. There are three stages of the process analyzed: intention to undertake training, plan formulation, and actual training undertaking. Two studies tested the relationships between five personality traits, defined according to the five factor model, and the stages of the goal realization process. In Study 1, which explains training intention and training plans' formulation, 155 employees participated. In Study 2, which was time-lagged with two measurement points, and which explains intention, plans, and training actions undertaken, the data from 176 employees was collected at 3 month intervals. The results of these studies show that personality traits, mainly openness to experience, predict the training initiation process to some degree: intention, plans, and actual action initiation. The findings allow us to provide recommendations for practitioners responsible for human resource development. The assessment of openness to experience in employees helps predict their motivation to participate in training activities. To increase training motivation it is vital to strengthen intentions to undertake training, and to encourage training action planning.

Manufacturing Initiative

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) Project supports multiple activities within the Administration's National Manufacturing Initiative. A key component of...

Exploiting jet binning to identify the initial state of high-mass resonances

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Ebert, Markus A.; Liebler, Stefan; Moult, Ian; Stewart, Iain W.; Tackmann, Frank J.; Tackmann, Kerstin; Zeune, Lisa

2016-09-01

If a new high-mass resonance is discovered at the Large Hadron Collider, model-independent techniques to identify the production mechanism will be crucial to understand its nature and effective couplings to Standard Model particles. We present a powerful and model-independent method to infer the initial state in the production of any high-mass color-singlet system by using a tight veto on accompanying hadronic jets to divide the data into two mutually exclusive event samples (jet bins). For a resonance of several hundred GeV, the jet binning cut needed to discriminate quark and gluon initial states is in the experimentally accessible range of several tens of GeV. It also yields comparable cross sections for both bins, making this method viable already with the small event samples available shortly after a discovery. Theoretically, the method is made feasible by utilizing an effective field theory setup to compute the jet cut dependence precisely and model independently and to systematically control all sources of theoretical uncertainties in the jet binning, as well as their correlations. We use a 750 GeV scalar resonance as an example to demonstrate the viability of our method.

Exploiting jet binning to identify the initial state of high-mass resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebert, Markus A.; Liebler, Stefan; Tackmann, Frank J.; Tackmann, Kerstin; Moult, Ian; Stewart, Iain W.; Zeune, Lisa

2016-05-01

If a new high-mass resonance is discovered at the Large Hadron Collider, model-independent techniques to identify the production mechanism will be crucial to understand its nature and effective couplings to Standard Model particles. We present a powerful and model-independent method to infer the initial state in the production of any high-mass color-singlet system by using a tight veto on accompanying hadronic jets to divide the data into two mutually exclusive event samples (jet bins). For a resonance of several hundred GeV, the jet binning cut needed to discriminate quark and gluon initial states is in the experimentally accessible range of several tens of GeV. It also yields comparable cross sections for both bins, making this method viable already with the small event samples available shortly after a discovery. Theoretically, the method is made feasible by utilizing an effective field theory setup to compute the jet cut dependence precisely and model-independently and to systematically control all sources of theoretical uncertainties in the jet binning, as well as their correlations. We use a 750 GeV scalar resonance as an example to demonstrate the viability of our method.

Initiating events and accidental sequences taken into account in the CAREM reactor design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kay, J.M.; Felizia, E.R.; Navarro, N.R.; Caruso, G.J.

1990-01-01

The advance made in the nuclear security evaluation of the CAREM reactor is presented. It was carried out using the Security Probabilistic Analysis (SPA). The latter takes into account the different phases of identification and solution of initiating events and the qualitative development of event trees. The method of identification of initiating events is the Master Logical Diagram (MLD), whose deductive basis makes it appropriate for a new design like the one described. The qualitative development of the event trees associated to the identified initiating events, allows identification of those accidental sequences which are to have the security systems in the reactor. (Author) [es

NLM Emergency Access Initiative: FAQs

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Facebook Visit us on Twitter Visit us on Youtube Emergency Access Initiative Home | Journals | Books | Online Databases | FAQs Take Short Survey FAQ What is the Emergency Access Initiative? The Emergency Access Initiative (EAI) is a collaborative partnership between NLM and participating publishers to

Reflection and transmission of seismic waves under initial stress at the earth's core-mantle boundary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sukhendu Dey

1980-01-01

Full Text Available In the present paper the influence of the initial stress is shown on the reflection and transmission of P waves at the core-mantle boundary. Taking a particular value of the inherent initial stress, the variations of reflection and transmission coefficients with respect to the angle of emergence are represented by graphs. These graphs when compared with those having no initial stress show that the effect of the initial stress is to produce a reflected P and S waves with numerically higher amplitudes but a transmitted P wave with smaller amplitude. A method is also indicated in this paper to calculate the actual value of the initial stress near the core-mantle boundary by measuring the amplitudes of incident and reflected P waves.

Initial Alignment for SINS Based on Pseudo-Earth Frame in Polar Regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yanbin; Liu, Meng; Li, Guangchun; Guang, Xingxing

2017-06-16

An accurate initial alignment must be required for inertial navigation system (INS). The performance of initial alignment directly affects the following navigation accuracy. However, the rapid convergence of meridians and the small horizontalcomponent of rotation of Earth make the traditional alignment methods ineffective in polar regions. In this paper, from the perspective of global inertial navigation, a novel alignment algorithm based on pseudo-Earth frame and backward process is proposed to implement the initial alignment in polar regions. Considering that an accurate coarse alignment of azimuth is difficult to obtain in polar regions, the dynamic error modeling with large azimuth misalignment angle is designed. At the end of alignment phase, the strapdown attitude matrix relative to local geographic frame is obtained without influence of position errors and cumbersome computation. As a result, it would be more convenient to access the following polar navigation system. Then, it is also expected to unify the polar alignment algorithm as much as possible, thereby further unifying the form of external reference information. Finally, semi-physical static simulation and in-motion tests with large azimuth misalignment angle assisted by unscented Kalman filter (UKF) validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Determinants of timely initiation of breastfeeding among mothers in Goba Woreda, South East Ethiopia: A cross sectional study

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Belachew Tefera

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although breastfeeding is universal in Ethiopia, ranges of regional differences in timely initiation of breastfeeding have been documented. Initiation of breastfeeding is highly bound to cultural factors that may either enhance or inhibit the optimal practices. The government of Ethiopia developed National Infant and Young Child Feeding Guideline in 2004 and behavior change communications on breast feeding have been going on since then. However, there is a little information on the practice of timely initiation of breast feeding and factors that predict these practices after the implementation of the national guideline. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and determinant factors of timely initiation of breastfeeding among mothers in Bale Goba District, South East Ethiopia. Methods A community based cross sectional study was carried out from February to March 2010 using both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. A total of 608 mother infant pairs were selected using simple random sampling method and key informants for the in-depth interview were selected conveniently. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with timely initiation of breast feeding. Results The prevalence of timely initiation of breastfeeding was 52.4%. Bivariate analysis showed that attendance of formal education, being urban resident, institutional delivery and postnatal counseling on breast feeding were significantly associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding (P Conclusions The practice of timely initiation of breast feeding is low as nearly half the mothers did not start breastfeeding with one hour after delivery. The results suggest that breast feeding behavior change communication especially during the post natal period is critical in promoting optimal practice in the initiation of breast feeding. Rural mothers

Study of n-Butyl Acrylate Self-Initiation Reaction Experimentally and via Macroscopic Mechanistic Modeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Arabi Shamsabadi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an experimental study of the self-initiation reaction of n-butyl acrylate (n-BA in free-radical polymerization. For the first time, the frequency factor and activation energy of the monomer self-initiation reaction are estimated from measurements of n-BA conversion in free-radical homo-polymerization initiated only by the monomer. The estimation was carried out using a macroscopic mechanistic mathematical model of the reactor. In addition to already-known reactions that contribute to the polymerization, the model considers a n-BA self-initiation reaction mechanism that is based on our previous electronic-level first-principles theoretical study of the self-initiation reaction. Reaction rate equations are derived using the method of moments. The reaction-rate parameter estimates obtained from conversion measurements agree well with estimates obtained via our purely-theoretical quantum chemical calculations.

Non-canonical transcription initiation: the expanding universe of transcription initiating substrates.

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Barvík, Ivan; Rejman, Dominik; Panova, Natalya; Šanderová, Hana; Krásný, Libor

2017-03-01

RNA polymerase (RNAP) is the central enzyme of transcription of the genetic information from DNA into RNA. RNAP recognizes four main substrates: ATP, CTP, GTP and UTP. Experimental evidence from the past several years suggests that, besides these four NTPs, other molecules can be used to initiate transcription: (i) ribooligonucleotides (nanoRNAs) and (ii) coenzymes such as NAD+, NADH, dephospho-CoA and FAD. The presence of these molecules at the 5΄ ends of RNAs affects the properties of the RNA. Here, we discuss the expanding portfolio of molecules that can initiate transcription, their mechanism of incorporation, effects on RNA and cellular processes, and we present an outlook toward other possible initiation substrates. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Initial teacher training. His musical impact on children in terms of refuge

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Ana Rita Castañeda-de Liendo

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The initial teacher training was the cultivation of teacher preparation in order to be the executors of government projects drive enacted by social groups of power in the historical development of Venezuela This article analyzes the initial teacher training in Venezuela, with the help of the logical place to unveil what characterizes the initial training of teachers historical method, specifically the working conditions of temporary shelter, and develops the axiological dynamics through musical training, which determine the current and future behavior regarding the formation of these. There is insufficient number of documents that allow raising the methodological work in the preparation of teachers of children of preschool age who are in temporary shelter provided, this work contributes to the improvement of such problems.

Guide to conducting tinnitus retraining therapy initial and follow-up interviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, James A; Jastreboff, Margaret M; Jastreboff, Pawel J; Schechter, Martin A; Fausti, Stephen A

2003-01-01

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) is a structured method of tinnitus treatment that has been performed since 1990. The TRT Initial Interview form was developed to guide clinicians in obtaining essential information from patients that would specify treatment needs. The TRT Follow-up Interview form is similar to the initial interview form and is designed to evaluate outcomes of treatment. The clinician administers these forms verbally. The forms have been used in a highly abbreviated format with the potential for inconsistent interview administration between examiners. This project was to expand the forms to provide specific wording for each question. The expanded forms are presented in this article, and the intent of each question is explained. Standardized administration of these interview forms will facilitate greater uniformity in the initial evaluation and outcomes analyses of patients treated with TRT.

Encouraging initiative, cooperation and creativity in teaching Serbian language and literature

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Stevanović Jelena

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Instruction in Serbian language and literature serves to prepare and in a certain way enable the students to follow other school subjects, which points to its special relevance for total education. Unfortunately, research results indicate that students’ knowledge in this field is not entirely satisfactory. One of the reasons maybe the fact that this knowledge is not sufficiently used in practice, which can have an unfavourable impact on students’ response to more and more complex demands set by the education system of the 21st century. Additionally, the problem can also be related to the fact that dogmatic-reproductive and reproductive-explicative methodical approaches are still used in the classes of Serbian language and literature, while less attention is paid to creative work, cooperative learning and students’ initiative, the competences that should be developed first and foremost during the initial education. This paper aims at pointing to the methods and procedures that contribute to the encouragement of initiative, cooperation and creativity in primary school students in the instruction in Serbian language and literature. Among other tings, we point out to the innovation of the drama method as an integral approach to teaching contents, which serves to adopt more quality knowledge via focused role-playing activities and drama techniques, primarily in the field of literature, and enables the durability and quality of the aesthetic perception and the reception of literature. It is also pointed to the fact that instruction that includes creative work, initiative and cooperative relations enhances student competences not only in knowledge and skills in Serbian language and literature, but also at the level of emotional and social relations between students. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 47008: Unapređivanje kvaliteta i dostupnosti obrazovanja u procesima modernizacije Srbije i br. 179034: Od podsticanja inicijative

3D Simulation of Multiple Simultaneous Hydraulic Fractures with Different Initial Lengths in Rock

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Tang, X.; Rayudu, N. M.; Singh, G.

2017-12-01

Hydraulic fracturing is widely used technique for extracting shale gas. During this process, fractures with various initial lengths are induced in rock mass with hydraulic pressure. Understanding the mechanism of propagation and interaction between these induced hydraulic cracks is critical for optimizing the fracking process. In this work, numerical results are presented for investigating the effect of in-situ parameters and fluid properties on growth and interaction of multi simultaneous hydraulic fractures. A fully coupled 3D fracture simulator, TOUGH- GFEM is used for simulating the effect of different vital parameters, including in-situ stress, initial fracture length, fracture spacing, fluid viscosity and flow rate on induced hydraulic fractures growth. This TOUGH-GFEM simulator is based on 3D finite volume method (FVM) and partition of unity element method (PUM). Displacement correlation method (DCM) is used for calculating multi - mode (Mode I, II, III) stress intensity factors. Maximum principal stress criteria is used for crack propagation. Key words: hydraulic fracturing, TOUGH, partition of unity element method , displacement correlation method, 3D fracturing simulator

Gastrointestinal events and association with initiation of treatment for osteoporosis

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Modi A

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Ankita Modi,1 Ethel S Siris,2 Jackson Tang,3 Shiva Sajjan,1 Shuvayu S Sen1 1Center for Observational and Real-World Evidence, Merck & Co., Inc, Kenilworth, NJ, 2Toni Stabile Osteoporosis Center, Columbia University Medical Center, NY Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, 3Asclepius Analytics Ltd, Brooklyn, NY, USA Background: Preexisting gastrointestinal (GI events may deter the use of pharmacologic treatment in patients diagnosed with osteoporosis (OP. The objective of this study was to examine the association between preexisting GI events and OP pharmacotherapy initiation among women diagnosed with OP. Methods: The study utilized claims data from a large US managed care database to identify women aged ≥55 years with a diagnosis code for OP (index date during 2002–2009. Patients with a claim for pharmacologic OP treatment in the 12-month pre-index period (baseline were excluded. OP treatment initiation in the post-index period was defined as a claim for bisphosphonates (alendronate, ibandronate, risedronate, zoledronic acid, calcitonin, raloxifene, or teriparatide. During the post-index period (up to 12 months, GI events were identified before treatment initiation. A time-dependent Cox regression model was used to investigate the likelihood of initiating any OP treatment. Among patients initiating OP treatment, a discrete choice model was utilized to assess the relationship between post-index GI events and likelihood of initiating with a bisphosphonate versus a non-bisphosphonate. Results: In total, 65,344 patients (mean age 66 years were included; 23.7% had a GI event post diagnosis and before treatment initiation. Post-index GI events were associated with a 75% lower likelihood of any treatment initiation (hazard ratio 0.25; 95% confidence interval 0.24–0.26. Among treated patients (n=23,311, those with post-index GI events were 39% less likely to receive a bisphosphonate versus a non-bisphosphonate (odds ratio 0.61; 95% confidence

The successful implementation of STEM initiatives in lower income schools

Science.gov (United States)

Bakshi, Leena

The purpose of this study was to examine the leadership strategies utilized by superintendents, district administrators and school principals and the impact of these identified strategies on implementing STEM initiatives specifically for lower-income students. This study set out to determine (a) What role does district leadership play in the implementation of STEM initiatives in lower income secondary schools; (b) What internal systems of accountability exist in successful lower income secondary schools' STEM programs; (c) What leadership strategies are used to implement STEM curriculum initiatives; (d) How do school and district leadership support staff in order to achieve student engagement in STEM Initiative curriculum. This study used a mixed-methods approach to determine the impact of leadership strategies utilized by superintendents, district administrators and school principals on implementing STEM initiatives. Quantitative data analyzed survey questionnaires to determine the degree of correlation between the school districts that have demonstrated the successful implementation of STEM initiatives at the school and district levels. Qualitative data was collected using highly structured participant interviews and purposeful sampling of four district superintendents, one district-level administrator and five school leaders to capture the key strategies in implementing STEM initiatives in lower income secondary schools. Through the process of triangulation, the results of the study revealed that superintendents and principals should consider the characteristics of effective STEM initiatives that have shown a considerable degree of correlation with positive outcomes for lower income students. These included the leadership strategies of personnel's making decisions about the district's and school's instructional direction and an emphasis on the conceptual development of scientific principles using the Next Generation Science Standards coupled with the Common Core

Advancing Medication Reconciliation in an Outpatient Internal Medicine Clinic through a Pharmacist-Led Educational Initiative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah M. Westberg

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To develop and deliver an effective pharmacist-led educational initiative to clinic staff to advance medication reconciliation in the electronic medical record of an outpatient internal medicine clinic. Methods: An educational initiative designed to improve the ability of nursing staff in medication reconciliation was launched in the outpatient internal medicine clinic of a regional healthcare system. The education was provided by the pharmacist to clinic nursing staff, including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified medical assistants. The impact of this training was measured through pre-initiation and post-implementation surveys, competency assessments and an audit. Results: The educational initiative was successfully designed and delivered to clinic nursing staff. Assessment of the initiative found that all nursing staff completing competency assessments successfully passed. Pre-initiation- and post-implementation- survey responses on the self-assessed ability to gather and document accurate medication lists did not show significant changes. Informal observations in the clinic indicated that this initiative changed the culture of the clinic, creating increased awareness of the importance of accurate medications and increased emphasis on medication reconciliation. Conclusions: The expertise of pharmacists can be utilized to educate nursing staff on the skills and abilities necessary to gather and document accurate medication lists. This study did not find measurable changes in the accuracy of medication lists in this clinic. Future research is needed to determine the best methods to train health professionals in medication reconciliation to ensure accurate medication lists in the outpatient setting. Type: Original Research

The Yekaterinburg headache initiative

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lebedeva, Elena R; Olesen, Jes; Osipova, Vera V

2013-01-01

for a demonstrational interventional project in Russia, undertaken within the Global Campaign against Headache. The initiative proposes three actions: 1) raise awareness of need for improvement; 2) design and implement a three-tier model (from primary care to a single highly specialized centre with academic affiliation......) for efficient and equitable delivery of headache-related health care; 3) develop a range of educational initiatives aimed at primary-care physicians, non-specialist neurologists, pharmacists and the general public to support the second action. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We set these proposals in a context...... of a health-care needs assessment, and as a model for all Russia. We present and discuss early progress of the initiative, justify the investment of resources required for implementation and call for the political support that full implementation requires. The more that the Yekaterinburg headache initiative...

Numerical study of the initial dynamics in tormac

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aydemir, A.Y.

1979-01-01

Using a single fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code, we study the initial plasma dynamics in Tormac, an experimental device which attempts to confine plasma in a toroidal, two-pole cusp field. The code is in two dimensions and includes classical electrical conductivity and a constant heat conductivity. The full set of nonlinear MHD equations for the mass density, fluid velocity, temperature, the poloidal flux function, and the poloidal current function are solved using a predictor-corrector method

Self-initiated expatriate academics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Selmer, Jan; Lauring, Jakob

2013-01-01

In this chapter we examine self-initiated expatriate academics. Universities are to an increasing extent looking for talent beyond national boundaries. Accordingly, self-initiated expatriate academics represent a fast growing group of highly educated professionals who gain employment abroad...

An Application of Taylor Models to the Nakao Method on ODEs

OpenAIRE

Yamamoto, Nobito; Komori, Takashi

2009-01-01

The authors give short survey on validated computaion of initial value problems for ODEs especially Taylor model methods. Then they propose an application of Taylor models to the Nakao method which has been developed for numerical verification methods on PDEs and apply it to initial value problems for ODEs with some numerical experiments.

The similar hexheimer reaction during initial treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis: CT appearances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Yan; Zhou Xinhua; Xie Ruming; Xu Jinping

2009-01-01

Objective: To investigate CT features of similar Hexheimer's reaction during initial treatment of active pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods: The similar Hexheimer's reaction in 44 patients diagnosed by clinic and follow-up CT scans were retrospectively reviewed by three radiologists. Results: During initial treatment of active pulmonary tuberculosis, development of radiographic progression were observed in 57 foci, including 28 pulmonary lesions increased at the site of their original lesion or new opacities elsewhere, ipsilateral or contralateral to the original lesion or both, 10 lesions related to the pleura (pleural effusion, pleural tuberculoma), 15 lymphadenectasis, 3 thymus reactions, and 1 cardiac pericardium thickening, respectively. These reactions appeared from the 20 days to 3.5 months, then with continuation of the initial chemotherapy for 1.0-3.0 months, the radiographic response was excellent with the areas of progression and the original lesions demonstrating resolution or improvement. Conclusion: The CT appearances of similar Hexheimer's reaction during initial treatment of active tuberculosis are specific to a certainty. (authors)

Initial Laboratory-Scale Melter Test Results for Combined Fission Product Waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riley, Brian J.; Crum, Jarrod V.; Buchmiller, William C.; Rieck, Bennett T.; Schweiger, Michael J.; Vienna, John D.

2009-10-01

This report describes the methods and results used to vitrify a baseline glass, CSLNTM-C-2.5 in support of the AFCI (Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative) using a Quartz Crucible Scale Melter at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Document number AFCI-WAST-PMO-MI-DV-2009-000184.

Crack initiation life analysis in notched pipe under cyclic bending loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goak, S. R.; Kim, Y. J.; Lee, J. S.; Park, Y. W.

2000-01-01

In order to improve LBB(Leak-Before-Break) methodology, more precisely the crack growth evaluation, a benchmark problem was proposed by the CEA Saclay. The aim of this benchmark analysis was to evaluate the crack growth in a notched pipe under cyclic bending loads. The proposed benchmark analysis is composed of three main topic; fatigue crack initiation, crack propagation and crack penetration. This paper deals with the first topic, crack initiation in a notched pipe under four point bending. Both elastic-plastic finite element analysis and Neuber's rule were used to estimate the crack initiation life and the finite element models were verified by mesh-refinement, stress distribution and global deflection. In elastic-plastic finite element analysis, crack initiation life was determined by strain amplitude at the notch tip and strain-life curve of the material. In the analytical method, Neuber's rule with the consideration of load history and mean stress effect, was used for the life estimation. The effect of notch tip radius, strain range, cyclic hardening rule were examined in this study. When these results were compared with the experimental ones, the global deformation was a good agreement but the crack initiation cycle was higher than the experimental result

Real-world comparison of health care utilization between duloxetine and pregabalin initiators with fibromyalgia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng X

2014-01-01

Full Text Available X Peng,1 P Sun,2 D Novick,1 J Andrews,1 S Sun2 1Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA; 2Kailo Research Group, Indianapolis, IN, USA Objectives: To compare health care utilization of duloxetine initiators and pregabalin initiators among fibromyalgia patients in a real-world setting. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted based on a US national commercial health claims database (2006–2009. Fibromyalgia patients who initiated duloxetine or pregabalin in 2008, aged 18–64 years, and who maintained continuous health insurance coverage 1 year before and 1 year after initiation were assigned to duloxetine or pregabalin cohorts on the basis of their initiated agent. Patients who had pill coverage of the agents over the course of 90 days preceding the initiation were excluded. The two comparative cohorts were constructed using propensity score greedy match methods. Descriptive analysis and paired t-test were performed to compare health care utilization rates in the postinitiation year and the changes of these rates from the preinitiation year to the postinitiation year. Results: Both matched cohorts (n=1,265 pairs had a similar mean initiation age (49–50 years, percentage of women (87%–88%, and prevalence of baseline comorbid conditions (neuropathic pain other than diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, low back pain, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, headache or migraine, and osteoarthritis. In the preinitiation year, both cohorts had similar inpatient, outpatient, and medication utilization rates (inpatient, 15.7%–16.1%; outpatient, 100.0%; medication, 97.9%–98.7%. The utilization rates diverged in the postinitiation year, with the pregabalin cohort using more fibromyalgia-related inpatient care (3.2% versus 2.2%; P<0.05, any inpatient care (19.3% versus 16.8%; P<0.05, and fibromyalgia-related outpatient care (62.1% versus 51.8%; P<0.05. From the preinitiation period to the postinitiation period, the duloxetine cohort

Statistical distribution of time to crack initiation and initial crack size using service data

Science.gov (United States)

Heller, R. A.; Yang, J. N.

1977-01-01

Crack growth inspection data gathered during the service life of the C-130 Hercules airplane were used in conjunction with a crack propagation rule to estimate the distribution of crack initiation times and of initial crack sizes. A Bayesian statistical approach was used to calculate the fraction of undetected initiation times as a function of the inspection time and the reliability of the inspection procedure used.

Citizen participation and citizen initiatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matthoefer, H.

1977-01-01

Contents: Social conditions for citizen initiatives - technical change and employment - crisis behaviour - socio-psychological analysis of political planning; legitimation - presentation and criticism - conditions for citizen initiatives coming into being within the field of tension citizen : administration - legal problems of citizen initiatives - environmental protection in the energy discussion; participation; models. (HP) [de

Arthrocentesis as initial treatment for temporomandibular joint arthropathy : A randomized controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, L. M.; Huddleston Slater, J. J. R.; Stegenga, B.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of arthrocentesis compared to conservative treatment as initial treatment with regard to temporomandibular joint pain and mandibular movement. Patients and methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 80 patients with arthralgia of the TMJ (classified

Gaseous detonation initiation via wave implosion

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Scott Irving

Efficient detonation initiation is a topic of intense interest to designers of pulse detonation engines. This experimental work is the first to detonate propane-air mixtures with an imploding detonation wave and to detonate a gas mixture with a non-reflected, imploding shock. In order to do this, a unique device has been developed that is capable of generating an imploding toroidal detonation wave inside of a tube from a single ignition point without any obstruction to the tube flow path. As part of this study, an initiator that creates a large-aspect-ratio planar detonation wave in gas-phase explosive from a single ignition point has also been developed. The effectiveness of our initiation devices has been evaluated. The minimum energy required by the imploding shock for initiation was determined to scale linearly with the induction zone length, indicating the presence of a planar initiation mode. The imploding toroidal detonation initiator was found to be more effective at detonation initiation than the imploding shock initiator, using a comparable energy input to that of current initiator tubes.

Smoking Initiation Among Young Adults in the United States and Canada, 1998-2010: A Systematic Review

OpenAIRE

Freedman, Kit S.; Nelson, Nanette M.; Feldman, Laura L.

2011-01-01

Introduction Young adults have the highest smoking rate of any age group in the United States and Canada, and recent data indicate that they often initiate smoking as young adults. The objective of this study was to systematically review peer-reviewed articles on cigarette smoking initiation and effective prevention efforts among young adults. Methods We searched 5 databases for research articles published in English between 1998 and 2010 on smoking initiation among young adults (aged 18-25) ...

How do underwriters value initial public offerings? An empirical analysis of the french IPO market

NARCIS (Netherlands)

P.G.J. Roosenboom (Peter)

2007-01-01

textabstractThis paper investigates how French underwriters value the stocks of companies they bring public. Underwriters often use several valuation methods to determine their fair value estimate of the initial public offering (IPO) firm's equity. We investigate five of these valuation methods:

42 CFR 405.803 - Initial determination.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Initial determination. 405.803 Section 405.803....803 Initial determination. (a) Carriers make initial determinations regarding claims for benefits under Medicare Part B. (b) An initial determination for purposes of this subpart includes determinations...

Evolvement simulation of the probability of neutron-initiating persistent fission chain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhe; Hong Zhenying

2014-01-01

Background: Probability of neutron-initiating persistent fission chain, which has to be calculated in analysis of critical safety, start-up of reactor, burst waiting time on pulse reactor, bursting time on pulse reactor, etc., is an inherent parameter in a multiplying assembly. Purpose: We aim to derive time-dependent integro-differential equation for such probability in relative velocity space according to the probability conservation, and develop the deterministic code Dynamic Segment Number Probability (DSNP) based on the multi-group S N method. Methods: The reliable convergence of dynamic calculation was analyzed and numerical simulation of the evolvement process of dynamic probability for varying concentration was performed under different initial conditions. Results: On Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) Bare Spheres, when the time is long enough, the results of dynamic calculation approach to those of static calculation. The most difference of such results between DSNP and Partisn code is less than 2%. On Baker model, over the range of about 1 μs after the first criticality, the most difference between the dynamic and static calculation is about 300%. As for a super critical system, the finite fission chains decrease and the persistent fission chains increase as the reactivity aggrandizes, the dynamic evolvement curve of initiation probability is close to the static curve within the difference of 5% when the K eff is more than 1.2. The cumulative probability curve also indicates that the difference of integral results between the dynamic calculation and the static calculation decreases from 35% to 5% as the K eff increases. This demonstrated that the ability of initiating a self-sustaining fission chain reaction approaches stabilization, while the former difference (35%) showed the important difference of the dynamic results near the first criticality with the static ones. The DSNP code agrees well with Partisn code. Conclusions: There are large numbers of

1996 environmental initiatives report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

Progress by Consumers Gas in addressing environmental challenges were reviewed. Proposed environmental initiatives for the next fiscal year and beyond were introduced. Proposed initiatives were placed into three priority categories, high, medium or low, which together with the environmental management framework form the the utility's overall environmental agenda. High on the list of environmental priorities for the company are atmospheric air emissions, planning and construction practices, energy conservation and efficiency, environmental compliance, and methane emissions. The present state of the initiatives by the various company divisions and regions, compiled from the respective business plans, were reported. 21 figs

“Living” Free Radical Photopolymerization Initiated from Surface-Grafted Iniferter Monolayers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, B. de; Simon, H.K.; Werts, M.P.L.; Vegte, E.W. van der; Hadziioannou, G.

2000-01-01

A method for chemically modifying a surface with grafted monolayers of initiator groups, which can be used for a “living” free radical photopolymerization, is described. By using “living” free radical polymerizations, we were able to control the length of the grafted polymer chains and therefore the

Predictors of HbA1c levels in patients initiating metformin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Martono, Doti P; Hak, Eelko; Lambers Heerspink, Hiddo; Wilffert, Bob; Denig, Petra

2016-01-01

Objective: The aim was to assess demographic and clinical factors as predictors of short (6 months) and long term (18 months) HbA1c levels in diabetes patients initiating metformin treatment. Research design and methods: We conducted a cohort study including type 2 diabetes patients who received

The determination of initial ratio of strontium isotope in rocks and its geological application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ying Junlong; Zhao Puyun; Lin Xiulan

1989-04-01

The method to determine the initial ratio of strontium isotopes existed in rocks of poor rubidium and rich strontium and main carrier minerals is introduced. The initial ratio obtained from this method is equivalent to that acquired by Rb-Sr isochrone. Based on this result, information on regional rock genesis and mineralization regularities can be provided. It has great significance in the research on activities of ancient continental margin and material sources as well as their evolution. The migration of rock, and ore-forming materials, matallogenetic mechanism and its distribution in the space and time evolution are studied by using these data. In conclusion, the determination of strontium isotopes has broad prospects in the geological research

Design and initial validation of the Raster method for telecom service availability risk assessment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vriezekolk, E.; Wieringa, R.J.; Etalle, S.; Rothkrantz, L.; Ristvej, J.; Franco, Z.

2012-01-01

Crisis organisations depend on telecommunication services; unavailability of these services reduces the effectiveness of crisis response. Crisis organisations should therefore be aware of availability risks, and need a suitable risk assessment method. Such a method needs to be aware of the

Design and initial validation of the Raster method for telecom service availability risk assessment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vriezekolk, E.; Wieringa, Roelf J.; Etalle, Sandro; Rothkrantz, L.J.M.; Ristvej, J.; Franco, Z.

Crisis organisations depend on telecommunication services; unavailability of these services reduces the effectiveness of crisis response. Crisis organisations should therefore be aware of availability risks, and need a suitable risk assessment method. Such a method needs to be aware of the

Fracture initiation associated with chemical degradation: observation and modeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Byoungho Choi; Zhenwen Zhou; Chudnovsky, Alexander [Illinois Univ., Dept. of Civil and Materials Engineering (M/C 246), Chicago, IL (United States); Stivala, Salvatore S. [Stevens Inst. of Technology, Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Hoboken, NJ (United States); Sehanobish, Kalyan; Bosnyak, Clive P. [Dow Chemical Co., Freeport, TX (United States)

2005-01-01

The fracture initiation in engineering thermoplastics resulting from chemical degradation is usually observed in the form of a microcrack network within a surface layer of degraded polymer exposed to a combined action of mechanical stresses and chemically aggressive environment. Degradation of polymers is usually manifested in a reduction of molecular weight, increase of crystallinity in semi crystalline polymers, increase of material density, a subtle increase in yield strength, and a dramatic reduction in toughness. An increase in material density, i.e., shrinkage of the degraded layer is constrained by adjacent unchanged material results in a buildup of tensile stress within the degraded layer and compressive stress in the adjacent unchanged material due to increasing incompatibility between the two. These stresses are an addition to preexisting manufacturing and service stresses. At a certain level of degradation, a combination of toughness reduction and increase of tensile stress result in fracture initiation. A quantitative model of the described above processes is presented in these work. For specificity, the internally pressurized plastic pipes that transport a fluid containing a chemically aggressive (oxidizing) agent is used as the model of fracture initiation. Experimental observations of material density and toughness dependence on degradation reported elsewhere are employed in the model. An equation for determination of a critical level of degradation corresponding to the offset of fracture is constructed. The critical level of degradation for fracture initiation depends on the rates of toughness deterioration and build-up of the degradation related stresses as well as on the manufacturing and service stresses. A method for evaluation of the time interval prior to fracture initiation is also formulated. (Author)

36 CFR 902.60 - Initial determination.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Initial determination. 902.60... INFORMATION ACT Time Limitations § 902.60 Initial determination. (a) An initial determination whether or not... workdays in accordance with § 902.62. (b) Upon making initial determination, the Administrative Officer...

Cross-validated detection of crack initiation in aerospace materials

Science.gov (United States)

Vanniamparambil, Prashanth A.; Cuadra, Jefferson; Guclu, Utku; Bartoli, Ivan; Kontsos, Antonios

2014-03-01

A cross-validated nondestructive evaluation approach was employed to in situ detect the onset of damage in an Aluminum alloy compact tension specimen. The approach consisted of the coordinated use primarily the acoustic emission, combined with the infrared thermography and digital image correlation methods. Both tensile loads were applied and the specimen was continuously monitored using the nondestructive approach. Crack initiation was witnessed visually and was confirmed by the characteristic load drop accompanying the ductile fracture process. The full field deformation map provided by the nondestructive approach validated the formation of a pronounced plasticity zone near the crack tip. At the time of crack initiation, a burst in the temperature field ahead of the crack tip as well as a sudden increase of the acoustic recordings were observed. Although such experiments have been attempted and reported before in the literature, the presented approach provides for the first time a cross-validated nondestructive dataset that can be used for quantitative analyses of the crack initiation information content. It further allows future development of automated procedures for real-time identification of damage precursors including the rarely explored crack incubation stage in fatigue conditions.

[Sexual initiation, masculinity and health: narratives of young men].

Science.gov (United States)

Rebello, Lúcia Emilia Figueiredo de Sousa; Gomes, Romeu

2009-01-01

The main objective of this study was to analyze the narratives of young university students about the experience of sexual initiation. The theoretical and conceptual references used were the sexual scripts of our society that inform people about when, how, where and with whom they should have their sexual experiences, indicating how to act sexually and the reasons why they have to practice some kind of sexual activity. The method used was a qualitative study of narratives from the perspective of dialectic hermeneutics. The methodological design involves the comprehension of sceneries, contexts, environments and characters of the narratives about sexual initiation. The analysis refers to narratives of university students in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Among the meanings of sexual initiation, we emphasize sexual intercourse, the demarcation of a stage of life, the awakening to the opposite sex and the discovery of the body. We observed that the young men's narratives were coherent with what is considered masculine, present in the discourse of different generations. It is concluded that the young men should be encouraged to participate in actions combining health and education aimed at promotion of sexual and reproductive health.

Non-canonical transcription initiation: the expanding universe of transcription initiating substrates

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Barvík, I.; Rejman, Dominik; Panova, Natalya; Šanderová, Hana; Krásný, Libor

2017-01-01

Roč. 41, č. 2 (2017), s. 131-138 ISSN 0168-6445 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-05228S; GA ČR GA15-11711S Institutional support: RVO:61388963 ; RVO:61388971 Keywords : RNA polymerase * non-canonical transcription initiation * transcription initiating substrate * nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) * coenzymes * RNA stability Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology; EE - Microbiology, Virology (MBU-M) OBOR OECD: Biochemistry and molecular biology; Microbiology (MBU-M) Impact factor: 12.198, year: 2016

10 CFR 603.805 - Payment methods.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Payment methods. 603.805 Section 603.805 Energy DEPARTMENT... Other Administrative Matters Payments § 603.805 Payment methods. A TIA may provide for: (a... progress. A fixed-support TIA must use this payment method (this does not preclude use of an initial...

Least Squares Estimate of the Initial Phases in STFT based Speech Enhancement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørholm, Sidsel Marie; Krawczyk-Becker, Martin; Gerkmann, Timo

2015-01-01

In this paper, we consider single-channel speech enhancement in the short time Fourier transform (STFT) domain. We suggest to improve an STFT phase estimate by estimating the initial phases. The method is based on the harmonic model and a model for the phase evolution over time. The initial phases...... are estimated by setting up a least squares problem between the noisy phase and the model for phase evolution. Simulations on synthetic and speech signals show a decreased error on the phase when an estimate of the initial phase is included compared to using the noisy phase as an initialisation. The error...... on the phase is decreased at input SNRs from -10 to 10 dB. Reconstructing the signal using the clean amplitude, the mean squared error is decreased and the PESQ score is increased....

Methods for Analyzing Pipe Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Hans Bruun

1989-01-01

to formulate the flow equations in terms of pipe discharges than in terms of energy heads. The behavior of some iterative methods is compared in the initial phase with large errors. It is explained why the linear theory method oscillates when the iteration gets close to the solution, and it is further...... demonstrated that this method offers good starting values for a Newton-Raphson iteration....

Hydroponic Green Farming Initiative : increasing water use efficiency by use of hydroponic cultivation methods in Jordan : final report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blok, Chris; Os, van Erik; Daoud, Raed; Waked, Laith; Hasan, A.

2017-01-01

Hydroponic Green Farming Initiative was executed in Jordan. Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticultureanalysed the present situation at hydroponic farmers with the aim to adapt and to improve where possibleand to disseminate results and knowledge to other farmers in training sessions. With large amounts

Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prior to chronic renal replacement therapy initiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Søren Lund; Fosbøl, Emil L; Kamper, Anne-Lise

2012-01-01

PURPOSE: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be associated with severe renal complications, including acute renal failure, reduced glomerular filtration rate and interstitial nephritis. Caution against NSAIDs is therefore recommended in advanced chronic kidney disease. In this study......, we examined NSAID use, aetiology and comorbidity among a national cohort of patients before the initiation of chronic renal replacement therapy (RRT). METHODS: Patients initiated on chronic RRT in the period 1997-2006 were identified in the Danish National Registry on Regular Dialysis...

Optimization approach of background value and initial item for improving prediction precision of GM(1,1) model

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yuhong Wang; Qin Liu; Jianrong Tang; Wenbin Cao; Xiaozhong Li

2014-01-01

A combination method of optimization of the back-ground value and optimization of the initial item is proposed. The sequences of the unbiased exponential distribution are simulated and predicted through the optimization of the background value in grey differential equations. The principle of the new information priority in the grey system theory and the rationality of the initial item in the original GM(1,1) model are ful y expressed through the improvement of the initial item in the proposed time response function. A numerical example is employed to il ustrate that the proposed method is able to simulate and predict sequences of raw data with the unbiased exponential distribution and has better simulation performance and prediction precision than the original GM(1,1) model relatively.

Ports Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

EPA's Ports Initiative works in collaboration with the port industry, communities, and government to improve environmental performance and increase economic prosperity. This effort helps people near ports breath cleaner air and live better lives.

Initiating Self-Assessment Strategies in Novice Physiotherapy Students: A Method Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Catherine

2013-01-01

Student self- and peer-assessment strategies ideally are instigated early in programmes for health professionals. This study presents an innovative method of stimulating critical evaluation of clinical skills learned in the practical class setting for first year physiotherapy students. Twice in the semester (beginning and end) students assessed…

A Numerical Method for Lane-Emden Equations Using Hybrid Functions and the Collocation Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Changqing Yang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A numerical method to solve Lane-Emden equations as singular initial value problems is presented in this work. This method is based on the replacement of unknown functions through a truncated series of hybrid of block-pulse functions and Chebyshev polynomials. The collocation method transforms the differential equation into a system of algebraic equations. It also has application in a wide area of differential equations. Corresponding numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed method.

Effects of (monomer - crosslinker – initiator) composition during non imprinted polymers synthesis for catechin retention

Science.gov (United States)

Triadhi, U.; Zulfikar, M. A.; Setiyanto, H.; Amran, M. B.

2018-05-01

MISPE (molecularly imprinted Solid Phase Extraction) is a separation technique using a solid adsorbent as a principle of MI (molecularly imprinted). Methacrylic acid (MAA) was used as a monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a crosslinker, benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as an initiator and acetonitrile (ACN) as a porogen. Catechin will be used as the template. Thermal and microwave methods were employed in the synthesis method. When analyzed using FTIR spectra, it was found that there were no significant differences between NIP (non-imprinted polymer) resulting from thermal method and that resulting from microwave method. Preparation of polymers by microwave method required 4 mins at 60-65 °C, significantly less than thermal method, that took 60 minutes at the same temperature. The variations of mole ratios of the monomer, the crosslinker, and the initiator were also performed. Based on the FTIR spectra, intensity of some peaks were changed due to the decreases of concentration. The optimum composition for NIP synthesis was MAA: EGDMA: BPO ratio of 5:30:0.5 (in mmole). The TGA curve showed that the NIP sythesized using microwave method experienced mass loss of around 98.50% at 604.8 °C.

Evaluating Teachers' Professional Development Initiatives: Towards an Extended Evaluative Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Merchie, Emmelien; Tuytens, Melissa; Devos, Geert; Vanderlinde, Ruben

2018-01-01

Evaluating teachers' professional development initiatives (PDI) is one of the main challenges for the teacher professionalisation field. Although different studies have focused on the effectiveness of PDI, the obtained effects and evaluative methods have been found to be widely divergent. By means of a narrative review, this study provides an…

Phillips Laboratory small satellite initiatives

Science.gov (United States)

Lutey, Mark K.; Imler, Thomas A.; Davis, Robert J.

1993-09-01

The Phillips Laboratory Space Experiments Directorate in conjunction with the Air Force Space Test Program (AF STP), Defense Advanced Research and Projects Agency (DARPA) and Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO), are managing five small satellite program initiatives: Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile (LEAP) sponsored by SDIO, Miniature Sensor Technology Integration (MSTI) sponsored by SDIO, Technology for Autonomous Operational Survivability (TAOS) sponsored by Phillips Laboratory, TechSat sponsored by SDIO, and the Advanced Technology Standard Satellite Bus (ATSSB) sponsored by DARPA. Each of these spacecraft fulfills a unique set of program requirements. These program requirements range from a short-lived `one-of-a-kind' mission to the robust multi- mission role. Because of these diverging requirements, each program is driven to use a different design philosophy. But regardless of their design, there is the underlying fact that small satellites do not always equate to small missions. These spacecraft with their use of or ability to insert new technologies provide more capabilities and services for their respective payloads which allows the expansion of their mission role. These varying program efforts culminate in an ATSSB spacecraft bus approach that will support moderate size payloads, up to 500 pounds, in a large set of orbits while satisfying the `cheaper, faster, better' method of doing business. This technical paper provides an overview of each of the five spacecraft, focusing on the objectives, payoffs, technologies demonstrated, and program status.

Auditing GPs' prescribing habits : Cardiovascular prescribing frequently continues medication initiated by specialists

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Vries, C.S; van Diepen, N.M; de Jong-van den Berg, L T W

Objective: To determine to what extent general practitioners' (GPs) prescribing behaviour is a result of repeat prescribing of medication which has been initiated by specialists. Method: During a 4-week period, pharmacists identified GPs' prescriptions for a large group of cardiovascular drugs.

Initial experiences of simultaneous laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer and liver metastases

NARCIS (Netherlands)